Latest news with #Maranda
Chicago Tribune
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
Catching on as utility player, Carson Maranda rights ship for Richards. To him, it's easy. ‘I'll just lock in.'
Junior Carson Maranda is the ultimate utility player for Richards. He can be a game-changing catcher, the way he was Monday, or he can operate on the other end of the battery as a pitcher. Third base or outfield? That's no sweat, either. And Maranda is ready to go anywhere on short notice. 'It's amazing,' Maranda said. 'I love being that utility guy. Before the game, I ask coach (Jeff Kortz) where I'm playing and I'll just lock in right then and there. 'If he tells me I'm catching, I mentally prepare for that because it's a big mental game.' Maranda was locked in for Monday's game, throwing out back-to-back runners on stolen-base attempts in the fourth inning while also reaching base three times to help visiting Richards pull off a 3-2 South Suburban Red win over Reavis in Burbank. Maranda went 2-for-2 with two singles and a walk for the Bulldogs (9-5, 4-2). Illinois-Chicago recruit Sean Cody went 2-for-3 with a homer and raced home for the go-ahead run in the seventh. Joliet Junior College commit Xavier Fernandez struck out five over five innings, allowing two earned runs while scattering five hits and five walks. Max Kawa tossed two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. Parker Zasada picked up an RBI single for Reavis (12-6, 7-1), while Isaac Velasco reached base three times and scored a run. Dennis Muraida pitched 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven and allowing three earned runs on five hits. Richards broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh when Kawa hit a fielder's choice grounder but beat the throw to first to prevent what would have been an inning-ending double play. Cody dashed home all the way from second base. 'I'm speechless right now,' Cody said. 'I knew it was going to be a close play at first and I knew Max had good speed and he'd beat it out, so I just went home. It was great.' Maranda, meanwhile, set the tone both offensively and defensively. When consecutive Reavis baserunners tried to steal second base in the fourth inning, Maranda threw them both out. 'I was thinking, 'I hope he goes, I hope he goes,'' Maranda said. 'They ended up going. It was a costly mistake for them. Every time a guy steps on first base, I'm always thinking, 'He's running.' 'And when he does, I'm ready.' Maranda, who said playing third base helped him develop a powerful arm, did some catching on the freshman team but did not play the position at all as a sophomore in his first varsity season, spending most of his time in the outfield. 'After not catching at all last season, I had to take a big leap stepping back in but it's been a lot of fun,' he said. 'Definitely blocking is the biggest challenge. My arm has always been there. 'Framing takes time to get down, but that's been fine. Blocking is the hardest.' Regardless, Cody is always confident in Maranda. 'We can always count on Carson,' Cody said. 'Carson is electric. Back-to-back plays throwing guys out — that really got us all amped up. And then he's always doing his job getting on base.' Richards snapped a nine-game losing streak against the Rams, beating them for the first time since 2019. That was especially meaningful for Fernandez, whose uncle, Ryan Flood, is an assistant coach for Reavis. 'At Christmas, he's always talking, so it feels good to get him back,' Fernandez said. Maranda helped make sure Richards would finally break through against Reavis. And Kortz knows the junior leader will always be ready for anything. 'We've got him behind the plate because he's so athletic,' Kortz said. 'Last year, he took some lumps at the plate, but he started to feel it toward the end of the season and he's continued to get better. 'Next year, the sky's the limit for him.'
