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Morgan Square ice rink not quite ready for skaters
Published: Friday, November 16, 2012 at 3:04 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, November 16, 2012 at 3:04 p.m.
Spartanburg residents are going to have to wait a little longer for their first spins around downtown's new ice skating rink.
The rink, which is located in Morgan Square, was supposed to open to the public at 3 p.m., but the ice wasn't formed enough. The city still plans to have a grand opening ceremony and activities at 5:30 p.m. today, and plan to try the ice again at that time – though it is unclear whether the ice will be fully formed tonight.
"The rink is in full sun. It's not shaded at all and that makes it difficult to keep the ice frozen when the temperatures reach 60 and 65 degrees and higher," said City Engineering Administrator Tim Carter. "We're hoping that people will be able to skate tonight and that we'll have cooler temperatures so everybody can skate."
People who showed up at the rink to skate for free this afternoon are being given passes for a later date.
At 3 p.m., the temperature in Spartanburg was nearly 60 degrees.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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WAC Lighting LTK-536BL/BN Blue / Brushed Nickel Asian 1 Light Down Lighting L System Track Pendant from the Cameo Collection
Offer Ends
We still have product details, accessories, replacement parts and reviews below, scroll down to see them!
Technical Specs
|Bulb Base
|Bulb Type
|Xenon / Krypton
|Finish Application
|Light Direction
|Down Lighting
|Number of Bulbs
|Track System
|Watts Per Bulb
Asian 1 Light Down Lighting L System Track Pendant from the Cameo Collection
Add elegant Asian styling to your home with this phenomenal one light L system track pendant from the Cameo collection. A gorgeous artisan sculpted and hand carved shade is done in the ancient tradition of oriental porcelain, and is formed with lavish layers of clear, blue, and white opal glass that has a deep relief on the face for unparalleled style.
WAC Lighting's extensive track collection includes hundreds of different models. Whether you are looking for a fixture that has a certain style or fixture that is suited for a specific task, we are sure to have the ideal choice in our collection. Our extensive collection of track fixtures is available in a wide range of designer finishes and lamping options.
- Artisan sculpted and hand carved in the ancient tradition of oriental porcelain
- Formed with layers of clear, blue, and opal white glass
- Surface of luminaire features a deep relief
- Lamp and socket set included
- For use with JTK track systems
- Height: 4.875
- Diameter: 5.125
- Utilizes (1) 50w JCD-50X Xenon Bulb (Included)
- Wattage: 50
About WAC Lighting
Innovative and integrated systems technologies are hallmarks of the WAC Lighting product line. WAC Lighting has developed a stellar reputation for high quality decorative and task lighting lines backed by an extraordinary level of service. Leading the industry's sustainability charge, WAC Lighting has contributed to social progress with responsible manufacturing practices and energy saving technology.
Additional WAC Lighting Links
Our SKU: LTK-536
This product is listed under the following manufacturer number(s):
- Blue / Brushed Nickel*
- Blue / Dark Bronze*
*Denotes a finish or option that has been discontinued
WAC Lighting Cameo Collection
Other Products In The WAC Lighting Cameo Collection
Warranty Info
If a product is defective, WAC's obligation is expressly limited to repair or replacement, without charge, at WAC's factory after prior written return authorization has been granted. WAC's obligation under this warranty shall not extend beyond the distributor's initial purchase price of the product and accordingly any consequential damages or labor costs arising out of a defect are expressly excluded.
This warranty shall not apply to products that have been altered, improperly installed, mishandled or misused. Notice of a defect in writing must be received by WAC within five (5) years from the date of purchase.
Excluded from the five (5) year warranty are all light bulbs, which are warranted to perform satisfactorily to the industry standard burning hours rating, but in no event shall such warranty exceed five (5) years from the date an account purchases product that includes light bulbs from WAC. Also excluded from the five (5) year warranty are the HID and Fluorescent ballasts, which have a warranty from the manufacturer of the ballast and WAC will not accept any responsibility or liability on the ballasts whatsoever. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES WHICH EXTEND BEYOND THE DESCRIPTION ON THE FACE HEREOF INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

subset: commoncrawl


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anomaly wrote: somewhere out there, Casey Anthony is eating this shit up
desert penguin wrote: Not looking forward to hearing about this case everyday for the next two years. I mean, I hope for justice for the family, and I hope that people learn something about the world as a result of these discussions, but fuck am I done talking about this bullshit with ignorant people.
Another "Trial of the Century." Yay.


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The McPherson Sentinel is participating this year as a sponsor for the 2013 Christmas Fund.
We have set a goal to raise $5,000 between now and Dec. 31 for the fund. The money will go to the McPherson County Community Foundation's Resource Council.
The council focuses on helping McPherson County residents who experienced temporary financial difficulties with medical costs. This could mean helping pay for a prescription or gas to make it to a medical appointment.
The resource council helps residents year round as money is available. However, it receives the majority of its funds during holiday season. About 200 to 300 people receive help from the council's programs annually.
"I think it is important," Sondra Frank, Resource Council treasurer, said. "People fall between the cracks. They don't quality for DCF. They are doing their best to get by, but an out-of-ordinary expense comes up. We help them get over the hump when an emergency comes up."
The Sentinel will make a direct donation to the fund through its Wishes Granted ad campaign. Look in future editions of the Sentinel for our community partners in this project.
We also encourage the community to give to this cause during this Christmas season.
Donations are tax deductible.
Checks can be made payable to the McPherson County Community Foundation. Write Christmas Fund in the memo line. Checks can be mailed to 206 S. Main St., McPherson, KS 67460.
Donations also can be taken to the foundation office between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.
The Sentinel will have a link on its website to make online donations through the foundation's site or go directly to the foundation donor page at www.mcphersonfoundation.org/donors/.
Click on the "Donate" button at the middle right of the screen. Follow the prompts. Before hitting the submit button, there will be an opportunity to type the name of fund you wish to donate to. Type Christmas fund in that box.
Major credit cards or Pay Pal are accepted.
For more information, call the foundation at 245-9070, Sondra Frank at 241-1848 or Cristina Janney at the Sentinel at 620-241-2422, Ext. 15.
Location, ST | website.com


