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VHSL Announces 2023 Class 4 Girls All-State Volleyball Team
James Woods’ Kennedy Spaid named Class 4 Player of the Year;
James Woods’ Adrienne Patrick named Class 4 Coach of the Year
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — The Virginia High School League announces its 2023 Class 4 All-State volleyball team. James Wood sophomore outside hitter Kennedy Spaid is the Class 4 Player of the Year, and James Wood head coach Adrienne Patrick is the Class 4 Coach of the Year.
The 5’11” Spaid led the team with 346 kills and .339 hitting % this year. She also had 54 aces, 189 service points, and 18 blocks. Additionally, her on-court dominance led the team with 338 serve receptions, finishing second with 193 digs. A two-year starter and captain, she has earned first-team district, region, and state honors the past two seasons, including District and Region Player of the Year.
Patrick led James Wood to a 27-2 record and a second consecutive state title with a 3-0 (27-25, 25-20, 25-14) win over Hanover in the Class 4 finals. It is her second straight state Coach of the Year selection after leading the Colonels to a 26-1 record and their first state title in school history. A former James Wood athlete and graduate, she has compiled a 53-3 record the past two seasons and a 75-14 career mark after four seasons as head coach. Additionally, Patrick has earned District and Region COY honors in the past two seasons.
The all-state volleyball team consists of nine position players and one libero. Only those players selected to the all-region first-team are eligible for selection to the all-state team. The all-state selection committee comprises eight coaches, with two from each region.
Attorney General Miyares Files Lawsuit Against Meta for Harming Youth Mental Health
Through its Social Media Platforms
STAFF REPORTS
TALKWINCHESTER.COM
RICHMOND, VA — Today, Attorney General Jason Miyares and 41 other attorneys general throughout the country sued Meta in federal and state courts alleging that the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and its other social media platforms that are purposefully addictive for children and teens. At the same time, Meta falsely assured the public that these features are safe and suitable for young users.
The attorneys general assert that Meta’s business practices violate state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). These practices have harmed and continue to harm the physical and mental health of children and teens and have fueled what the U.S. Surgeon General has deemed a “youth mental health crisis” which has ended lives, devastated families, and damaged the potential of a generation of young people.
“We have a mental health crisis in our country. Everywhere I go – from Loudoun to Lee – Virginians agree that social media presents a new and unique danger to our children. Users know that platforms like Instagram are addicting – especially to children. It’s obvious. But this addictive nature goes beyond just distracting our youth. It’s harmful, has real world implications, and Meta has been flat out disingenuous to the American people,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “This lawsuit is about holding big corporations that prioritize financial gain over our children’s wellbeing accountable.”
The federal complaint, joined by 33 states and filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that Meta knew of the harmful impact of its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, on young people. Instead of taking steps to mitigate these harms, it misled the public about the harms associated with use of its platform, concealing the extent of the psychological and health harms suffered by young users addicted to use of its platforms. The complaint further alleges that Meta knew that young users, including those under 13, were active on the platforms, and knowingly collected data from these users without parental consent. It targeted these young users noting, as reported in a 2021 Wall Street Journal article, that such a user base was “valuable, but untapped.”
While much of the complaint relies on confidential material that is not yet available to the public, publicly available sources including those previously released by former Meta employees detail that Meta profited by purposely making its platforms addictive to children and teens. Its platform algorithms push users into descending “rabbit holes” in an effort to maximize engagement. Features like infinite scroll and near-constant alerts were created with the express goal of hooking young users. These manipulative tactics continually lure children and teens back onto the platform. As Aza Raskin, the original developer of the infinite scroll concept, noted to the BBC about the feature’s addictive qualities: “If you don’t give your brain time to catch up with your impulses, . . . you just keep scrolling.”
Meta knew these addictive features harmed young people’s physical and mental health, including undermining their ability to get adequate sleep, but did not disclose the harm nor did they make meaningful changes to minimize the harm. Instead, they claimed their platforms were safe for young users.
These choices, the complaint alleges, violate state consumer protection laws and COPPA. The federal complaint seeks injunctive and monetary relief to rectify the harms caused by these platforms.
In parallel complaints filed in state courts today, eight states have made similar allegations.
States joining the federal lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Florida is filing its own federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Filing lawsuits in their own state courts are the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.
