Latest news with #Riddle
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Incumbent Grove City mayor easily beats Republican challenger
May 25—GROVE CITY — A mayor incumbent has secured his seat after the primary election May 20. Mayor Randy Riddle, 67, of 618 N. Madison Ave., defeated his opponent in the Republican primary with 511 votes, according to results posted by the Mercer County Board of Elections. Riddle's opponent, Michael Lynn, 46, of 402 W. Main St., had 75 total votes. The two were vying for a 4-year term. There were no Democratic candidates, so Riddle will proceed to the general election uncontested unless a write-in candidate. There were 312 Democratic write-in votes, but those votes won't be tallied until June 2. Riddle said this is his sixth time being re-elected as mayor of Grove City. He has been mayor since 2004, when he was appointed to finish out former Mayor Bruce Bennett's term, and has remained mayor ever since. "It feels great that the people of Grove City put their support behind me to allow me to serve my community for another four years," he said. "I'm running for re-election to continue building a future." Lynn could not be reached for comment.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shaboozey's side-eye at the AMAs was him reckoning with his place in country music
Megan Moroney was sincere when she said that the Carter Family "basically invented country music" during the American Music Awards broadcast on Monday, May 26. First, she was likely reading from a script, the exact lines she was meant to recite scrolling on a teleprompter in front of her. And second, she is a country artist from Georgia, a country girl with country roots, and one of the brightest new faces of country music. It makes sense, then, that she regurgitated one of the industry's favorite talking points: That country music was born of Jimmie Rogers and those famous Carters. That everyone else is merely a derivative, expected to pay incessant homage to the originals who recorded in those Bristol sessions nearly 100 years ago. But there was Shaboozey, standing alongside Moroney, side-eyeing and smirking and no doubt thinking about the Black man who made the Carter Family's success possible. Back in February 2024, right after Beyoncé dropped 'Texas Hold 'Em' and '16 Carriages,' the first two tracks from her 'Cowboy Carter' album, I wrote about the significance of her collaborations with Black creatives—what I saw as an echo of sorts to A.P. Carter's reliance on Riddle: It was Riddle who guided A.P. Carter on a tour of Black Appalachia, gathering songs from the folk singers and bluesmen dotting the area, musicians who married their unique guitar stylings with distinctly Black melodies and cadences. While A.P. wrote down the lyrics, Riddle memorized everything else, using his own guitar to make beautiful music. When A.P. and Riddle reconnected with Sara and Maybelle, Riddle often tweaked the songs they'd gathered to perfectly suit the Carters' recordings. I also noted that, while there is periodic emphasis on Black artists breaking through industry barriers, less can be said for Black songwriters, musicians, and producers. The creatives aren't just skipped over by white artists—Black artists pass them over too. Call it an attempt to assimilate or flat-out ignorance, but celebrating a handful of Black artists who attempt to build country music careers while refusing to acknowledge other Black creatives isn't just bad for the industry. It's also bad for the community of Black songwriters, musicians, and producers whose dreams can only be realized through artist collaboration. Which is what makes Shaboozey's AMAs reaction so important. Opinion: Nashville is complicit in country music's diversity problem and leaders need to step up With his raised eyebrows and slight chuckle, Shaboozey didn't just cast doubt on country music's century-old fiction. He also acknowledged the Black creatives who will never stand at the front of a stage or sing into a mic—but who are important, and influential, all the same. It just took Shaboozey a little while to get there. In May 2024, fellow Black country (and 'Cowboy Carter'-featured) artist Willie Jones called out the all-White cast of the video for Shaboozey's record-setting smash 'A Bar Song (Tipsy).' Jones said Shaboozey was 'a fly in a milk bowl' in his own video, and despite the cavalcade of voices that determined Jones was simply a 'hater' and jealous of Shaboozey's success, I agreed with the optics' downsides. And I noted how Shaboozey's casting decisions were a reflection of the way things have always been done in country music, particularly for Black artists who hope to follow in Charley Pride's assimilationist footsteps: An industry that allows for only sporadic, individual Black successes is one that never truly evolves. It, instead, waits for the next Black artist willing to play the game and follow suit, the artist who will proclaim that their Blackness is a safe kind of Blackness, that it is, in fact, the only Blackness needed. That same month, an interview with Essence Magazine seemed to reinforce Shaboozey's willingness to adhere to Nashville's racial rules—or, at best, his ignorance of their existence and impact. 'When I got into the space there wasn't too much representation,' he said. 