The Golden State Warriors have caused the second upset of the 2025 NBA playoffs in the Western Conference After all, they defeated the second-seeded Houston Rockets albeit after a hard-fought seven-game first-round series Now, the Dubs are all set to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Semifinals. But former Warriors champion Festus Ezeli has issued a major warning to the franchise ahead of the matchup While the Warriors had to engage in a brutal seven-game series against the Rockets, the Timberwolves wrapped things up in just five games vs the Los Angeles Lakers As a result, the T-Wolves have had a few days of extra rest and this is more of a reason for the Warriors to fear Anthony Edwards Even Ezeli believes Edwards will be the most exciting part of the series a huge step in a positive direction towards being the leader Edwards has indeed grown as a leader on the team albeit requiring a little push from Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch during the regular season The three-point shot has become an essential skill in the modern era the biggest stars in the league have worked on their craft to improve that aspect of their game Speaking of which, Ant has taken a huge leap this season in that department and that’s what makes him an unstoppable force the thing that has been improved for him is his three-point shot You saw that in the last series of him in the Lakers because he’s jumping over you,” Ezeli continued So his game is getting to a point where it’s really hard to stop that so it’s gonna be another defensive challenge,” he concluded Containing Edwards will be the No. 1 priority for the Warriors defense. It means fans should expect the likes of Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler to consistently try to make life difficult for Ant. © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. www.youtube.com • NBC Sports Bay Area & California We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Festus was the son of the late Floyd Jones and the late Bernice (Rakauskus) Jones.  he began working as a contractor eventually specializing in 18th Century Barn and Cabin Restoration He was gifted in his craft and worked all over Bucks County following his passion.  His passion for life extended well beyond his work and hanging out with Robin and his friends at the Legion in Quakertown He was a proud Son of the American Legion and an active member of the Riders of the American Legion and served as Road Captain several years Festus loved his friends and family deeply cherishing the time spent with them.  Festus will be dearly missed by his partner 19 Grandchildren and counting; his brother Duane Jones and his sisters Donna Baker and Kathy Jamison Festus is predeceased by his son Jeremy Gibialante there will be coffee and light refreshments served A memorial service in honor of Festus will begin at 12:00PM and a luncheon will immediately follow services located in the church's student center.  donations can be made in Festus’s name to the American Legion Post 242 and/or East Swamp Church in Quakertown.  All arrangements are made by Naugle Funeral & Cremation Service Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Soon after Southern Vicariate episcopal vicar Father Mike Lydon moved into Our Lady in Festus in July 2023 he walked out of the rectory one day to find a man sleeping on the sidewalk right outside the church he saw similar scenes around the community: people without homes including an encampment behind a Walmart that was outlawed and broken up last fall “It’s one of the things I’ve heard the most since I’ve been down here is that we need to do something impactful for the unhoused,” Father Lydon said The Southern Vicariate and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis are one step closer to that mission: the new Festus Housing Project has received a $585,000 grant from the Affordable Housing Fund through the Annual Catholic Appeal Four organizations were awarded more than $1 million in total through a second round of grants from the Affordable Housing Fund The Affordable Housing Fund was created by the Archdiocese of St Louis after its All Things New social outreach subcommittee identified in a 2023 report that affordable housing is among the most pressing unmet needs for struggling families The first round of grants were awarded to eight organizations in July 2024 come from $1 million in overage funds (money raised beyond the goal) from the 2024 Annual Catholic Appeal plus an additional $185,000 raised during the #iGiveCatholic campaign The Care Service at Sts. Joachim & Ann: $350,000 to purchase two affordable housing units and make any needed repairs Peter & Paul Community Services: $150,000 to go toward renovation of 20 affordable apartments at the new north St St. Joseph Housing Initiative: $100,000 to renovate one mixed-use and one residential property in south St Louis into two residential homes to be sold to first-time homebuyers “While no one effort can solve the affordable housing crisis