Ohio (WSYX) — Girls at Westerville Central High School are making history as they participate in the school's inaugural girls' flag football team "It's such a cool community to be in and it's fun knowing you're some of the first people to do this," Jane Zvolanek She's one of 15 girls at the school pioneering the new program Coach Peyton (Guice) McBride emphasized the initiative's importance "Who says girls can't play football and it promotes a lot of opportunities." The team offers players like Jane the chance to play quarterback who grew up playing backyard football with her brothers enjoys running routes and catching passes as a receiver Ortega is receiving interest from college programs The Cleveland Browns support the club by providing footballs equipping the girls for success in flag football "This has been some of the most rewarding time to see these girls go from little no football to now "They’ve taken control over the situation and they’ve grown in the experience." With more than 70 schools in Ohio and over 65 colleges across the country supporting girls' flag football I think it’s the greatest game there is," Josh Franke The Warhawks are encouraging other girls to join the game "I would definitely say get involved," Zvolanek said There are currently three Central Ohio clubs; Westerville Central The Browns aim to launch a pilot league in Columbus next spring Bishop Earl Fernandes will ordain Deacons Kevin Girardi Joseph Rolwing and Samuel Severance to the priesthood at a 10 a.m Paul to accommodate a large number of attendees Ordinations to the Sacred Order of Presbyter have been moved from Columbus St Priesthood ordinations previously took place at St This year’s Mass is open to anyone who would like to attend Rolwing and Severance have spent their final year of studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum is from Columbus Our Lady of Victory Church and a graduate of Hilliard Bradley High School and Purdue University His assignments during seminary have included the Perry County Consortium Charles Preparatory School for a school year and spent summers assisting at Holy Family Soup Kitchen and with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in New York is from New Albany Church of the Resurrection and a graduate of New Albany High School He has served in assignments at Columbus St Mary and Cardington Sacred Hearts churches is from Columbus Holy Family Church and a graduate of Columbus Bishop Watterson High School and the College of Wooster His assignments have included Columbus Our Lady of Peace Church Thomas Aquinas churches and two summer Hispanic ministry immersions – one in Columbus and another in Mexico City Individuals interested in attending the candidates’ ordination Mass on May 17 are encouraged to RSVP to the diocesan Office of Vocations at 614-221-5565 or email [email protected] Restaurant Brings Approximately 100 Full- and Part-Time Jobs to Community Donates $25,000 to Address Food Insecurity  The Chick-fil-A PlayTM  App is your home for free games and activities designed to create more time with your favorite people Ohio (WSYX) — No one was inside a northeast Columbus home when a FedEx truck slammed into the house on Godeita St The driver was not injured and left with company officials Columbus police and fire officials were on hand to investigate said someone called his wife about an emergency at home they saw the truck sticking out of the side Stout said the truck destroyed a first-floor bathroom and his home office The crash happened around 1:50 on Monday afternoon but the homeowner said had nothing he wanted to say to the driver anyway “There's nothing to be mad about or angry at that point,” he said let's make sure we take care of things going forward.” Police have not filed charges at this point Sharon Thompson was working on her computer in the front window of her home Monday when she noticed a FedEx Express truck turn off Ulry Road and start down her street on Columbus' Far North Side near Westerville since she had already received a FedEx delivery earlier the truck jumped the curb in front of her house in the 5600 block of Godetia Street and ran over a 25 mph speed limit sign in her tree lawn and a tree in her front yard before plowing into the side of her neighbor's house Thompson hurried to the back door of her house and came outside just as the FedEx driver was getting out of the passenger side door The driver's side door and the front of the truck were buried inside the home to report the crash and ask for a medic for the driver who was asking aloud of himself how that could happen and began pacing around in circles who told him to sit on the ground while she got him a chair and a drink of water She said she didn't want him walking around and keeling over or something Columbus police said that the driver was not treated at the scene or transported to a local hospital The owners of the house the truck plowed into were not at home at the time The driver stood by on scene while Columbus police and a FedEx official spoke with him about the crash Thompson said a FedEx official who responded to the scene told her it may have been a medical emergency told The Dispatch that among the areas damaged was a living area where her husband usually sits when he is home and a bathroom Palilla came over to ask Thompson if she could use her bathroom as hers was "in pieces The crash occurred on the only open entrance and exit streets serving the subdivision Residents were unable to get in or out because of a large tow truck that was in the street to remove the truck and a Westerville City Schools bus #104 waited for about five minutes before releasing students at the beginning of the subdivision so they could walk home Although it will certainly take some time to repair her house Palilla generally seemed to be taking the situation well "I didn't realize (FedEx) made in-home deliveries," Palilla joked Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@dispatch.com, at ShahidMeighan on X, and at shahidthereporter.dispatch.com on Bluesky Westerville police increased their presence at Westerville South High School for a day after an altercation involving students led to several arrests An April 22 altercation involving several students and people not affiliated with the school broke out according to a pair of messages sent to student's families that a district spokeswoman shared with the Dispatch School officials placed the building on a "hold," the district said in the message Administrators searched the belongings of the people involved and found a BB gun Related Westerville article: Westerville reviewing safety protocols after gun incident at community center as District policy strictly prohibits any type of weapon on school grounds," the district said in the message to families Police arrested the people who weren't affiliated with the school The students involved will face internal discipline and could also be charged with crimes at a later time District Spokeswoman Melanie Amato said a "hold" differs from a lockdown She said all doors are locked and secured during a lockdown students remain in place and do not move classrooms when the bell sounds Students will see an increased police presence at the school April 23 the district said in the message to families Public Safety and Breaking News Reporter Bailey Gallion can be reached at bagallion@dispatch.com A large fight broke out at Westerville South High School on Tuesday involving both students and individuals not affiliated with the school Ohio (WSYX) — A large fight broke out at Westerville South High School on Tuesday involving both students and individuals not affiliated with the school According to a letter the district sent to parents a BB gun was discovered at the scene after the fight was broken up Tuesday morning Those not connected to the school were arrested while the students involved are facing disciplinary action We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Donna M. Price, 87 of Westerville, OH passed away March 2, 2025 in Westerville, OH. She was born December 15, 1937 to Arthur and Mildred Prendergast in New York, New York. She married Jerry Price on September 3, 1960 in Columbus, OH and they... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Donna M Price created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Made with love by funeralOne NBC4 WCMH-TV FedEx truck crashes into Westerville-area home Stopped car causes second chain-reaction crash in days Gahanna solicits residents for their vision for the city Viral social post shows ‘aggressive’ dog shot Provides state-funded scholarships for private schooling Real ID enforcement set to begin this week: what you need to know Columbus targeting certain neighborhoods to crack down on crime Warrant Watch: Suspect pistol whipped woman over money 19-month-old girl found dead in pond near Marysville A Westerville man who participated in multiple armed robberies of postal workers for their postal carrier keys was sentenced to prison on May 2 in the U.S Cameron Newton, 21, was sentenced to 20 years and one day in prison Newton aided and abetted four armed robberies of postal carriers between December 2022 and May 2023 according to a news release from the U.S Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio who was on probation and wearing a GPS ankle monitor recruited two juveniles for an armed robbery on Dec Newton also arranged for one of his conspirators to use a handgun for the robbery Newton acted as a lookout for a second armed robbery of a postal worker on Jan Prosecutors said that Newton was in his vehicle and acted as though he was making DoorDash deliveries to escape his home confinement Newton again acted as a lookout for a third postal robbery and arranged buyers for the stolen postal keys taken from postal workers Newton again acquired a firearm for one of his co-conspirators to use in a robbery of an elderly female postal worker in May 2023 he picked up his accomplices near Goodale Park and paid the robbers several hundred dollars through CashApp law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Newton's home and discovered $22,000 in cash hundreds of altered checks and money orders totaling more than $590,000 hundreds of pieces of stolen mail and two postal carrier keys "Newton and his accomplices terrorized postal workers in an effort to steal their keys and loot mailboxes,” FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola said in a prepared statement we were able to arrest those responsible for these violent crimes and ensure they are held accountable.” Newton is one of six men who have been charged in connection with armed robberies of postal carriers in central Ohio Several of the defendants have already been sentenced to prison for their roles in the robberies Westerville City Council members voted Tuesday night to approve an ordinance that updates the city's anti-discrimination code The ordinance bans the practice known as "conversion therapy" within the city The ordinance was approved with a vote of 5 to 2 The practice is designed to try to get a person to change their gender expression The measure bans any mental health professional from conducting the practice on minors within the city whether or not the professional is being paid to do it The vote came after the final reading of the ordinance a retired pastor and the mother of a lesbian daughter Boteler said her daughter experienced poor treatment from a therapist because of her sexual orientation We had trusted the recommendation of our insurance company We had trusted the initials behind this therapist’s name," Boteler said "Conversion therapy is no better than blood letting or the use of leeches as therapeutic practice self loathing and even death," Boteler told Westerville City Council Others described "conversion therapy" as torture “Conversion therapy ranges from praying the gay away to receiving electric shocks nausea-inducing drugs and other forms of torture while viewing same-sex images food depravation and exorcism," said Valerie Cumming The practice has been banned in several states This article was updated with additional information Westerville City Schools is no longer pursuing a levy request on the May primary ballot to offset a revenue shortfall the district said Tuesday in a letter to families Earlier in January, the board deliberated placing a 4.9-mill permanent operating levy on the May 6 primary ballot instead choosing to focus on more "state funding advocacy this spring," according to a letter sent to families The Ohio legislature is preparing to complete it's two-year budget this summer with some public school funding advocates concerned that local districts will not receive as much as expected under a plan devised in 2021 has said financing the remaining two years of school funding is unsustainable "We are deeply concerned about the continued impact of state-level decisions that underfund public education," the Westerville letter to families said "Addressing this issue will require collective action and we encourage our community to join us in advocating for fair and equitable funding for our schools at the state legislative level throughout the budget process." Westerville City Schools sought a combined levy-bond issue The 37-year bond issue would have cost 1.66 mills and generated $140 million for school construction and improvements Voters rejected the levy 52%-48% Westerville school officials have reduced budgets by $4.8 million and plan further cuts for a total of more than $8 million in the next school year "We appreciate your understanding as we navigate this evolving landscape and we remain committed to providing a strong educational foundation for every child in our district," the letter to families said Ohio Senate spokesperson John Fortney said in a provided statement that it's "misleading at best for districts like this to keep blaming the General Assembly when they have huge cash balances on hand." Fortney pointed to Westerville's $161 million cash on-hand balance at the end of the 2024 fiscal year "The General Assembly invested an additional billion dollars into K-12 education in the current budget and yet districts just keep up the same old tired campaign for more and more money from the taxpayers," Fortney said He urged residents of school districts to "go to your school board meetings and ask questions about who and what those dollars are paying for.” Cbehrens@dispatch.com Ohio (WSYX) — Westerville North won the boys' Division II state basketball championship on Friday at the University of Dayton Arena The Warriors raced to an early lead and breezed to a 78-46 win over Massillon Perry which began the postseason with a 9-13 record before its surprising run to the finale Westerville North won each of its six postseason games by an average of nearly 40 points The Warriors' 24th straight victory gave them their first state title since 1994 “Extremely proud of our boys and coaches," Westerville North Athletic Director Wes Elifritz told ABC 6 on Saturday "Such a talented but selfless group that truly epitomizes what we call being ALLN They will forever have a special place in our school and community as state champs." The school is wasting no time in planning a formal celebration; the community has been invited to meet in the main gym Saturday at 2 p.m With the so-called "Parents' Bill of Rights" set to go into effect in Ohio this week the Westerville City Schools' board is expected to vote Monday evening to reinstate a religious-release time policy The Worthington City Schools' board restored its religious release time policy at its regular meeting on March 10 Release time allows students to leave school for religious events that take place off school grounds with parent permission The students can't miss "core" classes like math or English RELATED: Satanic Temple launching program at Marysville elementary school, countering Christian programming With House Bill 8 dubbed "The Parents' Bill of Rights," going into effect on Wednesday the schools were required to put a religious release time policy back on the books The sweeping bill requires parents to be notified about "sexuality content" in K-12 classrooms and requires school employees to notify parents of changes in a child's physical or mental health including if a child has gender identity questions or wants to be referred to by a different name or pronouns It also states that "a school district board of education shall adopt a policy that authorizes a student to be excused from school to attend a released time course in religious instruction..." RELATED: LifeWise Academy reports record growth, surpassing goal for school year Worthington school board members discussed their new policy at length during their February and March meetings The new policy says that an organization offering release time must have liability insurance and do background checks on instructors and volunteers The policy also says that organizations can't send students back to school with snacks Westerville's policy is expected to bar teachers from encouraging or discouraging release time programs A Westerville spokeswoman said LifeWise will be allowed to restart its program at the school if the new policy is approved The Westerville City Schools' Board of Education meets at 6 p.m on Monday at the district's early learning center on Eastwind Drive Correction: A previous version of this story listed incorrect prices of daily and monthly passes for residents versus nonresidents Monthly passes are $32 for residents and $56 for nonresidents Westerville officials are reviewing safety protocols and no longer allow weekend day passes for guests using the recreation center's basketball courts after police and witnesses say a man threatened others with a gun during a pickup game last month Westerville Community Center staff took about two hours to report the Feb a basketball player who immediately reported it was told by recreation center staff that he could get in trouble for reporting "a false crime." Police allege in Delaware County Municipal Court records that just after 3:30 p.m. an 18-year-old Columbus man "got into an argument while playing basketball and went and got a handgun out of a backpack," causing those inside to run from the gym Rec center staff contacted Westerville Police around 6:40 p.m. long after the suspect had left the center according to police radio traffic logs of the incident Police say they identified the suspect through video and public records and charged him with misdemeanor aggravated menacing They say he purchased a day pass to enter the gym and He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing April 1 The Dispatch is not naming the suspect because he is not charged with a felony or a violent crime According to a description in the police report