Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedIn(InvestigateTV) — For five years Caren Blanzy regularly received treatment to relieve excruciating muscle pains in her neck saw the same doctors and received the same medical treatment her insurance paid 100% of the costs until February when the Mecosta Michigan resident received a bill for more than $1,100 The clinic she had been visiting became part of a large health system in Michigan which began charging patients such as Blanzy for seeing doctors at its outpatient facilities It’s a growing issue that is saddling patients with unforeseen medical debt “For them to change the way they bill it and say it’s a hospital service it just didn’t make sense to me,” Blanzy said InvestigateTV partners KFF Health News reported that the share of physicians working for a hospital or in a practice owned at least partially by a hospital or healthcare out-of-pocket-limit system increased from 29% in 2012 to 41% in 2022 The Center for Medicare or Medicaid Service stated that when facility fees are covered by an individual’s plan or coverage in connection with essential health benefits provided in-network cost sharing of those fees is subject to the maximum out-of-pocket limit those fees expose patients to financial risk It is also likely to come as a surprise to an individual a neurological movement disorder that contracts your muscles When she spoke with our national investigative team Blanzy had to hold her neck in order to keep her head still Going through the pain and the constant motion,” Blanzy said my brain is constantly telling the muscles to contract and move helps minimize it actually and it helps keep my head straighter.” She needs regular treatment but now worries about how she can afford it I’m pretty good at looking over my statements “There’s got to be some mistake,’” Blanzy said when she saw the $1,100 charge “They said it was just some changes they had made My insurance company said the same and said that it was a revenue code It switched from billing as an office visit for treatment And they switched it to outpatient hospital services.” Blanzy’s clinic is now owned by Corewell Health a large health system that is the result of a merger in 2022 At the end of 2023, Corewell announced to patients that some clinics would now be owned and operated by hospitals Blanzy received a letter from Corewell Health about the billing changes stating that she can expect to see two charges on her statements in the future and the clinic will begin provider-based billing The letter also stated that even though the clinic or practice Blanzy went to may be located several miles away from an actual hospital the facility itself may be owned by the hospital or considered part of it “This is common in large health systems where the hospital system owns the space and employs some of the team members.” Blanzy argues that she did not see the letter when it was sent to her because it only appeared on her My Chart app Blanzy requested the hospital system re-bill her insurance using the “in-office” code as she received in the past InvestigateTV reached out to Corewell Health for an on-camera interview Corewell Health declined to comment on her case due to patient privacy and did not explain the billing code A spokesperson confirmed that in late 2023 the neurology office became a hospital outpatient department owned and operated by Corewell Health Grand Rapids Hospitals They added that patients affected by the change received a MyChart letter and information about hospital billing Senior Contributing Editor of InvestigateTV partner KFF Health News Rosenthal said hospital charges for non-hospital care are a concern she hears from patients all the time is the doctor’s office where she got the treatment she was getting a hospital facility fee charge or a hospital code,” Dr In fact, KFF Health News reported that the share of physicians working for a hospital or in a practice owned at least partially by a hospital or healthcare system increased from 29% in 2012 to 41% in 2022 says hospital billing codes allow for higher payments to support hospital infrastructure specialized equipment and other expenses for fully staffed hospitals Other costs come in what are typically called “facility fees,” flat fees meant to offset these extra costs of maintaining a large hospital The rebranding of doctors’ offices of outpatient clinics as hospitals for the purpose of billing “So I think it’s another one of our buyer beware warnings in healthcare.” Some states are working on solutions. Researchers from Georgetown University found that Colorado Maine and Washington are trying to cut through the confusion of outpatient facility fees has “a public notice requirement,” where providers must notify consumers online and in signage at the facility whether they charge a facility fee New York has what’s called “Direct to Consumer Requirements,” where providers cannot bill consumers for a facility fee not covered by their insurance unless they provide the patient advance written notice However, many states do not have specific protections. Some advocates are calling for the implementation of what’s called Site Neutral Payments basically the payment is determined by the treatment you got whether it was in a hospital or in an outpatient clinic or a doctor’s office—it’s the treatment that determines the charge much fairer than expecting patients to kind of figure out ‘is my doctor’s office now considered a hospital,’” Rosenthal said believe those requirements could lead some hospitals to actually scale back or eliminate services at hospital outpatient departments could lead to decreases in revenue for hospitals she can no longer afford to pay more than $1,100 every three months Her treatments have stopped while her contractions and muscle spasms continue every day transparency in health systems changes so the cost of care is the last thing on a patient’s mind I don’t think I can do anything about that I can’t be the only person where this has happened to,” Blanzy said InvestigateTV reached out to the Center for Medicare or Medicaid Services A CMS spokesperson issued the following statement: or increase transparency around facility fees and providers and facilities to minimize the burden to participants and enrollees that result from imposing facility fees The NSA includes good faith estimate and advanced explanation of benefit requirements providers and insurers must give consumers information about expected out-of-pocket costs for health care items and services before care is provided These requirements are currently in effect for people who are uninsured or don’t plan to use insurance to pay for their care These estimates are required to include consumers expected out-of-pocket costs for facility fees CMS is working with agencies across the Department of Health and Human Services to implement good faith estimate and advanced estimate of benefit requirements for people who pay for their care with commercial insurance Jeff Blanzy joined the NBC 5 sports team in June 2016 Blanzy began his broadcasting career at the NBC affiliate in Lima where he learned the ropes of