BATON ROUGE - A car overturned in the pond at the intersection of Highland Road and Pecue Lane on Friday morning and firefighters said the driver of the vehicle was nowhere to be found.  George Fire Department showed a car crashed into the pond in front of the Valhalla subdivision The bystander who called in the crash said they didn't see it happen SGFD responded to the scene and its rapid response team examined the scene The driver of the vehicle was nowhere to be found and no one else was inside the car but the deputies said that the drive later returned and was issued a citation for careless operation By Brad TownsendSports enterprise reporter really — began with a 309-yard drive and first-tee hug from Byron Nelson’s widow Five hours of hole-by-hole cheers and utter domination later 1 golfer became champion of the tournament he grew up attending and which gave him his first taste of PGA Tour competition at age 17 And how surreal is this? Scheffler missed last year’s Nelson due to the impending birth of his first child and there to hug him coming off the TPC Craig Ranch’s 18th green on Sunday was wife Meredith and adorable baby Bennett Sports RoundupGet the latest D-FW sports news analysis and opinion delivered straight to your inbox GoogleFacebookBy signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy Scheffler’s four-day score of 253 (31-under par) matched the PGA Tour record (since 1983) and his eight-shot margin over runner-up Erik van Rooyen was the largest on tour this season and second-largest in Nelson history It’s little wonder that during his victory speech on the 18th green got choked up in mid-sentence while specifically addressing fans as he explained in his post-round news conference I think about a lot of different stuff,” he said This was my first start on the PGA Tour when I was in high school The girl I was dating at the time is now my wife “My sister was caddying for me at the time and I think at times it all comes crashing down to me at once.” Winning your hometown tournament isn’t easy Scheffler also became the Nelson’s third wire-to-wire winner joining Mark Hayes (1976) and Tom Watson (1980) Scheffler carried a six-shot lead into Sunday practically making it an 18-hole coronation If not for a bogey on the par 3 17th and an uncharacteristic par on the easy 18th the result would have been even more record-breaking Fellow Dallasite and Texas Longhorn Jordan Spieth on Sunday fired a 9-under 62 to catapult up the leaderboard but his 19-under total wasn’t in the stratosphere of Scheffler with whom he played the first two days and also frequently plays practice rounds at Dallas National “What he’s doing is inspiring,” three-time major champion Spieth “It wasn’t that long ago I was definitely better than him – and now I’m definitely not but I just watched it those first two rounds coming 10 years and 11 months and 21 days after he played his first PGA Tour round at the 2014 Byron Nelson as a 17-year-old Highland Park High senior That week at the TPC Four Seasons in Las Colinas he had a Calculus project due on Friday; made a hole-in-one with sister Callie caddying on Saturday; and on Sunday he tied 22nd and would have pocketed $64,055 had he not been playing as an amateur Smith similarly became emotional while watching Scottie’s first competitive PGA Tour round in 2014 “The cool thing about it is he’s the same person,” Smith said Sunday’s first-place check of $1.782 million increased Scheffler’s career tournament earnings to $78,504,784 – not including bonuses which last season alone totalled $33 million including $25 million for winning the season-long FedEx Cup title Until Sunday, though, Scheffler’s most recent tour win was the Tour Championship last September 1 — eight months and 11 days ago a relative eternity during this torrid four-season Scheffler run that has produced at least one win per year This win is Scheffler’s 14th on the PGA Tour moving him into a tie for 65th on the all-time list — one ahead of Spieth — even though he’s a relatively young 28 years he’s also missed only 19 cuts in 139 career starts with 65 top-ten finishes and 35 top-three showings Certainly his two Masters victories and Olympic gold rank higher than what happened this week but this was extra special for many reasons His show of emotion during his victory speech was rare surpassed only by his tears when the Star-Spangled banner played as he stood on the medal stand in Paris “We have a lot of great memories as kids coming to watch this tournament,” he said and it’s more of a dream to be able to win it “I never really got this far to be honest with you I always just dreamed of playing golf on the PGA Tour I would come out on the driving range and watch these guys practice “That’s all I wanted to do was come out here and play a golf course that was in great shape and compete on the best golf courses in the world against the best players.” especially after someone handed him a framed photo of 6-year-old Scottie with Byron Nelson Scott recalls coaxing Scottie to go say hello to Nelson that day Nelson doesn’t take pictures,’ ” Scott recalled ‘Let him come up and take a picture with me.’ It was really nice.” It’s been a decade of transition for the Nelson tournament which since 2017 has been played on three different courses: the TPC Four Seasons in Las Colinas Trinity Forest in Dallas and since 2021 TPC Craig Ranch But this year’s event might prove transformative a bulldozer began digging up the practice putting green a ceremonial start to a $22 million TPC Craig Ranch renovation that is projected to be completed by the fall The title sponsor agreement with CJ Group just completed the second year of a 10-year deal the Nelson can boast as its champion a local product who also is the No Tournament director Jon Drago said Nelson officials spent much of Sunday reminiscing Someone found the letter that the tournament sent to 17-year-old Scheffler “He’s the first champion that’s been from the community and everybody rallies behind,” Drago said “Watching the crowds kind of build with him and the way he took charge from the very beginning and just never let go and certainly would have played last year had it not been Meredith’s due-date week Scheffler told fans he looked forward to returning for many years to come Is Scheffler cognizant of the fact that his win elevates his hometown tournament at a seemingly critical juncture of its history “I think about what he did for the game of golf and he was a great person as well off the golf course “He was a person that I’ve read a lot about I’ve had the opportunity to meet him a few times when I was a kid He was a tremendous player and a tremendous person “I’m proud to be here supporting his tournament and his legacy We have some great legacy tournaments on the PGA Tour For his tournament to have a lasting legacy here Prior to that he worked at The Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Light Eight-time APSE award winner; 2016 National Headliner Award; 2018 Celeste Williams Texas Sportswriter of the Year; 2021 NSMA Texas Sportswriter of the Year Lake and McHenry County Scanner A Highland Park man is being held in Lake County Jail after setting a fire to a Highland Park family’s garbage can then threatening to kidnap one of the victims unless he received $80,000 was arrested and charged with a Class 2 felony count of Arson and six Class 3 felony counts of Intimidation following the incidents that took place over one week from April 28 and May 2 He is also charged with a Class 4 felony count of phone harassment Assistant Lake County State’s Attorney Manuel Mandujano said in a weekend court appearance Sunday that the three Highland Park victims and family members awoke at 3:26 a.m on April 28 to find their garbage can engulfed in flames on their property Paint supplies and other flammable substances had been placed in the garbage can before the fire was set causing a portion of the lawn and the garbage receptacle to be destroyed the first victim received a text message from an unknown person who said he was part of the group that torched the garbage and they would take the daughter and second victim hostage if the victims did not give the group $80,000 the second victim and daughter named in the threat received the same text about the fire and the abduction but the text added that the next fire would be set inside the home Highland Park Police traced the text messages back to the cell phone provider which then traced back to an IP address for the wifi at the Highland Park Library Surveillance video viewed by police showed Aragon entering the Highland Park Library three times in the moments before each text message was sent to the victims and the Highland Park man confessed to starting the garbage can fire and threatening the victims The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a motion to detain Aragon until trial and Lake County Judge Christopher Morozin ordered Aragon held pending a detention hearing Monday afternoon No part of this website may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission from Lake and McHenry County Scanner To keep you informed about the latest news across Lake and McHenry counties as it happens One of the next big things to change the Highland Park neighborhood in north Des