Year: 2024

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While testing the social casino, we counted 1,200+ games. That’s quite huge, no matter how you look at it, and the variety includes slots and Bingo. Of course, slots are the number one, and you don’t need any free spins at DingDingDing to play them. The SC from bonuses on the site are more than enough.
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In our Ding Ding review, we confirmed that the site allows gift card and cash redemption. So, you can roll with any that works for you. However, we must mention that the 100 minimum SC requirement applies to gift cards and cash. It’s different from other top sweepstakes casinos that allow a lower amount for gift cards.
We have high praise for how DingDingDing makes things fun for players with free SCs. First of all, the process of getting the rewards is a cakewalk. Then, you get 1,200+ games to enjoy, and by simply using the Sweepstakes Coins once, they’re ready for redemption. So, what’s the gripe? Well, we can point to the high 100 SC minimum for gift card prizes. The casino should consider toning it down.
With free Sweepstakes Coins at DingDingDing Casino, there’s a lot of fun to catch. We’ve explained the steps in this guide, so simply follow them to snag the rewards. Afterward, feel free to explore the lobby, play games you fancy, and redeem real prize.
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Mega Millions jackpot continues to grow. There were no winners in Tuesday’s Christmas Eve drawing where the prize was an estimated $1 billion. The jackpot now swells to an estimated $1.15 billion.
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
Tuesday’s winning numbers were 11, 14, 38, 45 and 46, plus the gold Mega Ball 3. The next drawing will be on Action News Jax at 11 p.m. Friday. If there’s a lucky winner in Friday’s drawing, they can choose between receiving the estimated $1.15 billion in annual payments for 30 years, or a lump sum cash payout of $516.1 million. Winners almost always take the cash option.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
Here’s a link to check the winning Mega Millions numbers and results from all of your favorite Florida Lottery games.
Read: ‘Going to be on an island:’ Locals dream of a winning lottery ticket for Christmas
Read: FIRST ALERT WEATHER🎄: Clouds, cool temps before some weekend rain
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President Joe Biden announced Monday he is commuting the sentences of nearly every inmate on federal death row, a decision aimed at preventing executions when President-elect Donald Trump takes office again.
Biden had pledged to end the death penalty during his presidential campaign, while Trump has floated expanding the death penalty.
While the 37 individuals whose sentences were commuted will not face execution, they are set to remain behind bars for the rest of their life.
So what does a commuted sentence mean? Here is what you need to know in light of Biden’s announcement.
Who are Roof, Bowers, Tsarnaev?These three remain on federal death row after Biden commutations
A sentence commutation reduces the severity of the sentence.
Under Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution, the president “shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.”
A pardon and a commutation of sentence are both ways for the president to grant leniency to someone who has committed a federal crime. A pardon implies that the convicted person has taken responsibility for their actions and is forgiven by the president. It can restore some civil abilities that would otherwise be barred due to the criminal conviction, according to the Department of Justice.
Commuting a sentence does not change the conviction, imply innocence or change any civil disabilities that may apply to the convicted individual.
The president’s power to issue a pardon or commute a sentence applies only to federal offenses. Therefore, prisoners sentenced to death by their states are not affected by Biden’s move.
Currently, 27 states still use the death penalty, while 23 states have abolished it and five states are holding executions based on gubernatorial action, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
As of January 2024, there were nearly 2,200 prisoners facing the death penalty in state cases, according to the center, which states the death row population has been declining over the last 20 years.
Here are the 37 federal death row inmates who had their sentences commuted, along with their states and conviction details via the Death Penalty Information Center.
Not included on the list was Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was convicted in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that killed three people and injured more than 260 people, Robert Bowers, convicted in the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue mass shooting in Pittsburgh that left 11 people dead, and Dylann Roof, who was convicted in the 2015 Charleston, South Carolina, mass shooting at Mother Emanuel African American church that left nine dead.
Contributing: Francesca Chambers
Kinsey Crowley is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com, and follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley.

