Latest news with #Beecher
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Instead of going to another high school, Taylor Norkus gets Beecher back to state with walk-off hit. ‘So grateful.'
EAST PEORIA — Taylor Norkus almost wasn't a Beecher Bobcat. When she was in middle school, Norkus and her parents had a decision to make. Norkus was a talented pitcher, but at Beecher, she would likely be behind Ava Lorenzatti, who was in the same 2026 class and even back then was considered one of the top pitchers in the country. 'There was an opportunity for me to go to a different school,' Norkus said. 'We passed it up and this is where we are now. I'm so grateful for that.' So is Beecher, especially after Norkus' heroics Monday. The junior pitcher earned the win in relief and delivered a two-out, walk-off single in the 10th inning, sending the Bobcats back to state with a 4-3 win over Brimfield/Elmwood in the Class 2A East Peoria Supersectional at the EastSide Centre. Norkus, a Colgate recruit, threw the final 4 2/3 innings without allowing a run. She struck out eight and scattered five hits. Northern Kentucky commit Makenzie Johnson went 2-for-5 with an RBI double and Lorenzatti, a Florida State recruit, added an RBI double for Beecher (35-2). Carmela Irwin singled and drew a walk, while Rockford commit Tayiah Scanlan made two key catches in left field. The Bobcats will take on Auburn (24-5) at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the state semifinals at the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. Beecher, which clinched the eighth state trophy in program history, will play in the Final Four for the second time in three years after last season's supersectional loss. 'I'm so excited,' Johnson said. 'Last year, we came up short down here against Rockridge. That hurt. This season, we knew this was our year. We needed to make it back. 'We weren't going down again like we did last year.' Norkus has pitched terrifically all season, but her batting has been inconsistent. Her average is .289, she was hitless in her last five games and she wasn't in Monday's starting lineup. But when she came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the 10th, she was ready to break some hearts for Brimfield/Elmwood (33-4). 'My mind was just like, 'Hit the ball — the game has to end somehow,'' Norkus said. 'There was a lot of pressure, but I just really wanted to do it for my team.' Norkus then ripped a single up the middle to start the celebration for the Bobcats. 'Her pitching has been amazing, but hitting … we didn't know which Taylor we were going to get,' Johnson said. 'Line drive base hit up the middle to walk us off. It was great. She's amazing.' Beecher coach Kevin Hayhurst, who celebrated after the game with a lime snow cone he got from a food truck at the stadium, was definitely proud of Norkus. 'That was really nice to see,' Hayhurst said. 'She didn't start the game. She didn't pout. She was ready to go. She's a team player.' When it comes to pitching, Norkus has certainly taken a backseat to Lorenzatti in past years. But this season, she has appeared in 25 games to Lorenzatti's 21. Norkus is 17-1 with a 1.03 ERA and Lorenzatti is 18-1 with a 1.48 ERA. Norkus also has had plenty of motivation. Before the season, she knew that, if she was going to get more than a few pitching chances, she was going to have to earn them. 'You know you really have to be good,' Norkus said. 'You have to take after her footsteps. There can't be a hole in the pitching staff. I try to fill that.' Lorenzatti was terrific through five innings Monday, allowing just one hit as Beecher took a 3-0 lead. But Brimfield/Elmwood started hitting her in the sixth, rallying to tie the game, Norkus was there to help. What a duo. 'We really have each other's backs,' Norkus said. 'I didn't expect to have this big of a role this season, but it feels amazing.'