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The father of an Ashland teenager who killed himself last week after threatening his school is speaking out.
John Meadows say his son, Jacob, was misunderstood and meant the threat as a joke. However, the threat led to the district canceling classes for the day. The impact overwhelmed Jacob, Meadow said, leading him to commit suicide.
Meadows posted a letter on social media detailing last week's events and how life has changed in an instance.
He said his son sent an eerie text message to a friend the night of Sept. 9. The friend did not have Jacob's number and got worried.
"What they were referring to as a threat is a prank gone wrong," Meadows said.
The friend passed the text along to police and officers eventually came to arrest Jacob at his home east of Ashland.
The threat was also forwarded to the superintendent of Southern Boone schools who put the district's buildings on lockdown.
"The idea of Jacob being a terrorist or threatening anybody is about as far away from Jacob as you could get," Meadows said. "His main goal in life was to make people laugh and do anything for a laugh or practical joke."
Meadows told ABC 17 News that Jacob suffered from ADHD and was overwhelmed by how far the joke had gone.
"He was very chagrined that he had made a mistake and had it had got out of hand," he said. "He didn't intend for it to get any further than his buddy there."
In the aftermath of dealing with police, Jacob got a hold of a gun and shot himself.
Meadows is advising parents to take time to listen to their children and give them support when they need it. He says he cannot change the past, but is asking parents to learn from his experience so that nothing like this happens again.
"I wish that I had listened more closely and taken the time to, as big and tough as Jacob would like to have people think of himself, there was a little kid in there that was scared at times," Meadows said.
John Meadows' letter originally posted to Facebook:
Monday night was my son's last night on earth. That night, a life ended that this family, this community, this world would have been much better off keeping. I have not closely followed the media's accounts of the incident except to note that none of them got it right. Those of you on the outside must be curious at the massive outpouring of love and grief of an entire community for a kid who supposedly threatened his school. There's a simple answer for that: He didn't. Those who knew him, know that, and said as much to those investigating the tragedy. I know Jacob would not want to be remembered as a terrorist and, with this statement, I want to set the record straight. There may be opinions herein that you don't agree with, but where there are opinions rather than simply a recitation of facts, I state them as my own and no one else's, and I won't debate them.
Before I set about that, there is something about Jacob that you should know. I doubt that many of his closest friends were aware of it, because Jacob handled his disability so well. Jacob struggled with ADHD and some of its attendant symptoms. His mind never shut down. Only by force of will could he focus on one particular line of thought among the cacophony of ideas his super-intelligent mind generated constantly. Additionally, Jacob lacked some of the instincts that most people don't even know they have: the instinct for social interaction and appropriateness. What he knew of this, he had to be taught by the rest of us – it didn't come naturally. And, finally, he was vulnerable to impulses, as is characteristic of those who struggle with this condition. All of these together made getting up and going to school each day an act of bravery that I wonder how many of us are capable of. But Jacob did it.
Now, to what happened Monday night. I won't use names for the two friends who are part of this story – that's not important. What is important for us here is the so-called "threat letter". I'm sorry if my account of it is confusing, but it is important to Jacob and to all of his friends that it be understood.
Monday night is the one night per week that I don't read to Jacob when he goes to bed. He said goodnight to Nancy and me that night and went up to his room. But instead of going to bed, he stayed up for awhile texting with his friends. He and "Friend A" thought of a practical joke they could play on "Friend B". Jacob told me later that the last thing that Friend A had said to him was "Get him good, Jacob!" So Jacob used his considerable literary skills to compose a creepy, creature-from the-Black Lagoon type note and sent it to Friend B. But Friend B didn't have Jacob's phone number in his phone and therefore didn't know it was from Jacob. Jacob composed his text a little too well and Friend B was truly scared and turned it over to the police. Friend B found out very quickly that the text was from Jacob, but by then it was too late – the police were already called. So he sent Jacob a couple of notes for Jacob to show the police, saying that he knew it was just a joke and to try to keep Jacob from getting in trouble. At this point, Jacob woke me up, told me what had happened, and that the police were coming to talk to him. He didn't understand why the note was being viewed as a "threat", but I took one look at it and understood immediately why it shouldn't have been composed or sent. I spoke harshly to him about it. I also was aggravated that the matter had been turned in to the police but Jacob told me that Friend B was a good guy and a good friend and that he was just doing what the kids have all been taught to do. Jacob had absolutely no hard feelings or blame for him at all. Jacob explained that "he didn't know it was from me". The law-enforcement officers arrived and Jacob showed them the notes from Friend B about Jacob's practical joke. The police called Friend B on the phone while they were here, and they were convinced by Friend B, by Jacob, and by myself, that the "threat" note was just a practical joke, albeit in exceptionally poor taste and ill-advised. They kindly, but in no uncertain terms, told Jacob that this was NOT something he could joke about, and Jacob understood. Their last words to me were "Ok, he's all yours for whatever punishment you think is right." I wish to God that it had ended there. Jacob would still be alive if it had.
But that wasn't the end of the story. Apparently while the officers were talking to Jacob, someone forwarded the note to the school's superintendent. By doing this, they made the practical joke an official "threat" to the system and had to be treated as such. Jacob had to be arrested.
The officers returned about 1:00 a.m. to do that. They assured Jacob that they knew his text was just a joke, but that they had to arrest him and "go by the book" with it. They asked Jacob to go get dressed. While they were explaining to Nancy and me how to bail Jacob out of jail, Jacob told them he had to go get his shoes in another room. As they continued the explanation of the arrest procedure, we all heard the sound that will follow me to my grave and, with it, the sudden realization that a parent's darkest, most horrible nightmare was taking place. With that gunshot, a hole opened in my and many others' souls that will never be filled.
Why did he do it? When he was assured it would be made clear to everyone that this was only a big mistake, why did he take his life? Was it embarrassment and shame that a stupid joke suddenly turned into a nightmare of closed school and bomb-sniffing dogs? Jacob had a great fear of being taken from the bosom of his family. Was he afraid he was going to be held indefinitely in jail? I know he practically worshipped me. Were my harsh words about this stupid stunt and the thought of all the pain and embarrassment he was causing me unbearable to him? Was it simply a spur-of-the-moment impulse, a desperate, panicked reaction that he had no defense against? I don't know, I'll never know, and I'll never be able to stop asking. But the cold hard fact is that Jacob is dead. With him, the world and those he leaves behind have lost something irreplaceable.
When looking up at Jacob's towering 6 ft 3 in frame, it was easy to forget that there were parts of him as innocent and naïve as a little kid, but it was true. The cynicism of the world had yet to spoil and soil some aspects of his spirit. I know there has been a lot of discussion out there about bullying. It is true that when Jacob was younger, he was bullied unmercifully and the "system" didn't protect him. When Jacob moved to Ashland and started at SoBoCo, he suffered from it almost daily and the system still didn't, I believe couldn't, protect him. But then something happened that gradually put a stop to all that: Jacob joined the Band. The Band took him in, adopted him, and he suddenly had brothers and sisters all over the school who would stand up with him and for him and would overlook his foibles and eccentricities, would take him as he was. Jacob began to look forward to school again. God bless the Band, and everyone in it.
The last couple of years, bullying has not been much of a problem. I talked to him about it recently, and he told me he had a "strategy" for those who persisted in not liking him. He said "I just keep trying to be nice to them, say hi to them, maybe compliment them. It always works eventually, and they become my friends." Just a couple of weeks ago, he celebrated the fact that about the last person he was having difficulties with had "friended" him on Facebook. I wondered at the time how many of us could adopt this novel strategy of "loving your enemies". Where had I heard that before?
How could this have happened? How could a foolish prank have gone so terribly wrong? How could a kid who was laughing and joking one evening end up taking his own life later that same evening? In my torment of the last few days, and endless succession of "If-only's" has marched past. If only he had just gone to bed. If only the prank text could have stayed with the person it was sent to. If only there wasn't a one-size-fits-all policy in dealing with perceived threats. If only an officer had stayed with Jacob constantly. If only I had remembered that little varmint pistol and locked it up. If only I hadn't been so harsh with him about the note. If only I had put my arms around him and told him that even this stupid stunt was going to be ok. On and on……
But none of those things happened and now our son, our brother, our friend is gone. This letter is for you, his friends, who were confused by what the media is calling a "threat". I feel much better about it now that Jacob's step-mother has just read me a response by one of Jacob's friends who understood what happened completely – thank you Hayden!
There was no real threat, just an ill-considered prank that went awfully wrong. Many of you have fallen prey to Jacob's practical jokes, have been startled out of your wits when Jacob seemingly jumped out of nowhere and grabbed you. He literally lived to make people laugh and pull stunts to make you jump out of your skin and then try to get him back.
Jacob wouldn't hurt a fly. Many of you have found yourselves shoved aside when you were about to step on a bug or mistreat a frog or snake, so that Jacob could capture these creatures and set them free outside. Some of you saw the orphaned squirrel he rescued and raised. Others saw the baby robin he recently saved by hand-feeding it cat food until it matured to the point of being able to survive on its own. He loved all creatures great and small.
I also wanted to let you know that you, his friends, meant the world to Jacob. He loved you all and was the happiest he had ever been in his life because he had what he never before believed he could ever have: true friends. God bless you all. You brought him great happiness.
God selected me to raise this talented, creative, highly intelligent, loving, and oddly fragile person. Though I wouldn't trade that responsibility for anything, I know I will never be free of the feeling that I failed him. If I had been more supportive, more patient, more kind, or more loving and attentive, he would still be here. I know that, with sincere apologies to my wife, my daughter, and my loved ones, I would give my life in an instant for him to be alive again.
Things just don't work that way and we are all left here staring at the hole in the world he left behind. "Death be not proud", indeed. Death should hang its head in shame. It was a pointless, meaningless, totally avoidable, and unnecessary death – a death based on a mistake, a misinterpretation of the original intent. It has robbed the world of a source of love and laughter, joy and music that the world could ill afford to lose. Don Maclean's words so perfectly apply: "I could have told you [Jacob], this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you."
Jacob, you are sorely missed. I love you so.


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About the Book
In thirty days Clementine Pritchard will be finished with her last painting and her life.
World-renowned artist and sharp-tongued wit Clementine Pritchard has decided that she's done. After flushing away a medicine cabinet full of prescriptions, she gives herself thirty days to tie up loose ends—finish one last painting, make nice with her ex-husband, and find a home for her cat. Clementine plans to spend the month she has left in a swirl of art-world parties, manic work sessions, and outrageous acts—but what she doesn't expect is to uncover secrets surrounding the tragedy that befell her mother and sister. In an ending no one sees coming, will we lose Clementine or will we find her?
A bold debut from an exciting new voice, Losing Clementine is a wonderfully entertaining and poignant novel about unanticipated self-discovery that features one of the most irresistible, if deeply flawed, characters to grace contemporary fiction in years.
Educator and Librarian Resources
Critical Praise
"[LOSING CLEMENTINE] is poignant and insightful and also surprisingly funny, thanks to its nasty, charming narrator." — Gillian Flynn, New York Times-bestselling author of Gone Girl
"A breezy, self-deprecating voice that makes for good company...clever dialogue...It's tempting to consider [LOSING CLEMENTINE] a Left Coast update of "Bright Lights, Big City" ...although Ream's Clementine stares down a fate far more dire than that faced by Jay McInerney's magazine fact-checker." — Kansas City Star
"This is a novel that allows us to experience how exciting life is, and how fast time can fly, once you truly free yourself to live it." — Bust Magazine
"An entertaining and moody whirlwind. Whether readers love or hate Clementine, they won't soon forget her." — Publishers Weekly
"An unexpectedly fresh and humorous voice. Fans of dark comedy should add Ream to their list of authors to watch." — Library Journal
"With her razor wit and over-it-all candor, Clementine makes for a fascinating companion, and Ream manages to craft an engaging and impressive debut without soft-pedaling how very sick Clementine is . . . A hip and hilarious portrait of a crazy person." — Kirkus
"It's hard not to fall in love with Clementine Pritchard--she's talented, witty, inventive and suicidal. You won't want this story to end as you root for the wonderfully lawless and impulsive Clementine." — Jessica Anya Blau, author of Drinking Closer to Home
Product Details
- Imprint: William Morrow Paperbacks
- On Sale: 03/06/2012
- Pages: 320
- List Price: 8.49 USD
- BISAC1: FICTION / General


