OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Oak Ridge Police Department is investigating the death of a two-year-old boy.

On Dec. 16, officers responded to a report of an unconscious child at a home in Oak Ridge, according to a city spokesperson.

The child, identified as Gabriel Adam Mitchell, was taken to Methodist Medical Center and later pronounced dead, officials said.

The investigation remains ongoing, officials said, adding that ORPD is waiting for autopsy results to determine a cause of death.

Additional information was not released.

Copyright 2025 WVLT. All rights reserved.

(WLUK) – Although the snow diminished early Monday morning across our area, Winter Storm Diego is making the morning commute a little tricky.

FOX 11’s Savannah Wood is in the FOX 11 Storm Chaser to check out road conditions amid Winter Storm Diego.

Very strong winds are expected to pickup, with blowing and drifting snow becoming a major concern.

The FOX 11 Storm Chaser is out in Winter Storm Diego, December 29, 2025. (WLUK)

Most of our area’s main roads are partially covered in snow, while some roads, especially to the north, are completely snow covered.

The FOX 11 Storm Chaser is out in Winter Storm Diego, December 29, 2025. (WLUK)

Here’s the latest forecast from FOX 11. Watch Good Day Wisconsin and FOX 11 News at Five, Nine and Ten for continuing coverage.

MODIFIED/JAYVEE/COED LEAGUE

Chase Card’s five goals sent the Thunderbirds to a 7-6 victory over the Green Goblins.

Brody Moore and Mackenna Boozer collected a goal apiece for the winners.

For the Green Goblins, Tyson Anderson tallied a hat trick, Gabriel Guerrero added two goals and Aiden Sadjak had one.

— — —

C.J. Archer tallied three goals, and Jackson Warner, Ashton Carrington and Brody VanGuilder each had one as the Dragons downed the Golden Cougars 6-1.

A.J. Stewart collected the lone goal for the Golden Cougars.

— — —

Preston Eccles’ five goals highlighted the Cardinals’ 5-0 win over Falconer.

Laden Wojtowicz and Myles Harrison both added a goal for the winners.

— — —

Michael Montalbano scored six goals and Bentley Huber added a hat trick as U-Knighted Wolverines defeated Goalie Locks 14-2

Amare Davis added two goals, and Dominick Olmstead, Leo Olmstead and Cole Bouquin all had one.

For Goalie Locks, Terry Davis and Rhodes Haluska each had one.

— — —

The Eagles trimmed Queens 2-1 as Travis Horvath tallied both goals.

Keira Cressley had the lone goal for Queens.

— — —

Zane Getner scored four goals and Owin Reams and Hunter Vanderhoof both had three as the Kings blanked the Fireball Flyers 16-0.

Noah Caldwell and Ridgley collected two goals apiece, while Karson Fredeers and Macon Gentz each had one.

GIRLS VARSITY

Falconer/Cassadaga Valley/Maple Grove shut out Pine Valley 8-0.

Giada Schauman scored two goals, and Mackenzie Keeler, Kylie Kress, Madilyn Seastrum, Lily McPherson, Sydnee Snow and Kenley Lincoln tallied once each.

— — —

Gianna Bowles collected four goals, Serena Smith had three and Elia Monroe chipped in two to lead Randolph past Warren 9-5.

Grace Wilkins and Lani Wenzel both had two goals and Adalena Schmidt added one for Warren.

— — —

Grace Wilkins recorded a hat trick and Madalynn Sliter added one to spark Warren to a 4-1 win over Eisenhower.

Rosalie Rondeau registered the lone goal for Eisenhower.

BOYS VARSITY

Westfield defeated Pine Valley 8-1, behind two goals apiece from Parker Gambino, Mike Clark and Avery Peterson.

Jack Bralton and Dawsen Gambino both chipped in a goal to the winning effort.

Andres Morillas had the lone goal for Pine Valley.

— — —

Brady Dobek scored five goals to highlight Dunkirk’s 10-3 win over Warren.

Lucas Felt added two goals, while Jaxson Cooper, Erick Millan and Jaryel Vazquez each had one for the winners.

For Warren, Mason Warner scored twice and Tim Giger once.

— — —

Warren knocked off Chautauqua 10-8.

For the winners, Tim Giger scored four goals, Mason Warner added three, and Bill Bennett, Reilly Morgan and Logan Ristau all had one.

Travis Horvath scored four goals, and Lucas Horvath and Landon DeAnthony added two apiece.

MIES (Switzerland) – Poise has become a defining trait of Sienna Betts’ rise on the international stage.

Highly rated before she ever suited up for USA at global level this year at the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup, Betts has approached each opportunity with a calm assurance that has translated into impact well beyond the box score. Rather than chasing individual numbers, she has embraced the demands of playing within one of the deepest rosters in youth basketball.

