text:
Andrea Mitchell Reports 01/09/14
Former NJ gov.: Christie handled himself well
Tom Kean joins Andrea Mitchell Reports to share his thoughts on the Christie presser and what to expect from the scandal in the weeks to come. ... more Duration: {{video.duration.momentjs}}
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The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC or Commission) is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on a generic clearance to conduct national awareness surveys regarding the CPSC and CPSC activities.
Submit written or electronic comments on the collection of information by July 22, 2013.
You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2013-0020, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. The Commission does not accept comments submitted by electronic mail (email), except through www.regulations.gov. The Commission encourages you to submit electronic comments by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, as described above.
Written Submissions: Submit written submissions in the following way: Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions), preferably in five copies, to: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 820, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504-7923.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. All comments received may be posted without change, including any personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal information provided, to: http://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information that you do not want to be available to the public. If furnished at all, such information should be submitted in writing.
Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to: http://www.regulations.gov, and insert the docket number, CPSC-2013-0020, into the "Search" box, and follow the prompts. A copy of the draft survey is available at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. CPSC-2013-0020, Supporting and Related Materials.
For further information contact: Robert H. Squibb, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; (301) 504-7815, or by email to: email@example.com.
Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. "Collection of information" is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. Accordingly, the CPSC is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.
The Commission is authorized under section 5(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), 15 U.S.C. 2054(a), to conduct studies and investigations relating to the causes and prevention of deaths, accidents, injuries, illnesses, other health impairments, and economic losses associated with consumer products. Section 5(b) of the CPSA, 15 U.S.C. 2054(b), further provides that the Commission may conduct research, studies, and investigations on the safety of consumer products or test consumer products and develop product safety test methods and testing devices. To increase awareness about the CPSC and to communicate more effectively and efficiently with the public regarding information related to consumer product safety, such as product recalls and the reporting of hazardous incidents, the Commission must evaluate current awareness and benchmark changes in public awareness brought about through agency efforts. Using a national awareness survey (NAS), the Commission will benchmark current levels of awareness and, through two proposed surveys each year, measure changes in awareness. As agency staff acquires data, the CPSC's Office of Communications will adjust its communications plans to increase the effectiveness of the Commission's efforts. The Commission is seeking a generic clearance approval from OMB to streamline the process for approval of subsequent surveys which may be need to be adjusted or modified to obtain the most relevant awareness data.
The first two national awareness surveys will provide baseline data on the awareness of the agency, the CPSC's programs, and recalls—information about which there currently is relatively little systematic data collection. Periodic surveys will be conducted with new respondents at intervals to be determined by agency resources and needs. Analysis of subsequent surveys will assess changes in awareness. Additional surveys also will provide assessment of the effects of temporal events, such as product recalls with wide media coverage, or seasonal use of fireworks or Christmas tree lights. To gauge the extent of the public's awareness of the agency and its activities, the NAS will measure awareness of sources for product safety information, awareness of procedures for hazardous incident reporting, and awareness of product recall enforcement activity. In addition, the CPSC will learn how awareness varies with key respondent characteristics, such as age, or whether there are children in the household.
With the information obtained through the NAS, the CPSC intends to adjust its communications efforts to achieve a greater impact on consumer behavior. The CPSC's activities aim to serve a broad range of consumers with differing needs. Reaching all target audiences requires varying communications approaches. The survey is designed to assess which audiences are being reached and which messages are being communicated effectively. Results will indicate which messages and methods of communication require further development. For example, awareness in households with children ages 5 and younger is expected to be different from awareness in households comprising only seniors. The need to include diverse respondents necessitates contacting a large number of households to obtain adequate sample sizes for all key subpopulations.
The first two survey data collections will be conducted with sufficient numbers and at different time points to establish baseline estimates of consumer awareness and use of CPSC services. The data also may be used to support other aspects of agency operations and communications programs.
The survey will be administered using a computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) system, in a secure location, to which only authorized personnel have access. The interview will be conducted using a random (cell and landline) telephone number dialing protocol. Interviewers will collect data from a randomly selected adult member of each household. Participation is voluntary, and all responses will be confidential. The operators dialing and conducting the survey are trained interviewers. The initial screening is short, taking less than a minute at the longest. The brevity of the screening will reduce the burden to nonparticipants. Respondents who are aware of the CPSC will be presented with 23 substantive questions. Those who are not familiar with the agency will be presented with 18 substantive questions. All participants will be asked 13 demographic questions and be invited to participate in a brief follow-up phone discussion to provide context and detail on the CPSC and product safety information awareness. No more than nine respondents will actually participate in follow-up discussions. Follow-up topics and questions will be based on baseline results. To minimize respondent burden, the CATI system will ensure that interviewers ask each respondent survey items appropriate for the respondent's level of awareness only. The system's automatic survey control also will produce status reports to allow ongoing monitoring of the survey's progress. The CATI scheduler will be used to route telephone numbers to interviewers, maintain a schedule of callback appointments, and reschedule unsuccessful contact attempts to an appropriate day and time.
The telephone interview will take approximately 15−20 minutes to complete. Each cognitive interview will take approximately 1 hour; and each usability test will also take approximately 1 hour. The survey will be administered twice a year with 640 respondents for each survey. Follow-up interviews with nine respondents for each round will take approximately 30 minutes (0.5 hours) each. The total annual burden hours for respondents is estimated to be 455.9 hours. The hourly cost is estimated to be $51.03 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation," December 2012, Table 9, total compensation for all management, professional, and related workers in goods-producing private industries: http://www.bls.gov/ncs/). Accordingly, the estimated total annual cost burden to all respondents is $23,264.58 (455.9 hours × $51.03, or $23,264.58).
The annual cost to the federal government is estimated to be the cost of administering the survey ($162,952), plus $3,976, based on 6 days of staff time (3 days for each survey) at an average level of GS-14 step 5 (($119,238/.692) ÷ 2080 total hours per year) × 48 hours per year), using a 69.2 percent ratio of wages and salary to total compensation (from Table 1 of the September 2012 Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics). Therefore, total estimated cost to the government is $162,951.94 plus $3,976 in government labor costs for the first round of surveys and, without initial set-up costs in subsequent years, about $130,000, plus about $3,976 for two surveys per year in future years to be adjusted for inflation.
The CPSC invites comments on these topics:
Dated: May 16, 2013.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2013-12057 Filed 5-20-13; 8:45 am]
View Regulated Products and Related Regulations, Laws and Business Guidance
View Products Outside of CPSC's Jurisdiction
Download the Federal Register's PDF Notice
The link you selected is for a destination outside of the Federal Government. CPSC does not control this external site or its privacy policy and cannot attest to the accuracy of the information it contains. You may wish to review the privacy policy of the external site as its information collection practices may differ from ours. Linking to this external site does not constitute an endorsement of the site or the information it contains by CPSC or any of its employees.
Click Ok if you wish to continue to the website; otherwise, click Cancel to return to our site.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Meet and Communicate with Fun Singles Near You on BlackSingles.com
Register now to search thousands of members and post your FREE profile!
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will complete later Hi there, interested in meeting a female for possible relationship. Should have good sense of humor, emotionally so...
chingroy is a 53yr-old single man in S Chittenden, VermontView Profile


text:
The Bay Area and California job markets were far stronger in 2012 than initially estimated, a government report released Friday said, a clear indicator the region's economic surge is on solid footing.
Last year the Bay Area added 113,000 jobs, according to this newspaper's analysis of the release from the state Employment Development Department, while California added 327,400 jobs.
Job growth in the Bay Area was so strong that the nine-county region produced 35 percent of new jobs statewide, even though it has just 19 percent of the state's population. It was the Bay Area's best one-year job-growth performance since 2000, which was the peak of the dot-com employment boom.
"This shows that the Bay Area is leading California and it is outperforming almost every other region of the state in terms of job growth," said Scott Anderson, chief economist with San Francisco-based Bank of the West.
The jobs the Bay Area added last year exceeded by 21,600 the EDD's initial estimate of 91,400 new jobs, according to this newspaper's analysis of the EDD figures. Every March, the state releases annual revisions to its original estimates.
"The reason why the Bay Area is such a standout in California is because the strongest industries in the state, such as technology, are well concentrated in the Bay Area," said Jon Haveman, chief economist with the Bay Area Council's Economic Institute.
Businesses have been spending more briskly than consumers, another reason why the Bay Area has fared better than the state or the nation.
"Software, technical consulting services, business equipment -- that is what is most in demand," said Jordan Levine, an economist and director of economic research with Beacon Economics. "There are tons of companies in the Bay Area that produce goods and services that businesses consume."
Adding to the robust economic picture in the nine-county region is the improvement in the East Bay job market. The South Bay and the San Francisco metro area have been leading the recovery, but it now appears the East Bay is joining the rebound.
"This is a Bay Area-wide recovery," said Stephen Levy, director of the Palo Alto-based Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy. "The South Bay, San Francisco and the East Bay are all contributing."
The South Bay wound up gaining 28,900 jobs last year, or 5,300 more than first thought. The San Francisco metro area added 31,100 jobs, which was 10,500 better than the initial estimates. And the East Bay gained 21,400 jobs, or 4,500 more than the EDD first estimated.
