West
Photos from California wildfires show shocking before and after at historic state parks: 'Devastating'
The historic home of movie cowboy legend Will Rogers and buildings at Topanga State Park were decimated by the raging wildfires in Los Angeles, according to a news release from California State Parks.
At Will Rogers State Historic Park (WRSHP), where Hollywood’s highest-paid actor in the 1930s lived, the home overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica was destroyed.
Before and after pictures from California State Parks showed the level of devastation of the ranch, where just fireplaces remained standing.
“State Parks was able to evacuate the horses and some of the cultural and historical artifacts, including artwork, at Will Rogers SHP ahead of the fire,” the release said.
CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE
The living room inside Will Rogers’ ranch house, left, and the home’s living room after the fire. (California State Parks via X)
American sound engineer Franklin Hansen, left, actor and writer Will Rogers and Scottish-born director Frank Lloyd stand at the podium at the 1934 Academy Awards in Los Angeles. (New York Times Co./Getty Images)
At Topanga State Park, the Topanga Ranch Motel and concession buildings were destroyed, the agency said.
Park employees’ houses were also lost to the fire, the release said. Between the two state parks, more than 30 total buildings were engulfed.
“California State Parks mourns the loss of these treasured natural and cultural resources, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area,” State Parks Director Armando Quintero said.
I TOLD MY KIDS, ‘DON’T LOOK BACK.’ WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO FLEE FROM FIRES IN LA
At Topanga State Park, the Topanga Ranch Motel and concession buildings were destroyed by the wildfires in Malibu, Calif. (California State Parks)
California State Parks staff are on site working to salvage artifacts and assess the damage.
“Since [Tuesday] afternoon, we are directing all available resources into the emergency response effort and working to secure and protect as much as we can at affected nearby state parks,” Quintero said. “We are deeply grateful to our parks staff and all partner agencies for their swift actions. Our top priority remains the safety of the public, our employees and the responders bravely battling the fires.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, six wildfires were burning in Los Angeles County, including the Pacific Palisades and Sylmar neighborhoods of Los Angeles and another near the City of Pasadena.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told Fox News five people had been killed in the Eaton Fire as of Wednesday afternoon.
Read the full article from Here
The Oregon Ducks lost a handful of players on Sunday to the transfer portal, but Dan Lanning and his staff are slowly building the 2026 roster back up, including a new target at wide receiver that could be a reminder of another slot receiver who wore the green and yellow.
Former Alabama-Birmingham receiver Iverson Hooks has committed to come out to the West Coast and play for the Ducks. Hooks was a go-to guy for the Blazers this season, and it will be difficult for UAB to replace him immediately. But UAB’s loss is definitely Oregon’s gain.
He was one of the better players in the American Conference in 2025, and it will be interesting to see how Hooks performs against tougher competition in the Big Ten. It’ll also be interesting to see how he fits into the Oregon roster and what looks to be yet another deep receivers room in Eugene.
American Conference Honors
Hooks earned Second-Team All-American Conference honors for the Blazers. He caught 72 passes for 972 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. For his career, Hooks has 97 catches for 1,225 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Tez Johnson/Gary Bryant Jr. Role
At just 5-foot-10 and a mere 175 pounds, Hooks is a similar player to former Duck slot receiver Tez Johnson, who also came from a Group of 5 league at Troy. He turned out to be pretty good, and there’s no reason to think Hooks won’t be either. The Ducks have had a history of making certain slot receivers into stars, such as Johnson and, most recently, Gary Bryant, Jr. Expect Hooks to pencil in at the slot and find his role there.
The WR Room Gets Deeper
Hooks should probably start in 2026 for the Ducks, but there’s no guarantee of that, as Oregon will bring back one of the more talented receiver rooms in the country. They’ll miss the likes of Bryant and Malik Benson, but Evan Stewart could be back, along with Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan. They also add Gatlin Bair fresh off of his mission, and have high-upside guys like Jalen Lott and Dillon Gresham looking for targets as well.