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Syria’s New Leaders Try to Unite Rebel Factions Under a Single Government  The New York Times
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MOORHEAD — Before the coronavirus hit, CCRI in Moorhead had 80 volunteers, Executive Director Shannon Bock said.
In the long run, COVID-19 didn’t slow down the nonprofit dedicated to helping those with disabilities. After implementing a formal volunteer program in 2021, CCRI has 429 volunteers, Bock said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We definitely have seen an uptick in volunteers,” she said.
CCRI is an example of how volunteering has thrived post-pandemic. The AmeriCorps, in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, reported that more than 1.8 million Minnesotans, or 40.3% of the state, formally volunteered in 2023, contributing $4 billion in economic value to the state.
Minnesota ranked third in the U.S. for the percentage of its state that formally volunteered last year, behind Utah at 46.6% and Vermont at 40.5%, according to AmeriCorps. With 185,034 volunteers, North Dakota placed 28th with 30.7%.
Minnesota was one of 14 states that rebounded to pre-pandemic numbers after the country saw a dip in volunteer rates in 2021. Minnesota’s rate in 2019 was 40.1% and 35.5% in 2021.
North Dakota hasn’t quite rebounded to its 2019 rate of 32.9%, according to AmeriCorps. It dropped to 26.9% in 2021.
North Dakotans should be proud of their numbers, AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith told The Forum, noting the state’s rate is above the national average of 28.3%. North Dakotans contributed nearly 12 million hours of service last year, Smith said.
“That’s an estimated worth of $400 million,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Overall, AmeriCorps said volunteering rates in the U.S. are rebounding after the pandemic, which noted 30.3% of people volunteered in 2019. That fell to 23.2% in 2021, according to AmeriCorps, and climbed back up to 28.3% in 2023.
The largest gains from 2021 to 2023 came from millennials, people who identified as Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or Hispanic, people who haven’t graduated from high school and those with family incomes of less than $25,000, AmeriCorps said.
Informal volunteering, such as helping a neighbor, also was up across the U.S., AmeriCorps said.
“I am just so excited to see the largest growth in volunteering ever in this period where Americans are back,” Smith said. “They are serving. They are with their nonprofit organizations and making a difference.”
AmeriCorps and the Census present the data every two years.

The 7-point drop in 2021 was the first time since the group started collecting the data in 2002 that it saw a drop in rates, Smith said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The coronavirus shut down businesses, whether through mandates or by choice, when it hit the U.S. in 2020. That meant doors closed to volunteers, Smith noted.
That’s what happened to Sanford Health, said Chris Hames, the guest services manager for the health care provider in Fargo. In 2019, Sanford’s Fargo branch had between 400 and 450 volunteers who collectively worked 33,000 hours each year, Hames said.
Volunteers couldn’t work at Sanford in 2020 due to the pandemic, but they were brought back in 2021, Hames said.
“Slowly, we’ve been kind of building that back, although we have not … rebounded to pre-pandemic numbers,” he said.
Sanford had between 225 and 250 volunteers in 2024 who worked about 20,000 hours, he said.
He said he doesn’t blame the loss all on the pandemic, noting the national trend of still being down from 2019. Companies have become more flexible in offering part-time work to fill the gap that volunteers usually do, he said.
“Volunteerism has been on the decline for the past decade, and I think that the pandemic was a catalyst for a lot of that,” Hames said. “It certainly gave us a new baseline.”
ADVERTISEMENT
In recent years, Sanford looked at what it wanted to accomplish with volunteering, Hames said.
“Is it really to offset labor, or are there other goals that we as an organization want to focus on?” he asked.
Volunteering helps organizations fill in funding gaps, Smith said. It also can inspire volunteers to seek employment in the fields where they give their time, he said.
For Sanford, they transferred from posting big numbers to determining what services it needs to provide, and if those services can depend on volunteers, Hames said. Bringing in a volunteer can cost $300 for the health care provider, he said.
“Return on investment from a volunteer needs to be there, and sometimes relying on paid staff can be more efficient than that,” he said.

