Holly Hines , hhines2@press-citizen.com 2:21 p.m. CT Feb. 11, 2017

Tiffin kindergarten teacher Mindy DeVries works with Addy Needham, left, and Lola Spencer in class on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017.(Photo: David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen)Buy Photo

Teachers in Tiffin said their community is welcoming and attentive to its schools.

They said the city has a small-town vibe, situated around the corner from Coralville, but not too small.

Perhaps these features drew a flock of newcomers to the cityin recent years, causing the Clear Creek Amana Community School District's enrollment to ramp up.

So, to plan for even more projected growth, including new families in North Liberty and Coralville, the district is looking at openingtwo new elementary schools and a replacement high school if voters pass two potential general obligation bond referendums in the next five years.

The first $33.8 million bond issue, which could take place in September, would also includeimprovements at Amana Elementary and a new gym at Clear Creek Elementary, among other upgrades.

Information compiled this school year by RSP and Associatesprojects the district's enrollment to increasenearly 140percent by 2021-22, risingfrom 1,361students in 2004-05to an estimated 3,207students.

In the 2010 census count, Tiffin had nearly 2,000 people, but City Administrator Doug Boldt estimates thepopulation may have hit 3,000 since.

"If were not there right now, were pretty darn close," he said, noting the city is seeing a surge of residential property growth north of Highway 6.

The referendum in September would help the district prepare for an influx of familiesin part by garnering dollars for a $21.2 million elementary school nearTiffin Elementary, which opened in 2015, said Superintendent Tim Kuehl. The new elementary school would open in 2022.

A second, roughly $90 million bond issue in 2022 would include another elementary and a new, 1,800-student high school to replace the current building, which the district could use as a replacement middle school. This would free up the middle schoolfor elementary programming and allow the district to consider a new grade configurationfor the elementary schools, Kuehl said.

He said he doesn't anticipate either bond issue would increase residents' property tax rate. Increasing property valuation would generate extra dollars for the projects, he said, although the district would also rely on an extension of the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education sales tax to fund roughly $40 million in project costs.

Kuehl said he is confident the new buildings will be needed.

All indications are that the continued growth is there," he said.

School supplies fill stack of containers at Tiffin Elementary on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017.(Photo: David Scrivner/Iowa City Press-Citizen)

This comes after voters in 2014 overwhelmingly approved a $48 million bond issue that funded Tiffin Elementary, along with additions at the middle and high schools and other renovations.

Teachers at Tiffin Elementary said they support a new elementary sooner rather than later. They said they're already seeing the effects of enrollment growth, even in the school's second year, as new students join their classes.

Kristin Greathouse worked with 20 second-grade students Thursday on reading activities. She said she supports proactive facility planning that keeps up with growing residential development.

"Our district's growing, and the need is going to be there," she said. "Certainly, within the next year or two, this building will be full."

Greathouse andteachers Mindy DeVries and Allison Ruebel said they worry aboutgrowing class sizes if a new school doesn't open soon, a situation that would reduce their one-on-one and small-group time with young students.

DeVries, a kindergarten teacher with 22 students, noted small class sizes are especially crucial in Grades K-2, whenteachers focus on intervening early to help students who might struggle academically.She said all three kindergarten teacherswelcomed multiple new students this year.

"We're definitely seeing the growth happen at this age," DeVries said.

Tiffin principal Dan Dvorak said the school's instructional capacity is about 450 students, and enrollment is already over 400. He noted the building's structural capacity is 550, but the 450 benchmark accounts for favorable class sizes.

Dvorak said without a bond issue andnew elementary, the district will reach a point when Tiffin students must travel to the district's less crowded elementaries inOxford and Amana.

At some point, we just run out of physical space to put kids," he said.

Dvorak said he supports the idea of exploring new grade configurations for elementary school and wants to study examples in other school districts to develop a plan.

In North Liberty, principal Brenda Parker said North Bend Elementary is poised to breach its capacity again next year, after just two years of crowding relief that came with Tiffin Elementary's opening.

