Block Samiti – Nagar Zone

A day ahead of the panchayat polls on December 14, it is the youth of the four villages he represents, whose issues weigh heavy on his mind.

The scourge of drugs, taking youth back to sports, freeing villages of long-standing issues like waterlogged roads — are the key issues around his election campaign has been centred.

Thirty-eight-year-old Parshotam Singh — activist, panch and a highly qualified candidate (MSc in IT and MA in Punjabi) — has had his entire campaign centred around the village populace and their issues, especially the youth. Contesting the Block Samiti elections from the Nagar Zone in Phillaur, Parshotam represents the villages Katpalon (where he is also the panch), Nagar, Ashahoor and Fatehgarh Lakkha.

Ask him about the pivot around which his campaign revolves, and pat comes the reply, “Youth”.

Parshotam Singh says, “Naujawani nu bachaya jave (youth must be saved). The prime concern with any well-meaning citizen in Punjab today must be that our youth is heading in the wrong direction and they must be brought back from drugs or other ills afflicting their culture and moorings. Very few people know about the power of these elections. An elected representative of the Block Samiti can be instrumental in getting sportsgrounds, gyms and culture-related means of recreation in villages which could ensure the transformation of youth — instead of falling prey to drugs. This is immense power.”

Having been a youth leader and a member of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Naujawan Sabha, vice-president of the Punjab Students Federation and currently a member of the Lok Insaaf Manch, Parshotam is well-versed with Punjab’s issues. He has fought for the rights of youths falling prey to unemployment despite degrees, fellow students’ bus pass and right to reservation, ridding a local activist of false cases against him and also the struggle for Panjab University, Chandigarh.

He has also been among the activists holding month-long dharnas to free villages of contaminated water and sanitation woes besides approach roads.

Speaking on the issue, he says, “So many villages don’t have proper drainage these days. This is an ever increasing problem. In some villages, even the entry gates are waterlogged. Villages do not have plants to clean water, they don’t even have ROs. Villagers have the right to clean water and dry spaces. This has been a major fight of our region and an important element of my campaign.”

Planning of village ponds according to new technology to counter spillovers is also among his plans, he says.

Speaking specifically on his plans, if he’s elected, he says, “It’s a misconception that an MLA or MP is empowered but a Block Samiti member isn’t. Anyone who is aware and knows what he wants for his area is actually more empowered. For a member of the Block Samiti, Zila Panchayat funds could be spent on villages. They can also use their part of the district budget to build villages. Sportsgrounds, stadiums, spaces and gyms could be facilitated by Block Samiti members. So people must choose and vote wisely.”

Zila Parishad – Patara Zone

Lakhvir Singh Hazara, a farmer who is an avid sports promoter of his area, is set to take his message of sports promotion to the ZIla Parishad polls as well.

Contesting from the AAP, Hazara, a candidate for Zila Parishad election from the Patara zone, is known best in the region for the sports activities he has been undertaking. While he contested elections from the same zone last time, he had lost to the Congress candidate Mehtaab Singh Lali. The years-long delay in the panchayat coupled with simmering issues of people, make him confident that people are fed up with false promises and need real change on the ground.

His spirit to promote sports and wean children away from drugs, keeps him upbeat.

At Patara and in neighouring villages, Lakhvir Singh has been holding various sports tournaments. An annual soccer tourney is slated for December 16 and he also hosts a Kabaddi Cup.

On why the elections are important this time, Lakhvir says, “The Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections are happening after a gap of seven years during which various works have piled up.”

The holiday season is here and kids across the county are excited for their presents. With that it’s important to make sure the toys they receive are age appropriate and safe. 

Every year hundreds of San Diego children end up in an emergency department from mishaps with toys. That’s why choking, swallowing or interacting with toys or jewelry made with lead, or those that have button or coin batteries are high on the list of doctors’ holiday concerns. Fortunately, San Diego parents can take steps to keep their family holiday safe from dangerous gifts.   

First, make sure the toy is age appropriate: toy packaging will have a recommended age range. That label should also say “nontoxic” to ensure it is safe especially for infants and toddlers. Keep toys for older children out of reach especially because their small parts can be a choking risk. If a toy has a part that will fit through a cardboard toilet paper roll, it is small enough to pose a choking risk.   

