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Obviously, these distinctive personalities couldn't make it in person; most have long since left this world. But they succeeded in leaving huge shoes to fill and the students at PS 65, a.k.a. The Academy of Innovative Learning, gave it their best, dressing up as their favorite role model in civil rights history, to play "Who Am I?" with their peers. They had to develop a set of facts about their character.
Second-graders also staged a performance.
The Rev. Maggie M. Howard, pastor of Stapleton's U.A.M.E. Church, spoke to students about respect. She stressed why they should show respect for others; she explained the importance of respecting themselves.
Rev. Howard talked about how she started the church's Martin Luther King Celebrate the Dream Banquet seven years ago to honor the civil rights leader and salute adults and young people who embody Dr. King's principles.
PS 65 was one of the schools recognized at the this year's Martin Luther King Celebrate the Dream Banquet on Jan. 16 in the Staaten, West Brighton.
"We should love each other no matter our race, religion or differences. People matter. People should matter to other people," she told students.
"Dr. King gave us a message of love. We celebrate young people every year at our banquet because the young people are so important to our future. We respect you young ones so that you will learn how to respect other people. Take time to celebrate and recognize who you are because you will be the next great leaders," the pastor predicted.
During the ceremony, fourth-grader Eric Dukes read from Dr. King's "I Have A Dream" speech delivered in 1963 on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
Principal Sophie Scamardella explained that students and faculty got the idea after reading author Carol McCloud's book "Have You Filled A Bucket Today?" The book was a PS 65 Book of the Month selection. Students, teachers and family members read it together and discussed it.
Rev. Howard said she was impressed with the schoolwide family literacy initiative. She posed with third-graders Tanaiya Morris and Donte Belton who "filled the pastor's bucket" by thanking her for coming to speak about respect and "for being a wonderful lady."
Ismael Chambers-Samadi, who was dressed as Abraham Lincoln, read his "dash facts" about Lincoln being the president who freed the slaves. Classmates Cody Lamadieu cited Barack Obama as "the first African-American President in U.S. history" and Jasmine Daniels came as Rosa Parks – the woman who sparked the Civil Rights movement in 1955 by refusing to move to the back of the bus, she said.
Second-graders performed a play based on "The Life and Times of George Washington Carver" followed by an African dance performed with the help of another guest, entertainer/musician "Bobaloo".


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You've all probably heard by now, but Birkenstocks are back. In a big, huge, really fat way. High fashion, street fashion, hippie fashion, anti-fashion, everywhere! I for one couldn't be more excited about this. Back in 2008, when I was living in a very granola town in Idaho, I bought my first pair of Birks and I quickly fell in love. They are stupidly comfortable, ugly as all get out, and really, really rad. They lend such an air of "oh, this old thing?" to every outfit you pair them with. And best of all, they're really, really good for your feet and back.
The trendiest Birk (this feels so weird to type) is by far the Arizona, but the Gizeh are a good ice breaker if you're feeling timid. (Did you know they come in kids sizes too?!) There are a lot of colors to choose from, but you can never go wrong with basic black. The suede styles seem to fit larger – buyer be warned.
While we're on the subject of the sizing of Birkenstocks, here's this: It is always best to size down. I normally wear a size 6 (or 36 in UK sizing), but in Birks I am a solid 35 Narrow. (Birkenstocks come in narrow, regular, and wide. Truly, you can't not find a Birk that fits). The footbed of the shoe should come flush with your toes at the front, and flush with your heel in the back. The straps should be snug, but not terrifying. As you wear them, they'll conform to your foot, these are truly shoes that get better over time, and worth the investment.
And dudes, wearing socks with your Birks will send you over the edge of trendy into straight up nirvana territory (and I do mean that like the band, too).
But they can be a rather intimidating shoe to a first-time user, so here are a few examples of how to wear your Birks. Enjoy! And happy feet for all!
. . . Track Pants 1 of 11
Why not? The very nature of Birkenstocks means that they look good with just about anything, because the truth is, they look good with absolutely nothing! It's the Universal Law of Ugly Things. The uglier something gets, the more it swings back into amazing. This rule applies to lots of stuff. Most especially to dogs.
Image via Chictopia
. . . Casual Wear 2 of 11
Most of the Birkenstocks you'll see floating around Pinterest belong to the feet of the highly fashionable, but that doesn't mean they aren't equally as fabulous on your very most comfortable weekend wear. Shorts and a tee? Yes. Her shirt should probably say "CRUNCHY" for it to really work.
Image via Chictopia
. . . Contrasting Leather 3 of 11
This especially applies to the black Birks. The black leather of the strap, plus the cork of the sole (it's called Birkoflor), means these puppies are made for mixing leathers. Brown and black, brown and black, nothing better than brown and black. (This is a song I'm working on. It has promise.)
Image via Chictopia
. . . Boyfriend Jeans 4 of 11
Literally there is nothing in this world that doesn't go with boyfriend jeans. Whoever pioneered the boyfriend jeans trend, I want to kiss you on the mouth.
Image via ASOS
. . . Skirts! 5 of 11
You know how there are some flats that are a total no-go with skirts? Well, Birkenstocks are never a no-go, in that they are always a no-go, and so. We covered this already. Here we have a mini skirt, but Birks are equally as good with a midi or maxi. Live it up! So comfortable!
Image via Chictopia
. . . Suits 6 of 11
I can't get over how sleek yet casual this looks.
Image via Artyfilles
. . . Blazers 7 of 11
In case you don't want to commit to a full suit. This works because of the insanely huge contrast between structured blazer and crunchy footwear (and football jersey?). The crazier the contrast, the better.
Image via Chictopia
. . . All Black 8 of 11
Here we have an example of the Gizeh. The Gizeh is especially great for those feeling reticent to commit, in that they're infinitely more wearable and a whole lot less Big Foot than the Arizona. Only thing is, the Gizeh do NOT mix with socks (no, the camel-toe-sock-with-sandals look is not coming into our good graces anytime soon, one would hope) and the best part about the Birkenstock is how very stupidly good they're going to look with a nice pair of wool socks.
Image via Chictopia
. . . Pattern Mixing 9 of 11
And here we have another example of the ever-important Birk contrast. Dress, plus overly slouchy sweater, plus Birks. Dreamy. Bonus points for that anklet.
Image via Stylonylon
. . . All White 10 of 11
All hail the mighty Man Repeller for nailing the all-white Birk look. White Birkenstocks are how you know you're really serious about things.
Image via Man Repeller
. . . A Really Great Hat 11 of 11
Wear all the trends at once, it's cool.
Image via Just Another Fashion Blog

subset: commoncrawl


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A 15-year-old Belle Chasse boy was booked Wednesday for carrying a pellet gun resembling a revolver on a school bus. The boy was not named but was a student at the Plaquemines Parish School Board Learning Center in Port Sulphur, Sheriff Lonnie Greco said in press release.
The boy remained in custody Thursday, booked with "carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon by a student on school property in a firearm-free zone," according to the press release. He is scheduled to appear before a 25th Judicial District Court magistrate Friday morning.
Authorities never caught the teen on the bus with the gun, but were led to him after the parent of another child on the bus reported it, according to the Sheriff's Office. The boy allegedly boasted to another student of having the gun in his book bag.
He then gave the bag to his 14-year-old brother, who in turn gave the bag with the pistol in it to a 16-year-old boy on the bus. That boy showed the pistol to other students on the bus and even let himself be photographed with it by someone with a cell phone, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Two witnesses surfaced in the investigation that led detectives to the 16-year-old boy. Armed with a search warrant, the detectives searched the 16-year-old boy's home and, having found nothing, learned that the 15-year-old who originally had the gun lived across the highway, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Detectives and a juvenile probation officer then met with that boy's grandmother and seized the pistol, a Crossman .177-caliber pellet gun that resembles a .357 magnum revolver, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The boy confessed to bringing the gun with him Wednesday, but said that it remained on the bus.
Greco urged students, parents and guardians that if a weapon is observed on any school property to immediately contact the Sheriff's Office by dialing 911 or promptly report it to a school official. Additionally, tips concerning guns on school property can be reported anonymously to the Crimestoppers Safe School Hotline at 504-822-1111 or 1-877- 903-STOP. Furthermore, tips can be emailed to www.crimestoppersgno.org, texted by dialing 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S) and text TellCS then your crime information, or via the Crimestoppers Mobile App TipSubmit. The program offers a standing reward of approximately $500 for Crimestoppers hotline tips leading to the apprehension of an individual in possession of a firearm.


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While franchises around the NFL turn their sights toward the 2013-14 season, some are heading in the wrong direction.
Losing players to free agency, releasing stars to get under the salary cap and even having a complete lack of talent on the depth chart are all factors in backward momentum of five teams.
How can the Detroit Lions return to their playoff form of 2011 if they have an unruly locker room and are releasing players left and right?
What is the answer for a Jacksonville Jaguars team that has more buzz surrounding its new logo than its starting quarterback?
Let's answer these questions and more as we break down five NFL teams that are headed in the wrong direction and break down some ways to turn things around.


