• Côte St. Luc

CSL Golf Classic Aug. 5: The annual Côte St. Luc Golf Classic is taking place Tuesday, August 5 at the Meadowbrook Golf Club, with a rain date of Tuesday Aug. 12. The event is presented as a partnership with the CSL Men’s Club, and has been taking place each summer for the past 44 years. The organizing committee is made up of councillors Mike Cohen, Lior Azerad, and Dida Berku, as well as Norm Goldfield from the Men’s Club, and Cornelia Ziga, Irene Lahaie, and Moe Giobbi from the Recreation Department. “Each Tuesday during the summer, Men’s Club members gather to play nine holes,” a city announcement points out. “On this special occasion, the invitation will be extended to elected officials, members of the business community, and other golf enthusiasts.” The sponsors for this year’s event include Marc Ezerzer and Hagai Brenner from KW Prestige Real Estate; and Philippe Mamane, wealth management advisor at Assante Wealth Management. “Proceeds from the event will benefit the Recreation Bursary Fund, which supports families facing financial hardship and children with special needs in registering for city programs they might not otherwise afford.” This year’s honouree will be Peter Lipari, owner of the IGA Lipari Côte-St-Luc (7151 Côte Saint-Luc Rd.) “and a long-time supporter of community initiatives.” Registration is $30, “which includes a round of golf and an invitation for two to a special awards banquet on Monday, Sept. 29 at the Aquatic and Community Centre (5794 Parkhaven Ave.). The banquet will include the awards presentation and the unveiling of the cheque for the bursary fund, and will be held alongside the annual Maison Fleuries ceremony. Registration begins Wednesday, June 11 at the ACC for individuals and foursomes. Men’s Club members and their guests can take advantage of priority registration starting Friday, June 6. In the event of a rain date, those unable to attend on August 12 may request a refund.For more information, contact Irene Lahaie at ilahaie@cotesaintluc.org.”

Reaction to antisemitic terrorist murder: The city reacted to the May 21 murder of Israeli embassy employees Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim in Washington, D.C., for which Elias Rodriguez, 31, has been arrested. “We stand in unwavering solidarity with the Jewish community in Washington and around the world,” the CSL statement says. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of Yaron and Sarah. May their memories forever be a blessing. This attack, while horrifying, is not isolated—nor should it be treated as such. Since the barbaric massacres of October 7, 2023, we have witnessed a disturbing surge of antisemitic incitement and glorification of violence in Western cities, including Montreal. We continue to urge police authorities to recognize the cumulative effect of incitement, chants, vandalism, and intimidation, instead of viewing each act as an isolated incident. We will continue to remain vigilant in our patrols. For instance, last October an alert CSL officer spotted suspicious activity overnight and called in the Montreal police, who made arrests. We encourage residents and municipal employees to alert police to anything suspicious by calling 9-1-1.”

• Hampstead

Hampstead Day June 8: The annual Hampstead Day festivities will be taking place from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 8, with a rain date of June 15. The event will include fireworks at sundown, a pyrotechnic show at 9 p.m., inflatables, food trucks, and live entertainment. “Join us for a festive day designed for all ages—filled with family fun, live entertainment, and exciting surprises!” says a town announcement. Wristbands for activities (not food from food trucks that will be on site) are $20 for residents and $30 for non-residents.

Mayor’s reaction to NDP MP’s anti-Israel statement: Mayor Jeremy Levi, an outspoken supporter of Israel, reacted to NDP MP Heather McPherson’s statement calling on the Canadian government to end the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement, and to impose sanctions on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “If Heather feels so passionately aligned with the cause in Judea and Samaria, perhaps she should go all in and help build the post-Hamas regime herself,” he wrote. “For the last 19 months, her unwavering focus has been on championing Palestinians—far more than the Canadians she was elected to represent. Maybe it’s time she made that allegiance official.”

• Montreal West

Info meeting on traffic study. The town will be holding an information 7 p.m. June 12 at town hall to discuss the town’s traffic study regarding the situation on and around Westminster, including the rail crossing. Mayor Beny Masella, in his monthly Mayor’s report, reacted to reports about the town’s decision to not yet make fully public the traffic study. “The report contains complex information that I, even after 18 years in Montreal West and at the Agglomeration, often need experts to clarify,” he said. ” Misinformation can spread when details are not properly explained. One emailer claimed information is always good and then insulted me using the crudest of slurs. Incorrect or misunderstood information is extremely harmful.” Masella added that an executive summary was shared with residents who have raised concerns about the study and traffic on Westminster. “There are other reasons why the report is not released as well,” the mayor said. “Because we are in the middle of fine-tuning of these plans with our partners and eventually proceed to a call for tenders, certain information cannot be released ahead of time. As Council has said from the beginning, we will act upon therecommendations made by the traffic engineers – experts in the field, not casual readers.”