Moines brings a lower-level cocktail lounge to the neighborhood that’s undergoing a renaissance Highland Underground is the first tenant in the former Klein's Department Store housed in a building constructed in 1905 that is going through a complete renovation from the apartments on the second floor to the future restaurants or businesses on the ground floor to the basement home of the new cocktail bar with vintage vibes The bar, from Alec Davis and Sam Hoyle of Dough Co. Pizza in the Drake neighborhood and in Ankeny and the Des Moines Biergarten at Water Works Park takes over 2,000 square feet in the basement of the former department store you’re descending back in time to another era of this neighborhood,” Hoyle said during a recent tour of the space which is just getting ready for the transformation inside Construction workers still finished their work inside and out of the building but Hoyle and Davis said they are ready to start their end of the remodel converting the bare-bones space into a bar Klein’s moved to Park Fair Shopping Center four blocks away in 1983 Tim and Chloe Bratvold coaxed the owners of the building to sell in 2023 in an effort to restore and save the building More: The former home of a secret society will soon house not-so-secret restaurants and apartments they will immediately see the bar area at the back of the space Behind that will sit a kitchen for making fondue pots brimming with cheese or chocolate The southern wall features booths with shadow boxes with mannequins wearing 1970s attire At the front of the space along Sixth Avenue sits a raised platform for live music with comfortable seating such as sofas the duo plans to incorporate a wall of old speakers that will create a surround-sound experience and an opportunity to take selfies The space will feature mid-century modern furnishings and decorations with table lamps and intentional lighting from the shadow boxes Davis and Hoyle chose to build a bar rather than purchasing one so it can be optimized for the space’s size and needs The space will fit 80 people but the two plan to keep the crowds to 55 to 60 people for the best experience “We are intentional about where we put our businesses,” Hoyle said We obviously chose the building and developer … We wanted to play on the building’s history.” What will the cocktails be like at the Highland Underground?Think modern interpretations of classic cocktails at Highland Underground “We’re not looking to be the highest end and the most creative We also want to be approachable for the neighborhood,” Davis said “A lot of the trends in the craft cocktail movement are what people want these days The trends today are oftentimes different than what was done in the ’70s So how do we reimagine some of those cocktails and in motifs that people think of from that era We kind of have different expectations of how a cocktail would be served and presented and taste today.” Hoyle and Davis plan to open the bar in June construction and material delays could push that date back Other new businesses coming to Highland ParkBar Martinez from Travis Oler plans to open this summer at 515 Euclid Ave The 650-square-foot main floor will have room for 29 to 35 patrons Beth Mensing plans to open Scoops by Beth Nicole Nayima opened Black Sheep Craft Shop at 3523 Sixth Ave. CS Home from Casey Staats opened at 503 Euclid Ave The boutique is open Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m North End Barber Shop opened at 505 Euclid Ave., and Diamond Kutz Barber Shop opened at 3710 Sixth Ave Grooming by Victoria moved into 501 Euclid Ave trims and even treating matted hair from owner Victoria Gutierrez Lachele's Fine Foods and The Fitz opened with a comfort food menu of steamed and smashed burgers Lachele’s Fine Foods is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m More: Where to shop, eat and drink coffee in the Highland Park neighborhood in Des Moines More: What's new in Highland Park? See 13 new or about-to-open businesses in the neighborhood Sign up for our new dining newsletter, The Dish, which comes out on Wednesday mornings with all the latest news on restaurants and bars in the metro. You can sign up for free at DesMoinesRegister.com/thedish If you see a new restaurant opening or a beloved place closing, send me some details at sstapleton@gannett.com Home / Sports Huskies and Wildcats split on the golf course Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread COLUMBUS JUNCTION — Highland and Columbus matched up with one another on Thursday afternoon at Cedar Crest Country Club The Highland girls stayed perfect on the season with a 194-218 win over Columbus the Columbus boys defeated Highland 204-219 Highland’s Emersyn Schultz and Adisyn Prottsman went one and two in the meet Schultz shot a low of 41 and Prottsman a 46 respectively Adeline Krotz followed in fourth with a 54 Cassidy Duster had a 64 and Autumn Guseman a 73 to round out the Huskies Aracely Garza led Columbus with a 52 for third Kinlee Brown finished with a 54 for fourth Lily Coil and Hailey Wellington both finished sixth with 56s Jocelyn Hernandez ended with a 58 and Madeleine Howell followed with a 61 The Highland girls sit at a perfect 20-0 on the season Kason Dopler led Columbus with a medalist finish Highland’s Issac Giesmann finished as the runner-up with a 46 Columbus’ record is now 5-18 and Highland 0-17 PROFILEmiami - Your Premier South Florida Real Estate & Lifestyle Guide PROFILEmiami is a leading source of Miami and South Florida Residential and Commercial Real Estate News and Content EVENT MAY 21: Secure your spot Royal Retreat - Hospitality Real Estate in Miami at Queen has listed his Highland Beach resort-style estate for $43.85 million The impressive estate stands 17’ above sea level and overlooks 120’ of ocean frontage–spanning four levels and 11,000+ SF of interiors plus a 3,000 SF sky deck with panoramic views 7 full baths and 2 half baths residence with ocean views from almost every room showcases standout design features including lava stone floors and walls an sleek open entertaining kitchen and separate catering kitchen outfitted with top of the line appliances A spacious primary suite includes a glass-enclosed office an oversized marble bath and spacious closets Additional features include a screening room a brand new double decker $250K+ pool and deck renovation includes features you would find at a world-class oceanfront retreat with a brand new infinity-edge swimming pool and spa located on the 2nd level/main level of the home creating ultimate poolside privacy while also enhancing visibility of the ocean views The statement outdoor staircase enables convenient access from the pool down to the beach level The lower level has a stunning outdoor space with a covered loggia perfect entertaining and an outdoor shower the exterior lighting and ambient fire features create a magical outdoor ambiance 3715 S Ocean Boulevard is listed for $43.85 million by Samantha Curry with Douglas Elliman Sign up to stay up to date with the latest in Miami residential and commercial real estate news and content Sign up to receive PROFILEmiami’s Bi-Weekly Newsletter to stay up to date with the latest in South Florida residential and commercial real estate news and content Actively read by 15K+ of South Florida’s Top Real Estate Industry Professionals Fort Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches since 2016 Privacy Policy PROFILEmiami takes no ownership of any imagery unless otherwise noted The rainy weather broke just long enough for us to have our most successful and most attended Springfest event to date "Our goal is to ensure that every veteran receives the highest quality of care and the support they need to lead fulfilling and we are honored to serve those who have served our nation.” We would also like to thank all our community partners who had a hand in making this event a success See you in 2026 for our 4th annual Springfest LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio From 19th century landing place for Italian immigrants to Latino neighborhood to hipster enclave the sandwiches on sale demonstrate its evolution From lip-smacking pastrami Reubens to vegan tortas and old-school Italian sandwiches … it's hard to pick a favorite it creates the perfect conditions for a slew of sandwich spots that combine novel experimentation with old-time tradition Initially a landing spot for 19th-century Italian immigrants the neighborhood later became predominantly Latino before evolving into today's hipster hot spot All those influences can still be felt in eateries along Fig and York I used to live there and still have an affection for the area And I have my favorites to head to for a great sandwich when I’m hungry and nearby And while you can indulge in something creative like the Kold Kimcheezy (comprising smoked ham we opted for Jeff’s Special — a meticulously crafted reuben famous for its fall-apart house-made pastrami and a crunchy gruyère crisp tucked away amidst the tried-and-true combo of sauerkraut and Russian dressing It's pure decadence between two slices of griddle rye It's packed with a breaded patty made from soy protein and topped with beans but I was surprised at how much of a light bite it was with the flavors and textures intermingling