Latest news with #McClinton
Scoop
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Laiana McClinton: First Polynesian Heritage Athlete To Win 100m And 200m State Titles At High School Meet
Laiana McClinton, who has links to Tonga and Samoa, won both the events at the Florida State High School Athletics competition. Iliesa Tora, Senior Sports Journalist A Florida based high school student has become the first Polynesian heritage athlete to win both the 100 and 200 metre titles at the Florida State High School Athletics competition. Laiana McClinton, who has links to Tonga and Samoa, won both events on Tuesday, claiming two gold medals along the way. McClinton stopped the clock at 11.75 seconds in the 100m and 23.67 seconds in the 200m. It is not the first time either the high school student has won in competitions across Florida, having dominated the Largo High School sprint events in the past few seasons. She has also become the first student from her school to win the events since 1992 – 33 years ago. Proud mother Janesia Tautalatasi said on her social media posts that the achievement was a big reward and she was proud of what her young daughter has been able to achieve. 'The biggest reward as a mother is being able to step back and watch your children flourish in life and strive to become greater versions of themselves all by the Grace of God!,' she said. 'All the many sacrifices, countless tears and silent struggles you go through as a single mother makes proud moments like this worth it! 'Double State Champion! Super proud of this girl! 'She put in real blood, sweat and tears into this season and this was her reward!' She thanked coach Jamar Parker 'who played a big key in her high school success'. 'He pushed her all season and set high goals for her,' she stated. 'Thanks Coach Tite for all that you do.' The Largo High School Track and Field team congratulated McClinton, adding she has re-created history. 'Congratulations to our very own Laiana McClinton (Junior) on accomplishing the amazing feat of winning the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash at the FHSAA Class 4A State Championships (STATE CHAMP X2),' they said on their Facebook page. 'Laiana is the first Girls Track and Field champion from Largo High School since the feat was accomplished in 1992, 33 years later.' Samoa and Tonga links Proud mum Tautalatasi said her daughter has strong Polynesian bloodlines, connecting her to both Samoa and Tonga./ 'She is Tongan, Samoan and African American,' she said. 'Her Polynesian bloodline on both sides are very athletic. Her Tongan side is the Sikahema bloodline from Vava'u.' She is related to Vai Sikahema, the first Tongan to go to the NFL. 'My dad and Vai's dad are brothers,' she revealed. Her Samoan side is the Tautalatasi bloodline. That makes McClinton a direct relative of Nico Iamaleava and Junior Tautalatasi, who also was one of the early Samoan NFL players. 'So saying all her athleticism came from one side is not true,' her mum said. 'She has the best of three worlds!! She embraces all three and her winning the state championship in the 100m and 200m in one of the fastest and competitive states in the country might not be a big deal for some but to our family and our people it is a milestone.' Tautalatasi said this is just te beginning. 'We don't have alot of Polynesian sprinters,' she wrote on her page. 'Thank you for all your love and support for my daughter. 'This won't be the last time you see or hear from her.' Her blood ties makes the young champion eligible to represent either Samoa, Tonga or the United States of America. Aunt, Sina Sikahema, said her niece's achievement 'isn't just a victory! it's a moment that will live on for our people, our culture, and our legacy'. Sikahema said winning the titles during the Pacific Island Heritage Month was big. 'Polynesians belong on every stage and now, the track too. She did it during Pacific Islander Heritage Month, no better time to show the world what we're made of! 'This is for Tonga. This is for Samoa. This is for every young Islander girl who dreams big.'
