Latest news with #ConnectFour
Axios
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Charlotte-made board game Squabble Squares debuts with tournament
Squabble Squares is a new strategy-based board game created by a Charlotte couple. Why it matters: They're celebrating the game's launch with a public tournament at Resident Culture South End this Sunday, May 18. Backstory: Founders Ben Moomaw and Heather Bard created Squabble Squares out of pandemic boredom. While staying in a mountain cabin one weekend, the two spontaneously made up a game using the tile squares on the kitchen countertop. What started as throwing dice on those squares turned into the building blocks of the game. Over the next year, they added more rules until they had something ready to debut. "I started bringing it out at house parties and people would play for hours." Moomaw tells Axios. The game has become a favorite among their friends, and they're hoping the tournament will make it a favorite among Charlotteans too. What to expect: A fast-paced, interactive and tile-based tabletop game, Squabble Squares is very much an original, but it has elements of Trouble, Connect Four and Sorry, says Moomaw. How it works: The object of the game is to roll your die onto the playing field and control the squares. The higher the value, the stronger the square. You can win three ways. Bingo: Control four squares in a row — horizontal, vertical or diagonal. Domination: Control seven squares by having seven of your dice on the board. Four-of-a-kind: Complete four of a kind in any row, column or diagonal. If you go: Registration will be open from 1–1:30pm. The tournament will start soon after. It's free to sign up and play. Walk-ins will be accommodated, but you can register here for an earlier spot.
Boston Globe
07-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Feeling alone? Go to the Y. YMCA launches campaign to fight loneliness
'It's the first time the Y is putting is weight behind a marketing and storytelling effort that is not about membership or signing-up for swimming or any of those things,' Shapiro said. 'The tag line is 'See You At the Y,' but it's really about being seen and belonging and what it means to be seen.' The program is backed by a $100,000 grant from the Newton-based Highland Street Foundation, which will support YMCA programming for 2,050 families, sponsor 1,755 free summer memberships for teens, and provide 510 new senior memberships. The funds will also go toward new programs that focus less on physical fitness, and more on creating healthy relationships. Think sightseeing tours for seniors, programs to get teens off screens, and more movie and date night events to bring families together (or give parents an occasional break). Advertisement To promote the launch, the Y plans to set up oversize Connect Four boards strategically throughout Greater Boston. Each game piece will have a conversation prompt to encourage engagement. Shapiro said the idea for this new focus stems from a shift he saw in public life as we've emerged from the Covid pandemic. 'You can see it in the data: We're going to libraries less, to the office less, and we're less invested in public schools and public places,' he said. 'We're not seeing each other as much, and at Related : Tara Murphy, a YGB board member and vice president of public affairs at Wellesley College, said the impetus for the campaign also stemmed from how the Y adapted during the pandemic to respond to the needs of its members, be it rolling out childcare programs for first responders or launching food distribution efforts. 'We started really thinking about the Y as a problem-solver on some of the big things. What are we about and what are the challenges we're bringing the full force and our scale to solve?' she said. 'It showed us that we could think a little bit bigger.' A Zumba class at the Lynch van Otterloo YMCA, located in Marblehead. Mark Lorenz Calling it both a 'catalyst' and a 'call to action,' Murphy said that the goal of the effort was to give a name to a problem that too often goes unrecognized. And she's hoping it will help major players in the city to reframe their missions and be more intentional about building community. Advertisement 'I think a lot of community-building organizations might not think of themselves as being 'We fight loneliness organizations,'' Murphy said. Related : So far, over a dozen local nonprofits and civic institutions have signed on, including the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Police Department, and Boston Public Schools. The City of Boston's Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement is also taking part, as is the Boston City Council. Nonprofits Catholic Charities, Embrace Boston, and the Red Sox Foundation are all engaged in the effort, with Mass General Brigham and NeighborHealth joining as healthcare partners. Boston Public Health Commissioner Dr. Bisola Ojikutu said she's thrilled that the campaign will help destigmatize conversations about social isolation and mental illness. 'I know my patients don't necessarily come out and say 'I'm lonely' even though loneliness is an experince that most of us face in our lives,' she said. 'Loneliness is a critical public health issue, and we believe that creating space and opportunity for people to feel connected is a high priority' in an increasingly digital world. She hopes that to partner with the Y to help bring culturally and linguistically appropriate behavioral health specialists into communities across the city, and normalize the idea that you can not only go to the Y to lift weights, but to also lift your spirits. 'Just how amazing would it be if people cold step into a YMCA and feel like there was someone they could talk to?' Ojikutu said. Related : Advertisement Boston's YMCA was the first in the nation, and Shapiro said he hopes the Greater Boston Y can also be a national leader in shaping these conversations. 'Institutions need to be stickier, there aren't as many as there used to be,' he said. 'We want to demonstrate that there are places where this is happening and those places need to work harder, including us, as we've never faced such headwinds. We want Boston to be the most relationally connected city.' Janelle Nanos can be reached at