the industry handling anchoring duties in news Next for Blanzy was a move to the ABC affiliate in Toledo He served as sports director and earned several Emmy nominations for his on-air work then traveled the road to Chicago and landed at the ABC affiliate for 11-years as the weekend sports anchor His goal with each sportscast is to be informative as well as entertaining Jeff graduated from Niagara University with a B.A He also earned a scholarship playing basketball at Niagara He also attended the Specs Howard School of Broadcasting in Michigan and was later inducted into their Hall of Fame When Blanzy is away from the office he loves to spend time with his children get in as much golf as the weather in Chicago allows travel or just hang around the house and cook on the grill The Chicago Cubs have been in Japan for about a week now they’re set to take on the defending champions- the Los Angeles Dodgers she remembers working on the family farm when she was young Eleanor married Edward Blanzy and raised their two sons After attending Central Michigan University Eleanor worked as a teacher and “loved every day of it.” Eleanor is very proud of the fact that she obtained her teaching degree and spent so many years as a teacher Mary Cathedral School and Gaylord High School PEORIA – After three years of working for WEEK-TV 25 News reporter Paige Blanzy's last day was June 15 Blanzy went to work at the station immediately after graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2020 with a degree in journalism her co-workers celebrated her work by showing clips from some of her more memorable stories on air a smiling Blanzy thanked her co-workers and the viewing audience “Thank you to central Illinois for everyone who invited me into their homes and trusted me to tell their stories I appreciate it more than any of you will ever know,” she said More: Former Peoria journalist announces new TV station job on the East Coast Though Blanzy declined to be interviewed for this story she said she is taking on a new opportunity to be closer to her family returned home from exercising one Saturday morning in September only to find out that someone was threatening to put her in jail because she wasn't responding to letters from the IRS The message left on the answering machine at her Grosse Pointe Park home said: "Do not ignore this phone call." Blanzy's husband was wondering what was going on; her young daughter was frightened that something bad was going to happen to her mother But quickly calling the number only stirred up frustration and out-right bullying from someone claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service one would think that most people have heard the warnings about the scam artists who are claiming to be from the IRS The con artists yell and shout and threaten that people will go to jail or lose their drivers' licenses if they don't hand over money quickly But Blanzy never heard those warnings — otherwise she wouldn't have called her mother and asked for help finding an attorney quickly The threats of jail can be so intimidating that others targeted by the same scam rush to drugstores or supermarkets to load up thousands of dollars on prepaid GreenDot cards or other prepaid cards Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration has received more than 130,000 complaints relating to the scam and has had reports of more than $8 million in losses nationwide consumers lost about $119,000 on the impersonation scam according to the agency within the Treasury Department that provides independent oversight of the IRS Michigan is about in 14th place for the highest losses The top five states with the most complaints are: California One Michigan senior lost $1,000 or more to this scam about a month ago after receiving a call from a man impersonating an IRS debt collector based in the state of Washington The man was told his tax returns for 2007 through 2012 were incorrect and he owed the IRS $2,500 The caller threatened jail time if money wasn't sent "He instructed my client to mail the payment immediately or an IRS agent would be at his front door at 11:30 a.m the next day to put my client in jail," said George W a certified public accountant and partner at George W The man was ordered to put $500 on five MoneyGram prepaid cards and told not to contact his attorney or CPA who could not convince him it was a scam because the man was so terrified of being sent to jail After the client mailed in at least $1,000 he owed money to the State of Michigan and the IRS was authorized to collect it "I told my client that this scam would continue perpetually until he was broke," Smith said Blanzy was lucky in a way; she did not pay the nearly $6,900 that the man eventually said she owed He didn't even tell her at first what she owed But even if she did not get tricked into paying she did endure a frightening round of calls "He made it sound like I was definitely going to be arrested," she said The IRS scam remains one of the hottest nuisances because they know they can play up everyone's fear of being called by the IRS Even consumers who know it's a scam are in an uproar Michigan residents have filed dozens of complaints with the state Attorney General's Office because of abusive language Some consumers mention callers with heavy accents sometimes Asian accents and often garbled diction Con artists claimed that the homeowner was under investigation; some threatened a grand jury indictment for a federal criminal offense relating to the U.S according to reports obtained from the Michigan Attorney General's office under the Freedom of Information Act Some threats included claims that the consumer's bank accounts could be frozen if they did not pay up One Michigan resident said he received a phone message claiming to be from the IRS and he said the caller told him that he needed to "lawyer up." "I do not believe the IRS would leave a computerized voice message that I need to lawyer up," the resident wrote the state Attorney General's Office of Chesterfield Township said a man who called himself "IRS agent McCoy" called him in August and demanded $9,000 from him He asked Hall to give him his debit card number on the phone A Warren consumer claimed that the caller demanded $3,489 The con artist told her not to discuss this with anyone because he would lose his job Another Michigan resident claims the caller said if you can't pay the full $3,000 owed could you give some "good faith" money on the spot One reported that someone claimed the IRS had done an audit and they owed $3,600 within the next 45 minutes Michigan consumers said callers used names such as Jason Scott consumers reported that callers would make repeated phone calls such as three calls in two days or sometimes five calls in one day Some experts say this IRS-calling scam could even be worse than other scams such as the "Rachael from cardholder services" with the fake offer to lower your credit card rate "They are impersonating agents for one of the most powerful government bureaucracies and relying on real taxpayer fear that the IRS will garnish their accounts or wages," said Edmund Mierzwinski He