CONTENT WARNING: This story contains information about violence against Indigenous people It’s common to have an emotional reaction to the news Lacy Bird knows first-hand what it means to have someone close to her go missing her mom was missing for four months.  That’s part of the reason why Red Dress Day is so important to her The 16-year-old youth chief from Black River First Nation in Manitoba helped organize her school’s walk for missing and murdered Indigenous women girls and two-spirit people (MMIWG2S+) today she also hopes to use her platform to advocate for other young Indigenous girls like herself.  CBC Kids News asked Lacy to share her story in the lead-up to Red Dress Day on May 5 The goal of the day is to honour and bring awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women and girls and two-spirit people who have gone missing or who have been murdered Many Indigenous people continue to fight under the banner of MMIWG2S which stands for missing and murdered Indigenous women Their goal is to see changes to systems such as policing and government programs that will help Indigenous people feel safe in their communities The government has been working on 231 calls for justice that came out of a federal inquiry that ran from 2016 to 2019 but activists say the process is taking too long CBC Kids News contributor Sophia Smoke breaks down some of the basic information in the explainer below.  This conversation has been edited for length and clarity Red Dress Day means the recognition of MMIWG and two-spirit plus It recognizes the systems we’ve struggled with for generations.  I feel like it's a day for people to understand and become aware of the everyday issues we face as Indigenous people and even as Indigenous women It’s kind of a scary world to live in as a young Indigenous woman myself I always have to worry about taking the bus and stuff like that.  It’s an important day because we acknowledge our relatives and maybe those that didn’t make it home.  We wear red to honour the women who have gone missing and help them find their way home I was taught that red is a colour that spirits and our ancestors can see we can help our young women come home.  This day became super significant for me because once that happened and I had to live with that for a long time I’ve been organizing an awareness week at my school every year to educate non-Indigenous people on this topic We’re also hosting a walk for MMIWG at my school this coming Monday [May 5] A: It honestly depends on the school and the organization I would say most schools need to address it better because some of these schools don’t have the students willing to do what my crew and I are doing at my school.  I could say school divisions could use a little more work on how they raise awareness They make little posts but don’t elaborate on the day the meaning behind it and its significance.  but I’m also from Sagkeeng First Nation One of the biggest things that happened was that we lost a [15-year-old] girl named Tina Fontaine and I see it affecting them every other day just thinking about how the system failed her the way it did.  The one thing we should work toward is keeping these women’s stories alive Many people could be throwing different names around without giving them much thought I was taught that in order for those women’s spirits to heal we need to talk about them in a good way.  A: I wish people knew the main struggle the family goes through but then people don’t think about how the family feels when they mention this person's name over and over again.  People don’t think about how that stuff can be triggering for the family members.  They should be aware of what we go through on our own lands and they should be aware of how unfairly we get treated as Indigenous people and Indigenous women And I've talked about this with other young Indigenous women too and nobody would recognize that we're missing The government or the police wouldn't take it into their own hands And that's just the reality that we have to face And a lot of people don't like hearing that as the truth is that I'm able to share my voice and amplify the voice of others who may be having a hard time finding their voice.  A: I hope to see more people wearing red on Red Dress Day because that's what we're pushing for right now at my school for everyone It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from; wear red to honour the awareness we're trying to spread Want to hear more teens talking about their experiences on Red Dress Day Individuals impacted by the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women girls and two-spirit people are encouraged to contact the MMIWG Crisis Line toll-free at 1-844-413-6649 Kids can also call the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868. Use the “send us feedback” link below ⬇️⬇️⬇️ BLACK RIVER FALLS − Wisconsin residents lost one successful specimen of wild animal conservation efforts in central and northern Wisconsin as a bull elk was found shot dead in Jackson County The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is asking for the public’s help in identifying the person responsible for the illegal killing