Latest news with #Heffner
Newsweek
5 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former Red Sox, Indians, Angels Pitcher Passes Away
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Bob "Butch" Heffner, a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and California Angels in the 1960s, passed away on Wednesday at his home in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He was 86. A right-handed pitcher, Heffner made a memorable debut in Boston en route to a five-year career in the big leagues. More news: Former Braves, Red Sox Pitcher Dies Unexpectedly at 54 On June 19, 1963, Heffner threw all nine innings in the Red Sox's 9-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers, allowing only seven hits, two runs, and striking out six. His father, Curtis, took the day off work from a General Electric small appliances plant in Allentown to watch his son in person, fortuitously getting permission from his boss — who was himself the father of a major league pitcher, Curt Simmons. A picture of the Boston Red Sox hat and a Wilson glove before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on May 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A picture of the Boston Red Sox hat and a Wilson glove before the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on May 27, 2025 in Milwaukee, went on to compile an 11-21 record, 4.51 ERA, and five saves in 114 games for the Red Sox (1963-65), Indians (1966) and Angels (1968). Heffner was an accomplished two-sport star in high school, graduating from Allen High School as the basketball team's all-time leading scorer. Heffner was voted Allen's Athlete of the Year in 1957 — an honor his son Terry would receive in 1979. More news: MLB News: Former Red Sox, Cardinals Pitcher Passes Away The Red Sox signed Heffner to his first professional contract in June 1957, an era before Major League Baseball's draft existed, and received a $4,000 bonus. He would pitch 218 games in the minor leagues before his first promotion to the majors. Hefner's time with the Red Sox ended when he was selected by Cleveland in the 1965 Rule 5 draft. Although he made only five major league appearances in an Indians uniform, he spent the entire season with the organization, going 15-8 with a 2.85 ERA for Cleveland's top farm team in 1966. More news: Former Orioles, Twins Pitcher, Cincinnati Native, Dies Unexpectedly at 54 That earned him another selection in the Rule 5 draft, this time by the New York Mets in October 1966. Before he could suit up for the Mets, however, Heffner temporarily retired because of a contract dispute. He resurfaced a year later with the Angels, for whom he pitched his final seven regular season games before retiring. In 2012, Heffner and other Red Sox alumni returned to Fenway Park to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its opening in 1912. More news: Legendary 2-Sport Star Whose Grandson Followed Him to MLB's Cardinals Dies After retiring as a player, Heffner returned to Allentown and worked for the Banko Beverage Company for more than 30 years, retiring in 2006. "It's nice that people recognize you, but I never was too fond of people saying stuff about me," Heffner told the Allentown Morning Call in 2012. "It makes me uncomfortable. I don't know what the reason is. Janet always wondered how I could be out there in front of 30,000 people. Well, when you're out there, you forget about it. When the bell rings, you don't care how many people are up there watching. When it's over, it's over. You go out and get a pizza and a beer." For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
PA ag secretary visits Schuylkill dairy farm
Milking cows is far from a 9 to 5 job, says Kent Heffner, owner of Jersey Acres Farm in Wayne Township. Cows needed to be milked early in the morning and late every day, even on weekends and holidays, and days when the weather is lousy, he said. 'It's not a job that too many people want to do anymore,' he said. So Heffner is in the process of buying a robotic milking machine which will make his 230-cow dairy operation much more efficient and will be a boon to the family-owned business, he said. The machine should be in place by the end of 2026. 'This is what we need to keep going,' he said. 'It'll help a great deal.' But that purchase would not have been possible without a $100,000 grant last year from Pennsylvania's new Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, which the state touts as the first program of its kind. On Tuesday, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Jersey Acres to speak about how state grants are assisting farms across the state thrive by helping them pay for planning and robotic technology. Redding announced a doubling of the grant amounts now available to farmers for planning and spoke about how Gov. Josh Shapiro's 2025-26 budget plan proposes a $13 million hike to the historic Agriculture Innovation Grant program through which Heffner bought the robotic milker. Jersey Acres is one of 6,530 preserved farms across Pennsylvania that will stay farms forever as part of the nation's leading state Farmland Preservation program. In addition to its dairy, Jersey Acres also grows fruit and vegetables, makes wine and has a roadside farm stand. The dairy received a Farm Vitality Grant of $1,312 in 2024 to help pass the farm down within the Heffner family, and in 2025 won the $100,000 innovation grant for the milkers. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, left, speaks with Jersey Acres Farm owner Kent Heffner during a tour of the family's Wayne Township dairy on May 27, COURTESY OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) The planning grant allowed Heffner to set up a succession plan for the farm, which has been in his family since 1911. He is the fourth generation of the family to operate the dairy, and his children will be the fifth. Farm Vitality Planning Grants of up to $15,000 can be combined with other Pennsylvania Farm Bill grants, low-interest loans, and tax incentives to help plan and finance farm transitions. The previous maximum for those grants was $7,500. 'Farm Vitality Grants are helping farmers across Pennsylvania get the market analysis, financial planning, risk management, and other expertise they need to realize their vision for their farm's future, whether that's expanding their operations or protecting their family's farming legacy,' Redding said. 'The Shapiro Administration recognizes that investing in the future success of farm families is investing in all Pennsylvanians, because when farms thrive, we all thrive together.' Since the grants were created under the Pennsylvania Farm Bill in 2019, they have supported $2.8 million in project planning, and financial and technical expertise to support growth opportunities for 401 Pennsylvania farms. Sixty percent of the grants have helped families planning to transition ownership of their farm to keep it in the family or pass it to new owners who will carry on their farming legacy. This includes 148 owners of preserved farms, including Heffner, who are protecting their prime farmland from future residential or commercial development. Fourth-graders from Blue Mountain Elementary West accompanied Redding during Tuesday's tour of the farm along Panther Valley Road. The Heffner family has made the farm a tourism and educational destination, where young people can learn first-hand how a modern dairy operates and how cutting-edge technology makes the dairy products that they enjoy safe and healthy, Redding said. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding tours Jersey Acres Farm in Wayne Township with students and teachers from Blue Mountain Elementary West on May 27, 2025. PHOTO COURTESY OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) Other available agricultural programs from the state include: * Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program, which provides tax credits as an incentive to those who sell or rent agricultural assets to beginning farmers. * Beginning Farmer Realty Transfer Tax Exemptions, through which beginning farmers purchasing preserved farms have been given tax exemptions. * Next Generation Farmer Loan Program, which uses federal tax-exempt financing to reduce a farmer's interest rate for capital purchases in order to help young families fund farm expansions and purchases. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is also now partnering with the Penn State Extension and PA Farm Link on the first Farm Progression Survey in the state in 20 years. Data gathered from the brief survey will help Pennsylvania strengthen rural communities and support the future of farming in the region, officials said. Responses are confidential and the survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding tours Jersey Acres Farm in Wayne Township on May 27, 2025. PHOTO COURTESY OF PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) Along with the $13 million allocated to the historic Ag Innovation Grant Program, other agricultural investments in Shapiro's 2025-26 budget plan include a proposed $2 million to keep Pennsylvania's new animal diagnostic laboratory in the western part of the state operational, an additional $4 million to connect Pennsylvanians at risk of hunger with healthy, local food through the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System, a $4 million increase to the State Food Purchase Program to provide emergency food assistance for low-income Pennsylvanians, plus continued funding of $13.5 million for the initiatives and funding to keep Pennsylvania farms thriving through the Pennsylvania Farm Bill.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘It's a disaster,' Lonoke County community cleans up damage from Sunday tornado
LONOKE COUNTY, Ark. – On Monday, the National Weather Service in Little Rock confirmed an EF-1 tornado as wide as five football fields touched down in Lonoke County Sunday night. The Lonoke Sheriff's Office said that on Sunday at around 7 p.m., they got reports of tornado damage in the area of the 16th Section community. There were no injuries or deaths, but there was reported damage to the cemetery, power lines, homes and other structures. National Weather Service confirms EF-1 tornado during Sunday storm Sherry Berry said she has lived in her home for decades, but was terrified when she could feel her home shaking and hear the wind from the tornado. 'I guess maybe that's why they say it was like a train,' Berry said. 'We closed the door to our bedroom and heard a big bang, and that was a tree coming down. The tree came down in the middle of Berry's home, crushing her kitchen. Living next to Berry is fourth-generation cattle farmer Regina Heffner. She and her family are having to pick up the pieces of scrap metal that were scattered across their land after damage to a barn roof. 