Not sure where to grab a bite to eat? With lots of options around the Fall River area and mouth-watering offerings at local eateries and markets to consider when planning your next night on the town James Irish Pub has rolled out their new burger of the month enjoy some mint juleps with Bootleg BBQ for the Kentucky Derby We've also got new menu items to check out The St. James Irish Pub, 91 Purchase St., Fall River, has dropped their latest burger of the month May’s burger is the stuffed jalapeño popper burger which is made with a half-pound of beef seasoned with jalapeño popper dry rub and served with pepper jack cheese Fall River Eats: Teacher Appreciation Week at Barrett's Alehouse, Waterfront Mint juleps on special for Kentucky Derby at Bootleg BBQBootleg BBQ, 778 Main Rd., Westport, will have mint juleps on special for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday Guests can wear their favorite hat for the occasion Troia Cafe, 278 New Boston Rd., Fall River, has announced that they will be temporarily closed In an April 28 Facebook post “We’re taking a short break to spice up our menu with new beer They hadn’t yet announced a reopening date as of this writing noting in the April 28 post that it would be “soon” and for customers to “stay tuned.” Meet the Pocasset: New tour at Heritage State Park to honor Weetamo, Pocasset Tribe: What to know You can find a few different kinds of handmade rolls at Avo’s Feast Avo’s handmade rolls are a twist on egg rolls packed with house-made fillings of chicken Scottie’s Pub, 202 Pleasant St., Fall River, has announced this week’s specials they’ve got a Portuguese steak flatbread appetizer plus entrees like jumbo butterfly shrimp served over seafood rice shrimp and scallop Mozambique over fettuccine grilled teriyaki chicken over seasoned rice Jillian’s Sports Pub & Grill, 1876 Wilbur Ave., Somerset, is dishing up chouriço chips Their chouriço chips come with crispy fries Plaza Pizza II, 544 Milford Rd., Swansea, has some new breadsticks on their menu Famous Pizza, 433 Main Rd., Tiverton, has also added a new menu item: they’re offering hand-breaded chicken tenders Do you have a special deal, menu item, or food-related event to share with local foodies? Send us an email at kfontes@heraldnews.com or news@heraldnews.com a look at new packaging launches from Sonoco Companies constantly innovate and redesign their packaging to boost performance improve marketability and enhance sustainability Here’s a look at six packaging launches and revamps on Packaging Dive’s radar Allergy medication brand Zyrtec switched up its outer packaging — not just as part of a visual refresh the outer carton is now 100% paper and recyclable The new flat-front design arose from four years of consumer research This design should help the product stand out more on store shelves The text also is larger than on the previous packaging to enhance readability “As we continue to advance in science and innovation it’s important for the packaging to reflect this commitment and meet the evolving needs of our consumers," Lovell said Saint James Iced Tea launched a new packaging format for its beverages: aluminum bottles All six of the brand’s signature flavors are available in the 16-fluid-ounce bottles The company touts the aluminum’s recyclability and says it is the first iced tea brand to introduce resealable aluminum bottles These bottles will be offered in addition to fiber-based cartons “We wanted to remain portable and resealable but saw an opportunity to provide a more refreshing experience to our customers — by keeping our products colder and flavors fresher The new bottles launched online Wednesday and will roll out at major grocery and retail stores nationwide over the next several months which officially began production this month on a three-piece plastic can monomaterial polypropylene can is designed to be recyclable where infrastructure is available Each molded plastic can is 2.75 inches in diameter and 0.94 inches in depth It has two separate moisture-resistant compartments and is stackable Sonoco said it designed the product to address challenges it heard from customers The three-piece cans are manufactured at the company’s plant in Forest City Food service packaging company Eco-Products and produce distributor DNO Produce collaborated on a food cup and lid that is compostable and designed specifically for use in K-12 schools The containers are made to hold food such as cut fruit or vegetables The 4-ounce molded fiber cup is sealed with plant-based lidding film and the plant-based lidding film meets ASTM standards for compostability according to a news release from Eco-Products “Our transition to more sustainable packaging is the culmination of a multi-year effort to align our operations with our sustainability goals,” Alex DiNovo The cooler uses DS Smith’s GreenCoat technology a coating that makes the fiber moisture resistant The product provides the same cooling efficiency as competing coolers but has a lower environmental impact Pulpex worked with British brand Evolve Organic Beauty to bring its fiber-based bottles to the commercial personal care space for the first time Two shower products — a shampoo and a hand and body wash — will be available in 550-milliliter Allowing customers to refill the bottles at home reduces packaging waste The containers also can be recycled in paper and cardboard streams Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Brands face pressures to meet sustainability goals and comply with regulations all while keeping costs in check as they transition to new forms of packaging Sappi and Diageo shared more about collaborative development Growing regulatory and public pressure on single-use plastic is creating market opportunities for fiber products DS Smith and others are helping clients innovate bottles Subscribe to the Packaging Dive free daily newsletter The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines Dominick Michael Salerno passed away peacefully on the evening of April 7th He was surrounded by his loving family.  As well as many other loving friends and family members Dominick was born in New York City to his parents John and Sarah Salerno Dominick met his wife Maria Coppa in Canarsie Brooklyn in the late 1950’s and married in 1960 They would be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary together this June. Dominick and Maria eventually moved to Saint James with their four children and bought a home where they raised their family.  member of the Smithtown Zoning Board of Appeals Chairman of the Board of Assessment Review Dominick had great pride in his Italian heritage and was the former president of the Sons of Italy Dominick worked for the New York City Board of Education as an Architect and was the Chief Architect for the New York State Department of Parks and Recreation’s Long Island Division Dominick gave back to the community through service and leadership as a role model he organized service projects and was a mentor for the Architectural Merit Badge for Boy Scouts he volunteered as a baseball coach for the St James Smithtown Little league. He also sang in the St He volunteered and was actively involved on Historical Preservation Boards to preserve local and out-of-state buildings.  Dominick believed deeply in the power of hard work Dominick’s values transcended to his children and grandchildren as a guiding light forever His dedication to his family and his work was unwavering Dominick's greatest pride was his family he treasured every moment with his family Dominick loved his grandchildren and was always looking to spend as much time with them as possible He left an unforgettable mark on all who knew him family and hard work will live on in our hearts forever knowing the impact he has made on the lives of those around him the Camino de Santiago de Compostela – the Way of Saint James – has been a profound spiritual journey for pilgrims since the ninth century VITALity Catholic Healthcare Services Diocese of Camden hopes to provide a similar – and much shorter – experience closer to home In its seventh year, VITALity’s “Way of Saint James on the Road to Life” begins with prayer at 9 a.m those of all ages are invited to walk a 2.5 mile loop on the boardwalk The event will conclude with Mass at the church their families and friends to come together in fellowship for a day of spirituality physical exercise and being out in nature,” said Christine Willard VITALity’s manager of parish-based senior programs quiet our minds and be with others on the journey.” who plans to make her third Ventnor pilgrimage knows well the benefits: “to breathe the sea air she met a fellow pilgrim along the boardwalk whom had also lost her husband As pilgrims unite on the boardwalk wearing T-shirts they receive at check-in conversing together or praying the rosary as one there is an opportunity for evangelization and we tell them it’s something special we’re doing,” she said of curious passers-by a parishioner of Saint Maximilian Kolbe in Marmora is looking forward to making his fourth pilgrimage he enjoys walking amongst what he calls “the immensity of God’s work”: the birds “I always come away with a greater appreciation for His creation,” Young said he looks forward to “getting together with like-minded people who are on this journey together The day always provides me with a new perspective of God’s world The VITALity event also is a perfect example of the theme of this Jubilee Year the quiet in the Church or new connections made,” Karnakowski said “The Way of Saint James on the Road to Life” will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 26 at Holy Trinity Parish, Saint James Church, 6415 Atlantic Ave., Ventnor.  Registration is free, and T-shirts will be provided.  Check-in starts at 8 a.m. To register, call 856-583-6121 or click here © All Rights Reserved | May 06, 2025 | Catholic Star Herald of the Diocese of Camden Add the Catholic Star Herald to your home screen For Android users(Chrome) tap the at the top right vertical 3 dots then tap “Add to Home Screen” For iPhone tap:at the bottom and then tap “Add to Home Screen” If you need assistance with submitting your subscription, please call Neal Cullen at 856-583-6139, or email Neal.Cullen@camdendiocese.org © All Rights Reserved | May 06, 2025 | Catholic Star Herald of the Diocese of Camden Wolves were edged out and Huddersfield picked up first win but biggest victory is word that Newcastle will host again Last year it was much more decisive given how it was played in mid-August, just weeks before the playoff began: but even here, on the May bank holiday weekend, Magic’s return to Newcastle felt hugely significant. That was in part because it provided the sport with a welcome tonic from the endless boardroom politics, with the public also voting with their feet on how Newcastle should remain the permanent home of Magic into 2026 and beyond, with a crowd of 64,156, the biggest since 2018, in attendance: and the highest ever Sunday figure too. Read moreBut there were plenty of storylines on the field too, as the regular season hurtles towards the midway point in 2025. There is now a clear trio at the summit, with the reigning Super League champions solidifying their place in that leading pack with a hard-fought win over Warrington It is still slightly too early to suggest that trio are the only contenders for the Grand Final: but right now the Leopards and the Warriors compared to their next closest rivals Magic is a stage built for the biggest and best players to showcase their talent – and Wigan’s dynamic duo of Jai Field and Bevan French both crossed for wonderful tries here. That ultimately helped Wigan to have just enough against a Warrington side hit by injuries but who showed plenty of spirit here but fell short are one of a number of teams now falling behind the leading pack – three wins behind the trio already the Wire are firmly entrenched in a battle for the other three playoff spots with six teams: who are now just split by a solitary victory The debate over the strength of Super League’s high tackle laws has also begun to resurface emphasised by the opening game of day two on Sunday Huddersfield claimed their first win of the season at the 10th attempt with a 12-10 triumph over Hull whose early-season promise is starting to falter slightly Jacob Gagai scores Huddersfield’s second try against Hull Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty ImagesTheir cause wasn’t helped here by the loss of two forwards in the moments approaching half-time Sam Eseh was sin-binned for a tackle that was deemed to be dangerous on Matty English before Liam