Michigan basketball announced the firing of head coach Juwan Howard Friday afternoon.
The Wolverines just finished a disastrous 8-24 season with a 66-57 loss to Penn State in the Big Ten tournament. The team ended the year on a nine-game losing streak, and lost 14 of 15 going back to mid-January. The program reached a crater after Howard’s steadily worsened after the team’s Elite Eight trip in 2020-21.
Howard’s tenure at Michigan finishes with an 87-72 record, one Big Ten regular season title and five NCAA Tournament wins.
For the interest of Wisconsin Badgers fans, the news comes 755 days after February 20, 2022 — the day of the famous altercation between Howard and Greg Gard.
Michigan’s record since that date is 31-44, including this year’s disaster of a season. Wisconsin’s record, on the other hand, is 45-30 and could improve if the team goes on a run in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Breaking: Juwan Howard is out as Michigan's men's basketball coach, the school announced. pic.twitter.com/iHdFxKHBZj
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Saints assistant coaches Kodi Burns, Bob Bicknell also let go after Pete Carmichael dismissed
More changes are coming for the New Orleans Saints after firing offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael. The team announced that assistant coaches Kodi Burns and Bob Bicknell will not be returning for the 2024 season.
Dennis Allen commented on the staff changes in a statement from the team: “I would like to thank Pete, Bob and Kodi for their service to the New Orleans Saints and to this coaching staff. These types of decisions are never easy to come to, but are necessary as we move forward.”
Both hired in recent years after Allen took over as head coach, Burns coached wide receivers while Bicknell worked as a senior assistant on offense. The Saints had too many miscues with their receivers and struggled to pick up first downs or score points for long stretches this year, so change was necessary.
And more departures may be coming. Stay tuned for updates as the 2024 Saints coaching staff continues to take shape.
The fire occurred at one of just three Jack Nicklaus Signature Courses in Canada.
The clubhouse at the site of the PGA Tour Americas’ ATB Classic went up in flames recently, and firefighters were contending with temperatures of 40 below while battling the blaze.
The Northern Bear Golf Course in Sherwood Park, Alberta — one of just three Jack Nicklaus Signature Courses in Canada — has a deal to host the PGA Tour Americas event through 2025. But the iconic clubhouse at the course, which sits about 40 minutes from downtown Edmonton, caught fire on Saturday morning.
The course is one of the longest on the PGA Tour Americas schedule and is known for tree-lined fairways, five lakes and huge greens. This year’s ATB Classic is scheduled for June 27-30.
There were no injuries, but the building is a total loss with just the skeletal remains standing in the Alberta cold for the foreseeable future. Temperatures in the region are not expected to get above zero Fahrenheit until Friday.
A message on the club’s Facebook page gave thanks to the crews that fought the fire in such difficult conditions.
“We are all devastated about the loss of our beautiful clubhouse. We are so grateful no one was at the clubhouse and there was no one injured. We want to thank the Strathcona fire department for their work in treacherous weather. Thank you to everyone for their well wishes and we vow to rebuild better than it was before,” the post said.
“If not for a heavy south wind, this could have put our house up in flames quickly.”
Gerald Knight is a heavy sleeper. His wife, Marci, is often quick to wake, worried that one of the couple’s two kids could find themselves in a predicament. So on Dec. 22, when Marci heard a loud bang, she was quick to get up in case her little ones had fallen or found some trouble.
But instead, she noticed a red glow outside. Since the couple lives across from the Dream Valley Golf Course they own — in a remote area outside Springfield, Missouri — this wasn’t a good sign.
“Next thing I know, she’s screaming for me to get up,” Gerald told Golfweek on Wednesday. “The cart barn was completely on fire. We think the noise she heard was part of the roof caving in. We called 911 and didn’t know what to do.
“It was a hard thing to stare at.”
The damage was significant, but Knight is uncertain on a dollar figure yet as insurance representatives have been off for the Christmas break. More than 50 carts were lost in the blaze, as well as everything else in the course’s maintenance area. Tables, chairs, even fishing poles were all charred after fire crews finally extinguished the flames.
On Dec. 22, the cart barn and new pro shop at Dream Valley Golf Course in Buffalo, Missouri, caught fire in the middle of the night. (Photo courtesy of Marci Knight/Dream Valley).
