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Christopher High's Katie Garrison signs with New Hampshire | Gilroy Dispatch | Gilroy, California

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Christopher High's Katie Garrison signs with New Hampshire | Gilroy Dispatch | Gilroy, California


Christopher field hockey star Katie Garrison scored 32 goals to lead the Cougars in a 17-2-2 season this past fall. The Cougars finished in first place in the Blossom Valley Athletic League, Mt. Hamilton Division, with an 8-0-2 record, and advanced to the Central Coast Section playoffs.

Garrison’s offensive output ranked as the best in the state of California with a 1.882 goals per game percentage, and the Cougars’ senior has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend the University of New Hampshire next year and continue her field hockey career.

Garrison continues a trend of Christopher student-athletes who have excelled for the school and moved on to play in college. The CHS program under Dani Hemeon Perez is strong, and Perez’s lineage dates back to her play for Gilroy coach Adam Gemar and Gemar’s establishment of field hockey all over the city and the area. 

The genesis of this “center of excellence” in the city of Gilroy, including the leadership of Gemar and his former player Perez, Gilroy ’11 and an All-American at Iowa and part of the USA Women’s National Development Team, will be covered in detail in a future article.

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“I am very fortunate to have played for Coach Dani and been a part of the CHS Field Hockey program,” Garrison said. “During my freshman year, I was the youngest on the varsity team and was very new to the sport of field hockey. Under coach Dani’s mentorship, I was able to grow and evolve into a leader for my team and develop my skill set. 

“My coach really pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me, and for that I am thankful. I was able to unlock my full potential playing for Coach Dani while continuing to learn and elevate as not only a field hockey player, but as a person.”

Garrison’s accomplishments are among the headlines for a spectacular period of excellent and successful Christopher High School field hockey under Perez. Over the last four seasons, the Cougars are 68-13-4 with three league championships, the last two years in the BVAL Mount Hamilton Division, after previously competing in the Pacific Coast Athletic League, Gabilan Division. Christopher has also qualified for and advanced in the Central Coast Section playoffs to one final, one semifinal and two quarterfinals.

“Katie is a great field hockey player with really strong fundamentals,” Perez said. “She was a starting forward on our team all four years. As a forward, she does a great job leading for the ball and creating space in tight situations. She is also an incredible leader and was voted one of our team captains both her junior and senior seasons.”

In the 2022 season, Christopher had an 18-7 mark, 6-4 in league play and had a superb playoff run. The Cougars defeated Valley Christian 2-1, Hollister 5-1, Los Altos 1-0 in two overtimes and Los Gatos 1-0 to reach the final, where they were edged by Archbishop Mitty 1-0.

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In the fall 2023 season, the Cougars fashioned an unbeaten league season, featuring a 0-0 tie and 1-0 win over rival Gilroy. The only defeats came to Mitty 1-0 in overtime early in the season, and to St. Francis 1-0 in the playoffs.

“My senior year was the best year with the program yet,” Garrison said. “My teammates were wonderful people that I was lucky to play with, and the team culture was excellent. I am incredibly grateful that my team trusted me to take on a leadership role these past two seasons; it was an honor leading such a special group of girls.”

Garrison, the latest in a long line of successful student-athletes at both Christopher and Gilroy, began initially as an endurance athlete in swimming and cross country and moved to field hockey relatively late. At the end of seventh grade, she tried a field hockey camp at Gemar’s Infinity Club and fell in love with the sport. 

Garrison is extremely well-rounded. She recently became a Campus Captain for the Hidden Opponent (thehiddenopponent.org/campus-captains), and also started a Morgan’s Message chapter (morgansmessage.org/program-guidelines) at Christopher. Both are valuable resources for mental health. 

Garrison was named CHS field hockey MVP. She was also recognized as BVAL co-senior of the year with Gilroy’s Jade Moncada. Additionally, Garrison also received the “Character Counts” award for female fall athletes at CHS, and was named first team All-West by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. 

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That team covered California, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas. Of the 16 players, only four were from California and Garrison was the only one outside of the San Diego area.

Now it is on to college. Garrison was very impressed with the UNH coaches and team members during the recruiting process and is looking forward to the next step in both her education and field hockey career.

“UNH was the best college choice I could have possibly made,” Garrison said. “From the start, Coaches Balducci, Danielson, and Hathaway made me feel incredibly valued as a player and a human being. They have a clear vision for their exceptional program, and were honest and transparent with me surrounding the goals and aspirations they have for their program in the years to come. Upon visiting campus and meeting the girls, I was even more impressed with the college and program. UNH’s field hockey program is strong and has shown that they can compete with other high-caliber programs, which is exciting.”