there’s a “less is more” quality to Galco’s version that I sincerely appreciated And while you’ll never find anything like this Italian sandwich in Italy (sandwiches in Italy are famously austere not unlike the iconic “The Sandwich” at Roma Market in Pasadena There are even more sandwiches to try in Highland Park that are beyond our list Here are a few other spots that are worth the stop: The menu celebrates the cuisine of Mexico City or “Distrito Federal,” like their pambazo Luca and I split ours while sitting at one of their many sidewalk tables The saturated bread is fused with a potato and chorizo mixture that melts in your mouth The bagel’s subtle earthiness danced in lockstep to the beat of the beet cream cheese while its nuttiness was mirrored by the perfectly crisp sliver of fried salmon skin that gives the sandwich its unique texture It turns out that pumpernickel isn’t just the best choice for Belle’s iconic lox-laced sandwich — it may be the only choice The Highland Huskies and Columbus Wildcats split their golf duals Thursday at Cedar Crest Country Club in Columbus Junction The Highland girls got the win over Columbus finishing with a team score of 197 strokes that was 21 better than the hosts Emersyn Schultz led the Huskies by shooting a five-over-par 41 while fellow junior Adisyn Prottsman fired a 46 with freshman Joslyn Prottsman only two strokes behind as Highland remained undefeated in team competition this spring beating Highland by 15 strokes with a final combined score of 204 Junior Kason Dopler was the meet medalist and shot an eight-over 44 to pace the Wildcats while sophomore Mason Hardy had a 52 and seniors Ryan Coil and Payton White had rounds of 49 and 59 Sophomore Isaac Giesmann was second overall and led the Huskies with a 46 while senior Ryker Miller fired a 55 and sophomore Tyson Grout carded a 57 The WACO Warriors would drop both of their Southeast Iowa Super Conference duals on Friday against Wapello The WACO boys had a team score of 209 and were 30 strokes behind Wapello Sophomore Malachi Rinner shot a 44 to lead the Warriors and was one stroke shy of medalist honors while freshman Ian Maize had a 47 and junior Kellen Shelman added a 53 Junior Morgan Meyer’s round of 61 would be the best for the WACO girls on their way to a team score of 283 and finishing over 60 strokes back of the Arrows Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 11:49:13 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association released the winners of the OPSMA writing and photography contest for submissions from the 2024 calendar year Highland County Press sports editor Stephen Forsha was voted fifth place in the Division 2 game stories category Division 2 is for newspapers from Ohio under 10,000 daily circulation This is the second consecutive year Forsha and the Highland County Press have been recognized in the awards contest by the OPSMA Ohio Prep Sports Media Association Contest Award Winners COLUMBUS — The Ohio Prep Sports Media Association held its annual member meeting last Thursday and announced the results of its annual writing and photography contest Writer of the Year honors went to John Kampf from the Willoughby News-Herald in Division I and Rob McCurdy of the Marion Star in Division 2 The contest included submissions from the 2024 calendar year and was judged by OPSMA members There were four writing categories in two divisions based on circulation size Each category was judged by two members from another division Writers and photographers were judged on a body of work that included three submissions per category OPSMA membership now stands at 218 writers and photographers around the state the Ohio Prep Sports Media Association works to support and enhance the coverage of high school sports in Ohio and to recognize superior writing among sports journalists the OPSWA partnered with the Ohio High School Athletic Association to create a website establish electronic communications and increase its membership and recognition The OPSWA website includes the membership directory  Division 1 – Daily Circulation over 10,000 and Websites two first-place entries and a third-place entry) Division 2 Writer of the Year: Rob McCurdy had one first-place entry and placed in two other categories) had one first-place entry and placed in two other categories The Highland Huskies host their home co-ed track meet tonight in Riverside Three local schools will be a part of the field including the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks who have been off since a Tuesday trip to Anamosa where the girls finished second as a team and the boys third Girls championship events included Rachel Hostetler in the 3000 Jeorgia Evans in long jump the 4×100 team of Jeorgia and Jovi Evans Tessa Bombei and Myli Hershberger and the 4×800 with Kendal Landstrum Winning events for the boys included Jayden Stafford in the wheelchair 100 Emmett Swartzentruber in the two-mile and Burke Berry in shot put The WACO Warriors were last in action Thursday at their home Eckstrand Relays where the boys were second in Class B and the girls were fourth Warrior boys titles came from the sprint medley with Hayden Shelman For the girls Bren Graber and Josie Dykstra supplied a 1-2 punch in the 400 hurdles while the sprint medley of Natalie Wagler Dykstra and Trinity Dean and the shuttle hurdle relay with Ally Rinner Madelyn Farmer Drew Graber and Bren Graber were winners The Highland girls were sixth as a team and the boys were eighth at Eckstrand in Wayland Thursday The Huskies had three girls relays finish third including the team of Mayia Singbeil Alexa Hahn and Lilly Barre in both the 4×1 and 4×2 and Ava Sexton Highlight for the Highland boys was a runner-up race for the sprint medley of Caleb Wheeler This meet serves as Senior Night for the Huskies who will honor Lilly Barre Those three schools will be joined tonight by Keokuk Officials have released few details after two people were stabbed in a Highland Park neighborhood and transported to the hospital over the weekend The Highland Park Police Department and Highland Park Fire Department responded around 11:55 p.m last Friday to the 800 block of Woodbine Road for a report of a stabbing Two ambulances were dispatched to the scene for reports of two people injured The fire department initially staged away from the scene until officers deemed it safe A heavy police presence was active for hours into early Saturday morning during the investigation Detectives appeared to be moving inside a home and outside the property during the investigation Crime scene tape was set up around the property Highland Park Communications Manager Amanda Bennett said two people suffered stab wounds Both were transported to the hospital by ambulance and a third person at the scene was uninjured Bennett said the incident was the result of a domestic dispute but did not release further details such as what led to the incident or the extent of injuries the injured subjects suffered “The investigation is still in progress,” Bennett said It is unclear whether the suspect is in custody yet The Columbus/Winfield-Mount Union girls’ soccer team defeated Fairfield 5-3 Friday night Columbus/WMU built a 4-0 lead by the time halftime arrived and managed to fend off Fairfield’s comeback attempt The Wildcats raise their record to 3-6 with the victory and will next take on Wapello later today The Highland Huskies would not have the same fortune Friday against Cedar Valley Christian as they would score a goal after facing a 1-0 halftime deficit but would not be able to get the win in regulation and would have the match end in a tie Highland was coming off a 3-0 loss Thursday to Burlington Notre Dame trailing 2-0 at halftime and never recovering The Huskies now sit at 6-4-1 ahead of taking on Hillcrest Academy tomorrow CLICK HERE for High School Football Scores SAN ANGELO, TX — Crews with AEP Texas worked through Monday morning to restore power to thousands of homes in San Angelo after severe weather led to a fire and a downed transmission line near Rust Street and Highland Boulevard According to AEP Texas outage maps Crews were dispatched and had restored most power just before 10 a.m Upwards of 20,000 customers were without power during the peak of the outage who oversees AEP operations in the San Angelo region said the fire was likely caused by wires becoming tangled and sparking due to the weather He added that it was too early to determine the exact cause and did not want to speculate further A downed power line on Rust Street also contributed to delays in restoring power to nearby homes AEP crews remain on-site to complete repairs View Past Issues indie web and mobile news platform with a local audience larger than all the San Angelo TV stations Advertising here can transform your business We understand that seeing some stories may be difficult for some readers Our goal as a news organization is to report on matters of public interest with accuracy and fairness While we recognize that certain stories can be sensitive or unsettling we are committed to providing transparent and factual reporting to keep our community informed If 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We take our responsibility to the community seriously and strive to maintain a