Daily Archives: August 19, 2012

Chad Brown went to Afghanistan as a specialist and came home a sergeant.

A member of the Springfield-based 233rd Military Police Company of the Illinois Army National Guard, Brown was deployed to Kunar Province with the 1st Team of the 14th Agribusiness Development Team and was part of a group that provided security for the unit.

Brown, a 25-year-old mechanic from Macomb, was honored Saturday with a Center of Influence award for outstanding service. The award, a large framed mosaic print of the American flag, was presented during a Freedom Salute ceremony held at Springfields Hoogland Center for the Arts to honor the 1-14th ADT.

He stepped up and did what sergeants do, the units commanding officer, Col. Fred Allen, said after the ceremony. (He) was aggressive about learning new things, was aggressive about stepping up and taking on responsibility and just did a very great job in a very quiet but excellent way.

Brown, who was promoted during his deployment, said he was surprised when he heard his name called for the award.

Its actually a pretty big honor, Brown said. I didnt know that was going to happen.

All the members of the 60-person unit received tokens recognizing them for their service.

Those who were on their first deployment, including Brown, received an American flag in an engraved display case, among other mementos. Soldiers who served their second and third deployments received other commemorative items.

The unit was deployed in Kunar Province on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border from April 2011 through this April. While there, it was tasked with training farmers, working with Afghan agriculture officials, and establishing an Agricultural Extension Agent program.

The thing that didnt exist when we got there that did exist when we left was a strong relationship between the college of agriculture in Kunar, the local farmers and government employees at the district level, and the leaders in agriculture up at the provincial (level), Allen said. We feel very good about leaving Afghanistan knowing that those guys are working together for the future of agriculture in Kunar Province.

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Freedom Salute honors Guard unit for service in Afghanistan

Credit: Charles Wingate | The News Herald

Freedom senior wide receiver Marcus Davis (5) hauls in a pass that helped set up his team's first touchdown on Friday in Sawmills.

Freedom Highs football opener was a tale of two halves.

South Caldwell raced to a three-touchdown advantage in the opening half then held off a vicious second-half rally by the visiting Patriots to claim a 21-12 non-conference football contest Friday at Spartan Stadium.

The Spartans dominated the first quarter in all aspects of the game. They received the opening kickoff then drove 70 yards on 11 plays all rushes to hit paydirt on a 2-yard run off tackle by senior running back Tyler Barber.

Freedoms Khris Gardin returned the ensuing kickoff 43 yards to the Spartan 42. After an illegal motion penalty, senior quarterback Shawn Fairchild hit Gardin with a 9-yard completion. On second down, Fairchild scampered for a 4-yard gain but was stripped of the ball, which was recovered by SCs Andrew Tilghman.

I think if we would have scored there, it would have been a different game, said Freedom coach Mike Helms.

The Spartans wing-T ground attack went back to work in fine fashion, piling up 66 yards on eight attempts as Zac Pollard converted the final 2-yard scoring run for a 14-0 lead with 1:44 left in the opening quarter.

Freedom junior Kwan Hall scooped up a squib kick and returned it 11 yards to put the Pats in good field position at their own 42.

The Patriots could not convert as a dropped pass, a 3-yard rush by David Burgess and an incompletion forced a punt, which only traveled five yards to put SC at midfield.

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Freedom runs for two second-half scores but can't overcome big hole

Freedom Elementary library

Heidi Wolf unpacks and organizes almost 7,300 new books in the media center last week at the new Freedom Elementary School in West Fargo. When the school opens its doors Thursday, it will welcome 561 students. Dave Wallis / The Forum

Do you have children starting school this week?

WEST FARGO - Freedom Elementary opens here this week and its already full.

The newest building in the rapidly growing West Fargo School District is expected to greet 561 students when classes start Thursday, said Principal Jeff Johnson.

Its built to handle 550.

Plans were to have the school open with 470 students when the school board approved construction last year, Business Manager Mark Lemer said.

We knew we were going to have growth, he said. But we didnt anticipate that it would open over its maximum capacity.

You can thank the great construction weather this past year, Johnson said. It helped builders pepper the area with homes for young families.

Freedom is patterned after Aurora Elementary, which opened in fall 2007 in the Eagle Run area. Using that template saved at least $180,000 in architectural fees on the new school just south of Interstate 94 and west of Veterans Boulevard, Lemer said.

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Freedom Elementary School full from the get-go

August 18, 2012 - Frontier League (FL) Florence Freedom Florence, KY - The Florence Freedom(45-38) kept their playoff hopes alive with a come from behind 7-5 victory Saturday night over the Southern Illinois Miners (49-33). The Freedom trail the Gateway Grizzlies by 3.5 games for the final wild card spot with 13 games to go.

It was homerun derby early on at the Home of the Florence Freedom as Southern Illinois right fielder Chad Maddox hit a three run homerun in the 1st inning against Freedom starter Alec Lewis. After the Miners took a 3-0 lead in their first inning, the Freedom's Eddie Rodriguez deposited a line drive two-run homerun over the left field wall to make it 3-2. It was his 8th homerun of the season. The Freedom got another homerun in the 3rd. John Malloy led off the inning as he hit a solo shot down the right field line to tie the game at 3-3. Malloy leads the Freedom with 12 homeruns. The homerun derby continued for the Miners in the 5th. With one out and one on, Ken Gregory launched a two run homerun off Brent Choban to take a 5-3 lead.

The Freedom were resilient though and stormed back in the 5th. Malloy opened up the inning with a double. David Harris then walked. Junior Arrojo attempted a bunt, but popped out to third baseman Carlos Mendez on a diving catch. Peter Fatse then was hit by a pitch to load the bases. With the bases loaded and one out, Rodriguez was then plunked forcing home Malloy to cut the lead to 5-4. Kyle Bluestein popped out to shortstop Jake Kaase for the second out of the inning. Catcher Jim Jacquot then delivered the blow in the game with his bases loaded two out two run single back up the middle giving the Freedom a 6-5 lead. Stephen Cardullo then doubled to right field scoring Rodriguez to give the Freedom a 7-5 advantage.

The Miners threatened in the 9th against Freedom closer Jorge Marban. With runners on the corners with one out, Marban got Gregory to line out to left field and struck out Jason Ganek to end the game.

Jose Velazquez(6-0) earned the victory out of relief recording the final two outs in the 5th. Marban racked up his 9th save. Lewis went only 2 innings allowing 3 hits and 3 earned runs while allowing the three run homer to Maddox.

The Freedom will go for the series victory Sunday night against the Miners. Southern Illinois will start LHP Daniel Calhoun(6-3, 2.39) while the Freedom will go with RHP Brandon Mathes(3-0, 3.25) The game can be heard starting at 5:50 with Steve Jarnicki on Real Talk 1160 AM and realtalk1160.com.

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Freedom come from Behind for Win, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive