Latest news with #RoseParade
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meet Doc Holliday: The blue heeler starring in the Army's 250th anniversary parade
As the nation gets ready for a big military parade on June 14, held to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, there is one unexpected guest star of the parade — a 2-year-old blue heeler named Doc Holliday. Named after a character in the movie Tombstone, the dog is a cherished member of the Horse Cavalry Detachment, an equestrian military unit posted at Fort Cavazos, Texas. The Horse Cavalry Detachment was activated in 1972 and is a subordinate unit of the 1st Cavalry Division. Doc joined the detachment as a young puppy more than two years ago, according to Army Col. Kamil Sztalkoper, a spokesman for the III Armored Corps. The unit, mostly used to support public relations and recruiting efforts, includes a wagon pulled by two mules, per ABC News. Sztalkoper said Doc is a playful dog, but he 'knows his place very well when it's time for the parade.' From the back of the unit's wagon, Doc has participated in several ceremonies and parades. In fact, Doc has participated twice in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. This is not the first time Doc has been included in a big parade lineup. He traveled to Washington, D.C., to be in the inaugural parade this past January, but when the inauguration moved indoors, Doc missed his chance, per The Washington Post. But this time around, Doc is set to take the spotlight as Army officials said the parade is a 'rain-or-shine event,' the Post reported. Doc will be marching alongside 6,700 soldiers, 28 M1 Abrams, 28 Stryker vehicles, a World War II-era B-25 bomber, 34 horses, six Paladin self-propelled howitzers and two mules, per The New York Times. The parade is set for June 14, which not only marks the Army's 250th anniversary but also Flag Day and President Donald Trump's 79th birthday. Even though it's been two years in the making, it wasn't until after Trump's inauguration that officials began to explore options to make the event bigger with a parade. Army spokesman Steve Warren said they want it to be a national, global, and 'even interstellar' event, as Army Col. Anne McClain, now serving on the International Space Station, will be phoning in, per The New York Times. Designed to tell the history of the Army from the Revolutionary era to World War II, as well as to showcase uniforms from every past U.S. conflict, the parade will go for about a mile from Constitution Avenue to the Washington Monument. At the end of the parade, the Army's Golden Knight parachutists will descend near the Ellipse and present Trump with a folded flag. Additionally, the president will enlist and reenlist 250 recruits and soldiers. The last big military parade, the National Victory Celebration parade, was held in the U.S. capital to celebrate the conclusion of the Gulf War in 1991. According to The Washington Post, that parade cost $8 million, or almost $19 million in today's money. Trump's parade is set to cost between $25 million to $45 million, according to Army officials. Army officials expect about 200,000 attendees. People can request free tickets, two per person.
USA Today
25-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Brian Dawkins reflects on the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX defensive performance vs. the Chiefs
Brian Dawkins reflects on the Eagles' Super Bowl LIX defensive performance vs. the Chiefs This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Dawkins. In his interview with Easton Jr., Dawkins discussed representing Boehringer & Lilly's It Takes 2 health initiative, spreading awareness about getting tested for kidney disease, and reflecting on the Eagles' defense's performance in Super Bowl LIX, which forced Kansas City into numerous turnovers and pressured Patrick Mahomes. The "It's In Your Hands: It Takes 2" CORE Kidney float debuted with Dawkins aboard at the 2025 Rose Parade. The collaboration reflected a shared commitment to kidney health and the importance of teamwork in understanding kidney disease comprehensively. The Eagles' defense collected six sacks and two interceptions on three-time Super Bowl MVP Mahomes en route to a 40-22 victory. Dawkins reflected on the game, sharing his opinion on Philadelphia's shocking dominance over the Chiefs' experienced offensive stars. "I was surprised that it happened the way that it happened. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that's not something I thought would happen. I thought it was going to be a reverse of fortune that the Eagles would make that last drive to win the game this time around; I thought it would be that type of a close game." said Dawkins, "But it was not from the jump that the defense stepped up and played the best game, probably that you would see that I can remember." Dawkins spent thirteen of his sixteen NFL seasons in Philadelphia, achieving tremendous success with NFC Championship appearances under then-head coach Andy Reid. The defense was prominent on those teams that fell short of a Super Bowl title in 2004. "Sometimes we have done some things with Jim Johnson, Reggie White, and the crew. They did some things back in the day. But I'm just telling you, on that stage, though, to be able to perform to the level in the Super Bowl the way that they did, unbelievable." said Dawkins, "I was so excited to see them doing it that way, winning the game because it's the Super Bowl. I'm a defensive guy, so to see them dominate the way that they did, I loved it."