respectful dialogue with our audience. Contact us here This article was developed using publicly available information Highland County Sports Schedule for the week of May 5-10 (varsity only) Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community If you would like to contribute to this service Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press Please include "for website" on the memo line Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Betty was raised on the family farm near Mission Hill She was baptized and confirmed at Vangen Lutheran Church in Mission Hill where she was a lifelong member She graduated from Volin High School in 1966 She attended Nettleton College in Sioux Falls and began her career at American State Bank in Yankton She continued her banking career at the bank in Volin and retired after more than 30 years of service They farmed near Volin where Betty continued to live after Roger’s passing in 1990 Betty was active in agriculture and the community having served in Volin Community Club and on the Volin Township Board for well over 30 years She made it possible for her daughter to learn to ride and participate in events and competitions and needlepoint and was an avid collector of antiques Left to cherish her memories are her daughter Angie Highland (Rod Woodward) of Weatherford South Dakota and Angela (Paul) Van Slyke of Colorado Springs She is also survived by Niece Renea (Jay) Hollenbeck of Colorado Springs Memorials may be directed to Vangen Lutheran Church 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 When it came to our nation’s immigration policies the Biden Administration refused to enforce the law Within just the first 100 days of the previous administration including removing Remain in Mexico and Title 42 in an attempt to make it easier for immigrants to illegally enter and stay in our country These calculated actions resulted in a raging illegal immigration disaster Massive surges of illegals – including criminals and terrorists - were constantly swarming our border jeopardizing our national security and giving cartels free reign to push deadly fentanyl into every community throughout the United States the average number of monthly border encounters was nearly 160,000 with the daily average peaking at 15,000 CBP recorded approximately 11 million border encounters over the course of President Biden’s four years nearly 64,000 pounds of fentanyl was seized at the southern border – enough to kill 14 billion people we have now seen a historic and extraordinary turnaround In President Trump’s first 100 days in office he has delivered the most secure border in modern American history – and he didn’t need legislation to do it Illegal “getaways” at the border are down by 95 percent and migrant crossings are down by 99.99 percent March 2025 saw the lowest monthly number of border encounters in recorded history Fentanyl traffic at the southern border fell by 54 percent and arrests and deportations have skyrocketed The Laken Riley Act has been signed into law and all taxpayer-funded public benefits for illegal aliens have been terminated President Trump’s illegal immigration crackdown began on day one and we are sending a strong message to the world: the United States of America is strong and secure ••• Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens Terry Britton and David Daniels agreed to move toward joining an initiative to better assist individuals with mental illnesses within the criminal justice system during their Wednesday Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve a resolution signing on to the “Call to Action and Stepping Up to Reduce the Number of People with Mental Illnesses in Jails” as part of the Stepping Up Initiative following an appointment with Hillsboro Municipal Court Judge Chad Randolph and Highland County Probation Department Director of Programming and Clinical Services Tonya Sturgill Stepping Up is a national organization with participating counties in nearly every state, including 58 of Ohio’s 88 counties thus far, according to https://stepuptogether.org Sturgill said that commissioners’ passage of the resolution is the first step in Highland County joining the initiative which “supports local jurisdictions in establishing and reaching measurable goals that demonstrate reduced prevalence of serious mental illness across the justice system.” According to a handout provided by Sturgill “The mission of both the national and Ohio’s Stepping Up Initiative is to help criminal offenders with mental illnesses get connected to clinical treatment and other services so they can get well make positive life changes and stay out of jail.” Judge Randolph said that Sturgill has met with retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton who serves as project director for the Stepping Up Initiative in Ohio in preparing to implement the program locally “It's just a way for counties not to have to reinvent the wheel,” Sturgill told commissioners we're all dealing with a lot of mental illness in the criminal justice system Highland County Sheriff] has them in the jail every day and we're all looking at each other saying but our facilities that I work with are also not usually equipped to handle them which we do a great job getting into treatment but we still have this category of people who are not abusing drugs what this offers our county is the support and the resources available in other areas.” he and others had been “reinventing the wheel because we didn’t know the wheel was already out there “Judge Randolph has already put together a team that was doing this in our community on a smaller scale,” Sturgill said “This will welcome in those outside resources help us tap into some things we might not even be familiar with in our county and the surrounding counties so that we can get these individuals the help that we need “The starting process is just you guys passing a resolution saying that the county supports it and then their foundation will reach out to us organize a meeting in the county so that we can start putting our heads together and coming up with ways that we can help.” According to the information provided by Sturgill the county will receive a toolkit that includes “planning guides publications and more.” As Sturgill mentioned Stepping Up Ohio will schedule a meeting with the local stakeholders to help provide further information you also get access to a variety of technical resources peer exchanges and a newsletter containing important grant and training information and conferences of interest,” the handout says Daniels asked about funding for the initiative “There actually is not funds tied to this currently,” Sturgill said “Just joining their initiative does not guarantee us any funding they're just kind of offering support to those staffing cases “Just all coming together for sharing that information is all that we're doing today Britton referred to the handout from Sturgill which says that “30 percent or more of [Ohio’s] incarcerated population [has] mental illnesses,” with an estimated “2 million people with serious mental illnesses admitted to U.S “With over 30 percent of population that we’re missing there that's something needs to be looked at,” Britton said “We appreciate you taking the initiative to do this.” • Highland County Community Action (HCCAO) housing director Jeanette Mottie conducted the first of two public hearings on the Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) Program The county applies for the grant every two years as a partnership among the county As mentioned by Mottie at a meeting earlier in April HCCAO was not awarded the grant with their 2024 application due to “a lot of errors,” and commissioners authorized Mottie to resubmit the grant According to the Ohio Department of Development “The Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) Program provides funding to Ohio’s non-entitlement communities to improve and provide affordable housing for low- and moderate-income citizens CHIP funds are distributed in one competitive funding round per year Eligible applicants can only submit one application per round eligible communities can undertake a variety of housing-related activities communities improve and provide affordable housing for low- and moderate-income persons and strengthen neighborhoods through community collaboration.” Mottie said that “CHIP funds can be used for critical home repairs full home rehabilitation and down payment assistance for eligible homebuyers strengthens families neighborhoods and our entire community,” Mottie said Tell us about housing needs in your neighborhood barriers to safe housing or ideas to strengthen our applications.” Individuals wishing to submit comments can do so at jmottie@hccao.org or by calling (937) 393-3458 commissioners voted 3-0 via resolution to authorize the submission of the PY 2025 Community Housing Impact and Preservation (CHIP) Program Grant Application and Implementation plan to the Ohio Department of Development Office of Community Development; and a contract with Highland County Community Action Organization for the application implementation and operation of the PY 2025 Community Housing Impact and Preservation Program • Highland County Airport Authority president Bob