Niagara athletes performed admirably at the Legion National Youth Track and Field Championships held last week in Calgary at the Foothills Athletic Park.
The region was represented by 35 athletes and the contingent recorded its biggest medal haul yet on the national stage.
Multiple winners included: Thorold Elite Track Club’s Amairah Gayle, representing Team Ontario, who won double gold in the U18 girls high jump and long jump; Alan Tirop, representing Team Ontario, who won gold in the U16 boys 300 metres and silver in the 200 metres, won gold as part of Team Ontario’s U16 boys sprint medley relay and bronze with Team Ontario’s U18 boys 4×400-metre relay team; Thorold Elite’s Luis Corredor Reyes who won gold in the U16 boys 200 metres and bronze in the 100 metres, gold with Thorold Elite’s U16 boys 4×100-metre relay team and bronze with Thorold Elite’s U16 boys sprint medley relay team; Thorold Elite’s Tyrique Woodside who won gold in the U16 boys 100 metres and silver in the long jump, gold with Thorold Elite’s U16 boys 4×100-metre relay team and bronze with Thorold Elite’s U16 boys sprint medley relay team; Thorold Elite’s Nixson Scarlett whp won silver in the U16 boys 200-metre hurdles and gold with Thorold Elite’s U16 boys 4×100-metre relay team; Kyjiah Slowley of the Flying Angels Track and Field Academy who won silver in U18 girls triple jump and bronze in long jump; Thorold Elite’s Deagen Hallett, representing Team Ontario, who won bronze in the U16 boys 800 metres and gold as part of Team Ontario’s U16 boys sprint medley relay; and, Muscab Mohamed who won gold as part of Thorold Elite’s U16 boys 4×100-metre relay team and bronze with the club’s U16 boys sprint medley relay team.
Individual medal winners included: Athletics Niagara’s Adam Freure who won gold in the U18 boys decathlon; Thorold Elite’s Mico Penich who won silver in the U18 boys triple jump; Thorold Elite’s Ayla Laing who won silver in the U18 girls 3,000-metre racewalk; Thorold Elite’s Maeva Scipio who won bronze in the U18 girls 400-metre hurdles; and, and Colby Craig who won bronze as part of Thorold Elite’s U16 boys sprint medley relay team.
Almost 1,500 under-16 and under-18 athletes from across Canada took part in the national meet. This year’s event was the 47th organized by the Legion. The competition’s roots come from the Legion’s support and promotion of youth sports as a healthy activity to help children who had parents serving overseas with the Canadian Armed Forces. Eventually, the Legion created local, provincial, and national youth athletic programs culminating in the Legion nationals.
Slime Time Hoops, a nonprofit youth travel basketball organization co-founded by Onslow County businessman Andy Pittman, is gearing up for its 2026 season.
The program, open to both boys and girls, aims to help young athletes gain skills to become more competitive. Slime Time Hoops will host a skills training session this Sunday, Dec. 14, at Jacksonville High School.
The event, costing $20, is open to boys and girls in grades four through eight.
“We basically do individual and group skills training. We run through multiple drills. At the end, we typically let – we break them into teams to let them scrimmage to get some live action,” said Pittman.
The training will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The organization plans to host season tryouts in February.
Hidden Gems Archery hosts its 3rd Annual Future Pro Invitational on Dec. 13, uniting NYC students for inclusive archery, focus, leadership, and teamwork.
QUEENS, NY, UNITED STATES, December 10, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ — Hidden Gems Archery proudly announces the return of its 3rd Annual Future Archery Pro (#FutureArcheryPro) Invitational, to be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at Grover Cleveland High School in Queens, New York. This citywide tournament brings students together to compete in an inclusive, skill-building environment that promotes leadership, focus, and teamwork through the sport of archery.
The Invitational is part of the Future Archery Pro Initiative, a program designed to increase access to archery for young people across New York City—particularly in underserved communities. Participating schools are invited to bring up to ten students, with additional slots made available as capacity allows. Teachers and coaches oversee student selection, transportation, and on-site supervision, creating a seamless partnership between school communities and the Hidden Gems Archery team.