USA Today
23-04-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Eagles legend Brian Dawkins reflects on the Rose Parade, Brandon Graham's career
Eagles legend Brian Dawkins reflects on the Rose Parade, Brandon Graham's career This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Pro Football Hall of Famer and Philadelphia Eagles legend Brian Dawkins. In his interview with Easton Jr., Dawkins recapped his representation of Boehringer & Lilly's "It Takes 2" health initiative at the Rose Parade earlier this year, spreading awareness about the importance of getting tested for kidney disease, and shared his thoughts on the retirement announcement of long-time Eagles standout Brandon Graham. "It's tremendous. It was a lot bigger than I thought, like, you think it's one way because you see it on TV. Still, you're a part of it, and to be on one of the floats, and so that part of it was much more expansive than I thought." said Dawkins. "I had an image of what I thought it would be, but when I saw it, I was like, you guys gotta be kidding me, like, there are the people they drive down, travel down, just for this experience. Get up early in the morning to come out and watch these floats go by. It's not something that I ever thought I would be a part of. I thought it was something I would always watch from a distance, but to be a part of it was such a blessing. So it's great. I thank Boehringer & Lilly for letting me be a part of it." Dawkins, whose parents have conditions that put them at greater risk, rode the "It's In Your Hands: It Takes 2" CORE Kidney float alongside Thelma, a patient advocate living with kidney disease, and Dr. Anjay Rastogi, M.D., PhD, Director of the CORE Kidney Program and Professor and Clinical Chief of Nephrology at the UCLA Health's David Geffen School of Medicine. Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham announced his retirement after 15 seasons with the franchise, including two Super Bowl victories. Dawkins opened up about his career and legacy in Philadelphia, including his famous strip-sack of Tom Brady to win Super Bowl LII. "I'm excited for him. The way his career started, coming out of Michigan, he was considered a bust by many individuals at the time. If you look at where he was in the first two years, you could see why they would say that," said Dawkins. "But here's the thing, he changed his mindset. He changed how he looked at life, approached the game of football, and changed into a completely different person, and so that's the Brandon Graham that we see now." "The smiling assassin is what I call him. He is always chirping and smiling. But he would handle his business if you got too close to him. It will forever be in the lore of Philadelphia that he will be forever known for the sack because that was it," said Dawkins, "That was the sack in the Super Bowl to win it all and strip Tom Brady. He will be forever known for that, and so there are growing young people who'll grow up wanting to have that type of career, to win two Super Bowls and then win one out the door, like, that's how we all would have loved to have done it, and he did it."