Prosek met with commissioners to discuss a request for renewing the airport’s Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) Prosek told commissioners that the AWOS is used by pilots, and news stations use the system for weather forecasts. Prosek added that the public can access the AWOS by calling (937) 393-9038 or by visiting https://khoc.awosnet.com because it also puts what they call NOTAMs if there's severe weather somewhere in this area if there's a bad forest fire or something going on or there's some construction going on in a certain area and that way aircraft can get notified of that.” The airport used grant funding to replace the system in 2022 and Prosek said it “has to be recertified with the Federal Communications Commission” and “certified with the Federal Aviation Administration” periodically “We didn't know when the update of the maintenance contract would be,” Prosek said and that takes care of most of the repairs “We usually put this in for our request on our budget each year but we didn't know what it would be costing for this year so we didn't want to put an arbitrary number on there.” Prosek added that the airport “could probably come up with half of that” $5,304.50 “and that would pay for half a year.” Commission clerk Ashleigh Willey said that the contract is “already past due.” Britton emphasized that it is “important” for the airport to include the cost for the maintenance in their budget for 2026 we're going to plan on this going up 10 percent or some percent,’ but just include it in,” Daniels added “This is a relatively small amount of money but over the course of the last four or five months we have approved relatively small amounts of money we're talking about sort of like the ‘$100,000 here and $100,000 there and pretty soon Prosek said the airport would budget for it next year and that they were “blindsided on this.” Commissioners voted 3-0 to approve the airport authority’s request • Britton again encouraged the community to vote for Issue 2 on the May 6 primary ballot as discussed at several previous meetings and in a resolution of endorsement “It helps in all our public works projects,” Britton said • Commissioners approved a recommendation from Highland County Sheriff Randy Sanders to discontinue a $3,385 three-year service contract with Vertiv to “maintain the battery backup system at the jail” that was due for renewal “The best I can tell we’ve been paying this money for at least the last six years and we've never met anybody from the company,” Sanders said “The Power Siting Board will determine whether or not they can do that,” Daniels said “Their responsibility is to inform us that that's going to happen I think that all of us would like to make sure that the facilities that they are putting in there are being maintained and properly operated so I have no objections to the amendment to the Power Siting Board application.” Commissioners voted 3-0 to submit no objection to the application “I think that it's appropriate that we put it up let everybody know that memorial is coming just put it up at those times,” Daniels said “I think that they can put it up again next year to call attention to the memorial that they have planned.” • Commissioners said they received a list of issues to be addressed at various county buildings which was submitted by Tom Perrin of the county’s maintenance department as he conducted building inspections recently “We’ll make note and start putting them on a punch list to be taken care of Roades pointed out that all three commissioners were wearing jeans for Denim Day in support of sexual assault survivors at the request of the Alternatives to Violence Center • A request from Probation for a budget modification within the 2615 CCA 2.0 FY24-25 Fund in the amount of $1,924 • A request from Probation for an additional appropriation from unappropriated funds within the 2615 CCA 2.0 FY24-25 Fund in the amount of $5,654.97 • A request from Probation to remove Gary Breeden and add Jon Parr as the backup user for the department’s credit card (Sturgill is the primary person on the card.) • A second payment application from Mechanical Construction for the second phase of Rocky Fork Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades • A motion by Daniels to offer no objections to an application for a liquor license at the new Dollar General in Paint Township the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats dropped a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game against the visiting Ripley Lady Blue Jays by a 5-3 score in extra innings In the game played at Whiteoak High School Ripley and Whiteoak were nearly even in hits with RHS having eight and WHS finishing with seven Whiteoak led early with a run in the bottom of the second inning and after each team scored two runs in the fourth it was Whiteoak still holding on to a one-run lead at 3-2 Ripley tied the score in the top of the sixth with a run and earned the win with two runs crossing the plate in the top of the eighth and final inning Kylee Hamm was 3-for-4 at the plate for Whiteoak collecting three RBI as two of her hits were doubles The Lady ’Cats also had Janelle Clift go 1-for-2 with a run and two walks while Lily Leston went 1-for-3 with a run and a walk Whiteoak also had a walk forced by Elly McMullen and Madison Davidson scored a run and drew two walks who in eight innings finished with 14 strikeouts The loss sends Whiteoak to an overall record of 2-10 this season the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs haven’t allowed a single run and in all six of those games LCHS has allowed just two runs combined Their most recent shutout win came on Wednesday April 30 at home against the Manchester Greyhounds by a 10-0 score The Southern Hills Athletic Conference win by the Mustangs on their home diamond was their second consecutive 10-0 victory as on Monday (April 28) LCHS defeated the Eastern Warriors by the same score on Wednesday the Mustangs scored first with one run in the bottom of the first inning then held a 7-0 lead when they added six runs in the bottom of the third LCHS scored the final three runs of the game with a three-run fourth inning the Mustangs totaled eight hits and no errors while Manchester had one hit and one error Six of the eight LCHS hits were from three players as leadoff batter Josiah Burns went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI Quin Wells finished 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBI Trevor Niehaus ended the game at 2-for-3 with one turn and four RBI Cole Wells finished 1-for-1 with two hits by pitches while teammate Cody Bell was 1-for-3 with one run Tanner Roberts also scored a run and added an RBI and rounding out the accomplishments was Braedon West with a walk as in five innings he allowed no runs on one hit and no walks with 10 strikeouts The victory puts the Mustangs at 12-2 overall and 9-0 in the SHAC Division I standings This win also marked their 10th shutout overall The loss puts Manchester at 4-2 in the SHAC Div Around 603,000 extended-stay rooms were open mid-price and upscale extended-stay segments led first-quarter 2025 RevPAR growth over their hotel class counterparts Vishnu Rageev R is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience in business journalism As a senior journalist with Asian Hospitality MID-PRICE AND UPSCALE extended-stay segments outperformed their corresponding hotel classes in first-quarter 2025 RevPAR growth compared to the same period in 2024 occupancy declined in the economy and mid-price segments bringing overall extended-stay occupancy down to 70.9 percent—the lowest first-quarter level since 2010 excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 The 2025 First Quarter U.S. Extended-Stay Hotels Report found 602,980 extended-stay hotel rooms open at the end of the quarter with a net gain of 17,588 rooms over the past year—the largest annual increase in three years “The positive change in extended-stay hotel RevPAR decelerated during the first quarter of 2025 but when compared directly to corresponding classes of all hotels all three extended-stay segments reported higher RevPAR growth from the first quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025,” said Mark Skinner Economy extended-stay hotels reported record-high demand in the first quarter of 2025 with total extended-stay demand increasing 1.1 percent (reflecting the extra day in the 2024 leap year) over the past 12 months This contrasts with no change in demand for the total hotel industry as reported by STR/CoStar for the same period The 2.7 percent gain in extended-stay room revenues in the first quarter was the lowest in the past year but higher than the 1.5 percent increase in the first quarter of 2024 STR/CoStar reports total hotel industry room revenues grew 1.7 percent in the first quarter of 2025 but only 0.7 percent when excluding the upper-upscale and luxury segments which have minimal extended-stay inventory total extended-stay hotel occupancy in the first quarter of 2025 was the lowest since the pandemic-impacted years of 2020 and 2021 and the lowest for a first quarter since 2010 Economy and mid-price extended-stay segments drove the 1.6 percent overall ADR growth in the first quarter while STR/CoStar reported a 