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Eleven proposed charter amendment resolutions will be discussed Thursday night during the Ypsilanti City Council meeting. Those proposed amendments could end up on the November ballot.
The list of proposed resolutions will be brought before council at the request of Council Member Pete Murdock, according to a memo from City Attorney John Barr. The proposed resolutions stem from a 2012 ballot measure that would have rewritten the city charter.
That measure was narrowly defeated after voters had initially voted to form a charter commission in 2010. City charter requires that a vote be held every 16 years to determine if a commission is needed to rewrite the charter. Once the 2010 vote called for the commission to be formed, voters elected not to approve the new charter.
Murdock contends there were some necessary changes in that proposal and thinks they should be back on the ballot so that the city can get more in line with state laws, while doing some cleaning up of the charter.
"There were a lot of good things that came out of their recommendation in terms of cleaning it up and I thought we should possibly do those," Murdock said.
Council will vote on all 11 proposals Thursday, and five yes votes are required for each proposal to get it on the ballot. Murdock said he did not believe Mayor Paul Schreiber would be at the meeting, meaning five of the six council members in attendance will have to agree to get each proposal on the ballot.
Murdock went on to say now was the time to suggest the changes as they must be part of a general election vote. The general election will be held on Nov. 4
The 11 proposed changes are as follows:
Remove the mandatory revision process.
City charter currently requires voters to decide whether or not to revise the charter every 16 years. The amendment would eliminate that process and all charter revisions would be done according to state law, which would require either a petition or initiation of city council.
Permit publication of ordinance by city website when authorized by law.
This would allow for the city to publish an ordinance online and would be a cost saving measure for the city.
Provide the city clerk act as city manager in the absence of the city manager.
Currently there is no clear direction for how the city proceeds in the absence of the city manager. This proposal would have the city clerk fill that role in the city manager's absence.
Permit city council to discontinue city boards and commissions.
The charter does not lay out a proper way for the city to discontinue a board or commission. This proposal gives that power to city council.
Allow ordinances to have immediate effect upon a two-thirds council vote.
This would allow for ordinances passed by council to become effective immediately when a super majority agrees to do so. Emergency ordinances would be approved in one reading.
Currently, ordinances are effective 30 days after adoption ar at a later date agreed on. Under the new provisions, ordinances would become immediately effective by a two-thirds vote of council as long as they don't adopt or amend an administrative code, provide for a fine or establish a rule or regulation for a violation that can result in a fine.
Provide for council meetings once a month instead of every 30 days.
Council is required to meet every 30 days under the current charter, this would change that to once a month.
Allow city council members to serve on city boards and commissions.
As suggested by the city Planning Commission, this would allow for council members to serve outside of council. The City of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Township allow their elected officials to serve on boards and commissions.
Provide that city candidates for office file petitions on the 15th Tuesday before the primary election, or according to state law.
The city charter allows for petitions to be filed on the 12th Tuesday before the primary. This would change the law to confirm with state law.
Allow sale of land after a public hearing by resolution.
The recommendation is to have a public hearing and resolution when
considering the sale or lease of city-owned land.
Allow city council to remove members of boards and commissions by a two-thirds vote.
Charter currently allows for the removal of board members only through recommendation of the mayor.
Provide for confirmation of a special assessment roll within the City by resolution, when permitted by law
Charter does not conform with the city code. This amendment would allow for adoption by resolution and will improve the process. With the exception of limited special assessment purposes, this amendment also brings the procedure within the statutory requirements.
Matt Durr covers Ypsilanti for The Ann Arbor News. Email him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter.


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You could always tell John Ed Bradley was a deep thinker.
Our paths often crossed as part of LSU's Class of 1979. He was the starting center on coach Charles McClendon's last Tigers' team and I was a student assistant for LSU sports information.
One of my duties was to get players to show up and sit down for phone interviews with media that couldn't make it to campus.
The feedback from the media after a John Ed interview was he was so insightful they wished they could talk to him every week.
That's why it's no surprise that John Ed became a novelist and a contributor to many major magazines, including Sports Illustrated.
In celebration of the magazine's 60th anniversary, SI.com sat down with John Ed for a revealing Q-and-A. It's worth a read.

subset: commoncrawl


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Yes, the Knicks pulled out a 98-95 overtime win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, but what was really accomplished? As Newsday's Al Iannazzone wrote, New York -- a team playing without J.R. Smith (sore left ankle), Amar'e Stoudemire (bruised left knee), Marcus Camby (strained calf), Rasheed Wallace (conditioning), Iman Shumpert (knee) and Ronnie Brewer (knee) -- can't really develop chemistry without a full deck.
Of course, coach Mike Woodson doesn't seem too worried.
"You think about that," he said, as quoted by Iannazzone. "But as we near that first game, we're going to have a good five, six days of work that we put in without any games, which is kind of nice. Hopefully by that time, everybody will be ready to go."
The good news was that the new members of the Knicks made some clutch plays, even after a poor defensive second half.
The New York Times' Nate Taylor:
"Jason Kidd gave the Knicks the lead in the final minute of overtime with a long jumper. Chris Copeland secured the victory by grabbing a rebound in traffic, making two free throws with 11.3 seconds left and blocking Jamar Smith's last-second 3-pointer, which could have sent the game into double overtime."
In other Knicks news:
• As Marc Berman of the New York Post explained, Celtics coach Doc Rivers doesn't mind being the second-oldest team in the division: "Boston coach Doc Rivers is happy the Knicks have the distinction of being the league's oldest team, replacing Boston. But Rivers wouldn't go as far as saying the Knicks are their toughest challenge in the division... 'I think they're good moves,' Rivers said of the Knicks' additions of Jason Kidd (39), Marcus Camby (38), Raymond Felton (28) and his former player Rasheed Wallace (38). 'They surpassed us as being the oldest team. We enjoyed that — being called the new, young kids on the block. But all of them can play, all have great knowledge. I think they'll help them.'"
• The Knicks are taking it easy with Stoudemire, but Steve Zipay of Newsday reminded us that there's enough history in the All-Star's knees to make fans nervous: "Stoudemire, who has chronic knee problems and underwent microfracture surgery in October 2005 while with the Suns, was hurt on a drive to the hoop in practice Wednesday and sat out the Knicks' 108-101 win over the Wizards in Washington on Thursday... Stoudemire said he tried to make a powerful move and banged knees with forward Chris Copeland. 'At the time it didn't feel bad,' he said, 'but when it all settled down and I was able to relax a little bit, that's when it has a tendency to get tight and it restricts some movement there.'"
• Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com made some good observations about New York's second-half defense: "The Knicks got a little lazy making stops in the second half (see below), but they turned it up in the fourth quarter -- and there were no first-stringers on the court. Kidd and Prigioni led the team with two steals each, and Copeland transformed into Melo, becoming the team's leading scorer during the hot stretch. He finished with 21 points in 19 minutes, and he blocked a Celtics' shot at the end to prevent them from taking the lead. During training camp, coaches look to develop a comfort level with their bench rotation, so Woody should be feeling pretty good about tonight."


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The Arizona Wildcats might get a crack at Duke on the floor next week in New York, but the Wildcats lost a major recruiting battle Thursday when Houston wing Justise Winslow chose the Blue Devils.
Then again, everybody lost to Duke when it came to this year's fall recruiting class.
Winslow's choice, which the five-star wing announced during a live-streamed event at St. John's School, only solidified what is the consensus No. 1 class, which also includes big man Jahlil Okafor, guard Tyus Jones and wing Grayson Allen.
Arizona's four-man class is being rated in the top five except by ESPN, which has the Wildcats eighth.
In a statement, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said he was "ecstatic" about the players Duke signed and called Winslow a great wing player.
"He is a guy that can guard every position and is an amazing rebounder and scorer," Krzyzewski said.
Winslow, a longtime target of the Wildcats, chose Duke over UA, UCLA, Texas A&M, Florida and Stanford. He choked up several times as he thanked a long list of supporters, then grabbed a Duke hat and finished his speech.
"Without further ado, next year I will be attending Duke to play for Coach K," Winslow said.
Winslow was then showered with Silly String before the webcast was shut off. Afterward, St. John's AD Vince Arduini said the webcast generated 16,000 hits, and more than 3,000 people were watching the stream when Winslow made his announcement.
Winslow's tearful speech "sort of defined what type of kid he is," Arduini said.
"It's always a hard choice," Arduini said. "We wish him well."
Winslow's decision means Arizona will finish its fall 2014 recruiting class with four players: forward Craig Victor, guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright, guard Kadeem Allen and wing Stanley Johnson.
Johnson is a top-10 player in the class of 2014, Victor is a Top 30 player, Jackson-Cartwright Top 60 and Allen is a returning all-American junior college player.


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- Articles
- Book Reviews
- About me
Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author, and book reviewer.
Trending Topics
BlogSwap 3 - Entries
July 30, 2004
Today is BlogSwap 3 and it was an open assignment - people were free to write about anything they wanted, and could even submit a favorite article they posted in the past. Despite it being a "freebie" with no real effort required, several people did not participate. Tsk tsk!
Here is the list of participants:
- www.millerfamily.biz/blog/blogger.html
- http://simplegames.blogspot.com
- http://everydaymusings.blogspot.com/
- www.whatintarnation.net
- www.sober-minded.com
- http://danny.brendoman.com
- www.theirvins.com
- http://ochuk.gizzar.com/
- www.coffeeswirls.com
- www.challies.com
- www.matt-hall.net
- www.whatisthis.com
- www.tulipgirl.com
- www.yafreax.com
- penguinboy.weblogs.us
- joemissionary.blogspot.com
BlogSwap 4 will be coming up in two weeks time. If you have no signed up in the past and would like to participate, drop me a line.
BlogSwap 3 - Open Assignment
BlogSwap 3 - Open Assignment
Is It Better Not To Marry?
Is It Better Not To Marry?
In lieu of a comments section, I accept and encourage letters to the editor.
If you would like to write a letter to the editor, you can do so here.


