MOUNT BETHEL, Pa. (CBS) — Sensei Michael Todas says young women are changing the face of power sports like martial arts.
“These girls, they’re not joking,” Todas said. “They’re hitting hard when they need to hit hard.”
His 13-year-old daughter Daphne is one of those hard hitters and a black belt who’s making a name for herself on the mat as she prepares to compete in two prestigious events.
“As soon as I step on the mat, I get into the zone,” Daphne said, “and I like, I can’t really see anything, everything blurs out.”
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Daphne’s physical techniques and mental discipline have landed her a spot representing the United States for the second time at the World Union of Karate-Do Federations World Championships. This year’s competition is in Monterrey, Mexico.
But up first is the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Karate Nationals, where Daphne placed second in 2022.
Daphne has always had a winner’s attitude, and her dad knew from an early age his daughter had some fight in her.
“Some people are born to do certain things,” Todas said. “She possessed speed and power that most kids her age when she was 5 years old did not possess. She also had the memory to perform the different katas.”
Daphne’s dad’s dojo in Mount Bethel, Method Karate, is her second home. It’s also a place where little ninjas are taught confidence and given the tools to defend themselves.
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“None of them are out there looking to get into any trouble,” Todas said, “but again sometimes trouble finds people and they have to be ready for it.”
As Daphne continues to train every day, her dad sits beside her in admiration and is proud of the champion his daughter is becoming.
Wakisha Bailey
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Wakisha Bailey joined CBS News Philadelphia as a reporter in July 2021.
FILE – Powerball logo displayed on a phone screen and coins are seen in this illustration photo.
PHILADELPHIA – A Powerball ticket sold in Pennsylvania matched five numbers in Wednesday night’s drawing, winning $1 million, according to lottery officials.
What we know:
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The Pennsylvania ticket was one of several nationwide that matched all five white balls. The ticket did not include the Power Play multiplier.
Because no one matched all six numbers, the Powerball jackpot continues to climb. The next drawing will feature an estimated $1.5 billion jackpot, with a cash option of $689.3 million.
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Winning numbers (Dec. 17, 2025)
25 – 33 – 53 – 62 – 66
Powerball: 17
Power Play: 4x
The Pennsylvania Lottery has not yet announced where the winning ticket was sold.
What’s next:
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The next Powerball drawing takes place Saturday night, Dec. 20. The estimated jackpot is an astounding $1.5 billion.
The Source: This article is based on official Powerball drawing results.
More than $22 million in “Money Match” checks were mailed to nearly 100,000 Pennsylvanians, the treasury said.
In a news release on Thursday, the Pennsylvania Treasury said people should be on the lookout for the checks, which are part of the Pennsylvania Money Match program. Treasurer Stacy Garrity said to cash or deposit the checks “promptly.”
The first Pennsylvania Money Match checks, totaling more than $1.7 million, are now on the way to Pennsylvanians’ mailboxes. Pennsylvania Money Match is a new program that allows Treasury to return certain unclaimed property to rightful owners automatically, which was approved unanimously by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor last year.
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“I want Pennsylvanians to know that this is a real check, it is real money, and it belongs to them,” Garrity said in the news release. “And as always, I still encourage everyone to regularly search for unclaimed property online, as many claims will not qualify for the Money Match process.”
With the mailing of the year’s last batch of checks, more than $50 million will have been returned automatically to Pennsylvanians.
What are Money Match checks?
The program allows the state treasury to automatically return unclaimed property valued up to $500 owned by a single individual. Before the program was created in 2024, residents themselves had to seek out unclaimed property.
“I’m thrilled to continue this program as we work hard to get more money back to its rightful owners,” Garrity said in the news release.
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However, if the property has multiple owners or is valued higher than $500, Pennsylvanians still need to file a claim.
What is unclaimed property?
Unclaimed property includes dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, forgotten stocks, rebates and insurance policies, among other things. It can also include the contents of abandoned safe deposit boxes.
According to the state treasury, more than one in 10 Pennsylvanians is owed some of the $5 billion in unclaimed property in the treasury’s care, and the average value of a claim is more than $1,000.
Unclaimed property scam
On its website, the state treasury has a warning about scammers using text messages to target potential unclaimed property claimants.
The department “never reaches out to people in regard to any program, including unclaimed property, via unsolicited text messages.”
A special weather statement was issued by the National Weather Service on Friday at 10:06 a.m. until 1 p.m. for Warren, McKean, Elk, Cameron, Clearfield, Cambria and Somerset counties.
“Temperatures will drop below the freezing mark through midday with rain showers quickly changing to snow showers. Blustery winds may dry off roads and other paved surfaces, but any residual water from previous rain or melting snow could freeze up and result in slick spots through the afternoon,” explains the weather service.