1.7 percent ADR increase for the total hotel industry with economy and mid-price segments driving the increase and influencing overall extended-stay RevPAR change from the first quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025 The total extended-stay RevPAR gain in the first quarter of 2025 was lower than the segment increases due to the economy segment's larger share of extended-stay room supply compared to the first quarter of 2024 Extended-stay hotels’ occupancy premium over the overall hotel industry averaged 12 percentage points in 2018 and 2019 The premium tends to rise during downturns peaking at 20 percent in the first quarter of 2021 during the pandemic the occupancy premium was 12.3 percentage points extended-stay hotels’ ADR grew slightly faster than the overall hotel industry with the ratio peaking at 83 percent before declining to 77 percent in the first quarter of 2022 as the overall hotel industry recovered more quickly due to deeper pandemic losses The first-quarter ADR ratio in 2025 was essentially unchanged from 2024 Relative RevPAR followed a similar trajectory to ADR with gains from 2017 to 2019 and a peak ratio of 119 percent in the first quarter of 2021 As the overall hotel industry recovered more quickly extended-stay hotels’ RevPAR ratio declined to 91 percent in the first quarter of 2025 two to three percentage points lower than the 2018 to 2019 period The Highland Group reported U.S extended-stay hotels outperformed the overall industry in March across all key metrics except occupancy where their long-term premium remained steady CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL relaunched its breakfast program at Comfort and Country Inn & Suites by Radisson to attract guests and distinguish its upper-midscale brands including a breakfast bowl at select Comfort hotels and a biscuit sandwich at some Country Inn & Suites The company is working with Florida's Natural and General Mills to source juice and cereal to supplement its breakfast menu, Choice said in a statement we recognize that a hearty breakfast is a key part of what upper-midscale guests expect are designed to deliver more value for them and for Comfort and Country Inn & Suites guests," said Judd Wadholm Choice's senior vice president and general manager of core brands we continue to invest in areas that help owners generate more revenue and attract repeat guests working closely with them to chart that path." Comfort’s Build Your Own Breakfast Bowl will offer scrambled eggs everything bagels and Nashville Hot seasonings Country Inn & Suites will pilot Pillsbury biscuit sandwiches The company is also working with its group-purchasing organization to align product offerings with guest preferences and owner goals It will use Entegra’s food supplier relationships to secure pricing on items like eggs and muffins and develop menus that balance appeal and cost resulted in an average 9 percent food cost savings through March It is now bringing franchise owners into the Entegra Performance Kitchen to work with the culinary team and provide real-time feedback Choice opened its 69th Annual Convention on April 29 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas with a keynote by President and CEO Patrick Pacious before an audience of owners CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL began its 69th Annual Convention themed “Powering the Future,” at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on April 29 The three-day event opened with a keynote by Choice President and CEO Patrick Pacious before thousands of owners operators and industry partners from around the world The event includes 100 educational sessions, a trade show for owners to connect with vendors, and brand sessions where Choice leaders outline focus areas and company investments to drive revenue and reduce costs, Choice said in a statement Pacious opened with a message: Choice Hotels is not just bigger “Everything we do at Choice Hotels is about delivering value to hotel owners The stronger we and our franchisees grow together the more we can reinvest in their future success,” said Pacious “With 22 brands ranging from economy and midscale to upscale the company leverages its growing size to strengthen value for owners by increasing revenue opportunities reducing operating costs and supporting long-term business success.” Some results achieved by Choice and its owners include: The company's scale has enabled strategic investments in proprietary tech tools and support systems that help its hotels stand out “Becoming bigger has allowed us to build a better and stronger business for you,” Pacious told the crowd Choice’s business revenue increased 45 percent year-over-year in the fourth quarter with transient business revenue in upper midscale rising 20 percent Business travel now accounts for 40 percent of all stays Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Westgate Resorts along with a strengthened Choice Privileges loyalty program Choice Hotels is driving more guests to its properties and marketing channels AARP members booked more than 1.1 million room nights at Choice hotels in 2024 and hotels with an official AAA appointment saw an average return on investment of $50,000 The program’s enhancements — longer booking windows premium room redemptions and exclusive experiences — have driven a 30 percent increase in redemptions and 13 percent growth in average length of stay More redemptions have increased loyalty and Elite memberships with 20 percent of redemption stays including a paid night Choice has integrated artificial intelligence for more than five years revenue management and new business tools to help owners grow Choice launched an initiative to develop and implement a suite of capabilities to be delivered over the next two years Choice recently launched new prototypes for Comfort and Country Inn & Suites refining their brand identities and introducing new features to drive growth a brand that marked its 85th anniversary last year Pacious stated that the company plans to stay ahead by continuing to invest where it matters most the company marked the opening of its 500th property and continues to innovate with solutions like “Lobby in a Box” and “Kitchen in a Box,” making conversions easier and faster Choice brands accounted for half of all economy and midscale extended stay hotels open and under construction in 2024 Choice said its Everhome Suites brand is growing quickly with 25 hotels projected to open by the end of 2025 The WoodSpring Suites brand continues to operate under a proven formula with gross operating profits above 55 percent Pacious stated that “today’s Choice is the industry’s one to watch” in the upscale and upper upscale segments where the company’s growing presence is driven by strategic investments and a series of brand refreshes designed to stand out Upscale-and-above room count rose 44 percent to more than 110,000 rooms in 2024 and Choice Privileges members now have access to 180,000 upscale rooms including through partnerships with Westgate Resorts and Preferred Hotels & Resorts Pacious closed with a message of momentum: Choice Hotels is delivering and has plans for the future "From midscale and extended stay leadership to AI-powered transformation Choice’s scale isn’t just making it bigger — it’s making it better," he said is powering new possibilities for hotel owners ready to grow alongside one of the industry’s most forward-looking franchisors." In April Choice Hotels International hosted its 10th MasteryX tech summit in Scottsdale with 650 associates exploring tech solutions to boost revenue PEACHTREE GROUP RECEIVED I-956F approval from U.S the agency that oversees the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program for the under-construction SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Bryce Canyon The I-956F approval marks a key step in Peachtree’s efforts to facilitate EB-5 investment This is the company’s third hotel development to receive I-956F approval, following approvals for the Home2 Suites by Hilton in Boone, North Carolina, and the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Palmdale, California, Peachtree said in a statement “Securing USCIS approval for this project marks an important milestone,” said Adam Greene “It underscores our ongoing focus on structuring and originating capital for high-quality developments that drive economic impact and long-term value for investors and communities.” Atlanta-based Peachtree is led by CEO and Managing Principal Greg Friedman Peachtree originated $16.95 million in floating-rate construction financing over a three-year term for the 127-room SpringHill Suites near Bryce Canyon National Park which draws more than 2 million visitors annually for its unique geological formations The hotel is slated for completion by mid-2025 well-located new developments are positioned to outperform their competitive set,” said Greene and the firm has retained an equity stake aligned with our EB-5 investors—reinforcing our commitment and tying our success to theirs.” Peachtree launched its EB-5 program in 2023 as a key financing tool for job-creating projects nationwide The firm remains committed to offering high-quality investment and development opportunities through its growing EB-5 