'You've obviously got Darius Rucker, Jimmy Allen, and Mickey Guyton, and Charlie [sic] Pride, all these people. But that's not a lot if you compare that pot of how many hip-hop artists there are, R&B artists. You go to country music, it's about four or five. And then as far as new ones go, it's again not that many.' A Lesley Riddle nod would've been great there—not to negate the reality that there weren't many Black country artists visible in the mainstream, but, rather, to explain why that is. It would've been great for him to speak to the creatives whose careers were stunted, not for lack of will or effort but because of the industry's refusal to support them. Opinion: Jelly Roll's success shows country music should embrace more unconventional artists Maybe then he would've opened his arms wide to Black collaborators, lifting them as he climbed the charts, the same way Beyoncé did for him. But it's entirely possible that Shaboozey just didn't know—that he, like Moroney, had sipped too long on the country music Kool-Aid, accepting long-told lies as truths. After all, in that same interview, he said that he 'didn't realize how tough it was going to be to get acceptance' in the genre. I'm sure Shaboozey's massive success with 'A Bar Song' initially skewed his perspective, that with his rapid ascent and crossover appeal, he likely assumed he'd cracked the code on the industry's artificial Whiteness. I've talked to enough Black folks around country music (as well as White women, who face their own gendered barriers in the format) to know that the same egocentrism that draws artists to music industry careers also inhibits their ability to see deep-seated issues as structural, rather than circumstantial. But it is said that experience is the best teacher, and I'm willing to bet that's the case here, too. Maybe, for Shaboozey, it was being shut out of awards from both the Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music, despite the unprecedented success of 'A Bar Song.' Maybe it was the realization that landing at number one, and staying there for months, wouldn't guarantee radio support for subsequent records. Or maybe it was the understanding that, despite his impact on country music, Shaboozey may very well end up like Lesley Riddle—largely unacknowledged, without even a Country Music Hall of Fame induction by which to remember him. Either way, we're here now. And for all the ignorance Shaboozey displayed at the outset of his country music career, he finally saw fit to set the record straight on the true origins of country music, on who's been here before and deserves to be here now. And to that I say: Better late than never. Andrea Williams is an opinion columnist for The Tennessean and curator of the Black Tennessee Voices initiative. She has an extensive background covering country music, sports, race and society. Email her at adwilliams@ or follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @AndreaWillWrite and BlueSky at @ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Shaboozey AMAs side-eye shows Black erasure in country music | Opinion
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Boy Scout honors family legacy and serves community with Eagle Scout project
SINKING VALLEY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Boy Scout is honoring his family's legacy and serving his community through his Eagle Scout project. Blake Riddle is a Boy Scout with Troop 3015 in Blair County. He had high hopes for his project to earn the rank of Eagle Scout: Create a park in honor of his great aunt Helen Riddle. 'I figured what better way to honor her and to also achieve my Eagle Scout by doing this project,' Riddle said. It was a huge undertaking, and one he was not sure about taking on at first. 'My question to him was, 'Is it going to benefit the community?' Because that's what your Eagle Scout project's supposed to do,' Troop 3015 Scoutmaster Donald Irvin Jr. said. Eleven cats rescued from Altoona barbershop Riddle knew his project would benefit the community, but that did not make the task any easier. He had to plan out the project, work with his local government to get permission to change the landscape and, of course, put in a lot of elbow grease. The end result: 2,000 ft of fully blazed trail 5 benches ADA accessible picnic table Multiple navigational signs The benches have names engraved of members of the Riddle family who have passed on. According to Irvin, Riddle has grown up throughout the over-year-long process. 'I could see there was a big change in him,' Irvin said. Riddle's next step is to become a naval officer. He is currently under review for the Naval Academy and wants to major in mechanical engineering. Whether it is his country or his own community, his future is sure to be blazed with service in visit the Helen M. Riddle Memorial Park, go to McMullen Road in Sinking Valley, then the destination will be on the left. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Meadow Bridge Regional School Band excels in band performances, prepares for long-awaited new room
