Latest news with #TheBoysandGirlsClub
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘A gut punch for sure'; Impacts from failed HB 19 felt on local level
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — 'We were expecting that $1.5 million to be approved a couple of weeks ago, and then we learned that it wasn't and it was a gut punch for sure,' Brandy Harris, the CEO of The Boys and Girls Club of Springfield, said. For Harris, to say she's frustrated with state lawmakers would be an understatement. That's because just a portion of their next project, the Risdal Family Teen Center, around 1.5 million of the $12 million needed to fund it, was part of House Bill 19. House Bill 19 was also going to give millions for other projects in the state, but didn't even make it to Governor Kehoe's desk after Republican lawmakers refused to vote on it. 'A lot of our kids already feel like they're not worth this building or they don't deserve the things that we're providing them. They've actually said that to me and focus groups, and now the state has essentially sent a message that like, actually you're not,' Harris said. 'Intentional or not, that's the message that's being received, and that's incredibly frustrating because they are.' Harris calls the teen center, located at 804 West Catalpa, a one-stop shop for teens. 'One of the really good things that Missouri has done over the last several years is put a heavy emphasis on early childhood education, and what that's unintentionally done is neglected middle school and high school students. A lot of people think like if you're in middle school or high school, you can just like walk home, go home, hang out with friends, and more, but that's what we're realizing, especially post-COVID, is that kids are engaging in really risky behaviors and they deserve a space to go that safe where they can learn, grow, and that's what this building does,' Harris said. 'It's 32,000 square feet. It is walkable from Parkview High School and Jarrett Middle School. The location is really important to us. It's in a neighborhood that really could use our services, and we have the neighborhood support, which has been incredible. So this building is incredibly important not only to that neighborhood and to local middle school and high schools, but also to the mission of Boys and Girls Clubs of Springfield. It's going to be like this one stop shop for teens. So like if you need to get a haircut, there's a barber shop inside. If you need mental health services, we have a partner that's going to be providing them a health clinic, an e-sports lounge, a gym, a games room, a cafeteria and a teaching kitchen where we're teaching life skills.' She's hopeful that a special session starting this week could shed more light on the issue and bring it back to lawmakers. 'I think what this decision has done has made a lot of us question Jefferson City in general, what their priorities and commitments are,' Harris said. 'Our legislators have a really unique opportunity today there's a special session, and this HB 19 is going to be talked about, and I like to have generous assumptions because that's the kind of leader I want to be. So I just want to assume that maybe some of the people who did not talk about HB 19 were either misinformed or just didn't understand the impact it would have on their own districts and their own communities.' Courtney Simpkins works with teens directly, and hopes people are help to help with donations for the funding. 'I think it's really vital because it helps teens get off the streets. So it is a safe place that they can come every single day for them after school in the summertime at night, time to come and do a lot of different activities, have that supervision, have those role models in their lives to help guide them. We have lots of opportunities and programs for them to be able to further their education,' Simpkins said. 'The teens … they've shown a lot of excitement. In the past, we've heard, well, I don't want to come to the club because it's with little kids, but now that they have their own space, they're super excited to be able to have their own areas that they can hang out.' Including Neveah H., who says she can't wait for the center to open. 'It's really big, and I've seen that there's going to be cooking and stuff, so I'm excited about that too,' Neveah said. 'I think it's going to be really cool because there is going to be people my age.' 'One thing that I'm very confident about is that we will reach our $12 million goal. There's no other option, and I'm confident in this community. I'm not as confident in Jefferson City right now, but the building will be done on August 19,' Harris stressed. Harris says she's had bipartisan support for the funding from Springfield state house and senate reps, including Rep. Melanie Stinnett, Rep. Betsy Fogle, and State Senator Lincoln Hough. Ozarks First reached out to lawmakers on both sides of the issue, but only Rep. Fogle responded to the request for comment. 