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Miya Ponsetto is doing a really bad job at laying low in her hometown, because she's been out and about ... and not without controversy.

The 22-year-old -- who falsely accused Keyon Harrold's teenage son of stealing her phone -- has surfaced in her SoCal neighborhood, where on Sunday ... her mother called the cops on a few paps who were looking to snap some shots and get interviews with the latest 'Karen.'

Check out these photos ... it's Nicole Ponsetto pulling over on the side of the road and speaking with officers, whom we're told then came over and talked to the paps to figure out what was going on. The cops apparently determined things were on the up and up, so they left.

That's where things get interesting ... one of the paps who spoke to cops said an officer told him Nicole had said they were wasting their time because Miya had left town. Nicole drove off ... alone. Thing is ... around a half-hour later, Miya and her mom pulled up into their driveway. You can see Nicole facing off with paps, who filmed from a distance.

As we reported, the NYPD and the paparazzi, are looking to talk to Miya about her SoHo altercation.

Since leaving NYC, Miya's been spotted in and around Ventura County ... she even had a quick walk-and-a-talk with a photographer a couple days ago on her way outta Mickey D's.

The cameraman asks her point-blank ... does she regret what she did to 14-year-old Keyon Jr. -- namely alleging he'd stolen her phone only to have returned to her from someone else later. Watch ... her answer (or non-answer) is telling -- doesn't sound like she's remorseful.

In fact, Miya even goes so far as to say that she doesn't "know what the problem is here" and adds that she's 22 herself, almost as if that justifies anything. She also points out that she's of Puerto Rican descent without being asked ... again, almost like a cop-out.

She finally ends the interview and slams her car door -- the photog asked all the right questions (including whether she's aware that the NYPD would like a word) but Miya doesn't offer much on that front. She drives off in the same Range Rover as the one Sunday.

In any case ... Miya and her mom are far from out of the woods when it comes to legal woes. As we told you, she and her mother were arrested last year for an incident at the Peninsula in Bev Hills ... one in which her mom allegedly attacked a cop. Both were charged for being drunk in public, while Miya's mother was also charged with battery on an officer.

It's hard to keep track of how many times Joe Biden's been confirmed as the next U.S. President, but there are still some formalities left to make it official ... and D.C. officials are concerned the next one could lead to more civil unrest.

Congress is set to convene January 6 to officially count the electoral votes and certify the winner of the election ... which ended with 306 votes for Biden and 232 for Trump.

TMZ's learned the nation's capital is preparing for the large scheduled protest by Trump supporters -- starting January 5 -- and ending on the 7th.

Obviously, officials are worried the protests could get out of hand and lead to violent clashes with counter-protesters ... so police are being asked to step up in advance.

Trump has tweeted several times, promoting the main protest -- scheduled for January 6 -- and even teasing an appearance at the event.

Our law enforcement sources tell us ... D.C. cops will not be allowed to take days off from Jan. 5-7, and they're implementing a plan to have a heavy police presence in the area -- both uniformed and in street clothes.

On the political side ... Senator Ted Cruz is among 12 Republican Senators who have announced they'll challenge Biden's win on January 6.

MMA star Anthony Pettis says that he's 100 percent down to fight Jake Paul ... and he's willing to do it in the boxing ring -- a place where he has no experience.

But, Jake does -- he's 2-0 as a professional boxer.

TMZ Sports talked to the 33-year-old fighter before his unanimous decision UFC Fight Night win over Alex Morono in Vegas ... and Pettis was crystal clear -- he wants to box before he retires, and Jake Paul would make for a helluva opponent.

"Bro, I would love to box. I haven't boxed yet, so I'm 0-0. Boxing is something I grew up watching my whole life. That's why I got into fighting, honestly. Watching Chavez, De La Hoya, Mayweather, all these guys up and coming."

Of course, Paul knocked former NBA star Nate Robinson out cold over a month ago. There's been debate about how good JP actually is in the squared circle ... but Pettis believes Jake has skills.

"I think he's definitely getting better. He prepared for a boxing match. You could tell he was in boxing shape, he was in a stance at least. It's going to be interesting to see how far he can go with it."

Even if it's not against Jake Paul, Pettis -- a former UFC champ with wins over guys like "Cowboy" Cerrone and "Wonderboy" Thompson -- says he's gonna give boxing a shot before he retires from fighting.

"Man, I'm only 33, and I've been doing this MMA thing for so long. 12 years with Zuffa. So as a pro, I think I've been like 14 years. It's a crazy life I live. I'd love to go in there and try something new," Pettis tells us.

Bottom line ... "I definitely think before I retire boxing will be something I do."

Hidden within their hair-raising snap is an actor who became a teen heartthrob, after his role in a Disney Channel Original Movie!