said the IRS and the federal government need to do more to put a stop to this IRS-calling scam the deputy inspector general for investigations for TIGTA said the volume of complaints received by agency's hotline about the IRS impersonation scam is unprecedented in the 15-year history of TIGTA Camus said the scam involving IRS impersonators is ongoing even in spite of vigilant efforts by federal state and local law enforcement to educate taxpayers keeps going because the threat of getting caught does not appear great It's clearly not enough anymore to simply warn consumers to just hang up It's time that someone in authority forces the scammers to hang it up ■ The callers can sound very authentic and have been known to use fake names and IRS badge numbers ■ Scammers make you believe that they know you by being able to recite the last four digits of a potential victim's Social Security number ■ Con artists are able to spoof the IRS toll-free number on caller ID to make it appear that it's the IRS calling ■ The threats themselves should be a clue that an IRS-imposter is on the line The scammer might threaten jail time or getting a drivers' license taken away or say the local police will be coming to the door ■ Consumers who want more information on the scam can see an alert at www.treasury.gov/tigta Consumers can read alerts and file detailed complaints about calls here It's also possible to e-mail complaints to Complaints@tigta.treasury.gov Contact Susan Tompor at stompor@freepresss.com Submitted photoTeachers from the Highland Adventist School recently took part in a two-day workshop for Standards Based Instructional training Educators from all over the state joined the local teachers for the training Kathy Pepper (Parkersburg Academy) Monica Zill (Parkersburg Academy) Keri Plohocky (Greenbrier Valley Academy) and Jenny Rodriguez (Summersville Adventist School) Chris Juhl (Standards Based Trainer/Coach) Cheryl Jacko (Highland Adventist) and Courtney Ackman (Parkersburg Academy) ELKINS — Teachers at the Highland Adventist School recently worked to prepare themselves for the 2022-23 school year by taking part in Standards Based Instructional training Educators from throughout West Virginia joined HAS staff members for a two-day workshop that took place at Camp Valley Vista in Huttonsville The training was under the direction of Chris Juhl a Standards Based Instructional coach from Florida Principal Cherly Jacko said teachers at the Highland Adventist School already use a variety of creative approaches that go beyond typical methods Implementing standards based teaching methods will benefit the school’s students “Standards based instruction is an excellent addition to our project-based classroom program,” Jacko noted “This is different from the traditional approach where students read a chapter complete a worksheet or take a quiz and move on students are given specific learning objectives that they work to master through the various projects available It is a thorough and organized method of planning instruction This approach has been shown to raise student achievement It will be a great benefit to our students.” Standards based refers to a system of instruction It is focused on the student demonstrating understanding and mastery of the knowledge and skills described every student can build confidence and be successful,” Jacko said “We know the research shows that learners are not all the same and that using a variety of teaching techniques reaches the most students.” John Locke and Jacko were among the representatives of HAS who attended the two-day session They were joined by teachers from the Parkersburg Academy Greenbrier Valley Academy and Summersville Adventist School Highland Adventist School is a small PK-12 school that has been serving students in North Central West Virginia since 1988 The school is operated by the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and has a tradition of providing innovative Christian education that prepares students for college or visit the school’s website at www.hihglandadventistschool.org CHARLESTON — An Elkins project was honored and an Elkins student received a scholarship CHARLESTON — A memorandum to county superintendents issued Friday by the West Virginia Department of Education .. Copyright © 2025 Elkins Inter-Mountain Company | https://www.theintermountain.com | 520 Railroad Ave. ALBION, Mich. – Zach Serzo rushed for a career high 157 yards and three touchdowns as Albion College rolled past Finlandia University in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football action at Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium Serzo scored on runs of 52 and 1 yards in the first quarter and he added a 34-yard score in the third quarter Albion took the lead for good when Collin Poore went across the field and reached the pylon to complete a 20-yard pass from Kyle Thomas to make the score 14-7 midway through the first quarter Serzo added his two touchdown runs as Albion led Markell McCoy scored on a 1-yard run and Brian Blanzy hauled in a 3-yard pass from Sam Blanzy in the second quarter as Albion led Ryan Roberts scored his first collegiate touchdown on an 11-yard run in the third quarter, and Isaiah Gibson completed the scoring on a 47-yard pass play from Sam Blanzy Albion finished the day with 615 yards of total offense. Sam Blanzy threw for 125 yards McCoy finished with 81 rushing yards on six carries for a 13 ½ yard average Ke-Mauri Heard, Jr. led the Briton defense with six tackles and a fumble recovery. Sean Kubit-Miller and Mitchell Arendsen each collected two tackles for loss Andrew Fabry the senior kicker who prepped at Grosse Pointe South converted all six of his extra point kicks in the first half to become Albion's all-time scoring leader 3-3 MIAA) completes the season with a 1 o'clock kickoff against Olivet College next Saturday Albion will recognize the senior members of the team with their parents at 12:40 p.m Follow the Britons on Twitter: @AlbionFootball Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Albion College athleticsSeven student-athletes represent Albion College on the all-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football team announced Tuesday morning punter Sam Blanzy and kicker Andrew Fabry were first team picks They were joined by right guard Chase Bouschor right tackle Lige McKinney and wide receiver Justin Thomas on the second team who prepped at Holland Christian High School is in the top 20 in NCAA Division III statistics for tackles for loss and sacks He finished second in the MIAA with 12 1/2 tackles for loss The Blanzy twins are seniors who prepped at Grosse Pointe South High School Brian finished fourth in the MIAA with 516 receiving yards in league play The highlight was a 93-yard reception in the season finale against Olivet College that tied the school record and was the eighth-longest play by a Division III receiver this season Sam is gaining all-MIAA first team status for the second time He averaged nearly 38 1/2 yards per punt against MIAA rivals while pinning eight of those kicks inside the opponents' 20-yard line His longest punt sailed 75 