of the elk found the morning of March 18 on private property north of Black River Falls “The illegal shooting of bull 244 is a tremendous loss for the central elk herd and citizens of Wisconsin,” Christina Kizewski The elk was found by DNR staff conducting a relocation effort for a small group of elk tracked by radio-collars A necropsy determined the elk died due to injuries sustained from a gunshot wound “The illegal harvest of a bull of this magnitude reduces opportunity to the hunting community and to recreationalists attempting to photograph or see elk within Jackson County,” Kizewski said "Bull 244 was one of the largest and most photographed bulls in the state and has contributed to the successful growth of the newly established herd through his breeding efforts." Bull #244 was one of the last elk remaining from a herd brought from Kentucky in 2016 to help reintroduce the species to the area which had its elk population depleted in the 1880s due to unregulated hunting and habitat loss Reintroduction efforts began in 1995 when 25 elk were brought to a part of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest near Clam Lake in Ashland County their number had increased to 40 and the program was considered a success Another agreement with Kentucky brought 73 more elk to Jackson County in 2015-16 and 91 more elk to Sawyer County between 2017-19 The Clam Lake herd has grown to about 355 and the Jackson County herd has grown to about 160 Six elk hunts have been held in the larger elk herd between 2018 and 2023 and 47 elk have been harvested by both state licensed hunters and tribal members, according to the DNR's current Elk Management Plan over 21,000 hunters applied for four state licenses to harvest the animals that year Over 500 elk have died in the state between 1995 and 2023 with the majority of deaths in the northern herd attributed to wolf predation while the majority in the southern herd were killed by vehicle collisions 17 elk deaths were attributed to “illegal harvest” between the same time period The DNR is asking for any tips from the public regarding the killing of the animal. Tips may be submitted through a confidential Violation Hotline on the DNR website or by calling 800-847-9367 Be Wisconsin: Keep ticks and mosquitos, and their diseases, away with these 5 simple strategies More local news: How ‘Q’ and Google Forms helped save Stevens Point Trivia contest after ‘tech snafu’ Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK - Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@gannett.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content An unusual depiction of the ancient Egyptian sky goddess Nut may include a representation of the "Dark River" or "Great Rift"—the band along the Milky Way caused by dust clouds This is the conclusion of Professor Or Graur of the University of Portsmouth, England, who studies the multicultural mythology of the Milky Way In a recently published study in the Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage Graur analyzed over 100 images of Nut from 555 coffins dating back 5,000 years invoking her association with the sky and protecting the Earth from chaos that lay beyond But something is different about how Nut was pictured on the outer coffin of the chantress Nesitaudjatakhet Cutting between the stars on her body weaves an undulating black curve that runs from the tips of her toes to the tips of her fingers "I think that the undulating curve represents the Milky Way and could be a representation of the Great Rift—the dark band of dust that cuts through the Milky Way's bright band of diffused light," said Graur who added that the similarity was "stark," in a statement The astrophysicist notes that similar undulating curves can be seen in four tombs within the Valley of the Kings the necropolis on the other side of the Nile from the modern city of Luxor the ceiling of the burial chamber is split between the Book of the Day and the Book of the Night," Graur said "Both include arched figures of Nut displayed back-to-back and separated by thick golden undulating curves that issue from the base of Nut's head and travel above her back all the way to her rear." The present study builds upon Graur's previous work on ancient Egyptian depictions of the Milky Way including both the Pyramid and Coffin Texts and the Book of Nut in comparison with simulations of the night sky as it would have appeared in ancient times "I did not see a similar undulating curve in any of the other cosmological representations of Nut," said Graur "It is my view that the rarity of this curve reinforces the conclusion I reached in a study of ancient texts last year which is that although there is a connection between Nut and the Milky Way the astrophysicist believes that the Milky Way is a cosmological phenomenon that can appear along Nut's body in her role as the sky Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about ancient Egypt or astronomy? Let us know via science@newsweek.com Graur, O. (2024). The ancient Egyptian personification of the Milky Way as the sky-goddess Nut: An astronomical and cross-cultural analysis. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 27(1), 28–45. