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Sunshine early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High near 75F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph..
Man held on drug charges
JONESBORO — Jonesboro police arrested Jeremy Wells, 40, of the 3000 block of Apache Drive, on Tuesday morning.
Wells is being held on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine or cocaine less than 2 grams, felony and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and possession of a Schedule IV or V drug less than 28 grams.
He is being held at the Craighead County Detention Center awaiting a probable cause hearing.
A 41-year-old Jonesboro woman told police Monday night that her vehicle was stolen from the 300 block of South Gee Street. The 2008 Mercury Mountaineer is valued at $8,000.
A 62-year-old Black Rock man told police Monday evening that someone entered the company building in the 2900 block of East Parker Road and used the company gas card for personal use. The card had $6,080.46 in purchases on it.
A 27-year-old Jonesboro man told police Monday afternoon that his 35-year-old girlfriend accessed his bank account and withdrew $1,500 from it.
A 70-year-old Monette man told Craighead County sheriff's deputies Tuesday morning that someone stole 1,500 feet of pivot wire from his field on Craighead Road 505. The wire is valued at $5,000. | 2022-11-01T17:57:18Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Man held on drug charges | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-held-on-drug-charges/article_70f8e04e-7c00-5a2a-a6b1-e6095fe74b4a.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-held-on-drug-charges/article_70f8e04e-7c00-5a2a-a6b1-e6095fe74b4a.html |
JONESBORO — Craighead County accounted for 10 percent of the new coronavirus cases Tuesday, ranking second only to Pulaski County.
The Arkansas Department of Health reported 370 new cases statewide, including 37 in Craighead County and 48 in Pulaski County.
Craighead reported only nine new cases on Monday.
The statewide death toll rose by 13, but no deaths were reported in Northeast Arkansas.
The number of active cases declined by 41 statewide to 2,757.
The health department reported 146 COVID-related hospitalizations statewide, an increase of 13 from Monday. Of those, seven were on ventilators, a reduction of one. COVID hospitalizations in Northeast Arkansas totaled 17, down by one. None required ventilators.
Tuesday Northeast Arkansas COVID-19 cases by county:
Craighead – 37 new cases, 227 active cases.
Lawrence – 1 new case, 9 active cases.
Poinsett – 5 new cases, 14 active cases.
Jackson – 1 new case, 10 active cases. | 2022-11-02T09:40:01Z | www.jonesborosun.com | 37 new virus cases for Craighead | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/37-new-virus-cases-for-craighead/article_6ac6541e-0f6f-591f-8ea9-acd52a3ef2e4.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/37-new-virus-cases-for-craighead/article_6ac6541e-0f6f-591f-8ea9-acd52a3ef2e4.html |
Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 76F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph..
JONESBORO — A Jonesboro man faces trafficking of a controlled substance charges after a September arrest in Craighead County following a traffic stop.
Bobby Barker, 59, was pulled over by Craighead County Deputy Cody Ladner on Arkansas 226 near U.S. 67 on Sept. 18.
A K9 alerted to the presence of drugs in Barber’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle yielded more than 6,060 grams of methamphetamine and $1,994 in cash.
After obtaining a search warrant for Barber’s address in the 1400 block of Oakhurst Drive the next day, police found 2,276 grams of suspected meth and $120,203 in cash that was inside a safe in Barber’s bedroom.
The total amount of meth seized exceeded 18 pounds.
Police also found a meth pipe, marijuana and digital scales inside of the residence.
On Monday, prosecutors filed the trafficking a controlled substance charge, a Class Y felony, and a felony possession of drug paraphernalia charge against Barber.
Barber pleaded guilty in September 2010 to possession with the intent to manufacture meth and received 18 months of probation, according to court records.
In February 2010, Barber pleaded guilty to criminal attempt and prosecutors dropped several drug charges against him. He received 60 months of probation.
Barber is out on bail.
If Barber is convicted he would forfeit the cash seized, according to Chad Henson, commander of the 2nd Judicial Drug Task Force. | 2022-11-02T09:40:20Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Man officially charged with drug trafficking | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-officially-charged-with-drug-trafficking/article_396908c4-2b76-5f2a-8bcd-f2ee4b5344eb.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-officially-charged-with-drug-trafficking/article_396908c4-2b76-5f2a-8bcd-f2ee4b5344eb.html |
Butler to be appointed WR City Attorney
Members of the Walnut Ridge City Council met on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at the Walnut Ridge Police Complex.
Those attending included Walnut Ridge Mayor Charles Snapp, City Clerk Sharon Henson, and council members Angie Abbott, Larry Abbott, Bryan Butts, Ty Callahan, Bret Sheets, Jon Walter and Whit Watson.
During the meeting, council members reviewed city attorney resumes, including those from Jerrod Slayton, Ryan Cooper and Adam Butler, and opted to select Adam Butler as Walnut Ridge City Attorney for the upcoming appointment beginning Jan. 1, 2023, and ending Dec. 31, 2026.
Council members also appointed and swore in Stephanie Nichols to fill a vacancy in the office of council member Ward I, Position I.
Ordinance No. 903-22 was also approved unanimously to appoint Henson, city clerk, as city treasurer.
Also during the meeting, council members discussed hiring a full-time animal control officer effective January 2023. Mayor Snapp stated that this proposal would go before the budget committee and advised the council that upon hiring a full-time animal control officer, the city would need to expand its animal shelter. The mosquito building, located next to the shelter, is being looked into for the expansion.
Council members approved Ordinance No. 904-22, which is an ordinance to control excessive noise in the city limits. After a brief discussion, council member Callahan made a motion to approve the ordinance, seconded by council member Watson. The ordinance was approved by a 7-1 margin, but its emergency clause was not approved. Mayor Snapp stated that the ordinance would go into effect 30 days from the meeting.
Resolution No. 2022-39, amending the current comprehensive plan for the City of Walnut Ridge, was read by Henson and approved by council members. Mayor Snapp also stated it was time to levy the one-mill property tax for firefighters retirement, which is done at this time each year. Members of the city council approved continuing the tax for the WRFD retirement fund.
Code Enforcement Officer Shannon DelMonte provided council members with updates regarding condemnations and the Sears Plaza. According to DelMonte, “the Sears Plaza asbestos test was conducted last week by Jody Sifford and sent for approval by the ADEQ. Asbestos removal is tentatively set for the first week of November and after this removal, the present property owners will have the property condemned and all equipment will be removed from this property.”
After DelMonte’s updates, council members unanimously approved the condemnations of 524 West Main Street and 714 Highway 412 West.
In new business, council members heard from concerned citizen Rebecca Peppers, who presented a letter to the council regarding six police incidents involving Main Street Pizza. Peppers asked the council to consider an ordinance for any restaurant in the City of Walnut Ridge to have security, such as bouncers or police officers, at the establishment. No action was taken at this time. | 2022-11-02T09:41:27Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Butler to be appointed WR City Attorney | Times Dispatch | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/butler-to-be-appointed-wr-city-attorney/article_eea53c47-4da2-5615-8005-d887956e4f50.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/butler-to-be-appointed-wr-city-attorney/article_eea53c47-4da2-5615-8005-d887956e4f50.html |
Four Hillcrest High School students showed animals at the Arkansas State Fair in Little Rock. Lindsey Crews showed a heifer, which placed fourth in class 1 of the first division of the commercial American heifers. Makenly Coles showed in class 12 of division 3 market goats and placed 10th in her division. Jeffery Coles placed sixth in class 1 of the commercial English heifer division. Ashton Martin placed sixth in class 1 of the commercial American heifers division. Randy Nicholson is the FFA advisor.
Peggy Williams was honored as the BPW Woman of the Year by the Walnut Ridge Business and Professional Women.
Farm Families for a Cure hosted a harvest tasting luncheon to benefit the American Cancer Society. The event, held at the First Baptist Church M.A.C. building raised $1,032.
The Walnut Ridge fifth-grade volleyball team placed second in a tournament at Crowley’s Ridge Academy on Oct. 20. Team members include Hannah Wade, Shyanne Foley, Sydney Burgin, Katie Kersey, Olivia Wilbanks and Maddie Flippo. The team is coached by Leslie Burgin and Darenda Kersey.
The Walnut Ridge Business and Professional Women’s annual coffee was Thursday morning. Members helping to organize the even included: Sandy Sullins, Rita McGinnis, Mary Rainwater, Anna Marie Camp, Sue Sullens, Jean Jean, Henryetta Tyler, Kay Klinke, Mary Light, Sandy Barrington, Jean Osburn, Toni Pominville, Dana Penn, Velma Robert, Freda House and Diana Shelton.
Hoxie Senior High volleyball players named All-Conference are Kathleen Sullivan, Lindsey Bullard and Cortney Goodwin. Junior high players named All-Conference are Jessica Anglin, Brittney Jones, Jade Segraves and Amy King.
Winners of the championship flight in the CASA Benefit golf tournament on Oct. 20 at the Walnut Ridge Country Club were Frank Davis and Bennett Hart with a 68; A flight winners were Bill Davis and Tom Allen with a 72; Debbie Oliver and Steve Oliver won the B flight, shooting 76; and C flight winners with a 79 were Fred Van Hoozer and Melton Van Hoozer.
Lynn High School Math and Science Club recently elected officers for the school year. They are: Amanda Kent, secretary/treasurer; Jonathan Blackburn, president; Whitney Penn and Lana Richey, reporters; and Greg Winfrey, vice president. J.M. Herriott serves as advisor.
Walnut Ridge High School cheerleaders Rachael Beasley, Courtney Carson, Jennifer Roacho and Jackie Layne participated in the state police training for the Archer/House Gun Safety/Violence Prevention Program on Sept. 18 at the state headquarters in Little Rock.
Felix and Grace Estes of Hoxie marked their 75th wedding anniversary on Oct. 29. They were married Oct. 29, 1927, at Minturn.
Penny Ring was honored with a reception by employees of Ponder and Jarboe Law Offices on Oct. 15. She had worked for Ponder and Jarboe for 11 years and recently moved to the Fort Smith area.
Deana Harper, a senior at Walnut Ridge High School, and Faith Bailey, a WRHS freshman, have been selected All-Conference in volleyball.
Hoxie Future Homemakers of America recently installed officers. They are: Tennille Green, secretary; Kelli Ramthun, vice president of public relations; Valerie Turnbow, president; Nikki Fowler, vice president of programs; Stephanie Jean, treasurer; and Amber Snodgrass, parliamentarian.
The Strawberry FBLA Chapter sent four members to Virginia Beach, Va., to represent the school at the FBLA Southern Regional Leadership Conference recently. Those attending were: Cara Lee, Hana Korkis, Kathleen Taylor and Jeanni Pickering.
Dr. Diane F. Howard has been named a home economics program specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
Kimberly Roberts of Clover Bend and Steve Huddleston of Imboden will exchange wedding vows Dec. 10 at Mr. Huddleston’s home in Imboden.
Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Fisher have been named co-chairmen of the 1982 campaign in Lawrence County for the Arkansas Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.
Cassie Henry, a senior, was crowned homecoming queen Friday night at ceremonies on Sexton Field prior to the Walnut Ridge-Piggott game. Escorting her were Gary Shrable and John David Summers. Pages were Jeff Brecklein and Holly Hutcherson. Maids were Beth Dame, Anne Williams, Lynn Stark and Debbie Boozer.
The Walnut Ridge Walmart, which will observe its grand opening. Tuesday, Oct. 31, is the 66th retail merchandizing outlet bearing a Walton Brothers’ banner. The giant 30,000-square-foot modern discount center in Walnut Ridge is just another chapter in the continuing saga of brothers, Sam and Bud Walton.
The newly opened Walnut Ridge Country Club has opened its dining facilities, with Pop Hilburn in charge of the kitchen.
THE MUSTANG – Friday night will be the last game of the Mustang football team. Senior players are Rodney Graddy, Rickey Kapales, Donnie Whitmire, ScottyAnglin, Mike Truxler, Dennis Truxler, Don Parker and Terry Parker. They will he missed next year.
Two lightweights, but two of the hardest working men on the Bobcat team, are Billy Burns Fisher and Jimmy Gipson.
Arthur P. Smith has been elected President of the Citizens National Bank of Walnut Ridge, and Larry Sloan has been elected vice president.
Carolyn Glover has been elected president of the Girls Glee Club at Walnut Ridge High School for the coming year
The U.S. Navy has announced that R.D. Moore Jr. of Walnut Ridge has been promoted to Aviation Electronicsman First Class. He is stationed at Jacksonville, Fla.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Baltz returned to their home here Sunday from a 10-day vacation trip to New York and a tour to Bermuda.
Dr. Luther Davis has been appointed district health officer with headquarters located in Walnut Ridge.
The congregation of the Baptist Church will hear the new Hammond electric organ at the morning worship service next Sunday for the first time.
David O. Catching, a second lieutenant in the air corps of the United States Army, has been assigned as an instructor at Barksdale Field, Shreveport, La.
Sgt. Harold Callahan, son of Mr. and Mrs. M.L. Callahan of Portia, who has been stationed at Dutch Harbor, Alaska, for the past year, has arrived in Seattle, Wash., en route to Fort Davis, N.C., where he is being transferred to attend Officers Training School. | 2022-11-02T09:42:09Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Yesteryears | Opinion | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/opinion/yesteryears/article_e830f0a9-cf61-5c54-9b15-f05d1e0ca663.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/opinion/yesteryears/article_e830f0a9-cf61-5c54-9b15-f05d1e0ca663.html |
S-H boys post wins
Sloan-Hendrix jumped out to a big lead early in the game and cruised to a 75-21 victory over Hillcrest in senior boys basketball on Friday night at Imboden.
The Greyhounds (4-0) led 24-2 after the first quarter and 45-7 at halftime.
Harper Rorex led Sloan-Hendrix with 15 points. Braden Cox and Karson Roark each scored 11 points, while Ethan Lee and Cade Grisham chipped in 10 points apiece.
Mammoth Spring
The senior Greyhounds improved to 3-0 on the season with a 79-45 win at Mammoth Spring on Oct. 25.
The game was close in the first half, with Sloan-Hendrix leading 18-17 after the first quarter and 36-28 at halftime.
The Greyhounds took control in the second half, outscoring the Bears 28-12 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 64-40.
Grisham led Sloan-Hendrix with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Harper Rorex had 18 points and eight assists. Luke Murphy added 11 points and three steals Lee finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds, and Cox added 10 points.
Sloan-Hendrix won the senior B game, 35-15.
Junior boys win tournament
The Sloan-Hendrix junior boys defeated Tuckerman 49-34 in the finals of the Bill McCurley Junior High basketball tournament on Saturday at Imboden.
Dallas Durham led the junior Greyhounds with 21 points. Hudson Rorex and Corey Sullens each had 10 points.
Sloan-Hendrix defeated Hillcrest 44-13 in the semifinals on Thursday.
Hudson Rorex scored 14 points and Durham added 12 points. | 2022-11-02T09:42:34Z | www.jonesborosun.com | S-H boys post wins | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/s-h-boys-post-wins/article_4e2ef17b-76db-5a09-a310-34145ddcd985.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/s-h-boys-post-wins/article_4e2ef17b-76db-5a09-a310-34145ddcd985.html |
Buchheit to operate area Orscheln stores
JONESBORO — Tractor Supply Co., which recently acquired Orscheln Farm and Home Co., has sold 12 of those stores to the Buchheit Family of Companies as part of a set of stores that must be divested by Tractor Supply in adherence to the Federal Trade Commission order related to the purchase that began in February 2021.
Among those 12 locations are the Orscheln locations in Jonesboro, Paragould and Pocahontas. “Buchheit is ready to introduce our WOW customer service to these rural communities,” Buchheit Chief Financial Officer Eric Hasty said in a press release. “We’re excited to grow our footprint in the Midwest to serve customers who enjoy the simpler life we love.”
Buchheit currently operates retail locations in Missouri and Illinois. This expansion takes the company into Kentucky, Arkansas and Nebraska. Buchheit intends to retain all of the Orscheln employees in these acquired locations.
“We’re honored to have this opportunity to expand our family and our culture to encompass other rural communities just like the community my grandfather started 88 years ago,” CEO Tim Buchheit said. “We look forward to the continued success with our new families and new communities.”
Tractor Supply was also required to divest some Orscheln stores, as well as Orscheln’s corporate offices and Missouri distribution center, to Bomgaars, an Iowa-based farm store chain. | 2022-11-03T07:42:47Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Buchheit to operate area Orscheln stores | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/buchheit-to-operate-area-orscheln-stores/article_d15b9b13-f06a-51be-8146-055c050d3fa5.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/buchheit-to-operate-area-orscheln-stores/article_d15b9b13-f06a-51be-8146-055c050d3fa5.html |
JONESBORO — A Bono man died Tuesday morning in a three-vehicle accident on U.S. 63, according to an Arkansas State Police report.
Christopher M. Vance, 40, was killed after his 2001 Ford Ranger, which was traveling northbound, crossed the lane divider and side-swiped another vehicle. Vance’s vehicle then skidded across into the southbound lane and was struck on the passenger side by a 2020 Freightliner truck.
The vehicle that Vance’s Ranger side-swiped didn’t stop.
In a separate ASP report, a West Memphis man was killed and a Walnut Ridge woman was injured Saturday in a two-vehicle accident on the Interstate 55 on ramp in West Memphis.
Jeremy Nelson, 35, died and Jennifer Staples, 40, was injured. Staples was northbound on the North Service Road attempting to merge onto I-55 in her 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe. Nelson, who was driving southbound on the North Service road in a 2010 Chevrolet Impala, failed to see Staples’ vehicle and struck the front of her vehicle. She was taken to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis.
In police reports:
Police arrested Eric Antonio George, 42, of the 1300 block of Wendy Lane, on Tuesday evening following a traffic stop in the 800 block of North Church Street. He is being held on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine or cocaine less than 2 grams and possession of marijuana.
The manager of Tag Trucking, 5712 Commerce Square, reported Tuesday morning that several tires were taken from trucks at the business. The tires are valued at $6,800. | 2022-11-03T07:43:06Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Accidents claim two lives | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/accidents-claim-two-lives/article_6df4409b-78c0-5610-9043-0b4a1aa7f30f.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/accidents-claim-two-lives/article_6df4409b-78c0-5610-9043-0b4a1aa7f30f.html |
JONESBORO — A Jonesboro man faced a district court judge Wednesday on a Sept. 12 incident and another one from 2021.
Judge David Boling found probable cause to charge Anthony Lamaud Gipson, 47, with delivery of methamphetamine or cocaine greater than 2 grams but less than 10 grams and distribution near certain facilities from a March 5, 2021, arrest at his residence in the 1000 block of Oakdale Street.
Boling also found probable cause to charge him with first-degree terroristic threatening, third-degree domestic battery/ second offense and first-degree interfering with emergency communications for the September incident.
In the September case, police said Gipson threatened his girlfriend with a knife and rock and left her bloodied.
Boling, noting that Gipson has been arrested more than 30 times, set two bonds totaling $200,000.
Gipson has court dates of Dec. 28 and Dec. 30 in Craighead County Circuit Court.
Early Knox, 32, of Jonesboro, with abuse of an adult/endangered or impaired; $1,500 bond.
Quinterio Holmon, 29, of Weiner, with theft greater than $1,000 but less than $5,000; $2,500 bond. | 2022-11-03T07:43:12Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Bonds total $200,000 for suspect | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/bonds-total-200-000-for-suspect/article_3b0e39e5-943b-5918-91f1-99c3b222bd29.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/bonds-total-200-000-for-suspect/article_3b0e39e5-943b-5918-91f1-99c3b222bd29.html |
JONESBORO — A proposed resolution to apply for federal funding for a pedestrian bridge led the Jonesboro City Council to a more expansive discussion of downtown needs.
The resolution, which the council approved Tuesday, allows Mayor Harold Copenhaver’s staff to apply for a U.S. Department of Transportation Reconnecting Communities grant. It would fund $7.2 million of a $9 million project to build a pedestrian bridge over railroad tracks, helping to connect the Arkansas State University campus to the downtown area.
Council member Chris Moore said he and Ann Williams had advocated for some type of pedestrian access over the tracks at Fisher Street for quite a while.
Copenhaver said he has a meeting scheduled for next week with Lorie Tudor, director of the Arkansas Department of Transportation to make the city’s case for additional railroad overpasses.
“And that would be one of those overpass requests that is on our agenda – Gee Street and that,” Copenhaver said.
Moore then turned the mayor’s attention to the Bridge Street bridge.
“I know we have a finite lifespan on Bridge Street; when is the date that Bridge Street is no longer effective? Moore asked. “I think that’s coming up on us pretty quick.”
Craig Light, the city’s chief engineer, said he doesn’t know of a deadline for converting the aging structure to pedestrian use.
“To my recollection, there’s no set date that it will become obsolete and un-useful,” Light said. “It’s just the knowing that it’s coming up being 100 years old. We can’t add any lanes to it … at some point it will not be economical to maintain a 100-year-old bridge. At that point it would become a pedestrian facility.
Light said the city submitted a federal grant application in 2016 for construction of a new bridge on Patrick Street for vehicular traffic, but was unsuccessful.
“We would need that before Bridge Street could be taken offline,” Light said.
In other business, the council gave final approval to an ordinance proposed by Jeremy Moore and James Best to rezone 4.41 acres between Southwest Drive and Thompson Road for multifamily housing. The property is adjacent to another 2.45 acres the partners received multifamily rezoning approval for last month.
Council members heard the first reading of three required readings of an ordinance proposed by Undefeated Inc., doing business as La Cascada Mexican Restaurant and Grill of Jonesboro, for a restaurant private club permit. La Cascada seeks to open its establishment in Valley View Commons, 5510 Southwest Drive.
According to the application, the family also operate La Cascada restaurants in Lake City and Manila.
The application lists 226 members.
The council also heard the first reading of a proposal by William Conrad to rezone 0.44 acres at 1601 Granger Drive, off of North Patrick Street, from R-1 single family residential to RM-8 multifamily. Conrad said he wants to build one triplex structure on the property.
Heard for a second time was an ordinance proposed by Three Sister Land Development and Horizon Land Surveying to rezone 1.55 acres at the corner of Southwest Drive and Evan Drive, from AG-1 agricultural to C-4, neighborhood commercial.
Final action is scheduled for Nov. 15. | 2022-11-03T07:43:24Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Council discusses bridges | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/council-discusses-bridges/article_a2a36dd6-05c9-5288-b8ba-5d823a284377.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/council-discusses-bridges/article_a2a36dd6-05c9-5288-b8ba-5d823a284377.html |
Ken Beach (left), ASUN Senior Instructor of Welding; Shelle Randall, Vice President of Chamber Administration and Director of Workforce Development and Existing Industry; Jameria Campbell and her children, ASUN Welding Student & Scholarship Winner; and Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver.
A Welding student at Arkansas State University-Newport is the recipient of the 2022 Tech Talent Scholarship. The Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce presented the scholarship in the amount of $1,000 to Jameria Campbell.
“I am thriving in my youth and driven to make a difference in my community,” Campbell said. “When given the chance of opportunity, I will always put in 110 percent effort. That is why I chose to major in welding. With welding being such a diverse and growing career field, there are plenty of opportunities to grow in the workplace.”
The scholarship was developed by the Chamber’s Workforce Development Committee to support students pursuing technical education in Advanced Manufacturing, Industrial Maintenance or Welding. All of these programs are taught at ASUN-Jonesboro.
Volunteers of the committee annually impact almost 3,000 K-12 students by connecting educators and students with business and industry. Volunteers provide career mentoring, leadership training, networking, recognition, volunteer opportunities, and internships.
“Post is thrilled to support a program like this that gives young people valuable skills as they enter the workplace,” said Brigette Fresz, Plant Manager at Post Consumer Brands. “Skilled and diverse workers, like Jameria, are in demand everywhere. We appreciate the opportunity to show support to our future industry leaders. Congratulations, Jameria.” | 2022-11-03T13:16:53Z | www.jonesborosun.com | ASUN welding student earns Tech Talent Scholarship | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/asun-welding-student-earns-tech-talent-scholarship/article_f90c5320-490a-5d33-99fd-db52edadbf22.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/asun-welding-student-earns-tech-talent-scholarship/article_f90c5320-490a-5d33-99fd-db52edadbf22.html |
Average gasoline prices in Arkansas fell 7 cents per gallon in the past week, according to a GasBuddy.com survey of 1,826 stations in Arkansas.
The national average price of diesel declined $2.39 cents to $5.28 per gallon, and the national average price of gasoline fell 4.7 cents per gallon.
“For the third consecutive week, we’ve seen the national average price of gasoline decline, and while it’s good news for most regions with a continued drop in prices, the Northeast is bucking the trend and seeing a noticeable jump due to tight supply,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy on Monday. “The national average is closing in on the previous low from September, which was interrupted when refinery issues caused prices to skyrocket in the West and Great Lakes. With those issues addressed, the West has seen prices plummet, including a nearly 90 cent per gallon decline in California in less than a month. Compare that to the Northeast, where prices have jumped some 10-25 cents per gallon, demonstrating there’s much regionality to current gasoline price trends. Add in diesel prices that remain high amidst extremely tight supply, and there’s definitely some challenges that lie ahead.”
Tepid domestic gas demand and waffling global oil prices are the main reasons for the dipping prices according to the American Automobile Association, although the organization claims much lower West Coast gas prices are playing a part as well.
“The recent period of tight oil inventory pushing prices higher on the West Coast is over as regional refineries completed needed maintenance,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in a statement released Monday. “The average gas price in California, while still high compared to the rest of the country, is 85 cents cheaper than its peak in early October. This drop has taken pressure off the national average price.”
Benchmark U.S. crude oil for December delivery rose $1.84 to $88.37 a barrel Monday. Brent crude for January delivery rose $1.84 to $94.65 a barrel. Wholesale gasoline for December delivery rose 6 cents to $2.59 a gallon.
Here were the average gas prices per gallon among Northeast Arkansas counties on Wednesday according to AAA: Greene, $3.09; Craighead, $3.17; Lawrence and Poinsett, $3.26; Randolph, $3.27; Crittenden, $3.29; Jackson, $3.33; Cross, $3.34; Clay and Mississippi, $3.35. | 2022-11-03T13:17:13Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Pump prices continue to dip in most places | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/pump-prices-continue-to-dip-in-most-places/article_8504dcfe-132b-5acf-a1ad-2e9a58546a31.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/pump-prices-continue-to-dip-in-most-places/article_8504dcfe-132b-5acf-a1ad-2e9a58546a31.html |
Operation Christmas Child drop-off locations to open
JONESBORO — More than 4,500 locations will open Nov. 14-21 for Operation Christmas Child National Collection Week.
The shoebox gifts for the Samaritan’s Purse project are filled with school supplies, hygiene items and toys which are distributed to children worldwide.
In 2022, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoeboxes to reach 11 million children.
The project partners with local churches to deliver these gifts. Anyone can pack a shoebox. A step-by-step guide is available at sampur.se/3gL2bIX.
Central Baptist Church, 3707 Harrisburg Road in Jonesboro.
The Greene County Baptist Association, 2501 Linwood Drive in Paragould.
First Baptist Church, 322 S.W. Front St. in Walnut Ridge.
Calvary Baptist Church, 503 S. Illinois St. in Harrisburg.
First Free Will Baptist, 2835 U.S. 62 West in Pocahontas.
Jacksonport Baptist Church 300 Dillard St.
First Baptist Church, 715 W. Walnut St. in Blytheville.
First United Methodist Church, 800 Falls Blvd. in Wynne.
A complete list of drop-off hours for these locations and locations of additional drop-off points are available at sampur.se/3gGhrXs. | 2022-11-04T13:24:11Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Operation Christmas Child drop-off locations to open | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/operation-christmas-child-drop-off-locations-to-open/article_0adc69ac-45f4-51b5-b2a4-bbae1f876524.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/operation-christmas-child-drop-off-locations-to-open/article_0adc69ac-45f4-51b5-b2a4-bbae1f876524.html |
JONESBORO — An 18-year-old Jonesboro man received a total of six years of probation Wednesday after pleading guilty to a shooting incident in January.
Latrelle Whitman, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a family or household member and felony tampering with physical evidence. Prosecutors dropped charges of attempted murder, a second charge of aggravated assault on a family or household member and a charge of aggravated assault.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on Jan. 2 officers with the Jonesboro Police Department responded to the 2600 block of Stallings Lane about shots fired.
“The first officer arriving on scene observed Latrelle Whitman walking up to the residence. Officers made contact with Andrea Whitman, Whitman’s mother, Jaylon Warran, who is Whitman’s brother, and a juvenile who was on scene who were victims in the incident,” the affidavit states. “A detective with Jonesboro Police Department arrived on scene and began speaking with Andrea Whitman, who said Latrelle Whitman tried to shoot Jaylon twice while they were arguing in the house. The victims were taken back to the police department and interviewed by the detective. The victims stated Jaylon and Latrelle began arguing about Latrelle wrecking the vehicle earlier that day. Andrea stated Jaylon was in his room standing near a wall and Latrelle was standing in the door way of the room across from him. Andrea stated she was between the two trying to get them to calm down. Latrelle pulled out a firearm and shot at Jaylon who was able to move prior to the shot.
“The bullet struck the wall close to where Jaylon’s head would have been. Latrelle left the room and Andrea shut the door while Jaylon and the juvenile moved to a different location in the room near the closet. Latrelle opened the door, produced the firearm again, which was close to Andrea’s head, and fired another round at Jaylon. Jaylon was able to push the juvenile out of the way and onto the bed without being hit. The round impacted the breaker box in the room about chest level to Jaylon. Latrelle fled the residence with the firearm.”
Whitman must pay $790 in fines and fees and was ordered to pay $450 in restitution.
Circuit Judge Cindy Thyer presided over the hearing. | 2022-11-04T13:24:17Z | www.jonesborosun.com | 18-year-old gets probation in shooting incident | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/18-year-old-gets-probation-in-shooting-incident/article_75543fe3-03e2-5836-b228-134d1d80d5ba.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/18-year-old-gets-probation-in-shooting-incident/article_75543fe3-03e2-5836-b228-134d1d80d5ba.html |
JONESBORO — Police arrested Sharlene Cline, 32, of the 100 block of Craighead Road 780, following a traffic stop Wednesday night at the intersection of North Bridge Street and East Johnson Avenue.
Officers found 1.4 grams of methamphetamine and six clonazepam pills.
Cline is being held on suspicion of possession of meth or cocaine less than 2 grams, possession of a Schedule IV or V drug less than 28 grams and driving left of center.
In a separate report, the manager of the Chateau Apartments, 828 S. Caraway Road, told police Wednesday afternoon that while the maintenance man was cleaning out an apartment after the resident moved out, he found a small amount of methamphetamine and a handgun under a rug.
The handgun is a .40-caliber Kahr.
A 26-year-old Jonesboro man told Craighead County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday night a firearm was stolen from his vehicle from the 400 block of Craighead Road 132. The Canik 9 mm handgun is valued at $750.
A 36-year-old Jonesboro man told police Wednesday night that someone entered his residence in the 500 block of Melrose Street and stole his firearm. The .22-caliber Glock pistol is valued at $400.
Police arrested Dawn Elkins, 41, of the 300 block of State Street, on Wednesday afternoon while serving a warrant. She is being held on possession of meth or cocaine less than 2 grams and a bench warrant.
Focus Bank, 406 Southwest Drive, reported to police Wednesday afternoon that someone deposited four forged money orders in the ATM. Each money order was worth $500.
A 21-year-old Jonesboro man told police Wednesday afternoon that someone entered his vehicle in the 4200 block of Sydney Cove and stole a $200 handbag containing $150 in cash.
A 60-year-old Jonesboro woman told police Wednesday morning that someone fraudulently used her bank card to make $1,100 in purchases. | 2022-11-04T13:24:35Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Traffic stop ends with meth arrest | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/traffic-stop-ends-with-meth-arrest/article_2d81447c-7517-5d24-8001-280daff2030d.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/traffic-stop-ends-with-meth-arrest/article_2d81447c-7517-5d24-8001-280daff2030d.html |
Free COVID, Flu shots available
The Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, Arkansas Department of Health and the Lake City Senior Life Center are partnering to provide free Pfizer COVID-19 and flu vaccines from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at the Senior Life Center, 401 Walnut St.
Those age 12 and older are eligible to receive a Pfizer vaccine and those 6 months and older may receive the flu vaccine.
NEA Tea Party to meet Monday
The Northeast Arkansas Tea Party will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at Golden Corral, 2405 E. Highland Drive in Jonesboro.
Paul Harrell, the former host of the Paul Harrell radio show on KBTM-FM, will be speaking about his new podcast and radio show. He will also bring and demonstrate the political game, Left Wing Will and the Red Pill, which he has developed and which is currently for sale.
