Detroit — From representing an era defined by teal jerseys, Basketball Hall of Famer Grant Hill has fond memories of his five-year tenure with the Detroit Pistons. Outside of the dunks and game-winning plays that made him one of the best players in franchise history, scrimmaging against the Detroit Shock during his offseason training in the late 1990s is one of Hill’s best memories.

YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — New details have emerged in the case of a Yuma Border Patrol agent, Ramon Marquez, accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a teen girl who was in the youth Border Patrol Explorer Program he helped oversee.

New court documents show the sexual relationship between Marquez, a married father of two, and a 16-year-old girl began in December 2024 and continued through late April, when the investigation was launched.

In a report, investigators said Marquez engaged in multiple encounters with the girl. These incidents reportedly occurred during Explorer program activities, out-of-town trips and even at USBP facilities.

In one instance, detectives said a video shows the girl at Marquez’s home, where a young child can be heard crying in the background. Investigators believe the child is Marquez’s son.

While only one victim has been identified so far, court records reveal this was not the first time Marquez had engaged in inappropriate texting with a child.

The inappropriate behavior was first reported by another Border Patrol agent who observed concerning interactions involving Marquez.

A second report came from another teenage girl in the Explorer Program. She told investigators that Marquez had sent her inappropriate text messages about a year earlier and was facilitating meetups outside of official program activities.

Marquez is facing 14 counts of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of sexual exploitation for allegedly recording sexual acts involving the teen.

“This person knew that there were boundaries and expectations,” said Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, an ASU professor and expert in sex trafficking.

Roe-Sepowitz said cases involving law enforcement officers carry added concern because of the authority those individuals hold. “People in power can take advantage of those who have less power,” she said.

Roe-Sepowitz stressed the importance of proper oversight in youth mentorship programs to protect participants from abuse. “There needs to be checks and balances in all programs,” she said. “I don’t think we need to enter relationships with kids or kids leadership or sports with the idea that adults are predators, but we do need to make sure kids are not alone with coaches.”

Marquez is not in custody. He posted bond following his arrest and according to statements made to detectives, he has been placed on administrative leave.

Arizona’s Family reached out to Yuma Border Patrol for an update on the status of the Explorer Program and whether additional safeguards will be implemented, but has not yet received a response.

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T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY
Members of the Marshalltown city council along with City Clerk Alicia Hunter, Mayor Joel Greer and City Administrator Carol Webb converse during Tuesday night’s meeting.

Amidst ongoing discussion about lease agreements for various local sports leagues amidst recent changes in water billing, the Marshalltown City Council voted unanimously to proceed with allocating up to $75,000 in council-designated Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) money toward the development of a master plan for the city’s youth and adult recreational sports facilities during Tuesday night’s regular meeting.

City Administrator Carol Webb said staff was requesting that a consultant be hired to prepare the plan as she did not feel they had the expertise in house to do so, and she estimated the cost at between $50,000 and $75,000 while providing a draft of the Request for Proposal (RFP) document and noting that the LOST fund currently has a balance of nearly $1.8 million.

“I’d like to support this project. It seems like we have lost some recreational facilities for adults and youths over my time in Marshalltown, over 45 years, but, you know, it’s time to modernize this, get our facilities together (and) easier to maintain, lower long-term expenses, higher utilization. I think this is a great idea,” Councilor Jeff Schneider said.

He subsequently motioned to proceed with allocating up to $75,000 toward an RFP for the plans, and before the vote, Mayor Joel Greer noted some of Marshalltown’s recent successes in track, tennis and eSports while making the case for increased participation among young Bobcats. A motion to proceed with the plan passed by a 6-0 vote as Councilor Greg Nichols was absent.

Piggybacking off of recent discussions, Webb said the council had been advised to reevaluate its lease agreements with various organizations, and two councilors joined the city administrator and City Attorney Steve Leidinger on that ad hoc committee. According to Webb, they have recommended a policy that would charge fair market rent for city facilities unless a public benefit can be demonstrated.

With no further discussion from the council or the public, Councilor Gary Thompson motioned to have staff put the formal policy together and bring it back as a resolution. It passed 6-0. Currently, the city has a total of 18 lease agreements in place with other public and private entities ranging from the American Legion Golf Course to the Iowa River OHV Club to the Union Pacific Railroad and various youth sports leagues, to name a few.