California's job market also wound up being far stronger than first thought. The revisions showed that the state added 101,500 more jobs than the initial estimates.
"The stories of California's eminent demise are simply wrong," Levy said.
The upswing in employment persisted in January, with the Bay Area adding 6,100 jobs. The East Bay gained 2,100 jobs, and the San Francisco metro region added 5,000. The South Bay job boom took a breather in January, with a loss of 900 jobs, the EDD reported.
California added 1,700 jobs in January and the statewide jobless rate remained unchanged at 9.8 percent, the EDD reported. The South Bay's jobless rate in January was 8 percent, a slight improvement from 8.1 percent in December. The East Bay jobless rate was unchanged at 8.5 percent, while the San Francisco area's rate was 6.3 percent, down from 6.4 percent in December.
Job seekers offered mixed views of how they are faring in this improved employment market.
"My job search isn't going that great," said Mariam Hernandez, a Hayward resident who has been searching for a receptionist job for several weeks."I'm competing against a lot of people. Employers are being very choosy."
But Tanya Madero of San Jose, who has been seeking work as a full-time receptionist for just a few days, was more upbeat.
"It's very encouraging," she said. "I'm getting a lot of interviews. I got one job offer, but I'm holding out for full-time work."
The upward revisions in the job numbers point to continued momentum in the job market, said Jerry Nickelsburg, senior economist with the UCLA Anderson Forecast.
"The indicators all point to the Bay Area remaining the job leader in California," Nickelsburg said.
Contact George Avalos at 408-373-3556 or 925-977-8477. Follow him at Twitter.com/george_avalos.


text:
"Sister Sara's Good for You" products may not be so good for you, after all.
The Pleasanton firm voluntarily recalled several of its products Friday after the state Department of Public Health discovered they were produced without the required controls to prevent botulism toxin, which can lead to serious illness and death.
As of late Friday, no illnesses had been linked to the products, which were sold at farmers' markets in Alameda County.
The recalled items were packaged in one-pint glass canning jars with screw-on metal lids.
The products did not contain production or date codes, but were labeled as "Sister Sara's Good for You Soup," "Sister Sara's Bread and Butter Pickles," "Sister Sara's Pickled Beets" and "Sister Sara's Old Fashioned Dill Pickles."
Sister Sara's managers could not be reached for comment late Friday.
Botulism toxin is odorless and colorless. Symptoms generally occur 18 to 36 hours after ingesting it, but can occur as early as six hours or up to 10 days later.
Affected people often have blurred or double vision, followed by trouble speaking and swallowing. They may experience muscle weakness in the upper body.
Botulism can lead to life-threatening paralysis of the muscles used in breathing, so health experts advise people who are experiencing symptoms to seek immediate medical attention.
The state urged consumers to discard the recalled products.
Anyone who sees the products for sale is encouraged to call the state public health department complaint line at 800-495-3232.
Sandy Kleffman covers health. Contact her at 510-293-2478. Follow her at Twitter.com/skleffman.


text:
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Can I visit Arab countries with an Israeli stamp in my passport?
Top 5 foods you have to taste in Israel
Top 10 things to see and do in Israel
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text:
Give Gifts a Good Reception
With the holidays approaching, no doubt many of us are making a list and checking it twice. Ensuring that we find just the right gift to give to those we cherish in our lives.
Yet the giving is only half of the equation. We'll undoubtedly be receiving gifts, too. And while many of us are world-class givers, can we say the same about receiving?


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CNN's Denise Quan was on hand for MTLEY CRE's April 15 press conference in Los Angeles announcing this summer's Cre Fest tour. Watch her three-minute report at this location."Saints of Los Angeles", the new single from MTLEY CRE, includes backing vocals by Josh Todd (BUCKCHERRY), Jacoby Shaddix (PAPA ROACH), James Michael (SIXX: A.M.) and Chris Brown (TRAPT). The song is the title track of the group's new album, due in North America on June 17 through Mtley Records. In support of the album, MTLEY CRE will embark on a 40-plus-city North American amphitheater tour, beginning July 1 at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Fla., and wrapping August 31 at the Post-Gazette Pavilion in Pittsburgh. Produced by Los Angeles-based Live Nation, Cre Fest '08 will also feature rock acts BUCKCHERRY, PAPA ROACH, TRAPT and CRE bassist Nikki Sixx's side band SIXX: A.M. MTLEY CRE will guest on the nationally syndicated radio show "Rockline", hosted by Bob Coburn, on Monday, June 16 at 11:30 p.m. EST/8:30 p.m. PST - with a rebroadcast scheduled for Wednesday, June 18. Fans can talk live with MTLEY CRE by calling 800-344-ROCK (7625). To find a station near you or to listen to the show live via the Internet, go to www.rocklineradio.com.
MTLEY CRE On CNN; Video Available
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Success in Affiliate Marketing will never ever be achieved by putting a million banners up all on one website. Select your banners
thoroughly and remain your website mess complimentary. Too lots of banners can make your website feel overwhelming to a user, making
them less most likely to click any banners or become repeat visitors.
To produce earnings with your affiliate advertising efforts, you should check out the homepage of the product, and make certain that
it is well written and sales driven. Does it make you wish to purchase the item? If you are sending the page attacks, you require to
see to it that they are clicking with and purchasing.
Avoid affiliate advertising frauds by doing some research prior to picking an affiliate. Opportunity that charge you to be an
affiliate are not respectable, nor are companies that need you to purchase its item prior to ending up being an affiliate. Doing a
quick Google search of potential affiliates can save you from frauds.
Make sure that many of your internet site's product is ageless for improved affiliate marketing effectiveness. Replying to
information and industry developments is a fantastic means to create content, nonetheless if your web website is nothing but news
and commentary, its material has a restricted shelf-life. Make up some quality content that will continuously be appropriate to stay
your visitors thinking of your affiliate products.
A fantastic affiliate advertising concept is to market your product in other individuals's newsletters. You're not just limited to
your own newsletter. Advertising your item in another person's newsletter is a outstanding ways to obtain in touch with much more
individuals. Simply make certain you select a newsletter that is trustworthy.
It is really vital, when dealing with affiliate advertising, to understand your group. You should pick affiliates that provide items
that are interesting the group of people that see your page. It makes no sense to market products for older individuals when your
group is more youthful. Matching demographic to products is a great approach to boost clicks.
To help in efficient affiliate advertising, usage paid affiliate advertising programs. Paid marketing allows you to buy ads that
target keywords, which can significantly boost the traffic of your web site. This is a excellent method to drive your sales up, as
you will substantially boost the amount of prospective buyers.
Effective affiliate advertising is all about producing relationships. Make certain to sign up with blog sites and online forums
connecting to the product that you want to advertise. Make remarks commonly and if you are permitted, include related to your
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few of the best suggestions for helping a great affiliate online marketer wind up being a terrific affiliate online marketer.
If you are serious about Making Money Online From Home, these tips and tricks will help you jump start your affiliate markeing
business as soon as possible.


text:
Faculty Advisors for the Classical Studies Major at CMC
Shane Bjornlie
Dept. of History
Gary Gilbert
Dept. of Religious Studies
James Nichols
Dept. of Government
Suzanne Obdrzalek
Dept. of Philosophy
Ellen Rentz
Dept. of Literature
Faculty of the Affiliated Intercollegiate Classics Program
Michelle Berenfeld
Pitzer College
Christopher Chinn
Pomona College
Ellen Finkelpearl
Scripps College
Benjamin Keim
Pomona College
Richard McKirahan
Pomona College
David Roselli
Scripps College
Kenneth Wolf
Pomona College


text:
EUGENE, Ore. -- The talking ended Sunday for Stanford, which breathed life into its season with a critical 82-80 win over No. 17 but slumping Oregon at Matthew Knight Arena.
After a second straight Pac-12 Conference loss at Oregon State, Stanford's five starters held a private meeting. "It was a matter of pulling that determination, that will out of everybody. That hunger," junior guard Chasson Randle said.
"We did a lot of talking," Cardinal coach Johnny Dawkins said. "At the end of the day we said, 'Enough talk.' It's got to be about out performance."
"I think we got that tonight," Randle said.
Anthony Brown, who shot 1 for 10 Thursday at Oregon State, made his first six attempts and scored a career-high 24 points as the Cardinal (10-5, 1-2) avoided its first 0-3 Pac-12 start since 2009.
Randle added 23 points -- giving him 53 for the weekend -- but the 85 percent foul shooter missed two with 7.4 seconds left, allowing the Ducks (13-3, 1-3) one last chance.
Bay Area native Dominic Artis, whose 3-pointer with 21.4 seconds left got Oregon within a point, missed a lay- up contested by Randle, and Dwight Powell grabbed the rebound as the buzzer sounded.
Asked how big the victory was, Dawkins exhaled and said, "It's pretty big."
Randle, able to smile despite misfiring at the finish, hopes the win can turn the Cardinal's season in the right direction.
"Yeah, we were desperate," he said. "I feel desperate now. We're still below .500 in the conference, and we need to step it up."
Brown, who took the blame after Thursday's loss, said the key for the entire team against the Ducks was playing aggressively.
