Latest news with #Sutphin
CBS News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Colorado city of Wheat Ridge awarded large USTA grant to renovate Panorama Park tennis courts
Wheat Ridge's Parks and Recreation department got a boost this past month with a sizable grant from the United States Tennis Association. It's to renovate and revamp the courts at Panorama Park, a community staple for Coloradans like Jarret Sutphin who have lived in the area for a long time. CBS "I used to play league tennis here with a bunch of friends that I played with in high school and we'd have league teams here," he said. But lately, Sutphin and his friends haven't been able to play here. The courts fell into disrepair in the last five years and have forced Jarret and others to journey to other towns like neighboring Arvada to participate in leagues and matches. "The court kind of got dilapidated and we haven't been able to play here," he added. The fencing around the court is aged, there are cracks in the court foundation with shrubs and weeds growing out of them. But Wheat Ridge Parks & Rec knew how important the courts are to the community and Panorama Park itself. CBS "These are really heavily used courts since the 50s and as you can see heavily due for replacement," said Brandon Altenburg, who handles grant writing and applications for the city's department. The entire project pencils out to roughly $1.2 million, paid for through Parks and Recreation's general fund, but roughly $140,000 will come from a grant set aside by the USTA. It's one of the largest grants they've ever awarded an American city. "The huge increase in need that we're seeing for tennis infrastructure, USTA significantly increased the amount of grant dollars available," said Angela Finan, who represents UTSA Colorado. In past years, the organization had somewhere between $1 and $2 million to dole out to city projects and those requesting grant money for other tennis related projects. That number has jumped to around $10 million, allowing the UTSA to be more active in projects like the Panorama Park court restoration. In addition to the new surfaces and netting, there will also be new lights and improvements to an adjacent basketball court on site. Colorado has one of the highest participation rates in the nation for tennis so the importance of park courts -- places that are free and open to anyone -- was vital for Wheat Ridge to fix and maintain. "It's built up this reputation as a great tennis space in Wheat Ridge and it's a really nice walkable area," said Parks & Recreation Director Karen O'Donnell. The project will take some time to complete, but once it does residents like Sutphin will be able to walk or ride their bike to the park instead of driving to a different town. "For the young kids that are coming up and wanting a place to learn to the older people that have been playing their whole life, somewhere to go out, hang out, play with their friends, learn the sport and enjoy the sport," he said.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Yahoo
They used drones to drop drugs into Ohio prisons, now they're serving time in them
Two of three men prosecutors say ran an elaborate scheme to smuggle drugs, cellphones and other contraband into Ohio prisons were sentenced Tuesday. Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge David Young on Tuesday sentenced Cory Sutphin, 32, of Grove City, and Charles Gibbs, 37, of Sandusky. Young sentenced Gibbs, currently serving a sentence on unrelated cases out of other counties, to 10 years in prison. Sutphin received four years and 11 months in prison. Assistant Franklin County Prosecutor Trent Grohe said the trio had operated an "elaborate business model" of trafficking drugs, cellphones and other contraband into prisons across the state. Grohe said the men would call inmates or have inmates call them to place orders for what they wanted. "Mr. Gibbs and his codefendants would traffic those drugs into prisons via drone," Grohe said. "They would use Cash App. They were very blatant in their business transactions." Sutphin would work as the lookout or driver for Gibbs and Faulkner, who would obtain the drugs and operate the drones, Grohe said. Faulkner, 37, pleaded guilty Monday and will be sentenced by Young at a later date. Grohe said the trio sold cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, cellphones and other types of contraband into at least five prison facilities, including Toledo, Richland, Ross and Mansfield correctional institutions and the North Central Correctional Complex. The Ohio Highway Patrol began an investigation in May 2021 after a drone was intercepted at the Toledo Correctional Institution, according to court records. Before being sentenced, both Sutphin and Gibbs apologized for their actions. Gibbs called his role in the enterprise "pretty much stupid" and "reckless." Sutphin also apologized and said he knew his actions were wrong. Sutphin, Gibbs and Faulkner all pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity, trafficking in drugs, trafficking in a fentanyl=related compound and illegal conveyance. Faulkner also pleaded guilty to having weapons under disability. Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@ or on Bluesky at @ This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio men who used drones to drop drugs into prisons sentenced to prison