The Guardian
25-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
After LA fires destroyed places of worship, Methodist, Muslim and Jewish congregations form ‘an island of grace'
Entering a sacred space like the First United Methodist church in Pasadena can stir emotions. Curious visitors often wander through the church doors, attracted by its gothic exterior, and instinctively start to whisper. The space on Colorado Boulevard – a busy thoroughfare that doubles as part of the Rose Parade route every New Year's Day – has always felt holy, said the Rev Amy Aitken, the pastor. Now she wants it to feel like a safe space for two other religious groups that are sharing the facilities for worship: the Islamic Center of Southern California and the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center. Conflicts in faraway lands and ideological differences make these three religious groups unlikely cohabitants in a shared space, but here the groups form a microcosm of peaceful coexistence united by tragedy. In January, the Pasadena synagogue burned down in the Eaton fire leaving its Jewish congregation in need of a place to grieve and worship. The Methodist church, already a host to Islamic Center members as a satellite worship location, welcomed the Jewish congregation. 'We are trying to cultivate an 'island of grace' in the midst of differences that we are told should divide us,' said Aitken. Under this arrangement, all three Abrahamic faiths are worshiping under one roof at 500 East Colorado Boulevard. 'I can't think of another church that can say the same,' said Aitken. Midday on a Friday in February, Islamic Center members lay out prayer rugs in the church's Fellowship Hall for their weekly Jumma service, a communal prayer session. 'Friday is our religious day,' said Roohi Siddiqi, who has been attending Jumma services here for two years. For her, it's a weekly chance for spiritual renewal. The service lasts just an hour, and the Islamic Center's mosque and cultural center is more than 13 miles away in Los Angeles. This satellite location in Pasadena provides a convenient site for local members to worship, said Omar Ricci, an Islamic Center spokesperson. It's an interfaith partnership forged out of Steelers Nation. In 2017, Dr Rizwan Bhatti, an ophthalmologist and former board member of the Islamic Center, connected with a patient – a former Methodist church pastor – through their mutual interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bhatti was helping in the search for a satellite location for the center's weekly prayer service. The church's meeting room was available. That summer, the first Jumma prayer service was held at the Methodist church. The church is not just a space of worship, said Bhatti. It's a place of connection between interfaith partners. Now, there is a third partner. 'It's just a great blessing for the entire community that people with different faiths are able to come together and help each other in difficult times,' said Bhatti. The arrangement reminds Ricci of a quote by the Irish writer Sebastian Barry: 'There is seldom a difficulty with religion where there is friendship.' Yes, there are differences in belief systems in what's happening between Palestine and Israel, said Ricci. 'It doesn't override the loving demeanor that I think we should be dealing with each other.' On this day, the Islamic Center's Khutbah, or lecture, focused on unity – both within their community and now with the new Jewish group that share the same space, but at different times. After the Jumma service, Dr Syeda Ali, a kidney specialist, said the message resonated. 'No matter how you reach out to your creator, we all have a common goal of doing the best for the community,' said Ali. 'We want our families to be good. We want our community to be good. You won't feel good if your neighbor is suffering.' The church's campus – with its meeting rooms, sanctuary, chapel and a restaurant-grade kitchen – is a place of God, said the Rev Mina Nau-Mahe, an associate pastor. 'And so, if it is a space of God, then it needs to be open to all people.' Now the campus is full, which calls for a lot of coordination between the groups – and a lot of grace, said Aisha Williams, the facilities manager. This also applies to church members, who are accustomed to having the entire campus to themselves. The Methodist congregation was overjoyed when they learned that the Jewish Temple congregants were worshipping on the same campus, said Aitken. 'We are people that play well with others.' Fridays are especially busy. Jumma services take place at midday. In the evening, the campus buzzes with Shabbat services. On Saturday mornings, the Jewish temple holds its service in the sanctuary, a cavernous room with fan vault ceilings where the cantor's voice soars. Kids giggle in the pews while parents have personal moments of prayer. Then on Sunday mornings, the home team takes the space. 