The U.S. Justice Department has launched an investigation into whether California, its interscholastic sports federation and the Jurupa Unified School District are violating the civil rights of cisgender girls by allowing transgender students to compete in school sports, federal officials announced Wednesday.

The Justice Department is also throwing its support behind a pending lawsuit alleging similar violations of girls’ rights in the Riverside Unified School District, said U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli, who oversees much of the Los Angeles region, and Assistant Atty. Gen. Harmeet Dhillon, who heads the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Transgender track athletes have come under intense scrutiny in recent months in both Jurupa Valley and Riverside, with anti-LGBTQ+ activists attacking them on social media and screaming opposition to their competing at school meets.

Essayli and Dhillon, both Californians appointed under President Trump, have long fought against transgender rights in the state. Their announcements came one day after Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from California for allowing transgender youth to participate in sports.

The legal actions are just the latest attempts by the Trump administration to scale back transgender rights nationwide, including by bringing the fight to California — which has the nation’s largest queer population and some of its most robust LGBTQ+ legal protections — and targeting individual student athletes in the state.

Both Trump in his threats Tuesday and Essayli and Dhillon in their announcement of the investigation Wednesday appeared to reference the recent success of a 16-year-old transgender track athlete at Jurupa Valley High School named AB Hernandez. Trump wrongly suggested that Hernandez had won “everything” at a recent meet — which Hernandez didn’t do.

In a comment to The Times on Wednesday, Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda Hernandez, said it was heartbreaking to see her child being attacked “simply for being who they are,” and despite following all California laws and policies for competing.

“My child is a transgender student-athlete, a hardworking, disciplined, and passionate young person who just wants to play sports, continue to build friendships, and grow into their fullest potential like any other child,” her mother said.

The mother of another transgender high school track athlete in Riverside County who is the subject of the pending lawsuit the Justice Department is now backing declined to comment Wednesday.

The Justice Department said it had sent letters of legal notice to California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, state Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the California Interscholastic Federation and Jurupa Unified.

The U.S. Department of Education had previously announced in February that it was investigating the CIF for allowing transgender athletes to compete. Dhillon said the two federal departments would coordinate their investigations.

Bonta has defended state laws protecting transgender youth, students and athletes, and advised school systems and other institutions in the state, such as hospitals, to adhere to state LGBTQ+ laws — even in the face of various Trump executive orders aimed at curtailing the rights of and healthcare for transgender youth. On Wednesday, his office said it remained “committed to defending and upholding California laws.”

Scott Roark, a spokesman for the California Department of Education, said his agency could not comment. Jacquie Paul, a spokesperson for Jurupa Unified, said the school system had yet to receive the letter Wednesday, and “without further information” could not comment. A spokesperson for the Riverside Unified School District also declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

The CIF, in a statement, said it “values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law and Education Code.”

However, the sports federation also changed its rules for the upcoming 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships, saying a cisgender girl who is bumped from qualifying for event finals by a transgender athlete would still be allowed to compete and would also be awarded the medal for whichever place they would have claimed were the transgender athlete not competing.

The changes brought renewed criticism from advocates on both sides of the political issue, including Chino Valley Unified school board President Sonja Shaw. Shaw is a Trump supporter running for state schools superintendent who has challenged pro-LGBTQ+ laws statewide and supports the latest investigation. She said that, in making the changes, CIF was “admitting” that girls “are being pushed out of their own sports.”

Dhillon said her office’s “pattern or practice” investigation will consider whether California’s laws and the CIF policies violate Title IX, a 1972 federal civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal funding.

Title IX has been used in the past to win rights for transgender people, but the Trump administration has taken a strikingly different view of the law — and cited it as a reason transgender rights must be rolled back.

Dhillon said the law “exists to protect women and girls in education,” that it is “perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies,” and that her division would “aggressively defend women’s hard-fought rights to equal educational opportunities.”

Essayli said in a statement that his office would “work tirelessly to protect girls’ sports and stop anyone — public officials included — from violating women’s civil rights.”

LGBTQ+ advocates, civic institutions in California and many Democratic lawmakers in the state have denounced the framing of transgender inclusion in sports as diminishing the rights of women and girls and accused Trump and other Republicans of attacking transgender people — about 1% of the U.S. population — simply because they make for an easy and vulnerable political target.