Sanford volunteers can comfort newborn infants, help visitors and patients navigate buildings and operate pantries, Hames said. Sanford also has a veteran ambassador program that pairs military veteran patients with military veteran volunteers, he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Similarly, Sanford offers a peer support specialist volunteer program, he said.
“If you have a specific cancer diagnosis that you have battled and survived, we match you up with people that are going through that same diagnosis,” Hames said.
That could help a patient form an emotional connection that a health provider can’t give, he said.
Sanford wants to create opportunities that are meaningful both to patients and volunteers, he said.
“If you can think of a role, the sky’s the limit,” Hames said. “We need to create roles that have very meaningful touch and that offer benefits to both us and the volunteers.”
Sanford has a new focus on student volunteers, Hames said, that could be a pipeline for future employment.
“I think that is a measure of success that is at least equally as powerful as the numbers game,” he said. “If we can create relationships and bring these people into long-term careers with our organization, that’s a huge success.”
ADVERTISEMENT
CCRI has ramped up its formal volunteer program in the last 18 months, Bock said. Volunteers do a range of duties, from filing paperwork and manning the front desk to coaching sports events, creating activities and being prom escorts.
She acknowledged that volunteering saves money for CCRI, meaning funds can go toward other expenses.
Seeing the increase in volunteers brings Bock joy, she said. She not only gets to see the joy that volunteering brings to CCRI clients, but she also makes sure the community knows about the work volunteers and CCRI employees are doing.
“Unless you have a family member who has a disability, or you’re affiliated in some way, you just don’t know what to expect with it,” Bock said. “By people coming in to volunteer, that can open up the doors, open up the eyes of people who might have a misconception about what a disability is right.”

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Spoiler alert! We’re discussing plot details from the remake of “Nosferatu” (in theaters now). Stop reading if you haven’t seen it yet and don’t want to know.
For nearly as long as there have been horror movies, filmmakers have been telling the story of Dracula. 
The latest iteration is Robert Eggers’ “Nosferatu,” a remake of the 1922 silent movie that was itself an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” 
Those expecting a radically different take might be surprised by how faithful Eggers’ film is to its source material. But the director turns the sexual undertones into overtones, fleshes out the side characters, and makes several significant changes to ensure his version has bite.
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The remake’s largest change is its reveal that young newlywed Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) awakened Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), who returns years later like a jealous ex after she marries Thomas (Nicholas Hoult). In the 1922 version, there’s no indication that she’s responsible for summoning the count. Ellen is Orlok’s target in the classic film but doesn’t have any pre-existing, darkly romantic connection to him, nor does she have a backstory of past dreams and “spells.”
Like Ellen, Friedrich Harding (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his wife Anna (Emma Corrin), the couple Ellen stays with while her husband is away, are further developed with meatier roles. In the original, Ellen stays with Harding and his sister − not his wife − but neither has much screen time. Harding wasn’t depicted as a hardheaded skeptic before, he didn’t get into an argument with Ellen, and Orlok didn’t kill his children. The devotion of Thomas’ boss Knock (Simon McBurney) to Orlok is also expanded upon, including with an added scene of him worshipping the count surrounded by candles.
Willem Dafoe’s vampire-hunting Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz, meanwhile, isn’t in the 1922 movie. The closest equivalent is Professor Bulwer, a character in the silent film who studies the secrets of nature but has almost no role in the story and only appears in a few brief scenes.
The broad outline of the plot is the same in both versions, but with many details adjusted. Thomas witnessing the exhuming of a corpse, for example, is new. The original has him leave his inn in the morning without finding it abandoned. When Thomas arrives at the castle, Orlok is drawn to a locket containing a piece of Ellen’s hair. Orlok was also drawn to a picture of Ellen in the original, but the hair is Eggers’ addition, and Orlok now uses it to talk to her. After Thomas finds Orlok in his coffin, Eggers’ version tries to kill him. Originally, he just ran away.
Another tweak with Orlok is that he bites victims in the chest, whereas in the original, it was always the neck. Eggers tells USA TODAY this was inspired by folklore, in which vampires often drank blood from the chest.
“For a story that is a gothic romance, a tale of obsession and love, there is something poetical about the motif of drinking from the heart,” he notes.
The two films both end with Ellen’s sacrifice, but the remake adds a simultaneous mission to defeat Orlok. No such mission happens in the original. The 1922 version’s climax is more focused on Knock escaping and being hunted by the townsfolk because he’s scapegoated for the plague. Knock’s escape is less of a focus in the remake, and he’s now killed inside a coffin. Knock dies in his cell after Orlok’s defeat in the original.
Eggers makes a meal out of creating suspense about what the count looks like, keeping him out of focus for long periods. That’s a new approach, as in 1922’s “Nosferatu,” Orlok is fully shown without much buildup.
When we finally see him, the new Orlok looks less like the tall, pointy-eared creature played by Max Schreck and more like a zombie, with his flesh visibly decayed. This goes back to Eggers’ idea of turning to folklore.
“Early folk vampires were walking putrid corpses,” the director explains. “So then the question becomes, what does a dead Transylvanian nobleman look like? It looks like that.”
Orlok’s clothes are meant to look like a decomposed version of “what a Hungarian or Romanian nobleman would’ve worn in the 1500s,” Skarsgård tells USA TODAY.
Most striking of all, Orlok now has a mustache, a departure from his original, clean-shaven look. Skarsgård says the hairstyle and facial hair were inspired by “actual paintings from that era.”
The original “Nosferatu” was essentially a “Dracula” adaptation, but since it wasn’t officially authorized, the characters’ names were changed. There were, and still are, a number of differences, namely the idea of the female protagonist defeating the count by sacrificing herself. Unlike Dracula, Orlok doesn’t turn people into vampires, and unlike Orlok, Dracula isn’t killed by sunlight.
Still, the plots of the two movies are remarkably similar. So it makes sense that Eggers’ “Nosferatu” draws on “Dracula,” such as with Orlok’s appearance. Like Skarsgård’s count, Dracula has a mustache in Stoker’s text.
While Dafoe’s character isn’t in 1922’s “Nosferatu,” he’s clearly a take on vampire hunter Van Helsing from “Dracula.” Both are recruited by a former student to help an ailing woman, relay key information about the vampire, and join a mission to kill him.
Additionally, Anna’s friendship with Ellen is reminiscent of the relationship between Mina − a woman whose fiancé goes on a trip to sell property to a vampire − and her friend Lucy in “Dracula,” and in both instances, this friend ultimately dies. In “Dracula,” though, she first becomes a vampire.
The scene in the remake where Knock bites off a bird’s head comes from the book, in which Dracula’s servant Renfield eats birds, and Orlok killing the Hardings’ children calls to mind the vampire version of Lucy attacking kids in the book. Finally, the new film’s finale centering on a mission to kill the count is a lot like the climax of “Dracula,” except in the book, that led up to the count being successfully murdered.
Like many great adaptations, then, Eggers’ version is a mishmash of inspirations coming together to create a bloody great concoction. 
Contributing: Brian Truitt