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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.

JAMESTOWN — The Jamestown Area Youth Baseball organization will be hosting American Legion opening day at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3, at Jack Brown Stadium.

The Jamestown Post 14 Eagles will face LaMoure Post 19 in a doubleheader to open their season.

According to a press release, the day will involve games and prizes for fans, a group photo involving all of the JAYBAL athletes and free admission for all fans. There will also be a new slushy machine at the Jack Brown Stadium concession stand.

“We want opening day to feel like the start of summer in Jamestown,” JAYBAL President Matt Perkins said. “This is more than baseball, it’s about bringing our community together and creating family memories that will last a lifetime. Watching kids grow through sports, neighbors catching up in the bleachers and families spending time together at the ballfield. It’s the heartbeat of our summer.”

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of “staff.” Often, the “staff” byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

Three dozen youth in the secure custody of the State of Illinois showed off their hoops skills this spring during the inaugural “FLEX Lloyd Tournament of Champions” basketball tournament at Northern Illinois University’s Anderson Hall.

And, between the whistles, they enjoyed another chance to glimpse what life could look like through making different and better choices.

Realizations of possibilities came in the moment: “A lot of people didn’t believe in us,” one player said, “and we ended up proving the haters wrong.”

Organized by NIU Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education faculty members and associate professors Jenn Jacobs and Zach Wahl-Alexander, the Project FLEX (Fitness, Leadership, EXperience) competition in DeKalb expanded years of programming designed to help the young people develop positive habits for post-release success.

Five Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) facilities – Chicago, Pere Marquette, Harrisburg, PEACE Center at St. Charles and Warrenville – sent teams to field an eight-squad bracket that also included three lineups of NIU students.

Youth were chosen for the IDJJ teams based on a record of good behavior, staff recommendations and an interest in participating. IDJJ staff served as coaches for the teams, holding practices for the weeks leading up to the tournament and working to obtain uniforms and shoes for the teams.

Approximately 45 IDJJ staff members traveled to DeKalb to coach, cheer, assist and ensure safety protocols remained in place. Tommie Meyers, who manages several travel basketball teams in the Chicago area, donated 20 pairs of basketball shoes for youth who needed them.

NIU’s Mission II, a purebred Siberian Husky, attended the tournament so youth and staff could pet him before the kickoff of the tournament. Victor E. Huskie, the NIU mascot, also provided photo opportunities for youth and staff.

Following three rounds of spirited and full-court play accompanied by a steady soundtrack of hip-hop music, the St. Charles Phoenix Emerging Adult Career and Education (PEACE) Center climbed to the top.

It was just as confidently predicted by one athlete from that facility who reported that he and his teammates worked hard to prepare for the tournament, showed dedication to make their mothers proud and, as a result, would leave NIU with the trophy.

He and his counterparts definitely made Jacobs and Wahl-Alexander proud.

“It was cool to see some of them just zoom out of being an incarcerated person and just feel like a normal kid, and I think it was the exact opportunity where they got to feel like a high school kid for the first time,” Jacobs said. “The thing I’m most excited about is that the kids rose to the occasion, because they were the ones who could have made or broken the experience – and they just crushed it.”

“We’re trying to provide these real-world experiences for the kids – these realistic opportunities that they would have if they weren’t incarcerated,” Wahl-Alexander added, “and I think that as we’ve gotten more comfortable, and as the facility has given us more flexibility and freedom, we’ve started to push the boundaries a bit.”

Rob Vickery, acting director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, came to watch with hopes of seeing “a lot of fun, a lot of laughter, a lot of smiles” and “competitiveness that is appropriate, positive and all in good fun.”

Vickery has appreciated Project FLEX’s philosophy in action with the Chicago, St. Charles and Warrenville facilities.

Project FLEX and IDJJ began their partnership in 2018 at the St. Charles youth center, using sports to make a positive impact on the lives of incarcerated youth. FLEX now operates multiple programs in three IDJJ facilities, including an initiative that helps high school graduates at the PEACE Center to become certified personal trainers.

“We try to offer as many normal opportunities that the youth would have in regular schools and, even though they’re in our custody, we’re going to have as many opportunities as possible for them to engage in athletics and other competition,” Vickery said.