Garrison follows in the footsteps of fellow Cougars who advanced to play in college, including Julia Davis ’16 (Indiana U. of Pennsylvania), Jordan Anaya ’21 (UC Davis), Mia Katsuyoshi ’22 (Cal), Skyler Turiello ’22 (Maryville), and Cloey Turiello ’23 (Maryville). 

It all begins with the genesis of field hockey by Gemar and the continuing tradition he and Perez have built in the city of Gilroy.

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“Dani and I are on the same page,” Gemar said. “It’s fun. Period. That’s our number one goal. We want to be competitive. We want to teach everyone what they need to know to play at the next level. And to do everything athletes do; not just sit on the sideline.”

Both Gilroy and Christopher have amazing team cultures, with cohesiveness and friendships that are mirrored on the field with superb, successful field hockey. Players at both schools reference their teamwork and friendship highly.

“Commitment is a huge part of our team culture at CHS, and I am so proud of how the girls have really bought into this,” Perez said. “A big reason is that we play a team game, where passing and playing with speed is always the emphasis. In order to play this style of hockey, we really emphasize perfecting the fundamentals. As a coach, I do my best to not only prepare the girls to continue playing at the next level (if that’s what they hope to do), but to also give them the skills to be successful in whatever career path they choose to take.”



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New Hampshire

Meet Garret, Your Newest Morning Show Host on 97.5 WOKQ

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Meet Garret, Your Newest Morning Show Host on 97.5 WOKQ


Are you ready for your mornings reimagined?

Hi! I’m Garret Doll (like Ken, but less hair and not as handsome), and I’m teaming up with Katie Killourhy for 97.5 WOKQ’s new morning show, Garret & Katie in the Morning!

You ready to join us?

So, Who Is Garret Doll?

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I’ve learned something about myself… I don’t like clutter. Unless it’s my clutter. Then it’s not clutter, it’s a system.

That’s probably a pretty accurate starting point for who I am. A little self-aware, a little stubborn, and definitely someone who knows what he likes. I like tacos, steak tips and lobster rolls. (Fun fact: I’ve never had a lobster roll until moving here.)

How It All Started

This whole radio thing started for me when I was 15. My mom helped me land a job at a radio station in my hometown (cause she worked there), and I fell in love with radio. I’ve never left this career.

I’ve spent my entire adult life doing this job, and I still feel like I lucked into the best job in the world. No two days are the same. One minute you’re talking about life, the next you’re playing your favorite songs, then suddenly you’re out in the community meeting people who feel like friends you’ve known forever.

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Most of my career took me to places like Denver, Charleston, and Richmond. Now, somehow, it’s brought me here to New Hampshire.

Honestly, I look at it like a “this is exactly where I’m supposed to be” moment. It’s a new start on life, so to speak. You will learn more about that as we get to know each other and you listen to the show on 97.5 WOKQ.

Why WOKQ Matters to Me

WOKQ is one of those stations you hear about in radio. It’s got history. It’s got heart. And it’s built around a community that actually cares about local connection and country music throughout New England.

That matters to me.

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I don’t want to just “be on the radio.” I want to be part of what’s happening here. The towns, the events, the random conversations at a bar, the places you tell your friends they have to check out.

That’s the fun part of all of this.

What I’m All About

I’m a pretty simple dude:

I’m the guy who would give you the shirt off my back

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Glass half full (even when it probably shouldn’t be)

Always smiling

Authentic… sometimes too authentic

And yeah, there are definitely moments where I say something before thinking it all the way through.

So if you ever hear me and think, “Did he really just say that?” There’s a decent chance the answer is yes.

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Some Quick Hits About Me

Coffee order: Americano

Drink Order: Old Fashioned or just a good local beer

Favorite food: Tacos (not even close)

Guilty pleasure show: The Big Bang Theory

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Pet peeve: Close talkers… and people who are late

Random fact: I once got a tattoo of Dopey from the Seven Dwarfs because a girl I was dating wanted one. We got them together. (Don’t worry, it’s been covered up by a microphone and a rose… and I haven’t heard from her in about 20 years)

Let’s Do This Together

I’m new to town, which means I could really use your help.

Where’s your go-to spot when you just want to get outside? Best place to hike? Kayak? Local bar? Just disappear for a few hours?

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READ MORE: Hidden Gems in New Hampshire: 5 Secret Places Worth Discovering

Drop me your favorites, because if there’s one thing I know, it’s that the best recommendations don’t come from Google… they come from you! The ones who actually live it.

