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Running club helps visually impaired runners: Adaptive Recreation Opportunities running club helps visually impaired runners like 24-year-old Dillon Allen navigate Fort Collins trails systems and local races.

Baseball/softball

The Houston Collegiate
What: May 18th at St. Pius High School starting at 10 am The Houston Collegiate Baseball league for players 18 years and older. Players with high school, college or professional experience are invited to attend. The Houston Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat league that is affiliated with the American Amateur Baseball Congress. The League consists of eight teams and plays three nights each week. Teams include Houston Heat, Kyle Chapman Reds, Proway Colt 45s, Northwest Wildcats, Texas Cyclones, Texas Trappers, and Westchase Express. For more information, contact Jack Schultea at 713-203-7869

Houston RBI
What: Summer league tryouts at Houston Urban Youth Academy on May 18 and 25. Boys ages 13-15 from 9 am-noon, boys 16-18 from 1-4 pm, girls 18U from 9 am-noon. Bring your own equipment. For details, contact Mike Holmes at 281-794-0694 or rookiemh@hotmail.com.

Texas Bandits
What: Tryouts for 16U and 18U at Premier Baseball of Texas, May 19 at 2 pm For details, contact Chris Hoyle 281-787-9922 or choyle@hotmail.com.

Houston Miracles
What: 12U, 15U-18U and college tryouts ongoing through May. For details, contact Mike Harris 281-701-5599 or visit www.miraclesbaseball.com.

Houston Warriors
What: Tryouts for 15U-18U May 19 at Jersey Village High School at 2 pm Follow-up tryouts on May 22 and 26. For details, contact warriorshowcase@gmail.com or 832-867-6265.

Basketball
Adult League
What: League begins May 28 at The Legends Sports Complex. For details, contact Theresa Tran at 281-298-5700.

Womens Basketball
What: Texas Resurrection Womens Basketball tryouts May 18 at Love Community Center Gym from 10 am-11:15 am Players must be between 23-35. For details, contact 832-517-0174.

Outdoors/misc.
North Houston Camp
What: Football/cheer camp for ages 5-12 at 9-11 am May 25. For details, contact Coach Adams 832-643-1203.

Flag Football
What: Texas Resurrection Womens Flag Football Program will hold open tryouts May 18 at Lawrence Park Field at 3:30 pm For details, contact 832-517-0174.
Ravens Select
What: Looking for current 6th-8th graders to play 7-on-7, one-hand touch football. Contact Ed Curtis at 281-723-7609 for details.

Co-Ed Dodge Ball
What: Adults 18 years and up on Friday nights, beginning June 7 at the Legends Sports Complex. For details, contact Ashley at 281-298-5700 or ashley@thelegendssportscomplex.com.

Tennis Mixer
What: May 17 at 7-9 pm at Giammalva Racquet Club. For details, contact 281-370-5801 or www.giammalva.com.

Houston Happy
Hikers
What: 5K/10K walk on May 18 at Brazos Bend State Park. Start at the visitors center from 9 am-noon and finish by 3 pm Walk is free and open to the public. Park entry fee is $7 per person. Contact hhhpresident@houstonhappyhikers.org or houstonhappyhikers.com.
To have a listing, write: Recreation Calendar, PO Box 4260, Houston, 77210 or email recreation@chron.com.

Updated: May 19, 2013 2:29AM

The Lincolnway Special Recreation Association officially broke ground April 27 for its recreation facility on 5.6 acres in the Heather Glen subdivision of New Lenox.

Once completed in early 2014, the 17,000-square-foot building will be the first of its kind in Illinois. It will enable LWSRA to more effectively serve more than 230 area residents who are challenged with various disabilities.

LWSRA serves six member park districts: Frankfort, Manhattan, Mokena, New Lenox, Peotone and Wilmington Island.

Among its many programs serving children to adults are summer day camps, social activities and sports programs.

The LWSRA Recreation Center will include a wheelchair-accessible gymnasium and softball field, teaching kitchen, therapy garden, classrooms and office space.

LWSRA’s administrative offices now are at Lincoln-Way Central High School, and the association — which provides more than 200 programs annually — relies on area schools and member park district facilities to host activities.