of surveillance video 14 males were in the gym playing basketball when the suspect and two of his friends "jumped in and began to play basketball in the middle of the already established game." "It is clear that there appears to be some kind of argument going on because everyone stops the basketball game and watches (a basketball player) and (the suspect) speak to each other You then see (the suspect) … walk away towards the north exit while still talking" to the group according to a narrative of the of the video in the police report Police allege in their report that the suspect then reached into his waistband to remove what appeared to be a black pistol The large group fled in multiple directions after which the suspect's friend pushed him into a corner Both the city and police department said they could not provide the video to The Dispatch a city spokesperson said the video was in a format reviewed by authorities but not accessible to share The suspect and his friend then left the building picked up others in the center's parking lot and fled in a vehicle He met with police four days later and was issued a court summons Westerville responded by limiting the weekend use of its basketball courts to those holding monthly passes which better allows community center staff and guests "to establish a relationship," city spokesperson J she explained that the community center's designated hours for monthly pass holders "helps patrons and staff build relationships and trust which helps minimize risks to the greatest degree possible Police have said the suspect and his friends used fake addresses to get the cheaper passes Recreation staff are reviewing safety protocols to enhance procedures as needed A basketball player who confronted the suspect told police that he went to the rec center's front desk: "They did not believe him at first and advised him that he could get in trouble for reporting a false crime," according to the police report "The (review) process is still taking place," Beidleman said of the review The changes to the community center's passes "could be upsetting but we want them (guests) to understand what measures we're taking and why … to make sure we have a safe environment," she said (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.) Northern suburbs reporter Dean Narciso can be reached at dnarciso@dispatch.com Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Ohio — Westerville North basketball head coach Shan Trusley knows exactly how it feels to be this close to the state championship title  “It's been 31 years since we've won a state championship and or played in a state championship game And it's there's a lot of the nostalgia involved,” said Trusley.  Trusley was an assistant coach the last time the team played in the state championship in 1994. He also played for Westerville North and graduated in 1988 so his love for the Warriors runs deep.  you’re playing for the for all the guys who played before you His passion for this team’s growth goes beyond the court. His players look up to him as a role model.  always there for you could talk to him about anything on and off the court,” said Westerville North senior “I think he helps us get better at basketball and become better people overall I feel like he teaches us the right way to act and what to say and what to do,” said Westerville North senior Trusley believes fostering relationships with the players off the court contributes to their success on the court and in their personal lives.  we just like spending that time off the court to developing those relationships,” said Trusley.  but the amount of the support from the school and the community is what’s bringing a lot of excitement to the weekend.  it is going to be a community celebration,” said Trusley.  Westerville City Schools will eliminate over 30 positions from the district through layoffs and retirements after deciding not to pursue a levy in the May primary According to a statement from the district Westerville City Schools has a target to eliminate over 30 positions across the district's administrative The district statement said staff reductions will happen "primarily through the consolidation of responsibilities and retirements/resignations wherever possible." "This reduction will address revenue shortfalls since the November 2024 levy failure," the statement said In November, Westerville City Schools sought a combined levy-bond issue that voters rejected 52-45% The 37-year bond issue would have cost 1.66 mills and generated $140 million for school construction and improvements Position eliminations include administrators "the administration team will see the largest percentage of reductions," although the exact number of roles was not provided Some administrative contracts will be suspended while others will be reduced through retirements and resignations and their responsibilities will be dispersed among the remaining administrators As many as 18 teaching and other classified staff positions will be eliminated as well The district has identified 35 resignations and retirements that will help us meet that target Westerville City Schools currently employs 1,178 teachers and other classified employees It is not yet clear what areas will be targeted for staff reductions as all positions that will eliminated haven't been identified yet Six staff positions will also be eliminated the district anticipates having other comparable positions available to those affected by their position elimination Two non-union support staff positions are also being reduced One currently unfilled maintenance position will also remain vacant Westerville City Schools said that "even with the planned reductions the district will still need to hire staff across all employee groups" to replace other retirements and resignations Current openings include positions for special education aides and bus drivers Westerville has become the 13th city in Ohio to outlaw conversion therapy a controversial practice by some mental health professionals to try and change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity according to the Colorado-based Movement Advancement Project the practice can involve techniques including surgery or chemical castration spiritual interventions and psychoanalysis The therapy also includes attempts to reduce or eliminate sexual attractions or feelings toward a person of the same gender After almost an hour of discussion in a packed meeting room during which nine of 10 community members who spoke on the topic favored the ban council voted 5-2 to prohibit mental health providers from using the techniques in Westerville on persons under age 18 Megan Czako Reamsnyde and Kenneth Wright voted in favor of the ban Council members Michael Heyeck and Jeff Washburn voted against the ban citing problems with the hearing process for minors who file complaints creation of public records that might have negative consequences for minors and the fact that there are already safeguards in Ohio and nationally to deter its use Heyeck equated the challenge of enforcing a ban to having differences of opinion when facing surgery "What if the minor does not want conversion and the parents do It places the therapist in the middle of all of this," Heyeck said The therapist knows that it is unlawful in Westerville to do that," he said The new ordinance takes effect in 30 days and creates a complaint process for minors The complaints are referred to Columbus' Community Relations Commission for a hearing enforcement would take place in Westerville Mayors Court American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and American Psychological Association have each criticized conversion therapy as ineffective and harmful to children Westerville's director of diversity equity and belonging censure or revoke licenses of therapists for using conversion therapy "They risk their own license," he said of professionals Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board does not specifically mention or prohibit conversion therapy in its 280-page Laws and Rules document And Ohio's Republican-controlled General Assembly like steps taken by their counterparts in the federal government is removing safeguards for the LBGTQ+ community Those who spoke critically of conversion therapy at the meeting called it a dangerous practice based on pseudo science and which can lead to teen suicide called conversion therapy practices "barbaric" and "little more than medically or psychologically supervised torture," noting that there is no surgical intervention for minors "What gives the government the right to override decisions made by parents in their minor child's best interests?" the supporter asked "The government does not personally care about each child Scott Lanning said he suffered through two years of conversion therapy as a 36-year-old knowing that the rest of our state (allows) it." and I'm not broken now," Lee Bradford said of her own struggles with those who told her differently as a 7-year-old "Neither are the queer children of Westerville." dnarciso@dispatch.com one of eight on the day as the Warriors defeat Big Walnut to advance to the Final Four (Press Pros Feature Photos by Brian Bayless) Akron-bound senior Tai Perkins hit a program-record eight three-pointers and scored 32 points as North walloped Big Walnut to capture a Division II regional championship Louisville downed Hartley in a Division