yards in an October game at Adrian College was an all-MIAA second team pick a year ago He is fourth among D-III kickers this season converting 91 percent (10-of-11) of his field goal opportunities Fabry was 6-of-7 on field goals (with a long of 41 yards) and 32-of-33 on extra points anchored an offensive line that helped Albion rank among the top 16 D-III teams in total offense Albion's offense led the league with an average of 490 1/2 yards per game who prepped at Walled Lake Western High School missed the final game and a half of the season but gained the attention of rival coaches for his big play ability He hauled in a 40-yard touchdown pass from his brother with five seconds left in regulation to lift the Britons to a 49-42 victory at Adrian in October Thomas hauled in 22 passes for 307 yards and four touchdowns in six MIAA games Under the direction of 22nd-year Head Coach Craig Rundle Albion finished the season with a 7-3 overall record and 4-3 in games against MIAA rivals Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Lyons Industries has made a donation of $15,000 to the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program Youth Solutions Deputy Director Sonya Blanzy tells us the Dowagiac company presented a check to Youth Solutions on Monday She says Lyons Industries President Lance Lyons has been a supporter of the youth training program for years “They’re always one of the first to support our annual giving campaign and I believe that is because we have a proven track record of success and helping young people in the community succeed in education and life after high school,” Blanzy said Blanzy says Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates started 15 years ago in Benton Harbor and has expanded to cover all of Berrien connecting them with leadership training and mentorships “Donations like Lance’s will allow more youth to attend our statewide events participate in college visits and talent tours like those provided by Lyon and also gain access to the resources and mentorship support that they need.” Blanzy says Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates supports hundreds of young people each year The program is currently raising funds through its Build the Future campaign can contribute at OurYouthSolutions.org/Donate Conrad and they began building a beautiful life together Joan and Conrad moved to Gaylord to build their dream project or "The 80." After the dust settled and the gardens planted Joan enjoyed having family and friends out at the 80 and lovingly welcomed many new faces She adapted to the role as mother and grandmother to many more and everyone was sure to remember where the cookie jar was Her generous hospitality and love stands as a testament to her beliefs that will be deeply missed Rose (Kraig) Love of Dewitt and Catherine (Rick) Muzyl of Sparr; grandchildren Kathy and Mark (Jackeline); great-grandchildren Joan's gentle and kind ways will be remembered as she was always compassionate toward others at the Nelson Funeral Home & Cremation Service and Saturday at St A time of sharing will be offered on Friday at the funeral home at 6:30 p.m. followed by a rosary by the Daughters of Isabella at 7 p.m Those who wish are asked to consider memorial contributions to Hospice of Michigan through Nelson Funeral Home & Cremation Service Leila Rahimi is about to make history again Last year the Chicago sportscaster broke a 29-year gender barrier when she became the first woman to host a Monday-through-Friday daytime shift on WSCR 670-AM, the Audacy sports/talk station Now Rahimi, 38, is about to become the first woman to be named main sports anchor at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5. She’s been working part-time for NBC 5 since last fall while co-hosting middays on The Score with Dan Bernstein On Tuesday NBC 5 announced Rahimi will move up to full-time at NBC 5, starting April 4, essentially filling the role last held by Siafa Lewis, who left in November to become a news anchor in Philadelphia In addition to co-anchoring "Sports Sunday" with Mike Berman Northbrook native Berman will become weekend sports anchor and work three days a week as sports reporter “Chicago is a huge sports town and we’re dedicated to delivering the best sports coverage to our viewers," Frank Whittaker station manager and vice president of news at NBC 5 "Leila adds great experience and unique perspective to our newsroom Mike’s passion for his hometown teams shines through in his storytelling in a way that connects with local fans.” the Texas-born Rahimi came to Chicago in 2015 when she joined Comcast SportsNet Chicago (forerunner of NBC Sports Chicago) as an anchor she was laid off from NBC Sports Chicago as part of company-wide cutbacks in 2020 by Kevin Cross then senior vice president and general manager of NBC Sports Chicago Now as president and general manager of NBC 5 Cross is responsible for bringing her back into the NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations fold NBC 5's gain may be seen as The Score's loss with Rahimi relinquishing her full-time hosting role at the station Bernstein is expected to continue as solo host with Rahimi making weekly guest appearances on the midday show "Leila will be in studio each and every Wednesday [from 9 a.m co-hosting with Dan and adding great commentary and her unique perspective on the world of sports," Mitch Rosen operations director and brand manager of The Score and we are grateful she remains a big part of our team and that Score listeners will continue to hear Leila across all of our platforms." Contact Robert Feder via e-mail .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Brielle Vance | The Muskegon ChronicleKen Stevens | The Muskegon ChronicleFremont diver/photographer Jeff Blanzy photographs Fremont High School junior Logan Essebaggers underwater in his baseball uniform in the Fremont High School swimming pool.FREMONT — For Jeff Blanzy shooting the Fremont High School swim team picture underwater was a swim in the park compared to his previous career as a commercial diver pulling maintenance on nuclear power plants and later dipping his toes into the corporate world decided to combine decades of diving experience with his love of photography into the Fremont photography studio Treasured Images by Jeffrey From athletes and students to brides and models the photography business owned by Blanzy and his wife captures moments in a unique way — underwater portraits • What: Treasured Images by Jeffrey photography studio • Contact: Call 231-652-0603 or find Treasured Images online on Facebook or at treasuredimagesbyjeffrey.com “I used to be a commercial diver and I’ve been taking pictures all my life,” Blanzy said we turned a hobby into a business when we started doing this about a year ago.” The studio also does photos in traditional settings began diving commercially for an Ann Arbor-based company that specialized in nuclear diving Blanzy would perform mechanical inspections repairs and fuel transfers on nuclear reactors diving in 95- to 120-degree radioactive water The dives usually lasted about 20 to 30 minutes “We were wired from our toes