The new building will allow LWSRA to expand its programs and significantly reduce program waiting lists.

More than 125 elected community and park district dignitaries, LWSRA staff members, area residents and program participants and their parents were in attendance during the groundbreaking ceremony.

The majority of funding for the center is from a $2.5 million Illinois Department of Natural Resources Park and Recreational Facility Construction grant secured by the New Lenox Park District. An additional $50,000 was contributed by the Lincolnway Special Recreation Foundation, and that check was presented by foundation president Jeff Boubelik to LWSRA executive director Lana Graser and recreation Supt. Keith Wallace during the ceremony.

Financial support also has come from donations and fundraisers that LWSRA hosted to increase community awareness. An upcoming fundraiser is the foundation’s annual golf outing Aug. 9 at Sanctuary Golf Course in New Lenox.

“We will someday be defined by the differences we’ve made in the lives that we’ve touched. And the impact is much greater when we work together,” Boubelik said. “That’s why the Lincolnway Special Recreation Foundation is so important. Together, as parents and residents of the Lincoln-Way community, we can make an ever-lasting difference in serving the special-needs population. It is our responsibility to take care of one another. This is the legacy we will leave for generations to come.”

For more information, visit www.LWSRA.org or call (815) 462-2900.

Staff report

Marlins teammates crowd pitcher Lucas Hernandez as he gets the final out to beat the Bensenville Mets during last months opening baseball day with the Addison Recreation Club. (Photo provided)

Rusty Graham

Buffalo Bayou Partnership open house showcases outdoor recreation, events on the bayou

Buffalo Bayou is a popular area for outdoor recreation, thanks largely to the revitalization efforts of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership.

May 15, 2013 – Brandon Twp.- Jay Reynolds brought a lengthy list of complaints regarding recreation to the township board meeting May 6, including displeasure with uniforms, equipment, soccer fields, and overall disorganization in the department.

It is my goal and my intent on the behalf of dozens and dozens of parents and children to bring to the attention of this board that the quality of service from our park and recreation program here in Brandon that we have all come to expect from years past needs significant addressing, said Reynolds, the father of two young children and president of the Brandon Hawks Soccer Club. Over the years I see that we are crippling our system with lack of organization and communication? I would urge you to please investigate and to collectively collaborate on improving this service to our community.This past Saturday, May 11, Supervisor Kathy Thurman said she did just that going to the township community park, 1414 Hadley Road, and interviewing 15 parents while soccer games were being played. She said she asked the parents to rate overall satisfaction with the recreation program, fields, uniforms, scheduling and organization.

It seemed as though people were generally satisfied with the recreation program, she said. Overall the feedback was positive.

Thurman also asked parents if having the township recreation office closed on Fridays was a problem and she said only two of the 15 said it was inconvenient.

The closing of the recreation office on Fridays followed cuts to recreation staffing in the past few years. The township board unveiled a plan in 2010 to save nearly $500,000 over the course of three years. That plan included cuts to staff, with the most dramatic changes coming in the recreation department, where the programmer position was eliminated in 2011 and the administrative assistant position was cut in 2012. The moves saved the township $34,092.65 each and made Director Fred Waybrant the sole full-time employee in recreation. A part-time contracted employee helps in the department and is paid for through programming funds only.

During their May 6 meeting, the board approved the hiring of Kara Titus as the new part-time recreation employee, with hours not to exceed 24 per week.

Still, Waybrant noted during the meeting, Im being pulled in a lot of directions. Id like to go back a couple years and get more help in the department.

Thurman said that wont happen without more approved funding for the department, although some board members have expressed a desire to have the recreation office open on Fridays.

More staff would certainly help, said Thurman. Fred hasnt had much help at all this year because he has had two different employees to train and we are only four months into the year. Hes had a help issue? We cant afford more staff. All the offices in the township would run better with more staffing, but we dont have the funds.

Reynolds said he just wants adequate recreation service for the residents.