Knight was shown a straight red for an inexplicable hit on Sam Hewitt Luke Robinson – who had two players put on report for contact with the head – joined the growing calls for a greater level of understanding and common sense over the finer points of tackling in the modern era Whether he is listened to remains unlikely Free weekly newsletterThe best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend’s action It is at this point in proceedings that we raise the question about what could or couldn’t happen next year Murmurings of Super League potentially going to 14 teams in 2026 will not go away – but even then The Guardian understands that talks between Super League and officials in Newcastle had started even before this weekend The healthy crowd will have only added further weight to the fact that the game will be back at St James’ Park in a year’s time this was the sixth-highest Magic Weekend crowd in history – and RL Commercial’s CEO revealed to the Guardian on Sunday afternoon that a decision to bring the event back to St James’ Park next year is a long way towards being finalised already: with no other venues under consideration “Fans wanted to come back to Newcastle and the stakeholders here have been great,” Jones said “The stadium is great and we’re delighted with the weekend and the attendance “It’s fair to say that positive conversations have already happened for next year.” In truth it is difficult to imagine this event being anywhere else The Trojans jumped out to an early 17-0 lead behind six points from Natalie Barton It held Hale County to just 1 of 9 (11.1%) from the field in the first quarter with the Wildcats' sole basket coming from Kynaja Marshall with 16 seconds remaining in the period as the Trojans held the 17-2 advantage Each team put up 10 points in the second quarter Saint James closing out the half with a Kaitlin Mitchell 3-pointer to hold the 27-12 advantage going into the break Barton opened the third quarter with a trey the Trojans stretching their lead to as much as 22 points to close the quarter Hale County managed to outscore Saint James 15-12 across the final eight minutes but it was not enough as the Trojans claimed victory HOLT ATHLETICS: Tuscaloosa County School System reverses decision to end athletics at Holt High School REGIONAL BRACKETS: Alabama high school basketball state playoffs: 2025 statewide regional tournament brackets Saint James finished the game shooting 48% (24 of 50) from the field Hale County's Lailah Hill led all scorers with 26 points Saint James now advances to the Central Regional final on Tuesday where it will play the winner between Montgomery Academy and Midfield for a spot in the Final Four Hale County sees its season come to an end with the loss Jim was predeceased by his beloved wife of 49 years nephews and friends whom he considered his family It was in this neighborhood where he met some of his best and lifelong friends those who he felt were all that he needed for the rest of his life residing there until 2010 when he and Joan moved to Saint James Before eventually settling into his career Jim held a number of jobs including on Wall Street at Payne Weber and a short stint in the Army Jim began working for the phone company – first Bell Atlantic then AT&T and finally Lucent Technologies before retiring in 1999 A union man through and through and member of the local CWA Jim participated in a number of workers strikes aimed at bettering the benefits for himself and his fellow union members Jim was deeply passionate about his Irish heritage his family and friends and of course his favorite sports teams: the New York Giants It was always easy to tell how each team was faring depending on the volume of his cheering he would often tell stories of terrible Giants games he attended with his brother Tom and the elation he felt when the Rangers finally won the Stanley Cup on his birthday in 1994 Jim was a fiercely proud and independent man but still had a soft and supportive side that only those close to him ever really got to see He was supportive of his sons endeavors and immensely proud when he graduated from college and law school this paled in comparison to the love he felt for his grandchildren and he was heartbroken at her passing in December 2023 we are comforted by knowledge that they are together again BIRMINGHAM — Saint James girls basketball will come up short of a state title The Trojans led by 12 points going into the final quarter but saw Lauderdale County storm back to take the lead with 2:30 left in the game Natalie Barton tied the game from the foul line with 44 seconds left The game went into overtime after a final attempt by Lauderdale County came up short three crucial mistakes on offense by Saint James took away opportunities to take the lead or tie the game late in the period Shila Mark helped Lauderdale County seal the game with a late layup and crucial free throws in the 58-52 win including the crucial last five points of the game She was joined by Armani Thomas with 10 points James 27-9 in the fourth quarter and overtime The Trojans were led by Natalie Barton who had 17 points Kaitlin Mitchell had 14 points with Morgan Lilly scoring 13 points Saint James ran up a 27-15 lead by the end of the first half thanks to shooting 48% from the field and holding Lauderdale County to 32% from the field Barton led the way with 11 first half points and McRae had eight points and 10 boards for the Trojans LIVE UPDATES: AHSAA basketball championships: Live updates, scores from Alabama Final Four PARKS FAMILY: 'It was really special': Brantley father-son duo Andre and Jayden Parks reflect on state run The Trojans owned the paint in the first half outscoring the Tigers 18-8 and outrebounding them 21-6 even as Saint James struggled near the end going scoreless over the last 2:30 minutes Lauderdale County took the lead late in the fourth quarter as the Trojans offensive struggles continued The Trojans almost broke through after years of trying This loss comes after a Final Four appearance in 2018 and three more Elite Eight appearances in the last five years. They are still searching for the program's first state title but the first since they won five straight from 2012-2016 after she was a longtime assistant with the program Retired State Supreme Court Justice and Author Mary Werner dies at 91 New York State Supreme Court Justice (retired) Mary Margaret Phelan Werner she was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years Dr She is survived by her children: Larry (Tamara Branson) Werner of Bellport Paul (Susan Abeles) Werner of Roslyn Harbor so many wonderful nieces and nephews and godchildren She would want all to know of her deep love of the McCormack children John’s University Teachers’ College (where she met her husband) She left school to marry the love of her life in March of 1955 while he was still attending Cornell Medical School When her husband finished medical school and became an Air Force Captain they were shipped out to the Philippine Islands for his first duty with their three small children and they welcomed 3 more children.    They had the blessing of choosing Dogwood Drive as their new neighborhood only to discover the best neighbors and lifelong friends in the Kinneys the Priebes and the O’Briens to this amazing family of friends The support of these families over the remainder of her life allowed all that followed to happen.  Mary “enjoyed” all the challenges of raising 7 children as (what was then called) a housewife After the children had reached a level of independence Mary went back to school earning her undergraduate degree from Dowling College and then her law degree from St She worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office working cases first in the District Court Bureau She eventually became the Family Crime Bureau Chief After 14 years in the District Attorney’s Office she was appointed then elected to the New York State Supreme Court as a judge She ended her distinguished career as the Administrative Judge of the Suffolk County Courts.  Mary received many honors and awards for her work with abused women and children culminating with being named a “Visionary Woman of Justice” in 2019 by Long Island’s top Bar Associations.  Mary has sat on the Boards of numerous organizations including the Bar Association of Suffolk County the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association John’s Law School Alumni Association She was a founder and served as President of the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association.    Mary retired from the bench and became an active member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Stony Brook University where she took a Memoir Writing Class Kraminson Days: From White Gloves to Black Robes and Beyond is a result of the memoirs written in this class and subsequent classes and is still available for purchase on Amazon.  Mary enjoyed keeping up with her 7 children and their spouses 18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren spending time with some of the best friends anyone could ever have and reading all the great works of other authors.    This religious community of men and women serve the needs of poor people in the Bronx At the invitation of my friend and former Morning News colleague Fred Rush, I planned to attend the 10 a.m. Sunday service at St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church on either Nov because a literal Act of God — the apocalyptic post-Thanksgiving snowstorm — would have prevented me from getting there on Dec I learned some things about the impressive 150-year history of St the oldest Black congregation in Erie; famed composer-arranger Harry T I stepped out of the comfort zone of my Catholic upbringing to get anointed on my forehead by Rev I discovered that I knew the words and melodies for most of the hymns including "Blessed Assurance," one of the first songs I learned when I was cajoled into joining the choir at St John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Wayne Writing this story gave me a chance to reflect on the need for more connections among faith-based communities in Erie because good things are happening in those circles the Erie Spiritual Coalition has called attention to the need for a strong tenants' bill of rights As a member of the local chapter of Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice I know that our small group is reeling from the results of the 2024 election We will be tracking upcoming federal legislation that will hurt the poor and marginalized and hope to enlist others to speak with lawmakers To reach youngsters and put them on a positive path they need to know the history of the institution and hear the stories of those who have been part of St That familiarity starts by using the whole name for the congregation — St James African Methodist Episcopal — instead of the A.M.E The commemorative booklet for the church's 150th anniversary celebrated with a dinner and exhibit on Sept traces the church's history and explains its importance to Black church-goers in Erie James had the only Black church building in Erie," the booklet reads "Many of the new churches that have formed since 1915 were nurtured and encouraged by St which frequently offered the use of its facilities as a temporary home for emerging congregations." James itself emerged from Wesleyan Methodist Church "This group recognized the necessity of a place for spiritual and community welfare in Erie's Black community Differences arose regarding the proclaimed faith This disagreement split the original congregation," according to the commemorative booklet the new congregation met at East Third and German streets the Pittsburgh Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church formally accepted St Seventh in 1902 but the building was swept from its foundation by the Millcreek Flood in 1915 The church was rebuilt and served for decades until ground was broken for the current church at 236 E James and is one of only a handful of female pastors of mainline Christian churches in Erie "We as women still have a long way to go," she said in an interview "Part of the issue is we have not been introduced to or studied our own history as women," she said She herself has had an interesting religious journey one that shaped her outlook on the importance of faith Her dad gave her the lovely name of Madonna James African Methodist Episcopal Church on Nov "I came up in a Catholic village," she said Her group of 10 close friends in Catholic grade school didn't distinguish themselves as Black and White When the friends went to public high school "We got called