Dry August trend taking shape as Bermuda High returns
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) — A proposal to temporarily pause future data center developments was presented to Columbia County commissioners Tuesday night. The proposed moratorium would not affect the two data centers that have already been approved. Instead, supporters say it would give county leaders more time to review and strengthen the county’s data center [...]
THE Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) has unveiled a long-term development plan that could transform Ormoc City into Eastern Visayas’ premier boxing hub and a pipeline for future Olympians.
ABAP President Marcus Manalo said the organization has formally requested the Philippine Sports Commission to designate Ormoc as the region’s official boxing training center, stressing that the city already possesses the essential ingredients for success.
“We made a formal request for Ormoc City to be established as the regional boxing training center because the justifications are very clear. They already have the facilities, there’s already a sporting culture here, and most importantly, there’s very strong LGU support. For us, it’s really a no-brainer,” said Manalo.
But beyond the proposal, Manalo revealed that ABAP already has a comprehensive development program ready once the regional center is approved.
The first phase will focus on upgrading the quality of coaching and officiating across Eastern Visayas through education programs led by national team coaches and even foreign boxing experts.
“We already have a package of programs prepared. We always begin with education for coaches and technical officials because before we conduct competitions, we have to make sure they’re properly trained. Even our foreign coaches will come to Ormoc so local coaches can learn directly from them,” he said.
After strengthening the region’s coaching pool, ABAP plans to organize regular regional competitions to keep boxers active year-round instead of limiting their exposure to national events like the Palarong Pambansa and Batang Pinoy.
Manalo believes consistent competition is the missing piece in developing elite athletes.
“It’s important that athletes compete regularly not only during national events. We want local and regional tournaments so they continue developing. Once we build that system, I believe we’ll produce more future Olympians and Olympic medalists from this region,” he continued.
To emphasize the region’s potential, Manalo pointed to Paris Olympic bronze medalist Aira Villegas, an Eastern Visayas native whose journey from Yolanda survivor to Olympic medalist serves as inspiration for young boxers.
“One of our Olympic medalists is from this region, Aira Villegas. She kept persevering despite not winning many medals early in her career. When she was finally given the opportunity, she embraced it and reached the Olympic podium,” Manalo said.
The proposal comes after the Philippine Sports Commission donated a brand-new boxing ring to Ormoc during the recently concluded Sports and Youth Summit, further strengthening the city’s bid to become Eastern Visayas’ regional boxing center and a future breeding ground for Philippine boxing champions. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
The post ABAP unveils blueprint to transform Ormoc into Eastern Visayas’ boxing hub first appeared on Fastbreak.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) -- Good Wednesday morning! It is feeling a little more humid across the region today as we have moved onto the eastern side of a stalled front. Early morning temperatures are sitting comfortably in the lower to middle 70s under mostly clear to partly cloudy skies. That stalled front remains stretched across [...]
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
FORMER world No. 1 Andy Roddick believes Alexandra Eala has erased any doubts about her staying power after the Filipina captured her first WTA Tour singles title at the Mubadala DC Open.
Speaking on his tennis podcast, Roddick praised Eala’s impressive path to the championship, noting the quality of opponents she defeated during her title run.
Andy Roddick on Alex Eala: “She’s not scared to play top players by the way. She makes them uncomfortable. They have to be annoyed cause they never get the same shot in the same spot.”
Alex Eala, a bright lights merchant
— Apollo Clevenot
#AllezLesBleus (@tclevenotsimp) August 4, 2026
Eala completed a remarkable week in Washington by defeating world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the final after earlier victories over Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, defending champion Leylah Fernandez, second seed Elina Svitolina, and four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
“How’s this for a draw and to go through Qinwen, who’s been Olympic gold medalist, Leylah who is defending champion in Washington, Svitolina, Osaka, Pegula on the run off of a big result at Wimbledon,” Roddick said.
Roddick added that Eala has shown she is not intimidated by elite competition and has a style of play that frustrates many of the world’s top players.
“She’s not scared to play top players, by the way. No, she makes them uncomfortable,” Roddick said.
He explained that Eala’s ability to constantly change the direction of the ball prevents opponents from settling into their preferred rhythm.
“They have to be annoyed because they never get the same shot in the same spot. She’s very good at switching directions,” he said.