Were expecting we will be squeezed for space again," she said.

Parker said staff might resort to holding class in theteachers' lounge and library next year. She said she supports a new elementary in Tiffin soon and thinks North Liberty might be the right spot for the next elementary.

The upcoming bond issue, if approved, would also authorize spending on a security upgrade at North Bend. The school would renovate its entrance, creating a new process for visitors, Parker said, noting the renovation will help staff track who comes and goes.

"I hope people get out to vote, and get us the space that we need, so we can continue to educate the kids the best that we can," Parker said.

ReachHolly Hinesathhines2@press-citizen.comor at 319-887-5414 and follow her on Twitter at@HollyJHines.

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Three new schools under consideration for Clear Creek Amana - Iowa City Press Citizen

President Trump arrives back at the White House on Monday after spending the weekend in Florida. The president has struggled to get his Cabinet appointees through the Senate in part because Senate Democrats have continued to delay the process. Mark Wilson/Getty Images hide caption

President Trump arrives back at the White House on Monday after spending the weekend in Florida. The president has struggled to get his Cabinet appointees through the Senate in part because Senate Democrats have continued to delay the process.

Updated on Feb. 10 at 1:40 p.m. ET.

If President Trump were to call a meeting of his Cabinet today, he wouldn't need a very big table. Or, he'd have to invite a bunch of Obama administration holdovers serving temporarily in acting roles.

With the Senate's confirmation this week of Betsy DeVos as education secretary, Jeff Sessions as attorney general and Tom Price to lead Health and Human Services, Trump now has just seven members of his Cabinet confirmed. By this point in 2009, President Obama had 12 Cabinet members in place and President George W. Bush had his entire 14-member Cabinet.

The Senate confirmation process has been unusually slow. According to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office, Trump has the fewest Cabinet secretaries confirmed at this point in his presidency than any other president at least since World War II.

"You can't play in the Super Bowl if you don't have your team on the field," said Max Stier, CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonpartisan organization that is tracking the Trump administration's progress in getting staffed up.

"They are in the Super Bowl," Stier said of the Trump administration. "They are running the most important organization on the planet, and they don't have their team on the field. They don't have their critical people in place and that's vital to being able to do their jobs appropriately."

The Trump administration would like to place the blame firmly on Democrats in the Senate.

"It would help if the Democrats weren't working overtime to unnecessarily block our very qualified nominees so that we could put leadership in place at each of the agencies," said White House principal deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in an email.

But that is only part of the story. Facing pressure from an activated base, Democrats have slow-walked Trump's nominees.

In remarks on the Senate floor, Democratic Minority Leader Charles Schumer of New York described Trump's nominees as "a historically unqualified Cabinet."

Trump went with a number of picks who had little or no experience in the agencies they would be tasked to run. In some cases the nominees actively worked against the missions of the agencies.

Another thing that slowed down the process: Candidates for Cabinet posts are typically pre-vetted, working with the Office of Government Ethics to identify and unwind potential conflicts of interest before their names are even announced. But that didn't happen this time. Two Cabinet-level picks still haven't completed that process.

And that's only talking about the very top level.

"There are an extraordinary number of appointed positions that require Senate confirmation that the Trump administration has yet to even name somebody on," said University of Akron political science professor David B. Cohen. "I mean, we're talking about almost 700 key positions."

So far just 35 have been named, says Stier of the Partnership for Public Service.

"If they don't focus on getting great people in place that understand how to use government effectively," he says, "they won't get done what they say they want to do and they won't respond well to the crises that will inevitably come up on their watch."

But Trump is about on pace with Obama in terms of naming people for those spots, and even ahead of other previous presidents.

Stier says vacancies near the top of agencies are undesirable but certainly aren't unheard of. In 2009, he says, the Treasury Department didn't get its No. 2 official confirmed until May which he wants to make clear was a very bad thing, in the midst of the financial crisis.

