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Indy

Sports

Salinas delivers over $1.3 million to Independence See A3

Panther golfer qualifies for state tournament See B1

Wednesday May 8, 2024 | Volume 148, Issue 18

www.polkio.com

$1.00

Dallas wrestler wins national Greco-Roman championship

started wrestling the coaches as he got a little bit older.” As his prowess grew over the seven years he wrestled, so too did Langford’s stature. Just one glance has many wondering if he’s really only in eighth grade. “I’ve had a couple of challenges By DAVID HAYES on my age,” Langford admits. Itemizer-Observer While he’s also played baseball Carson Langford has yet to wres- and football, it’s wrestling he’s gravtle a day for Dallas High School. But itated toward most so far. “It really teaches you how to be when the 14-year-old eighth grader a hard worker,” Langford said. “No joins head coach Austin Markee’s other sport matches how hard you roster next year, Langford will have to work in it.” have a resume unlike few others – He said he and his dad Clint, who national champion. got him into the sport, scout out On April 25, Langford wrestled “super big” tournaments to comat the U.S. Open in Las Vegas in pete in. His best finish previously the 85KG (187 lbs), U15 Division, and came home with a third place in had been a fourth-place finish last October at another national event. freestyle competition and a national Competing in April in Greco-Roman championship in Greco-Roman. and freestyle required developing a Langford wrestled in sixth grade whole different set of skills. for Markee at La Creole Middle “Grecco is similar, but you can’t School before being promoted to touch the legs, so it’s basically all replace Dragon’s longtime coach upper body,” Langford said of one Tony Oliff. Even then, Markee said of the oldest sports in world that he saw something special. goes all the way back to the first “He definitely had a lot of Olympics. “It’s really hard to find potential. He would pick up on position. There’s a lot of waiting, things pretty quickly and was a fast learner,” Markee said. “He wrestled until you get into position. You can’t a lot of the kids that were a bit older See CHAMP, page A6 than him at middle school but also

Theater introduces audience to “Storm in the Barn”

Carson Langford, 14, competes next at Pan-Am Games in El Salvador

Cast eager to present lesser-known production By DAVID HAYES Itemizer-Observer

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED

Carson Langford, 14, displays his first place plaque in Greco-Roman and third place freestyle plaque he won April 25 at the U.S. National Championships in Las Vegas.

Soggy Dallas Farmers Market welcomed back

See THEATRE, page A7

Candy transformed into new taste sensation

By David Hayes Itemizer-Observer

Even in a steady, light rain, hardy Dallas residents braved the elements to explore the return of the city’s Farmer’s Market May 4. Like many other ventures, Dallas’s Farmers Market fell victim to the COVID pandemic and was cancelled in 2020, said Mikayla Slawosky, farmers market Manager, and city of Dallas Agribusiness Development Coordinator. “We’re very excited to have it back,” she said, explaining the farmers market went on hiatus during the pandemic due to social restrictions, causing people to be less comfortable being out in groups. That made it harder for them (vendors) to thrive. A move to the Academy Building didn’t help, which proved to be harder to access for some patrons. “There just wasn’t enough support for it,” Slawosky said. She said behind the scenes there was a growing buzz for its return. The city of Dallas, the Dallas Downtown Association and the Chamber of Commerce all chipped

Dallas High School’s Theatre Program is ready to challenge its audience with its latest production “The Storm in the Barn.” Director Hannah Fawcett said they try to pick unconventional productions for their spring shows. “Our fall show is really well known. The winter show is really well known. With that we are able to help fund our ‘varsity’ show. We try to make room in the earlier productions for anyone who wants to participate. This is the one for the people who are very, very serious about the work that we do,” Fawcett explained. Adapted by Eric Coble from the graphic novel by Phelan, the tale of “The Storm in the Barn” comes from a young adult (YA) graphic novel. It’s 1937 Kansas and 11-year-old Jack Clark faces many challenges:

By LANCE MASTERSON For The Itemizer-Observer

aren’t ready,” Slawosky said, adding even the cos-players in Star Wars

Picture your favorite candy. What is it you like most about it? Its taste? Texture? Chewiness? Is it sweet or tart? Now take this same candy which probably has changed very little since it first debuted - and turn it into something completely different, something revolutionary. Will its new bold taste appeal to you? Shane Blackwell thinks it will. The candy visionary owns Ice Age Candy Company in

See FARMERS, page A7

See CANDY, page A8

BY DAVID HAYES

In honor of May the 4th Dallas celebrated the return of its Farmers Market for the first time ever using a light saber for the ribbon cutting. Mikayla Slawosky, Farmers Market Manager, swings the light saber down while the ribbon is held by Skyanne Pierson of the Dallas Area Visitors Center (left) and Tyler Ferrari, Economic Development Specialist. in to fund Slawosky’s position, because they felt really strongly the city needed the farmers market, she said.

For its debut, the market featured 11 vendors. However, it didn’t kick off without a few hitches. “People had to drop out because it’s colder than usual and crops

P E N TA C L E T H E AT R E P R O U D LY P R E S E N T S FINAL WEEKEND PERFORMANCE

APRIL 19-MAY 11, 2024

NEW SATURDAY MATINEE FOR BEST SEATING PRICES START AT $19, CHECK THURSDAY DATE

www.PentacleTheatre.org

A sunny room on an upper floor is prime real estate in the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, so when the cantankerous Abby is forced to share her quarters with new-arrival Marilyn, she has no choice but to get rid of the infuriatingly chipper woman by any means necessary. A vicious comedy you don't want to miss.

IN THIS ISSUE Voices Corrections Obituaries Puzzle Solutions Social Public Records Classifieds Puzzles

A4 A4 A6 B2 B2 B4 B6 B7

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