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City announces consultant for review of traffic patterns and problems around university
A long-planned study of traffic patterns around Memorial University is finally moving ahead.
© — Telegram file photo
A pedestrian on a crosswalk at Memorial University in September 2013.
U.S. firm Hatch Mott MacDonald, which has an office in St. John's, is carrying out the study, which is being funded by the city, the university and the provincial government.
City council awarded the tender to Hatch Mott MacDonald in November at an estimated cost of $220,000, half of which will be paid by St. John's and the remaining 50 per cent split equally by MUN and the province.
The study will examine traffic patterns, the road network, capacity, pedestrian safety and public transit. People can offer opinions online at muntrafficstudy.ca, and there will be public information sessions June 12 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. in the Junior Common Room of R. Gushue Hall on campus.
In 2012, students, faculty and staff held a demonstration on campus calling for increased lighting and reduced speed limits on campus following an accident that took place in the area.
In October 2013, there were two vehicle-pedestrian accidents on Westerland Road, which runs between MUN and the Aquarena.
The area of study includes Prince Philip Drive from Thorburn Road to the east entrance of the Confederation Building, Elizabeth Avenue and Freshwater Road from Kenmount Road to Allandale Road, and Allandale Road from the Outer Ring Road to Elizabeth Avenue.


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Member Since: September 01, 2010
[2] November 5, 2015 at 9:57pm
I don't understand why this is so laughable. I'm sure not one of the commentators have spent time contemplating about the pyramids before this happened. Now they suddenly know that it's an impossible theory? They must be outside their "comfort zone."
February 20, 2014 at 3:11pm
That's a dog, an old one. Wolves don't walk that way.
November 11, 2013 at 10:02am
Sounds to me like he never said that he was black. He just marketed himself to his constituents in a way he thought they would like. It's called advertising. There's no story here – except that he unseated a long time incumbent.
November 6, 2013 at 11:17am
What ever happened to the concept of "Evil flourishes when good men do nothing"? I think David Barton is a good man and, like many others before him — Washington comes to mind — he needs to step up and serve his time. There are others spreading his message around the country as well if not better than David can. If he passes this one up it's going to be a long 6 years.
On a different note, what other good men do we have that could win? Rick Greene?
In reply to the story Historian David Barton Makes Major Announcement About Potential Senate Run
November 6, 2013 at 11:43am
DLV responded:
November 6, 2013 at 8:49pm
GCT responded:
August 31, 2013 at 11:58am
Brigott -I agree with your post: "If someone is uncomfortable around a gay-pride demonstration, will the gay demonstrators then be arrested for disorderly conduct?
Or if illegal immigrants make people uncomfortable, will the illegals then be arrested?
Or if Pelosi visits Texas, will she be arrested? I know I would be uncomfortable around her."
Why does this not apply to discomfort in other situations? Stinks.
July 24, 2013 at 2:02pm
I'm glad that Bill O'Reilly started this conversation. Let's keep it going and be civil.
July 20, 2013 at 3:26pm
Women's bodies are built for nursing their babies. The body automatically responds this way after giving birth. It is painful NOT to nurse your baby. After birth, the doctor will give medication to reduce the lactation if the mom plans not to nurse. This is natural and it is also nurturing. There should be no problem doing it in public, as long as the mom is discrete. You too were a baby once.
In reply to the story 'Tears Started Welling in My Eyes': Mom's Surprise Note from Waitress Goes Viral
July 20, 2013 at 7:30pm
sta responded:
July 20, 2013 at 10:23pm
billieg responded:
July 18, 2013 at 12:33pm
Disturbing on a number of levels.
In reply to the story This Could Be the Most 'Extreme' Wedding Photo You've Seen
July 19, 2013 at 7:49am
Mrose responded:
June 24, 2013 at 11:17am
"By their fruits, ye shall know them."
In reply to the story Mother of Syrian Boy Says Rebels Killed Son Over a Joke Mentioning Muhammad
May 17, 2013 at 12:38pm
Why were they having a press conference outside if it was raining? That could've been easily moved inside out of consideration for all of the reporters standing in the rain with their electronics, etc. That would've been a classy move. The Marines were following orders. They're fine. A better choice for them, given this odd situation, would've been to both stand to the right of those they were sheltering. Marines never carry anything in their right hand – mostly so they can salute when necessary. However he may have been asked by the president to stand on his left. Not that big of a deal folks. The bigger deal is holding the press conference in the rain. One could say he did it to keep things short.
In reply to the story Was It Against Uniform Protocol for the Marine to Hold Obama's Umbrella?
May 3, 2013 at 2:55pm
Not only have these dogs been abused, the breed is illegal in that county. For those of you who don't know what that means, it means that these dogs can and most likely will be killed by animal control. Breed specific legislation is wrong. It's not the breed, it's the owner. These dogs need to be trained to kill other dogs, it doesn't come naturally.
In reply to the story Have You Heard About the Disturbing New Animal Abuse Trend Known as 'Trunking'?
January 29, 2013 at 10:49am
Why not demand quotas for German-Americans, Swedish-Americans, Polish-Americans, etc. It is equally as valid. Its all just communist subversion.
January 2, 2013 at 12:10pm
Graphic is mislabeled — says "billion" instead of "trillion" on deficit side.
In reply to the story Stunning Graphic Shows Possible Reason the House GOP Balked at Senate's Fiscal Cliff Bill
January 2, 2013 at 12:54pm
iamnotu responded:
January 1, 2013 at 11:58am
This sounds more like an accidental discharge. Someone like her wouldn't just check out without a note somewhere. Need more info.
In reply to the story Pastor's Wife Buys Gun From TX Shop -- And Shoots Herself Dead in the Parking Lot
January 1, 2013 at 4:54pm
taintso responded:
December 14, 2012 at 11:24am
Schools on "lock-down"? Public schools are already like little prisons — can't get in, can't get out — even if YOUR child is in there. High schools are the worst. Why people keep sending their kids into this system, I'll never know. It's a bad deal for everyone involved.
Teachers ought to be able to conceal carry at school, otherwise they are all sitting ducks.
In reply to the story Shooting at Connecticut Elementary School -- Gunman, Children Dead
December 14, 2012 at 12:04pm
ranepowel responded:
December 14, 2012 at 12:15pm
Cavallo responded:
December 14, 2012 at 12:19pm
atechgeek responded:
December 14, 2012 at 12:26pm
Trigus responded:
December 14, 2012 at 1:08pm
SREGN responded:
December 14, 2012 at 1:20pm
GhostOfJefferson responded:
December 14, 2012 at 1:23pm
makamae responded:
December 14, 2012 at 2:04pm
holy ghostbuster responded:
December 14, 2012 at 2:09pm
AMickey1126 responded:
December 14, 2012 at 2:37pm
decendentof56 responded:
December 14, 2012 at 2:44pm
uzeguize responded:
December 14, 2012 at 3:54pm
Durtypoon responded:
October 30, 2012 at 5:33pm
There are many relief organizations that would be happy to take the donations Romney collect – whatever they are. Look to Mercury One for a list of good relief organizations to donate money/food/water to.
October 29, 2012 at 12:32pm
As a simulation type of exercise it is useful, though this is best done as a group exercise aloud and not written. The creepy part is writing it down – so you go somewhere and think through a terrorist attack, then write it all out. Why not have live war-gaming? It's more fun, educational, interactive, etc. This is an odd choice for a paper.
In reply to the story Cops 'Disgusted' After NYU Asks Students to Plot a 'Hypothetical' Terrorist Attack
September 12, 2012 at 5:08pm
I haven't heard anything about how many GAURDS were injured in the skirmish. Have you?
August 27, 2012 at 12:03pm
The preview looked really well done. It really tugs at your heartstrings, but the language is rough, and the storyline is not in keeping with the LDS church. KSL is not "opening fire" on the gay population — they're just making a choice not to air this program. Even from a business standpoint, this wouldn't make sense. Who would watch it, the .02% of Utah that is gay?
August 18, 2012 at 6:54pm
Okay guys, google "Presa Canarios." Those are the dogs pictured. It could've been any one of her pack. Pitbulls are not inherently evil. It's all about the owner, and sometimes the breeder. Bully breeds are great dogs. They just require a lot of training. It's called responsibility.
Sorry this gal lost her life. It's hard to figure out what happened with so little info. I hope they do a follow up when cause of death is confirmed.
In reply to the story Tragedy: Georgia Woman Mauled to Death by Dogs She Rescued
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January 2012
Promoting Awareness and Wellness (PAWs)
Ashford University is proud to show you our PAWs. That is, our Promoting Awareness and Wellness initiative! Every month, we'll highlight different causes and opportunities that reflect the values of the University. You'll also learn ways that you can participate or be more involved.
The many benefits of mentoring and of being mentored are celebrated during
January, which is National Mentoring Month.
January marks the 11th annual National Mentoring Month, which celebrates those who dedicate their time and effort to making a positive difference in another person's life through mentoring. The celebration stresses the importance of mentor relationships, and celebrates the positive impact that mentorship can have on an individual. During the month of January, a number of organizations including the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service, urge us to get involved and invest in the future by becoming a mentor.
Countless young people in our country would benefit from having a caring adult mentor in their lives. Though many people link mentors with positive impacts on academic performance, the effects of mentorship are more extensive than one might guess. Effective mentoring programs can result in better school attendance, positive student attitudes, and a reduced likelihood of initiating drug and alcohol use.