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Property Maintenance
Contact Us
Submit Complaint
Complaint History
Homes and properties must be well maintained both inside and outside, according to the Property Maintenance Code . To keep neighborhoods safe, healthy and vibrant, there also are county rules about everything from broken windows in homes to uncut grass and junk in the yard.
Learn about the blight abatement program, including how to report blight.
Damaged Property
Homes and other buildings are required to be kept in good repair and sound condition both inside and outside. Common problems with property maintenance include broken windows, falling gutters and missing siding.
For more information, call the Department of Code Compliance, 703-324-1300, TTY 711.
Grass Height
Uncut grass cannot be higher than 12 inches on developed residential properties that are half an acre or less. (Other rules apply to undeveloped and commercial properties).
Based on complaints, the county may have tall grass at a home cut at the homeowner's expense, and this may take 30 days or more once a complaint is received.
Because the county's program to deal with uncut grass is seasonal, complaints are only accepted from April 1 to mid-October during the most active grass-growing season.
Junk and Debris in the Yard
County rules allow unwanted items to be stored outside in the yard, but they must be put in the rear half of the property. They also must be screened from view from the first-story window of nearby homes. The storage area cannot exceed 100 square feet on most residential properties.
For more information, call the Department of Code Compliance, 703-324-1300, TTY 711.
In locations where it is not possible to drain standing water, such as unused swimming pools and gutters, the public can use an environmentally safe larvicide. This product kills mosquitoes at the larval stage, which is before they become flying insects. It targets mainly mosquitoes, so it will not harm people, pets, fish, or plants.
The county's Health Department investigates complaints about mosquitoes, as well as provides advice about controlling mosquitoes. Call 703-246-8931, TTY 711.
Overcrowding / Boarding
You may know overcrowding when you see it. It is illegal to operate a boarding house without the proper permits. However, the county's zoning, building and safety codes define how many people can live in a house, how much space they need and what's considered safe.
Trash bags may only be put out at the curb 12 hours before they are picked up, but trash cans and recycling bins may be put out at the curb 24 hours before pickup. However, many homeowners associations have stricter rules about when trash can be put out at the curb.
Trash companies do not normally pick up large, bulky items, such as mattresses, furniture or fallen trees. You can ask your trash company to pick up these kinds of items for an extra fee. It is a homeowner's responsibility to make sure these items are picked up.
If trash is left at the curb for more than 10 days, call the Health Department at 703-246-2300, TTY 711. The county will investigate the complaint and collect the trash if the property owner does not comply with directives to remove it.


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Our agile convergent billing and revenue management solutions solve billing and charging challenges, with the functionality you need to increase both revenues and customers in the Networked Society.
Capturing and maximizing money streams from both traditional and multimedia services can be daunting, especially without the right BSS systems and processes. At the same time, customers are demanding personalized packages and services along with more control over their spending – all of which makes telecom billing and charging more complex. Our end-to-end convergent billing and revenue management solutions help you meet the challenges of today's marketplace. They let you strengthen your competitiveness by easily and quickly developing new products and new packaging and pricing models that target specific user preferences, reducing time-to-market. Customers gain the spending control they crave, helping drive revenue and subscriber growth, and you gain the efficiency and flexibility to meet market demands and reduce costs through streamlined operations.
Ericsson converged telecom billing and revenue management solutions are flexible, business-focused software solutions based on the architectural principles of openness and modularity. They are already supporting more than a billion customers worldwide, meeting the needs of operators, service providers and users alike. Spanning all business-to-consumer and business-to-business money streams, these solutions can help you capture and secure money streams and take advantage of business opportunities from both traditional voice and messaging services and data and multimedia services. Plus, you'll enjoy a single, converged platform that lets you handle all your users and services, regardless of payment option or access method. Our billing and revenue management portfolio is pre-integrated with other Ericsson solutions such as self-care, analytics, OSS and Core, and also supports available standards for multivendor integration.
Handle all customers and services in a real-time, streamlined, convergent charging and billing system, covering prepaid and postpaid, voice and data, fixed and mobile, and retail and wholesale.
Develop new services, bundles and business models rapidly, economically and collaboratively with the Ericsson Service Innovation Framework solution for service agility.
The Ericsson Yield Optimization provides a tool for innovative tariffs and introduces possibilities to increase revenues generated from the network, to optimize the utilization of the network and ...
Create the right customer experience, with a single data mediation platform that ensures accurate, complete network data for all revenue-assurance operations.
Charging and Policy is the real-time heart of operators' Business Support Systems (BSS). It controls your credit, while giving your users capabilities to control their costs and get ...
Improve the customer experience with data mediation that ensures that correct and complete data is collected from across the network and processed quickly and accurately.
For the majority of communication service providers; the post paid, and in particular enterprise segment represents their most important customers. Ericsson's billing and revenue management ...
Ericsson Charging System is a modular, scalable, open, single convergent Online Charging System (OCS) using industry standards and protocols.
Comprising all of the data charging and yield ...
Increase your customer agility and deliver superior customer experience on-call and in-store, with the CRM system specifically designed for telecom operators.
Convergent billing and customer care for all postpaid customers and partners – fixed, mobile and broadband – within a single system.
Capture new revenue streams with a cloud-ready convergent charging and billing system that addresses the unique needs of digital services and business models in the Networked Society.
Interviews with 47 IT executives reveal how CIOs' roles, responsibilities and required capabilities are evolving as today's ICT industry moves to virtualization.
Read more
Get a complimentary copy of this special STL Partners report:
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Enabling the Power of YesLearn how to turn no into now Read our blog
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LTE Broadcast - a revenue enabler in the mobile media era
Differentiated Mobile Broadband - enhance user experience and drive revenue growth
Read our case stories (pdf)
Printable version (pdf)


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Inmate escapes from hospital
Published: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 5:58 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 5:58 p.m.
A Terrebonne Parish jail inmate escaped Friday afternoon from a hospital where he was receiving treatment, police said. Jakahari Williams, 18, was admitted to Leonard J. Chabert Medical Center in the morning after experiencing symptoms of a seizure, Terrebonne sheriff's Capt. Dawn Foret said. Williams' handcuffs were removed about 4 p.m. by a deputy so that he could go to the bathroom and that's when he escaped, she said. When last seen, Williams was wearing nothing by a hospital gown and boxer shorts, Foret said, but the hospital gown was found discarded near Industrial and Glynn avenues. Williams was allegedly seen getting into a black mid-sized car with dark tinted windows near that spot. The car headed toward west Houma, Foret said. Williams was jailed Wednesday in lieu of $153,000 bond on assault, drug and gun charges stemming from allegations that he repeatedly hit his girlfriend and pulled a gun on another man. Williams stands about 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs about 140 pounds. He has the word "kite" tattooed on his left arm, and the words "Dog" and "JW" on his right arm. His last known addresses were 300 Antoine St. and 600 Columbus St., Foret said. Anyone with information about William's whereabouts is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at876.2500.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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7 Best Haircuts for Curly Hair
Put down the flat iron. Follow these expert tips for getting a great curly haircut that will work for -- not against -- your waves
Step 1: Apply a leave-in conditioner to damp hair.
Step 2: Spritz a tousling spray like Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Texturizing Sea Spray, $17.99, to enhance your waves.
Step 3: Blow dry with a diffuser.
Step 4: Wind small sections of hair around a medium barrel curling iron if you want your hair to look super-polished. Shake out the curls with your hands, then spritz with hairspray (we love Sojourn Firm Hold Working Spray, $24).
SEE NEXT PAGE: Best Curly Haircuts: Violante Placido's Wavy, Curly Hair With Bangs
Older comments
I have to find my diffuser..
by talecon Sunday, April 14, 2013 at 06:01PM Report as inappropriate
Love it... very helpful
by Candice11 Sunday, March 17, 2013 at 01:00AM Report as inappropriate
by aishak55 Saturday, January 26, 2013 at 07:40PM Report as inappropriate
Most of these women don't even have curly hair...it's just wavy or has obviously been heat styled and isn't naturally curly. The cuts are good suggestions though.
by amber.flute Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 03:31PM Report as inappropriate
Great advice. My hair's a mix of curly and wavy, as well as medium and coarse textures. It can be complicated, but once I learned how to style it, it's become my best asset!
by luckygal79 Monday, December 31, 2012 at 01:24PM Report as inappropriate
Thanks for the tips. I have wavy hair and love it.
by toddfan Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 03:25PM Report as inappropriate
My daughter has a challenge with her curley hair.
by EricaF123 Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 01:41PM Report as inappropriate
The women in photos do not do their hair. Stylists have told me it is hard for most people to to blow dry hair to make it look great. Ones has curly hair and to do it straight takes her long time. Wonder what they look like on their days off. When their hair is not professionally styled.
by geewhiz44 Monday, December 24, 2012 at 08:23PM Report as inappropriate
Thanks for tips for us Curly Girls.
by Sari Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at 11:24AM Report as inappropriate
I love AnnaLynne McCord's hair. I have curly/wavy hair and my hair is in layers. It gives volume and it's more manageable
by yestfl Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 09:27AM Report as inappropriate
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Political Science | Master of Arts Degree
The Master of Arts in Political Science allows academically talented students to advance their knowledge and analytical skills by focusing on an interdisciplinary, problem-oriented area of concentration within the broad field of political science. Students can focus on American Politics, International Affairs, Gender and Politics, and Political Theory.
The SLU M.A. prepares students for further graduate study or for careers in government, foreign service, national or international business, non-profit organizations and NGOs.
The department offers an M.A. and an accelerated B.A./M.A. In association with the Department of Public Policy, we offer a dual degree M.P.A./M.A.
|Political Science home
|College of Arts & Sciences home
|Application Deadline for Beginning Term
|The Application Package
|Apply Online
|Fall: May 1 (International: April 15)
|Transcript(s); Three (3) Letters of Recommendation; GRE G or LSAT scores; Resume; Writing sample; Statement of Purpose
(Advantages of the web application)
|Spring: Nov. 1 (International: Oct. 1)
|Summer: April 1
|E-mail: email@example.com
Tel. No.: 314.977.3035
|Chair: Ellen Carnaghan, Ph.D.
Program Director: J.D. Bowen, Ph.D.
Assistantship Application Deadline: January 30
Required Additional Application Materials for International Students
- A completed Declaration of Financial Support packet with all accompanying documents
- TOEFL or IELTS score
Check our English Proficiency Policy page for specific TOEFL and IELTS score requirements. You may also visit our international prospects, applicants and students page for more information about international application requirements.
For International Applicants, Saint Louis University has partnered with International Skill Verification Services (ISVS) to interview applicants from the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam. Your participation in the ISVS International Study Candidate Assessment Process (ISCAP) will enable us to provide greater consistency in evaluations and deliver faster and more efficient response times for admissions and scholarship decisions. SLU, therefore, strongly suggests that all applicants from the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Taiwan and Vietnam register and complete the ISCAP. The ISCAP interview and writing assignment is conducted online. You many participate in the ISCAP using a recent laptop computer from any private place with a strong Internet connection.
The ISCAP is a guided interview-based process that requires no specific preparation. It is designed to give universities a better sense of your spoken English and ad hoc English writing skills, as well as give you the opportunity to powerfully share who you are with us. Please visit the ISVS website for more information and to schedule your interview.
Applicant Criteria
- A committee examines and reviews the applicant and application wholly.
- A GPA of 3.4 (overall and in political science courses)
- A review of GRE scores
- A review of TOEFL scores (for International applicants)
Political Science Application Review Process
- Applications are reviewed by committee of Political Science Department faculty members
Admission Statistics
Applicants will be informed as soon as the department makes a decision.
Credit Hours/Coursework: The M.A. is a 30-hour program. Students who enter the accelerated B.A./M.A. program take six of these hours (two graduate classes) in their senior year that count toward both the B.A. and M.A. requirements. | Graduate Programs
Program Description: The Political Science M.A. provides students with advanced skills in political and social analysis and expertise in national or international politics. Students may study either American politics or international affairs, and they can choose between an academic or more practical, real-world focus. | Why should you consider a SLU M.A. in Political Science?
Careers Possibilities: Government jobs, careers in international organizations, campaign aide, diplomat, labor relations specialist. | Career Opportunities for M.A. Students
Curriculum & Program Details: Each student works out a curriculum plan for his or her area of concentration and a capstone project in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies. Students may elect to take some of their coursework in a cognate field. There are four areas of concentration.
- American Politics concentration. Students can choose from a general American politics tract that is appropriate for many students, including those interested in further academic study of American politics, and two more career-oriented tracks, one in Polling, Campaigns and Elections, and the other in Public Law.
- International Affairs concentration. Students can choose from a general International Affairs track, a track that focuses on Security and Cooperation, and a Foreign Service Track.
- Gender and Politics concentration. This concentration explores the social and political ramifications of gender in U.S. and world politics.
- Political Theory concentration. This concentration provides substantive grounding in the history of Western political thought, as well as the opportunity to explore issues in contemporary political theory and philosophy.
The Master of Arts Program in Political Science | Political Science Courses
About the Political Science Faculty: All faculty members of the Political Science Department are internationally renowned. | Political Science Faculty and Staff
Scholarships & Financial Aid: For full consideration for financial aid, including assistantships, applications must be in by January 30 for the following fall semester. | Student Financial Services at SLU
Program Highlights: The Saint Louis University M.A. provides students with:
- Broad theoretical understanding of the political and social environments that shape possibilities for change
- Advanced skills in political and social analysis
- Expertise in national politics and policy, or in comparative and international politics
- Understanding of the connections between culture and social and political institutions
- Ability to analyze questions of ethics and social justice in different cultural and historical contexts, and in a variety of professional and organizational contexts - at local, national, and international levels
- Disciplinary preparation for:
- Professional schools, including law, public policy, public health, business, and journalism
- Ph.D. programs in political science and related fields
- Enhanced career opportunities