• St. Laurent

Vanier bursary for water polo champ: Vanier College in St. Laurent anounced that student Ion Diacenco has received a $500 Desjardins Foundation Sport-études bursary. “Ion Diacenco, who is in the Computer Science Technology program, earned his diploma in three years while playing water polo at a high level,” the Vanier announcement says. “A highly motivated student-athlete, he took full advantage of the guidance offered by Alliance Sport-Études and his teachers, in addition to taking distance education courses to optimize his time. In the pool, the player helped the Canadian men’s team earn a spot at the World Aquatics Championships next July when he and his teammates won silver at the Pan American Championships in Colombia last fall. A few months earlier, he was also part of the national team that finished second at the Pan American Junior Championships. Ion now aims to continue his studies in software engineering at McGill University with a view to working in cybersecurity one day. He would also like to play water polo in a professional league abroad. Congratulations and best of luck to Ion Diacenco!”

• Town of Mount Royal

Annual rose and flower show: The town announced that the Annual Flower & Rose Show will be taking place  Thursday, June 19, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in Schofield Hall at Town Hall, 90 Roosevelt Avenue. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend. “Community members are invited to participate by bringing their flower specimens by 4 p.m. on the day of the event. Small vases will be provided to display the entries. This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the beauty of local gardens, meet fellow gardening enthusiasts, and enjoy a relaxed and inspiring evening in the heart of town.”

Deadline to secure pools: The town informed homeowners that they have until Sept. 30 of this year to fully comply with a bylaw to properly secure their residential pools, reflecting provincial regulations. Sept. 30 “marks the end of the exemption granted by the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Regulation for bringing residential pool installations into compliance. All pools will need to be compliant with the by-law, including those installed before November 1, 2010. A summer brigade has already been identified and will be touring the Town’s territory over the next weeks to check whether pools are properly secured by an enclosure or fence. A reminder will be given to homeowners whose pools are not properly secured.”

• Westmount

The West Florida Waves Women’s Volleyball Team, with the help of some Coastal Crush coaches, won the Bronze Division at the recent 2025 USA Volleyball Open Championship in Denver. They are (bottom, from left): Bailey Burns, Claire Stewart, Laura Pelfrey and Megan Engelbretch. Back row (from left): Chelsea Kroll, Dannielle Ehlers, Anne Ellenberger, Nylah Demps, Brittney Engelbretch and Jasmine King. Courtesy Photo

Several current and former GBHS players and coaches, as well as some West Florida Waves and Coastal Crush coaches helped the Waves’ Women’s Volleyball team won the bronze division at the recent USA Volleyball Championships in Denver.

Among the players were former GBHS coach (and now UWF volunteer coach) Jasmine King, GBHS varsity assistant coach Nylah Demps and beach volleyball coach Chelsea Kroll.

Also on the team were Bailey Burns, Claire Stewart, Laura Pelfrey, Megan Engelbretch, Dannielle Ehlers, Anne Ellenberger and Brittney Engelbretch. Burns played for the Lady Dolphins a decade ago.

Competing in the Women’s B Division, the Waves finished tied for 39 in the 74 team field.

The Waves lost a pair of three-setters before winning six straight to win their bracket.

Results were as follows:

Waves lost to Albuquerque Fury 25-21, 21-25, 15-13

Waves d. Mochi Motion (NE) 25-16, 25-21

Waves lost to Super Smash Sisters (NE) 25-23, 22-25, 15-11

Chelsea Kroll talks to the beach volleyball team after they won their second consecutive state championship. Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News

Waves d. Awesome Sets (SC) 25-10, 25-16

Waves d. SHEGO GIRLS (WE) 25-15, 25-15

Waves d/. Block It Like It’s Hot (GW) 26-24, 25-10

Waves d. BONY (NE) 25-20, 25-16

Waves d. *NSYNC – RVC (OD) 24-26, 25-20, 15-10

Waves d. Pancakes and Waffles (NE) 25-18, 25-20

Jasmine King celebrates a point during last fall’s state championship match. Jason Thompson/Gulf Breeze News

CHINO HILLS—Since opening 35 years ago, Ayala High School has established a legacy of success in various sports.

But that legacy has taken a hit in recent months as coaches, athletic administrators, parents and athletes are unhappy with the current state of the athletic department.

“I’ve always been able, as a special ed teacher, to work with all the principals,” athletic director Warren Reed said. “I’ve always felt it was a strength of mine.”

But like many Ayala coaches recently, Reed last month announced he was stepping down after 13 years as athletic director effective at the end of the school year. The common denominator is principal Diana Yarboi.

