A Miracle League Field Is Coming To North Augusta

A Miracle League field is coming to North Augusta

Here’s my history with the Miracle League.  About 15 years ago, while watching television one evening I saw a story on something called “The Miracle League”.  It’s a baseball league developed for children with special needs.  The field is a smaller configuration of a little league field, with artificial turf on the entire expanse of the field.

When I saw the story, I had just come off creating the local version of a fundraising radiothon for the local children’s hospital.  That event, started in 2001 has now raised over $4 million.  It remains one of the most satisfying accomplishments of my radio career.  I was looking for something to fill that void.  That’s when I learned about the Miracle League.

I took the idea to a number of organizations in town and found a believer in the folks at the “Y”.  I can’t thank Danny McConnell enough for believing the project and bringing it to fruition.  He gives me way too much credit for it.  I just had the idea, and he found the money and the wherewithal to get it across the finish line.

Now all of these years later, I can’t tell you how many boys and girls have had the experience of finding themselves on a baseball field, playing the game, and honestly, having the same fun that every child deserves.

On another note, the one thing I was not prepared for when the field opened was the response from the parents.  They never thought they would see their kids, on a field, with other children, playing baseball.

Fast forward to 2023.  I hear that the folks in North Augusta are thinking of creating another field.  Apparently, this time, it was spearheaded by the organization The RECing Crew.  The folks at the RECing Crew were a large part of the original Miracle League field.

I couldn’t be more excited to hear the news that another Miracle League field will be coming to the community.

I can’t wait for their first season.

It's always interesting to see which cities are considered safe and dangerous in the US. It can also be helpful if you're planning a big move. Now, there's a new study out that pinpoints the most dangerous cities in America.

The new study comes from Noradarealestate.com. In it, they say, "From gang violence to high levels of property crime, these cities have earned their spots on the list." Yikes.

Before we get to the crime in each region of the country, let's look at some of the No. 1s in this study. According to Noradarealestate.com, the "FBI's most dangerous city" in the West is Stockton, California. In the Midwest, it's St. Louis, Missouri. Then, in the South, it's Baltimore, Maryland; and in the Northeast, it's Hartford, Connecticut. Noradarealestate.com notes that even though these cities are dangerous in the report, "each of these cities has also demonstrated resilience and a commitment to addressing these issues through various initiatives and collaborative efforts. By focusing on community engagement, comprehensive strategies, and investment in socio-economic development, these cities can work towards creating safer, more inclusive, and prosperous communities for all residents." So, it's not all dismal. There is definitely hope.

So, what's the most dangerous city in America? Detroit. "The violent crime index, encompassing homicides, robberies, and aggravated assaults, is alarmingly high," the study states. "The prevalence of guns and gang activity further exacerbates the issue, making Detroit a concerning place in terms of personal safety." That said, I love Detroit, and even though it's good to see which cities are trending up and down in terms of crime, remember that every city has its good and bad areas. So, don't write these towns off your list because of one study. Find the full study from Noradarealestate.com here.

Check out the most dangerous cities in America by region below, via the latest FBI data.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is Stockton, California, with a population of 308,348. Other cities in the top five include San Bernardino, California; Oakland, California; Anchorage, Alaska; and Pueblo, Colorado. Find the full FBI data here.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is Baltimore, Maryland. Other cities in the top five include Memphis, Tennessee; Little Rock, Arkansas; Nashville, Tennessee; and New Orleans, Louisiana. Find the full FBI data here.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is St. Louis, Missouri. Other cities in the top five include Kansas City, Missouri; Rockford, Illinois; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Find the full FBI data here.

No. 1 on the FBI's list is Hartford, Connecticut. Other cities in the top five include Buffalo, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Rochester, New York; and Bridgeport, Connecticut. Find the full FBI data here.