'House Bill 19 was the capital investment bill that had been worked on in both the House and the Senate, totaling about $513 million worth of capital investments across the state. On the day that we served and passed the budget out of the House, House Bill 19 was omitted from debate. It was not up to a vote from the Republican leadership in the House. The budget chair did not communicate that with me, did not communicate that with Senator Hough as appropriations chair in the Senate. I was quite blindsided that all of our hard work that we had done and, you know, in a bipartisan way, there were a lot of projects. There were a lot of projects in House Bill 19 that Democrats had put in. There were a lot of projects that Republicans had put in and for it not to be brought up for a vote is something that I have never seen in my time in the General Assembly,' Fogle said. 'I think it is the only other ever happened, and one other time in our state's history.' She says the Boys and Girls Club of Springfield wasn't the only group in the Ozarks with funding in that bill. 'What that means for us here in Springfield, of course, there were projects in House Bill 19 that would impact our institutions of higher education, impact our nonprofits, and notably $1.5 billion going to our Boys and Girls Club, $2.4 million intended to go to Mission University on the north side on Kearney Street, money for Discovery Center, a lot of projects not only here locally, but across the state that had been well vetted and compromised on, and it was very frustrating for me and for a lot of people that the budget chair in House leadership decided to completely gut and kill those investments,' Fogle said. Fogle says the path is narrow, but the hope is that lawmakers can introduce House Bill 19 during the special session this week. 'I think that that path is narrow, but I can tell you myself in my position, I'll do everything I can to make sure that the promises we made, we hold true. I think if you had the opportunity to speak with Appropriations Chair Hough in the Senate, I think he would echo those sentiments. I know no one is more frustrated that House Bill 19 died other than myself,' Fogle said. Harris says she's not too confident in the entire Missouri legislature. 'If for some reason the answer is no, I will be incredibly frustrated. I will question a lot of things. I will be very sad, but then the next day I'll get up and figure out how we need to raise $1.5 million because the building is still happening. It needs to and we're just going to have to press on,' said Harris. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Free summer meal program begins today
Free breakfast and lunch will come to McAlester this summer and meals will begin serving up to children in need today. The free breakfast and lunches come as a result of McAlester Public Schools' participation in the Summer Food Service Program. The program runs from May 27 through July 25 at a variety of locations around the city. Meals are provided to the district's children for free and all meals for every child are the same. Meals are provided on a first-come, first serve basis. Locations will serve up meals on different dates and serving sites include: — The Boys and Girls Club, located at 305 E. Chadick Ave. The site will serve meals Monday through Thursday from Tuesday, May 27 through July 24. The site will close on Fridays in June and July as well as on June 19 and July 2-3. Breakfast will be available from 8-8:15 a.m. and lunch will be served from 11:45 a.m. to noon. Those attending this site are encouraged to check with the facility as the site may serve on some Fridays as well as at other times. — The Indoor Practice Facility, located at 1310 N. 6th St. The site will serve breakfast only from 9-10:15 a.m. Monday through Thursday from June 23 through July 24. The site will close from June 28 through July 6. — The Jefferson — Flying By Summer Program, located at 501 South C. The site will serve meals Monday through Thursday beginning Tuesday, May 27 through July 24. Breakfast will serve from 8-8:30 a.m. and lunch will serve from 11-11:15 a.m. The site will close June 19 as well as July 2-3. Those attending this site are encouraged to check with the facility as the site may serve on some Fridays as well as at other times. — Key Academy, located at 600 W. Madison. The site will serve meals Monday through Thursday from June 2 through June 26. Breakfast will serve from 7:45-8 a.m. and lunch will serve from 11-11:15 a.m. The site will close June 19. — McAlester High School, located at 1 Buffalo Drive. The site will serve meals Monday through Thursday beginning Tuesday, May 27 through June 26. Breakfast will serve from 7:45-8 a.m. and lunch will serve from 11-11:15 a.m. The site will close June 19. — McAlester Public Library, located at 520 E. Smith Ave. The site will serve meals Monday through Thursday, beginning Tuesday, May 27 through July 25. Lunch will serve from 11:45 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. and the site will close June 19 and July 2-3. Those attending this site are encouraged to check with the facility as the site may serve on some Fridays as well as at other times. — Park Place Apartments, located at 500 W. Park Ave. The site will serve lunch Monday through Thursday beginning May 27 through July 24. Lunch is served from 11:45 a.m. to noon and the site will close June 19 as well as July 2-3. — Parker Intermediate Center, located at 1310 N. 6th St. The site will serve meals Monday through Friday from May 27 through June 27. Breakfast will serve from 7:30-8 a.m. and lunch from 10:45-11:45 a.m. The site will not serve May 29. — Randy Hughes Middle School, located at 1717 E. Van Buren. The site will serve Monday through Thursday from June 2-26, except for June 19. Breakfast will serve from 7:45-8 a.m. and lunch from 11:20-11:45 a.m. — Will Rogers Elementary, located at 1200 East South. The site will serve lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from June 10 through July 17. Lunch will serve from 11:30-11:45 a.m. The site will close and not serve meals on June 19, June 30 and July 1-3. For more information, contact Gary Boyd at 539-995-8073 or gboyd@
