By Canton Citizen

Louise Catherine Bernard, 89, a resident of Canton for over 50 years, died peacefully on April 11, 2025, among family at South Shore Hospital.

Louise grew up in Brighton, where she attended school and church at Saint Columbkille Catholic Church. She will be remembered fondly for the enormity of her kindness and her devotion to family. Louise was a prolific storyteller, often sharing with people the happiest times in her youth spent with family in Bermuda, Cape Cod, Boston and Canton.

She survived two of her children, Scott Bernard, formerly of Medfield, and Andrew Loverich Bernard, formerly of Pittsburgh, PA. She leaves behind three remaining sons, Lawrence Bernard of Canton, Eric Bernard of Newton, and Gregory Bernard of Nantucket, as well as several grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Louise was one of four children and is survived by her brother Tom Larkin and sister Donna Maguire, both of Brighton. She was predeceased by her sister, Barbra Cardillo, of Woburn.

A funeral Mass will be held in Saint Columbkille Church on May 20, at 10:30 a.m., with interment at Evergreen Cemetery, followed by a celebration of Louise’s life at The Stockyard. All are located in Brighton. Friends and family are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Louise may be made to The Home for Little Wanderers, 72-74 E. Dedham St., Boston, MA 02118.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=131533

I remember it clear as day. It was a turning point in my life. I just hadn’t recognized it yet.

I was interviewed for the sports reporter position at The Sentinel in May 2021. It was in a gazebo at Children’s Lake in Boiling Springs. I was in a suit in 80-degree weather. My nerves were enough for me to pass out, and the heat and sunlight weren’t doing any favors.

I don’t remember much from my interview. But the last question will forever stand out.

“Where do you hope to go; what do you hope to accomplish in your career?”

My answer at the time: “I would love to be a minor league baseball reporter. I’ve always been interested in that level of sports, having spent many summers at local ballparks with my friends watching games.”

You’re taught in school, in similar situations, that there’s no wrong answer. But boy, my answer couldn’t have been further off the beaten path.

Saturday is my last day at The Sentinel. We can’t see into the future, but reflecting on my answer almost four years later, I wish I could’ve told my younger self, everything you wanted, everything you dreamed of in a job was standing right in front of you.

Planting my roots

I was wide-eyed. Maybe a bit in over my head. The goal from the get was to show I cared, that I wanted to share the stories, do justice for the local community.

You all made it easy.

It was an exciting time to jump in the local ring in June 2021. Red Land baseball was making its case for the PIAA Class 5A championship. Benny Montgomery and East Pennsboro’s Michael Morales were on the doorstep of being drafted into Major League Baseball.

‘It’s a moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life’: Benny Montgomery chasing MLB dreams as Colorado Rockies 2021 first round draft pick

Kids of all ages flocked to the third-base line of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College.

‘It felt like the whole world came down on me’: Michael Morales soaking it all in as Seattle Mariners third-round selection in 2021 Major League Baseball Draft

“It just really started feeling like the whole world came down on me. But also, in a way, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It all happened in like three seconds.” ~ Michael Morales

The excitement spiked to unprecedented levels that fall. Big Spring football made program history. Camp Hill’s Paige Richter — unaware on her final tap in on the 18th hole at Heritage Hills Golf Resort — won the PIAA Class 2A title.

PIAA Golf: Camp Hill’s Paige Richter secures state championship

Paige Richter becomes the first Camp Hill female golfer to ever win the state crown and just the second Lions golfer overall since Jack Weaver won in 1945.

The list went on. And on. And on.

I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction. It was in this stretch, I knew it was meant to be.

The events

Watching the Boiling Springs field hockey sideline count down the final five seconds. Gracyn Catalano’s reaction when her golden goal slipped through the legs of Palmyra’s goalie and Mechanicsburg stormed Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field.

Boiling Springs defeats Wyoming Area for PIAA Class A field hockey title

The Bubblers defeated Wyoming Area 1-0 Saturday in the Class A final to complete an undefeated season and capture the program’s first state title.

The 2022 PIAA field hockey championships were unmatched. The energy was intoxicating.

Watch Now: Gracyn Catalano’s golden goal clinches 1st state title for Mechanicsburg field hockey

Catalano’s goal with 30 seconds left in overtime gave the Wildcats a 1-0 win over Palmyra and captured the first state title in school history.

The Big Spring boys basketball team has sent chills up my spine and left me questioning, “How the hell am I supposed to write this?” To which head coach Jason Creek jokingly replied, “Isn’t that your job?”