A White House official tells NPR the administration is not behind in picking undersecretaries and deputies, pointing to the past two administrations where many second-tier appointments didn't happen until late February or March.

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Despite Recent Additions, Trump Cabinet Still Emptier Than Predecessors' - NPR

CLARKSBURG After months of upgrades and improvements, library staff predict an early spring reopening for the historic Waldomore.

The the stately two-story Waldomore mansion, located at the corner of Fourth Street and Hewes Avenue, is part of the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library complex and houses its West Virginia and Gray Barker UFO Collections.

We just finished a massive electrical system upgrade, new paint and carpeting on the second floor of the building, Waldomore manager Catherine Clevenger said.

The electrical upgrades were completed by Allegheny Restoration for $499,850, which was funded through grants and the citys support.

It was a grant from the Division of Culture and History and $50,000 from the library that was then matched by the City of Clarksburg, Clevenger said. The city has been a great help in up-keeping the structure. Theyre one of our biggest supporters.

City Manager Martin Howe said the citys contribution was a mix of general and excess levy funds.

The building has historical value, and it was deeded to the city, and its our responsibility to upkeep the building, Howe said. Since its an asset of the city, its our obligation to ensure the building is kept in a manner to be utilized by the public.

Clevenger said the electrical system was a much needed improvement for the historic structure.

For awhile now weve been dealing with an outdated electrical system, and we were very much in need of an upgrade, she said. We were concerned about fire hazards, and we had a lack of electrical outlets in the buildings. We had two offices working off of two plugs and extension cords running to other areas. We were not really meeting the need.

Not only has the project added additional outlets, but it has provided more power and capabilities.

In previous renovations, they had just expanded and tapped into an existing electrical system, but this time its a whole new system with all new wiring, Clevenger said. The downstairs is where we have our public meeting area, and thats been upgraded so that we can have speakers and microphones and all of that stuff plugged in.

Lighting additions were also installed, on both the second floor and new chandeliers in the downstairs of the property.

We are looking at a couple projects that we want to accomplish in the long term, Clevenger said. We are looking at a new patio for the side of the building because its our handicapped accessibility, and were also looking at restoring and refurbishing our windows.

Though the large, beautiful windows add historic importance to the structure with glass dating back to 1890, Clevenger said rehabilitating them could significantly benefit the building.

Theyre a little leaky and little cold when the wind blows, and they let in a lot of UV light, she said. Were in the very early stages of just brainstorming what wed like to do and how to do it, then well sit down and looking at grants and funding options.

Clevenger is excited to see the Waldomores upgrades helping secure that the structure be used for years to come.

I want to know what the Waldomore was like when it was the main building, and it seems to me that everyone has a great story of when they were young and came to the library, she said. Were just trying to rehabilitate and keep that building going to create those memories for the next generation.

Library staff are still in the process of moving collections back into the Waldomore.

A lot of the furniture has already been moved back in, but as for the collection, weve only hit the tip of the iceberg, Clevenger said. Weve had some unplanned setbacks.

Clevenger said the Waldomore is still closed to the public, but the collections are functioning out of the librarys second floor.

Im not sure when, but we will be closing for a week to move everything in the main building over, and then we will softly open over there, she said. My current prediction is somewhere between March and April, pending anything major.

Staff writer Brittany Murray can be reached at (304) 626-1439 or by email at bmurray@theet.com. Follow @BMurrayET on Twitter.

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Waldomore upgrades, renovations near completion - The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)

BRANDON HUTCHESON

bhutcheson@stategazette.com

The Dyersburg City School Board convened for their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Feb. 6 at 5:30 p.m. inside the central office buildings boardroom.

All board members, as well as city schools director Neel Durbin, were present.

Board chairman Dr. Scott Self began the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Under new business, Dr. Self turned the meeting over to DHS Principal Kim Worley.

Worley then presented the addition of a CTE Course at the high school.