People are getting poor quality for the money they are paying, he said. Our equipment is severely outdated for baseball. The soccer field conditions are horrible. The baseball fields are deplorable? Around us, with the exception of Holly, people are putting new money into their sports programs? A five-year plan here to put in baseball fields? They needed to be fixed yesterday.

Reynolds is upset also about the overlapping schedules of soccer and baseball and said he is considering putting his children in Oxford recreation programs. He would prefer to keep them here, however, and is launching a petition for residents to sign asking for improvements to township parks and recreation. He hopes to have at least 200 signatures and will have the petition at 6:30 pm, May 22.at the Brandon Township Library, 304 South St. For more information, e-mail

jreynolds911@hotmail.com.

Griswold Recreation Commission seeks new members.

They have six openings: three board and three alternate spots. The advisory commission works directly with the towns Park and Recreation director, Ryan Aubin. Members are required to attend one meeting a month, held at 5:30 pm the third Monday of the month at Griswold Town Hall.

To apply, contact the towns director, Ryan Aubin, at (860) 376-7026. Deadline to apply is June 1. For information, visit griswoldyfs.com.

An Iowa Supreme Court decision could make farmers liable for injuries guests experience during tours and outings to hunt, fish and ride snowmobiles.

The decision stems from an accident during a farm tour in Fayette County. And without a legislative reversal to a long-time policy, farmers warn they will lock their gates to visitors and outdoor enthusiasts.

Dennis Campbells farm in Grand Mound, Iowa, became an international learning lab last August.

This particular location has had very little rain, said one guide.

Three busloads of South American farmers studied parched crops there during the drought.

This corn, it looks really bad, said one visitor.

Everybody that comes out and spends some time on the farm really appreciates the opportunity to do this with us, Campbell said.

A sixth generation Iowa farmer, Campbell says its just the right thing to do.

A lot of kids today think their food comes from the grocery store, he said. We need to get them to take it to the next step.

But Campbell and other Iowa farmers are disappointed by the court decision. It could force them to pay the bills for accidents during tours or recreational activities. It would take away protection in place for a half-century.

All of a sudden, youve got something something coming out of left field that really kind of threw the agriculture industry for a loop, he said.

The changes could end a variety of charity activities like an annual hayrack ride for the Handicapped Development Center and could threaten other annual events on his land for outdoor enthusiasts.

It concerns us in agriculture because it puts a limit on our ability to bring these groups onto our farms, he said.

It could also silence an indoor batting cage and basketball hoop on his land. Local teams practice there for free.

All those things become in jeopardy, he said. We just want to get some clarity.

With spring planting just days away, theres hope for legislative action in Des Moines.

How can we bring these people onto our farm without opening ourselves up to some liability that we have been protected from in the past? he concluded.

Otherwise, these farm tours could be harvested for good.

Correction appended.

The Tualatin Hills Park amp; Recreation District Budget Committee gave tentative approval to a plan to open an Adventure Recreation Centerfor residents between the ages of 18 and 30 in the coming fiscal year.

The project is included in the districts proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins in July. It would be paid for with borrowed money and with the centers own revenue, rather than with taxpayer money.

However, additional research still needs to be done before the district could move forward with the project, Director of Business and Facilities Keith Hobson told the committee at a work session Monday night.

The 18,000-square-foot center could include a rock climbing wall, batting cages, laser tag, basketball, slacklining and a 6,000-square-foot indoor skate park.

Under the proposed plan, the district would borrow $382,474 to lease a site, renovate it and buy equipment. The district would then pay back the loan over 10 years with $104,334 in interest.

After the initial costs, the center would pay for itself, according to the proposal. The center is budgeted to earn $661,616 in the fiscal year starting in July.

The districts proposed general fund budget for the upcoming fiscal yearis $43.7 million, a 4.6 percent increase from the current budget.

Most of that increase is due to the $4.5 million that will be left over at the end of this fiscal year.

The district plans to levy the same taxes next year as it did this year — $1.73 per thousand of assessed value.

The proposed budget increases the district staffing to the equivalent of 450.68 full-time positions, up from the equivalent of 447.72 full-time positions this year. However, the number of full-time employees would remain steady at 181.

The district plans to implement 20 new projects in the upcoming fiscal year, one of which is the Adventure Recreation Center.