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- Go Hiking
- Get Involved
- Be Informed
- Trail Store
- Our Community
- About Us
Celery Farm
View Celery Farm in a larger map
|Park Overview:
A small but wonderful sanctuary with more than 240 species of birds recorded here. It is a short, easy walk for families. In addition to birding – there are Osprey fishing views most days -- the area is also known for its many butterflies.
|Trail Uses:
|No dogs
|Trail Miles:
|1.3 miles
|Park Acreage:
|107 acres
|Web Map:
|Trail Map prepared by The Fyke Nature Association
|Park Description:
The Celery Farm is a 107-acre freshwater wetland and, as its name implies, a former celery farm. Its entrance is easily missed traveling along the busy Franklin Turnpike in Allendale. However, once inside it is a small but magnificent oasis with a meadow and small streams providing a habitat for many species of birds, small mammals, fish, reptiles and insects. The Fyke Nature Association and the Borough of Allendale co-manage the sanctuary.
|Trails Overview:
Behind the kiosk at the parking area, a mile-long loop trail goes around Lake Appert [named after the original owner] following a stream for most of the way, with off-shoots at the northern end. The loop is totally flat and consists of dirt-covered/ mulch covered ground and several foot bridges; some families report even taking their young children in strollers. Three raised observation platforms and seven benches are along the way as well as the Pauline Oxnard Butterfly Garden (just east of Fox Lane). Use Web Map link above for a trail map. Click for a detailed description of a hike in the Celery Farm.
Find your way to the Franklin Turnpike in Allendale, the park entrance is on the east side of the road, 500 feet north of Cottage Place. Look for signs with "Green Acres" and "Wildlife Sanctuary" and a small parking lot that will hold a half-dozen cars. If filled do not park on the Franklin Turnpike, rather use nearby Pittis Avenue. Click on Location Tab.
|Contact Information:
|The Fyke Nature Association
|Ramapo Mountains
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Green's St. Louis directory :
St. Louis Directory. 45 BAU-BEA
View original image: Page 0045
Baumgartner, David A., collector ,, etc., ws Sixteentfr/ betbetween Ma*?;
ket and Clark
ket and Clark
Baumgartner, Jotm, barber , 71 Cherry
Baumgarten, F.Ernst, m.d., and, druggist , secorcorner Third and
Pine, dw.55n Third
Pine, dw.55n Third
Baumhoff, Frederick, laborer , n& Market betbetween l$th ami 13th
Bauman, 'Laurence J., tailor , eseast side 9th tet Madison and Chambers
Bauman, George, carpenter , eseast side Yth betbetween Soulard and Lafayette
Bauman, Lewis, watchmaker and jeweller ; 44 nnorth Main, dw; 205
Market, up stairs
Market, up stairs
Bauman, Otto, laborer , wswest side Buel betbetween Lafayette and Emmett
Baumer, John B., tailor, dyer, &c. , 97 nnorth Third
Bausmeier, —, carter , sssouth side Carroll wwest of Columbus
Bavis, Henry, miner , sssouth side Biddle betbetween Fourteenth and Fifteenth
BaxmeLer, Catharine, eseast side of Tenth betbetween Otallon a^dJ)av*s
Baxter, Ellen, widow, nenortheast corcorner Jefferson and Broadw,ay:
Baxter, Preston, pilot , wswest side Ninth betbetween Labe&ume and igrooklyiv;
Bayer, Frederick E., (Diecfetnann >& B.) 36 Franklin ay
Bayha, Charles, (G. & C.B.) 269 ssouth Sebtad
Bayha, George, (G. & C.B.) 269 ssouth Sebtad
Bayha G. & C , bepf and pork packers , 261 ssouth Second
Baylen, Thomas, (Adamson & Go.) 11 Morgan
Bayless, William, laborer , nwnorthwest corcorner Twelfth and Austin
Bayley, Romando, (Pottle & B.) nsnorth side Pine betbetween 15th and 16th
Beach, Ichabod, painter , rear 186 Franklin avavenue
Beach, Munson, (M.B. & Co.Company ) 182 Broadway
Beach, Eddy & Co.Company ,(vh dry goods, 151 nnorth Main
Beach Munson & Co.Company , wh dry gds and carpets, 182 Broadway
Beachboard, Joshua W., sssouth side Wright, betbetween Broadway and Second
Beacock, James, engineer , eseast side 14th betbetween Biddle and O'FaUon ,
Beadle, James H., engineer , boards at Conway's on Colling .;'
Beakey, David, (D. & J.B.) gone to California
Beakey, James, tin ware, stoves, &c , 171 nnorth Main
Beakey, John, (D. & J.B.) 12 nnorth Sixth
Beakey, Joseph, stoves, tin ware, &c , 203 n Main, dwwswest side 11th?
betbetween Morgan and Franklin ay
betbetween Morgan and Franklin ay
Beakey D. & J., tin, copper, sheet iron ware and stoves , 113 i*
Beamer, William J.W., clerk at 154 nnorth Third
Bean, William, painter , sssouth side Chambers betbetween Broadway and Ninth.
Beard, Ezra J., (B. & Bro.) pump makers , 66 Locust
Beard, Geo. N., (B. & Bro.) pump makers , 66 Locust
Beard, Harvy, (B. & Warren,) 22 ssouth Main, up stairs
Beard, Henry J., barber , nsnorth side Spruce be 14th and 15th
Beard, Joseph, bricklayer , 137 nnorth Ninth
Beard, William, laborer , nenortheast corcorner Ninth and Florida


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PHILADELPHIA – Phillies pitcher Jonathan Pettibone said the back issue that forced him out of Saturday's start after six innings was improving and he had been cleared to resume normal activites.
The right-hander felt a twinge on his first swing Saturday, then aggravated the problem on a swing in the sixth inning. He took his warmup pitches to start the seventh but decided to come out of the game instead of potentially hurting it further.
"I feel good, a lot better," said Pettibone on Sunday morning. "A little tender just being the day after, but I did all my activities like I would normally. I was evaluated today and cleared to go right back.
"I had some lower back pain when I played basketball in high school, but I think this was just a fluke thing that progressed through each swing."
Pettibone's next start is slated for Thursday in Los Angeles, and while the injury apparently won't keep him from making the start, there remains some intrigue over that outing.
Three-time all-star Carlos Zambrano has been pitching on a minor-league deal and has allowed just three earned runs in 28 1/3 innings. He is scheduled to pitch today for Triple-A Lehigh Valley in Columbus.
The Phillies have until July 1 to promote Zambrano to the major league roster or allow him to pitch elsewhere. Zambrano would have to pitch on three-day's rest to take Pettibone's spot on Thursday, so the rookie might get at least one more turn in the starting rotation regardless of whether Zambrano shines or flops today.
But after that, nothing is guaranteed.
Overall, Pettibone is 3-3 with a 4.14 ERA in 12 starts. He had struggled in the last two times out before righting himself on Saturday.
When Pettibone was called up from the minors in April, he wasn't guaranteed anything past the first start. He's still here 12 starts later, so he's had some experience dealing with the pressure of pitching for his job.
"It's definitely not easy (to not think about the Zambrano situation), but it's something you have to block out," said Pettibone. "This last start, I just stayed focused on the task at hand. I kind of went back to the basics almost, pitch to pitch and not trying to get too caught up in the big picture.
"Every start I've had my job on the line and it's my job to keep the job, it's mine to lose. I'm giving it as much as I can to give the team a chance to win. If I do that each time out, it will take care of itself."Contact Bill Evans at 856-686-3636 or firstname.lastname@example.com


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G-Force chip
Has any one tried one of these chips and would void the warranty on a 2014 GC.
Re: G-Force chip
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Even though a Lehigh County judge assured Austin Scott that he was sentencing him to prison "based on who you are today," Scott is claiming his celebrity netted him time behind bars for dealing marijuana.
This week Scott's defense attorney filed court papers asking for a reduction of Scott's sentence of six to 23 months in prison.
The former football standout at Parkland High School and Penn State University pleaded guilty to four felony drug counts and was sentenced May 28.
Attorney James Heidecker argued under standard sentencing guidelines Scott only faced sentences of probation to one month for each count. Heidecker said the jail term was the result of Scott's status "as a well-known local athlete."
At the sentencing hearing Judge Robert Steinberg said there was no excuse for Austin's actions -- he was raised by a loving family and did not sell drugs to support an addiction but dealt the marijuana out in the open.
"It just seems, basically, that you thought you could get away with it," Steinberg said, later adding, "You apparently had total disregard for the general public and you had total disregard for your own self as well."
Scott previously admitted he sold marijuana four times to undercover police officers, once at a local Taco Bell and three other times at gas stations. Scott, of the 2100 block of West Allen Street in Allentown, was arrested after the final deal, police said.
Police said Scott met four times with officers from the Lehigh County Drug Task Force to sell marijuana in 2013:
- July 18 at the Taco Bell at MacArthur and Mickley roads in Whitehall Township.
- Sept. 11 at the Sunoco gas station, 1501 Mauch Chunk Road in South Whitehall Township.
- Oct. 4 and Oct. 30 at the Hess gas station at Tilghman and 19th streets in Allentown.
Police searched Scott's house and found marijuana, a scale and a glass pipe, records say.
Scott told the judge a friend would sell him marijuana and when he helped the friend move to Florida, he asked him to connect him with a few of the friend's customers.
An outstanding running back for Parkland High School, Scott led the Trojans to a 2002 Class AAAA state title. He was kicked off the Penn State University football team after he was accused of rape in 2007, although the case was ultimately dropped.
In a lawsuit that eventually failed, Scott claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy. He signed in 2008 as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns after the charges were dropped, but he never made the roster.


