Flame Fighters beat Crime Busters, 53-38, in charity game

It was the Crime Busters in the blue uniforms against the Flame Fighters in the red uniforms that squared off at Belleville High School on Saturday night (March 29) for the second-annual charity basketball tournament to benefit St. Vincent DePaul of Belleville.
The fire team won, 53-38, for the second year. Team members were from the fire and police departments in Belleville, Van Buren, and Sumpter.
During half time, Belleville Police Cpl. Todd Schrecengost presented a plaque from the Belleville Police Officers Association to just-retired Belleville Police Chief Gene Taylor, marking his almost 38 years as a police officer in the city.
The unofficial total for the charity event was about $7,300 for St. Vincent DePaul’s program to help the local needy. That’s up from about $3,000 for last year’s charity game. St. Vincent DePaul Belleville’s total budget last year was $35,000.