Kristi Hirst, co-founder of the public education advocacy group Our Schools USA, said the Justice Department’s actions amounted to “bullying minors and using taxpayer resources to do so,” and that a “better use of public dollars would be for the Justice Department to affirm that all kids possess civil rights, and protect the very students being targeted today.”

The “pattern or practice” investigation is the second such investigation that Dhillon’s office has launched in the L.A. region in as many months. It’s also investigating Los Angeles County over its process for issuing gun permits.

Essayli’s separate decision to back the Riverside lawsuit adds another wrinkle to an already complicated case.

The group Save Girls’ Sports is suing over the inclusion of a transgender athlete in a girls’ track meet in October, a decision they allege unfairly bumped a cisgender girl from competition, and over a decision by high school officials to block students from wearing shirts that read, “IT’S COMMON SENSE. XX [does not equal] XY,” a reference to the different chromosome pairings of biological females and males.

Julianne Fleischer, an attorney with Advocates for Faith & Freedom who is representing Save Girls’ Sports, said Wednesday that Essayli’s decision to weigh in on behalf of the group was welcome.

“This case has always been about common sense, fairness, and the plain meaning of the law,” Fleischer said in a statement. “Girls’ sports were never meant to be a social experiment. They exist so that girls can win, lead and thrive on a level playing field.”

It was unclear how the case would be affected by Essayli’s interest.

The state and school district are asking for the lawsuit to be dismissed. A hearing is scheduled next month.

Essayli, formerly a state Assembly member from Riverside County, made his name in politics in part by attacking what he has called the “woke” policies of California’s liberal majority in Sacramento. Shortly before he was appointed as U.S. attorney last month, other California lawmakers blocked a bill he introduced that would have banned transgender athletes from female sports.

Hernandez, the mother of the targeted Jurupa Valley athlete, said Trump and other officials were bullying children by “weaponizing misinformation and fear instead of embracing truth, compassion and respect,” and asked Trump to reconsider.

“I respectfully request you to open your heart and mind to learn about the LGBTQ+ community,” she said, “not from the voices of fear or division, but from the people living these lives with courage, love and dignity.”

As the 2024-25 school year comes to an end, the Indiana University Northwest athletic department has opened registration for its annual summer athletic camps, which take place in July.

Volleyball starts the camp season July 14 – 16 from 8:30 to11:30 a.m. at the Savannah Center Gymnasium located on the IU Northwest campus. Volleyball camp is open to kids ages 7 to 12.

Soccer camp kicks off July 21 – 24 from 8:30 to11:30 a.m. at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center (6600 Broadway, Merrillville, IN 46410). Soccer camp is open to kids ages 7 to 12.

Basketball offers two camp sessions July 21 – 24 at the Savannah Center Gymnasium located on the IU Northwest campus. Kids Camp for ages 7 – 12 meets 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Skills Camp for ages 12 – 17 meets from 1 to 4 p.m.

The cost for the camp is $50 per child, with a second child in the same household registration fee being only $40. Registration fee includes a cost of a RedHawk t-shirt.

For questions and to register, please visit iunredhawks.com/camps.

IU 2030: Service to our State and Beyond IU Northwest will improve the lives of the people and economic vitality of Northwest Indiana and beyond by fostering and strengthening collaborative relationships that promote, build and sustain the well-being of the campus and our communities.

MINDEN, Neb. — It was on this field, right about where I’m standing, where one play not only ended a season but put Nebraska’s youth sports scene in the spotlight.

It was a normal youth baseball game hosted by Minden that took a wild turn at the top of the fourth inning over a debated fair or foul ball.

You can hear Hastings Thunder Baseball head coach Rodney Holling yelling from the third base line his thoughts of the call.

“That’s a foul ball,” Holling and one Hastings parent yelled out.

Calvin Johnson, a college student serving as the umpire of the youth recreational game, called the play fair, allowing Minden to end a Hastings rally when the Thunder had the bases loaded.

Tensions had already been high, after a controversial interference call earlier in the game.

But nobody could predict what happened next.

Before the start of the home half of the inning, one of Hastings’ assistant coaches went to talk with the pitcher and catcher at the mound.

The very next pitch, the catcher dived out of the way, allowing the pitch to intentionally hit the umpire.

Johnson immediately tossed the pitcher, and Hasting’s Assistant Coach pulled their team in protest.