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Moms. We wear many hats. And well, we are pretty much superheros at times. But some Moms wear even bigger hats. Not only are they ringleaders of their family but they run their own business too. We know what a tough job this can be. The other "baby" if you will. And well, it takes a special kind of person to have the drive, passion and heart to become a MOMpreneur. Not everyone can "make" it. Not everyone can quit the corporate world to follow their dreams. Not everyone can be successful. But for some – they have. And well, they are somewhat brilliant{and super-successful} in doing so.
In fact, I recently sat down with a few very special mompreneurs who have accomplished their dream of making it. Lucky for you, they are sharing a few pretty great tips while getting to know the face behind the names too and a little peek into their world.
After the jump, browse through five amazing companies founded by Momprenuers and the ladies that made it happen. See just how they made it big. Introducing some pretty FABulous mompreneurs…….
Jennifer Berson of Jeneration PR 1 of 5
Meet Jen of Jeneration PR who has two little boys under 3 and is one powerhouse PR gal. Read on to get some noteworthy advice from the genius herself and see what was her best investment ever made. She is one oh-so-wise business lady.
Anna Ryan and Selena Srabian of Annie + Isabel 2 of 5
Anna and Selena of Annie + Isabel aren't just mompreneuers. They both are registered nurses and sisters! They are two very inspiring ladies in biz. After all, the amazing Anna just battled thyroid cancer and well, they are just one-of-a-kind. Read on to see how they got started!
Nina Restieri of momAgenda 3 of 5
Nina of momAgenda is not just a business woman, organizational expert and founder of a multi million dollar company but she is also a mom of four. Read on to see when her "wow" moment was as a successful mompreneur.
Tiffany Harris and Wendy Estes of Layla Grayce 4 of 5
Wendy + Tiffany of Layla Grayce founded the amazing shoppers delight we all know and love, Layla Grayce. The e-commerce site is full of never-ending eye candy and their blog is fun to follow for loads of design ideas and inspiration. Let's not forget Zinc Door - the gals latest project, another e-commerce one stop shop for the modern lifestyle. Savvy, stylish and well, just so sweet, these girls are always on top of their game even when chasing their littles! Both Wendy {mom of four} + Tiffany have twins!
Katie Richardson of PUJ 5 of 5
Katie of PUJ has come so far. From hand building their booth at a well known baby expo to now having a huge warehouse. Katie took her "mom" idea and brought it to life and now it's one brand we see everywhere, including The Ellen Show. See just how she did it!
Jeneration PR: Jennifer Berson
What made you want to start your own business? How did you make it happen?
I was a civil litigation attorney for four years and was working incredibly long hours for a big law firm, and had no time for myself or to pursue a relationship. I looked around and didn't see many female partners who had families, and I started to think that I was on the wrong path for myself, as I knew I would eventually want to get married and have children. Also frustrated with the lack of creativity and the incredibly slow pace that my work seemed to have in litigation, I was inspired to make the switch from law to PR. I had always had a passion for the beauty and fashion industries, and began promoting a fragrance collection I loved–creating marketing materials, securing press mentions, and developing celebrity relations–all while still practicing law! I enjoyed the work so much, it served as a catalyst to leave my career as an attorney to pursue a full-time career in public relations & marketing.
My husband, who was my boyfriend at the time, helped me feel completely confident, and he 100% supported my decision to start my own business. That was more than 7 years ago, and the economic climate was much different then, so the risk didn't seem as great. I always felt I had my legal career to fall back on, but I am so fortunate that my business has been profitable from day 1, so I've never even considered returning to my career as a lawyer.
PR, marketing, social media, and running my own business, are such a better fit with my personality. Once I "discovered" PR and realized it was a valuable service that tremendously benefitted brands, I knew it was a no-brainer decision that this is what I should be doing with my career.
Start up cost vs. revenue now?
When I first started my company, I invested about $4K to develop a cool & memorable brand identity suite (logo, business cards, letterhead, press kit, etc.) and build a great website to reflect our services and the types of clients we work with. The website has been the best investment we ever made, as we still receive tons of new-business inquiries directly through our website. Our revenue is in the six-figures, and I'm so fortunate that I am now making more than I ever made as an attorney, working for myself in a career that I love.
What was your "wow, is this really happening moment"?
After several years of running my business, I had three clients on National TV, all on the same day. In the morning, I watched my client Jennifer Sbranti from Hostess with the Mostess make her TODAY Show debut (she nailed it!), and in the afternoon, I took two of my clients, Little Giraffe & Puj, to the Ellen Degeneres Show to watch their products on the coveted "Mother's Day Giveaway" episode. As I'm sitting in the Green Room at Warner Bros with both of my clients, watching Ellen rave about their products in front of millions of people, I had a moment where I thought, "Wow… I guess I'm not just 'lucking out' at my job anymore. This is a pretty incredible day!" I was very proud.
Another accomplishment I am truly proud of is having my business featured in an extremely cool profile on Apple.com. The Apple marketing team followed me around Los Angeles for 2 days to see how I use my iPhone as a publicist "on-the-go," then they created a super-slick video montage of me, along with an interview, and posted it on the Apple website for about 3 years. Being recognized by Apple's marketing team was one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me, and I received several business referrals from my company profile on the Apple website!
Your #1 tip for other Mompreneurs trying to make it big?
I don't think I can narrow it down to just one, so I'll share my top 3 thoughts:
Brand Yourself: At the outset of starting your new business, spend some time and money on your branding & marketing collateral. Invest in making it beautiful and memorable, so it adequately conveys the feeling & tone of your company and will help get you the attention you are seeking
Promote Yourself: Social media is an obvious, inexpensive and easy way to gain exposure for yourself and your new business. Moms trying to start their own businesses should try to establish themselves as experts in whatever field they are interested in, staying on top of industry new & knowledge and authoring blog posts around that field. Also, share your passion for your new business with anyone who will listen to you. I truly believe when you are passionate about what you are doing, and you ask for the help you want from people, they will go out of their way to provide you with that help, because your passion is so genuine.
Go Easy on Yourself: It's practically impossible to be completely balanced in your personal and professional lives, so I think the most important thing is to realize you can't be perfect, and you have to accept that sometimes "the best you can do" is probably good enough. That said, I always try my best with everything I do, so at least I can feel good about the effort I've made and set a good example for my children.
Like all working moms, I get a lot done at night when they kids are asleep. 8 p.m. to midnight is often my most productive time, since there are fewer family interruptions and less email coming in to distract me. I set goals for myself each day, and try to accomplish at least one big thing every day. Some days are harder than others, so I don't kick myself when I'm not as productive as I hope to be. When you're a working mom, it's easy to feel guilty that you're not giving 100% to your work or to your children. Don't be so hard on yourself! Balancing work with motherhood is challenging enough without unnecessary, self-imposed guilt. Do your best, and be proud of everything you do.
Annie + Isabel: Anna Ryan and Selena Srabian
What was your "wow" is this really happening moment?
I think we've had a few "wow" moments since we started our business in 2010. When we first started our business, we were largely selling to women who were pregnant or to customers buying for their pregnant friends or family members. Our designer hospital gowns continue to be popular among pregnant women which has been fun because we absolutely love seeing new moms deliver in style and enjoy the comfort of their own hospital gowns. With our nursing background of being ER and ICU nurses, however, we also always knew that our gowns would be great for women who were sick in the hospital or dealing with difficult diagnoses. In our second year of business we saw a big shift in our sales to people purchasing our gowns for women sick in the hospital or customers buying them for themselves for upcoming surgeries or cancer treatments. This has been a "wow" moment because our belief that our gowns could bring great comfort and dignity to those sick in the hospital is being proven by the increased sales and testimonials we receive from these women. The rewards of hearing the stories of women who share how their Annie & Isabel gown provided them with comfort during the delivery of a baby, to helping other women get through tough surgeries, to other women wearing their gowns during difficult cancer treatments, to family members describing how comforting an Annie & Isabel gown was for their dying relative are extremely rewarding and the biggest "wow" for us.
The second and most exciting "wow" moments for us happened over this last year. A year ago we received two large orders from the national television show, "Private Practice". This was a huge "wow" moment for us because we had no prior connection to the show or to anyone connected directly to the show. They found our company on their own and loved our gowns so much that they purchased a large number of our "Isabel" designer hospital gown to be used on the show!!! They debuted on 4 shows last year and we were so excited to see our Isabel gown debut again on the season premier of "Private Practice" this last week. In addition, our gowns were also worn by Kathy Lee and Hoda on the Today Show recently. Again, we were contacted by the show because THEY found our company and wanted to use our gowns. These two things really further confirmed to us that we aren't just a small little company anymore. We have been nationally recognized and that feels great!!
Start up cost vs. revenue now?
When we first started Annie & Isabel, we both contributed a small amount of our own money and received some money from our parents to get started. We have been able to use those investments to grow our company enough that we have not had to borrow any money since then!!
Your #1 tip for other Mompreneurs trying to make it big?
Be passionate about what you are going to sell and provide excellent customer service. If you are not passionate about your product, you will have a hard time succeeding because having your own business is a LOT of work. The passion is what keeps you going. Also, invest in your customers and you will not only be rewarded by their stories but they will become your best advertisers!
What made you want to start your own business? How did you make it happen?
We are both nurses and we were sick of having to put the horrible standard hospital gowns on our patients. These gowns often don't fit, have holes and are just undignified. They are the #1 complaint of patients in the hospital and rightly so. For a long time we both talked about the fact that we could come up with a more dignified, comfortable, stylish hospital gown. We knew we could make a big difference in a patient's experience by providing them with their own dignified hospital gowns. Over a year after we first started talking about designing our own hospital gowns, we finally decided to take the plunge because we knew if we never took the chance to start our business, we would always regret it. We made it happen by taking baby steps.
First, we decided to get help to come up with our hospital gown design. Once we designed our gown we had samples made and when we knew we were happy with our design, we got the ball rolling on starting our business. Taking baby steps was key to starting our business because it made it a little less overwhelming and attainable. We are excited to continue our growth with the addition of a men's line coming soon!!
momAGENDA: Nina Restieri
What was your "wow" is this really happening moment?
The first week we launched, at the National Stationery Show in May 2005 was definitely my "wow, this is really happening" moment. We sold out of our entire inventory, inventory I thought would last us through the end of the year, in 3 days. I was overwhelmed and in complete shock.
Start up cost vs. revenue now?
My startup cost was high but revenue now is in the multimillions annually.
Your #1 tip for other Mompreneurs trying to make it big?
My #1 tip is to hire the best people, and let them do their jobs. I only hire people who are smarter than me, and who are experts in their fields. That way I can focus on what I do well, and have other people focus on everything else.
What made you want to start your own business? How did you make it happen?
I always wanted to have my own business, since I was a teenager. How I made it happen was, by taking baby steps. Each day I put one foot in front of the other and did what I had to do that day. Focusing on small steps each day kept me from getting overwhelmed of the task ahead, while I was building the business.
Layla Grayce: Wendy Estes + Tiffany Harris
What was your "wow" is this really happening moment?
The first time we were featured in Daily Candy our site crashed eight times. We totally freaked out from stress! When everything was finally up and running smoothly, we realized wait maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. We must be doing something right if that many people were flooding Layla Grayce at once. It was an exciting moment for sure, especially because we have so much respect for Daily Candy.
Your #1 tip for other Mompreneurs trying to make it big?
Believe that you will be successful, but know that the journey is not going to be easy, perfect or ideal every step of the way. There will be nights when you miss a family dinner because you're needed at a business meeting, but there will be mornings you get behind on email for the chance to walk your kids to the bus stop. Throw the idea of "balance" out of the window, take it day by day, don't beat yourself up and do the best you can. Oh, and get organized! It makes all the difference.
What made you want to start your own business? How did you make it happen?
We realized the market was lacking in term of truly unique, well-designed, high quality products for both the home and children. We were also fully aware that women were leading incredibly busy, fast-paced lives, and needed access to design solutions at the click of a button. We have backgrounds in both business and design, and the idea for Layla Grayce grew so organically we couldn't help but make it a reality. Our beginnings were humble, but we dove in, worked hard, learned as we went and did our best to stay ahead of the game. Beyond that, we relied on a collective passion as a driving force. Marrying a passion with a need fueled us, and believing in something as much as we believed in Layla Grayce kept us striving to be better each and every day.
PUJ: Katie Richardson
What was your "wow" is this really happening moment?
In the fall of 2009 my husband and I put it all on the line and took our first invention, the Puj Tub, to the ABC Kids Expo to launch it into the baby industry. We spent two days hand building our little booth that we had designed just weeks earlier. We were surrounded by large companies that spent tens of thousands of dollars on massive trade show booths. It was a very intimidating situation but I knew we had been clever with both our product design and our booth design. My "wow, this is really happening moment!" happened as soon as the doors opened the first day of the trade show and buyers started pouring in to our booth. For 4 full days our booth was filled with buyers from all over the world placing large orders for the Puj Tub and excited about the company. Those years of hard work, late nights, product development, brand development, and filing patents were finally paying off. From that point on we knew that Puj would grow both nationally and internationally into a successful business.
Start up cost vs. revenue now?
When I started the company it was just me working on it. I was a mother of three boys all under the age of 5. My husband was extremely supportive and encouraged me to go for it. I leveraged the power of Mom blogs to get my products out there. Mom's love to talk and if they love something, then they will tell everyone they know about it. Very quickly I was getting orders from Holland, France, Australia, the UK, etc. for the Puj Tub. They were spending $100 on the product plus another $200 in shipping just to get it. I was shipping out of my garage and convinced my husband to quit his job and come help me. Word got out and our product was shown on the Rachel Ray Show, the Ellen Degeneres Show, and celebrities like Mario Lopez started tweeting pictures of their baby using the Puj Tub. I did over $1 million in sales that first year and we have had continual growth every year since then. And now, instead of shipping out of our garage we have a world-class warehouse and a 9,000 sqft design studio that serves as our world headquarters.
Your #1 tip for other Mompreneurs trying to make it big?
The only way your dreams can come to fruition is if YOU make it happen. No one will do it for you. Put your fears aside and take that first step forward. Most of the time your path is not clear, but as you step into the dark you begin to see the next step and where you need to go. I start my day early at 5:30am and bike, run or swim each morning. This way I have some time to myself before the kids even get up. When it comes to making meals, I keep dinnertime healthy but simple. The Crock-Pot is my secret weapon.
What made you want to start your own business? How did you make it happen?
When I came up with the idea for the Puj Tub I wanted to share it with every new mom who had experienced the same frustrations I had with the traditional bath. I knew I needed to patent the idea (which costs money) so to generate revenue to help pay for the development of the Puj Tub and its patents, I started selling another problem-solving product I had created called the Go Sling. It was a simple product to manufacture and with the revenue from that product I was able to fund the patents for the Puj Tub. I would go to small boutiques in Portland, Seattle and San Francisco and sell directly to the store owners. It was a great way to get my brand out there and to start making sales.