According to the 2003 US Open champion, Eala’s court awareness and ability to redirect pace make her especially difficult to play against, even without a dominant serve.
“All they want to do is step up and go one-two, especially against someone they feel like they might have more power than. It doesn’t serve big. She’s so good at kind of redirecting off a pace like she has a real talent for that.”
Roddick also reflected on the questions surrounding Eala after her breakthrough run at the 2025 Miami Open, saying her latest success has shown she is capable of sustaining that level.
“I think a lot of the conversation rightly or wrongly after Miami last year was, was this a fun story? Or is this going to be a fun story for a lot longer? It’s the latter. It’s the latter,” added the tennis legend.
The Mubadala DC Open title made Eala the first Filipina in the Open Era to win a WTA Tour singles championship and lifted her to a career-high world No. 20. (Adrian Co)
The post Tennis legend praises Alex Eala’s toughness, style of play first appeared on Fastbreak.
MERALCO bruiser Cliff Hodge defended his physical style of play, saying he has never stepped onto the court with the intention of injuring an opponent despite the criticism surrounding his collision with Rain or Shine guard Adrian Nocum.
Addressing fans amid the controversy, Hodge acknowledged that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but maintained that his approach to the game has remained the same throughout his PBA career.
“For the fans? I mean, you guys are also entitled to your opinions. I’m not trying to hurt anyone in this league. I’ve never tried to hurt anyone in this league,” Hodge told Abante Bilyonaryo Group’s Homer Sayson.
The former Defensive Player of the Year stressed that his role has always been centered on effort and defense rather than dirty play.
“I continue to do what I do best. I continue to hustle. I continue to play defense. I continue to rebound and do whatever my team needs to win. I’ve played like this my whole career. Nothing has really changed,” he said.
Hodge admitted that his aggressive style can sometimes be misunderstood, but insisted that his intensity is driven solely by his desire to help Meralco win.
“I have high intensity every night. Some people will misinterpret physical hustle with something else. That’s usually what happens,” he said.
The veteran forward added that his commitment to the Bolts remains unchanged.
“Like I said, I just go out there and put my heart and soul into every game and try to win as many games as I can for Meralco while I’m here. I’ll continue to do that,” Hodge said.
Hodge has come under scrutiny following his collision with Nocum during Meralco’s PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup game against Rain or Shine, an incident that prompted Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao to criticize the veteran forward’s style of play.
Hodge has consistently denied any malicious intent, saying the contact was part of basketball and that he has never aimed to harm another player. (Adrian Co)
The post Cliff Hodge tells fans he has no intention to hurt anyone first appeared on Fastbreak.
NEWLY-CROWNED WTA 500 champion Alexandra Eala drew praise on social media after a video showed her reminding fans to avoid pushing and to treat the Philippine flag with respect while greeting supporters following her historic title win.
The clip, which has circulated widely on X and other social media platforms, captured Eala trying to keep order as a large crowd gathered around her after the Mubadala DC Open.
"Bawal sa flag"
Kahit nasa abroad, may respeto pa rin sa bandila. Ganyan ang tamang Filipino representation. https://t.co/pW6pNa3Q5J
— Quito
|BINI Signals World Tour 2026
In the video, Eala can be heard telling fans, “Walang tulakan po,” “Sorry, no pushing,” and “Walang tulakan, please,” as supporters tried to get closer for photos and autographs.
She also reminded those in the crowd, “Bawal sa flag,” referring that she cannot sign on the Philippine flag being carried by fans.
The moment quickly gained traction online, with many users commending the Filipina tennis standout.
One widely shared post described Eala’s reminders as “little things” that made her even more admirable, while another praised her for showing respect for the Philippine flag even while celebrating abroad.
Eala has enjoyed overwhelming support from Filipino fans throughout her breakthrough campaign in Washington, where she defeated world No. 3 Jessica Pegula in the final to become the first Filipina in the Open Era to win a WTA Tour singles title and the country’s first WTA 500 champion. (Adrian Co)
The post May respeto sa bandila! Alex Eala praised for declining to sign PH flag first appeared on Fastbreak.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A repeat offender with convictions in Georgia and South Carolina has been sentenced to serve 20 years in federal prison for distributing meth. Conier Long, 49, of Columbus, was sentenced as a career offender by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on Aug. 3. Long previously pled guilty to one count of [...]