Some have gone to social media to question the state of youth sports. One TikTok captioned the clip with “No place for this in baseball.”

Hastings Thunder Baseball posted an official statement on their Facebook page last week saying, “The Hastings Baseball Committee was made aware of an unfortunate incident that occurred at a Hastings Thunder game earlier this week. The Executive Board of the Committee investigated the incident further, including meeting with individuals involved. The committee has implemented disciplinary action and will continue to monitor the situation and take addition action, if warranted.”

Johnson gave NTV an official statement saying, “It was disheartening what happened, but people can use it as a teachable moment. Respecting the officials is imperative, whether we agree with every call or not. I’ve always been taught the “next play” mentality. As an umpire, I’m ready for the next play, too.”

Holling says he was unaware that this would happen. According to Holling, right before the assistant coach’s mound visit, Holling took an emergency phone call, and only heard about the situation later. He says Hastings held a team meeting right after to make clear the actions weren’t acceptable and also noted that the assistant coach is no longer with the team. Holling says they’ve decided to cancel the rest of the season to start fresh and focus on next year.

But while Holling is apologetic about the incident, he also believes the situation could’ve been handled better. He says while the play was uncalled for, he believes he’s seen worse before and questions why the Pitcher was ejected when it was the Catcher who had allowed the pitch to hit the umpire. He wondered if it was Johnson’s first time umpiring a game, saying he felt Johnson had missed several calls leading up to the incident.

I confirmed with Johnson and his mom that Calvin is certified and in his fourth year of officiating, calling nearly 30 games this season alone.

The Minden head coach told me he felt like Johnson did a great job calling the game and did not miss anything.

Gail Jones, the chairman of Hastings American Legion baseball, said they are embarrassed as an organization by this, and feel bad for the umpire who he calls a well-spoken and fine young man. Jones says the situation never should have happened.

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≡ LA28 REVENUES $5.1B SO FAR ≡

The New York Times posted a lengthy update story on the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing effort on Wednesday (28th) titled “L.A. Made Big Promises for the Olympics. Can it Deliver by 2028?,” which included the usual recitation of positive and negative views of progress, from most of the usual suspects.

Of note was a financial update from LA28 Chair Casey Wasserman, as the story noted:

“Mr. Wasserman said he had obtained commitments of $5.1 billion from benefactors and corporate sponsors and was confident that the rest of the $7.1 billion [budget] would come in ticket sales.”

This is 72% of the budget and $500 million more than the $4.6 million confirmed at the news conference following last November’s International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission meeting in Los Angeles.

Wasserman said at that time these funds came from the IOC’s contribution of television rights and sponsorship fees, LA28’s own sponsorships and licensing and merchandising sales (and guarantees) and hospitality sales guarantees. Actual ticket sales are still to come.

¶

The eight-year anniversary date of the 2017 award of the Games of the XXXIV Olympiad to Los Angeles is coming up on 13 September, and a quick look at the LA28 finances shows that it has spent – across its first six years – less than 10% of its planned $7.1 billion budget.

The International Olympic Committee has been a significant funder so far, with more coming.

Looking at the LA28 financial statements included in its annual report to the City of Los Angeles, spending as the organizing committee – not as the bid committee – began in 2018:

● 2018: $16.464 million in expenditures
● 2019: $23.413 million
● 2020: $36.493 million
● 2021: $93.243 million
● 2022: $142.592 million
● 2023: $156.647 million

That’s $468.852 million across the first six years of existence, and forecasting a $180 million cost for 2024, the seven-year total was likely about $648 million, or 9.1% of its latest $7.149.4 billion lifetime budget through 2028. (This is not all cash, as there are some modest amounts of non-cash expenditures, such as depreciation.)

In the spending are two large (really large) amounts which are not directly related to the work of organizing the Games. Those are the payments to the City of Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department for the Youth Sports Partnership program that subsidizes participation in programs, and revenue-sharing payments to the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee as part of its United States Olympic & Paralympic Properties revenue-generating joint venture.

At the end of 2023:

● $120.076 million to the USOPC
● $34.836 million to the Youth Sports Partnership

The USOPC payments kicked in in 2021 and account for the huge jump in spending in that year from 2020, and LA28 will pay a total of $430 million to the USOPC by the end of the program in 2028, at $58 or $64 million per year.