III regional final OH – The reputation of the Taft Coliseum at the Ohio Expo Center as a shooter’s dungeon predates Westerville North senior Tai Perkins by The Barn’s cavernous shooting background suits him just fine Aptus Wealth Management proudly sponsors the Buckeyes and Central Ohio sports on Press Pros “I hadn’t heard that before,” said the 6-foot-1 sniper and University of Akron signee with the slightest smile “I played here in the district final and regional semifinal Veteran central Ohio columnist Steve Blackledge writes the OCC and sports at large for Press Pros knocked down a program-record eight three-pointers on the way to a 32-point performance as North blitzed Big Walnut 79-50 in a Division II regional title game Six of his treys and 22 points came before halftime as the Warriors took a huge lead they never relinquished North (23-2) – top ranked in MaxPreps’ power poll – captured their fourth regional title but first since reaching the big-school final four in 1994 North coach Shan Trusley was an assistant on those teams coached by Dave Hoover (‘94 and ‘95) and Kevin Thuman (‘96) and has extended this coaching tree into a fourth decade is a proud sponsor of area sports on Press Pros “This is a just as special day for Westerville North,” Trusley said doing this here in this building means everything to me My Dad used to bring me down here when I was 10 or 11 years old to watch City League games The Central Pirates were my favorite team.” Brody Hatfield got plenty of attention from an aggressive Warrior defense during D2 Regional Final play at the Taft Coliseum When the Ohio High School Athletic Association decided to expand from four to seven divisions about a year ago Trusley knew his team was a few boys shy of the big-school cutoff and had a much better chance of succeeding in Division II but with this special group we have our goal has been to set out to prove that we’re one of the best teams It owns quality wins over 2024 state semifinalist Delaware (twice) The only defeats came to defending state champion Cleveland St Ignatius and regional champions Olentangy Orange (57-55) Micah Young and Tyson Perkins each added 12 points Tyson Perkins goes to the glass and scores two of his 12 points on the afternoon I knew I had the program record (held jointly by him and Elijah McCree),” One night it might be me I was feeling it tonight and my teammates found me.” who came in averaging 77.2 points and allowing just 51.4 went 11-of-15 from three-point range in the first half en route to a 46-22 lead “We came in with a lot of respect for Big Walnut,” Trusley said “We know each other really well and understand what each other is trying to achieve Our guys always respond to every challenge The kids were really locked in and focused today.” Braden McCruter scored 18 points and Owen Pollock 14 for Big Walnut (16-10) which dropped the previous Ohio Capital Conference Capital Division games by margins of 35 and eight points We have your next truck,and we have it in stock It was obvious from the tipoff of this Division III regional final this matchup would boil down to Louisville’s ability to get inside against Hartley’s relentless trapping and pressing Jaden Calloway scores on an easy lay-in but the Hawks fall to Louisville it came down to Hartley’s inability to put the ball in the basket as the Hawks were outscored 9-2 over the final four minutes in an entertaining game that featured nine ties and seven lead changes “The guys really responded to what we wanted to do on the defensive end,” Hartley coach Andreas James said “We sure would have liked to knock down some of those shots down the stretch It seemed like we had a bunch that rolled around or hit the rim twice and just wouldn’t go in.” A putback by Marcus Hemphill pulled Hartley to 47-45 with 1:44 remaining but Louisville spread the floor in hopes the Hawks would make a mistake double-teaming the perimeter That’s exactly what happened as Devin Bailey got open on a back cut and scored a pivotal layup-and-one at 1:07 “We have a set we call dice in those circumstances where opponents double-team us and it worked like a charm,” Leopards coach Tom Siegfried said you can’t hold the ball for 10 seconds against those guys It was designed to break them down and score.” Six-seven Walsh University signee Brayden Gross scored 17 points to pace Louisville (22-5) which reached the final four for the first time after falling in a regional title game a year ago Three of his teammates scored between nine and 11 points “We had this in our sights going into the season,” Siegfried said “We wanted to make our schedule as tough as possible We’re well traveled and have played a lot of great teams This was one of the top teams we’ve faced for sure It was sort of a pick your poison scenario in trying to guard some of the secondary guys weren’t hitting.” contact Weedman USA at 614-733-3747 or go online to Weedman.com Mary with three defeats coming to out-of-state opponents Jakhi Calloway scored 15 of his game-high 21 points in the first half to pace Hartley (20-6) which was seeking its first final four since 2011 Older brother Jaden Calloway added 12 and Hemphill 10 but the remainder of the team managed just two points The Hawks turned seven steals into transition baskets every opponent you face is really good and your margin of victory is slim,” James said “When they scored out of the spread and we went down on the other end and missed But I’m really proud of the way we battled back in the second half.” is Central Ohio’s leading supply company for mulch compost and gravel…with four locations: Dublin © PressProsMagazine.com, All Rights Reserved. | Site Map | Terms of Use | Website Designed by Marketing Essentials. (This article has been updated with corrected information.) Westerville City Schools plans to place a permanent levy request on the May primary ballot to avoid further cutbacks following a levy failure in November the Westerville City school board passed a resolution to begin the process of placing a 4.9-mill permanent operating levy on the May 6 primary ballot 27 meeting whether to place the issue on the ballot It is unclear what the tax burden would be for property owners until the measure is certified by the Franklin County auditor ahead of the Jan the district has worked to reduce expenses by $8 million The letter also noted that the state continues to reduce funding to the district "shifting more of the cost of educating students to our local community." More: Rural districts struggle, wealthier suburbs see success in central Ohio school levies "We must seek additional operating funds to avoid making additional reductions to student programs and services," the letter said This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy LifeWise's director did not address after school options for the program on Monday and corrected the spelling of Laclyn Fraley's name Westerville City Schools Board of Education voted 4-0 Monday night to rescind a religious release time policy allowing LifeWise to take public school students out of school to conduct Bible instruction during the school day Board member Anisa Liban, recently appointed to the board, abstained from the otherwise unanimous vote, which came after more than two hours of public comment from speakers in support or opposition. LifeWise supporters were again wearing red, while many in opposition wore black, and comments were met with applause from their respective sides Board President Kristy Meyer said she remained "puzzled by the strong push to operate programs that require kids to leave school during the middle of the school day." She also said she remained concerned by the potential of a large stress on the district if a number of religious programs began operating the district "The concern around this policy has nothing to do with any specific religion or religion in general," Meyer said The policy had been in place for two years and Lifewise last year had nearly 300 students enrolled in the district of around 15,000 students The school board noted that rescinding the policy does not impact parents removing students for religious reasons or observances who organized the Westerville Parents United group against religious release time said she was "elated" the board had decided to rescind the policy "We think this is just truly bringing inclusiveness back to students in Westerville City Schools," Fraley said we just wanted the (religious release) policy suspended … We think that the focus needs to stay and be committed to children staying in school." Hilliard-based LifeWise Academy whose supporters have worn red (the color of the organization) at recent meetings gives public school students a Bible education during school hours The program buses students off school property Supporters have said at meetings that the program offers benefits including character education to children and that it teaches children to love and respect others More: What is LifeWise? What to know about the group teaching the Bible during school hours acknowledged that some LifeWise supporters who do not live in the Westerville City school district were in attendance She said they were there because "the board is sending an alarming message that will attract the attention of (religious release) supporters at the state and national level." hundreds of community members from central Ohio have chosen to come here tonight to show their