HoopFest addressing conflict resolution as students head into summer break

IN OTHER NEWS TONIGHT, SUMMER BREAK IS HERE FOR STUDENTS AND THAT’S NOT NECESSARILY WELCOME NEWS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE AT 6:00. I’M BRITTANY DECKER. AND I’M IAN WRIGHT. SO THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS SURVEYED SEVERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY REPORTED A RISE IN ROBBERY, BURGLARY AND ASSAULT CRIMES DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. AND WITH THAT IN MIND, THE JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS TRYING SOMETHING NEW TO MAKE KIDS STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. WVTM 13. JARVIS ROBERTSON IS LIVE FOR US TONIGHT. JARVIS THIS NEW INITIATIVE STARTS WITH A SIMPLE GAME OF BASKETBALL. WELL, IT DOES. BRITTANY NOW, SUMMERTIME IS SOMETHING THAT MANY STUDENTS LOOK FOR ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND RIGHT HERE IN BIRMINGHAM. AND GRADUATIONS ARE HAPPENING TODAY AND TOMORROW FOR THAT REASON, JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF MARK PETTWAY, HE WANTS TO ADDRESS CONFLICT RESOLUTION AS WE HEAD INTO THE SUMMER WITH THE HOOP FEST. SUMMER BREAK IS HERE. MANY SENIORS ACROSS BIRMINGHAM ARE CROSSING TASSELS TO THE OTHER SIDE. IT IS VERY EXCITING. THEY WORK VERY HARD TO GET HERE. THE MOMENT IS JOYOUS AND FILLED WITH CHEER. BUT SUMMER OFTEN BRINGS TRAGEDY AS CRIME INCREASES. PATRICE CARLISLE IS CELEBRATING HER GRANDDAUGHTER, WHO JUST GRADUATED FROM WINONA HIGH SCHOOL. HER MESSAGE TO THOSE CELEBRATE AND HOPING TO ENJOY THE SUMMER TO STAY WITH YOUR FAMILY, STEER CLEAR OF THE THINGS AND THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW COULD BE A PROBLEM FOR YOU. ENJOY YOURSELF, BUT JUST DON’T OVERDO IT AND THINK, YOU KNOW, THINK. MAKE SOME GOOD DECISION WHILE YOU’RE OUT THERE HAVING FUN. JEFFERSON COUNTY SHERIFF MARK PETTWAY HOPES TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION ABOUT CONFLICT RESOLUTION WITH HOOP FEST THIS SUMMER. WE’VE ALWAYS ADDRESSED CONFLICT RESOLUTION, BUT WE’VE NEVER TALKED TO THOSE THAT ARE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE COMMITTED TO VIOLENT CRIMES. HE FEELS BASKETT BALL IS ONE WAY TO REACH THOSE WHO MAY BE COMMITTING VIOLENT OFFENSES. I’VE SEEN THE PLAY. NOW I WANT TO INVITE THEM TO THE TABLE TO COME OUT AND SEE ABOUT TALKING WITH US ABOUT CONFLICT RESOLUTION. LUCIAN BLANKENSHIP IS THE FOUNDER OF HOOP FEST, WHICH STARTED BACK IN 1991. HE SAYS THIS BUILDS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. HOPEFULLY WE BREAK DOWN SOME BARRIERS WHERE THEY WILL BECOME COMFORTABLE TALKING TO THE SHERIFFS AND THE DEPUTIES AND APPROACHING THEM. BRING. BRENDAN HARPER ALSO CELEBRATING HIS DAUGHTER GRADUATING FROM WINONA. HIS FAMILY HAS AN OPEN DOOR POLICY TO DISCUSS ANY ISSUES THAT COME UP. PRETTY MUCH BE VERY TRANSPARENT WITH US, WITH KNOW ANYTHING THAT’S GOING ON IN OUR LIFE. YOU KNOW, ME AND OUR MOM, PRETTY OPEN WITH EVERYTHING. SO RIGHT NOW WE ARE AWAITING THE WOODLAND GRADUATION CEREMONY TO KICK OFF, WHICH IS IN ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN AN HOUR FROM NOW. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HOOP FEST, IT IS GOING TO BE A SIX WEEK COMPETITION. AND WE’LL HAVE DETAILS POSTED INSIDE OF OUR APP ABOUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED. REPORTING LIVE IN BIRMINGHAM, I’M JARV