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"The city clerk shall keep an accurate record of the proceeding of the legislative body ... in books bearing appropriate titles and devoted exclusively to such purposes, respectively. The books shall have a comprehensive general index."
-- California Government Code 40801
When Kimberly Lehmkuhl ran for Pleasant Hill city clerk in fall 2012, she called for making city government more transparent. She has done just the opposite. During her first year in office, she produced no City Council meeting minutes, the most important task of her office.
It's disgraceful. Lehmkuhl should resign.
Minutes are critical and basic public documents, the historical record of council actions and votes. There is no excuse for failure to produce them in a timely fashion. Indeed, state law requires it.
Rather than do her job, Lehmkuhl spends council meetings sending out tweets. Her Twitter account, @KimPHClerk, mixes postings of council comments and actions with personal and political opinion. It's embarrassing.
Don't misunderstand: There's a role for social media. However, Lehmkuhl first must perform her essential duties with the neutral professionalism expected of a city clerk.
Amazingly, the City Council, city manager and city attorney never alerted the public. Instead, emails obtained through the Public Records Act show, City Manager June Catalano's staff tried unsuccessfully to privately prod Lehmkuhl to produce. When that failed, Catalano should have stepped up to find a solution, but she didn't.
We'll give City Attorney Janet Coleson a partial pass because she wasn't hired until this past summer. But she, too, had time to sound the alarm, and didn't, even though state law was broken.
Councilman Michael Harris, who served as mayor from December 2012 to December 2013, says he spoke privately with Lehmkuhl and is now "extremely disappointed" with the results. Newly appointed Mayor Tim Flaherty says he also talked with her and is "cautiously optimistic" she will fix the problem.
It was Councilman David Durant who finally made this a public issue, as it should have been all along. At the Jan. 6 council meeting, he proposed that city staff produce the minutes Lehmkuhl failed to deliver.
He also wants to ask voters to eliminate the elective office of city clerk and make it an appointed position, like in nearly three-fourths of California cities. The council set dates to further consider Durant's proposals.
The next day, Lehmkuhl suddenly sent out drafts of minutes for seven of the 24 council meetings from the past 13 months. It's too little too late. And she won't commit to a deadline for the rest. She must go.


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Circa 1900
A large blackened iron hexagonal lantern glazed with cloudy opal glass. The openings are detailed with delicate pierced-work tracery. From a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania estate.
Minimum height: 91 cm
Overall: 53 cm diameter
CE wiring available, contact sales for a quote.
CE Lamping: 2 ES/E27 sockets, maximum 75 watts per socket.
1 fixture total available.
On display at our Chicago showroom.


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Low-Cost Raspberry Pi on Sale
The original vision for the credit-card sized Raspberry Pi computer was that it would cost $25 and be manufactured in the U.K. The Model B, which was released last year, cost $35 and was made in China.
By September, however, production had been moved to South Wales in the U.K. and Monday the $25 Model A went on sale in Europe, with the rest of the world to follow. This version should be even more affordable for kids and encourage them to program, the main objective of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
The Model A doesn't have an Ethernet port, has 256MB of RAM — half that of the Model B — and one USB port.
The board consumes roughly one-third of the power of the Model B. The low-power Model A is suited to being used as a media centre, for robotics or embedded computing, Raspberry Pi Foundation chairman Eben Upton told ZDNet .
"The Model A board is the next item in the Raspberry Pi range to be manufactured exclusively in Wales by Sony in partnership with element14," said Claire Doyle, Global Head of Raspberry Pi at element14.
Distributor element14 has also launched two accessories to support the development of new applications and uses: The Gertboard, a flexible experimenter board that connects the Raspberry Pi out to the physical world, and PiFace, which allows the user to sense and control the real world.
ZDNet: New low-cost Raspberry Pi released in Europe
Electronics Weekly: Raspberry Pi goes low power and lower cost


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JAN 31, 2013 - Cleveland Plain Dealer
A Must Read - Share
Some 35 million Facebook account holders in the United States have Liked a page for one of the 32 teams in the NFL, allowing Facebook to examine which teams are most popular in which areas.
The Browns might be able to expand their fan base if they become a consistent winner, something the team hasn't been since its five straight playoff seasons from 1985-89.
Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND,Ohio -- Cleveland Browns fans, read no further if you want to avoid the realization of yet another
Read More
Editor's Picks
Hey you have no friends!!! Get to work and start inviting friends to help build your Comunitee. Click Here to invite friends.
© 2011 Comunitee, Inc.


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Definition of dihydroxyacetone in English:
noun[mass noun] Chemistry
A synthetic compound with strong reducing properties, used in lotions for colouring the skin in sunlight.
- Chemical formula: (CH2OH)CO.
Example sentences
- Artificial tanning products use chemicals such as dihydroxyacetone that react with proteins in the skin to create a brown color.
- All self-tanners contain a chemical called dihydroxyacetone, or DHA, which temporarily stains (within about an hour) the uppermost layer of your skin, called the stratum corneum.
- Some beauty salons have recorded a 20% increase in sales of the treatment, which uses the colour additive dihydroxyacetone.
Late 19th century: from dihydroxy- (in the sense 'containing two hydroxyl groups in the molecule') + acetone.
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: di|hy¦droxy|acet¦one
Definition of dihydroxyacetone in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending


text:
Reebok Zig Fury Kids' Basketball Shoes
Buy Online & Pick Up In-Store
The Reebok Zig Fury Kids' Basketball Shoes are a great alternative to the ZigSlash and Zig Encore. The shoes feature an ideal combination of synthetic leather and mesh for durability and breathability. The Zigtech outsole isn't as high as other models, making it ideal for court performances where you'll need lateral movement.


