Latest news with #Hamby
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Crawford County librarian sues county for defamation, breach of contract
CRAWFORD COUNTY, Ark. – Crawford County is facing an additional lawsuit related to its library policy. A lawyer for former Crawford County Library System director Deidre Grzymala filed suit in Washington County Circuit Court last Friday on her behalf. The former librarian is alleging defamation and breach of contract. Grzymala lives in Washington County. Judge blocks Arkansas law allowing librarians to be criminally charged over 'harmful' materials Arkansas and Crawford County were ordered, alongside Crawford County Judge Chris Keith and 11 Arkansas prosecuting attorneys, to pay $435,275 in attorney's fees in an April federal court ruling. At issue was Arkansas Act 372 of 2023, which amended Arkansas law for endangering the welfare of a minor to include sexual material and remove protection for library employees, which the court struck down on Constitutional grounds. Crawford County's share of the fees was $112,978.31, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit states that Grzymala was placed under emotional duress by the quorum court and Tamara Hamby to pressure the county and library to censor books. Federal judicial ruling overturns parts of Arkansas library obscenity law Hamby is named alongside the county and John Does 1 through 5 as defendants in the suit. In November 2022, the suit states that Hamby and her husband, Dr. Jeffrey Hamby, co-authored a letter to the quorum court, which stated that Grzymala was 'amenable to negotiating' regarding the location of the books. This was not the case, the suit states, but instead, 'Plaintiff Grzymala was being actively pressured by defendant [Tamara] Hamby and Crawford County elected officials to reach a compromise with the relocation of certain books.' The suit continues that the pressure included threats to defund the library, and later, the county attorney described the negotiations as ultimatums. Against the threat of defunding the books, they were moved, and Grzymala was then pressured to accept a severance package in January 2023 or face termination, according to the suit. The package included a letter of recommendation from County Judge Christopher Keith, along with a non-disparagement agreement. Arkansas, Crawford County, others ordered to pay over $400,000 in library lawsuit The suit alleges that the non-disparagement agreement was violated by quorum court members and county officials who publicly blamed Grzymala for the county's facing and losing the April judgment. It also states that a local newspaper reported that in April, Teresa Hamby called Grzymala a liar during a meeting of the Crawford County Library System board. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Former Crawford County Library director alleges defamation, breach of contract in lawsuit
The "social section" in Crawford County Library's Van Buren branch (Screenshot from court documents) A former West Arkansas public library director sued Crawford County and a member of the library's board of trustees Friday, alleging defamation and breach of contract in a years-long squabble over the availability and placement of certain books on library shelves. Deidre Grzymala states in her legal complaint that library board member Tammara Hamby defamed her in violation of an agreement between Grzymala and the county upon her resignation as Crawford County Library System director in February 2023. The agreement said Grzymala and the county would refrain from 'criticizing, denigrating or disparaging each other.' At an April 18 library board meeting, Hamby claimed Grzymala was responsible for a First Amendment lawsuit against the county, the library board and others over the library's segregation of children's books with LGBTQ+ themes into 'social sections.' Three parents sued over the segregation in May 2023, and a federal judge ruled in their favor in September 2024. The Crawford County Quorum Court voted unanimously at a special meeting in April to accept the library board's offer to pay nearly $113,000 in legal fees, ending months of dispute over who would foot the bill for losing the case. Crawford County Library will foot the bill for lawsuit over segregation of LGBTQ+ children's books Hamby was among the board members to support the payment and previously supported the segregation of LGBTQ+ children's books. The county quorum court appointed her to the library board in early 2023, replacing one of three members that resigned en masse after the creation of the 'social sections.' Hamby said April 18 that Grzymala 'lied to' her and 'caused the lawsuit.' These 'defamatory statements… were communicated to thousands of Arkansas citizens' via the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's River Valley bureau, Grzymala's complaint states. In addition to Hamby and Crawford County, the lawsuit lists 'John Doe 1-5' as defendants. Grzymala's attorney, Christopher Hooks, signed an affidavit attached to the complaint, stating that all the relevant defendants in the case are as yet unknown and will be named in the case upon Hooks learning their identities. Hooks previously alleged a violation of Crawford County's 'separation agreement' with Grzymala in an April 23 letter to the county seeking $100,000 in damages over Hamby's remarks. Grzymala's lawsuit seeks punitive damages, alleging she has faced 'damage to [her] reputation as a librarian/library director, damages to reputation in the community, loss of wages, loss of earning capacity and business opportunity, incidental expenses, mental anguish, [and] extreme emotional distress.' Grzymala complaint The complaint requests a jury trial in the circuit court of Washington County, where Grzymala now lives. Hamby and her husband, Jeffrey, co-wrote a December 2022 letter to Crawford County pastors, saying LGBTQ+ library books within children's reach is 'grooming a generation of children to feel this is normal and an accepted way of life.' This was part of a 'pressure campaign' to force the library to segregate the books, an action publicly framed as a 'compromise,' Grzymala alleges in her complaint. The county lost a separate lawsuit over Act 372 of 2023, which would have given local elected officials the final say over whether to relocate challenged library materials some consider 'obscene.' The 18 plaintiffs who sued the state, including Crawford County Library patrons, cited county officials' statements that Act 372 was a reason to maintain the 'social sections.' A federal judge blocked the challenged portions of Act 372, citing First Amendment violations, in December. The legal fees facing Crawford County defendants in both lawsuits exceeded $575,000, library board chairman Keith Pigg said in April. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