In the final two minutes of a 2024 PIAA Class 4A semifinal, Aidan Sallie found a second gear — where, I’m still not sure — and deposited four 3-pointers before giving way to Jake Knouse’s go-ahead trey to complete an 11-point comeback at Fleetwood. The run captivated the Newville community, as sheets of maroon and gold blanketed the Giant Center seating bowl for the District 3 final and pushed the Bulldog gymnasium beyond max capacity for the program’s first-ever PIAA opener.

‘It was all about believing’: Big Spring boys basketball does the unthinkable to reach District 3 4A final

Trailing nine with two minutes left Tuesday, Big Spring rallied behind the likes of Aidan Sallie and Jake Knouse to stun Fleetwood 62-61 in the District 3 4A semifinals.

A trail of maroon and gold: Big Spring community fuels boys basketball team’s run to District 3 silver

In Big Spring’s run to District 3 4A silver, the Bulldog community supported the boys basketball program every step of the way.

Then there are the small moments woven amid the chaos. Moments not reflected in a box score.

Seeing the Cumberland Valley boys lacrosse team, off in the distance, pause practice on a cold, windy Saturday morning to stand for the national anthem. The Big Spring student body, stretching pylon to pylon, locking hands and singing the school’s alma mater after the first Little Brown Jug victory since 2010. In the same rivalry, the Bulldog and Shippensburg football teams coming together at midfield for prayer following the unexpected death of Shippensburg teen Levi Maciejewski.

Big Spring football defeats Shippensburg to lift Little Brown Jug for the first time since 2010

For the first time since 2010, Big Spring defeated Shippensburg in the Little Brown Jug rivalry, knocking off the Greyhounds 21-7 Friday night in Newville.

‘It’s bigger than the game’: Big Spring, Shippensburg student sections come together as one maroon

Following the unexpected death of a Shippensburg teen Tuesday, the Bulldog and Greyhound student bodies used Friday’s Little Brown Jug Game as a way to honor him.

I wanted to show it’s bigger than the game. It’s everyday life.

People support. People hurt. People cheer. It creates some of life’s most beautiful moments.

Embracing me

I’m warm-blooded. I wore a hat that turned from silky white to Dijon mustard yellow. They became jokes — mostly on my social media platforms — that you all embraced.

My reputation for donning shorts and failing to wear winter jackets and gloves followed me like a shadow. The Boiling Springs field hockey team provided me hand warmers at Tulpehocken during a sub-30-degree 2022 PIAA Class A semifinal. I wouldn’t have been able to tweet updates that night without them.

The hat fought the battles of the Giant Center security. It never won — I was even asked to dispose of it in a visit to the bathroom — but it was always a valiant effort. Instead, I had to let the “lettuce” flow from time to time, a look I’ve since cleaned up thanks to my girlfriend.

Jokes aside, it was your embracement of my writing, my creativity that touched me most. You tagged me with thanks. You screenshotted articles. You clipped stories and presented them as gifts — sometimes even under the Christmas tree.

Two schools, two sports, one special night: Camp Hill’s Gaudion twins strike District 3 gold

Peter Gaudion received word Tuesday that the start of Camp Hill’s District 3 Class 3A baseball championship game had been delayed.

You elevated the importance of local sports and community ties. Through my words.

I couldn’t be more grateful.

A final thank you

I’ll still be living on the West Shore as my next chapter unfolds. I hope to enjoy Cumberland County sports from a spectator lens on occasion. It’s not a complete goodbye, rather see you later.

From subscribing to The Sentinel, to having read one story, to having scanned one graf or even one sentence, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Confidence hasn’t always been part of my identity, but you’ve fostered that. You’ve welcomed me with open arms and gifted me the opportunity to be a small snippet of your lives. You’ve taken care of me, helped me grow in my craft and in everyday life.

One smile at a time, Chuck Luckenbaugh embodies what it means to be a Mechanicsburg Wildcat

Chuck Luckenbaugh is recognized by his infectious smile. The smile, occupying the Mechanicsburg football sidelines every Friday for the last 20-plus years, embodies what it means to be a Wildcat.

To my colleagues past and present, thank you for all the support. Thank you to Jeff Pratt and Naomi Creason for taking a chance on a kid straight out college. To Tim Gross, thank you for helping me find my way, allowing me to spread my creative wings and explore who I am and want to be as a writer.

But none of this would’ve been possible without you, the people. We can’t do our life’s work without you, and I’m forever in debt to our local athletes, coaches, athletic directors and personnel. From sideline chats, postgame interviews and quick hellos in public, I’ve cherished them all.

‘Nothing but positive’: Mechanicsburg’s Will Hummel overcomes limitations of HCU to produce on pitching mound

Will Hummel has lived with homocystinuria, a condition where the body can’t process methionine, his entire life. It’s not limiting him, especially in his senior baseball season with Mechanicsburg.

