Wednesday is United Way Day on Oldies 1013 and this week Executive Director Jason Duren was joined by Larry Murray of the Fire and Emergency Services Department who talked about the recently completed Fire Academy.

Before Murray was introduced, Morning Show host Greg Horne told Duren that the severe flooding in Texas is a severe tragedy and asked Duren if there is anything the United Way can do to try and help.

Horne then asked Duren if someone is in need of a fan and is not part of Meals on Wheels can they just call the United Way?

Horne then turned to Murray and said there was a lot going on with the fire department and Murray responded this way.

Wooster High alum and cyclist Greg LeMond, the only American to win the Tour de France three times, received a Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday.

It’s the highest civilian honor Congress can bestow on par with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Congress approved the medal in 2020, but the pandemic forced a delay in awarding it.

“It is the highest honor that we can bestow in this institution,” Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said. “It honors citizens whose contributions have shaped our country, enriched our history and lifted the spirits of the American people. And much like the American Dream itself, this honor is not reserved for any one person and profession, it can be earned and won by anyone who’s deserving.”

The 64-year-old LeMond is also the first American to win the cycling event.

“After winning my first race, I became passionately obsessed with cycling. And as an American, I believed that if I worked hard enough, anything was possible. So I set my dream of becoming the best cyclist in the world and that meant moving to Europe at the age of 19. I brought an American attitude to the world of cycling. I was open to new ideas, bringing innovation and technology to a very traditional sport and that was a huge competitive advantage.”

Lance Armstrong previously held the record for most Tour de France wins at seven, but later was stripped of those wins in 2012 due to a violation of doping rules – leaving LeMond as the only American to have won the tour.

LeMond was born in California but grew up near Reno attending Wooster High School. At age 18, he became the youngest cyclist in the history of the sport to be selected for the U.S. men’s Olympic team. Greg first competed in the Tour de France in 1984. 

He won in 1986, 1989 and 1990.

In 1987, while recovering from a broken wrist and collarbone, LeMond was shot during a turkey hunting accident, leaving him in intensive care and requiring the removal of over 40 shotgun pellets from his abdomen.

“The honor is more than I ever expected, and I accept it with deep gratitude and also with a profound sense of humility,” LeMond said. “Today isn’t just about reflecting on my own journey. It’s about honoring the people, places and the moments that shaped it.”

The Tour de France is more than 2,000 miles long and takes about three weeks to complete.

“I’m thrilled that Nevada’s own Greg LeMond – an icon to cycling fans worldwide – has been recognized for not only his contributions to the sport, but to his community,” said Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV). “Exemplifying both Nevadans’ independence and a devotion to community, he has contributed his time and effort to so many important causes, from childhood sports to victims of sexual assault to those suffering from childhood illnesses. Greg is the model for what the Congressional Gold Medal should stand for.”

A Look Back at LeMond’s Roots in Our Area

As Greg LeMond is honored on the national stage, we here at 2 News Nevada were reminded of his deep local ties. Former KTVN Chief Photographer Jon Gay, who captured much of LeMond’s early racing days in the 1980s, recently reached out to remind us of a special archive: a 1986 video compilation produced by our team showcasing Greg’s rise in the sport.

The footage includes rare clips of LeMond training and competing in Northern Nevada – a powerful reminder of his beginnings right here in our community.

Take a moment to look back at this piece of local sports history and see how far one Wooster High grad has come.

Tennessee’s 2026 recruiting class has officially hit 20 total members after a commitment from three-star safety Jowell Combay on Wednesday afternoon.

Combay’s commitment comes less than 24 hours after the commitment from his teammate and four-star linebacker Brayden Rouse on Tuesday night. Both players are based out of Kell High School in Marietta, GA.

Combay committed to Tennessee over a group that included three SEC and one Big Ten schools: Georgia, South Carolina, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

247Sports has Combay as the No. 46 safety and the No. 53 player from the state of Georgia.