text:
When you consider the dollars in time spent and fees to get the required documents together, plus who this bill disenfranchises, all of the sudden it becomes exceedingly clear what the real motivation was, and that this high bar may actually be unconstitutional.
So first, we'll look at the actual requirements.
State law requires 4 kinds of ID verification if you want a state photo ID. Two verifying identity, two that verify residence. We'll start with the identity part:
Primary ID Documents
|Documents Needed
|U.S. photo driver license or photo ID card, License from another country
May also include photo learner permits.
|Cost: unknown.
These vary from state to state. Of course, if you already have a photo ID it's a heck of a lot easier to prove you're who you say you are.
|Original or Certified Birth Certificate
Must be original or certified, have an official seal and be issued by an authorized government agency such as the Bureau of Vital Statistics or State Board of Health.
IMPORTANT: Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 will not be recognized as a form of primary or secondary identification beginning November 1, 2010.
The government of Puerto Rico has provided information for citizens to apply for new birth certificates.
Foreign birth certificates, not issued in English, must be translated and accompanied by a Certificate of Accurate Translation.
NOTE: Hospital issued certificates (mother's copy) are not acceptable.
|Cost: Depends
A basic birth certificate in Tennessee costs $8. However, to get one you also have certain ID requirements
On top of that, I'm not sure if you've tried to get a birth certificate lately, but it's not exactly the speediest process. Cost in time spent could be as short as 30 min, and as long as 3 hours.
|Military Identification
Active Duty, Retiree or Reservist military ID card (DD Form 2 or 2A)
Discharge papers (DD-214)
Military Dependent ID card (for spouse or children of Active Duty Military personnel)
|Cost:minimal if you've served in the military.
Again, if you've already got one of these, your identity should be pretty easy to prove.
Military ID's are acceptable for voting.
|Valid, Unexpired United States Passport
Also, if you already have one of these, you can use it to vote.
|Valid, Unexpired Foreign Passport
Foreign passports must contain a Valid United States Visa or I-94 to be used as a primary proof of indentification.
Foreign passports, not issued in English, must be translated and accompanied by a Certificate of Accurate Translation. Passports are not acceptable if expired.
|Cost: Who knows?
What's more, this may work for an ID, but if you have a foreign passport, chances are you don't qualify to vote, unless you have dual citizenship or something
|United States Citizenship and Immigration Service Documentation
Certificate of Naturalization N-550, N-570, N-578
|Cost: Too many to quantify.
Some of these are free, some may not be. Honestly, many of them don't apply to citizens, so they wouldn't work for the purposes of voting anyway, just getting an ID
|Marriage License/Certificate
Must include the applicant's full name and date of birth. The certificate must be the original or certified copy that is registered AFTER the marriage; NOT just the "license"authorizing the union.
|Cost:$15 in Tennessee.
Other states likely vary.
|Federal Census Record
Must include the applicant's full name and date of birth (age).
|Cost: Free?
Honestly, I don't even know what this is.
|Applicant's Own Child's Birth Certificate
Must include the applicant's (i.e parent's) full name and date of birth not just "age" of parent at the time of the child's birth.
|Cost: See birth certificate above.
This is really for children seeking their first state issued ID. I don't think my mom needs to come with me to the DMV to get an ID, but you never know, that could change.
|Adoptive Decree
Must include the applicant's full name and date of birth.
|Cost: How much is an adoption?
Again, this seems to be geared toward children seeking their first state issued ID
|Legal Change of Name (Divorce, etc.)
As recorded in court decree with judge's original signature and/or official court seal.
NOTE: Copy of court document with copied seal/signature is not acceptable. Copy of court document with an original signature/seal that is affixed to copy is acceptable.
|Cost: How much is a divorce?
Seriously, if nothing else there are copying fees involved if a person doesn't have or has lost this document after a divorce, and of course, ID requirements to even get this information
|Any confirmation of date of birth in court of law
As recorded in court document(s) with judge's original signature and/or official court seal.
NOTE: Copy of court document with copied seal/signature is not acceptable. Copy of court document with an original signature/seal that is affixed to copy is acceptable.
|Cost: Again there are copying costs and ID requirements associated with this.
In short, if you can get a copy of this, you likely already have the ID necessary to get a state issued photo ID
|Any other documentary evidence which confirms to the satisfaction of the Department the true identity and date of birth of the applicant.
|Ahh, well that clears things up. Seems a bit arbitrary. It would be interesting to send in two people with identical non-conforming information and see if they both get the same result.
Maybe someone should test this
If you have one of these things you have completed step 1. On to step 2.
Secondary ID Documents
|Documents Needed
|Computerized Check Stubs
Must include the applicant's full name pre-printed on the stub.
|I wonder how they determine what's "computerized". Also, I could knock one of these out in a heartbeat. Really, anyone with a computer and a little time could too.
|Union Membership Cards
Must include the applicant's full name preferably with photo and/or Social Security number.
|Cost:Union Membership
Actually, after what they did this session to unions, this is kind of surprising
|Work IDs
Preferably with photo and/or Social Security number.
If you work at a place that requires an ID this may help, but most don't.
|Financial Institution Documents
Computer printouts of bank statements, savings account statements, loan documents, etc.
|Cost: Bank fees.
Believe it or not, not everyone has a bank account. This reality is evidenced by the huge influx of "Check Cashing" places all over the state.
|Social Security Documents
Social Security Card (original only not metal or plastic replicas)
|Cost: Free if
If you have time to wait for SSA to issue a new card, or happen to have a statement handy.
|Health Insurance Card
TennCare, Medicaid, Medicare, etc.
|Cost: Unknown
If you have Tenncare or something like that it may be free, or not. Honestly, this is not an area of expertise for me.
|IRS/state tax form
W2 Forms, Property tax receipts, etc.
|Cost: Free?
If you work you may have an old W-2 lying around. I wonder how old it can be before they no longer accept it.
|Military Records
Assignment orders, selective service cards, Leave & Earnings Statement, etc.
|Cost: Free
If you served in the military and they mess with you at the polling place or the ID office, shame on them.
|School Records
Transcript of grades
|Cost: Varies
Most high schools will release your transcripts for a small copying and postage fee. Again, proof of identity is usually required for this, so if this is an option, you probably don't need it in the first place
|Vehicle Documents
Vehicle Registration or title
|Cost: Depends
If you can buy a car, you also probably already have ID.
Ok, so after you've found 2 things that satisfy that requirement, you still have to prove your residence. Here's that lovely list.
Two Documents from List A
Documents must show residence address used on application and your name or the name of your spouse. Proof of relationship will be required unless you are using the spouse's Tennessee Driver License number and it has the same last name and address as the applicant.
If the applicant is a minor child or adult child still residing with parents, proof of relationship is also required with the name of the parent or legal guardian.
One Document from List A and One Document from List B
List A
• Current utility bill including landline telephone, electric, water, gas, cable, etc. (Wireless telephone bills cannot be accepted)
• Current bank statement (Internet bank statements are acceptable only if taken to the local bank, stamped and dated by teller as an active account. Checks and checkbook information are not acceptable)
• Current rental/Mortgage contract or receipt including deed of sale for property.
• Current employer verification of residence address or letter from employer as long as it is on company letterhead with original signature. If employer does not have letterhead then signature of employer must be notarized.
• Current paycheck/check stub, work ID or badge, if address is included.
• Current automobile, life or health insurance policy (Wallet Cards cannot be accepted)
• Current driver license/ID issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety to a parent, legal guardian or spouse of applicant
• Current Tennessee motor vehicle registration or title
• Current Tennessee voter registration
• Current Internal Revenue Service tax reporting W-2 form within last 12 months
• Receipt for personal property or real estate taxes paid within past last year
• In case of a student enrolled in public or private school in this state, student may provide a photo student ID and acceptable documentation from the Dean or Bursar Office that the student lives on campus.
List B
• Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) issued by the Internal Revenue Service
• Form I-94 issued to the applicant by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
• Employment Authorization card (I-766) issued to the applicant by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
• I-551 issued to the applicant by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service
If you made it through all that, could find the appropriate documents, and they were accepted by the folks at the ID place, you can get your free ID. Congratulations. Of course, if you didn't have these documents handy, there's no telling how much time and money you may have had to spend to actually get one of these "free ID's".
Finally, here's a list that Bill Ketron, the author of both bills, passed along noting what is acceptable ID.
First, after January 1, 2012, according to the Tennessee Secretary of State's office, you will have to have a valid photo ID to vote. That means you must have a drivers license, state issued ID card, passport, or military ID to vote using a normal ballot (or machine as the case may be). Any other kind of ID will mean you'll have to do a provisional ballot and then prove your identity within 4 business days of the election to have that vote count.
Another bill that passed is SB 1666, which provides free ID cards for registered voters. The legislature rightly noted that passing an ID law without creating some avenue to receive an ID free of cost is essentially a poll tax, or at least that's what the US Supreme Court has held. By providing free ID's the state avoids the possibility of having the voter ID bill ruled unconstitutional.
Starting Friday July 1st, any registered voter that does not have a current valid photo ID can go to a Driver Service Center Location and get a free ID card for the purposes of voting.
The cards may not cost anything to get, but they aren't easy either. In order to get one you'll need a primary proof of identity, a secondary proof of identity and two proofs of residency.
In addition to all that, the voter must sign an affidavit saying they meet these conditions:
(1) Does not have a valid government issued photo identification;
(2) Is a registered voter in this state; and
(3) Needs the photo identification license for voting purposes.
That's a pretty tall order for folks who can't afford or don't have an ID in the first place, don't you think?
Currently, the ID requirements to vote are pretty low. You only need a voter registration card, Driver's license, or state issued id, or two of the items in this list.
Now that the state will soon be requiring a photo ID, after January 1, 2012 the bar will be twice as hard as it is now, which will, no doubt come as a surprise to some voters in the March Presidential Preference election.
I spoke with an official at the TN Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security, the agency that issues Driver's licenses and ID cards, and they said that as of right now there is not a PDF of the affidavit available online. Maybe that will be forthcoming in the next few days. They also said that at some point in the future, people seeking a state issued ID will not be able to leave the office with it, rather it will be mailed to them. So, for instance, if you forgot to renew your license or need a new photo and go to the office to get it, you'll have to wait for the US mail to deliver it, which will suck if your renewal date is near election day.
There are a whole lot more questions about this free ID law as well as the ID voting requirements. The ultimate consequences will not be known until the first part comes into effect on Friday. That said, I would suggest that anyone who doesn't have a state issued ID now, and wants to vote take advantage of the free ID system asap. There's no telling what regulatory changes will take place between now and January. The sooner you have your ID in order, the easier it will be to ensure you can vote in 2012.
h/t Squalto Rant
We as a progressive movement are losing the argument. On issue after issue, we're playing defense. – Sen. Al Franken (D) – MN
(video of his full comments can be found below, as well as a link to the full text)
There's this old saying that defense wins championships.
That may be true, but that depends on the terms of the game. In football, basketball, and even soccer and hockey there is a time limit. There are referees that enforce the rules. Under these conditions, effective defense may win championships by limiting the number of points your opponent may score. At the end of the day, defense without a healthy offense ends in a draw at best, or a loss. Without an offense, even the benefit of a time limit and "impartial" observers may not be enough to make the difference.
In politics the game is much different. There is no time limit. There are few real referees. The rules are not clearly defined, and are becoming even less so as time passes. Relying on defense may stop some of the lost ground, but it will not necessarily gain you any ground. You need offense, even if it is a conservative offense, to move the "ball" down the field. To gain position, and to use the time of possession against your opponent.
Most Democrats will concede that our offense has been lacking, both nationally and locally. I won't speculate as to why. The reasons are as wide and varied as the kinds of candidates we field, but at the end of the day, without a solid offense, no defense in the world is going to save you.
This is something that we in the "progressive blogosphere™" have been talking about for years. Nationally, I know it's been part of the conversation since the 2004 election. Here in Tennessee, there's been a lot of discussion about this on a more localized level since the 2008 elections. Through those discussions, there is some disagreement on just how that "offense" should be executed. Honestly, I don't think there's any one particular way to do it. You have to be ready to adjust to your opponent. Relying on one thing over another is a mistake that limits your ability to adjust. But at this point, I think just about everyone on our side would be happy with proof of life on any kind of offense.
What do I mean specifically? How about not falling for "straw man" arguments? Or maybe asserting your beliefs strongly and passionately rather than resting on some generic idea of "Democratic Values" which is a nice idea, but not as universal as it sounds, and falls flat on many voters across the spectrum. We have to actively define ourselves as Democrats. That's what Franken means when he says "we're losing the argument"… we've allowed ourselves to be defined, which means we're neither playing offense, nor is our defense all that great either.
In order to win the argument, we have to passionately and succinctly assert who we are and what we stand for. We have to pull our flag up from the ground and stop merely defending our position, we have to advance our position.
Doing this feels risky for risk averse politicians worried about the next election. But the truth of the matter is that not doing so is even more risky. As we become more entrenched in what we must defend, getting ourselves out of that trench to gain ground becomes a tougher climb.
It's time for our Democratic leaders to either lead or get out of the way. It's time to stop relying solely on defense and put the damn offense on the field. It's time to gain some ground. Until this happens, either by some serious stepping up, or stepping out of the way, Democrats in Tennessee will continue to be marginalized, largely of their own doing.
(h/t HuffPo though they likely wouldn't extend the same courtesy to me)
Partnership: An association of people working together for common goals and aims for their benefit.
Entitlement: A belief that one has a right to something with minimal or no contribution.
One persistent complaint that I hear about Memphis, from people who mostly live outside the city, is that the whole place is corrupt, from the City government and all its divisions to the schools, and the developers and regular joes on the street, depending on ingrained prejudices of the complainer.
I'll grant you that Memphis has problems, but the notion that Memphis is the home of corruption says more about the speaker than Memphis, and what it says isn't particularly pretty. Yeah we've got a lot of things to address, and yes those issues are challenging, but the lens through which these individuals see the world is one of having no skin in the game.
Memphis is a regional financial and population center. That means that a lot of what goes on in this area, which includes most of west TN, north MS, east AR, and even parts of KY and MO, happens because Memphis has this mantle. From that frame, all those parties, as well as the people of Memphis have skin in the game. The better Memphis does, the better all these surrounding areas will do.
But that's not the way people have chosen to look at it.
It's easy to leave. It's easy to whisk yourself away to your quiet suburban neighborhood in the County, or in DeSoto, or Crittenden and forget how much of your life and livelihood depends on Memphis being the best Memphis it can be. In fact, we've made it too easy over the years, expanding infrastructure to accomodate people who have checked out of being a part of the solution, often with little or no effort.
Good government doesn't just happen, it is intentional. It requires the participation of all those that have a stake in the success of an area. It requires people to serve as checks on power both at the ballot box, and the 1460 days between election days. It requires engagement and an understanding of issues that often fall outside our personal bubbles.
For instance, blight is not a serious problem in my neighborhood just outside of Central Gardens. Sure there are some ugly buildings. There are things that just don't fit the character and every time I pass them I wonder just what the heck someone was thinking. But I understand that blight be it a half mile away, or 5 miles away, negatively impacts me personally, even if I don't see it every day. It depresses home values across the city even if it doesn't exist next door. That, in turn, negatively impacts city tax revenue, which negatively impacts investments we should be making in our city, as well as vital services. All these things impact me, and they impact you too.
But too often we only look at the symptom. "This road is falling apart", "Crime is too high", "Traffic is a mess", whatever the complaint, it is not just constrained to the situation, it is a symptom of a bigger problem.
We, as a people feel entitled to good government, as if it is supposed to just make itself in a vacuum. As if it can judge for us what is good and what is bad with no input. This sense of entitlement is a passive aggressive stance, and one that is ultimately toxic for both the government and the people served by that government.
Certainly, everyone directly involved in government should endeavor to create and maintain "good government", whatever that is. But people are human, and because we are human we are fallible. Because our institutions, be they governments, or religious institutions, or other associations are made up of people, they are also fallible, and subject to failures as a result.
You don't have to look far for examples of this fallibility outside of government. The persistent reports of child abuse from clergy, which, despite perception, is not unique to the Catholic church, is an example of institutional failures due to human fallibility.
From that frame, the expectation that people, be they government officials or religious leaders, are just supposed to do the right thing on their own, is entitlement at its worst. Certainly we hope for this, but to expect it is folly. If you want something, you have to go out and make it. The people who benefit most from our institutions understand this.
"But they have too much power, access, etc." That may be true, but access has become much easier. Rarely does a day go by that I don't communicate with one of my elected officials. Just the other day I talked to Kemp Conrad, not because I have extraordinary access, but because we engaged each other. Through that engagement, hopefully, we both came away with a better understanding of our perspectives. Through this intentional engagement, my concerns, my perspective was heard. Whether or not it will impact the way Councilman Conrad votes is another issue entirely, but it was heard, and responded to, and in a partnership of over 600,000 people that make up Memphis, its something.
We all have to stop relying on someone else to do it for us. Certainly there are good people out there working for the good of all. People like Brad Watkins with Mid-South Peace and Justice Center who made tackling the homelessness problem in Memphis the cornerstone of MSPJC's mission. Or Memphis Heritage who lobbied relentlessly to save a historic building from demolition. But these people can't do this on their own, and neither can government. They need engagement, they need the energy of the people to find the best solutions for the challenges facing the city. They need it all the time, not just at budget time or on election day.
And that's one of the primary failures of Memphis as an economic and population center. We don't, as citizens or a government, act as though we're thinking three moves ahead, we react.
There are some significant problems with relying on a reaction rather than action. First, you're a step behind. Second, whatever you decide to do or not do is colored by the source of information. So if it's budget time and people are talking about an issue as if it's waste, you may decide its waste too, only to later discover that maybe it isn't. Your lack of direct information has hampered your ability to react making you at least 3 steps behind. Third, and most importantly, because you find yourself this far behind, you're in a really bad position to work for a positive solution. Now you're caught in a "just don't break it" mode, which is like putting your issue on life support.
I talk and think a lot about intention. Intention is a funny thing. We can all intend to do something or be something and not meet the bar set by that intention. But despite our falling below expectations there was some effort. Working intentionally is different. It means you have thought, and talked, and worked and built a coalition to deliberately impact something in some way.
In this city, and across the country I see a lot of people with good intentions, but I don't see enough people working intentionally, with a specific end in mind…at least not on my side of most issues. And that's why I think we've been losing ground for so long. We haven't been working intentionally as a group toward specific and tangible goals. Until those goals are defined and expressed to our government, from political leaders to low level government workers, the partnership will remain broken, and so will so much of what could be here in Memphis.
Ed. Note: I'll have more on ways to get involved and informed in an upcoming post. Stay tuned.