Yet still more benefits remain. A recent study conducted for Donna O'Hara's 2011 book "Educational Psychology in Practice," explored the effects mentoring had on emotional literacy, which is the ability to understand emotions, empathize with others, and effectively express feelings. Results showed that peer mentoring had a positive impact on the emotional literacy of the young people in the study – and those who showed improvement previously demonstrated low to average levels of emotional literacy before being mentored. Not only did mentoring positively affect the participant's emotional literacy, there was also a significant decrease in these students' perceived conduct problems.
In addition to being an effective support mechanism for youth, the power of mentoring relationships is also being utilized in today's corporate world to develop company leaders and reduce training costs. Corporate and professional mentoring has been proven to effectively improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace by providing employees a stronger sense of connection to their peers and the organization. Many universities are also using mentoring programs to assist new faculty members and graduate students as they begin their careers.
Mentoring is about learning from those who have come before us in order to improve upon all that we do as people and professionals. Ruth Whitman, a well-known 20th century poet and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in her book "Becoming a Poet":
In every art beginners must start with models of those who have practiced
the same art before them. And it is not only a matter of looking at the
drawings, paintings, musical compositions, and poems that have been
and are being created; it is a matter of being drawn into the individual
work of art, of realizing that it has been made by a real human being, and
trying to discover the secret of its creation (1982).
Photo at right: Choosing the right path isn't always easy, but having the guidance of a mentor can make all the difference.
National Mentoring Month encourages individuals to join a mentoring organization, but formal mentorship is not the only way to positively impact lives. Research shows that informal mentors can also have a profound impact. Just spending time with and setting a positive example for another can greatly affect a mentee's growth. One study showed that informal mentors positively impacted high school and college graduation rates and work ethic while reducing behavior problems, heightening self-esteem and life satisfaction, and promoting higher levels of physical activity.
Mentoring may take place in a variety of social settings, each with its own unique benefits. The two listed below are just a few examples listed on www.mentoring.org of where people can benefit from the mentoring experience:
In the community:
- Community-based mentoring can give people the opportunity to develop a deeper mentoring relationship through more genuine social interactions.
- This type of mentoring offers people a chance to interact in a number of socially significant environments; activities can include going to the movies, going to a park, or visiting a museum.
- Other activities that coincide with community-based mentoring include tutoring; career exploration; life skills development; game-playing; and going to sports, entertainment, or cultural events.
- This form of mentoring gives people the chance to explore, among other things, their academic potential.
- While tutoring is certainly a big part of the mentoring process in schools, other activities such as sports and a number of hobbies and interests can be explored and encouraged in this setting. This type of mentorship often allows the mentor an entire school year to build and enhance their relationship with their mentee.?
The benefits of mentoring are numerous. Even spending just a few hours a week mentoring can make a world of difference. If you haven't ever mentored before, give it a try. You might be surprised by how much you can help – and, if you are being or have been mentored, don't forget to thank your mentor this month!
Stars like Quincy Jones urge others to become a mentor.
To join a mentorship program please visit the National Mentoring Partnership website.
ASHFORD UNIVERSITY ALUMNUS SPOTLIGHT - CEDRIC LENOXBachelor of Arts in Social Science, w/ Education concentration*, 2011
"Society may make predictions, but only I can determine what I can or cannot do."
Cedric Lenox, 27, of Citrus Springs, Florida is living proof that determination can produce extraordinary results. "When I was younger, I was labeled an 'at-risk' child because I grew up in a single-parent home, I was the tenth child, and I struggled academically in school. I had a school psychologist tell me I would never graduate from college because of my challenges. I let those words and many other labels stick with me throughout my adult life."
Fortunately for Cedric, there was one teacher who recognized the damage of such labels. "Mrs. Wisdhal inspired me to do my best. She told me to not allow those labels to stick with me." With Mrs. Wisdhal's encouragement, Cedric enrolled in community college after high school, but dropped out after two years. "I knew I shouldn't, but I still believed the labels."
Cedric spent the next five years in the professional world - he worked in the school system, in camp services, in juvenile correction, and, most recently, as a residential substance abuse counselor for adolescents. Like many adults, Cedric soon realized that in order to progress in his career, he would have to return to college. "The doors were a challenge to open without my degree."
In April 2008, Cedric spoke with Ashford University Enrollment Advisor Aimee Rogers, who helped him enroll in the Bachelor of Arts in Social Science with Education concentration online degree program.
Cedric's decision to pursue higher education was met with enthusiasm and support from his family. "My mom had always instilled in me that I needed a college education because she had to work hard labor to take care of us kids. Some of my siblings are going back to college, as well - one of my baby sisters is working on her Master's degree in Leadership Education, my middle sister is working on her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology, and my brother is pursuing his Bachelor of Arts in Human Services."
In December 2010, Cedric took another step toward his goal of opening a school for at-risk youth. He moved from Florida to South Carolina to accept a position as a field instructor at Camp Long, a year-round camp for at-risk youth sponsored by the Department of Juvenile Justice. "I am helping the teen boys understand that they still have a future." Cedric has also had the opportunity to do some public speaking. "I told eighth-graders about my story - how I struggled in school and had very low self-esteem. I told them to dream crazy dreams and to never give up in life."
In 2011, Cedric became the first male in his family to hold a college degree. "I hope to become a teacher so I can work with troubled youth; eventually, I want to open up my own school for at-risk youth." Cedric also plans to pursue a graduate degree in social work and counseling. In addition to working with adolescents in a school setting, Cedric aims to become a motivational speaker like his heroes Marva Collins and Ron Clark. Cedric took the first step to accomplishing that goal when his article, "Say Yes to Your Dreams," appeared in the online publication IN Teen Magazine. In the article, Cedric discusses the reality of drug use among adolescents and encourages young people to pursue their dreams of success.
"I encourage everyone to get an education, no matter what your age, disability, or background. People will tell you it cannot be done, but all it takes is imagination, a dream, and a plan. There will be obstacles. There will be mistakes. But with hard work and beliefs, there are no limits!"
*This degree is now called the Bachelor of Arts in Education Studies.
CDC survey finds that 1 in 5 U.S. high school students have abused prescription drugs. (2010). Retrieved on December 2, 2011 from:
Child depression statistics. (2008). Retrieved on December 2, 2011 from http://www.childhooddepression.us/articles6.html
Child poverty rates increased during the Great Recession. (2009). Retrieved on December 2, 2011 from http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=18557
Choice Literacy. (2011). Favorite mentoring quotes. Retrieved on December 7, 2011 from http://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/289print.cfm
Dubois, D., & Silverthorn, N. (2005). Natural mentoring relationships and adolescent health: Evidence from a national study. American Journal of
Public Health. 95 (3), 518-524.
Koebler, J. (2011). National high school graduation rates improve. Retrieved on December 2, 2011 from
Kolar, D. (2011). Mentoring at-risk youth in schools: Can small doses make a big change? Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 19(2).
Lenox, C. (2010). Say yes to your dreams. IN Teen Magazine, September 2010, 50-51. Retrieved on December 29, 2011 from
National Mentoring Month. (n.d.). Retrieved on December 9, 2011 from http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/
O'Hara, D. (2011). The impact of peer mentoring on pupils' emotional literacy competencies. Educational Psychology in Practice, Vol 27(3),
Sep, 2011. pp. 271-291.
Philip, K., & Hendry, L. B. (2001). Making sense of mentoring or mentoring making sense? Reflections on the mentoring process by adults mentors
with young people. Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 10, 211-223.
Pro Mentoring Inc. (2010). Searching for Future Leaders in your Organization? Retrieved on December 7, 2011 from
Pro Mentoring Inc. (2009). Professional Mentoring – A Tool for Workplace Diversity. Retrieved on December 7, 2011 from
Quincy Jones video. (n.d.). Retrieved on December 8, 2011 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=679F6nlcAkg
Tracy, M. (2006). Faculty mentoring faculty: Universities increasingly offer mentoring programs that link new faculty with more experienced
colleagues. Retrieved on December 7, 2011 from http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan06/faculty.aspx
Whitman, R. (1982). Becoming a poet. Boston, MA: The Writer, Inc.