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There was a bit of an awkward moment when Australian TV hosts asked supermodel Naomi Campbell what she thought of the recent Vogue cover featuring Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.
"I do not want to comment," Campbell told the hosts of The Morning Show. She then proceeded to burst into a fit of giggles. When pressed for more, she said, "I'm a fashion model and I've been working for 28 years. And when you get a Vogue cover, it's a build in your career, a stepping stone to achieve that." Further attempts by the hosts for more from Campbell were rebuffed.
Other stars have also done their own interpretations of the Vogue cover. Check out these versions from actor James Franco and the Muppets.


text:
Most Popular
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Cosmo crush Justin Bieber hosts and kicks it as musical guest on SNL this weekend. Prepare to swoon! Idolator
For hot man Bradley Cooper's next big role, he'll play late Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who was killed last week by a fellow Iraq war vet. Page Six
WTF is J. Lo's $25,000 at-home wrinkle-erasing machine? Monsters and Critics
Topless protestors rage against female circumcision at a Berlin Film Fesitval red carpet, nearly toppling Jane Fonda. Daily Mail
Pregnant Kim Kardashian shops for lacy underthings in L.A. Lucky Kanye! Perezitos
Follow Michelle on Twitter.
Read Next:


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Our brand new video
Category: Other Design Fields,
Posted by: Thea
Posted: May 9th 2014
No. of comments: 0
Posted: May 9th 2014
No. of comments: 0
We are so excited to announce the launch of our new brand video, which gives a glimpse into what life is like at Shillington.
A big thank you to everyone involved, including our wonderful graduate Kori, our teacher Carlos from Studio Fellow, and of course the team at Commoner for their production skills.
Let us know what you think!


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Carrie Underwood Tackles NFL Anthem–and 'The Sound of Music'
When it comes to vocal stamina, Carrie Underwood "isn't worried" about her coming role as Maria in NBC's "The Sound of Music."
A three-hour live event, Underwood told the Journal that she's not planning any warm-ups, but will approach the role as she does her concerts, "except memorizing the lines and the acting part, that's really scary," she said, adding "I sing a lot of really hard songs in my concerts."
She will play Maria opposite "True Blood" actor Stephen Moyer as Capt. Georg Von Trapp. While NBC's production will be based on the original 1959 Broadway production of "The Sound of Music,"Underwood said she's pouring over Julie Andrews's performance in the 1965 film. She's also watching Audrey Hepburn in "My Fair Lady," "to see how they did it an imagine myself in their shoes."
Beyond stretching her style of music, Underwood said she accepted the role because she wants to bring musicals to a whole new generation. "People don't do things like this live anymore and I think they should. It's an old style that I want to bring back," she said. The NBC production will air Dec. 5.
Underwood, a six-time Grammy winner, is also filling another singer's shoes as she takes on "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night," the NFL anthem previously sung by Faith Hill. Debuting Sept. 8 on Sunday Night Football, Underwood's version of the theme song "was not something the needed to belong on one of my albums," she said. "It didn't need a certain sound but it also should be different to avoid the same song, different blonde" [idea].
Her version, "has a really high energy to it as I played with the tempos and keys," she said from her home in Nashville. A fan of the underdog, Underwood said she'll root for the Tennessee Titans "whenever I can."
For more entertainment news, follow @alexandracheney.


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(based on 17 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
5 Stars
4 Stars
3 Stars
2 Stars
1 Stars
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Best Uses
Most Liked Positive Review
Pocket Praise gets My Praise!
What a great way to recognize a kind deed, a job well done, or give a "kudo"! We love these pocket praise cards and when our staff recieves one,...Read complete review
What a great way to recognize a kind deed, a job well done, or give a "kudo"! We love these pocket praise cards and when our staff recieves one, they know it is a big deal! Thank you for helping us with inovative, fun ways to let our people know they are appreciated and valued.
Most Liked Negative Review
Great quality but small product.
I bought this product for staff day to day recognition. I love the sayings in the front but the card is smaller than I expected.
Reviewed by 17 customers
Displaying reviews 1-5
Back to top
Previous | Next »
(0 of 2 customers found this review helpful)
By itsyashira
from Massachusetts
About Me Dept Manager
Comments about Baudville Pocket Praise - Exclamations Assortment:
Was this review helpful? Yes / No
- You may also flag this review
Great Cards!
By Wendy
from Madison, WI
About Me Advertising Agency
These cards are great for small little thank yous to coworkers, managers and clients for going the extra step, helping out on a project or offering their help. The cards are a lot smaller than I thought they were going to be, but it helps when you don't want to write a novel! The embedded text on the cards are rather quirky and can form to any situation.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Funny cards
By FSDB AP
from St. Augustine, FL
About Me Dept Manager, Education Industry
These cards have funny sayings that were repeated by the staff members all day. They really brightened our day!
Exactly what I was looking for
By Carrie in Higher Education
from Chicago, IL
The graphic design is up to date and the phrases are "hip" as well - not the typical corny phrasing that's usually used for motivational / thank you cards. Great purchase!
The perfect way to say thanks
By Wish I had come up with this myself
from Virginia
I used these cards along with the PVC Memo Clips as a thank you to staff members. They were very appreciated! The design of the card is clean, easy to read and clever -- which helps make the personal note that much more well received. I really enjoyed trying to match the saying on the card with the recipient and found a lot of joy in giving them out. Definitely recommend them and will most likely end up ordering more myself!


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By Jacquelyn Nelson
Hesston teen Morgan Estep will be taking to the arena this weekend at the Harvey County Fair Rodeo on Friday and Saturday night.
Estep will be competing in the barrel racing both nights. She also participates in poll bending and flag racing through 4-H.
Estep said horses have been a major part of her life for the last decade.
"I got into horses because my dad was into rodeo when he was younger. He went out and bought me a horse from one of our friends. I came home and there was a horse in our pasture. I started riding bareback with a halter when I was eight or nine. I got my first saddle and started competing when I was 10," said Estep.
Estep immediately took to challenging, fast-paced events.
"I did flags, barrels and polls. The flag race looked easy, run, grab the flag and you do well. I liked all the speed events and wanted to do them," she said.
As a young adult, Estep continues to be active in the rodeo and horse world.
"This year, I am most looking forward to the rodeo. I love it so much!
"In 2011 I was the Newton Saddle Club Queen and that was a blast working the cattle in the arena and doing the queen wave.
To Read More See This Weeks Print Edition


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Works with the latest OpenCart version 18.104.22.168! Fully Tested & Compatible!
SUPPORT OVER BOARD & E-MAIL ADMIN DEMO – Theme Settings Preview
DEMO Administration Board
Username: demo
Password: demo
Enabled views: Extensions -> Module -> Commercials & Extensions ->Module ->Theme Settings
ADMIN DEMO – Theme Settings Preview
EveraShop is a modern Premium OpenCart theme that fits to any type of bussines (Clothes, Watches, Shoes, Furniture,...). It's main feature is a clean and attractive design which sells everywhere. EveraShop is a responsive theme that allows your store to sell even on mobile devices like iPad,iPhone, Android mobile, & others!
It's built with fast set-up back-end administration module in mind that will allow you to set up your theme in less than 5 minutes!
It's extensive use of the powerfull jQuery javascript framework it delivers the ultimate web store experience that every customer likes. Built from the ground up with precision and utilizing powerfull theme color changer, you will be able to create the web store you want!
EveraShop Main Features:
- Install in less than 5 minutes
- Based on the 960px grid system
- SEO optimized
- Clean HTML
- Cross browser compatible
- Easy customizable
- Improved and styled Brands section
- Full backend administration module
- Up to 15 changeable fonts colors, CSS3 shadows and links
- 8 built in background patterns
- Built buttons in 6 different colors
- Multilanguage Text modules (featured items, about us, contact us)
- Primary and Secondary Google Fonts (over 500 fonts included from Google Fonts Api)
- 5 changeable font sizes (H1, H2, H3, ...)
- 13 preinstalled credit card icons that can be separately enabled/disabled
- Twitter API
- 6 main follow icons with links (Facebook, Twitter, Dribble, Flickr, Forrst, Skype)
- Commercials module allowing you to place banners on your store front-page
- Enable/Disable Scroll To Top button
- Define categories default number of products
- Enable/Disable Theme Settings from backend admin panel
- Responsive Design for 320px & 480px (iPhone, iPad)
- TouchSwipe banner scrolling for touch devices
- Scroll To Top button
- SEO URLs support
- jQuery infinitive product scroller in categories (no page number buttons required)
- Built-in admin panel for visual changes
- Custom category menu (select) allowing a better view of the products
- Custom & changed icons
- jQuery animated custom banners
- Animated Latest Twitts API
- Custom jQuery footer menu for (Information, Customer service, Extras, My Account)
- Added Tipsy support for icons alternated text
- Google Fonts Compatible (more than 500 fonts – automaticly added every week through our special api)
- Added no-image photo for products without images
- & More
Files Included:
- PSD Files
- Extensive Install Documentation & FAQ
- 3 Commercial Banners Photos
- 6 Basic Google Fonts to work with


