East Lansing — There Tom Izzo sat Wednesday night, with a white accordion in his hands, his players wearing Christmas hats and singing carols. It’s a tradition at his last radio show before the holiday, complete with a freshman song, a meet-and-greet with fans and, of course, a few stray chords from Mr. March turned Mr. Music. Jingle Bells, Deck the Halls, Up on the Housetop, even Silent Night.
WESTBROOK – George Harry Leaman Apt, 76, of Westbrook, passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 17, 2025.
He was born March 17, 1949, in Portland, to Marie Gilberty Deschenes Apt and Arthur Leaman Apt.
A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, George’s life was rooted in service to his family, community, and country. He shared a lifetime of love with his beloved wife, Patricia Apt, and was a dedicated father to his son, Kevin Apt and his wife, Michelle, and to his daughter, Kelly Apt Hutton. He was a proud and loving grandfather to Kaylin Apt, Kaleb Apt, and Madison Hutton.
George worked for many years as a skilled machinist and honorably served four years in the United States Navy. Deeply involved in his community, he devoted countless hours to youth athletics, serving as President of Westbrook Little League, coaching Westbrook Tuffy Football and Little League Baseball, and umpiring baseball for many years. He also served on the board of the Western Maine Umpires Association and was a proud member of the Lions Club.
A lifelong sports fan, George especially loved the New York Yankees and Duke athletics. His legacy of leadership, generosity, and quiet dedication lives on in the many lives he touched. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.
A funeral service will be held on Tuesday Dec. 23, at 4 p.m. at the Westbrook Chapel of Dolby, Blais & Segee, 35 Church St., Westbrook. Visit 2 to 4 p.m. Interment will be held in the spring. To express condolences please visit http://www.DolbyBlaisSegee.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations in George’s name may be made to:
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — In North Charleston, the High Hoops Basketball League is making a significant impact on nearly 500 kids from schools across the Lowcountry.
The league, organized by Dr. Justin Beaufort, aims to mirror the excitement of the NBA with media highlights, player jerseys, and post-game interviews.
“If I’m a kid, second or third grader walking down the hallway and I see my face on the screen at school, I’m definitely excited about that,” Beaufort said. “I wanna do everything in my power so I can get that same feeling next week as well.”
READ MORE | “Carolina Champion: Group combines basketball and faith to inspire youths in the Lowcountry”
The league not only focuses on basketball skills but also emphasizes academic engagement.
“We only play our games on Saturdays, so the kids can focus on the scholastic aspect of things throughout the week,” Beaufort explained. He believes the program helps lower criminality by keeping kids engaged.
However, the league faces challenges in finding enough courts to accommodate its growth.
“The lack of resources as far as gyms inside the community, we’re not able to get into ’em,” Beaufort said. “It just puts us inside a situation where we have to go rent gyms in order to do it.”
Beaufort is hopeful for community support to expand the league. “We would love that opportunity and we think that we can raise the number of kids that can be a part of it,” he said.
With backing from the city of North Charleston, Beaufort envisions the league growing from 448 kids to 4,000, which he sees as a win for everyone.
PSIA-AASI Central serves more than 3,500 teaching professional members in the Midwest through snowsports education, certification and promotion, according to the organization’s website.
“We are extremely thankful for all in our CCSC community who have contributed to our success as a club,” the organization said in a press release. “It is due to this community that we have been awarded PSIA-AASI Central Member School of the Year.”
The release said members and supporters of the club played a role in its efforts and recognition.
“It is a huge honor coming from one of our premier partners,” said Hunter Steinkamp, executive director of the Crystal Community Ski Club, in an interview with the Record Patriot. “Using their materials and education, we’ve been able to train some of the most highly trained coaches in the state. That allows them to be as effective as possible in our programs.”
The Crystal Community Ski Club operates as a youth-focused nonprofit, offering a range of skiing programs designed to build skills and interest in winter sports among young people in northern Michigan. Programs include alpine and Nordic teams, holiday camps, race academies, junior ski patrol and instructor training for middle and high school students, from beginners to competitive athletes.
The club also has initiatives such as the Nordic Rocks program, aimed at introducing elementary school students to cross-country skiing, often at little or no cost. The club partners with school districts and community organizations and offers scholarships to help reduce financial barriers and expand access to the sport.