all kinds of names but because of our upbringing She was raised to prepare for adulthood by her parents and by a neighborhood woman named Mama Nita who organized a program for young people who worked in one of the five restaurants — from the cafeteria to the upscale Rose Fountain — at Lazarus The young people did all kinds of jobs — grilled food "She wouldn't allow us to take our tips home," Rev the young employees had to sock their earnings in the store's credit union Lazarus also matched tuition payments for its employees and added the students back to the payroll during breaks and summer vacation Gray started at Ohio University before transferring to the historically Black Wilberforce University "I enjoyed it but I still wasn't convinced," she said What eventually persuaded her to join the denomination was its emphasis on ministering to young people because she had witnessed the positive outcomes in her hometown when the community offered opportunities for youth to land jobs and become leaders She worries that we don't take time anymore to share stories about our own upbringings and favorite memories that also includes reminiscing about old and young gardening in the neighborhood sitting on the porch and swapping stories as they snapped green beans she had a long career as a program officer for the State of Ohio "When the Pharisees and the Sadducees got on Jesus's nerves He just showed them through his action and his parables what they were lacking." bishops assign pastors to one-year stints at a time the Trustees and two organizations for young people — the Richard Allen Young Adult Council Both groups teach leadership and business skills and the church history shows many Black leaders in Erie belonged to St including the late civil rights and labor leaders read from the Gospel of Luke on the Sunday I attended That made me pay attention — and the message was reinforced when Rev James African Methodist Episcopal Church is ongoing She keeps thinking of new ways to meet the needs of her congregation — for example adding Bible study classes on days and times that make it convenient to attend she wants to learn more about the earliest church members and their descendants listed in the commemorative program as "Mrs once said that the "most segregated hour of the week" occurs on Sunday mornings in church James made me feel welcome and I'd like to return for another Sunday service when I am not busy scribbling notes I just have to learn to say a few more "amens." Liz Allen can be reached at lizerie@aol.com. 36% of all banned titles featured characters or people of color and a quarter (25%) included LGBTQ+ people or characters This week-long intensive provides an in-person workshop for early-career writers from communities underrepresented in the publishing world Learn how the creation and display of art is entwined with the U.S.’s most fraught cultural and political debates The next four years could reshape the United States for decades to come Join us in fighting every day to protect the freedom to write and the freedom to read In her debut novel Woodworking (Crooked Media Reads James interweaves the stories of two trans women James paints an unflinching picture of Erica as they contend with the many forms of trans adolescence in the shadow of the first Trump presidency With propulsive wit and unshakeable honesty James debuts a novel unquestionably deserving of its place in the transfeminine literary canon I went to a Los Angeles trans support group in search of other trans people to be in community with and American citizenship predicated entirely on pretending her past didn’t exist She started weeping about how lonely she was I realized that she and I both wanted community with other trans people even if we had different fears about what might happen if we asked holding up my male-presenting Facebook profile picture on their phone I nearly cut my transition short on the spot I had so much more to lose than I had imagined My reputation as the steady sort of guy who knows things might collapse when I told the world that but I became convinced I was going to lose everything.  but I wanted to not have to tell the rest of the world it’s probably the fifth or sixth thing they spot (I have a very cute kid; they’re always the first thing people see.) Even if they read me as trans I present in a conventionally feminine manner They’ve usually sorted me into their enormous “woman” gender bucket before they get to The early days of transition involve so much abrupt and unwelcome self-knowledge that I understand how tempting it becomes to disappear I cannot go “deep stealth,” but I have a lot of sympathy for trans people who avail themselves of it even if the endpoint of that choice might be weeping in a support group meeting after 30 years have passed in the blink of an eye We trans people do not owe it to our community to treat grocery shopping while trans as a radical act We deserve the solitude of our own existences But there is an intrinsic tension within the community between those moving past making their transition the center of their lives — sometimes by pretending it never happened — and those just embarking upon their own journey and desperately wanting someone to tell them it will be okay Abigail (who’s so ready to disappear) and Erica (who really would love to copy off Abigail’s transition paper) and the state’s endless horizons and tiny towns huddling against the intemperate weather have always struck me as a great backdrop for something as internal as a transition narrative I sometimes think that too many believe trans people were invented in a queer studies lab at Vassar in 2015 Setting this book in South Dakota might push back against that pernicious narrative setting it in Mitchell solved a plot problem Erica could only know one other trans person (Abigail) which was a lot easier to believe in a town of 15,000 than in a major city Woodworking follows trans women in their teens all the way up to their 60s so it’s cross-generational in the traditional sense but it’s also cross-generational in terms of “age” within trans time Abigail is an “older” trans woman than Erica even though the former is 17 and the latter 35 Transition is simultaneously a discrete event with an endpoint and something that persists through one’s entire life I wanted to capture women at various stages of their “transition” beyond initial self-actualization.  then struggle to take further steps toward their most authentic lives Erica’s narrative is set within that penumbra there comes a point a year or two into transition where many trans people realize this didn’t fix all of my problems” and have to deal with other psychological and emotional burdens Abigail’s story is all about her grappling with the scabs her transition ripped open within her family and community.  Being trans in an unwelcoming world has always carried a certain trauma with it When Erica was Abigail’s age in the late 1990s because an entire culture had been built up to tell her how sick and wrong it was because she existed in the brief window when society seemed on the cusp of broadly accepting trans identities A trans person coming out in 2025 would have wildly different experiences from both of them Writing about these different experiences of the world based on accidents of history feels vital to me in telling queer stories.  Erica’s deadname was unredacted throughout but I worried that leaned into one of the things I like least about the archetypal transition narrative namely that the names we are given at birth and the names we choose create what are in essence two “characters.” The redaction served as a way around this problem When a reader of the first redacted draft remarked that all of those boxes made her think of a hail of bullets I realized I could use visuals to create a dissonance for the reader Seeing a grey box where you are expecting a word trips you up for a second The biggest question around this ended up being a typographical one the deadname appeared as a standard black box and our wonderful designer ultimately mimicked the “fog” concept by using a slightly grayer box that suggested mist more than a moonless night I could not have predicted how bad the political and legal battles to make schools an unsafe place for trans students would become I sometimes wonder what these anti-trans bigots would make of Woodworking which is about the terrifying prospect of a friendship between a trans student and trans teacher Never mind that in my book the student serves as a trans mentor for the teacher!  I had teachers willing to encourage me as I tried to be a writer even going so far as to read early work and offer notes I felt like my teachers cared deeply about me as a person and wanted good things for me As a culture we are too quick to assume that children and teenagers lack agency or the ability to accurately describe their emotional experiences so I understand how tempting it is to filter my kid’s experience of the world through my eyes But I increasingly believe resisting that temptation is the work of being a parent They might not understand any one kid as well as that kid’s parents but they understand children as a population and can see things a parent might miss Erica cannot be Abigail’s surrogate mom — their relationship is too transitory — but she’s able to see pieces of Abigail the people who raised her will not If you asked me if I could trade in my book for the adoption of a constitutional amendment that guaranteed trans people access to healthcare (I might ask you to let me keep a copy.) I want my book to help people understand trans lives are vital and joyful but I also realize what a drop in the bucket that is compared to building and maintaining the political will to support us art is one of the few ways cis people might start to understand and empathize with trans people If my book speaks to even one person along those lines then it will have been worth it a little bit And if it helps just one trans person in a deep-red area feel less alone Trans literature is almost always read through a political lens by its very existence That I have written a book that depicts a trans teenager simply living her life counts as a semi-radical statement at this point in time I do not quite believe a trans person living as themselves is activism So if Woodworking inspires more trans people to live honest and meaningful lives it will have achieved its primary political mission.  I wanted to be careful not to write a book where the politics overwhelmed everything else for fear of preaching to whatever choir might read this book it’s centered broadly on people who are left-of-center but they’re working to elect a woman they know will surely lose to her conservative opponent It is very intentionally not a story about smart liberals winning over evil conservatives because life doesn’t work that way the election serves as a useful backdrop to the story because Abigail and Erica are forced to care about it by dint of their identities every time I wrote a scene that was directly political I made sure it had immediate bearing on either Abigail or Erica or ideally involved one of them making a deliberate choice that would illuminate their characters I do hope readers will realize just how badly things have trended for trans people — especially trans kids — in the U.S The bathroom bill Isaiah sponsors and has vetoed is based on an actual 2016 bill that then-South Dakota governor Dennis Daugaard vetoed Kristi Noem signed far harsher restrictions on trans people into law Nothing had changed but the global right’s intense focus on us.  Art is one of the few ways cis people might start to understand and empathize with trans people Our Town is one of my favorite things ever written There is a non-zero chance that I plucked the name Emily out of the aether when naming myself because of Emily Webb in the play a woman who realizes how much of life has passed her by only after it’s too late to do anything about it Brooke calls this “the distance between a life as it’s lived and a life as it’s remembered,” and to say that has been a unique obsession of mine since childhood would be an understatement.  There is an unreal quality to Our Town that reminds me of a lot of trans art. In particular, it calls to mind Jane Schoenbrun’s brilliant 2024 film I Saw the TV Glow Where Our Town takes place in a town devoid of setting but full of people TV Glow takes place in a rich setting that is largely empty of anyone but its most central characters it is as though the world has been hollowed out and only a select few understand this a trans person pre-self-acceptance — is so often to feel like life is just a degree or two off from what it should be Both Our Town and TV Glow literalize that in ways I find immensely compelling.  (Our Town also features one of my favorite queer-coded characters who delivers a heart-breaking monologue near the play’s end.) a comparison that will make sense immediately if you’ve read both and will make no sense until then.  I hope people who’ve never really had to consider a trans identity as a lived experience before will read the book with open hearts And I hope that trans people who maybe need a break will find a bit of respite in this book — while not thinking that it downplays the struggles we face in our lives There is an early Goodreads review (don’t worry; my wife reads my Goodreads reviews so I don’t have to) that misgenders Erica throughout but talks about how the book got the reviewer to think about the trans experience in a new way That person isn’t my ideal audience for Woodworking but I hope they’re part of it all the same.  This is a really difficult time to exist as a trans person I dearly hope Woodworking finds those who have “ears to hear,” as the Bible would have it And I hope that trans people who maybe need a break will find a bit of respite in this book — while not thinking that it downplays the struggles we face in our lives.  Her journalism and criticism have appeared in The New York Times and her writing for television has been featured on the Emmy-nominated series Yellowjackets and learn by donating to PEN America today Copyright © 2025 PEN America. All rights reserved | Privacy Policy and Olaf in action this weekend in Horry County Musical theater students have been working hard to make this production an amazing one "You should come see the Frozen play because we have some amazing people working and acting in it and it’s just so much fun," said Fynnleigh Klatka TRENDING: Surfside restaurant takes action against competitor with similar name all they need is for community members to come out and show their support everything is just amazing," said Anna Mae Quinn It runs Thursday through Saturday at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased here. (WPDE) — A local parent is calling for stronger measures to combat bullying at St as part of a broader effort to address a nationwide crisis affecting students daily Laura Fletcher is the mother of a student at St James Middle School and the second chair of the school's improvement council "Bullying is just getting out of control where some children are even trying to take their lives," said Fletcher Fletcher expressed concern that current protocols are not effective describing them as too lenient and failing to deter bullies She suggested that more impactful consequences such as barring participation in extracurricular activities "Let’s see if we can have some improvement by not having.. you know if you’re bullying a student then you don’t get to go participate in your sports or your drama or your band whatever the case may be that’s what gonna get the kids," Fletcher said "They don’t seem to care about out of school suspension Some of them think it’s a vacation and in school suspension they just sit there." Research indicates that 13 million students in the United States experience bullying each year which can lead to academic struggles and long-term psychological effects not only physically but also mentally and verbally "The kids don’t care it’s not a shock factor to them so we’re trying to find something that’s gonna make him realize hey if you do this and you can’t play any sports or you’re gonna have to have after school community service picking up trash around the school or whatever it may," Fletcher said "Those are the things we’re trying to get back instilled." TRENDING: Celebrities, food & fun: Monday After the Masters in the Grand Strand Fletcher hopes that raising awareness about the extent of the problem at St Horry County Schools issued a statement affirming their commitment to addressing bullying seriously "Horry County Schools is committed to addressing bullying with utmost seriousness and will conduct comprehensive investigations into all reported incidents If an investigation concludes that a student or a group of students has participated in bullying suitable disciplinary measures will be implemented irrespective of the methods employed or the timing of the incident the District will collaborate with local law enforcement when necessary particularly when additional investigative resources are required or if any criminal activity has taken place," the statement read BIRMINGHAM — Saint James girls basketball is onto the AHSAA state finals after dispatching Sylvania in the Final Four The Trojans will be looking for their first state title after three Final Four appearances and three more Elite Eights since 2017 The Trojans took down the Lady Rams 63-44 on Tuesday at Legacy Arena The Trojans advance to play Lauderdale County at 12:30 p.m Morgan Lilly led the way with 17 points for the Trojans who had big games from Jordyn Mcrae who had 13 points and 14 rebounds and saw Natalie Barton and Kaitlin Mitchell score in double-figures The Lady Rams were led by Meredith Jackson with 15 points and Jaidyn Ashley with 12 points They shot 31% from the field but did hit 11 three-pointers LIVE UPDATES: AHSAA school basketball championship: Live updates, scores from Alabama Final Four PROSPECTS TO WATCH: The Alabama high school basketball recruits we're watching at the AHSAA basketball championships Sylvania responded with a 20-6 run over the next six minutes to take the lead Continuing the theme of runs in the first half Saint James ended the half on an 11-0 spurt Mcrae led the way for the Trojans with nine points and eight rebounds in the first half with Jackson leading the with nine points for the Rams Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - A man was arrested Thursday afternoon after being spotted on the campus of Saint James School in Montgomery Saint James leadership said after the unidentified man was seen on the private school’s grounds its school safety team and Montgomery police officers “addressed the situation quickly and cleared that campus is safe.” Reached for additional information on the situation MPD said the investigation started around 1:45 p.m when officers responded to the 6000 block of Vaughn Road on reports of a suspicious person in the area Police officers took an unnamed man into custody on charges from previous offences that it said were not related to the location No details about the previous offenses were provided Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? Get news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store two-time Virginia Class 6 Coach of the Year and two-time Washington Post All-Met Coach of the Year joins The St James to Launch Scholastic Teams and Build High School and Middle School Football Programs one of the leading high school football coaches in the country and architect of the highly accomplished Freedom High School (Woodbridge Virginia) and Hayfield Secondary School (Alexandria today has been named the Director of Football at The St competition and events offerings and will build high school and middle school football teams which will be the first scholastic teams for The St Overton brings an impressive record of achievement to The St including going 29 – 0 while winning the 2022 and 2023 Class 6 state football championships.  In addition to back-to-back state championships his teams have won 6 district championships and 3 regional championships Overton was selected District Coach of the Year 5 times Washington Post All-Met Coach of the Year 2 times and Virginia State Coach of the Year 2 times.  He also received the Prince William County Human Rights Commission Award in 2023 for the extraordinary leadership and service he has provided to communities all over Northern Virginia He is the most accomplished coach of his generation in the Greater Washington region and one of the most accomplished in the nation.  "The opportunity to build a football program from the ground up aligned with the vision James comes along once-in-a-lifetime," said Overton "Our ability to help young men develop into great people great students and great football players will be amongst the very best in the country This has the potential to be extraordinary and I can't wait to get started." James Performance Academy is an innovative college preparatory sports academy designed to provide unparalleled development opportunities for dedicated student-athletes Launching scholastic teams is the next phase in the growth of the Academy's offerings with the expectation that the Academy will have the most comprehensive sports team offerings of any school in the country.  "Darryl Overton has proven himself to be an incredible football coach who cares deeply about the growth and success of young people," said Elyse Graziano values-centered cultures in the programs he's led sets him apart far more than all the wins he's achieved and we're excited about the tremendous impact he will continue to have in the region." Applications for admission to the Academy for the 2025 – 2026 academic year are now open and can be found at https://www.thestjames.com/academy.  The next Open House for the Academy is scheduled for Saturday James Performance Academy will host its first Evaluation Day for middle school and high school football players on Sunday The Evaluation Day will include an Open House for parents.  Shadow days for prospective students are available by request.  For further details, please visit https://www.thestjames.com and follow us on Twitter wellness and entertainment platform in the country Our mission is to help maximize human potential by designing developing and operating performance training and wellness experiences that engage empower and inspire people to pursue their passions and be their best at play [email protected]  James is proud to announce Jordan Murphy as its new Director of Grassroots Wrestling and Head of Academy Wrestling today announced that Emanuel "Book" Richardson General Sports Education Entertainment Personnel Announcements Do not sell or share my personal information: I spent far too many evenings browsing Reddit looking at the timelines of trans people who had leapt out into the great unknown that was medical transition and their personal senses of style grew more distinct The little voice in the back of my brain that took great pains to assure me I either wasn’t trans or wasn’t trans enough used these transformations as its single greatest piece of evidence for why I should not transition but the results hormone replacement therapy had delivered unto them seemed borderline magical HRT would have no real way to turn my slouching ungainly body into anything other than a slightly lumpier version of itself So I convinced myself to detach from anything like agency in favor of waiting for a genie or magic curse to turn me into my truest self Taylor Swift’s somehow even more normcore older sister I read a comment on a post that said the single biggest change in any trans timeline was in the eyes a dull nothingness lived behind the eyes of the figure on the “before” side of the timeline Where once had been a simulacrum of a human stitched together via a series of learned behaviors and social codes And yet the transition narrative in mainstream art focuses so much on the externalities of a changing body rather than the internality that is suddenly realizing you have what might be dubbed a soul This focus on the external propagates something pernicious: an idea that transition is predominantly for others who will then engage with you in a different way The conundrum here is that my understanding of all of this is retroactive could not conceive of living a life that wasn’t built to some extent out of others’ expectations The me of 2025 struggles to understand how I went so long allowing people who weren’t me to define my existence is how to convey that internal quality within the transition narrative The answer to this from many other trans writers has been to situate two characters on either side of the transition divide thus allowing the transition narrative to happen implicitly The before and after exist in two completely different people the reader is given the implicit instruction to examine the two characters as foils How the characters are—and aren’t—self-actualized creates a tension that punctures the typical transition narrative Yet capturing the internality of transition to its fullest degree would also necessarily involve writing about dissociation they become more unmoored from their