"We challenged ourselves," said Brown, who made 10 of his 12 shots. "We didn't want to start 0-3. We knew it was going to be a fight."
Oregon, which won its first 13 games to ascend to No. 10 in the national rankings a week ago, now has dropped three straight.
The Cardinal seemed in control after a jump shot by Brown capped a 10-3 run and made it 59-50 with 13:25 left.
Suddenly, the Ducks came alive. They made four 3-pointers in a span of 90 seconds, three of them by UNLV transfer Mike Moser, to pull within 64-62 with 11:38 left. Moser finished with 24 points.
The Cardinal weathered the storm, thanks in part to senior Powell, who scored 13 of his 14 points in the second half and added six assists.
Against pressure of the quick Ducks, Stanford largely held its poise, turning over the ball just seven times.
Stanford also got a much-needed lift from its bench, which had contributed a total of just two points in the first two Pac-12 games, only 21 over the previous five games.
John Gage provided nine points on 3-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc, and Robbie Lemons had five points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. All told, Stanford's reserves scored 16 points.
"The bench was great today," Brown said. "Coach also trusted them more, and they were ready for the opportunities."
"They all came in and gave us something," Dawkins said.
Washington State (8-8, 1-3 Pac-12) at Stanford (10-5, 1-2), 7 p.m. Pac-12 Networks


text:
FORT HOOD (December 4, 2012)—The U.S. Senate has approved the appointment of Maj. Gen. Mark A. Milley, the commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum in New York, to succeed Lt. Gen. Don M. Campbell, Jr. as commander of III Corps and Fort Hood.
Milley will assume command on Dec. 20 and will be promoted to lieutenant general on the same day.
The Defense Department announced in June that Campbell has been named commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and the Seventh Army in Germany.
Milley is a 1980 graduate of Princeton University who was commissioned through the ROTC.
His initial assignment was with the 82nd Airborne Division and later the 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg.
Before assuming command of Fort Drum, he served as the Joint Staff's Deputy Director for Regional Operations at the Pentagon.
His deployments include tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Haiti.
Campbell was picked to command III Corps and Fort Hood in March 2011 after he turned over command of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command at Fort Knox to Maj. Gen David L. Mann.
He assumed the Fort Knox command in May 2009 after serving as commanding general of the U.S. Army Center and Fort Knox.
Campbell was commissioned an armor officer in May 1978
Among his subsequent assignments was command of the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade in June 2001.
He later served as the division's chief of staff until June 2004.
He joined U.S. Army Recruiting Command as deputy-commanding general-west from July 2004 to May 2005 and in June 2006 became chief of staff of V Corps.
In July 2007 he became deputy-commanding general of I Corps.
As commander of III Corps and Fort Hood, he succeeded Lt. Gen. Robert W. Cone who was assigned as commander of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command at Fort Monroe, Va.
Cone assumed command of Fort Hood in late September 2009 after serving as special assistant to the commanding general at the Training and Doctrine Command, succeeding Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, who in turn succeeded Lt.. Gen. Raymond Odierno, who now serves as Army chief of staff.


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A special 'everything package' discount price for season subscribers of the MSU Riley Center is already available. 'Build Your Own' mini-season ticket packages will go on sale Aug. 17. Individual tickets for each show will go on sale Aug. 29.
Here is the lineup, including ticket prices:
The Charlie Daniels Band
Saturday, September 17, 2011 / 7:30 p.m.
$65, $59
Pre-Show Party at 6:00 p.m.
Through almost 60 years in music, Charlie Daniels has done things his way. "I've never followed trends or fads," he says. "I can't be anybody but me." He became a country-rock star in the 1970s and had a huge hit in 1979 with the Grammy-winning "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." More recently, he's become something of a conservative icon for such songs as "This Ain't No Rag, It's a Flag." At age 74, he still loves to entertain with his guitar, his fiddle and his drawling, plainspoken voice.
Little Big Town
Sunday, October 2, 2011 / 6:00 p.m.
$58, $52
Four great voices have carried Little Big Town to the top of the country music charts. That's where the band's most recent album, The Reason Why, peaked after its release last year. Kimberly Schlapman, Karen Fairchild, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook take turns as lead vocalist. "Each person has their own individual style, so the face of the band changes with whoever's singing," says Westbrook. But it's the intertwining four-part vocal harmonies, influenced by everything from traditional country to 1970s rock, that really set Little Big Town apart.
Patty Griffin
Saturday, October 8, 2011 / 7:30 p.m.
$42, $36
Pre-Show Party at 6:00 p.m.
In 1980, Patty Griffin, then 16, bought herself a used $55 Hohner guitar and began writing music. Since then, she has released seven albums, won the Album of the Year and Artist of the Year awards at the 2007 Americana Music Awards, and picked up a Grammy Award earlier this year in the Best Traditional Gospel Album category for Downtown Church. She's known as a roots-oriented singer-songwriter with an emotional, haunting stage presence, but her songs have been recorded by everyone from the Dixie Chicks and Miranda Lambert to Jessica Simpson and Kelly Clarkson.
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Thursday, October 20, 2011 / 7:30 p.m.
$58, $52
Pre-Show Party at 6:00 p.m.
Mary Chapin Carpenter has won five Grammy Awards, including four in a row (1992-1995) for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Such rousing songs as "Down at the Twist and Shout," "Passionate Kisses" and "I Feel Lucky" made her a star, but country music is just a part of her repertoire. She also wanders into folk, rock and blues territory, and her songs have even ventured into social commentary on occasion. Despite the reflective and even regretful tone of her latest album, The Age of Miracles, Carpenter's cheerful, friendly onstage personality inevitably charms audiences.
Point of Grace with Special Guest Jason Castro
Friday, October 28, 2011 / 7:30 p.m.
$34, $28
One of the biggest acts in contemporary Christian music, Point of Grace has won 13 Dove Awards, including three this year. Shelley Breen, Denise Jones and Leigh Cappillino have also crossed over into the country field with their bold vocal harmonies and rousing, inspirational lyrics. Their music reflects their personal lives as wives and mothers. "The majority of our fans are women who are dealing with the same things we are," says Cappillino. Jason Castro, who will open the show, finished fourth on TV's American Idol in 2008. He showcased his bouncy acoustic folk-pop style last year on his debut album, Jason Castro.
Thursday, November 3, 2011 / 7:30 p.m.
$28, $22
William Shakespeare's great tragedy, full of destructive ambition, foul deeds, apparitions, witches and bloodshed, makes for stirring entertainment. Macbeth, aided and goaded by his wife, commits multiple murders in order to become king of Scotland, but sows the seeds of his own destruction. The play includes some of the most famous scenes in theater, including those featuring Lady Macbeth's guilt-ridden sleepwalking and the fateful prophecies of the three witches.
The Miles Davis Experience: 1949-1959
A Collaboration with Blue Note Records
Wednesday, November 16, 2011 / 7:30 p.m.
$28, $22
More than just a concert, this performance event seeks to re-create perhaps the most exciting period in the history of jazz. Those too young to have seen the relentlessly innovative trumpeter Miles Davis (who died in 1991) will have the opportunity to experience his music played the way it was first presented. The Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, led by a hot young California trumpeter who won the 2007 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, stands in for Davis and his band. Photos and film clips of the era and a beat poet-style narrator provide context.
Blind Boys of Alabama with Sara and Sean Watkins
Sunday, November 20, 2011 / 6:00 p.m.
$42, $36
Pre-Show Party at 4:30 p.m.
The Blind Boys of Alabama have been performing joyous gospel music for more than 70 years, but this year they did something they'd never done before. They released a country-gospel album, Take the High Road. Jimmy Carter, who joined the group in 1944, five years after its founding at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in Talladega, has always been a country music buff. Still, it's the old-school gospel harmonizing that has made the Blind Boys a national treasure. Effervescent young bluegrass fiddler and singer Sara Watkins and guitarist brother Sean of the group Nickel Creek will open the concert.
Miracle on 34th Street
Saturday, December 10, 2011 / 7:30 p.m.
$42, $36
The classic 1947 holiday movie about a department store Santa who just may be the real thing comes to the stage. Even the most humbug-wary Scrooge can't resist its gentle triumph of faith over cynicism and Christmas over commerce. The whole family will want to share the experience, which includes some familiar holiday carols.
Family Show (not part of the Fall/Winter Series)
Junie B. Jones
Theatreworks USA Production
Friday, January 20, 2012 / 7:30 p.m.
Adults $18, Children (under 12) $10
Outspoken, precocious, lovable Junie B. Jones returns, two years after her last visit to the MSU Riley Center. The star of a series of children's books by Barbara Park (and now a series of children's musicals) continues to make her feisty way through the first years of school, managing to get herself into a fair amount of trouble along the way. Still, she usually recovers to have a "wowie wow wow!" time.
The Pointer Sisters
Saturday, January 28, 2012 / 7:30 p.m.
$58, $52
Pre-Show Party at 6:00 p.m.
