December 19, 2025 at 11:36 a.m.

This is the time of year when people take stock of their lives. Maybe there is a new direction awaiting you in 2026? 

If new year’s resolutions are your thing, will you be vowing to feel better, look better?

The Press would like to introduce readers to a local student, who by the ripe old age of 18, (as of October) had established OptiCro, LLC and is charting a course based on realizations that many of us don’t ever comprehend, let alone while still in high school.

Christian Petersen was 250 pounds on a five foot eight frame when he was 14 years old, and was not enjoying himself.  He was being bullied and felt like an outcast.  

To lose weight, he went down the path of fad diets and unsustainable nutrition without much results.  Fast forward two or so years, and he had educated himself through the Nutrition Coaching Institution, after musing on the negatives of what he had been doing.  His workouts evolved into building awareness of the preventative and corrective physical aspects of fitness.  

He put the pieces together to lose – and keep off – about 60 pounds gruonded in a lifestyle he could maintain. 

His first ‘customers’ were developed through Complete Performance, a gym in Blaine, where he has connected with some fellow travellers.   

Upon enrolling in Trio Wolf Creek Charter School, in Chisago City, his schedule became flexible enough so he could finish school and also immerse himself in nutrition and conditioning methods  tailored to young clients.  

Long term he will attend Illinois State for advanced athletic training.

The wise always advise — do what you know — and Petersen knows what a seventh or eighth grader with body issues confronts.  He is a walking, talking example of what can come out the other side of dedication,  as he exudes confidence and energy and is quick to laugh.  

His focus is on young people and connecting with them and their parents.  The difficult part has been the initial introductions.  In today’s world, a stranger does not just walk up to someone and tell them their kid would benefit from working out, so Peterson started a Facebook page, and you can find it at Christian Petersen. 

He has successfully developed a program with some family and their friends and enjoys working as part of a team.  

Petersen knows there are few services being provided for youth who are going through what he did.  “I understand what they are feeling because I have lived it, “ he said over coffee.  Any teen who has dipped their toes into fitness programs but quit because they felt misunderstood, Petersen gets that.

At the age of 16 he earned whatever certifications he could prior to legal adulthood.  He has gained confidence in developing plans for physical training and prefers utilizing public spaces and equipment at parks, to the high priced elite facilities. 

He is open to sharing “the triangle of awareness,” or performance, agility and longevity routines,  with youth and parents.  

He has experience with clients ages 11 to 18, as well as his mom. (She shed 70 pounds by the way.) He is open to working with anybody within an hour drive from Chisago.

The business is titled OptiCro as a combination of optimum and macro.  He is not selling products in his program, but rather a niche connection, understanding and support.  The program needs about eight weeks to get you on track. 

So, why not just get into youth athletics and team sports and pursue conditioning that way, you wonder?  Petersen shares that not everybody wants a trophy or looks forward to a competitive rivalry. He will, however, make you feel like you are with a winning team.

FITCHBURG, Wis. (WKOW) — A new youth prison has been approved and will be built near the Fitchburg–Oregon border, close to the Grow Academy site, to replace the aging Lincoln Hills correctional center in Irma.

The new juvenile correctional facility will partially replace Lincoln Hills.

“The kids that are there will be closer to their families and have more regular interaction,” said Fitchburg Alder Gabriella Gerhardt of District 2.

The proposal met city requirements and passed unanimously, with Gerhardt noting the design’s unique aspects.

“The design really looked more like a school than what I would have imagined,” Gerhardt said. “They also did something where they created a really curvy driveway to County Highway… to actually preserve as much of the agricultural land as they could in the area, and also to preserve existing high-quality trees, so they didn’t have to remove the trees. So that was a nice element as well.”

The facility will feature a garden, orchard, chicken coop, and greenhouse. It will employ 100 staff members and accommodate 32 male and eight female juveniles.

Fitchburg District 1 Alder David Herbst expressed uncertainty about the placement of the 122 young people currently at Lincoln Hills but believed the facility’s size would be advantageous.

“I don’t know that. But that was another thing. Thank you for raising that the size of this, you know, is a reasonable size, and I think the smaller size facilitates, you know, the mission,” Herbst said.

Efforts to reach the Wisconsin Department of Corrections for more details on cost and construction timelines were unsuccessful at this time. 

If the project continues to progress, the facility is expected to be completed by late 2028.

A collaborative effort between Michigan State University’s Native American Institute, or NAI, and Indigenous Youth Empowerment Program, or IYEP, and the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots is ensuring Native American youth in the Lansing area receive gifts this holiday season.