most essential self it felt like I had crammed all of myself into my brain Yet dissociation is murderously hard to describe which is to say that once your very self starts to rematerialize was I dissociated all those years?” Fortunately literature offers one weird trick to capture the feeling of coming back into oneself: voice Consider, for example, those titanic tomes of queer literature Moby-Dick and War and Peace Melville uses first-person to haunting effect not only placing Ishmael onboard a doomed whaling vessel but using his frequent discursive odysseys into whale facts to create a sense of someone who is doing a terrible job at processing his trauma Ishmael seems to have a degree of knowledge of the others onboard the Pequod no person could possess he starts to seem like someone trying to understand every single aspect of the tragedy that befell him. Tolstoy’s use of third person is best understood as omniscient but within that omniscience are suggestions that what we are reading is a series of close third-person narratives knit together by occasional pullbacks into the widest of wide shots and frequent digressions from Tolstoy himself zooming in and out and following characters into a scene the closest thing the book has to a protagonist and literature’s eggiest egg (seriously the man has a crying fit when he holds a pair of women’s gloves) suggesting the people in his orbit are all merely trapped by history To feel as though you exist outside of yourself or that you have no agency are pretty classic signs of dissociation too So maybe what we are really talking about here is how to write about low-grade trauma the kind that never becomes actively disruptive but instead feels like having a mild but painful sunburn over one’s psyche Transness pre-transition often feels like this literature can use voice to create a tension between reader and narrative Hazel Jane Plante’s astonishing Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) uses the first person to root the reader deep in a trans woman’s hyper-fixation on her favorite television show as a way to avoid thinking too directly about her dead friend Tamsyn Muir’s operatic sci-fi/horror mashup Harrow the Ninth uses the second person to directly depict dissociation in a way that confounds many readers but thrills me And Lucy Ellmann’s Ducks, Newburyport is technically a first-person monologue that shows how attempts to avoid thinking about painful subjects blur the lines between first- I would love to say I was actively thinking about all of the above when I started writing my novel Woodworking which is told in alternating third-person and first-person chapters I knew the book would be structured that way before I quite knew what the book was I’ve realized that both voices allowed me to capture an experience of dissociation First person granted me a kind of traumatized tunnel vision that shut out much of the world while third person captured the pain of a life lived in a dissociative cocoon But that understanding is only applied retroactively When I started—both writing my book and transitioning—I had only the faith that there was an after to get to from before Woodworking by Emily St James is available via Zando/Crooked Media Reads Created by Grove Atlantic and Electric Literature Masthead About Sign Up For Our Newsletters How to Pitch Lit Hub Privacy Policy Support Lit Hub - Become A Member Lit Hub has always brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for your contribution, you'll get an ad-free site experience, editors' picks, and our Joan Didion tote bag. Most importantly, you'll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Accusers say billionaire’s private paradise of Little St James in U.S Virgin Islands was centre of international sex trafficking ring I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The guests to Epstein’s islands came from across the world and from the highest ranks of society: celebrities and scientists and members of royal families touching down in a private jet and then boarding a helicopter to the island Its owner liked to call it “Little St Jeff” But what is the truth about Little St James, the 75-acre private paradise in the U.S. Virgin Islands that billionaire sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein once called home A criminal complaint from the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands described it as “the perfect hideaway and haven for trafficking young women and underage girls for sexual servitude the complaint says: “Epstein and his associates could avoid detection of their illegal activity from Virgin Islands and federal law enforcement and prevent these young women and underage girls from leaving freely and escaping the abuse.” The island featured in Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking trial. She was convicted of five sex-trafficking charges and was sentenced to 20 years behind bars plus a $750,000 fine on 28 June Finally, in May 2023, it was sold to a wealthy investor for less than half of its original asking price with the hope of turning it into a luxury resort Here is everything we know about Little St James and what Epstein did there Little St James is a small island fringed by coral reefs in the bright blue waters of the U.S with sheltered inlets and forested groves rising to dramatic windswept ridges and craggy cliffs It lies just off the south-eastern tip of St Thomas, one of the Caribbean archipelago’s three main islands The Virgins were purchased from Denmark by the U.S government at the height of the First World War in order to stop them being used as a German submarine base with huge discounts on corporation tax and personal income tax available to companies based there It was in the Virgins that Epstein registered as a sex offender in 2010 following his first conviction for child prostitution in 2008 He also based his shell companies in a small unmarked office in a seaside strip mall on St Thomas alongside a Sam’s Mini-Mart and a salon called Happy Nails In 1998, he bought Little St James from venture capitalist Arch Cummin via a shell company The new owner quickly scoured away all the native vegetation and replaced it with 40-foot palm trees Epstein began a massive programme of building and remodelling that drew suspicion from local officials sprouting into a plush mansion with an outside terrace connecting the master bedroom and the swimming pool Satellite photos show a sprawling network of terraces all connected by palm-lined roads where golf buggies ferried guests from place to place (a journey across the island reportedly took about five minutes) Stunning drone footage posted on YouTube offers a closer look, with a huge sundial at the centre of the island big enough to walk around on and two tall American flags posted at opposite ends of the island At the other end from Epstein’s manor is a squat boxy blue and white striped structure often referred to as a “temple” surrounded by a terrace with a red labyrinth motif It previously had a golden dome and two gold statues on its roof which were reportedly torn off in Hurricane Maria In 2016, Epstein also bought the neighbouring island of Great St James, about twice as large at 165 acres, allegedly pretending that the real buyer was a Dubai businessman named Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem “He wasn’t well received,” one St Thomas resident told the Associated Press “People think he’s too rich to be policed properly.” Epstein would visit Little St James two or three times a month One former employee described it as “a Zen-like retreat” where the financier would stroll around in flip-flops with “meditative music” playing from speakers and the women often sunbathing topless There were always women, of course: frequently attractive, sometimes suspiciously young, on the arms of Epstein or one of his many guests or, sometimes, ferried over in groups aboard a 38-foot boat called the Lady Ghislaine, reportedly after Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell from groundskeepers and gardeners through laundry ladies to on-call boat captains They wore black or white polo shirts and were sworn to strict secrecy with instructions to stay out of Epstein’s sight when doing their work They were also forbidden to enter either of Epstein’s two offices in the main manor one of which housed a closely guarded steel safe According to The LA Times Epstein also had an enthusiasm for “pirate treasure” his name for old rum bottles and crockery found about the island He would pay servants between $100 and $1,000 for interesting finds in good condition “He was a very kind man and, while I don’t approve of things he’s been accused of, I liked him very much,” Miles Alexander, who together with his wife Cathy ran the island between 1999 and 2007, told The Daily Mail We have a clear conscience that we didn’t witness anything untoward.” The South African couple described how Epstein did not like to eat meals in front of people instead taking snacks to eat in his room where he would also receive daily massages Disturbing him there was “absolutely forbidden” although they did once find a box of sex toys while he was out the Alexanders say they were told: “What Jeffrey Wants It has been claimed that Bill Clinton was also a guest, though he denies ever having been there. Donald Trump reportedly flew on one of Epstein’s private jets, but it is unclear if he visited the island. The magician David Copperfield is even said to have proposed to supermodel Claudia Schiffer there Guests would arrive on one of Epstein’s Gulfstream jets at Cyril E King Airport on St Thomas in a private area separate from the main runway They would then be shuttled to Little St James on one of Epstein’s black helicopters reportedly paying for a submarine to be modified to give a sea bed tour to Professor Hawking One former employee described it as “like a five star hotel where nobody paid” Cathy Alexander remembers Prince Andrew as one of the more gracious visitors describing him as “great fun and very undemanding” One day he returned from the beach in “great mirth”: one of his companions had stepped on a sea urchin and he had urinated on her foot to salve it Alexander recalls him slipping her a $350 tip Several famous figures have found their names publicly linked to Epstein over the years – some of whom may be alleged visitors to the island Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton were among the more than 100 people named in legal documents linked Epstein that were unsealed in January 2024 The files included the names of victims friends and associates of the sex offender and Maxwell – although many others will have no direct link to Epstein Now, the U.S. Department of Justice says it is set to release more files related to Epstein, with President Donald Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi claiming the details are “pretty sick.” Bondi had faced mounting pressure from Republicans to release the disgraced financier’s “client list” and revealed that “some Epstein information” would be made public and “a lot of information” are set to be revealed she said upon being probed about what information will explicitly be released address book and allegations have already been made public through court filings locals on St Thomas whispered darkly about Epstein’s activities calling his private jets “the Lolita Express” security guards would reportedly appear to patrol the edge of the water At one point, Epstein was ferrying about 200 workers back and forth every day to build his projects. “When he was there, it was keep to yourself and do your thing,” one of them told the Associated Press adding that the mogul would sometimes give away old material or surplus material Airport staff on St Thomas could see who Epstein was bringing with him on the Express. “On multiple occasions I saw Epstein exit his helicopter, stand on the tarmac in full view of my tower, and board his private jet with children - female children,” a former air traffic controller told Vanity Fair “My colleagues and I definitely talked about how we didn’t understand how this guy was still allowed to be around children We didn’t say anything because we figured law enforcement was doing their job but we really didn’t even know who to tell Another airstrip employee said: “There’d be girls that look like they could be in high school They were always wearing college sweatshirts I compared it to seeing a serial killer in broad daylight It was like he was flaunting it.” Sometimes the girls would be carrying shopping bags from designer brands such as Gucci and Dior “They looked like they had stepped out of an