LOCAL

LOCAL
Gina Martinito sing anthem
GIRARD -- Gina Martini has been invited to sing the National Anthem for the Cleveland Cavaliers-New Jersey Nets game at Quicken Loans Arena Jan. 6.
Gina, 11, has sung the Star Spangled Banner at over 250 events and this will mark her third appearance for a Cavaliers game.
Youth basketball
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Jewish Community Center is registering children in grades K-7 for the JR. NBA/WNBA basketball program.
Boys and girls will learn basic skills. Field trips to Cleveland will take place throughout the eight week program to play against other teams.
Cost is 50 for Jewish Center members, 65 for non-members and 40 for children already participating in the Center's Before and After School program.
For more information, including times, call (330) 746-3251, ext. 101, or go to www.jccyoungstown.org. The Jewish Community Center is located at 505 Gypsy Lane.
Correction
The Mahoning Valley Phantoms will play two road games at Marquette today and Saturday. A story in Thursday's paper listed them as home games.
REGION
2009 figure skating coming to Cleveland
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The U.S. Figure Skating Championships will be held in Cleveland in 2009, the second time in a decade that city will host the event.
Nationals are tentatively scheduled for Jan. 18-25, 2009, at Quicken Loans Arena. More than 250 skaters at the novice, junior and senior levels compete at nationals, and it draws fans from all over the country.
Indians movingto Arizona
PHOENIX -- The Cleveland Indians are moving back to Arizona for spring training.
The Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority approved a funding plan with city officials Tuesday outlining the details of financing for a spring training facility for the Indians in the west Phoenix suburb of Goodyear.
The team hopes to play there in the spring of 2009. The Indians trained in Tucson, Ariz., until 1993. Their current spring home is in Winter Haven, Fla.
Frye diagnosedwith fractured hand
BEREA -- Another day, another perplexing injury situation with the Browns.
Quarterback Charlie Frye visited a hand specialist in Pittsburgh Tuesday. The doctor discovered a fractured bone in Frye's right hand, according to a source close to Frye.
He needs a month to recover but won't need surgery and should be fine in 2007, according to the source.
Coach Romeo Crennel said he could not confirm that Frye has a fracture.
Frye declined to address the media in the open locker-room period.
NATION
Colt McCoy clearedto play in Alamo Bowl
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was cleared Thursday to play in the Alamo Bowl.
McCoy's status was in doubt after he severely pinched a nerve in his neck in the final minute of a 12-7 loss to Texas A & amp;M on Nov. 24.
The Longhhorns will face Iowa on Dec. 30 in San Antonio.
Judge declines motion in WSOP case
LAS VEGAS -- A judge turned down a motion to lift a freeze on half the World Series of Poker pot and said a TV producer would likely win his claim to the 6 million.
U.S. District Court Judge Roger L. Hunt turned down the motion by lawyers for main event winner Jamie Gold to lift an injunction set in September on half the 12 million pot won in the annual no-limit Texas Hold 'em tournament.
Hunt said he had concerns Gold would turn over the money to plaintiff Bruce Crispin Leyser if the TV producer were to win his case.
The injunction keeps the money in the legal possession of the poker tournament's host, the Rio hotel-casino, until the case is concluded. Gold has already withdrawn half the winnings, or 6 million, most of which he has placed in an investment account, his lawyers said.
WORLD
Sosa begins training
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Sammy Sosa began training Thursday in hopes of returning to the major leagues.
The 38-year-old slugger said he had received calls from teams interested in signing him but declined to reveal their names.
He has not played since his 2005 season with the Baltimore Orioles, when he hit .221 with 14 home runs and 45 RBIs.
Vindicator staff/wire reports