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By JIM KINNEY
Business writer
EASTHAMPTON - Berry Plastics, the largest employer in Easthampton, is laying off an unspecified number of workers, leaving local economic development officials scrambling.
According to Thomas W. Brown, chairman of the Economic Development Commission for the city of Easthampton, however, Berry laid off 100 to 150 workers from its staff of 515.
Brown said he based that estimate on what the commission has heard from former employees, not from company officials themselves. He said he has not heard from any officials at Berry Plastics officials. Executives both at the Berry plant on O'Neil Street and at the company's Evansville, Ind., headquarters did not respond to repeated calls for comment.
Brown, who is also a senior vice president at Easthampton Savings Bank said he fears that Berry was simply caught in the severe economic downturn. The type of help the Economic Development Commission can provide, street improvements for example, would not have helped, he said.
"You feel somewhat powerless to have an impact," he said. "It's not that external issue where the city can jump in and do something."
The 250,000-square-foot plant was the largest plastic-tube maker in North America and made 1.2 million tubes a day for the food and cosmetics industry three years ago. Current production figures were not immediately available.
Jim Kinney can be reached at email@example.com


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I read an article in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution on April15, 2012 that disturbed me. It was about the graduation rate for the State of Georgia. It appears there is a new method of calculating graduation rates and it tells us that more kids are dropping out of high school than the state thought. The state's new formula shows the graduation rate at 67.4 percent instead of the former 80.9 percent.
From the AJC: "The rate is considered a key barometer of educational progress — so much so that schools use their graduation rates to prove they made Adequate Yearly Progress, the benchmark of success under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Businesses eye the rates when choosing where to locate. Even as the state escapes the mandates of No Child Left Behind, graduation rates will still be used to measure success in Georgia. Precisely how much weight will be given is still to be determined."
The numbers show that the 57 Georgia high schools graduated less than half of their students! No wonder people are flocking to homeschooling every year. Here's the kicker: we don't have more dropouts. Schools have been covering up the truth when reporting their numbers. Yes, that's what I said. Students who dropped out were reported as transfers even though they did not leave one school for another.
Another problem the article exposed is that many kids are taking longer than five years to graduate high school. Even when it takes a student five or six years to complete high school, the schools are allowed to count them as the same type of graduate as students who completed in the standard four years. Yet the ones who completed in a timely manner received no further accolades. The thought behind this is that it shouldn't matter how long it takes as long as they eventually finish.
It was reported that students who attended rigorous high schools had a better acceptance into college. But what about the students who are dropping out or taking longer to finish? They obviously would not be able to handle a rigorous workload. What is going on with our public education that students are having such a hard time graduating?
They continue to raise the academic standards but I have to wonder why they would do this if so many are not graduating. Won't this cause the graduating rate to plummet even further? It seems if the standards are raised even higher without addressing the issue of why kids can't graduate, it sets more students up for failure. Parents of these students are undoubtedly worried.
What is hard to understand is how these students (middle and high school particularly) sit in a classroom all day and then come home with four or five hours of homework a night and then they still can't seem to grasp the information enough to pass the classes and move on to graduation. What happens in the classroom all day? This tells me that something isn't working with the system.
According to Dr. Jay Wyle in his report Why Homeschool for High School, he states that "only 33% of high school graduates are proficient readers. Slightly more than 25% are functionally illiterate. 63% of high school seniors could not point to Russia on a world map. 72% of high school seniors could not distinguish between an atom and a molecule." http://www.drwile.com/why_high.pdf
If these numbers are accurate (and I am sure they are and may even be higher now), it is no wonder the dropout rate is so high and no wonder it's taking so long to finish school.
There are many reasons for the dropout rate. Besides being illiterate and the poor teacher to student ratio, kids have to deal with being bullied and living in fear of attacks by other students carrying weapons to school. For many students, school has nothing to do with learning. It's all about socializing, which often leads students down the wrong road with the wrong bunch of friends.
One problem with the graduation requirements is that it takes 23 credits to graduate, so if a student fails a class or has to drop a class for any reason, he will automatically be behind his peers since it takes four full years to earn 23 credits. Georgia students can stay in school for free until age 20 so some may not be in such a hurry to graduate. When a student begins to fail, the desire to finish often flies out the window. They see no chance of ever catching up so they quit.
Many go on to earn their GEDs and head to technical school to get their starts but it is sad that they aren't able to complete the normal four year high school educational program.
Thankfully, the new formula will not allow dropouts to be listed as transfers any longer. Schools will have to verify that a student has left and if he transfers to another school he will be counted. A file is kept on every child who enters the school system and it should make it much easier to determine where that child is until the compulsory age of 16.
Personally, I think part of the problem with the current educational system is that it approaches students as a whole and not as individuals. Not everyone is cut out to be a 4.0 student who goes on to earn higher and higher level degrees. We have a world full of artisans who, if given the right opportunity, will live a full life, earn a living, and make the world much more enjoyable for everyone else.
When we homeschool our children, we can stay on top of their education and also be there for them when they have issues. Some of the public school parents said they want the schools to find better ways of reaching out to kids. Since children learn in the different ways, this can be a difficult task. But I would wager it is not impossible. Perhaps one way to solve the problem would be to evaluate each student's learning style and then place them in a classroom with other students who learn in the same way. Maybe the public schools could model homeschools and this would improve the educational system. But until that happens, lend a hand to your public school friends if they ask you for advice on how to help their children achieve graduation.
4 Responses to "Homeschool Graduation Success"
It's a sad state of affairs, for sure. I'm a college professor and I have to tell you that this is right on point. I see these students day in and day out. They have no concept of critical thinking, basic writing is a nightmare, and their ability to handle basic numerical relationships is non-existent. I would be hard pressed to find a home schooled child who is worse off. Not to say they don't exist, they surely do; however, I don't believe that the problem is of the same magnitude within our community. Now, there are certainly negligent parents and I've seen more than a few, but those kids still do just fine on their annual assessments, which, say what you will, do serve to give us a sense of where the kids are in terms of grade level. All of this to say, every time I get overwhelmed or believe I am in some way failing my children (who did at one time attend conventional school), I see a story like this and I am convinced, I can't do worse than my school system. My students confirm it for me every semester when they turn in papers that my now high school freshman could have written better in 6th or 7th grade. It's that bad, folks. Basic grammar and punctuation are just not there and the content does not redeem the paper in the least. Forge ahead and school those young'ns. 🙂


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New Delhi: The runathon witnessed during the India-Australia ODI series has nicely set up India's limited-overs series against the West Indies beginning in Kochi on Thursday, for which the tickets have been selling like hot cakes.
Over 2500 runs were scored in the seven-match ODI series between India and Australia, despite two matches being washed out by rain. India won the series 3-2 in the deciding seventh ODI, including a record chase of 359 runs. A similar expectation has raised expectation from the series against West Indies.
The Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi will host first of three three ODIs and the special ticket counters set up at the stadium have invited huge rush since Tuesday morning. "The rush at the counters in the morning was beyond control. We expect the stadium to be jam-packed," Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) office-bearers told The New Indian Express.
Federal Bank website was tied up for selling tickets online, which was completed on Tuesday, which has directed fans to the box office at the stadium. According to KCA, tickets have been in huge demand in the northern districts. "The demand for tickets is unprecedented in the northern districts. In Kozhikode, Malappuram and Thrissur, tickets sold like hot cakes. Therefore, those who have not purchased tickets but are planning to come to Kochi for the match should ensure that they have the ticket in hand, else it would lead to disappointment," KCA authorities told the newspaper.
India and West Indies squads are already in Kochi and are scheduled to practice on Wednesday. West Indies team is playing in Kochi for the first time.
There is also a chance of rain interrupting play on Thursday as it rained heavily on Monday night. However, KCA says its ready to minimise the effects to keep the ground ready. "This year, we have been keeping the entire ground covered to prevent the ground from getting wet in the rain. Besides, the defects in the drainage system have been rectified. Therefore, we are confident of facing any challenges in the form of rain," the authorities said.


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Les Jacobsen, director and math instructor for the very popular and successful SAT prep program through Westfield Review, Inc. announces the new fall 2014 schedule.
The upcoming program will help current high school students prepare for the upcoming PSATs and SATs for the fall 2014 and the SATs for the spring 2015 administrations.
Classes are scheduled for Wednesdays, Thursdays or Sundays, beginning on Sept. 7, 10 or 11, respectively, and meet from 6:30-9:30 p.m. During the 24-hour program, where students meet once per week for eight (8) weeks, students work on SAT materials published by the College Board and are taught the many strategies and techniques needed for SAT success.
Timing issues, target numbering, pacing issues, vocabulary in both English and mathematics and specific application strategies are all part of the program taught only by certified New Jersey teachers from the Westfield schools who have many years of experience in teaching the youth of Westfield in English, mathematics and SAT prep.
The component of writing will be addressed with students writing sample essays and having them graded. Students will be able to track their progress by grading their SAT math and critical reading sections for an approximate SAT result.
The course is enjoying a great amount of success which is only attributed to the past referrals received from former students and parents. Westfield Review, Inc. has successfully conducted classes in this region for more than 16 years and has had more than 1,500 students take the program. It is without a doubt, a very successful SAT prep program in the region for the most reasonable cost of $499 which includes all materials and instruction. As always, there is never a registration fee at Westfield Review and all materials are included in the fee.
Space is limited. When the classes scheduled are filled, then students are put on a waiting list. Spaces go quickly. If a a student in need of SAT prep, want a successful program with experienced, kind and supportive teachers, then register as soon as possible.
Further information and dates of class meetings can be found at HYPERLINK "http://www.westfieldreview.com," westfieldreview.com.
Email Jacobsen at HYPERLINK "mailto: firstname.lastname@example.com" firstname.lastname@example.com or call at 908-317-2774 and leave a message.