with just a little support and encouragement from these fine organizations have reached their housing goals,” Archbishop Mitchell T they describe to us their sense of hope after finding a safe stable place for their family to call home and how this stability frees them to focus on work and other important areas of their lives.” The Festus Housing Project aims to construct a new building of affordable housing units on the campus of Sacred Heart Parish in Crystal City with an additional unit for a live-in property manager The housing project is the second such project under Catholic Charities Housing a new entity in the Catholic Charities family of ministries that was formed in the past year Its first project is the Troy Housing Project a new affordable housing complex to complement emergency shelter Bridge of Hope in Lincoln County Catholic Charities is also a partner in Bridge of Hope and in Life’s River Leaders for the Festus Housing Project consulted early on with Assisi House communal settings for those who are homeless or facing housing insecurity Festus Housing plans to charge a low monthly rent and also connect residents with supportive resources Catholic Charities chief community officer Brian Thouvenot said “We think it’s a good option when it comes to the lack of affordable housing we can help those families or individuals with the help they need in order to have a more permanent solution,” Thouvenot said “…It will be something that we could model The project is still in its early stages; Catholic Charities and the Southern Vicariate are working to engage other Jefferson County partners and secure additional funding for the remainder of the estimated $1.2 million needed for the project The Festus Housing Project is the first Affordable Housing Fund grant recipient in the Southern Vicariate “The archbishop said — and Catholic Charities is paired with him on this — that he wants to cover every square inch of the archdiocese with both evangelization and social outreach,” Father Lydon said “And we have very little (for the unhoused) in Jeff Co right now.” It will also be the first Catholic Charities housing project in the Southern Vicariate Catholic Charities has several operations within the Northern Vicariate and Life’s River in Washington and Bridge of Hope and the Troy Housing Project are in the Western Vicariate “So it just really shows that the archdiocese was focused on getting a project moving in the Southern Vicariate so that we are indeed bringing all these different resources,” Thouvenot said Discover the latest regional and national news and topics central to the Catholic faith with the St We strive to report on the news from within our archdiocese and throughout the world that is most meaningful and helpful to St We provide information for your Catholic formation to assist you in living the joy of the Gospel in the Archdiocese of St Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More — A proposal to transform approximately 500 acres in Festus into a mountain bike park was approved Thursday by the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission Applicants Chris and Renee Creed of Festus are seeking to turn their 576 acres of land located two miles south of Festus and Crystal City off Plattin Road into a quasi-commercial recreational development called Plattin Peaks Mountain Bike Park Plattin Peaks will set out to be a destination for mountain biking enthusiasts and families, while preserving the region’s glades and wildlife, according to the proposal documents by the planning and zoning commission.   Plans include 25 miles of bicycle trails, several bicycle skills areas, play areas, two camping areas with one to accommodate RVs, cabins, a restaurant, an event center, pavilions, a pool, athletic courts, a store and a 100-seat amphitheater, according to the proposal documents The development would happen in four phases The proposal does not include motorcycles nor motorized vehicles The park will be free for visitors during hours of operation Plattin Peaks Mountain Bike Park plans to host large bike races and other special events The park will collaborate with Jefferson County to develop programs enhance local recreation and engage with the community Some potential programs include outdoor education workshops youth bike clinics and community health initiatives In addition to promoting environmental education and community engagement the park is expected to boost the local economy by attracting tourists that will increase demand for lodging The nature-based recreational park is also anticipated to increase nearby property values undeveloped and fully vegetated with the exception of several private trails and access to roads scattered throughout the property in addition to a high pressure gas line easement.   The property includes two streams and the site is within the Jefferson County Public Sewer District Minimal clearing of the land is being proposed There is vacant property and a large residential lot surrounding the land A traffic impact study was performed to address concerns. The full traffic report can be found in the proposal documents.  