“Instinctive safety who plays with range in single-high looks and can rally to the football,” 247’s Hudson Standish wrote in a July evaluation of the Peach State prospect. “Estimated to hover around 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, frame and athleticism have not been verified in a third-party combine but owns track and field multi-sport highlighted by a 42-4 PR in the triple jump. Playmaker at the catch point on both sides of the ball who will make high-degree-of-difficulty snags at the top of the ladder.”

Standish also mentions that Combay is viewed as “a Power Four caliber safety prospect who could develop into an impact starter on Saturdays.”

Combay has nice burst to his game, too. His highlight tape is full of plays jumping routes and closing in on ball carriers in a quick fashion.

More From RTI: A Look at Tennessee Football’s Six Defensive Back Commits in the 2026 Class

Here’s a look at some of the playmaking talent that Combay is bringing with him to the Tennessee secondary in the near future:

The U.S. Department of Justice Wednesday threatened to withhold billions of dollars in federal funding as it filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education over the policy that allows transgender student athletes to compete in girls sports, just weeks after federal officials ruled the state violated civil rights.

The complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana said the state education agency and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) discriminate against female students by “allowing males to compete against them.”

“These discriminatory policies and practices ignore undeniable biological differences between boys and girls, in favor of an amorphous “gender identity,” the lawsuit said, claiming the state’s policy resulted in female student athletes’ losing scholarships and recognitions. 

The complaint echoed the ruling the U.S. Department of Education issued last month, saing the state and CIF were in violation of Title IX, a civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon had said the state’s policy of allowing men to “steal female athletes’ well-deserved accolades and to subject them to the indignity of unfair and unsafe competitions.”

The lawsuit specifically noted AB Hernandez, transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High school, as Student 1, using the track and field athlete as an example of California’s alleged discrimination against female athletes, saying Hernandez’s records would not have resulted in medals if the student athlete had competed in in the boys’ competitions, including the ones held during the 105th California State Track & Field Championships in May.

“Student 1 placed first in the triple jump, tied for first in the high jump, and took second in the long jump,” the DOJ’s lawsuit stated. “Had Student 1 competed in the boys’ competition at that meet, his distances would have finished last in all three events, and he would not have even qualified to compete in the finals had he competed against the boys in the May 31, 2025, preliminaries.”

The Justice Department also mentioned Governor Newsom’s comments during his podcast in March in the complaint as he told conservative commentator Charlie Kirk that “it’s deeply unfair” for trans female athletes to be competing in women’s sports. 

“The Governor of California has previously admitted that it is ‘deeply unfair’ to force women and girls to compete with men and boys in competitive sports,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “But not only is it ‘deeply unfair,’ it is also illegal under federal law. This Department of Justice will continue its fight to protect equal opportunities for women and girls in sports.”

Through the lawsuit, the federal government wishes the court to force California to “permanently” reflect the U.S. Department of Education’s stance on transgender athletes while ordering the CIF to issue directives to schools, so they can prohibit “the participation of males in athletic competitions designated for females.”

The complaint also seeks to withhold $3.8 billion that’s set aside for the state for the remainder of the 2025 fiscal year. The federal funding can be issued as both discretionary grants and formula grants. 

The Justice Department said the state was projected to receive $44.3 billion in total from the federal government in the current fiscal year, which ends on Sep. 30, 2025. 

While Gov. Newsom is not the named as a defendant in the lawsuit, his office issued a statement, saying the state’s education department and CIF are following the School Success and Opportunity Act, which was passed in 2013 to allow transgender athletes to participate based on their gender identity while taking away discretion from individual school districts to determine their own policy on transgender student athlete.

“No court has adopted the interpretation of Title IX advanced by the federal government, and neither the governor nor they get to wave a magic wand and override it — unlike Donald Trump, California follows the law,” the governor’s office said Wednesday. 