“Every student deserves a chance to aim higher, both in archery and in life,” said Natasha Green, CEO & Founder of Hidden Gems Archery. “This event builds more than athletic ability—it develops patience, discipline, and self-confidence while expanding access to a nontraditional, inclusive sport.”
*Empowering Partnerships with Schools* Educator partnerships are at the heart of the program’s success. School leaders across the city have embraced the opportunity to bring archery into their physical education programs and after-school offerings.
Luis Torres, longtime supporter and former principal of CS 55 in the Bronx, shared: “Working with Hidden Gems Archery over the years has shown me the powerful role archery can play in building student confidence. It’s more than a sport—it’s a tool for focus, motivation, and growth.”
The Invitational is hosted at Grover Cleveland High School, where Hidden Gems Archery also provides adaptive archery instruction to students on the autism spectrum.
Principal Pascente added: “We’re proud to support adaptive archery as part of our inclusive physical education model. Events like this show students they can succeed in spaces where they may not have traditionally seen themselves.”
*Building a Movement, One Arrow at a Time* Participating students will compete in both individual and team events, with prizes including the coveted “School with Highest Points” award. All participants are encouraged to have completed at least four archery sessions in advance to ensure familiarity with safety protocols and competition standards.
Transportation assistance—including a Bronx-based bus route—is available for schools that need support, and planning meetings are open to all educators involved in the event.
“Thank you for this opportunity for our students!” said Principal Kelly Nepogoda, reflecting the enthusiasm and commitment from school leaders citywide.
Since its launch, the Future Archery Pro Invitational has engaged schools across all five boroughs and continues to grow as a model for how sports can drive equity, confidence, and leadership in young people. Hidden Gems Archery welcomes new school and community partners interested in bringing this innovative program to their campuses.
*Event at a Glance* What: 3rd Annual Future Archery Pro Invitational When: Saturday, December 13, 2025 Where: Grover Cleveland High School, Queens, NY Who: Students from NYC schools participating in competitive and adaptive archery Contact: info@hiddengemsarchery.com | (475) 328-2339
Natasha Green Hidden Gems Archery +1 718-924-9538 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook
Future Archery Pro May 2025
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Detroit Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield wed Rickey Jackson Jr. in a private ceremony at The Godfrey Hotel on Sunday.
There’s no official title for the spouse of the mayor. Sheffield is Detroit’s first woman to serve as Detroit’s head executive.
Jackson is program manager for Project Play: Southeast Michigan at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the brother of WNBA star Rickea Jackson.
Jackson hasn’t appeared much in local news reports. A LinkedIn profile shows Jackson had past roles as an advisor at New Paradigm for Education, a student mentor at Adrian High School and assistant director of admissions at Defiance College in Ohio. Sheffield wore an engagement ring during her campaign but declined to say who her fiancé was until after the wedding.
In a Monday statement from her mayoral transition team, Sheffield and Jackson said they were “grateful for all the love prayers and well wishes we’ve received during this special moment in our lives.”
Sheffield posted more thanks and images from the ceremony on her Instagram page on Tuesday.
The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan is serving as fiduciary for Sheffield’s transition process. It launched Project Play Southeast Michigan in 2017 to build youth sports opportunities. The initiative is a collaboration between the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and the Aspen Institute.
Jackson’s LinkedIn profile states he is “passionate about expanding access to quality sports, play, and physical activity opportunities for all youth across the region.”
BridgeDetroit requested an interview with Jackson to learn more about his background and public service experiences. Sheffield’s transition team said they would follow up after the newlyweds have some time to celebrate their nuptials privately.
Hey, it’s Malachi. Thanks for reading.
The Detroit City Council was sworn in this week and started an orientation process organized by the City Clerk and Legislative Policy Division.
The agenda included sessions on Monday and Tuesday focused on council responsibilities, meeting rules, ethics, contracting, city agencies, staff appointments, safety protocols, media services and technology.