Ruth, Anita, Bonnie and June Pointer began singing gospel music as children at their parents' church in West Oakland, California. They also became interested in rock, soul and blues, which their parents considered "the devil's music." In 1973, they released their first album as The Pointer Sisters. It yielded the hit "Yes We Can Can." Other hits followed, in a variety of musical styles, including "He's So Shy," "Automatic," "Slow Hand," "I'm So Excited" and "Fire." The current touring edition of The Pointer Sisters consists of Anita, Ruth and Sadako Johnson, Ruth's granddaughter, continuing in the funky family tradition.
Evidence, A Dance Company
Ronald K. Brown/Artistic Director
Friday, February 10, 2012 / 7:30 p.m.
$40, $34
Ronald K. Brown and his dance company, Evidence, will perform a new piece, On Earth Together, which Brown choreographed to songs by Stevie Wonder. Brown's energetic choreography unites with Wonder's uplifting music for an evening of breathtaking inspiration. Brown calls it "a commitment to making the world a better place." Since he was a second-grader in Brooklyn, Brown has created dance pieces, fusing European traditions with African-inspired styles. Everything from classical ballet to hip-hop to Caribbean folk dances becomes a tool for his creativity.
Garrison Keillor
Thursday, February 16, 2012 / 7:30 p.m.
$64, $58
Pre-Show Party at 6:00 p.m.
The tall man in the red shoes and socks will bring an evening of homespun humor, eclectic music and Midwestern charm to the MSU Riley Center. Keillor has written more than a dozen books and numerous newspaper and magazine articles. But he is most famous as host of the public radio show A Prairie Home Companion, a mixture of storytelling, songs, comedy skits and advertisements for such improbable sponsors as Powdermilk Biscuits and the Ketchup Advisory Board. Nostalgia and good-natured humor permeate Keillor's world, especially during his tales about his fictional hometown of Lake Wobegon, Minnesota.
The MSU Riley Center presents two main series each year, Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer. Each spans a wide range of top-quality performing arts, in keeping with the center's commitment "to entertain and enrich, further lifelong learning, and improve the quality of life for people of Mississippi and West Alabama."
The performance venue constitutes an attraction all by itself. The MSU Riley Center presents its shows in a lushly restored 19th-century theater, blessed with flawless acoustics and enhanced by its setting in historic downtown Meridian.
The MSU Riley Center's Web site, www.msurileycenter.com, lists the latest information about the Fall/Winter Series and also features online ticketing and links to audio and video clips.
Tickets and information are available by phone or in person at the MSU Riley Center box office Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour before showtime on the day of a show. The telephone number is 601-696-2200, and the address is 2200 Fifth Street in downtown Meridian.
MSU Riley Center
2200 Fifth Street
Meridian, MS 39301
Box office hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.


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STATELINE, Nev. - The first thing that Charles Barkley said on his first hole at the American Century Championship was, "Oh (crap), you're still alive. That's a miracle."
He was speaking to course marshal Norm Green. Barkley would proclaim his amazement again that Green was in fact breathing and walking before leaving the tee box.
"Every year I come here I'm just shocked you're still alive."
Green took a picture with Barkley, giving him a high-five. The marshal had to stand on a chair in the middle of the tee box to do so. That was just a start to the Barkley shenanigans.
He arrived to the first tee early, just in time to watch Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane tee off. Barkley, being Barkley, wanted a closer look and stood about a foot from Beane's ball. He moved back, eventually, and Beane skied a shot that wouldn't have gone out of the infield.
"Don't worry if it hits you, it won't hurt," Barkley shouted.
The NBA Hall of Famer left tee one and crossed the bridge to tee 10 to say "hi" to San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith. Many people commented on Barkley's weight loss, as he sported a white shirt that looked a size too big and black pants, complemented by black shoes.
The stands for the first tee were significantly more full than the ones next to them for tee 10. He was announced as the "one and only Sir Charles Barkley."
Barkley set his ball on a tee and tried to move a piece of grass that sat behind it with his driver several times before he finally gave up and took a practice swing. It was smooth and clean, giving promise that his actual swing might be improved. It was a false promise.
When he stepped to the ball and pulled his club back, all looked good. His swing down was smooth, just like in practice, but he stopped about two-thirds of the way down and then continued. His ball did not go far, but it did go farther than Beane's.
As Barkley walked, fans shouted at him. One said, "You're the man, Chuck."
"Thank you my man. I'm blessed," he answered.
Luckily for him - and his group, and the group behind them - they played the best ball off the drive. Only two in the group hit the green from about 120 yards out, and wouldn't you know it, one was Barkley. His swing mimicked his drive, with the stutter on the swing down, but he hit a line drive that landed 30 feet from the hole.
He putted from the right side of the green, going downhill. It looked good, but died about eight inches from the cup. A two-putt. Good for par.


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On Nov. 16, Livermore's Shepherd's Gate, a women's shelter, hosted the Alliance of Women Professionals so their residents could learn from and be inspired by successful women.
The panel included chiropractors, office managers, an attorney, financial adviser, real estate agent and hair dresser. The event was the first time professional women have come to the shelter to offer their advice.
One woman who had been at the shelter for only one week was interested in becoming an attorney. Another woman who has been at the shelter for seven months was inspired by the women.
"It was very nice and uplifting," she said. She said becoming a financial adviser is something that might interest her. Before coming to the shelter, she was homeless for a brief time with her 8-year-old son. While many women at the shelter are victims of domestic abuse, this woman said her son was the victim. She says she caught her father abusing her son, and when she turned him in to the police, she was rejected by her family. At around the same time, she lost her job and had nowhere to turn.
"This place offers me stability and helps me with my spiritual relationship. Most of all, it offers safety for my son," she said.
Sima Alefi, a financial adviser with Edward Jones, organized the event, finding a broad-spectrum of professional women for the panel. She led off the presentations.
"When I started out I didn't have anything," said Alefi. "I was 19 years old when I got married. I was going through school while I had a child, and then I had a second child. So I finished my education while I was a full-time worker and a mother.
"I want you to know that you, too, can set goals today. You can follow your dreams and you can achieve those goals down the road. You have a tremendous amount of potential," she said.
Alefi cited recent statistics showing the growing economic power of women. She also described how people can accumulate wealth slowly over time even with a small initial investment.
Esther Langofer, a real estate agent, informed them how they can eventually achieve the dream of homeownership, and gave some tips on renting in this economy. Kathy McCloud, the office manager at Tollefson CPA Firm, told the women how she started working just a couple hours as a yard supervisor in Livermore while raising her children and going to school. Her husband had a pay cut, and she knew she would have to increase her income, so she began taking classes at Las Positas. A woman she befriended in class recommended her for hire at an accounting firm, the same firm she now works at many years later.
Keely Coleman, owner of Maurice Salon in Danville, told them that they don't necessarily have to get a four-year degree to have a successful career. Dr. Niele Maimone and Dr. Kristin Hazleton, of Align Healing Center in Danville, told them about their career paths to becoming chiropractors and then offered treatment and aroma therapy to the women after the presentations.
Kathleen Reeves, a family law attorney for 30 years who offered legal advice to the women after the presentations, asked the women to raise their hands if they have children, and most of the women raised their hands, including one woman pregnant with number four.
"As I look out at all these beautiful faces, you are our future," Reeves said. "The most important thing I see here is that you want to take care of your children. As you become more secure, the more secure they become. The less emotionally drained you are, the better your children are going to be."
"All of you are amazing to accept what Shepherd's Gate is offering you and using it. If you take advantage of what's being offered to you and you do your part to get through it, you save your lives, and you save your children's lives, and you will be able to go forward and turn around and help other women," Reeves said.
Contact Patrick Brown at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants are running out of things they can count on in the wake of another unsettling drubbing by the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.
The Giants had been unbeaten in seven Tim Hudson starts at AT&T Park, but the Padres rudely ended that run with a 7-2 victory in which they rapped out nine hits against the veteran right-hander and knocked him out of the game after 52/3 innings.
It's looking like the Giants can't count on the comforts of AT&T Park much anymore, either. Over the first two months, the Giants were fairly dominant in their home yard at 22-9. But with this latest dispiriting defeat that shrunk their lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers to three games in the National League West, they have lost five straight and eight of nine at home.
If those developments aren't grim enough, the Giants were subdued by a Padres rookie pitcher for a second straight night. Following up the seven shutout innings of Odrisamer Despaigne in his major league debut Monday, 22-year-old right-hander Jesse Hahn -- making just his fourth major league start -- retired the first 12 Giants he faced over the first four innings, and by the time the hosts managed their first hit, San Diego had already built a 3-0 lead.
But the Giants' real concern at the moment is their own starting pitching. They haven't been able to rely on anybody besides Madison Bumgarner of late, and the recent slump of Hudson, who has been the Giants' second best starter through the first three months, brings even more alarm to their ongoing skid in which they've lost 11 of 14 overall.
Over that stretch, Giants starters have posted a 5.63 ERA and have logged just four quality starts -- six innings pitched allowing three or fewer runs.
"I think it's fair to say that's our biggest issue right now during this tough stretch," said manager Bruce Bochy. "It's that rotation that put us in a good position, but we've hit a bump in the road with some of them, and it's going to happen. But it's going to be important to come out of this, and it's going to be our starting pitching that gets us out of this."