USA Today
22-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Top Sparks vs. Valkyries players to watch - 5/23/2025
Top Sparks vs. Valkyries players to watch - 5/23/2025 The WNBA schedule on Friday includes Dearica Hamby and the Los Angeles Sparks (1-2) hosting Monique Billings and the Golden State Valkyries (1-1) at Arena, with the matchup beginning at 10 p.m. ET. The Sparks had a -289 scoring differential last season, falling short by 7.2 points per game. They put up 78.4 points per game, 10th in the league, and allowed 85.6 per contest to rank 10th in the WNBA. Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply) How to watch Sparks vs. Valkyries Date: Friday, May 23, 2025 Friday, May 23, 2025 Time: 10 p.m. ET 10 p.m. ET How to watch on TV: ION ION Live stream: Fubo (regional restrictions may apply) Fubo Location: Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, California Venue: Arena Sparks' last game Los Angeles fell short of victory by a final score of 89-86 versus Phoenix last time out. The squad was led by Kelsey Plum's 25 points, six assists and two steals and Azura Stevens' 23 points and 17 rebounds. Kelsey Plum: 25 PTS | 3 REB |6 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 4 3PM Azurá Stevens: 23 PTS | 17 REB |0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 2 3PM Dearica Hamby: 15 PTS | 7 REB |2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 3PM Valkyries' last game Golden State enters this matchup having won against Washington in its last game 76-74. It was led by Veronica Burton (22 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL, 54.5 FG%, 3-4 from 3PT) and Kayla Thornton (18 PTS, 2 STL, 35.7 FG%, 2-8 from 3PT). Veronica Burton: 22 PTS | 9 REB |5 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 3 3PM Kayla Thornton: 18 PTS | 5 REB |1 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 2 3PM Carla Leite: 10 PTS | 2 REB |3 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 3PM Sparks players to watch (2024 stats) Hamby scored 17.3 points and pulled down 9.2 rebounds per game last season. Plum dished out 4.2 assists per game while scoring 17.8 PPG. Plum hit an average of 2.9 shots per game from beyond the arc a season ago. Hamby and Stevens were defensive standouts last season, with Hamby averaging 1.7 steals per game and Stevens collecting 0.9 blocks per contest. Valkyries players to watch (2024 stats) Tiffany Hayes averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game last season. Billings averaged 5.8 boards per game and Julie Vanloo dished out 4.3 assists per game. Vanloo knocked down shots from beyond the arc at a clip of 1.8 per contest a season ago. Thornton averaged 0.7 steals per game, while Billings collected 0.5 blocks per contest. Watch this game on Fubo! (regional restrictions may apply)
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dearica Hamby Earns New Nickname From Los Angeles Sparks After Loss to Lynx
The Los Angeles Sparks started the new WNBA season on Friday with an 84-67 win over the expansion Golden State Valkyries. However, they then lost on Sunday to the Minnesota Lynx, the defending Western Conference champions, by a final score of 89-75. A bright spot in both games was the play of veteran forward Dearica Hamby. On Friday, she scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while adding three steals, and versus Minnesota, she notched 20 points and 10 rebounds. Advertisement The Sparks took to their official X account to give Hamby her flowers for posting back-to-back double-doubles while giving her a new nickname. "Double Double D," the caption read. This is Hamby's third season with the Sparks. She arrived in a 2023 trade from the Las Vegas Aces, a team she won the WNBA championship with in 2022. Last year, she earned her third All-Star game nod with averages of 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals a game while shooting 51.2% from the field. Jul 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (5) shoots the ball against Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) in the first half at Arena.© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Los Angeles is looking to become competitive this season while also building for the future with a number of its young prospects. The team is hoping that veterans such as Hamby and guard Kelsey Plum, whom it acquired in a February trade, will give it a shot at making the playoffs this year. Advertisement Plum scored 37 points on 11-of-19 shooting, to go along with six assists and five steals, in Friday's season opener. She had 18 points and five assists on Sunday, but she shot just 5-of-14 from the field. Related: Brittney Griner's Strong Statement to Indiana Fever Star After Historic News
Los Angeles Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Judge dismisses Dearica Hamby's lawsuit against WNBA, continues claim against Aces
LAS VEGAS — A federal judge last week dismissed Sparks forward Dearica Hamby's lawsuit against the WNBA, but said her litigation against the Las Vegas Aces over alleged mistreatment because of her pregnancy could continue. Hamby filed the suit in August that alleged the Aces discriminated and retaliated against her, resulting in her January 2023 trade to the Sparks. The league and club filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit in September. U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon wrote in his ruling that Hamby failed to prove her allegations the WNBA failed to properly investigate her claims against the Aces and didn't renew her league marketing contract. He dismissed those claims with prejudice. A league spokesman referred to previous comments on the subject by Commissioner Cathy Engelbert last August to ABC's 'Good Morning America.' 'We'll obviously review this,' Engelbert said. The judge determined Hamby proved enough to move forward with her discrimination claim against the Aces and partially with her retaliation allegations. Hamby, an All-Star three of the past four seasons, averaged career highs of 17.3 points and 9.2 rebounds last season. She was a two-time WNBA Sixth Player of the Year for the Aces. The Aces remain under investigation by the WNBA regarding a two-year sponsorship deal offered by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority in which each player receives $25,000 per month and up to $100,000 per season. Engelbert said at last month's draft that it's a time-consuming process handled by an outside law firm. 'I think there's a lot of document requests and things like that, so it takes time,' Engelbert said. 'Nothing to report at this time.' Anderson writes for the Associated Press.
