Elmhurst starts work on new community center

Elmhurst Park District officials were on hand to mark the start of demolition of the community center, which is being torn down to make space for the new Joanne B. Wagner Community Center at 615 N. West Ave., which will have 127,250 square feet and cost nearly $85 million to construct.

Those at the ceremony included Park Board President Kevin Graf, Vice President Claire Kubiesa, Executive Director Jim Rogers and Commissioners Vince Spaeth, Meghan Scarsella, Carolyn Ubriaco and Susan Smentek.

The new center, which will be built by McHugh Construction, will add more recreation and early childhood programming, thanks to being about four times larger than the previous center.

It will feature a full-size gymnasium, indoor artificial turf field, three-lane elevated walking track, expanded gymnastics and dance studios, an indoor play area, early childhood and preschool classrooms with a separate entrance, administrative offices and multipurpose community rooms. It is expected to open in fall 2027.

Leyden Youth Basketball League starts soon

Children in first to eighth grade can participate in the Leyden Youth Basketball League from Jan. 10 to March 27 with the Park District of Franklin Park.

Players can work on their ball skills, exercise teamwork via games and once-weekly 60-minute practices and build confidence. Teams are formed from Franklin Park and nearby communities.

The fee includes a T-shirt uniform. Resident passholders in first and second grade pay $105 and others pay $115. Older grades pay $130 for resident passholders and $140 for others.

A late fee of $15 will be charged for those who register after Jan. 3. Sign up by calling 847-455-2852 or online at fpparks.org.

Learn about winter birds at forest preserve program

The Forest Preserve District of Will County presents Backyard Winter Birds from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Jan. 11 at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook.

Participants can learn which birds migrate through Will County and which stay during the winter, as well as how to attract them to a yard.

The program includes a short guided hike and indoor bird viewing with a warm drink. Register by Jan. 10 by calling 815-722-4121 or online at reconnectwithnature.org. It’s free and open to anyone 10 and older.

Storyteller highlights his new book in La Grange

Master storyteller Nestor Gomez will present stories from his new book, “Rescue Me,” at 7 p.m. Jan. 7 at the La Grange Public Library, 10 W. Cossitt Ave.

The book explores his four-legged family members and the bonds formed with them. Attendees can buy copies of his book, and a portion of proceeds will be donated to local animal shelters.

The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Registration is required by visiting lagrange.library.org or calling 708-215-3200.

Women of natural history star at garden club meeting

The Darien Garden Club presents Women of Natural History from 6:0 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 5 at St. John Lutheran Church, 7214 S. Cass Ave. in Darien.

Kim White, a local master naturalist, will talk about some of the women who have contributed to natural history from 1458 BC to the current century, shining a light on women who rarely were given credit for their accomplishments, Dame Jane Goodall and Queen Hatshepsut are among those who will be highlighted.

A general meeting follows the presentation. All are welcome. Learn more at dariengardenclub.com.

Send news to pioneerwest@tribpub.com.

Although we are only at the halfway point of the campaign, Real Madrid have already started planning for the season ahead.

It is widely considered that Nico Paz will be the club’s first signing of the summer, with Los Blancos set to activate the buyback clause embedded in the Argentine’s contract at Como.

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Paz will not just rejoin Real Madrid to fill up the squad numbers. He will be a critical player in the first team, having made a stellar impact in Serie A under Cesc Fabregas.

Paz’s return to the Santiago Bernabeu, however, may have major ramifications in the Real Madrid setup, potentially impacting the roles of existing stars.

Real Madrid set to axe Ceballos

A recent report from Defensa Central has offered key insight into Real Madrid’s plans to accommodate Nico Paz next season.

Dani Ceballos will be axed by Real Madrid next summer. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

With the Argentine set to compete for the first team, it could come at the expense of Dani Ceballos, the report adds.

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It appears Florentino Perez has identified Ceballos as the man to be axed in the wake of Paz’s arrival.

The former Arsenal midfielder has struggled to convince coach Xabi Alonso this season and has fallen behind other midfielders in the pecking order.

Real Madrid, therefore, are ready to sacrifice Ceballos, who has been linked with a move away from Santiago Bernabeu for a while. His current contract at the club expires in 2027.

Recent reports suggest Ceballos himself is contemplating his future after failing to prove himself at Real Madrid. With his contract running in 2027, a move away from the Bernabeu next summer could make sense for all parties involved.

Paz, on the other hand, continues to prove his credentials in Serie A. As a result, Real Madrid have completely ruled out the possibility of selling him permanently.

There aren’t many more indelible memories for members of a small-town championship team than a firetruck ride through the streets of their hometown.

Lights flashing.

Sirens blaring.

Smiles everywhere.

Residents wondering what’s going on.

Just an impromptu heroes’ celebration.

For them.

Like the ones they had in Weatherly in mid-July.

Reya Gregory doubled home the tying and eventual winning runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Weatherly’s 8-10-year-old softball team edged Northwest, 5-4, in the Section 6 Little League Tournament title game at the West End Fairgrounds complex in Gilbert.

