FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – A free Christmas tree recycling program is returning to Allen County on Friday.

The Allen County Department of Environmental Management program works together with local organizations for drop-off locations throughout the county. Those locations include:

• Fort Wayne City Utilities Biosolids Handling Facility
  • 6202 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne
  • Open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Closed Jan. 1)
• North Highway Department Building
  • 2234 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk
• Metea County Park
  • 8401 Union Chapel Road, Fort Wayne
  • Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
• South Lot (near Fort Wayne International Airport)
  • 10100 Smith Road, Fort Wayne
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk
• New Haven Utility Shop
  • 2201 Summit Street, New Haven
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk
• Monroeville Water Works Department
  • 200 Utility Drive, Monroeville
  • Open daily from dawn to dusk

The program runs from Dec. 26 through Jan. 16.

Before dropping off a tree, residents must remove all ornaments, tinsel and plastic bags. Wreaths, garlands and artificial trees are not accepted.

Trees will not be collected as part of regular trash pickup.

Photo courtesy Bay College
The Center for Youth Health & Wellness staff outside the new Center on the Escanaba campus in 2024.

ESCANABA – The Center for Youth Health and Wellness opened its doors on the Bay College Escanaba Campus in Fall 2024. The Center has quickly become a vital resource for students and local youth ages 10-21, providing accessible, high-quality medical and mental health services in a welcoming, youth-focused environment.

The Center has demonstrated strong community engagement and meaningful impact. Since opening in 2024, The Center has served 1,045 unduplicated clients. These individuals visited The Center for a wide range of health and wellness needs, including medical visits, mental health visits, and annual wellness exams.

“We are thrilled by the positive response and the number of young people who are choosing to access care right here on campus through The Center,” said Cindy Gallagher, Bay College Vice President of Workforce Innovation and Strategic Partnerships. “This partnership with Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties ensures that students and community youth have the support they need to thrive academically, personally, and socially.”

Since the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2025, The Center’s momentum has remained strong. In the first quarter alone, The Center has provided 99 medical visits and 147 mental health visits.

Since its opening, The Center has become a critical provider for the required high school sports physicals that allow youth to participate in high school sports. Kayla Coltson, Family Nurse Practitioner at The Center, shared that they have provided 755 sports physicals to area youth since August 2024.

These numbers reflect the continued and growing demand for accessible youth-focused health services in the region. The Center’s integrated approach–combining medical care, mental health support, prevention services, and wellness education–helps empower young people to make informed decisions and build healthier futures.

“It’s clear that this collaboration is filling a critical gap in our community,” said Michael Snyder, Health Officer at Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties. “We are committed to providing quality services, reducing barriers, and meeting the evolving needs of youth across Delta and Menominee counties.”

The Center for Youth Health and Wellness remains open to individuals ages 10-21, offering walk-in and scheduled appointments. Services include primary medical care, behavioral health counseling, vaccines, wellness visits, and health education–all provided in a confidential, inclusive, and supportive setting.

The Center employs four staff, including a receptionist, a licensed mental health counselor, a registered nurse, and a nurse practitioner. The Center also has an active Advisory Board consisting of representatives from local K-12 partners, Delta-Schoolcraft ISD, Public Health, Bay College, and local parents.

Funding for The Center is provided through a grant awarded to Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, along with reimbursement from billing public and private insurance plans. No client between the ages of 10-21 will be denied care due to an inability to pay.

Bay College and Public Health Delta & Menominee Counties look forward to building on this strong foundation for years to come as we continue to serve the youth of our community.

For more information, visit the Center’s page at baycollege.edu, contact The Center for Youth Health and Wellness at 906-786-1672 or visit The Center’s Facebook page.

By Hayley Fowler ( December 22, 2025, 3:36 PM EST) — A trio of nonprofits that advocate against gambling are fighting betting company Kalshi’s efforts to curb Maryland gaming regulators’ oversight, telling the Fourth Circuit that health consequences and threats to elections and youth sports would be significant if Kalshi succeeds….

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Letter: Sports complex at Pendleton would mean higher taxes

Published 4:58 pm Monday, December 22, 2025

Pendleton city officials announced that replacement of condemned stairway on Southwest 13th Street was a top priority, submitting a grant request for funding through the Safe Pathways To Schools Program sponsored by the Oregon Department of Transportation as adequate city funding was unavailable. The request was denied perhaps because the plan was not compliant with the federal American with Disabilities Act, according to the program administrator.

In 2011 the city purchased 40 acres adjacent to Barnhart Road, affectionately known as the “road to nowhere” for $500,000. The current city’s mayor and the economic development director have approved a proposal giving that property to Round-up City Development Corp., an agency masquerading as economic power house for the city, to construct a youth athletic complex. This sounds like a great idea until you consider the city, the school district, Babe Ruth and Little League associations have already established a good foundation of facilities that could be improved for considerably less. For the complex to be completed, a bond would be needed and approved by the voters, meaning property tax hike.

A common excuse from city officials when asked about improving streets is there is no funding. I wonder why.

Rick Rohde

Pendleton

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Today, the Orange Bowl Committee, in partnership with Miami-Dade County, the City of Miami Gardens, and AutoNation, officially opened the doors to the new Orange Bowl STEAM Center presented by AutoNation at Bunche Park West Recreation.

The $600,000 legacy project provides local students with a state-of-the-art environment designed to foster innovation, creativity, and technical skill-building. The center features a dedicated workspace equipped with robotics, engineering kits, and maker materials, alongside a high-tech Multimedia Room. This digital hub offers green-screen capabilities, audio-visual tools, and editing stations, allowing students to master digital storytelling and graphic design.