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Discover the spiritual and medicinal significance of Tulsi Pujan Diwas, celebrated annually to honor the sacred Tulsi plant and its timeless connection to divinity and wellness.
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Tulsi Pujan Diwas, observed annually, celebrates the worship of the sacred Tulsi plant, a cornerstone of Hindu tradition known for its spiritual, medicinal, and symbolic importance. Associated with Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna, the festival falls on the Dashami Tithi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Pausha, as per the Hindu lunar calendar. This year, Tulsi Pujan Diwas is being celebrated on December 25, 2024.

The Mythological Significance of Tulsi

According to Drik Panchang, Vrinda, a pious woman married to the demon king Jalandhar, was instrumental in his immense power due to her chastity. When Jalandhar waged war against the gods, Lord Vishnu intervened to end his reign. To achieve this, he deceived Vrinda, breaking her chastity, which ultimately led to Jalandhar’s death. In her grief and anger, Vrinda cursed Lord Vishnu and transformed into the Tulsi plant. Lord Vishnu, in turn, blessed her, ensuring that she would be worshipped for eternity and remain eternally close to him.

Tulsi Pujan Diwas serves as a reminder of devotion, purity, and reverence. It also underscores the Tulsi plant’s role as a bridge between the earthly and divine, symbolizing spiritual nourishment and divine grace.