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.1440-2807.2024.01.02 Graur, O. (2025). The ancient Egyptian cosmological vignette: First visual evidence of the Milky Way and trends in coffin depictions of the sky goddess Nut. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 28(1), 97–124. https://doi.org/10.3724/SP.J.140-2807.2025.01.06 Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article Newsletters in your inbox See all Builders Close Builders Open Builders Brick Exterior Close Exterior Open Exterior Building Materials Brick Blend Black River Join Our Newsletter Email Subscribe Connect with Us { rootMargin: '200px 0px 200px 0px' } ); lazyloadBackgrounds.forEach( ( lazyloadBackground ) => { lazyloadBackgroundObserver.observe( lazyloadBackground ); } ); }; const events = [ 'DOMContentLoaded' ]; events.forEach( ( event ) => { document.addEventListener( event lazyloadRunObserver ); } ); x {{{ data.variation.variation_description }}} {{{ data.variation.price_html }}} {{{ data.variation.availability_html }}} Sorry HOLLAND — Brett Bittrick has been a staple of the Black River Public School community for more than a decade as a science teacher Bittrick was recognized for his years of hard work and impact being named a MI Charter Hero by the Michigan Association of Public School Academies MAPSA President Dan Quisenberry presented the award which aims to “shine a spotlight” on “teachers who inspire leaders who uplift and staff who keep everything running smoothly,” according to the MAPSA website Roger Victory was in attendance for the recognition as well and presented Bittrick with a tribute signed by himself and State Rep Bittrick has been with Black River for 16 years He teaches sixth-grade Earth and Space Science and coaches the middle school robotics team “Every single student in this school has (Bittrick) at some point,” Head of School Shannon Brunink said Friday “You students know this person as somebody who gives so much time to you Whether it’s all the activities that he does Quisenberry said Bittrick is a perfect representation of an MI Charter Hero you’re relentless in championing the needs of kids,” he said “You have had lasting impact not only on all these kids More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the Sentinel app “That is the definition of what we’re calling the MI Charter Hero A video featuring highlights from Friday’s assembly is available on the BRPS Facebook page — Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com The Port Huron City Council approved applications for several grants during its regular meeting Monday that would go toward repairing or replacing city parks and infrastructure Each of the grants required a match from Port Huron which City Manager James Freed said had already been accounted for in the budget The proposed renovations would reduce the risk of the canal being damaged by natural disasters according to the grant proposal in the agenda minutes Related news: Black River Canal work paused due to funding issues a local resident who has previously organized efforts to clean the river and who jokingly calls himself the self-appointed mayor of the Black River encouraged the council to vote yes on the grant "I know one of you for sure lives on Black River but we all see Black River and the debacle that has happened with the canal and what it's done to Black River The Tainter gate structure of the Black River Canal was damaged in January 2024 by flood waters Freed announced in February that plans to repair the canal were being paused due to the high cost and the lack of assistance from neighboring communities Freed said the city may not know if the federal funds will be granted until October He said he has put in an identical application for state funding hopefully one of them gives it to us," Freed said More area news: Detours ahead: Portion of Allen Road to be closed for bridge work The city also approved an application for $2.25 million from the federal government to cover a new fire truck equipped with an extendable ladder Freed said a new fire truck with an aerial ladder was a necessity with or without the grant and that the price could significantly increase if the city waits to purchase a replacement "A fire engine was about $400,000 a couple of years ago Now you're approaching almost $1 million," Freed said "The latest fire truck we bought was in the $600,000 range An aerial ladder truck about 10 years ago was about $1.5-$1.7 million The remaining six grant applications were to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Recreation Passport Fund and Trust Fund each for either $150,000 or $250,000 to pay for repairs and upgrades to Port Huron's parks Each of the grant applications was approved though City Councilmember Barbara Payton voted no on two of the applications for upgrades to Sanborn Park Payton expressed concern that Sanborn Park would be getting funds for a permanent restroom when similar proposals for a restroom in parks on the southern side of the city had been rejected "I'm wondering how it is that this is going to be implemented in Sanborn Park when the south side has been neglected for many years," Payton said