Almanacs “The Almanac - Nov. 11 - Post Chronicle” plus 4 more |
- The Almanac - Nov. 11 - Post Chronicle
- Golden girls – PT's Stroyne, Nixon combine for yet another tennis ... - Pennsylvania Almanac
- C-M teachers reject fact-finding proposal - Pennsylvania Almanac
- The Almanac - OfficialWire
- Redevelopment: Hope, frustration for Belle Haven residents - The Almanac Online
| The Almanac - Nov. 11 - Post Chronicle Posted: 11 Nov 2009 04:39 AM PST Today is Wednesday, Nov. 11, the 315th day of 2009 with 50 to follow. This is Veterans Day in the United States. The moon is waning. The morning stars are Venus, Mars and Saturn. The evening stars are Mercury, Neptune, Jupiter and Uranus. Those born on this date are under the sign of Scorpio. They include Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky in 1821; U.S. Army Gen. George Patton in 1885; actor Pat O'Brien in 1899; Alger Hiss, who was accused of being a communist spy in Washington in the late 1940s, in 1904; novelist Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in 1922; comedian Jonathan Winters in 1925 (age 84); jazz musician Mose Allison in 1927 (age 82); golfer Frank "Fuzzy" Zoeller in 1951 (age 58); and actors Demi Moore in 1962 (age 47); Philip McKeon and Calista Flockhart, both in 1964 (age 45) and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1974 (age 35). -0- On this date in history: In 1831, Nat Turner, who led fellow slaves on a bloody uprising in Virginia, was hanged. Turner, an educated minister, believed he was chosen by God to lead his people out of slavery. Some 60 whites were killed in the two-day rampage. In 1889, Washington was admitted to the union as the 42nd state. In 1918, World War I ended with the signing of the Armistice. In 1921, U.S. President Warren Harding dedicated the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. In 1938, Kate Smith first performed "God Bless America" on her weekly radio show. The song had been written for her by Irving Berlin. In 1945, composer Jerome Kern, who wrote such memorable tunes as "Ol' Man River," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "The Last Time I Saw Paris," died at the age of 60. In 1982, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off on the first commercial space mission. In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan nominated Judge Anthony Kennedy to the U.S. Supreme Court after Judge Douglas Ginsburg withdrew his nomination and Judge Robert Bork was rejected by the Senate. In 1989, an estimated 1 million East Germans poured into reopened West Germany for a day of celebration, visiting and shopping. Most returned home. In 1990, Stormie Jones, the Texas girl who underwent the world's first heart-liver transplant, died in Pittsburgh of a possible heart infection. In 1992, the Church of England broke the tradition of a male-only clergy when it voted to allow the ordination of women as priests. In 1994, Jimi Hendrix's stage outfit, John Lennon's "army" shirt and guitars from the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and the Beach Boys were among the items sold at the first pop memorabilia and guitar sale at Christie's in New York. In 2001, two months after the terrorist attacks, U.S. President George Bush and leaders from around the world stood in the shadow of the World Trade Center ruins and, in a colorful and solemn ceremony, honored the dead from more than 80 nations. In 2002, as many as 34 people were killed by tornadoes and straight-line windstorms that swept across the U.S. South and the Ohio Valley. In 2004, Yasser Arafat, the longtime Palestinian leader whose colorful career ranged from terrorist to diplomat, a key figure in the forever smoldering Middle East, died in a Paris hospital after several days in a coma. He was 75. In 2005, Harvard-educated Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, dubbed the "Iron Lady," claimed victory as the first woman president of Liberia. In 2006, reports say medical care shortages may have led to the deaths of thousands of Iraqis despite the infusion of nearly $500,000. Sectarian violence, theft, corruption and mismanagement -- and the reported killings of hundreds of doctors -- were blamed. Also in 2006, the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that condemned Israel's recent attacks in Gaza. And, an anonymous tip led investigators to a mass grave in Bosnia containing more than 100 victims of the infamous Srebrenica massacre. In 2008, the belief that the United States is heading in the right direction was at an all-time low, a CNN poll indicated. Sixteen percent of people surveyed in the CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll said things were going well in the country. Eighty-three percent said things were going badly, an all-time high. Also in 2008, dignitaries from France and Britain laid wreaths at Verdun, France, to note the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I. The ceremony, one of many held across the globe, was at the site of one of the war's bloodiest battles. -0- A thought for the day: upon formation of United Artists film corporation, Richard Rowland said, "The lunatics have taken charge of the asylum." (UA was founded by Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith.) (c) UPI This content has passed through fivefilters.org. | ||
| Golden girls – PT's Stroyne, Nixon combine for yet another tennis ... - Pennsylvania Almanac Posted: 11 Nov 2009 03:49 AM PST 
Golden girls – PT's Stroyne, Nixon combine for yet another tennis championship