There are expected to be some vocal community members at Thursday night’s Chino Valley Unified School District board meeting, supporting Reed and departed coaches.

On May 23, Ayala parents and athletes held a protest directed at Yarboi outside the school.

About 60 parents and athletes gathered, most of them held signs either supporting Reed or a coach, or denouncing Yarboi.

“She’s had a negative impact on football specifically,” said Blake Frausto, who will be a senior football player in the fall. “I’ve seen multiple kids transfer. Mr. Reed had nothing to do with this. It’s all Yarboi.”

At issue with football is the hiring of new football coach Terrance Smith as an off-campus coach.

Smith was hired with the support of many in the program, then fired by Yarboi, which Reed said was without his knowledge. Reed said the firing was due to some concerns about his ability to run a program before he had coached a game, as well as an error in the initial job listing that said the job was for the 2024-25 school year and not 2025-26.

He was eventually rehired but many felt there was damage done.

“Ultimately it was her decision,” Reed said. “Me not knowing ahead of time was a slap in the face.”

With girls water polo, coach Kevin Hammond was encouraged to resign to save his team’s spot in the CIF Southern Section playoffs after allegations he played too many lower-level players in varsity games. Reed and parents said Yarboi told them that Hammond — who also coached boys water polo — did nothing wrong and would consider him if he reapplied. He reapplied but the position has not yet been filled.

“It’s not just affected water polo, it’s affected all sports,” said Nandar Mulqueen, who is the water polo booster club president and mother of recently graduated boys water polo and current girls water polo athletes. “All the coaches are at a low morale with Mr. Reed leaving. I feel like there’s no transparency with the district and administration.”

Tony DiMarco resigned recently as cross country and track coach. As did co-track coach Jeff Allen, along with assistant coaches.

DiMarco had been running timing for league track meets for years off-campus and getting paid by schools in the league to do so with no complaints. When concerns were brought to his attention, he said he offered to let the money go back into the program and not to be paid at all. Instead, he was told he could not do timing for events any more and the alternative to run the timing was going to cost about three times as much as DiMarco was charging.

“Really it (resignation) came down to the support that wasn’t there from the principal anymore,” said DiMarco, who teaches in another district. “There’s always parents complaining about something. But in the end, little things started coming up. You get to the point where enough is enough.”

CVUSD received letters of support for Reed from outside the district including from Charter Oak athletic director Dominic Farrar.

“On behalf of countless coaches, student-athletes, and fellow administrators, who have benefitted from Warren Reed’s example, I respectfully ask this Board to examine the broader implications of his departure. We should be doing everything in our power to retain leaders like Warren, not creating conditions that drive them away,” Farrar wrote in the letter.

Yarboi did not respond to emails seeking comment, but CVUSD spokesperson Andrea Johnston did.

“While CVUSD leadership respects staff’s personal sentiments and assessments regarding their supervisors and campus operations, school site administrators are tasked with upholding and applying local, state, and federal guidelines and protocols related to programs hosted on their campuses,” she wrote. “While school leaders’ decisions may not always be popular they are made in the best interest of the students to ensure they qualify for competition while safely enjoying their sports.”

Reed said he would consider returning to his position, if there was a “change in the principal position … . It’s sad why some of these coaches are feeling like they are not being supported.”

Foley, Ala. — (OBA) — Foley now offers 12 public pickleball courts and 10 sand volleyball courts near the Coastal Alabama Farmer’s and Fishermen’s Market. The city officially opened the new courts on Monday, June 2. Just minutes after the 6 p.m. opening, all 12 pickleball courts were full. Each court had four players enjoying the new space.

“Today is a great day for Foley with lighted courts that are free to the public, and we really are looking forward to this being open,” said Mayor Ralph Hellmich.

The mayor said it took years of planning to make the project happen. City staff, contractors, and City Council members worked together to design and build the courts.

He added that David Thompson, the executive director for leisure services, and his team played a big role in getting the job done.

“The planning that went behind this is incredible,” Hellmich said. We wanted it to fit into this acreage here. Councilman (Charles) Ebert was very passionate about maintaining as much open space. We have housing units nearby. We have open space. We’re going to continue to improve all this area, but we believe it all blends together beautifully with the Farmers Market, which is one of the best in our area.”

Impact fees, charges paid by developers building in Foley, paid the cost of the courts.

“This is money that is created by the growth, and it’s used to support the needs of our quality of life for our current residents,” Hellmich said. “This did not come out of any tax dollars that residents who live here in Foley pay. It’s impact fee money, so it’s something that is really an incredible resource for us.”

Thompson said the courts will be a great resource for Foley residents.