For some Harlingen residents, the lake at the Tom Wilson Youth Sports Complex has not been the same in over a year.
The lake, located at 3139 Wilson Road, has been receding due to evaporation and a lack of a natural water source. The decreasing water levels have left fish unable to thrive.
To address the problem, the city’s parks and recreation department began pumping water from a newly tapped well into the lake last month.
It’s part of a conservation project fully funded by a state grant.
Crews also installed catfish spawning boxes and structures throughout the lake to give fish a place to hide and grow.
More fish will also be added as part of the project.
The lake is open for anyone to come fish. City officials said fishermen are only allowed to take home five fish of any species.
Those wanting to participate must have a valid fishing license, and city crews and game wardens will be at the lake enforcing the rule.
Jodi Darling Peterson didn’t know all the details of her brother’s work coaching youth basketball with the Boys & Girls Club in Portland. But when she watched Joe Voisine’s teams play, when she watched him on the sidelines, she recognized the most important thing.
“Those kids did not want to let him down,” she said.
That feeling was mutual.
Joe Voisine died on Dec. 8 after an illness. He was just 48.
His legacy echoes in the lives of all the players Voisine coached with the Yellowjackets and Blue Wave, the club teams he coached over the years.
Demitrius Covington, left, played for Joe Voisine, right, at the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Maine. Voisine, who coached the Boys & Girls Club and club teams in Portland for a number of years, died on Dec. 8 after an illness. (Photo courtesy Demitrius Covington)
“He was the guy, man. He was the guy,” Demitrius Covington said of Voisine.
A 2012 graduate of Portland High, Covington was the first captain of the Yellowjackets. He recalled the intense Saturday morning practices where Voisine taught the Yellowjackets to be a brotherhood. To look out for each other. For the guys from Portland’s lower income communities, who went home to places like Sagamore Village, Riverton Park or Kennedy Park, Voisine provided the opportunity to belong to something bigger than themselves that was hard to find.
“He helped so many kids find their way,” said Covington, who served eight years in the Navy. “He was our father figure. Look out for your brother. That’s what he taught us.”
If a player needed a ride, Voisine was the chauffer, Peterson said. If a player couldn’t afford basketball sneakers, Voisine bought them. He grew up a gym rat at the South Portland Boys & Girls Club, going often with his uncle, Peter Darling. Basketball was a passion for Voisine, and he wanted to share it, instill that passion in others.
“Without Joe, I don’t think I’d be the player I am today,” said Terion Moss, who was Mr. Maine Basketball as a Portland High senior in 2018.
When Moss was playing for Voisine at the Boys & Girls Club in middle school, Voisine had him playing with high schoolers, pushing the youngster to appreciate his talent. At the University of Maine at Farmington, Moss became North Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and an All-Region selection by d3hoops.com. He even played a little pro ball in Ireland.
When Moss and Lewis Gaddas didn’t handle a tough loss well, Voisine sat them down and had them talk to Covington about winning and losing with grace.
“That was a big deal for me, to hear that from somebody I looked up to,” Gaddas said.
Voisine took his teams to out-of-state tournaments. For many players, that was their first time outside Maine, Gaddas said. He treated everyone with so much respect. He taught every kid how to play the game, no matter their experience or talent level. If you wanted to play basketball, Voisine wanted you to love it as much as he did.
They had fun, Gaddas said. They gave each other good-natured jabs when Gaddas’ Portland High team played Voisine’s beloved South Portland in back-to-back Class AA state finals in 2016 and 2017.
Now an equipment coordinator for the Boston Celtics, Gaddas was working for the Maine Celtics a few years ago when the team made a run to the G League finals. Voisine reached out to Gaddas with messages of good luck and congratulations.
“He made me fall in love with basketball. He’s a big reason I’m where I am now,” Gaddas said.
You hear that, or similar sentiments, from many of Voisine’s players. He set them on a path of success.
“His biggest lesson was, just try,” Covington said. “The moment we started playing, he gave us confidence.”
Moss is now the gym coordinator at the same Boys & Girls Club in which he played for Voisine. Passing the game on to the next generation. Living Voisine’s legacy.