The public is invited to attend. For more information contact Iris Stevens at 870-219-1917.
Flags on display twice this week
The Jonesboro University Heights Lions Club will display U.S. flags during the day on Tuesday for election day and Friday for Veterans day.
Flag displays are a longstanding service project. For $40 yearly, the club will provide flags, poles and brackets, and display the flags at least 10 times a year on national holidays and special days.
For more information contact Pat Snodgrass at 870-761-0132.
Free savings webinar offered
The Arkansas Financial Education Commission, in partnership with the Central Arkansas Library System, will offer a free webinar at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday titled “How to ‘Save10’ Into Retirement.” Sarah Catherine Gutierrez, founder and CEO of Aptus Financial, will help viewers gain the knowledge and inspiration to achieve a 10-percent savings rate for retirement.
Registration is required and can be made at www.cals.org.
Breast cancer support group to meet Tuesday
The NEA Breast Cancer Support Group will at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Lazzari Italian Oven, 2230 S. Caraway Road in Jonesboro.
UAW retirees to meet Thursday
The United Auto Workers retirees will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at the Grecian Steak House, 210 Airport Road in Paragould.
Corps waives day-use fees
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will waive day-use fees at its more than 2,850 USACE-operated recreation areas nationwide Friday in observance of Veterans Day.
The waiver covers fees for boat launch ramps and swim beaches. It does not apply to camping and camping-related services or fees for specialized facilities and events.
Other agencies that manage recreation areas on USACE lands are encouraged, but not required, to offer the waiver in areas they manage. Visitors should contact USACE projects before visiting to ensure the recreation areas are open. The status of USACE-managed campgrounds, boat ramps, swim beaches and other sites is available at bit.ly/3TXj55A.
Veterans Day program set at Hoxie School
Hoxie School will host a Veterans Day program beginning at 9 a.m. Friday in Mustang Gym. All veterans and the public are welcome.
Wizard of Oz is coming to Memphis
“The Wizard of Oz” will open Friday at Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper St. in Memphis.
Written by L. Frank Baum with music and lyrics by Harold and E.Y. Harburg, the production will continue through Dec. 22.
Public performances will run Fridays at 7 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday performances at 2 and 7 p.m.
Special ticket pricing for opening weekend is $30.
Regular ticket prices range from $40-$50 for adults, depending on the day and seating area, and are $25 for seniors, $20 for students, teachers, military and first responders, and $15 for children younger than 18.
Pay-what-you-can performances are scheduled for Dec. 20 and 21.
For tickets, call the box office at 901-726-4656 or go online to www .playhouseonthesquare.org.
Woodworking workshop offered
Powhatan Historic State Park, 4414 Arkansas 25, will host an introduction to woodworking workshop from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 12 at the 1888 Powhatan Courthouse.
Participants will learn basic cuts, how to identify wood for carving and the basics of whittling.
A $25 registration fee will cover all materials.
Space is limited and reservations are required. Participants should bring a sack lunch.
Contact powhatan@ arkansas.com or call 870-878-6765 for reservations.
Nature by Firelight at the Lichterman Nature Center
The Lichterman Nature Center, 5992 Quince Road in Memphis will host Nature by Firelight from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13.
Visitors can enjoy campfires, a luminary-lined trail around the lake.
Warm up by campfires, toasting s’mores, music and storytelling. There will be face painting and take-home crafts for children.
General admission tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for youth, or $20 and $15 for members.
Picnics are encouraged.
Veterans Justice Outreach to offer estate planning
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Memphis VA Medical Center is offering estate planning and legal advice for Craighead County veterans through the Veterans Justice Outreach program.
This event is a collaborative effort with the Elks Lodge, local attorneys, The Beck Center for Veterans, and Legal Aid of Arkansas.
The clinic will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Elks Lodge, 2113 W. Washington Ave., in Jonesboro. Veterans should bring copies of their DD214 form and all important documents. The clinic can order a copy of the DD214 form if necessary.
For more information, contact Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator Harvey Reid at 901-523-8990, Ext. 7753. | 2022-11-05T08:41:50Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Events | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/events/article_b137403f-b06b-5582-b550-c25a10794a84.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/events/article_b137403f-b06b-5582-b550-c25a10794a84.html |
JONESBORO — Police arrested Marcellus Morrow, 27, of Flint Street, on Thursday afternoon after taking his son to St. Bernards Medical Center for treatment for multiple head injuries and a possible broken rib, according to a Jonesboro police report.
Morrow is being held on suspicion of second-degree domestic battery and a misdemeanor failure to appear.
An employee at Taco Bell, 2100 S. Caraway Road, told police early Friday morning that an armed man robbed the restaurant of an unknown amount of money. No suspect was listed in the Jonesboro police report.
Police arrested Steven Box, 34, homeless, on Thursday afternoon after a 22-year-old Jonesboro woman said he attempted to take her wallet in the 1100 block of South Caraway Road. Box is being held on suspicion of robbery.
Police said a 29-year-old Jonesboro woman’s vehicle was found burned at the intersection of Valley View Drive and Valley View and Weaver roads late Thursday night.
An employee of St. Bernards Medical Center, 225 E. Jackson Avenue, told police Thursday afternoon someone stole the contents of her purse beneath her desk and used credit cards to withdraw $75 in cash and purchase a $50 gift card. | 2022-11-05T08:42:30Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Father suspected of abuse | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/father-suspected-of-abuse/article_90235133-7a33-5e5e-9c84-327db69a2bf5.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/father-suspected-of-abuse/article_90235133-7a33-5e5e-9c84-327db69a2bf5.html |
JONESBORO — A proposed commercial rezoning goes before the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission on Tuesday.
Sai Real Estate LLC seeks to rezone 12.94 acres at 5307 E. Highland Drive, west of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, from I-2 general industrial to C-3 general commercial.
In other business the commission will resume debate over whether to grant conditional use for a fast-food restaurant at Hilltop.
Commissioners have discussed, then tabled decisions on the proposal by Sharada Madhuri at three previous meetings. Each time, they sought additional information.
Madhuri wants to develop the restaurant and retail space on vacant property at 3411 and 3413 E. Johnson Ave. The land is adjacent to Jewell Drive, across the highway from Kum & Go, and just a few feet west of a traffic signal. The land is zoned C-4, neighborhood commercial, and requires conditional use approval for drive-through services.
On Oct. 25, Madhuri’s consulting engineer, John Easley, said he planned to talk to Centennial Bank officials about the possibility of sharing access to a driveway. That would give Madhuri’s customers direct access to the traffic signal.
Residents of a neighboring subdivision have expressed worries that traffic congestion on Johnson will prompt many of the new development’s customers to use Jewell Drive to exit onto Airport Road.
The commission will also review preliminary subdivision plans for Jackson Cove, 23 lots on 8.84 acres west of Greensboro Road. Rickey Jackson is the developer, and he has faced opposition from neighboring residents at least twice previously
Preliminary infrastructure plans for the first phase of development of single family homes in Greensborough Village will also be reviewed. JTown Development Group LLC is listed as the developer.
Commissioners will review final plans for the Barrington Park subdivision, phase 10, which contains 16 lots on 7.2 acres.
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. in Municipal Center, 300 S. Church St. | 2022-11-05T08:42:36Z | www.jonesborosun.com | MAPC to consider commercial rezoning, Greensborough plans | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/mapc-to-consider-commercial-rezoning-greensborough-plans/article_22bf38db-6db8-5ac7-9f92-904f440541de.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/mapc-to-consider-commercial-rezoning-greensborough-plans/article_22bf38db-6db8-5ac7-9f92-904f440541de.html |
These beautiful handcrafted ceramic bowls from Nettleton STEAM’s 2019 Empty Bowls dinner are examples of the creativity and hard work that their advanced art students put in their work at Nettleton STEAM in Jonesboro.
JONESBORO — Nettleton STEAM students have been hard at work handcrafting beautiful ceramic bowls and creating art from canned goods for their Empty Bowls event.
According to the school’s STEAM facilitator, Kelli Cochran, the 2022 Empty Bowls Community Dinner will be on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Nettleton STEAM Cafeteria, located at 3801 Vera St. in Jonesboro.
Cochran said on Wednesday that this will be a “joyous night of art, food, music, fellowship and helping others.”
“Soup will be cooked and served by our LEAD students,” she said. “A CANstruction art piece with over 500 cans will be on display and later be given to the food bank. Plus, there will be live music performed by Dr. Crist and Mr. Sherwood our music teacher.”
“Ceramic bowls handcrafted by our advanced art students will be available to buy for a donation to the NEA Food Bank,” she noted. “We are asking that guests donate what they can.”
Along with the public, they have invited Jonesboro Mayor Harold Copenhaver, Jonesboro Chief Operating Officer Tony Thomas, literacy specialists from the Crowley’s Ridge Education Cooperative, professors from Arkansas State University, Nettleton School District’s Central Office staff and school board members, as well as lots of community partners.
RSVPs are requested by emailing kelli.cochran@nettletonschools.net to help with preparations.
“We did Empty Bowls in 2018 and 2019 before COVID. This is the 3rd year that we have done it,” she stated, noting that they are hoping to have a good turnout for the return of the event. | 2022-11-05T08:42:42Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Nettleton STEAM's Empty Bowls dinner is back | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/nettleton-steams-empty-bowls-dinner-is-back/article_cc8791aa-5459-59a9-bf2d-a9909070c159.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/nettleton-steams-empty-bowls-dinner-is-back/article_cc8791aa-5459-59a9-bf2d-a9909070c159.html |
Jonesboro Fire Department Captain Dustin Bellers places a smoke detector inside one of the rooms of the Jonesboro Fire Department’s Station No. 1 on E. Johnson Ave. in Jonesboro. Capt. Bellers said as residents turn back their clocks for daylight saving time, they should also remember to test their smoke alarms as winter is right around the corner.
JONESBORO — As daylight saving time ends this weekend, the Jonesboro Fire Department and the American Red Cross encourage people to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back.
Jonesboro Fire Department Captain Dustin Bellers said on Friday afternoon that the time change is the prefect time to verify smoke detectors are ready for winter by testing the detectors and changing batteries.
“Test your smoke detector and test your batteries on Sunday,” he stated, noting that the alarm will also be beep every so often when they are low.
Although he said the number of seasonal fires vary from year to year, as summer has its fire issues too, during the winter people use a lot of artificial heat sources which can increase the chances for a fire.
“Some of the biggest issues we see are space heaters, heated blankets and people trying to heat their homes with conventional ovens,” Bellers said.
He also warns to watch for breakers that flip often, which can be a sign of electrical problems; as well as nicks in electrical cords or wires that can cause sparks.
“If you feel like you have an electrical problem, please contact a licensed professional,” Capt. Bellers said, noting that the same applies if you smell gas, which could be a sign of a gas leak.
According to Capt. Bellers, the JFD also offers free smoke alarms for those who need them through a fire prevention program designed to make sure residents are safe.
Residents in need of a smoke detector can contact the Jonesboro Fire Department’s main station, JFD Station No. 1 on E. Johnson Ave., to schedule an appointment at 870-932-2428.
The American Red Cross also emphasizes the importance of checking smoke alarms.
According to a press release from the American Red Cross on Wednesday, seven people lose their lives to home fires every day in the U.S.
Since July 1, 2022, Red Cross volunteers in Arkansas have responded to help nearly 2,000 people in the state affected by over 340 home fires.
Chris Harmon, Regional Disaster Officer for the Missouri Arkansas Region, said in the press release that home fires claim more lives in a typical year than all natural disasters combined, but working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a fire by half.
“The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out,” Harmon said. “When you turn your clocks back this weekend, also test your smoke alarms to help prevent a tragedy in your home.”
Other helpful tips include: installing smoke alarms on every level of your home, replacing smoke alarms that are 10 years or older, practicing a two-minute home fire escape plan with at least two ways to get out of every room and selecting a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or a landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, to make sure everyone in your household gets out.
For those who cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may also be able to help.
For more information contact the local Red Cross or visit www.redcross.org/SmokeAlarmAR. | 2022-11-05T08:42:54Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Test smoke alarms as time changes | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/test-smoke-alarms-as-time-changes/article_0a59daa1-fa6d-5990-94a4-a5c781ac3d34.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/test-smoke-alarms-as-time-changes/article_0a59daa1-fa6d-5990-94a4-a5c781ac3d34.html |
JONESBORO — All but two Arkansas counties in Arkansas are listed as having the lowest coronavirus community levels, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those are Madison County in the northwest and Phillips County in the southeast. Both are listed as medium community level.
The CDC’s COVID-19 Tracker reached that conclusion by comparing standardized data across the U.S. In addition to new infections, it factors in hospitalizations and staffing levels at hospitals serving those counties.
Still, Craighead County’s infection rate has been rising in recent weeks.
Between Oct. 27 and Wednesday, the CDC said Craighead County had 167 new infections, for a rate of 151.36 per 100,000 population. The rate last week was 116.01 per 100,000.
On Friday, the Arkansas Department of Health reported 367 new cases statewide, including 16 in Craighead County. The state also disclosed 13 deaths Friday, including one in Craighead Coiunty.
Active cases increased by 36 statewide to 2,870.
Hospitals reported 141 patients who had tested positive for the disease statewide, an increase of one from Thursday. Hospital admissions in Northeast Arkansas stood at 18, down one from Thursday.
Friday Northeast Arkansas COVID-19 cases by county:
Craighead –16 new cases, 235 active cases.
Lawrence – 2 new cases, 17 active cases.
Poinsett –4 new cases, 27 active cases.
Jackson – 4 new cases, 16 active cases. | 2022-11-05T08:43:00Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Virus cases increase in Craighead | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/virus-cases-increase-in-craighead/article_1584c133-423f-54dd-8d8d-69658debf910.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/virus-cases-increase-in-craighead/article_1584c133-423f-54dd-8d8d-69658debf910.html |
Bryeans
Griggry
ASUMH softball signs BIC's Bryeans, Griggry
MONETTE — Buffalo Island Central seniors Sydney Bryeans and Chasney Griggry will remain softball teammates beyond their last season with the Lady Mustangs in the spring.
Bryeans and Griggry signed with Arkansas State University-Mountain Home’s new softball program during a school assembly Thursday afternoon.
BIC coach Tyler Herring said Bryeans is BIC’s primary shortstop, although she might spend some time in the outfield and serve as the designed player in some games next spring. Griggry will be one of the Lady Mustangs’ two pitchers, Herring said, and will also play first base.
Both players expect to have similar roles with the ASUMH Lady Blazers when they join the team for the 2024 season.
“I’m very excited because I didn’t think I was going to last year, but I have decided that I really want to continue my journey of softball and not give it up yet,” Bryeans said.
“Ever since I’ve been little, this has been a dream for me,” Griggry said. “It’s just exciting to be able to play at the next level.”
ASU-Mountain Home joined the National Junior College Athletic Association this fall. In baseball, softball and cross country, the school’s teams will compete in NJCAA Region II, Division II. ASUMH will also field bass fishing and eSports teams.
Both Bryeans and Griggry expressed excitement at being part of a new program’s growth.
“I want to be the big part of getting it started. I want to help them continue their journey to get better,” Bryeans said. “I really love the campus, it’s very nice and clean, well taken care of, and I’m really excited to go to college with one of my teammates.”
“It’s very exciting to be able to be a part of a new program because you get to see how that program builds up, even after you leave,” Griggry said.
Bryeans and Griggry helped BIC reach the Class 2A North Region tournament last season. Herring, whose softball background includes coaching stints at Williams Baptist and Blue Mountain (Miss.), said both players should experience less stress next spring after signing early.
“Coming from the college side, when I was coaching college ball, I always tried to tell recruits as we were recruiting, ‘Make the right decision, but the earlier you can make it, the less stressful your senior season is in high school,’” Herring said. “Now that they have that out of the way, they shouldn’t have any stress on where they’re going to go to college or making sure their stats look good for college coaches. I think that’s going to be a huge stress relief for them moving into the season.” | 2022-11-05T08:43:25Z | www.jonesborosun.com | ASUMH softball signs BIC's Bryeans, Griggry | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/asumh-softball-signs-bics-bryeans-griggry/article_fb4601de-1f6e-5da5-961d-7eeb12f0910e.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/asumh-softball-signs-bics-bryeans-griggry/article_fb4601de-1f6e-5da5-961d-7eeb12f0910e.html |
JONESBORO — A west Tennessee man drove more than two hours to Jonesboro in hopes of having sex with a 15-year-old girl, police said.
David Martin Odom, 57, of Trenton, near Dyersburg, was arrested Sunday afternoon at a local motel.
Craighead County District Judge David Boling found probable cause Monday to charge Odom with internet stalking of a child, which is punishable by up to 40 years in prison. He set bond at $1 million.
Detective Bill Brown said in a probable cause affidavit that Odom made contact with the girl through social media messaging on Sept. 20.
“Odom made several comments about what he wanted to do to the juvenile female and that he wanted to come to Jonesboro,” Brown wrote in the affidavit.
On Saturday, Odom contacted the girl again and said he had made reservations at the motel for Sunday since he knew her mother would be out of town.
Police arrested Odom after he checked into the motel.
Police executed a search warrant and found a paddle with the Board of Correction printed on it, a jar of petroleum jelly and a three-count page of condoms, Brown said.
In setting bond, Boling noted Odom is a registered sex offender, having been convicted of a similar crime.
In an unrelated case, the judge found probable cause to charge Marcellus M. Morrow, 27, of Jonesboro with first-degree domestic battering. He set Morrow’s bond at $500,000.
Morrow is accused of causing serious injuries to his two-month-old child.
Police said the infant was taken to a local hospital last Thursday. The parents said they took their son to the emergency room because he was having seizures.
Police later learned the boy had two separate brain bleeds and a broken rib. He was transported to a Memphis hospital for further treatment.
Morrow admitted to shaking the baby and having to give him CPR and splash water on his face due to him being unresponsive. Police said they later learned the victim also had two fractured bones in his leg.
Both Odom and Morrow must appear Dec. 28 in Craighead County Circuit Court. | 2022-11-08T08:18:39Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Man accused of stalking child for sex | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-accused-of-stalking-child-for-sex/article_a375435a-7d39-50d6-bfe8-148974a3ba8b.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-accused-of-stalking-child-for-sex/article_a375435a-7d39-50d6-bfe8-148974a3ba8b.html |
JONESBORO — Two visitors to a home at 201 West Forrest Street were fighting over a gun Thursday night and one of them died following three gunshots, witnesses told police.
Craighead County District Judge David Boling set a $1 million cash or surety bond Monday for Jakaylon McClellan Jones, 21 of rural Wynne. Should he be released, he would have to wear an electronic monitor.
Jones was arrested late Friday by the U.S. Marshals East Arkansas Fugitive Task Force and Jonesboro police near Parkin on a warrant charging him with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Diamond McDuffy, 29, of Jonesboro.
Detective Bill Brown said in a probable cause affidavit that McDuffy was visiting the residence and playing cards. Jones came to the apartment with one of the residents. The resident said Jones had spent the last couple of days at the apartment. According to the residents, Jones noticed McDuffy had Jones’ gun and they began to fight.
“(The witness) stated that when they wre fighting Jones was able to get the pistol from McDuffy and then put the pistol on McDuffy’s back and fired three times,” Brown wrote in the affidavit. The witness said Jones then fled. The witness was able to provide police with information in order to track him down, the detective said.
The judge set a $1.5 million cash only bond for a suspect in a murder that occurred in October.
Dennis Robert Williams, 28, of Brinkley, was arrested on a warrant charging him with the first-degree murder of Larry D. Jones.
Police found Jones suffering from a gunshot wound Oct. 7 at a residence at 1727 Irby St.
Detective Paul Williams said in a probable cause affidavit that two witnesses who were at the residence with Jones and Williams told police the victim and suspect got into an argument. Later one of the witnesses said he heard two gunshots and he observed Jones slumped over on the porch of the residence.
In setting bond for Williams, Boling noted Williams has a violent criminal history, including a robbery in Monroe County.
Police said Little Rock police arrested Williams Friday.
Both men were ordered to appear Dec. 28 in Craighead County Circuit Court. | 2022-11-08T08:18:45Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Two murder suspects face judge | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/two-murder-suspects-face-judge/article_aa411c00-c78b-53fd-9bcc-aec12a9d8793.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/two-murder-suspects-face-judge/article_aa411c00-c78b-53fd-9bcc-aec12a9d8793.html |
Merchant Christmas Open House is Sunday
The Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Merchant Christmas Open House this weekend, on Sunday from 1-5 p.m.
Participating businesses include: Flowers Nursery and Gifts, Karen’s Flower Shop, Williams Corner, Halfises Lifestyle Boutique, Bear Craft Designs and Eclectic Geekery.
Each business will provide their own special deals. More information about the upcoming event can be found on the Chamber’s Facebook page. | 2022-11-08T23:55:09Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Merchant Christmas Open House is Sunday | Times Dispatch | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/merchant-christmas-open-house-is-sunday/article_6ba363cc-6e7d-51e0-b43f-3e6975375dbd.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/merchant-christmas-open-house-is-sunday/article_6ba363cc-6e7d-51e0-b43f-3e6975375dbd.html |
Mitchell McCammon takes out the blue recycling cart at his house in Jonesboro. McCammon inspired his father, Jonesboro Director of Sanitation Patrick Courtois, to help start Jonesboro’s newest recycling campaign.
JONESZBORO — As part of America Recycles Day, Keep Jonesboro Beautiful (KJB) and the City of Jonesboro are sponsoring an event to encourage recycling and motivate more households to participate in Jonesboro’s blue cart recycling program.
The event will be held on Tuesday at the Earl Bell Community Center’s circle drive from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Jonesboro, according to a press release from Keep Jonesboro Beautiful.
Keep Jonesboro Beautiful Chair, Beverly Parker, said that this is a drive-through event that will offer a one stop opportunity to pay for a recycling container, learn about the twice monthly service, and review what can and cannot go into the cart.
“This is an easy way to get started recycling,” Parker said. “It is important to note that once you pay for the container, there are no other charges to participate in Jonesboro’s recycling program. The fee for a cart is $25 plus tax, which can be paid on site by check or cash. Carts will be available to take home or will be delivered by the Sanitation Department as part of their normal service.”
She also said that a handout on correct recycling techniques will be provided, as well as a simple display of “yes/no items” that are often confusing, like wax coated cardboard milk containers that are not recyclable; and light weight and corrugated card board that is recyclable.
Jonesboro Director of Sanitation Patrick Courtois said that recycling is very important to the city, which is why they have started a new recycling campaign that started on Nov. 1., after his seven-year-old son, Mitchell McCammon, gave him the idea.
“My son came up to me and asked why more people didn’t recycle,” he said, noting that his son said, “It is so easy.”
So, after looking into applying for a grant he found that the sanitation department had already received a $5,000 dollar grant, which could be used for a recycling campaign to promote recycling through media, as well as other recycling related promotions such as Tuesday’s event.
Courtois also said that he expects to receive the $5,000 grant for next year as well.
“I want recycling to really take off,’ Courtois said. “The more people get involved, the more we can get done.”
Since recycling is picked up every other week, which can leave residents with extra recyclables, he also suggests storing them in a bag to add to the next pick-up or buying an extra blue cart.
He also suggested crushing cans and jugs, noting that, “Milk jugs are easily crushed by rinsing them out with hot water and applying pressure down on them.”
Items that can be place in the carts include: #1 PETE and #2 HDPE plastics, aluminum and/or steel cans, newspapers and magazines, office paper, junk mail and corrugated and light-weight cardboard.
“Only #1 and #2 plastics can be accepted,” Parker said.
Other items that cannot go in the blue carts include most plastics (#3 PVC, #4 LDPE, #5 PP, #6 PS, and #7 other plastics), glass and styrofoam.
Jonesboro Chief Operating Officer Tony Thomas also had a few suggestions for extra recyclables, noting that residents can take their extra recyclables to the public recycling dumpsters at Abilities Unlimited or Ecoworks.
According to Thomas, Ecoworks, which is a part of the Jonesboro Human Development Center (JHDC), is a recycling program that employs clients of the JHDC, a residential facility operated through the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) for people with intellectual disabilities.
Courtois said that 100 percent of the recycling picked up by the city is processed by Abilities Unlimited.
Thomas noted that the city has a contract with Abilities Unlimited to process the materials and sell them back to the market so they can be reused.
“Of course there is always residual waste,” Thomas continued, noting items that are not recyclable through the program such as batteries.
However, he said that there are places for these these too, including Interstate All Battery Center at 2820 E. Nettleton Ave., TRG Jonesboro at 5403 Vance Dr. and Battery Outfitters at 2838 Race St.
Plus, paint cans can be dried or filled with sand and taken to Legacy Landfill.
According to the Legacy Landfill website, there are several recycling partners in the Jonesboro area, including:
Abilities Unlimited Recycling at 806 Burke St. Jonesboro, which recycles all metal cans (steel and aluminum), glass containers (all colors), #1 PETE and #2 HDPE plastic containers (only if the opening of the container is smaller than the body of the container), newspaper, magazines, white paper, corrugated cardboard, clothing, and other items not listed.
Ecoworks (Jonesboro Human Development Center) at 4901 Stadium Blvd. in Jonesboro, which recycles aluminum, office paper, newsprint, #1 PETE & #2 HDPE plastic, books, magazines, cardboard, and tin.
TRG Jonesboro, LLC at 5403 Vance Dr. in Jonesboro, which recycles steel, copper, aluminum, iron and other metal goods, and wet-cell auto and equipment batteries.
Parker said that the benefits of recycling include reducing household waste that goes to the landfill, as well as not overfilling the regular trash can which often leads to litter.
“Since the pandemic, more people are ordering on line and therefore may be placing more cardboard in trash cans,” Parker said. “Boxes can be easily broken down and go into the recycling container, making more room for household trash. Rather than using a second trash can, it is easy to separate trash and decrease waste through recycling. Overall, recycling is important to decreasing waste throughout the US and allow recyclables to be turned into other products. For instance, aluminum and tin cans can readily be made into other products, therefore, preserving natural resources.”
As part of this promotion, the first five participants at Tuesday’s event will receive a free recycle cart, according to the press release.
Plus, all participants can request 5 free paper lawn bags while supplies last.
“This is an effort to cut down on plastic as well as simplify the process for lawn waste disposal,” Parker said. “One thing that slows yard waste pick up is that each bag has to be emptied by hand before it goes to the incinerator. Using paper allows the process to be streamlined.”
“Another recycling practice that may be confusing is that you do not bag items going into the recycling cart,” she clarified. “Plastic bags become tangled in the rollers during processing. This may be confusing because the city requests that regular trash be placed in bags before going into the trash.”
For those that cannot attend Tuesday’s event, recycle carts can be purchased from the city collections department located at 300 S Church St. or purchased over the phone with a debit or credit card at 870-932-3042.
According to the Wikipedia website, America Recycles Day is a national observance in the United States dedicated to promoting recycling across the nation.
The first America Recycles Day was officially held on November 15, 1994, and had at least 40 states taking part. In 1999, President Bill Clinton published and signed a proclamation on America Recycles Day, making it a national observance.
The observance is the signature recycling program of Keep America Beautiful (KAB), which is the managing and promoting organization for the holiday.
According to the Keep America Beautiful websites, it is the only nationally-recognized day dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States. | 2022-11-09T07:43:41Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Event set for America Recycles Day | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/event-set-for-america-recycles-day/article_41c806be-1b0c-525c-b054-4a23ccfe7c1c.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/event-set-for-america-recycles-day/article_41c806be-1b0c-525c-b054-4a23ccfe7c1c.html |
JONESBORO — A local man was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving and a Jonesboro police officer is recovering from injuries in a head-on collision.
The incident occurred Saturday night on Aggie Road at Wolf Den Drive.
Officer Sadie McGee suffered a broken leg in the crash, according to an incident report by fellow officer Carma Butler.
Hunter Alan Henderson, 19, of Jonesboro, was driving eastbound on Aggie Road in a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer when when the crash with the police SUV occurred.
“(Henderson) advised me that his buddies that were in the car with him had been talking about his car being a piece of junk,” Butler wrote in her report. Henderson reportedly accelerated quickly when he approached the hill, then lost control of the vehicle. He then crossed the center line, tried to correct his steering, almost struck a curb, then tried to correct his steering again, crossing the center line again and hit the police vehicle, according to the report.
McGee was taken to one hospital, while a passenger in Henderson’s vehicle was taken to the other local hospital, Butler said. | 2022-11-09T07:43:47Z | www.jonesborosun.com | JPD officer injured in crash | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/jpd-officer-injured-in-crash/article_3d52dc77-6cd5-50fc-a2ad-877f424492ce.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/jpd-officer-injured-in-crash/article_3d52dc77-6cd5-50fc-a2ad-877f424492ce.html |
JONESBORO — A Jonesboro man faces his fifth driving while intoxicated charge in less than 10 years.
Antonio Lamont Davis, 50, was arrested early Sunday after he tried to elude a patrol officer’s attempt to initiated a traffic stop, according to a probable cause affidavit. He also faces misdemeanor charges of driving on a suspended license, fleeing and reckless driving. Police learned his address and arrested him after he arrived, according to the affidavit.
Court documents show Davis has DWI convictions in 2013, 2014, 2016, and finally on Nov. 8, 2017.
A fifth DWI conviction is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
On Monday, Craighead County District Judge David Boling set bond at $5,000 on condition. Should he be able to make bond he would have to wear an electric monitor that can detect the presence of alcohol.
The judge also found probable cause for felony charges and set bond for the following:
James Robert Rouse, 32, of Jonesboro, theft by receiving of a vehicle, $7,500 bond.
Bessie Mae Smith, 26, Jonesboro, felony theft of a debit or credit card and misdemeanor fraudulent use of a debit card, $2,500 bond.
Caleb Justin Edwards, 18, Jonesboro, theft by receiving of a firearm, $2,500 bond.
Phillip T. Hanley, 58, Jonesboro, possession of methamphetamine with the purpose to deliver, possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, $25,000 bond.
Tiffany Laneal Bova, 26, and Benton Wade Wilson, 53, both of Walnut Ridge, possession of methamphetamine with the purpose to deliver, possession of hydrocodone, diazepam and Xanax with the purpose to deliver, possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, $3,500 and $7,500 respectively.
Earl Ray Hamby, 50, Waqlnut Ridge, possession of meth, $2,500 bond.
Casey Wayne Long, 33, Jonesboro, possession of drug paraphernalia, $3,500 bond.
Cody Andrew Jackson, age unavailable, possession of meth, $1,500 bond.
Jarquavious Isaiah Cain, 18, Jonesboro, felon in possession of a firearm and misdemeanor possession of marijuana, $7,500 bond.
Thomas M. McPhink, 30, possession of a Schedule 3 narcotic (testosterone), $3,500 bond.
Calvin Brown, 33, Jonesboro, felony possessio of meth and drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct, $20,000 bond.
David William Davis, 39, Flippin, possession of meth, $1,500 bond.
Andrea Nicole Massara, 40, Jonesboro, delivery of meth and distribution of narcotics near a school, $7,500 bond.
Angel E. Blakely, 26, Jonesboro, possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia, $5,000 bond.
Joe Edward Beall, 49, Jonesboro, possession of meth and drug paraphernalia, $5,000 bond.
Willie Roddie, 39, Jacksonville, possession of meth and drug paraphernalia, $3,500 bond.
Ulisses Hernandez Avilia, 23, Jonesboro, possession of meth, $10,000. | 2022-11-09T07:43:53Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Man faces 5th DWI | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-faces-5th-dwi/article_faba6471-2250-5a24-bcdb-0f1bbbc1d9ef.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/man-faces-5th-dwi/article_faba6471-2250-5a24-bcdb-0f1bbbc1d9ef.html |
JONESBORO — Police received help from local residents as they solved a recent burglary at Brookland High School.
On Monday, Craighead County District Judge David Boling found probable cause to charge Hunter David Cole Rucker, 18, of Jonesboro, with two counts of commercial burglary, theft of property and criminal mischief – all felonies. He remained in the Craighead County Detention Center Tuesday in lieu of a $50,000 bond.
Rucker is accused of stealing eight basketball championship rings, valued at $3,200, from a display case. Damage from the break-in was estimated at $1,500.
Surveillance video showed a person approaching the exterior door of the school and using a hammer to break a window to gain entry to the building, Detective Dustin Norwood of the Brookland Police Department wrote in a probable cause affidavit.
“Several minutes later, the suspect returned to the school and re-entered the facility through the same door he had initially forced entry into,” Norwood wrote. “The suspect goes back to the same display case and is seen taking more items. The suspect then leaves utilizing the same door as before.”