As far as Julie Stroyne and Caroline Nixon are concerned weekends were made for winning. For the Peters Township duo again copped gold in tennis. This past Saturday, Stroyne and Nixon capped a three-week run of triumphs with a PIAA doubles crown to add to their collection of two team titles. With Stroyne and Nixon at No. 1 and No. 2 singles, the Lady Indians claimed WPIAL and PIAA Class AAA team titles on back-to-back weekends in October. "It's been another great weekend for them," said PT head coach Brandt Bowman. "The last couple of weeks they gained so much confidence. "Plus they have worked real hard on their doubles since qualifying for the tournament. They've practiced at least a couple of days a week." Practice made perfect for the pair as Stroyne and Nixon avenged their WPIAL defeat to the Pine-Richland duo of Olivia Heim and Taylor Perz in the PIAA championship match played Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Hershey Racquet Club. In the finals, Stroyne and Nixon combined for a 6-1, 6-3 victory. In the semifinals, they outlasted Manheim Township's Lauren Stauffer and Caroline Berry, 5-7, 6-2, 6-1. In the opening rounds of the tournament, the pair bested Lillian Fields and Alexis Puhl from Girls' High in Philadelphia as well as Williams-port's Caitlin Clemons and Taquoia Lee in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. Stroyne's experience and play at the net coupled with Nixon's conviction played roles in their success. "Julie is such a great doubles player," said Bowman. "She's aggressive and plays the net so well. She has the ability to make the volleys. You don't see that a lot in girls. Most are contend to stay back. "And," he added, "what a difference a year made with Caroline. With each match her confidence grew." While the match marked the last scholastic competition for Stroyne--she is a senior--Nixon returns to the PT line-up for two more years. Already, thanks to Stroyne, Nixon is well decorated. As a freshman, she combined with Stroyne for the silver medal in the WPIAL and PIAA doubles tournaments. For her four years of tennis at PT, Stroyne has much to show, too. She has competed in five state championship tournaments, earning medals in each, four gold and one silver. Stroyne played on PT's state championship club in 2006 with her older sister, Kaitlyn. She was a state doubles champion in 2007 with Emily Palko. This fall, she also played on the Lady Indians' state championship team with her other sister, Laura. Stroyne made it a complete family affair as her doubles title with Nixon occurred on the day of her father Tom's birthday. For the past two weeks, Nixon compiled a 7-1 record while Stroyne ran the table, finishing 8-0.
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| C-M teachers reject fact-finding proposal - Pennsylvania Almanac Posted: 11 Nov 2009 03:06 AM PST
C-M teachers reject fact-finding proposal By Dawn Goodman For The Almanac writer@thealmanc.net Canon-McMillan teachers overwhelmingly rejected a fact-finder's proposal for a new contract late Thursday. Joe Grosso, the union's lead negotiator, said 91 percent voted against the proposal, citing concerns about class size, involuntary transfers and the salary schedule. "The proposed salary structure of the fact-finder unevenly distributes salaries over the 18-step schedule," Grosso said in a news release. "Teachers feel that a more even distribution of the same proposed schedule would have been more favorable." The proposal calls for first-year teachers with a bachelor's degree to have a salary of $37,393 in 2009-10, up from $35,800 in 2008-09. It calls for teachers with a master's degree plus 30 hours of credits to make $77,782 in 2009-10, up from $76,182 in the 2008-09 school year. By the 2011-12 school year, the starting salary would be $41,729 and the maximum salary would be $80,082. The association proposed substantial salary increases while the board proposed modest salary increases, according to the report. "My recommendations are below those proposed by the association but above those proposed by the board," fact-finder Matthew M. Franckiewicz wrote in the report. He also recommended increasing health insurance premiums to $15 per month for individuals and $30 per month for all others. Currently, teachers pay $12.50 per month for individual and $25 per month for all others. Canon-McMillan School Board approved the proposal by a 5-4 vote Thursday. By law, they couldn't comment on the proposal by the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board-appointed fact-finder until after the union vote. Because the union voted no, both sides will have to vote again within five to 10 days. If one side votes no again, they will return to the bargaining table. School board members voting for the report were Robert Malwitz, Debbie Link, Adam Galambos, Joseph Zupanic and Jay Romano. Those voting against the report were Laura Grossman, Manuel Pihakis, Kathy Smith and Nick Cianelli. Pihakis said he voted against it because he thought new members elected this week should have a chance to review the contract. Malwitz said that on balance, he thought it was a "fair enough deal." He said he didn't want to spend a lot of time to fine-tune something that he thinks won't be very different in the end than this proposal. He anticipates that at least one side will vote no on the proposal, which means newly elected school board members will have to finalize a new contract. Malwitz said he plans to re-evaluate his vote and see what the community has to say now that the report is public. "It's way too early to make that call," he said about what his next vote will be. Smith said she voted against the proposal because of the economic climate in the district. She said she knows quite a few people who have had wage freezes, reduction in hours, 401k losses and increases in health-care costs. "None of that was reflected in the fact-finder's report," she said, adding that the salary increases are above inflation and the health-care premium increases are minimal. When asked about the union vote, Smith said, "I'm surprised they didn't see it as a viable contract." This week's votes came two months after the teachers union authorized its bargaining team to take whatever action it needed to motivate progress in the contract. Canon-McMillan is one of six Washington and Greene county districts where teachers are working without a contract. The others are Washington, McGuffey, Charleroi, West Greene and Southeastern Greene. Read the fact-finder's report and the current contract at www.observer-reporter.com/OR/sourcedoc/.