support for the protection of release time religious instruction as an option for parents," Jury said during her public remarks Jury told The Dispatch after the meeting that she and others were "disappointed" by the board's decision in part,by "how much misinformation has been shared about our program." "We feel like this school board really listened to misinformation and hearsay that certain groups are raising about LifeWise," Jury said "We feel like Westerville has unfortunately set a precedent by removing their (religious release) policy — so it's very important to us to see that that doesn't happen." said that religious education has no place in a public school day that children learn messages used to bully other students who are not Christian or are in nontraditional families and that children are encouraged to recruit their classmates to join the program Fraley told The Dispatch that her biggest concern was for her daughter who she is concerned would experience religious coercion and bullying from the program She acknowledged that people from other central Ohio school districts were in attendance in support of rescinding the religious release policy and "are planning to take this to their school districts." "But my excitement right now is not to have to worry about my daughter at 5 and 6 years old having to deal with the pressure from this program in the school day," Fraley said More: Red vs. Black: As LifeWise divides Westerville Schools, board to vote on program's future Several members of the Westerville Muslim community also spoke during the public portion of the meeting following remarks from several speakers last week about Islam and raising questions about the recent appointment of Liban the board halted one speaker after he made multiple remarks about Liban and Islam a Muslim and parent of a future Westerville student said she was "really disgusted and horrified by the language that was used in the dialogue" during last week's meeting "We chose Westerville because it's a very diverse and anyone is able to be whatever they want whether it's a school board member or anything beyond that," Hassan said "So I think that it's very telling that those that are in favor of keeping the religious time away policy were the ones making those very hateful statements." members of the board of education said last week that the more they looked into the compliance issues the more concerned they became about the potential for disruption to be caused by an expansion of the programs Meyer said Monday that students interested in religious release programs could be dropped off before school or picked up afterwards "Programs offering religious instruction could pick students up after school and then parents could pick their child up on their way from work like many do with other after-school programs," Meyer said public school districts in Ohio may decide whether to allow religious release time during the school day A proposed bill introduced in the Ohio House supported by LifeWise and other Christian groups would require school districts to provide for religious release during the school day an event-based nonprofit ministry with a mission to reach public school students It offers Bible education during school hour that is off school property More: You can now view the LifeWise Bible curriculum for public school students — with a catch In the United States, school districts may offer the option of released time for religious instruction in compliance with the 1948 U.S. Supreme Court case, McCollum v. Board of Education and the 1952 decision, Zorach v. Clauson, The Dispatch previously reported The curriculum promises to teach students the entire Bible in five years @Colebehr_report The same day Caleb Shuey lost his job, his wife, Jen, realized the family's pride flag — including the pole — had been taken from the porch of their Blendon Township home Jen Shuey responded to the incident by posting in Facebook groups, including Westerville Families in the Know and Real Huber Ridge Residents addressing whoever took the flag from her family's property 'Whoever stole the flag: I hope you put it to good use when Shuey was outside getting her kids in the car to go to church she looked down and noticed what looked like a scratch on the car Initially believing it was from an accident like a cat jumping on the vehicle immediately noticing scratches all over both of the family cars the family watched video footage from security cameras installed on the home where a man was shown marking their cars with children's scissors covers his face and proceeds to mark our cars with scissors," Shuey said Planting for a purpose: From Muay Thai to a grant-funded garden, Liv White helps grow her community 'This was so targeted.' I was really hoping it was neighborhood kids the community came together to show kindness to one another and the individual who committed the vandalism the Shuey family chose to hang a sign that said: "To the person who vandalized our cars you are loved." This inspired a viral outpouring of support from the Blendon Township and Westerville communities Shuey said she had been working though processing anger with her own kids and they were the inspiration behind the sign How do we respond to hateful things?' And they're like we decided to make this sign for this individual We've all been in a place where we feel alone Remembering a hero: After completing a goal of 1,000 visits to the community, Fiona the therapy dog passes away After posting again on Facebook after her cars were vandalized Shuey said other families in the neighborhood said they had been targeted the following night According to Blendon Township Chief of Police John Belford via email three township residents reported thefts and vandalisms between March 6-24 and a 20-year-old Columbus male was identified criminally charged and arraigned on April 9 "I am very proud of the officers and staff of this police department and very proud of the way the community pulled together and took a stand against these criminal acts," Belford said April Zobelwas one such neighbor who woke up the next day and saw her car too had been scratched and a sign Kindness Is Everything," was taken from her yard and there were no negative comments anywhere I had another neighbor reach out to see if I wanted one," Zobelsaid "Nobody was scared about what was happening 'We should take this stuff down.' It was like This article was made possible by support from the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation which has partnered with The Columbus Dispatch to profile those making our community a better place Help us inspire kindness by suggesting people or organizations for Reporter Sophia Veneziano to profile She can be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com The Dispatch retains full editorial independence for all content Students at Westerville City Schools will no longer be able to leave school during the day to attend Bible study or any other organized off-campus religious activities The Westerville school board struck down its policy on religious release time during a special meeting Monday night The decision spells the end for the LifeWise Academy program in the district The popular – and sometimes controversial – program had been operating in the district since September 2022 It bused students off-campus for Bible study Students weren’t allowed to miss core classes like math or reading 18 paid staff and around 50 volunteers participated in the program in Westerville RELATED - Hilliard-based LifeWise suing Indiana man who allegedly posted curriculum online community members and LifeWise staff and volunteers attended the lengthy meeting at the board’s offices while others wore black to show their opposition the concern around this policy has nothing to do with any specific religion or religious programs in general,” Westerville City School Board President Kristina Meyer said before Monday’s vote Meyer said at the Sept. 23 Board of Education meeting that the board had concerns about liability and disruption to educational time for students Meyer also said lunch and recess were important for students’ development and to give them a break during the day Parents and community members had also raised concerns about reported bullying from some students enrolled in the LifeWise program Westerville parents can still take their children out of school for religious holidays The district’s religious release time policy had been on the books in Westerville since 2009 and was last revisited in 2016 a Hilliard resident and former Ohio State defensive lineman said in a statement that he was “disappointed” with the board’s decision to rescind the policy teachers and community members who have seen the overwhelmingly positive impact that LifeWise has had on students who participate in the program,” Penton wrote Penton went on to advocate for a bill in the Ohio House that would change one word in state law regarding religious release time – “may” to “shall.” “A school district board of education shall adopt a policy that authorized a student to be excused from school to attend a released time course in religious instruction…” The bill was introduced by then-representative Al Cutrona – now a state senator – and Rep A couple with a background in music and social media is planning to open a café in Uptown Westerville Westerville also welcomed a new brewery last weekend