He has bounced between television shows, movies and musicals throughout his career, and has had his hand in a number of projects. Aside from his Disney days, this star is best known for his performances in "The Greatest Showman", "Baywatch", "Hairspray" and so much more!

This musical man has since gone to travel the world in his new Netflix series.

The Black teenager who was falsely accused of stealing a woman's phone is now in need of therapy because the incident has seriously scarred him ... this according to his parents.

Keyon Harrold tells TMZ ... he and his ex-wife, Kat, are currently vetting therapists and looking to get their son -- 14-year-old Keyon Jr. -- into trauma therapy soon. Keyon (the dad) tells us his son is seriously traumatized ... and a lot has to do with Miya Ponsetto immediately zeroing in on him.

Keyon Jr. asked his dad a simple question that unearths lots of serious issues, including self-doubt ... "Why Me?"

Keyon says he's raised his son to become a proud, Black man, saying, "I have tried to instill dignity in my son. I'm trying to build his ego, because for so long egos of Black men have been shattered."

Keyon feels without professional help, his mission may be torpedoed by Ponsetto's vicious attack on his son. His dad tells us, "He wonders if he's good enough to own an iPhone, or whether he's out of place at a nice hotel." That, Keyon says, must immediately be nipped in the bud.

There's also a practical problem. Both parents are musicians and travel a lot, which means they stay at hotels quite a bit. Keyon says his son is now showing fear about going to hotels. Keyon Jr. has told his dad he's afraid someone will come from behind and tackle him. He's also afraid of being accused of a crime. In fact, he told his dad the day of the incident he felt like a criminal.

Keyon's handling it with broad strokes ... "You definitely belong, everywhere you go."

By the way ... long before the incident, Keyon and his son have talked about social justice issues, and the tragedies of Emmett Till, Michael Brown, George Floyd, and on and on.

The Jenner girls have hit the slopes to ring in the new year -- and they're shacking up in the Colorado Rockies inside what might as well be a castle ... which costs an absolute fortune.

Kylie, Kendall, Kris, Corey and some other pals -- plus young Stormi Webster -- are all on a winter retreat right now in Aspen ... where they're doing some snowboarding and taking in the fresh mountain air, while also kicking their feet up in a fortress of a rental home.

The 20,000-plus square foot, 4-story mansion comes equipped with 7 bedrooms, 9 baths, a massive deck, a patio, a fireplace, an in-home theater, a pool and spa, a bowling alley and a 4-car garage. It's also brand spanking new ... the place was just built in 2020.

If you're wondering what it might be costing the Jenners to stay here ... try something like tens of thousands. According to Realtor.com, the house goes for $450k/month for renters, and the crew's been there at least 3 days now. BTW, it's also for sale for a whopping $75 mil.

Kylie and Kendall have been posting shots from inside their sweet digs, and it's about as nice as its price tag indicates. Looks like the house is pretty secluded too ... exterior footage shows that it's on a mountain edge, and even a stone's throw from a resort there too.

Of course, the whole area is buried in snow at the moment, which the Jenners and co. are taking full advantage of (for recreation and fashion). That includes little Stormi, who's proving to be quite the snowboarder herself. Kylie posted a video of her kid going down what appears to be the bunny hill ... and, lo and behold, she's holding her own pretty well!!!

As if Nashville hasn't had enough chaos descend upon it lately, here's two doofuses causing even more of a panic by jumping off a hotel rooftop bar to ring in the new year.

This wild incident went down Friday at the Grand Hyatt in downtown -- not too far from where Anthony Warner blew himself to smithereens just a few days prior. Two men were spotted standing on a ledge with parachute backpacks on ... then, took a leap of faith.

Check out the video ... you can see worried guests tell them they're not allowed to do that, but these clowns continue on anyway. When it becomes clear they're jumping -- and then actually do it -- people freak out and start screaming, including the camerawoman.

Miraculously, their chutes open ... and the two BASE jumpers glide down above the Nashville streets. They eventually landed safely in a nearby parking lot, where they got into a waiting car and drove off without a trace. Cops are looking to talk to them now.

Now, as for who they might be, it's still a mystery. The hotel has come out and said they were, in fact, guests staying there ... and they've now been banned. Apparently, there's surveillance footage the hotel has turned over to MNPD.

The Nashville bomber, Anthony Warner, was just as out there as people might've suspected -- because authorities now say he sent letters full of kooky ideas days before detonating.

Warner sent a number of letters and videos to friends and acquaintances all over the country on Dec. 23 -- two days before his RV exploded in downtown -- with bizarre writings about everything from aliens to lizard people, 9/11 and the moon landing and everything in between ... this according to CBS News, citing law enforcement officials.