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CLEVELAND, Ohio –A crowd of people danced in the streets of Ohio City Wednesday night without a care in the world. The celebration brought the neighborhood together for Cleveland Museum of Art's Ohio City Stages 2014 held on every Wednesday of July.
Guests partied to the tunes of the BaianaSystem band on the corner of West 29th and Church St. across from the Transformer Station. Every week, the outdoor concert series features global music artists in a block party atmosphere complete with food and drinks.
The video above highlights the event and shares what people have to say about the thriving community.
The Main Event: Ohio City Stages presents BaianaSystem
For more videos and news about Cleveland's entertainment scene check out the "Kristel's CLE" blog at cleveland.com/kristel. Follow me on Twitter @Kristel_CLE.
The 411: Band members of BaianaSystem are known for exploring new sound possibilities for the guitar of Bahia—one of the 26 states in Brazil. Influenced by Brazilian, African and Jamaican culture, their music interacts with bases as well as mixtures of vocals and effects. The tunes are free flowing with room for improvisation and creativity.
More Information: Next week's act will feature Mokoomba of Zimbabwe.


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Alta Hospitals System, LLC is a Community Hospital System located in the greater Los Angeles area. We are committed to providing quality healthcare services to our communities with a team of compassionate and dedicated professionals, within a culturally rich and ethically appropriate environment. Our hospitals serve the communities of East Los Angeles, Norwalk, Hollywood and Van Nuys.
We would love for you to join our team. We are looking for candidates who want to make a difference. What separates us from many other hospitals is our family like environment. Our employees genuinely care about their hospital, their patients and co-workers and the medical staff.
Alta Los Angeles Hospitals, Inc. includes our Los Angeles and Norwalk campuses
Both of these are acute care facilities.
· Emergency Services
· Surgical Services
· Acute Care Services
· Out-Patient Services
Los Angeles.
· Urgent Care Services
· Surgical Services
· Acute Care Services
· Labor & Delivery
· Pediatrics
· Out-Patient Services
Alta Hollywood Hospitals, Inc. includes our Hollywood and Van Nuys campuses.
Hollywood campus
· Urgent Care Services
· Surgical Services
· Acute Care Services
· Out Patient Services.
Van Nuys campus
· In-Patient and Out-Patient Psychiatric Services.
If you would like more information on any of our facilities or have any questions, please feel free to contact us at (323) 881-2622


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Here, here!!!!!!
ps: Great job, Fourfoxes!
Here, here!!!!!!
ps: Great job, Fourfoxes!
Marion , Steve, Moonbeam, Ladybug, Wolvsie, Fourfoxes, Vanessa, PinkLollipop and Winnie49 are my buddies!!!
Please visit my Max Store
Ok Ok. All I have done are the cover page and the back page. But the back page is the reason I wanted the pork hind. Here's what I have y'all. Besides the freebie fourfoxes made for me, I used a free kit I found on line called This Little Piggy by Jenny Cereal. You can find it, and others, at her blog: www.lifeisnotacereal.blogspot.com . Nancy
Fantastic..love the book
My BUDDIES Crops, Eye, Jazz, Smile, Sue, Rosana,twpclerk, Moonlightpearl and Vanessa
Yeah, as Tim Allen would say "Men are pigs!... " We wanna see the pig!
Visit my aisle in the SBM store!
My buddies are Granny, Moonbeam and Wolvsie35!
I love this LO! And the color is perfect-I am going to gobble up this freebie kit (thanks for sharing the link). Your booklet is going to be absolutely adorable!! Have fun completing it!
Very cool!! That's gonna be so cute when you finish it. Great job!
In case I go missing call Moonlightpearl, Granny, twpclerk or Smile! Then have them call Crops because we're probably together at the Yoville Races!
Thanks for the encouraging and kind remarks, everyone! You are very good for my ego!
That turned out cute! I'm glad I could help with the Piggy's rear end!
My buddies are Granny, Wolvsie35, angelwithin, twpclerk, moonlightpearl, Vanessa, Wickel, Smile, Eye and Pink Lollipop
I still need one for Easter dinner!


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Silence not golden on Springfield City Council
With regard to the editorial, "City councilors should speak up," (The Republican, Dec. 13) on the subject of the councilors who abstained from a vote on the trash fee, I would like to add that I agree that to abstain from a vote due to a conflict is the right thing to do.
But, to abstain so as not to commit to a vote is wrong and does nothing but shortchange the people they represent. My final thought is to remind our councilors that silence is not golden ... it is yellow.
GOP is becoming the party of 'me'
How quickly "self-made" Republicans forget both their moral obligations and those earlier Republicans who had some sense of decency.
Even a capitalist named Henry Ford saw the light in 1914 and raised his workers pay to $5 – unheard of at the time for such factory labor – and pushed for a newly-shortened, 8-hour day, apparently in an attempt to improve their morale and make them more productive.
He incurred the wrath of other capitalists, but his ploy worked: productivity increased, his workers could afford to buy the very cars they were producing, and profits doubled.
So there certainly is precedent for a "bubble up" effect when workers get a fairer share, and every reason to believe that those extra dollars distributed to the unemployed will likewise quickly appear in the cash drawers of retailers and eventually in sales tax receipts.
Republicans may dismiss the claim that "Labor is prior to, and independent of capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor and could not exist if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital and deserves much the higher consideration" as the ranting of, perhaps, Karl Marx, but truth is, according to an op-ed in this paper by Mark Shields a few years ago, that this is a quote from Abraham Lincoln.
So why do Republicans balk at extending unemployment benefits at a time when people are not refusing work, but employers are refusing to hire? I don't know for sure, but it probably has something to do with what David Brooks (goodness, another apparent Republican) bemoaned at his recent Springfield Forum appearance: the substitution of "me" for "we" following World War II.
Citizens tire of trash talk
Well, well, it seems that the drama has begun in the political arena in Springfield! There is no doubt that City Councilor Jose Tosada is contemplating running for mayor of Springfield; however his attack on Mayor Domenic J. Sarno is a bit absurd. To suggest that Mayor Sarno owes an apology to former Mayor Charles V. Ryan and the people of Springfield for failing to remove the trash fee is unrealistic.
Obviously, Sarno did try to help to alleviate the problem of the trash fee by reducing it. If every politician were able to keep every promise made during a campaign, we would be living in a land of Utopia. Please, let's stop the dramatics and deal with reality.
Farmer's market is a winter treat
Thanks to Patrick Sullivan, director of Springfield parks, buildings and recreation management and his staff for allowing the Farmer's Market to hold a winter market in the former monkey house building in Forest Park on Saturday, the 11th of December, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There were many farmer vendors who sold their goods such as veggies, eggs, maple syrup, Christmas decorations, hot coffee and other goodies.
Thanks also to Bella Rita Novak, the farmer's market manager, for getting this winter market together. Glad to hear it will continue on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, starting in January until the outdoor market begins in May.
Lower foreign aid to trim U. S. deficit
I have watched ABC, NBC, and CBS news about the big U.S. deficit! They all say the same thing. Everything is on the table: The retirement age, Medicare, defense spending, etc.
Did I miss something? What about foreign aid?


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Basically, there are four blood types. Each also has negative and positive subgroups. Here's what percentage of the population has each:
O: 45 percent
A: 40 percent
B: 10 percent
AB: 5 percent
O-negative is the universal donor; AB-positive is the universal recipient.
And remember, Miller-Keystone Blood Center aways needs donations. Call 800-223-6667 or visit giveapint.org.
Source: McClatchy Newspapers and Carter BloodCare