“

I am thinking about the amazing USA players who have worn these numbers before

“It’s just amazing to be part of the USA U19 Women’s Basketball legacy,” Betts said earlier this year in Brno. “I am thinking about the amazing USA players who have worn these numbers before as we try to now add to that history.”

That sense of responsibility has been evident in how she plays. Betts has controlled the paint through efficient scoring, strong rebounding and disciplined defense, while remaining composed when defenses collapse around her.

“It is great to see how we compare against people that we don’t get to see much in competition,” she added. “You really learn a lot about yourself in these games.”

Team-first impact

In a system built on balance and depth, Betts has focused on doing what the team needs most – whether that means finishing plays inside, protecting the rim, or making the extra pass when double teams arrive.

Betts was excited to hopefully win the title and have some great memories in Brno with all of her friends and teammates. And that’s exactly what they did.

“We’re all really, really close,” she said.

That mindset has allowed her influence to extend across both ends of the floor, reinforcing why she is viewed as one of the most complete post prospects of her generation.

A family connection to the game

Basketball has always been central to Betts’ life. Her older sister, Lauren Betts, previously won gold at the same age group, while their family’s shared passion continues to shape their journeys.

“It’s a very common topic for us – basketball connects us all,” Betts explained. “We’re really, really lucky to have that, and to be able to talk about all our different things.”

That bond is strengthened by healthy competition.

“We’re all very competitive too, so it always ends up being about who’s best at this and who’s best at that,” she laughed. “But at the end of the day, we’re very supportive of each other.”

Looking ahead

The next chapter has seen Sienna line up alongside her sister at UCLA. After recovering from an injury, Sienna made her collegiate debut on December 17 and scored 5 points against Cal Poly. Her next game, she reached double-digits and scored 14 points against Long Beach State.

Just before the New Year, she recorded 5 points and 4 boards in an important win against Ohio State.

Her approach remains unchanged – grounded in legacy, relationships and the pursuit of collective success.

Calm under pressure and clear in purpose, Sienna Betts continues to show that she is not just built for the moment, but for what comes next in the international game.

You might like this:

Sienna Betts’ brilliance in Brno: a portrait of poise and power

FIBA

With 365 days to look back on, there’s no way anybody can remember every single event that took place in a given calendar year. But nonetheless, as a newspaper, we attempt to chronicle such a project in 600 words or less, give or take a couple of hundred, for the year’s final edition or the beginning of a new one. If, by chance, I missed an event in the following prose, email me at jmcconnell@marbleheadnews.net, and I’ll make sure to include it in the next edition of the Marblehead Current on Jan. 7.

Running whiz Nate Assa completes senior year with state, regional titles; All-American honors 

MHS senior track captain Nate Assa, currently starring as a freshman on the Purdue University track teams, had unparalleled success throughout his final year as a Magician athlete. 

Assa started off his remarkable run to national glory during the All-State Meet of Champions at the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center in Roxbury on Feb. 22. It’s where he won the two-mile in 9:05.3. One week later on March 1 back at the Lewis complex, he secured the All-New England championship with a personal best time of 9:04.60. A couple of weeks later at the New Balance Indoor Track National High School Meet in Allston, he ran a 14:32 5K to finish sixth, which earned him a spot on the All-American team. 

In early May, Assa received an invite to run against his national peers once again, this time outdoors in Amherst, New Hampshire. He placed ninth in the mile there with a personal best time of 4:15.21. 

Pretty much one month later on June 5 at Fitchburg State University, Assa (9:14.52) conquered the state for the second straight season in the two mile, and the regional meet followed in New Britian, Connecticut on June 14, where he secured that title again in the 3,200 meters, crossing the finish line with a personal best of 9:04.57, while running that distance. He was then off to the New Balance National Outdoor Meet in Philadelphia on June 19, and at the end of that day, he took home the silver medal after completing the 5,000 Franklin Field course in 14:25.19, which was also a personal best for that distance. In a space of only three months, the Marblehead two-miler was able to accumulate two state crowns and two regional conquests, while finishing among the Top 6 twice nationally after running slightly longer distances. There’s no doubt that Nate’s streak of successful outcomes won’t be duplicated anytime soon.

 Athletic complex named after former athletic director, coaching legend 

In late July, the Marblehead High School athletic complex that includes Piper Field was renamed to honor former athletic director and football coach Alex Kulevich for his many contributions that he made to the program over the years. Kulevich and his family were on hand for the dedication.  