Things seemed solid with Hudson on the mound at AT&T, where he was 5-0 with a 2.16 ERA. But it just wasn't happening for him on this night, even though he felt much better than he did in his last start against the White Sox in Chicago, when he gave up 12 hits and seven runs in 42/3 innings.
"My Chicago start, I just wasn't very good," Hudson said. "Tonight I felt really good. I felt like I was making some pretty good pitches. They hit some pretty good pitches, they hit some that weren't very good. You have to give them credit, but at the same time, it's a pitch or two from maybe not giving up any runs. It's one of those things that happens."
The Giants have been finding themselves giving a lot of credit to opponents the past couple of weeks. At least in the case of the young Padres' pitching, some of it may be deserved. Hahn allowed just four hits over six innings, walked one and struck out eight. He looked like the real deal.
"He's got pretty good stuff," said Buster Posey, who drove in one of the Giants' two runs with an RBI double in the sixth. "He had good life on his fastball, and he changed speeds with the curveball a lot, which made it effective."
Hudson, meanwhile, had two walks and a hit batter to go along with his nine hits allowed while striking out just four. Four of the six runs scored against him were earned, and the bottom of the Padres' order was a particular thorn. No. 8 man Alexi Amarista went 3 for 4 and drove in three of San Diego's seven runs.
San Diego capped its scoring when Tommy Medica, a Santa Clara University product out of Bellarmine College Prep, slammed a pinch-hit solo homer against Javier Lopez in the eighth inning.
San Diego (Ian Kennedy 5-8) at Giants (Tim Lincecum 5-5), 12:45 p.m. CSNBA
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It is official: On December 14, 2013, the Purdue University Board of Trustees approved the creation of the School of Engineering Technology within the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. The new school is a true combination of equals, joining the departments of Mechanical Engineering Technology and Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology.
The task of bringing together two departments, whose culture and strengths mirror each other, was not taken lightly. Members of our Industrial Advisory Boards, many of whom graduated from these programs, weighed in on our decision. The consistent message was this: help our programs emulate the current job market partnership between electrical and mechanical engineers, while exploring more interdisciplinary options. New programs in fields such as robotics, mechatronics and healthcare technology can help our students stand out even more when they are entering the workforce.
I am elated by the possibilities this new academic unit provides to our students, our industry partners, and the future employers of our graduates. By removing the departmental barriers, we are more able to adjust our degree programs to meet the needs of a changing global workforce while enriching and strengthening our degree programs even more.
It is an exciting time for the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the School of Engineering Technology. Over the coming months, the change will be more fully reflected within the Purdue Polytechnic and Purdue University webpages and in other printed materials. As always, questions and comments are welcome, so please feel free to contact me with any you may have about the School of Engineering Technology.
Boiler Up,
Kenneth Burbank
Head of the School of Engineering Technology


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July 28, 2011:
Black Tar Heroin Seizure
As a result of a year-long investigation, Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Vice and Narcotics Unit with assistance from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized 3.6 kilograms (8 pounds) of black tar heroin on Thursday, July 28, 2011. This seizure amounts to approximately 36,000 dosage units of heroin. The street value of these drugs is approximately $500,000.00 .
The black tar heroin was seized from an apartment near Central Avenue. This investigation has been ongoing since 2010 and multiple agencies from around the region provided information to CMPD that eventually led to the location of this significant seizure. The investigation is still ongoing and more details cannot be released at this time.
Anyone with information about black tar heroin or other illegal drugs are encouraged to call the Vice and Narcotics Anonymous Tip Line at 704-336-8423. In addition, you may also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or visit their website at http://www.charlottecrimestoppers.com RF
July 28, 2011:
2011 CMPD Citizen Satisfaction Survey
CMPD received the final results of the 2011 CMPD Citizen Satisfaction Survey from Dr. Nancy Burnap of MarketWise. The results concluded that a strong majority of residents have a positive impression of the CMPD and believe the police have been effective in making Charlotte-Mecklenburg and their neighborhood safer. There were also significant increases to the overall satisfaction for both non-emergency CRU and the emergency 911.
Another factor that weighed heavily in the survey was the perception of police visibility as it relates to the reduction of crime. The survey affirmed that maintaining and increasing police visibility is what residents believe is the most important thing the police can do to keep them safe.
To read more of the summary from MarketWise, please see the 2011 CMPD Citizen Satisfaction Survey Final Report.
To review the actual survey results, please see the 2011 Citizen Survey presentation. MO
July 25, 2011:
2011 Justice Assistance Grant
The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have received a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice under its Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program. The funds are to be used for improvements to law enforcement and correctional agencies. The grant is for $714,123; the City of Charlotte's share is $535,592.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department plans to spend the City funds as follows:
The Justice Department requires a 30-day public comment period on the expenditure of JAG funds. Please direct any questions or comments on Charlotte's proposed spending plan to Darrellyn Kiser at 704-336-7736 or firstname.lastname@example.com.
July 19, 2011
Grier Heights Bike Patrol
New Bike Patrol Officers in Grier Heights
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Providence Division recently received a generous donation from donors with the "Self Help" http://www.self-help.org/contact-us/locations/#NC organization and a long time resident of the Grier Height's Community. This gesture has enabled the Providence Division the ability to purchase two bicycles, uniforms and equipment that will be used to patrol the community of Grier Heights.
This effective approach to patrolling has proven to provide for much greater accessibility to different areas of the neighborhood and allows police officers a much more personal level of engagement with neighbors. It gives the officers the ability to be much more proactive in their work by developing relationships with the community members they serve. The officers rolled out on their assignments Tuesday, July 19, 2011, to the delight of neighbors. RT
July 18, 2011
Robbery Suspects Arrested
Paul Payton
Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's North Division have arrested Merrick Kentrell Payton, DOB: 05/10/1989, and Shanequia Paul, DOB: 07/26/1992.
On Tuesday, July 12, 2011, at approximately 2:00 p.m. officers responded to a robbery from business call at Mia Amour Beauty Shop located at 240 Mt. Holly Huntersville Road.
Once officers arrived at the location the female victims stated that the two women and a male suspect entered the business. A short time later Shanequia Paul assaulted one of the victims and grabbed money from the register while the male suspect assaulted the victims with pepper spray before all three suspects fled the scene. MEDIC responded to render medical attention to the victims who were treated for non-life threatening injuries.
During this investigation officers gathered evidence that enabled them to obtain a warrant for the suspects arrests. Shanequia Paul was arrested approximately twenty four hours after she committed the robbery. Payton's arrests came several days later. The duo have been charged with two counts of common law robbery, two counts of conspiracy and assault.
It was also determined that the suspects were involved in a residential breaking and entering case the same day at a home in the 3600 block of Lake Road. They both face additional charges of breaking and entering with force and larceny. RT
July 15, 2011
CMPD participates in youth tennis program.
Metro Div. Officer Rollin Mackel training with children
On Friday, July 15, 2011, Metro Division officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department volunteered their time along with staff members from West Charlotte High School and Coach William Brown to provide a day of tennis lessons for fifty elementary school students.
These children attend the Clara H. Jones Summer Institute at First Baptist Church-West and many of them had never played or been exposed to the sport of tennis.
Metro Officers gave the children a good work out and got in a pretty good burn of their own. RT
July 14, 2011
B&E Suspects Arrested in Eastway Division
Morris Smith
Eastway Division officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have arrested Derricke Lamont Morris, DOB: 09/06/1991 and James Smith, DOB: 04/11/1992. On Wednesday, July 13, 2011, officers responded to a suspicious person call for service at a home in the 1100 block of Woodside Ave.
A witness called 911 and stated he observed two suspicious men running from the backyard of the home and noticed a rear window of the home had been broken. The witness gave 911 a detailed description of the suspects which was broadcast over the radio. Officers coordinated a perimeter around the neighborhood in an effort to locate the suspects.
Approximately twenty minutes later an officer observed two men matching the description of the suspects and detained the men. The witness was taken to the scene and positively identified both suspects as the men he witnessed running from the yard. James Smith had cuts to his wrist and ankle that he sustained from the broken window of the home. Officers immediately requested MEDIC and the suspect was transported to the hospital. Both Morris and Smith have been charged with Breaking and Entering with Force and Felony Larceny.
The information the witness provided by calling 911 was critical in bringing this case to a prompt resolution. Officers in the field did an outstanding job of communicating with each other and dispatch. They coordinated an effective perimeter that enabled them to apprehend these suspects quickly before the suspects could victimize anyone else in our community.
Anyone with additional information concerning this case may forward anonymous tips to the Crime Stoppers tip line at 704-334-1600 RT
July 13, 2011
Second Quarter Crime Statistics Released
Deputy Chief Kerr Putney during press conference
Deputy Chief Kerr Putney presented the second quarter crime statistics for 2011. The stats through the end of June show the preliminary total for Index Offenses was -25.44% lower than the past 3 year average.
Property crime decreased by -25.85% while violent crime decreased by -22.56%.
18 homicides were reported through June compared to the past 3 year average of 33.67, resulting in a decrease of -46.53%.
733 robberies were reported compared to the average of 1154, resulting in a decrease of -36.48%
106 rapes were reported compared to the average of 126.33, resulting in a decrease of -16.09%
Out of those 106 reported rapes, 19 were reportedly committed by strangers, the remaining 87 committed by known acquaintances to the victims.
