Le Journal

A sports rivalry between a mother and son with the same alma mater is coming full circle. When it comes to the College Football Playoff National Championship game, they’re divided by history. Monday night’s big game, pitting the Miami Hurricanes against the Indiana Hoosiers, is personal for Kimberly Konopa and her son, J.R. Majewski. How personal? The duo told 7News during a recent video interview that they have generational ties to both Indiana University and the University of Miami “My son and myself are both dual graduates from Indiana University and have a longstanding history in Indiana,” said Konopa. “For me, I am an IU grad through and through, went to IU residency for medical school,” said Majewski: Their Indiana roots run deep, but their connection to Miami goes back even further — nearly a century. Konopa’s late grandfather, Mallory Horton, played for the Hurricanes in the 1930s, early in the storied program’s history. “My grandfather actually played in the very first Orange Bowl as a running back, and they played Bucknell, and they lost big time,” said Konopa. “There were, according to what he shared with us, horses and buggies on the sideline to watch them and one little tiny football stand.” “We always joke, ‘back when they wore leather helmets and didn’t even have face masks,'” said Majewski. Ninety-one years after that 1935 matchup, the stage is set for UM versus IU. Mother and son will not be attending in person because of sky-high ticket prices. Still, the question arises: Who are they rooting for? “So, it’s hard to decide for us where our allegiances fall — with our head or our hearts there, I guess,” said Konopa. Konopa said she’s rooting for the Canes. Majewski is going with his Hoosiers. “At the end of the day, it’s two universities that we love — one for, you know, our life and one for our family — and one historic bowl,” said Majewski. “I think we’re both excited to see. Either way, it will be a win for us.” Horton, Majewski’s great-grandfather, went on to work for the FBI and served as a Florida appellate court judge. He passed away in 2004 at age 90. And, in one more strange Hurricane-Hoosier connection, Horton’s children went to Christopher Columbus High School — the same school as Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza. “I think he would probably also wonder whether it was a time machine that allowed Mendoza to make a portal transfer, ’cause I think, that would be – portal transfers would be something that he would be amazed by,” said Konopa/

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A small part of Florida is the Snowy State for the second year in a row. Snow briefly covered the grass and rooftops in parts of the western Florida Panhandle on Sunday morning as just enough frigid air rushed in behind a cold front to turn the last rain showers into snowflakes in the Sunshine State. Elsewhere, the winter weather promised to interfere with playoff football in places — Boston and Chicago — more accustomed to it, although the visiting teams come from warmer climes. And in the upper Midwest, residents braced for blizzard conditions. The southern snow wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime thing. Less than a year ago, on Jan. 21, 2025, some of the same areas of Florida that briefly saw frosty lawns received up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of snow in what was the most significant snowfall in many places since the late 1800s. Snow photos flooded social media. There were a few flakes on the beach and snow nestled into palm fronds. It was too warm to stick to the roads, but a dusting of snow sat on the grass for a little while before mostly melting. The rare snow in the South wasn’t just in Florida. Southeastern Alabama and southern Georgia also reported snow in some areas as they also celebrated a second winter wonderland in less than a year. Snow covered the ground in Columbus and Macon, Georgia, and officials warned enough might fall to make travel treacherous in spots. Heavier snowfall was expected to hit New England. Three to five inches (7 to 13 centimeters) of afternoon and evening snow was predicted in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where the New England Patriots were hosting the Houston Texans. Those in the Boston area could expect “wet and heavy” snow showers, said National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Pederson, although the heaviest snowfall wasn’t expected until 7 p.m., long after the game’s 3 p.m. kickoff. “There’s a low-pressure system passing offshore and it’s close enough to bring us some snow, but far enough away not to be a major hit,” Pederson said. Snow — but much less of it — was also predicted for Chicago; there, it’s the frigid temperatures that will come into play as the Bears host the Rams from sunny Los Angeles. Snow accumulation was expected to be minimal, but temperatures in the teens and a wind chill of near zero were the main concerns. A blizzard warning was in effect until 9 p.m. local time for parts of northwest and west central Minnesota and southeast North Dakota. Snow was expected to be limited to two inches (5 centimeters) but forecasters said that wind gusts of up to 55 mph (88 kph) could create whiteout conditions, making travel hazardous and possibly life-threatening.

Dozens are expected to gather in Pocatello on Monday to march in honor of Martin Luther King Day. The longstanding tradition at Idaho State University brings the campus and Pocatello community together in a march and a day of service.

By Edward-Isaac Dovere, CNN (CNN) — Josh Shapiro wasn’t the only finalist to be Kamala Harris’ running mate who was asked if he had ever been an agent of a foreign government, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN on Monday. Tim Walz was, too. The Minnesota governor — whom Harris ultimately picked —