“What’s so cool about Project FLEX in particular is, yes, they’re doing sports activities, but underlying all of that is really a focus on building life skills; building a capacity to set goals and work toward them; building a capacity to work through frustrations,” he added. “This is a culminating event where they’re able to apply all the skills.”

Sean T. Frazier, NIU vice president/director of Athletics and Recreation, set an affirmational tone with a motivational speech immediately before the games began.

“This is really special for me for a lot of different reasons,” Frazier told the IDJJ youth. “I wouldn’t be standing here today if I didn’t have a chance, through athletics, to get a scholarship to go on to college. Thank the Lord I was able to do that, or I would basically be that statistic.”

Sean T. Frazier (center), with Jenn Jacobs and Zach Wahl-Alexander, delivered the keynote address.

Frazier said his mother, a single parent, “had to work three or four jobs just to put some food on our table” in Queens, New York.

Her effort provided a powerful example, he said, adding that he accepted FLEX’s invitation to speak to pay forward that gift by encouraging the youth to make the most of the opportunity they were given.

“One of the things that always struck me going through the process is that she always believed that I was going to be able to get something done. I really appreciate her to this day. I get choked up thinking about the things that she had to do for me to be in the position that I am,” he said.

“You can do whatever you want to do. It’s up to you to make the commitment and to have the discipline to make it happen,” he added. “You’ve got people here that are going to help you … and if I can be that person, please come on over to the Athletics department. I’d love to have that conversation.”

For Jacobs and Wahl-Alexander, the first-time event’s success was confirmed by the campus visitors; several IDJJ staff members told the professors that “this is my favorite day on the job ever.”

“I do want to credit our supporters. Rob Vickery and the IDJJ are just visionaries, and it takes courage to say yes to things that have not done before,” Jacobs said. “I think it’s reflective of a positive partnership. We’re delivering on our outcomes, keeping the kids safe and helping them grow.”

“To our knowledge, these types of things don’t occur in the United States,” Wahl-Alexander said, “but, hopefully, this is maybe a sign of things to come.”

St. Anthony Lloyd, IDJJ Leisure Time Activities supervisor, agrees.

Lloyd was instrumental in all aspects of planning and coordinating the tournament and served as the primary liaison between the department and Project FLEX, which he calls “a phenomenal partner.”

“For me, this tournament was about more than basketball. I truly believe that when we unite for the benefit of our youth, success naturally follow,” he said. “While the games themselves were exciting, the true significance of the event lays in its power to bring people together in pursuit of a shared goal. Basketball just happened to be the catalyst.”

NIU students also played in the tournament, fielding three squads.

Such “meaningful experiences have the power to shift perspectives.”

“Outsiders will now see our youth as more than their past. IDJJ staff can now witness firsthand that positive outcomes are achievable when we work in unison. Most importantly, our youth will begin to believe that their current circumstances do not define their future – they are capable of achieving and experiencing greatness,” Lloyd said.

There is so much more potential ahead,” he added, “and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together in the future.”

He’s not alone.

“I like the feeling of how everyone played together and played well, with no problems,” one player said. “We should keep it going.”

Nike and the LEGO Group are kicking off their global multi-year partnership this summer with a series of immersive experiences and co-branded products designed to inspire kids everywhere to embrace the joy of active and creative play.

The partnership brings together the “Just Do It” spirit of Nike with the imaginative power of LEGO^® bricks to invite all kids into sport and play. Over the upcoming months, kids can enjoy the opportunity to engage in immersive experiences across different cities around the world, as well as a full collection of products, including LEGO sets and Nike footwear, apparel and accessories.

In addition, three-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson will support the partnership by helping engage kids through a reimagined world of play that will come to life across digital channels. More information will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

“I have loved playing with LEGO bricks since I was a kid and know that my creativity and play helped me not only in sports but also at school and in life,” says Wilson, a Nike signature athlete. “I’m thrilled to be part of this partnership with Nike and the LEGO Group and know we can help to make a positive impact with kids and adults alike.” 

EXPERIENCES ROOTED IN ACTIVE AND CREATIVE PLAY

Both brands are committed to enabling access to active and creative play for communities around the world and have backed efforts for the United Nations to designate June 11 as the International Day of Play.

