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Qatar Tribune
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Qatar Tribune
More than just a game: Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA Qatar League matches empower local youth
Tribune News Network Doha The second season of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Qatar League has come to a thrilling close, helping students from across the country to grow their basketball skills while building key skills and values such as teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership, and resilience. This year's league—organised by Qatar Foundation (QF) in collaboration with the NBA, and supported by the Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF)—featured 68 teams, each representing an NBA team, across four categories and welcomed more than 1,000 students, doubling participation from its first season. The U12 Girls title was claimed by the Qatar Basketball Federation (Philadelphia 76ers), with Pro Sports (Brooklyn Nets), finishing in second place. In the U12 Boys category, the Movement Camp (Minnesota Timberwolves), were crowned champions, while QF Awsaj (Indiana Pacers) took second place. The U14 Girls champions were the Qatar Basketball Federation (San Antonio Spurs), with QF Awsaj (Minnesota Timberwolves) securing second. In the U14 Boys division, the Qatar Basketball Federation (Dallas Mavericks) claimed the title, with Evolution Sports (Orlando Magic) taking home second place. All basketball action took place across two venues: QF's Multaqa (Education City Student Centre) and the QBF. Kholoud M. Al-Ali, executive director of Community Engagement and Programming at Qatar Foundation Communication Initiatives, said: 'The growth of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Qatar League this year has been truly inspiring, with participation more than doubling since last season. This reflects the increasing passion for basketball among our youth. 'Every match has showcased not only excitement and teamwork, but also a deep love for the game. Seeing the enthusiasm and dedication of these young athletes is a powerful reminder of how sport can unite communities and inspire future generations. 'At Qatar Foundation, our commitment to youth development extends beyond the realm of sport – through every game and every play, we strive to empower young people. Bringing the league back to Education City through this partnership for a second year is more than a milestone – it is an opportunity to build character, instil values, and cultivate leaders. We are not just shaping athletes; we are shaping the future of Qatar and the wider region, inspiring a generation to drive meaningful, lasting change.' Mohammed Saad A A Al-Meghaiseeb, president, Qatar Basketball Federation, said: 'One year ago, I made a promise as President of Qatar Basketball Federation, that the second season of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Qatar League would be even better. We worked hard with Qatar Foundation, and we delivered a great event. 'QBF and Qatar Foundation are focusing to develop the game of basketball in the country. The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Qatar League gave the chance to young boys and girls to compete, play, enjoy the most beautiful game, and develop their skills. 'Qatar will host the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027, and we firmly believe that with programs like the Jr. NBA, we can bring more young people to basketball. 'Together with Qatar Foundation, we promise that the next year will be even more successful. Congratulations to all the participants, players, and their families.' Maryam Hamad M A Al-Qahtani is a student at Tariq Bin Ziad School, part of QF's Pre-University Education, who plays for the Qatar Basketball Federation.'I started playing basketball about a year ago through my school team,' she said. 'From the very first moment, I felt something special about the game. The energy, the challenge, the movement, and the team spirit. 'What I love most about basketball is the teamwork. Every player has a role, and every pass is built on trust and understanding. It's a sport that teaches patience, discipline, and quick decision-making, all of which help me grow, both on and off the court. 'The best part of playing in the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA League was gaining experience every match, every training session helped me improve. But the moment I'll never forget was the feeling of winning an important game and sharing that victory with my coach, Rana, who played a big role in supporting me and helping me grow throughout the tournament. 'I've learned that confidence and discipline are just as important as talent. Every game was a chance to learn something new. Mistakes are not failures – they're lessons.''