On Friday, police released the security video to the public. One TV viewer contacted police on Saturday, identifying Rucker as the suspect, Norwood said.
After initially denying any involvement in the crime, Norwood said Rucker confessed on Sunday and showed him where the rings were hidden in his home.
Rucker must appear Dec. 28 in Craighead County Circuit Court. | 2022-11-09T07:43:59Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Teen accused of school burglary | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/teen-accused-of-school-burglary/article_626cebc6-f781-5323-b997-1d62dc51e81f.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/teen-accused-of-school-burglary/article_626cebc6-f781-5323-b997-1d62dc51e81f.html |
Walnut Ridge’s Kai Fisher (8) and other Bobcats attempt to block as Walker Ward (3) fights for yardage while Hoxie’s Ethan Dulaney (28) and Caden Dougan (79) close in for the tackle. The Mustangs edged the Bobcats, 7-6, in their annual crosstown rivalry.
Hoxie outlasts Walnut Ridge in annual showdown, 7-6
The Walnut Ridge Bobcats and Hoxie Mustangs squared off in their annual gridiron rivalry on Friday night at Walnut Ridge’s Sexton Field. The Mustangs prevailed, 7-6, behind a strong defense, which limited the Bobcats to just 112 yards on the ground and 18 yards through the air.
The teams entered the contest tied for second place in the 3A-3 Conference standings with identical 4-1 records and playoff spots already secured. By virtue of the win, Hoxie will host the Quitman Bulldogs in a first-round game, while Walnut Ridge will go on the road to play the Salem Greyhounds. Both games are scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m.
Hoxie’s offense started quickly against the Bobcats. The Mustangs received the opening kickoff and drove to the Walnut Ridge 31-yard line, where they faced a fourth-and-17. Quarterback Sage Treadwell completed a pass to Camden Brooks for 21 yards to the Bobcat 11-yard line. Two plays later, Brooks scored on a seven-yard run to put the Mustangs on the scoreboard. Jason Duncan Jr. added extra point for a 7-0 lead with 8:06 to play in the first quarter.
The defenses controlled the game for the remainder of the first half, as Hoxie took its 7-0 lead into halftime.
Turnovers would play a key role in the second half. Walnut Ridge was forced to punt on their initial possession of the third quarter, but got the ball back when Jack Cain recovered a Hoxie fumble at the Mustang 33-yard line. After short runs by quarterback Walker Ward and Logan Sain, Ward found Mark Hatfield for a 19-yard gain to the Hoxie 11-yard line. Ward then capped the drive two plays later with an eight-yard touchdown run. The Bobcats, however, failed to convert on the extra point kick, and still trailed 7-6.
Hoxie drove deep into Bobcat territory on their next possession before an interception by Jayden Saulsbury ended the threat. Walnut Ridge was unable to capitalize on the turnover. On the second play, a Ward pass intended for Hatfield was intercepted by Hoxie’s Cooper Spradlin at the Bobcat 16-yard line.
Neither offense was able to generate any scoring threats for the rest of the game.
For Hoxie, Treadwell finished with 10 completions on 19 attempts, for 132 yards.
Prechton Wilkerson led Hoxie in rushing with 99 yards on 21 carries. Brooks ran for 76 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
Kayden Glenn had six pass receptions for 63 yards. Carson Cooper caught two passes for 36 yards. Brooks and Wilkerson each caught one pass, for 21 and 12 yards, respectively.
Ethan Dulaney and Mattheis Dobbs each recorded five tackles for Hoxie’s defense. Spradlin had three tackles. Justin Slusser and Glenn each had two tackles. Jake Jones, Landen Foster and Montrell Varner each had one tackle. Dulaney and Spradlin each had an interception.
For Walnut Ridge, Ward was two-of-six passing, for 18 yards.
Ward also led the Bobcats in rushing with 79 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. Sain finished with 20 yards on seven carries, and Kai Watson had six rushes for 13 yards.
Hatfield had one reception for 19 yards, and Watson caught one pass for minus one yard. | 2022-11-09T14:17:34Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Hoxie outlasts Walnut Ridge in annual showdown, 7-6 | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/hoxie-outlasts-walnut-ridge-in-annual-showdown-7-6/article_3e842695-1f83-5ee6-a5f2-299119e068fa.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/sports/hoxie-outlasts-walnut-ridge-in-annual-showdown-7-6/article_3e842695-1f83-5ee6-a5f2-299119e068fa.html |
Newport Christmas Parade is Dec. 8
The Newport Christmas Parade will be held Thursday, Dec. 8, beginning at 6 p.m.
Entries are now being accepted for business and non-profit organization floats, walking groups, antique vehicles, beauty queens, horseback riders, school clubs and organizations.
Entry forms are available at the Newport Chamber of Commerce, located at 201 Hazel Street in Newport. Completed forms may be faxed to 870-523-1055 or emailed to director@newportchamber.org.
Following the parade, there will be a drive-by Christmas display event at the home of Dr. Patti Mullins, located at 4 Sue Circle, featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus. | 2022-11-09T19:47:58Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Newport Christmas Parade is Dec. 8 | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-christmas-parade-is-dec-8/article_3215bd94-d833-51ec-abfc-9b404520aa6b.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-christmas-parade-is-dec-8/article_3215bd94-d833-51ec-abfc-9b404520aa6b.html |
CoECS Alumni Academy adds new members
JONESBORO – The College of Engineering and Computer Science Alumni Academy at Arkansas State University inducted 17 new members during its second annual meeting Nov. 4-5 at the Woodward McAlister Family Club in Centennial Bank Stadium.
Academy membership, which is by invitation, is for individuals who have been in the workforce for at least 10 years and have significant professional accomplishments to their credit. Members are either graduates of one of the college’s degree programs or are friends of the college.
Jim Chidester, formerly associated with Batson Inc. in Little Rock and a charter member of the academy, is president-elect of the group for 2023. Chidester is now a faculty member in the construction management program of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Information on charter members, officials of the Academy, bylaws and photographs of the celebration are available at www.astate.edu/college/ecs/alumni-academy/.
The new inductees and their current professional associations are:
Scott Brown, supervisor, seams and AFC support, Southwest Power Pool, Little Rock;
Jon C. Calhoun, assistant professor, Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C.;
Preston Campbell, Mississippi Bridge team leader, Garver, Ridgeland, Miss.;
Michael Foster, principal owner, Pickering Firm, Inc., Jonesboro;
Chris Griffin, director of software engineering, Hytrol Conveyor Co., Jonesboro;
John Hall, nuclear reactor engineer and operator, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, N.M.;
Joe Hillebrenner, chief operating officer, Dialectic Engineering, Kansas City, Mo.;
Drew Hoggard, district 2 engineer, AR Department of Transportation, Jonesboro;
Patrick Jackson, configuration engineer, Leidos, Millington, Tenn.;
Matthew LeMay, senior project manager, Garver, Frisco, Texas;
Brad Marotti, regional manager, Delta Companies, Inc., Paragould;
Mark Morris, founder and president, Mark Morris Construction, LLC, Jonesboro;
Brandon Passmore, senior manager hardware development engineering, power modules, Wolfspeed, Fayetteville;
James “Opie” O’Quinn, vice president of technical services, GRT Rubber Technologies, Paragould;
Chris Poole, quality engineer, White River Health, Batesville;
Paul Tinsley, materials division head, Arkansas Department of Transportation, Little Rock;
Jared Wiley, assistant chief engineer-planning, Arkansas Department of Transportation, Little Rock. | 2022-11-10T07:39:05Z | www.jonesborosun.com | CoECS Alumni Academy adds new members | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/coecs-alumni-academy-adds-new-members/article_5f99e9af-3998-5496-8cd1-895e67235071.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/coecs-alumni-academy-adds-new-members/article_5f99e9af-3998-5496-8cd1-895e67235071.html |
Rick Frahm
Eldridge hired at Cross County Bank
WYNNE — Cross County Bank has hired Whitney Eldridge as marketing director.
“Whitney joins us at an exciting time in our history, as we unite our two brands, Cross County Bank and First Commercial Bank, as Cross Bank. She will help us share our legacy in eastern Arkansas and position the bank for the future as eastern Arkansas’ premier community bank,” David Dowd, president and CEO of Cross County Bank, said in the press release.
Eldridge is a native and resident of Jonesboro. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and double minors in visual arts and Christian studies from Ouachita Baptist University. Previously, Eldridge served as communications director and administrator at Christ Redeemer Presbyterian Church in America and as marketing director for Gearhead Outfitters, both in Jonesboro.
“I’m delighted to join Cross County Bank at this exciting juncture in its 131-year history,” Eldridge said. “Soon to be Cross Bank, Cross County Bank has a rich heritage and is well respected throughout Eastern Arkansas. I’m eager to build on the work being done in these communities as we continue to support customers throughout their financial journey,” she added.
Eldridge brings more than a decade of experience in marketing, public relations, branding, advertising, communications, and marketing strategy to the bank.
She has actively supported local nonprofits and community organizations like the Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, CityYouth Ministries and the Downtown Jonesboro Alliance in the Jonesboro community and is actively involved in the local schools her children attend.
Whitneyeldridge | 2022-11-10T07:39:11Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Eldridge hired at Cross County Bank | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/eldridge-hired-at-cross-county-bank/article_fcd297ca-7e8d-5931-8551-a1f495d24672.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/eldridge-hired-at-cross-county-bank/article_fcd297ca-7e8d-5931-8551-a1f495d24672.html |
JONESBORO — A Craighead County man faces an aggravated robbery charge after Jonesboro police said he broke into a knife case at a convenience store, opened two of the knives and threatened an employee.
Damarcus Starks, 26, of Jonesboro was arrested Nov. 7 after police went to the Valero station in the 3200 block of South Caraway Road due to a disturbance with weapons.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Starks could be seen at the front of the store, crouching down holding the knives in each hand with the blades extended.
Police also said they noticed the glass was broken in the display.
After a few minutes, Starks dropped the weapons and was arrested. Police also said Starks gave several false names and refused to be honest as he was being booked into the jail.
Authorities said it took at least a day to find out who Starks was. Officers also spoke with an employee at the convenience store.
The employee said Starks entered the store, broke into the knife case, opened the knives and threatened him.
In addition to aggravated robbery, Starks was arrested on suspicion of criminal mischief-1st degree, theft $1,000 or less and obstructing governmental operations.
A $50,000 cash-only bond was set Wednesday for Starks, who was given a Dec. 28 court date in Craighead County Circuit Court in Jonesboro.
In other cases Wednesday, District Judge Tommy Fowler found probable cause to charge:
Donnie Dewayne Ollis, 68, of Jonesboro, with criminal mischief-1st degree; $15,000 bond. Ollis will be arraigned Dec. 28 in circuit court.
Collin Junior Eason, 21, of Jonesboro, with battery-2nd degree -injures emergency medical technician or other medic and aggravated assault on a family or household member; $50,000 bond with Dec. 28 arraignment date in circuit court.
Savon Pickett, 24, of Jonesboro, with simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of schedule VI with purpose to deliver; $150,000 bond with Dec. 30 arraignment date.
Helen A. Scott, 40, of Jonesboro, with theft $25,000 or more; $50,000 bond with Dec. 28 arraignment date. | 2022-11-10T07:39:42Z | www.jonesborosun.com | $50,000 bond set in aggravated robbery case | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/50-000-bond-set-in-aggravated-robbery-case/article_04ffcffc-b80e-53e2-9cf9-0c5e656eea8c.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/50-000-bond-set-in-aggravated-robbery-case/article_04ffcffc-b80e-53e2-9cf9-0c5e656eea8c.html |
Fonticiella
JONESBORO — Paragould attorney Sonia Fonticiella won the majority of the votes in five of the six counties Tuesday in the 2nd Judicial District on her way to winning prosecuting attorney’s race.
She defeated Martin E. Lilly of Jonesboro with 59.33 percent of the vote districtwide, 37,388 to 25,630, according to final unofficial results reported by the Secretary of State’s Office.
Lilly carried only Poinsett County.
Fonticiella will succeed Keith Chrestman on Jan. 1 Chrestman had been appointed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to complete the unexpired term of Scott Ellington. Ellington is now a circuit judge. State law prevented Chrestman from running for the position.
Fonticiella said Wednesday she plans to meet with Chrestman next week to begin planning the transition.
“I don’t plan to make any sweeping staff changes unless and until I see I need to,” Fonticiella said.
Fonticiella is the first woman to be elected prosecutor in the 2nd Judicial District, and is believed to be the first Hispanic person in Arkansas to win a prosecutor’s race.
Fonticiella has a private law practice in Paragould. She previously served as a deputy public defender in Craighead County. She is an active member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the U.S. Eastern District of Arkansas and is an appointed member of the Federal Practice Committee. Previously, she worked with the Federal Defender’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas in Little Rock and is an alumnus of the Arkansas Federal Defender’s office CJA Mentor Program.
She has also had bi-lingual law practices in El Dorado and Arizona.
Fonticiella spent $155,477 on the campaign, including about $50,000 of her personal money, according to her campaign finance report filed Nov. 1.
Final unofficial returns by county:
Craighead – Fonticiella, 14,305, Lilly 11,567.
Greene – Fonticiella, 7,893, Lilly, 3,229.
Poinsett – Llly, 3,359, Fonticiella 1,827.
Clay – Fonticiella, 2,186, Lilly, 1,419.
Mississippi – Fonticiella, 4,810, Lilly 2,943.
Crittenden – Fonticiella 6,367, Lilly 3,113. | 2022-11-10T07:39:48Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Fonticiella elected prosecutor | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/fonticiella-elected-prosecutor/article_5d6f4dfa-fd44-52c1-9bba-9a49fcdc8c50.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/fonticiella-elected-prosecutor/article_5d6f4dfa-fd44-52c1-9bba-9a49fcdc8c50.html |
JONESBORO — Voters in Jonesboro and Bay will need to return to the polls on Dec. 6 to settle some key municipal elections.
Guy Pardew Jr. and Janice Porter will face off in a runoff for a Ward 1 Position 1 Jonesboro City Council seat being vacated by Charles Frierson. And Dr. Anthony D. Coleman will face Larry Hagar in a runoff for the Ward 6 seat that was vacated by Bobby Long.
Pardew received 1,533 votes (42.85 percent) while Porter collected, 1,331 votes (37.2 percent). A third candidate, Kier Heyl was eliminated from contention with 714 votes in Tuesday’s election.
Coleman also fell short of the needed majority in Ward 6, with 48.84 percent of the votes. He led Hagar by a margin of 1,036 to 865. Derrick F. Coleman was eliminated after receiving only 311 votes.
In Bay, Police Chief Paul Keith and Recorder-treasurer Sandi Ladd Griffin will continue campaigning for the right to succeed Darrell Kirby as mayor. Keith held a 241 to 168 edge on Tuesday. Phillip Vanwinkle finished third with 84 votes.
Also Tuesday, Republican David Vaughn was elected circuit clerk receiving, 18,969 votes (69.7 percent) to 8,246 votes received by Democrat Deborah S. Johnson. Vaughn will succeed Candace Edwards, who didn’t seek re-election.
Two members of the Craighead County Quorum Court were defeated in Tuesday’s election.
Republican Barry W. Forrest edged out Democratic incumbent Carolyn Lewis 440 to 430 in J.P. District 3, while Republican Linda Allison defeated incumbent Vince Pearcy, an independent, 1,450 to 1,368.
Justice of the Peace Brad Noel, a Republican, defeated Democrat challenger Jolene Mullet 1,314 to 894 in District 1;
Democrat Garrett Barnes defeated Republican Justin Etter 524 to 461 in District 2;
Independent Barbara Weinstock was re-elected, defeating Republican Donna Eggers, 914 to 861 in District 5.
Republican Richard Rogers was re-elected in District 7, defeating Democrat Steven Summers 2,372 to 800.
Ann Williams was re-elected to represent Ward 3 in Jonesboro. She defeated Linda R. Denny 1,473 to 794 in the nonpartisan election
In Brookland, David Loggins defeated incumbent Martin Crain 411 to 271 for the Ward 3, Position 1 city council seat.
Brookland voters also overwhelmingly approved a proposal to elect council members in the future to four-year staggered terms. The vote was 470 in favor and 250 against.
In Lake City, Cameron Tate was re-elected elected mayor, defeating challenger Chad Moody, 441 to 235.
Jackie Davis Jr. was elected to the city council for Ward 3, Position 2, defeating Kayla Sain 383 to 258.
Craighead County voters generally followed the statewide trend, rejecting proposed constitutional amendments.
There was one exception: Issue 3, the Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment, gained Craighead’s favor 13,617 to 13,107. Statewide, with 97.3 percent of precincts reporting, 50.44 percent of voters were against, 436,240 to 428,576.
Craighead County voters rejected Issue 1, to allow state lawmakers to call their own special session, 15,145 to 11,098; Issue 2, increasing the percentage needed to pass a constitutional amendment or a citizen-led initiative from the current simple majority to 60 percent, 15,080 to 11,489; and Issue 4, which would have legalized recreational marijuana sales, 16,160 to 11,373.
Those three proposals were also soundly defeated statewide.
Gretchen Hunt contributed to this report. | 2022-11-10T07:40:06Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Runoffs set in Craighead County | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/runoffs-set-in-craighead-county/article_da08216a-fb86-51d1-8a92-4ecbe611aa25.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/runoffs-set-in-craighead-county/article_da08216a-fb86-51d1-8a92-4ecbe611aa25.html |
CORNING — Whitley Bolen scored 21 points Tuesday to lead Corning to a 51-39 victory over Westside in senior girls’ basketball.
Katie Hampton added 13 points for the Lady Bobcats. Westside led 16-8 after the first quarter, but Corning rallied to take a 32-19 halftime lead and held a 40-28 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Westside won the junior girls’ game 33-32, led by Brylee Timms with 11 points. Westside also won the seventh-grade game 22-4.
TUCKERMAN – Tuckerman improved to 6-0 in senior girls’ basketball Tuesday with a 54-19 victory over Bay.
Tuckerman built a 19-2 lead in the first quarter. The Lady Bulldogs led 34-8 at halftime and 52-10 after the third quarter.
Katie Clark scored 14 points to lead Tuckerman. Ansley Dawson and Kenzie Soden added 11 points each.
Tuckerman won the junior girls’ game 41-25 and the seventh-grade girls’ game 15-13.
Newport 61, BIC 51
MONETTE – Raigan Head scored 25 points Tuesday to lead Newport to a 61-51 victory over Buffalo Island Central in senior girls’ basketball.
Sadie Washam added 14 points for the Lady Greyhounds. Riley Parker and Kendra Towell scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, for BIC.
BIC won the junior high game 49-18, led by Jo Hanneken with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Emma Kate McCord added 10 points.
BIC earned a 64-62 road victory over Osceola on Monday night in senior girls’ basketball. Arabella Oliver scored 22 points, Parker 17 and Towell 16.
Kayla Newson scored 17 points for Osceola, followed by Amarah Thomas with 13 and Jaidyn Dandridge with 11.
BIC defeated Osceola 41-11 in the junior girls’ game, led by Chandler Gathright’s 25 points.
Bay 67, Ridgefield 32
BAY – Bay improved to 6-1 in senior boys’ basketball Tuesday night with a 67-32 victory over Ridgefield Christian.
Justin Brannen scored 16 points to lead the Yellowjackets. Evan Ellenburg countered with a game-high 19 points for Ridgefield Christian.
LAKE CITY – Cash Gillis scored 37 points and grabbed 11 rebounds Tuesday to lead Riverside to a 77-47 victory over Hillcrest in senior boys’ basketball.
Harrison McAnally added 12 points for the Rebels (6-0). Riverside led 22-12 after the first quarter, 43-27 at halftime and 72-44 after the third quarter.
Talmadge Smith scored 18 points and Tanner Durham added 10 for Hillcrest.
Riverside (6-1) won the junior boys’ game 57-29, led by Tucker Emery with 12 points and Jackson Mann with 10.
BIC 51, Tuckerman 49
MONETTE – Buffalo Island Central moved its record to 3-0 in senior boys’ basketball Tuesday with a 51-49 victory over Tuckerman.
Lathan Crane scored 13 points to lead the Mustangs.
Tuckerman won the junior boys’ game 42-38. Leo Contreras scored 18 points for BIC.
Armorel 63, CRA 52
PARAGOULD – Will Jackson scored 19 points and Caleb Brown added 13 Tuesday to lead Armorel to a 63-52 victory over Crowley’s Ridge Academy in 1A-3 conference senior boys’ basketball.
Armorel held a 31-29 lead at halftime and a 41-38 lead after three quarters.
Sam Marshall scored 22 points for CRA, followed by Cole Oxley with 13.
CRA won the junior boys’ game 44-31, led by Doss Clayton with 17 points and TJ Spillman with 11. Jazten Williams scored 17 points for Armorel. | 2022-11-10T07:41:14Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Area basketball roundup | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/area-basketball-roundup/article_fc8cd69b-68f0-5825-a714-c55b99e949ba.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/area-basketball-roundup/article_fc8cd69b-68f0-5825-a714-c55b99e949ba.html |
Johnie Wayne Hampton
Johnie Wayne Hampton, 80, of Fayetteville, departed this life on Nov. 6, 2022.
He was born in 1941 in Oil Trough, the son of Johnny Lewis and Anna Mae “Shug” (Crabtree) Hampton. John graduated with the class of 1960 in Newport, where he was class president, a celebrated athlete and an honor graduate.
He was proud to be a United States Air Force veteran. He attained the rank of staff sergeant, where he was crew chief of a C130 airplane and served several tours in Vietnam from 1963-1967.
He married Joan Jimerson Hampton in 1967 and they raised four beautiful children together. He retired from Production Credit Association and enjoyed deer hunting, collecting guns, attending all his children’s sporting events and cheering on the Razorbacks. He loved antiquing and beautifully restoring furniture.
He married Betty Kay (Jones) Gillihan in 2015 and they enjoyed traveling, dinners with friends and cheering on the Razorbacks together. John was a devoted Christian who read his Bible cover to cover more than once and raised his children to serve the Lord.
John is preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Kenneth Hampton, Bob Hampton, Charles Hampton and Bill Hampton; and one sister, Mary Jo (Hampton) Shaw.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Kay Hampton of Fayetteville; his first wife, Joan Jimerson Hampton of Wynne; one son, Johnie Wayne Hampton II and wife Krystal Hampton of Tulsa, Okla.; three daughters, Joni Hampton Williams of Wynne, Juli Hampton Atkinson and husband Brant of Tulsa, Okla., and Jeni Hampton Cobb and husband Kasey of Fort Myers, Fla.
He was affectionately known as “Big John” to his eight grandchildren: Hana (Williams) Settles and husband Frank, Hunter Williams, Zane Hampton, Grayson Hampton, Avery Atkinson Brown and husband Eli, Riley Atkinson, Ally Quick and Brady Quick.
In 2015 when John and Betty Kay married, he acquired a bonus family; Mark Gillihan, Shannon Gay, Kasey Robinson (husband Stacey Robinson); five grandchildren, Zared Gay, Rachel Harris (husband Chance), Andrew Gillihan, Owen Bell and Jax Robinson; and four great-grandchildren Zeva and Iris Gay, and Raylen and Ellis Harris.
Memorials may be made to Hope Cancer Resources in Springdale, the Springdale Animal Shelter, or The Circle of Life Hospice Home at Legacy in Bentonville.
Visitation is today, Nov. 10, at 10 a.m. at Moore’s Chapel in Fayetteville, followed by the service at 11 a.m. Graveside services will be held on Veteran’s Day, Friday, Nov. 11, at Maple Springs Cemetery in Oil Trough.
To place an online tribute, please visit www.berna funeralhomes.com. | 2022-11-10T13:36:33Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Johnie Wayne Hampton | | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/johnie-wayne-hampton/article_def6e19e-f235-550b-ab69-face388d3a54.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/johnie-wayne-hampton/article_def6e19e-f235-550b-ab69-face388d3a54.html |
Ansley Dawson
Timothy Ward
National Award program releases names of 2022 School Winners
The Heisman Trophy Trust has announced the 2022 School Winners for the Heisman High School Scholarship.
Tuckerman High School winners are Ansley Dawson and Timothy Ward. National Winners will be announced on Nov. 30.
The Heisman Memorial Trophy is annually awarded to the most outstanding college football player in the nation. The Heisman High School Scholarship extends the Heisman prestige to the most esteemed high school seniors by recognizing and rewarding outstanding scholar-athletes who understand that the most important victories not only happen on the field, but in their schools and communities. These remarkable young leaders set an example and make a game-changing difference every day, paving the way to greatness for everyone around them. | 2022-11-10T13:36:35Z | www.jonesborosun.com | National Award program releases names of 2022 School Winners | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/national-award-program-releases-names-of-2022-school-winners/article_914f57e0-7031-5bd5-a198-23c38447879b.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/national-award-program-releases-names-of-2022-school-winners/article_914f57e0-7031-5bd5-a198-23c38447879b.html |
The Newport City Council approved a plan Monday to work with the local school district to install flashing warning signs at the elementary school.
The plan calls for the city to buy one of two signs at either end of Commerce Drive. The signs are expected to cost around $4,000, with both the city and school district splitting the cost.
Officials received approval from ArDOT on the proposal. The signs will be installed as soon as they are received, officials said Tuesday.
Council members also approved separate ordinances to do city business with the following individuals – Newport Hotel Group (Cherry Steele, manager), Joe & Helen Harris Foundation (Sheridan Chadwell), Newport Lodging (Kim Watkins), SBT Newport Inc. (Lauren Sampson), Fathead Pizza (Marcus Hembrey) and Merchants and Planters Bank (Randy Ramsey, vice president and loan officer).
The ordinances were done due to each of the individuals being on the Newport Advertising and Promotions Commission, as well as being a clean-up ordinance for state auditors.
Council members also approved a plan to waive competitive bidding and buy a Kubota KX040-4R3A mini-excavator from Henard Utility Products of Searcy for $92,539 for the street department.
The equipment will be used to clean ditches and clear right of ways. Officials said the city received a USDA grant that will pay about half of the cost. The city’s portion of the cost will be paid for with American Recovery Act funding.
Council members also approved an amendment to Ordinance 1133, dealing with city employee retirement systems. | 2022-11-10T13:36:36Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Newport city, school district partner on sign at school | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-city-school-district-partner-on-sign-at-school/article_0aa099c1-9512-512c-866f-b471ab2e1f17.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-city-school-district-partner-on-sign-at-school/article_0aa099c1-9512-512c-866f-b471ab2e1f17.html |
PRC names Unity Health Newport recipient of Healthcare Leadership Award
PRC honored Beth Ann Jones with a Healthcare Leadership Award during their annual award event, which took place at the PRC Healthcare Experience Summit on Sept. 28.
PRC, a leader in the healthcare intelligence space, received over 100 nominations across multiple categories for the Healthcare Leadership awards. Award recipients submitted case studies during Q2 and Q3 2022 to be eligible.
The Healthcare Leadership Awards recognize healthcare professionals and PRC partner organizations who exemplify PRC’s core values and dedication to healthcare excellence, with award categories spanning the entirety of PRC’s service lines.
“We’re excited to name this year’s recipients of the Healthcare Leadership Awards as a way to shine a well-deserved light on the continued dedication of our excellent organizational partners,” said Joe Inguanzo, Ph.D., PRC’s President and CEO. “Unity Health Newport, Beth Ann Jones, and fellow award winners represent the model of excellence from which PRC was founded, so we’re proud to name them among the best healthcare has to offer.”
Healthcare Leadership Award categories include: Impact; Excellence; Healthcare Experience; Consumer & Brand; Health Equity; Health System Loyalty; Innovation; Outstanding Culture; Patient Experience; Patient Safety; and Physician Partnership. | 2022-11-10T13:36:53Z | www.jonesborosun.com | PRC names Unity Health Newport recipient of Healthcare Leadership Award | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/prc-names-unity-health-newport-recipient-of-healthcare-leadership-award/article_0872e151-353e-5bed-9438-a599828565c5.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/prc-names-unity-health-newport-recipient-of-healthcare-leadership-award/article_0872e151-353e-5bed-9438-a599828565c5.html |
Newport voters on Tuesday elected a new mayor as over 50 percent of all registered voters in Jackson County cast ballots in this year’s mid-term election.
In unofficial numbers from the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office, independent Derrick S. Ratliffe defeated incumbent Republican Mayor David S. Stewart 803-650 (52.35%-42.37%).
Democratic candidate Gene Autry Morris Jr. finished third with 81 votes, or 5.28 percent of the vote.
In other Newport political races, Democrat Regina Lake defeated Republican Kesa Holman 111-50 (68.94%-31.06 percent) for the Ward 1, Pos. 1 seat on the city council.
Republican Michael W. Allen Jr. won reelection Tuesday, defeating independent Sharon Pruitt 365-156 in the Ward 2, Pos. 2 seat.
Also, Democrat Rusty Kinder defeated Republican Ricky D. Gilmore 269-265, or 53.37 percent to 46.65 percent for the District 1 JP seat.
Here are the other results from the other contested races in Jackson County Tuesday, according to the Secretary of State’s office. | 2022-11-10T13:36:59Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Ratliffe wins Newport mayor's race, Driver wins coroner's race | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/ratliffe-wins-newport-mayors-race-driver-wins-coroners-race/article_e1a44159-1f65-591e-ae84-8d37437cfe32.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/ratliffe-wins-newport-mayors-race-driver-wins-coroners-race/article_e1a44159-1f65-591e-ae84-8d37437cfe32.html |
City, Ritter partner on expanded internet for residents
JONESBORO — The City of Jonesboro will partner with Ritter Communications to make high-speed internet access available to every residence in the city, Mayor Harold Copenhaver and Ritter CEO Alan Morse announced Thursday.
The cost of the project is estimated at $60 million.
In response to the city's request for proposals from technology companies, Ritter offered $45 million in infrastructure and two additional customer service centers to create a competitive option for service in all parts of the city.
The entire project could be completed within three years and aims to provide households and businesses in Jonesboro an opportunity for broadband speeds up to 1 gigabit.
“When I became mayor last year, I began researching what we could do to make sure Jonesboro residents had choices for service,” Copenhaver said during a news conference at the Parker Park Community Center. “I believe competition will result in a better product and better customer service for Jonesboro residents.
“Internet and TV service are probably the most common complaint we receive. The idea that Ritter is willing to bring this magnitude of an offer to make Jonesboro a true Gig City is exciting to see. I cannot thank Alan Morse and the entire Ritter family enough for their commitment.”
Ritter will work with the city to seek an additional $10 million to $15 million from state and federal outlets to ensure the expansion is citywide. “I look forward to bringing that proposal to City Council when those funding streams are opened,” Copenhaver said.
Morse said Ritter has the right product and desire to serve residents in Jonesboro, its corporate headquarters. He said this opportunity comes at the perfect time.
“As the home to our corporate offices and the majority of our employees, we have a long-standing investment in this community — financially, culturally, professionally and personally,” Morse said. "Ritter Communications is ready, with our unique RightFiber internet product and our unwavering Right by You pledge, to make game-changing gig-speed internet accessible across Jonesboro — and to position Jonesboro as the most connected city in the NEA region.”
Morse said Ritter has already begun installation of fiber throughout the city.
“We've completed a bunch of neighborhoods already,” Morse said following the ceremony. “We're kind of working from southwest to northeast in the construction progress. A lot of the areas in the neighborhoods south of the bypass and just north of the bypass, like in the Windover-Stroud area are already complete. We're also starting in some of the northern neighborhoods and working south to meet in the middle.
Morse noted that Ritter has also begun fiber construction in the neighborhoods along North Church Street. | 2022-11-11T02:12:58Z | www.jonesborosun.com | City, Ritter partner on expanded internet for residents | Local News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/local/city-ritter-partner-on-expanded-internet-for-residents/article_2a2649ef-1dfb-5d09-8a06-7b446691bfec.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/local/city-ritter-partner-on-expanded-internet-for-residents/article_2a2649ef-1dfb-5d09-8a06-7b446691bfec.html |
Library to host events for all ages
JONESBORO — The Craighead County Jonesboro Public Library, 315 W. Oak Ave., offers Family Storytimes each week at 10 a.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays in the Children’s Library; this week’s theme is “Teddy Bears.”
Along with regular daytime storytimes, the library will host “A Beary Good Sleepover” at 6 p.m. Monday.
“We will have a special Monday night storytime with snacks, show and tell, and pictures with children with their stuffed animals,” said Stacie Madkins from the CCJPL Children’s Library. “We also want each of the kids to tell us about their stuffed animals so they get the best sleepover experience,” said CCJPL Youth Services Manager Stephanie Sweeney.