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
MAPS 4 partnering with Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County on new youth centers
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – The Oklahoma City Council approved four locations for new youth centers. The City is partnering with the Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County to make a difference in communities. 'I know it will make a difference,' said Teena Belcik, President/CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Oklahoma County. LOCAL NEWS: National Alpaca Show comes to Grady County Fairgrounds During the city council meeting on Tuesday, city councilors approved the following locations to build new youth centers. Woodson Park, 3403 S May Ave. S Santa Fe Ave & SE 66th St. Northeast Boys & Girls Club, 1501 NE 36th St. Melrose Community Center, 7800 Melrose Lane All of them will cost around $80 Million in MAPS 4 funds. That means, it's already paid for after voters approved the debt-free program back in 2019. MAPS 4 is funded by a temporary penny sales-tax, to generate more than $8 Billion over eight years. MAPS 4 decided on these locations after conducting studies focusing on poverty, crime, and youth violence. 'These youth centers are not typically what people thing of youth centers, that being a gymnasium and a pool,' said David Todd, the MAPS 4 Program Manager. The youth centers will be designed for children five to 18-years-old or in grades K-12. They'll also have the personal touch of The Boys and Girls Club of Oklahoma County. 'We know if there's not something super fun or cool or cutting edge then it's going to be a little hard to get the older kids,' said Belcik. 'These youth centers will be designed so there is something for everyone whether it's e-sports, whether it's 3-d printing, or if it's playing basketball.' LOCAL NEWS: Luther family saved by Edmond Fire Crew #5 They'll also focus on school help and STEM. 'This will allow hundreds if not thousands of more kids every year to have a place to go after school,' said Belcik. Belcik said every community is different, so they'll hold discussions to find out exactly what the needs are. They definitely want input from the youth. 'We want to make sure they know how to use their voice in a positive way to effect change,' said Belcik. OKC and The Boys and Girls Club are hitting the ground running, starting with Woodson Park. 'We'll start seeing design renderings this summer and then hopefully, before the end of the year,' said Todd. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
11-02-2025
- CBS News
16-year-old dead after shooting inside Annapolis home, police say
ANNAPOLIS -- A 16-year-old was killed in a shooting inside an Annapolis home on Saturday, Feb. 8, according to police. Officers said they responded to the 100 block of Holeclaw Street around 8 p.m. for the reported shooting, where they found the teen boy suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene, officers said. Man shot on soccer field Saturday's shooting came days after an 18-year-old man was shot by a relative on a soccer field in Annapolis in an unrelated incident. Police said the shooting occurred on Feb. 4 at Wiley Bates Heritage Park which is located behind a senior center and near The Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis. The 18-year-old man was found suffering from a gunshot wound to his head and taken to a shock trauma center to be treated for his injuries. Police said at the time of the shooting there were about 30 people, including teens, playing soccer on the field. "One witness said they heard a loud pop and saw people scattering, and that's when the victim was discovered," Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson said. On Monday, officers said a minor was arrested for shooting the 18-year-old who is a relative. "Sad that, once again, kids have access to guns, sad that it happened at a place that is publicly accessible, sad that people have to deal with disagreements using violence," Annapolis resident Josh Falk said. Crime in Annapolis So far in 2025, there have been at least four victims of gun violence in Annapolis, according to data from the police department. One of those includes a 16-year-old boy who was injured in a shooting on Jan. 24 and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to police. The city reported 30 instances of gun violence in 2024, including nine shootings and three homicides. Four of those reported shootings left minors injured, according to police data. In 2023, one juvenile was killed in a shooting. In four instances, minors were victims of gun violence in contact shootings, data shows. Maryland has cracked down on juvenile crime in recent years. In 2024, the Juvenile Reform Act went into effect, making it possible for children between the ages of 10 and 12 to be charged with certain offenses like gun possession. The law also allows the state's attorney's office to review cases against minors who are under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services.