a bubble tea chain has expanded to Grandview ice cream shop and coffee shop announce closures and a new Asian buffet will open on the West Side Campfire Brewing opened its doors last weekend in Westerville at 6300 Frost Road Campfire's website says the brewery was started by three neighbors-turned-friends who bonded over homebrewing in their garages and tasting the results during campfires in the evening Monday through Thursday and noon to 11 p.m Bubbles Tea and Juice Co. adds Grandview LocationBubbles Tea and Juice Co. an Ohio-based chain selling bubble and milk teas opened its newest location at 1257 Grandview Ave This is the 10th Central Ohio location for the business The business has four additional locations elsewhere in the state imploring him to continue guarding at all times Never mind Trusley's team was up 22 points on Toledo St Francis at the time and cruising toward its first state final in 31 years that is exactly why Trusley wasn’t shy about expressing his displeasure “We have another game left and we need to finish that one and I want to make sure we finish the way we are supposed to finish I want us to play great basketball on both sides.” Senior guard Micah Young’s 29 points seven rebounds and four assists paced North (24-2) which has won five postseason games by an average of 39.6 points just to come out and execute every game,” Young said “My brother (senior guard Tai Perkins) woke up this morning and said I had a (30-point) game in me “We just wanted to play our game … and stop them from getting downhill and junior guard Elijah McCree chipped in 11 points off the bench Making its first state tournament appearance since winning its only championship in 1983 Francis (16-10) ultimately gave North its toughest challenge of the tournament to date The Knights hung in until midway through the third quarter drawing within 41-30 after trailing by as many as 18 in the second converting four steals into three layups and a Young dunk over the next few minutes to extend the lead to 57-33 North finished with 25 points off 17 turnovers and almost matched its average of 77.1 points per game The Warriors’ defense stuck almost perfectly to its average of 51.3 points allowed “A lot of people felt this would be a contrast of styles but I think teams that get to this level are capable of playing different styles and different speeds,” Trusley said we feel comfortable playing a half-court game was held to 3 of 3 shooting from the field and had eight rebounds Jameson Heck and Chris Poellinitz each had 13 points and Raheem Brown added 10 for the Knights which entered the postseason at 9-13 and is now 14-13 held off North Royalton 66-63 in the other semifinal Sunday in Canton “Every game is a game you have to take pride in and love the movement,” McCree said “But you have to realize what the big picture is dpurpura@dispatch.com @dp_dispatch The police chief for the city of Westerville has been on medical leave since November and a city official said it's not clear when he's expected to return to his position Westerville spokeswoman Mariah Beidleman said that Chief Charles Chandler who has been with the Westerville Division of Police since 2019 has been out of the office on medical leave since Nov Beidleman added that Chandler has not provided a return date to the department In a brief conversation Monday with The Dispatch Chandler confirmed that he was on medical leave but gave no additional information and asked for privacy Assistant Chief Holly Murchland will serve as interim head of the division and added that there have been no permanent personnel changes in the department's administration as of Tuesday morning Multiple attempts to reach Westerville Law Director Andrew Winkel and City Council Chair Michael Heyeck were unsuccessful Chandler has been a police officer since 1994 when he joined the Mt Gilead's force where he rose to the rank of seargent before taking a position in Marion in 1997 He worked in Marion until 2021 before leaving for Westerville He currently serves as a member of the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission and was appointed in 2023 to serve on the Ohio Supreme Court Advisory Committe on Court Security and the Ohio Supreme Court Reentry Task Force bagallion@dispatch.com Ohio — Behind a balanced scoring night and 24 points from Micah Young Westerville North beat Massillon Perry 78-46 and won its first state title in 31 years in the OHSAA Division II boys’ basketball state championship game at UD Arena on Friday Westerville North (25-2) last advanced to the final four when it went from 1994-96 Friday’s win marked 24 in a row for the Warriors to finish the season and they won their final six outings — all postseason games — by an average of 38.7 points “I’m extremely proud of the way the kids played tonight,” Westerville North head coach Shan Trusley said “To step up on this stage and play the way they did means a lot to our community and to see the Westerville North community rally around our group tonight to see everyone here tonight and supporting our kids is special.” Young splashed in a 3 to get the scoring going for the Warriors Westerville North led 23-8 after the first quarter getting 17 combined points from Young and Tony Cornett while forcing the Panthers (14-14) to go 0-of-5 from 3-point range amid 40% shooting The Warriors turned Massillon Perry over 27 times and capitalized for 37 points off of them Akron commitment Tai Perkins contributed 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting and Cornett finished with 10 on 4-of-5 shooting “I feel like we had a good start,” Perkins said so we just came out with a lot of energy and effort Drake Jacobsen led the Panthers with 13 points Luke Wolf added 11 points and nine rebounds Massillon Perry entered the postseason with a 9-13 record and won five straight including two in the final seconds to get over .500 Massillon Perry’s 13 losses are most by a final four team since Linden had 14 in 2005 The Panthers are the sixth school to reach the state tournament with 13 or more losses and only team to win a game there “For us to be here and represent our school and our community it was an honor,” Massillon Perry head coach Matt Voll said and we just unfortunately had too many live-ball turnovers but a string of activities in June 2021 has long stuck with Westerville North boys coach Shan Trusley Trusley vividly remembers incoming freshmen Tai Perkins and Micah Young proving they belonged hanging both mentally and physically with players two and three years older you could tell they would be special because of the way they approached the game the way they understood the game and how their teammates responded to them,” Trusley said “It’s a dream scenario the way it’s worked out.” Perkins and Young are the nucleus of a Warriors team emerging as a serious contender for both its second OCC-Capital championship in three seasons and first district championship in 27 years The senior guards – who became stepbrothers when Perkins’ father 3-0) with a combined average of 31.3 points “Tai’s a little older and a little better,” said Young Click here for central Ohio basketball scores North is 68-18 with Perkins and Young on the roster The Warriors are currently ranked first statewide in Division II by MaxPreps “Scoring wasn’t my role (as a freshman),” Young said get a couple rebounds and transition layups But then I started adapting to my scoring abilities Shot clock: What's next in Ohio high school basketball debate? a four-year starter and third-team all-district honoree in Division I each of the past two years 4.1 assists and 3.9 rebounds in his third season as a starter the more we have to step up as leaders and putting points on the board,” Perkins said Playing as a younger guard definitely helped me out.” That scenario is repeating for Perkins and Young’s younger brother he came off the bench as a freshman and is starting this season whom Trusley expects will be a can’t-miss Division I prospect “Playing against (my brothers) has made me stronger It makes things easier against guys my age because I’ve had to play them OHSAA basketball: Tournament games returning to state fairgrounds However the season develops, Trusley said Tai Perkins and Young already have left their imprint on the program “They want to be a part of something bigger than themselves,” Trusley said “They’re going to leave a legacy here other kids will follow.” One more win would complete one of Ohio high school basketball's greatest underdog stories ever told The Panthers are seeking their first state title Westerville North won its only state title in 1994 under former McKinley head coach Dave Hoover Haley had his appendix removed earlier this month and has missed the team's last four tournament games Perry's win over North Royalton stopped the Bears' 24-game wining streak the Panthers will have to beat a Westerville North (24-2) team that has won 23 in a row The Warriors have eclipsed 100 points twice and set a single-game school record by scoring 111 against Whetstone Westerville North has a formidable backcourt tandem with University of Akron recruit Tai Perkins and Micah Young He hit a school-record eight 3s and scored 33 points in the Warriors' regional final win over Big Walnut Perkins was named the Ohio Capital Conference and Central District Player of the Year He is also a McDonald's All-American Game nominee A Westerville woman has filed a federal lawsuit against Westerville a South Carolina city and their police departments accusing them of harassing her for expressing concerns about her children and several other officers at both police departments as defendants The lawsuit accuses the two police departments of violating Preece's civil rights alleging they harassed Preece after she reached out to them to express concerns about her two teenage sons The lawsuit says Preece had been sexually abused by a relative when she was a child That same relative began showing attention to Preece's sons several years ago More: Westerville City Schools planning new permanent levy in May after November ballot failure The relative began pushing for one of Preece's sons to move to South Carolina to live with him began getting pressured to "manufacture false claims about his mother."  