“The kids will fill out a ‘permission slip’ for their friend that includes any special instructions the library staff needs to know such as if their stuffie needs a night light, a special bedtime snack, or other important rules,” said Sweeney.
“When storytime ends, the children will put name tags on the babies and leave them overnight. The following day during regular storytime they will pick their stuffed babies up with a collage of what happened at the sleepover. Teddy bears can also be picked up the rest of the week during library hours,” Madkins added.
According to Sweeney, the stuffed friends will get to explore the library after dark, play with the toys, hunt for dinosaurs and read books all night long, giving kids a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes of the library through the eyes of their stuffed friends.
Also this week, the Teen Hub will have several activities; the first at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Round Room. Fall Crafts is a drop-in event where teens can make a bandana pillow and painted wooden ovals. Random Fandom Friday, featuring different activities for teens each month will have a movie at 6 p.m. this week.
The library and TLC Tutoring Co. will offer a mock ACT from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the Round Room. This event is held on the third Saturday of each month. Also on Saturday, the Teen Book Club will meet at 2 p.m. to discuss a book and get a copy of next month’s book.
Finally, for adults, the library has some tips on fraud prevention. The class will be a lunch and learn at noon Wednesday. Michael Polk from Cadence Bank, formerly BancorpSouth, will lead the program.
He will cover the most common types of fraud, such as email and text scams, and give best practices for password and account security to help deter fraud and identity theft. He will also cover the steps to take after becoming the victim of fraud or identity theft.
Participants are welcome to bring a lunch. | 2022-11-12T13:31:22Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Library to host events for all ages | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/library-to-host-events-for-all-ages/article_e83071a6-2a5e-5a1d-a0b2-03a32ce65352.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/library-to-host-events-for-all-ages/article_e83071a6-2a5e-5a1d-a0b2-03a32ce65352.html |
Clay County races decided
PIGGOTT — The election results are in for Clay County and, unlike many other counties, there will be no runoffs in the county.
On the county level there were three justice of the peace races, which included districts 1, 6 and 7.
Justice of the Peace, District 1, went to Republican Neal “Poppy” Smith, who won with 304 votes, while Democrat Richie Culver received 170 votes.
The Justice of the Peace, District 6, position went to Republican Dennis Haines with 246 votes, compared to Independent Drew Alexander Calhoun’s 99 votes.
Finally, Justice of the Peace, District 7, went to Republican Randy Kingston, who won with 240 votes, while Democrat Ryan Carter had 175 votes.
Piggott residents elected a new mayor and city clerk as both incumbents lost to their opponents.
Mayor went to Bradley Pistol Scheffler with 660 votes, while incumbent Travis Williams came in at 448 votes; and city clerk went to Nikki Blue with 567 votes, while incumbent Julie McMillon trailed close behind with 528 votes.
Council Member North Ward, Position 2, in Piggott went to incumbent Kevin Jones, who had 620 votes to Daniel Steen’s 479 votes; meanwhile, Council Member South Ward, Position 2, went to incumbent Jamey Parks with 610 votes, while Julie Davis came in at 482 votes.
Rector will also be seeing a new mayor, after Shawn Brandon won the race with 236 votes, beating Lark S. Sigsby, who had 186 votes.
In Corning, the mayoral race went to incumbent Gregory O. Ahrent, who had 501 votes, while his opponent, Adam Smith, had 303 votes.
Also in Corning, the incumbents kept their positions in the city council races. North Ward, Position 1, went to Terry Masterson with 441 votes to Vernie Carpenter’s 353 votes; and North Ward, Position 2, went to Ray Vannoy with 451 votes to Karen Young’s 348 votes.
There were also three constable races.
The South St. Francis Constable position went to Republican John Midkiff with 350 votes compared to Democrat David R. MacDonald Jr.’s 110 votes.
The Liddell & Chalk Bluff Constable position went to Independent Fred Hicks, who had 85 votes, compared to Republican Robert E. Hill’s 74 votes.
Also, the South Kilgore & Gleghorn Constable position went to Independent Kirk Scobey with 245 votes, while Republican Denver Roofe received 225 votes. | 2022-11-12T13:31:34Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Clay County races decided | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/clay-county-races-decided/article_74f86ac0-a2d2-5b8b-9802-6ffaa36dcb38.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/clay-county-races-decided/article_74f86ac0-a2d2-5b8b-9802-6ffaa36dcb38.html |
JONESBORO — The Jonesboro City Council will meet at a different venue on Tuesday.
Because the council’s normal meeting room is undergoing renovations, city business will be conducted at the Nettleton Performing Arts Center, 4201 Chieftain Lane.
Council members will hear the first of three required readings of a proposed ordinance to allow Camfil USA to issue up to $50 million in industrial development bonds to assist in construction of its new manufacturing facility.
Also scheduled a first reading is an proposed by Sai Real Estate LLC to rezone 12.94 acres at 5307 E. Highland Drive, west of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, from I-2 general industrial to C-3 general commercial.
Scheduled for a second reading is a proposal by William Conrad to rezone 0.44 acres at 1601 Granger Drive, off of North Patrick Street, from R-1 single family residential to RM-8 multifamily. Conrad said he wants to build one triplex structure on the property.
Also set for a second reading is a proposed by Undefeated Inc., doing business as La Cascada Mexican Restaurant and Grill of Jonesboro, for a restaurant private club permit. La Cascada seeks to open its establishment in Valley View Commons, 5510 Southwest Drive.
The council will hear the final reading and vote on an ordinance proposed by Three Sister Land Development and Horizon Land Surveying to rezone 1.55 acres at the corner of Southwest Drive and Evan Drive, from AG-1 agricultural to C-4, neighborhood commercial.
Among resolutions on the agenda is a proposal to hire Crews & Associates, Inc. to provide professional financial advisory services for the city.
The company would advise the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission on the best options to pay for construction of a planned indoor sports complex, as well as provide services in the event the city wants to pursue other projects.
The council will meet at 5:30 p.m. The council’s public safety committee will convene at 5 p.m. | 2022-11-12T13:31:40Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Council to meet at different venue | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/council-to-meet-at-different-venue/article_89f50e9a-7191-552d-8d05-054a6bb90101.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/council-to-meet-at-different-venue/article_89f50e9a-7191-552d-8d05-054a6bb90101.html |
JONESBORO — After deliberating since September over a proposed commercial development at Hilltop that neighboring residents feared would endanger their safety, the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission sided with the residents.
Sharada Madhuri wanted to develop a fast-food restaurant and retail space on vacant property at 3411 and 3413 E. Johnson Ave. The land is adjacent to Jewell Drive, across the highway from Kum & Go, and just a few feet west of a traffic signal. The land is zoned C-4, neighborhood commercial, and requires conditional use approval for drive-through services.
At the commission’s Oct. 25 meeting, Madhuri’s consulting engineer, John Easley, said he hoped to talk to Centennial Bank officials about the possibility of sharing access to a driveway. That would give Madhuri’s customers direct access to the traffic signal.
However, Easley said Tuesday that a deal wasn’t possible at this point, because the bank is involved in a lawsuit with the Arkansas Department of Transportation over its taking of part of the bank’s land for intersection improvements.
Residents of a neighboring subdivision have expressed worries that traffic congestion on Johnson would prompt many of the new development’s customers to use Jewell Drive to exit onto Airport Road.
By a 5-3 vote, the commission declined to approve the permit.
In other business, the commission voted to recommend the rezoning of 12.94 acres at 5307 E. Highland Drive, west of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, from I-2 general industrial to C-3 general commercial. Sai Real Estate LLC is requesting the rezoning.
The commission also approved preliminary subdivision plans for Jackson Cove, 23 lots on 8.84 acres west of Greensboro Road. Rickey Jackson is the developer, and he has faced opposition from neighboring residents at least twice previously.
Michael Morris, an engineer for the city, said Jackson eliminated a couple of lots from his latest plan to further address drainage issues in the area. | 2022-11-12T13:31:46Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Hilltop request denied | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/hilltop-request-denied/article_95dfe8bc-cb92-510e-904d-e19c5aa3c058.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/hilltop-request-denied/article_95dfe8bc-cb92-510e-904d-e19c5aa3c058.html |
JONESBORO — A Jonesboro-area man charged with first-degree murder avoided a trial Thursday by pleading guilty to reduced charges, court documents show.
Logan Heath Murray, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the May 29, 2021, shooting death of Gavin Lee Wagster, 22, of Paragould. Circuit Judge Randy Philhours sentenced Murray to a total of 40 years in prison. The incident occurred inside a home on Turfway Drive in Jonesboro.
Jonesboro police responded to a shooting report and found Wagster deceased with gunshot wounds. They also found Murray lying beside the victim with blood all over him. A witness inside the home reported hearing two loud noises and went into the living room to see what had happened. When the witness entered the living room, he reportedly saw Murray sitting on the couch pointing a shotgun down at Wagster on the floor.
Murray had been free since Sept. 2021, on a $350,000 bond posted by his parents. | 2022-11-12T13:31:58Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Jonesboro man sentenced for murder | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/jonesboro-man-sentenced-for-murder/article_1667127e-b4cd-5ba2-8552-1a9cc52cf55c.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/jonesboro-man-sentenced-for-murder/article_1667127e-b4cd-5ba2-8552-1a9cc52cf55c.html |
Oscar Williams, 104, of Trumann casts his ballot on Tuesday at the Central Community Church polling site in Poinsett County. Jeanette Spencer, who worked the polls, said the crowd waiting to vote cheered as he placed his ballot in the counting machine. Asked for a statement, Williams said, “Everybody should vote when they get a chance.”
Runoff slated in Trumann mayoral race
HARRISBURG — Trumann voters will be returning to the polls on Dec. 6 to settle the only race left in Poinsett County as Jay Paul Woods and Shane Blagg meet up in a runoff for the Trumann mayor position, according to unofficial results released by Poinsett County.
During the General Election, Woods received 516 votes while Blagg came in at 430 votes, eliminating the other candidates. Sheila Walters came in a close third at 403 votes, and incumbent Barbara Lewallen came in last with 259 votes.
In addition to a mayoral race, Weiner residents considered three issues on their ballot including a 0.5 percent local sales and use tax, which passed with 151 votes for the tax and 63 votes against; and a water improvement bond, which passed with 171 votes for the bond and 45 votes against. Both measures were proposed to help support the city’s water and sewer department.
Another hot item on the city’s ballot was local option number 1 to legalize the sale of alcohol in Weiner, officially making it a wet city. The measure passed with 143 votes for the option and 74 votes against.
The mayor’s race went to Jeremy Kimble with 127 votes, beating out both his opponents as Tyler Sitzer followed with 53 votes and incumbent Michael R. Frasier came in third at the polls with 35 votes.
Waldenburg voters, who cast their ballots in nearby Weiner, also approved a sales tax issue during Tuesday’s election. The 0.5 percent local sales and use tax passed with 10 votes for the tax and 3 votes against.
Waldenburg City Clerk Pat Thomas said they had a good turnout for the Waldenburg vote as they only have 32 registered voters and of those only 21 still live in the town.
“This is a general sales tax that will go into the general fund and we can use to help with the water and street departments as needed,” Thomas said.
“We are trying to keep from having to raise the water bills,” she said, noting that they are also looking into possibly hiring a police chief for the town.
At the county level, Republican J.C. Carter was elected Poinsett County Judge with 4,100 votes, while Independent Robert Hervey Jr. received 1,365 votes.
Justice of the Peace, District 4, went to Republican Ronald D. Martin with 332 votes as Democrat Wesley Hooper came in at 140 votes; and Justice of the Peace, District 5, went to Republican James Lloyd Baker Sr. with 369 votes as Independent Gary W. Henry Sr. came in at 156 votes.
In Harrisburg, incumbent Mayor Justin Kimble won the race with 406 votes, while Randy Mills received 157 votes.
In Lepanto, Henry Tucker won the mayoral race with 259 votes, which beat out incumbent Earnie Hill, who had 182 votes.
Also in Lepanto, council member Ward 4, Position 2 went to Ashley Leann Holloway with 311 votes, while incumbent Marvin “Mac” Carey had 117 votes.
In Marked Tree, incumbent Mayor McDaniel “Danny” Johnson III won the race with 318 votes, while Larry Crockett came in at 237 votes.
The Marked Tree council member Ward 1, Position 2, race was very close as Cleo Johnson, Jr., who had 270 votes, narrowly defeated incumbent Louis Bailey, who had 267 votes.
There were also three city council races in Trumann, which were all won by the incumbents. Ward 2, Position 2, went to Donnie England with 231 votes as Jennifer Hurn followed with 222 votes; Ward 3, Position 2, went to Hazel Riley with 116 votes as Heather Shrader followed close behind at 111 votes; and Ward 5, Position 1, went to Tammie Slinkard with 298 votes as Matt Miller followed with 164 votes.
There were two city council races in Tyronza, in which both incumbents lost their positions to their opponents. Ward 1, Position 2, went to Candace Drace, who won with 126 votes as Ann Humphreys followed with 70 votes; and Ward 3, Position 2, went to Daniel Brewington with 117 votes as Carissa Kirk Griffin followed with 53 votes and incumbent Shirley Steen Hindman came in third with 37 votes.
The constable position for the Greenwood Township went to Republican Randy L. Holt, who had 408 votes, while Democrat J.R. Boyd had 136 votes. | 2022-11-12T13:32:41Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Runoff slated in Trumann mayoral race | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/runoff-slated-in-trumann-mayoral-race/article_3298a72e-49dd-5353-8387-0d231a9226fd.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/runoff-slated-in-trumann-mayoral-race/article_3298a72e-49dd-5353-8387-0d231a9226fd.html |
Thoughts on the library referendum
Libraries play an important role in communities and offer many worthwhile programs. A number of letters to the editor and social media posts predicted dire consequences if the levied millage for library funding was reduced from 2 to 1 mils. Others made the case that the library was overfunded and could easily sustain a millage cut.
Most citizens appreciate the importance of libraries although differing on specific policies. The Left seems to wrongly equate public concern over offensive content in the children’s section to "book banning." This dogmatic stance by local progressives seeking to “defend the library” triggered a public backlash.
The voters of Craighead County and Jonesboro have now approved millage reductions. Does anyone believe there is no room for improvement in efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the library system? Our local leadership must now examine ways to get the most “bang for the buck” out of the available library revenue.
A growing number of cities and counties have experimented with library privatization at considerable savings and without compromising the quality of service delivery. The public continues to own the library even if services are outsourced. Any private contractor can be held accountable by the library board and elected officials.
Osceola County, FL contracted out library services to a vendor operating the nation’s 5th largest library system. With greater flexibility, this private company has opened coffee shops within their libraries to increase patronage. Sumter County, FL improved library circulation rates through more digital access and established a books-by-mail program following privatization.
The reduction in the library millage must not be used as an excuse for reducing hours or closing branches. A review of all possible options is needed including outsourcing, automation and increased use of volunteers.
Clint Hatcher | 2022-11-12T13:33:36Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Thoughts on the library referendum | Opinion | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/opinion/thoughts-on-the-library-referendum/article_a17f0de3-6331-5d99-8ce3-b4d4e66d4827.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/opinion/thoughts-on-the-library-referendum/article_a17f0de3-6331-5d99-8ce3-b4d4e66d4827.html |
Arkansas State’s Markise Davis dunks during the Red Wolves’ victory over Harding on Monday. ASU travels to LSU this evening.
Red Wolves seek better start against LSU
JONESBORO — Coach Mike Balado said he would give Arkansas State’s men’s basketball team a B-plus grade for its performance in Monday’s 86-55 victory over Harding, marking off a little because of the Red Wolves’ slow start.
ASU trailed by as many as 10 points in the first 12 minutes of the game. A 26-4 run gave the Red Wolves a 12-point halftime lead that they pushed as high as 41 in the second half.
After watching LSU (1-0) defeat Kansas City 74-63 on Wednesday, Balado said the Red Wolves (1-0) can’t afford a similar start this evening in Baton Rouge, La.
“They started off pretty slow, they went against a zone basically for 40 minutes, but they’re very talented and very physical,” Balado said of the Tigers. “They have great size and their guards are really good.”
The Red Wolves are visiting LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center for the first time since 1990. Game time is scheduled for 5 p.m.
Slow start aside, Balado found much to like about ASU’s victory over Division II Harding. The Red Wolves shot 56.3 percent from the field despite missing 12 of their first 14 attempts, held the Bisons to 37.5 percent shooting and held a 40-27 rebounding advantage.
Sophomore guard Avery Felts scored a career-high 16 points to lead the Red Wolves, followed by senior forward Markise Davis and sophomore forward Julian Lual with 14 each. ASU had just 11 turnovers and compiled 29 assists on 36 field goals, with 11 different players recording an assist.
“The only ones that weren’t assisted were two fast-break layups, one by Davis off a steal and one by Avery off a steal; three offensive putbacks, which were just rebound, right-off-the-rim putbacks and Avery’s two pull-ups from the top of the key,” Balado said. “Everything else was off an assist, which was great, something we want continue to stress and then taking care of the ball. We had 11 turnovers. We want to keep it at 10, but 11 is pretty good and a couple of those were late.”
LSU led for nearly 39 minutes Wednesday in its first game under new coach Matt McMahon. The Tigers led by as many as 16 points in the second half and, after Kansas City rallied within five points, controlled the final five minutes to win comfortably.
McMahon took over at LSU after winning more than 69 percent of his games in seven seasons at Murray State. Three of McMahon’s Murray State players, including Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year KJ Williams, followed him to LSU.
Williams, a 6-10 senior forward, scored 13 points and grabbed 14 rebounds against Kansas City.
Adam Miller, a sophomore guard who sat out last year at LSU because of a knee injury, sank four 3-pointers while scoring 18 points. Senior guard Justice Hill, a former Little Rock Christian standout who played for McMahon at Murray State, had 13 points, seven assists, four steals and four rebounds in his debut with the Tigers.
LSU’s roster also includes transfers from N.C. State, Mississippi State and Northwestern State.
“They signed 10 guys in like 48 days. That’s what I heard on the telecast,” Balado said. “What we’re trying to do is go back to where these players played previously and see their personal tendencies, where they got the ball, what they like to do. We’re really big on scouting personnel and three of those guys played with Coach McMahon at Murray State.
“I’m guessing a lot of what they’ll do is what they did at Murray State.”
Balado said he anticipated ASU starting the same five of Felts, Davis, junior guard Caleb Fields, senior forward Omar El-Sheikh and redshirt freshman guard Caleb London.
Sophomore guard Malcolm Farrington (hand injury) could be available this evening. Balado said junior forward Antwon Jackson, who did not play against Harding, is working on conditioning after having a knee procedure in the summer.
ASU will play at home again Monday as Lyon College visits First National Bank Arena at 7 p.m. Next week’s slate also includes a Friday night contest at UC Davis.
Opponent: LSU
Site: Pete Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, La.
Records: ASU 1-0; LSU 1-0
Television: SEC Network Plus/ESPN Plus
Series: LSU, 2-1
Last meeting: LSU, 98-74, 1990-91 | 2022-11-12T13:34:18Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Red Wolves seek better start against LSU | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/red-wolves-seek-better-start-against-lsu/article_a176f34f-14a6-52dd-8405-2353afc739e3.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/red-wolves-seek-better-start-against-lsu/article_a176f34f-14a6-52dd-8405-2353afc739e3.html |
Applications for Farm to School Program Grants available
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the annual Arkansas School Garden Grant Program and Arkansas Taste Test Grant Program to help schools start or expand farm-to-school activities.
The Arkansas School Garden Grant Program is available to help schools start or expand gardens on school grounds. The Department will award $500 grants to 50 schools to purchase soil, specialty crop seeds and plants, and gardening equipment.
The Arkansas Taste Test Grant Program is available to help schools lead cafeteria taste tests of locally grown specialty crops. The Department will award $250 grants to 20 schools to purchase kitchen equipment and utensils, serving materials, and specialty crop seeds and plants.
The grant programs are available to public and private K-12 schools, early childhood education facilities, and alternative learning environments. All eligible schools are encouraged to apply, whether they already have existing farm-to-school activities or they are just getting started with school gardens and local procurement. Technical assistance is available to all grantees.
The application for both programs can be found at https://bit.ly/3TlLT7d. Applicants are welcome to apply for one or both grant opportunities within the same application. | 2022-11-15T20:50:31Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Applications for Farm to School Program Grants available | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/applications-for-farm-to-school-program-grants-available/article_d03b1056-8aa7-53a3-9f2e-0dc165d377c3.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/applications-for-farm-to-school-program-grants-available/article_d03b1056-8aa7-53a3-9f2e-0dc165d377c3.html |
PARAGOULD — Officials are still attempting to determine the cause of a third-party cyberattack Friday that struck the Greene County Tech School District’s computer and phone systems.
GCT Schools Superintendent Scott Gerrish said Monday that his office found out about the attack Friday morning.
Gerrish said it became evident that there had been a third party attack on the network and school officials began shutting everything down.
Officials then contacted the Arkansas Department of Education and the Arkansas Department of Information Systems about the attack.
ADE and DIS officials then sent a cybersecurity team to GCT to find out what happened, Gerrish said.
Without going into specifics, Gerrish said the computer attack is under investigation by law enforcement and that the systems are backed up.
However, the district is still using a temporary phone system until the computer system is up and running.
The temporary main number to reach the district is 870-236-3212. | 2022-11-15T20:51:07Z | www.jonesborosun.com | GCT computer, phone network hit by cyberattack | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/gct-computer-phone-network-hit-by-cyberattack/article_a1881de8-1e46-542c-a479-71c88c45fb16.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/gct-computer-phone-network-hit-by-cyberattack/article_a1881de8-1e46-542c-a479-71c88c45fb16.html |
JONESBORO — Thieves struck JC Penney at The Mall at Turtle Creek on Sunday night, getting away with at least $8,000 in jewelry, according to a Jonesboro police report.
“Employees stated that five men came in with ski masks on and went straight to the jewelry counter with sledge hammers and began smashing cases and grabbing jewelry and placing them in bags they had walked in the business carrying,” Sally Smith, Jonesboro police public affairs specialist said Monday. “Only one person was sprayed with the pepper spray (contrary to earlier reports). They fled the scene in a black SUV. We are still working on retrieving video from JC Penney.”
A Jonesboro woman reported Sunday morning that her 2012 Kia Optima was stolen from the intersection of Dayton Avenue and Stadium Boulevard. Three juvenile females, ages 16, 16 and 17, were arrested.
A 14-year-old girl told police Sunday morning that she was raped by a 19-year-old man. No other information was released.
Two 22-year-old women told police Sunday afternoon that a 13-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl demanded their keys while pointing a BB gun at them in the 1800 block of Greensboro Road. The two juveniles were arrested.
A 43-year-old Jonesboro woman told police Friday morning that someone entered her vehicle in the 2500 block of RidgePoint Drive, stole credit cards and used them for purchases. More than $5,000 in charges were made to the cards and $120 in cash was stolen.
A 38-year-old Jonesboro woman told police Friday morning that someone entered her residence in the 3500 block of Lexee Drive and took items. Stolen were a 58-inch television valued at $900 and a fourth of an ounce of marijuana valued at $75.
A 21-year-old Jonesboro woman reported Sunday night that someone entered her vehicle in the 1900 block of West Matthews Avenue and stole her wallet containing credit cards and her driver’s license.
A 61-year-old Jonesboro woman told police Friday morning that someone entered her vehicle in the 3000 block of Dan Avenue and stole cash and medications. Taken were $500 in cash and 50 hydrocodone pills valued at $100.
A 23-year-old Jonesboro woman reported Friday evening that someone entered her residence in the 900 block of Creath Avenue and stole house keys and a credit card.
A 34-year-old Jonesboro woman told police Saturday afternoon that a suspect kicked in her door in the 1600 block of Links Circle and stole a house key. Damage to the door was listed at $300.
A 41-year-old Jonesboro man told police Saturday afternoon that someone stole his trailer from the 200 block of Labaume Street. The trailer is valued at $4,500. | 2022-11-15T20:51:17Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Thieves hit JC Penney, steal jewelry | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/thieves-hit-jc-penney-steal-jewelry/article_ecaa9e40-00e4-59ad-9b30-b23b25a8d777.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/thieves-hit-jc-penney-steal-jewelry/article_ecaa9e40-00e4-59ad-9b30-b23b25a8d777.html |
JONESBORO — A 43-year-old Jonesboro woman was arrested Monday afternoon by agents of the 2nd Judicial District’s Drug Task Force at her residence in the 300 block of Russell Drive, according to a report by Jonesboro police.
In all, police, during the probation search, recovered 28.5 ounces of marijuana and 19 ecstasy pills.
The suspect is being held in the Craighead County Detention Center on suspicion of possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver and felony possession of drug paraphernalia.
A 23-year-old Jonesboro woman reported Tuesday morning that her wallet was stolen from the 2200 block of Sybel Cove. The wallet contained $140 in cash as well as credit and debit cards.
A 32-year-old woman told police Monday afternoon that someone broke into her storage unit in the 1800 block of Cain Street and stole items. Taken were a metal filing cabinet and a grandfather clock valued at $700.
Police arrested a 33-year-old man Monday evening following a call about a domestic disturbance in the 200 block of Sharp Street. The man is being held on suspicion of felony aggravated assault on a family or household member, felony first-degree terroristic threatening and misdemeanors third-degree domestic battery and second-degree criminal mischief.
A 45-year-old Jonesboro man reported Monday afternoon the thefts and damages to items at his residence in the 4200 block of Sydney Cove. Clothing, televisions, a bed and an electric scooter were claimed in the report.
A 23-yer-old Jonesboro woman reported Monday morning that someone entered her residence in the 1300 block of Rains Street and stole a handgun. The 9 mm Ruger is valued at $400.
A 46-year-old Jonesboro woman reported Monday morning that someone broke into her vehicle in the 1300 block of Windy Lane and stole a purse containing credit cards and a Social Security card.
A 43-year-old Jonesboro woman was arrested Monday morning following a search of her residence in the 1900 block of North Culberhouse Street. She is being held on suspicion of possession of methamphetamine or cocaine less than 2 grams. | 2022-11-16T10:42:07Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Woman arrested after marijuana found | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/woman-arrested-after-marijuana-found/article_2ad27a5f-0f24-5ef3-be10-ec80a659d856.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/woman-arrested-after-marijuana-found/article_2ad27a5f-0f24-5ef3-be10-ec80a659d856.html |
JONESBORO — Arkansas State plays its home opener in women’s basketball tonight against Hendrix. Tipoff at First National Bank Arena is set for 7 p.m. The teams also met last season, with ASU winning 98-48.
The Red Wolves (0-2) are coming off Monday’s 73-54 loss at Tennessee-Martin. UTM, which trailed by 10 points in the third quarter, outscored ASU 26-6 in the fourth quarter.
A 23-2 run over the final eight minutes lifted UTM (1-1) to the home triumph. The Skyhawks edged the Red Wolves 40-36 in the rebounding column 40-36 and forced 19 turnovers.
Mailyn Wilkerson led three Red Wolves in double figures with 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 4-of-8 from deep. Izzy Higginbottom added 10 points with five rebounds and five assists, while Jade Upshaw provided valuable minutes, scoring 10 points in 23 minutes off the bench.
Anna Griffin led all players with a career-high 13 rebounds and scored eight points to accompany four assists.
ASU overcame seven first-quarter turnovers and an 0-for-5 start from the field to lead 13-11 after one. The Red Wolves hit four straight shots to end the period, including a pair of treys off the bench by Upshaw.
UTM chipped away at the deficit after a Higginbottom trey and Upshaw floater made it a 10-point affair. The Skyhawks closed the third on a 10-2 run to cut A-State’s lead down to 48-47 after three. | 2022-11-16T10:42:44Z | www.jonesborosun.com | A-State hosts Hendrix in home opener | Sports | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/a-state-hosts-hendrix-in-home-opener/article_4158b76f-6d1e-5604-b3c4-955cc331c81b.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/sports/a-state-hosts-hendrix-in-home-opener/article_4158b76f-6d1e-5604-b3c4-955cc331c81b.html |
Approximately $3,000 was raised Saturday at the ninth annual Walk of Hope, which began downtown at Beatles Park. An estimated 100 people participated in the walk. As in the past, balloons were released in honor of survivors and in memory of those who have lost their battle to cancer.
Hoxie Elementary students in the gifted and talented program held their annual pumpkin contest on Oct. 30. Winners included: Sarah Allen with Oscar the Grouch, first place; Mya Pinkston with Medusa, second place; Abby Guntharp with the Witches Cat, third place; Keifer Wilson with Red Bird, fourth place; and Austin Booth with Mummy, fifth place. Students who received superior ribbons included Lacie Maple, Mollie Blackshear and Jake Riggs. Those who received honorable mention ribbons included Kady Greer, Baylee Rash and Emily Davis.
Ashlyn Cothern, Caroline Kelley and Hannah Massey of Walnut Ridge were named to the 3A Northeast All-Conference Volleyball team.
Family and friends honored Home Mize of Smithville on his 85th birthday with a party at the Old County Seat Café in Smithville.
The Walnut Ridge Bobcats put on an offensive show in a 62-40 victory over Rison in the first round of the 2A State Football Playoffs. The Bobcats went over, through and around the Wildcats on their way to amassing 688 yards of total offense.
Muriel Allison of Walnut Ridge is the recipient of the Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award for 2002. Allison was honored for his efforts to promote children and youth sports and recreation at the Chamber’s annual banquet on Thursday night. Morgan Buildings, Spas, Pools and Carports was named Industry of the Year, and Baymiller NAPA Auto Parts was chosen as the 2002 Business of the Year. Dr. Kyle Guimon, a native of Walnut Ridge who is serving as a missionary in Uganda with his family, was the featured speaker.
Cortney Goodwin, a senior at Hoxie High School, has been named an All-State volleyball player. The HHS volleyball team is coached by Judy Goodwin.
In the kindergarten-first grade soccer division, the season champions were the First Assembly of God team with a 6-0 record. Team members are: Brady Heard, Shelby Fields, Zoe Willfond, Aubree Hughart, Alison Turbyeville, Erin Wheeler, Todd Jones, Slade Sullens, Jake Leonardo, Drew Heard and Tranisha Johnson. Their head coach is Dale Hughart and assistant coaches are Rob Heard and Jamie Sullens, with Tanner Sullens as helper.
Linda Pierce, Walnut Ridge School fifth and sixth grade social studies teacher, was named Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Arkansas Council for Social Studies recently.
Linda Carol Austin and John F. Phillips III were married Saturday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church.
Fans braved temperatures in the low 30s to watch the Bobcats play against the Mustangs in the final game of the season. The Mustangs played a hard-hitting game, but lost to the Bobcats 42-0.
Travis Eades, a sophomore at Hoxie High School, has been elected by the teachers at HHS as the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership candidate for Hoxie.
Ross and Sherry Rainwater of Corning announce the birth of a son, Robert Darrell Rainwater, born in Jonesboro on Nov. 9. Rob has a five-year-old sister, Stephanie.
Monetta Corbett, a senior at Walnut Ridge High School, was killed when the pickup truck she was driving was struck by a freight train.
The Walnut Ridge Bobcats will travel to Booneville Friday night to play the champion team of District 4AA-West in the first round of the state football playoffs.
Sandra Allen and Lisa Smith, seniors at Walnut Ridge High School, were named to the All-District volleyball team recently. It was their second time to make All-District.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Franks announce the engagement and upcoming marriage of their daughter, Deborah, to Clayton Dirk Davis, son of Mrs. Don Davis and the late Mr. Davis, all of Walnut Ridge.
Doug Adams was elected State Representative for the 63rd District by a wide margin.
President Richard M. Nixon carried Lawrence County by slightly over 69 percent in Tuesday’s election – the first Republican presidential candidate to win in the “mother county” of Arkansas since 1872, during the days of reconstruction. General Ike Eisenhower, one the most popular public figures in the nation’s history, did not even carry Lawrence County in 1952 and 1956, when he successfully defeated Adlai Stevenson.
The leading vote-getter on the Lawrence County ballot was the proposal to construct an addition to Lawrence Hall Nursing Home (50 more beds), which carried by 4,573 to 822.
Elected to serve on the Walnut Ridge City Council were: Gene Matthews, Harold Heafner, Darnell Potter, Tommy Holland, Pat Ferguson and Danny Manning.
Edgar Smith, alderman, and Betty Welch, recorder-treasurer, were unopposed at Hoxie, but those winning their race for alderman included: Budgie Little, Wilburn Anglin, Lloyd Ashlock, Eddie Gardner and Arthur Inman Jr.