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Fishing should recover pretty quickly around Mobile in the wake of Hurricane Issac, according to veteran offshore, inshore and Mobile-Tensaw Delta fishermen.
That recovery could take a little longer in southeast Mississippi where the Pascagoula, Tchoutacabouffa and Boloxi rivers are forecast to be at or above flood stage through the middle part of next week and longer.
On the Delta, the Mobile River at Barry Steam Plant stood at 6.7 feet Thursday, which is just below the 7-foot flood stage. Some of that height is likely due to storm surge combined with the impacts of local runoff.
With the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers also rising, but not anywhere near flood stage, the Mobile River is forecast to fall slowly through next week.
That could put a damper on freshwater fishing and the inshore bite that was improving closer to the Causeway, but long-time Delta fisherman Don Green believes as the water settles, the fishing should be outstanding.
Bass fishermen should concentrate their efforts at the mouths of smaller drainages and creeks feeding into main rivers and bays. Green says that's where bass will be set up in ambush mode, taking advantage of food items being flushed out of the woods.
Green also believes that because storm-generated wave action in Mobile Bay will have reinvigorated the water with oxygen, inshore fish such as speckled trout will make a major push to the north.
Prior to the storm, Green contends that the ever-expanding dead zone that forms in the bay every summer south of Gaillard Island and is the likely cause of jubilees on the western and eastern shores, acts as a natural barrier, keeping fish from moving into the Delta as they have traditionally done.
That, he said, explains why what used to be called the "September Surprise" when fishermen could catch specks, redfish, flounder and bass at the same spot, now doesn't happen until later in October.
Green also said he does not believe there was enough wave action to stir up the bottom or leaves blown into the waters to cause oxygen depletion or major fish kills in Delta lakes, creeks and bayous as occurred in the wake of hurricanes Ivan and Katrina.
In the lower part of Mobile Bay and into the Mississippi Sound, Bobby Abruscato said he records show that fishing rebounds quickly once a storm passes through.
After Hurricane Danny dumped 20-inches or more of rain on the Mobile region in 1993, Abruscato's journal shows that he was catching tarpon in Navy Cove two days later.
The same thing happened in 1998 after Hurricane George hit Pascagoula on Sept. 29. On Oct. 2, Abruscato recorded "stoning" speckled trout on the Shoals near the Dauphin Island Bridge.
I'm not sure about the impacts on fishing of Ivan in 2004 and Katrina in 2005 because most people, myself included, were more concerned about cleaning up than hitting the water.
I looked at a Dauphin Island Sea Lab study done after both storms that seems to suggest that even direct hits, such as that the area experienced in 2004 with Ivan, do not substantially affect open-water marine environments.
The dynamic nature of our waters where it enters the Delta and passes through the mouth of Mobile Bay within about 48 hours, contribute to its ability to basically return to normal within just a few days, according to the study.
It's a different ballgame, however, when talking about impacts to grassbeds, oysters and corals. Those types of losses can take years to correct themselves, if ever.
Offshore and nearshore, Marcus Kennedy also believes the storm will be a blessing in disguise for fishing.
Kennedy said low dissolved oxygen had become a problem on his king mackerel fishing grounds tot he southwest just in the last month.
Where earlier in the year he was running into huge schools of bait on the surface 40 miles southwest of Dauphin Island, the area was devoid of any sign of life when he fished a Southern Kingfish Association event there this weekend.
He said the kings were still there, but they were forced to use a downrigger to get their baits into the 80- to 100-foot depths where the fish were holding.
His team won the tournament with a solid 49-pounder.
Kennedy said the influx of oxygen caused by the churning seas should improve fishing Gulfwide no matter what species is being targeted.
Just another reminder that Alabama hunting and fishing licenses expire on Friday (Aug. 31).
Also, paper wildlife management area permits/maps are not yet available, but the maps and WMA hunting seasons are available at www.outdooralabama.com/hunting.
Trenny Woodham and L.W. Burroughs of Team Reel Feel won the third event in the five-event Alabama Inshore Championship series held Aug. 18.
The team weighed in a slam consisting of one speckled trout, a slot redfish and one flounder, totaling 12.54 pounds. Teams who catch all three species are awarded a five-point bonus to their total score, which gave Team Reel Feel a total of 17.54 points.
The Alabama Inshore Championship Trail is a charity event for Alabama Hunger Relief, which raises funds for food banks throughout the state. The next event is scheduled for Sept. 15. For more information, visit www.alabamahungerrelief.com or join their Facebook group.


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Get $1 personalization on select backpacks via DisneyStore.com today through June 27.
Backpack prices vary.
Promotion Restrictions: * Offer expires 11:59 pm PT, June 27, 2012, or while supplies last, whichever is earlier. $1 Personalization valid only on select Gear Up Shop Personalized merchandise. No adjustments to prior purchases. Personalized items may not be returned or exchanged unless damaged or defective. Additional Shipping & Handling applies for select items. Offer valid on phone orders and orders placed online at DisneyStore.com. Not valid on purchases from Disney Store, Disney Baby retail or outlet locations. Disney E-Commerce reserves the right to cancel or modify this offer at any time. Void where prohibited.


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Paul Thurrott, who nailed the launch date of the console, is back with more information and seeing as he got it right the first time around, we have reason to believe his new information is as credible as the first wave of content. According to Paul, the next Xbox will launch in early November and will have a price of $499 or $299 with a monthly $10 subscription.
In addition to the above information, the console will have a Blu-ray drive and as previously expected will be based on the core of Windows 8.
Here's what I know about the next Xbox (along with some clearly identified conjecture).
Full (end user) announce. Microsoft will fully reveal details about the next Xbox, including the launch lineup of games, on the eve of the E3 tradeshow in early June 2013.
Windows 8 Core. The next Xbox is based on the "Core" (base) version of Windows 8. This suggests a common apps platform or at least one that is similar to that used by Windows 8. It also suggests that Microsoft could open up this platform to enthusiast developers. (That last bit is supposition on my part.)
Price. Microsoft will initially offer two pricing models for the console: a standalone version for $499 and a $299 version that requires a two-year Xbox LIVE Gold commitment at an expected price of $10 per month.
No entertainment box. Microsoft originally planned to offer both a "full" version of the next Xbox (with video game playing capabilities) and a lower-end entertainment-oriented version, code-named "Yuma," that didn't provide gaming capabilities. But plans for Yuma are on hold, and no pure entertainment version of the next Xbox will appear in 2013 (or possibly ever).
Blu-ray. The next Xbox will include a Blu-ray optical drive.
Internet-connected. The next Xbox must be Internet-connected to use. This is the source of the "always on"/"always online" rumors and isn't as Draconian as many seem to believe.
http://windowsitpro....s>WinInfo News)


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of SOUTH AMERICAN GEORGE, 1941
by Eleanor Dugan
She doesn't remember any bruises -- although Linden Travers is uniquely energetic among the routinely decorous and decorative Formby heroines. In SOUTH AMERICAN GEORGE, she is tossed in the air, tumbled to the floor, and landed on by George himself -- although, as an experienced horsewoman, she barely noticed.
Ms. Travers plays Carol Dean, stylish and sophisticated press agent, business manager, and legal advisor to a temperamental Italian tenor. Sidewalk-busker George meets her when he is drafted to replace a missing spear carrier at the opera house. Soon "Miss Carol" drafts George and trains him to replace the missing tenor (also played by Formby) who has gone off for a romantic rendezvous in violation of his contract. George, of course, is smitten and happily complies.
Ms. Travers must deliver the requisite "You were wonderful!"
line to George, she is distinctive among Formby heroines in other
ways besides athletic prowess: she plays a proactive career woman;
her actions, not George's, control the plot; though she "talks
posh" like all his leading ladies, she twice drops into Lancashire
dialect to George's enormous delight; and, almost unheard of among
his leading ladies, she gets to deliver a punchline. When Jacques
Brown, as the unscrupulous impresario Riccardo, introduces shyster-lawyer
Felix Aylmer as "one of my friends," she quips, "You
must bring the OTHER one up sometime."
Linden Travers was born Florence
Lindon [sic] Travers at Houghton-le-Spring, Durham on May 27, 1913,
the daughter of William Halton Lindon-Travers and his wife Florence
(Wheatley). It was a family brimming with talent. Her thespian relatives
include her brother Bill Travers, her daughter Susan (Lucas) Travers,
nephew Richard Morant, and Penelope Wilton, wife of Sir Ian Holm.
Soon Ms. Travers was alternating between stage and
screen and between femme fatale rôles (like Cecil Parker's mistress
in THE LADY VANISHES) and light comedies.
Following the above interview, Linden Travers died on October 23,
2001 in Cornwall at the age of 88.


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Formentera is more than just the last Mediterranean paradise in which to enjoy a classic summer holiday, surrounded by peace and quiet and an amazingly well conserved environment.
Formentera also offers visitors a number of additional features to ensure a pleasant stay on the island at any time of year. Its mild climate (16º average from November to April) means you can bathe in the sea all year round, and autumn and spring are the best times to enjoy the magnificent light and colour of the island.
The colours of the landscape are much cleaner and more harmonious, free from the blinding light that invades Formentera in the summer. A simple sunset or a glance at the sky and the sea become a unique spectacle which, in itself, justifies a visit to the island.


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Waseda Univ Photos Great Pyramid 67 small Step Pyramid 120 large
Pirmides Egipcias ... Juan de la Torre Surez
Gizaview ... Jon Bodsworth more to come
Return to Glory ... Joel Freeman
Who are we?
Tour Egypt aims to offer the ultimate Egyptian adventure and intimate knowledge about the country. We offer this unique experience in two ways, the first one is by organizing a tour and coming to Egypt for a visit, whether alone or in a group, and living it firsthand. The second way to experience Egypt is from the comfort of your own home: online.


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Shelter Cove Apartments located on 72 sprawling waterfront acres along the Mohawk River offers a lifestyle of luxury with spacious 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartment homes. Our residents can relax and enjoy stress free living while lounging on our riverfront patio featuring a seasonal swimming pool, wood burning fire pit, barbeque grill stations and tennis court. Cancel your gym membership and take advantage of our state of the art fitness center with 24/7 access. Walk out of your beautiful apartment home, take a
Listing Courtesy of Coldwell Banker Commercial


text: wedding insurance More buying wedding insurance ('cold feet' not covered) By Vanessa Romo • Jun 10, 2011 epSos.de / Flickr June is one of the most popular months of the year to get married. That means brides-to-be are preparing for their long-awaited - and probably highly expensive - wedding day. While there are no guarantees for a successful marriage, a new type of business can guarantee the special day goes as planned.