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mercer County man sentenced after being discharged from drug court
MERCER COUNTY, WV (WVNS) — A man was sentenced in Mercer County after being discharged from drug court. According to a press release, 35-year-old Richard Allen Cecil, Jr, of Bramwell, was sentenced on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 to seven to 11 years in prison for failing to complete the requirements of the Mercer County Drug Court program. Mercer County man sentenced for witness tampering conspiracy in sex trafficking case The press release stated that in October 2021 Cecil was charged by a Mercer County Grand Jury, and pleaded guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Fireman by a Prohibited Person, Driving on Revoked license for DUI- Third Offense, and Attempt to Commit a Felony in December 2021. As part of his original sentence, Cecil was allowed to be a part of the Drug Court program. According to the press release, Cecil was discharged from the program and his sentenced was reimposed. Once he finished the GOALS program he was allowed back into Drug Court, but the release stated that after he reportedly violated Drug Court rules, Cecil was discharged from Drug Court again. Our court system and the Drug Court program bent over backwards the last couple of years to help Mr. Cecil get his life back together but he continued to break the rules. He left us with really no choice but to ask the Court to reimpose the original sentences. Brian K. Cochran | Mercer County Prosecuting Attorney Two people face charges after reported child abduction in Summers County According to a press release, Cecil was sentenced to five years for Unlawful Possession of a Fireman by a Prohibited Person, one to three years for Driving on Revoked license for DUI- Third Offense, and one to three years for Attempt to Commit a Felony. The sentences will be carried out continuously. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fire destroys historic Clayborn Temple in Downtown Memphis Monday
Large portions of the historic Clayborn Temple in Downtown Memphis burned to the ground on April 28. The site was a key meeting spot for the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike and hosted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In a post to X, formerly known as Twitter, the Memphis Fire Fighters Association said the call about the fire came in around 1:30 a.m. Memphis Fire Department firefighters were able to get most of the fire put out within an hour of arriving on the scene. By 7:30, firefighters were still putting water on hot spots and the majority of the structure had been destroyed. Investigators were on scene to try to determine the cause of the blaze. No one was injured in the fire. MFD Chief Gina Sweat said she instructed firefighters to do the least possible damage to what remained of the structure as they battled the blaze. The fire department is working with the Memphis Police Department to investigate. Memphis Mayor Paul Young said the historic monument is not just a jewel to Memphis but to the world and it is "heartbreaking" for the community to see the loss. "This is a big blow. This really hurts. There's a lot of people, including myself, that have been working on this project for many, many years, like I told them, about this, the work is bigger than a building," Young said. "And we can replace structures. We can design around the elements of the structure that will remain, but the work must continue, and I think that is the important point." Investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also on the scene and additional investigators are heading to Memphis to help, officials said. Anasa Troutman, the founder and executive director of Historic Clayborn Team and founder and CEO of The Big We, said in a statement the church "suffered a devastating loss due to a fire." "Clayborn's true spirit was never in the walls alone. It lives in us. Even as we mourn, we must remember: resilience is our birthright, but so is the space to grieve," Troutman said. "Our ancestors endured, grieved, rebuilt, and transcended unimaginable losses. We will do the same." Troutman also said she is still committed to the restoration of Clayborn Temple. "For now, we ask for your prayers, your support, and your belief in the enduring power of this place. This is not the end, but a call to remember who we are, and to build again with faith, courage, and abundant love," Troutman said. "If you can support, please visit and give if you can." The site, at 294 Hernando St., had been undergoing years of renovations to preserve the iconic structure, but had struggled to get all the funding for needed repairs. In late 2023, a $6 million second phase of restoration to the structure was completed. That phase included preserving stained glass windows and reinforcing the attic, according to previous reporting from The Commercial Appeal. The third phase of renovations was expected to cost about $25 million. During the Sanitation Workers' Strike of 1968, both civil rights and labor activists gathered at and organized out of Clayborn Temple. Carrie Louise Pinson, who marched with King, said she drove from Cordova when she saw the news of the structure burning. Pinson said her