The Youth Sports Partnership payments are also increasing, with $25.088 million advanced in 2024 and more than $33 million requested for 2025 and into 2026.

In the meantime, the IOC will pay the LA28 organizers $898 million in television rights fees sharing and an estimated $437 million for a share of its TOP sponsorship program, totaling a projected $1.335 billion. Some of that has been paid already, including $160 million in advance for the Youth Sports Partnership funding, per the IOC’s financial statements:

● 2018: $36.0 million
● 2019: $36.0 million
● 2020: $36.0 million
● 2021: $36.0 million
● 2022: $36.0 million
● 2023: $36.262 million
● 2024: $34.900 million

That’s $251.162 million advanced by the IOC, against a $1.335 billion total, or about 18.8%. Of this, $167.895 million has come from advances against the $898 million for television rights sales, and just $14.817 million so far as a share of the TOP sponsorships.

So, there’s a lot more money coming from the IOC on the road to 2028, and LA28 has spent relatively little so far. But while more money is still to come in, the expenditures will leap, especially in the final 18 months from the start of 2027 through the 2028 Games.

But having 72% of its lifetime budget accounted for more than three years out is comforting, at least for now.

¶

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MEEKER | Several local youth archers recently traveled to the Cameo Shooting and Education Complex to compete in the Colorado State S3DA Outdoor Target and 3D Archery Tournaments. About 70 participants from across the state competed for the title of state champion.

The target tournament was held on the first day and featured a 36-arrow elimination round. The top four shooters then advanced to a final round, where they each shot 18 more arrows to determine podium placement.

On the second day, competitors tackled two different 3D courses, each consisting of 15 targets. The top four archers then shot five additional 3D targets for a chance at the podium. Archers had to strategically place arrows on targets up to 55 yards away, with most using equipment that classifies them as bowhunters.

At this tournament, Young Adult division podium finishers received information from colleges about scholarship opportunities.

The community is home to several outstanding youth archers, including current indoor state, national and even world champions who have set records in various organizations. Aside from a few local events, most of these archers are now preparing for the S3DA Outdoor Nationals in Helena, Montana, in July.

Local State Outdoor 

Target Finishers

Young Adult

Dawn Arnold – 2nd Place

John Bair – Top 10

Taylor Kirkpatrick – Top 10 

Jill Ward – Top 10

Youth

Auri Murray – State Champion

Eagle

Sawyer Hummel – State Champion

Hudson Hummel – 2nd Place

Heath Bennett – 3rd Place

Dustin Ward – 4th Place

Jr. Eagle

Lee Kirkpatrick – State Champion

Local State 3D Finishers

Young Adult

Dawn Arnold – 3rd Place

Taylor Kirkpatrick – 4th Place

John Bair – Top 10

Jill Ward – Top 10

Youth

Auri Murray – State Champion

Jemma Bair – 2nd Place

Eagle

Hudson Hummel – State Champion

Sawyer Hummel – 2nd Place

Dustin Ward – 3rd Place

Jr. Eagle

Lee Kirkpatrick – State Champion

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Raised on the courts and fields of Tulsa, J.W. Craft grew up competing in classic childhood sports and enjoyed the camaraderie and connection. After living in some of the country’s biggest cities and building a successful career, he felt a strong pull back to his hometown—not just to work alongside his father in their family business, but to raise his kids – he has five – in a city that is near and dear to his heart. He is also very interested in investing in Tulsa’s future and has done so with brothers, Ryan and Kyle, through bold moves like acquiring FC Tulsa and Ascension St. John Sportsplex (formerly Titan Sports Complex).

Through these endeavors, they are blending their passion for sports with heart for community development by creating vibrant spaces where families, fans and future athletes can thrive. Their mission? To fuel civic pride, foster healthy lifestyles, offer high-level development and connections locally, and help Tulsa shine on a national and global stage.

TK: What did you enjoy about growing up in Tulsa?

J.W.: I played all the traditional kids’ sports where I was able to compete and get to know many kids who went on to play at the next level.

TK: You left Tulsa for college and a career but eventually returned to raise a family. What made you want to return?

J.W.: The main thing was the chance to work with my father in the family business. Also, having been raised within a family who were actively working with non-profits to make Tulsa better, I was keen on making that a priority when I moved back. I have lived in several different large cities (Washington, D.C., NYC area, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas) and the quality of life and raising a family here is very hard to beat.