text:
There's something about the semifinal round of the Little League Section 5
12-year-old All-Star tournament that brings out a tremendous surge of power in
the bats of South Shore National.
Yesterday, host SSN blasted six home runs — four in a 10-run first inning —
and belted Franklin Square, L.I. 20-2 in a four-inning mercy-rule win in
Last year's SSN squad, which went to the World Series, belted eight taters in
a 26-3 rout over Baldwin LL in a Section 5 semifinal game.
District 24-champion SSN will play for the Section 5 title tomorrow at 5:30
p.m. at Kings Bay LL against District 27 champion Ozone-Howard. A trip to the
New York State tourney is at stake.
South Shore, playing as the visiting team, wasted no time putting away
Franklin Square, the District 29 champs. Leadoff batter Anthony Scotti got
things going by ripping a homer over the centerfield fence. After an error,
Louis Mandile smacked the first of his two homers in the inning over the
right-field fence.
After Nick Meola, Eric Schmardel and Christian Sullivan singled, Sal Mauro
went opposite field for a grand slam. Later, Mandile made it a 10-run frame with
a three-run shot to center.
"It's puzzling because we didn't play well Friday (in an 11-4 win over
Michael Buczek LL)," said SSN manager Mike Zaccariello, whose team scored 15
runs in the second inning against Baldwin last year. "We were kind of out of
sync. But the guys did a good job, and their approach was more focused. We got
some good at bats and worked ourselves into good counts."
"We were thinking fastball, and adjusting to the curve," noted Mandile, who
finished with six RBI. "We were waiting and trying to drive the ball to right
"Mandile played for me in the regular season," added Zaccariello. "He has
really nice hands and is able to keep them back."
Mandile (single) and Joe Latona (infield out) drove in a run each to make it
12-0 in the third. Ahead 12-2, SSN plated eight more in the fourth. Mauro drove
in his fifth run with a double, Robert Regina, Scotti and Meola had RBI singles
and Chris Nierva produced a three-run homer. Schmardel completed the homer
barrage with a solo shot to center.
Despite yesterday's impressive win, Zaccariello says it's too early to
forecast how far this team can advance.
"We're playing well, but it's a different team with different personalities,"
said Zaccariello. "I'm not sure how far we can go. Today, I was happy with the
way we hit the other way, and that they implemented what we work on."
*****NOTES: SSN came up with big defensive plays. With the bases loaded and two runs across in the third, Christian Sullivan made a catch of a sinking shot in left before Latona made the play of the day, stretching his glove up high to catch a scorching liner off the bat of Matt Cinnamo in right. "Latona saved us three runs," said Zaccariello. "Some of the hardest ones to catch are those hit straight at you..." Mike Russell pitched two innings and Mandile and Scotti hurled one each... Meola is expected to pitch tomorrow, but "it's all hands on deck," noted Zaccariello.