Formal sessions will resume in the first week of the New Year.
In the meantime, help me improve this newsletter! I’m overhauling the Notebook for the new year and genuinely need your help.
What kind of information would be most useful to you?
How should we cover the new City Council and mayor?
Do you want me to focus on 2026 elections for state and federal offices or keep it hyper local?
Do you prefer short summaries in your inbox or all the detail I can muster?
Shoot me a note at mbarrett@bridgedetroit.com.
I remain chronically online, and, by consequence, come across lots of great information I’ll never have time to report on myself. I’m sharing with you and closing these tabs on my computer.
Detroit’s RoboCop statue in Eastern Market is like a meme come to life, but Daily Detroit’s Jer Staes convinced me there’s more to the story than you’d think. He got the inside scoop on how the saga unfolded, and the details will surprise you
Staes also reminded me that for as much as people may scoff or cringe at Detroit’s derelict depiction in the film, “RoboCop” remains a caustic, prescient satire of the soul-consuming nature of corporate greed. Maybe it’s worth revisiting art that explores how the human spirit perseveres against the forces of predatory capitalism and fascism.
Congressman Shri Thanedar introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday. Thanedar accused Hegseth of allegedly murdering Venezuelan civilians suspected of trafficking drugs and mishandling classified information by discussing war plans in an unsecured chat app.
Read Thanedar’s reasoning in the articles of impeachment here. The effort may end the same as Thanedar’s failed attempt to impeach President Donald Trump earlier this year. Axios explains why.
Thanedar is running for reelection in the 13th District and faces a primary challenge from state Rep. Donavan McKinney, who was endorsed by dozens of Black leaders, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and the Justice Democrats.
Mayoral candidate Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. called for a renewed focus on eradicating childhood poverty in his first public statement since losing the 2025 race. Kinloch, writing in Deadline Detroit, said the city can’t celebrate its recovery while half of children are under the poverty line.
Kinloch, senior pastor of Triumph Church, also argued that most registered voters didn’t participate in November elections “not because they didn’t care — but because they didn’t feel connected.” He earned just 22% of the vote.
The Detroit Ice Boiz are back on Belle Isle, hosting weekend pickup pond hockey games as long as the weather allows. Last year, we covered how the inclusive community group is preserving a historic tradition of casual hockey on Belle Isle’s frozen waterways.
I was out with the group again last weekend and can confirm it remains chill and open to all. Consider donating to a GoFundMe page, which will fund equipment and community events.
Detroit’s heavy embrace of tax abatements is considered necessary when developers face high property taxes and construction costs, but what happens when tax breaks expire
Clara Hendrickson at the Detroit Free Press took a sharp look at Detroit’s reliance on abatement programs that need Legislative renewal. One thing that stood out to me is how much we actually don’t know — there’s no cost-benefit analysis to draw from.
Many are trying to emulate the annual Spotify Wrapped feature, which recaps each user’s unique music consumption over the year. The Detroit Institute of Arts did it better than most, listing which pieces in its online collection attracted the most attention.
It’s a fun read, and a great reminder of how many iconic pieces the DIA has in its inventory. Here are my most-listened-to songs of 2025, and no, I will not explain myself.
Students don’t have to make the journey abroad alone. URochester faculty often go abroad—for work and for plays.
English 252: Theatre in England is a four-credit course led by Katherine Mannheimer, professor and chair of the Department of English, that sends students to the British capital for two weeks over winter break to attend and discuss around 20 plays in theatres across the city. The syllabus includes Shakespeare and work by up-and-coming playwrights. Recent highlights have included Antony and Cleopatra, Oedipus, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
In between morning classes and attending all of those plays, students visit the British Museum, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, and other cultural sites. The annual trip is open to undergraduates and graduate students regardless of major.
“I’ll remember this experience for the rest of my life,” says Brittany Broadus ’24, who was an English and psychology double major. “From the start of the class to the very end, I felt like I was living in a dream.”