Scoop
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Laiana McClinton: First Polynesian Heritage Athlete To Win 100m And 200m State Titles At High School Meet
Article – RNZ Laiana McClinton, who has links to Tonga and Samoa, won both the events at the Florida State High School Athletics competition. Iliesa Tora, Senior Sports Journalist A Florida based high school student has become the first Polynesian heritage athlete to win both the 100 and 200 metre titles at the Florida State High School Athletics competition. Laiana McClinton, who has links to Tonga and Samoa, won both events on Tuesday, claiming two gold medals along the way. McClinton stopped the clock at 11.75 seconds in the 100m and 23.67 seconds in the 200m. It is not the first time either the high school student has won in competitions across Florida, having dominated the Largo High School sprint events in the past few seasons. She has also become the first student from her school to win the events since 1992 – 33 years ago. Proud mother Janesia Tautalatasi said on her social media posts that the achievement was a big reward and she was proud of what her young daughter has been able to achieve. 'The biggest reward as a mother is being able to step back and watch your children flourish in life and strive to become greater versions of themselves all by the Grace of God!,' she said. 'All the many sacrifices, countless tears and silent struggles you go through as a single mother makes proud moments like this worth it! 'Double State Champion! Super proud of this girl! 'She put in real blood, sweat and tears into this season and this was her reward!' She thanked coach Jamar Parker 'who played a big key in her high school success'. 'He pushed her all season and set high goals for her,' she stated. 'Thanks Coach Tite for all that you do.' The Largo High School Track and Field team congratulated McClinton, adding she has re-created history. 'Congratulations to our very own Laiana McClinton (Junior) on accomplishing the amazing feat of winning the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash at the FHSAA Class 4A State Championships (STATE CHAMP X2),' they said on their Facebook page. 'Laiana is the first Girls Track and Field champion from Largo High School since the feat was accomplished in 1992, 33 years later.' Samoa and Tonga links Proud mum Tautalatasi said her daughter has strong Polynesian bloodlines, connecting her to both Samoa and Tonga./ 'She is Tongan, Samoan and African American,' she said. 'Her Polynesian bloodline on both sides are very athletic. Her Tongan side is the Sikahema bloodline from Vava'u.' She is related to Vai Sikahema, the first Tongan to go to the NFL. 'My dad and Vai's dad are brothers,' she revealed. Her Samoan side is the Tautalatasi bloodline. That makes McClinton a direct relative of Nico Iamaleava and Junior Tautalatasi, who also was one of the early Samoan NFL players. 'So saying all her athleticism came from one side is not true,' her mum said. 'She has the best of three worlds!! She embraces all three and her winning the state championship in the 100m and 200m in one of the fastest and competitive states in the country might not be a big deal for some but to our family and our people it is a milestone.' Tautalatasi said this is just te beginning. 'We don't have alot of Polynesian sprinters,' she wrote on her page. 'Thank you for all your love and support for my daughter. 'This won't be the last time you see or hear from her.' Her blood ties makes the young champion eligible to represent either Samoa, Tonga or the United States of America. Aunt, Sina Sikahema, said her niece's achievement 'isn't just a victory! it's a moment that will live on for our people, our culture, and our legacy'. Sikahema said winning the titles during the Pacific Island Heritage Month was big. 'Polynesians belong on every stage and now, the track too. She did it during Pacific Islander Heritage Month, no better time to show the world what we're made of! 'This is for Tonga. This is for Samoa. This is for every young Islander girl who dreams big.'
Scoop
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Scoop
Laiana McClinton: First Polynesian Heritage Athlete To Win 100m And 200m State Titles At High School Meet
A Florida based high school student has become the first Polynesian heritage athlete to win both the 100 and 200 metre titles at the Florida State High School Athletics competition. Laiana McClinton, who has links to Tonga and Samoa, won both events on Tuesday, claiming two gold medals along the way. McClinton stopped the clock at 11.75 seconds in the 100m and 23.67 seconds in the 200m. It is not the first time either the high school student has won in competitions across Florida, having dominated the Largo High School sprint events in the past few seasons. She has also become the first student from her school to win the events since 1992 - 33 years ago. Proud mother Janesia Tautalatasi said on her social media posts that the achievement was a big reward and she was proud of what her young daughter has been able to achieve. "The biggest reward as a mother is being able to step back and watch your children flourish in life and strive to become greater versions of themselves all by the Grace of God!," she said. "All the many sacrifices, countless tears and silent struggles you go through as a single mother makes proud moments like this worth it! "Double State Champion! Super proud of this girl! "She put in real blood, sweat and tears into this season and this was her reward!" She thanked coach Jamar Parker "who played a big key in her high school success". "He pushed her all season and set high goals for her," she stated. "Thanks Coach Tite for all that you do." The Largo High School Track and Field team congratulated McClinton, adding she has re-created history. "Congratulations to our very own Laiana McClinton (Junior) on accomplishing the amazing feat of winning the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash at the FHSAA Class 4A State Championships (STATE CHAMP X2)," they said on their Facebook page. "Laiana is the first Girls Track and Field champion from Largo High School since the feat was accomplished in 1992, 33 years later." Samoa and Tonga links Proud mum Tautalatasi said her daughter has strong Polynesian bloodlines, connecting her to both Samoa and Tonga./ "She is Tongan, Samoan and African American," she said. "Her Polynesian bloodline on both sides are very athletic. Her Tongan side is the Sikahema bloodline from Vava'u." She is related to Vai Sikahema, the first Tongan to go to the NFL. "My dad and Vai's dad are brothers," she revealed. Her Samoan side is the Tautalatasi bloodline. That makes McClinton a direct relative of Nico Iamaleava and Junior Tautalatasi, who also was one of the early Samoan NFL players. "So saying all her athleticism came from one side is not true," her mum said. "She has the best of three worlds!! She