1378 aggravated assaults were reported compared to the average of 1572.33, resulting in a decrease of -12.36%.
Burglary overall was down -18.77%, (4111 compared to 5060.67) with a decrease of -22.82% in residential (2952 compared to 3825) and a decrease of -6.2% in commercial cases (1159 compared to 1235.67).
960 vehicle thefts were reported compared to the average of 1964.33, resulting in a decrease of -51.13%.
Total larceny cases declined by -24.72% (10005 compared to 13290.33) with the larcenies from auto down by -44.62% (3835 compared to 6924.67).
100 arson cases were reported compared to 150.67, resulting in a decrease of -33.63%.
For a more comprehensive snapshot of the statistics please visit http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/CMPD/Pages/default.aspx RT
July 13, 2011
Mother arrested in child abuse case
Shannon Merriman
Shortly after 1:00 a.m., on Wednesday, July 13, 2011, Shannon Merriman, DOB: 09/09/1988, was arrested on a warrant for Child Abuse Inflicting Serious Injury (F). Ms. Merriman is currently in the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, where she is being held without bond. Ms. Merriman was arrested at Carolinas Medical Center, 1000 Blythe Boulevard.
The victim in this case is the one year old son of Ms. Merriman; his name is being withheld. The incident occurred at Ms. Merriman's apartment, located on High Meadow Lane, in the Steele Creek Division, on July 10 2011, at 2:34 p.m. Ms. Merriman called 911 to report that her son had slipped and hit his head. Steele Creek Division officers responded to the scene and to Carolinas Medical Center, where the baby was taken for treatment of his injury.
Homicide Unit Detectives were notified and took command of the investigation from the outset. Their investigation led them to secure a warrant for Ms. Merriman's arrest.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS, and speak with the lead Detective. Detective Fitch is the lead investigator in this case. In addition, you may also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. RF
July 13, 2011
Suspect captured in Georgia
Damion Dawston
Damion Dawston is wanted by the Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) for outstanding warrants for interfering with an electronic monitoring device, felony breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, and felony possession of stolen goods. He was apprhended in Gwinnett County Georgia on Wednesday morning.
Dawston was the fourteenth offender to cut the monitor off this year of more than 700 suspects who are monitored. On average, fewer than 2% of the offenders we monitor ever cut the monitors off. RT
July 11, 2011
Commercial B&E suspect arrested
Bobby J. Barrett
Freedom Division Officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have arrested Bobby J. Barrett, DOB: 12/20/1985. On Wednesday, July 6, 2011, at approximately 3:00 a.m. officers responded to a commercial burglary alarm at the Savoy 2002 Nightclub located at 3930 Brookshire Blvd.
When officers arrived at the location they observed the rear door was slightly ajar. When an officer pushed the door open he observed the suspect inside of the business with a hammer in his hand. The suspect turned and ran from the officer, but was quickly apprehended.
During the course of the investigation officers determined that the suspect pried open the back door and cash registers inside of business.
Barrett has been charged with Breaking and Entering with Force.
Anyone with additional information concerning this case may forward anonymous tips to the Crime Stoppers tip line at 704-334-1600 or http://www.charlottecrimestoppers.com RT
July 8, 2011
Homicide Detectives conducting death investigation
Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Homicide Unit are conducting an investigation into a home invasion robbery and subsequent shooting that occurred at 2404 Finchley Drive in the North Tryon Division, which left one man dead. The call for service was reported at 9:36 a.m., on Friday, July 08, 2011. The deceased has yet to be identified..
North Tryon Division officers responded to 2404 Finchley Drive to investigate the report of one person who had been shot. When officers arrived on scene, they located an unresponsive male inside the residence; he was pronounced deceased on scene. Based upon initial witness statements, a male was sitting outside the house in a vehicle when he was approached by two armed black males. The suspects forced the male inside the residence at gunpoint and began assaulting him. When the female resident heard the commotion, she fired a firearm at the suspects, killing one of them. The second suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction of travel. Patrol officers and detectives are currently searching for the second suspect.
The male who was assaulted was treated on scene by Medic and transported to Carolinas Medical Center treatment of his non-life threatening injuries. The female victim was uninjured during the incident. Both victims will be interviewed by Homicide Unit Detectives.
Crime Scene Search responded to the call for service to process the scene and collect physical evidence.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 704-432-TIPS and speak directly to a Homicide Unit Detective. Detective Santiago is the lead detective assigned to the case. In addition, you may also call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://www.charlottecrimestoppers.com RF
July 8, 2011
Marijuana grow operation discovered
Garage Grow Operation Jorge Luis Correa Ivan Montalvo
Independence Division officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have arrested Jorge Luis Correa, DOB: 10/03/1967 and Ivan Montalvo, DOB: 10/15/1968. On June 28, 2011, officers received information concerning a possible marijuana grow operation at a home located at 9817 Dunfries Road.
Officers arrived at the location and met with the homeowner Jorge Luis Correa. Correa gave the officers consent to enter the home. Once inside the officers detected a strong smell of marijuana, they asked the homeowner for consent to search the location, but their request was denied. Officers subsequently obtained a search warrant for the home and discovered an elaborate marijuana grow operation constructed in the garage.
Approximately fifty marijuana plants were discovered in various stages of growth. More than $10,000 in cash was recovered from the home. It was also determined that the suspects connected the subterranean power line to the home bypassing the power meter in an effort to steal electrical service from Duke Energy.
Both Correa and Montalvo have been charged with Trafficking in Marijuana, Manufacturing Marijuana, Maintaining a Dwelling to Sell Controlled Substance and Conspire to Sell Marijuana. Anyone with additional information concerning this case may forward anonymous tips to the Crime Stoppers tip line at 704-334-1600 or http://www.charlottecrimestoppers.com RT
July 8, 2011
Excellent work results in arrest of robbery suspect
Michael Conway
Officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have arrested Michael Conway, DOB: 12/08/1968On July 5, 2011, at approximately 7:30 p.m. Westover Division officers responded to a robbery of a business reported at the Petro Express located at 605 Clanton Road. The victim told officers that the suspect entered the store and demanded the money from the cash register after implying he had a gun. The suspect took the cash and got into a taxi before leaving the location.
Approximately five minutes later another robbery was reported at the Circle K located at 4001 South Blvd. The store clerk stated that she was behind the counter when the suspect entered the store and implied he had a gun, the suspect demanded money from the register and again got in to a taxi. The suspect and vehicle descriptions were identical to those of the prior robbery. The description was broadcast over the radio and officers circulated the area looking for the vehicle. A short time later officers located a vehicle matching the description. Steele Creek officers assisted Westover officers and stopped the taxi on Woodlawn Road.
A witness was transported to the location and identified Michael Conway as the man responsible for the Circle K robbery. A search incident to arrest also resulted in officers recovering property that was stolen from the Petro Express robbery. It was determined that the taxi driver was not aware of the suspect's criminal activity inside the stores. Michael Conway was charged with Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and Common Law Robbery. The suspect has a lengthy criminal record in Mecklenburg County including arrests of armed robberies of businesses.
The CMPD will continue to work aggressively to remove these type of individuals from society who repeatedly prey on our community. Excellent communication and coordination between patrol officers in Westover and Steele Creek Divisions in the field and dispatch were critical elements in apprehending this repeat offender before he victimized anyone else. RT
July 7, 2011
PAL Receives Donation from NLC
CMPD officers took on the National League of Cities (NLC) in a friendly basketball competition. The event benefitted the Police Activities League (PAL). The game was held at the Greenville Neighborhood Center. PAL youth, residents, and other spectators cheered the CMPD team onto a 66-54 victory.
Charlotte City Council members, including Mayor Anthony Foxx, Councilman James Mitchell, Jr. (NLC president) and Councilman Warren Turner played on the NLC team. NLC is a nonprofit organization that helps city leaders build stronger communities. Don Borut, NLC executive director and WPEG's "No Limit Larry" also were on hand.
At the end of the game, NLC presented a $500 check to PAL for their Youth Male Group Mentoring and Leadership Program.
To learn more about PAL, please contact Jeff Hood, executive director, at 704-336-2105. LF
July 6, 2011
Hickory Grove Officers arrest B&E Suspect
Bryan Emmanuel Berry
Hickory Grove Division Officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have arrested Bryan Emmanuel Berry, DOB: 10/22/1988. On May 22, 2011, at approximately 2:45 p.m. officers responded to a residential breaking and entering call for service at a home in the 8400 block of Othello Place.
The victim stated he had and his daughter had returned home from church and discovered someone had entered his residence through a rear window and removed property including a gaming system console. The victim provided officers with the model and serial number which he recorded after purchasing the item. Officers entered the serial number of the item into the CMPD's Pawn Tracker system and received a positive hit on the gaming system.
The information revealed that Bryan Emanuel Berry sold the merchandise at a pawn shop on Albemarle Road. Bryan Emanuel Berry was apprehended on July 4, 2011, and has been charged with Breaking and Entering with Force and Felony larceny.