Longtime Marshal James Hacker won by a large margin in his re-election effort at Portia. Donald A. Bunn was elected recorder, and Julian A. Smith won the treasurer’s race. Elected aldermen were Riley Milligan, Everett Pinkston, Sammy Dunlap, Joe B. Penn and Jewell Johnson.
Lolly Ledbetter will be crowned homecoming queen at the Walnut Ridge-Piggott game at Sexton Field Friday night. Attendants are Dianne Allison, Sondra Dobbs, Kay Looney and Anita Bartlett.
Mitchell Davis was elected mayor of Hoxie Tuesday. Aldermen elected were O.A. Sullens, Otto Jones, Warren Smith, Kenneth Quarry, Eanos Nicholas and Roy Rogers.
R.N. “Bud” Stewart was elected mayor of Walnut Ridge by a wide margin. Aldermen elected were M.V. Neece, Alvin Wilcoxson, Rupert Hutcherson, Bill Higginbotham, J.T. Williams and Jack Dunham.
Dr. J.B. Elders is the new president of the Kiwanis Club of Walnut Ridge.
Governor Adlai Stevenson carried traditionally Democratic Lawrence County in Tuesday’s General Election, receiving 2,179 votes to 1,547 for Dwight Eisenhower.
Leonard Lingo, attorney and former county official, easily won the race for mayor of Walnut Ridge, over his two opponents. In other contests, Herman Wooldridge was given a second term as marshall of Walnut Ridge. W.E. Spikes, Lindsey Woodring and Sterling Wood were re-elected alderman and three newcomers, Joe South, Earl Smith and Alvin Wilcoxson, were named to posts on the City Council.
Gene McCormic, member of the Fender 4-H Club, took first place state honors with his cotton demonstration after placing third in the state contest in 1950 and second last year.
Announcement is made today of the engagement of Miss Sue Pickens, daughter of Mrs. Imogene Riggs of Walnut Ridge and the late Rudy Pickens, to Eugene Brand.
J.L. Casper of Lynn, age 76, died at a Batesville hospital Monday morning.
Robert Lee Williams of Walnut Ridge was among 480 ensigns commissioned as officers in the Naval Reserve after completion of their three month V-7 training course at the New York USNR Midshipmen’s school.
Sworn into military service September 8, Alva Howard Maxie was sent to Fort Riley, Kan. He is 22 and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lum Maxie of Hoxie.
Toler Buchanan, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Buchanan of this city, has received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and will take the entrance examination in June, preparatory to entering the academy in July.
County Judge J.C. Childers surprised the Quorum Court Monday by recommending that one of the county seats be abolished. Powhatan is the regular seat of county government, but since the legislature in 1889 established the eastern district with a courthouse in Walnut Ridge, much of the county business is transacted in Walnut Ridge. In this recommendation, Judge Childers said, “There is a definite way in which we can eliminate $5,000 useless and unnecessary expense in this county, and that is by consolidating the county into one district.”
A cocky and confident squad of Bobcats walked out on Richardson Field at Hoxie Armistice Day, expecting to tame the Hoxie Mustangs. Uninspired by their leadership or the loyalty of 300 fans who braved the first chilling blasts of winter, the Bobcats wilted before the power of the Mustangs and their score was exactly nothing, Hoxie 18. | 2022-11-16T10:43:48Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Yesteryears | Opinion | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/opinion/yesteryears/article_8e2b2643-8433-5672-afb0-eb8deb1f9b63.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/times_dispatch/opinion/yesteryears/article_8e2b2643-8433-5672-afb0-eb8deb1f9b63.html |
JONESBORO — A Bono police officer resigned on Nov. 1 after self-reporting a sexual encounter he engaged in while on duty, according to Police Chief Michael Parrish.
Jeff McGinnis, 58, who had served in the Bono Police Department for 14 years, accidentally activated his department-issued body cam during the encounter, Parrish said.
He said about two minutes of the encounter were recorded by the body camera.
After discussing the incident with Parrish and Bono Mayor Danny Shaw, McGinnis submitted his resignation.
Parrish said the encounter was consensual and was not criminal in nature.
He said McGinnis was reprimanded four times since Parrish became chief in 2015. Two of the reprimands were for not activating his body camera and two times for not collecting evidence properly.
Parrish said McGinnis will be paid for vacation and holiday time as mandated by state policy.
When fully staffed, Bono has four full-time officers and four reserve officers, Parrish said. He said being down one officer puts a strain on the department and he is actively working to fill McGinnis’ vacancy.
McGinnis is married to Glenn Dola McGinnis, a former Bono City Council member and treasurer of the Bono Fire Protection District. In 2018, she was arrested for stealing nearly $250,000 from the district and was sentence to two years in prison.
According to court records, she filed for divorce but the filing was dismissed. | 2022-11-17T07:20:07Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Bono officer resigns | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/bono-officer-resigns/article_6562c9a4-ba2b-5ce0-8f2e-054e0d246ab9.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/bono-officer-resigns/article_6562c9a4-ba2b-5ce0-8f2e-054e0d246ab9.html |
JONESBORO — City streets in Jonesboro are in relatively good condition, Darryl Gardner, a member of a team hired to perform an inventory, told city council members.
The FirstStep Pavement Management team studied 499 miles of city-maintained streets.
“We actually drive 100 percent of the streets and gather data,” Gardner said Tuesday evening.
With that information, the team developed an interactive pavement condition map, grading each road’s condition by color coding.
Overall, the streets have a Pavement Condition Index of 74.
“That’s not bad,” he said, “74 is not bad for a thriving city. You have a lot of traffic on your streets.”
More than 30 percent of the mileage was rated good or excellent and 53 percent was rated fair, he said.
Typically, street departments respond to complaints from residents when conditions are bad, Gardner said. He said that approach needs to change.
“We kind of want to take it from the worst-first philosophy, where we’re just putting our money into the worst roads and start to have an organized plan to where we’re trying to keep good roads good,” Gardner explained. “It costs less money to keep good roads good.”
He said it costs 10 times more to reconstruct a road than to do preventive maintenance.
Based on the current condition of Jonesboro streets, Gardner said the city should spend up to $3.7 million on a maintenance program.
Mayor Harold Copenhaver told council members he hopes to release his proposed 2023 budget by this Friday.
In other business, the council approved a resolution to hire Crews & Associates, Inc. to provide professional financial advisory services for the city. The company will advise the Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission on the best options to pay for construction of a planned indoor sports complex, as well as provide services in the event the city wants to pursue other projects.
Council members adopted an ordinance proposed by Three Sister Land Development and Horizon Land Surveying to rezone 1.55 acres at the corner of Southwest Drive and Evan Drive, from AG-1 agricultural to C-4, neighborhood commercial.
The council heard the first of three required readings of an ordinance proposed by Sai Real Estate LLC to rezone 12.94 acres at 5307 E. Highland Drive, west of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, from I-2 general industrial to C-3 general commercial.
Council members heard the first reading and waived the second reading of a proposed ordinance to allow Camfil USA to issue up to $50 million in industrial development bonds to assist in construction of its new manufacturing facility.
Also heard for second reading was a proposal by William Conrad to rezone 0.44 acres at 1601 Granger Drive, off of North Patrick Street, from R-1 single family residential to RM-8 multifamily. Conrad said he wants to build one triplex structure on the property.
The council also heard the second reading of a proposal by Undefeated Inc., doing business as La Cascada Mexican Restaurant and Grill of Jonesboro, for a restaurant private club permit. La Cascada seeks to open its establishment in Valley View Commons, 5510 Southwest Drive.
Because of renovation work in council chambers, Tuesday’s meeting was held at the Nettleton Performing Arts Center. The council’s Dec. 6 meeting is also expected to be held there. | 2022-11-17T07:20:13Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Council hears status of city streets | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/council-hears-status-of-city-streets/article_94d9c524-ec66-5740-8fed-1f10286c05f0.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/council-hears-status-of-city-streets/article_94d9c524-ec66-5740-8fed-1f10286c05f0.html |
JONESBORO — A Missouri woman is being held in the Craighead County Detention Center after District Judge David Boling set a $35,000 bond for her on Wednesday.
Anna Paige Weiss, 22, of Bon Terre, Mo., was arrested this week on a bench warrant signed by Boling.
Weiss was the driver of a Chevrolet Equinox on April 9, 2021, when she was involved in an accident in the 3500 block of East Nettleton Avenue. Police said Weiss hit a utility pole.
Police said Weiss was involved in a separate accident earlier that day when she rear-ended a vehicle being driven by a 76-year-old Memphis man at the intersection of Stallings Lane and Red Wolf Boulevard and fled the scene.
After the later crash on Nettleton Avenue, police said both airbags deployed.
In his report, Jonesboro officer Tanner Seal wrote, “I was patrolling the area of Nettleton and Matthews when I was advised by a passing motorist of an accident that occurred at Nettleton and Airport. I noticed that the traffic signals at Nettleton and Matthews and Nettleton and Airport Road were not in operation. That is when I noticed that a black SUV had left the roadway and struck a utility pole on the north side of Nettleton in the parking lot of 3529 E. Nettleton Ave. The vehicle had significant front end damage.”
A search of Weiss’ vehicle turned up 708 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms, 45 hits of LSD, 81 Xanax pills, 23 grams of marijuana and methamphetamine.
On Wednesday, Boling found probable cause to charge Weiss with trafficking a controlled substance, a Class Y felony that if convicted she could face 10-40 years or life in prison. She was also charged with possession of a Schedule I or II drug not methamphetamine or cocaine with the purpose to deliver, possession of a Schedule IV or V drug with the purpose to deliver, possession of marijuana with the purpose to deliver and driving while intoxicated.
Weiss’ next court date is Dec. 30 in circuit court at the Craighead County Courthouse in Jonesboro. | 2022-11-17T07:20:31Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Missouri woman faces drug charges | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/missouri-woman-faces-drug-charges/article_edfe3c62-385e-5eb4-b4e4-e4e3c7359400.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/missouri-woman-faces-drug-charges/article_edfe3c62-385e-5eb4-b4e4-e4e3c7359400.html |
Newport Greyhounds senior Kyan Crite carries the ball during Friday’s game against the Magnet Cove Panthers. Newport won 50-14, and will host Quitman in the second round of the Class 3A state playoffs.
Dejai Marshall completed 16-of-23 passes for 343 yards and four touchdowns Friday to lead Newport to a 50-14 rout of Magnet Cove in the first round of the Class 3A state playoffs.
Newport’s defensive effort included interceptions by Demetric Denton, Bryson Elston Jr., and Jay Grady. Elston also finished with seven tackles. | 2022-11-17T15:09:13Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Newport downs Magnet Cove 50-14 | Newport | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-downs-magnet-cove-50-14/article_2378c57e-0ee4-5465-869b-86469f624d4c.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/newport/newport-downs-magnet-cove-50-14/article_2378c57e-0ee4-5465-869b-86469f624d4c.html |
The Lyon College Gospel Choir will present “Lift the Savior Up,” at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Sloan Auditorium of Brown Chapel on the Lyon College campus, 2300 Highland Road in Batesville. The free concert is open to the public.
Lyon College Gospel Choir sets fall concert
BATESVILLE — The Lyon College Gospel Choir, under the direction of Barretta Robinson, will present its fall concert, “Lift the Savior Up,” at 4 p.m. Sunday in the Sloan Auditorium of Brown Chapel on the Lyon College campus, 2300 Highland Road. The free concert is open to the public.
The choir is a vocal ensemble open to students and community members regardless of their faith. The ensemble performs a variety of song forms drawn from the African American religious tradition, including traditional and contemporary gospel, anthems and spirituals.
The concert will feature performances by Believers Outreach Worship of Batesville, the Waves of Worship praise dance group of Jonesboro, and First United Methodist Church of Batesville.
The choir will perform “Lift the Savior” by Joe Price, “Hallelujah – Revelation 19” by Maverick City Music, “The Blood Still Works” by Malcolm Williams, “Everyday” by Dr. Charles G. Hayes and “Believe for It” by CeCe Winans.
The program will include an opening of worship by Paul Richardson, pastor of Grace Outreach of Marion, a welcome by choir member Mary Simmons and a prayer by choir member Kali Payne.
Elder Joshua Bronson of Triumphant Deliverance Fellowship International in Little Rock will present words of inspiration. Choir director Barretta Robinson will present closing remarks and Dr. Mary Burress, pastor of Jesus Lives International of Cave City will offer the closing prayer. | 2022-11-18T11:29:43Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Lyon College Gospel Choir sets fall concert | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/lyon-college-gospel-choir-sets-fall-concert/article_664ae9ae-8c3f-58c5-9a24-249181f51208.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/lyon-college-gospel-choir-sets-fall-concert/article_664ae9ae-8c3f-58c5-9a24-249181f51208.html |
JONESBORO — The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday turned back a second appeal of a Craighead County murder conviction.
Markus Gentry, now 32, of Blytheville, was convicted of second-degree murder for the January 2019 death of Lewis Gamble. Gamble, 35, of Jonesboro died during surgery after being shot by Gentry during a dispute about a car accident at his northwest Jonesboro barbershop.
Gentry was sentenced to life imprisonment. A firearm enhancement added 10 years to his life sentence. However, the justices ruled in February 2021, that the enhancement was illegal in Gentry’s situation.
In his newest appeal, Gentry alleged several instances of ineffective assistance of his lawyers. But the court ruled Circuit Judge Cindy Thyer’s decision to reject those allegations was proper.
The Supreme Court determined the issues raised on appeal were meritless.
The court’s standard for proving ineffective counsel requires proof the lawyer made errors so serious that Gentry didn’t receive a fair trial.
“Petitioner must show a reasonable probability that the jury’s decision would have been different but for the deficient performance,” according to the court’s standard. | 2022-11-18T11:30:01Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Court turns back murderer's second appeal | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/court-turns-back-murderers-second-appeal/article_928aca6f-0440-5a16-bb23-706748aa2f39.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/court-turns-back-murderers-second-appeal/article_928aca6f-0440-5a16-bb23-706748aa2f39.html |
Souper Sunday raises $22,000
JONESBORO — Habitat for Humanity of Greater Jonesboro’s annual Souper Sunday fundraiser was back in person this year offering the community 20 soups to enjoy and vote on. First-time competitor, Pastaria 49 with their Italian Tomato with Rosemary, Croutons and Pecorino Cheese Soup won the most votes making them the winner.
“Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to build homes, community and hope,” said, Micheal Sullivan, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Jonesboro. “For the past 12 years Habitat has brought the community together to enjoy a delicious soup lunch all while supporting affordable housing needs in Jonesboro. This event would not be possible without the support of the local restaurants, volunteers and the community.”
Souper Sunday gives participants the opportunity to sample unlimited soup and then vote for their favorite with the winning restaurant being awarded the coveted ladle trophy. The traveling trophy will call Pastaria 49 home until the next Souper Sunday scheduled for the first Sunday in November. Along with soup, many restaurants donated bread and the Craighead County Extension Homemakers Club donated homemade desserts.
The $22,000 raised will help support five homeowner repair projects in the new year. Applications are currently available for homeowners in Jonesboro who have a need for work to be done.
For more information on Habitat for Humanity of Greater Jonesboro, Souper Sunday or the Repair Program, visit www. JonesboroHabitat.com. | 2022-11-19T12:41:25Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Souper Sunday raises $22,000 | Announcements | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/souper-sunday-raises-22-000/article_6ab66514-6913-5f1d-a259-5a042ffcb5cd.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/announcements/souper-sunday-raises-22-000/article_6ab66514-6913-5f1d-a259-5a042ffcb5cd.html |
Lynn Erwin (left) of Jonesboro studies conceptual drawings of improvements to Arkansas 351 Thursday as Keyma Thompson of the Arkansas Department of Transportation stands by to answer questions.
JONESBORO — Residents concerned about traffic congestion at Hilltop were pleased to see the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s plans to alleviate the problem Thursday.
But they also know things will be worse during the brief time construction will be going on.
ArDOT put their plans on display at the Family Fellowship Baptist Church on Arkansas 351 (Old Greensboro Road). Residents may also view plans online.
The work is divided into a number of different phases for economic reasons. The first phase is intersection improvements at U.S. 49 (East Johnson Avenue) and Arkansas 351. That job also will widen 351 to five lanes to Pleasant View Drive. Construction is scheduled for federal fiscal year 2023.
The next phase, which was the main reason for Thursday’s event, would continue the widening project from Pleasant View Drive to Peachtree Avenue, with construction to begin the following year.
The east side of the highway will include a five-foot-wide sidewalk and the west side will include a 10-foot-wide side path.
Eventually, the upgrades will provide a wider path for vehicles beyond the heavily-populated Sage Meadows subdivision.
Carol and Roger Barnhill, who live near Sage Meadows, welcome the prospects for improvement.
“It’s going to be a pain for awhile, but it’s part of growth,” Carol Barnhill said.
Residents who live on Pleasant View Drive said they suffer the pain of the existing conditions. Congestion is so bad that motorists use their street to access the traffic signal at Johnson Avenue and Airport Road, said Scott Rushing. Most of those residents speed, he said.
“People are frantic,” Rushing said of the morning traffic. “A lot of them are women that are trying to get their children to day care or to school and get to work. A lot of them are men that should be at work at 8 o’clock. It’s 4 minutes till.”
One of Rushing’s neighbors, Lynn Erwin, said he views the plan overall as positive.
“It good money well spent,” he said. “It’s got to happen.”
A link providing more detailed information on the project can be found at: https//vpiph03. job-101135-en-ardot.hub. arcgis.com | 2022-11-19T12:42:02Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Residents review road plans | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/residents-review-road-plans/article_16cd58d5-1f2e-5f21-9eb5-9f42eb152ed4.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/residents-review-road-plans/article_16cd58d5-1f2e-5f21-9eb5-9f42eb152ed4.html |
Jerry Chism (from left), Bob Gibson, chairman of the Jonesboro Municipal Airport Commission and airport manager George Jackson admire a 1941 Boeing PT-17 Stearman aircraft originally used by the U.S. Coast Guard on Friday. Local pilot Phillip Gillespie acquired the plane in August.
JONESBORO — As the small plane landed Friday morning at the Jonesboro Municipal Airport, George Jackson, the airport’s manager, said most states envy what Arkansas has.
What Arkansas has is the Aeronautics Division of the state Department of Commerce.
Jerry Chism, the division’s director, flew up to Jonesboro to deliver $200,000 to airport officials and take a look around.
“George is exactly right,” Chism said of Jackson’s comment. “Other state directors tell me all the time, ‘Man I wish I had a program similar to yours.”
The grant money is helping the Jonesboro airport pay for construction of new hangars. The hangars, when rented out to pilots for storage of their aircraft, will generate additional revenue for general airport operations.
Chism said projects like this help make airports self-sustainable.
“In Arkansas, airports pretty much fund themselves,” Chism said.
Bob Gibson, chairman of the Jonesboro Municipal Airport Commission, said decisions made for rebuilding the airport following the March 28, 2020, tornado were made with recouping revenue in mind.
The grants are funded through revenue from the state’s 6.5 percent sales tax on aviation fuel.
Phillip Gillespie, owner of Arkansas Air Center, the company that sells fuel to pilots at Jonesboro, said the $200,000 the airport received Friday represents about 10 months’ worth of taxes paid by local pilots.
In Arkansas, when a local airport receives a federal matching grant, the state helps the airport pay its matching requirement.
Chism said that in most states, aviation taxes go into their general funds and legislators decide how much will be returned to aviation purposes.
“In ours … the aviation sales tax goes directly into the aviation trust fund.” Chism explained. A small portion goes into the state general fund and to the Arkansas Department of Transportation to maintain roads leading to airports, such as Arkansas 351 in Jonesboro.
Arkansas has 90 publicly-owned airports, and 92 percent of the state’s population lives within a 30-minute drive from an airport.
Eight of those airports, including Jonesboro’s have commercial passenger service available.
Chism said his department is also working with local airport officials who want to keep wider runways. The Federal Aviation Agency wants uniform width of 100 feet, meaning Jonesboro’s 150-foot-wide runway would need to be modified.
Chism said Jonesboro isn’t the only airport with that issue.
At El Dorado, Murphy Oil is helping to fight the new standards. Chism said Murphy uses very large jets, and officials are concerned that cross-winds could impact pilot safety on narrower runways. | 2022-11-19T12:42:08Z | www.jonesborosun.com | State aviation program among nation's best | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/state-aviation-program-among-nations-best/article_85327b58-8d5c-5497-85fa-443d5a5498cc.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/state-aviation-program-among-nations-best/article_85327b58-8d5c-5497-85fa-443d5a5498cc.html |
Tossed gun leads to charges
JONESBORO — A 22-year-old Jonesboro man was arrested Friday morning following a traffic stop at the intersection of Front and North Drake Street, according to a Jonesboro police report.
As the police officer was pulling the vehicle over, the driver threw a handgun out of the window.
The officer recovered a 9 mm Glock which had its serial number filed off.
The man is being held on suspicion of possession of a defaced firearm, felony tampering with evidence, possession of marijuana, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to use a turn signal.
A 36-year-old Jonesboro man told police Thursday afternoon that someone entered his residence in the 3700 block of Keeley Drive and stole items. Taken were a Hoyt compound bow with a quiver valued at $600, three arrows valued at $225, a $25 watch and $10 in change.
A 36-year-old Jonesboro woman reported Thursday afternoon someone entered her vehicle at work in the 1100 block of East Matthews Avenue and stole items. Taken were $800 in cash and 60 Adderall pills valued at $100.
A 46-year-old Blytheville woman told police Thursday evening that a suspect took her property when he moved out of her building in the 1500 block of Red Wolf Boulevard. Taken were a commercial fryer. Steam tables, refrigerator, warming tower and serving pans valued at a total of $5,200.
A 40-year-old Jonesboro man reported Thursday night that he was beat up by three suspects who then stole a speaker from his vehicle in the 1800 block of East Highland Drive. The speaker is valued at $400.
A 35-year-old Jonesboro man reported Thursday afternoon that three mowers and a trailer were stolen from his residence in the 600 block of Flint Street. The total value of the items is listed at $8,550.
A 35-year-old Jonesboro woman reported Thursday night that someone entered her apartment in the 500 block of Melrose Street and stole a safe and jewelry. The safe is valued at $500 and the four rings are valued at a total of $7,000. | 2022-11-19T12:42:14Z | www.jonesborosun.com | Tossed gun leads to charges | News | jonesborosun.com | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/tossed-gun-leads-to-charges/article_28351d7b-3a46-5c34-9dd3-a976843bdc27.html | https://www.jonesborosun.com/news/tossed-gun-leads-to-charges/article_28351d7b-3a46-5c34-9dd3-a976843bdc27.html |
Dave Mackall | For the Tribune-Review
Jeannette’s Clarkson Field, situated in the city’s West Jeannette neighborhood, is named in memory of former Negro League baseball player and Jeannette native Buster Clarkson. The field, home to the Jeannette High School baseball team, was rededicated by the Westmoreland County Commissioners on July 26, 2003.
When he was a baseball player at Jeannette — and a fine one at that — Marcus Clarkson drove more than a few pitches into the atmosphere at the city’s Clarkson Field.
No, it is not named after Jeannette baseball coach Marcus Clarkson, but rather for his great-uncle, James “Buster” Clarkson, the former Negro National League star with the Pittsburgh Crawfords.
“He drove a pitch over the left-field fence, considered a noteworthy feat even for the professionals … who played at the same ballpark,” former Jeannette Area Historical Society president John Howard said of Buster Clarkson’s exploits, detailed in a May 2012 story in the Tribune-Review.
Following a dismal 2-13 season a year ago and just four years removed from a WPIAL Class 2A championship, Marcus Clarkson enters his 19th year at Jeannette, hoping his Jayhawks can pull together and return the program’s fortunes to yesteryear.
“We have 14 guys. Most of them were here last year,” Clarkson said. “A lot of these guys played a lot of innings as freshmen, and they all came back older and stronger. At the same time, half the guys are inexperienced. We’re trying to get it all to mesh, but we really can’t do some of the things that we used to do.”
When Clarkson wrapped practice Wednesday at Clarkson Field, he gathered his players and told them to keep scrapping, keep working.
“It’ll be tough to play intersquad games, which I really like doing,” Clarkson said. “We never know how many guys we’ll have at practice.”
Some are involved for now in other spring activities at the school that, at times, conflict with the the Jayhawks’ schedule, he said. But it doesn’t dampen his enthusiasm.
“Despite the numbers,” Clarkson said, “I really like the group of players we have. It’s going to be tough, but I expect us to compete, because … the players that came out will give us 100%.”
Maybe it’s Marcus Clarkson’s motivational tone that has their attention.
Perhaps Buster Clarkson’s spirit may be motivating these Jayhawks, who surely notice the monument outside the fences of the field, erected in his memory.
“Could be,” Marcus Clarkson said with a grin.
Senior Tyler Horn is Jeannette’s unquestioned leader, a three-sport athlete and a versatile baseball player on whom Clarkson said he’ll rely heavily for leadership and performance.
“He’s been here since he was a freshman,” Clarkson said. “He’s a good kid. He’s a Jeannette kid. We’ll lean on him for a lot. He can play in the infield, the outfield — he’ll probably be our catcher in most games.
“I’m telling you right now, I could put him at any position and he would perform.”
Marcus Clarkson, an outfielder, played at the junior college level at Potomac State College and Westmoreland County Community College and continues to play in various area adult leagues. His late father, by the same name, played at Mansfield University.
He wants his players to take in the history of the city and its field, which is situated in the West Jeannette neighborhood.
“We do understand we’re a small community,” Clarkson said.
He’s also counting on production from a number of others, including a load of sophomores — pitcher/infielder/outfielder Michael Mason, infielder Brayden Luttner, Gavin Holemeyer, pitcher/first baseman Nick Radigan, Hunter Blazowich and pitcher/outfielder Isaiah Mallich.
“A lot of these guys can play multiple positions,” Clarkson said. “A lot of them have been playing for a summer team.”
Holemeyer returns with the team’s top batting average from last season. Radigan, a left-handed batter, will be tempted to challenge Clarkson Field’s short 280-foot right-field fence.
“Be smart now,” Clarkson cautioned. “You’d be surprised how many home runs aren’t hit here.” | 2022-03-17T04:04:47Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Jeannette baseball team will rely on heart, not numbers | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/jeannette-baseball-team-will-rely-on-heart-not-numbers/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/jeannette-baseball-team-will-rely-on-heart-not-numbers/ |
Sydney Matijevic’s smile hid the pain in her heart. But while the Jeannette senior was smarting, she wasn’t quitting.
“I love to be here,” Matijevic said Wednesday after the Jayhawks’ softball practice at the high school. “I totally love it. I’ve always loved the sport. It cheers me up and takes my mind off certain things.”
In this case, she was wrestling with the loss of her grandmother, Charlene Matijevic, of Hempfield, who died Tuesday. The team was notified during their practice at Jeannette’s McKee Stadium.
“I told her she could take the week off, and she wanted to be here,” said Tubby Stein, Jeannette’s first-year coach. “I’m hoping for her to be the leader this year. She’s probably one of the top two girls on the team.”
Stein succeeds Joe Giacomin as Jeannette’s third coach in three years. He takes over a program that suffered through a 1-16 season in 2021.
“It’s been great having him teach us and take his time with us and make sure everyone knows what they are doing,” Matijevic said of Stein, a veteran coach at various levels but never in high school.
Matijevic’s father, John “Butch” Matijevic, as well as Stacey Walling, who played at Hempfield and Pitt-Johnstown, are serving as Stein’s assistants.
Sydney Matijevic, a pitcher/first baseman, said neither she nor her dad wanted to remain stationary at home during their time of grief. Sydney said she spoke to her grandfather, John “Big John” Matijevic, by phone but hadn’t yet seen him since Charlene Matijevic’s passing. She was 71.
“My dad wanted to be with my grandfather, but he said the same thing as I did,” Sydney Matijevic said. “Neither one of us thought it was productive to sit around and mope, even though we both feel so bad.”
Stein and his wife, Dody, who is serving as Jeannette’s scorekeeper and the support for her husband as he enters his first year, are going through their own heartache for some time now.
The Stein’s oldest daughter, Scarlett, died of a heart attack in December 2016 at 17.
“She never got to play her senior year here,” said Tubby Stein, a Jeannette graduate.
Scarlett Stein had been planning to continue playing softball in college, her father said, explaining that she wanted to study to be a forensic scientist.
As he discussed the ordeal, Stein turned his attention to another part of the field, where his younger daughter, Grace, a junior high student, was warming up.
“I told her she wasn’t pitching when she got to this level, and she said she wanted to because ‘that’s what my sister did,’ ” Tubby Stein said. “Before the season, she said, ‘Dad, why don’t you take this coaching job, and we’ll all be up there in a couple of years and you can help us out,’ ” he said.
“I said, ‘Yeah, we can fill my older daughter’s dreams.’ ”
While Jeannette struggled through a tough year last season, winning its final game to avoid going winless, Stein said things are in perspective as the Jayhawks prepare for a new season.
A total of 13 players are on the roster. Stein said a trio of juniors — shortstop Autumn Lavella, third baseman Savannah Lock and outfielder Frankie Crosby — will be counted on for leadership, in addition to Matijevic, the team’s lone senior.
Also, freshman Mia Sarpolis has been impressive, Stein said, and sophomore catcher Addasyn Stout is working on becoming a disciplined power hitter.
“Mia has really come to the next level to make an impact,” Stein said, “and Addie has good power, but we’ve got work to do to help her cut down her swing.”
They are part of seven returnees from a team last season that ended the year with just nine players.
Said Stein: “We’ve got a number of girls who have been working very hard to improve.” | 2022-03-17T04:04:53Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Jeannette softball team works through grief, tries to change fortunes after 1-win season | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/jeannette-softball-team-works-through-grief-tries-to-change-fortunes-after-1-win-season/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/jeannette-softball-team-works-through-grief-tries-to-change-fortunes-after-1-win-season/ |
We have seen in the past, complete turmoil takes over this time of year when it comes to the state rankings with so many head-to-head clashes.
For the most part, the latest Trib HSSN rankings held up.
Nine teams dropped out after losses in the PIAA second round and quarterfinals, but no classification had more than two teams ousted.
District 7 in the west and District 12 in the east continued to dominate, with 18 of the 30 spots owned by those two districts.
Laurel Highlands in 5A and Math, Civics and Sciences in 3A were knocked out of the state playoffs and went from No. 1 to out of the rankings.
Roman Catholic in 6A, Quaker Valley in 4A, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in 2A and Bishop Canevin in Class A all remain on top in their class heading into the state semifinals.
4. Fox Chapel (27-1) (7) (NR)
Out: Reading (3)
4. Gateway (18-6) (7) (NR)
Out: Archbishop Ryan (12)
3. Dallas (25-3) (2) (NR)
4. Archbishop Carroll (15-10) (12) (NR)
Out: Bethlehem Catholic (11), Fairview (10)
3. Aliquippa (20-8) (7) (NR)
4. South Allegheny (20-7) (7) (NR)
Out: West Catholic Prep (12), Columbia (3)
4. Old Forge (18-9) (2) (NR)
Out: Shenandoah Valley (11)
3. St. John Neumann (25-3) (4) (NR)
Out: Mount Calvary Christian School (3), Union (7) | 2022-03-17T04:05:18Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Trib HSSN boys basketball state rankings for March 16, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-boys-basketball-state-rankings-for-march-16-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-boys-basketball-state-rankings-for-march-16-2022/ |
North Catholic’s Anastasia Peterson celebrates after scoring next to Freedom’s Cadence Gorajewski during the WPIAL Class 3A championship game on Thursday, March. 3, 2022, at Petersen Events Center.
Eleven girls basketball teams saw two dreams come to an end this past week.
First, their goal of winning a PIAA basketball championship, and second, finishing the season in the coveted Top 5 of the Trib HSSN state rankings.
While every class saw at least two teams ousted with the exception of one each form 6A and Class A, the top ranked teams from a week ago did a nice job of winning twice and remaining on top.
Plymouth-Whitemarsh in 6A, Villa Maria Academy in 4A, North Catholic in 3A, Southern Columbia in 2A and Kennedy Catholic in A all remain at the head of the class heading into the state semifinals Friday and Saturday.
Chartiers Valley is back at No. 1 in 5A after beating last week’s top team, Hollidaysburg, in the second round.