MHS girls basketball team plays at the TD Garden 

On Saturday, Jan.11, coach Paul Moran’s squad was invited to participate in the Lawson Invitational Tournament, held annually at the TD Garden in memory of Andrew James Lawson, a Norwell native, who passed away in 2018 at the young age of 27 after a two-year battle with cancer. But that’s only half the story. Andrew was also a Down’s Syndrome victim, but he never let it stop him from participating in sports at an early age. He was a three-sport athlete at Norwell High School, and after graduation he then became a coach of its boys soccer and basketball teams. He was also a Special Olympics athlete. Upon his death, his family set up a foundation in his name that promotes inclusion and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and this Garden tournament every year heightens awareness of the cause. By the way, Moran’s club defeated its Northeastern Conference rival Saugus, 39-36 on the fabled parquet Celtics floor. It was just one of many games there on that day in early January. 

Coach steps up to save season 

When Hadley Woodfin resigned as head coach of the MHS girls co-op hockey team last December, there was concern that the season might have to be cancelled until Jon Strzempek, the boys JV coach, stepped up to become its interim head coach in early January. They finished the year with a 4-15-1 record and plenty of promise for future success. 

In early April, athletic director Kent Wheeler took the interim tag off Strzempek, and proceeded to make him the team’s permanent head coach. 

 MHS swim team wins 24^th NEC title under Guertin’s watch 

Since 1989, the high school swim program has had just one leader, and she is the legendary Sue Guertin. Last February, she once again guided her Magicians in the pool to another Northeastern Conference championship. It was the 24^th title in Sue’s coaching career at the high school. For the record, the team went undefeated last winter with a 6-0 record. 

Best of the rest for 2025 

After finishing up with an 8-0-1 record, the girls indoor track team shared the indoor NEC title with perennial powerhouse Peabody… 

Marblehead Youth Basketball Association sixth grade traveling team won its second straight Cape Ann League title after beating Lynnfield at Salem High School, 52-47… 

The Marblehead Little League Softball 11-year-old all-star team avenged the 2024 loss to Peabody to win this year’s District 16 title going away, 16-1. Pitcher Tatum Cole led the way by throwing a no-hitter to help secure the easy win… 

The 1985 Marblehead High School baseball team, coached by Roger Tuveson, celebrated the 40th anniversary of its state championship…. 

Stefan Shepard for sports and Charlotte “Charlie” Roszell for arts were this year’s recipients of the Sterny’s Way Scholarships, named after David Stern, longtime youth sports coaching legend, who was also a strong supporter of the Arts. He passed away in 2010. The scholarships were established in his name in 2019…. 

The Hockey Headers began their season earlier this month with two games against NEC rival Winthrop at the Herb Brooks Arena in Lake Placid, New York, the site of the gold medal-winning 1980 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team’s Miracle on Ice success story. Despite losing both games, it was definitely an experience that these Marblehead boys will never forget.  

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Lorena Llamas’ teenage son is obsessed with football. In Nevada, that means suffering through practices in direct sunlight and on scalding-hot turf.

“The heat is killer,” said Llamas, a mom of two in North Las Vegas. Her son, a high school senior, has seen teammates throw up during some practices. “He’ll always say, ‘Mom, my feet feel like they’re on fire.’”

Parents and experts told The Indy that heat is just one reason that Nevada consistently ranks last nationwide for participation in youth sports. High costs and complicated scheduling issues also play a big part. 

Nevada has had the lowest or second-lowest rate of children on sports teams every year since 2017 except 2019, according to data collected through the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), a project of the Census Bureau, and analyzed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.

Although standalone data for 2024 is not yet available, new data shared with The Nevada Independent on the last two years combined shows Nevada again coming last in sports participation, even as its rate ticked up slightly.

Nationwide, in 2023-2024 nearly 57 percent of children between the ages of 6 and 17 were part of a sports team or club. In Nevada, it was just 46 percent.

“Nevada was always a state that was never thought of for sports,” said Llamas. She attributed the lack of a robust sports culture to Nevada’s heat and smaller number of higher education institutions or major sports teams. Llamas has noticed more young people getting excited about playing football since the Raiders came to Las Vegas in 2020.

“Our players do not get enough attention here,” she said. “There is so much talent in Nevada.” 

Below, we dive into some of the factors that contribute to Nevada’s lagging sports participation and break down the data.

Increasing costs

Most states, including Nevada, have seen sports participation rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, when most schools canceled programming for at least a season. 

But even before the pandemic, Nevada’s participation rate was consistently lower than the nation’s. 

Data from the National Federation of State High School Associations shows the number of student-athletes in Nevada high schools has been relatively stable, going from approximately 45,200 student-athletes in 2015-2016 to approximately 44,800 in 2024-2025. During the same period, Nevada’s high schools added more than 16,000 students. 

Richard Rosenkranz, a UNLV professor who studies interventions to boost nutrition and exercise, attributed Nevada’s low participation rates to high costs.

In 2022, his family moved from Kansas to Nevada, where his son enrolled in a public school in Las Vegas and joined the school’s cross-country team.

