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USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson shares impression of new DB coach Al Harris
Bears CB Tyrique Stevenson shares impression of new DB coach Al Harris The Chicago Bears roster and staff makeover was a big one this offseason, and the new coaching staff will be tasked with getting some of the team's most important players back on track. One of the most intriguing coach-player tandems to watch this year is new defensive backs coach Al Harris and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Harris, the long-time Green Bay Packers cornerback, has established himself as one of the top defensive back coaches in the NFL, most recently with the Dallas Cowboys (since 2020). Now, he gets a chance to work with Chicago's talented defensive back group, including Stevenson, who was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons in a miserable season for the Bears last year. Stevenson has been considered one of the most entertaining and dynamic defensive backs on the Bears defense, and there's hope that working with Harris will elevate his game to another level. During minicamp, Stevenson shared his first impressions of his new secondary coach. "Yeah, just by some of his little pointers with how you line up, how to look at the stance and how to look at the splits and just pretty much understanding the system more than the player," Stevenson said. "And I feel like he's teaching all of that and it's kind of rubbing off, you know, understanding that certain players run certain routes and certain ones run certain concepts. So instead of playing the man you play the concept." If Stevenson can elevate his game -- and get back on track to where he was before the Hail Mary fiasco -- he can create one of the best secondary duos across the NFL opposite of Jaylon Johnson. Focusing more on learning Harris' system, along with new defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's philosophy, could help Stevenson take the next step and turn Chicago's defense into one of the top units in the league. Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
What to expect from Universal's new year-round horror experience in Vegas
AI-assisted summary Unlike Halloween Horror Nights, Horror Unleashed offers a permanent, immersive horror experience with four haunted houses and interactive scare zones. Haunted houses include Universal Monsters, The Exorcist: Believer, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Scarecrow: The Reaping. The experience is designed for all types of horror fans, with varying levels of engagement and is not recommended for children under 13. Nate Stevenson remembers it being a big deal to rent movies as a kid and his dad bringing home a stack of VHS tapes on weekends. 'Three or four were obviously for my mom,' Stevenson recalled. 'But then he would always go, 'And then I got one creepy old movie' ... and then me and my dad would just sit and watch the horror films.' TJ Mannarino shared similar memories with his dad. 'That was a bonding thing,' Mannarino said. 'We used to sit around and watch the black-and-white Universal monster movies, and it got me excited about those strange characters.' Mannarino and Stevenson still get giddy about horror. Now, they're creating a new way for fellow fans to connect with it, as two of the masterminds behind Universal's first year-round horror experience in Las Vegas. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. In an exclusive interview with USA TODAY, they shared more about what guests can expect when Universal Horror Unleashed opens in August. How is Horror Unleashed different from Halloween Horror Nights? Universal Horror Unleashed won't just be a longer version of Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. 'You're a little bit locked in at the parks,' said Stevenson, show director for Universal's Creative Development Group. Both he and Mannarino have worked on Horror Nights for years. 'You know what works and you go for it, and the turnaround is so fast for the next year that you're just on to the next year ... But this really gave us a chance to kind of innovate and think outside the box and say, 'How can we take this amazing thing that we've got and take it to the next level?'" With Universal Horror Unleashed, they had a chance to build a permanent home for horror, from the ground up, in a newly expanded area of the Area15 entertainment district off the Las Vegas Strip. 'To be on the side of creating it and envisioning it is a dream come true, or a nightmare,' said Mannarino, vice president of Entertainment Art and Design for Universal Orlando Resort. The story begins even before guests enter the building, which is set as a production warehouse where horror film props were stored, a nod to Universal's century-long legacy of horror films. "The overarching story, just for Horror Unleashed in general, is that there's kind of a parallel world that lives beside ours, and in that world – we call it the shadow world – all your nightmares are actually realities,' Stevenson said. He explained that in some areas, like Sin City and this production warehouse in particular, the veil between the worlds is thinner. 'They stuck so many spiritually charged things in this warehouse that it erupted and it broke that veil between the shadow world and our world, so when you're in the warehouse, some of those creatures and those monsters and those things have spilled out from the shadow world,' he said. How many haunted houses are there? There are four haunted houses at Universal Horror Unleashed, with a mix of intellectual property and original content, like Horror Nights. Universal Monsters: 'Guests will pass through the crumbling mausoleum of famed monster hunter Van Helsing and into the cursed domains of creatures that defined the genre,' Universal shared in a press release. 'From the shadowy halls of Castle Dracula, to the sandy tombs guarded by The Mummy, to the crackling lab where Frankenstein and The Bride still draw breath – this haunted house resurrects the most legendary monsters of all time in one continuous nightmare.' The Exorcist: Believer: Based on the latest film in the Exorcist franchise, guests will follow the journey of two girls who've been possessed, all the way to their exorcism, which includes disappearing wall special effect that reveals a hidden hellscape, according to a promo video for the house. