Small town coach with Ohio-record 785 wins keeps job for at least 1 more year

October 7th, 2009 1,725-pound pumpkin takes the prize in OhioCANTON, Ohio — A teacher from Ohio has won top honors in a pumpkin-growing contest with a 1,725-pound behemoth that could land worldwide bragging rights. Christy Harp of Jackson Township near Canton took first place at the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers annual weigh-off Saturday in Canfield.

September 22nd, 2009 Ex-Ohio coach gets 4 years for arson at own homeTROY, Ohio — A former high school basketball coach in Ohio has been sentenced to four years in prison for setting fire to his home, which prosecutors said he had done to portray himself as the victim of a hate crime. Authorities who responded to the fire at James Clay's house in Troy found a spray-painted racial slur on his car.

September 3rd, 2009 Coach who claimed to be victim convicted of arsonTROY, Ohio — A former high school basketball coach in Ohio has been convicted of setting fire to his home in the days after he was charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. Authorities who responded to the fire at James Clay's house in Troy also found a spray-painted racial slur on his car.

August 16th, 2009 ND town tries for most fire trucks in a paradeCASSELTON, N.D. — A southeastern North Dakota town believes it has set a new world record for having the most fire trucks in a parade.

August 6th, 2009 Oregon man wins national Scrabble competitionDAYTON, Ohio — An Oregon man is $10,000 richer after winning the 2009 National Scrabble Championship in Ohio. Dave Wiegand of Portland, Ore., took first place Wednesday with 25 wins and six losses in the 31-game competition.

June 3rd, 2009 Ohio man wins relief in airplane bathroom crisisATLANTA — A suburban Cleveland man who was accused of assaulting a flight attendant as he tried frantically to use an airplane bathroom has reached a deal with federal prosecutors, his attorney said Tuesday. Joao Correa, 43, will face no charges in the March 28 episode aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from Honduras to Atlanta if he successfully completes a three-month pretrial diversion program, attorney Natasha Silas said.

May 14th, 2009 Ohio's winningest HS boys coach gets another yearKALIDA, Ohio — The winningest high school boys baseball coach in Ohio has been kept on by a school board that had hinted it wanted him to retire. Wednesday night's decision means 75-year-old Dick Kortokrax will have at least one more year at Kalida (kuh-LY'-duh) High School in northwest Ohio.

April 30th, 2009 Nets' Lawrence Frank will return next seasonEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Despite missing the playoffs for two straight years, Rod Thorn is convinced the New Jersey Nets are on the right road and that Lawrence Frank is the man to lead the team.

April 29th, 2009 Nets' Lawrence Frank will coach next seasonEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Lawrence Frank is returning to coach the New Jersey Nets next season despite missing the playoffs for a second straight season.

April 28th, 2009 Wichita St. coach agrees to contract extensionWICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall has agreed to a one-year contract extension.

April 26th, 2009 Khalid Yaseen wins Madrid MarathonMADRID — Kenya-born Khalid Yaseen of Bahrain won the rain-soaked Madrid Marathon on Sunday, finishing in 2 hours, 14 minutes, 31 seconds. Kenyan runners took the next six places, with Meshack Kosgei Kirwa second in 2:16:17 and Gatheru Daniel Nderitu third in 2:16:42.

April 26th, 2009 Olympic champion Wanjiru wins London MarathonLONDON — Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru has won his first London Marathon title in a course-record time. The 22-year-old Wanjiru won Sunday's 26.2-mile race in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 10 seconds, providing a record seventh triumph for Kenyan runners.

April 25th, 2009 Record 95,722 show up to see Ohio Buckeyes, PryorCOLUMBUS, Ohio — A national spring game record crowd of 95,722 came out to enjoy the high temperatures and watch Terrelle Pryor throw two long touchdown passes in 30 seconds, leading the Gray over the Scarlet 23-3 on Saturday at sun-drenched Ohio Stadium. The 80-degree weather played a big role in the attendance, which topped the 92,138 Alabama drew for Nick Saban's coaching debut in 2007.

April 23rd, 2009 Wizards set to introduce Saunders as head coachWASHINGTON — Flip Saunders officially has the job on the Washington Wizards' bench, complete with an $18 million, four-year contract and the task of picking up the pieces from one of the worst seasons in franchise history. The Wizards said Wednesday that Saunders will be their new coach, confirming one of the worst-kept secrets of the NBA.

April 22nd, 2009 Saunders to be unveiled Thursday as Wizards coachWASHINGTON — Flip Saunders officially has the job on the Washington Wizards' bench, complete with an $18 million, four-year contract and the task of picking up the pieces from one of the worst seasons in franchise history. The Wizards said Wednesday that Saunders will be their new coach, confirming one of the worst-kept secrets of the NBA.