4. Cedar Cliff (28-1) (3) (NR)
Out: Archbishop Carroll (12)
3. Mechanicsburg (24-5) (3) (NR)
4. McKeesport (23-5) (7) (NR)
Out: South Fayette (7), Abington Heights (2)
2. Jim Thorpe (28-1) (11) (NR)
3. Archbishop Wood (23-5) (12) (NR)
4. Lansdale Catholic (18-7) (12) (NR)
Out: Blackhawk (7), Delone Catholic (3), Bedford (6)
3. Imhotep Charter (16-9) (12) (NR)
4. Freedom (21-5) (7) (NR)
Out: Bloomsburg (4), Taylor Riverside (2)
3. Mount Carmel (23-5) (4) (NR)
4. Bellwood-Antis (24-6) (6) (NR)
Out: Columbia (3), Bishop McCort (6)
Out: Elk County Catholic (9) | 2022-03-17T04:05:24Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Trib HSSN girls basketball state rankings for March 16, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-girls-basketball-state-rankings-for-march-16-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-girls-basketball-state-rankings-for-march-16-2022/ |
Chunko resigns as Yough football coach
Yough head coach Chris Chunko watches his team during a 7on7 game on July 15, 2021, at Greater Latrobe High School.
Yough football will drop a classification to 2A next season but it will do so without Chris Chunko.
Chunko has resigned as head coach after after two years in the position.
He said his job has become more demanding, taking his attention away from the program.
“I can’t put forth the time that is necessary,” Chunko said. “This was a very hard decision. I know the timing is bad but it’s my livelihood so I have to do what is best.”
Yough went 3-14 overall and 2-9 in conference under Chunko, a Monessen graduate who began with the program in 2020, just before the covid pandemic took hold.
The Cougars finished 1-9 this past season.
“I thought we were making some progress,” said Chunko, 52. “I know the timing is bad. We’ve had kids in here since December. We’ve been watching film on our new opponents. I appreciate the administration and school board giving me the opportunity to coach.”
While he has been coaching since 1987, Yough marked his first stint as a head coach.
He previously coached at California (1989-91), Charleroi (2014-17), Ringgold (2018) and Uniontown (2019), working as a defensive coordinator at the latter three.
Chunko also was a longtime youth coach.
“I hope maybe one day I can get back into it,” Chunko said. “I don’t know I can see myself sitting at home on Friday nights in the fall.”
Yough has not been to the WPIAL playoffs since 2013, the challenge that awaits Chunko’s successor. | 2022-03-18T01:34:45Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Chunko resigns as Yough football coach | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/chunko-resigns-as-yough-football-coach/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/chunko-resigns-as-yough-football-coach/ |
Kiski Area’s Hannah Simpson committed to Division II Seton Hill.
John Kinnamon led Apollo-Ridge softball to four consecutive WPIAL playoff appearances, but this year he moved up the Kiskiminetas River a few miles to coach Kiski Area.
Kinnamon is a Kiski Area graduate, and he’ll look to improve the softball program like he did when he was with the Vikings.
He’s taking over a Cavaliers team that finished 5-10 overall in 2021 and 4-8 in Section 1-5A, missing the playoffs for a second season in a row.
“It’s a small valley, so I knew some of the girls and had seen them play before,” Kinnamon said. “It was a good opportunity to come home so to speak, so it’s all good.
“We’re working on getting girls committed to the program. That’s the first key no matter where you go. You have to get the numbers up. It looks like the middle school program is going to be sending a lot of girls up in the next few years, so that’s good. We’re just looking to get buy-in and turning it around.”
The Cavaliers graduated a pair of first-team all-section performers in outfielder Kassandra Cessna and designated hitter Alayna Mintz.
They do return top pitcher Hannah Simpson, a junior who committed to Seton Hill. She was an all-section honorable mention a season ago.
“She’ll be our No. 1,” Kinnamon said. “She’s solid, and she’s a workhorse. We’ll ride with her as much as we can.”
Second baseman Ashlee Bair is a LaRoche recruit. Bair hit .326 last year. Mackenzie Favero, a junior, is the leading returning hitter. She had a .375 batting average. Other returners that had a lot of playing time last year include seniors Madyson Hall, Isabel Ramos and Madi Leith.
“We’ve got a lot of girls that will be playing new positions, but we have a good nucleus of girls with experience,” Kinnamon said. “We should be competitive. We just have to find the best position for each of the girls and give them time to learn it and settle in.”
Last week’s snow storm put a halt to any thoughts of outdoor practices. As of Monday, the Cavaliers hadn’t got on the field, but with warmer weather coming later in the week, the hope was to get outside.
In the meantime, there’s been plenty of hitting in the cage.
“I’ve seen the girls hit off the machine pretty regularly since the beginning of the year, but we haven’t faced any live pitching yet (as of Monday),” Kinnamon said. “They look good. They’re hitting the ball hard and recognizing pitch locations. They’re working hard.”
Kiski Area is in Section 1-5A again with state runner-up Armstrong, defending section champion Plum, Franklin Regional, Indiana, Penn Hills and Woodland Hills.
The Cavaliers jump right into section play with their first regular season game, March 29 at Woodland Hills.
“At this point, it’s just word of mouth and I’m still feeling my way around learning this section,” Kinnamon said. “The proof is there for Armstrong that they are a good program.” | 2022-03-18T01:34:51Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | ‘Good nucleus’ to keep Kiski Area softball team competitive in tough section | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/good-nucleus-to-keep-kiski-area-softball-team-competitive-in-tough-section/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/good-nucleus-to-keep-kiski-area-softball-team-competitive-in-tough-section/ |
Kiski Area sophomore Eliza Miller placed fourth in the Class 3A girls 100-yard breaststroke at the PIAA swimming championships March 17, 2022, at Bucknell.
Eliza Miller made the most of her first finals swim at the PIAA Class 3A championships.
The Kiski Area sophomore, tied for third after her preliminary swim in the 100-yard breaststroke Thursday at Bucknell , came back in the evening and posted a fourth-place finish in a time of 1 minute, 4.05 seconds.
She improved on her second-place time of 1:04.39 from WPIALs March 4 at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
“I felt great,” said Miller, who also finished 16th in the consolation finals of the 200 individual medley.
“When I looked up and saw where I was placed, I was in awe. There were so many really good swimmers in the race. I came in with the thought of wherever I place is fine. But to get fourth is amazing. Yesterday, I didn’t do as well as I had hoped, but I just had to refocus and come back ready to swim my best. Overall, it was a pretty good experience for my first time at states.”
Kiski Area coach Ryan Berberich presented Miller with her medal and was beaming with pride as she took her place on the medals podium.
“The bottom line is that Eliza Miller is a competitor,” he said. “When you race her, you know you are going to get her best effort. She knows her abilities, she knows how to win and how to prepare to win. She is a wonderful young lady, and I couldn’t be any more proud of her. She represents Kiski Area very well in what we expect out of our student athletes.
The Fox Chapel girls 400 free relay of junior Sophie Shao, senior Ariana Pasquella, junior Payton O’Toole and senior Rei Sperry came into the championship finals seeded seventh, and they bumped up two spots to a fifth-place finish in 3:29.91.
Picking up a medal in the 100 backstroke was Foxes junior Talia Bugel, who landed in eighth place with a time of 56.19.
“Her goal was to medal this year, and she did that,” Fox Chapel coach Dan Taylor said. “She was a little off her lifetime best, but she is really happy to be top eight in the state.”
Fox Chapel’s top-16 performances throughout the two days of competition, including a 13th from Pasquella in the 100 breast (1:05.73), earned points to a sixth-place finish in the girls team standings with 112 points.
North Allegheny recorded the top WPIAL finish (third) with 148 points.
Kiski Area’s Levi Hansen held his place in the boys 500 free as the Cavaliers junior was 12th after the prelims and in his consolation finals swim.
He dropped 3.29 seconds from his prelim time and bettered his school record with a finish of 4:34.95.
Hansen also went faster than his WPIAL third-place swim of 4:38.39.
“I had a lot of motivation to swim faster coming out of prelims in the morning,” said Hansen, who also placed ninth in the 200 free Wednesday.
“I felt pretty good in my (500) swim. By laps 13 to 15, I knew I was going faster through each one. I felt like I was gaining energy towards the end of the race.”
Fox Chapel freshman Owen Howell finished 15th in the consolation final of the boys 100 breast with a time of 58.65.
The Foxes boys 400 free relay of junior Emmanuel Drappatz, freshman Christian Dantey, and seniors Holden Smith and Nate Ross placed 12th in a time of 3:11.92.
Tags: Fox Chapel, Kiski Area | 2022-03-18T04:11:24Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Kiski Area’s Miller ‘in awe’ of 4th-place finish at PIAA Class 3A swimming championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/kiski-areas-miller-in-awe-of-4th-place-finish-at-piaa-class-3a-swimming-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/kiski-areas-miller-in-awe-of-4th-place-finish-at-piaa-class-3a-swimming-championships/ |
The Seneca Valley boys swimming and diving team captured its first PIAA title by taking the Class 3A crown Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Bucknell University. The Raiders finished with 188 team points, 14 more than two-time defending champion La Salle College from District 12.
LEWISBURG — The PIAA Class 3A boys swimming and diving team title is back with the WPIAL.
Seneca Valley captured its first team championship Thursday at Bucknell, and it also ended the two-year reign of District 12’s LaSalle College.
The Raiders clinched the title in the final event — the 400-yard free relay — as the quartet of Kevin Donaldson, Gavin Blazer, Zach Lozowski and Daniel Simoes raced to a winning time of 3 minutes, 5.37 seconds, edging both North Penn (3:05.53) and LaSalle College (3:05.95).
“I had the utmost trust in my teammates to give me a lead, and as soon as I dove in, I knew I could bring it home,” said Simoes, the relay’s anchor. “To do that for the team is such a great feeling.
“Everybody came in here and showed out both days. The relays did what we had to do, and all of the individual swims and the diving, too. Every place finish, every point mattered. It truly was a team effort.”
The relay victory, coupled with Simoes’ PIAA title in the 200 individual medley from Wednesday, as well as several top-eight medal-winning performances, put the Raiders over the top with 188 points.
LaSalle College, which finished third in the 400 free relay, ended as the runner-up with 174 points.
“LaSalle brings such a competitive team to states every year,” Seneca Valley coach Brian Blackwell said as he tried to hold back waves of emotion in the moments following the conclusion of the meet.
“We knew they were going to be a very tough opponent. We just believed in our training, our hard work, and our preparation. We had so many great performances both days. We gave ourselves a chance to win it at the end. This feels so great. I am so happy for the guys.”
Seneca Valley kicked off Thursday’s portion of the meet with a pair of medals in the 100 free as Simoes dropped time from his preliminary swim and placed third overall (45.18) while Kevin Donaldson landed in sixth place with a time of 45.75.
Right before the 400 free relay, junior Haihan Xu scored points for the Raiders as he finished fourth in a time of 56.27.
Upper St. Clair senior Ganesh Sivaramakrishnan finished second in the 100 backstroke by just four one-hundredths of a second to state champion Patrick Gilhool, a senior from Liberty.
Gilhool touched the wall at 47.57, while Sivaramakrishnan followed at 47.61.
“At first, when I touched the wall, I looked at my team and then I looked at the board and saw second place,” Sivaramakrishnan said.
“I was pretty upset that (Gilhool) out-touched me by four one-hundredths of a second. But it is what it is.
“I had a terrible second turn, and it is something that I am going to have to learn from. I had a perfect race, except for that one part.”
Sivaramakrishnan, who also earned an individual silver medal Wednesday in the 100 butterfly, took close to a second off his WPIAL-winning 100 back time of 48.51.
“Overall, I was pretty happy with (the 100 back),” he said. “Moving forward, I know what I have to do, what changes I have to make to be able to go even faster.”
Bethel Park senior Dom Cortopassi joined Sivaramakrishnan on the 100 back medals stand with a fourth-place finish in a time of 50.06.
On the girls side, North Allegheny junior Lexi Sundgren, the WPIAL champion in the 500 free, earned a silver medal in the event Thursday evening. She touched the wall in second place with a time of 4:51.80.
Sundgren added the silver medal to the fourth-place finish she recorded in the 200 free Wednesday.
North Allegheny sophomore Natalie Sens, the WPIAL champion in the Class 3A 100 breast, found herself seeded eighth heading into the finals in prime time Thursday.
The pair of runner-up finishes contributed 34 points to North Allegheny’s team total of 148, and it was good enough for third overall behind Hatboro Horsham (227) and Conestoga (164).
Tags: Bethel Park, North Allegheny, Seneca Valley, Upper St. Clair | 2022-03-18T04:11:42Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Seneca Valley boys capture Class 3A team title at PIAA swimming and diving championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/seneca-valley-boys-capture-class-3a-team-title-at-piaa-swimming-and-diving-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/seneca-valley-boys-capture-class-3a-team-title-at-piaa-swimming-and-diving-championships/ |
LEWISBURG — The Franklin Regional boys 400-yard freestyle relay team had its sights set on capping the PIAA Class 3A swimming championships Thursday evening at Bucknell with a swim in the finals heat.
But the Panthers quartet of senior Owen Holm, sophomores Benjamin Holm and Holden Thomas, and junior Aiden Bunker were edged out of a spot in the finals by just five one-hundredths of a second in the preliminaries earlier in the day.
Despite being relegated to the consolation finals, the relay came back and dropped time from the prelims and also from its time at WPIALs. It lowered its already established school record to 3:08.77 and placed ninth.
“It was so great, especially to be able to do it for Owen in his last high school swim,” said Bunker, the relay’s anchor. “We all had fun, and we put every last amount of our effort into the pool.”
FR’s time was faster than eighth-place Hershey (3:09.12), but the Panthers were locked into a consolation-place finish that could rise no higher than ninth.
“All four had best splits,” Franklin Regional coach Vic Santoro said. “That was a great swim to finish our meet.”
FR sophomore Holden Thomas also just missed a spot in the championship heat of the 100 backstroke, but he came back in the consolation finals and placed ninth with a time of 50.94.
Thomas and the relay each picked up nine team points towards the Panthers’ two-day total of 62, good enough for 11th place.
Hempfield landed one point and one spot behind Franklin Regional in 12th with 61 points.
The Spartans were featured in a pair of boys consolation swims Thursday as junior Liam Randolph finished 12th in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 57.99, and senior Jacob Dzurica was 16th in the 100 back (53.04).
Penn-Trafford sophomore Patton Graziano tied for 10th in the boys 100 back with a time of 51.46.
On the girls side, Hempfield senior Jordan Crupie capped her high school career with a 16th-place finish in the 100 back. She clocked a time of 58.15. | 2022-03-18T04:11:48Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Strong showing from Franklin Regional, Hempfield boys teams at PIAA championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/strong-showing-from-franklin-regional-hempfield-boys-teams-at-piaa-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/strong-showing-from-franklin-regional-hempfield-boys-teams-at-piaa-championships/ |
The Freeport girls 200-yard medley relay of, from left, Caitlyn Brennan, Lexi Schrecongost, Kira Schrecongost, and Isabelle Barton placed sixth overall March 18, 2022, at Bucknell University.
Freeport freshman Kira Schrecongost swam four times on the first day of the WPIAL Class 2A championships March 3 at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
She doubled that during the first day of the PIAA championships Friday at Bucknell.
Schrecongost swam two relay and two individual preliminaries and came back in the championship finals as part of the 200-yard medley relay and in the 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly. She also joined her Yellowjackets teammates in the 200 free relay.
“I feel accomplished with the eight swims, but it also is a little physically and mentally draining,” said Schrecongost, possibly the only swimmer in either the Class 2A and Class 3A meets to swim eight time in a single day.
“I pushed through it and exceeded my expectations for how I thought I was going to do.”
The Freeport girls 200 medley relay of sophomore Caitlyn Brennan, senior Lexi Schrecongost, Kira Schrecongost and freshman Isabelle Barton finished sixth with a time of 1 minute, 49.67 seconds, four one-hundredths better than their WPIAL time of 1:49.71.
The quartet came to the state meet seeded sixth, so they were able to hold their spot.
Kira Schrecongost added an eighth-place medal in the 200 IM (2:11.01) to her runner-up finish from WPIALs. She also finished seventh in the 100 fly (57.01) after winning the event at WPIALs.
The 200 free relay of the Schrecongost sisters, Barton and freshman Danielle Parke closed out Day 1 with a 12th-place swim in a time of 1:42.41.
Kira Schrecongost, now finished with her state swims, will cheer on her sister and Brennan on Saturday. Lexi Schrecongost is the fourth seed in the 100 breast and the 12th seed in the 100 free.
Brennan will swim in the first heat of the 100 backstroke.
Several others from the Alle-Kiski Valley swam consolation finals heats.
Knoch freshman Giona Lavorini made her PIAA debut and was second in her consolation finals heat and 10th overall in the 200 IM with a time of 2:10.05.
She came into the state meet seeded 11th with a seed time of 2:10.64 recorded at WPIALs.
Lavorini will swim the 100 breast Saturday.
On the boys side, Knoch senior Caden Traggiai finished 16th in consolation finals of the 200 free (1:47.75). He came into the state meet seeded 14th (1:47.24).
Traggiai will swim the 500 free Saturday.
St. Joseph senior Sam Wygonik just missed the consolation finals in 200 free. He was 17th (1:48.09) after the prelims, and Traggiai was 16th (1:47.89).
Wygonik returns tomorrow in the 500 free and is seeded 11th. | 2022-03-19T03:54:20Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | 8 is enough for Freeport freshman Kira Schrecongost at PIAA championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/eight-is-enough-for-freeport-freshman-schrecongost-at-piaa-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/eight-is-enough-for-freeport-freshman-schrecongost-at-piaa-championships/ |
High school roundup for March 18, 2022: Quaker Valley advances to PIAA finals
Quaker Valley rallied from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to advance to the state title game for the second time in school history after a 67-60 win over Archbishop Carroll in the PIAA Class 4A semifinals Friday night.
The Quakers trailed 49-41 after three quarters, but Markus Frank tipped in a shot to put them ahead 55-53. The bucket was part of a 16-5 run.
Frank finished with 28 points, Aidou Theiro had 20 points and Jack Gardinier scored 10.
The Quakers (27-0) were last in the state championship in 1999 when they fell to Annville-Cleona, 69-57, in double overtime.
They’ll play Neumann-Goretti at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the finals at Giant Center in Hershey.
Bishop Canevin 47, Elk County Catholic 21 — Bishop Canevin (24-4) cruised past Elk County Catholic (25-6) in the PIAA Class A semifinals to clinch their first state championship appearance. They held Elk County Catholic to single-digit point totals in all four quarters. Bishop Canevin will play St. John Neumann in the state championship at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Giant Center in Hershey.
Mt. Lebanon 41, Central Dauphin 35 — Ashleigh Connor scored 27 points to propel Mt. Lebanon (27-1) to a win over Central Dauphin (23-5) in the PIAA Class 6A semifinals. The Blue Devils advanced to the state championship for the sixth time in school history and the first time since they won in 2011. They will play Plymouth-Whitemarsh at 5 p.m. March 26 at Giant Center in Hershey. Marlie Dickerson had 18 points for Central Dauphin.
Neshannock 61, Bellwood-Antis 53 — Addi Watts, Mairan Haggerty and Neleh Nogay scored 14 points each to help Neshannock (28-2) clinch its second consecutive berth in the state championship in a win over Bellwood-Antis (24-7) in the PIAA Class 2A semifinals. Neleh Nogay added 10 points for the Lancers, who will play Southern Columbia in the state final at noon March 25 at Giant Center in Hershey. Chelsea McCaulsky paced Bellwood-Antis with 11 points. | 2022-03-19T03:54:32Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | High school roundup for March 18, 2022: Quaker Valley advances to PIAA finals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-march-18-2022-quaker-valley-advances-to-piaa-finals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/high-school-roundup-for-march-18-2022-quaker-valley-advances-to-piaa-finals/ |
Mt. Pleasant’s King is queen of the PIAA 50 freestyle, with a record time
Mt. Pleasant freshman Lily King set a state record in the Class 2A girls 50-yard freestyle (22.66 seconds) Friday evening at the PIAA swimming championships at Bucknell University.
Mt. Pleasant freshman Lily King familiarized herself with the top of a swimming medals podium at the WPIAL Class 2A championships earlier this month.
Before her 50, King swam as the freestyle anchor of the 200 medley relay and recorded a 22.02 split as the relay, also with Reegan Brown, SaraJo Gardner and McKenna Mizikar, took second in a time of 1 minute, 46.89 seconds.
“Swimming the relay earlier kind of got me familiarized with the pool,” King said. “I could work with the bulkhead and get my turns down. We also were really supporting each other throughout the race, and it really got me pumped up. I was glad I had that before my 50. ”
The medley relay cut 2.5 seconds from its WPIAL time of 1:49.46.
“We all got faster splits from this morning, and we got our best time, so that’s always good,” Gardner said. “Obviously, we were going for gold, but we’re still happy with how we did.”
Southmoreland junior Henry Miller joined King in the state-title club as he captured gold in the 100 fly. He came into states seeded sixth after finishing as the runner-up at WPIALs in a time of 51.04.
“With a positive outlook, I am looking to win always,” said Miller, who is the second seed for the 100 breaststroke on Saturday. “Coming in as the sixth seed, to drop 1.5 seconds in the prelims and to win it now, I couldn’t be any more happy with this day. I felt good the whole way. My race was solid. It’s been such a great time so far.”
The boys 200 medley relay was a reunion of sorts as five of the eight teams in the championship heat were from the WPIAL.
The Mt. Pleasant quartet of freshmen David Mutter and Joseph Gardner, sophomore Logan Snively and senior Joe Barrick led the way with a runner-up finish in a school-record time of 1:36.18. They edged out Hampton (1:37.15) by a half second for the silver medal.
The Vikings dropped almost two seconds from their WPIAL runner-up finish and bumped up one spot from the third overall seed.
“The race felt really amazing,” said Barrick, the relay’s anchor. “All of the hard work we put in the past two weeks since WPIALs really paid off in the end. I am really proud of all my teammates and for what we got today.”
North Catholic placed fourth (1:38.83). Northgate and Laurel Highlands tied for seventh with times of 1:39.52.
• WPIAL swimmers claim 7 state titles on first day of PIAA Class 2A championships | 2022-03-19T03:54:50Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Mt. Pleasant’s King is queen of the PIAA 50 freestyle, with a record time | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/mt-pleasants-king-is-queen-of-the-piaa-50-freestyle-with-a-record-time/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/mt-pleasants-king-is-queen-of-the-piaa-50-freestyle-with-a-record-time/ |
WPIAL swimmers claim 7 state titles on first day of PIAA Class 2A championships
Riverside’s 200 freestyle relay of, from left, Joe Roth, Ryan Turner, Sam Kline and Alex Roth claimed a gold medal at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 18, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Hampton’s Will Retsch claimed a gold medal in the 200 IM at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 18, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Indiana’s PReston Kessler claimed a gold medal in the 200 freestyle at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 18, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Friday was a banner day for WPIAL boys and girls swimmers at the PIAA Class 2A championships at Bucknell University.
The district took home seven individual state titles – four boys and three girls – out of the 12 contested events.
Indiana freshman Preston Kessler got the party started. He made the most of his first-ever championship finals swim at states as he captured the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1 minute, 40.39 seconds.
He dropped more than a half second from his WPIAL-winning time of 1:41.08 which made him the No. 1 overall seed heading to Bucknell.
“I wasn’t shaved for WPIALs, and I didn’t taper very much,” Kessler said. “It was a whole different mindset, honestly. I was thinking after WPIALs that I might be a fourth, fifth or sixth seed at states. When I got the sheet and saw I was the top seed, I was like, ‘This is crazy.’ The past two weeks between WPIALs and states have been hard work and a lot of mental preparation. I was really hoping for a time drop, and it paid off.”
The WPIAL was far from done bringing home PIAA gold, as in the very next event, Hampton senior Will Retsch, third in the 200 individual medley at states last year, ascended to the top of the podium in a winning time of 1:50.59.
The WPIAL champion, who raced three times on Friday, came to states seeded second in the 200 IM (1:51.81).
“I felt great going into my race,” said Retsch, who also earned a silver medal in a tie for second in the 100 butterfly with Boiling Spring’s Braelen Mowe (50.38).
“It was a fast heat, and I faced some good competition. They pushed me, and it was a lot of fun.”
Southmoreland junior Henry Miller added to the boys haul from the WPIAL as he captured the state title in the 100 fly. He came to states seeded sixth after finishing as the runner-up at WPIALs in a time of 51.04.
“With a positive outlook, I am looking to win always,” said Miller, who is the second seed for the 100 breaststroke on Saturday.
“Coming in as the sixth seed, to drop 1.5 seconds in the prelims and win it now, I couldn’t be any more happy with this day. I felt good the whole way. My race was solid. It’s been such a great time so far.”
The Riverside 200 free relay of Jo Roth, Ryan Turner, Sam Kline and Alex Roth scored the WPIAL’s fourth boys state title with a winning time of 1:25.86.
The team came in seeded first after clocking a time of 1:26.37 at WPIALs.
Jo Roth led off the relay after a heartbreaker in the 50 free in which he finished second (20.91) by the smallest of margins: one one-hundredth of a second.
“My teammates came up to me and told me to keep my head up, knowing we had a great shot to win the relay,” Jo Roth said.
“We all executed well. When I was done, I didn’t even have a second lead, but I know if we got the lead, everyone else would do what they needed to do to keep it.”
Mt. Pleasant freshman Lily King familiarized herself with the top of a swimming medals podium at the WPIAL championships earlier this month.
Northgate sophomore Elise Nardozzi picked up the first girls state title of the day as she raced past the competition in the 200 free, winning in a time of 1:49.09.
The WPIAL champion (1:49.41) came in seeded first overall as she set her sights on improving upon last year’s sixth-place finish in the event.
“I am so excited to have this (PIAA) medal,” said Nardozzi, who will swim Saturday as the No. 2 seed in the 100 free.
“I’ve been training really hard since WPIALs. It was really great to see all of that hard work pay off in the pool. There was a lot of motivation coming back from last year, and I was chipping away at my time all year.”
Mapletown junior Ella Menear knew what it was like to hold a PIAA medal in her hand as she captured last year’s 100 backstroke title at Cumberland Valley High School.
She wasn’t satisfied with one gold medal. She wanted another.
That’s just what she got.
Menear dropped time in the 200 IM, finishing first (2:00.50) by a half second over runner-up Kimberly Shannon, a sophomore from Lewisburg.
Shannon won the 200 IM last year as a freshman. Menear was third.
“I am probably even more excited than last year,” said Menear, who hopes to defend her 100 back title Saturday.
“Coming in as the No. 1 seed, there can be a lot of pressure. But I knew who I was up against this year. Kimberly Shannon is an amazing swimmer. Last year, she kind of beat me in the breaststroke, so I knew in the fly and backstroke, I really had to pick it up. It is just such a great feeling to be No. 1.”
Tags: Hampton, Indiana, Mapletown, Mt. Pleasant, Northgate, Riverside, Southmoreland | 2022-03-19T03:54:56Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | WPIAL swimmers claim 7 state titles on first day of PIAA Class 2A championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/wpial-swimmers-claim-7-state-titles-on-first-day-of-piaa-class-2a-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/wpial-swimmers-claim-7-state-titles-on-first-day-of-piaa-class-2a-championships/ |
After rounding out game, Hampton’s Hoehler headed to Pitt-Greensburg
Hampton’s Kayla Hoehler shoots a 3-pointer during the Talbots’ Section 2-5A opener against Plum on Dec. 16, 2021.
Hampton’s Kayla Hoehler has been playing basketball for more than half of her life.
She started playing at around age 7, continued through her middle school days and was a four-year varsity starter for the Talbots from 2018-22.
The 5-foot-8 senior guard plans to extend her career to the next level at Pitt-Greensburg and study early childhood education.
Hoehler was considering attending several colleges, including Westminster and Slippery Rock, before making her final decision.
“I chose UPG because of their coach, teammates, the campus and their great education program,” Hoehler said. “Having some of my family that lives in Greensburg is a huge plus as well.
“I was considering many other colleges during the recruiting process, and I was keeping things open until I officially decided that Pitt-Greensburg was where I want to go.”
Pitt-Greensburg is a member of the NCAA Division III Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference which also includes La Roche, Penn State Behrend, Pitt-Bradford, Penn State Altoona, Hilbert, Medaille, Mt. Aloysius and Alfred State.
“We are so excited to have Kayla join our squad next season,” UPG coach Kelsey Oddis said. “We are excited to get her up here for move-in and starting to work with the team and other recruits and to get the ball moving for preseason workouts.
“Kayla plays extremely unselfish and is a team player. She is willing to make the extra pass while still looking to attack the rim and look for her shot or 3-pointer. We believe she fits in well with our players and our program and are looking forward to what the future holds for her.”
Hoehler and the Talbots enjoyed an outstanding season in 2021-22, posting an 18-5 record and 9-3 section mark, good for a tie for second place with Mars.
In fact, it was one of the best regular seasons in program history. Only the 2016-17 team, which won its first 11 games, had a better start in the program’s past 20 years.
Hampton’s hoopsters jumped out to an 8-0 start — going undefeated in December — won 11 of their first 12 games, then won seven of eight late-season games before losing to Oakland Catholic, 42-35, in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.
The defending section champions won a season-opening tip-off tournament at Seneca Valley and won twice at their own holiday tournament in late December.
“I feel like we did pretty well this season, but we definitely could’ve done better,” Hoehler said. “My season went pretty well. I improved in some areas of the game that I have been working on improving throughout my high school career, such as rebounding, blocks, steals and assists.
“I felt my offense was present whenever my team needed me and especially in the beginning of the season.”
The lanky backcourt standout has been impacted by many throughout her athletic and academic careers.
“My biggest influences on my athletic career have been my dad, Stephen Curry and other professional NBA and WNBA players I have watched over the years,” she said. “And for my academic influences, I would say my family, especially my mom and dad, but also my teachers and peers as well.”
Hoehler has a 3.8 GPA, volunteers at her church and works a couple of part-time jobs, including one as a pet sitter.
She grew from a 5-6 freshman to her current height.
“Kayla was a tremendous individual, on and off the court, for our program,” Hampton coach Tony Howard said. “She is a tremendous role model for the younger girls. She is committed, skilled, works hard and is a class act in every aspect. Kayla was as consistent player. We could always count on her to compete and be productive in games.
“Kalya’s strength is her shooting. She definitely has unlimited range and can get extremely hot from beyond the 3-point line. As good a basketball player that Kayla is, she is a better person. She is a great teammate who is genuine and treats everyone with respect.”
“I love the feeling of being in the moment during a game and some of the pressure situations that come along with that,” she said. “I love the rush of adrenaline that just takes over and having clutch moments.
“The competitive aspect and just the feeling I get when I’m playing, whether in a game or shooting around in my driveway, I just get lost in game and think about nothing else.”
Hoehler did not have gaudy stats this season, averaging 8.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists. But she did move into the program’s top 15 in career scoring at No. 6.
Hampton’s top five all-time leading scorers are Ali Collins (1,383 points), Nadine Fazio (1,364), Laryn Edwards (1,314), Kim Bridge (1,200) and Jodie Luther (1,087).
The not-too-distant future for Hoehler consists of her freshman season at Pitt-Greensburg, which racked up a 20-6 record in 2021-22 and a 13-3 mark in the AMCC.
“Pitt-Greensburg is getting a great player for their program,” Howard said, “and it sounds like they play the same style of basketball that we did here at Hampton. She will fit in immediately and have an impact on the team next season.”
After defeating Penn State Altoona, 64-52, and Penn State Behrend, 80-78, in the AMCC tournament, Pitt-Greensburg lost a 72-59 decision to La Roche on Feb. 26 in the conference championship game.
UPG’s roster this season included eight players from western Pennsylvania. | 2022-03-19T17:36:44Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | After rounding out game, Hampton’s Hoehler headed to Pitt-Greensburg | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/after-rounding-out-game-hamptons-hoehler-headed-to-pitt-greensburg/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/after-rounding-out-game-hamptons-hoehler-headed-to-pitt-greensburg/ |
Hampton shatters expectations while winning back-to-back WPIAL swim titles
Hampton’s Michael Belch competes in the boys 100 butterfly during the WPIAL Class 2A swimming championships March 3, 2022, at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
Four individuals — Will Retsch, Ben Sheets, Chris Belch and Zach Sutterlin — and all three boys relays at Hampton qualified for the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships, as did Pax Carslaw, a diving specialist.
The leader of the pack was none other than Retsch, a senior who won WPIAL titles in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard butterfly to spark the Quakers to their second successive team championship.
“As a team, we did better than anyone could’ve expected,” Retsch said. “Everyone had great swims and a ton of best times.
“As for myself, I was very happy with where it put me going into states and I’m hoping to go even faster. I’ve been doing a lot of recovery work and basic drills to focus on the small parts of my stroke.”
Hampton took first place in the final team standings with 233 points, ahead of Riverside (205), North Catholic (198), Northgate (159) and Mt. Pleasant (147).