When Kevin Leonard assumed his role as interim director of NAI in 2022, he participated in listening sessions to strengthen relationships between the university and Tribes throughout the state. This included the United Tribes of Michigan, where he met Rodney Loonsfoot, of the Keweenaw Bay Tribal Community in the Upper Peninsula’s Baraga County. Loonsfoot is a former Marine who currently serves as a Tribal council member and Tribal veteran service officer.

During their conversations, Loonsfoot mentioned the Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Native American Program, which could deliver hundreds of toys to urban Indian youth who are either unaffiliated with a reservation or do not live near their traditional communities. Leonard contacted Estrella Torrez, professor in MSU’s Residential College in the Arts and Humanities and co-director of IYEP, and the Lansing School District, who collectively identified local Native families in need of support for their children during the holiday season.

“I’m grateful for the continued collaboration with Kevin and MSU to bring Toys for Tots to the Lansing community and offer the Native American program a special miigwech [thank you in Ojibwe],” council member Loonsfoot said. “Working together allows us to honor our commitment to supporting Native youth and ensuring every child feels the joy and generosity of the season.”

Building on this shared commitment, Leonard, who became NAI’s permanent director in 2024, emphasized how reestablishing relationships laid the foundation for the program’s success. “Renewing our relationship with KBIC led to launching the annual Toys for Tots program in Lansing,” he said. “Rodney’s willingness and commitment to supporting Native youth in our area and across the state has been invaluable.”

Toy collection efforts led to coordination with Mark Rokita, operations supervisor with MSU’s Infrastructure Planning and Facilities team, who accepted, stored and then delivered four 6-foot-tall pallets worth of gifts to the Eva L. Evans Welcome Center in Lansing. In addition to the toys, IPF delivered books donated by the Book Depot in Buffalo, New York.

Toys, books and food donations were distributed to more than 300 children on Dec. 11 and 12 at the Evans Welcome Center. Thousands of gifts were wrapped by volunteers and ready for pickup, along with meals for the families.

“Each year, we are able to come together and share gifts, food and stories with the youth in our community,” Torrez said. “We are so grateful for all the support and care that our community dedicates to uplifting the Indigenous youth in the Greater Lansing area.”

In only its second year, the program has doubled the number of families receiving support, highlighting the power of collaboration. By reestablishing strong relationships with Tribal communities, this effort has created meaningful opportunities to support Native youth and families during this holiday season and in years to come.

This story originally appeared on the University Outreach and Engagement website.

NEW YORK – The Brooklyn Nets paid tribute to the victims of the Sydney Hanukkah massacre in a Hanukkah celebration at the Barclays Center during the team’s game against the Miami Heat on Thursday night. 

As part of the event, a giant basketball menorah was lit during the game by the 14-year-old nephew of Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who was killed in the Sydney massacre last week. The ceremony was facilitated by the Chabad Teen Network, the world’s largest teen organization. 

Fox News Digital spoke with Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky of Chabad World Headquarters, who would have attended the menorah lighting at the Barclays Center Thursday, but instead booked a one-way ticket to Australia to be with the victims’ families. Kotlarsky said the Nets recognizing Hanukkah and celebrating Jewish heritage is one of the things that “makes America great.”

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A menorah made of basketballs overlooks the Barclays Center prior to the Brooklyn Nets taking on the Miami Heat in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 18, 2025. (Ryan Canfield/Fox News)

“I think that it is really, really incredible to see America in its whole glory, where it stands for what we believe in. And we celebrate our ideals and our traditions, and our holidays, and it’s supported by the Nets, which is an incredible franchise,” Kotlarsky said.

“To be able to recognize and give a voice to many teens who might not be in a Jewish school or might not be in a Jewish (ChaBad), to celebrate their heritage proudly is one of the things that makes America great. One of the things that makes sports, the tool and the vessel that it is, to cross the aisles and empower young people to be proud of who they are.”

The Nets have two Jewish players on their team, Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf, and Kotlarsky said they are inspiring the youth, showing them that they can follow their dreams without compromising their values. 

FAMILIES MOURN LOVED ONES LOST IN BONDI BEACH TERROR ATTACK: ‘NO WORDS CAN DESCRIBE THE PAIN’

Brooklyn Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) drives to the basket past Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in New York, on Dec. 14, 2025. (Heather Khalifa/AP Photo)

“People see that no matter where you come from and where your humble beginnings are, you can still be proud of who you are and make it to the top, and you’re celebrated for who (you are). I think the key message, about the whole holiday, is one that we celebrate proudly, that light has infinitely more power than darkness and to have them on the team to be able to say, ‘You’re passionate about basketball, and you can make it,” Kotlarsky said.