Briella Vanblargan starred in the pitching circle for Weatherly, scattering five base hits, striking out 12 batters and walking only two six innings as her team avenged a loss to Northwest from the night before to punch its ticket to the state tournament in Drexel Hill.

Northwest grabbed a 2-0 lead in the rematch on an RBI groundout in the top of the first and a run-scoring single to right in the third.

Back came Weatherly in the bottom of the third as two base runners stole home and a bases-loaded walk to Audrey Wagner forced home another run and gave the District 18 champions their first lead at 3-2.

After Northwest reclaimed the advantage with two runs in the top of the fourth, Weatherly went back on top on Gregory’s clutch two-run double in the bottom half.

Neither team scored again as Weatherly claimed the first sectional title for a local softball team.

Jenna Jones went 2-for-2 with two singles to pace the locals at the plate. Gregory contributed her double and two RBI and Vanblargan and Myah Makowiec chipped in a single apiece. Kenzie Clabia, Aubrey Clabia, Jones and Makowiec each stole multiple bases for the Lady Wreckers, who swiped a total of 14 as a team in the game.

Vanblargan, Jones, Makowiec, Mia Durham and Audrey Clabia scored a run apiece in the win.

Little League team makes run

A few weeks earlier, Weatherly’s 11-12-year-old Little League League all-stars enjoyed their own memoriable run.

They won their first two District 18 tournament games and led defending district champion-Franklin Township, 8-6, late in the district winners’ bracket final before an overflow crowd at their home field on a steamy summer evening. They were oh so close to hosting another game — for the district title.

However, Franklin Township rallied for two runs in the top of the sixth inning, scored more five in the seventh and held off Weatherly’s own comeback bid in the bottom half for a wild 13-10 victory in one of the most entertaining games at any level of the past year.

“We had our chance there at the end,” Weatherly manager Jeremy Witner said. “It just didn’t happen.”

It did happen for Weatherly earlier in the tournament and earlier in the game against Franklin Township.

Showing a ton of heart and guts, the locals twice overcame deficits to put them in position to play for the district championship. They scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 6-3 deficit and get within three outs of advancing to the title game. Silas Zink blooped a two-run single to highlight the rally. Other runs came in on a baes-loaded walk and two wild pitches.

“They answered the bell every time,” Witner said. “They kept getting off the mat and coming for more.”

Weatherly’s dream of a Cinderella district crown died after Franklin Township made its own comeback and Tamaqua avenged an earlier tournament loss a few nights later, eliminating Weatherly.

“We’ve been trying to put Weatherly on the map for a while,” Witner said. “It’s always a couple teams we have to get through. … We’ll get there.”

In 2025, Witner and his team were at least pointed in the right direction.

To the delight of their whole town.

Families seeking winter break activities can attend a free diving event Dec. 30 at the Goodyear YMCA, where a dive show and youth clinic will be offered at no cost.

The event is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. with a dive show featuring junior-level divers. The show is open to the public, and spectators may attend without participating in the clinic.

After the performance, a youth dive clinic will run until 5 p.m. The clinic is open to children ages 7 to 17 and is intended to introduce participants to the sport of diving. Instruction will include basic techniques and supervised practice on 1-meter and 3-meter springboards, as well as a diving trampoline, according to organizers.

The clinic will be hosted by the YMCA Silver Fins Dive Team and sponsored by USA Diving. Organizers said the sponsorship allows the clinic, which is typically offered for a fee, to be provided free of charge.

The clinic will be held at is 2919 N Litchfield Rd, in Goodyear. All community members are invited to attend.

Central Valley Empowerment Alliance founder and co-executive director Arturo Rodriguez said the fact the state of California has reinvested in what they’re doing when it comes to preventing youth substance abuse by renewing their grant shows the stewardship his organization has provided for its program.

The Poplar-based CVEA was among 57 community-based and tribal organizations to be awarded $47 million in grants to prevent youth substance abuse through leadership engagement programs. The grants were awarded as part of Governor Gavin Newsom’s Path & Purpose initiative. The program also has a strong emphasis on reaching struggling young men and boys.

“It speaks more volumes than anything that anybody can say,” said Rodriguez about CVEA’s $900,000 grant being renewed in the program. CVEA will be reimbursed $300,000 a year over the next three years, 2026-2027-2028, for its costs in implementing the program.

The state said the $900,000 CVEA grant is “To engage Asian and Latinx youth in Kern and Tulare counties through culturally relevant mentorship, civic engagement, and peer-led storytelling to foster resilience, prevent substance use and improve health outcomes.”

Two other organizations received $1 million grants to serve Tulare County. The California Health Collaborative received a grant to serve Two-Spirit Indigenous/LGBTQIA+ youth of color in the county “through healing-centered activities, peer-led talking circles, and youth advocacy to strengthen cultural protective factors, reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder prevention and improve health.”