Apparently, Warner sent several packages without return addresses -- which contained upwards of nine pages of typed-out text, plus a couple of thumb drives with videos.

One such letter begins, "Hey Dude, You will never believe what I found in the park." Warner continues, "The knowledge I have gained is immeasurable. I now understand everything, and I mean everything from who/what we really are, to what the known universe really is."

He goes on to say there are too many anomalies to count as it relates to 9/11 and the moon landing, adding a theory about the Earth being under active attack by aliens since at least 2011 ... something he claims the government is covering up.

And, then ... there's the lizard people, whom Warner supposedly thinks walk among us -- and control things. He reportedly writes, "They put a switch into the human brain so they could walk among us and appear human." Warner also signed some of these letters as "Julio."

Friends of his have said that's a name he'd gone by, but neighbors also pointed out that his dog was named Julio. His dog may have died in the explosion, because animal remains were also recovered at the bomb site ... in addition to tissues connected to Warner.

Donald Trump has no shame when it comes to grousing that he's not getting the credit and praise others are getting in the COVID fight, and it seems the person who pisses him off most is one Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Trump unloaded Sunday on Twitter, saying ... "Something how Dr. Fauci is revered by the LameStream Media as such a great professional, having done, they say, such an incredible job, yet he works for me and the Trump Administration, and I am in no way given any credit for my work. Gee, could this just be more Fake News?"

Ok ... a few points to consider

1.  Tony Fauci is a DOCTOR who has been the leader in infectious diseases for decades.  Trump never spent a day diagnosing anything, because he has no medical training.

2.  Dr. Fauci has been a leader in urging mask-wearing and social distancing. Trump has undermined the effort, inspired millions of others to flaunt precautionary measures and is responsible for an untold number of COVID infections as a result.

3.  Fauci has walked the walk, celebrating holidays and other occasions at home without much of his family. Trump has held super-spreader events for friends, family and strangers.

4.  Fauci has carefully advised the nation about therapies and vaccines. Trump has mused about drinking bleach to combat the virus.

5.  Fauci's actions have made him COVID-free. Trump got the virus, along with his wife, child and God knows how many other White House staffers.

In short ... that's why Trump hasn't gotten the credit Fauci has.

Fauci has been the leading voice on infectious viruses for decades, far beyond Trump's presidency.

He's been beloved for sharing the cold-hard facts in an easy to understand manner.

Prince Harry has lost his personality, his edge and his purpose ... this according to his biographer in a scathing review.

Angela Levin, who wrote "Harry: A Biography of a Prince" back in 2018, says Harry has lost his way and is now just following Meghan Markle's "woke ways" in the U.S.

Levin, who wrote an op-ed for the Sunday Telegraph, says Megan's doing great in California, while Harry has succumbed to her "woke ways" and "has become a shadow of the prince I once knew."

And, maybe this is just an English thing, but in the U.S. it sounds pretty sketchy ... she writes Harry jettisoned his "life as an action man to become an airy-fairy do-gooder."

She goes on and on, saying Harry "seems to accept being second to Meghan." She even suggests he changed his accent, pointing to a recent Harry and Meghan podcast.

And, there's this ... she thinks a lot of what Harry and Meghan are doing is a shameless money grab ... "The couple's endless announcements about clinching one money-raising deal after another ... could be seen as insensitive at a time when hundreds of thousands of livelihoods were lost." She says Harry has "tucked his family away in a multi-million-dollar mansion in California ... making himself look out of touch."

Gerry Marsden, the lead singer and namesake of the '60s British rock group Gerry and the Pacemakers has died.

The singer died from a heart infection

The group was part of the '60's "British Invasion" ... a steady stream of British rock bands led by the Beatles to overtake music in America and around the world.

The band scored big with their hit, "Ferry Cross the Mersey," which made them instant stars in America.

There were other hits as well. Their song, "You'll Never Walk Alone" was an anthem for Liverpool football fans for many decades.

And, there were fun songs, like "How You Do It?" which also became a big hit.

Gerry toured for 60 years ... never really stopping.

Gerry's friend, radio host Pete Price, broke the news of Gerry's death ... "It’s with a very heavy heart after speaking to the family that I have to tell you the Legendary Gerry Marsden MBE after a short illness which was an infection in his heart has sadly passed away. Sending all the love in the world to Pauline and his family. You’ll Never Walk Alone."

Gerry had heart issues for years, undergoing a triple bypass in 2003. He had another heart surgery in 2016 and, yes, they put in a pacemaker.

Gerry is survived by his wife, Pauline Marsden, whom he was married to for 55 years, and two daughters, Yvette and Victoria.

Gerry was 78.

The woman who attacked a black teen after falsely accusing him of stealing her iPhone seems to have a penchant for creating disturbances in hotels, because she was arrested for one back in February.