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In spring 2011, engineers using a tripod-mounted laser shot 50,000 beams per second at Mission Dolores, San Francisco's oldest standing structure. Over the course of 2¿1/2 days, they repositioned the tripod more than 120 times, bathing every nook and cranny of the mission and its grounds with the emerald-green laser.
The goal: create 3-D digital blueprints of the historic landmark to make sure it remains part of California's landscape forever.
Up and down the coast of the Golden State, engineers from Oakland-based nonprofit CyArk are in a race against time, using laser-scanning technology to digitally preserve an important part of California's heritage: the 21 missions, four presidios and three pueblos of the California Mission Trail, commonly known as El Camino Real.
"The missions are critically important to the history of California and of the United States," said CyArk director Ben Kacyra, 72, a former civil engineer. "And they are in extreme danger -- and have been for many years -- because they all lie along the 'ring of fire.'"
Earthquake risk
More precisely, they are vulnerable to earthquakes because the Mission Trail overlaps a large portion of the San Andreas Fault. Indeed, each of the missions has been damaged to some degree by seismic activity. As a result, California in 1995 mandated that seismic retrofits of the missions be completed by 2015. Because of the enormous costs of the retrofits -- $10 million to $20 million per site -- work has been completed at only a handful.
But should the Big One reduce one or more of the historic buildings to a pile of rubble before it's retrofitted, architects could use the laser scans to build nearly identical structures, Kacyra said. Each mission is raising about $70,000 -- a mix of public and private funds -- to do the work.
Built between 1769 and 1823 by Spanish monks every 30 miles from San Diego to Sonoma as part of a large-scale effort to convert the indigenous population to Christianity, the missions were the region's centers of agriculture and trade for more than 100 years. "The missions basically were the foundation of California," said Julie Ferraro, museum director at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside.
Kacyra originally designed his laser-scanner as a portable tool to make highly accurate 3-D digital blueprints of dangerous sites, such as nuclear reactors, that are hard for surveyors to access. But CyArk has since used the $100,000 devices all over the world to digitally preserve dozens of well-known monuments, including Mount Rushmore, the ancient Roman city of Pompeii and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Within the next few years, CyArk hopes to scan 500 heritage sites around the globe.
"It's not the heritage sites themselves, but what they represent and the stories they tell us that are so important," Kacyra said.
He has a passion for history and architecture, passed down to him from his engineer father, while growing up in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. During long walks, his father told him stories of the Assyrian ruins that remain sprinkled throughout the ancient city, known as Nineveh during biblical times.
Immigrated in 1964
Kacyra immigrated to the United States in 1964. A few years later, after earning a master's degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois, he moved to the Bay Area to begin a career in engineering. In 1992, he founded a company to develop the lunchbox-size laser scanner. He eventually sold the technology to a Swiss company -- and then looked around for what to do next.
He was inspired to found CyArk -- a mash-up of "cyber" and "archive" -- after the Taliban destroyed the Banyan Buddhist statues in Afghanistan in 2001 and an earthquake flattened the ancient Iranian mud city of Bann in 2003.
"It affected me very deeply," he said. "I felt the technology we have could digitally preserve these heritage sites for future generations."
Unlike cultural artifacts tucked away safely in museums, cultural heritage sites are constantly at risk. They are at the mercy of the sun, wind, rain, natural disasters and vandalism.
In 2009, CyArk completed one particularly timely scan in the hills of central Uganda. Thatched huts serving as the final resting places of the last four kings of the 700-year-old Buganda Kingdom burned to the ground in March 2010. Fortunately, CyArk had digitally preserved the royal tombs -- designated by the world's premier heritage authority, UNESCO, as a world heritage site. The scan includes all the information architects need to rebuild the tombs to the exact specifications of the originals.
Prince James of the Buganda Kingdom contacted CyArk the day after the fire about using the scans to rebuild. Political turmoil, however, has delayed the project.
CyArk's scanner is designed to sweep a structure's surface with tens of thousands of laser beam pulses per second to record details about every corner, ceiling beam and window placement. The laser beam strikes a precise portion of the object, then ricochets back to the scanner's detectors. The time it takes for the laser beam to travel back shows just how far away that part of the object is. Computers convert these laser measurement points -- about 1 billion were made of Mission Dolores -- into a digital blueprint accurate to within a millimeter.
3-D models
The scanners also use special photographic techniques to assign each point with a color value and texture. Finally, the various scans are digitally stitched together to form a complete 3-D model.
It's a formidable advance over conventional survey methods, said Elizabeth Lee, CyArk's director of operations. "A good surveyor might collect 1,000 data points in a single day," she said. "These machines capture 50,000 points in a single second."
UC San Diego archaeologist Thomas Levy agreed. "Three-dimensional laser scanning of ancient monuments represents the best way to make a detailed digital record of an archaeological site," he said.
CyArk has scanned four California missions: Mission Dolores, Mission San Luis Rey, Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo in Carmel and Mission San Juan Bautista. Kacyra hopes to finish the remaining missions over the next three years.
CyArk plans to make the scans of the missions available on its website for people around the world to tour the landmarks virtually. Scans for Mission Dolores are already posted on the site: www.cyark.org.
"If your house catches fire, and after you get the kids and the pets out, what's the next thing you reach for?" Kacyra asked. "Everyone answers, 'My picture album.' The equivalent for the human race are these heritage sites."
Contact Chris Palmer at 408-920-5782. Follow him at Twitter.com/palmer_cr.
Most of the funds for doing laser scans of the missions have come from the California Missions Foundation, the Northern California Institute of Classical Architecture and Art, private donors and a Save America's Treasures grant from the National Park Service.
Contact Elizabeth Lee, CyArk's director of operations, at email@example.com or 510-832-5440 to inquire about contributing to the digital preservation effort.


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Trey Anastasio Band,
Wednesday, 11/30/2005
Roseland Theater, Portland, OR
Set 1: Sand, Last Tube, Spin, Sweet Dreams Melinda, Shine, Push On 'Til the Day, Sample in a Jar[1], Back on the Train[1], Invisible[2], Sleep Again[2], Limb By Limb[1], Alive Again > Simple Twist Up Dave > I Want to Take You Higher > The Way I Feel, Come As Melody
Encore: Drifting > First Tube, Mr. Completely
[1] Trey solo acoustic.
[2] Trey on acoustic with Jen and Christina on backing vocals.
Notes: The Hackensaw Boys opened. A pre-recorded version of "70 Volt Parade" was played over the P.A. as the band took the stage. "Sample" through "LxL" were performed solo acoustic, excepting "Invisible" and "Sleep Again" where he was joined by Jennifer and Christina providing backing vocals.
Musicians: Trey Anastasio, Russell Remington, Jennifer Hartswick, Raymond Weber, Ray Paczkowski, Christina Durfee, Les Hall, Tony Hall


text:
- Feb 26:
- Tesla team mulls plan to boost image after New York Times review
- Feb 20:
- Tesla says profits will arrive this quarter after losing more money than expected
- All eyes on Tesla earnings Wednesday
- Feb 18:
- Public editor of The New York Times weighs in on Tesla Model S controversy
- Feb 17:
- @TeslaRoadTrip participants tout their Model S sedans and their trip to tweak the New York Times
- @TeslaRoadTrip Live Blog: Follow Model S owners on their Maryland-to-Connecticut road trip
- Feb 15:
- 2013: Tesla CEO Elon Musk is right to battle bad review of the Model S, experts say
- Feb 14:
- 2013: Elon Musk vs The New York Times: battle escalates Thursday with dueling blog posts
- Feb 11:
- Snippets: New York Times review, Elon Musk's tweets
PALO ALTO -- Shares of Tesla took a hit Monday as the company defended itself against a critical review of its new Model S sedan published in The New York Times, while the electric-car maker's CEO personally blasted the writer on Twitter.
Calling the review by Times reporter John Broder "fake" in a tweet, Chief Executive Elon Musk accused the journalist of misrepresenting the car's performance on a test drive.
"NYTimes article about Tesla range in cold is fake," Musk said in a Twitter post Monday. "Vehicle logs tell true story that he didn't actually charge to max & took a long detour."
In a statement, the Times stood by its report, saying "any suggestion that the account was 'fake' is, of course, flatly untrue. Our reporter followed the instructions he was given in multiple conversations with Tesla personnel. He described the entire drive in the story; there was no unreported detour. And he was never told to plug the car in overnight in cold weather, despite repeated contact with Tesla."
Meanwhile, shares of Tesla dropped as much as 4.4 percent before closing down 2 percent for the day; the stock edged higher in after-hours trading.
Tesla did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Regardless of whether Broder got his facts wrong about the electric car's driving range in cold weather or Musk overreacted in defense of his company, the public spat underscores just how much is at stake for the pioneering automaker as it prepares to report earnings.
Some analysts doubted the bad review would hurt Tesla over the long term. Elaine Kwei, of Jefferies & Co., said in a report that she still rates Tesla stock a buy.
"After digging into the background behind the article," she wrote, "our conclusion is that operator error likely played a primary role, due to improper charging protocol."
Some analysts also said confusion over when earnings will be announced also hurt the stock, which had risen 17 percent for the year until the troubles last week. Many investors had expected the report before the market opened Monday. On Friday, Tesla representatives had sent out conflicting messages about the announcement, but the company announced Monday it will report earnings a week from Wednesday.
The Times last week published Broder's review on its website detailing how the Model S he drove in temperatures as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit failed to meet the 300-mile range the electric sedan is supposed to get under "ideal conditions." Musk tweeted that a blog response to the article was forthcoming.
"A 2 percent drop in a fairly volatile stock is not cause for panic by any means," said analyst Alan Baum, of Baum and Associates in West Bloomfield, Mich. "This is a company that's being watched very carefully, because there are obviously very few independent car companies around. So there's a strong reaction to any news because of the focus on them right now."
Baum said the upcoming earnings report should give investors a much clearer picture of how the company is faring in its campaign to crank out 400 Model S sedans each week, which it must do to break even. The Model S is the first car Tesla has designed from the ground up. And while it won't say how many cars it's delivered so far, more than 13,000 customers have already paid $5,000 deposits.
"The big issue," said Baum, "is the broader response by customers over time to the car, which is much more important than this single article. If there are other incidents like this, that could be a concern. But I don't think we're there yet."
Contact Patrick May at 408-920-5689 or follow him at Twitter.com/patmaymerc.
Here are some excerpts from New York Times reporter John Broder's review of the Tesla Model S, interspersed with reactions tweeted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Broder: "When I parked the car, its computer said I had 90 miles of range, twice the 46 miles back to Milford. It was a different story at 8:30 the next morning. The thermometer read 10 degrees and the display showed 25 miles of remaining range -- the electrical equivalent of someone having siphoned off more than two-thirds of the fuel that was in the tank when I parked.
Musk: "NYTimes article about Tesla range in cold is fake. Vehicle logs tell true story that he didn't actually charge to max & took a long detour."
Broder (after the Tesla ran out of power and had to be towed to a charging station): "At 2:40 p.m., we pulled into the Milford rest stop, five hours after I had left Groton on a trip that should have taken less than an hour."
Musk: "Tesla blog coming soon detailing what actually happened on Broder's NYTimes 'range test.' Also lining up other journalists to do same drive."
Broder: "After 80 minutes of charging in Milford, the battery registered an estimated 216 miles of range. The trip to the Tesla dealership in Manhattan was an uneventful 71 miles. When I pulled in, the battery had an estimated 124 miles remaining."
Musk: "Am not against NYTimes in general. They're usually fair & their own prev Tesla test drive got 300+ miles of range!"
Source: Mercury News reporting