Forbes
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Milwaukee Bucks Are Two Steps Behind Pacers At Every Turn
The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in a 0-2 hole against the Indiana Pacers after the first two games of their first-round playoff matchup. Even worse, they've been chasing shadows, two steps behind Indiana at nearly every turn. Milwaukee knew Indiana's speed would be a problem heading into the series. But the biggest swing factor hasn't been on the break--it's been the man on the sideline. Rick Carlisle is coaching circles around Doc Rivers, and the results speak for themselves. Carlisle may be one of the most underappreciated tacticians in the NBA. He's been a head coach for 23 seasons and has accomplished everything short of walking on water. From a Coach of the Year award in his first year with Detroit to an NBA title with the Mavericks, Carlisle's resume is built for the Hall of Fame. He's led teams to 16 playoff appearances and eight seasons with 50 or more wins. While Carlisle is playing 4D chess, Rivers is stuck on Connect Four. Every time Milwaukee counters, Indiana is already two moves ahead. Rivers has been painfully slow on the draw. Heading into the series, there were red flags all over the Bucks' starting lineup consisting of Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez. It was a unit built for size, not speed, and it's been exposed by the Pacers' relentless pace. Sure, that group had regular-season success, outscoring opponents by nearly seven points per 100 possessions. But the matchup math doesn't lie. In their March clashes with Indiana, those four were outscored by 11 points in just over 31 minutes on the floor. Despite the warning signs, Rivers rolled them out in Game 1—this time with Ryan Rollins at point guard. The starting lineup was outscored by 15 points in 17 minutes and 25 seconds together in Game 1. Milwaukee lost by 19. In Game 2, the first five (with Damian Lillard taking Rollins' spot) were outscored by nine points in 16 minutes and 9 seconds. The Bucks lost by eight. Rivers insisted he liked using those four in the starting lineup because it gave Milwaukee a size advantage. Prince (6-foot-8), Kuzma (6-9), Antetokounmpo (6-11), and Lopez (7-0) gave Milwaukee four players with great strength, height, and length, and allowed them to play with physicality. Only, this group routinely struggled to play with that physicality Rivers wanted from them. They were often among the softest units Milwaukee rolled out, not battling for rebounds, diving on the floor for loose balls, or getting into the jerseys of their opponents on defense. After Game 2, Rivers hinted he might finally tweak the lineup. Unfortunately, that realization came two games too late. The Bucks are already knee-deep in quicksand. It's not just the starting five. Miscommunication on defense, sluggish rotations, and stagnant offense have plagued the team. Milwaukee's been outmaneuvered, out-hustled, and out-coached from tip to buzzer. Indiana, on the other hand, is a machine. The Pacers swing the ball with purpose, attack mismatches, and execute their schemes with surgical precision. Every possession is a lesson in teamwork and timing—everything Milwaukee is lacking right now. Offensively, Rivers' play designs have lacked imagination and flow. One glaring example came late in Game 2. With 1:11 remaining and the Bucks trailing by eight, Rivers drew up a set out of a timeout to try to get his team a much-needed basket. Lillard inbounded the ball from the sideline and hit Kuzma near the top of the key before jetting to the opposite wing off an Antetokounmpo screen. He continued to orbit to the left corner as Bobby Portis set a flare screen for him. Meanwhile, Kuzma hit Antetokounmpo with a bounce pass on the right wing and the two-time MVP promptly went to work in isolation. Kuzma's man predictably left him to go double Antetokounmpo, leaving him wide open on the arc. With three Pacers around him and another two in the paint, Antetokounmpo was forced to get rid of the ball. Thanks to Rivers' play design, the easiest and closest pass was back to Kuzma, a 30.7 percent three-point shooter this season, on the slot. Despite being wide open, the shot clanked off the back of the iron and the Pacers secured the rebound. This isn't on the players. Prince is being asked to initiate offense far too often. Despite shooting 43.9 percent from deep, he's not a playmaker. Yet, somehow, he ranked 24th in the NBA in dribble handoff frequency this season. That's a red flag for how the offense is structured, not a knock on Prince. Rivers' lack of attention to detail is glaring—and costly. The Bucks are being outcoached, outpaced, and outplayed. What was supposed to be a revenge tour has turned into a stumble out of the gate. But the series isn't over. With Lillard and Antetokounmpo finally healthy together, Milwaukee still has the firepower to turn things around. Game 3 in Milwaukee is a chance to reset the board and stop playing from behind. It's time for Rivers and the Bucks to stop reacting and start dictating. Otherwise, this series could be over before they've even found their footing.