I’m eager for the next step. A bit nervous. I believe there’s more avenues to venture down, more ideas to tap into.

But I leave you with this:

Thank you for proving me wrong four years ago.

Year in Review: 10 Sentinel-area sports highlights from 2024

The Sentinel’s sports department looks back on some of the top local stories from 2024, from historic firsts to unprecedented runs to championship moments.

© 2025 The Sentinel (Carlisle, Pa.). Visit www.cumberlink.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

As institutional capital floods into sports, investors are navigating a rapidly changing landscape where traditional financial models don’t always apply. At the 2025 Moorad Symposium, global sports industry practice co-chairs Jeff Moorad and Andrew White joined a panel of industry executives and investors to unpack the growing role of private equity in sports and the complexities of investing in an asset class defined by rising valuations, limited control, and inconsistent cash flow.

The following key takeaways explore how investors are adapting to the unique dynamics of the sports industry and what these shifts mean for the future of sports financing.

League Restrictions Limit Traditional PE Control

Unlike other sectors where private equity can exert control over operations and steer strategy, professional sports are tightly governed. Most leagues cap institutional ownership—often allowing only minority, non-controlling stakes—and impose strict rules around ownership eligibility, capital calls, and conflict of interest restrictions. Stakeholders may also be barred from investing in adjacent businesses or required to financially backstop clubs or franchises in times of need. These limits directly contradict the fundamental private equity playbook, which relies on influence, efficiency, and clear exit paths. Yet, institutional capital continues to flow in, driven by the perceived stability and cultural relevance of sports franchises. For PE firms managing third-party capital, the appeal of scarcity and visibility has to be weighed against the operational constraints and inability to drive typical performance improvements. It”s a balancing act between prestige and practical return generation—one that many funds are now navigating with caution.

Ownership Models Are Evolving

Ownership strategies in sports have become increasingly split between traditional, hands-on owners and newer portfolio-style models in recent years. Legacy owners often serve as the “face of the franchise” and are deeply involved in team decisions, culture, and overall identity. In contrast, institutional groups are building multi-team holdings that can unlock operational efficiencies and cross-franchise synergies. These models can succeed, especially in international markets, where shared infrastructure across clubs—like HR, marketing, and data—can deliver cost and performance benefits. But success hinges on having both exceptional management and a nuanced understanding of each market and sport. Sports franchises can be highly sensitive, and dispersed ownership may dilute accountability and slow decision-making. It also risks weakening the connection to core operations, fan experience, and brand integrity. As the industry becomes more professionalized, both approaches will persist, but the optimal model depends on the investor’s ability to match structure with operational oversight and strategic intent.

Institutional Capital Is Moving Beyond Teams

With team ownership continuing to get more expensive and operationally complex, many investors are now seizing broader opportunities across the sports ecosystem. In recent years, capital has been flowing into segments like media rights, training platforms, youth sports infrastructure, and compliance technology—areas offering stronger control, scalable growth, and clearer revenue potential. These adjacent markets not only present more accessible entry points, but also position investors to benefit from the accelerating expansion of the global sports industry. Trends such as the professionalization of college athletics, rising youth participation, and ongoing innovation in sectors like sports betting and analytics are creating dynamic, high-growth investment opportunities. The sports industry—valued at more than $3 trillion globally—is expanding well beyond the teams themselves, and as capital becomes more disciplined, tapping into the infrastructure and emerging sectors around sports is becoming one of the most promising paths to sustainable, outsized returns.

Returns Aren’t Guaranteed—Even If Values Keep Climbing

The perception that sports investments are only going up, driven by headline-making transactions with valuations north of $6 billion, can be misleading —obscuring the financial and operational risks involved. While franchise values are rising, most teams operate at a loss and require continual investment. Operating costs are also ballooning, as players, fans, and sponsors expect more every year, and meeting those demands means higher expenses with little immediate payoff. For investors, particularly those managing institutional money, this raises red flags. In traditional PE, investments must show pathways to liquidity and return. In sports, returns are often speculative, relying on terminal value and belief in long-term appreciation. Women’s sports, in particular, highlight both the promise and risk—values are skyrocketing, but regulatory gaps (like FIFA’s lack of training compensation on the women’s side) cap revenue potential. Investors often can’t rely on hype alone—they need a clear thesis on where, when, and how value will be realized.

STOW — It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Sheryl Thompson Carrier, 79, on Friday, April 25, 2025.