If possible, avoid using or buying button or coin batteries or toys that require them. Button batteries and batteries in general should be kept away from children in a drawer or cabinet out of reach. Button batteries are particularly concerning as they are a common choking hazard with serious consequences. A battery can get stuck in the child’s throat and burn a hole. This burn can quickly turn into infection, permanent damage, or even death if it’s not treated fast enough. Immediately seek emergency care if you think your child swallowed a battery. 

Among other gifts to watch out for are antique toys or hand-me-downs which were already flagged as dangerous. Knowing what toys have been recalled, which toys may have lead and where to go to with concerns are essential.   

Watch out for toys made in other countries or made in the United States before 1978, as they may have lead paint. Toys can only be tested for lead by a certified laboratory. At-home tests do not identify how much lead is present. It is best to check for recalls on old toys.   

Lead exposure can harm a child’s brain and nervous system, slow their growth and cause learning difficulties. If you suspect your child has been exposed, remove the toy immediately. Anyone who is concerned about lead poisoning should ask their doctor for a blood test. 

Washing your hands and wiping down surfaces and toys are also great ways to ensure any lead dust in the environment is removed.  

Eating foods high in calcium, vitamin C and iron protect the body from absorbing lead. Fun recipes in English and Spanish are featured near the bottom of the Family Lead Safety website. 

To avoid choking, swallowing and other hazards, anyone giving a gift to a child should consider the following questions: 

• Are there parts that are too pointy or dangerous for the child’s age? 
• Can any small parts come off the toy, even by design? 
• Does an older child’s toy have parts that pose a choking hazard for another child or siblings?  
• Can the toy be crushed or broken apart if stepped on, sat on or from falling? 

Those gifting sports equipment or anything with wheels should also include appropriate protective gear, like helmets and pads. 

The U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission reports that toys for children 12 and under are inspected by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). All toys that have passed inspection will have a label showing it meets those standards. 

By following safe gift giving you can keep your loved ones safe too!  

Source: County of San Diego Communications Office

Related

Gunfire at Youth Football Nationals: Witness describes panic, parents shielding children

Updated: 11:52 PM EST Dec 12, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

A shooting in the parking lot of the Paradise Sports Complex in Collier County interrupted the American Youth Football National Championships on Friday morning, leading to a significant law enforcement response.One person is in custody and another was taken to the hospital. The condition of the victim remains unknown, as the sheriff’s office has yet to provide an update.According to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting was reported at 10:30 a.m. Deputies responded to the scene and quickly took a suspect into custody. CCSO deputies identified the victim as James Raynard, 43, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Raynard is a youth football coach.William Wharton, 38, also of Winston-Salem, is facing an aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charge in connection with the shooting at this time, according to the CCSO.Deputies remain on the scene to process evidence and interview witnesses.Football games continued on Friday evening.Alan Popadines, the national scouting director for Prep Redzone Next, has been attending the championships for four years to recruit young football players.He said he heard gunshots around 8 a.m.”I got a 7-year-old, a 5-year-old at home. They play sports, I love sports, it’s my profession. And like, I think this is what it is like. Come on, man, we’re down here for fun. We’re down here for sports, are down here for life lessons, not down here for losing lives,” Popadines said. Popadines noted the heightened security presence at the event, describing it as “10 times more than any other youth football event.””I cannot stress enough, like, these people, if the complex itself, they could not have done more, there could not have been more security, like, every bag got screened, every people got wanded. If someone walked through who didn’t have a wristband that wasn’t supposed to be with the team, they were stopped at the gates and turned around or told to go to the main gate,” Popadines said. Despite this, he recounted the chaos that ensued after the gunshots, with people urging, “get the babies off, get the babies off the field, protect the kids,” as young players, some as young as 6, 7, and 8 years old, ran for safety. Popadines said the shooting happened in the parking lot outside the security gates that everyone has to enter to get on the nine playing fields.Popadines said he witnessed parents taking drastic measures to protect their children.”I see a bunch of kids running or running into in from the parking lot, into the facility, you know, through security, then I see parents very quickly rushing up behind the kids, telling them to move or to get behind, and almost like throwing the tables at the security, I would even say as protection,” Popadines said. He also witnessed parents taking drastic measures to protect their children, saying, “I saw several parents come through and again, literally throwing the tables behind them, the security tables, I don’t know, I would even say as protection.”Popadines described the scene following the shooting, saying, “I saw countless police cars, ambulance, fire truck, police helicopter overhead. Today and tomorrow were some of the championship games for some of the age groups.”This is a developing story and will be updated.Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Paradise Sports Complex is in Golden Gate Estates. It is in unincorporated Collier County.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