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Missing Man Found Dead 10 Months After Being Swept Away in Flash Flood That Also Killed His Wife
Human remains found in Utah have been identified as belonging to a Texas man who disappeared along with his wife during an apparent flash flood in 2024. The Grand County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday, April 3, that the remains found along the Colorado River on Wednesday, March 26, were identified as Raymond Ankofski. Raymond and his wife Maranda were on the Steel Bender off-road trail in Grand County on June 21, 2024, the sheriff's office said in a previous news release. Concerns about their whereabouts grew when they failed to return as scheduled and their vehicle was reported abandoned. The Grand County Sheriff's Office said in its April 3 statement that Raymond's body was located about 37 miles away from the couple's UTV wreckage site. Related: American Sailing Couple Disappears in Caribbean. Their Yacht Is Found 80 Miles Away At the time of their disappearance the couple from Pearland, Texas, was on their annual trip to Moab, Utah, CBS affiliate KHOU reported. The region was hit with flash flooding, resulting in dangerous trail conditions. Authorities suspected that the Ankofskis were swept away in the floodwaters. "And it probably tumbled that UTV down the wash — I'm going to say three-quarters of a mile before it stopped," Grand County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Mike Palmer told KHOU at the time. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Ashlynn Ankofski, the couple's daughter, launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in June to raise money for the search efforts. 'We want nothing more than to bring our parents home regardless of the outcome and unfortunately this might require the help of sources outside of law enforcement,' Ashlynn wrote. Related: Human Remains Found in Georgia Pond Are Couple Missing Since 1980, Family Says: 'Deeply Saddened and Equally Relieved' About a month later, the sheriff's office confirmed that remains discovered in Mill Creek Canyon were identified as Maranda's. 'At this time, the Anofski family requests privacy as they grieve for their loss,' authorities said. 'They also wish to thank the community and all law enforcement entities for their unwavering persistence in bringing them closure regarding their missing loved ones.' Raymond, 58, and Maranda, 50, worked as a used car director for a dealership and an elementary school teacher, respectively, according to The Times-Independent. According to a separate GoFundMe, the couple's son Ray died in a motorcycle crash on July 14, 2024. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Flooding concerns, storm chances erupt as spring break travel begins
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — It's officially spring break across West Michigan, and those traveling south will want to keep an eye on the weather as severe weather concerns continue to grow. Major flooding is expected across portions of the Midwest and southern United States as rain continues to stall. Flash flood warnings cover portions of Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Arkansas as an additional 5 to 8 inches of rain is expected through Saturday. Sunday's tornadoes most in Michigan on one day since 2001 Keep in mind, parts of this area have already seen 1 to 4 inches of rain over the past several days. Driving through this area for spring break travel will be dangerous, especially off the highways and near rivers. While West Michigan will get clipped by this system, rain totals will be minimal, around a quarter inch at most. Still, the Grand River at Comstock Park is expected to reach minor flood stage this weekend. The widespread rain comes with a chance for strong to severe thunderstorms as well. The Storm Prediction Center has placed parts of Arkansas in a level 4 moderate risk for Friday. Tornadoes, damaging wind and hail are all quite likely to develop Friday afternoon and evening. Maranda's 2025 Spring Break Guide Strong to severe storms are expected to continue rolling across the country Saturday and Sunday as the severe threat moves east. The greatest threat for tornadoes develops in Louisiana Saturday afternoon. Behind the stalled out front, cooler air will begin to slide into the central region of the country Sunday. Highs are expected to be a bit below average. That all changes by the end of the week, though. Warmer air takes over for the western half of the United States, while cooler air moves into the gulf region. Download the free Storm Team 8 weather app If you are staying local in Michigan, cooler air will be sticking around with highs in the 40s and 50s. Luckily, a much drier and quieter pattern will take over for most of the country next week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Yahoo
Florida woman who survived parents' murders as toddler reveals 'missing piece' after killer's execution
A Florida killer who fatally shot a newlywed couple in front of their toddler nearly three decades ago finally faced justice last week in the state's first execution of the year. The couple's surviving daughter has spoken out as an adult about her childhood memories connected to the horrific crimes. James D. Ford, 64, was executed via lethal injection at Florida State Prison on Feb. 13 for the murders of Greg Malnory, 25, and his wife Kimberly, 26, after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed his death warrant on Jan. 10. "I feel like I missed out on a lot of love …that love from my mom and dad," Maranda Malnory, who witnessed her parents' murders as a 22-month-old, told Fox News Digital in an interview after the execution. "I don't want to say it was closure because it's not closure, but it's peace of mind knowing that he could never, ever get out and come find me… I'm the sole survivor." Florida Newlyweds Get Justice After Family Fishing Trip Ended In Murder On a Sunday morning in the spring of 1997, Greg and Kimberly Malnory set out to go fishing at South Florida Sod Farm, where Greg worked, along with Maranda, who was 22 months old at the time. Read On The Fox