Appearing before a House Oversight hearing on Wednesday, Minnesota Democrat Governor Tim Walz attempted to defend his state's record against fraud allegations, arguing that the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" is being unfairly targeted.

The worst disaster in maritime history took place on January 30, 1945, in the Baltic Sea. Thousands of refugees, including 4,000 to 5,000 children, and 1,200 German military personnel, were fleeing the Soviets on an ocean liner, the MV Wilhelm Gustloff. The ship was overloaded and was still picking up refugees shortly before a Soviet […] The post The Worst Maritime Disaster, by Far, Wasn’t the Titanic appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

Legendary Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz has died at the age of 89, the university announced on Wednesday. A cause of death was not immediately stated. Holtz was considered one of the most influential coaches in college football history, winning 249 games as a collegiate head coach. He began his coaching career at William & Mary in 1969 and spent one season in the NFL before returning to college football. One hundred of those wins happened at Notre Dame, where he served as head coach from 1986 until 1996. “Notre Dame mourns the loss of Lou Holtz, a legendary football coach, a beloved member of the Notre Dame family and devoted husband, father and grandfather,” University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. said in a statement published on their website. “Among his many accomplishments, we will remember him above all as a teacher, leader and mentor who brought out the very best in his players, on and off the field, earning their respect and admiration for a lifetime. In the years since leaving the head football coach position, Lou, together with his beloved wife, Beth, supported Notre Dame in innumerable ways, among them making possible the refurbishment of four residence hall chapels and the construction of the Beth and Lou Holtz Grand Reading Room on the first floor of Hesburgh Library — tangible signs of their great love for their Catholic faith and the mission of Our Lady’s University.” The statement went on, “Whenever Notre Dame called to ask for his help, Lou answered with his characteristic generosity, and he will be sorely missed. The prayers of the entire Notre Dame community are with his family and many friends in this time of sorrow. May he rest in the peace and love of Christ.” Holtz called coaching for Notre Dame “the dream of a lifetime.”  “I remember at school that we would pray every Friday before a game for Notre Dame’s success,” he said, per ESPN. “So, it’s just part of our religion. It’s a part of the way we are, and the football team should reflect the values of Notre Dame. That means we had to play with great enthusiasm, we had to play together. We had to play with great character, great integrity, but we also should be playing for our lady on the Dome.” After retiring from coaching, Holtz worked in television, including spending more than a decade with ESPN. The coach was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, the university website noted, and was the man behind several honored Notre Dame football traditions including the “Play Like A Champion” sign in the locker room. Holtz was also a close friend and longtime supporter of Donald Trump. The president honored Holtz with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in December of 2020 for his contributions to the nation. Holtz is survived by his four children, Luanne, Lou “Skip” Junior, Kevin and Elizabeth. The latter three graduated from the University of Notre Dame. “He was successful, but more important he was Significant,” his son Skip shared on X. 

It’s been a big few weeks for USA Hockey’s Jack Hughes. Not only was he part of history, winning a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but his love life is looking pretty bright and shiny, too. The 24-year-old, who plays for the New Jersey Devils, recently made a bold move, and it wasn’t on the ice. Jack Hughes reportedly slipped into Tate McCrae’s DMs, but he didn’t leave him on read. Instead, the pair reportedly hit it off. Tate McRae and Team USA hockey hero are "exclusively" dating after he slid into her DMs, a source tells Us Weekly. Learn more: https://t.co/nWsLALPeNQ (: Amy Sussman/ Bruce Bennett/Getty) pic.twitter.com/M97YpbNhoa— Us Weekly (@usweekly) March 4, 2026 Jack Hughes and Tate McCrae Sound Exclusive A source told US Weekly that Jack Hughes and Tate McCrae are, in fact, an item. “Tate and Jack are dating,” the source shared. “They started casually seeing each other late last year, so it’s still new, but they are exclusively seeing each other.” Jack reportedly messaged Tate, 22, on Instagram, and things took off from there. “She thinks he is a really cool guy, and they have been having a lot of fun together,” the source said. “She has been so supportive of his career and has been loving going to the games and cheering him on.” This has been a pretty busy time for Jack Hughes, but Tate McCrae apparently loves it. “They are making it work during this busy season, but hope to have more time together next month when his season ends,” the source said, “Tate thinks he’s really sweet, and it’s going well so far.” Tate’s last Instagram post on February 3 encouraged fans to watch the Olympic Games. She captioned the silly post, “Go sports.” Watching it now, it seems Tate was gearing up to watch her man bring home the gold. What an exciting time for them! This story’s featured image is by Andrea Branca/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images.