“I am very proud of the boys (team),” coach Morgan Zweygardt said. “We knew that if we did what we knew we could do, the pieces would fall into place for a repeat win. Every one of the boys stepped up and contributed. It was absolutely a full team effort.”
Retsch, seeded No. 1, broke the WPIAL record in the 200 IM with a 1:51.81 time. He splashed to a winning time of 1:54.79 last year.
Retsch’s time in the butterfly was a school-record 50.15. He was seeded second in that event.
“Will deserves every bit of the sucess he achieved at WPIALs,” Zweygardt said. “He is a hard worker and a great team leader. We had goals coming into WPIALs, and it is exciting to see them come to fruition.”
Hampton’s 200-yard medley relayers repeated as WPIAL titlists thanks to a 1:36.92 effort, which narrowly missed breaking the meet record of 1:36.11 set by the Talbots last year.
Sheets, a junior, sophomores Dan Bratu and Sutterlin and Retsch competed in the medley relay.
“The boys did exactly what we needed them to do to repeat as medley relay champs,” Zweygardt said. “Our record last year was 1:36.11. While they did not get that record, they were very close, which is phenomenal considering we lost two major parts of that relay. They are a tight group of boys, and it shows in their chemistry for the relays.”
Retsch and Sheets finished first and second in the 200 IM, which caught the attention of Zweygardt, their veteran coach.
Sheets posted a 1:52.55 — topping the previous meet record of 1:53.92.
“It was great to go one-two in the IM with Will and Ben,” Zweygardt said. “It (was) a huge boost for us going into states. The young side of our team showed up and performed, as well, with Chris Belch and Zach Sutterlin having top eight finishes. They (were) looking forward to racing the kids at states and I know they will do a great job.”
Sheets was a silver medalist in the 100 backstroke with a time of 51.83. Chris Belch and Sutterlin placed seventh and 10th in the event in 55.90 and 1:01.59. Sutterlin (2:11.60) also finished 16th in the 200 IM.
Retsch set the pace for three other Hampton swimmers in the 100 butterfly.
Freshman Chris Belch corraled seventh place in 54.09, Michael Belch took 13th in 56.61 and Bratu ended up 20th in 58.05.
The Talbots’ 400-yard freestyle relayers earned third place in 3:16.21 behind the efforts of Retsch, Bratu, Michael Belch and Sheets.
The 200-yard freestyle relayers captured eighth place in 1:34.26 as senior Davis Gindelsperger, Chris Belch, Michael Belch and Sutterlin teamed up in the event.
Gindelsperger also placed eighth in the 50 freestyle in 23.30 and tied for 20th in the 100 freestyle in 51.66.
Michael Belch finished 17th in the 100 freestyle in 51.46; Bratu placed 25th in 53:49.
Senior Ethen Oh (100 fly, 200 IM) and sophomore Vitaliy Pikalo (100 back, 200 free) also were WPIAL qualifiers for Hampton.
One additional state qualifier was Carslaw, a freshman diver who captured seventh place at the WPIAL finals with 281.20 points.
Hampton’s girls team was represented by two individuals and two relay units at the WPIAL championships.
Belle Donato, a senior, competed in the 100 backstroke and 200 IM. Emma An, a junior, participated in the 200 and 500 freestyle.
Donato and An also swam a leg in the 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay.
They were joined by juniors Teresa Grimm and Rita Khoury in the 200 medley relay and by senior Danielle Sutterlin and junior Rita Khoury in the 400 freestyle relay.
Senior Annelise Craig and junior Kayla Berkebile placed 15th and 17th at the WPIAL diving final.
The first-place finishers from the WPIAL swimming championships received automatic berths to the state meet held March 16-19 at Kinney Natatorium at Bucknell University. The remaining qualifiers were chosen as at-large bids. | 2022-03-19T17:36:50Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Hampton shatters expectations while winning back-to-back WPIAL swim titles | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/hampton-shatters-expectations-while-winning-back-to-back-wpial-swim-titles/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/hampton-shatters-expectations-while-winning-back-to-back-wpial-swim-titles/ |
Norwin notebook: Young to play in East-West All-Star Game
Norwin senior football player Jacob Young was added to the West roster for the big-school East-West All-Star Game, set for May 29 at Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg.
Young is a two-way lineman who played center, tackle, guard and defensive tackle for the Knights, and also can handle long-snapping duties.
The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Young has committed to play at Notre Dame College, a Division III program in Ohio.
What is interesting about the East-West selection is that his brother, Zach Young, played in the same all-star game in 2015. He also was a two-way lineman who went on to play at Thiel.
Kranitz defaults
Norwin senior Chase Kranitz had his stay in the winner’s bracket at the PIAA wrestling championships cut short.
Kranitz sustained an injury and had to default to Strath Haven’s Chase Barlow in the Round of 16.
Kranitz, a 160-pounder, will now focus his attention on a college career at Buffalo.
The boys’ Section 3-6A first team included Norwin junior Adam Bilinsky.
Girls Section 1-6A listed Norwin senior Brianna Zajicek and sophomore Lauren Palangio.
Seniors Michael Fleming and Ty Stecko made the second team, and junior Ryan Edwards was a third team pick.
DelleFemine on the move
Former Norwin football standout Anthony DelleFemine is leaving Youngstown State.
He began his college career at Robert Morris but setbacks and injuries forced him to change lanes. The 6-foot, 185-pound senior wide receiver played in two games in 2021.
He saw action in one game in 2019 at Robert Morris after playing in five in ‘18 when he caught nine passes for 125 yards.
Checking in on Norwin graduates playing in college:
Marian: The Knights (29-4) advanced to the NAIA Tournament for the eighth straight season. Sophomore reserve guard Jayla Wehner has been a key contributor, playing in all 32 games while averaging 3.8 points and 1.5 assists in 17.5 minutes.
Marietta: Sophomore guard Olivia Gribble had 12 points and made a pair of 3-pointers but Marietta fell to Hope, 85-66, in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament to close the season 22-6.
Gribble led a balanced attack in scoring with a 10.5 average and made a team-best 65 3-pointers, a total that was 42 more than the next player.
Mercyhurst: With a 2-0 record in just 8 1/3 innings of relief, freshman pitcher Jake Bazala is seeing time in key situations for the Lakers. He has struck out nine and walked two while allowing just one run.
Sophomore outfielder Aidan Shephard is carrying a .278 average and has four home runs, 10 runs and 10 RBIs.
Saint Vincent: Sophomore Maggie Edwards found the net three times for a hat trick as the Bearcats defeated Lancaster Bible, 19-12.
Saint Vincent: The Bearcats ran their winning streak to four with a 10-4 victory over Muskingum. Grad student Tyler Condrasky scored four goals to lead the attack, while junior Matthew Cassidy and junior Caleb Hawkins netted two apiece. | 2022-03-19T17:36:56Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Norwin notebook: Young to play in East-West All-Star Game | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-young-to-play-in-east-west-all-star-game/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/norwin-notebook-young-to-play-in-east-west-all-star-game/ |
Guido: Herr Stadium to become part of community garden
People’s Library of New Kensington
A 1957 aerial view of Herr Stadium in the Parnassus section of New Kensington in the lower right corner. The site of the area’s first night football game in 1930, the arae will be repurposed as a community garden.
One of the Alle-Kiski Valley’s historic athletic facilities, the place where the first local night football game was played, is turning into a community garden.
Herr Stadium, in the Parnassus section of New Kensington, was once a dual-purpose, football-baseball facility. It has been, basically, a playground over the last 30 years, serving the students at the former Fort Crawford Elementary School.
But the New Kensington-Arnold School District sold the grounds to the Salvation Army in 2019. Now, the Salvation Army will sponsor a community garden, replacing the garden that was located in the 800 block of downtown New Kensington. But the portion of the outfield and southernmost most area of Herr Stadium will become a community garden.
The playground is scheduled to stay.
On Oct. 17, 1930, Parnassus, then its own school district, rented a set of arc lights for the football game against Har-Brack. Though Har-Brack won, 21-13, Parnassus fullback Shyrocks Rybalski became the first local person to score a nocturnal touchdown.
At the time, both Parnassus and New Kensington high schools used Herr Stadium for football. When the two schools played, it was an understatement to say the rivalry was fierce.
There were fights, strikes and rioting and fans on both communities — and that was just leading up to the games.
Parnassus and New Kensington were not only separate school districts but separate municipalities that had their own police and fire departments, town councils and other services.
But on Election Day 1930, voters from both municipalities decided to consolidate. The expanded New Kensington, popularly known as Ken High, used Herr Stadium into the 1940s before the current Valley High Memorial Stadium opened in 1947. Because of its low-lying area below street level, the field would stay wet even several days after a rainfall. Ken High opponents derisively called the field the “duck pond,” but Ken High fans took it as a term of affection.
Baseball was still played at Herr Stadium for many years. In fact, when Ken High athletic director Al Dunn headed the WPIAL baseball committee, a huge number of games were scheduled for Herr Stadium into the 1960s.
Things changed when Ken High built its own baseball field where the Northern Westmoreland Career & Technology Center now stands.
The last big sports event at Herr Stadium was the 1983 state Little League junior division semifinal where Natrona Heights defeated Ingomar.
Kaniecki dies
Tom Kaniecki, who founded the girls basketball and softball programs at St. Joseph High School, died on March 12.
Kaniecki not only served as a sports builder and coach, he was the prime organizer of the St. Joseph Annual Golf Outing for over 30 years.
A 1962 St. Joseph graduate, Kanecki had a tryout with the Baltimore Orioles before an injury curtailed his baseball career.
Arrangements were handled by the Rusiewicz Funeral Home and Lower Burrell, and Kaniecki was interred at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Lower Burrell.
The family asks that memorial donations be made to St. Joseph High School, 800 Montana Avenue, Natrona Heights, PA, 15065. | 2022-03-19T23:46:26Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Guido: Herr Stadium to become part of community garden | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/guido-herr-stadium-to-become-part-of-community-garden/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/guido-herr-stadium-to-become-part-of-community-garden/ |
OLSH overcomes 22-point deficit, beats Kennedy Catholic in PIAA Class 2A semifinals
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele had 39 points in Saturday’s victory.
The mantra in March is “survive and advance.”
For Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Saturday afternoon, it was ultimate survival mode.
The Chargers, with their 66-game winning streak and a berth in the PIAA finals on the line, fell behind by 22 points midway through the second period, rallied to tie and send the game against Kennedy Catholic into overtime.
OLSH dominated the extra session and emerged with a 78-68 victory in the Class 2A semifinals before a near-capacity crowd at Armstrong High School.
OLSH now has 67 straight victories and can tie the state record of 68 set by West Philadelphia from 1976-78 with a win in the PIAA title game against either Philadelphia Constitution or Old Forge in Hershey at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Giant Center.
Jake DiMichele, the fourth-leading scorer in WPIAL history, tallied 21 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter and the overtime to pace the amazing comeback. The standout guard recalled his team’s last loss in the 2019 state semifinals.
“The best way to describe this is this game had a similar feel to the semifinals my freshman year when we lost,” DiMichele said. “I remember thinking after that game, ‘I wish I could have done more. I wish I could have done more.’ ”
The game started out with a scintillating performance by Golden Eagles senior Elijah Harden. The 6-foot guard hit all six of his 3-point attempts to give Kennedy Catholic a 27-10 lead at the end of the first period.
In the second quarter, it was more of the same as the Golden Eagles looked like they would have a chance to vie for a record 11th PIAA title. A basket by Harden, his only 2-pointer of the game, gave Kennedy Catholic a 36-14 lead with 3 minutes, 58 seconds left in the second quarter.
But OLSH began chipping away at the lead, cutting the deficit to 40-29 on a basket by Dawson Summers just before the half.
“It was a tremendous comeback,” OLSH coach Mike Rodriguez said. “The kid hit six straight threes and knew we’d have to come out on them on defense in the second quarter. We didn’t want to show it too early because our kids were hyped up. But we had to weather that storm, down by 22.”
The Chargers made more progress in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 52-48 on a 3-pointer by Kevin Wilson with 37.1 seconds to go.
Kennedy Catholic extended its lead to 63-53 on a pair of free throws by Harden with 5:15 left in regulation.
DiMichele’s steal with 2:13 left in the fourth quarter cut the Golden Eagles’ advantage to 63-60. A pivotal moment second later took place as DiMichele tried for the steal, tapping the ball away from the Kennedy ballhandler. An official first ruled the ball out of bounds to Kennedy Catholic. But after a conference, the call was changed to OLSH’s possession and DiMichele tied the game with his first 3-pointer of the game.
Summers tied the score on a basket with 1:13 to go, but his wrist was hit during the shot. His free throw missed as the 6-foot-5 center grabbed his shooting wrist in pain, thus keeping the score knotted at 65.
With Kennedy Catholic holding for a final shot, Simeir Wade misfired and the ball went out of bounds off OLSH with .3 seconds to go. A perfect inbounds pass from Geo Magesto to Remington Hart was blocked by Summers to send the game into overtime.
DiMichele hit a 3-pointer early into the overtime to give OLSH its first lead, 68-65. It was all OLSH after that.
Said Rodriguez: “We had to go to our defense, we had to start chasing a little more, going after their shooters a little bit more and it started to benefit us.”
“This outcome is something that is going to hurt,” Kennedy Catholic coach Ken Madison said. “Our juniors, sophomores and freshman sitting on that bench will understand the next time we get in this position. My seniors Elijah, Geo and Malik (Lampkins-Rudolph) were phenomenal, and I was glad they were able to show it on this stage.”
Harde finished the day with 31 points, Magesto had 19 and Lampkins-Rudolph had 12 and eight rebounds.
Summers had 16 points for OLSH with 12 rebounds and nine blocked shots.
DiMichele now has 2,578 career points, fourth in WPIAL history and 34 behind Neshannock’s Kevin Covert for the No. 3 spot. | 2022-03-19T23:46:32Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | OLSH overcomes 22-point deficit, beats Kennedy Catholic in PIAA Class 2A semifinals | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/olsh-overcomes-22-point-deficit-beats-kennedy-catholic-in-piaa-class-2a-semifinals/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/olsh-overcomes-22-point-deficit-beats-kennedy-catholic-in-piaa-class-2a-semifinals/ |
Mt. Pleasant girls place second at PIAA swimming championships
Mt. Pleasant’s Lily King (right) took first and Northgate’s Elise Nardozzi was second in the 100 freestyle at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
From left, Joseph Gardner (Mt. Pleasant), Henry Miller (Southmoreland) and Sam Schohn (Plum) placed second, third and fourth, respectively, in the 100 breaststoke at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Mt. Pleasant 400 freestyle relay members, from left, Reegan Brown, Trinity Graft, SaraJo Gardner and Lily King finished first at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Mt. Pleasant’s girls team finished second at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
It was quite the two days for the Mt. Pleasant girls swim team at the PIAA Class 2A championships at Bucknell.
Paced by two state championships from freshman Lily King and a third from the 400-yard freestyle relay of King, Reegan Brown, Trinity Craft and SaraJo Gardner, the Vikings placed second overall in the team standings with 169 points.
It was enough to make coach Sandy DeFelice well up with emotion talking about it.
“These girls worked so hard all season,” she said. “They support each other, and we had other team members here cheering for them, which has been a big plus all season. We all had confidence that they could do something like this.”
Mt. Pleasant adds this state runner-up finish to the first WPIAL title it won March 4 at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
The 400 free relay capped the meet with a winning time of 3 minutes, 30.64 seconds, better than its WPIAL record of 3:32.12. It was seven one-hundredths of a second behind Schuylkill Valley heading into King’s final leg.
King also brought home her second individual state title as she swam to a win in the 100 free. Her time of 49.78 was just 21 one-hundredths of a second off the PIAA record (49.57) set in 2013.
“The title and the state record were on my mind, but I was just mainly focusing on getting the best time that I could, doing what I needed to do,” King said. “Elise is an amazing swimmer. Her 200 yesterday was absolutely incredible. It was just awesome to have someone like that to compete against, knowing that either one of us would be happy for the other, no matter what the outcome turned out to be.”
Mt. Pleasant freshman Joe Gardner wasn’t happy with his 50 free swim from Friday — he finished ninth — but he was able to come back in the 100 breast on Saturday and pick up a silver medal.
He recorded a time of 56.47 seconds, faster than his 57.44 in finishing second at WPIALs.
Everyone in the 100 breast chased PIAA champion Matthew Raudabaugh from District 3’s Big Spring. Raudabaugh took the title in a time of 55.77.
“A silver medal isn’t bad, but it sure as (heck) isn’t No. 1,” Gardner said. “This is a lot of motivation for me to get back here next year and get the ultimate result I want. Matthew did a great job as a senior. A lot of people had him as a favorite. Me coming in as a freshman, a lot of people didn’t even know who I was. I am just thankful to be here. All glory to God for my performances and everything else the past two days.”
Southmoreland’s Henry Miller, who rose up Friday to claim the state title in the 100 butterfly, finished third in the 100 breast championship heat, recording a time of 56.96.
“I felt good, but I know there still is a lot of room for improvement in my race, though,” said Miller, who also finished third in the 100 breast last year (58.07) at Cumberland Valley High School.
“Matt was really impressive. He showed out in every way he could.”
With Gardner, Miller and Plum senior Sam Schohn, the WPIAL finished second, third and fourth.
“I love all of the WPIAL boys getting state medals,” Miller said. “It’s always the best part. It’s nice that my friends are right up there with me. It’s just so much fun racing against your buddies.”
Gardner also teamed with Logan Snively, Joe Barrick and David Mutter to placed fifth in the boys 400 free relay (3:16.94).
“I am really proud of how the relays performed,” Gardner said. “I think we were all going through a lot this weekend mentally, but we were able to push through.”
Mt. Pleasant freshman Kiersten O’Connor took home a sixth-place medal from the 100 backstroke in a time of 58.12. | 2022-03-20T02:19:18Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Mt. Pleasant girls place second at PIAA swimming championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/mt-pleasant-girls-place-second-at-piaa-swimming-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/mt-pleasant-girls-place-second-at-piaa-swimming-championships/ |
Freeport’s Lexi Schrecongost was fifth in the 100 breaststroke at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Seniors Sam Schohn from Plum and Lexi Schrecongost from Freeport capped their high school swimming careers Saturday with medal-winning performances at the PIAA Class 2A championships at Bucknell.
Both placed in the top eight in their respective 100-yard breaststroke races.
Schohn, 11th in the boys 100 breast at last year’s state meet at Cumberland Valley High School, finished fourth overall (58.27) this time around and was a part of a WPIAL trio — with Southmoreland junior Henry Miller and Mt. Pleasant freshman Joseph Gardner — who made a run at the top spot.
“Yesterday was kind of up and down, but today, I felt really good in the water,” said Schohn, who finished 23rd in the 200 individual medley Friday. “It was a fast pool, obviously, and I had some really good competition. I was seeded fourth, then I moved back to fifth after the prelims, and brought it back for fourth, so that felt really good. To see how much I improved from last year to this year, I made a big jump, and I am proud of myself for that.”
Big Spring (District 3) senior Matthew Raudabaugh brought home the PIAA title in a time of 55.77 seconds, but Gardner was right there in second (56.47), followed by Miller in third (56.96).
Schohn dropped nearly three seconds from his 100 breast time at states last year.
“It was so cool to see us go 1-2-3 at WPIALs and only have one guy beat us at states,” Schohn said. “That is so impressive to see how strong our district really is.”
Plum coach Shawn Haupt said Schohn earned every bit of the success he achieved.
“Sam worked hard and always made adjustments,” Haupt said. “This is what he wanted. To see him finally get on that podium, I am so excited for him. I knew he had one last really good swim left in him, and he showed it.”
Schrecongost, a Toledo commit, wrapped up her high school swimming career with a fifth-place medal in the 100 breast.
She came in seeded fourth and slipped back to seventh after the prelims. But in the finals, swimming in Lane 1, she dropped nearly a second from her prelim time and finish in 1:05.16.
Schrecongost added the individual fifth in the 100 breast to the sixth she earned with the 200 medley relay Friday.
“I was really confident that I was going to go out in the finals and do a lot better than I did in the prelims,” said Schrecongost, the 2021 WPIAL champion in the 100 breast. “After prelims, I went back to the hotel and focused on changing the gameplan, and what I needed to do to be better for tonight. I was visualizing my race and doing a lot strategizing.”
Schrecongost said that during her race, she tried to block out the fact that it was her final one.
“I definitely was trying to shut that out,” she said. “It hasn’t hit me yet. Probably next week, I am going to be like, ‘Oh my God, I am done with high school now.’ “
Schrecongost wasn’t the only one from the Alle-Kiski Valley to earn a medal in the girls 100 breast, as Knoch freshman Giona Lavorini clocked a finals time of 1:05.21 and placed sixth.
She first swam the consolation final of the 200 IM on Friday and took 10th overall (2:10.05).
St. Joseph senior Sam Wygonik also capped his high school career in the consolation finals of the 500 freestyle.
He placed 13th overall with a time of 4:49.79, dropping nearly 4 seconds from his time in the preliminaries.
Highlands junior Aidan Ochoa, also making his PIAA debut over the past two days, capped his stay at Bucknell with a 16th in the 100 backstroke (55.28).
• WPIAL swimmers claim 6 more titles at PIAA Class 2A championships | 2022-03-20T04:42:43Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Schohn, Schrecongost cap careers with medal-winning performances at PIAA swimming | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/schohn-schrecongost-cap-careers-with-medal-winning-performances-at-piaa-swimming/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/schohn-schrecongost-cap-careers-with-medal-winning-performances-at-piaa-swimming/ |
WPIAL swimmers claim 6 more titles at PIAA Class 2A championships
Riverside 400 frestyle relay of, from left, Alexander Roth, Ryan Turner, Sam Kline and Jo Roth finished first at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Riverside’s Jo Roth won the 100 backstroke at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Indiana’s Preston Kessler won the 100 freestyle and was named swimmer of the meet at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
Northgate’s Matt Purcell won the 500 freestyle at the PIAA Class 2A swimming championships March 19, 2022, at Bucknell’s Kinney Natatorium.
LEWISBURG — WPIAL swimmers continued to roll Saturday evening on the second day of the PIAA Class 2A championships at Bucknell.
They brought home six more state titles, boosting the final tally for the two days to 13.
WPIAL swimmers claimed the boys 100-yard freestyle, the 500 free, the 100 backstroke, and 400 free relay, plus the girls 100 free and 400 free relay.
Indiana freshman Preston Kessler doubled his pleasure, following up his 200 free title he won Friday with another championship Saturday.
As the top seed, he captured gold in the 100 free with a time of 44.96.
“Right after warm-ups this morning, I walked down to where my coaches were. I looked down, and there was a penny, face up,” Kessler said.
“Right there, I thought, ‘That’s good luck, and I am going to do good things today.’ I was determined to come back and do the same thing I did yesterday (in the 200 free).”
Kessler admitted that he came in to his swims both days a little nervous.
“I came in here yesterday so nervous. Today, I came in just as nervous. But my team and my parents were there to calm me down and tell me everything was going to be good. I am so grateful to have that.”
On the strength of his two state championships, Kessler was presented the plaque designating him the Swimmer of the Meet.
Riverside sophomore Joe Roth had enough motivation from last year’s runner-up finish in the boys 100 backstroke (50.36) to fill an Olympic sized pool as he went after the title in the event Saturday.
Add that to his near miss in the 50 free from Friday where he finished second overall by just one one-hundredth of a second.
Roth was ready to bring home individual gold.
Mission accomplished, as Roth raced to a state-record time of 48.44.
“I came in here pretty determined after the loss in the 50,” Roth said.
“I knew after my prelim swim earlier in the day that I was ready to win this. It was a long day yesterday, and I wasn’t feeling my best. But today, it was a little better, and I felt I could swim well.”
Roth then joined older brother, senior Alex Roth, as well as junior Sam Kline and sophomore Ryan Turner on the gold-medal winning Panthers 400 free relay.
The quartet outdistanced the field with a winning time of 3:09.95.
“Obviously, you don’t want it to end,” Alex Roth said concerning the 400 free relay being his final high school race.
“All good things do come to an end, but I will take with me some great memories swimming and racing with some great guys, the ones on the relay and everyone on the team. I love them like brothers. It’s tough to say goodbye, but winning gold to end it feels pretty good.”
Northgate junior Matt Purcell watched sophomore teammate Elise Nardozzi win a state title Friday in the 200 free.
It was his turn Saturday.
Purcell, seeded second overall in the 500 free heading to states, raced to a winning championship-finals time of 4:35.14.
“I thought to myself, ‘Well, I have to do it, too.’ We both had WPIAL championships a couple weeks ago, and I wanted us to continue it at state,” said Purcell, who finished fourth in the 200 IM on Friday.
Purcell said he felt added endurance from a workout regimen helped convince him to make the switch from swimming the 100 back at states as a freshman and sophomore.
“I got some really great aerobic training this year,” he said. “Last year at this time, I was 4:51, and now I am 4:35. It’s definitely been a big drop. I trained really hard, and I wanted to see it pay off here today.”
Fueled by the two relay state titles and Jo Roth’s win in the 100 back and second in the 200 free, Riverside finished second in the team standings with 148 points.
Cathedral Prep from District 10 won the state title with 196 points.
The WPIAL was well-represented in the top 10 as North Catholic finished third (122 points), and Northgate was fifth (107). Hampton and Mt. Pleasant tied for sixth with 97 points, and Indiana was ninth with 71 points.
Mt. Pleasant freshman Lily King brought home her second individual state title Saturday as she swam to a win in the 100 free. Her time of 49.78 was just 21 one-hundredths of a second off the PIAA record (49.57) set in 2013.
“The title and the state record were on my mind, but I was just mainly focusing on getting the best time that I could, doing what I needed to do,” King said.
“Elise is an amazing swimmer. Her 200 yesterday was absolutely incredible. It was just awesome to have someone like that to compete against, knowing that either one of us would be happy for the other, no matter what the outcome turned out to be.”
King then joined teammates Reegan Brown, Trinity Graft and SaraJo Gardner on the triumphant 400 free relay.
The 400 free relay capped the meet with a winning time of 3 minutes, 30.64 seconds, better than its WPIAL-record of 3:32.12. It was seven one-hundredths of a second behind Schuylkill Valley heading into King’s final leg.
Paced by two state championships from King and a third from the 400-yard freestyle relay, the Vikings placed second overall in the team standings with 169 points.
It was enough to make coach Sandy DeFelice well up with emotion talking about it when it was all said and done.
“These girls worked so hard all season,” she said.
“They support each other, and we had other team members here cheering for them, which has been a big plus all season. We all had confidence that they could do something like this.”
• Schohn, Schrecongost cap careers with medal-winning performances at PIAA swimming | 2022-03-20T04:42:49Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | WPIAL swimmers claim 6 more titles at PIAA Class 2A championships | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/wpial-swimmers-claim-6-more-titles-at-piaa-class-2a-championships/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/wpial-swimmers-claim-6-more-titles-at-piaa-class-2a-championships/ |
New coach set to lead Pine-Richland softball team
Pitcher Gabriella Aughton returns after helping the Rams to their first playoff win in 25 years.
Sam Hartsberg has coached travel softball for close to a decade and always had an interest in coaching at the high school level. But first he wanted to watch his daughter, Leah, play at Pine-Richland.
When Leah graduated last year, he reached out to then Pine-Richland coach Gary Shepard about possibly joining his staff. That’s when Shepard informed him he was retiring.
So Hartsberg decided to apply for the Rams job, and he was hired.
Now he will lead a team that is coming off its best season in a quarter century and has plenty of talent returning.
“I know a lot of these kids and coached a lot of them when they were little,” Hartsberg said. “Some of them are seniors now, and it’s really cool to kind of come full circle. We have a good group of girls at both the varsity and JV, and we’re excited to see what we can do this year.”
Pine-Richland won a playoff game for the first time in 25 years by defeating Mt. Lebanon, 6-1, in the first round before falling to eventual WPIAL champ Bethel Park, 9-0, in the semifinals. They finished 9-9 overall and 6-4 in Section 2-6A.
“It was great to watch last year, because I know where those girls came from,” Hartsburg said. “I know the rough years and how tough it was for them to get to that point. I’m excited to build upon it and move forward.”
The Rams return ace pitcher Gabriella Aughton, a Boston College recruit. There’s also some depth in the pitching staff with Harley Aguglia, a Pitt-Greensburg commit.
“Both of them have been stepping up to lead the team through winter conditioning and workouts,” Hartsberg said. “We always talk about how this is a team. It’s not one person, but a whole team, and if we play that way, I like our chances.”
Alexia Brown, a Penn State Behrend recruit, returns at catcher. Mackenzie Gillis had a standout freshman season and will slot in at third base.
“Mackenzie is one of the girls I’ve known since she was little, and she’s all about softball,” Hartsberg said. “I know she wants to play in college. We had player meetings recently, and I talked with her about being a leader even if she is a sophomore because she works so hard and that rubs off on the other girls. She’s a power bat, and we’re looking forward to what she can bring for us.”
Other returning starters include Marissa DeLuca (shortstop), Ella Kasperowicz (second base), Jocelyn Langer (left field) and Natalie Zentz (right field).
Hartsberg said there are players battling for various positions, and he has a strong freshman class.
The Rams are in Section 2 again with defending section champ Norwin, perennial power Hempfield, North Allegheny, Seneca Valley and Butler. Compared to most new coaches, Hartsberg had a unique opportunity to watch all of the Rams games from the stands last year, giving him a good look at each opponent they will face this season.
“I think 6A in general is pretty solid all around,” Hartsberg said. “Really everyone in our section is talented. I got to see everybody play last year, and I know each team had some graduates and new ones coming in. It’s going to be a fight. Even our nonsection games are not going to be easy. We scheduled, on purpose, the best teams we could play like North Catholic, Armstrong, Latrobe and Shaler. We wanted to challenge ourselves and get ready for section play.” | 2022-03-20T18:58:45Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | New coach set to lead Pine-Richland softball team | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/new-coach-set-to-lead-pine-richland-softball-team/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/new-coach-set-to-lead-pine-richland-softball-team/ |
What to watch in high school sports on March 21, 2022: PIHL titles up for grabs
Welcome to the PIHL Penguins Cup Championships.
Four games over two days will decide the 2022 high school hockey champions.
All four games will take place at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry and can be watched on Trib HSSN at 6:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.
3A surprise
The top two seeds in the PIHL Class 3A Penguins Cup playoffs were knocked out in the semifinals, including defending champion and top-seeded North Allegheny.
So now the stage is set as No. 3 Peters Township faces off against No. 5 Seneca Valley in the first game Monday.
Before NA began its two-year run on top in Class 3A in 2019 (there was no champion crowned in 2020), Seneca Valley and Peters Township were the two previous champions.
The Raiders won the cup in 2018 while the Indians skated to gold in 2017.
Seneca Valley hopes to win a second high school hockey title while Peters Township tries to capture a seventh PIHL crown.
The Indians won both head-to-head meetings between the two this season, beating the Raiders, 9-4, in November and 4-2 less than a month later in December.
Chase Stauffer and Ben Kovac have led Peters Township with three goals each in their two playoff wins while Indians goaltender Noaln Hilbert has stopped all but two shots in the postseason.
For Seneca Valley, Shane Kozlina and Andrew Davis each have scored two playoff goals while Raiders netminder Jonathan Nichols has stopped 55 of 57 shots on goal.
Class A bigger surprise
A No. 3 vs. No. 5 championship matchup in Class 3A is a bit of a surprise, but it pales in comparison to a No. 4 vs. a No. 7 in the finals.
That’s the case for the Penguins Cup Class A championship game at 8:45 p.m. Monday.
Both Norwin and McDowell come to Cranberry in search of a first PIHL Penguins Cup title.
McDowell hopes to join Cathedral Prep and Meadville as the third school to win a PIHL championship north of Interstate 80.
The only meeting of the year between the two teams happened back in November with Norwin winning 6-3.
Norwin needed overtime to upset top-seeded Fox Chapel in the semifinals. The Knights have been led by Mario Cavallaro and Alex Thomas, who have scored two goals each in two wins.
Kurt Johnson has led the Trojans with three goals in two postseason wins.
Tags: Norwin, Peters Township, Seneca Valley | 2022-03-21T04:40:16Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | What to watch in high school sports on March 21, 2022: PIHL titles up for grabs | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-in-high-school-sports-on-march-21-2022-pihl-titles-up-for-grabs/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/what-to-watch-in-high-school-sports-on-march-21-2022-pihl-titles-up-for-grabs/ |
After postseason upset, St. Joseph girls eager to build
St. Joseph’s Gia Richter steals the ball during a game against Apollo-Ridge on Jan. 19.