'I think that this has been such a great reminder that all faith communities have the same goal. It is to support and make ourselves better humans, so that we can make the world just a little bit better together,' said Melissa Levy, Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center (PJTC) executive director. The Jewish temple held services the same week the synagogue burned down. They needed to nourish their beleaguered community. More than 70 of their families were affected by the Eaton fire, including Heather Sandoval Feng, a high school principal, whose Altadena home burned down. After two months, Sandoval Feng has settled into the phase she describes as the 'temporary permanent' – the quiet space after the disaster that allows the mind to reckon with the loss and the unexpected beauty of finding a new interfaith community. Her daughter Hannah Sandoval, 13, had been preparing for her batmitzvah before the fire took their family home and synagogue. The Methodist church offered its space for the rite of passage. A month after the fire, Hannah ceremoniously read from the Torah scroll – which were saved from the ravages of the blaze – in front of the congregation and a stained-glass window depicting the transfiguration of Christ. 'I couldn't think of a better place,' said Sandoval Feng. It was the first batmitzvah for the church and the interfaith family – Hannah's dad, Oscar Sandoval, is Catholic. For months now, their family has been returning to the site of their home to pick through remnants. A broken mug emblazoned with the Star of David here. Charred Hanukah decorations there. Kids at Sandoval Feng's school often ask: where do you see God in all this? Her answer: God is the community in action. During Ramadan this month, a holy time for Muslims to fast, pray and reflect, members of the Islamic Center gather at the church on Tuesday nights to break their fast together. Church members have previously joined them. Interfaith outreach between all the groups will happen in time, said Aitken. For now, she's giving the Jewish congregation grace and space to settle in. 'It's a big deal for them to be worshiping in a Christian space,' said Aitken about PJTC. 'And it's enough.' The arrangement is an opportunity to practice compassion. 'I don't know how to change things on the global macro level,' she said. 'But on this corner, I can try to create a kind of community and a house of worship that God would recognize.'
CBS News
18-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
92-year-old woman trying to flee Eaton Fire on foot rescued by Altadena pastor and his granddaughter
An Altadena pastor and his granddaughter are recounting the moments that they sprung into action when they saw a 92-year-old woman fleeing from her home in the midst of the Eaton Fire — on foot. Carlos Quintero and his granddaughter Ariana didn't evacuate the night the devastating blaze erupted, instead staying home and waiting to hear official word on whether they had to leave. "Usually they come and knock on the door, or they'll go in the streets and say evacuate," Ariana said. "That's what he was waiting for, one of those. And it never came." Robi Cauley was just three blocks away from them. She also decided not to leave the home she'd lived in for 60 years. "I decided I wasn't going anywhere, I was gonna stay here and fight," she said. Both families woke early the next morning to the same eerie silence. They did not hear sirens, they did not hear the usual sounds of life around them. They did, however, see a troubling glow in the sky. "We looked out through the window and we saw the fire was really, very close to where we were," Carlos said. They left their home, driving to Iglesia Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, where Quintero is a pastor. At the same time, Cauley was making tea. "I still kept sittin', hoping this fire is not gonna hit my house, cause I've been here too long," she said. "So I decided to stay." Despite being safe inside of the church, the Quinteros felt like they couldn't stay put for too long. They left, heading back into the midst of the fire zone. "He just kept going up, and up, and up and slower, and slower," Ariana said. "Even one time he took his phone out to take a picture. I said, 'Can you please drive? This is not the Rose Parade!'" Around that same time, Cauley finally realized that it was time to leave. "The house next door was on fire, my car was on fire," she recalled. "That told me then I'd better get out of here. So I got my cane and started walking down the street." Despite being surrounded by fire on all sides, homes and cars burning just across the street, she kept walking. "I just kept walking," she said. That's when the Quinteros spotted her, holding just her cane and a phone book. Some cell phone footage showed the moments they helped her into the back of their car. "If they hadn't have stopped and saw me in the middle of the street, raising the cane, they never would have stopped," Cauley said. They helped her call her family and took her to a nearby shelter, and now, their stories are intertwined forever. "I was committed to save my property and all that, but God had other plans for her and also for us," Carlos said. "That's what you call trust in the man upstairs," Cauley had to say in response. Though both families lost their homes that night, they're on the road to recovery in different fashions. Cauley now lives out of state with her daughter, while the Quinteros plan to stay put and rebuild.