TK: What sparked your interest in owning a professional soccer team in Tulsa?

J.W.: I was looking for a project of some kind that was going to add to the fabric of the city that would complement the positive growth going on with the Gathering Place, Guthrie Green, BOK Center and ONEOK Field. Soccer is going through tremendous growth in the country, and the idea that we play major market cities (Tampa, Sacramento, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis), I felt like our matches could be a nice two-hour commercial to highlight the city for people around the country and world. Having this team has also had a positive impact on economic development, increased the talent/workforce, and quality of life for Tulsans.

TK: What have you seen FC Tulsa provide to our city?

J.W.: Sports bring communities together. We have one team the whole city can cheer for and support. This team has been a source of civic pride in celebrating what we have in common versus what is divisive.

TK: Once acquiring the team, it went through a rebrand. Tell us a little about that.

J.W.: It was really about embracing Tulsa’s history, but also looking to the future. The name, FC Tulsa, resonates internationally and works because we draw a lot of international players. We were looking to recognize the name of our city as well as the scissortail flycatcher, our state bird, being at the heart of the logo – so really taking a lot of our local influence and honing back into where we’re from. It also incorporates vertical typeface that matches a lot of the downtown signage, and the Art Deco matches the buildings.

We continue to work with a number of different local graphic designers to amplify a lot of really cool stuff that’s happening here in town, and you’ll see that in special jerseys and merch.

TK: What interested you about acquiring Ascension St. John Sportsplex?

J.W.: We’ve been a tenant in the space since it was built in 2018. When it was listed for sale a few years ago, we knew we either needed to purchase it or look to build our own. FC Tulsa is an important but small piece of what the facility provides. We are running all kinds of youth programming, national and international events in the space. It brings visitors to Tulsa and encourages a healthy and active lifestyle for kids and adults of all ages.

TK: Tell us about your vision for FC Tulsa and the Sportsplex.

J.W.: Our vision is to have packed, sellout matches and have the Sportsplex utilized all the time. We play 17 times at home from March to October, and we want every match to be an event people look forward to going downtown to see. At the Sportsplex, we really have two different segments:  Weekends host tournaments bringing volleyball, basketball and other sports into town playing teams from Tulsa, the state and region.  And during the week, we have our youth and adult leagues to keep people active and enjoy fun and competition in a comfortable place.

TK: Why do you feel that FC Tulsa and the Sportsplex are good ways to invest in Tulsa?

J.W.: Tulsa is on an exciting trajectory and certainly having more things for the community to get behind as it grows is something we want to be a part of.

TK: Tell us about what people can expect when they attend the soccer matches.

J.W.: With roughly two games a month, most of those matches are on Friday or Saturday night. We offer a number of ticket options and bundled group pricing to appeal to all fans. The games run about two hours with two halves of 45 minutes each. Goals are exciting as we shoot off fireworks when we score!

T.K. As a father of five, how have you involved your family/kids in what you’re working on?

J.W.: Only one of my kids plays soccer, but my passion has rubbed off on each of them. I will usually pick one or two road games a season and take one of my kids with me. We pick the city and make a weekend with the game as one thing on the itinerary. Last year was a big one for international soccer as we went to the Liga MX final in Mexico City and quarterfinal and semi-final matches in Germany for the Euros.

T.K.: How can families/kids get involved in FC Tulsa? What opportunities are available?

J.W.: This summer, we have a variety of sports camps running all summer long at the Sportsplex. Register for one of our sports leagues at the Sportsplex Signup for the FC Tulsa Training Academy Camps.

Get to know our players, come out to a match and support the team. Both home and away games are on ESPN+, and the Paramount+/CBS Sports Network.

Listen to the Sharing Passion and Purpose Podcast for the full interview and to learn the one thing that J.W. never expected to happen as a result of investing in FC Tulsa. Listen on your favorite podcasting app or directly at SharingPassionandPurpose.com.

Check out FC Tulsa & Ascension St. John Sportsplex online: FCTulsa.com is #ForTulsa; Instagram: @fctulsa & @ascensionstjohnsportsplex; Facebook: @fctulsa & @ascensionstjohnsportsplex

Nancy A. Moore is a Public Relations Coordinator at Montreau, Adjunct Professor at Tulsa Community College, and has been writing for TulsaKids for almost 20 years.