“At a time when the Trump administration is withholding billions in funds for education, this ongoing attack is a cynical attempt to distract from the Trump administration’s defunding of nearly 3 million girls enrolled in California’s public school,” the statement added.

Also in response, Equality California, an LGBTQ+ civil rights organization condemned the lawsuit as a “cruel and baseless political stunt.”

“All students deserve a fair, safe, and supportive learning environment, including the opportunity to play sports. Transgender youth are not a threat, but they continue to be targeted by the Trump Administration in a coordinated campaign of hate and misinformation,” the group said.

The federal government is requesting trial by jury in their legal pursuit.

WWII aircraft will pass above the crowd before the start of the 2025 First Shot Ceremony. (Submitted photo)

CAMP PERRY – The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is happy to announce all the exciting details of the First Shot Ceremony, set to take place Monday, July 14, at 4:30 p.m. on the Camp Perry National Guard Training Facility’s historic Rodriguez Range in Port Clinton.

The First Shot Ceremony is open to the public, with free admission and plenty of on-site parking.

Since 1907, the National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches have been held at Camp Perry – welcoming each generation’s most talented marksmen and women from around the country as well as those hoping to learn more about the sport. The First Shot Ceremony serves as the traditional opening to the month-long competition season, while the First Shot speaker is an honored distinction amongst the marksmanship community.

This year’s First Shot Ceremony will begin at 4 p.m., with prelude music by the Ohio National Guard’s 122nd Army Band. Scheduled activities include a flyover by a pair of WWII aircraft, including a U.S. Army Air Corps Mitchell B-25 bomber, nicknamed Georgie’s Gal, and a U.S. Navy Grumman TBM Avenger fighter-bomber. Both aircraft are provided courtesy of Port Clinton’s Liberty Aviation Museum. The aircraft will make passes above the grandstands before the start of the festivities, at approximately 4:15 p.m.

Pyrotechnic displays, provided by cannon master Bob Gillmor of Old Fort, will simulate explosions on the ranges below as the aircraft pass prior to opening remarks. Those sensitive to loud noises are encouraged to bring hearing protection, though hearing protection will also be available from CMP staff.

The First Shot Ceremony will kick off the 2025 National Matches at Camp Perry on July 14. (Submitted photo)

A special color guard presentation by the cadets of Zion Benton High School Navy JROTC from Illinois will make an appearance during the ceremony, followed by notes from a lineup of distinguished guests.

Additionally, static military vehicle displays will be available for viewing on the grounds, presented by Firelands Military Vehicle Club, as well as free antique car rides provided by the Timeless T’s Model T motor vehicle club of Erie County.

The 2025 First Shot Speaker will be Paris Olympic silver medalist Staff Sgt. Sagen Maddalena of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit.

Staff Sgt. Maddalena began her career as a junior on the California Grizzlies highpower rifle team. As a Grizzly, she garnered several successes including the Freedom’s Fire Trophy as a member of the highest scoring team in the National Matches Junior Rifle Team Match in 2013. Maddalena went on to join the University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team before heading to the Army.

After several successes on a global level, she made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games before returning to Team USA for the 2024 Paris Games in both air rifle and smallbore – earning silver in the women’s three-position match.

While on the grounds of Camp Perry, visitors are encouraged to check out Petrarca Range and the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center, only a short walk away from the ceremony site. Petrarca Range features outdoor electronically-scored rifle targets, while the Gary Anderson CMP Competition Center features an indoor air gun facility and authentic Olympic memorabilia from the career of celebrated marksman, Gary Anderson. Both are open for marksmanship practice to the public weekly, all year long.

The National Matches schedule is comprised of the Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches, National Games Matches, National Smallbore Matches, National Air Gun Championships and the National Mid-Range and Long Range Matches. Along with several competitive opportunities, the National Matches includes a variety of educational clinics for all experience levels as well as shopping selections from some of today’s leading industry vendors.

View a full schedule of the 2025 National Matches events at https://thecmp.org/cmp-national-matches/.