While St. Joseph’s girls basketball team didn’t achieve the ultimate WPIAL prize of a district basketball title, it did pull off the win of the postseason.
And it might be a sign of things to come.
The Spartans finished the season with a 10-15 record but upset Class A’s top seed, three-time defending champion Rochester, 57-54, in the WPIAL quarterfinals.
“It was fantastic,” said coach Dennis Jones. “You always hope that these things are going to happen, but when they actually happen, it’s really special, especially with my team being so young. We definitely have some skill, but being freshmen, sophomores and just one senior, it was a little unexpected.”
St. Joseph picked up a first-round win over Mapletown before pulling the stunner.
“We started jelling as a team. We finally got healthy and were able to play games consistently,” Jones said. “And we got on a run. I think we peaked against Rochester.”
Finding cohesion wasn’t easy for Jones’ team. Injuries, covid-19, and, more than anything, inexperience led to a bit of an up-and-down regular season.
“They just seemed to bond in the Mapletown game and it carried over to Rochester,” Jones said of his team, which lost to Aquinas Academy in the WPIAL semifinals and Shanksville-Stonycreek in the PIAA first round. “They believed that, if we played defense and everybody did their own job, that we’d come out on top.”
The win over the Rams, in which the Spartans rallied from down nearly 20 points, pushed St. Joseph into the semifinals for just the second time in program history but second time in five years.
It could be a springboard for the program going forward. Jones will return all but one player, senior Trinity Lockwood-Morris. St. Joseph had no juniors on the roster as well.
Julie Spinelli, a sophomore, led the team in scoring at about 14 points per game. Lockwood-Morris scored averaged about 10 and sophomore Emma Swierczewski scored about seven per game.
Spinelli is the team’s most polished player, having spent plenty of offseason time in the AAU circuit. But she’ll be far from alone going forward.
“(The sophomore group) is going to be the backbone of our team going forward.” Jones said. “Four of them have played together through grade school. They’re just really good friends and a tight knit group.”
The Spartans entered the season off a 6-15 campaign last year, which followed just four wins between the previous two seasons combined.
“The first two years were really tough,” Jones said. “We won one game and then three games. Most of the kids were volleyball players. We just didn’t have girls that wanted to play basketball. It was a great freshmen group last year, and they’re just staying together and believing in each other. And that’s half the battle.
Jones will have the benefit of having one of the biggest teams in Class A next season, with four current sophomores over 5-foot-10, including Anna Kreinbrook, who is 6-2.
Their goal, however, is to get physically stronger and better at handling the basketball through studying and understanding the game better.
Jones, meanwhile, will continue to try to work on the team’s blossoming unity.
“We’re just trying to foster that teamwork and togetherness, that family atmosphere,” he said.
“The future definitely looks bright.” | 2022-03-22T20:48:47Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | After postseason upset, St. Joseph girls eager to build | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/after-postseason-upset-st-joseph-girls-eager-to-build/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/after-postseason-upset-st-joseph-girls-eager-to-build/ |
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Mullaney taking game to new level with regional bowling title
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Mike Mullaney won the Western Pennsylvania regional boys singles championship March 4 at North Versailles Bowling Center.
On the day Mike Mullaney won a bowling title, his high school coach at Greensburg Central Catholic suggested he take a bit of time away to reflect and refresh.
Hours later, Don Yuhouse walked into Hillview Bowling Lanes on East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg to visit his son, Aaron, the pro shop manager, when he was overwhelmed with the sight of the 15-year-old Mullaney standing around the lanes, bowling ball in hand.
“He’s in such a groove right now,” Yuhouse said. “When he won that tournament, I was so excited for him. I hugged him and said, ‘Man, I love you.’ ”
Mullaney, who planned to travel to Newark, Del., over the weekend to participate in a junior national tournament, was coming off an impressive victory at the Western Pennsylvania regional boys singles championships March 4 at North Versailles Bowling Center.
“The kid is smooth. He’s on his way,” Yuhouse said. “He has a lot to learn, like bowling is 90% mental and you must keep your temper under control. He’s only 15, but already he’s probably the most advanced sophomore we’ve ever had.”
Mullaney ranked fifth after the five-game qualifying series with a score of 1,027 and high game of 224. He then topped the 200 mark in four successive games in the step-ladder finals.
It came shortly after Mullaney missed qualifying for the step-ladder finals by just five pins at the WPIBL boys singles championship.
“It’s one of those things where you feel like you’re on top of the world,” Mullaney said. “I’ve never been in that position. You know you can do it. It’s just a matter of executing.”
After qualifying for the regional step-ladder finals, he survived a four-man first-round match, bowling a 201 to top Butler’s Rocco Rice (180), Montour’s Maxwell Vermeulen (179) and Bishop Canevin’s Jonathan Bernotas (133).
A 222-199 victory over Vincent Mincucci of Hempfield in the quarterfinals was followed by a 241-215 upset of top seed Trevon Scott of Steel Valley in the semifinals.
Then, in the finals, Mullaney defeated his second Hempfield bowler of the day, Dominick Vallano, 220-182.
“My grandfather (Dave Righino of Hempfield) bowled in a league,” Mullaney said. “He really was the one who taught me first how to bowl, how to throw the ball, how to slide, how to make sure everything I’m doing is stable so it’s repeatable.
“Just like golf, bowling is a game of repetition.”
Mullaney, whose family lives in South Greensburg, began school in the Greensburg Salem system before transferring to Greensburg Central Catholic before the start of his freshman year.
He has played baseball, golf and tennis in the past but quickly is finding out that bowling is his game.
“I think this year I’m going to double down on bowling,” he said, explaining that his hope is to get into the summer tournament circuit. “My game is nowhere near where it needs to be if I’d want to take a shot at bowling in college. It’s going to take a lot of work.”
Mullaney appears to be on the right track, seemingly willing to take advantage of any opportunity that comes along, such as practicing at Hillview even though earlier in the day he’d bowled competitively.
Yuhouse likened Mullaney’s thought process to a basketball player returning to the gym after a game to work on various aspects, such as shooting and ballhandling.
“When he won that tournament, it totally shocked me,” Yuhouse said. “Not that he’s not capable, because he’s so dedicated. He’s really become devoted to bowling. I thought, ‘Wow, one of these days …’ He’s been developing and maturing. You have to be there to experience it. He’s been there and now has the desire and the heart to want to be the best.”
Yuhouse, GCC’s longtime bowling coach in his 26th year, laughed while recalling a conversation with Mullaney shortly after the regional event.
“I’ve maybe had five or six bowlers in my career that were capable of doing what he did,” Yuhouse said. “The tournament wasn’t set up like that. Mike came to me and said, ‘I’m breaking records, Mr. Yuhouse.’ I said, ‘No, you’re setting them.’ ”
Mullaney has become a close friend of Aaron Yuhouse, who won three bowling league MVP awards at GCC from 2000-04. He hopes to make the same impact as Yuhouse did on the lanes.
Don Yuhouse, like his son, is among Mullaney’s biggest supporters.
“It’s like what Mike has been saying about Aaron,” Don Yuhouse said. “Now, other kids will come through and say, ‘I want to do what Mike Mullaney did.’” | 2022-03-22T20:48:53Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Greensburg Central Catholic’s Mullaney taking game to new level with regional bowling title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/greensburg-central-catholics-mullaney-taking-game-to-new-level-with-regional-bowling-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/greensburg-central-catholics-mullaney-taking-game-to-new-level-with-regional-bowling-title/ |
Aliquippa’s Cameron Lindsey celebrates after defeating South Allegheny in a PIAA Class 3A state semifinal on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at Highlands High School.
The stage is set for the final weekend of high school basketball in the 2022 season as the top 12 boys hoops teams descend on the Giant Center in Hershey in an attempt to win state gold.
So before checking out the penultimate Trib HSSN rankings in which all six top-ranked schools advanced to the finals, as did four of the No. 2 teams, it’s time for a district scoreboard update.
District 12 has six teams in Hershey and is represented in all but the Class A game. D-12 is guaranteed one state crown as Roman Catholic faces Archbishop Wood in the weekend finals on Saturday in 6A.
The WPIAL (District 7) is next with five teams, with participants in every game except Class 6A.
District 12 goes head-to-head against the WPIAL in four of the six state title games.
The only other team to reach the finals not from D-12 or D-7 is St. John Neumann in Class A from District 4. | 2022-03-23T02:55:21Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Trib HSSN boys basketball state rankings for March 22, 2022 | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-boys-basketball-state-rankings-for-march-22-2022/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/trib-hssn-boys-basketball-state-rankings-for-march-22-2022/ |
Potential NFL path draws Thomas Jefferson’s Jordan Mayer to Boston College
Thomas Jefferson’s Jordan Mayer celebrates a tackle for loss against Hampton on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, at Fridley Field in Hampton..
Thomas Jefferson’s Jordan Mayer scores past Gateway’s Carsen Engleka during the second quarter Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, in Monroeville.
Jordan Mayer is very good at getting his arms around quarterbacks, but when the Thomas Jefferson junior committed to Boston College, he was the one wrapped up.
“I’ve never felt a hug like that from a bigger person,” said Mayer, who was bear-hugged by BC defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase. “He’s a big guy. Like 6-7, 300-some pounds with massive hands. He lifted me up. I’ve never been lifted up by someone like that.”
And Mayer isn’t little.
The 6-foot-5, 236-pound defensive end and tight end said he chose Boston College because the Eagles coaching staff made him feel comfortable and confident in his future there.
Mayer announced his college decision Friday. He also considered Rutgers, and listed FBS offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Charlotte, Central Michigan, Duke, Eastern Michigan, James Madison, Kent State, Miami (Ohio), Navy, Ohio, Toledo and West Virginia.
“I wanted to make sure I was surrounding myself with the right people,” he said.
At Boston College, Mayer said he liked the small class sizes and the opportunity to live in Boston.
But what clinched his decision was the chance to play FBS football in the ACC for a program that routinely sends players to the NFL. Boston College had 10 players selected in the past four NFL drafts.
“As soon as you get there, they prepare you for the NFL,” Mayer said. “That’s what I was kind of focused on. That really fit my need.”
Off the field, Mayer said he was intrigued by strict nutrition and conditioning programs at Boston College.
“They’re ready to send guys to the league,” he said. “That’s what I’m all about. I want to keep pushing forward and achieve my end dream.”
Mayer first visited Boston College last June and returned this weekend to watch practice. During his latest visit, he was able to talk with BC quarterback Phil Jurkovec, a Pine-Richland graduate and likely selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
“He loves it up there,” Mayer said.
Mayer earned first-team all-conference honors in WPIAL Class 4A last season at defensive line. Rivals ranked him as a three-star prospect at defensive end. However, it’s undecided which side of the ball he’ll play in college, and Mayer said he’s OK with either option.
“I just want to play football,” he said.
The two-sport athlete gave up basketball this winter to focus on football. He now works out four days a week on speed training and conditioning drills and has 7-on-7 practices twice weekly.
Mayer said he intends to graduate a semester early and was pleased to finalize his college plans now. When he met with BC coach Jeff Hafley during his weekend visit, Hafley told him he’d be a great fit there.
“I said, ‘Good, because I’m going to be here for the next four years,’” Mayer said. “I’m committed.”
• WPIAL rejects Butler’s compromise, leaving football team ineligible for District 10 playoffs | 2022-03-24T00:47:38Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Potential NFL path draws Thomas Jefferson’s Jordan Mayer to Boston College | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/potential-nfl-path-draws-thomas-jeffersons-jordan-mayer-to-boston-college/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/potential-nfl-path-draws-thomas-jeffersons-jordan-mayer-to-boston-college/ |
Fueled by playoff loss, expectations surging for Springdale softball
To say the Springdale softball program has turned things around would be an understatement.
The Dynamos won 24 games over the past two seasons, more than they won in the previous 10 years combined.
Now, coach Anthony Pototo feels his team can take it a step further.
“It’s just been a really good, solid group of girls that I’ve had since they came in as freshmen,” said Pototo, entering his eighth season. “In the last year, we’ve progressively gotten better.”
The next hurdle, however, is making a deep run in the playoffs. In 2021 and ‘19, Springdale had blowout first-round wins in the Class A playoffs but lost in the quarterfinal round.
A year ago, the team went 11-4 and split the Section 3-A title with Leechburg. But a 3-2 loss to South Side in the WPIAL quarterfinals still lingers.
“We just came up short,” Pototo said. “We know we had that game. I believe they know we had that game. But it was a learning experience. From the last couple of years of us all being together and with a core group of seniors, we’re ready to win the section title flat out, make it past that second round and win a WPIAL championship.”
Gone from last year’s team are three players who graduated and occupied the right side of the field in first baseman Natalie Woitas, second baseman Dayna Zezza and right fielder Miranda Shock.
“We’ve had some girls step up and take on those roles,” Pototo said. “We’re moving some people around to see where they fit.”
From the pitching circle to home plate is where this group is strongest. Pitt-Johnstown commit Alexis Hrivnak will handle the bulk of the pitching in her senior season.
“She’s the workhorse on the team,” said Pototo of Hrivnak, who also will be the team’s cleanup hitter. “We all rally behind her, and she does well on the mound. She’s very tough to hit against, and she throws a lot of innings. She’s very consistent and works hard on the game.”
Brianna Thompson, who is a travel softball player, provides position flexibility for Springdale but primarily will see time behind the plate, as she is committed to catch at Geneva next year.
Senior Emily Wilhelm, a shortstop, will hit second in the order and provide more veteran leadership for a team that will have plenty.
“These girls, they don’t just play school ball, they play travel ball,” Pototo added. “So they know what it’s like to win. They brought that mentality, that work ethic, back to Springdale. They’re taking the young girls under their wing and are helping them out and teaching them along the way.”
Autumn Sprouse, Maggie Dvorsak and Isabella Savko will be reliable contributors, and a freshman, Ashlyn Ferderbar, is a promising newcomer.
“(Ferderbar) can play anywhere in the infield,” he said. “We’re looking to see if she can give us some innings (pitching) as well. And she’ll hit leadoff for us, as well.”
Pototo feels the section might come down to his team and Leechburg.
“They’re the team we always kind of star (on the schedule),” he said. “Not only are they a section game, but we’re like, ‘This is what we’ve got to get ready for.’ They’re coached very well, and they have their pitcher back from last year.”
Expectations, for a program just four years removed from consecutive one-win seasons, are suddenly quite high. And the fuel from last year’s finish could be enough to push the Dynamos over the top.
“We know what we’re capable of doing,” Pototo said. “We know that there’s a lot of talent in not only our section, but the other sections. But we know that we can compete against any team in Class A.
“We want to get past that, we’re confident enough that we will get past that. We just have to go out there and do it. We don’t want to leave with that sour taste in our mouth from last year.” | 2022-03-24T05:34:48Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Fueled by playoff loss, expectations surging for Springdale softball | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fueled-by-playoff-loss-expectations-surging-for-springdale-softball/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/fueled-by-playoff-loss-expectations-surging-for-springdale-softball/ |
Recent Springdale grad set to turn around alma mater’s baseball program
If you’re at a Springdale baseball game this spring, don’t be surprised if it takes a minute to identify the team’s coach.
Dante Mahlmeister was hired in mid-February to lead his alma mater and attempt to turn around a program that has fallen on hard times.
Mahlmeister, 24, played baseball, football and basketball at Springdale, where he graduated from in 2016.
“It has its pros and cons,” Mahlmeister said of his age. “The kids are comfortable with me because it’s easy to relate to me. I dress the same way. We kind of listen to the same music. We laugh at the same things.
“But I have been trying to do a better job of drawing that clear line between friend and coach. But I ultimately think it’s an advantage.”
Mahlmeister’s biggest task, however, is trying to turn the Dynamos into a winner.
Springdale went 1-11 last year. The close to the season, however, was a bit more positive. The Dynamos were outscored 95-8 over the first eight games but 25-21 in the last four games, including a win over section foe St. Joseph.
That said, victories have been few and far between. Over the past three seasons, Springdale has won just four games.
“When I went to school there, we were coming off coach (Chuck) Wagner and (Don “Pappy”) Bolton from the football program,” said Mahlmeister, who is coaching at the high school level for the first time. “Their attitude permeated through all of the sports. Recently, some of the tradition has gone away. We’re just trying to bring back some of the old stuff.”
Despite having only 11 players, there is talent and experience on the roster. Six of the players are seniors.
“I’m kind of jumping into their senior year,” said Mahlmeister, a 2020 IUP grad. “At first they were looking at me like ‘who is this guy?’ And I went through the same thing with coaches. But they’ve come around, and we do have a good group of kids, no matter how small it is.”
Mahlmeister has built the roster with numerous multisport athletes. Pitcher Legend Ausk, who quarterbacked the football team, has a “live arm” that can top 80 mph, according to his new coach.
Another senior, Colin O’Day, will serve as a super-utility player.
“He’s ‘Mr. Reliable,’” Mahlmeister said. “He’s a guy to look out for, for sure.”
Junior Joe Wylly was a captain as a sophomore last year and returns. Chris Savko, a center fielder committed to Mansfield and the National Guard, will captain the team. Josh Kaminski is committed to St. Vincent for football, and Ricky Martinelli, also a standout football player, is set to join the lineup.
John Hughes, a sophomore who excelled in basketball this season, will join Ausk as the team’s other primary starting pitcher.
But finding pitching depth is tough for a small roster.
“We scrimmaged Bishop Canevin, and they rolled out nine pitchers,” he said. “There’s just no way that we can have nine out of 11 kids pitch. We have six guys who can step on the mound. But yeah, it’s been a challenge.”
Mahlmeister feels that, despite the recent lean years, Springdale could be primed to break through and compete for a playoff spot in a section that features PIAA Class A finalist Eden Christian, WPIAL finalist Riverview, playoff qualifiers Sewickley and Leechburg, as well as St. Joseph.
“With small schools, it’s always up and down,” Mahlmeister said. “The way I see it, it’s a big mosh pit for that last playoff spot.”
To get to that point, Mahlmeister, as well as his assistant coaches and former classmates Josh Lepish and Tyler Robbins, are focused on changing the team’s mindset.
“I’ve been trying to push them on being accountable,” he said. “It seems like accountability has kind of slipped. That’s not even specific to Springdale. It’s everyone.
“I want to make sure that they can all count on each other and be able to look to their left and right and know that person is going to be there every day and give the right kind of effort and attitude.” | 2022-03-24T05:35:00Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Recent Springdale grad set to turn around alma mater’s baseball program | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/recent-springdale-grad-set-to-turn-around-alma-maters-baseball-program/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/recent-springdale-grad-set-to-turn-around-alma-maters-baseball-program/ |
Valley baseball team confident it can compete for section title
Valley baseball coach Jim Basilone expects the Section 3-3A race to be exciting, and he is confident his team will be among those competing for the title.
The Vikings return five starters from last year’s team that finished 13-8 overall and 6-4 in section play with a win over Mohawk in the first round of the playoffs before falling to Avonworth in the quarterfinals.
“We’re going to have to earn it, but we’re going to be ready, I’ll tell you that,” Basilone said. “Anyone who comes to play us is going to have a battle on their hands because our kids don’t quit. They’re going to work hard to be successful.”
Seniors Ben Aftanas and Isaac Kelley and sophomores Tyler Danko, Jacob Staraniec and Wesley Schrock are the returning starters. Luke Caprino, a senior, will play second base. Freshman Conrad Hoover is competing for a spot in the outfield. Valley has three catchers: senior Brandon John and sophomores Tristan Goodwin and Collin Scholl.
The Vikings have four seniors, seven sophomores and six freshmen.
Kelley and Aftanas are team captains.
Aftanas hit .463 last year and was a Valley News Dispatch first-team all-star.
“Ben will be our leadoff hitter again this year,” Basilone said. “There won’t be a change there. He goes up there and swings. He’s patient, but when it’s there, he’ll take his hacks.”
The Vikings will have to replace reigning Valley News Dispatch Player of the Year John Luke Bailey, who is playing at Mount Aloysius. Bailey went 7-1 with a 1.41 ERA in 55 innings pitched and hit .463, driving in 18 runs.
Basilone has several options to turn to on the mound with three right-handed pitchers — Aftanas, Kelley and Staraniec — and lefties Schrock and Danko.
How the pitching staff will shake out is still to be determined.
“It’s hard to tell because you don’t know who’s going to step up, take the ball and shut teams down for five to seven innings,” Basilone said. “We’ve only had two scrimmages, and each one has pitched no more than two innings. They all look pretty good. It’s hard to say who’s going to be number one and two, but the opportunity is there. We’ll see who steps up and grabs it.”
The Vikings will open the season with a two-game nonsection series with Riverview Monday and Tuesday.
Deer Lakes, Derry, Mt. Pleasant, Ligonier Valley and East Allegheny are in Section 3-3A with Valley. Derry won the section title last year. Valley swept Derry, which were the Trojans’ only two losses in section. The Vikings split with every other team.
“I think it’ll be a well-balanced section,” Basilone said. “Deer Lakes has a lot of players back, and they’re going to be tough. Derry graduated some players, but (John Flickinger) is a very good coach, so I’m sure he’ll have them ready. I think Ligonier Valley has a lot of players back, so they’ll be tough and so will Mt. Pleasant.
“East Allegheny always comes in and battles. It doesn’t matter who you play or when you play them, it’s going to be a battle. I’m looking forward to the competition and seeing my seniors lead and my sophomores and freshmen develop and perform.” | 2022-03-24T23:21:31Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Valley baseball team confident it can compete for section title | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/valley-baseball-team-confident-it-can-compete-for-section-title/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/valley-baseball-team-confident-it-can-compete-for-section-title/ |
2022 PIAA Class 2A boys basketball championship breakdown: OLSH vs. Constitution
OLSH’s Jake DiMichele scores against Avonworth’s Peyton Faulkner during their game on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, in Moon.
OLSH vs. Constitution
2:30 p.m. Friday, Giant Center, Hershey
On the air: TV: PCN; Streaming audio: TribLive HSSN
PIAA titles: OLSH 1 (2021), Constitution 4 (2012, ’14, ’15, ’18)
Notable: OLSH is the defending state champion … This will be OLSH’s third appearance in the state finals, and each resulted in a matchup with Constitution. The teams split their first two. OLSH won 62-49 last season, and Constitution won 81-71 in 2018. Both were PIAA Class 2A finals. … Only 14 WPIAL boys basketball teams have won a state title with an undefeated record, a feat OLSH accomplished last winter … the Chargers have won 67 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 7, 2020, and would tie the state’s all-time longest winning streak with a victory Friday. West Philadelphia won 68 in a row in 1976-78. … OLSH has three players averaging double figures led by DiMichele at 32 points per game. Summers averages 12 points, and Spadafora 10. … DiMichael scored 39 points in OLSH’s semifinal win … the Chargers reached the state finals by defeating United, 75-50; Carlynton, 74-43; Ridgeway, 54-27; and Kennedy Catholic, 64-55. … OLSH averages 76.1 points per game.
Constitution (22-8)
Coach: Robert Moore
0, Lamar Glover, 5-11, sr., G
1, Simere Blagman, 6-1, sr., G/F
5, Jacob Beccles, 6-3, sr., G
22, Nasser Coleman, 6-5, sr., G
23, Jamal Carr, 6-5, sr., F
Notable: Constitution has reached the PIAA finals for the seventh time since 2012. The Generals are 4-2 in state finals. … The public school opened in 2006 in the Center City neighborhood of Philadelphia … Beccles is the team’s leading scorer at 22.9 points per game. He’s a 32% shooter from 3-point range and has attempted 160 … Glover averages 18.7 points. He scored 29 in the state semifinals … Blagman averages a team-best 10.3 rebounds per game … the Generals reached the finals by defeating Delone Catholic, 79-58; Shenandoah Valley, 60-46; Holy Cross, 50-48; and Old Forge, 67-40 … The team has won 11 of its past 12 games … Among its regular-season defeats was a 76-30 loss to Class 5A finalist Imhotep Charter … Constitution average 60.1 points per game. | 2022-03-25T09:54:54Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | 2022 PIAA Class 2A boys basketball championship breakdown: OLSH vs. Constitution | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-piaa-class-2a-boys-basketball-championship-breakdown-olsh-vs-constitution/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/2022-piaa-class-2a-boys-basketball-championship-breakdown-olsh-vs-constitution/ |
Franklin Regional Senior High School
From now until April 29, Franklin Regional is taking nominations for its inaugural hall of fame class.
A longtime idea that was finally brought to fruition, the Franklin Regional Athletics Hall of Fame will launch this year.
While halls of fame are not as popular as one might think, at least in Westmoreland County, Franklin Regional believes its strong sports history should be recognized and preserved for years to come.
Norwin and Jeannette have halls of fame, while Penn-Trafford has one for football.
“In short, this is overdue,” athletic director Zach Kessler said. “We have a rich tradition of interscholastic athletics and it’s time to honor those people who have helped establish our legacy.”
Kessler said the original plan was to induct the first class in fall of 2020, but the pandemic did not allow that.
“Our committee has worked hard to lay the groundwork for this Hall of Fame,” Kessler said. “It will continue to evolve and grow over time. It’s also important to tell the story of those folks who found success early on in the history of our school district that people now may not know much about.”
The hall of fame committee includes Kessler, Franklin Regional principal Ronald Suvak, board of directors president Herbert Yingling and alums Roberta Chunko, Dom Berardinelli, Eli Visnick, Richard Bullock, and Tina Gillen (ex officio).
Initial inductees will be chosen by the committee and notified in the summer. They will be invited to an induction ceremony before a home football game that has yet to be determined.
Nomination forms and additional information can be found at www.frsdk12.org.
Southmoreland senior Anthony Govern believes in the merits of playing multiple sports. He will play football and wrestle in college at Waynesburg.
But before his high school career comes to a close, he is going to throw the javelin this spring.
Govern competed in the PIAA wrestling championships on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday and was back in baseball mode Monday.
Govern has made the playoffs twice in football and wrestling, helping the Scotties to their first playoff win in the latter sport. He was a conference offensive player of the year as a quarterback in football.
His wants his final go-round in baseball to last.
“Baseball was my first love,” Govern said. “I would love to see us make the playoffs this year.”
Salvino coming back
Boys basketball coach Joe Salvino plans to return for a fifth season at Belle Vernon, and 39th overall. The longtime coach led Monessen for 34 years.
Salvino earned his 700th win this season when Belle Vernon defeated Obama Academy, 73-51, in the PIAA Class 4A first round. He said he has unfinished business with the Leopards.
“There are things I want to accomplish here,” said Salvino, 70. “I want us to win a WPIAL championship.”
Always anxious to get to the next game, Salvino isn’t one to reflect much on the past — at least not at this time.
“The 700th win was nice, but it’s not like they’re sending me to Disney World or giving me a new car,” he said. “It shows how long I have been doing this. It’s about the players, not me. Maybe when it’s all said and done, I’ll have a chance to look back on the accomplishments.”
Volleyball ranks
Several Westmoreland County teams made the cut for the Western PA Volleyball Coaches Association preseason polls.
North Allegheny (3A) and Seton LaSalle (2A) own the No. 1 spots.
Norwin checks in at No. 6 in 3A and Latrobe is No. 10.
In 2A, Derry is No. 10.
Some former standouts are giving back to their alma maters this season as assistant coaches.
Cousins JP Pellis and Tommy Pellis, both former stars at Greensburg Central Catholic, are serving on the Centurions’ baseball staff. JP Pellis pitched at IUP, while Tommy Pellis was a standout hitter at Penn and Seton Hill.
And at nearby Hempfield, Ali Belgiovane has joined the softball staff under new head coach Tina (Skelly) Madison.
Belgiovane played shortstop for the Spartans before finishing her playing career at Pitt-Johnstown.
Rocco on the rise
North Catholic sophomore basketball player Alayna Rocco is fast becoming one of the top WPIAL guards in the Class of 2024.
Rocco is the daughter of former Penn-Trafford boys basketball coach Jim Rocco.
A second-year starter for the WPIAL champion Trojanettes, Rocco was often the top scorer this season.
“She was great last year but has really elevated her game,” North Catholic coach Molly Rottman said. “She started to get to the hoop more. And she is improving defensively. She often had to guard the other team’s best player.”
Rocco also has Division I college offers from Bowling Green, Toledo, Charlotte and Akron.
Greensburg Central Catholic soccer standout Mason Fabean, a senior midfielder, announced his intentions to play at Division II Seton Hill. Fabean had 27 goals and 14 assists for the Centurions, who returned to the PIAA playoffs. He was an All-WPIAL selection.
• A pair of Hempfield senior girls have secured their college plans. Julianna Paronish will play field hockey at Washington & Jefferson, while Taylor Fordyce is headed to Allegheny to play lacrosse.
• Senior Dwight Sarver of Greensburg Salem will continue his track and field career at Seton Hill. Sarver throws the javelin, discus and shot put. Also a wrestler, he was a WPIAL qualifier in the discus and shot put last season.
Tags: Belle Vernon, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Latrobe, North Catholic, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland | 2022-03-26T14:45:56Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | Westmoreland County high school notebook: Franklin Regional establishes sports hall of fame | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-high-school-notebook-franklin-regional-establishes-sports-hall-of-fame/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/westmoreland-county-high-school-notebook-franklin-regional-establishes-sports-hall-of-fame/ |
World War II vet Crytzer headlines Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame class
Submitted | George Hussar
Freeport grad Harry Crytzer will be inducted with the 2022 A-K Valley Hall of Fame class.
In the middle of a multi-sport athletic career at Freeport, Harry Crytzer saw it was time for a more vital calling.
Crytzer, as many did during that era, quit school during his junior year and left to serve in World War II. He had just helped lead the Yellowjackets to the 1944 section baseball title as the starting shortstop at the tail end of the previous school year and had also played football and basketball.
“I had four brothers in the service at the time,” Crytzer said. “I had started my junior year and they were taking 17-year-olds. It was No. 1 on everybody’s minds to win the war, so for me it was an easy decision to join.”
Prior to that, Crytzer played baseball for the Freeport and Natrona American Legion teams from 1942-44. In the summer of ’44, he represented Pittsburgh in the National Pressman’s baseball tourney, losing in the finals to a Detroit team.
“We were called the ‘Milk Truck Team’ because we traveled to the games in a milk truck,” Crytzer recalled.
For his decades-long contribution playing and coaching multiple sports, Crytzer will be one of 10 inductees at the 51st Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame banquet on May 21 at the New Kensington Quality Inn.
At 94, he will be the hall’s second-oldest inductee next to 2019 inductee Dan Hawkins, then 95.
Crytzer continued playing baseball while stationed in Guam with the Naval Air Corps, playing for the Agana Naval Squadron when not serving as a radioman and nose turret gunner. Crytzer remained on Guam after the war as his team was island champs in 1947.
After serving, Crytzer returned to Freeport and finished his high school time at The Kiski School, near Saltsburg.
Following that, he went to trade school and embarked on a 40-plus-year career as a sheet metal worker. Crytzer was the union business manager for 23 years, covering 23 Western Pennsylvania counties.
Crytzer continued his athletic career playing semi-pro football for the Leechburg Eagles and semi-pro basketball with the Freeport Fischers.
His long association with baseball continued throughout the 1950s, as a player-manager for the successful Freeport Independents and as a player for the New Kensington Merchants and the Freeport Merchants of the Tri-County League.
“That was a good brand of baseball,” Crytzer said. “A lot of the guys were World War II vets. We got some big crowds at our games.”
While managing the Freeport American Legion team in 1960, the squad made it to the state finals in Reading, losing to Coplay. That team incuded Guy Conti, long-time coach with the Mets and the Dodgers, along with Gary Koontz, a pitcher in the Red Sox chain who later became the “Marlboro Man” in cigarette advertisements.
Crytzer also served as a Pittsburgh Pirates scout for a number of years, but with his job as a sheet metal worker and the need to support his wife and seven children, he never went into scouting full time, though he conducted a number of Pirates tryouts at Forbes Field.
With his many children grandchildren and great-grandchildren in sports, Crytzer has likely seen more Freeport athletic events than anybody.
A-K Valley Sports Hall of Fame
What: 51st induction banquet
When: May 21, 7 p.m.
Where: Quality Inn, New Kensington
Contacts: Larry Lutz 724-822-3695; Bill Heasley 724-882-3079; Fred Soilis 412-736-1809 | 2022-03-26T14:46:02Z | tribhssn.triblive.com | World War II vet Crytzer headlines Alle-Kiski Valley Sports Hall of Fame class | Trib HSSN | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/world-war-ii-vet-crytzer-headlines-alle-kiski-valley-sports-hall-of-fame-class/ | https://tribhssn.triblive.com/world-war-ii-vet-crytzer-headlines-alle-kiski-valley-sports-hall-of-fame-class/ |
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