embraces all three and her winning the state championship in the 100m and 200m in one of the fastest and competitive states in the country might not be a big deal for some but to our family and our people it is a milestone." Tautalatasi said this is just te beginning. "We don't have alot of Polynesian sprinters," she wrote on her page. "Thank you for all your love and support for my daughter. "This won't be the last time you see or hear from her." Her blood ties makes the young champion eligible to represent either Samoa, Tonga or the United States of America. Aunt, Sina Sikahema, said her niece's achievement "isn't just a victory! it's a moment that will live on for our people, our culture, and our legacy". Sikahema said winning the titles during the Pacific Island Heritage Month was big. "Polynesians belong on every stage and now, the track too. She did it during Pacific Islander Heritage Month, no better time to show the world what we're made of! "This is for Tonga. This is for Samoa. This is for every young Islander girl who dreams big."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania lawmakers pass changes to state election law
(WHTM) – The Democrat-controlled Pennsylvania State House passed a bill that would implement several changes in the state's election laws. The bill would allow counties to pre-canvass mail-in ballots and allow voters to 'cure' their ballots by fixing mistakes such as failing to sign the envelope. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The bill would also allow for in-person early voting up to 11 days before an election and set standards for drop boxes in all 67 counties. Counties would also be required to keep electronic poll books and create a post-election audit process. Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton says the bill would make elections more secure in Pennsylvania. 'House Bill 1396 responds to the needs of our most essential election stakeholders and would make all of our elections free, fair, efficient, uniform, safe and secure,' said McClinton. All 102 Democrats voted for the bill and all 101 Republicans voted against it. The bill faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled State Senate. Rep. Brad Roae (R-Crawford/Erie), chair of the House State Government Committee, voiced concern about the bill after it passed on Tuesday. 'This 98-page bill was rushed to prime time with only about a week elapsing from introduction to final passage by the House,' Roae said. 'It gave little time for stakeholders to weigh in and have their concerns addressed.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats endorse set of changes to Pennsylvania election rules, sending bill to state Senate
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania voters would get more than a week of early voting and county election officials would have more time to start processing mail-in ballots under an election law proposal that advanced out of the state House on Tuesday by a single vote, with all Republicans opposed. The wide-ranging bill sponsored by Speaker Joanna McClinton, D-Philadelphia, addresses an array of election-related matters, including rules for ballot drop boxes, electronic lists of registered voters for election workers to consult, in-person early voting and voter registration. It passed on a vote of 102 to 101 and was sent to the Republican majority state Senate, adding a potent political issue to the mix as lawmakers and the governor head into the homestretch of the annual state budget season's dealmaking. 'This bill will make sure we have less ambiguities in the law,' McClinton said in an interview before the vote. 'It also accounts for the changes in how voters want to cast their ballot by providing options for early voting, increased access to ballot drop boxes and allowing them to correct small errors on mail-in ballots.' Its prospects in the Republican majority state Senate are unclear. The communications director for the GOP caucus released a statement saying simply that the House-passed bill will be reviewed by a committee. It would require counties to pay their elections officials at least $175 per election and change the rules for recounts and contested elections. Every county would have to have at least two ballot drop boxes to return mail-in ballots, with more in larger counties. In-person early voting would start 11 days before an election and end the Sunday before the election. All counties would have at least one in-person early voting site, and larger counties would have to add one for every 100,000 registered voters. The early in-person voting proposal would replace a clumsy and time-consuming alternative that led to hourslong lines and claims of disenfranchisement last fall in the nation's biggest presidential battleground state. That alternative allows voters to go to their election office, register for a mail-in ballot, fill it out on the spot and hand it in. Some county election offices found themselves swamped and unprepared for the influx. Establishing rules for drop boxes would settle a gray area in state law that led to partisan court battles over whether drop boxes were legal and, if so, what sort of security measures are required. Democratic-controlled counties have embraced the use of drop boxes for mail-in voters, while Republican-controlled counties have generally eschewed them as illegal. Under the bill, the state would provide $2 million for the Department of State to identify electronic poll books that are compatible with other election software. The state would borrow up to $60 million more to help counties purchase them. Electronic poll books — with lists of eligible, registered voters for election workers to use — would replace paper poll lists with a digital system. Voters using mail-in ballots would no longer have to provide an accurate, handwritten date on the return envelope, a requirement that has spawned years of litigation. But the voter would still have to sign the envelope for their ballot to count. Household members and others close to a voter would be permitted to return their mail-in ballots — current law requires most voters to return their own ballots. County workers could begin to process mail-in ballots a week before the election, taking ballots out of envelopes and scanning them if the scanner is able to scan the ballot without tabulating or recording the vote until Election Day. Many counties have long hoped for more time to begin to process the ballots in advance as a way to lessen the Election Day workload. Asked if Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro supports McClinton's proposal, his press secretary, Manuel Bonder, said the governor wants to improve the safety and security of elections 'while enfranchising voters' and that his team "will continue working with both legislative chambers toward bipartisan reforms that protect our democratic process for all eligible Pennsylvanians.'