all the way up to check for radiation levels and body temperature,” Blanzy said and that vest would be completely melted.” Diving in nuclear power plants is an exacting science Equipment is carefully checked so nothing is left behind “Everything is documented — down to a piece of tape — because everything has to be checked off when you leave Blanzy said the commercial diving job was like “being a professional athlete” because of the traveling required “It gets old living out of a hotel all the time,” Blanzy said “I could be gone from home for six months easy and you don’t know your schedule ahead of time.” he decided to take an office job as a marketing sales manager But after six years in the corporate world I picked up things like underwater photography I wanted to do something that incorporated all my skills,” Blanzy said “I wanted to take the last part of my career to do something I really enjoy I also wanted to do something different from what everybody else was doing.” Blanzy said he and his wife were at an art gallery in South Beach which had a number of photos taken underwater on display The husband and wife team work together to execute the underwater shoots with Lisa Blanzy staying dry while her husband’s in the pool holding the train of a wedding dress and helping models,” Blanzy said this challenging twist on portraits was made even more difficult when the entire Fremont High School Men’s Swim and Dive Team was photographed as a team and individually “I had never done a shoot with 24 people under water and we didn’t know what we were going to get ourselves into,” Blanzy said “But it was a lot of fun and everyone had a blast The couple uses the Fremont High School pool for their underwater photo shoots because they need a controlled environment for lighting they will travel anywhere in West Michigan that has a public pool available to rent “The pool becomes our studio,” Lisa Blanzy said And maternity photos are very beautiful under water This was our first team shot so it was a lot more difficult to organize.” The duo volunteered to photograph the swim team in order to help get the word out about the unique product they offer Fremont High School teacher and varsity swim coach “I wasn’t sure how (the photos) would turn out “We’re going to show a DVD of the photos at our banquet and they really liked the end result,” Pekel said Lisa Blanzy said the response has been phenomenal “The parents that I’ve personally talked to love the photos and we put the photos up on the website for them to buy if they want We’re trying to offer something different and neat.” \n m_gallery = \"underwater_photographer_jeff_blanzy\";\n m_gallery_id = \"9445689\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Underwater photographer Jeff Blanzy\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"4474\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Friday 1:35 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.mlive.com/4474/gallery/underwater_photographer_jeff_blanzy/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.mlive.com/photogallery/4474/9445689.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Underwater photographer Jeff Blanzy Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset digs into how the news has moved since you left the house discussing and unpacking the biggest stories and issues in Chicago and beyond right in the heart of the day Fresh Air is a weekday “talk show” that hardly fits the mold Fresh Air Weekend collects the week’s best cultural segments and crafts them together for great weekend listening The show is produced by WHYY and hosted by Terry Gross and features from Chicago and around the world Hosted by WBEZ’s Melba Lara and NPR’s Ailsa Chang A daily take on business and economics news for the rest of us hosted by Michael Barbaro and powered by The New York Times’ journalism 7pm Hour -- A focus on what’s changed here in the U.S since President Trump was inaugurated -- looking at everything from the culture to the shape of the federal government From tariffs to the downsizing of the Department of Education how has Trump made good on his campaign promises From shifting alliances to trade agreements to changes at the U.S we’ll ask how President Trump has altered international relations since January 20 Covering everything about science and technology — from the outer reaches of space to the tiniest microbes in our bodies — Science Friday is your source for entertaining and educational stories and activities From their humble beginnings on Chicago’s radio airwaves to their evolution through television and today’s streaming platforms "Stories Without End" unpacks how soap operas have shaped popular culture and told intergenerational stories that continue to resonate a new theme and a variety of stories on that theme Sound Opinions is hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot In-depth interviews with brilliant creators A mix of live performances and interviews from WXPN Philadelphia’s daily program featuring important established and emerging artists Weekly film podcast and radio show from Chicago featuring in-depth reviews The first 50 years of modern advertising was based on hard-sell The next 50 years was persuasion through creativity and media tonnage But as advertising squeezed into the 21 century it was forced to shed its elbowing ways and become a delicate dialogue The goal is no longer to triumph by weight CBC's Under the Influence is hosted by Terry O'Reilly A wrap up of the week's news and a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics Have a laugh and test your news knowledge while figuring out what's real and what we've made up It's Been a Minute features people in the culture who deserve your attention Plus weekly wraps of the news with journalists in the know Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers A radio journal of news and culture produced from a Latino perspective and offbeat features from Chicago and around the world with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior shape our choices and direct our relationships Your guide to examining how the media sausage is made Important ideas and practical advice: Code Switch features fearless and much-needed conversations about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser Leila Rahimi debuted at NBC 5 Chicago on Nov co-hosting “Sports Sunday” with Jeff Blanzy NBC 5 announced Tuesday it promoted Leila Rahimi to the full-time position of lead sports anchor making her the first woman with that title at the station Rahimi has been working part-time at NBC 5 and full-time at The Score where she has hosted the midday show with Dan Bernstein Rahimi will leave the show full-time but will return on Wednesdays “TV is what I had done full-time since graduating college and even when I was in college,” Rahimi said that was always what I thought I was best at.” Rahimi will anchor the sportscasts on the 5 news and co-anchor “Sports Sunday” with Mike Berman Jeff Blanzy will anchor Friday evenings and when otherwise needed The promotion caps Rahimi’s return to regular TV after NBC Sports Chicago let her go in August 2020 as