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BAY CITY, MI — There have been a lot of changes at Bay City's Morgan's Auto Repair during the last 50 years. Auto technician Jerome "Joe" Chislea has seen them all.
The 65-year-old began working at the former full-service gasoline station near downtown Bay City when he was just 16 years old.
"I started in high school at 16, basically, you know, pumping gas, washing cars and busting tires and doing oil changes. All that kind of stuff," he said.
Today, as Chislea prepares for retirement at month's end, the gas pumps are gone and Morgan's only offers auto repairs and maintenance.
"It went from full service, to self service to nothing — no gas," Chislea recalled. "We did have wreckers, too."
The changes at Morgan's mirror of how many gasoline stations in Michigan have evolved in the past half century. Some have become gas stations with convenience stores while others have dropped gas and are focused on auto repair.The early years
Morgan's opened in March 1964 at the corner of Columbus and Washington. Chislea started in December of that year.
Chislea said auto repair was a natural career choice for him."I was born into it, I think. My dad was a mechanic and, when I was probably that high, he had me washing parts," Chislea recalled, measuring a few feet up from the shop floor with his hand.
Morgan's moved to its current location, 800 Center, several years later, he said.After graduating from high school in 1966, Chislea continued to work at the shop. In 1967 and 1968 he attended Ferris State College, now Ferris State University, where he studied diesel and heavy equipment.
"I was going to change, but then when I come back the owner (Charlie Morgan Sr. and his son Charlie Morgan Jr.) talked me into staying for a while. I figured, 'Oh, what the heck. I'll stay for a while and see how it works out — I'm still here," he laughed.
Today, Mike and Diana Dalton own Morgan's. The Daltons bought the business in September 1988.
Diana Dalton said she and her husband will miss Chislea dearly. He's a hard worker who understands small business and a caring person who always has a positive attitude, she said.
"He was on the safety committee. He did things that weren't popular," she recalled. "But Joe didn't care. He did it because he knew it was a good idea."
Dalton said Chislea adapted as the business changed over the years, and he never complained.
"There were a lot of really big things that happened during his employment there and he's patient. He perseveres. He rose to all these challenges ... and was very loyal."
Full-service gas on every corner
Decades ago, before self-serve gas station/convenience stores, the stations were full-service operations.
Mark Griffin is the president of the Lansing-based Michigan Petroleum Association and Michigan Association of Convenience Stores.
"What happened is in the late 70s the major oil companies decided that the trend was going to be … to put convenience stores into gas stations instead of having a repair shop," Griffin said.
"And in states like Michigan at that time, the major oil companies owned a lot of retail locations and they would lease those locations to owners and operators (of gas stations)," he said.Griffin said the shift likely had something to do with the fact that convenience stores are more profitable on a square footage basis than auto repair shops.
"It was something that the major oil companies thought they would do better at than auto repair," he said.
As vehicles became more complicated, "auto repair was probably a niche that they didn't want to be in," he said.
As gas stations and auto repair parted ways, making room for convenience stores stocked with pop, candy, cigarettes and lottery tickets, stand-alone auto repair shops became common, Griffin said.
In the 1980s, the Michigan Petroleum Association took note of that shift.
"We added our convenience store association in '84 and that was recognizing that many of our members were in that transition," he said.
Since then, major oil companies have gotten out of retail almost entirely, selling off their chains in the early 2000's, Griffin said.
At the same time, tougher regulations on gasoline storage began to phase out small operators.
Across the street from Morgan's in Bay City is Konkle's Super Service, 715 Center Ave. Konkle's also started out as a full-service Sinclair gas station decades ago, said current owner John Konkle.Konkle took over the family business in 1991. His father Art Konkle owned it before him, and his father's cousin, Tom Williams, who opened the business in 1933, owned it before him.
"We always were an auto repair facility and we sold gas," Konkle said. "There was a gas station on every other corner back in the '50s and '60s."
in the late '90s, Konkle's got out of the gas business when an
EPA mandate meant gas stations would need to upgrade their equipment or close, Konkle said.
More complex machines
One reason former gas stations have survived the changes is that automobiles have become much more complicated today than they were when Chislea started working 50 years ago.
"The cars are much better now than they were back then, but they're a lot more complicated. They do last longer. They do run a lot better and a lot cleaner," he said.
When asked what his least favorite thing about cars today is, he replied, "Too many computers. Everything has a computer now... it's crazy. When I started there were none and they worked just fine."
Chislea performs a wide variety of repairs and maintenance work on cars as an Automotive Service Excellence master mechanic.
"This is my bay right here. Well, these two I work on mostly," Chislea said, walking back to bays three and four. "We do shocks, brakes, struts, you know, water pumps, radiators, tune ups, oil changes, of course — minor stuff — new tires, that kind of thing."
But after a 50-year career, Chislea said he's looking forward to retirement.
A blue sign with yellow letters spelling "Happy Retirement" hung in the shop's small lobby. The sign out front thanks Chislea for his half a century of service.He plans to spend his free time fishing, visiting Drummond Island and working on home improvement projects.
"(I'm) retiring from work — not from the honey-do list, no," he said.