For the last several years, we have talked about students achieving a certificate of some type, state Worley. So we have partnered with TCAT for students to do different things to earn a certificate in something. The last several years we have been doing welding.

In the course, TCAT supplies the teacher, at no cost to DHS. They would teach at the DHS campus for the benefit of DHS students, who would also receive duel-enrollment credit.

The grant for the program was written by TCAT, and DHS will receive over $100,000 in equipment for the addition of a Machine Tool Technology program.

Black and Decker, about half of their employees will turn over in the next few years, so they are looking for some people to go into that field, added Worley.

For the course, DHS would have to undergo a brief construction period on the west-wing building, for the wiring and addition of a roll-up door. The total project would come in at a cost of approximately $16,000, which would be the only cost to the school.

Worley added that the construction would be completed by spring break.

She also mentioned that the construction of the $500,000 hitting facility began last Monday.

The purpose of the hitting facility is to provide more space for athletes and coaches. According to Worley, the facility will house batting and pitching cages as well as full turf throughout the building.

She added that through fundraisers and donations from the previous year over $100,000 was raised. DHS sold roll-up doors to various companies for $25,000 each. DHS baseball and softball will also give another $100,000 over the course of 10 years, from funds from their annual fundraisers, and the high school itself will give another $100,000. Worley added that they are still roughly $90,000 short from the half-million mark.

We have a proposal on how we could rent that [the hitting facility] out, added Worley. If our baseball and softball teams are paying to use that facility, then [other groups/organizations] will have to pay to use that facility as well.

The other thing is that it is not taking money out of any other funds as well. It is not costing the general fund, so its not taking away from teacher pay, teacher insurance, or any other type of fund.

I think it is important to point out that the city agreed to loan us the money at 0 percent interest to help us get things going, so we appreciate them, added Dr. Self.

She added that the project should be completed by April.

Also Director Durbin presented a bid for restrooms to be added at the softball field in the amount of $46,000.

Those items were approved behind a motion of Dr. Matt Tosh with a second from Gleyn Twilla. The motion passed with a full board vote.

The board then moved to a review of 22 policies. Other than minor amendments in language, no detailed discussion occurred. Twilla made a motion to approve the amendments of the existing policies with a second from Yates. All members voted in favor, and the motion passed.

Also the board held a first and second reading of Policy 4.206 Special Programs. The policy was approved with a full board vote behind a motion from Yates and a second from Carlos Doss.

A lengthy list of student successes from DHS, DMS, and DIS were presented before the board as well.

A group of seven DHS FFA freshmen participated in a Parliamentary Procedure presentation. These FFA members were under the guidance of Patsy Peckenpaugh, first-year advisor for DHS FFA. The team was the top scoring team in regional competition, and will be competing on the state level in March.

Dr. Self announced that the board will be visiting DMS at 8 a.m. on Feb. 24, and also that a board retreat will be held in Jackson from Feb. 24 25.

With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

See the article here:
Additions at DHS, policies OK'd at city school board meeting - State Gazette

At the podium, architect Fredrick Kincaid presents plans for the Lorraine Avenue project on Monday night, Feb. 6.(Photo: Mollie Shauger/NorthJersey.com)

After roughly three hours of testimony and questions from Montclair Planning Board members and the public, an amended plan to redevelop the former Warner Communications building on Lorraine Avenue will have to wait at least another month for resolution.

The developer, Michael Pavel, has been seeking approval for a mixed-use development at 237-249 Lorraine Ave., near the Upper Montclair Train Stationand within walking distance of Valley Road businesses.

There have been several hearings before the Planning Board and Historic Preservation Commission within the past year. Duringthat time, the board heard and approved a plan for a two-floor building consisting of 4,925 square feet of retail space on the first floor and 5,300 square feet of medical office or general office space on the second floor, along with 60 parking spaces.

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The developer then amended the plans, increasing the second-floor office space by 3,671 square feet, ora 36 percent increase in building area. The second floor would contain general office suites.