part of companywide layoffs at NBCUniversal and NBC 5 put her on the air in November after former lead anchor Siafa Lewis left “We think the world of Leila,” said Kevin Cross “She’s extremely talented and will not only make our newscasts better but will strengthen our entire Chicago NBC group.” Continuing to co-host “Sports Sunday” is important to Rahimi who has vast experience hosting similar shows throughout her career “Now because of how NBC Sports Chicago is constructed [‘Sports Sunday’] is NBC’s main 30-minute sports news show every week,” she said “That means something to me to still be a part of that piece of NBC Sports.” Though Rahimi will have held a full-time radio job for only 15 months which is evident by the show’s listenership The Score’s “Bernstein and Rahimi” show earned a 5.8 rating (including streaming) among men 25-54 ranking second in the Chicago market from 9 a.m made me feel like I was a teammate of theirs whether or not I worked there in any capacity,” Rahimi said “So it wasn’t about the comfort as far as that was concerned But I always wanted to do both TV and radio and have maintained such operations director and brand manager at The Score This is a huge accomplishment getting the main anchor job at a network station in a market like ours Rahimi will be on the air regularly through the end of month Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale GAYLORD — The Blue Devils finished with four individual champions during the 32-team Northern Michigan Championships hosted by the Gaylord wrestling team Saturday in Jim Mongeau Gymnasium as determined by the most recent michigangrappler.com poll received first-place finishes from Dominic LaJoie championed the 125-pound weight class after beating Onaway's Isaac Nave 23-8 by technical fall in the tournament final He earned wins in the quarterfinal over Traverse City West's Tyler Post and semifinal against Roscommon's Danny Rowe both by technical fall en route to setting the MHSAA single-season record for most technical falls pinned Rogers City's Sam Sobeck in 5:13 to place first in the 103-pound bracket His run to the tournament final featured pins over Traverse City Central's Clay Hooper and Sault Ste pinned Charlevoix's Camden Alend to take first in the 135-pound weight class He also recorded wins over Escanaba's Hunter Royer and Roscommon's Gage Major in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds Blanzy earned a close victory over Gladstone's Bobby Beauchamp His ascension through the tournament included wins over Grayling's Logan Joseph as well as Escanaba's Scout Wunder Blanzy also recorded his 100th career win during the day Gaylord's Trevor Giallombardo lost to Traverse City West's Vince Priante in the championship round Priante beat Giallombado 13-10 by decision to take the 112-pound crown Nick Brewster (160) finished fifth and Seth Gregory (140) was fifth Forest Madagame (189) and Jonah Foote (130) each finished seventh while Sean McCloughan (119) and Tim Roney (285) each competed but did not place With the Northern Michigan Championships completed the Blue Devils have a week off before it competes in the D2 team district tournament Wednesday They follow up the team tournament with the individual district Saturday Ask him how he thinks his third Waubonsie Valley outfit will be defined And he’s completely comfortable and understanding of the reasons why it’s great,” Taft said of the football team’s success we have five guys in football and they’re going to bring a lot of experience at winning So we’re happy with all the success they’re having and hopefully they can bring it over to the basketball court.” Whenever the Warriors’ season on the gridiron ends Jonathan Cruz and Blake Blanzy – will be making the transition to the hardwood As with the case on the football field with Connolly leading the charges as the quarterback he’ll be asked to perform a similar role for the basketball team that was pretty young last year Connolly is to the point when it gets to the benefit of what the last three-plus months on the football field will do for what the basketball team hopes to accomplish in its first year in the DuPage Valley Conference and understanding the ups and downs of a long season in a tough conference,” Connolly said “The biggest thing a lot of times is getting hot at the right time like we have So the experience that of us five have gone through during football will really pay off in basketball After going 19-10 in his first year at Waubonsie Valley in 2013-14 youth was served for Taft’s charges during a 10-17 season last year from last season are both gone to graduation Karkazis and Yanisch both leave a big void on the court with their production but Taft knows they’ll have a significant impact on this year’s group from afar “Those two guys – they came to practice every day and they worked hard and they were great role models for our kids and what it meant to work hard every day,” Taft said of Karkazis and Yanisch but I think they did a good job mentoring the kids who were sophomores last year and teaching the way of you got to stay with the process It’s a long season and everything like that so I was happy with kind of the way those two kids molded some of the guys on the team and everything with leadership.” Karkazis was the only player to average in double figures for Waubonsie Valley Connolly and Brian Phillips – who all averaged at least 5.9 points a game Scott Wells and Luke Gregorio got extensive varsity experience a year ago as sophomores with the trio all seeing action in at least 19 games Taft believes the games of two of those sophomores from last year – Phillips and Wells – will take leaps this year “They’re both going to be juniors and they got some quality minutes last year on the varsity,” he said of Phillips and Wells “I think they’ve really worked on their game and taken their game to the next level I’m just very excited to watch them play this year.” Connolly may not be sure of when he and his other four football teammates will be able to fully immerse themselves in basketball But he knows 2015-16 should bring better times than 2014-15 did and they’ll all be better for having gone through last year “We’ve got a lot of guys back and we’re also bringing up a few guys and have a few transfers that will bode well,” Connolly said “This summer when we were all together out in camp and some tournaments So it’s pretty promising for us this year.” That's a common sentiment among University of Florida students who have headed to Louisiana for today's big Florida-LSU game The 400 tickets allotted to UF students for the LSU game sold out in about two hours but a lack of tickets hasn't detered a mass of students - many of whom boarded buses from campus on Friday - from making the 10-hour trek west any number of students say they may not even make it to Baton Rouge Several ticketless students say they may end up staying in New Orleans and watching the game from the French Quarter With both Florida and LSU undefeated and ranked in the top five nationally - the Gators No 4 - UF students have been clamoring to be a part of the big weekend on the Bayou Those 400 