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Pigskin Club Holds Annual Spring Sports Award Banquet

WASHINGTON INFORMER — The Pigskin Club of Washington, Inc. held its annual Spring Sports Awards banquet Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where more than 50 student athletes, coaches and special community awardees were honored for their contributions.

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By Edward Hill

The Pigskin Club of Washington, Inc. held its annual Spring Sports Awards banquet Saturday at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where more than 50 student athletes, coaches and special community awardees were honored for their contributions.

Awards were presented to athletes and coaches in the sports of baseball, softball, track and field, lacrosse, golf, tennis, boys and girls basketball, and for the first time, swimming and diving was represented.

While there were a number of the student athletes who stood out for their accomplishments, Kayle Alegre from Parkdale High School had one of the more impressive resumes.

A senior golfer who posted an unbelievable record this past season, Kayle was equally impressive in the classroom and outside of it as he served as a leader in the ROTC program at Parkdale.

Kayle was one of 22 athletes who received the double honors for their athletic and academic achievements.

“When we first initiated the academic component of 3.0, we found that it was very popular among the awardees,” said A.B. Williamson, who is serving his first full term as president of the Pigskin Club after serving 10 years on the board. “We are extremely proud as there were 22 of the honorees who received both this year. That is the largest ever and it is something we plan to build on. We plan them throughout their years in their chosen university or school.”

Other standouts who were honored included Sam Caldwell, head girls basketball coach, who was named the coach of the year after leading New Hope Christian Academy to the Geico national championship.

“This is such a great honor but our success came by way of the outstanding young women who are special to me and this program,” said Caldwell, referring to two of his players, Jenifer Ezeh and Kylie Kornegay-Lucas, who were named to the All-Met first team. “It shows that this area has become one of the tops in the country in girls basketball.”

New Hope defeated St. John’s College High School for the title, perhaps a first where two local teams played for a national championship.

A number of the seniors will be going away to pursue their athletics dreams at such institution as Harvard, Penn State, North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Maryland and Yale.

Special awards were presented to Anita “Ma” Nance and Jimmy Jenkins. Vance was presented with the Exceptional Community Service Award for the impact she had on the Eastern High School community as a cheerleading coach and teacher, but more importantly for her phenomenal fundraising efforts that benefited the athletic programs there.

Jenkins received the Community Service Award for contributions in the entertainment field as a theatrical director, writer and movie producer.

The following is a list of the awardees:

All-Met girls basketball

Jenifer Ezeh, New Hope Academy

Yanni Hendley, Riverdale Baptist

Kylie Kornegay-Lucas, New Hope Academy

Malu Tshitenge-Mutombo, St. John’s College High School

Jakia Brown-Turner, Player of the Year, Bishop McNamara

Sam Caldwell, Coach of the Year, New Hope

All-Met Boys

Jay Heath, Wilson HS

Casey Morsell, St. John’s College HS

E.J. Jarvis, Maret HS

Makhi Mitchell, Wilson HS

Makhel Mitchell, Wilson HS

Justin Moore, Player of the Year, DeMatha Catholic HS

Angelo Hernandez, Coach of the Year, Wilson HS

All-Met Softball

Jamie Caroline Wang, National Cathedral HS

Kennedy Thomas Cogar, Bowie HS

Olivia Mack Paul, VI HS

Amelia Theobald, Elizabeth Seton HS

Courtney Wyche, Blair HS

LuAnne Smith, Coach of the Year, Bowie HS

All-Met Baseball

Tremayne Cobb, Flowers HS

Terrell Delaney, Flowers HS

Joseph Quelch, Bishop McNamara HS

Colin Reed, Wise HS

George Brown, Coach of the Year, Flowers HS

All-Met Golf

Boys

Kayle Alegre, Parkdale HS

Girls

Caria Rose, E. Roosevelt HS

All-Met Tennis

Girls

Ayana Akil, Wheaton HS

Boys

David Cohen, Flint Hill HS

Coach of the Year

Randy De Guzman, Gonzaga College HS

All-Met Lacrosse

Girls

Alexandra Bruno, Holy Cross HS

Coach of the Year

Kelly Hughes, Sherwood

Boys

Ben Finlay, Gonzaga College HS

Coach of the Year

Casey O’Neill, Gonzaga College HS

All-Met Track and Field

Girls

Nile Brown, Archbishop HS

Lenea Johnson, Dunbar HS

Lauryn Harris, Bullis HS

Alicia Dawson, St. John’s College HS

Alahna Sabbakhan, St. John’s College HS

Sarah George, Oxon Hill HS

Sarah Walbrook, Bullis HS

All-Met Boys Track and Field

Daniel Roginski, Gonzaga College HS

Kendel Hammock, Archbishop Carroll HS

Taahir Kelly, Theodore Roosevelt HS

Austin Allen, Bullis HS

Andre Turay, Bullis HS

Coach of the Year

Dessalyn Dillard, Paint Branch HS

All-Met Swimming

Girls

Niamh Nolan, School Without Walls

Boys

Witt Snuggs, School Without Walls

Coach of the Year

Mary Bergstrom, School Without Walls

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer

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Bay Area

Spring Fling & Art Stroll readies for return to ‘The Point’

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Steve Zwetsch of Cigar Box Kitchen Guitars will sell art collaborations such as this one for a good cause at the Spring Fling & Art Stroll. (Photo contributed)

By Kathy Chouteau

The Richmond Standard

Signaling that better weather is around the corner, Point Richmond’s “Spring Fling & Art Stroll” is returning to downtown Sat., April 8 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Held the day before Easter, the second annual event will see Park Place closed to traffic as children’s activities (11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), a DJ (11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.), dancing, fashion show, street vendors, Easter Bonnet Contest and an egg hunt get underway.

“Wear a hat and enter the Easter Bonnet Contest, activities and Easter Egg Hunt for kids, new round of outdoor art banners, browse sidewalk art vendors, view exhibitions in six local galleries, dine in local restaurants and more,” said organizers.

One artist who will be showcasing his collaborative artwork at the event is Steve Zwetsch of Cigar Box Kitchen Guitars. Zwetsch—who has been profiled as one of the Standard’s Fave Things”—will preview his “one-of-a-kind” art creations with nine of 13 local artists on cigar box guitars and ukuleles as part of the Local Artist Guitar Series.

Zwetsch said that the artists “painted, collaged or otherwise decorated” the guitars and ukuleles he made, with some of the materials—such as a folding chess board and drawer pulls—found at the El Cerrito Recycling Center, where he is currently the artist in residence. He said the works collectively took six to eight weeks to complete.

The following artists worked with Zwetsch on guitars/ukes that will be on display at the Spring Fling & Art Stroll, with “a portion of the proceeds [going] to local charities chosen by consensus of the artists,” per Zwetsch: Kaci Smith; Brian Mcgilloway; Laura Thiessen; Torreyanna Barley; Malik Seneferu; Dee Bell; Marvin Mann; Chris Morgan; and Gail Zwetsch.

He said 13 additional cigar box guitars are also currently being made as part of this series.

“This project has been really interesting and fun,” said Zwetsch about the endeavor. “Meeting all these talented artists and collaborating on one-of-a-kind pieces of playable art has been very fulfilling. I look forward to continuing this project through the rest of 2023 and into 2024.”

The Spring Fling & Art Stroll is hosted by a partnership among Arts of Point Richmond, Point Richmond Neighborhood Council and PRAM. Learn more at https://www.artsofpointrichmond.com/events/second-annual-spring-art-stroll.

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Bay Area

Richmond to Train Community Members to Respond to Low-Level 911 Calls

Trained community members could begin responding to certain low-level 911 calls in Richmond, as well as to calls into the non-emergency number, as part of a new program being developed by residents and officials. The city has released a survey (take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RichmondCrisisResources) to help design Richmond’s so-called Community Crisis Response Program.

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Photo via Pexels
Photo via Pexels

The Richmond Standard

Trained community members could begin responding to certain low-level 911 calls in Richmond, as well as to calls into the non-emergency number, as part of a new program being developed by residents and officials.

