Latest news with #SamMills
USA Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
It's past time for the Saints to honor the 'Dome Patrol' with Superdome statues
It's past time for the Saints to honor the 'Dome Patrol' with Superdome statues Hall of Fame linebacker Sam Mills would've turned 66 on Tuesday Legendary former New Orleans Saints linebacker Sam Mills would have turned 66 on Tuesday, June 3, and he's remembered fondly by many who knew him -- in two different NFL cities. After leading the great "Dome Patrol" defenses with the Saints, Mills took on a new challenge as a member of the expansion-era Carolina Panthers, first as a player and later as a coach. A life-size (5-foot-9) bronze statue in his likeness stands vigilant outside the Panthers' home stadium in Charlotte. It's well past time the Saints honor Mills and his teammates in that legendary four-man linebacker corps with a commemoration of their own. Two of them have already passed away. Mills died in 2005 and Vaughan Johnson passed in 2019, which left Rickey Jackson and Pat Swilling as the two surviving members. People should be given their flowers when they're still here to accept them and see how they're appreciated. Several statues already surround the Caesars Superdome. In 2014, a statue depicting the team's late owner Tom Benson hoisting the Lombardi Trophy began to overlook Champions Square. Since 2012, the famous "Rebirth" monument highlighting Steve Gleason's blocked punt in the first Saints home game after Hurricane Katrina can be found at the southwest corner of the plaza. The Superdome Vietnam Memorial has stood on the Poydras Street side since 1984. There's plenty of room for a space to honor the "Dome Patrol." Just look at what they accomplished together. All four linebackers were selected for the Pro Bowl in 1992, and to this day three of them rank in the top three solo tackles leaders for the Saints -- Jackson first (1,104), Mills second (894), and Johnson third (664), with Swilling, who played the fewest games in New Orleans of the bunch, ranking 14th (354). The group combined for 18 Pro Bowl nods and 12 spots on the All-Pro teams. They have all been inducted to the Saints Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, too. Jackson was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010 with Mills joining him posthumously in 2022. Swilling has gained a lot of support as a senior candidate. They gave Saints fans something to cheer for when the team really, really needed it. We're in a similar spot today with a brutal playoff drought and organizational upheaval.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Roadmap 2030 project has Decatur teachers worried
DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — The Decatur School District is putting together a project to help shape their future. However, the plans have some teachers worried who think the focus should shift to more pressing needs. Decatur Schools is taking a look at how to use their building space better and improve education results. The project is called Roadmap 2030, but the President of the Decatur Education Association, Sam Mills, said the district is prioritizing the wrong thing. He's talked to many teachers who feel the same way. City of Decatur names new Fire Chief There are a few different scenarios the district has proposed, including: Standalone versus integrated pre-school Standalone versus integrated middle school One high school with two different campuses versus two high schools At a board meeting, the district said they want to balance the square footage per student and improve efficiency. However, Mills said the educators in his union feel like they haven't been heard by the administration. District administrators have met with teachers he represents but they came out of the meeting feeling dismissed. Mills said there's about 100 staff openings in the district at any given time. State Police holding Distracted Driving Enforcement Program in Central IL 'We already know that staff vacancy is a problem. If you don't move the needle on staff vacancies, you don't move the needle at all,' Mills said. 'And I don't care how many times you shuffle the buildings around; you shuffle the usage of the buildings, it will mean nothing other than creating more vacancies, creating a larger problem with the academic outcomes.' Mills also said teachers have told him if this plan doesn't go well, they would consider leaving the district. Staff made up a majority of the last community meeting the district hosted for feedback on the roadmap. WCIA reached out to the district for comment on the concerns Mills shared but has not heard back yet. In a board meeting last month, the assistant superintendent said the first steps of Roadmap 2030 would take place in the 2026-27 school year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