Spiritual Importance of Tulsi in Hinduism

Tulsi Mata is revered as a symbol of purity, devotion, and spirituality in Hinduism. It is believed that the Tulsi plant is the holiest of all plants, embodying the presence of Lord Vishnu and Lord Krishna. Worshipping Tulsi is thought to cleanse one’s soul and strengthen the bond with these deities. Furthermore, Tulsi is closely associated with Radha, Lord Krishna’s consort, highlighting its importance as a symbol of divine love and devotion. The plant is also believed to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity and good fortune to homes.

Medicinal Properties of Tulsi

Beyond its spiritual significance, Tulsi, or Holy Basil, has been cherished for its medicinal benefits. Modern studies highlight several health advantages of Tulsi:

► Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties: Tulsi helps reduce inflammation and combats free radicals, slowing the aging process and mitigating disease risks.
► Immune System Boost: It strengthens immunity, helping prevent common illnesses such as colds and coughs.
► Stress Management: Tulsi aids in regulating hormones during emotional or physical strain, promoting overall well-being.
► Antimicrobial Benefits: Effective against a range of bacteria and viruses, Tulsi extracts are used to treat various infections.
► Respiratory Health: It is beneficial for managing conditions like asthma, bronchitis, and chronic coughs.

Key Rituals of Tulsi Pujan Diwas

The celebration of Tulsi Pujan Diwas is marked by rituals that honor and emphasize the sacredness of the Tulsi plant:
► Lighting a Diya with Desi Ghee: Devotees light a diya using desi ghee to symbolize the dispelling of darkness and the welcoming of positive energy.
► Offering Sweets, Garland, and Shringar: The Tulsi plant is adorned with flowers, sandalwood paste, and sweets as a gesture of reverence and worship.
► Donating Tulsi Plants to Temples: Many devotees donate Tulsi plants to temples, believing that this act earns divine blessings.
► Planting a Tulsi Sapling at Home: Families plant new Tulsi saplings, often dedicating a special spot for them. The plant is nurtured with care, as it is believed to bring peace, prosperity, and divine protection.
► Circumambulating Seven Times Around the Tulsi Plant: Devotees walk around the Tulsi plant seven times, chanting prayers or mantras, to purify the mind and soul.

Why Celebrate Tulsi Pujan Diwas?

Tulsi Pujan Diwas is not just a day of rituals but a celebration of the profound spiritual, cultural, and medicinal significance of the Tulsi plant. It reminds devotees of the virtues of devotion and purity, serving as a conduit between the mortal and divine realms. By observing this festival, one honors the sanctity of Tulsi, ensuring spiritual upliftment and well-being.
This December 25, embrace the essence of Tulsi Pujan Diwas and partake in its rituals to experience spiritual connection and holistic wellness.
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MOORHEAD — Before the coronavirus hit, CCRI in Moorhead had 80 volunteers, Executive Director Shannon Bock said.
In the long run, COVID-19 didn’t slow down the nonprofit dedicated to helping those with disabilities. After implementing a formal volunteer program in 2021, CCRI has 429 volunteers, Bock said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We definitely have seen an uptick in volunteers,” she said.
CCRI is an example of how volunteering has thrived post-pandemic. The AmeriCorps, in partnership with the U.S. Census Bureau, reported that more than 1.8 million Minnesotans, or 40.3% of the state, formally volunteered in 2023, contributing $4 billion in economic value to the state.
Minnesota ranked third in the U.S. for the percentage of its state that formally volunteered last year, behind Utah at 46.6% and Vermont at 40.5%, according to AmeriCorps. With 185,034 volunteers, North Dakota placed 28th with 30.7%.
Minnesota was one of 14 states that rebounded to pre-pandemic numbers after the country saw a dip in volunteer rates in 2021. Minnesota’s rate in 2019 was 40.1% and 35.5% in 2021.
North Dakota hasn’t quite rebounded to its 2019 rate of 32.9%, according to AmeriCorps. It dropped to 26.9% in 2021.
North Dakotans should be proud of their numbers, AmeriCorps CEO Michael D. Smith told The Forum, noting the state’s rate is above the national average of 28.3%. North Dakotans contributed nearly 12 million hours of service last year, Smith said.
“That’s an estimated worth of $400 million,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Overall, AmeriCorps said volunteering rates in the U.S. are rebounding after the pandemic, which noted 30.3% of people volunteered in 2019. That fell to 23.2% in 2021, according to AmeriCorps, and climbed back up to 28.3% in 2023.
The largest gains from 2021 to 2023 came from millennials, people who identified as Asian, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander or Hispanic, people who haven’t graduated from high school and those with family incomes of less than $25,000, AmeriCorps said.
Informal volunteering, such as helping a neighbor, also was up across the U.S., AmeriCorps said.
“I am just so excited to see the largest growth in volunteering ever in this period where Americans are back,” Smith said. “They are serving. They are with their nonprofit organizations and making a difference.”
AmeriCorps and the Census present the data every two years.