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Guests will enter the farmhouse from the franchise's first film and, following that film closely, come face to face with Leatherface as well as parts of his world that weren't on screen. Scarecrow: The Reaping: Based on a fan-favorite, original Universal Halloween Horror Nights house, 'It's set in the Dust Bowl era, when the farmers ravaged the land, but in our story, the land has come back to life to wreak its revenge on you,' Stevenson said in a promo video. Beyond the haunted houses, there will be four immersive areas with their own themes. 'One is kind of more classic, which is where the monsters come in – the classic Universal monsters – and then one is more kind of like a slasher 80s sort of feel, and another is more of kind of like a poltergeist sort of feel, and then another is more traditional and circusy, where Jack shows up,' Stevenson said, referring to Jack the Clown, a Halloween Horror Nights icon. Getting into character Each space will also feature various characters with fully fleshed, interconnected stories that guests can engage with. 'In the parks, you have all these incredible characters out in the streets and they're running and they're scaring you, but it's kind of like a moment in time. They scare you and then they go,' Stevenson said. 'But with these characters, you can actually walk up to them and chat with them ... get a couple of fun anecdotes about their life and move on – if that's the level of immersion you want – or you can sit there and talk to them for 15 minutes and learn all about the warehouse and all about the story.' There will also be uniquely themed areas for food and drinks. 'I could see people buying a ticket and just going out there and hanging out for the night because it's such a cool environment,' Stevenson said. 'I just want a drink at the Boiler Bar that turns into a monster and becomes this really cool show moment ... and watch people get scared and have drinks with my friends and then walk over to Jack's (Alley) Bar and watch his show.' These are all opening attractions, but from the beginning, Universal has said the venue will feature continuously updated horror experiences. 'It has to evolve. It has to change. How does that change and what that cadence is, I think that's still for us to tell you, as we learn also,' Mannarino said. Halloween Horror Nights 2025: Everything you need to know Room for everyone For now, guests can expect something different each visit, depending on how they engage. 'Spend as much time, come back as many times as they want, but feel like this place also has a life and it grows and it changes, and so every time you come back, you do see the world differently,' Mannarino said. Experiences will also change depending on who guests go with. 'In your group, you might have the die hard who's always going to be the first person to line, but you always have the other person who's like, 'No, no. I'm going to be in the back, and I'm going to be hiding behind four other people,''' he said. Universal Horror Unleashed is meant for all types of horror fans, from casual thrillseekers to lore-loving super fans. 'We see ourselves in you, because that's who we are,' Mannarino said. Is there an age restriction for Universal Horror Unleashed? The destination's website warns that like Horror Nights, the 'experience may be too intense for young children and is not recommended for children under the age of 13.' How much are Universal Horror Unleashed tickets? Universal Horror Unleashed opens August 14. Tickets are already on sale and start at $69 for one-time entry to each house ($59 for Nevada residents) and $99 for unlimited access to houses.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Two UNC baseball starters named finalists for top defensive award
Two UNC baseball starters named finalists for top defensive award Can two UNC baseball star add a little hardware to their trophy cases? The UNC baseball team found itself one win away from a second-consecutive trip to the College World Series, but after a 4-3 loss in Game 3 of the Chapel Hill Super Regional, watched its season come to a heartbreaking end. North Carolina dominated Arizona in Game 1, 18-2 , then struggled on the mound in a 10-8 Game 2 defeat. Despite the Diamond Heels taking a late lead in Game 3, their bats disappeared ahead of a potential ninth-inning rally. A major part of UNC's success throughout the Chapel Hill Super Regional came from two program veterans: starting catcher Luke Stevenson and starting shortstop Alex Madera. Stevenson mashed two hits – including a home run – and drove in four runners during a Game 1 domination. Madera hit 4-of-13 during the Supers, including a 2-RBI performance in Game 1 and 2-hit outing in Game 2. Though Stevenson and Madera's hitting abilities garner most of their attention, their defense is amongst college baseball's best. On June 16, Stevenson and Madera earned finalist nominations for the ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove awards. The collegiate Gold Glove award, just like in the MLB, is presented annually to the top defensive players at each position. Stevenson and Madera will discover if they're winners on Wednesday, June 18. The Diamond Heels are just one of two teams, along with UCLA (first baseman Mulivai Levu, shortstop Roch Cholowsky), to have multiple finalists. Stevenson compiled a .996 fielding percentage, committed just four errors and recorded 987 putouts over his first two seasons in Chapel Hill. If Stevenson forgoes July's MLB Draft and returns to North Carolina for his junior season, he'll have a chance to further improve upon those numbers. Madera, who transferred into UNC from Divison-III Arcadia University before the 2024 season, became a mainstay in the middle infield. Starting primarily at shortstop this season and at second base last year, Madera recorded a .982 fielding percentage (eight errors), 281 assists and 149 putouts across his Diamond Heels career. Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Paedo sent intimate photo of himself to undercover cop pretending to be 13-year-old girl