Rosenkranz said he and his wife were “shocked” by the team’s sticker price. They had to pay almost $500 for their son to run cross-country, a one-season sport. Sports were free at his son’s public school in Kansas.

“Immediately, a lot of Nevada families just cannot afford that,” he told The Nevada Independent. 

Sports costs are rising fast nationwide. Project Play, an initiative of the Aspen Institute think tank, found American families spent an average of $1,000 on their child’s primary sport in 2024, a jump of 46 percent, or about $300, since 2019.

Llamas estimated her family spends about $500 each football season, mostly on required expenses for the team and for traveling to games. 

She said her family was lucky they could afford these costs. 

Statewide, there are wide income disparities in sports participation. According to the national survey’s data, from 2022 to 2023 nearly three times as many students from high-income families (at or above 400 percent of the federal poverty line) played sports than students from low-income families (at or below the poverty level).

Nevada does not waive sports fees for low-income students, as a handful of states do. California outright bans fees for all students.

Rosenkranz blames rising expenses on cultural shifts, which have transformed youth sports from a more casual form of fun into a high-pressure industry oriented toward college recruitment. 

“We’ve essentially professionalized a lot of sports,” he said. To remain competitive, Rosenkranz said, academic and extracurricular sports programs need to hire full-time coaches, upgrade facilities and equipment, and travel to tournaments. 

Programs pass some of those costs onto families, or families find themselves spending more in private lessons or new gear.

In its 2024 report, Project Play also blamed the post-pandemic shift to kids focusing on single sports, making competition even more intense and expensive.

Unique “burden” in Nevada

Experts say Nevada’s reliance on shift work and shorter-term labor further complicates access to sports.

“It poses more of a financial burden in a state where … so many parents have multiple jobs in the service industry, where kids have higher shares of parents who can’t afford it,” said Rosenkranz. 

Many parents work in the state’s 24/7 hospitality industry, where work shifts are longer or later than other jobs and where families cycle in and out of the state more often. Census data also shows that Nevada has a higher share of households where every parent works, at 59 percent in 2024. 

That makes it harder for parents to bring kids to practice, Rosenkranz said, especially in a state with limited public transportation.

“Obviously, Vegas is a very transient town where people work all kinds of jobs. It’s a 24 hour city,” said Scott Blackford, director of programs at Nevada Youth Sports (NYS), an organization that runs recreational and club sports in Southern Nevada and manages charter schools’ sports leagues.

To accommodate scheduling issues, “We try to offer different programs, whether recreational leagues or competitive leagues, or camps, clinics, all the different programs you can offer, to fit individual families,” he said. 

Although NYS usually doesn’t work in traditional public schools, he said the group has run some pilot programs so that “a child can stay after for an hourlong practice, in case mom and dad couldn’t take them to practice that night.” 

NYS also offers shorter-term programs where families commit to sports only for eight weeks. Programs such as these expand the group’s demographic reach, Blackford said, even as costs rise. 

“We pride ourselves on trying to not raise prices,” Blackford explained. “But, you know, everything is going up across the world.”

Other factors

Nevada’s intense heat creates further problems.

Synthetic turf fields are increasingly popular for field-based sports due to their lower maintenance costs than grass. But research has shown such fields can be 50 degrees hotter than grass.

“The shade infrastructure is horrible; the weather is hot all summer. There’s an immediate lack of enjoyment,” said Rosenkranz.

But Blackford said Nevada’s temperatures could be a plus by enabling yearlong sports programming. 

“Summer is going to be a little tough, but if you’re born and raised in Arizona or Nevada, you’re kind of used to it. … We’re fortunate to have four seasons of sports a year,” Blackford said, while admitting that finding air-conditioned facilities can be a struggle.

Rosenkranz said Nevada’s low sports participation reflects the state’s generally poor mental and physical health outcomes.

Earlier this year, a bill mandating daily recess in Nevada’s public and charter schools — which is required in only 13 states — failed in the Legislature.

“Are there places where they can play before school? Or in the classroom, at recess, at physical education — all of the activities that happen during the school day?” Rosenkranz asked. “Or are we just asking kids to sit quietly in a lunch room?”

In 2024, only 9.1 percent of Nevada’s 12-through-17-year-olds were physically active for an hour every day. The nationwide rate was 14.9 percent.

Nevada also reports higher rates of depression, suicide and substance use disorder among youth. It ranked last among states in the 2025 and 2024 surveys of youth mental health by the nonprofit Mental Health America. 

Boosting sports participation could help address these issues, Rosenkranz said, adding that sports lower the risk of chronic disease and improve mental health by giving kids a chance to socialize, resolve disagreements and challenge themselves.

“Also, sports are fun,” he said. “And people should be having fun.”

— This story is used with permission of The Nevada Independent. Go here for updates to this and other Nevada Independent stories.

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