Read the complaint HERE.
Josh Kirby
joshkirby@talkwinchester.com
WINCHESTER – It was a great afternoon at Glo Fiber field on the campus of Shenandoah University as the Hornets defeated Juniata 48-7.
History was made this afternoon at Shentel Stadium as Haley Van Voorhis a Junior safety for the Hornets entered the game late in the first quarter and on a third down, Van Voorhis recorded a quarterback hurry to Juniata’s Calvin German to force a fourth down as she became the first female non-kicker to play in a college football game at any NCAA level.
Todd Bartley and Brock McCullough were on the call from Shentel Stadium on the Shenandoah Hornets Sports Network on 105.5 WINC-FM.
“I thought it was really cool, The games going on and then all the sudden there this energy burst in the stadium” Hornets head coach Scott Yoder said on the Hornets postgame show on 105.5 WINC-FM “she’s earned this and I’m just glad I could see it on the sidelines.”
Bartley and McCullough also chatted with Van Voorhis after the game as well. “It definitely means a lot to me I’ve definitely worked a lot to get to this point, this is just something I’m really hyped up about.”
When asked about the moments right after the quarterback hurry “I was so excited and happy to be out there because at the end I’m just doing what I love to do,” Van Voorhis added, “It’s fun to be able to play football and then also be able to prove something most people don’t think can happen.”
Haley Van Voorhis after becoming the first female non-kicker to play in a college football game at any NCAA level joined Todd Bartley and Brock McCullough during the postgame show on the Shenandoah Hornets Sports Network on 105.5 WINC-FM.
From SUhornets.com:
After the Eagles (1-3) failed a fourth down conversion under two minutes into the game, the Hornets (2-1) drove down the field and capitalized on an 8-yard touchdown run by AJ Maxwell. Maxwell’s run was the fourth play on the 67-yard drive.
Three minutes later it would be Maxwell again finding the endzone for his second touchdown of the game.
The next Eagles’ dive ended just six plays in as Jake Jack punched the rain-covered ball out of the quarterback’s arms and to an awaiting Matt Conroy who hopped on it for the recovery.
Plays later Steven Hugney connected with Jayron Thompson for a 40-yard reception to set up the next Hornets touchdown. For said touchdown SU went back to the ground, this time handing it off to Aidan Metzger for the score, making it 20-0 in the first.
It would be much of the same on the next two drives, as the Eagles fumbled on their first play and Paul Battle and the Hornets quickly recovered in the redzone. Metzger took his third trip to the endzone to cap off the four-play drive for SU.
After Van Voorhis’ history-making play, the Eagles would have a bad snap on the punt as the ball rolled out of the back of the endzone, resulting in a safety. That gave Shenandoah the 28-0 lead at the end of one.
In the second quarter, Hugney added a rushing and passing TD to put the Hornets up by 42. The rushing TD came on a 1-yard play with 7:27 to go in the half. He’d then connect with Braden Domenico on a 29-yard pass five minutes later.
Shenandoah’s special teams got into the action as well, as Dylan Tubbs’ squib kick was recovered by the Hornets to keep the Eagles offense off the field.
In the third quarter, Maxwell added his fourth and final touchdown of the day, rushing into the endzone on a 12-yard rush.
After a Juniata score in the final frame, the Hornets ran out the clock on eight rushes by Bryce Buchanan. Buchanan finished the game with 10 carries for 39 yards.
Hugney led all Hornets in rushing yards with 78. In the air, the quarterback completed 15 passes for 231 yards and a TD.
Domenico caught six of those passes, racking up 107 yards on the day.
The Hornets travel to Ferrum next Saturday at 2pm to opne ODAC play.
STAFF REPORTS
TALKWINCHESTER.COM
Josh Kirby of NEWS TALK 1400 spoke with Emma Payne and Destiny Talbott from Halifax County along with James Woods softball head coach Patrick Gibson; after James Wood fell to Halifax County 16-9 in Class 4 State Quarterfinals.
Halifax, Emma Payne went 3 for 4 with 2 singles, a double and a walk. Olivia Seamster and Hannah Ellixon both hit back-to-back solo shots after James Wood battled back from down 3-0 to make it a 7-3 game at the end of the 1st. James Wood would be unable to put up another two runs until the 6th inning.