portfolio The EB-5 visa program allows foreign investors to apply for a green card by investing in a new U.S A minimum investment of $800,000 in a project that generates or preserves at least 10 full-time U.S jobs qualifies investors for permanent residency Peachtree recently opened the 87-suite TownePlace Suites Forney in Forney THE 2025 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show is over but the partnerships announced during the show will go on The theme of AAHOACON25 was "New Ideas New Orleans," and more than 5,000 registered attendees filled the New Orleans Ernest N Morial Convention Center for the conference AAHOACON25 also had nearly 500 exhibitors occupying 85,000 square feet of exhibit space, according to AAHOA The event featured around 20 education sessions a do-it-yourself product demo experience known as The Garage on the Trade Show Floor including the Block Party at Fulton Street "The enthusiasm and engagement at AAHOACON25 truly showcased the strength of our community," AAHOA Chairman and AAHOACON25 Convention Chairman Kamalesh ”KP” Patel said "From the launch of new member benefits to invaluable networking and educational opportunities this convention reinforced AAHOA's role as a leader in the hospitality industry We also welcomed the return of major hotel brands like Marriott further underscoring the significance of AAHOACON as a premier event for the industry It's an incredible way to begin my tenure as Chairman and I look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead." Announcements at AAHOACON25 included: and community," AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake said this year's event reinforced why AAHOACON is the must-attend gathering for hotel owners The energy and engagement we saw in New Orleans will carry forward as we continue to champion the interests of our members and the industry at large." The Hillsboro Full Gospel – Evangelistic Equipping will be Saturday Everyone is invited for an outreach with live worship Patty Burns is the Pastor and founder of Hillsboro Church on the Rock and leads the people of God in the Word of God She loves ministering to God's people with a special place in her heart for women's ministry She is currently enrolled in the Interfaith University School of Ministry where she received a scholarship to continue her ministry education Using her Assistant Accounting Certificate in bookkeeping Patty has served as Treasurer for Samaritan Outreach in Hillsboro elected Treasurer for the City of Hillsboro Patty was truly blessed to retire in December 2024 Patty knows that the best is yet to come for God's people neither has it entered into the heart of man the things what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Corinthians 2.9.) Through many trials and tribulations She is thankful for the blessings of God in her life This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The District 13-OH6 Lions Convention was held recently in Blue Ash The Lynchburg Lions Club received several special awards in recognition of its community service and Lions promotion projects The club received the first-place plaque for small division clubs in the Governor's  competition The governor's awards are presented in recognition of the total program of activities throughout the year It recognizes a club's involvement in local The club received the third-place plaque for communications and public relations activities Lion Jim Faust received recognition for his service as Parliamentarian on the District Cabinets The State Constitution and By-Laws Committee Lion Maxie Green was named Lion of the Year for Zone 7 Lion Jim Faust received the Governors' Award of Merit for outstanding Service passed away and went to be with the Lord on April 29 the daughter of the late Fritz Warneke and Meta Heins Warneke Christa was a member of the Hillsboro Global Methodist Church in Bremerhaven in 1956 and came the same year to the United States With Joe being in the United States Air Force the family moved around to various states and even to Japan Linda Teague of Miamisburg; and daughter and son in-law Katy and Steve Zink of Washington Court House Hayden and Savannah Zink of Tennessee; Bradley Graham and Owen Zink of Kentucky; Joseph and Jennifer Teague of Michigan; and Lauren May 10 at the Hillsboro Global Methodist Church A memorial service will take place following visitation at the church Burial will take place at a later date in the Arlington National Cemetery with her beloved husband memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society 21741 or the Hillsboro Global Methodist Church The Turner & Son Funeral Home is serving the family. To leave an online condolence please visit www.turnerfuneralhomes.cc Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker The man who killed seven people and wounded nearly 50 more in an Independence Day mass shooting in suburban Chicago in 2022 was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on April 24 unexpectedly pleaded guilty to 69 counts of murder and attempted murder in March for the July 4 The plea abruptly ended what would have likely been a lengthy trial Rossetti announced the seven consecutive life sentences and told the court that Crimo showed a "complete disregard for human life” and is “beyond rehabilitation." Crimo received the maximum sentence as Illinois abolished the death penalty in 2011 "This court has absolutely no words that could capture the horror and pain that was inflicted on July 4," she said The sentence announcement came after multiple people took to the witness stand to provide testimony about the day of the rampage a doctor and a woman who had attended the parade with her family Victims of the attack also addressed the court and spoke of the devastating impact the shooting has had on their lives a survivor of the rampage who was wounded along with her husband told the court she still suffers mentally from the traumatic incident describing how she is sensitive to loud noises and how the shooting took away her "ability to bounce back from a stressful event." whose mother Jacqueline Sundheim was killed in the attack said the rampage threw her world off balance "I hope you wake in the middle of the night Dana Rudder Ring attended the parade with her husband and three young children and described the scene of “utter chaos” that broke out when the gunfire erupted She and her family fled to an underground garage over broken glass and amid the terrified screams of the parade crowd They encountered a young boy who was “covered in blood," Ring said through tears where they cleaned him and waited for police officers picked up the boy to reunite him with his family Ring eventually discovered that the young boy was 2-year-old Aiden McCarthy Crimo fired on the crowd from a rooftop on July 4, 2022, spraying more than 70 bullets, police said He then fled and disguised himself as a woman to evade authorities in the chaos and was captured later that evening after a manhunt The seven people killed were Eduardo Uvaldo Crimo had a history of erratic behavior and had been visited twice by police in the years before the attack including in 2019 when authorities confiscated several knives because Crimo had threatened to "kill everyone" in his house The rifle he used in the shooting was legally purchased His father, Robert Crimo Jr., pleaded guilty in November 2023 to seven counts of reckless conduct and was sentenced to 60 days in jail and 100 hours of community service for agreeing to sponsor his son’s gun license application Mass shootings: There have been at least 81 mass shootings in 2025 Sentencing hearing comes after whirlwind court proceedingsCrimo was expected to be tried before a jury before announcing his guilty pleas Jury selection had already been completed and opening statements were about to begin March 3 It wasn't the first time he had seemingly changed his mind unexpectedly. In 2024, Crimo agreed to plead guilty to multiple counts of first-degree murder and battery charges but backed out of the plea deal during a hearing in June who was at the parade with her son when the shooting broke out told reporters outside the courtroom on March 3 that she felt an "immense amount of relief" when she heard Crimo pleaded guilty "I think there is a huge collective feeling of relief," she said Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg and John Bacon Idaho Power will be working on powerlines on the Boise River Wildlife Management Area.  