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HEALTH INSURANCE : 11/11/2009
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| Posted: 11 Nov 2009 01:54 AM PST
| This is Veterans Day in the United States. The moon is waning. The morning stars are Venus, Mars and Saturn. The evening stars are Mercury, Neptune, Jupiter and Uranus. Those born on this date are under the sign of Scorpio. They include Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky in 1821; U.S. Army Gen. George Patton in 1885; actor Pat O'Brien in 1899; Alger Hiss, who was accused of being a communist spy in Washington in the late 1940s, in 1904; novelist Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in 1922; comedian Jonathan Winters in 1925 (age 84); jazz musician Mose Allison in 1927 (age 82); golfer Frank "Fuzzy" Zoeller in 1951 (age 58); and actors Demi Moore in 1962 (age 47); Philip McKeon and Calista Flockhart, both in 1964 (age 45) and Leonardo DiCaprio in 1974 (age 35). -0- On this date in history: In 1831, Nat Turner, who led fellow slaves on a bloody uprising in Virginia, was hanged. Turner, an educated minister, believed he was chosen by God to lead his people out of slavery. Some 60 whites were killed in the two-day rampage. In 1889, Washington was admitted to the union as the 42nd state. In 1918, World War I ended with the signing of the Armistice. In 1921, U.S. President Warren Harding dedicated the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. In 1938, Kate Smith first performed "God Bless America" on her weekly radio show. The song had been written for her by Irving Berlin. In 1945, composer Jerome Kern, who wrote such memorable tunes as "Ol' Man River," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" and "The Last Time I Saw Paris," died at the age of 60. In 1982, the space shuttle Columbia blasted off on the first commercial space mission. In 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan nominated Judge Anthony Kennedy to the U.S. Supreme Court after Judge Douglas Ginsburg withdrew his nomination and Judge Robert Bork was rejected by the Senate. In 1989, an estimated 1 million East Germans poured into reopened West Germany for a day of celebration, visiting and shopping. Most returned home. In 1990, Stormie Jones, the Texas girl who underwent the world's first heart-liver transplant, died in Pittsburgh of a possible heart infection. In 1992, the Church of England broke the tradition of a male-only clergy when it voted to allow the ordination of women as priests. In 1994, Jimi Hendrix's stage outfit, John Lennon's "army" shirt and guitars from the Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and the Beach Boys were among the items sold at the first pop memorabilia and guitar sale at Christie's in New York. In 2001, two months after the terrorist attacks, U.S. President George Bush and leaders from around the world stood in the shadow of the World Trade Center ruins and, in a colorful and solemn ceremony, honored the dead from more than 80 nations. In 2002, as many as 34 people were killed by tornadoes and straight-line windstorms that swept across the U.S. South and the Ohio Valley. In 2004, Yasser Arafat, the longtime Palestinian leader whose colorful career ranged from terrorist to diplomat, a key figure in the forever smoldering Middle East, died in a Paris hospital after several days in a coma. He was 75. In 2005, Harvard-educated Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, dubbed the "Iron Lady," claimed victory as the first woman president of Liberia. In 2006, reports say medical care shortages may have led to the deaths of thousands of Iraqis despite the infusion of nearly $500,000. Sectarian violence, theft, corruption and mismanagement -- and the reported killings of hundreds of doctors -- were blamed. Also in 2006, the United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution that condemned Israel's recent attacks in Gaza. And, an anonymous tip led investigators to a mass grave in Bosnia containing more than 100 victims of the infamous Srebrenica massacre. In 2008, the belief that the United States is heading in the right direction was at an all-time low, a CNN poll indicated. Sixteen percent of people surveyed in the CNN-Opinion Research Corp. poll said things were going well in the country. Eighty-three percent said things were going badly, an all-time high. Also in 2008, dignitaries from France and Britain laid wreaths at Verdun, France, to note the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I. The ceremony, one of many held across the globe, was at the site of one of the war's bloodiest battles. -0- A thought for the day: upon formation of United Artists film corporation, Richard Rowland said, "The lunatics have taken charge of the asylum." (UA was founded by Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and D.W. Griffith.)