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The holiday shopping season is set to kick off in just a couple of days, and shoppers will likely stop for a meal at an area mall food court.
About a year ago, ABC 17 News first reported the Columbia-Boone County Health Department shut down two restaurants at the Columbia Mall after inspectors found numerous health code violations.
One of the restaurants, Famous Cajun Grill, was caught with cockroaches in its food.
At the time, the health department said the restaurants needed to make improvements.
Before you grab a bite to eat, ABC 17's Kristie Reeter examined inspection reports from the last year and explains how food courts in Columbia and Jefferson City are faring.
When it comes to restaurant cleanliness, critical health code violations are not something business owners want on a record nor diners want to experience. Critical violations are ones that can make a diner sick.
Last year, inspectors found 19 critical violations during one check at Stir Fry 88 and shut down the restaurant.
Famous Cajun Grill, located next door, also racked up enough violations to be shut down.
The latest inspection of Stir Fry 88, completed in October, found four critical violations. Three violations were found during Famous Cajun Grill's latest inspection in June.
"Those two facilities were pretty much gutted and rebuilt from the stud walls, so that gave an opportunity to do a lot of thorough cleaning, repairing some old plumbing issues that could have been contributing factors, as well as some other extermination factors,"said Kala Wekenborg of the Columbia-Boone County Health Department.
Wekenborg said it was a team effort to reopen the restaurant. The health department, mall management and the corporate offices for both restaurants worked to find new management.
"Have you noticed any roaches there in the last year of inspections?" Reeter asked.
"Well it has not been noted on any of the inspection sheets," said Wekenborg. "That's not to say that they are not present, but the fact that they are not being found and we have not received complaints from any of the food vendors there, any management of the mall or any customer complaints is a positive picture of what is really going on there."
While improvements are being made, health inspectors are still finding issues.
Looking over 2013 inspection reports, Reeter found more than half of the Columbia Mall food court's 16 critical violations came from Stir Fry 88 and Famous Cajun Grill.
Those violations include food out of temperature, no person in charge and soiled knives.
Health officials say they still count on the public to report any concerns to them directly, because an inspection is just a snapshot in time.
Reeter tried to talk with mall management members, but they declined a request for an interview. Calls to Stir Fry 88 and Famous Cajun Grill were never returned.
On the other hand, Capital Mall management took Reeter on a tour to explain the practices the mall has in place to ensure diners are safe.
"Cleanliness is very important throughout the mall, not just the food court," said Capital Mall manager Jamie Reed.
Reed says while all restaurants have to abide by health codes, some have other procedures written in their leases, like being required to professionally degrease every so often. Still, he realizes that some issues may pop up.
"I think you would be hard-pressed to find a restaurant anywhere that doesn't have at least a minor violation here and there," said Reed.
The latest health inspections for the Capital Mall restaurants show there were a couple of critical violations.
At Pretzel Maker, a sink was blocked by several items, which is a concern for inspectors because they want one hand sink open at all times.
Health officials found mold inside an ice maker at Fuji Japanese Steakhouse, which is a critical code violation.


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Q My wife and I are considering spending a week in November in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We aren't sure whether to do an all-inclusive. Any tips for accommodations or things to do?
A Jamaica Inn, which has a great reputation, is not an all-inclusive, although it does offer meal plans and an all-inclusive option.
As for what to do, Dunn's River Falls is a big draw but is usually crowded.
If you're interested in plants and nature, try Coyaba Gardens.
Q A friend of mine may have a day or two in Basel, Switzerland, before a Rhine cruise. Is there much to do there?
A Basel is beautiful. The heart of downtown around the cathedral and the cathedral square is a gorgeous vista of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. There are many beautiful buildings to see and churches to visit. And lots of great museums -- the Basel Historical Museum, the Kunstmuseum (art museum), the Sculpture Hall. There's a pretty good zoo. Lots of nice parks, too.
Q We'll be driving from Philadelphia to northern New Hampshire, and I want to spend a day somewhere on the way. Hoping you can suggest a charming village or a beautiful hike.
A I just traveled to (southern) New Hampshire. We stopped at West Point, in a gorgeous spot on the Hudson River. We stayed right on the academy grounds and walked all around. The adjacent town of Highlands is a charming village.
Other possibilities are Stockbridge, Mass., or Saratoga Springs, N.Y., home of the famed racecourse, which is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
Q I'm traveling to Italy and Switzerland. What's the best way these days to pay for things and get cash?
A You might be able to buy enough euros or francs from your bank to use for incidentals. You'll want to also check with your credit card company for the rates it offers when you use your cards abroad. Some cards charge fees for exchanging money, as well as for withdrawing money from an ATM.
Q We plan to visit New Orleans for a long weekend. Can you recommend hotels (preferably more upscale) and top things to see and do?
A The Soniat House is gorgeous and in a fabulous location. You must eat and drink and listen to music. For food, you should go to Cochon, Stella, August, Patois, Commander's Palace, Dooky Chase, Willie Mae's Scotch House, Parkway Bakery and Cafe Du Monde, and for drinks, to d.b.a., Arnaud's, Cure, Sazerac Bar for drinks.
For music, d.b.a. is great, and there's also Preservation Hall, Tipitina's, Blue Nile, Snug Harbor, Vaughan's -- and so much more than I can list!
Today's column comes from the Washington Post travel staff.


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Definition of bi-level in English:
1Having or functioning on two levels; arranged on two planes: a bi-level ventilation system
More example sentences
- The supplemental reds can be regarded as a nod to Newman's 'zips,' but they also create a bi-level arrangement that recalls the window shape of another riposte to the conventions of picture-making, Duchamp's Large Glass.
- Apart from English and Maths, in many schools it is probable that the new Advanced Higher will be taught in bi-level classes with some students following Higher courses and others following Advanced and the teacher teaching both.
- Daikichi has two bi-level conveyor belts, each about 20 feet long, with hot food like gyoza or heated firm tofu on the top belt under heat lamps, and cold food on the bottom belt.
1.1North American Denoting a style of two-storey house in which the lower storey is partially sunk below ground level, and the main entrance is between the two storeys.
Example sentences
- Laugh Lounge will be a bi-level bar/lounge waiting area on the ground floor and 130-person seating capacity performance space downstairs.
- The bi-level condo features two full bathrooms, a small outdoor deck and hardwood flooring throughout.
- Z Rooms, for example, have high vaulted ceilings and skylights; Marina Rooms have unimpeded views of Sydney Harbour and spacious bathrooms; while Lunar Loft Rooms are bi-level and have an entertaining area and upstairs bedroom.
1.2Denoting a railway carriage with seats on two levels.
Example sentences
- I also noticed a Virginia Railway Express consist with the new bi-level cars, similar to Tri-Rail in Florida.
- Tri-Rail operates train sets of 3 or 4 bi-level commuter cars pulled southbound by F40PHL - 2 or F40PHC - 2c locomotives.
- The Kentucky Cardinal operates with bi-level Superliner equipment and will offer passengers both coach and sleeping car service.
nounNorth American
A bi-level house.
Example sentences
- Not that many years ago, all computer data center landscapes featured the equivalent of ranch houses, bi-levels and colonial homes, Evanko says.
- Very affordable housing in this area with a good mix of bi-levels, split-levels and two-story homes.
- Unfortunately, most bi-levels tend to have windows below the main living room window, and it is almost criminal to cover those windows.
For editors and proofreaders
Line breaks: bi-level
Definition of bi-level in:
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PHOENIX -- Grant Balfour was back throwing Tuesday, five days after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, then said he'd be surprised if he didn't beat doctor's estimates of a four-to-six week return to pitching.
He threw for about 10 minutes in the outfield at the A's Papago Park facility, then put his body through a two-plus-hour workout afterward that included time on the treadmill and in the weight room. After that, Balfour said "something would be wrong" if he wasn't ready to pitch within four weeks of his original surgery.
He went backward on the treadmill and forward on it up a steep incline, all without evident pain.
It was just last Thursday when Balfour underwent arthroscopic surgery on the meniscus in his right knee. Given a recovery timetable of four-to-six weeks, he was back on his feet within 24 hours and throwing within five days.
"Throwing is not an issue," Balfour said, adding that he wants to keep his arm strong. "The knee feels great."
Manager Bob Melvin was a little more cautious, saying that "it's usually the second day when you start feeling something."
Melvin said he purposefully opted against watching his closer throw on the flat of the outfield grass because he knew Balfour would throw harder than Melvin would want.
The key to the quick recovery is that doctors removed a little bit of meniscus rather than repairing any of it, so less healing is needed.
Players listed in documents from the Biogenesis of America clinic run include A's lefty reliever Jordan Norberto and Padres reliever Fautino De Los Santos, who was with the A's organization for part of the 2012 season.
A's right-hander Bartolo Colon, who is serving a 50-game suspension including the first five th is season for illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs, also had his name recently pop up as having been a client of the Miami anti-aging clinic that specialized in dispensing PEDs,
Other players named Tuesday on "Outside the Lines" include Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera, who won the National League stolen base crown last season, and Houston outfielder Fernando Martinez.