In addition the Latino Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services has received a grant “to empower Latinx youth in Tulare County through peer-led support, leadership development, and family engagement to strengthen protective factors against substance use and improve health.”

The program is designed to build leadership and community-building skills among youth and Rodriguez said that’s what their program is all about. He said it’s about more than just substance abuse.

He noted the development of Nagi Daifallah Park has led to a number of youth sports teams being formed in Poplar. As a result parents are taking more responsibility, serving as coaches and traveling with their youth to games.

Rodriguez noted as part of the program youth have been able to travel to Sacramento and have even met the Governor.

He said he and CVEA’s other co-founder and executive director Mari Perez-Ruiz are dedicated to serving the community.

“We pay ourselves just above minimum wage,” he said. “We make sure to put as much as we can back into the community and our young people.”

About the state renewing the grant Rodriguez said, “They’re really excited about what we’ve managed to do for young people. It speaks volumes to the work that we do and the trust that we have.”

Programs funded by the grants are designed to deal with isolation, trauma, and lack of access to supportive services which can be especially challenging for young men and boys. The funding is designed to help youth foster mentorship, leadership, and civic engagement skills.

“As a parent, I am committed to investing in healing and empowering our youth to be changemakers within their communities. These investments focus on mentorship, connection, and purpose — especially for young men and boys who are too often struggling in silence,” Newsom said.

The funding is being provided through the California Department of Health Care Services to strengthen the state’s substance use disorder prevention programs. The grants are awarded through Elevate Youth California, EYC, a statewide program that prioritizes youth leadership.

The state provides funding to youth-serving organizations that demonstrate community-driven approaches to support young people. “Programs funded are healing-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally and linguistically responsive, while prioritizing harm reduction and public health strategies that build resilience and prevent substance abuse,” the state said.

“This funding empowers youth to lead change in their communities,” said DHCS Director Michelle Baass. “By supporting culturally responsive, peer-led programs, we’re investing in the resilience and long-term wellness of California’s young people.” 

The state added the investment builds on Newsom’s executive order to improve mental health and wellness among young men and boys, and empower them through service and leadership. 

Recently, California launched the Men’s Service Challenge which calls upon 10,000 young men to step up as mentors, coaches and tutors to address the mental health crisis facing young men and invest in communities across the state. 

Since this program launched in 2019, DHCS has awarded more than $370 million through 517 grants. EYC is funded by Proposition 64, passed by voters in November 2016, which legalized adult non-medical marijuana use in California. The program uses taxes from cannabis sales.

West Virginia First Foundation Executive Director Jonathan Board announces grant recipients in May. The foundation recently awarded another round of grants from the state’s pool of funding from settlements with opioid makers. (File Photo)

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia First Foundation has announced the latest recipients of funding through its Momentum Initiative Grant program, awarding nearly $18 million to support programs aimed at addressing substance use disorder, prevention, recovery and related workforce programs in the state.

“The Momentum Initiative Grant reflects a new way of responding to the substance use crisis; one grounded in evidence, shaped by local expertise and guided by accountability,” said Jonathan Board, WVFF executive director. “We traveled the state, listened to those holding the line in their communities, and answered the call to honor the lives lost by putting these resources into the hands of those ready to create real, lasting impact for West Virginia.”

Funding for 76 projects was approved by the West Virginia First Foundation board of directors earlier this month, with an eye toward supporting programs which include foster care, non-parental caregiver initiatives, youth prevention, recovery housing, behavioral health and workforce development and re-entry and diversion programs.

Eight grants were awarded to programs in Region 1, which includes Hancock, Brooke, Ohio, Marshall and Wetzel counties.

Those grants include $125,000 to Youth Services System for its Afterschool Youth Prevention Program; $249,397 to West Liberty University for its Hilltopper Pathways: Out-of-School Re-entry and Support Program; $216,065 to Northwood Health Systems for its Workforce for Wellness program; $125,000 for HoH-Share Inc. for the Mother Jones Center for Resilient Community Youth Prevention Program; and $250,000 to the Greater Wheeling Coalition for the Homeless for its Recovery First Re-entry Initiative Program.

The Young Women’s Christian Association of Wheeling received three grants, including $124,744 for YWCA Wheeling — Youth Prevention; $380,000 for YWCA Wheeling — Cathy’s Haven; and $186,450 for its Women Inspired in New Directions program.

“We were intentional in building a structure that reflects both feedback and best practices,” said Greg Duckworth, WVFF board chairman. “What emerged is a landmark opioid abatement model, distinct from any other foundation of its kind, made possible by volunteer Board Members and Expert Panelists dedicated to serving West Virginia.”

Statewide awards include $954,469.45 for National Youth Advocate Program for its Foster RISE project; $974,751 to Pressley Ridge for its Pressley Ridge Treatment Kinship Care Statewide Services; $975,000 to West Virginia CASA Association Inc. for its Continuum of Care for Children and Families Impacted by the Opioid Crisis; and $947,916 to West Virginia Wesleyan College for its WVWC and WV CASA Capacity Building Initiative.