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A cyberattack targeting Columbus Water Works was quickly detected and contained last week, and officials say the city’s drinking water was never at risk. The attack was identified almost immediately on Monday, July 27, after it affected portions of the utility’s automated monitoring systems. Operators switched from automated controls to manual [...]
NLEX Road Warriors delivered timely baskets and defensive stops in the endgame to hold off sister team TNT Tropang 5G, 88-83, in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Leading by as many as 16 points early in the game, the Road Warriors suddenly saw their lead cut to as low as two points at 83-85 by a furious Tropang 5G run late in the game.
A timely conversion from Deschon Winston increased the Road Warriors’ lead to 87-83. Robert Bolick, Jr. then intercepted the ball from TNT, leading to his split free throw for a five-point spread.
DeQuan Jones finished with 27 points, seven rebounds and two blocks to be named Player of the Game as the Road Warriors stretched their unbeaten run to six games in Group A.
The Tropang 5G, however, saw their two-game winning run snapped to drop to a 3-3 mark. (Adrian Co)
The post NLEX squanders 16-point lead but recovers late to beat TNT first appeared on Fastbreak.
WASHINGTON (WRBL) — U.S. Senators Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff have secured funding for the Georgia Rural Water Association, the senators stated in a press release issued on Tuesday. This money will allow the Georgia Rural Water Association to respond to any clean water- related emergencies quickly. RELATED: At least 7 states report water [...]
HARRIS COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) — Harris County School District (HCSD) officials introduced a new way for students to stay safe while riding the bus this school year. Parents and guardians are now able to track their child’s bus with an app called “WheresTheBus™” School district officials say the app provides real-time GPS technology that allows [...]
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Officials with the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) has scheduled overnight paving along Buena Vista Road beginning on Monday. Weather permitting, crews will work Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. for approximately two weeks. Officials said work will extend from Steam Mill Road to Dogwood Drive and include [...]
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) -- Good Tuesday morning! We are starting the day on a comfortable note with partly cloudy skies and temperatures settled in the lower to middle 70s. It is a refreshing start and right on par with what we would expect for early August across the region. As we head through the day, [...]
Monday, August 3, 2026
LEE COUNTY, Ala. (WRBL) — A Lee County woman has been arrested after investigators say she allowed underage drinking at a house party where a fatal shooting later occurred. According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a 911 call on July 11 about a shooting in the 800 block of Lee Road [...]
ORMOC CITY Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez encouraged local government units to begin investing in grassroots sports now instead of waiting for ideal conditions, saying sustained action is what creates long-term success.
Speaking after the city’s Sports and Youth Summit, Torres-Gomez said Ormoc’s sports transformation began not because everything was already in place, but because the city decided to take the first step.
“There is no perfect time. We only have now. If the dream is so big, you’ll always think you have to get everything right first before you begin,” according to Lucy.
She said Ormoc would not have reached its current level of sports development had the city waited for ideal circumstances.
“If we waited for all things to be perfect before we actually started, we’d never be where we are today,” she said.
The mayor urged other cities and municipalities to maximize whatever resources they currently have instead of delaying sports development.
“You have to do what you can with what you have now.”
Torres-Gomez likened the process to taking a leap of faith, saying progress comes from learning while moving forward.
“It’s like jumping off a plane and reading the manual while you’re already in the air. If you wait for the perfect time, there will always be something missing. Just begin now,” she continued.
Ormoc recently concluded its Sports and Youth Summit and formally received a new boxing gym from the Philippine Sports Commission, while the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines also proposed making the city the regional boxing training center for Eastern Visayas as it continues to strengthen its grassroots sports program. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
The post Torres-Gomez encourages LGUs to invest in grassroots sports first appeared on Fastbreak.
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) -- Elijah Crawford and Ritika Polepally are not old enough to vote, but that has not stopped the Columbus teenagers from trying to get legislation passed in the Georgia General Assembly. The pair are pushing for the General Assembly to establish a statewide Youth Advisory Council similar to the one that operates [...]
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) -- Good Monday morning! It is a pleasant start to the day across east Alabama and west Georgia, with temperatures settling into the 60s and 70s under a mix of clouds and early morning breaks of sun. Humidity levels remain fairly comfortable for early August, making for a nice start as many [...]