early days of activism started at the Clayborn Temple. "It's as if somebody has taken the air out of my body, where I started at 18-years-old, fighting for justice. It just makes me tearful. It makes me cry," Pinson said. The National Civil Rights Museum said in a statement from President Dr. Russ Wigginton that the fire is a "devastating blow" to Memphis and the broader community. The church was the "nerve center" of the Civil Rights movement, he said in the statement, and "was a beating heart of a community that chose unity over division, progress over fear, and community over chaos." "Its destruction by fire is another somber chapter in a long story of devastated sacred spaces. But if history teaches us anything, it's this: Clayborn Temple will rise again, because its foundation was never merely physical," Wigginton said. "It was spiritual. It was communal. And that foundation cannot be burned." He also called for coordinated financial recovery efforts, rebuilding the structure and preserving what is left. "Clayborn Temple was, and will continue to be, a house not just of gathering, but of movement, resilience, and rebirth. Fire can take down walls, but it cannot destroy the spirit that built them," Wigginton said. Brooke Muckerman is a political reporter for The Commercial Appeal, covering the city of Memphis, Shelby County Government and MSCS Board of Education. She can be reached at and via phone at 901-484-6225 This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Clayborn Temple in Memphis destroyed by overnight fire
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Free summer reading program begins with art and nature events
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — 'Color Our World,' Shreve Memorial Library's Summer Reading Program, starts on Monday, June 2, and features family-friendly events at several locations. Wonder Oasis Waterpark opens early with exclusive deals, updated rides and more Free and open to the public, 'Color Our World' encourages patrons to embrace the beauty of art in all forms. The Broadmoor Branch, located at 1212 Captain Shreve Drive, hosts the Summer Reading Shindig on Wednesday, May 28, featuring games and providing an opportunity for registration. Participants should be ready to have fun and be active from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Another opportunity to register is at the Summer Reading Sign-Up Mess Fest, which takes place at the David Raines Branch, located at 2855 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. Attendees will be able to create and play in a hands-on sensory experience on May 28, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Summer Reading Program officially kicks off on Monday, June 2. All ages are welcome to participate in interactive programs highlighting art, nature, creativity, and expression across Shreve Memorial Library locations. Bossier City's first-ever pocket park 'Children will explore the colorful world of nature with Margaret Clauder as Mother Goose, Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Nature Park, and Steve's Snaketuary, while adults will enjoy nature's colorful bounty with the Urban Gardening Initiative and Cenerica Smith, Chef Jacquelyn Caskey, and Chef Sheila Saunders.' Karen LaBeau, Whitney Tates, Marci Hicks, The Clayground, and Christena Francis will lead paints and crafts for teens and adults. DML Make & Go will give direction on how to complete STEAM-based projects. Ashley Mace Havird, Amber Jurgensen, and M.L. Tarpley will lead writing and literature workshops. All programs and performances are free and open to the public with registration. Children 10 and under are encouraged to read 10 books over the summer, teens 11 to 17 are asked to read five, and adults are tasked with reading three. Logging read books online will earn digital badges and those who complete the program will win prizes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Preserving 148 Edgewood Avenue: A Call for Integrity in the Heart of Atlanta's Historic Legacy
ATLANTA, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- By any measure, 148 Edgewood Avenue NE is more than brick and mortar according to Jeff Notrica, a Georgia-based historic property preservationist and President of Inman Park Properties, Inc.. It is a rare survivor—a lone sentry—standing firm on a street that has endured the insults of a Federal highway slicing through its core and the disruptions of urban renewal that razed much of Atlanta's Black business and residential districts. Now, it faces a final and unnecessary blow: demolition at the hands of Georgia State University. Let us be clear—148 Edgewood is a contributing structure to the Martin Luther King, Jr. - Local Landmark District, designated in 1989. It lies squarely within a protected zone that commemorates one of the most vital and historically rich Black communities in the United States. The building's destruction would not only diminish the physical fabric of this district, but would also deepen the slow erosion of its soul—piece by piece, building by building. Edgewood Avenue has already paid a high price for Atlanta's appetite for growth and real estate. Development pressures, unchecked, have turned what was once a thriving cultural corridor into a fragmented memory. 