Community members spoke in favor of the moutain bike park during Thursday’s planning and zoning commission meeting The proposal will go before the Jefferson County Council for final approval the son of the late Festus and Aurelia Bardwell.  a pursuit that not only brought him peace but also served as cherished opportunities to bond with his family He dedicated countless hours teaching his children and grandchildren the art of fishing sharing with them the secrets of not only catching but also cleaning their prized catches When Kenny wasn’t found with a fishing line in hand he was spending quality time with his family and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.  and Laurie Siekkinen (Davin); grandchildren and Kennedi Siekkinen; 6 great-grandchildren Festus Kenneth “Dude” Bardwell II.  Family and friends will be received at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home - Ponchatoula from 11:00 am until the services begin at 1:00 pm.  Interment will follow at Cooper Cemetery in Robert Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home and Crematory - Ponchatoula You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience after spending three years petitioning the local government to find a place in any of its parks or open spaces for mountain bike trails Most people would either give up or take matters into their own hands by building rogue trails Chris and Rene are not your average couple The pair of serial entrepreneurs is extremely driven he attributed much of the energy to his wife Rene (who was too busy at a “wine tasting meeting” to make the interview — fair play!) “She’s the driving force behind this And Rene doesn’t seem to take “no” for an answer “When we met 25 years ago in February [the night we met] she said we were going to get married and have seven kids But let’s see what happens.’ I like to joke that that’s the only time she’s ever been wrong because we had eight the Creeds bought and ran the successful Gateway Harley Davidson dealership in St they started the Gateway Devo Cycling team which was one of the premier under-25 amateur road cycling development teams in the country The most famous cyclist to come through the program was Sepp Kuss currently the most dominant American road cyclist on the world circuit After selling the dealership, the Creeds dabbled in several different projects, including Rene running a cycling camp for kids with Down syndrome under the age of seven. The Creeds then got more involved in youth cycling programs by founding a nonprofit, Living Life on 2 Wheels their programs moved more into the world of mountain biking this nonprofit bike work started really taking off teaching all these kids to ride bikes,” said Creed “We’re trying to give them a place to go ride properly we should probably open a bike shop.’ We wanted to make it different and so we wanted to put food in it.” The Creeds started a combination bike shop and pizza restaurant named Pedal’n Pi in Crystal City It took a while for the Creeds to get the hang of properly stocking a bike shop but through the process of starting the shop they realized that the most significant barrier to riding for both their customers and the kids they served: there weren’t any local mountain bike trails Crystal City is located right next door to the town of Festus While locals could drive 45 minutes to some great trails in nearby St The Creeds’ minds were absolutely blown after a 2018 trip to IMBA’s Trail Lab seminar in Bentonville “We had no clue what Bentonville was,” said Creed I’m used to going to bicycle races and seeing bicycle racers and you just have people riding safely everywhere The Creeds decided they needed to get some mountain bike trails built in their hometown ASAP so they began working with local governments to find a place in any park or piece of publicly owned land for trails They began attending all the city council meetings and park board meetings “We raised some money and had a feasibility study done [by IMBA] for all of our parks,” said Creed the Creeds couldn’t get enough traction to get trails approved on any parcel of public land So they decided to take matters into their own hands Chris and Rene decided to purchase an 820-acre wooded parcel from Rene’s father to build a trail system and bike park for their local community The Creeds ended up facing many more regulatory hurdles than anticipated “We thought that we could just raise money and go find a trail builder and start building trails and invite people out,” said Creed you have to actually come up with a master plan You got to go submit it to planning and zoning because our property was zoned large-lot residential and agricultural so we [had to] check every zoning box that the county has because of everything we intend to bring out to the property.” but after explaining their plans and their nonprofit status Gabe Presley from DTLS Landscape Architecture