Freed said SC4 would be assisting in maintaining the Sanborn Park facilities City Councilmember Sherri Archibald noted two of the other proposals were for upgrades to Knox Field on the south side of Port Huron Contact Johnathan Hogan at jhogan@gannett.com Boaters shouldn't be planning to navigate through the Black River Canal anytime soon — even when it is warm and sunny Port Huron City Manager James Freed said work has halted after cost estimates to shore up the canal and replace the gate came to about $4.5 million Flood waters from an ice dam on the Black River damaged the Tainter gate structure at the east end of the canal by Lake Huron in late January 2024 Freed said additional challenges to the project include neighboring Port Huron and Fort Gratiot townships declining to help fund the project and lead time and fabrication of the gate taking 20 months More: Why is the Great Lakes Maritime Center being demolished? their residents don’t seem to be concerned about the canal," Freed said He said the city is working with state legislatures on securing state funding for the project "So we are actively pursuing an appropriation application with the state of Michigan with (Rep Joe) Pavlov's office and (Sen.) Dan Lauwers…we're very confident we’ll get funded." The project was originally planned over three phases The installation of a cofferdam to prevent sand from moving downstream and filling the canal has been completed at a cost of $255,000 "We’ve cauterized the damage…while we reach for our funding solution," he said which would have included design and fabrication of a new gate and lifting mechanism Phase three would have included repairs to both sides of the canal banks as flood waters have caused severe erosion creating the probability of catastrophic bank collapse That cost would also includes seawall installation and armoring of the banks the city has spent $437,738 so far on the project Freed said the city can't cover the total cost while there are firetrucks to buy patrol vehicles to replace and roads to repair While it is sad news for the boating community he said he is optimistic funding will be secured later this year Port Huron has made arrangements to break the ice on the Black River in the upcoming week Beginning 9 a.m. Monday, Purdy Fisheries, a commercial fishing company in Sarnia, will be using its vessel to break the ice in the river from the mouth of Black River to the I-94 Bridge. The Port Huron Fire Department announced the icebreaking in a news release Friday Drivers should expect the bridges on Military Street Seventh Street and 10th Street to be raised multiple times throughout the week The duration of icebreaking activities is currently undetermined due to ice thickness More news: Black River Canal work paused due to funding issues The news release states the city is breaking the ice to reduce the risk of a flood in the spring Residents are asked to not engage in any recreational activities on the river during the week either on the ice or water once the ice is broken "Property owners in low-lying or flood prone areas should use this opportunity to removevaluables from vulnerable areas," the news release states The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and The Nature Conservancy today announced the acquisition of a 768-acre conservation easement in Herkimer County through the state’s Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) Program The WQIP funds projects that directly improve water quality or habitat; promote flood risk reduction and enhanced flood and climate resiliency; or protect a drinking water source This acquisition will have lasting impacts on the water quality and habitats in the Black River valley and surrounding landscape between the Tug Hill Plateau and the Adirondack Park.  “DEC is proud to partner with The Nature Conservancy and the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust on the largest conservation easement acquisition in the history of New York’s successful Water Quality Improvement Project Program,” DEC Acting Deputy Commissioner for Water Resources Carol Lamb-Lafay said “This property will now protect Hinckley Reservoir for generations to come and offers increased water quality protections for important drinking water resources.” "The Nature Conservancy is pleased to partner with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust to conserve this special place in the Black River Valley,” said Dirk Bryant New York Director of Lands at The Nature Conservancy “The property protects an important source of clean drinking water and provides crucial habitat for wildlife between the Tug Hill Plateau and the Adirondacks.” “Without this grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the hard work and perseverance of the staff at both The Nature Conservancy and the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust this vision would never have come to fruition.  Fifty years ago my father tried to place a conservation easement on this incredibly beautiful piece of property With a small but diverse group of shareholders Without the WQIP grant I do not believe we would have been successful this time. I am incredibly thankful to all the people who helped make this happen as I’m sure my father would be too.”  