Miya Ponsetto is now in the crosshairs of authorities for her antics in an NYC hotel, and TMZ has learned she also caused quite a fuss -- allegedly -- at the Peninsula hotel in Bev Hills back in February.

Miya and her mom, Nicole apparently wore out their welcome when Peninsula staff ordered them to leave, but they refused. Law enforcement sources tell us, someone from the hotel called police, told them the women looked drunk and refused to leave ... so Beverly Hills cops showed up to handle the situation.

Our law enforcement sources say when they arrived and tried to get Miya and Nicole to leave, Nicole allegedly pushed and kicked a cop. Both women were arrested ... Nicole for battery on a police officer and being drunk in public. While Miya was arrested for being drunk in public. They have a court hearing later this month.

Now get this ... the L.A. County District Attorney charged both women on May 27, 2020.  The very next day, Miya was arrested again, this time for drunk driving. She pled no contest and was sentenced to 3 years probation, 30 hours of community service and she must take a 9-month alcohol/drug counseling program.

As for the phone incident -- in case you don't know turns out she left her phone in an Uber -- seems Miya has a thing for phones -- her Etsy page is littered with custom phone cases she favors. Even if she's obsessed with phones, it's no reason to flip out on 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr., New York authorities are considering serious charges against her.

Just a day after Minneapolis cops shot and killed Dolal Idd, his family's home was raided ... and there's new body cam video showing the tense scene inside the home.

Idd was shot and killed during a traffic stop last Wednesday, after he shot at officers. He was a suspect in a felony.

Hours later, just after 2 AM the next day, cops served a search warrant on the family home. You see in the video, cops zip tied family members as they searched the home.

BTW ... it's significant this was a "knock and announce" warrant ... which became the central issue in the Breonna Taylor case. The police clearly ID'd themselves in the Idd case, screaming "Police search warrant! Let me see your hands" just before entering the house.

A woman inside the house pleads, "I have small children." She mentions one of the kids is a special needs child. At one point you see one of the cops carry a small child who appeared to have been hiding in the stairwell.

One of the deputies orders a colleague, "Make sure the 18-year-old male is cuffed behind his back."

It got extremely tense as time went on, with one of the occupants calling the cops "racist bitches."

It's unclear what, if anything, was seized from the home.

As for Dolal Idd's death, body cam video was released which, when slowed down, appears to show Idd fired a shot from inside his car, shattering the window before cops opened fire.

Zoë Kravitz has filed for divorce ... just 18 months after she married Karl Glusman.

Zoë filed for divorce 2 days before Christmas ... this according to PEOPLE.

It's a stunning turn ... just this past summer they celebrated their 1-year wedding anniversary, posting a pic from their wedding day.

The 2 started dating in late 2016, and it became quite the thing. When they married in June 2019 at her father, Lenny Kravitz's Paris home, it became a coveted invite, for the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Denzel Washington, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Chris Pine, Cara Delevigne and Marisa Tomei.

As you know both are actors ... Zoë, stars in "Big Little Lies," and Karl's in "Nocturnal Animals."

Prince's death has been riddled in estate challenges for years, and now the IRS is getting into the act, claiming the folks managing the estate have grossly undervalued it.

Uncle Sam claims the estate is worth double what the money managers claim. The estate set the value at just over $80 million, but the IRS says it's worth more than $160 mil.

Obviously, the taxman wants his cut, and that's why the U.S. Tax Court is now in the picture. The IRS claims the estate shorted the taxes due by $32.4 mil ... that's double what the estate planned to pay.

There have been all sorts of figures thrown around by the various heirs -- some of whom have mounted challenges -- some estimates put the estate's value as high as $300 mil.

The IRS really wants its pound of flesh. It's also asking for a $6.4 million penalty for the undervaluation. The estate filed legal docs this summer claiming the IRS's numbers are way, way off.

Zelene Blancas, the teacher who touched the hearts of millions after posting a video of her students hugging each other, has died of COVID.

Zelene taught Spanish at the Dr. Sue A. Shook Elementary School in El Paso and was on a path to becoming a bilingual special ed teacher.

She gained national -- even worldwide -- attention back in 2018, after posting a video of students leaving for a weekend break. As they left, they hugged one and another in a showing of caring and love that produced 23 million views.

Zelene tested positive for coronavirus in late October and ended up in the hospital shortly after her diagnosis. She spent nearly 2 months in ICU and when things became financially desperate last month, her brother set up a GoFundMe account on her behalf.

She died Monday from COVID complications.

Her death affected much of El Paso. In addition to teaching, Zelene taught evening literacy classes to parents. During the pandemic, she delivered food and other items to the homes of some of her students.

Zelene was 35.