Preece reported the alleged sexual abuse she suffered as a child to authorities in West Virginia following these efforts and made a report to Westerville police about the circumstances under which her son had moved to South Carolina "Though Westerville officers were originally receptive to plaintiff's concerns they quickly abandoned the investigation," the lawsuit says Lawsuit accuses police in Westerville and South Carolina of active conspiracyThe shift in attitude occurred after an official with a South Carolina law enforcement agency who was friends with Preece's relative called Westerville police in what Preece called an active conspiracy to intimidate and silence her Preece called Seneca police in South Carolina to request a welfare check for her son and was told that such a request would be considered harassment South Carolina police filed an arrest warrant for Preece for misdemeanor harassment The lawsuit says the allegations in the complaint against Preece did not stand up to scrutiny and was not enough to result in a conviction Preece said in her suit that the officer who filed the warrant knew the harassment accusations were "patently false" and filed the document "with the express purpose of harming The lawsuit says Preece was arrested on the warrant despite Westerville police knowing extradition to South Carolina was impossible on a misdemeanor warrant from another state Police held Preece in the Franklin County jail for three days before a hearing where a judge freed her on her own recognizance Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Andy Miller set aside the South Carolina warrant and the case was dismissed against Preece Preece alleges in the lawsuit that Westerville police have regularly parked near her home in a "calculated effort" to intimidate her into keeping quiet about her "unlawful arrest."  Preece also contends in the lawsuit that Seneca police in South Carolina have made comments about tracking her location including references to vacations she has taken in another "calculated attempt to intimidate (Preece) into remaining silent about her past abuse." bbruner@gannett.com Vertiv doesn't want to be known as a hot company which traces its roots to a refrigeration firm founded in 1946 makes cooling and energy distribution systems for computer centers But Vertiv happens to be the market leader in that niche And that "niche" is exploding with each new data center As companies invest billions into data centers Vertiv provides products critical to their operation Step inside a data center in central Ohio or across the globe and there's a good chance you'll find some Vertiv gear the 79-year-old refrigeration company has quietly over the past two years grown into one of central Ohio's most valuable companies "This industry has been almost hidden from the limelight and now it's so popular," Vertiv CEO Giordano "Gio" Albertazzi said in a wide-ranging interview with The Dispatch very well known in our market," added Albertazzi a Vertiv veteran who was named CEO two years ago "In the broader central Ohio community it's not infrequent that I now meet people and they say Vertiv.' I think that three years ago that would have not have been the case The company's stock jumped from $15 a share in May 2023 to $155 a share on Jan or "market capitalization," to $57 billion the highest among central Ohio's public companies Bigger than Cardinal Health ($31 billion as of Feb Bigger than American Electric Power ($54.2 billion) Even bigger than some Ohio giants such as Kroger ($47 billion) When news about a Chinese startup DeepSeek shook the stock market on Jan Vertiv's stock plunged with other tech stocks The company lost nearly a third of its value in one day making the company's market value $43 billion Vertiv remains a huge presence in the data center industry growing at lightning speed "The industry is accelerating at a pace unimaginable just a few years ago," Albertazzi told analysts in November From its headquarters off Cleveland Avenue in Westerville 23 manufacturing facilities across the world 240 service centers that serve 130 countries and 30,000 employees including 1,500 in central Ohio when Ralph Liebert formed Capitol Refrigeration in Columbus company to specialize in an emerging market: computer room refrigeration That expertise was expanded to include power supply systems in 1983 with the acquisition of Programmed Power Corporation Liebert became attractive to investors and in 1987 the company was acquired by Emerson Electric in St Louis in a deal valued at $428 million (about 1% of Vertiv's current value) Emerson launched Vertiv as a separate division Emerson spun off Vertiv as a separate publicly traded company Shares opened at $10 and for the next three and a half years its share prices ebbing and flowing but never topping $30 in part because of the rise of a huge development in the chip world: artificial intelligence AI," said industry observer Sebastian Moss it was pretty much them and Schneider Electric the two main players building this infrastructure of this industry "Vertiv got ahead of the DC (data center) explosion," added Moss, publisher and editor of DatacenterDynamics a UK-based publication that tracks the data center industry Vertiv's sales jumped 32% compared to the previous year while the company's profit climbed to $130 million compared to a loss of $45 million a year earlier The company posted sales last year of $8 billion Vertiv forecasts revenue to nearly double to $14.4 billion in an important industry and an industry that is accelerating." About 5,400 data centers can be found in the U.S. today, a growing number of them massive facilities known as "hyperscale" centers. The capacity of such centers has roughly doubled in the past five years and is expected to double again in the next five years, according to Synergy Research Group Although analysts worry about the long-term payoff of such massive investments there's no sign construction is going to stop soon Microsoft alone announced that it plans to spend $80 billion developing data centers this year on top of the billions being spent by competitors including Google Because about 80% of Vertiv's revenue comes from data centers "Data centers are willing to pay a premium for the highest quality solutions and faster time to power and Vertiv's close customer relationships .. provide a competitive advantage," Morgan Stanley analyst Christopher Snyder said in a recent report on Vertiv "As a mission-critical member of the data center infrastructure more spend among the customer base implies more revenue for Vertiv." Vertiv provides products that address two of the biggest challenges faced by data centers: the incredible heat generated by the computers and the need to make sure power into the centers is stable and steady Those needs are magnified by the production of AI chips which generate more heat and demand more power than conventional chips Vertiv has been a reliable go-to player in this world for decades but the company has taken some steps in recent years to bolster its position followed a year later with the acquisition of assets from BiXin Energy Technology both moves designed to strengthen Vertiv's production of liquid cooling systems which are replacing air cooling systems in hyperscale centers Obstacles ahead?Albertazzi is pleased with Vertiv's place in the industry but there are risks in a segment that's evolving at hyperspeed "The biggest risk is the risk the whole industry faces," said Moss "It’s throwing out silly amounts of money for a business model that has yet to be proven." Nearly all of Vertiv's eggs are in the data center basket "We believe Vertiv's outsized exposure also presents the main source of risk to the stock," wrote Snyder "Vertiv's product suite is tailored to data center customers makes Vertiv the most tethered name in our coverage to a deceleration or downturn in AI/Data Center growth." the data center industry is still on the runway "We believe we are in the very early innings of an historic build out and that the cyclical peak does not fall within the next 3-5 years "It's never been more fun to be in the industry and to be at Vertiv." Micah Young drops in two of his 29 points to punch the Warriors’ ticket to Dayton (Press Pros Feature Photos by Logan Howard) Micah Young scored 29 points as high-powered North won its 23rd straight game — most of them in the same dominant fashion as Sunday Westerville North’s road to the Division II state championship game has seemingly been free and clear of any red lights or speed bumps the Warriors have steamrolled