“Today is an exciting day for our community,” Thompson said. “We’re officially opening our brand-new pickleball complex and our very first beach volleyball courts, and I have to say, they look amazing. These projects are big wins for our residents, and the best part is they’re open to the public every day until 10 p.m. So whether you’re an early riser or a night owl, we’ve got you covered with lighted courts and no excuses to get out and play.”

“These new facilities aren’t just about sports, they’re about community and about giving people a place to come, move, connect and compete,” Thompson added. 

He said a future phase of the park will also include more passive park areas at the site and restroom facilities shared with other areas of the site. 

Thompson said crews from the Foley Public Works Department built the road linking the new courts to Stabler Drive and the new parking lot for the facility.

Thompson said contractors, including Sawgrass Engineering, WAS Design, Harris Contracting, Asphalt Services and Smith Electric, helped make the project a reality.

Hellmich said the council and city staff members are also working on additional plans for new parks.

“As we bring these projects forward, you’re going to see signs of future park infrastructure, remodeling and things of that nature around town,” Hellmich said. “We’re just going to continue working. We have a plan going forward. We’re going to keep implementing these items. There are great things to come.”

LIVERMORE – Livermore High School’s Class of 2025 turned its tassels on May 30, marking the end of a high school journey and the beginning of the next chapter.

Among the graduating seniors were the year’s top students, Valedictorian Abigail Poe and Salutatorian Lucie Ansell.

Abigail Poe

When she packs her bags for UC Berkeley in the fall, Livermore’s valedictorian will be taking with her more than a prestigious accomplishment and a thirst for knowledge. The declared chemistry major will also be taking the support and blessings of her close friends and family.

“I had really good teachers, especially in the honors classes, which was huge,” Poe said. “My dad has also been a huge support and really keeps me grounded.”

Poe’s journey to becoming valedictorian was not a straight line. Born in Orange County, she moved to New Mexico with her parents and two brothers when she was in elementary school, and then to Livermore at the beginning of her junior year in high school.

With just two years at Livermore High, Poe took full advantage of the opportunities there and credits her teachers and supportive family for helping her achieve the highest honors.

“I had it (becoming valedictorian) in the back of my mind freshman and sophomore year, but I was in New Mexico and I was just trying to do the best I could in math and science,” Poe said. “And then when I got to Livermore, I said to myself, ‘Ya know, let’s go for it,’ and I did.”

Not only did she graduate as the school’s valedictorian, but Poe also engaged in several clubs and organizations throughout her academic journey. She participated in the Science Olympiad, a national non-profit STEM competition for middle and high school students. Additionally, Poe was a member of the high school dance team.

“I really like dancing, but I’m not that good at it,” she said, laughing. She is also a volunteer for her church’s worship team.

“That time is a huge thing for me,” she said. In her free time, Poe works at Ophelia’s Kitchen, a local sandwich shop in Livermore.

Now, as she looks ahead, Poe plans to spend the summer working and squeezing in a quick trip to New York City, where she will perform at Carnegie Hall with her high school choir group.

“I’m really hyped about that. I have never been, and I am looking forward to it,” Poe said.

After New York, she will soak up the rest of her senior summer, preparing for Berkeley and all that awaits her.

“I’m really looking forward to taking classes regarding chemistry because I had no room this year. I am very passionate about it and looking forward to taking some courses,” Poe said. “And I am really looking forward to managing my own time … I’m tired of waking up at the same time every day.”

Lucie Ansell

If you ask Lucie Ansell how it feels to be Livermore’s salutatorian, she will tell you it feels pretty darn good.

“I was very surprised, but it’s nice to be able to get recognized for that and know that the hours and hours of hard work paid off,” Ansell said.

During her high school career, Ansell was on the swimming and water polo teams, competing on the varsity team for three years in both sports. She also played four years of club water polo. Alongside her sports, Ansell played bass in the Chamber Orchestra and was a member of the Environmental Action and Red Cross clubs, as well as a lifeguard and swim instructor for the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District.

Now, armed with a weighted 4.71 GPA and an acceptance letter from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, Ansell plans to major in computational media, a program that blends computer science, design and communication, with a possible second major in graphic design. Her advice to students beginning their high school careers is to stay focused and balanced.

“What I have learned along the way is that having people around you who support you and are rooting for you is so important,” she said. “Also, take the time to get out of your room, away from studying, and interact with people. I think a lot of people kind of pigeonhole themselves into this academic goal by thinking they have to only study. I think it is more important to have an open mind to everything, along with the classes.”

And so, as Ansell plans and packs for the fall, she will be taking with her a lifetime of memories and a grateful heart.

“I am mostly very excited at this point,” Ansell said. “I kind of got what I needed from high school and I am ready to meet new people and explore new places with peers who are as motivated as I am … but I will definitely miss my family and the community I have built, especially in sports, but I am ready to move on.”