Over the coming months, Nike and the LEGO Group will bring play and fun to communities with unforgettable, experiential activations. From June 7–11, the Nike and LEGO Play Arena will be open to the public at LEGOLAND^® California Resort. At this basketball-themed experience, children and families can design their own LEGO Minifigure athlete trading card, showcase their creative spirit by building their very own mini basketball jersey, and test their skills by shooting for the ultimate three-pointer. Access to the Play Arena is included with general admission at LEGOLAND California Resort.

“Play has the incredible ability to inspire and spark creativity in every child, and at the LEGO Group, we truly believe in that power,” says Federico Begher, SVP, Product Group, New Businesses, LEGO Group. “We’re excited to kick off the first chapter of our partnership with Nike, blending the joy of basketball with the magic of imagination.”

Against the backdrop of summer football in Europe, fans are invited to take part in a creative world of play July 19–27 at Nike and the LEGO Group’s football activation in London. Families will be able to see and participate in programming geared toward kids that centers on and celebrates football, holding events in partnership with nonprofit organizations that will focus on building girls’ confidence.

“At Nike, we are dedicated to fueling the potential of kids through play,” says Cal Dowers, VP, Global Kids, NIKE, Inc. “Activating the full power of Nike — from athletes to our communities — helps us engage and inspire kids to experience the enjoyment of sport as a lifelong pursuit. Our partnership with the LEGO Group reinforces our commitment to inviting all kids to play.”

Nike employees around the world will also be able to celebrate the partnership through various on-campus events that help put play back into sport. Global employees based at the Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., will learn how to become youth sport coaches. Employees will then be able to put their skills to action on June 11, when Nike will host kids from a local nonprofit organization for a day of sport as part of International Day of Play.

In Greater China, Nike will amplify the energy of the partnership across Shanghai, Beijing and other key cities with a number of co-branded community events and in-store displays and activations at the Shanghai House of Innovation. In the fall, Nike will unveil a multifunctional playground made of recycled shoes in Shanghai. Igniting active play in kids, the court is part of a commitment Nike made to build 100 Nike Grind courts across Greater China, with 42 already built as of this year, creating tangible social impact while helping ensure the future of the planet and sport.

“Nike is powering the future of youth sport — with the vision of an active, inclusive world that inspires all youth to play and achieve their greatest potential,” says Vanessa Garcia-Brito, VP and Chief Impact Officer, NIKE, Inc. “Through coaching, we can put the fun back into sport and welcome all youth to participate. Our goal is to give the next generation an opportunity to enjoy a lifetime of sport and movement and help make their dreams real.” 

WINNING PRODUCTS FOR KIDS

The first LEGO product goes on sale on July 1, with the LEGO Nike Dunk set. This 1,180-piece set, for LEGO fans ages 10 and up, features a Nike Dunk, rotatable brick basketball toy and iconic “Dunk” slogan that sports fans can build, rebuild and display. Hidden within the Nike Dunk model are stash compartments to safely store championship rings or other essentials, as well as extra laces for custom color swap-outs. Inspired by the iconic sneaker, first born and worn over 40 years ago, this set is a celebration of sneaker culture and LEGO creativity that blends the worlds of building and basketball. The set also comes with a unique basketball Minifigure, B’Ball Head. Additional LEGO sets will go on sale in September, with more information to be released this summer. 

The first Nike products will go on sale on August 1 with the Nike Air Max Dn x LEGO Collection as well as a line of apparel and accessories, followed on September 1 by the Nike Dunk Low x LEGO Collection and more, all celebrating the lifestyle of sport and play. The design of these products was inspired by the unique LEGO design aesthetic, from the iconic stud to the stylized LEGO Minifigure, combined with the power of sport culture and DNA that Nike brings. Additional Nike footwear and apparel will be unveiled through the fall. More information will be released at a later date.

The LEGO Nike Dunk set is now available for pre-order at LEGO.com/nike and will be available for all at LEGO.com/nike and LEGO Stores beginning July 1. Products will also be available via Nike channels, including in select Nike stores across the globe and via nike.com. 

The Nike Dunk Low x LEGO Collection and Nike Air Max Dn x LEGO Collection will be available across Nike channels, including nike.com and select retail partners. 

For more information, visit LEGO.com/nike or nike.com/lego.