opponents like few central Ohio teams have in recent memory A three-point win over 2024 state semifinalist Delaware on Jan 24 and a 10-point margin against Big Walnut Feb 7 were the only reasonably competitive games But while North may appear to be operating on overdrive coach Shan Trusley will never for a second let his players become complacent or take this unparalleled dominance for granted During the third quarter of an otherwise humdrum 73-52 semifinal blowout of Toledo St the usually mild-mannered coach lit into one of his players apparently for not getting back on defense quickly enough “I want the kids to finish … there’s another game left to finish,” Trusley said “I want us to play great basketball all the time.” Junior guard Elijah McCree understood where Trusley was coming from “You have to be on top of your game every night and look at the bigger picture,” he said Reaching this point has been almost expected since North moved down to Division II in the Ohio High School Athletic Association’s expansion from four to seven divisions The Warriors returned virtually everyone from a district runner-up in 2024 North (24-2) will face upstart Massillon Perry (14-13) in the title game at 7:30 p.m The Warriors’ only other championship came in 1994 when Trusley was a young assistant under Dave Hoover and then Kevin Thuman for subsequent trips to the final four in 1995 and 1996 but not for long as Tai Perkins and Westerville North held a comfortable lead during much of the contest “This run is bringing back a lot of memories for me and I’m really excited to get down to Dayton and make some more,” said Trusley a 1988 North graduate and a 20-year assistant “I’m so happy the kids and our community get to experience this.” which came in averaging 77.2 points per game and allowing 51.3 Francis (16-10) out of the tough Detroit Catholic League The Knights never got closer than double digits in the final three quarters TSF committed four turnovers before finally attempting its first shot two minutes into the game Concord-bound senior guard Micah Young scored 14 of his game-high 29 points in the opening quarter He added a team-high seven rebounds and four assists Elijah McCree contributed 11 points off the bench who lit up Big Walnut for 32 points on a program-record eight three-pointers in a regional final win added 12 points and McCree chipped in 11 off the bench Tai said ‘I see a 30-ball in you today,’ and I just missed it,” Young said all we wanted to do was play our game … pressure them on the defensive end and stop their bigs.” The Warriors ultimately scored 25 points off St Francis turnovers and wound up with multiple breakouts for easy layups or dunks but we have different kids that step up all the time at different moments What makes this team so special is the way we share the ball They want to celebrate the other kids’ accomplishments.” Jameson Heck and Chris Poellinitz III scored 13 points each for St Francis defenders during a state semifinal rout Trusley said plenty of complimentary things about Massillon Perry which entered the tournament at 9-13 but upset 25-1 North Royalton on Sunday North hasn’t lost since dropping back-to-back games to Olentangy Orange (57-55) and Cleveland St Ignatius in a Division I state semifinal Sunday Editor’s Note: Stephen Smith spent two years from 2022 to 2024 in Rome as the director of liturgical music at the Pontifical North American College The following is a reflection on his encounters with Pope Francis The first time I met Pope Francis was in January 2023 The faculty and seminarians of the Pontifical North American College had a private audience with Pope Francis in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace We were seated in the front row with the other faculty Pope Francis then gave a short address in which he talked about three elements that he feels are essential to priestly formation: dialogue with Jesus sharing the presence and love of Jesus to all we encounter Following the talk is when we all greeted him personally He first asked the photographers to turn off the flash because of the baby who brought over a beautiful white pearl rosary that the Pope gave to Briella One of the Pope's assistants motioned to us that it was OK to let her walk around so we let her go and she walked right up to Pope Francis and stopped before his chair he walked right up to us and greeted Briella one final time The second time I met Pope Francis was in August 2023 Pope Francis invited the first-year seminarians (of the Pontifical North American College) to a private audience just weeks after they arrived in Rome to begin their studies I was able to accompany the first-year seminarians for this meeting Pope Francis spoke to the seminarians without any notes or a pre-written speech It was a moment that I really saw the fatherly nature of Pope Francis He gave practical advice about how to live in community He encouraged the seminarians to enjoy the food but to avoid drinking too much whiskey (he said with a chuckle) he reminded them of the importance of fostering a daily relationship with Jesus He encouraged them to meditate on the word of God and to entrust their life to the maternal care of the Blessed Mother I then had the opportunity to personally greet him He asked where I was from and about my work as a faculty member He thanked me for my role in preparing the seminarians for the priesthood He could have been doing many other things with his time but he chose to take part of his day to encourage and be present to us That left a lasting impact on me and many of the seminarians as well Although Pope Francis spoke to us in Italian he ended the meeting with one sentence in very clear English Stephen Smith is the director of music ministry at Westerville St A Christmas parade that stretches back multiple decades in Westerville will not happen this year The Westerville Lions Club has been putting on an annual Christmas parade after taking over from Sertoma The Lions had been in initial talks with the city to merge the event with the annual tree lighting at City Hall but the group ultimately opted not to host the event Some locals decrying the cancelation of the Christmas parade, first reported by the Westerville News blog have taken to local social media pages and groups to criticize the city But the city has never been involved in the parade itself Westerville Chief of Staff Christa Dickey said in a phone call Westerville is holding a holiday tree lighting ceremony Friday evening with a two-block march featuring decorated city vehicles and Santa to light the tree The Westerville Lions Club did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment Wednesday Westerville city government and the local Lions Club appeared to disagree on including overtly religious organizations in the potential merged parade — and the timing of road closures the Lions Club president and parade chairperson wrote to participants that the effort to merge the events into a joint parade that consolidated city resources and road closures fell through some unforeseen circumstances have prevented this from happening on the same evening,” the letter states The Westerville Lions Club’s parade has previously included the Knights of Columbus who carried a “Keep Christ in Christmas” banner The parade has also featured nativity scenes The Lions Club approached the city about potentially combining the events but “we learned it doesn’t make sense: their event is very different from ours.” Dickey said that there were “never any serious intentions” to combine the two events which have been held on different days in previous years “We wanted them to be able to preserve their traditions and ours was solely associated with the tree lighting,” Dickey said While trees and Santa Claus had traditionally been associated with the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus, the city is careful to emphasize the seasonality of the holiday celebrations without the spiritual element — for example, the city brands its event as a “tree lighting and holiday celebration.” holiday events; no tradition or religious observance over another,” Dickey said in an email The city was attempting to do the parade and move the club’s holiday-themed 5K race to one of four courses that didn’t require police road closures which can put a strain on city resources and local law enforcement The Lions Club could have still held the parade if they wanted to by going through the special events process and receiving a permit Westerville has also been hosting a tree-lighting ceremony for years the city has added a small two-block holiday parade featuring Santa Claus some holiday-themed characters and city vehicles decked out with lights The city added the march with Santa Claus last year amid rising popularity of the event so all of the children in attendance had a chance to see the holiday icon The city has tried multiple ways to bring Santa in to light the tree the gift-giving legend couldn’t move around safely so we're trying to make that as accessible and safe as possible,” Dickey said The Lion’s Club is still hosting a 5K run on Sunday, Dec. 8, at the Westerville Sports Complex. The celebration also includes a Winterfest after the race featuring food trucks a holiday costume contest — and a guest appearance from Santa Claus The Christmas parade had previously been held after the race concluded through uptown Westerville