Among the other proposed projects are:

• Planning how the district can improve participation among ethnic minority populations. Roughly one-third of the districts residents are of a race other than white, according to the district.
• Redesigning the districts website.
• Launching an internship program in the fall.
• Providing concessions at the Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex, replacing the current private vendor.

The budget committee will hold a meeting May 20 to approve the budget. The districts board of directors will hold a public hearing June 17 to adopt the budget.

– Nicole Friedman

District staffing is projected to increase to the equivalent of 450.68 full-time positions next year, but the number of full-time employees is not projected to increase. A previous version of this article indicated that the number of full-time employees would increase.

Holy anxiety, TV fans….Right?

In just a few short weeks, well find out which network TV shows willor wontlive on to see another season. Per usual, some truly deserving shows will be cut. And some diehard TV fans will be ugly-crying in the fetal position. To try to avoid this, we are about to launch E! Onlines annual Save One Show campaign, where you fans get to weigh in on the one show you want to save from possible extinctionbefore its too late!

Now, to help you make an informed decision, were going to give you the lowdown on each network in the coming days. First up, NBC. Weve done our research and talked to inside sources, and heres where we believe the following bubble shows currently stand:

NEWS: Get the latest TV scoop in our Spoiler Chat

LIKELY TO BE RENEWED

Hannibal: Episode three of this insanely good new drama by Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, Wonderfalls) airs this Thursday, so its a bit too early to tell. However, Hannibal ratings have been solid and critical response has been favorable (Lost executive producer Damon Lindelof even tweeted his love), so a second season is looking promising.

Law amp; Order: SVU: Despite the shows age, NBC ordered an additional episode for the current season, and ratings remain decent. According to insiders, this one is expected to stay.

TV SCOOP: Alpha Male Madness: And the winner is…

Parks and Recreation: Unless theres some last-minute change, Parks and Rec will survive, an insider tells us. Although ratings are down 20 percent this season (in part because of schedule shuffling), P-Rex remains NBCs shining star when it comes to critical acclaim, awards-show love and TV fans who love woodworking, mustachioed men . Expect another season. (And if by some natural disaster it doesnt happen, expect the aforementioned ugly-crying to go down in the offices of E! Online.)

Revolution: Averaging more than 6 million viewers, JJ Abrams futuristic drama is pulling in enough viewers to stick around another year, according to one Peacock network insider. The futuristic drama even grew its audience opposite last weeks NCAA championship game. No small feat.

NEWS: Check out Ali Fedotowskys thoughts on NBCs Ready For Love!

TOO CLOSE TO CALL

Community: Despite a controversial move to replace creator Dan Harmon, the fans of this cult hit have remained true, keeping Communitys ratings hovering at around 3 million viewers. That just might be enough to keep it around, but the shows fate really depends on how NBCs new comedy pilots turn out.

Go On: Completely on the bubble, says one source. The ratings arent great, but this Matthew Perry comedy does have some buzz and critical acclaim. And with 30 Rock and The Office leaving the air, NBC needs a strong comedy presence like Perry, so it could squeak through.

Parenthood: Still one of NBCs most critically acclaimed series (and for good reason). And with the high-profile bombing of Smash, thats certainly worth something! If Parenthood is renewed, it likely will be for a shortened season.

The New Normal: Insiders tell us that, barring any last-minute changes, renewal chances are 50/50. Given how incredible that season finale was (the wedding! The birth!), heres hoping for another miracle.

LIKELY TO BE CANCELED

Whitney: Season twos premiere was as low as the lowest-rated season one episode, and the ratings went down from there.

NEWS: What was Aubrey Plaza thinking?!

GONE

Smash: Despite heavy promotion and an impressive cast (Jennifer Hudson!), Smash hemorrhaged viewers in season two, leading to its move to Saturday night, where it has sunk even further. The voluptuous lady has sung.

Up All Night: Christina Applegate announced she is 100 percent done with the show, and Will Arnett and Maya Rudolph got new jobs. We know baby Amy is cute and all, but she probably cant carry the show all by herself.

PHOTOS: Latest TV News and Gossip