On Monday night, Feb. 6, there was debate amongboard members, withat times,a confusing exchange over how Historic Preservation Commission recommendations should be perceived. In a January memo to the board, the HPC had labeled the proposed addition to the building as too intrusive in size and scale in the Upper Montclair Historic Business District, as board member Martin Schwartz pointed out at Mondays meeting.

In that same memo, the commission stated that it believes the proposed project does not meet the criteria under the HPCs Historic Design Guidelines, particularly in regards to rear additions. The HPC provided 10 recommendations or requests to the applicant before the Planning Board approves the project.

In an earlier memo to the Planning Board, the HPC stated that the building was "too large for the site and is not complementary to the [Upper Montclair]historic district.

About a dozen residents in attendance watched intently as Fredrick Kincaid of the architecture firm Jarmel Kizel in Livingston presented changes in architectural details, such as in the brick corbeling and brick color, which he said were meant to reduce the scale of the building, so it would not be a huge, monolithic structure. Changes were based on HPC and public recommendations, Kincaidnoted.

Kincaid saidthe size of the second floor was reduced slightly, resulting in about a 26-square-foot reduction in total building size since the last proposal.

Board Vice ChairJason DeSalvo commented that the revisions dont change the size of the building, alluding to the HPCs recommendations.

Board member Martin Schwartz asked Kincaid how the building fits in with the context of the neighborhood, referencing a section of the municipal code, which states, The arrangement of buildings and structures on the site shall be designed so as to create a harmonious appearance with respect to each other and with existing structures in the immediate neighborhood.

Montclair resident Nancy Katz addresses the board and applicant witnesses during the Feb. 6 Planning Board meeting.(Photo: Mollie Shauger/NorthJersey.com)

We kept the basic structure of the original building, responded Kincaid. Were keeping the existing building.

Kincaid, using pictures, pointed out other buildings that differ in size and style within the immediate neighborhood.

Schwartz asked Kincaid if the proposed addition meets historic design guidelines, which call foradditions to be made smaller and simpler in design than the historic building itself. Kincaid responded that the addition is not smaller than the original building in square footage.

However, Kincaid did say that the proposed design met other HPC guidelines.

But during the testimony, board member Anthony Ianuale wondered as to how much the historic guidelines applied, unsure whether the building itself was historic or part of a historic district. Ianualesaid the board should get more advice as to what guidelines then apply, and how to interpret HPCs suggestions.

Board attorney Arthur Neiss clarified that the boards decision is based on the municipalsite plan ordinance and zoning ordinance, but can weigh the HPC comments in its decision.

After some back-and-forth over the HPC comments,DeSalvo attempted to summarize the discussion, suggesting, What the HPC is saying to us is, We dont think you should approve it, from their perspective. Its too intrusive in size and scale. It doesnt fit into the neighborhood.

We could stop our deliberation right there and say, We agree, make it smaller, were not approving it, said DeSalvo, garnering a round of applause from the audience.

The board did not approve it that night. Another debate erupted over whether a waiver was required if the application deviates from design standards.The developer is not applying for a variance.

Schwartz argued that the waiver is required because the application doesnt meet certain municipal standards. In clarifying his points at the meeting, he told The Montclair Times, This is not a clear issue, because there are design and historic preservation standards referenced in the Montclair [municipal] code and Master Plan. The issue is, what is the weight of those standards as it relates to the neighborhood character, Upper Montclair Historic District and other issues impacting that area, in contrast to the zoning standards of height and bulk where there are no variances being sought?

Applicant attorney Neal Zimmerman has previously argued that the applicant complies with the zoning ordinance, and the design guidelines should not supersede that fact.

They [the HPC]recognize that the zoning ordinance prevails, Zimmerman told Planning Board Chairman John Wynn.

There was no decision at the meeting as to whether the application would require a waiver.

This is a legal issue which needs to be sorted out, Schwartz later said.