underwear catalogue,” Cathy told The Mail “They walked around with very few clothes on or lounged around by the pool with nothing on A few of them looked very young and I couldn’t help but wonder if their mothers knew where they were.” Miles Alexander added that he had sometimes had to refuse Epstein’s requests to smuggle in female guests by boat without logging their names and passport numbers with the government of St Thomas The couple’s unease grew until they finally quit in 2007 [Epstein] told me I had always been his conscience,” Alexander said “I’m certainly battling with my conscience now.” That is the subject of multiple ongoing court cases According to a lawsuit filed by Prince Andrew’s accuser Little St James was the centre of a worldwide grooming scheme in which recruiters working for Epstein targeted young women who were open to abuse and manipulation dazzled them with “displays of vast weath and power” and then force them to have sex with clients while keeping them in line with threats and blackmail The lawsuit described the islands as just one step in a worldwide web of private flights that ferried sex trafficking victims to London Giuffre said that Prince Andrew had sexually abused her on Little St James when she was 17, which the prince “unequivocally” denied he agreed to settle the suit out of court for an undisclosed sum Giuffre died by suicide on Saturday 26 April 2025 at her home in Australia The prince was back in the headlines in January 2025 after emails published in U.K. court documents appeared to show he was in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted Emails between Andrew and Epstein handed to a court in London reportedly show they were still exchanging messages until at least late February 2011 when the duke wrote: “Keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon.” The Virgin Islands attorney general’s office echoed claims made in the Giuffre’s suit saying: “Between 2001 and 2019 the Epstein Enterprise transported underage girls and young women to the Virgin Islands who were then taken via helicopter or private vessel to Little St James where they were deceptively subjected to sexual servitude forced to engage in sexual acts and coerced into commercial sexual activity and forced labour Epstein formed an association with multiple defendants and others (both companies and individuals and conceal Epstein’s criminal activity in exchange for Epstein’s bestowal of financial and other benefits including sexual services and forced labour from victims.” The complaint also alleged that Little St James served as a prison for the victims with Epstein controlling all communication with the outside world It said that one 15-year-old tried to escape by swimming recaptured her and confiscated her passport he owns a whole island,” said attorney general Denise George in 2020 “So it wasn’t a situation where a child or a young woman would be able to just break away and run down the street to the nearest police station.” One alleged victim told CBS News that she had been raped in Epstein’s office in St Thomas and that he had a gun strapped to the bedpost in his bedroom on Little St James The complaint says Epstein kept a computerised list of underage girls in or near the Virgin Islands who could be brought to the island Authorities made several attempts to investigate Little St James Epstein was required to re-register every year and officials did try to visit the island in 2018 to verify his address But according to the attorney general's complaint Epstein refused the officers entry at the dock claiming it was his “front door” and insisted on meeting them in his office on St Thomas He also made employees sign confidentiality agreements that banned them from talking to law enforcement and required them to report any inquiries to Epstein “Monitoring a sex offender with his own private islands and the resources to fly victims in and out on private planes and helicopters represented unique challenges and allowed the Epstein Enterprise to limit scrutiny,” the complaint says both Little St James and Great St James are protected areas due to their coral reefs and wildlife Local planning officials suspected Epstein of exceeding his building permits and the attorney general's complaint says that he was fined thousands of dollars for breaking environmental rules yet that kind of money was nothing to Epstein the complaint argues that Epstein's purchase of Great St James was simply a ruse to hide what was happening on Little St James “The Epstein Enterprise purchased the island for more than $20 million because participants wanted to ensure that it did not become a base from which others could view their activities or visitors,” it says “Epstein purchased these properties to further shield his conduct from view prevent his detection by law enforcement or the public and allow him to continue and conceal his criminal enterprise.” In December 2022, the U.S. Virgin Islands filed a lawsuit in a federal court in New York against JPMorgan Chase alleging the Wall Street bank had been complicit in helping Epstein traffic vulnerable women and girls into “sexual servitude” at his two secluded islands The USVI’s attorney general alleged JPMorgan helped “pull the levers” through which Epstein paid his network of enablers and victims Epstein withdrew as much as $750,000 a year in cash from JPMorgan accounts even after the late pedophile had been “red flagged” by the bank as a child sex offender attorneys for the territory alleged in the lawsuit JPMorgan rejected the allegations and tried to shift blame for Epstein’s crimes onto high-ranking USVI officials Their lawyers claimed that the USVI shielded him from accountability while “reaping the benefits of his wealth” the USVI quietly began issuing subpoenas for the bank’s top executives and other powerful peripheral figures who were dragged into the case and Google’s co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin There is no suggestion that any of the men were involved in Epstein’s offending When Dimon was quizzed under oath by USVI attorneys in late May that year he said he did not recall ever hearing about Epstein or his sexual misconduct until after his arrest in 2019 a Wall Street power player who has expressed an interest in running for president said he first heard about Epstein “when the story blew wide open” According to a transcript of the video deposition Dimon was confronted with an email from Epstein’s former assistant suggesting the pair were scheduled to meet as far back as 2010 He replied emphatically that he had never had an appointment JPMorgan accused the islands and senior officials of enabling Epstein to commit his crimes Lawyers for the bank claimed high-ranking USVI officials had been bought off by Epstein and actively worked with him while “reaping the benefits of his wealth.” they shielded and even rewarded him,” they wrote JPMorgan also claimed that Epstein had bankrolled a USVI official’s political campaign who later awarded him tax breaks weeks before the case was due to go to trial JPMorgan announced it had settled the case for $75million without admitting it was at fault the bank said it would pay $55million to Virgin Island charities and anti-trafficking organisations and $20million to cover the island territory’s legal expenses Epstein died in prison in 2019, in what authorities have ruled to be a suicide. In June 2023, a scathing US government report laid bare a catalogue of errors leading to his death the fate of Little St James and Great St James were was in limbo after the government of the U.S Virgin Islands asked a judge to give it control of Epstein’s old assets The billionaire’s executor fought that request saying they want to use his assets to set up a relief fund for sexual assault victims and asking the government to unfreeze his two islands so they can sell them off George countered by accusing them of mismanaging the estate and paying “for lawyers but not the brave women who have stepped forward to participate in the compensation fund” the Virgin Islands reached a settlement with the Epstein estate which agreed to pay the government $105million and half the proceeds from an eventual sale of the islands plus $450,000 to repair environmental damage Authorities said that Epstein had removed the ruins of old colonial structures from the days of slavery With the path to a sale now clear, investor Stephen Deckoff announced on May 3, 2023 that he would buy both islands for $60million with the hope of opening a 25-room luxury resort by the end of 2025 That money was less than half of the $125million asking price that was originally attached to the islands In the meantime, Little St James has become a hotspot for morbid tourists, “urban explorers” and social media influencers attempting to access the island and make videos and some local boat operators make it part of their tours In November 2021, Google removed a number of offensive prank reviews from the island’s listing on Google Maps after they were brought to the tech giant’s attention by The Independent. Vernon Morgan, a taxi driver on St Thomas, told the Associated Press that he would rather people left it alone. “It brought some kind of notoriety to the Virgin Islands,” he said. “We would much rather that the Virgin Islands be seen in a different light.” This article was originally published in November 2021, and has been updated since then with new information. It was amended on 2 January 2023 to remove the claim that Bill Gates had received a subpoena from the USVI (he did not), and on 30 January 2023 to correctly attribute a list of alleged sex trafficking locations. govt and politics"},{"score":0.750984,"label":"/society/crime/sexual offense/prostitution"},{"score":0.711953,"label":"/society/sex"},{"score":0.711455,"label":"/family and parenting/children"},{"score":0.629677,"label":"/law 1/80AHSAA 3A girls semifinal: Sylvania vs. Saint James.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Thomas Ashworth | tashworth@al.comIt’s easy to make plays with teammates who can get open who finished with 8 assists in a Class 3A semifinal matchup against Sylvania “My teammates do a really good job of getting open and then it’s easy to find them,” the Saint James star said “I trust them to hit the shots and it’s fun to play with them.” With four players scoring in double figures to pull off the Trojans’ biggest win so far 2 Saint James powered past Sylvania in the Class 3A state semifinals for a 63-44 win on Tuesday 1 Lauderdale County in the Class 3A state finals on Friday at 12:30 p.m they’ve so far had a great season,” Saint James coach Katie Barton said “This has been our goal to get back to the state finals It wasn’t necessarily our prettiest first half or second half but we got the job done and I’m just super proud of all 13 of my girls.” After Saint James bolted out to leads of 10-0 and 16-3 in the first quarter Sylvania battled back to put the Trojans in unfamiliar territory as the Rams took a 23-22 lead following a 3-point basket from Avery Jenkins Saint James closed out on an 11-0 run and outscored Sylvania 30-21 in the semifinal battle “I think we were playing a little bit complacent there down that stretch We couldn’t get a flow in our offense,” the Saint James coach said “It was almost as if we were trying to do the right thing instead of reacting and playing the way that we typically play “Once they settled down in the locker room and we made a few defensive adjustments there in the second half Four players scored in double figures for Saint James with Lilly Morgan leading the offense with 17 points and 6 assists while Jordyn McRae had a double-double worth 14 points and 13 rebounds while adding 4 assists in the win Sylvania’s Meridith Jackson totaled 15 points and Jaidyn Graham added 12 in a talented senior group’s final game with the Rams First-year Sylvania coach Alaina Welden praised her group for its accomplished on and off the basketball court in a special season “Even though we had a lot that won’t be with us next year they were able to take those younger girls under their wings and prepare us for the future,” she said “They did really big things this year because we got in a hole and they came out of it midseason and they’ve been moving full force ahead Star of the game: McRae’s double-double helped power the Trojans on both sides of the ball Stat sheet: Saint James — Natalie Barton filled up the stat sheet with 12 points Kaitlin Mitchell also scored in double figures with 10 points and 5 rebounds while Sydney Johnston had 7 points and 3 rebounds in the win Lily Stanford and Kaden Fair logged 3 rebounds each Sarah Graham