ROC Galapagos has been a semester-long program for undergraduates offering hands-on field research and intense learning in evolutionary biology, ecology, and conservation. Based in Ecuador, with field work in the Amazon rainforest, the Andes mountains, and the Galapagos Islands, students have taken in-person formal courses from URochester professors, conducted field surveys, and collected data on topics such as invasive species and endemic wildlife.
“My experience was incredible,” says Christine Bresnahan ’25, who majored in ecology and evolutionary biology. “I loved living with my host families. I got to grow my Spanish and learn about their country’s culture and history. And the life skills I learned were invaluable.”
WHITE PLAINS – Mount Vernon youth basketball coach Dwayne Murray has been indicted by a Westchester County grand jury on charges related to his alleges sexual abuse of a child.
District Attorney Susan Cacace said the 63-year-old Murray was charged with the felonies of predatory sexual assault against a child and course of sexual conduct against a child.
County Court Judge Robert Prisco issued a temporary order of protection on behalf of the victim, who was under the age of 13.
Murray is currently remanded at the county jail.
The top charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 25 years to life in state prison.
The current front-of-jersey sponsor, Tillamook, will transition to the sleeve patch and remain part of the team’s sponsor lineup.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Bank of America will become the new front-of-jersey sponsor for the Portland Timbers in a multi-year deal, the club announced Tuesday morning. The current front-of-jersey sponsor since 2024, Tillamook, will remain partnered with the team but will transition to the sleeve patch.
The updated jerseys will debut in 2026 and will mark the first time the Bank of America logo has been featured on a professional sports jersey, according to a joint news release from the club and the bank. Bank of America is also a sponsor for U.S. Soccer and FIFA World Cup 2026.
The sponsorship deal with the Timbers includes a new program called Soccer with Us aimed at making soccer more inclusive, mainly through youth-focused efforts including the development of “Community Futsal Courts,” a youth soccer camp program called “Camps for All” and an initiative called “Equipped to Play.”
The first initiative will build or resurface 10 futsal courts throughout Oregon, adding new goals, nets and equipment, according to the news release. The second will provide 50 free youth soccer camps at Providence Park and other locations to serve 5,000 youth athletes, including through 250 camp scholarships. The third will donate $200,000 worth of merchandise to schools and community groups.
“We’re proud to welcome Bank of America to the Timbers family, and together we are committed to making a meaningful impact in our community,” Portland Timbers CEO Heather Davis said in a statement. “Bank of America’s investment goes beyond the Timbers; it’s an investment in the city of Portland. This partnership will provide valuable resources and opportunities for youth in sports, local small businesses, public schools and more.”
Bank of America will also launch a series of initiatives aimed at bolstering local businesses, the club said. “First Match Access Pass” will provide 100 tickets per game to people who have never been to a match. “Small Business of the Game” will promote local businesses at games and give $5,000 grants, serving 50 businesses over the lifetime of the partnership.
“Game Changers of Tomorrow” will provide a VIP experience at a Timbers match and an educational grant to 20 students over the course of the partnership. An annual “Small Business Summit” at Providence Park will bring in more than 100 local businesses for workshops, panels and networking, and “Stand Together” will support the club’s annual initiative to serve nonprofit projects.
“The Timbers are a tremendous asset to Portland, and this partnership is an opportunity to strengthen ties in the community and create meaningful economic impact across the region,” Roger Hinshaw, Bank of America Oregon and Southwest Washington president, said in a statement. “Our collaboration goes well beyond the pitch, as we build programs that create greater access for youth to experience soccer and deliver lasting benefits throughout the community.”
Tillamook was already a Timbers sponsor for 10 years before becoming the front-of-jersey partner, and will continue to support community programs like Stand Together and PTFC camps, according to to the news release.
“Tillamook has been an incredible partner of the club, and we’re excited to continue our relationship for years to come,” Davis said in a statement. “Their move to the sleeve patch reflects their enduring support of the club and shared commitment to our community.”