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Upcoming events and activities at the O'Neill Center at 333 Fourth St., Marietta, include:
To register for classes call 373-3914.
Zumba Classes: 5:45 to 6:45 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday; $25 for six classes; Becky Lightfritz, ZIN Certified Instructor; open to the public; all ages.
Line Dance with Donnie Allen: everyone welcome, open to public; Day classes, Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m., beginners, $5 per class. Evening classes began Sept. 4, 5:30 to 6 p.m., Free Steps taught - 6 to 7 p.m., beginners $5, 7 to 8 p.m. - open dance
Fun & Fit Exercise Class: 11:30 a.m. to noon, Monday, Wednesday, Fridays, geared to seniors 50+; fun fitness class using bands, weights, low impact aerobics set to lively music; $12 per month.
Speech Therapy by Marietta Home Health, 1 p.m., Oct. 17; Micci George, Speech Therapist. Understand signs and symptoms of swallowing disorders.
Abundant Life with Nutrition, 1 p.m., Oct. 24; learn juicing and nutritional value of green juice; by Elizabeth Fordyce, PhD
Starry Starry Night Dinner Concert, 6 p.m., Oct. 26, $10 per person covers catered chicken dinner, reservations required; Laurel Creek Bluegrass Band performing; sponsorship of the band and dessert provided by Marietta Care & Rehabilitation Center, Marietta.
Trips: A Dickens Christmas, Nov. 28, Cambridge, $60 includes Holiday lunch buffet, National Museum of Cambridge Glass, tour & tea at St. John's Episcopal Church, driving tour of Dickens Victorian Village in Cambridge Ohio, downtown holiday shopping, and Courthouse Music and Light Show: 2013 Spring in Bermuda, April 13-18, cabin prices begin at $999, travel protection $92, motor coarch to the Cape Liberty pier, 6 day/5 night cruise on the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas, shipboard meals, port charges and taxes: call 373-3914 for more details and itinerary for each trip.
Generations Online: Generations Online, offering basic computer skills for seniors, is available Monday through Friday. There is no charge. Walk-ins are welcome.
Computer lab: Marietta College computer lab assistants are available from noon to 2 p.m. on Mondays; 2:15 to 4 p.m., Tuesdays; 2 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesdays; 10 to 11:30 a.m., Thursdays; and 2 to 3:30 p.m. Fridays.
Blood sugar and Blood Pressure Screening: Screening is available the first Wednesday and Thursday of each month from 8:30 to 10 a.m. provided by Marietta City Health Department and Ohio Home Care of Belpre.
Blood Pressure Testing: Testing available from 10 a.m. to noon the first and third Monday of every month.
Bible Study Group: Group meets at 10 a.m. the second and fourth Tuesday each month. Everyone is welcome to join this group discussing books of the Bible.
Quilting Group: Group meets at 9:30 a.m. every second Wednesday each month.
Week of Oct. 15 to 22
9:30 a.m. Rhythm Moves
11:30 a.m. Fun & Fit
1 p.m. Euchre Party
9:30 a.m. Line Dance
10 a.m. Book Group-sharing
10 a.m. Bible Study
12:30 p.m. Bridge
5:30 p.m. Line Dance steps (free)
5:45 p.m. Zumba
6 p.m. Line Dance Beginners ($5)
6:30 p.m. Stampin Up ($10)
7 p.m. Line Dance Open Dance
9:00 a.m. Charity Quilting group
9:30 a.m. Donut it Make you Wonder?
10 a.m. Chair Volleyball
11:30 a.m. Fun & Fit
1 p.m. Speech Therapy program
10 a.m. Senior Bingo
1 p.m. Hand & Foot Cards
5:45 p.m. Zumba
8 a.m. Chair volleyball
10 a.m. Massage Appointments
11:30 a.m. Fun & Fit
1 p.m. Movie- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Monday, Oct. 22
9:30 a.m. Rhythm Moves
11:30 a.m. Fun & Fit
1 p.m. Euchre Party


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SARATOGA -- As a boy, Tim Hamilton tagged along with his dad when he was building wheelchair ramps at a camp in the woods near Saratoga. He had no reason to think that three decades later, they would help his own child experience the joys of nature.
Yet this week, his 11-year-old daughter, Faith Hamilton, was zipping up the ramps in her purple motorized wheelchair, outpacing many of her classmates at Walden West Outdoor School in Saratoga.
Tim Hamilton, who was 10 when his father was building the camp ramps and is now a superintendent with the Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, never dreamed that one day his daughter would benefit from that long-ago effort, a coincidence he called "weird" and her mother, Jeneen Hamilton, deemed "trippy."
"I didn't even know if I'd be in the same state," he said.
But the family connection further stoked Faith's desire to attend the weeklong, sleep-away camp with her fifth-grade classmates from San Jose's Majestic Way Elementary School, her first camping experience.
"Even when it's raining here, she's gung-ho to go out," said Walden West Director Anita Parsons, who calls Faith a "trouper."
Like the other campers at Walden West this week, Hamilton has a camp name -- she's "Dreamcatcher" -- and can belt out the lyrics to "Dirt, You Made My Lunch" and other camp songs.
But unlike the others, she can't walk or breathe on her own. Hamilton has arthrogryposis, a muscular abnormality that causes weakness and clenched joints. She also suffers from a host of other medical problems. She's had 16 surgeries and spent the first 21 months of her life in a hospital or rehabilitation center. She uses a ventilator and a feeding tube, although she can eat some food on her own. Faith wasn't expected to survive birth, much less attend science camp.
Yet thanks to the support of her parents, her grandparents and Parsons, Faith is spending the week learning about banana slugs and food composting and enjoying "hikes" in her wheelchair, just one of the gang.
Walden West, an outdoor education program operated by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, hosts some 9,000 children a year in a variety of programs at its woodsy camps in Saratoga and Cupertino.
Parsons said she often accommodates students with special needs, but hosting Faith required extra creativity. She needs 24-hour care -- her ventilator could crash at any time. So Parsons converted a small room that usually serves as the health office into a private bunk for Faith, her mother and her grandfather, Vince Aluffi. Both have received special training to deal with Faith's medical issues. The room abuts the "Coyotes" girls' dorm, so Faith can join her classmates during the brief breaks between singalongs, snacks and excursions.
A nurse and an educational aide also accompany Faith. Yet the shy girl with a ponytail and freckles, who enjoys roller coasters and dreams of racing off-road vehicles, had no intention of allowing her disabilities to stop her from attending the camp. Nor did her mother, who served as a teenage counselor. Aluffi's wife, Patricia, has also volunteered at the camp, which he says "is part of the family."
"This is a place where a child can just take a deep breath and say, 'Ahhhhhh, I can relax,'" Aluffi said.
Faith relaxed in the supportive atmosphere too, Jeneen Hamilton said. The normally reserved girl raised her hand eagerly during an instruction section and has met new friends as well.
Ensuring Faith could attend camp took some preparation. Instead of merely a backpack, some clothes and a sleeping bag, she arrived with cartons of medical supplies, neatly labeled and stacked near her bunk.
The supplies are applied to most every aspect of Faith's life. Aluffi refitted Faith's wheelchair to accommodate supplies for her ventilator and feeding tube. And her mother lowered a drawing board at their Berryessa home so Faith could reach it. When the campers scrambled down to a creek Wednesday to catch bugs, Faith's mother and father sprang into action. They passed her back and forth down the steep bank, then gently set her down beside the water on a backpack. They wedged a stick in the handle to extend her net, and before long Faith was scooping bugs with her classmates.
"Is this one?," she asked her mother, pulling the net out of the water. No, Jeneen Hamilton replied as they washed small twigs out of the net. Bug catching was a bit chilly. Faith said her favorite part of camp was a nighttime astronomy activity.
And as the sun set over the campground Wednesday evening, Tim Hamilton joined his family on the trails of Walden West for a nighttime hike. Together, they climbed a dirt trail, helping Faith navigate the bumpy slope, a much trickier terrain than the buildings' wooden access ramps.
"Having Faith has changed my perspective," Jeneen Hamilton said. "I always live in the moment ... It's not about how long you live. It's how well you live."
Contact Becky Bach at 408-920-5862. Follow Becky Bach at Twitter.com/troutbach.


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STOCKTON – Little did California Highway Patrol officers know that in the middle of the night when they pulled over a car for having no rear license plate, the driver would turn out to be an active parolee from state prison in possession of a gun and drug paraphernalia.
The incident that began shortly after 3 a.m. included the alleged driver, Arturo Valles Cuevas, 33, fleeing the scene at Filbert Street and Waterloo Road, a foot chase leading into the back yard of a home, and the need to deploy a taser to subdue Cuevas, the CHP reported.
Inside the 1993 Honda Civic, officers discovered an unregistered, loaded 9mm handgun.
Cuevas, who suffered minor cuts and abrasions, was booked into County Jail on suspicion of numerous weapons charges, violation of parole, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A passenger in the Honda, Alejandro Hernandez Guzman, 26, who officers reported as cooperative throughout the incident, was also booked in jail for numerous weapons charges related to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Location, ST | website.com