“This center represents a major investment in the future of our youth,” said Henri Crockett, President & Chair of the Orange Bowl Committee. “By providing these resources, we are ensuring that the next generation of leaders in Miami Gardens has the tools they need to excel in a rapidly evolving digital world.”

The unveiling featured remarks from several community leaders, including Miami-Dade County Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris, and representatives from AutoNation and School Specialty.

A Legacy of Community Impact

The STEAM Center is a cornerstone of the Orange Bowl Cares initiative, specifically falling under its Legacy Programs pillar. These investments are made possible through the Orange Bowl Committee’s leadership of the both the Capital One Orange Bowl and the 2026 Miami Host Committee, which is preparing to host the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium.

For over 90 years, the Orange Bowl has served as a primary civic engine for South Florida, using premier sporting events to fund year-round community engagement, education, and youth sports programs.

Key Features of the New Facility:

• STEAM Lab: Hands-on learning with robotics, 3D modeling, and engineering kits.
• Multimedia Room: A professional-grade digital production suite for video and graphic creation.
• Collaborative Spaces: Intentionally designed areas to encourage group problem-solving and creative thinking.

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Before ringing in another new year, we at Lambda Legal want to take a moment to spotlight some of our achievements and milestones from 2025. 

We are proud of all that Lambda Legal has accomplished these last 12 months, and we’re carrying this momentum into 2026 as we continue our fight for full equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. 

Find our year-in-review list below, presented in chronological order. It’s worth noting that what’s mentioned here represents just a tiny, tiny snapshot of an incredibly busy 2025. One roundup post — or even four! — couldn’t possibly capture the scope of this year’s work. 

Launch of Our Four-Point Plan of Action and Trump Tracker Resource

This year began with Lambda Legal’s team prepared to defend our communities with courage and conviction. The elections of 2024 brought disappointing results, but our legal team had devoted months to prepare for the worst of possible outcomes and contingency plans were in place as we began 2025. Our four-point plan to navigate the challenges we anticipated following the change in administration guided our work – and yielded results. 

Since January of 2025, Lambda Legal has filed six major cases challenging unlawful and discriminatory actions by the Trump administration — including executive orders targeting transgender people, gender-affirming care, accurate identity documents, funding for LGBTQ+ community centers, and service in the military for trans people. Check out the latest breaking news on these cases using our Trump Tracker resource: www.LambdaLegal.org/TrumpTracker

Lambda Legal sued the Trump administration to stop executive actions that would erase trans people, defund LGBTQ+ programs, and ban DEI principles in federal grants. In the summer, a judge ruled in our favor, granting us a preliminary injunction that restored $6.2 million dollars in federal funding to these organizations.

Returning to the Supreme Court to Defend Trans Youth in Sports 

Early in 2026, Lambda Legal will return to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the right of transgender students to participate fully and fairly in school athletics. We represent Becky Pepper-Jackson, a teenage track athlete challenging West Virginia’s cruel and unconstitutional ban on trans students in sports. Lambda Legal has represented Becky since 2021, and we could not be more proud to fight for her and all trans youth who just want a chance to play and be part of a team.

Oral arguments in B.P.J. v. West Virginia are scheduled for January 13, 2026 — a pivotal moment for transgender rights nationwide. Join us at our rally in Washington, D.C., that day, or find a rally in a city near you! 

The Help Desk Receives Record-Breaking Number of Requests 

Every call, email, and message to Lambda Legal’s Help Desk begins with a story from a member of our community. In 2025, the need for the Help Desk has grown exponentially. 

By mid-December, the Help Desk has handled more than 7,154 requests for assistance – over 70% of the number we received in all of 2024, and on track to be the highest number we have received ever.

Our Help Desk is averaging 622 new requests per month — the equivalent of 21 new people every single day reaching out for support, information, and hope.

Unstoppable Future Fundraising Campaign Makes History 

Lambda Legal wrapped its Unstoppable Future campaign in June with a staggering $285 million raised. This has allowed us to grow our staff and capacity to serve our community. 

Building Our Team: Strength in Numbers 

To meet growing demand and sustain our litigation momentum, Lambda Legal has strengthened its legal team with at least 10 new attorneys and legal professionals this year. Each brings unique expertise, lived experience, and deep passion for justice.

This infusion of talent expands Lambda Legal’s reach and capacity at a pivotal moment. Together, this growing team is prepared to take on the next wave of challenges – and the next wave of victories.

The Publishing of Vital, Expert Reports 

As 2025 draws to a close, two new Lambda Legal publications highlight the twin pillars of our work – reshaping systems and protecting people where the law meets lived experience. 

In Judging Our Future: What’s at Stake for LGBTQ+ and HIV Rights in the Federal Courts, Lambda Legal reveals that while there was great progress during the Biden administration, the federal judiciary remains far from reflecting the diversity of the nation it serves. The report also addresses what we can expect from new federal judges during Trumps’s second term.

Our second major publication, Advocating for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Gender-Diverse Youth in Foster Care, equips attorneys and advocates with strategies to support one of the most vulnerable populations in the child welfare system.

The Launch of the All Rise Campaign 

Lambda Legal has what it takes to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV: a 52-year track record of landmark victories, bold strategies, and the unwavering support of leaders like you. But this year, our opponents are better funded, more coordinated, and moving faster than ever. They are outspending us in courts and legislatures across the country — and we cannot let them win. 

That’s where our new All Rise campaign comes in. Through December 31, all gifts will be DOUBLED through the $250,000 All Rise Match. This is our moment to stand together, fight harder, and rise higher in pursuit of full legal and lived equality. Make a gift today by visiting our donate page.