student tickets sold for $50 via the new online system which places students "in line" as they log onto the UF Web site student ticket office supervisor for the University Athletic Association Some buses departed with students before dawn Friday Other charter buses could be seen on UF's campus Friday morning waiting to load students getting an early start to New Orleans a UF business finance major and president of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity the brothers of the SAE were ready to roll About 105 out of 120 active members were New Orleans-bound The only brothers not going were the ones who had tests or family obligations It's great to go take in the atmosphere in New Orleans and Baton Rouge We feel the need to make sure the Gator Nation is represented there," he said While only about 25 to 30 SAE members were lucky enough to score tickets the rest of the brothers will be watching the game at the SAE house in Baton Rouge an animal sciences junior and member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority said her reason for traveling to New Orleans is because this will be the Gators' last time playing at LSU while she's in school Blanzy is part of one of the road trips with a UF fraternity - a decision based on convenience The trip there and back is paid by the frat - including the hotel She probably wouldn't have gone if she wasn't going with a fraternity Schoolwork was one reason students couldn't travel had signed up for the trip to New Orleans but then realized she had a general psychology test on Friday at 4 p.m Robbie Cusmano of UF's Chi Phi fraternity said he began organizing the LSU road trip in July He rented hotel rooms and chartered two buses to accommodate the students who made the trip - 35 males and 75 females from different sororities Each Chi Phi paid between $150-$160 to make the trip bus ride and a commemorative T-shirt - but not game tickets The entourage planned to meet other UF fraternities and sororities on Bourbon Street Cusmano said Chi Phi made the trip to Knoxville last season for the Florida-Tennessee game it didn't have the same allure as a trip to New Orleans "I think it's just an opportunity to have us all together," Cusmano said "Being able to be in that city for that game is way different than watching it on TV on a big screen." Peluso said he and his SAE brothers are hoping for a win "All of us are praying Tebow can make it out there and play but we've got faith in John Brantley.," Peluso said Front: Junior student band Emma Farioliveccjioli Donal Flood at the Coláiste Abbáin variety concert Darragh Kavanagh and Donnagh Joyce at the Coláiste Abbáin variety concert Jessica O'ConnorNew Ross StandardThu 13 Feb 2025 at 09:00Coláiste Abbain’s variety show which was held last week after it had been postponed due to Storm Éowyn was a true celebration of the incredible talent within the school the audience was treated to an evening of entertainment that highlighted the dedication and hard work of the students and staff alike Since the auditions were held back in September the talented performers worked tirelessly under the guidance of the school’s committed staff members to perfect their acts The result was a polished and diverse showcase featuring dance ensuring there was something for everyone to enjoy 83 students took to the stage throughout the evening demonstrating both skill and confidence in their performances many of whom were stepping into the spotlight for the first time “Their enthusiasm and energy were infectious and it was heart-warming to see the encouragement and support from their peers,” said deputy principal each bringing its own unique charm to the event much to the enjoyment of both students and audience members A special highlight was the return of past pupils who were welcomed back with open arms to showcase their continued passion for performance and their enduring connection to the school community “One of the most remarkable aspects of the annual variety show is that it is entirely self-run The students and staff take immense pride in their ability to organise and execute such a professional production a true testament to the spirit of creativity and collaboration within Coláiste Abbáin The 2025 variety show was more than just a performance and the vibrant spirit of Coláiste Abbáin,” Ms Buttle added said: “We are incredibly proud of every student who poured their hearts into the night “Their dedication and hard work made it all possible A massive thank you to all the staff who supported and provided guidance to the students along the way Thank you to the local primary schools that supported our matinee show and to everyone who bought a ticket and supported this important school event,” Ms Condon concluded OpinionMedders at Large: Mystery of the disappearing road to the coast‘Oooh Noah Harler from Adamstown and Lexirose Blanzy from Bree at the Colaiste Abbain open night Adamstown Community Centre is hosting a community awareness evening this Wednesday This community evening is a chance for locals to express the areas that need extra attention from the local gardaí In attendance will be members from our local garda Station along with Margaret Quinn who will be there to discuss and give advice around aspects of community alert The Shamrock vintage club monthly night of music and song will be held in Scullys The postponed 20th anniversary of Sr Helen’s Threshing day will now take place in Cullens after Mass on Saturday the remaining members of the historical society Callie Doyle and Denise Harler decided to close the financial account on 2September 21 The account balance was donated to Adamstown ICA and Adamstown Community Centre Also a local business O’Shea Joinery to be used for a new sign for the community centre and produce a fitting memorial to remember MJ A vote of sympathy was passed to Leo and Anne Betty and Mary and all the extended family Christmas fair will take place in Carrig Community Centre on Sunday Anyone interested in putting in a stall please contact Eileen Neville 087 6225993 or Helena King 085 1653949 A Food and Craft Market will take place in Ballymitty Hall on Sunday For information or to book a stall contact 089 2722808 or email ballymittyhall@gmail.com Congratulations to this week’s split-the-pot winner Margaret Byrne who €193 Corach Ramblers would like to thank everyone for their continued support and best of luck in next week’s draw.. The Bodibro Shop is now opened for all your Christmas Club Gear Well done to the intermediate football team who had a three point win over Duffry Rovers in their relegation final recently Jason and David on the stats and also to the full panel Our Junior camogie had a semi-final game on Sunday last in Grantstown against St Anne’s Hard luck to the under-15 who were defeated in their game v Naomi Eanna in their Shield Final Dancing in Carrig community centre for October on Friday Danescastle National School will hold an open evening on Tuesday All members of the community are invited to visit the school to see the many activities and projects carried out by our pupils Sixth Class pupils will be there to tell you about the activities