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News Flash: Roy Stewart gives up on board shaping and designs the worlds newest, latest, greatest bicycle!
Roy has discovered the way bikes were meant to be ridden. Only kooks, followers and the uninformed would waste their energy pedaling around the current bike designs. These brainwashed people around the world will soon awaken and realize they've been riding the most inefficient, useless design ever thought up. Only the informed class will fall in love with and embrace biking in its purest form.
Oh wait, it was a new no slip bicycle seat he invented.
Results 151 to 160 of 1291
Feb 6, 2013, 03:32 PM #151
Fake Roy... I think you are hurting the image of the real Roy. I still can't imagine that you are real. so post that picture in the pose I request, please. Otherwise I can't really think about giving an honest response to your posts...
the only thing I can say for sure is that your boards look like they would be better as kids snow sleds... and would probably perform better as such.
HAHA. Unless this guy is going around on various forums for the past 5 years posing as Roy this is definitely the real Roy. Go to http://www.grainsurf.com/forum/ and check out the history of is posts.
Feb 6, 2013, 05:52 PM #155
for half a million dollars I could buy myself a refurbished original woody, a quiver of surfboards, and modest beach house near the coast in Rhode Island with some beer money left over for a housewarming party. I did navigate to Roys website (kind of got a kick out of the fact that its a .biz site...) and I have but one question for the man himself - Roy, when you parted the Red Sea, were you able to surf the top-to-bottom wall you created through the divine intervention of the Lord Almighty on your $550,000 single fin, or did you feel like you needed a quad set up with a little more rail?
Feb 6, 2013, 06:13 PM #156
actually if the board was the other way around it would probably work much better.... as it is, I don't see it working at all...
Feb 6, 2013, 06:41 PM #158Junior Member
- Join Date
- Aug 2010
- Location
- Posts
- 21
Roy - I'm really curious what's the most expensive board you've actually sold to date? Like most, I personally don't "get it", but find it interesting.
Feb 7, 2013, 01:51 AM #159
Feb 7, 2013, 12:10 PM #160
come on folks, yankee is Roy Stuart. He is also the Nicaraguan bandito(s), I mean, how convenient, he owns land there, probably from the proceeds of the 1 or 2 boards he has sold. He is also SouthjettyBill, nyshredmachine, and the double D girl, and... leethestud, I just don't realize it yet.


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"I was in each of your shoes, thinking, 'I want more than what I am getting,'" Alvarez told a group of Delta College students and athletes at the beginning of his training seminar Thursday.
A former Delta honors student, Alvarez is a first-degree black belt instructor who studied under Bruno Bastos at the Nova Uniao martial arts school in Brazil. He was chosen as Coach of the Year in 2011 by Texas Mixed Martial Arts.
He leads his own school, Alvarez Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, in Arlington, Texas, where he met Carl Rabideau, co-captain and lead instructor of the Delta team, Pioneer Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.
"Whenever I came back to town, he would meet me wherever, driving 30 or 40
minutes to meet me. That's dedication," Alvarez said.
Alvarez is coaching Rabideau at the Michigan Open on Sept. 29 in Waterford. Rabideau said the intensity that Alvarez instructs with is one reason for continuing his training.
"Here we have older techniques, so going down there (Texas) was eye-opening," Rabideau said.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a combination of martial arts and defense strategies based on the Japanese practice of judo.
"I travel a lot to bring new techniques to schools," said Alvarez, comparing jiu-jitsu to technology.
"You can always use a flip phone to text or call and it will get the job done; this is what these guys are using. The latest techniques are like iPhones or computers; it's always growing, always changing."
When Rabideau and team adviser Casey Cornelius met with Alvarez at his school in August to train, the team affiliation was made official. They laid plans to bring Alvarez back to Saginaw to host a training seminar.
"Dan's connection with Saginaw and with Delta made sense to us, plus his desire to give back to this area and community," Cornelius said.
In a balcony of the Pioneer Gym at Delta, Alvarez met with members of the team and others interested in martial arts.
He demonstrated his "go-to move"; walking around on the green mats and advising on what hold to use, the force needed for a certain position and where to grip an opponent using their "gi", the traditional uniform worn while practicing and competing in martial arts.
At the end of the seminar, promotions were given based on an individual's progress. Some received a stripe to add to their belt, while others moved up in a color ranking system based on experience and skill.
"It is my honor to be here, to come home and have the opportunity to meet with you guys," Alvarez said.
"Just like you invest in your education, you have to invest in this and retain this information."Alvarez said he is "absolutely" going to return to help the team's progress and bring some positive energy to his hometown.
"It can take kids off the streets and give them an outlet, a place to get their anger out. These young men are looking for something to do. How many sports teach you respect?" Alvarez said.


text:
Asian markets fell and European stocks were slightly higher today after a weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report raised concerns that a strong recovery in the world's largest economy was still far off.
Most of Asia's markets suffered modest losses, while the dollar ticked up against the yen and crude oil prices lingered below $70 a barrel.
Investors held back after a U.S. government report Friday showed that employers cut 263,000 jobs last month, far worse than the 201,000 economists expected. The unemployment rate increased to 9.8 percent.
The news suggested companies were still relying on cost-cutting to eke out profits and consumers were still hurting and unlikely to boost their spending anytime soon. It also inspired extra caution ahead of third-quarter earnings reports this week that could shed more light on the U.S. economy's health.
"Investors were disappointed by the worse-than-expected U.S. report. It was yet another somber indicator that a U.S. economic recovery is very fragile," said Masatoshi Sato, market analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities Co. Ltd. in Tokyo.
In Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.2 percent. Germany's DAX gained 0.5 percent and France's CAC-40 was up 0.3 percent.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average lost 57.38 points, or 0.6 percent, to 9,674.49, sliding to an 11-week low.


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It's "White Out" night with the first 1,000 students receiving free white-T shirts.
The Minutemen would like to call it "Block Out" night as they have to block out the memory of Friday night's 4-3 overtime loss at Northeastern.'
No. 4 Merrmiack fell 4-1 to No. 3 Boston University Friday night before a sold-out crowd of 2,489 at North Andover. It was the first time a top-10 match has ever been played at Lawler Arena.
Merrimack goaltender Joe Cannata is one of the best in the nation. Like UMass Friday night, Merrimack fell behind early when Chris Connolly scored on a shot in which Cannata was screened at 1:29 of the first period. BU would extend its lead to 3-0 in the second. The Warriors did outshoot BU 29-10.
Merrimack was ranked No. 1 in the nation earlier in the season.
Amazingly, the all-time season series with Merrimack is tied 34-34-5. B ut the Warriors have won the last five in a row, and seven of the last 10, including that 11-3 debacle last year at Lawler.
Only four points separate the first five teams in Hockey East. Merrimack is currently fifth with 23 points, but have two games in hand on Bu, Bc, and Maine, and is only a point behind Lowell with an even number of games played (18).
The Warriors have outscored their opponents 74-52. Leading scorer Ryan Flanigan is 7-13-20, and also tops the team with a plus-14. Three of his goals have been on the power play.
Merrimack has scored 24 power-play goals and allowed 25.
With his two goals Friday night, UMass sophomore Michael Pereira has 11 goals.


text:
Don't leave Britney Spears alone in your bedroom: 'Perfume' lyric video
Don't leave Britney Spears alone in your bedroom. That's the takeaway from the lyric video from her new ballad, "Perfume."
The clip features time-lapse Los Angeles traffic footage (see, we do have a skyline!), as the words to the song pop up on screen. "I'll never tell, tell on myself, but I hope she smells my perfume," Spears sings as she (or at least her hands) trawl through her lover's things. She leaves her lip print on a book of matches, goes through his drawers, leaves love notes where they can easily be found, and even spritzes a sheet of paper with her perfume and hides it in her bow-tie-wearing beau's shirt jacket. To her credit, the cologne she sprays doesn't even look like it's one of her signature scents. It's rare these days for an artist to bypass a product placement, but it looks like Spears did...
There's a fine line between stalker and just looking out for what's yours and Spears comes a little close to stalking here, given that her boyfriend is nowhere in sight, but we'll wait to see how the full video unfurls to decide whether he needs to take out a restraining order.
"Perfume" is the second single from "Britney Jean," Spears' eighth studio album out Dec. 3. Another track, the William Orbit-produced "Alien," leaked yesterday. Like "Perfume," it features Spears signing rather than her breathy talking vocals as as on "Work Bitch." She's questioning life beyond earth in the new tune. Hear "Alien" here.
In the meantime, MTV is offering you a chance to attend Spears' new Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino as part of a new contest. Fans can enter between now and Dec. 1 at Britney.MTV.com


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Parkland outguns Delaware Valley, earns date with La Salle
Published: 10:54 PM EST Nov 24, 2012
Parkland outgunned Delaware Valley 49-41 in the PIAA 4A state playoffs on Saturday, earning a date with Philadelphia powerhouse La Salle in next weekend's quarterfinals.
The Trojans overcame an early 14-0 lead by scoring 21 points in the second quarter and 28 more in the third.
The win was the 11th straight for Parkland after an 0-2 start. It also avenged Parkland's season-opening 37-35 loss at Del Val.
The (11-2) Trojans will face La Salle on Saturday at 1pm at Northeast High School in Philadelphia.
Copyright 2012 WFMZ. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Curtis High School hosted its first Youth Police Academy class this summer, and it was a big hit with the kids and the community.
The North Shore program received more than 250 applications and 120 kids were accepted into the inaugural site for the long-standing program.
"The community really wanted one in the North Shore," said Police Officer Lorraine Marin, who runs the organization. "I'm very happy we did it at Curtis."
The Youth Police Academy has been around for more than 20 years, and has been run out of New Dorp the past five years. New Dorp had 300 applications and graduated 150 students from the Mid-Island site this year.
The program ran from July 7-August 14 and concluded with a graduation ceremony at One Police Plaza in Manhattan. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton addressed the students and they received a certificate.
The program is run like a mini Police Academy, in which students, ages 10-16, endured exercises, military drills, had CPR Training and attended informative lectures.
NYPD representatives come in and talked to the kids about different issues, like bullying and the Eric Garner incident.
They also have a little fun, too. They went on bowling trips, had barbecues, played board games and got creative with arts and crafts.
"The barbecue at Mahoney Park on Jersey Street was great," Officer Marin said. "Many people from the community came out, and it was nice."