The powerline work will delay the opening of the popular Boise River WMA archery range and cause Highland Valley Road to be closed until Saturday Idaho Power will be putting up road closure signs on the morning of April 30 Buy Licenses Hunt Planner Hunter Ed Fishing Planner IFWF Hunt Report Report Wildlife Crime Volunteer! Report Roadkill Sign In Subscribe Now This May long weekend, Topaz Park will come alive with tradition, athleticism and cultural pride as the 162nd Victoria Highland Games kicks off on May 17 While caber tosses and bagpipes fill the park it's the poised and powerful Highland dancers who are set to steal the show “Highland dancing started as a test for the king’s guards — it demonstrated strength and agility,” says Laurie Carr-Hall “It’s one of the most athletic dance forms out there People forget it’s not just beautiful — it’s intense.” That legacy continues in this year’s Highland dance competition Dancers of all ages will leap and spin in kilts to traditional music showcasing iconic performances like the Sword Dance and Seann Triubhas “Highland dances take strength and stamina,” says Jim Maxwell games organizer and President of the Victoria Highland Games Association A crowd favourite is the Sailor’s Hornpipe where dancers wear sailor uniforms and mimic shipboard life through arm movements like rope pulling “It’s one of the most high-energy dances — a dozen high kicks in a row,” says Maxwell divided by age and experience — from five-year-old Primaries to elite Premiers the Highland dance stage will be one of the busiest and most dynamic of the Games “Even the youngest dancers are held to high technical standards.” Beyond the dance stage, the Games are packed with attractions. Nys Glen, a top-ranked pro athlete in the heavy events, will compete this year — a highlight for fans of traditional strength sports. Looking ahead, Victoria will host the World Women’s Heavy Events Championship in 2026 For those seeking a deeper dive into Celtic culture the Heritage Hub features workshops on Scottish country dancing Live Scottish music adds to the immersive experience whisky and wine pairings offer a refined break “The whisky workshops always sell out,” Carr-Hall notes “They’re a must for anyone who wants to pair a good dram with the perfect bite.” With day tickets starting at $20 and free admission for kids under 12, the Games remain a family-friendly favourite. Whether you're drawn by the music, muscle, or mesmerizing dance, the Victoria Highland Games promise a weekend to remember Tickets and workshop bookings are available at www.victoriahighlandgames.com ASHEVILLE - The Asheville food and beverage industry has had a rocky road to recovery as it regains its footing in an unstable environment created by Tropical Storm Helene is among the local businesses revising plans and depending on innovation and consumer support to survive and thrive amid the evolution seven months after the historic storm ripped through the region will close its downtown taproom on S&W Market's mezzanine a new concept will be introduced to attract customers while still spotlighting Asheville breweries everybody went through a lot in the restaurant industry and this is our rebirth and reimagining of the food hall," said Ryan Israel director of property management for Ellington Realty Group which has been on the first floor of the food hall since 2017 is leading a team to create a new beverage-centric space that will offer an assortment of local beers "We are proud to have been part of this group effort with Ellington and made friends along the way in that Chris Faber can expand the reach of his talent where we will focus fully on our destination brewery." In April, Ashburn spoke to the Citizen Times about the breweries' challenges amid Helene “That’s a lot of hits for any business to take and I would ask people to drink thoughtfully Put thought into their choices at the grocery store bars and restaurants and support the companies they believe in.” The new mezzanine bar's name will soon be announced Faber and co-bar managers Spencer Schultz and Becky Bronson who have worked at local restaurants including the now-defunct Rhubarb will lend their libation expertise to the new watering hole Faber said it will offer assorted options to a wider guest demographic and will be unique to The Times Bar The mezzanine bar has 17 taps that will prominently feature local breweries which he said could encourage visitors to seek out the breweries' main taprooms across the city Craft cocktails and zero-proof drinks will be made in-house for the draft system who has experience creating draft sodas and cocktails for restaurants around the city Israel said S&W Market is the tourists' introduction to Asheville The S&W Market local vendors include Flour Zen Sushi will debut in early May the North Asheville restaurant's second location Israel said the food hall mainly attracts lunch crowds residents and tourists seeking a quick meal A goal is to transform the space from a grab-and-go eatery to a stay-and-enjoy destination "This is an opportunity for those restaurant vendors and local breweries to showcase their products," Israel said "We'll be available to explain who they are and what's going on to help fuel the breweries on-site as well as the restaurants that aren't necessarily downtown and other interior design components will help create a cozy Israel and Faber said the intended outcome is to drive guest traffic allowing vendors to hire additional staff and offer long shifts S&W Market reopened with limited daytime hours Israel said table service may be added to assist guests with orders and patio enhancements could attract more passersby The mezzanine bar area is intended for events and other programming such as wine and food tastings and artisan markets showcasing River Arts District artists displaced by Helene and other local creatives innovative concept that wants to showcase themselves whether it be temporarily in a market setup or coming in as a new food vendor We're always interested in hearing their ideas." For more, visit swmarketavl.com and follow @swasheville on Instagram Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times Email tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow @PrincessOfPage on Instagram/Bluesky Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHIGHLAND (KAIT) – Two Highland High School seniors were awarded the K8 Arkansas State scholarship worth $10,000 Our K8 Sports Anchor Charles McCary presented the award to best friends Danika Birkhead and Taci Humphries at their school To report a typo or correction, please click here The Highlands & Islands Music & Dance Festival took place on Saturday May 3 in Oban High School. The overall winner of the Premier and A-Grade was Angus J the Under 18 overall winner was Peter MacKay and the overall Under 15 winner was Owen McCreadie Both Peter MacKay and Owen McCreadie won on a piobaireachd preference The competitions are organised by the Netherlorn Piping Society.  Bagpiping features and news from around the international piping community Contact us: news@bagpipe.news © Bagpipe News - The National Piping Centre 48 injured in mass shooting at parade on July 4 Highland Park parade mass shooter Robert Crimo III was transferred to Stateville Correctional Center to serve his life sentence in prison.WAUKEGAN (WLS) -- The Highland Park parade shooter will now begin serving his life sentence Police confirmed Friday Robert Crimo III was transferred to Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill Crimo pleaded guilty to the mass shooting during the 2022 Fourth of July parade in Highland Park A judge gave him seven life sentences for the seven murders in addition to sentences for attempted murder of the dozens who were injured Victims ID'd; grandfather, lifelong synagogue member among them Alleged Highland Park shooter Robert Crimo III backs off representing himself in upcoming trial Highland Park parade shooting suspect Robert Crimo III rejects plea deal Alleged Highland Park shooter's comments to police after mass shooting to be allowed during trial Trial for alleged Highland Park parade shooter begins with jury selection Jury seated in Highland Park parade shooting trial; alleged shooter not in court Wednesday Highland Park parade shooter Robert Crimo III changes plea to guilty last-minute Survivors of Highland Park parade shooting speak in court before Robert Crimo III's sentencing University of South Carolina linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 17th pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft last Friday spent his final season with the Gamecocks after four years at Georgia Tech and one at Charlotte He appeared in 61 games overall with 22 starts while collecting 229 career tackles He earned first-team all-conference honors in 2023 in his lone season with the 49ers quickly established himself as a team leader and was named a Rex Enright Team Captain the Most Outstanding Senior and one of three players named the Joe Morrison MVP for the defense He also was recognized by the coaches as one of three players for the Strength and Conditioning Award and shared the Nutrition Award with Raheim Sanders In his lone season with the Garnet & Black was second on the team with 82 tackles including 57 solo stops He logged 8.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks and added three forced fumbles and an interception He reached double-figures in tackles on three occasions logging a season-best 11 stops in back-to-back games against Oklahoma and Texas A&M and another 10 in the win at Clemson sealed the 17-14 win in the regular-season finale over Clemson with an interception on the Tigers’ final drive media and communications from Georgia Tech becomes the third Gamecock selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft He is the first Gamecock linebacker taken in the draft since Ernest Jones in 2021 and the first Gamecock selected by Cincinnati since T.J Johnson was taken by the Bengals in the seventh round of the 2013 draft Please include "for website" on the memo line.