carried out in the school past pupils and all members of the community are welcome We were unable to welcome parents and grandparents to the school over the past two years so this is an opportunity for you to visit the school and see all the wonderful work carried out by the pupils Staff and pupils look forward to seeing you then CE Scheme vacancies – We currently have a number of positions available on our CE Scheme for Cook Carer’s and Laundry Staff here in Grantstown Daycare Centre If you are in receipt of a social welfare payment or unemployed for over 12 months To be part of a CE Scheme is a great opportunity to access training and to build on your existing skills or to learn and train in a new skillset The position involves working 19.50 hours per week we would love to hear from you at 051 561016 or email karen@grantstownpriory.com More information on these positions can be found on the Jobs Ireland website Kitchen Assistant – We are currently seeking a kitchen assistant in Grantstown HACCP and food hygiene training a requirement Please send your CV to manager@grantstownpriory.com before October 25 at 5 p.m or you can phone us at 051 561016 if you have any queries If you are available to volunteer any hours to help us deliver our service please phone us at 051 561016 for a chat The Drive-in bingo is on every Wednesday night at 7.30 p.m you never know you might walk away with our snowball which is rising every week Meals-on-Wheels – The summer is over now and soon we will be back to the long dark evenings when a hot nutritious meal will be more important than ever to keep us in top form So why not order your dinners from Grantstown Meals on Wheels service and have fresh Call us on 051 561016 for more information Can you please send any information to be put in the Clongeen Notes via email by 9 a.m on Mondays please prior to the Wednesday’s publication The email to use is: grooney@hotmail.com – thanks who won €230 with the Outhouse Pub being the seller So congratulations to Paul and to the staff at the Outhouse for supporting the draw by selling the winning entry thank you all for supporting the draw which is run in aid of the continued maintenance and development of the hall in Clongeen The next draw was due to take place on Monday the results should follow in next week’s edition Remember that you can get your tickets for the draw from the usual outlets which are: Sinnott’s Day-To-Day shop and Carroll’s Bar You can also get them in the Out House in Rourkes Cross or McDonagh’s Bar in Geoffsbridge in Wellingtonbridge you can get them from: Lloyds Chemist They can also be bought from any committee members such as Marie Mythen in Mythen Construction There’s a Cash-4-Clothes Fundraiser for Clongeen National School about to happen very shortly All of your support would be greatly appreciated CGS landed in Blackwater last Saturday for Week three of the October Monthly prize kindly sponsored by Gary O’Grady Plastering 18 players tried their luck in what was once again fine weather conditions Tommy O’Gorman had a two point lead going into the days play for the overall monthly prize but after a lacklustre score of 31 points he was overtaken by the inform Barry Foxe Foxe once again posted another impressive round of golf to score 36 points and take the lead going into the final round next week with an overall score of 112 points This puts Foxe three points clear of O’Gorman in second place with 109 points and Willie Mcback in third with 106 Foxe’s score of 36 points was only good enough for second place again this week It was actually another big hitter that stole the show this week Gary O’Grady has no doubt all the talent to be a serious contender on the CGS Tour but till this week he had not fulfilled his potential Saturday could be a sign of things to come as O’Grady sauntered to victory with an effortless round of golf to score 37 points Hopefully O’Grady has now turned a corner and won’t go back on the missing persons list with his uncle Some other scores of note on the day were the 35 points scored by Willie Mcand Joseph Toomey to finish third and fourth respectively At the other end of the scoring table there was a big improvement from Padhaigh Finn this week as he jumped from last week’s low of 17 points to the big 20 this week Bringing up the rear was Nigel Kehoe with 19 points Once Nigel settles into the society and gets used to his handicap I’m sure we will see him contending at the right end of the table but for now he’s like a box of chocolate ‘you never know what your gonna get’ Next week we head for Williamstown par-4 in Waterford for our final week of the October monthly prize kindly sponsored by Gary O’Grady Plastering For any CGS enquiries please contact Stephen at 087 9437501 or Willie at 086 0887335 Congratulations and well done to Rosban Gaels who won two Sheild finals over the last few weeks the combined clubs of Cloughbawn and Geraldine O’Hanrahans had a very successful year in their first year together The club had no success in their two county finals over the weekend with the under-17 hurling team narrowly beaten by Taghmon-Camross in the Shield Final and the Intermediate A Football team beaten by neighbours Adamstown The under-12 girls were out on Sunday morning in Ferns Centre of Excellence and won their county final with the Intermediate A ladies competing in the afternoon in their semi-final which they won comfortably over Rathgarogue-Cushinstown The Intermediate A final will take place in Bellefield on Sunday Good luck to the under-16 team who fought hard to overcome Glynn-Barntown in their semi-final of the premier group and will contest their final on Tuesday night in Bellefield There was no winner of the recent lotto draw 19 and 28 There was one match three Michael Culleton c/o post office Clonroche The club launched its fundraising Euromillions tickets on Friday night in the complex the club would greatly appreciate your support in making this fundraising event a success Please see below for the full range of payment options: one This is the only option for payments by installment You can pay in two installments of €50 each with October 15 and November 15 as the payment dates Link: pay.easypaymentsplus.com/feepay1v2.aspx?id=14442 Cheque for €100 made payable to Cloughbawn GAA Club These may be given to any club committee member Payment transfer of €100 directly to the Cloughbawn GAA bank account Revolut transfer of €100 directly to the Cloughbawn GAA bank account Cash payment of €100 to club committee members on ticket sale evening of October 14 Account Details available from Michelle Foley at 087 2926094.Please ensure the persons name to be included on the syndicate is clearly specified on your payment This Syndicate is being capped at 300 tickets and all winnings will be equally divided between syndicate members after the final draw on November 28 The most recent split-the-pot was drawn in the post office and the winner was Pat O’Leary Poulpeasty The committee would like to thank everyone for their continued support Clonroche on the recent passing of their brother Thomas (Cha) Sinnott Sadly missed by his loving daughters Linda