The city has released a survey (take the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RichmondCrisisResources) to help design Richmond’s so-called Community Crisis Response Program. The new community-based response system will focus on harm reduction strategies that better serve residents in need and enable traditional emergency responders to focus on violent crimes and serious crises.

Urban Strategies Council (USC), a nonprofit research and social justice organization, is supporting the effort by learning from Richmond residents’ experiences with the emergency response system, community crises, and community needs.

The need for a better emergency response in the community comes in the wake of actions by the Richmond Progressive Alliance-dominated City Council to defund the Richmond Police Department. From 2014 through last year, the RPD saw a 26% reduction in sworn officers.

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Bay Area

New Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez – History Making Latina

Supporters celebrated the victory of new Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez in the Berkeley Hills on Sunday, March 12, at the home of Berkeley City Councilmember Sophie Hahn. “She stepped up for all of us,” Hahn said. “She stepped up for Alameda County. She stepped up for our values.”

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Berkeley City Councilmember Sophie Hahn (left) in her Berkeley Hills home hosts a meet-and-greet for new Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez. Photo by Carla Thomas
Berkeley City Councilmember Sophie Hahn (left) in her Berkeley Hills home hosts a meet-and-greet for new Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez. Photo by Carla Thomas

By Carla Thomas

Supporters celebrated the victory of new Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez in the Berkeley Hills on Sunday, March 12, at the home of Berkeley City Councilmember Sophie Hahn.

“She stepped up for all of us,” Hahn said. “She stepped up for Alameda County. She stepped up for our values.”

Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arguin, the first Latino mayor of Berkeley, said he was Sanchez’s first supporter and called her a change agent.

“Representation does matter,” said Arguin. “It’s important that the people who hold these positions come from the county and represent the diversity of the county. She was the only one that had the courage to go against Sheriff Ahern.”

The meet-and greet-event gave Sanchez an opportunity to discuss her new role and hear from the community on the changes they wish to see within the department internally, and externally throughout the community.

“I know the damaging effects that poverty and lack of access to resources and support systems can have on communities and how that impacts crime and safety,” Sanchez said. “I am committed to leading the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office with the utmost integrity, serving the community equitably and inclusively, and making sure the agency ensures safety in the community by investing in it.”
Sanchez plans to transform the system by implementing partnerships that can provide transportation, housing, and resources for the re-entry population. She also plans to strengthen access to public health care and mental health resources within the jails.

“This is more than a job, it’s a mission,” said Sanchez who sees transformation for now and the future. “The younger generations can now see what’s possible.”

In June 2022, then-Deputy Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez surprised many by her outright win in a three-way race against a well-entrenched incumbent to become Alameda County’s next sheriff.

Sanchez actually raced against her own boss and won. Risking her career and livelihood, Sanchez credits hard work, prayers, and God for such a victory.
Once Sanchez took her oath on January 3, she became the first Latina and woman to ever hold the office, making history.

Retiree Dawn Sullivan who worked as a detective under Sanchez said she was a great supervisor and Sanchez’s rise was no surprise to her.

“I’m so proud of her, she had the courage to run against her boss,” said Sullivan. “She’s already done a lot, but the changes she will make will be great for so many in the department and the community.”

Born in Hayward, and currently living in Livermore with her husband, Todd, Sanchez says she is a proud stepmom of three daughters. She’s also proud to be a Latina with southern and Mexican roots. Sanchez says her mother moved from Texas to California and her father immigrated from Mexico.

“My family shaped my core values of integrity, respect, accountability, transparency and openness,” she said.

By the age of 14, Sanchez’s parents had divorced, lost their home, and she her siblings worked to “help mom make ends meet.”

At the age of 18, Sanchez says she worked three jobs until she got an entry-level role of Sheriff’s Technician within the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.

In the Sheriff’s Office, Sanchez rose through the ranks for over 20 years, serving as Deputy Sheriff, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain at the (North County Jail), and the Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility (GEDDF). Before her election, Sanchez’s most recent role included Division Commander, managing the Santa Rita Jail facility in Dublin.

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