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Consistent with how he reacted in his previous trial that ended in mistrial, a 50-year-old Old Bridge man accused of murder viewed several photos of his alleged victim, battered and bloody, without showing any emotion in court earlier today.
Patrick Smith, a former Jersey City resident, has been charged with stabbing Robert E. Murphy, 68, to death in Murphy's home hours after delivering drugs to him on May 21, 2010.
Medical examiner Dr. Eddy Lilavois took the stand this morning and described to the jury in grisly detail the injuries that caused Murphy's death. There were three blunt force injuries to the back of Murphy's head, one of which fractured his skill, as well as multiple stab wounds to his neck and chest, Lilavois said.
Both of Murphy's lungs were punctured by stab wounds, he testified.
"The death of Mr. Murphy was caused by multiple stab wounds and that the death was a homicide," Lilavois told Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor John Wojtal when asked what his conclusions were after examining Murphy's body.
Under cross-examination by Smith's defense attorney, Carl Broege, Lilavois said he had no idea how many people were involved in causing Murphy's death.
Det. Sgt. Polly Hans of the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, who took part in the investigation into Murphy's death, also took the stand earlier this morning, telling the jury under Wojtal's questioning that she had interviewed a woman who was with Smith on the night Murphy was murdered.
Under cross-examination by Broege, Hans testified that what investigators originally suspected was blood on Smith's sneakers turned out not to be blood. Hans also admitted no "formal comparison" had been made between Smith's sneakers and the bloody shoe prints found in Murphy's apartment after he was murdered.
Wojtal said in his opening statement Tuesday that there was no direct forensic evidence linking Smith to Murphy's murder.
An earlier trial on Smith's murder charge and other charges ended in mistrial on Sept. 21, 2012. At that time, the jury found Smith guilty on six drug counts, not guilty on two other drug counts and it was deadlocked on the counts of murder, felony murder, armed robbery and robbery.
The acquittal on the two drug counts were upheld and Smith's convictions were later overturned after it was discovered that one of the jurors in his trial did their own research and disclosed Smith's criminal record to the rest of the jurors during deliberations.


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Many people sneer at the idea that addiction is a disease. "Surely so-and-so can just stop drinking" they say about alcoholics, unaware that an alcoholic can't control his craving for more drink -- just as a cancer or diabetes patient can't control the progression of his disease. Anyone who knows an alcoholic, or a hard core drug addict, will know that many of them desperately want to give up but are unable to.
The media, society and relaxed licensing laws all have a part to play in the rise in eating disorders or alcohol-related diseases, but I believe the problem goes much deeper than that. From my experience, recovery from addiction lies at our core - with those deep, painful feelings that drive us to drink, drugs or food - and not on the surface.


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South Kitsap's 'competitor' looks to guide school to state
He remembers attending myriad South Kitsap basketball games, mesmerized by the talents of Tippy Burk and L.P. Neloms.
And for the first time since that duo graduated six years ago, senior Tom Simpson and his teammates have a realistic shot of advancing to the Class 4A state basketball tournament.
South (10-4 overall, 5-1 4A Narrows) entered Wednesday game against Bellarmine Prep just one-half game behind the Lions in league as the Wolves aim for their first state-playoff appearance since 2006. An ankle injury Neloms suffered derailed South's state aspirations in 2007 when it entered the 4A West Central District playoffs as the top seed.
Simpson acknowledges that he and the rest of the seniors lack the natural athletic ability of Neloms, who now is an assistant coach for South after playing at Olympic College, and Burk. But he hopes the program's seven seniors can supplement the talent of arguably the team's two best players — junior guards Caulin Bakalarski and Ryley Callaghan.
"This group of seniors has been playing together since sixth or seventh grade," Simpson said. "The camaraderie on this team is awesome. I've never really played basketball with any other players."
South coach John Callaghan said Simpson is one of the most competitive athletes he has guided in 15 seasons with the Wolves. He said Simpson even strives to finish first when the team is running laps in the gym.
"The one word that comes to mind is competitor," Callaghan said. "He competes in everything. It resonates throughout the team."
Simpson, who maintains a 3.5 grade-point average, hopes he has cultivated leadership skills and sound decision making from his parents. His mother, Kathryn, is a member of South Kitsap School District's Board of Directors, and also works as a management analyst for the Navy. Simpson's father, John, is an engineer at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. Given his mother's prominence in the community, Simpson said he strives set a strong example and stay out of trouble.
"Teachers definitely know who my mom is," said Simpson, adding that he is grateful that both of his parents are involved given their professional commitments. "I'm definitely used to it by now."
Simpson already is contemplating possible careers, including engineering. He takes Advanced Placement Calculus at South and said he always has been strong at math. But Simpson also wants to keep his options open when it comes to selecting a major.
After all, a year ago Simpson could have envisioned himself playing guard or outfield at a college. But after longtime friend Nic Stoner told him he would play football last spring during English class, Simpson made a spot decision that he would join him despite not playing since ninth grade. Even though neither played football in 2011, both Simpson and Stoner joined classmate Devon Newquist as starters in new coach Eric Canton's three-receiver standard set. Simpson enjoyed the experience enough that he hopes to continue playing at a Division III Northwest Conference school, such as Puget Sound or Whitworth, next year.
Simpson has not set a timetable for making a decision. In addition to classwork, he also has been transitioning between sports. Simpson plans to be a three-sport athlete this season — he pitches and plays outfield in baseball — but previously focused on honing his hardwood skills during the fall. This season, Simpson found himself playing his final football game and first basketball contest during the same month.
"The transition was a little slow at first," he said. "But it's kind of like riding a bike — it comes back if you've been playing that long."
Simpson acknowledges that evoking the memories of Burk and Neloms won't be easy as the Wolves wrap up the regular season. After tonight's contest at Central Kitsap, South still has another road challenge Feb. 1 at Olympia before it completes league play a week later at home against Stadium, which beat the Wolves 64-54 on Dec. 12.
"There's still a long way to go before the end of the season," Simpson said. "But I've talking with people around the community and they're happy to see South playing as we were in the mid 2000s. It's really fun."
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Darton State College Institutional Advancement & Public Relations In the Spotlight - Read | Macht Takes Home Gold At National Championship
Home » Administration » Institutional Advancement & Public Relations
In The Spotlight
Macht Takes Home Gold At National Championship
Freshman student-athlete Anna Macht just upped the bar for an already successful Darton College swimming program, leaving ten school records in her wake as she swam into All-America status and a national title at the 2012 NJCAA Swimming and Diving Championships in Ft. Pierce, Fla.
Along with a silver-medal in the 200-yard individual medley and a fifth-place finish in the 100-yard freestyle, Macht swam the 400-yard individual medley in 4:27 – beating the former school record by five seconds and earning a coveted position at the top of the champions' podium with a gold medal in hand.
"I only wanted to win," she said. "I was really excited. My goal all season was to win something (at nationals)."
And what a season it was for Macht, who broke school records in the 100- and 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke, 100- and 200-yard breaststroke, and the 200- and 400-yard individual medleys.
She also swam with relay teams that set new records in the 800-yard freestyle, 400-yard freestyle and 400-yard medley relays. In total, Macht holds seven individual records and three relay records at Darton, after only one season with the program.
All the while Macht earned excellent grades as a full-time student at Darton.
"If you had to define the perfect student-athlete, it would be Anna," said Darton head swimming coach Molly Gilbert. "She's one of a kind – sometimes you have athletes that are really good, but they're not fun to coach, or they make bad grades, or they have other issues – but Anna is the complete package.
"She's a joy to be around. She loves what she does. She loves coming to practice."
Macht's father was a competitive swimmer, and he introduced her to swimming at an early age at her home in Germany. She said years of experience in the pool kept her relaxed and focused as she went into the national meet.
"I'm not scared," she said. "I try to stay happy and tell myself that I can do it. I stay positive and think back to all of the training that I put in."
While Macht said she will take a break now that her first collegiate season has come to a close, it won't be long before she is back in the pool again.
"It will be time to practice for next year's nationals," she said. "My goal for next year is to become 'National Swimmer of the Year.'"
Darton College freshman Anna Macht leads the 400-yard individual medley on her way to a gold medal at the NJCAA championships in Ft. Pierce, Fla.
Darton College freshman Anna Macht is honored at
the podium following her gold-medal finish.
The Institutional Advancement & Public Relations department is responsible for the information on this page.
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Last Update: June 30, 2016 10:16 AM
The Darton State College web site is maintained by the Technology Services Division.