For James Wood: Sydney Orndorff went 4-4 with a HR (RBI) Single, and two doubles.
Emma Payne, Halifax County
Destiny Talbott, Halifax County
James Woods softball head coach Patrick Gibson
STAFF REPORTS
TALKWINCHESTER.COM
Josh Kirby of NEWS TALK 1400 spoke with David Magley, President of The Basketball League (TBL) during the final VA Valley Vipers home weekend series of games.
On background from the TBL Website, “David is a retired American NBA basketball player and coach. Prior to becoming the President of the TBL he served as the commissioner of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). Magley is a longtime successful entrepreneur. Awards include being an Academic All-American at Kansas University, 1978 Indiana Mr. Basketball, and producing four NCAA Student-Athlete children with his wife of 35+ years Evelyn.”
The VA Valley Vipers concluded their first season in the TBL in May.
Festival President, Sharen Gromling, is pleased to announce Kenny Wallace as Firefighters’ Marshal for the 96th Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. Wallace is a retired NASCAR driver renowned for his racing prowess and national television on-air persona. As our Firefighters Marshall Kenny Wallace will kick off the parade with “start your engines” as he leads the festival fire truck brigade through crowd-lined streets in historic downtown Winchester, VA.
Wallace set the NASCAR record in 2011 for most career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, amassing nine wins, 10 pole positions, 66 top-five and 173 top-10 finishes in the 547 Xfinity starts. His racing career spans more than 25 years having competed in more than 900 races in NASCAR’s top three racing divisions.
The 1986 American Speed Association (ASA) 22-year-old rookie-of-the-year made his NASCAR debut driving with Dale Earnhardt, finishing seventh in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway. He transitioned into a full-time Xfinity Series ride in 1989 for a team fielded by his brother Rusty Wallace, where he was rookie-of-the-year and completed the season sixth in the point standing. In 1991 Wallace finished runner-up in the Xfinity Series points and is only one of four NASCAR drivers to have won the Most Popular Driver award multiple times. Wallace had his final start in the 2015 Iowa Speedway NASCAR Series race as he drove for Joe Gibbs Racing.
He brought his infectious humor, trademark laugh, and widespread popularity when he worked as an analyst for NASCAR Raceday on FS1, covering the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Retired from NASCAR driving, Wallace, who is held in high esteem in his field for “racing anything and everything”, continues to race his No. 36 Toyota DIRTcar in more than 60 dirt races per year, a consciously scaled-back effort from years past to afford him more family time.
He is the son of accomplished short-track racer, Russ Wallace, and brother of NASCAR drivers Rusty and Mike Wallace. Born in St. Louis, Wallace was nicknamed “Herman” after the mischievous “Herman the German” cartoon character for his boisterous, full-of-himself behavior. Wallace and his wife, Kim, have three daughter, two granddaughters and one grandson. His family lived in North Carolina for several years during his NASCAR career before moving back to St. Louis in 2016.
Wallace will be attending festival events on Friday, May 5, including the Coronation, presented by Morgan Orthodontics, where he will be knighted by Queen Isabella Astin prior to leading the Hang 10 Car Wash Firefighters’ Parade at 5:30 p.m.
Additionally, he will be an added speaker on Saturday, May 6, at the Partlow Insurance Sports Breakfast at the Tolley Dental Zone in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletic and Event Center on Shenandoah University Campus. He will then ride in the Glo Fiber Grand Feature Parade, which steps off at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets to Festival events are available at www.thebloom.com/events.
Boys Soccer: Sherando defeated James Wood 2-1 in extra time.
Josh Kirby spoke with Sherando Coach Patrick Anderson.
Kirby also spoke with James Wood Coach Ronald Velasquez.
The Sherando Lady Warriors defeated James Wood 7-2 this evening.
Josh Kirby speaks with Warriors Coach Mark Conner on the victory.
Kirby also spoke with James Wood Coach Patrick Gibson about this game and the season up until this point.
Millbrook fell to Briar Woods this evening 7-1 in Varsity Baseball, Millbrook committed 6 errors and only had three hits. Nate Brookshire for Millbrook recorded Millbrooks only run off of a Briar Woods error.
Josh Kirby interviewed Millbrook Coach Brian Burke after the loss and looks ahead to the district games tomorrow and Friday.
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