The couple purchased the 18-hole course back in April 2019 with another couple, Ryan and Dara Knight (no relation).
Gerald Knight said business has been good since taking over, even though the ownership group has kept prices far below the national average of most public-use golf courses. Weekday rates for 18 holes start at just $13 and a full year’s membership, including unlimited golf with a cart, costs just $1,100.
“We’re a rural golf course,” Knight said. “We need to keep it affordable for people.”
The group had big plans for the Christmas holiday weekend as temperatures were warm enough to allow golfers to get out on the course. The local cart distributor moved into high gear and quickly brought replacement carts so the course could remain open through the weekend. But a new pro shop, which had just been in the framing stage of construction, was also lost in the fire.
On Dec. 22, the cart barn and new pro shop at Dream Valley Golf Course in Buffalo, Missouri caught fire in the middle of the night. (Photo courtesy of Marci Knight/Dream Valley).
Even though the fire has created quite a setback for the group, Knight is thankful that things weren’t worse.
“Hopefully, the insurance gets settled and we get back to normal,” he said. “We were a little behind on the pro shop and that might have been a blessing. We’ll have to tear down the framed walls, but our construction crews are due to get working very soon on this.
“But if not for a heavy south wind, this could have put our house up in flames quickly. And the amount of play we’ve had has been really, really good since we took over. So it’s been nothing but positive. This is the first major setback we’ve faced.”
The project will be funded through insurance proceeds, member assessment and member dues.
Nearly two years after a devastating fire that caused $80 million in damage to the clubhouse and surroundings at one of North America’s cathedrals of golf, the smiles were wide on Wednesday when members from Oakland Hills Country Club put shovels in the ground to start a construction project that will bring new life to the facility.
The club in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills is home to two highly-rated golf courses. The South Course, designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1918, ties for No. 22 on Golfweek’s Best ranking of classic courses built before 1960 in the U.S. The club’s North Course had previously been on the list, but slipped out in 2023.
The club has hosted 14 golf majors or USGA championships, including six U.S. Opens, two U.S. Senior Opens, a U.S. Women’s Amateur, two U.S. Men’s Amateurs and three PGA Championships — including the 90th PGA Championship in 2008. The club has also hosted the 1922 Western Open, the 1964 Carling World Open, and the 35th Ryder Cup, in 2004.
The original clubhouse was designed by C. Howard Crane and opened in 1922. It had undergone several renovations and housed irreplaceable golf tournament memorabilia and art going back a century.
The Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan, on fire on Thursday, February 17, 2022. (Photo: Eric Seals-USA TODAY NETWORK)
That backstory led the smiling faces on Wednesday as the club broke ground on a new project entitled the “Next 100 Project,” which will include a replica clubhouse, a new greens and grounds complex, changes to the practice range and updated parking. The $96.5 million project was approved by the club’s membership this month and will be funded through insurance proceeds, member assessment and member dues.
The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
“Today is a momentous day for Oakland Hills members and staff who stand together, much like we did nearly two years ago watching flames rise from our clubhouse, but with a renewed excitement for the future,” Oakland Hills President K. Dino Kostopoulos said. “The ‘Next 100 Project’ is the result of significant planning by the entire Oakland Hills family that will define the Championship golf experience for generations to come at our Club and beyond.”
Here’s a look at some renderings of the updated facilities as well as pictures from Wednesday’s groundbreaking.
Ryder Cup Europe confirmed that no injures were reported.
A structure at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club near Rome, Italy, went up in massive flames on Thursday just days after the club hosted the 2023 Ryder Cup.
A video surfaced on social media of a three-story hospitality stand engulfed in fire, producing large black smoke clouds that could be seen from miles away. Local news stated that five teams of firefighters are on the scene and that no injuries were reported. A notice was sent to local residents to close their windows.
“A fire was reported in one of the temporary hospitality structures to the right of the first fairway at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club earlier this afternoon,” a statement from Ryder Cup Europe read. “Local fire crews were called to the scene at 5:07 p.m. local time and quickly brought the blaze under control. Nobody was injured in the incident and the fire did not spread beyond the hospitality structure. There was no damage to the golf course or any over structure. The cause of the fire is currently being investigated.”