And I’m ready to start exploring and getting to know you. So make sure to tune in to Garret & Katie in the Morning! See you there.

BankNH Pavilion: Summer Show Lineup, 2026

Gallery Credit: Sarah Sullivan





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2 Hudson, NH, residents arrested after cats found abandoned

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2 Hudson, NH, residents arrested after cats found abandoned


HUDSON, N.H. — An animal cruelty investigation led to the arrest of two former tenants who police say left three cats behind in the apartment they were evicted from.

The Hudson Police Department said officers responded to 19 Oliver Drive on Nov. 25 after the town’s animal control officer received a report that multiple cats had been left behind in an apartment previously occupied by Faith Byers, 48, and Kevin Greene, 57.

The pair had reportedly been evicted a week earlier, on Nov. 18.

Police said that attempts to reach Byers and Greene by phone were unsuccessful, and the property owner later confirmed that the two had moved out without taking the cats or arranging for their care.

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With the owner’s permission, police entered the apartment and found three cats alone inside the unoccupied residence.

Police said they determined the cats had been left unattended for several days in conditions lacking adequate airflow, sunlight, litter and consistent access to food or water. Police added that no care plan had been made for the animals, and neither former tenant indicated any intention to return for them.

The animals were safely removed and transported to the Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire in Bedford, where they are now receiving care.

Arrest warrants were issued for Byers and Greene, who are each charged with one count of cruelty to animals, a Class A misdemeanor. They were arrested on Friday and released on personal recognizance bail.

They are scheduled to appear in 9th Circuit Court Nashua District Division at 1 p.m. April 28.

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Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.



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Pakistan hosts diplomatic discussions on ending war

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Pakistan hosts diplomatic discussions on ending war


Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt will meet in Islamabad today in an attempt to come up with a plan to de-escalate the Iran war.

The meeting comes as several thousand more U.S. troops arrived in the region and after another group got involved in the expanding conflict: Yemen’s Houthis.

The Iran-backed Houthis launched missiles towards Israel, and there’s concern their involvement could threaten another vital global shipping lane in the Red Sea.

Here are more updates on day 30 of the Iran war.

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Diplomacy Push in Pakistan

The four foreign ministers from regional powers will meet in Islamabad today and Monday for a push towards diplomacy to end the war.

In a statement ahead of the meeting, the Egyptian government said: “Discussions are expected to focus on recent developments related to regional military escalation and ongoing diplomatic efforts to contain tensions and promote de-escalation.”

“The talks come amid heightened concerns about regional stability, with participating countries seeking to coordinate their stances and support political solutions to emerging crises,” it added.

Whether whatever consensus the countries known as “the quad” come up with will be accepted by the US, Israel, and Iran is another question.

Pakistan has emerged as a possible peace-broker in the conflict, passing messages between the U.S. and Tehran. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Saturday that “dialogue, diplomacy, and such confidence-building measures are the only way forward.”

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Dar also welcomed the fact Iran has agreed to allow 20 Pakistan-flagged ships – or two a day – through the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthis enter war

Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen launched the first missile they have fired since the war began toward Israel on Saturday. Israel’s military successfully intercepted it but the Houthis’ attack opens another front in a war that has now moved into its second month.

Up until Saturday’s missile launch the Houthis had stayed out of this war. But a Houthi spokesman said attacks will continue until “the aggression on all resistance fronts stops.”

Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs / AP

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AP

In this photo released by the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, left, meets with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sunday, March 29, 2026.

The Yemen-based rebels were active during Israel’s war in Gaza, firing on cargo ships in the Red Sea and disrupting global commercial traffic.

With Iran essentially blockading the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global oil prices, there are concerns that if the Houthis start attacking ships in the Red Sea again global shipping will be even more disrupted.

Iran also hit multiple sites around Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Saturday and Israel’s military says Iran is increasingly using cluster bombs.

Designed to detonate at high altitude the munition disperses dozens of smaller bombs that are more challenging for Israel’s multi-layered air defense system to intercept and can cause damage over a wider area.

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Dozens of countries have signed onto a cluster munitions treaty banning the weapons – except Iran, Israel and the U.S.

Iran threatens U.S. universities in region

Iranian authorities and residents say more airstrikes hit them overnight. Social media videos from across Iran showed strikes hitting all over the country.

Israel’s military said it had completed what it called a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting weapons production and storage sites.

Iran claims U.S.-Israeli strikes hit a Tehran university over the weekend and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps threatened American university campuses in the Middle East in retaliation.