text:
If by "bodybuilder kind", you mean with a barbell across the back of your shoulders, then be sure to squat down past horizontal, so your is butt super-low, and that will really work you glutes and hams as well as your quads. If you're used to only going down to horizontal, or not even going that far (bad for your knees), you may need to use less weight.
You can also try widening your stance to mix things up (a "sumo" squat).


text:
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Letters | Valley residents were there for Jerry Main's family
Our hearts are full of the love you all have shown to us during Jerry's passing. Your passion, kindness, and generosity will hold us up during this devastating time. You came with food, you came with support, you came to do anything that needed to be done to keep this family rolling.
It was you who shopped and cleaned and mowed and took out the garbage. You saw to our every need and we will always remember you for that. You phoned every day to check on us, just to see how we were holding up. You came from far away to be a part of his service. We needed you there and you came. You spent hours turning regular snapshots into a work of wonder. We will view it often and every time, think of you.
You came to his service and showed us, his family, how wonderful a man he was by how many who loved and honored him. It was amazing.
We praise you and thank you for being so kind and generous. If it is true that the amount of a man's success is measured by his friends he leaves behind, he was a most successful man.
Our sincerest thanks and deepest appreciation,
Sue Main, Snoqualmie,
with Brian and Susie Main; Austin, Cody, and Mitchell; Sean and Staci (Main) Ray; Abigail and Liam; Jordan and Stephanie Main; Noah and Kindall
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We live in the most "tax regressive" state in the nation. Because Washington State depends on sales tax, a consumption tax, the poorest among us pay the most as a percentage of their income. Those who can least afford it pay up to 17% while the wealthy pay the least, about 5% on average. Additionally, payroll and B&O (Business and Occupation) taxes are detrimental to business and discourage investment in our economy.
The best tax solution for our state is a balance of consumption (sales), property (wealth), and income (graduated) taxes on individuals and businesses. This would eliminate most of the "tax-incentives" that we must give to businesses to start or locate here, by creating a fair tax system that doesn't overwhelmingly burden small segments of our population. If the system is fair to begin with, we won't need loopholes and incentives to make it work.
The ability to get goods and services to market and people to their jobs is an essential component of a vibrant economy. It's also time for Vancouver to join the economic engine in Portland just across the river.
We as taxpayers have made the commitment to invested in ourselves through the "nickel package" (Passed in 2004) and the 9.5-cent package (sustained at the polls). These investments have built nearly 450 projects big and small, all around the state. Some are just being completed now. However, that money is bonded for the next 20 years. We bonded it in order to get the full amount today, in order to build those projects. In other words, the money spent.
To build any new project, we will need additional revenue. The Democratic House has passed its package (based on a gas tax) and the Republican Senate has not – hasn't even gotten it to the floor for a vote in two years! This has led to a lot of missed opportunities to continue improving our infrastructure. The state Senate's latest proposal includes less than 1% for SW Washington, despite the fact that we are home to more than 6% of the state's population. This means they are offering less than $100 million out of a nearly $9 billion package. This imbalance is unacceptable to legislators from SW Washington. We need and deserve more than just an increased gas tax with no benefit!
This year marks the first time in 18 years that our state does not have a capital budget program, because of the obstructionist efforts of our Republican State Senate.
This lack of capital budget means the loss of approximately 120 new classrooms for kids in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade in the Vancouver School District alone. Not having new classrooms means that current classrooms will be even more crowded. Studies have shown that early learning years are the most formative years for any child, and overcrowded classrooms limit students' ability to succeed.
Additionally, the Washington State Supreme Court's McCleary Decision will be sucking the air out of the room next session when the legislature needs to step up and make another down payment on fulfilling our "Paramount Duty" in the state constitution to fully fund education by the 2018 legislative session. Last year, we committed $1 billion. Next year, we are committed to more than $4 billion.
I sincerely hope that the Republicans next year will offer more than just slogans and arguments with the court, and that they will propose real cash revenue. The "reforms" they propose are really just moving money around. We aren't going to find the money to invest in our state's children in the seat cushions! We need new revenue streams — and yes, that means taxes. We need $1.5-$2 billion. That's some serious money!
Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal" legislation, the G.I. Bill, and unionism built the middle class. Two years ago, the legislature passed reforms that we in the Washington State House proposed. These reforms to the Labor and Industries Agency saved the state nearly $500 million over the past two years, with more to be implemented. However, reasonable reform takes time. We need to remember that this program exists as an agreement, an insurance program from nearly 100 years ago that gave the state a monopoly in worker's compensation insurance in exchange for a ban on job-related worksite lawsuits. The program's job is to heal the injured worker and promote worker safety. It is not to simply offer employer refunds, although many employers get refunds because of their worker safety ratings and programs! This is the only program in the nation that has the employee pay a share of the cost of the system. In all other states, it's only the employer that pays the premiums.
It's a good thing to live in Washington! The Washington Health Care Exchange has enrolled about 500,000 citizens in Medicaid and individual health plans. No longer can you be denied health care because of pre-existing conditions like diabetes or cancer. No longer can you be denied health care because you're young and cannot afford a plan of your own. No longer is your health care dollar going to line the pocket of the CEO but instead 80% is going to provide health care for yourself and others. The average government assistance is over $100 dollars a month.
Some will pay more; some will pay less to have meaningful health coverage. But all will have basic coverage that will eventually give us better health outcomes and save us all some money.
Worldwide, nobody wants the system we have. Not one nation is thinking of privatizing their health care system. We can do better.


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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Jeweler Michael Hoffman was sentenced Thursday, Jan. 30, to probation for filing false tax returns.
Hoffman hoped to avoid prison to keep his business alive.
U.S. District Judge Janet Neff sentenced the 59-year-old Ada resident to spend two years on probation and pay $20,000 in fines. She also ordered $261,000 in restitution that Hoffman's attorney said has already been paid.
Hoffman cooperated with investigators early on in the probe and said he was desperate after he became "over-extended" in real-estate investments when the national financial crisis occurred. He filed false corporate and income tax returns for 2007 and failed to report some of his income in 2008 and 2009.
Advisory sentencing guidelines called for 18 to 24 months in prison.
His attorney, Terrance Dillon, said that Hoffman has acknowledged "that he has committed a serious offense," but said Hoffman has many positive traits, too. He is active in the community, and has not been in trouble before.
"Mr. Hoffman is Hoffman Jewelers," Dillon wrote in court papers.
"He is the store's only jeweler and is the person who has the relationship with the customers. In addition to Mr. Hoffman, there are two part-time employees who assist him. Without Mr. Hoffman's presence, the store is not viable."
Hoffman got into the jewelry business after high school and in 1986 started Hoffman Jewelers, Inc., in East Grand Rapids.
John Agar covers crime for MLive/Grand Rapids Press E-mail John Agar: firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ReporterJAgar


text: You dont need the power or intensity of a QI lamp, and if you want it to be stable and reliable, you run the globe at well under its normal voltage. This is a real no-no with QIs! A normal tungsten bulb is fine for this job. Another reason not to use a Xe flash or arc globe is that like the 'white' LEDs, the output is a 'line forrest' rather than a continuous spectra. -- Paul Repacholi 1 Crescent Rd., +61 (08) 9257-1001 Kalamunda. West Australia 6076 Raw, Cooked or Well-done, it's all half baked. EPIC, The Architecture of the future, always has been, always will be.


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SOUTH HADLEY – Many towns have them – bits and pieces of land that belong to them, though they may not know how they got that way.
So it is with a 2,500-square-foot patch of land at the corner of Lamb and Bridge Streets in South Hadley.
The South Hadley Community and Economic Development Committee wants to get such properties on the tax rolls, and at a recent meeting decided to recommend selling the Lamb and Bridge parcel for that purpose.
But a subsequent meeting of the South Hadley Selectboard showed that free discussion and open minds can sometimes lead to an option nobody had thought of before.
Francis DeToma, who serves on both groups, started by saying that, yes, he wanted to sell the parcel, but with conditions. What worried him was that the lot is at a dangerous corner in the road. "I have a concern about tall trees being put on it," said DeToma.
The board proceeded to discuss how to go about selling the little parcel but still keeping some control.
Then acting town administrator Jennifer Wolowicz spoke up.
"Do we need to dispose of the property?" she asked. "Do we need to sell it at all? We could put up a sign saying this is South Hadley Falls, or put a park bench on it."
The idea sparked interest on the board, since the revitalization of the historic but rundown Falls area has become a focus of attention.
DeToma mused that the Lamb and Bridge parcel is "quite visible, and quite central to the Falls," and said he was having second thoughts about selling it.
"I did vote for it," said DeToma, "but after hearing from Jen (Wolowicz), I'm thinking this is not like these other properties."
Others noted that the taxes collected on the property would be minimal, and Public Works superintendent Jim Reidy said his department already takes care of maintaining the little lot.
So the board decided to put off a decision that at first had seemed clear-cut.
A different case entirely is the 22-acre Toth property off Newton Street, which was purchased by the town in 2009 for $300,000, with the possibility of putting a new Plains Elementary School on it.
Ultimately, it was rejected as a school site because of the challenges presented by its wetlands, which are protected by the state.
The town decided to build the new school close to its current site – on a plot of land it hadn't even realized it owned!
There has been talk about turning the Toth property into a conservation area, but the discussion of the Selectboard leaned toward selling it to a developer for whom the conservation land would be an advantage and a selling point.