led the Rams with 6 rebounds and five players combined for 6 steals led by Avery Jenkins’ 2 steals; she also added 6 points and 5 rebounds for Sylvania By the numbers: Saint James shot 26-for-55 from the field knocking down 13 field goals in the first and second halves The Trojans outrebounded Sylvania 41-29 and totaled 12 steals in the semifinal win outscoring their opponent 42-10 in the paint Sylvania outscored Saint James 13-11 on second-chance points and totaled 13 assists as a team The Rams went 11-for-34 from 3-point range with Meridith Jackson and Jaidyn Ashley knocking down 5 baskets each from beyond the arc Saint James is chasing the program’s first state championship They said it: “I know this team will go out and everyone will remember our faith because this is the most Jesus-loving team I’ve ever seen I told Coach Wedlen someone had asked me before the game I’ve got a good feeling about it and I said we’ve got something bigger here carrying us it was on our backs.” — Sylvania senior Molly Weaver on this year’s group and its faith “This is the time of the year when you want to play the best team and we’re excited about stepping out on the court with them and the type of basketball that they play at Lauderdale County so we’re excited for Saint James to come up from Montgomery Alabama and step on the floor and play basketball with a bunch of basketball players Our job when we step on that court on Friday and to play together and use each other and hopefully to let the spirit of these girls shine out on court so that’s what we’re going to do on Friday.” — Saint James coach Katie Barton on playing No and that’s what I was just trying to tell them in the locker room there are third-grade girls in our school that are looking up to them They went all the way to the final four and they played until the last week possible in the state of Alabama basketball and that’s a big deal.” — Sylvania coach Alaina Welden on her senior class Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Dahlia O’Connor passed away peacefully at home Born in Brooklyn in 1962 to the late Joe and Tina Sceppa Dahlia is now reunited with her parents and continues to watch over her children from above She is survived by her beloved family; Kevin A Mass will be celebrated on September 16 at 10:15 AM at St Dahlia will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her The family requests in lieu of flowers please consider donating to the following charities in memory of Dahlia G American Cancer Society Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is excited to announce that it has agreed to acquire the Washington Little Caps (WLC) a storied institution in the Washington region and one of the nation's most respected Tier 1 youth hockey programs which is subject to the completion of definitive documentation James' commitment to developing elite hockey players by integrating WLC's proven training philosophy with its Tier 2 youth hockey program the Washington Little Caps have built a reputation for strong player development competing in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) and Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL) WLC players will now benefit from enhanced training and performance nutrition services in an environment designed to support long-term athletic success "The Washington Little Caps have a legacy of excellence and we're excited to build upon that foundation," said Elyse Graziano "We will integrate the Little Caps with The St James Performance Academy and our comprehensive hockey offerings to provide players with an unmatched hockey experience and support to help them achieve their goals." James Performance Academy is a world class college preparatory sports conservatory for student-athletes looking to take their game to the next level personalized and holistic approach to athlete development is designed to develop and nurture the complete student-athlete A comprehensive program of skill development game IQ mental and lifestyle discipline and character-building allows each athlete to maximize their potential James' acquisition of the Washington Little Capitals This is an exciting opportunity for us to expand the development pathway for players in our hockey community we are not only enhancing our commitment to excellence but also reinforcing our mission to create a world-class environment where athletes can grow We look forward to this new chapter and to seeing the continued success of the Little Caps program as part of the STJ Hockey family," said Tim Graham "Our mission has always been to develop not just great hockey players Hockey Director of the Washington Little Caps "This partnership gives our players access to the best possible resources to compete at the highest level and prepare for future success." will be integrated into WLC's team structure providing individualized strength and conditioning plans and data-driven performance analysis to optimize player development athletes will receive a comprehensive training experience that prioritizes both skill progression and long-term physical performance the Washington Little Caps have developed a culture of hard work with a focus on preparing players for success both on and off the ice James ensures that athletes will continue to receive high-level coaching and development opportunities while also benefiting from a state-of-the-art training environment James and WLC are preparing for the upcoming 2025-26 season ensuring a smooth transition for players and families For more information, visit www.thestjameshockey.com 11U 2014s:March 10: 6:00-7:00 PM at IONMarch 11: 5:00-6:10 PM at STJMarch 12: 6:00-7:00 PM at ION 12U 2013s:March 11: 7:10-8:10 PM at IONMarch 12: 5:00-6:10 PM at STJMarch 13: 7:10-8:10 PM at ION 13U 2012s:April 8: 5:50-6:50 PM at IONApril 9: 5:40-6:40 PM at IONApril 10: 5:20-6:20 PM at STJ 14U 2011s:April 8: 7:00-8:00 PM at IONApril 9: 6:50-7:50 PM at IONApril 10: 6:30-7:30 PM at STJ 15U 2010s:April 8: 8:10-9:10 PM at IONApril 9: 7:10-8:10 PM at IONApril 10: 7:40-8:40 PM at STJ 16U 2009s:April 8: 6:40-7:40 PM at IONApril 9: 8:00-9:00 PM at IONApril 10: 68:30-9:30 PM at STJ 18U 2007 & 2008s:April 8: 7:50-8:50 PM at IONApril 9: 9:10-10:10 PM at IONApril 10: 8:50-9:50 PM at STJ For more information, visit www.thestjames.com and follow @thestjames on Twitter James Teams give elite athletes year-round training With access to state-of-the-art facilities—including performance centers and recovery spaces—athletes train in an environment built for high-level development Expert-led programs focus on skill refinement preparing players for collegiate athletics Media Contact:Kristine Friend[email protected] 202-239-6870 Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers Corporate Social Responsibility After spending nine years as an assistant football coach at Saint James Colin Ponder has taken the reins of the program Ponder, 32, recently was named the Saints' head coach, taking over for John Root Saint James went 61-45 and had nine winning seasons a great friend to me these last nine years," Ponder said "He's obviously built an incredibly successful program and I also want to build on that in any way I can "He's laid a very strong foundation that I have a responsibility to live up to but it's also my job now to build on that foundation and try to continue that momentum." Wayne Jacobs is set to return as the Saints' offensive coordinator and Chad Carter will replace Ponder as the team's defensive coordinator Carter worked as an assistant coach at North Hagerstown from 2017-22 he was the head coach of the Hubs' girls flag football team in their inaugural season which I value as a young first-time head coach," Ponder said His son Aiden played for us the last two seasons and he can really help us raise our profile locally." Boys basketball: Heritage coach Mike Kidd closing in on 500 wins graduated from Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg in 2011 and from the College of William & Mary in 2015 What is he hoping to immediately achieve as the Saints' head coach and unfortunately the conference we were in has taken a bit of a pause so we technically don't have a conference championship to compete for at the moment either," he said setting them up for future success outside of football." 2024 – Saint James Health Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) opened a new health clinic at Newark’s East Side High School as part of an ongoing effort to increase access to care and improve health outcomes in the city’s most vulnerable populations The ribbon-cutting ceremony coincided with the celebration of National Health Center Week Saint James Health President and Chief Executive Officer Nicole Fields expressed gratitude to those in attendance saying “We are extremely lucky with the timing of this ribbon-cutting at East Side High School in the Ironbound It falls during National Health Center Week the federally qualified health centers serve over 574,000 patients annually along with the demand for affordable healthcare.” She continued “We would not be here today without our partnership with RWJBarnabas Health this partnership has grown to serve the community we are able to send our patients to RWJBarnabas Health doctors and have their electronic medical records close at hand in Newark’s culturally rich Ironbound neighborhood the Saint James Health Center at East Side High School has its own separate public entrance and offers patients primary care services as well as access to trained social workers and assistance with insurance enrollment in a safe and comfortable environment and with both language and cultural proficiency “It comes as no surprise that we are here at East Side High School,” added Newark Schools Superintendent Roger Leon describing the critical role that East Side High School played in addressing mass vaccination needs throughout the pandemic “We are tremendously grateful to our partners at Saint James Health and RWJBarnabas Health Our community is better because of you.” Newark School Board member; Ketlen Baptiste-Alsbrook of Health and Community Wellness; Roger Leon Newark Schools Superintendent; Douglas Bell Saint James Health Board; Balpreet Grewal-Virk East Side High School Principal; Renata Dias “I’m incredibly proud to be here on behalf of my 41,000 terrific colleagues,” said Mark E “When people look back on what we have been doing for the last couple of years they will judge us by how we treated the most vulnerable,” he added applauding Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for his commitment to the project society can take for granted that there are tens of thousands of people who have dedicated themselves to taking care of the sick and injured This facility and partnership will provide not only vital access to care but coordination and access to other social services that tie it all together We are proud to partner with Saint James Health and the Newark School System to support students and the Ironbound Community at large,” he continued The collaboration with the City of Newark and Newark Public Schools brings high-quality health care right into the center of the community—the local public school—increasing access to care for students “Healthcare is incredibly important,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka explaining the disparities in access to care that challenge some neighborhoods within Newark and surrounding communities “The partnership between RWJBarnabas Health and Saint James Health along with other private and public relationships Affordable healthcare that is accessible to our residents is exactly what we need.” RWJBarnabas Health also sponsored a backpack giveaway outside East Side High School providing over 1,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies for area children in time for the start of school The theme of this year’s National Health Center Week is “Powering Communities Through Caring Connections.” “The Biden-Harris Administration is proud to fund and support Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to provide medically underserved communities or populations with the high-quality health care they need and deserve regardless of their insurance coverage or financial means between Saint James and RWJBarnabas Health that Community Health Centers are able to make a lasting impact in the communities they serve,” said U.S of Health and Human Services Region II Director Joseph Palm “As we celebrate National Health Center Week and the comprehensive and cost-effective services centers like this provide our families it’s incredibly important that we also acknowledge the community partners and caregivers who make