In response to a residents question, Wynn said that if a waiver was required, then it would still give the board the ability to say "no" to the application.

If theres no waiver required and no variance required, we have no choice but to approve regardless of what we feel and regardless of what the community feels, because it meets the municipal law standards that have been passed by the council, and are in effect for the town, Wynn said.

Braemore Road resident Jennifer Haughton put Kincaid on the spot, asking if he would want a building like the one proposedacross from his property, to which Kincaid responded he wouldnt mind living next to a "commercial area." Haughton then asked if he currently resides next to a commercial area, to which Kincaid said he lived a few blocks away from one.

In response to another residents question on lighting, Kincaid said lights would be designed in a way that theywould not shine into residential homes.

Nancy Katz of Upper Mountain Avenue asked whether the six HVAC units could be moved from the roof. Kincaid said its possible, but not the best option, as the units would work more properly and efficiently on the roof, where there is more air. Kincaid reiterated that his client is willing to screen the equipment.

Katz said the proposed building looks like a very large branch bank.

Im very passionate about the neighborhood, Katz said. This does not fit, period.

Another resident, Frank Rubacky, said the application should go back to the HPC to decide whether its an intrusive or harmonizing building. He said the Planning Board isnt qualified to rule on the application, and suggested the application be kicked back to the HPC.

Irma Macfarlane of Braemore Road was concerned that with the train tracks being so close to the buildings wall, sound would bounce back.

Its simple physics, Macfarlane said.

The whole point of being in Montclair was character, diversity of the residents and, hopefully, respect, said Mcfarlanein concluding her comments.

The application was carried to the March 13 Planning Board meeting, when it's expected the municipal engineer would present testimony.

Two other applications on Monday's agenda were also postponed to later dates. The applications were for a major subdivision at 44 Pleasant Ave. and a minor subdivision at 39 Alexander Ave.

Email: gray@northjersey.com

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Montclair Planning Board hears plans for 'scaled-down' building - NorthJersey.com

Plans are moving forward to replace the nearly 80-year-old Pearce Campus at Zion-Benton Township High School with two additions one on the current site and another at the New Tech High campus, a school official said.

The District 126 school board signed off last week on a list of projects, an initial step that will allow district officials to move forward with a goal of starting work as soon as next school year.

The move followed a state-mandated review of district buildings, required every 10 years, which estimated that it would cost anywhere from $8 million to $12 million to bring Pearce Campus the district's original high school building that dates to 1939 and is mostly vacant up to code now that the structures are no longer grandfathered in, said Audrey Liddle, the district's business manager and chief school business officer.

The building requires repairs to the plumbing system, a very costly prospect, Liddle said, since it would have required getting behind walls and under floors all over the building. She added that heating was a concern, as one of the school's boilers is unusable and the other two are getting old.

The board decided it "would not be in the best interest of the taxpayer or the students to put money in that building," Liddle said, pointing to the building's lack of energy efficiency and the dated layout.

The building would instead be demolished and replaced with a 200-space parking lot with a maintenance garage at the north end and grassy areas along the east, according to district documents.

The programs currently housed at Pearce Campus use about a quarter of the building's space, with the remainder left empty or rented out, Liddle said.

They include Project Recovery, a non-traditional, online-based education program for students at risk of dropping out; two special education programs, including a transition program aimed at students older than 18 but not yet 22, and a therapeutic day program called Zion Alternative; and the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps' rifle range and drill space.

A proposed 18,800-square-foot addition at the main Zion-Benton campus would house a fitness center and weight room on the first floor, tripling the size of the existing weight room and allowing that space to be turned into a dance studio, and a rifle range and drill space on the second floor, according to district documents.

A second proposed addition, larger at 23,500 square feet, would be added to the north end of New Tech High at Zion-Benton East, according to the documents. It would house the special education programs currently at Pearce Campus on its first floor and a two-story gym, storage and a weight room and fitness area on the second.