Hundreds of thousands of fans were at the club over the last week to witness Team Europe defeat Team USA and reclaim the Ryder Cup, 16½-11½.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome originally was designed by David Mezzacane and Jim Fazio and opened in 1989. The layout was completely renovated in 2018-2020 by a team of European Golf Design led by Dave Sampson in conjunction with Tom Fazio II, a leading American architect and the son of Jim Fazio – Tom Fazio worked for his dad on the original layout. The renovation included a complete rerouting of the hilly layout with the Ryder Cup in mind. With 155 feet of elevation change across the course, the holes were laid out to favor match play, with several drivable par 4s. Marco Simone is a public-access layout with tee times available on the course’s website.
Here’s an update on the island’s major resort courses.
The deadliest wildfire in recent U.S. history displaced thousands of residents in Maui back in August, killing more than 100, swallowing the historic Lahaina town in flames and closing many of the area’s golf courses.
Officials are unsure what started the blazes that prompted some locals to bolt into the ocean to escape marauding flames, but some experts said they suspect human development on the island is at least partly to blame for the destruction.
Wildfires have quadrupled in Hawaii in recent decades, and many scientists say the culprit is unmanaged, nonnative grasslands planted by plantations and ranchers and others unfamiliar with the island’s native ecosystems. The grass is dry and prone to fires.
Kapalua Golf’s Bay Course re-opened on Sept. 20, and its Plantation Course is set to do so on Oct. 18. Both golf courses had been closed since the Maui wildfires on Aug. 8. Located in West Maui, the golf courses and facilities at Kapalua Golf were spared from the fires, which devastated Lahaina, about 10 miles away.
Kā‘anapali reopened its driving range and Royal Kā‘anapali Golf Course on Sept. 18 and will reopen the Kā‘anapali Kai Golf Course on Nov. 20.
Kapalua Golf ‘s Bay Course’s practice range reopened on Aug. 28. Wailea Golf Club remained open after the fires with Wailea’s Gold, Blue and Emerald Courses continuing to welcome guests.
The fires impacted associates at all three golf resort properties with many losing their homes and possessions. As the Maui community heals, the properties continue to welcome back team members to work as they are ready to return.
All three properties have focused efforts to support team members who lost their homes or loved ones, while also continuing to help the larger Maui community recover through donations and fundraisers.
“As part of Mauiʻs recovery process, we need our visitors to help keep our community employed,” said Sherry Duong, executive director of the Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau. “We welcome respectful, responsible and compassionate travel to all accessible parts of Maui. We encourage our visitors to buy local, dine at local restaurants, enjoy Mauiʻs incredible activities and attractions including our beautiful golf courses, and most of all visit our island with patience and grace.”
“Our team truly appreciates the outpouring of support from around the globe over the past six weeks,” said Kapalua Golf & Tennis General Manager Alex Nakajima. “Our staff was deeply impacted by the fires, with nearly a third losing their homes and possessions. As associates and the community work to heal, we continue to support them; welcoming back team members to work as they are ready. As we continue the recovery process, we are reopening our two golf courses for Kamaʻāina (local residents) on island and for those planning their return to Maui. As millions discovered during the pandemic, a round of golf can be good medicine for the mind, body and soul.”
Kapalua Golf’s Plantation Course and Bay Course are open to resort guests and daily-fee play. Arnold Palmer designed The Bay Course first, in 1975, which is more forgiving than the Plantation, a Coore-Crenshaw design that the duo built in 1991 and renovated in 2019. The Sentry is played annually at the Plantation Course, which ranks No. 17 in Golfweek’s Best Resort Courses list.
At Mojave National Preserve, a wildfire and intense winds are whipping flames across the land. The blaze has been dubbed the York Fire and is California’s largest of the year. As of August 2, the fire is 30% contained. National Park Service (NPS) officials report that the region’s famous Joshua trees face irreversible harm from the fire.
According to data from InciWeb, the York Fire began on July 28 in California’s New York Mountains. Since then, the fire has spread into Mojave National Preserve and crossed state lines into Nevada. The blaze has covered 82,437 acres and “continues to grow to the northeast.”