Barry Stevenson, 28, was jailed for 15 months at Airdrie Sheriff Court and told he will be under supervision for two years when he is released. A paedophile given bail after being caught with child sex abuse images then sent an intimate photo of himself to an undercover police officer who was pretending to be a 13-year-old girl. Barry Stevenson, 28, was jailed for 15 months at Airdrie Sheriff Court and told he will be under supervision for two years when he is released. Stevenson, who has no previous convictions, was also placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years. He admitted downloading child porn at his home in Whinhall Avenue, Airdrie, between November 2022 and January 2024. Stevenson also admitted sending a naked picture of himself to a police decoy and asking for intimate pictures to be sent to him. That offence happened in May last year when he was on bail on the indecent images charge. The court heard that, when confronted over suspicions that he had child sex abuse material, Stevenson told police officers: "I've nothing to hide. I haven't searched for anything." However, indecent images were found on two phones belonging to him. Annette Ward, prosecuting, said Stevenson later began a conversation with an undercover officer on Snapchat who told him she was 13. He started talking about "naughty" pictures and said he'd sent them to "lots of people", but never to anyone under 19 and only when he was asked. Stevenson said "no one would find out" if she sent him such an image then he sent a naked one of himself. Ms Ward told the court: "The decoy stated she lived near Leicester and the accused said he could drive down to see her, adding 'We could do whatever you wanted. Would you be able to take the day off school to hang out with me? You're too cute'." The pair chatted online for several days before police officers arrested Stevenson again. Defence lawyer Matthew McGovern conceded that Stevenson "has a sexual interest in children", but added: "There might be a realistic prospect of rehabilitation as the first step in dealing with a problem is accepting that there is one. "A robust community sentence would place him under watch by the court. "He and his partner are still together despite these offences and she is supportive. "She is also pregnant and a custodial sentence would have a significant impact on her." But Sheriff Derek Livingston said only jail was appropriate because, having been bailed, Stevenson had committed a further offence. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
First Amendment: What are the free speech rights for 'No Kings' protesters in Florida?
Protesters hitting the streets this weekend in Florida do have free speech rights to back them up, yet Florida laws may pose a head-on challenge during "No Kings Day" protests. First Amendment advocacy groups and attorneys warn protesters nationwide that, at the anti-ICE raids protests, they're protected with free speech and the right to assembly, but escalations past that aren't covered. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made that clear in the week leading to the "No Kings" demonstrations. He said state law enforcement is ready, and that people who resort to violence or rioting won't be tolerated. Here's what to know about free speech rights at Florida protests: Protesters are protected by First Amendment free speech and assembly rights, but the law may not be on their side if tensions escalate. In 2021, Florida passed an "anti-riot" law that defined what a "riot" is and required that someone arrested for unlawful assembly be held without bail until their first court appearance. Statewide warnings leading into the protests have hammered home the consequences of violence and unrest. "If you throw a brick, a fire bomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains, because we will kill you, graveyard dead," Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said. In a podcast interview, DeSantis even said that if protesters surround a car, that drivers would not be at fault if they hit people blocking roadways. "You have a right to flee for your safety," DeSantis said. "So if you drive off and you hit one of these people, that's their fault for impinging on you." Pensacola attorney Eric Stevenson said that holding signs, chanting or speaking publicly are all permissible and protected by the First Amendment. Stevenson clarified that protesters should still be safe and "aware of the surroundings," because violence and unrest may come forth if, to put it plainly, somebody gets in another person's face. "They need to make sure that the protest stays peaceful, even if people are antagonizing them," Stevenson said. Yet location truly matters in free speech rights, too. Stevenson said protesters are limited to where they can protest, since they need to stay away from private property and off of roadways. Public property is OK for protests under the First Amendment. Generally, public property includes spaces owned and maintained by the government, such as sidewalks, parks, streets, and public squares, though time, place and manner restrictions may apply. They may include ones on noise and crowd size. "No Kings" Day falls on June 14, when organizers have planned a series of more than 2,000 protests across the county in a "nationwide day of defiance" against the Trump administration. June 14 is Flag Day and also Trump's 79th birthday, and it's also when a military parade in Washington celebrating the U.S. Army's 250th birthday will take place. More than 75 protests are planned across Florida. These come after protests escalated in the greater Los Angeles area, stemming from multiple U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement warrants executed in the city. Videos spread widely on social media of people throwing things at law enforcement and others, setting off fireworks and blocking buses. This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@ On X: @stephanymatat. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: What to know about free speech rights at Florida 'No Kings' protests