Ton-Ka-Wa ParcelThe Nature Conservancy received over $500,000 from DEC’s WQIP grant program to conserve properties for source water protection in the Black River Valley A portion of the grant has been used to conserve a property within the town of Ohio to protect Hinckley Reservoir a drinking water source for more than 125,000 New Yorkers the land was conserved through a conservation easement allowing the property to remain under private ownership while being managed to protect clean drinking water The conservation easement will be held and stewarded by the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust The Nature Conservancy analyzed data to identify parcels that either currently have the potential to contribute to source water protection and landscape connectivity The 768-acre Ton-Ka-Wa parcel was one of the top-rated properties for both In addition to protecting clean drinking water the property will also connect important habitats between the Tug Hill Plateau and the Adirondack Park The Black River drains the western slope of the Adirondack Mountains and the eastern edge of the Tug Hill Plateau before flowing north and west and emptying into Lake Ontario The Black River watershed is mostly forested and sparsely populated part of greater national and international goals of conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.  Conservationist is packed with informative articles first-rate photography and stunning artwork Subscribe SAUGATUCK - Just 10 days ago, the Black River boys basketball team earned its first win over Saugatuck in decades the River Rats are on a winning streak in the rivalry - and made history again Black River defeated Saugatuck 42-29 on Monday in the Division 3 district opener behind a stingy defense that held the Trailblazers to three points in the fourth quarter and single digits in every quarter "We were all super excited and to win against Saugatuck is big so we are happy to get them back," Black River's Andrew Eklov said "We had confidence after our last win against them and to have a milestone win give us that momentum heading into the postseason was really cool." More: Black River boys basketball tops Saugatuck for first time in two decades Black River will face Delton Kellogg at 5:30 p.m Wednesday at Saugatuck in the first semifinal with Fennville and Bloomingdale to follow The only times the River Rats have ever made the semifinals in the past have been because of byes "It is a good group of guys on this team to make it happen They know how much this means to our program It has been on our shoulders for a while now," Black River coach Darrion Denham said "This was the year to overcome some adversity that we have been dealing with for a long time." Black River jumped out to a 7-0 lead but led 12-9 after the first quarter The Trailblazers forced a few turnovers late in the second quarter to pull within 19-16 but William Bensinger and Andrew Eklov hit baskets in transition in the final seconds of the half to put the River Rats up 23-16 at the break The River Rats struggled to score in the third quarter with just seven points but held Saugatuck to just three points in the third "We switched a lot between man and zone and we flew around on defense like coach always wants us to," Eklov said Eklov led the River Rats (8-14) with 14 points "The gameplan was there and everyone was all in," Denham said Carter Miller scored 12 points for the Trailblazers Saugatuck's season ends after several battles with injuries and young players called up to varsity "So proud of them and it made me optimistic for the future." another SAC team the Rats split with during the season "We split with them as well and it will be another tough challenge for us," Denham said Holland Calvary moved on to the Division 4 district semifinals when Covert forfetited the game Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.    access content via the FT Edit page on FT.com and receive the FT Edit newsletter Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPOPLAR BLUFF (KFVS) - Heavy rain this week is expected to lead to dangerous flooding along rivers in the Heartland That’s expected to jump to more than 20 feet in the coming days Forecasters predict the river will crest at 21 feet on Saturday that’s 5 feet above flood stage and about a foot shy of the record high we saw in 2008 when high water led to multiple levee breaches Poplar Bluff prepares for potential evacuations as the Black River nears critical flood levels. The river is expected to reach 20 feet by Saturday, with emergency services ready to provide shelter and aid.Jonathon Dawe Poplar Bluff could begin to see residents displaced by flooding when the Black River reaches 20 feet officials said Friday afternoon in a briefing with first responders The river is supposed to reach that level by mid-afternoon Saturday “We’re continuing to watch the river and monitor its level,” Poplar Bluff City Emergency Management Director Jeff Shawan said “When it looks like people are about to be displaced by high waters then we will open the Black River Coliseum for shelter and let