CLEVELAND, Texas — A viral video on social media shows the moments several Willis High School football players decided to drop sportsmanship and pick up their belts and spank their opponents instead of shaking their hands following last Friday night’s game.

“That’s just shady and there’s no point in doing that. It’s just very childish for them to do that,” Melanie Gonzalez told KHOU 11 News.

Making matters worse was the fact that Willis had just beat Cleveland High School 77-0.

“That is ridiculous,” Mary Almaguer said.

The video is the latest in a viral trend called the BTA challenge in which athletes use a belt to spank their opponents after a win.

But not everybody is laughing, especially not in Cleveland.

“I just don’t get it. I don’t and I’d be very pissed off if I’m scrolling on my phone, and I see my son getting hit with the belt,” Almaguer said.

Cleveland ISD also didn’t find it funny. CISD released this statement:

“The district is aware of a video making the rounds on social media involving the Willis High School varsity football team and their inappropriate actions towards our varsity football team following last Friday night’s game. Please know that this situation has been addressed by CISD earlier this week. Superintendent McCanless has personally spoken with the Willis ISD superintendent, and official complaints have been filed with UIL and DEC. CISD does not endorse unsportsmanlike conduct and will continue to take appropriate action moving forward.”

As for Willis ISD, it also released a statement:

“We are deeply disappointed by the unsportsmanlike conduct displayed by some of our football players following last week’s game against Cleveland. This behavior does not reflect the values of our district, and we are committed to ensuring it does not happen again. We have been in communication with the UIL and have submitted our proposed disciplinary actions for review. While we await their decision on any additional sanctions, the athletes involved have already faced consequences. They will be suspended for the first half of tomorrow’s game, required to complete community service, and have undergone disciplinary measures during football practice. We do not condone this behavior, and we are actively taking steps to prevent such incidents in the future. We want to express our deepest regrets to the athletes, coaches, parents, and community of Cleveland ISD.”

For Almaguer, a mother of a Cleveland High School student, that punishment simply isn’t enough.

“I think more than just half of a game suspension, maybe the rest of the season, some counseling,” Almaguer said.

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Saint Paul voters traditionally go to the polls to pick their city leaders in odd-numbered years, but in this 2024 election they’ll see a question on their city ballot asking to change that system.

Supporters say this is about turnout, taking advantage of the larger turnout in presidential years.

“The idea is to allow more people to vote in our city races by having them at the same time most people are at the polls,” said Peter Butler, who is spearheading the Odd-to-Even Initiative.

His proposal, if approved by voters, would not only move Saint Paul city elections from odd years to even years, but prescribe they can only be held in presidential election years. Mayoral elections, which are now on a staggered calendar two years apart from city council elections, would be combined with City Council races starting in 2028.

“The other thing is save money. It costs about a million dollars to run an election, so we’re just paying money for an election a lot of people are not showing up for.”

In the most recent presidential election, Saint Paul turnout was 152,000 voters, compared to 48,000 in the most recent city election. Butler asserts candidates running in presidential years would have to appeal to a broader range of voters and focus more on core issues.

“I think they would appeal to the issues that most people care about, which, crime and neighborhoods and things like that. Right now, we’re getting candidates who are talking about equity, reparations, climate change, not bread-and-butter issues.”

City Council President Mitra Jalali opposes the idea of moving city elections on the premise that candidates aren’t running on vital issues.

“Climate sustainability, transportation, these are bread and butter issues. Rent stabilization is about your fundamental ability to not be priced out of your home. That is an every single month issue!” Jalali told KARE.

“I understand wanting to increase turnout, but there has to be a better way to do [that.]”

She also worried that important local issues will be lost in the shuffle of a presidential race.

“I can’t imagine already being able to campaign to voters and getting them to understand the complexity of how much local government matters for your life, if they’re also captivated by national issues that also rightfully deserve attention,” she said. 

The other issue is that Saint Paul uses ranked choice voting, with reallocation of second and third choices done by hand. The stacks of paper in that ballot-sorting process would be higher, as election workers would have to sort through three times as many ranked-choice ballots.

There’s also the question of whether Minnesota law allows a ranked-choice race to appear on the same ballot as a traditional races. It races both issues of adequate space on the ballot, as well as formatting of ballots.

“We’ll probably have to go to two pages, have a separate municipal ballot as we do today,” Butler said. “The city charter of Saint Paul allows a two-page ballot.”

Jalali said the simultaneous elections would create legal and logistical conflicts.

“I heard it directly from the Secretary of State’s office that state law currently does not contemplate ranked choice voting in even-year elections. The ballots that get printed are prescribed by the law and those statutes. You can’t put a ranked-choice election and non-ranked-choice election on the same ballot.”

We checked with the Secretary of State’s office, and they agree with Council President Jalali’s reading of the state law, which carries strict rules about how ballots must be formatted in typical, even-year elections.  

While state law allows cities to choose between even and odd years to hold elections, it does not speak specifically to the idea of combining ranked-choice races with traditional races in the same local election.

If the initiative passes, the city council members already serving four-year terms would get an extra year added to their terms. Instead of running for reelection in 2027, as prescribed by current law, they would run in 2028. The mayoral election would happen on schedule in 2025, but the winner of that mayor’s race would serve only a three-year term in order to sync up with the 2028 election year.

LE SUEUR, Minn. — In Le Sueur, Minn., there is one woman that stands out above the rest. Marion Peck is 101-years-old, still drives her car, and is more fit than many people half her age. 

She also was a top 10 finalist for the SilverSneakers member of the year. The nationwide program helps seniors with range of motion, balance and strength.

“She means everything to us,” said Peck’s SilverSneakers fitness instructor of 14 years, Krisann Krause. “She still has a purpose. She has a packed schedule, I mean, you ask her where she is off to next and she’ll rattle off five things.”

Peck always hoped to join the military, and at age 20, she got her wish. Peck joined the Navy after FDR created the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service Program during WWII. This made her the first Le Sueur woman to become a member of any of the women’s military organizations, besides army nurses.

“President Roosevelt needed women to fill the stateside jobs of the sailors so they could man the ships,” Peck said. 

She also met her husband Bill while serving and the couple had five children. One of which joined the Navy, another, joined the Peace Corps.

In a month, Peck will turn 102, but she has no plans to stop moving.

“I suppose it’s hereditary good health, but I think a great deal is the exercise that I did throughout my life, I never stopped,” Peck said.

To top it off, Le Sueur Mayor Shawn Kirby proclaimed Oct. 3 as Marion Peck Day. 

“It’s just too much, but I love every minute of it, just pour it on,” Peck said with a laugh.