The 7-point drop in 2021 was the first time since the group started collecting the data in 2002 that it saw a drop in rates, Smith said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The coronavirus shut down businesses, whether through mandates or by choice, when it hit the U.S. in 2020. That meant doors closed to volunteers, Smith noted.
That’s what happened to Sanford Health, said Chris Hames, the guest services manager for the health care provider in Fargo. In 2019, Sanford’s Fargo branch had between 400 and 450 volunteers who collectively worked 33,000 hours each year, Hames said.
Volunteers couldn’t work at Sanford in 2020 due to the pandemic, but they were brought back in 2021, Hames said.
“Slowly, we’ve been kind of building that back, although we have not … rebounded to pre-pandemic numbers,” he said.
Sanford had between 225 and 250 volunteers in 2024 who worked about 20,000 hours, he said.
He said he doesn’t blame the loss all on the pandemic, noting the national trend of still being down from 2019. Companies have become more flexible in offering part-time work to fill the gap that volunteers usually do, he said.
“Volunteerism has been on the decline for the past decade, and I think that the pandemic was a catalyst for a lot of that,” Hames said. “It certainly gave us a new baseline.”
ADVERTISEMENT
In recent years, Sanford looked at what it wanted to accomplish with volunteering, Hames said.
“Is it really to offset labor, or are there other goals that we as an organization want to focus on?” he asked.
Volunteering helps organizations fill in funding gaps, Smith said. It also can inspire volunteers to seek employment in the fields where they give their time, he said.
For Sanford, they transferred from posting big numbers to determining what services it needs to provide, and if those services can depend on volunteers, Hames said. Bringing in a volunteer can cost $300 for the health care provider, he said.
“Return on investment from a volunteer needs to be there, and sometimes relying on paid staff can be more efficient than that,” he said.

Sanford volunteers can comfort newborn infants, help visitors and patients navigate buildings and operate pantries, Hames said. Sanford also has a veteran ambassador program that pairs military veteran patients with military veteran volunteers, he added.
ADVERTISEMENT
Similarly, Sanford offers a peer support specialist volunteer program, he said.
“If you have a specific cancer diagnosis that you have battled and survived, we match you up with people that are going through that same diagnosis,” Hames said.
That could help a patient form an emotional connection that a health provider can’t give, he said.
Sanford wants to create opportunities that are meaningful both to patients and volunteers, he said.
“If you can think of a role, the sky’s the limit,” Hames said. “We need to create roles that have very meaningful touch and that offer benefits to both us and the volunteers.”
Sanford has a new focus on student volunteers, Hames said, that could be a pipeline for future employment.
“I think that is a measure of success that is at least equally as powerful as the numbers game,” he said. “If we can create relationships and bring these people into long-term careers with our organization, that’s a huge success.”
ADVERTISEMENT
CCRI has ramped up its formal volunteer program in the last 18 months, Bock said. Volunteers do a range of duties, from filing paperwork and manning the front desk to coaching sports events, creating activities and being prom escorts.
She acknowledged that volunteering saves money for CCRI, meaning funds can go toward other expenses.
Seeing the increase in volunteers brings Bock joy, she said. She not only gets to see the joy that volunteering brings to CCRI clients, but she also makes sure the community knows about the work volunteers and CCRI employees are doing.
“Unless you have a family member who has a disability, or you’re affiliated in some way, you just don’t know what to expect with it,” Bock said. “By people coming in to volunteer, that can open up the doors, open up the eyes of people who might have a misconception about what a disability is right.”