148 Edgewood is now under siege—not by time, but by expedience and institutional disregard for context. Replacing this structure with a mural or a plaque—as has been suggested—is an insult masquerading as a tribute. Paint peels. History, once erased, does not come back. This building's significance is not abstract. It is a vital thread in a larger tapestry of Black achievement, civil rights, and urban resilience. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic District is not simply about landmarks like Ebenezer Baptist Church or Dr. King's birth home. It is about the ecosystem that supported him: the barbershops, schools, offices, churches, and yes, the modest but enduring buildings like 148 Edgewood that collectively shaped his worldview. According to the Historic Preservation Division (HPD) of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, the project calls for the demolition of the circa 1916 Georgia Railway and Power Company Building, also known as 148 Edgewood Avenue NE. The HPD's review, based on the site's characteristics and available records, finds this building individually eligible for listing in the Georgia and National Registers of Historic Places (G/NRHP). Yet, Georgia State has submitted no public plans for the new construction—raising serious transparency concerns and undermining public trust in the stewardship of Atlanta's historic resources. The impact doesn't end there. Within the project's Area of Potential Effect (APE) are several other significant properties, including the National Register-listed The Coca-Cola Bottling Company Plant at 125 Edgewood and the broader Sweet Auburn Historic District, as well as multiple other historic resources that may also be eligible for future listing. This is not a vacant lot being repurposed. It is a historically dense corridor whose architectural and cultural context will be irreparably harmed by shortsighted redevelopment. The district, as further noted in HPD's findings, is already vulnerable. Encroaching development and incompatible construction threaten its very foundation. SHPO's letter makes clear that the proposed demolition "will have a significant impact on historic properties" and "is not consistent with the State of Georgia's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties." That should end the conversation. And yet, this is not an isolated decision. Georgia State University also plans to clear-cut and demolish the nearby Sparks Hall, removing the historic structure, mature trees and green space to create an outdoor area. Taken together, these moves suggest a troubling land grab—one that prioritizes campus expansion and aesthetic uniformity over preservation and meaningful community engagement. The fact that the university wishes to convert the 148 Edgewood site into something as disposable as a basketball court only deepens the concern. It's not thoughtful development—it's urban disregard. It's also worth noting that this action seems to directly conflict with Georgia State's own 2014 Master Plan, which touted values of preservation, integration, and stewardship. What we are witnessing instead is the systematic dismantling of a legacy and the erasure of community memory. The proposed demolition of 148 Edgewood—an architecturally significant, historically important building—resembles a form of urban colonialism, where institutional ambition overrides the values and voices of the people most affected. There are legal implications as well. Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and state stewardship laws, any federally or state-affiliated institution undertaking a project that affects historic properties must fully consider alternatives and provide for public involvement. The public has not only the right to be informed—but the obligation to intervene. Architecture is not just shelter; it is memory made visible. Destroying 148 Edgewood erases one more page from the book of Atlanta's Black history and furthers the displacement of a community that has endured more than its share. To lose this building would be to signal that cultural preservation is only skin deep—worthy of a mural perhaps, but not of actual survival. If Georgia State University wishes to be a civic institution and not merely a corporate landlord, it must lead with respect for the past. It must recognize that communities are not blank slates for institutional ambition. The public has a right to demand better. In a time when cities around the country are reckoning with how best to preserve and honor marginalized histories, Atlanta should not be destroying one of its few remaining connections to a neighborhood that gave rise to one of the greatest leaders the world has known. 148 Edgewood deserves more than demolition. It deserves dignity. It has earned preservation. Public Meeting Notice: A public meeting regarding the future of 148 Edgewood Avenue will be held on Wednesday, May 28, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Centennial Hall, Room 120. All concerned citizens, preservation advocates, and community members are encouraged to attend. CONTACT: David Yoakley MitchellDavid@ View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Inman Park Properties Inc. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