it all possible.” Creation of the Saint James Health Center at East Side High School is part of a broader effort by RWJBarnabas Health funded through the “Our Healthy Newark” appropriation from the State of New Jersey historically underserved communities and the social determinants that impact health outcomes The initiative includes linking a core group of FQHCs to hospital electronic medical records systems embedding community health workers to help patients navigate care recruiting medical specialists who will expand care provided at local clinics and addressing community social determinants of health on-site or close by as part of the same “Our Healthy Newark” initiative RWJBarnabas Health and Saint James opened a 340b retail pharmacy and “Food Farmacy” at Saint James’s 228 Lafayette Ave The pharmacy provides discounted medication and education to patients and allows patients to pick up prescriptions at the time of their appointment improving the affordability of and access to vital medication The “Food Farmacy” gives patients on-site access to free healthy foods and culturally appropriate nutrition and dietary education to help manage their diagnoses Also in attendance for the event: State Senate Majority Leader M Assembly Budget Chair Eliana Pintor Marin; Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver; Newark Councilmember Anibal Ramos of Health and Human Services Region II Executive Director Dennis Gonzalez; Ketlen Baptiste-Alsbrook of Health and Community Wellness; and RWJBarnabas Health Senior Vice President for Community Health Balpreet Grewal-Virk most comprehensive academic health care system in New Jersey with a service area covering eight counties with five million people The system includes twelve acute care hospitals – Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton in Hamilton Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway in Rahway and Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth three acute care children’s hospitals Children’s Specialized Hospital with a network of outpatient pediatric rehabilitation centers a freestanding 100-bed behavioral health center the state’s largest behavioral health network comprehensive home care and hospice programs multi-site imaging centers and two accountable care organizations (SJH) is a non-profit organization that has been committed to bringing premier healthcare services to the Newark metropolitan area since 2016 As a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) Saint James Health is committed to treating every person that visits its centers The organization operates community health centers in the East New Jersey and provides comprehensive primary health and preventive services in a comfortable and accommodating setting to the members of the communities it serves The organization’s services are focused on patients and coordinated by an exceptional wellness team to ensure that every healthcare need is addressed comprehensively and compassionately for everyone Contact:Carrie.Cristello@RWJBH.org 1/103AHSAA 3A girls final: Lauderdale County vs. Saint James.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Evan DudleyLauderdale County’s Ansley Shelton scored the go-ahead layup with a little more than 2 minutes remaining in overtime but it was Shila Marks that brought the chickens home to roost Clinging to a single-point lead and playing a desperate game of keep away the seas parted down the paint and Marks charged in for the clinching score before adding some extra free throws in the final second the top-ranked Tigers rallied to force overtime and pulled away for a 58-52 victory over No 2 Saint James in Friday’s Class 3A state championship game at the BJCC’s Legacy Arena in Birmingham Lauderdale County (34-1) trailed by as many as 18 points early in the second half as Kaitlyn Mitchell scored on consecutive series and capped a 9-3 run with a triple to give the Trojans a 36-18 lead not more than 3 minutes into the third period The Tigers cut the lead to 12 entering the fourth quarter and swung momentum in their favor Marks and Meredith Newton scored on back-to-back possessions and the former was fouled on a 3-point attempt Marks converted all three free throws to cap an 11-2 run on a layup to pull Lauderdale County within 5 points almost midway through the quarter Sarah Smith sparked a 7-0 run on a tip-in and the Tigers pushed ahead to a 49-47 lead with 1:06 remaining “It was just keeping our heads in it,” Marks said and we’ve proven time and time again this past season Saint James point guard Natalie Barton tied the game on a pair of free throws with 44 seconds left to send the game into overtime Marks gave the Tigers the lead early in the extra period but Mitchell drained a 3-pointer to return the advantage to Saint James Shelton put Lauderdale County on top with 2:10 remaining and Marks sealed the deal on her layup and ensuing free throws Saint James (34-3) held a 12-8 lead at the end of the opening period and surged ahead on an 11-5 run in the second A layup from Marks cut the lead below double digits but Morgan Lilly converted a pair of free throws and spun through defenders for a last-second layup that gave the Trojans a 27-15 lead at the break “They’re a great team and they have some offensive threats out there on the floor and we knew we were going to have to play some really good defense,” Clemons said “I don’t know about how good it was in the first half we just got off to a very slow start offensively.” The senior guard finished with a game-high 32 points on 11-of-15 shooting including a 3-of-6 effort from 3-point range and a 7-of-10 showing at the free-throw line “It’s all the years of work and looking at it I’m pretty sure everybody saw me just almost strangle my mom after the game hard work and hours and hours and hundreds of thousands of shots that have gone into that game Stat sheet: Lauderdale County – Thomas had 10 points 2 rebounds and 5 assists and Meredith Newton added 7 points and 4 steals Saint James – Barton finished with a team-high 17 points and added 6 rebounds McRae contributed 6 points and a game-high 15 rebounds By the numbers: Lauderdale County shot 45.8 percent overall The Tigers forced 22 turnovers that resulted in 24 points and held Saint James to 40 percent from the field despite the Trojans winning the rebounding battle 37-22 over Lauderdale County All-Tournament Team: Marks was named Class 3A tournament MVP and teammates Armani Thomas and Sarah Smith were named to the all-tournament team Lauderdale County extended its AHSAA record to 14 state championships and is now three titles ahead of Pisgah’s girls and the R.C Hoover’s girls have a chance to tie Pisgah and Hatch tomorrow in the 7A title game Pretty much just at halftime was just to keep your head up so just keep playing and let’s just get out there and let’s just inch this thing back and keep getting stops on defense and that’s what we did.” – Lauderdale County’s Carla Clemons They’re tough and they’ve been tough all year long and they really represented Saint James and our school community we talked about keeping our standard the standard and I’m really proud of all 13 of my girls for doing that each and every day in practice and each and every day on the court of competition.” – Saint James’ Katie Barton She said it: “For us to go back out there and fight you have a gut feeling sometimes when you’re going to lose Not one time did any of us think that we were about to lose the game.” – Smith Championship Coach and Former Pro Player to Oversee Lacrosse at The St James is proud to announce Spencer Ford as its new Director of Lacrosse A former professional player and championship-winning general manager Ford brings nearly two decades of experience in professional lacrosse to The St where he will develop the next generation of lacrosse talent James following his recent appointment as General Manager of the Carolina Chaos in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Ford's leadership in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) includes guiding the Chesapeake Bayhawks to three titles in six seasons as General Manager He has also served in coaching and front-office roles with the Philadelphia Barrage and Atlanta Blaze helping shape competitive rosters across the league Ford played eight seasons as an attackman in MLL he twice led the league in assists and earned All-Pro honors in 2007 "Spencer Ford's impact on the game is undeniable," said Elyse Graziano and executive makes him uniquely qualified to develop the next generation of lacrosse talent our lacrosse program will provide elite training and a direct path for athletes to reach the collegiate and professional levels." Ford will lead a comprehensive lacrosse program focused on player development at every level Ford's leadership will provide a clear pathway from youth lacrosse to collegiate and professional levels he can help players achieve long-term success James and help build a world-class lacrosse program," said Ford and I'm passionate about developing young athletes who aspire to play at the next level We're going to create an environment that fosters excellence Spencer Ford joins newly appointed Director of Girls Academy Lacrosse Stephy Samaras along with Tamika Dudley (Girls Basketball) Darryl Overton (Football) and Steve Bumbry (Baseball) as part of the distinguished team of Academy coaches Applications for the 2025–2026 academic year are now open at www.thestjames.com/academy For more information, visit www.thestjames.com and follow @thestjames on Twitter Contact:Kristine Friend703-239-6870[email protected] 2025 at 2:43 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The St Patrick's Day Parade is scheduled for March 15 (Shutterstock)Correction: The afterparty at Deepwells is by invitation only Patrick's Day Parade is scheduled for 1 p.m and festive cheer as the parade makes its way from Smithtown High School East on Woodlawn Avenue to the LIRR Station Murphy is the Town of Smithtown Highway Superintendent Robert proudly represents the Highway Department in the parade not only as a testament to his dedication to our community but also to honor the memory of someone who he looks up to daily; WWII hero and former Superintendent of Highways and the man who helped shape our roadways and famous snow removal," Smithtown Supervisor Edward Wehrheim stated "This year’s parade is sure to be one for the books!" This year's parade is also "very bittersweet," Wehrheim said James Community just bid farewell to one of the Chamber's founding members; Bill Garthe "Bill left his mark on St James and the people he touched daily." The parade is free to attend and fun for all ages so people were encouraged to gather their family and friends for an afternoon of tradition and excitement After-parade parties are slated at Deepwells immediately following the parade (by invitation-only) Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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 dropping Thursday night's Division III non-select championship to the Sterlington Panthers James (10-3) and Sterlington (10-4) were evenly matched throughout the game with the two teams separated by one point after the first quarter and the score was tied after the second as well as the third and was forced to punt back to Sterlington in the fourth Despite the defense rallying and giving the offense one final chance for overtime the desperation drive came up well short of the end zone sealing the Wildcats' fate as star freshman Ja'Juan Jackson was intercepted on fourth down The run game was too much to handle for SJHS Sterlington didn't throw a single pass between the first and fourth quarters but racked up 341 yards rushing on 53 attempts James stopped Sterlington on a fake punt flea flicker to force a turnover on downs — the first time the Wildcats had stopped the Panthers on fourth down throughout the game James linebacker Nolan Zenon turned in one of the finest defensive performances in Prep Classic history coming just short of setting the Prep Classic single-game record and forcing a fumble running back Kani King-Young continued his hot streak the junior put up 124 yards rushing on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns his second consecutive game in triple digits and with multiple scores we're extremely grateful for the opportunity to compete for a state championship," St I thought we had a very special team this year More High School Football: 2024 Prep Classic: Get live scores, updates for LHSAA football championship games here More High School Football: 2024 LHSAA Prep Classic: Schedule, Final Scores for high school football state title games