The CMPD continues to strongly urge citizens to record and save all serial and model numbers from electronic equipment and other expensive items. This information is critical in tracking the property in the event it's ever stolen. Anyone with additional information concerning this case may forward anonymous tips to the Crime Stoppers tip line at 704-334-1600 or http://www.charlottecrimestoppers.com RT
July 6, 2011
Robbery Detectives seek public's assistance
Robbery Detectives are seeking the public's assistance in identifying the individual pictured in the attached photographs. The suspect committed the offense at the KP Express Mart located at 2634 Statesville Ave.
The suspect used a taser device on the store employee several times during the incident. He was last seen wearing a green ballcap, green t-shirt, sunglasses, dark colored jeans and dark shoes.
We are asking that anyone who can identify this suspect to please call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://www.charlottecrimestoppers.com RF


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News Archive
Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) have successfully reprogrammed human skin cells to become embryonic stem cells capable of transforming into any other cell type in the body. It is believed that stem cell therapies hold the promise of replacing cells damaged through injury or illness. Diseases or conditions that might be treated through stem cell therapy include Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, cardiac disease and spinal cord injuries.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - 13:30
Into brains of newborn mice, researchers implanted human "progenitor cells." These mature into a type of brain cell called astrocytes. They grew into human astrocytes, crowding out mouse astrocytes. The mouse brains became chimeras of human and mouse, with the workhorse mouse brain cells – neurons – nurtured by billions of human astrocytes. Human astrocytes certainly inspired the mice. Genetically engineered "astrocytes" have improved rodents' memories and learning capabilities.
Friday, May 10, 2013 - 15:07
Epilepsy that does not respond to drugs can be halted in adult mice by transplanting a specific type of cell into the brain, UC San Francisco researchers have discovered, raising hope that a similar treatment might work in severe forms of human epilepsy.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013 - 15:20
UCLA life scientists have identified a gene previously implicated in Parkinson's disease that can delay the onset of aging and extend the healthy life span of fruit flies. The research, they say, could have important implications for aging and disease in humans.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013 - 16:33
UCSF scientists controlled seizures in epileptic mice with a one-time transplantation of medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) cells, which inhibit signaling in overactive nerve circuits, into the hippocampus, a brain region associated with seizures, as well as with learning and memory. Other researchers had previously used different cell types in rodent cell transplantation experiments and failed to stop seizures.
Monday, May 6, 2013 - 16:02
Whitehead Institute Founding Member Rudolf Jaenisch, who helped transform the study of genetics by creating the first transgenic mouse in 1974, is again revolutionizing how genetically altered animal models are created and perhaps even redefining what species may serve as models.
Friday, May 3, 2013 - 14:54
Scientists have identified a gene that keeps our nerve fibers from clogging up. Researchers in Ken Miller's laboratory at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) found that the unc-16 gene of the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans encodes a gatekeeper that restricts flow of cellular organelles from the cell body to the axon, a long, narrow extension that neurons use for signaling. Organelles clogging the axon could interfere with neuronal signaling or cause the axon to degenerate, leading to neurodegenerative disorders. This research, published in the May 2013 Genetics Society of America's journal GENETICS, adds an unexpected twist to our understanding of trafficking within neurons.
Thursday, May 2, 2013 - 09:53
Jackson Laboratory scientists announced Tuesday that they will use mice as clinical stand-ins, or "avatars," for human patients with cancerous tumors to help test and create genetically-tailored cancer treatments.
Thursday, May 2, 2013 - 09:52
New research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis points to a common species of bacteria as an important contributor to bacterial vaginosis, a condition linked to preterm birth and increased risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013 - 15:28
Study shows grapes reduced inflammation and fat storage, improved antioxidant defense
Tuesday, April 23, 2013 - 15:34
Neuroscientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have taken a major step in their efforts to help people with memory loss tied to brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
Friday, April 19, 2013 - 13:50
When scientists began sequencing the zebrafish genome in 2001, the model organism was a favourite of biologists studying early development of the brain and other organs. Few others found much use for the small, stripy fish with see-through embryos. More than a decade later, with its genome finally unveiled today, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) has become the go-to animal for researchers studying many human diseases — as well as those investigating new treatments.
Thursday, April 18, 2013 - 15:15
US scientists have designed a super-grip plaster covered with microscopic needles to heal surgical wounds.
The "bed-of-needles" patch, inspired by a parasitic worm that lives in the guts of fish and clings on using its cactus-like spikes, fixes skin grafts firmly in place without the need for staples.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013 - 14:06
When she was head of a cardiac imaging center at UCLA, Barbara Natterson-Horowitz was asked one day to perform echocardiography on the failing heart of the Los Angeles Zoo's python. As the cardiologist gazed on an image of the snake's one-ventricle heart, it occurred to her that snakes might offer clues for treating children born without a septum between their ventricles.
At that moment, she began to see a connection between the health of humans and that of what she would call our nonhuman brethren.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013 - 15:20
The oil, which has been long used by Aborigines to treat skin wounds, was discovered to be capable of speeding the repair of the intestines and treating a variety of common bowel diseases.
Researchers at Adelaide University found the oil is an effective anti-inflammatory and can accelerate the repair of the bowels by stimulating growth of intestinal "crypts", which assist with absorbing food.
Up to 60 per cent of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy receive painful intestinal ulcers but there are currently "no effective treatment options", the researchers said.
Monday, April 15, 2013 - 14:06
In a new study by scientists at King's College London and the University of Arizona (UA) published in Science reveals the deep similarities in how the brain regulates behaviour in arthropods (such as flies and crabs) and vertebrates (such as fish, mice and humans). The findings shed new light on the evolution of the brain and behaviour and may aid understanding of disease mechanisms underlying mental health problems.
Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-strikingly-similar-brains-aid-mental.html#jCp
Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-04-strikingly-similar-brains-aid-mental.html#jCp
Friday, April 12, 2013 - 13:52
Researchers have discovered that using two kinds of therapy in tandem may be a knockout combo against inherited disorders that cause blindness. While their study focused on man's best friend, the treatment could help restore vision in people, too.
Thursday, April 11, 2013 - 14:26
A new genetically engineered lab rat that has the full array of brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease supports the idea that increases in a molecule called beta-amyloid in the brain causes the disease, according to a study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - 12:01
The treatment Perry's dogs received was developed by MediVet America of Lexington, Ky., one of several companies that sell equipment and training to veterinary clinics around the world. MediVet has more than a thousand clinics. Participating vets have performed more than 10,000 stem cell procedures – about 7,000 of them in the past 12 months.
Monday, April 8, 2013 - 16:18
The need to distinguish between normal cells and tumor cells is a feature that has been long sought for most types of cancer drugs. Tumor antigens, unique proteins on the surface of a tumor, are potential targets for a normal immune response against cancer. Identifying which antigens a patient's tumor cells express is the cornerstone of designing cancer therapy for that individual. But some of these tumor antigens are also expressed on normal cells, inching personalized therapy back to the original problem.
Monday, April 8, 2013 - 11:00


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Standard Rates: The rate shown is the standard adult rate with cart. However, you will be charged the rate that applies to your tee time (adult, senior, or junior) when you check in at the golf shop. To view a full listing of Diamond Oaks rates, click here and for Woodcreek rates, click here.
Advance Rates: We offer some great rates for those who book early. These rates have limited availability, so take advantage of them as soon as you are able to plan your round. To take advantage of these rates, you must select the rate in the grid and the golf shop will charge you that amount upon check-in.
Reservation Policy: Reservations can be made online 13 days in advance. (Due to technical difficulties with the system, you may only be able to book 10 days in advance. We will have this fixed shortly and sorry for the inconvenience)
Reservations powered by w5golf.com (Patent Pending).


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Two hundred sixty square miles. Seven thousand people. No stoplights.
Those are the basics for Molokai, Hawaii's fifth-largest island -- and one of its least developed. While neighboring Lanai, recently bought by software mogul Larry Ellison, has been buzzing with construction, Molokai's biggest resort shut its doors five years ago after opposition to its plans for a luxury subdivision.
So when my wife and I -- frequent visitors to Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii -- made plans to return to the Aloha State with our 5-year-old, we opted for the adventure of the unspoiled and unknown.
We got more adventure than we bargained for, in good ways and bad.
According to the Hawaii Tourism Authority, fewer than 54,000 vacationers visited Molokai last year; four times that many went to Maui last month.
The absence of Waikiki-like comforts is part of why National Geographic Traveler a few years back rated Molokai one of the best islands in the world. "It seems," the magazine wrote, "like old Hawaii."
And even though the 2008 resort closure also shuttered several restaurants and the island's sole movie theater, Molokai is hardly devoid of things to do. It still boasts a small coffee plantation, a macadamia nut farm, beaches and valleys ... plenty to keep a family entertained, I reckoned.
As our turboprop from nearby Honolulu descended over Molokai, the lack of development was striking. "This place looks like it must have when Captain Cook showed up," I told my wife as we drove the short distance to the western coast. There were no buildings above two stories; in fact, the tallest things we saw on the island were the hundreds of Norfolk pines that were first brought here in the 19th century.
We stopped for groceries in Maunaloa, which had more or less been the company town before Molokai Ranch, the island's biggest landowner, took its resorts and went home. Many townsfolk now depend on welfare. Still, the hilltop view was breathtaking, the broad lava fields evoking a lusher Kona as they sloped toward the sea.