everyone know.” Shawan was very clear that he didn’t want to create any unnecessary worry we believe Black River will get to 21.5 feet,” Shawan explained “People will likely start being displaced after it reaches 20 feet So we just want to be prepared for the worst There’s a lot of severe weather coming and it’s likely to hit here as soon as 5 p.m Major flood stage for Poplar Bluff is 21 feet everyone was informed that all sirens for the city and Butler County are working as they should safety officer/rescue specialist with Missouri Task Force 1(MO-TF1) informed everyone of the purpose of the task force “We aren’t here to take over or anything like that,” Sanders said “We’re here to just supplement what you already have in place We have 100,000 pounds of equipment with us — including multiple boats and drones Sanders went on to explain the MO-TF1 is trained specifically to extract and rescue people from damaged/ruined buildings Major Casey Eckert with the Missouri National Guard informed everyone that soldiers are currently working to fill sandbags for public use we’re basically filling what we can to meet the needs as they rise,” Eckert said “We’re hoping to get more equipment here to help us fill more sandbags at a faster rate Bill Robison with Smith and Company Engineers produced inundation maps designed to show projected areas that might be flooded if the Black River gets above 21.5 feet these are just projections and things could go differently,” Robison explained Myers noted that he hopes everyone will stay informed to follow all developments with the weather It was also mentioned that the Poplar Bluff Severe Weather Response Team will be live on all social media platforms throughout the night HOLLAND - The Black River boys basketball team used a barrage of early outside shooting to make some program history The River Rats defeated Saugatuck 63-47 on Friday night at home the first win over Saugatuck in nearly two decades They always beat us and I am just super happy that we were finally able to beat them," Black River's Jamison Huizenga said The energy was there and we just knew we were going to make history tonight." including two in the final minute to put Black River up 22-10 The River Rats led 34-19 at halftime and kept the Trailblazers from a comeback More: How a homeschool transfer transformed Saugatuck girls basketball season "It as huge to get the weight off our shoulders after going 18-plus years without being able to get the job done against Saugatuck," Black River coach Darrion Denham said We weren't able to finish the first time we played them." which was without two starters because of injury Saugatuck coach Ty Rock said he was impressed with his younger players especially those called up to the varsity roster "We have six varsity kids and two are hurt and we had to bring up some J.V "I am so proud of them and it made me optimistic for the future." The rivalry between the teams has heated up especially in the second half that included a technical foul The teams will face each other in district play knowing we are going to play them in districts," Huizenga said Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as  Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports (This story was updated to add new information.) The West Ottawa boys basketball team hung on to beat Grandville 58-57 on Friday night to celebrate senior night including the game-winning free throw in the waning moments of the game The Panthers trailed most of the game before taking their first lead in the fourth quarter More: Saugatuck's Kennedy Gustafson first girls player in area history to reach 1,000 rebounds I thought our three seniors stepped up in different ways and had a huge impact on the game," West Ottawa coach Jared Redell said Hudson Vellinga had 18 points to lead the Panthers Makai Campos had 10 points and Darien Stewart added nine The Hawkeyes made it seven wins in their last nine games with a convincing win over the Dux to sweep the season series Riley VanDerHulst led a balanced Hamilton offense with 14 points James Hoffman scored 12 and Gavin Sabala had 10 Ethan Dalman and Keaton Hendricks each scored 10 for the Dux Titus Spencer scored 38 points to lead the Maroons to the non-conference win Davis Alderink scored 12 points and Moses Vanderbilt added 10 "A very up-tempo team win," Holland Christian coach Brad Jansen said "Really proud of the effort of our entire team." Spring Lake 40The Chix led early and Caleb Claerbaut hit a 3-pointer to close the quarter and put Zeeland East up 16-5 In the third quarter it was Will Drnek who nailed two 3s to help the Chix keep the distance four rebounds and four assists and Will VerSteeg dished out five assists Holland 31The OK Black first-place Crusaders (16-1) clamped down on defense to defeat the Dutch Ty Elmer scored 11 points for the River Rats (5-12) "We just couldn’t get going tonight," Black River coach Darrion Denham said Jordyn Klaasen paced the Dux with 13 points in the OK Black Conference showdown Hannah Stroebe had eight and Sadie Kragt had seven Hamilton's Kaitlyn Geurink had a game-high 16 points Delyla Martinez made the winning free throw in over time to clinch