Homicide @ Eagle Heights Academy football field today.

[ForumManager]

I'm all for creative fund raising.
The teams probably already do EVERYTHING you mentioned AND more.
And I also don't believe that security expense should be a deterrent for children's sports events.
The security should be provided as part of the venue.
It is the venue's responsibility to have rules outlined in their contracts regarding security.
You can't even rent a banquet hall these days without addressing security.

According to news reports today... the police said they would have provided security if asked.
I've been involved in events with off duty police as security and it is expensive.  Maybe it is different for the schools?
Why did the police only drive by when called?
Those in attendance said their presence would have made all the difference.
Shift change again?
It is my opinion that there should be no such thing as a shift change.
In this age of computers, they can overlap duty time to avoid any shift changes.

My son's school did not support our soccer team and the parents were responsible for raising the money for EVERYTHING.
The school and BOE supports other sports, even bowling ... guess they just couldn't get behind soccer? Unfortunately it was decided we were not allowed to car pool the kids to 'away' games at one point... due to  BOE rules and then we even had to ask each student for bus fare to rent the school buses.
We had many fund raisers, sold simple foods during the games and came up with the rest of the money ourselves.
I received an education about what goes into maintaining a sports team.
Even using a public park, the expenses were high. Not allowed to use the school's playing field because of football practices.
And security wasn't in the budget.  In fact I don't remember seeing security at any "away"  soccer games either... even at Warren Harding Stadium. Maybe because I wasn't looking for it. There was no soccer team  last  year and there is none planned for this year. It is because the coaches, who were volunteer parents, were too busy trying to raise money and make ends meet on top of coaching. No one else wanted to take it on.
Perhaps your northside renovation company would like to sponsor the Chaney Soccer team next year?
It's too late for this year...the regional schedule is put together in the early summer.

I wonder how big that courtyard is at Chaney?  Big enough for a soccer field?  Probably not.  hmmmm
Just a thought.  Although they had the space before for a fieldand would not give it up.

[AllanY2525]

Well,

I feel that the bottom line is this:  You cannot put a price on lives and safety of human beings - from babies
to grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. that attend these events.  Their positive impact on the community
makes them worth finding the money - whatever it takes - to continue the events AND provide a safe
and enjoyable unvironment while doing so.

If some individuals within the organization(s) that put on these sporting activities have a few ounces
of creativity amongst them, there are plenty of things they could do to raise funds for such a good
cause - bake sales, baazars (sp?), garage and yard sales, a car wash event, you fill in the blank
here.   A little of the old legal "hustle and bustle" for a charitable cause STILL works - even
here in Youngstown.  All you need is some good, decent everyday people who are willing to give
something of themselves - mainly their time and some genuine interest in doing something
good for their community.

How about organizing an old fashioned "athletic boosters club" as a non-profit entity to
help support the teams and the events?

[ForumManager]

The news report last night featured people complaining that the police had been called earlier about the situation that was brewing and they drove by and left. The people seemed very upset and felt that if police had taken complaints seriously and had made their presence known, the shooting would not have occurred.  They also said there will be an investigation.

As far as security goes.  It is very expensive. Leagues have a hard enough time just affording insurance, officials and venue associated fees.  It will get to the point where the families just can't afford it, especially if they have more then one kid.

Who owns the Field House now?  I feel it is THEIR responsibility to include security as part of the usage.

[Micky]

The Vindicator online broke the news about the murder suspect's name.  He appears to have an extensive criminal background.

Why does there seem to be a problem with locking up violent criminals in this valley and keeping them locked up?  Who is to blame for allowing them to be put back on the streets to await trials that never happen because they've been arrested for other crimes or they disappear? 

What can we,the citizens, do to put an end to the same old rhetoric? 

[AllanY2525]

The organization that puts on these games at the former South High Field need to get security personell
for these events.  Even if the organization(s) responsible for these games are private, their venue is taking
place outdoors, in public.

Between the Mahoning County Sheriff's office, the YSU Campus Police force, the Y.P.D. and the
private security firms doing business in the area, there is NO reason for the lack of security personell
at these events.  They could easily pay off duty police officer(s) or private security guard(s) to cover
these events.  The kids and their families should not have to be the losers in all of this.

:/

[jay]

This may have  been Youngstown's 18th homicide of the year.

I watched a news report on TV this evening.  The reporter stated that no one at the football game had a good description of the shooter.  With all of the video cameras at games these days, I willing to bet that someone has the shooting on tape.   The question is if or when they will come forward with the information.

[jay]

The story about this homicide appeared in the Sunday, August 20, newspaper.
www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/356107954702808.php

[our2cents]

Homicide @ Eagle Heights Academy football field today.