Vancouver Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Family drama and geopolitical horror mark Vancouver City Opera's elegant production of Sophia's Forest
City Opera Vancouver ends its current season with a four-performance run of Sophia's Forest, a new opera by Lembit Beecher and Hannah Moscovitch, which opened Thursday evening at SFU Downtown's Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. The term indie opera is ambiguous, but Sophia's Forest can productively be described as such: an intimate one-act proposition with a small cast and instrumental backup of string quartet plus percussion and electronics. The taut libretto is a fairly conventional memory play about family trauma amid some non-specific geopolitical horror; the music is a well-crafted sequence of short, interconnected vignettes that unfold with purposeful intensity. For almost two decades now, City Opera Vancouver has championed works exploring contemporary themes and social justice. While not preachy, Moscovitch's libretto isn't exactly subtle either. Fortunately, she understands what an opera libretto needs to do, even a contemporary one; this is no sung play where words take centre stage. Rather, she lets Beecher's music do much of the emotional and dramatic heavy lifting. Fans of contemporary opera know not to expect conventional arias, let alone grand stage effects; yet Beecher's score is inventive and well thought out, using the whole contemporary kaleidoscope of string effects, textures, and colours, highlighted by unobtrusive percussion and electronics. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The scale and design of the production are equally sure-footed. The set creates a sort of Maurice Sendak vibe with projections and lighting, featuring MIDI-controlled sculptures created by Beecher. Director Julie McIsaac embraces the scale of the enterprise with meaningful action and blocking. COV's new artistic and executive director Gordon Gerrard conducts, in full view at centre stage yet all but invisible thanks to effective lighting. Don't be fooled: he's completely on top of a difficult and demanding score, and gets the very best possible out of his musicians and singers. As befits a memory play, our protagonist is presented in two forms, as a non-singing child, touchingly rendered by Arya Yazgan, and as an adult, sung by soprano Elena Howard-Scott. She's exactly right for this sort of role, with a nice voice secure in all ranges and strong acting skills. Her ability to sing in English with perfect diction is exemplary, and necessary in a new piece presented without subtitles. Mezzo Adanya Dunn, who's perhaps more at home in standard repertoire, plays her mother Anna, a significantly smaller role, but a telling one in the grand scheme of things. Baritone Luka Kawabata and soprano Audrey Gao fill out the cast in subsidiary roles. It's a fool's errand to make predictions about the future life of new works. But I will note the obvious: the relatively topical thematic matter should be of interest to audiences who want a sympathetic libretto about contemporary issues; the score is consistent and consistently effective; and the small scale of Sophia's Forest won't break the bank of any small indie opera company. Vancouver audiences committed to contemporary music and new opera will find much to celebrate in the piece. And for more traditional operagoers who might want to sample the pleasures of the contemporary scene, Sophia's Forest is a good specimen to explore. Sophia's Forest continues with performances May 30 and 31 at 7:30 p.m. and June 1 at 2 p.m.
CBS News
17-05-2025
- CBS News
Joliet police sergeant killed in off-duty crash near Beecher, Illinois
A Joliet, Illinois, police sergeant was killed in a car crash while off duty on Friday near south suburban Beecher. Joliet Police confirmed Sgt. Hollis Weller, 47, died in a crash on Friday in southeastern Will County. Illinois State Police said a semi-trailer truck, a pickup truck, and a car collided around 11:45 a.m. on Illinois Route 1 near Eagle Lake Road in Washington Township near Beecher. Weller was killed in the crash. Another person was injured and was taken to the hospital. It was not immediately clear which vehicle Weller was in. The road was closed until about 6:30 p.m. after the crash. Weller was a 20-year veteran of the Joliet Police Department, and had been a sergeant since July 2020. "Sgt. Weller was a decorated Officer whose commitment to service was recognized with numerous awards, including the Award for Heroism in 2015. He was a leader, a mentor, and a friend to many," Joliet Police said in a statement. Weller is survived by his wife and three children.
Chicago Tribune
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
After round of batting practice in the garage, Makenzie Johnson goes to work for Beecher. ‘Try to come up big.'
Junior center fielder Makenzie Johnson goes above and beyond to make herself the best softball player she can be for Beecher. She's even willing to work overtime. Junior teammate Taylor Norkus, who is also her next-door neighbor, will vouch for that. 'When I come home sometimes late at night, Makenzie is in her garage,' Norkus said. 'She is consistently out there working on her hitting.' On Wednesday, the Northern Kentucky recruit made that practice pay off for the Bobcats in a 12-0 nonconference victory in five innings over host Oak Forest. Johnson had an RBI triple and two singles for Beecher (29-2). Ava Olson went 3-for-4, while Elena Kvasnicka and Tayiah Scanlan added two hits apiece. Norkus struck out eight for the pitching win. Imani Hogan and Addison McClure each came through with a hit for Oak Forest (17-12). Melanie Andrysiak struck out seven. Johnson went late night with her hitting habit a few years back. 'Basically, my mom and dad surprised me for Christmas with a new bat, a bucket of balls and a new net for the garage,' Johnson said. 'We have a three-car garage, and it's set up where I can put up the net. 'I focus on contact extension and full swings. I work on my mechanics and break everything down.' Her power, patience and persistence show up all over the stat sheet. Johnson is hitting a team-leading .538 with nine doubles, four triples, five home runs and 28 RBIs. And patience? Johnson and Alexa Gliva are tied for the team lead with 12 walks. 'Honestly, I just try to go up there with a calm mindset,' Johnson said. 'I know I need to do a job for my team whether it's getting a walk, getting hit by a pitch — single, double, triple, home run. 'I'm here for my team. Whenever they do need me, I try to come up big and be successful.' Even if it's with her voice. 'It's great to have her around,' Norkus said. 'She is so, so, so supportive. Yeah, she's like a bundle of joy, and she has this burst of confidence that brings energy all around the dugout.' Beecher coach Kevin Hayhurst can use Johnson on defense as an outfielder or as a catcher. She's a force batting in the second slot behind leadoff hitter Ava Lorenzatti. They put their one-two punch to work right away against Oak Forest. Lorenzatti began the game with an infield hit before Johnson smashed a triple to the fence in right field. In the second inning, she reached on an infield single. After hitting a towering fly ball that was caught on the warning track, Johnson finished her day with a single to left field. That's being ready and keeping your foot on the gas. 'Mackenzie is very intense, really focused,' Hayhurst said. 'I don't know if I've ever had anybody as much focused before the game, preparing herself for the game, sitting on the bench watching the game. 'She is into every pitch. It doesn't surprise me that she'll be out there in her garage cleaning up a little flaw that she might have. That's Makenzie Johnson.' Johnson also played basketball at Beecher, but will be concentrating on softball during her senior year. And if she's good at pumping up her teammates, it's no wonder. 'Growing up, I was a competitive cheerleader,' Johnson said. 'It was about sixth grade when I had to choose whether I wanted to play travel softball or continue with cheerleading. 'I chose softball, and obviously, that has worked out well for me. I'm thankful for it and I'm thankful for all the opportunities that my parents have given me.'
Yahoo
19-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Calling with COWs: What it took to use a cell phone in downtown OKC in the weeks after April 19th, 1995
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Kurt Beecher walks Harvey Avenue in downtown Oklahoma City as aimlessly as someone might while looking at their cell phone, but he is different in that he's probably more connected than most. Beecher is a longtime cell technician and engineer. He's been with the phone company for more than 30 years, building the bandwidth from analog to 5G, and he remembers the challenge of a young system unable to handle the volume of a terrorist attack. 'It's a different perspective,' he offers. 'Analog technology. One call per channel.' The city has changed a lot in that time, but Beecher can still point to where Southwestern Bell teams brought in a cellular truck on wheels. 'Right here in this parking lot,' he points, standing behind the current OCU Law School parking lot. They still call them COWs today. 'Cell on Wheels,' he said. 'The network was so busy on that day, we'd never experienced it before.' The first truck came in from Dallas in response to April 19th, filled with columns of radio transmitters. Beecher points to an old photograph of the inside of that COW. 'These were radios. These were amplifiers,' he said. Each light on the panel represented one call. 'We stayed and we watched it. If there was a problem, we fixed it immediately,' said Beecher. He doesn't know why, but he kept a trove of snapshots from that time tucked away and buried in a box. What Kurt recalls is what was in the air during that time, cell phone signals, yes, but thousands of thoughts and feelings too. Each one responding to something tragic with whatever they could muster. 'The interesting thing,' he argues, 'is not what any one person did. It's what everyone did.' If you got a call out from downtown OKC in the weeks after April 19, 1995, to deliver news, good or bad, or to tell someone you were okay, it probably came from a COW or a maxed-out cell tower hastily erected to meet demand. Beecher is still on the job 30 years later, long after the COWs went home. He works for AT&T these days. Kurt recently donated his collection of photos and mementos from that time to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. Great State is sponsored by True Sky Credit Union Follow Galen's Great State adventures on social media! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