the SAC win for the River Rats She finished with 13 points as Black River improved to 7-8 Sydni Smith scored 21 to lead the River Rats Cam Smith had 10 and Melanie Alferink had six The Maroons won the non-conference game with balanced scoring Adelynn Nyhof had 13 points to lead the Maroons while Camryn VandenBosch had 11 and Kierea Smits had nine Brooklyn Phelps missed the game with an ankle injury West Ottawa 33The Panthers lost the OK Red showdown Emily Wierenga scored 14 points to lead the Chix Lizzie Risdon had 11 and Mirra Fenlon scored nine "We had a tough shooting night and we weren't able to overcome it," Zeeland East coach Troy Hammond said "We will turn the page and get ready for a big matchup at Holland Christian on Tuesday." Lila Rosema had seven points and Addyson Brown had six but we look forward to getting back in the gym to learn and improve," Holland coach Dan Telgenhof said When Black River girls basketball player Sydni Smith broke the single-game school scoring record earlier this season Jamison Huizenga wondered what it would take to break the boys mark After he found out, he got to work and two weeks later, broke the boys record with 36 points in a game Seeing how hard the guys I looked up to worked it is cool to see I could get one of their records," Huizenga said "It was really cool that Sydni got the record I asked our AD what the boys record and he said 30 and I thought I could get it at some point But it is so cool that we did it in the same year Sydni is a really good basketball player and is really fun to watch." who has added layers to his game every season More: High school hoops: Black River star scores record 36, 33 for Geurink in epic comeback More: Who was the high school top performer of the week? Vote here I think I can make it from anywhere on the court and am confident with any shot But getting to the rim was the biggest thing in that game I hit a couple of 3s and that kind of opened up the floor and I got a lot of points driving to the rim," Huizenga said That drive is the latest tool he is trying to perfect I was going to the rim hard and (I have kept that going)," he said "I am working on by ballhandling and I think that has been my biggest improvement." All of Huizenga's development has helped Black River grow as a team as well "We know where his hot spots are and when he got to them in that game He had great practices leading up to that game so we were super confident in him," Black River coach Darrion Denham said and we have worked with him to bring that same energy on the defensive side of the ball It has been huge to see him grow into a well-rounded player." especially moving forward as we look to make a run in districts We have been getting better week-by-week and to have a star player play like that with that energy we should be in a good position to make a run." That confidence that Huizenga brings is something his teammates have fueled in him "I think I am already a pretty confident kid but my teammates helped me a lot with my confidence that game," Huizenga said "The way the guys were unselfish to help me do kind of a selfish thing really boosted my confidence because of how much they cared about me to help me do that will release their debut single “Black River” on May 16th across all major platforms Dutch groove metal upstarts, Once Mortals, will release their debut single “Black River” on May 16th across all major platforms With intense riffs & thought-provoking lyrics inspired by the ongoing environmental devastation of the Amazon “Black River” demands attention to this ecological crisis and to the broader consequences of our actions “‘Black River’ is not just about the music and it’s not about preaching what people should or shouldn’t do – it’s about starting a conversation and raising awareness about these uncertain times.” Baileigh Jane Premieres Love-Filled Single “Nonissue” Bryan Adams Announces Additional “Roll With The Punches” Tour Dates V13 was a socio-political website that morphed into PureGrainAudio in 2005 and spent 15 years developing into one of Canada's (and the world’s) leading music sites a full relaunch and rebrand took us back to our roots and opened the door to a full suite of Music Skunk Anansie Debuts Latest Single “Animal” Seven Hours After Violet Drops Reflective “Float” Music Video Mike Plume Reimagines “This Is Our Home (8:30 Newfoundland)” Marcus Anthony Mack Releases “Unconquerable Soul” Single BryGuy and Red Monz Drift Into the Cosmos on “Lost in the Void” Mark Morton: “I was starting to break out of the clouds I could tell that was happening and it felt really free to be creative.” it was like monsters with guitars and I was blown away.” Shadows of a Silhouette Premiere Energetic New Single “No Matter Where I Go” KING 810 Reveal ‘Rustbelt Nu Metal’ Album Details & European Tour Dawn Of Ouroboros Announce Extensive Spring & Summer US Tour Dates Diablo® and Berserk Join Forces with Beast In Black for Epic Collaboration Headliner to Date at Boston’s MGM at Fenway Deafheaven – ‘Lonely People With Power’ [Album Review] ©2025 V13 Media is part of V13 Media Group, owned by V13 Ventures. 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