“You can celebrate who you are.”

Kotlarsky said his trip to Australia is about making sure the Jewish community, who is dealing with a lot of “pain, hurt, loss and shock,” will come out of this bigger, stronger and better. He said they are looking to do a last-minute Hanukkah celebration on Sunday on the same beach where 16 people were killed. 

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A sign under a menorah wishing people a “Happy Chanukah” that overlooks the Barclays Center prior to the Brooklyn Nets taking on the Miami Heat in Brooklyn, New York, on Dec. 18, 2025. (Ryan Canfield/Fox News)

“You can’t understand why things happen and how people could be so evil and kill for such things but at the same time it brings out so much more in what we believe,” Kotlarsky said. 

“Like the Hannukkah message, when you squeeze an olive oil comes out. When you squeeze people you get to see their real essence and who they are and hope that beautiful stuff comes out.”

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The New York Liberty and Ant International’s Alipay+, a leading cross-border fintech services platform based in Singapore, today announced a multiyear partnership, making Alipay+ an Official Sponsor and Innovation Partner for Sustainability of the New York Liberty. Through this partnership, Alipay+ and the Liberty will jointly support community programs designed to advance community empowerment, environmental sustainability and youth development across New York City.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219678825/en/

Peng Yang, CEO, Ant International and Clara Wu Tsai, Vice Chair, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment; Governor, New York Liberty

“Our partnership with Alipay+ goes beyond the game,” said Keia Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, New York Liberty. “Together, we are investing in the future of New York—its people, its environment, and its youth. Ant International’s commitment to community empowerment, sustainability and digital innovation makes them an ideal partner for our mission.”

“To us, the story of New York Liberty embodies the legendary New York spirit: one of incredible talent, passion, teamwork and perseverance,” said Douglas Feagin, President of Ant International. “These winning qualities echo strongly with the Alipay+ community, where young entrepreneurs and global institutions partner up to push the frontier of innovation for underserved communities and small businesses. We are honored to support the Liberty, and look forward to learning from all other Liberty partners in its sustainability and youth programs.”

Alipay+ will become a key contributor to the team’s community-driven initiatives on community empowerment, environmental conservation and youth development. These will include three main areas:

• Community Empowerment: Alipay+ will partner with the Liberty to provide resources and digital tools to empower local communities and foster greater confidence and resilience.

• Sustainability: Alipay+ will support the Liberty and its community in urban reforestation and other conservation initiatives, such as Threes for Trees, whereby trees are planted for every three-pointer made by the Liberty during the season; and a community project to mobilize recycling of used shoes and fund the refurbishing of public basketball courts.

• Youth Sports and Technology Skills Development: Alipay+ will support projects for youth sports and technology training, including a series of youth-focused workshops and clinics to be co-designed and introduced with local partners and tutors, centered on digital skills, technology access and financial literacy, helping to bridge the digital divide and inspire the next generation of leaders.

To launch the partnership, Alipay+ supported the Liberty’s Shoe Sorting Day on December 18, as part of the team’s Season of Giving initiatives. Volunteers sorted donated sneakers for distribution to students experiencing homelessness across New York City, along with handwritten notes of encouragement to uplift them during challenging times. Beyond meeting an immediate need, the initiative also removes quiet barriers that can affect confidence as ill-fitting shoes can keep students from engaging fully. By providing brand-new sneakers students can feel proud to call their own, the Liberty and Alipay+ aim to empower local youth with renewed confidence and belonging.

The partnership will officially tip off next season at Barclays Center with marketing activations including in-arena branding, social media campaigns, and community engagement, amplifying the impact of each initiative across Liberty fans and neighborhoods throughout the city.

About the New York Liberty

The New York Liberty was founded on October 30, 1996 and is one of three original franchises remaining in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Liberty have made six WNBA Finals appearances in its 28-year history, and most recently, won the 2024 WNBA Championship. Owned by Joe and Clara Tsai, owners of the Brooklyn Nets, the Liberty play its home games at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. For more information, please visit www.nyliberty.com.

About Alipay+

Ant International’s Alipay+ is a global cross-border payment and digitization gateway connecting global merchants to the Asia-Pacific digital wallet community. We offer fintechs and merchants innovative cross-border digital payment and travel services solutions, to enable seamless consumer experience while opening new growth opportunities for businesses, especially small businesses across the world.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251219678825/en/

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