'We have about 30 acres. The tornado took the roof off of our barn up here, so there's tin as far as you could see,' Heffner said. National Weather Service confirms tornado hit west side of Fayetteville She also says they have to fix the damage to their home, cars, other bars and even their large grain bins. 'It had a lot of force behind it because those are bolted into concrete into the ground,' Heffner said. 'It sounds like it's going to be really expensive.' For Tarci Cates, she said it's overwhelming looking at the fallen tree limbs around her 'We worked so hard to get where we are,' Cates said. National Weather Service confirms EF-1 tornado in Saline County As many continue to clean up, they said they are thankful they are unharmed and hope they can recover from the damage as soon as possible. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Yahoo
Alto couple arrested for large amounts of drugs, guns, and cash in home
The Brief Jonathan Clayton Burrell of Cornelia and Kateland Elaine Heffner of Cleveland were arrested on Feb. 11 during a search warrant execution at a home on Kitchens Road in Alto. Authorities confiscated large amounts of marijuana, THC concentrates, edibles, two firearms, and cash. Both suspects face multiple felony charges and remain in custody at the Habersham County Detention Center. HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. - A two-week investigation into illegal drug activity in Habersham County resulted in the arrest of two suspects, the seizure of drugs, firearms, cash, and two vehicles, and an ongoing effort to combat narcotics distribution in the area. What we know The Habersham County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division, along with the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office and Special Operations Unit, executed a search warrant at 550 Kitchens Road in Alto on Tuesday. During the search, deputies seized a large quantity of marijuana, THC vapes, gummies, edibles, and concentrates, along with two firearms and cash. As a result, Burrell and Heffner were arrested and booked at the Habersham County Detention Center in Clarkesville. Burrell faces multiple felony charges, including: Sale of a controlled substance Possession of a firearm during certain crimes (2 counts) Possession with intent to distribute (3 counts) Unlawful possession with intent to distribute marijuana Heffner is also charged with multiple felonies, including: Sale of marijuana Possession of a firearm during certain crimes (2 counts) Possession of THC with intent to distribute (3 counts) Possession of marijuana with intent to distribute What's next The investigation remains active and ongoing as authorities work to identify additional individuals involved in illegal drug distribution. Residents with information on drug-related activity in Habersham County are encouraged to call the Habersham County Sheriff's Office Tip Line at (706) 839-0559 or submit a tip online at For tips outside the county, individuals can contact the Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office Tip Line at (706) 348-7410.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bunny Throws Temper Tantrum Over 'Absolutely Nothing' & It's Full of Diva Energy
Someone is hopping mad! Bunny mom Alexa from Scottsdale, Arizona was so confused when her bun pitched a fit recently. It came out of nowhere! She couldn't understand it. But like the good mama she was, Alexa took the time to figure out where all that bunny attitude was coming from. Unfortunately for the bun, her temper tantrum was pretty darn cute to the internet. Can we help it if bunnies are too cute for their own good? to watch the video. The bunny's fit was so small and contained, if her mama hadn't pointed it out we're not sure we'd have even noticed. The rabbit was just chilling in the bathroom, but her mom could tell something was off.'Heffner, what's wrong?' she asked in the clip. It seems like the bunny was hopping mad (get it). She stomped her foot at her mama. It was a movement so slight that you could have almost miss it. 'You've been thumping — HEY,' the woman said as her bun stomped her little feet. 'Watch my bunny throw a temper tantrum over absolutely nothing,' the woman joked in the video's onscreen caption. 'Talk about an attitude.' People in the comments section couldn't stop laughing. 'Legend has it that she's still sitting there waiting for the bunny to tell her what's wrong,' joked one person. 'My bunny throws a FIT if I move anything in his area that is 'his,'' someone else shared. 'My bunny chewed a hole in my sheets because I turned the lights off and he wasn't ready for bed yet,' added another commenter. While another person has a simple reason why the bun was cranky. 'She's just a girl,' they joked. Though they aren't the most verbal creatures, there are lots of ways that rabbits let us know how they feel. When a bun is happy, you'll know it by their body language. You can also tell when they're peeved by their body language too. Thumping, or stomping, is a sure way to know that your bunny is unhappy. In the wild it can be a sign that a bunny sees something that they perceive to be a threat or a danger. Even domesticated rabbits will do this. So if your bunny is 'having a fit,' make sure to look around. There could be something that's spooking them and they're trying to warn you of danger. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips.