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| Redevelopment: Hope, frustration for Belle Haven residents - The Almanac Online Posted: 10 Nov 2009 11:45 PM PST Residents of Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood have offered plenty of suggestions for what the city could do to help the community as part of the five-year redevelopment area plan the City Council approved at its meeting Tuesday, Nov. 10. | Some of those ideas are simple, some ambitious. But all are grounded in practical experience, and a familiarity with every street, sidewalk and empty patch of grass in the neighborhood, according to resident Matt Henry. Among the items on a brief wish list Mr. Henry presented to the city: lighting on a dark street; bus shelters and benches along the SamTrans route; a patio outside the senior center; and a row of trees to block mounds of railroad rock along Chilco Street, providing a welcoming entrance into the community. "Some of these things might seem minor, but they're not minor to us," Mr. Henry said in an interview. "Our little group (the homeowners' association), we actually sit down and we really talk about this stuff. I mean, we bleed about this stuff." He pointed out that there aren't any bus shelters or benches in the neighborhood, saying that he's used to seeing people huddled over and shivering during rainstorms, waiting for the bus. "This is the kind of thing we haven't had for so long, everyone just takes it for granted" that it doesn't exist, Mr. Henry said. For some, the opportunity presented by the redevelopment district to fund projects that address blight offers hope for areas east of U.S. 101. But the process of allocating those funds also serves as a reminder of just how far the city has to go, and of the barriers, in addition to the freeway, that stand in its path. The homeowners' association focused on practical goals, but there are even obstacles to some of the ideas Mr. Henry described as minor. Chilco Street isn't in the redevelopment area, for instance. And the city can only ask that CalTrans build bus shelters, a request that Community Engagement Manager Cherise Brandell says the city has already made. The association sees some of its other proposals -- for an expansion of Beechwood School, a new library, year-round operation of the pool, and a pedestrian bridge over the freeway at Willow Road -- as even more crucial, though none of them are on the city's list at the moment, for a variety of reasons. The city currently has other plans for the land adjacent to Beechwood; city officials say they don't think using the redevelopment money to build a library or operate the pool would be legal. And Ms. Brandell said this was the first she had heard of the proposal for a bike/pedestrian bridge at Willow Road, though Mr. Henry said he's brought the idea up before, to no effect. Of the homeowners associations' suggestions that the city has received, "everything that legally could be funded is in this plan," Ms. Brandell said. The city currently has plans to fund one of the nine items on the homeowners association's list: new lighting on Pierce Road. "What we've been trying to articulate to the city is that plans in the redevelopment area need focus on a few key principles," said Ash Vasudeva, the association's president. Those principles, he said, are: educational opportunity, positive youth development, programs for seniors, and safe transportation corridors. "Some (of the specific proposals) have come up more recently, some are longstanding, but it's no surprise that that has been our focus," he said. While city officials say they are striving to bridge the chasm between east and west Menlo Park, and straining to listen to Belle Haven residents, it's clear that they have a ways to go if they want to convince people in the community. Only a handful of residents, including Mr. Henry, showed up for a community meeting on the five-year plan. They crowded around a single table to hear presentations and offer feedback, while staff members from nearly every city department sat and stood around the table, outnumbering residents two-to-one. After years of being ignored, "a lot of (Belle Haven residents) have just given up," Mr. Henry said. "A lot of this stuff just wears on people." Criticizing the city for being overly fixated on providing housing in Belle Haven, he continued: "There have to be other ways to approach (the problem of blight). The suggestions we have given over the years have been ignored. I'm not saying we've got all the answers, but they should at least look at some of the ideas we've got. Part of the problem is that we live in a town full of very successful people. They say, hey, we're successful, you're not, so why should we listen to you? You're the poor people. "I'm not saying they haven't done some good things over here, because they have. But the base problem is, a lot of the blight still exists."
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