created the master plan for free The number of hoops they had to jump through was myriad the Plattin Peaks Trails passed a critical milestone: the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to approve the rezoning request and the development plan for the property The Plattin Peaks Trails were officially greenlighted The vision for the Plattin Peaks Trails is truly inspiring Creed said they have space on the property for around 30 miles of singletrack trails with a total of 400 feet of vertical drop from the high point to the low point Similar to most comprehensive master plans they plan to offer “something for everyone,” from hybrid bikes on crushed gravel trails up to gnarly downhill runs Even though the property is still closed to the public, the first trails have already been built. Zac Milner of Stray Trails has constructed a one-mile green flow trail and a creekside connector trail and he’s currently working on a blue flow trail they plan to build a black diamond downhill trail with a 6-foot drop so they can offer trails spanning the entire difficulty spectrum While the first trails to be constructed are flow trails Nomad Trail Design currently has a bid in for 13 miles of classic singletrack trails that will wind through the valley and up the property’s two ridges the plan calls for a skills/jump park to be built in the valley and a hardpack trail circling the property for casual riders on hybrid bikes Creed was quick to note that the trails will be free to ride While this aligns with their mission to provide riding opportunities for the community it also absolves them of liability as long as the trails are well-signed However, as we’ve seen, you can’t keep entrepreneurs from doing entrepreneur things. Their master plan calls for an events center, catering facility, and amphitheater on the property. In addition, they plan to offer several lodging options, including tent camping platforms (similar to those at Coler in Bentonville) the Creeds even envision moving Pedal’n Pi out to the property or starting a second location They hope to build a wedding venue and event space and they might even dig an artificial lake and building out everything on the plan would take years… if it even happens at all “The county said — no matter whether you do it or not — if you want to do it at some point in your lifetime you need to draw it in here so you don’t have to come back to us and say can we add 25 more spots?’ Because it’ll be a big nightmare,” said Creed While some of the most ambitious developments will require substantial fundraising the first mountain bike trails are already completed Once the blue trail is done and the parking lot is built they’ll be able to open the trails to the public While Creed was hesitant to give a date for opening “I’m going to say April 1 is what I’m going to shoot for.” “I’m always hesitant to give target dates because I did that with the shop here when we moved in here in January and started rehabbing it ‘we’ll be open in March,’ and we didn’t get open ’till August,” Creed continued but I think since Zac already got the majority of the work done and he’ll have a crew this time when he comes down Enter your email for the top stories in mountain biking plus product picks and deals delivered to your inbox each week Lutheran North’s Michael Clark bats away a pass intended for Festus’ Dashawn Bridgett during the MSHSAA Class 4 MSHSAA championship Friday at Memorial Stadium and Trey Bass celebrate after a touchdown during the MSHSAA Class 4 championship against Festus on Friday at Memorial Stadium (4) runs for a gain against Festus during the MSHSAA Class 4 championship Friday at Memorial Stadium Stephenson had a rushing touchdown and a TD catch in the Crusaders' 46-7 win Festus’ Trey Lacey catches a touchdown pass during the second quarter of the MSHSAA Class 4 championship Friday at Memorial Stadium Lacey scored the Tigers' lone touchdown in their 46-7 loss Festus’ Leuntae Williams tries to push through Lutheran North’s Booby Bryant and David Gudger during the MSHSAA Class 4 championship Friday at Memorial Stadium Senior wide receiver Trey Bass' four touchdowns propelled the Crusaders past the Tigers on Friday at Memorial Stadium Lutheran North football fired on all cylinders to open its 46-7 rout of Festus in the MSHSAA Class 4 championship on Friday at Memorial Stadium The Crusaders (13-1) had 328 yards of total offense converted 11 first downs and scored 38 points in the first half Festus had control of the ball for 15 minutes 5 seconds in the opening half but scored just 7 points Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Get the latest Mizzou and local high school sports stories delivered to your inbox Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist The Columbia Parents’ Digest is a newsletter to keep you in the know about raising kids in Columbia Start your day with the latest news stories for Columbia Receive a roundup of the news of the day each evening. 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