There were few other visitors to enjoy the view; most units at our timeshare complex looked unoccupied. Ours, though, was not, as I learned the next morning when my wife let out a scream and leapt onto the bed. "A mou-mou-mouse," she wailed, pointing to the couch.
I grabbed a broom and delivered an impromptu version of the hunting chant from "The Lion King," which our preschooler found hilarious; the vermin, however, slipped away. Storyteller, the graceful, aging hippie who's the property's manager, explained that the summer heat sometimes brings field mice indoors; she brought us a few glue traps and offered to let her cat roam the unit while we went out.
'Too few people'
We whiled away a few hours at Dixie's Beach, named for a fishing sampan that ran aground in a 1916 storm. The bowl-shaped little cove is sheltered from the strong currents along other West End beaches; there's also ample shade.
After a swim and picnic, we headed back to Maunaloa and the Big Wind Kite Factory -- more of a shop, really, proffering handmade kites, Balinese gongs, delicate shell jewelry and books about Hawaiian history. Proprietor Jon Socher, a grizzled, Lear-like presence, came here from Los Angeles in 1976 and four years later, opened the kite shop because "we were out of money."
Today, three generations of his family live on the fish-shaped island, which was originally a haven for cattle, sugar cane and pineapple farming before a Singapore company in the 1980s took control of Molokai Ranch with hopes of building a tourism economy.
I asked Socher whether somebody couldn't revive the hotel properties -- a new management team at Molokai Ranch, in fact, has been talking about doing just that -- but he argued that too few people live on the island to support the infrastructure.
Progress tug-of-war
One also has to think that Molokai's unofficial nickname of "Leprosy Island" hasn't helped the tourist trade. From 1866 to 1969, Hawaiian law banished thousands of people suffering from the disfiguring skin condition (properly known as Hansen's disease) to the remote Kalaupapa peninsula on Molokai's north coast. Today, with the disease curable, Kalaupapa is a national park, though the state maintains a small army of staffers to care for the few longtime patients who have chosen to remain.
To Socher, though, Molokai Ranch deserves the blame for gutting the economy. He said the locals are eager to work, and he dismissed the hotel company's claims that opposition to the coastal subdivision forced it to pull up stakes.
Yet, as we drove around the island, I kept noticing hand-lettered signs assailing plans to privatize beaches or build an undersea power cable to Oahu. And island environmentalists rejoiced earlier this year when Molokai Ranch spiked a wind farm that a San Francisco company wanted to build. In the tug-of-war between preservation and progress that every community must wage, the people of Molokai seem to have chosen their side.
Back to the land
The island's hotel woes also predate the 2008 Molokai Ranch shutdown. Seven years earlier, the 140-room Kaluakoi Hotel and Golf Course was closed by Japanese owners who'd taken over from Sheraton. The abandoned property sits not far from the timeshare we'd rented, and after leaving Socher's shop we joined the locals gathered at the beach there to watch the sun set over Oahu.
Lovely as the moment was, the ghost hotel was creepy -- like visiting the set of a zombie movie. Still, as we strolled home for dinner, a large banyan tree was alive with the songs of hundreds of birds. Molokai, it struck me, is a place one comes to fish or hunt, hike or paddle -- mai tai bars not included. "I could see myself living here," I thought. "Buy a Jeep or a pickup truck. Back to the land."
Instead, two hours later I was screaming obscenities at a thumb-sized rodent that was doing its best Butch and Sundance in the pots-and-pans cupboard.
It turned out the mouse we'd seen in the morning had brought half a dozen friends along. My wife is no wuss -- as a kid, she camped solo in the Everglades -- but this was too much. "We're not staying here," she informed me from her barricade in the bedroom.
Unfortunately, after a mostly sleepless night, we discovered there were no other rooms at our timeshare resort -- nor at the island's lone hotel. So it was back to Oahu earlier than planned.
Our flight didn't leave until afternoon, so we decided to see as much of Molokai as we could -- starting with nearby Papohaku Beach. My wife and I grew up on the Florida Panhandle and have traveled to some of the world's most beautiful beaches, from Thailand to Australia to the Caribbean. Papohaku's three-mile strand of white stacks up against any of them, especially when you have it all to yourself.
Then it was off to the central town of Kualapu'u and the coffee plantation. Java was first planted here in the 1980s, and at its peak, the Coffees of Hawaii operation covered some 600 acres. When the island's economy began to sputter, a Stockton developer and a group of coffee growers from Manteca took over and are credited with keeping the company alive, but today the plantation is less than half its former size.
And while it's possible to buy bulk beans and quaff a cup at the adjacent coffee shop, we were disappointed to learn the company no longer offers tours of its grounds or roastery. So, with time still to burn before heading back to the airport, we plowed farther northward to Palau'au State Park, atop a 1,600-foot peak.
Earthy, earnest locals
A short stroll through koa and ironwood trees leads to the Kalaupapa overlook, the tiny community wedged between soaring cliffs and tousled sea. A friend who's been to the former leper prison calls it one of the most profoundly sad places he's ever been, but from that distant height it looked lovely.
Although our hoped-for week of quiet had become anything but, I'm glad we took the chance on Molokai. I think of the earthy, earnest locals we'd met, the nighttime canopy of stars, unsullied by city lights. And I can imagine going back someday, to fish and swim and get away from it all.
But next time, I might just pitch a tent on the beach.
Contact Peter Delevett at 408-271-3638.
if you go
Mokulele Airlines runs the most frequent daily flights on nine-passenger Cessna Grand Caravans. Island Air (recently bought by Silicon Valley's Larry Ellison) also serves Molokai on slightly larger turboprops. Note: When you return to Oahu for your flight home, ensure plenty of time for the connection since flights out of Molokai are known for tardiness.
There's also daily ferry service between Molokai and Lahaina, Maui; check out www.molokaiferry.com.
GETTING AROUND: Alamo is the only car-rental agency on the island, but through a website called DiscountHawaiiCarRental.com, we were able to book a rate 20 percent below what sites like Orbitz and Hotwire offered.
Hotel Molokai: Run by the Aqua Hotel chain, it offers bungalow-style accommodations in Kaunakakai. www.hotelmolokai.com.
The Blue Goose Bed and Breakfast: In Maunaloa, on the island's West End. www.molokai.com/bluegoose. (Molokai.com also compiles information on condo rentals.)
Kaunakakai: The biggest town on the island is tiny, though it does boast Molokai's lone hotel and gas station and most of its restaurants. There's a weekend farmers market and a hula festival in May; one legend holds that hula was invented on Molokai.
Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove: Just west of Kaunakakai, it's said to have been planted in the 19th century by King Kamehameha V. We'd planned to picnic there, but an elder at the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall across the street warned us about falling coconuts; to be on the safe side, we ate at adjacent Kiowea Beach Park.
Kumu Farms: A working organic farm where you can find fresh papayas, bananas and more. On Hua Ai Road just south of the airport.
Palau'au State Park: Twenty minutes north of the island's tiny airport. It's possible to take a mule train down to the former Kalaupapa leper colony; Gloria Marks, a Hansen's disease patient herself, runs Damien Tours, which can sponsor visitors. Call 808-567-6171.
Purdy's Natural Macadamia Nuts: Since 1980, Tuddie and Kammy Purdy have been welcoming visitors to their five-acre mac nut farm in the Ho'olehua district. Closed most days by 3:30; call 808-567-6601 or see http://molokai-aloha.com/macnuts.
Big Wind Kite Factory: Jon Socher crafts kites by hand and also sells jewelry, books and knickknacks at an adjacent gallery. 120 Maunaloa Highway, Maunaloa; 808-552-2364.
Coffees of Hawaii: The espresso bar offers sandwiches and the chance to sample blends like Island Princess and the bracing Molokai Muleskinner. 1630 Farrington Ave., Kualapu'u.
Haku Designs: A mother-daughter team creates handmade clothing with island-inspired designs. West of Kaunakakai and the Kapuaiwa Coconut Grove; 808-336-0138.
Kualapu'u Cookhouse: Offerings at this small, quaint restaurant range from mahi mahi sandwiches to prime rib. On Highway 470 and Uwao St. in Kualapu'u; 808-567-9655.
Molokai Drive-Inn: Burgers, fries and oxtail soup. 15 Kamoi St., Kaunakakai; 808-553-5655.
Paddlers Inn: Live music several nights a week. 10 Mohala St., Kaunakakai; 808-553-3300.
Kanemitsu's Bakery: Its sweet Molokai hotbread is a breakfast treat. 79 Ala Malama Ave., Kaunakakai; 808-553-5855.
-- Peter Delevett, Staff
PRISTINE BEAUTY: Papohaku Beach ranks up there with the world's finest beaches. On Molokai's West End near the Kaluakoi resort area; for directions, see http://visitmolokai.com/beaches.php.
FAMILIES: Dixie Beach, also known as Kapukahehu, is perfect for children because it's sheltered from the currents. Located three miles southwest of Papohaku.
SNORKELING: Waialua Beach, on Molokai's southeast coast near mile marker 20, is known for some of the island's best snorkeling.
-- Peter Delevett, Staff