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SOMERVILLE — Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano announces that on November 8, a Somerset County Jury found Jullian Oree, age 32, of Teaneck, New Jersey guilty of Burglary, 3rd degree; Theft, 2nd degree; and Criminal Mischief, 3rd degree. The jury acquitted Oree of Resisting Arrest, 4th degree. The Jury deliberated for approximately four hours. The Honorable Robert B. Reed, J.S.C., presided over the trial. During jury selection on October 23, 2013, codefendant Anthony Bostick, age 43 of Teaneck, New Jersey pleaded guilty to Burglary, 3rd degree; Theft, 2nd degree; Criminal Mischief, 3rd degree; and Resisting Arrest, 4th degree.
Prosecutor Soriano states that on November 23, 2010, a Watchung Borough resident returned home to discover that his house had been burglarized. A responding Watchung Police Officer observed a Dodge Charger parked in a neighboring driveway. When the officer approached the vehicle, the driver sped away. Subsequent to a high speed chase through the Watchung Reservation the vehicle eventually spun out of control when it entered a parking lot. After ramming a police vehicle head on, the four occupants exited the vehicle fled the area.
Various surrounding police agencies responded to the area to assist in searching for the suspects. A Union County K-9 discovered defendant Bostick bedded down on leaves in the Watchung Reservation not far from the scene of the crash. A New Jersey State Trooper apprehended defendant Oree walking on Interstate Route 78.
Defendant Oree faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in State Prison. Defendant Bostick faces a maximum sentence of thirty one and one-half years in State Prison. Both are scheduled to be sentenced in January 2014.
The case was investigated by the Watchung Borough Police Department with the assistance of the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Burglary Task Force and Forensic Units, the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences, the Union County Police Department, the Union County Sheriff's Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Robert J. Hawkes.


text:
Germany, 1958
Directed by: Géza von Radványi,
Cast and Credits
Director Géza von Radványi Cast Roma Bahn [Not credited] Blandine Ebinger Therese Giehse [Oberin] Christine Kaufmann [Mia] Lilli Palmer [Frl. von Bernburg] Romy Schneider [Manuela von Meinhardis] Sabine Sinjen [Ilse von Westenhagen]
The information above does not purport to be exhaustive, but give the level of information to our database at the time of last update. All figures are best knowledge and belief researched to, legal claims arising from incorrect or missing information are expressly rejected.
Due to the current law in some countries can be held responsible person who addresses refers to having a criminal content spread may or criminal content and pages further refer, unless he closes clear from such liability. Our links below are researched to the best of my knowledge and belief, but we can not accept in any way for the content of these web pages and links from us any liability. We provide this explanation by analogy from all countries and all languages of. Quotations, if not otherwise marked, in the usual right to quote with identification of the sources added.
The copyright lies with the authors of these quotes - Mädchen in Uniform (1958) - KinoTV


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T-Birds' Gropp, Barzal to play for Team Canada in Under-18 World play
For the Reporter
Seattle Thunderbirds left wing Ryan Gropp and center Mathew Barzal plays for Team Canada at the Under-18 World Championship on April 17-27 in Finland.
Gropp finished his rookie season with 42 points on 18 goals and 24 assists. He had one goal and three assists in nine playoff games. Gropp, a 17-year-old from Kamloops, British Columbia, was the T-Birds' first-round selection, sixth overall, in the 2011 Bantam Draft.
Barzal had 54 points on 14 goals and 40 assists in his first season with the T-Birds. He had one goal and five assists in nine playoff games. Barzal, a 16-year-old from Coquitlam, British Columbia, was the T-Birds' first-round selection, first overall, in the 2012 Bantam Draft.
Canada is the defending champion at the world championship, having won its third gold medal last year in Sochi, Russia. Canada plays pre-tournament game April 14 against Denmark and opens the tournament April 17 against Sweden.
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What to see: Time your visit for a Saturday morning or early afternoon and explore the Hillsboro Farmers Market (Main Street between First and Third Avenue), which has been selling fresh produce since 1981. Next to the market is the Washington County Courthouse, which is set off by a grove of sequoia trees planted in 1880 by a California gold prospector turned nurseryman.
Farther east on Main, you find the Venetian Theatre (253 E. Main St.; 503-693-3953), which dates to 1888 and reopened in 2008 after a $1.5 million renovation. All the improvements haven't slowed reports of paranormal activity -- there have been so many that teams of ghost hunters have investigated with spooky results. Less eerie are the stage productions by Bag & Baggage Theatre that are presented at the Venetian, including "Of Mice and Men" this fall and a spoof of "A Christmas Carol" in December.
View Hillsboro in a larger map
Back at The Venetian, the bistro in the lobby serves Northwest fare such as crab cakes and grilled salmon, plus burgers, pizza and pasta. For some of the best sushi in the area, consider Syun Izakaya (209 N.E. Lincoln St.; 503-640-3131), where regulars know to focus on the specials board, featuring whatever was ultra-fresh or unusual at the fishmongers, plus the long list of sakes.
-- Grant Butler
Follow @grantbutler


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The wreck occurred at 7:48 a.m. three miles north of Wedowee on U.S. 431. Mindy Adams Brown, 32, who was driving a 2001 Pontiac Firebird, was killed.
Three passengers traveling with Brown were also injured - Bethany Green, 35, Elin Shelton, 3, and Daylan Brown, five weeks old. There were no further details on their conditions.
The other two drivers were not injured. Troopers are investigating the wreck.
This post was corrected at 1:42 p.m. after Troopers corrected the age of one victim from report.


text:
City announces loans to make up for shortfalls
Tuesday,December 12, 2006
By Susan Vinella and Tasha Flournoy
Plain Dealer Reporters
The city can't make construction disappear along the downtown Euclid Corridor, but it will try to prop up businesses hurt by the mess.
Cleveland City Council on Monday agreed to guarantee $250,000 in loans from local banks to mom-and-pop shops that have lost business since roadwork began earlier this year on the $200 million Euclid Avenue project.
The construction has made access to street parking and sidewalks difficult, so fewer patrons have been shopping at the stores and eating at the restaurants along the avenue. Sales have plummeted as much as 80 percent, city officials said, forcing some businesses to close.
The loans -- limited to $20,000 per business -- are meant to help make up for the shortfalls.
"The goal of this is to help keep the businesses afloat, to get them through this road project," said Kevin Schmotzer, who oversees small-business growth for the city.
Businesses between Public Square and East 30th Street on Euclid Avenue are eligible for the loans, which will be administered by the WECO Fund, a nonprofit agency that specializes in small loans.
Interest rates will range from zero to 2 percent in the first year and jump to 8 percent after that. The loans must be repaid within four years.
Emily Goler, owner of Selah Salon and Spa on Euclid near East 12th Street, welcomes the city's aid. She has tried hosting reduced-price spa parties to attract more customers.
It's not helping.
Goler said her business has dropped 50 percent since the April filming of "Spider-Man 3," which brought lots of activity and people to Euclid Avenue.
"It's a lot easier to pay a low-interest loan than uproot and re-establish somewhere else," she said.
Fred Marina, owner of the Hanna Restaurant at East 14th near Euclid, said he, too, will probably apply for a loan. Construction outside his front door has discouraged pedestrians from crossing the street to get to the restaurant.
"Breakfast is dead. Dinner is dead. People can't cross the street," Marina said.
Joseph Calabrese, head of the Regional Transit Authority, is pleased the city will lend a hand to struggling businesses. He just hopes businesses can continue to be patient.
"Although we understand for the next 18 months there will be some disruption, in the long run . . . business will be better," Calabrese said.
The project is expected to be finished in the next two years and provide a fast, convenient link between University Circle and downtown. It will feature buses that operate much like a rapid train.
Tom Frankel, owner of Traveller's Shoppes on Euclid, is trying to be patient with the concrete barriers that construction workers have placed in front of his store. Business is slow, he said, but a loan right now is not the answer for him.
"I'm not looking to get further in debt," he said. "I'm looking for people to buy stuff."
To reach these Plain Dealer reporters: email@example.com, 216-999-5010,
email@example.com, 216-999-4961


text: I eat sweet potatoes all the time. In fact last night I had eggs over easy, sausage and sweet potato hash. I usually eat them on days I workout. Although I probably wouldn't eat 10 pounds a week, I don't see a reason to limit them. unless oh course you are considerably over weight and looking to lose.