Tyla Armendariz, Arbor Moran, Mackenzie Hardesty each won last weekend

Ignite Gymnastics’ Arbor Moran was the state champion on uneven bars at the state competition in Aurora on Dec. 6-7. (Courtesy Liz Herring)

Ignacio’s Ignite Gymnastics showed their gymnasts can compete with any in the state as Ignite returned from Aurora last weekend with three state champions.

Tyla Armendariz, 10, Arbor Moran, 8, and Mackenzie Hardesty, 8, became the latest state champions to come out of Ignite Gymnastics after impressive performances at the Colorado USA Gymnastics Level 2, XCel Bronze and Silver State Competition on Saturday and Sunday at Colorado Gymnastics Institute in Aurora.

“We had an incredible season,” Ignite coach Liz Herring said. “So we had high hopes for state, and it panned out.”

Armendariz was the silver state champion on balance beam in the Junior A Group 4 with a 9.65 score. Armendariz has been competing in gymnastics for the last seven years, and she has been competing with Ignite for the last 1.5 years.

Ignite Gymnastics’ Tyla Armendariz was the state champion on balance beam at the state competition in Aurora on Dec. 6-7. (Courtesy Liz Herring)

It was an especially impressive state championship for Armendariz because her routine was riskier than others. There are a wide range of skills the gymnasts can do, with some skills being easier than others. Some gymnasts in the competition group do easier skills perfectly, but Armendariz did a high-level skill perfectly, according to Herring.

Moran won the silver state championship in uneven bars in the Child Group 4, scoring 9.75. Moran lives in Pagosa Springs, but began her gymnastics journey in Alaska and has been competing with Ignite for about a year.

Herring said it’s not uncommon for young gymnasts to get nervous at the state competitions, and Moran has done a great job progressing in her first two state meets before this one.

Hardesty was the silver state champion on uneven bars in Child Group 2, scoring 9.725. She shared the top step of the podium with another gymnast with the identical score.

“Mackenzie is one of our babies,” Herring said. “I’ve been coaching her since she was 2 years old. She’s very experienced in a lot of ways; it’s so weird because she is young. But this year, every meet she went to, if she knew she had messed up the turn, she never even said a word about it. She just kept smiling.”

Ignite Gymnastics’ Mackenzie Hardesty was the state champion on uneven bars at the state competition in Aurora on Dec. 6-7. (Courtesy Liz Herring)

Ignite had eight XCel Bronze gymnasts and nine XCel Silver gymnasts qualify for the state competition. The difference between the bronze level and the silver level is the skill level of the gymnasts. Bronze is the beginner competition level for gymnastics.

Herring said 17 girls is a pretty high number for how little Ignacio is, compared to the Denver teams that have up to 40 girls per level, according to Herring. The Denver gymnasts also have an advantage because they get to wake up in their own bed and drive to the meet. The Ignite gymnasts have to leave their homes two days in advance to travel up and stay in a hotel.

“I have a kind of different philosophy for our area,” Herring said. “I try to expose them to those upper-level meets, do more things with them and have them travel. So they get more experience doing those things … so when they get to gold, they’re going to start going to places; the gold regional meet last year was in Arkansas, and then the year before that, the platinum regionals were in Dallas.”

Of the 17 gymnasts who qualified, Adeline Crouch, Henley Beck, Emerson Conroy, and Evelyn Gosney also came home as medalists.

bkelly@durangoherald.com

Copy article link