“We advise all employees, professors, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” to stay a kilometer away from campuses, the statement, carried by Iranian media, said.

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Several US universities have campuses in the Gulf, including New York University in the United Arab Emirates and Texas A&M University, among others, in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to fire drones and missiles at Gulf countries, with Kuwait saying it was intercepting missile and drone attacks early Sunday. Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed ten drones.

Iran also claimed it had attacked two major aluminium sites in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Emirates Global Aluminium confirmed an Iranian attack wounded several and caused significant damage to its plant.

U.S. Troops injured, more arrive

At least 15 U.S. service members were wounded Friday in an Iranian strike on a Saudi air base that hosts American troops, according to the Associated Press, including at least five in serious condition. The missile and drone strikes targeted Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan air base, located outside the capital Riyadh.

A first responder assists an injured boy following a strike that hit a residential building amid the U.S.-Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 28, 2026.
A first responder assists an injured boy following a strike that hit a residential building amid the U.S.-Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 28, 2026.

Iran has targeted U.S. service members at bases throughout the region since the war began a month ago, in retaliation for the U.S. attacks and seeking to drive troops out of the region. Overall, the Pentagon has put the U.S. casualty toll at 13 killed and more than 300 injured.

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On Saturday, troops from the Japan-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, made up of around 3,500 sailors and Marines, arrived in the Middle East, according to U.S. Central Command.

The U.S. military will not say where and how they might be deployed. Thousands more soldiers from the U.S. military’s 82nd Airborne Division are also expected to be deployed.

Journalists killed in Lebanon

Three Lebanese journalists covering the Israeli invasion of the country’s south were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Jezzine.

Women hold posters showing Al-Mayadeen TV reporter Fatima Ftouni, left, and, in another poster, Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV correspondent Ali Shoeib, center, and cameraman Ali Ftouni during their funeral at a temporary cemetery in Dahiyeh, Beirut's southern suburbs, Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, March 29, 2026.
Women hold posters showing Al-Mayadeen TV reporter Fatima Ftouni, left, and, in another poster, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV correspondent Ali Shoeib, center, and cameraman Ali Ftouni during their funeral at a temporary cemetery in Dahiyeh, Beirut’s southern suburbs, Beirut, Lebanon, Sunday, March 29, 2026.

One of them worked for a TV channel affiliated with Hezbollah and Israel accuses him of being a militant rather than a journalist – but has not provided evidence. The journalist Israel says it targeted was Ali Shaeb, a veteran TV correspondent and household name in Lebanon. After killing him, Israel’s military issued a statement accusing him of exposing the locations of Israeli troops.

The other two journalists killed were siblings, TV correspondent Fatima Ftouni and her cameraman brother, Mohammed Ftouni. Afterward their father appeared on TV, saying he was proud of his children.

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All three had been covering Israel’s invasion of southern Lebanon.

Lebanese officials called the attack a flagrant violation of international law, and said they’re complaining to the UN Security Council. Hundreds of fellow journalists marched at a protest vigil in Lebanon’s capital.

The three journalists were among at least 47 people killed Saturday in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanese health officials.

Nine of those killed were paramedics, which the head of the World Health Organization called “a tragedy,” noting health workers are protected under international law.

Residents inspect their home after it was struck by an Iranian missile in Eshtaol, central Israel, Saturday, March 28, 2026.
Residents inspect their home after it was struck by an Iranian missile in Eshtaol, central Israel, Saturday, March 28, 2026.

Israel has intensified its attacks across Lebanon, mostly in the South, where Israeli ground troops are moving northward to try to oust Hezbollah militants.

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Another Israeli soldier was also killed in Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing his condolences on X over the weekend.

Developments in Syria, Iraq

The war is spreading to more parts of the Middle East. On Sunday, Syria said it had intercepted a drone strike from Iraq targeting a U.S. military base. Pro-Iran Iraqi groups have claimed responsibility for some attacks on US interests.

Separately, the Syrian and UAE governments condemned an attack targeting the residence of the Kurdish region’s president Nechirvan Barzani.

French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the attack saying: “The sovereignty of Iraq, and of Kurdistan within it, is essential to regional stability. Everything must be done to prevent Iraq from being drawn into the ongoing escalation.”

On Sunday, the Israeli army said it had launched its “first” attack into Lebanon from Syria.

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Jane Arraf in Amman, Emily Feng in Van, Turkey, Lauren Frayer in Jezzine, Lebanon, Carrie Khan in Tel Aviv, and Kate Bartlett in Johannesburg contributed to this report.

Copyright 2026 NPR





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