Remaining Eligibility
Due to an injury just three games into his redshirt freshman season in 2023, Hooks will have two years of eligibility remaining, just as Tez Johnson did when he left Troy for Eugene. Johnson made a huge jump from his junior to senior season, and the Ducks are hoping Hooks can make a similar jump as well.
Top 25 WR out of the portal
While Hooks isn’t a huge name on the market, as On3 rated him the No. 24 receiver in the portal, he doesn’t need to duplicate his numbers of 2025 to be successful for the Ducks. Oregon has plenty of playmakers on the roster and if Hooks can fill that role of being a slot receiver, make first downs, and be an occasional deep-ball threat, that should be more than good enough for the Ducks next season.
Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
Courtesy of Utah State Athletics
LOGAN, Utah – Utah State men’s basketball is ranked in the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time of the 2025-26 season, checking in at No. 23 with 161 points in the poll. This is the third-straight year the Aggies have been ranked in the AP Poll, the first time in program history that has happened.
Currently sitting at 14-1 overall and an unbeaten 5-0 in Mountain West play, Utah State is the lone ranked team from the league, and is one of just two teams from mid-major leagues ranked this week, along with future Pac-12 mate Gonzaga (No. 9).
The Aggies also made their season debut in the USA Today Coaches Poll, checking in at No. 24. In today’s NET Rankings, Utah State ranks No. 12. USU has received votes in seven of the past eight AP Polls this season.
Utah State spent two weeks ranked last season, peaking at No. 22. In 2023-24, the Aggies were ranked for nine weeks and climbed as high as No. 16 in the poll.
UP NEXT
Utah State will return to Logan next week to host Nevada on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Tip-off is slated for 8 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
TICKETS
Season tickets for the 2025-26 men’s basketball season have sold out. Fans can purchase single game tickets for available remaining games here. A waitlist for 2026-27 season tickets is now available here.
FOLLOW
For more information on Utah State’s men’s basketball program, follow the Aggies on Facebook at usumensbasketball, on Twitter at @usubasketball and on Instagram at @usubasketball. Fans can also watch USU men’s basketball highlights by visiting youtube.com/utahstateathletics.
SPRINGDALE, Utah (KUTV) — A Utah snowmobiler died in a Wyoming avalanche near LaBarge Creek.
Nicholas Bringhurst, 31, of Springville, Utah, was caught and buried in an avalanche at about 2:15 p.m. Jan. 11, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Air Idaho responded to the area along with Star Valley Search and Rescue.
Officials said Bringhurst’s friend located and uncovered him. Despite CPR efforts, Bringhurst died as a result of injuries sustained in the avalanche.
The sheriff’s office expressed its “deepest sympathies” to the Bringhurst family in a social media post.
____
PSA Completes Move to North Carolina | AirlineGeeks.com
2025 tourism dip in ND reflects national trend
Michael McKee will be extradited to Ohio to face charges for grisly murder of dentist, wife
Oklahoma Highway Patrol seeks $25M for trooper training
5 things to know about Oregon’s newest reciever Iverson Hooks from UAB
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Video: What Our Photographer Saw in Minneapolis
Conservative legal group targets CFPB rule mandating race, sex data in home loans
EU auditors warn eased EU budget rules could undermine oversight
More federal agents head to Minnesota. And, U.S. Figure Skating announces Olympic team
San Antonio ends its abortion travel fund after new state law, legal action
-
Detroit, MI1 week ago2 hospitalized after shooting on Lodge Freeway in Detroit
-
Technology6 days agoPower bank feature creep is out of control
-
Dallas, TX4 days agoAnti-ICE protest outside Dallas City Hall follows deadly shooting in Minneapolis
-
Delaware3 days agoMERR responds to dead humpback whale washed up near Bethany Beach
-
Dallas, TX1 week agoDefensive coordinator candidates who could improve Cowboys’ brutal secondary in 2026
-
Montana2 days agoService door of Crans-Montana bar where 40 died in fire was locked from inside, owner says
-
Iowa6 days agoPat McAfee praises Audi Crooks, plays hype song for Iowa State star
-
Health1 week agoViral New Year reset routine is helping people adopt healthier habits