Firefighters working to contain the flames are reportedly experiencing difficulties due to fire whirls, aka “fire tornadoes.” InciWeb defines a fire whirl as “a vortex of flames and smoke that forms when intense heat and turbulent winds combine, creating a spinning column of fire.” This unpredictable phenomenon can cause flames to spread and make conditions more dangerous for firefighters.
Yuccas burning during the York Fire in Mojave National Preserve on July 30, 2023. / Photo by DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images
As containment efforts persist, conservationists and Mojave National Preserve staff worry over the fate of the region’s native vegetation. Many of the Mojave Desert’s iconic Joshua trees have already been destroyed in the fire. According to the NPS, “If an area with Joshua trees burns through, most will not survive and reproduction in that area is made more difficult.”
Laura Cunningham, the California director of the Western Watersheds Project, emphasized the fire’s devastating effects on Joshua trees when speaking with CNN affiliate KVVU. “It will take a lifetime to get those mature Joshua trees back.”
While native plants remain at risk, Mojave National Preserve reports that the local desert tortoises have been minimally affected. “Fire crews carefully balance fire suppression with resource protection. They will be on the lookout for desert tortoises, making sure to avoid burrows and active individuals,” Mojave National Preserve said in a Facebook post.
STOCKTON, California — A fire burned at the shuttered Van Buskirk Golf Course in south Stockton Friday afternoon.
Around 2 p.m., local firefighters battled the grass fire near the Van Buskirk Community Center, across the street from Conway Homes.
Smoke plumes could be seen for miles — as far as Lathrop — as fire crews worked to get the blaze under control. It’s unclear how many acres the blaze has consumed.
The former municipal golf course, which was closed four years ago, is located between Houston Avenue and the levees of the San Joaquin River and French Camp Slough.
A multiple-acre grass fire rages at the former Van Buskirk golf course in south Stockton. The 214-acre property has been idle since 2019 when the city shuttered the course. Photo: Clifford Oto/Stockton Record/USA Today Network
A grass fire previously burned the area in June 2022.
The golf course, a longtime staple in the south Stockton community, was open to the public for six decades before it closed in 2019. This classic Larry Norstrom design was built in 1960. The 214-acre property has sat behind a chain-link fence since the Van Buskirk family decided to give it to the city, provided it’s only used for recreation.
After years of planning and community meetings to discuss the reimagining of Van Buskirk Park, Stockton City Council approved a master plan for the property at the Jan. 24 meeting. The proposed layout includes a BMX track, disc golf, skate park, splash pad and community garden, as well as areas that can serve as potential flood control space.
City officials did not give an estimated completion date for the project.
Record reporter Hannah Workman covers news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at hworkman@recordnet.com or on Twitter @byhannahworkman. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow.
Washington state’s Olympic National Park has lost its Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge in a fire. On Sunday, May 7, at 4:39 PM, Clallam County Fire District 2 responded to a dispatch reporting the blaze. Clallam County Fire District 3 and the Port Angeles Fire Department joined the fire rescue team to help control the scene. According to Clallam County Fire District 2, “the structure had already collapsed to the foundation” when help arrived.
No onsite injuries were reported, and no visitors were in the lodge during the fire. Due to an ongoing rehabilitation project, the lodge has been closed since March 27. While renovations were set to be finished in 2024, park officials now say that “the structure appears to be a complete loss.”
Photo via Jay Cline / Clallam County Fire District 2
As of May 8, the fire’s cause remains unknown. Olympic National Park’s acting Deputy Superintendent Roy Zipp told The Seattle Times that the park is “still developing the basic facts around the incident and trying to determine the origin of the cause.” The park will be handling further investigation into the fire, according to Clallam County Fire District 2.
Built in the 1950s, Day Lodge holds a special place in the hearts of many locals. For Heidi Walker of Discover Your Northwest, a Seattle-based nonprofit that supports the region’s public lands, the loss of this iconic structure has hit home.
“How can it be gone? It’s such a big part of the park, and it’s gone,” Walker told Seattle’s KIRO 7 News. “It’s almost like, almost like losing a friend even in my adulthood.”
In the comments of an Olympic National Park Facebook post announcing the fire, past visitors have begun sharing memories of the lodge. For many, the lodge was the backdrop for cherished moments within the park. Those who want to follow the topic as further details emerge can find official releases via the park’s news hub.