The timelines remain fluid, but construction on both additions could start as early as next school year, Liddle said.

Other proposed projects include purchasing or building a maintenance building, constructing a 750-seat fine arts auditorium at the main campus and renovating the pool, according to the documents.

Much of the work will be paid for using $11 million saved up in the district's capital project fund, Liddle said. Some projects, including the auditorium, will be paid for using debt and other cash reserves, though the amount won't be finalized until the district goes out to bid on the work, she said.

The district does not need voters' permission to move ahead with any additional debt, since the plan is to refinance and keep the annual principal-and-interest payments under the existing ceiling, Liddle said. The district's current debt is expected to retire at the end of budget year 2030-31, and new debt could add an additional nine years, depending on what the construction costs are and when the district takes out the debt.

The goal is make sure taxpayers overall don't see an increase in how much they're paying in property taxes for the district's debt annually, Liddle said.

"There's always things that need to be repaired and replaced," she said. "It's the natural consequences of maintaining facilities. If we weren't doing this, it is highly, highly likely that we would be doing something else throughout the district [that would require taking out debt]."

emcoleman@tribpub.com

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Zion-Benton looks to replace aging, mostly unused original high school campus - Chicago Tribune

RUSTON, La-- -

The RustonCity of Council has voted to approve a million-dollar expansion on a sports complex.

This is the existing sports complex, as a part of the city's Moving Forward Initiative, residents agreed to a sales tax increase to enlarge the facility.

Mayor Ronny Walker says the investment will pay off.

"It's going to be a first class facilityand I just want to thank the citizens of Ruston for seeing the need for it first and then supporting us in voting for the tax so that we can build a complex like this," Walker said.

The money will go towards purchasing the land on both sides of South Farmerville Street.

Walker believes that city should see a quick return on this major investment, especially with baseball season around the corner.

"As we did our research on this we found that in the south most travel team tournaments bring in over $180,000 gross to a city," Walker said.

Mayor Walker says with these new additions the Ruston Sports Complex could become the best in the state.

The city also have plans to build restaurants and hotels near the complex to draw people from everywhere.

"Even if you live outside the City of Ruston, so it's very important that we have good facilities we have not upgraded our facilities in a long time so this is a huge upgrade and a big economic driver for our city."

It's a good thing the complex is open to everyone, the invite came just in the nick of time for Tiffany Doss and the Gramblingsoftball team.

"The field at Grambling State right now is getting remodeled and we have no place but here," Doss said.

"It's like our second home and we would love to be comfortable practicing here more every day."

The wet weather is always a challenge, for baseball and softball teams, but luckily the Rustoncomplex will have more fields and more turf.

"Tournaments that come here and teams that come here are going to want to come back to Ruston, because we really do have a special place here and excellence is made here," Walker said.

"Being on turf fields and more fields then I won't have to worry about where I have to go to practice or I already know to go to the turf field," Matthews said.

Mayor Walker says now that the project has been approved, he hopes to get started on the construction as early as May.

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City of Ruston Banks on Million Dollar Sports Complex - MyArkLaMiss (press release) (blog)

SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark.-- - Another Northwest Arkansas town is getting a facelift.

165 acres is being turned into an outdoor lover's playground.

Siloam Springs is spending nearly a million dollars on its future.

"It's just going to really take our recreational amenities that we have in Siloam Springs to another level," City Administrator Phillip Patterson said.

Siloam Springs City Lake is adding five miles of dirt trails, and that's just the beginning for its new additions.

Other improvements will include a wooden truss bridge to cross Flint Creek, a mile of soft-surface mutli-use trail, a disc golf course and and bike park!

The ultimate goal of the project is to draw more people out to experience all the fun Siloam Springs' City Lake has to offer.

The city administrator said the lake will bring much needed recreational options the city hasnt had in the past.

"We've owned this property for a long long time, it's been in it's natural state. We've always wanted to be able to include some recreational amenities here and now we have what I believe to be an accurate path to try and get there,"Patterson said.