The strong and beloved family matriarch was born on the farm in Denmark, Maine, during the “Great Blizzard” on January 16, 1946, to Ralph and Violetta (Valladares) Thompson, becoming the younger sister to Richard “Dick” Thompson. Sheryl was a pillar of strength, wisdom, and unwavering love for the Carrier family who lived a life dedicated to family and community. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and business founder, she always put the needs of others before her own.

As if taken from a Hallmark movie, the Carrier legacy began when a young Grafton Carrier immediately fell in love when he spotted Sheryl, with her gorgeous dimples, setting up the window display of a small Fryeburg clothing store. Shortly after that, Bud and Mimi married on June 11, 1966. That union led to a family and the start of G.B. Carrier Corporation, which, largely because of Sheryl’s support and work, became a pillar of the North Conway business community.

While growing their business, Sheryl and Bud raised their family and purchased a small camp on Kezar Lake, turning it into “camp,” a.k.a Carrierville, a place welcome to all. Never letting the demands of growing and running the business interfere, Sheryl remained steadfast in her focus on the importance of family and friends, leading to her being affectionately known as “Mimi.” Her generosity and hospitality were felt by all, and her epic Saturday morning pancake and bacon breakfasts, summer potato salad, and Millionare’s Pie became favorites to all.

Ever the creative thinker, Sheryl never faced a challenge she couldn’t resolve. When the family dog delivered an unplanned litter of seven, she visited John Fuller Elementary School with a station wagon full of puppies for show-and-tell. (She went home with an empty station wagon.)

Among her numerous accomplishments, Sheryl was the president of the North Conway Community Center Board, member of the Eastern Star, a Cub Scout den leader, and a generous supporter of youth sports athletic boosters, various charities, and other programs her children and grandchildren participated in.

Sheryl was predeceased by her parents, brother, and infant son Grafton Dean.

In addition to Grafton “Bud” Carrier, the love of her life and devoted husband of almost 59 years, she leaves her son Grant Carrier and his wife Lauren of Gorham, Maine, daughter Paige Wales of North Conway, N.H., son Greyson Carrier and his wife Anjanette of Center Conway, N.H., grandchildren Campbell, Bowen and Tatum, Dean and Beck, Grier, great-grandson Axel, sister-in-law Carolee Foster and her family, sister-in-law Hazel Thompson, and numerous relatives and extended family throughout the Mount Washington Valley and Fryeburg area.

Sheryl will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her, and her legacy of love and devotion to family will endure in the hearts of her family forever. She will be lovingly remembered looking down at us all through her sparkling hazel eyes.

Visitation will be Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 4 to 7 p.m. at the Wood Funeral Home, 9 Warren Street, Fryeburg.

A celebration of life is planned for June 7, 2025 at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds. The family invites you to share memories and stories through Wood Funeral Home at www.woodfuneralhome.org

ASHLAND, Ore. – The City of Ashland’s Parks and Recreation Department is staring down $1.4 million in budget cuts, forcing potential reductions across some of the city’s most popular community amenities.

Including the Daniel Meyer Pool, the ice rink, and several educational and senior programs.

Parks and Rec Director Rocky Houston says the cuts stem from directives issued during the city’s biennial budgeting process, which aims to address a general fund shortfall estimated at around $8 to $9 million.

“We had to make reductions up $1.4 million,” Houston told NewsWatch 12. “As we went through those new assets that we were taking on, we looked at removing those first… But it still wasn’t enough.”

Among the most controversial changes is a hike in sports field rental fees. Previously, leagues were charged a flat seasonal fee between $150 and $250. That’s now shifting to an hourly rate structure.

“It is a significant change,” said Houston. “But as we’re still trying to identify resources to keep our programs and services open, it was a mechanism to help.”

The change is already prompting pushback. Ashland Little League is planning a community walk-through event at Hunter Park on Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 a.m. The league has invited city officials, Parks & Rec commissioners, and local media to tour the fields and better understand the volunteer work that supports youth sports.

In a news release, the league criticized the fee hike as a decision “made with limited notice and without direct input from those most affected.”

Houston emphasized that the department is doing its best to protect services where it can.

“We’re trying to identify ways that we can deliver that service at a lower cost,” he said. “Maybe not what we used to do… And we’re continuing to work on that.”

The Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission recently voted to recommend a new $6.50 monthly fee on utility bills to help offset further cuts. That proposal will be considered by the City Council in a joint meeting with the Parks Commission on May 7.

If passed, the utility fee would take effect at the start of the next budget cycle on July 1.

In the meantime, Houston says the department is actively exploring partnerships and alternative funding options in hopes of saving beloved programs like the pool and ice rink—even if it means offering reduced hours or limited services.

Samantha Kadera is an anchor/reporter at NewsWatch 12. You can reach her at skadera@kdrv.com.