MEADOW BRIDGE, WV (WVNS) – After years of holding classes without a traditional band room, the Meadow Bridge Regional School Band will finally have their new classroom any day now. Mercer County Schools makes Teacher Appreciation Week extra special The Meadow Bridge Regional School Band has grown rapidly over the past eight years. Currently, the band consists of 99 members – 69 middle schoolers and 30 high schoolers. They went from an old shop room to a boys' locker room, and most recently they held classes in a custodial closet right next to the gym. Construction has been going on at the school, with the addition of a new state-of-the-art band room in the works. Band Director Dr. Travis Friddle told 59News, despite their current situation, his high school band got a 1 (the best possible score) at the Spring Festival For Performance Evaluation and Assessment, or, as they call it, Ratings. Dr. Riddle's middle schoolers had it even tougher, as they were limited to only one practice before ratings. They received a 2. 'It honestly brought tears to my eyes because I look back at the struggles of it and I have said this to my students, 'I am here for one reason, and it is the kids.' If it were not for them, there would be no way to survive this. There would have been no way. They are very good kids. They really are. This school is very unique,' said Dr. Friddle. Some longtime band members like senior Alec Thomas have endured all the changes with Dr. Riddle. Thomas' dedication to music and the program has opened new doors for him. He will be attending Marshall University for their music education program next fall. 'It has been hard. It's been long, but it is definitely worth it just to see the end of it. Just the nice, very nice band room that we have [is amazing]. To know that the students that I have played with for the past seven years have actually get to experience [it is even better],' said Thomas. Meadow Bridge Regional School Band prepares to take on football season and more, against all odds Dr. Friddle explained this new band room will have acoustical tiles surrounding the room, the floor is wood and will have a partition wall that leads into a multipurpose room – which can hold 200 people. He plans on using the room for band concerts in the future as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Living next door to the Derby: Keeping the balance of track's growth and community
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — Jason Riddle's home is located on Burton Avenue in Louisville. From his front porch, Churchill Downs peeks through the houses across the street. 'When there isn't anything going on, it's peaceful; it's quiet,' said Riddle. 'We can still hear Churchill Downs doing their work over there, which is fine. It doesn't bother us.' Kentucky designer puts her own spin on men's derby fashion How are jersey silks made for Kentucky Derby jockeys? Living next door to the Derby: Keeping the balance of track's growth and community But during Derby Week, the sound of wind chimes turns into the tune for the 'Call to Post,' and cheers from the 150,000 fans that travel to the Twin Spires. 'I love it because I can hear everything going on over there,' Riddle explained. Riddle's family has owned real estate near the racetrack his entire life, but he has never seen the Run for the Roses in person. On Derby Day, he has a different duty. He crams nearly 100 cars onto his property, his father's, and the rental next door. Riddle said he charges an affordable rate, so many spectators prefer to park there. It's also only a short walk from the Paddock Gate. Also not far from Riddle's home is a parking lot owned by Churchill Downs, but the racetrack's impact on the neighborhood runs even deeper. 'Some people don't like Churchill Downs,' said Riddle. 'Some people like Churchill Downs. Some people love it.' Louisville Metro Councilwoman Jennifer Chappell hears the concerns of District 15, including the trash, traffic, and property protection. Read more of the latest Kentucky Derby news 'Churchill Downs can continue adding on, but there's a certain limit when too much is too much, and when does this not become a functional space,' said Councilwoman Chappell. She wants to assure her constituents that right now, Churchill Downs is focused on improving the infrastructure it already owns instead of acquiring more space. Earlier this year, racetrack officials announced a nearly $1 billion investment for its largest renovation ever, hoping to create more unforgettable experiences for fans from all over. 'When you're here, you're also going through our neighborhoods, and you're probably saying these aren't the best neighborhoods, even though they're filled with the best people,' said Chappell. 'So, how can we make sure that we're uplifting those communities? That's really important for us.' In lieu of taxes, Chappell said, Churchill Downs pays about $1.3 million a year to Jefferson County Public Schools. She said the track is looking to expand its Internal Revenue Bond, and Louisville wants to negotiate the terms to include more funding for city streets, first responders, and other local resources. 'Is it probably proportional to what they should be giving? No, but I don't want to be remiss that they do help the community in a lot of ways,' said Chappell. To give back, Churchill Downs offers the community tickets to 502's Day and hosts educational programs as well as other outreach efforts. Still, Chappell said her office wants to strengthen its relationship with the track. Kentucky designer puts her own spin on men's derby fashion How are jersey silks made for Kentucky Derby jockeys? Living next door to the Derby: Keeping the balance of track's growth and community 'Both in terms of investments and also in terms of showing up and making sure that people feel safe and secure in their homes now and forever,' she continued. It's said that many of the days we'll remember are made at home. A relatable phrase for Riddle. 'I've been here my whole life. I've got memories here,' said Riddle. 'I don't want it torn down, but at the same time, you know, enough is enough.' For the right price, Riddle said he would sell and consider using some of the money to finally see the iconic race from the stands. Until then, he plans to stay on his side of Central Avenue, parking cars and watching from afar. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