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ES Fancast
Dec 25, 2024 | 3:52 AM CST
via Imago
Christopher Bell
via Imago
Christopher Bell
After two years, Christopher Bell is getting back to his roots. Joe Gibbs has decided to relax restrictions that prevented his Cup Series drivers from taking part in off-NASCAR activities, mainly dirt racing. The move came mainly after Chase Briscoe joined JGR’s 2025 roster, marking the 2nd driver with a dirt background on the team. However, Bell candidly revealed that his hands get clammy at a particular dirt track.
The Tulsa Shootout is a much-awaited circle track event, marking the last one of the year. Being held between December 31st and January 4th, the ‘Mecca of Micros’ is a big attraction. As rigs, cars, and people prepare to enter the SageNet Center, Christopher Bell is also joining them—but not without a hint of nervousness.
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Well, the primary reason Joe Gibbs had for his restrictions was safety. While Hendrick Motorsports saw Kyle Larson sharpening his wheeling skills in dirt and winning 6 races in 2024, his teammate presented a polar opposite situation. Alex Bowman broke his back in an April 2023 sprint car crash. As a result, he missed four Cup Series races and failed to qualify for the playoffs that season. Christopher Bell has little chance of that, given his stellar dirt background. He owns three consecutive Chili Bowl National victories, one of which he beat Larson to.
Yet the No. 20 Cup Series driver confessed one dirt track does rob slices of his confidence. In a recent interview with FloRacing, Christopher Bell said he cannot put a finger on it, but that fear is there. Further sharing the very specifics, he added, “I don’t know, there’s something about whenever you’re sitting here, you’re looking down…At the Shootout, they give you the sign to start your engines, at the Chili Bowl you see the rope getting pulled away.”
Then the 9-time Cup Series race winner delivered his verdict in 7 words: “It’s the most nervous I ever get.” Then he made further comparisons to solidify his argument: “Out of the Daytona 500, the King’s Royal. I’ve never made Knoxville…But I don’t know, man there’s something about that ranch that gets me nervous.”
 
 
 
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Can Christopher Bell overcome his nerves and reclaim his dirt racing dominance at the Tulsa Shootout?
Debate

Despite this confession of timidity, Christopher Bell had won the 2017 Tulsa Shootout Golden Driller. After clinching the Craftsman Truck Series championship the same year, he continued his winning streak on dirt. Bell used the high line in the early laps of the final Shootout race. He watched as Tyler Walton and Mile Paulus exchanged sliders, battling for the lead, and pounced on the restart. With 20 laps remaining, he slid past Paulus and led for the remainder of the race. This stellar achievement already rests on Bell’s resume—and yet the speedster insists on feeling nervous on the same racetrack.
However much he feels nervous, his rivals also want to see him compete again on dirt.
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Due to Joe Gibbs’ restrictions, Christopher Bell was sidelined from dirt since mid-2022. The only exception arose when Bell ran two micro sprint races in May. Yet now that the dirt racing phenom is back to his roots, there is no stopping him. Gibbs called the drivers to ask for a meeting at the season’s end to lay out the team’s new approval process. Chase Briscoe, Bell’s new teammate and dirt car owner, outlined that except for high-risk situations like running at Eldora Speedway in a non-wing sprint car, most approvals would progress. Accordingly, Gibbs granted Bell and his teammates opportunities to run outside NASCAR.
This proposition excited even racers outside JGR. From 2017-21, Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson were the only drivers to win the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals midget car race in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bell won three years in a row—scoring his third consecutive win in that event with a last-lap pass of Larson. So now his rival is eager to see him back. “I think that’s great for the sport, NASCAR and grassroots racing. It’s exciting. I’m glad that he gets to do it, again and hopefully, we’ll get to have many more battles in the midgets and sprint cars down the road.”
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Evidently, his teammates and rivals are rooting for Christopher Bell. Once he gets over his nervousness, the racer is sure to revive his dirt glory.

Let the world know your perspective.
Debate
Debate
Can Christopher Bell overcome his nerves and reclaim his dirt racing dominance at the Tulsa Shootout?
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