People who live in the area are happy about the updates, but they're worried about more people causing problems.

Larry Garner who lives nearby said the only down side will be the three T's, trash, traffic, and theft."

Even with those concerns, change brings hope.

Garner said he thinks the benefits outweigh the negatives.

As long as the city of Siloam is willing to police it and although its outside the city limits technically, hopefully they will have some kind of protection for its occupants because of the increased traffic."

The first phase will be completed this year, and the second phase either this year or in 2018.

See more here:
Improvements Coming to Siloam Springs City Lake - KNWA

Jason Munz , Southern Miss Sports Writer Published 2:47 p.m. CT Feb. 6, 2017 | Updated 6 hours ago

Southern Miss opens the 2017 softball season at 6 p.m. Thursday on the road against McNeese State. Jason Munz/Hattiesburg American

Southern Miss softball coach Wendy Hogue led the Golden Eagles to a Conference USA West Division title last season.(Photo: Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American)Buy Photo

Upon being named Southern Miss softball coach in 2014, Wendy Hogue put together a five-year plan.

The blueprint she developed was closely tailored to the same strategy she used to turn William Carey into a national power. Year 1 with the Golden Eagles (18-34) resembled Hogues first season with the Crusaders, which went 14-24 in 2005.

But a funny thing happened in Year 2 of Hogues plan: Southern Miss won 30 games and a Conference USA West Division title. It was the first winning season in more than a decade for the Golden Eagles and just the fifth 30-win season in school history.

Now, as Southern Miss, the preseason pick to finish 5th in C-USA,gets set to for the 2017 season which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday against McNeese State on the road Hogue is confident, yet cautiously optimistic.

I would love to accomplish Year 4 in Year 3, she said. But you never know. Those are things you cant rush. Youve got to let each day take its course. But Im looking for some good things.

Hogue likely wont have to look far. The Golden Eagles return the top two hitters from a season ago, Lauren Holifield (.329) and Tori Dew (.324). Holifield, a second-team All-Conference USA selection and the leagues Newcomer of the Year in 2016, also hit 13 home runs which was tied for third among all C-USA players.

Holifield is proud of what she accomplished as a junior but is trying to block it out as the season nears.

HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

'Wendy Hogue Effect' has USM soaring

I think you have to keep last year in the back of your mind, she said. This is a whole new year. You can be conscious of (last year), but you have to know it doesnt matter anymore.

Hogue agrees.

Raising the bar is what we want to do, she said. Be better today than we were yesterday. If we do that, the end of the season will take care of itself.

Pitching is also set up to be a strength for the Golden Eagles as junior ace Samantha Robles (19-11, 2.92 ERA) returns. So, too, do senior Danielle Block (8-10, 4.05) and junior Jillian Johnson (3-6, 2.06), both of whom logged more than 70 innings last season. That group has been bolstered by the additions of junior college transfer Kim Crowson, who put up a 1.45 ERA in 203 innings pitched for Shelton State (Ala.) in 2016, Arkansas transfer Peyton Carter and freshman Jade Lewis.

Our pitchers did a great job last year, Hogue said. We didnt run out of guts, we just ran out of gas with having such a limited number of pitchers. So weve got some depth there this year.

Block said the added numbers have been a blessing all the way around.

At every position, we have a backup and a backup and a backup, she said. But even with that depth and competition, we still have really good team chemistry. I havent seen a team with this much talent in the four years Ive been here.

Southern Miss' home opener is set for 7 p.m. on Feb. 17, versus Nicholls State.

HATTIESBURG AMERICAN

COLUMN: USM baseball, softball back

Southern Miss senior Lauren Holifield returns as the team's leading home run hitter. The Golden Eagles' season opener is set for 6 p.m. Thursday on the road against McNeese State.(Photo: Susan Broadbridge/Hattiesburg American)

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USM softball looks to raise the bar - Hattiesburg American

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