Los Angeles Times
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
STEAM-themed Imaginology returns to Costa Mesa
OC Fair & Event Center's annual Imaginology event really does get creative with what children can do with the educational approach known as STEAM. In fact, even the animals at the center's Centennial Farm get to show what they do — including goat milking demonstrations, weavers and spinners displaying different types of animal fibers and an exhibit highlighting hens. 'Even though the acronym is STEAM, I always like to think of the A as both arts and agriculture,' said Evy Young, director of Agricultural Programs. 'When it comes to the animals, I think a lot of it really ties in with engineering. In fact, almost all of those letters with the science, technology, engineering, arts and math … to be able to raise animals, you need to be able to feed them, so to be able to calculate how much feed to provide your animal on a daily basis. There's definitely science involved in making sure that they're healthy and what other elements you need to be able to provide for them.' At the heart of Imaginology, which launched as Youth Expo in 1989 and was renamed in 2014, is offering STEAM education and hands-on learning from a diverse range of exhibitors, bolstered by youth competitions, demonstrations and entertainment. Some of the 2025 exhibitors are theCoderSchool, Costa Mesa Fire & Rescue, Costa Mesa Police Department SWAT, Fishing in the City, Hack Club, Hedgehog Lacers, American Cetacean Society of Orange County, Orange County Aerial Arts, Model T Ford Club, the Reptile Zoo, Rolling Robots, Orange County Scroll Saw Assn. and Wonders of Wildlife. This year's event takes place Saturday and Sunday, April 12-13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. Admission is free and parking is $12. 'We want to have an educational fair or festival that shows kids all of the different possibilities that land within the STEM or STEAM framework,' said Johanna Svensson, director of Exhibits and Education. She said those particular disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math can seem scary to a lot of people. So having children interact with microscopes, for example, or practicing coding skills can help make these subjects less intimidating. 'We have an organization called the Hack Club that's coming and so [children] can see how fun it is to do some of these things on kind of a project level and what it takes to design something that comes alive in some sense,' she said. 'Be it a robot or just being able to code something on one side of the screen and seeing an animation, for example, come out of that. So yeah, it's an opportunity for kids to see all of the different pathways that exist.' Other event highlights include the new Ninja Nation Boot Camp at Heroes Hall's Sky Hawk lawn, an inflatable obstacle course with challenges testing physical strength and mental agility. Mind Works is full of hands-on STEAM activities, including a chance to compete in giant versions of classic games like Operation, chess and Connect Four. Guests can also get creative with magnets, Legos and Lincoln Logs, make giant bubbles and check out a Slinky staircase. Competitions are a big part of Imaginology. Though the competitions deadline for online entry has passed, guests can see the projects on display — including murals, cardboard engineering and poster art incorporating STEAM themes. There are also 4-H competitions where local youth are judged on ability to raise small livestock, understanding of animal and veterinary sciences, and their projects. Svensson said Megan the Bubbleologist will be performing with bubbles and music, and Zany Zoe will be roaming the grounds with her magic show. 'Clay Play is in one of our exhibit buildings and kids will be able to make little sculptures with clay,' Svensson said. 'That's always a huge hit.' The Orange County Scroll Saw Assn. is a returning organization. 'And they're always a big hit because kids get to learn how to use a scroll saw, which sounds really dangerous, but they teach them how to do it,' she said. 'It's using a piece of wood, but you're able to kind of manipulate the wood so you can make a design.' Whether it's farm animals, robots or playing with clay, it all comes back to the importance of educating future generations about STEAM. 'I think that it's kind of how we as a population sort of stay on top of innovation and help make the world run,' Svensson said. 'I feel like, especially for little girls, it's important to see how they might be able to envision themselves in a position as a doctor or a scientist or an engineer, and what that actually means. We're always going to be a nation that needs to innovate. We're always going to be a nation that needs to build, and I just think that it's a good way to show that learning can be fun and that it will be their meaningful careers for the greater good.'
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ice cream shop owner anticipates opening of new Austintown location
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A local man is ready to take us all back several decades through our love of games, music and ice cream with a second location of his popular shop. The '80s — Boom Boom Mancini was world champion, football games at South High School were a huge thing and the Shaker Woods Festival was just getting started. Mike Thorpe showed us around the new Totally 80s Ice Ice Cream Shoppe on Raccoon Road in Austintown. He knows there's still work to do but he already knows the reaction he's hoping to get when it opens. 'We want all the kids to come in and feel a little bit like Ric Flair and just go, 'Wooo,' when they come in, you know? Pretty exciting,' Thorpe said. Totally 80s will have plenty of nostalgic games, including Ms. PacMan — players probably remember the yellow button to start the game, Connect Four — red versus blue, and Galaga. The games will be free for customers when the store opens. 'I mean, there's so many things out there for kids that maybe have a negative impact. Like, for a positive place for them to be able to go and maybe be part of their childhood when they look back,' Thorpe said. Parents and grandparents will remember some of the decorations better, like Ghost Busters and Michael Jackson. The Austintown location will also feature nostalgic candy, cotton candy and many old-time drinks. But Totally 80s has a common denominator for all ages — it's an 'Ice Ice Cream Shoppe.' 'Ice cream makes everybody happy. I think Nick Saban said it best when he said, 'You want to make everybody happy? Sell ice cream,'' Thorpe said. The first Totally 80s location in Salem has been open for almost a year and Thorpe found another place where he felt it could be successful as well. He also has an ice cream truck that's ready to hit the road. 'I'm looking to do it in neighborhoods, kind of like the old-fashioned feel. We'll have some of the old-fashioned music going with it and then mix in some '80s music with it. Make sure we keep it down a little bit and sell some ice cream and enjoy the kids,' Thorpe said. He still has some construction to do, then get an occupancy permit. He believes Totally 80s can open in Austintown by the end of the month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