News App The couple's deceased bodies were discovered the following day, April 7, 1997, near their pickup truck in the middle of a field on the remote 7,000-acre farm. Authorities found Maranda strapped inside her car seat in the truck, having survived the attack, according to court records. "Poor Maranda, just left there to die. It was actually divine intervention that she survived," Greg's mother, Connie Ankney, previously told Fox News Digital. "The angels must have been with her." Now 29 years old, Maranda does not have any memory of the attack itself, but she remembers the exact moment she first learned the harrowing details of the case. During her early years of childhood being raised by her grandparents, Maranda was unaware of the circumstances surrounding her parents' deaths until she decided to take matters into her own hands. Parents Of Teacher Found Dead With 20 Stab Wounds Offer Theory On How She Died After 'Suicide' Ruling Reversed "I was 13 years old…it was around the time of the anniversary of their murders. I was on my computer…and I Googled it. I Googled every detail I could find," she said. "Because I didn't know how to ask…it was heartbreaking." Investigators on the case discovered that Greg Malnory had been shot in the head and bludgeoned with his throat slit, and Kimberly Malnory had been sexually assaulted, brutally beaten and then shot dead, according to court records. Maranda had been in the vehicle for over 18 hours with the doors wide open and covered in her mother's blood. "I didn't realize the extent of it until I read it," Maranda said about researching the crimes as a teenager. "I broke down because I came from two fighters. My mom put up a fight, and so did my dad." GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE True Crime Hub Authorities said that while Ford was attacking Greg, Kimberly was doing everything she could to save her daughter, which explained the presence of Kimberly's blood on the child's clothing. Defensive wounds were found on the backs of Kim's arms, which indicated that she put up a struggle, according to court records. "I honestly think had she been able to find my dad's truck keys, she would have went to get help," Maranda said. "That's why I was in my car seat… she was going to get help having seen what happened to my dad." Luxury Florida Mall's String Of Murders And Kidnapping Have One Thing In Common: Retired Fbi Agent During their investigation, law enforcement learned that Ford had been seen with the victims in the area of the crime just before the killings, and then he was later seen the same evening "in a distracted state with blood on his face, hands, and clothes," according to court documents. Ford was also observed the day after the murders with scratches on his body. Maranda explained that Ford, who had been Greg's co-worker at the Charlotte County farm, invited himself to their family outing that day. "It kind of leaves me speechless," she said. "That much hatred… for people that you had worked with and people that you know." Greg Malnory's DNA was discovered on a knife in Ford's bedroom, Kimberly's DNA was located in Ford's truck, and Ford's DNA was found on Kimberly's body and clothing, court records show. 'Dating Game' Serial Killer's Rise To Fame Was Key To His Downfall, Arresting Officer Reveals For First Time "It wasn't until I was an adult that it got a little easier for me to ask questions…and ask about the day it happened," Maranda said. As she began to learn more about the case, she recognized that her "close-knit" community was the reason she and her parents were found as soon as they were in the middle of the field on the remote farm. "That in of itself, if you ask me, is… I don't want to call it a miracle, but it is," Maranda said. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X Authorities said that an employee of the South Florida Sod Farm had been the one to initially make the "gruesome discovery" in April 1997, according to court records. As an adult, Maranda had the opportunity to connect with the man who found her as a toddler and chose to speak with him directly. "I said, 'Thank you for finding us,'" she shared. "And he was like, 'Thank you for being such a strong, resilient little girl that I was able to find.'" Cop Who Survived Serial Killer As A Teen Is Now On Track To Become A Detective Greg and Kimberly Malnory met in high school, and they had married just six months prior to their deaths. Greg's mother previously said that their chance to be parents had been taken away too soon. "I think about them every day. I have their names tattooed on my wrist," Maranda said. "They're my heroes… I honestly think that I wouldn't be here had it not been for them." SIGN UP TO GET True Crime Newsletter The 29-year-old said she keeps a picture of her parents holding her as a baby, which was taken the weekend before the killings, on her desk to this day. "You mourn the people that they were," Maranda recalled telling her grandparents, "I mourn what could have been." "It's that missing piece" she added. "I so wish I could have gotten to know them… I love hearing stories about them because, in my way, it is getting to know them." News Anchor's Mysterious Disappearance Was Crime Of 'Jealousy': Private Investigator Maranda today works in special education with children and strives to give back to her community. "I can do my part because of things that were done for me," she explained. "Our community rallied around us, even with the execution. Even now, it's still, 'We're here for you…we never forgot you…we're still here.'" Ford was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, sexual battery with a firearm, and child abuse, and he was sentenced to death on June 3, 1999. His execution in Florida in 2025 followed one in the state in 2024 and six in 2023. "It impacts me in some big ways and some little ways," Maranda said about the case. "I'm terrified of the dark and loud noises…but I also think it makes me fight a little harder… I fight every day to show him that he doesn't get to win."Original article source: Florida woman who survived parents' murders as toddler reveals 'missing piece' after killer's execution
