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The gutted remains of a Marrero general store destroyed by fire are a threat to public safety, said Jefferson Parish Council member Mark Spears Jr., who is seeking emergency demolition of the property. Spears said the parish cannot afford to wait until the owner of the Dollar General at 932 Westwood Drive decides when to rebuild, as the structure sits on a major east-west connector adjacent to an apartment complex.
"You have people that live and travel that area all the time,'' Spears said, referring to residents in the Lincolnshire and Westminster neighborhoods.
Jefferson Parish administration spokeswoman Kriss Fortunato said a demolition permit was issued late Wednesday and "the parish will be actively monitoring progress.''
The store, one block off the West Bank Expressway, caught fire Sunday shortly before 8:30 a.m. It took almost 60 firefighters eight hours to bring control the flames.
Chief Rickie Eslick Sr. of the Marrero-Ragusa Volunteer Fire Department said an investigation into its cause is continuing.
When firefighters initially entered the store, they were forced to retreat because of the building's instability, Eslick said. Portions of the roof caved in, forcing firefighters to fight the blaze from the outside. An excavator was brought in to tear out an unsafe front wall, he said. Eslick described the blaze as a "heavy fire load'' because of the amount of paper fueling the flames.
Firefighting units from Marrero-Ragusa, Marrero-Harvey, Marrero-Estelle, Westwego and Nine Mile Point responded, along with personnel from West Jefferson Medical Center and the American Red Cross.
Tiffany Scot Wilken, the parish's code enforcement director, alerted council members late Wednesday that demolition is expected Thursday and debris is to be hauled off by Monday.
"The site will be inspected tomorrow afternoon for compliance, and will be acted upon by the department accordingly if the permitted work has not been completed,'' Wilken wrote in an email to council members and parish administrators.
In pushing the issue, Spears said he and council Chairman Chris Roberts were concerned about the structure's stability, the possibility of vagrants scrounging for goods and the location near the entrance of a neighborhood. Westwood Drive is a busy thoroughfare for motorists between Lapalco Boulevard and the West Bank Expressway.
''It's a safety issue,'' Spears said. "So many things can go wrong.''


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GRAND RAPIDS - A new report reveals many college students are not completing their degrees and certificates, despite enrollment rates rising for decades.
"Time is the Enemy: The surprising truth about why today's college students aren't graduating…AND WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE," show's how many of the students in states completed their degrees, broken down into different categories, including whether enrollment is full- or part-time, or at a two- or four-year institution.
The report is by Complete College America, a nonprofit founded two years ago with financing from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and others, to raise graduation rates.
"What we discovered was both alarming and compelling because we can now confirm that we need to make dramatic policy changes to ensure these students complete their degrees," said Stan Jones, president of Complete College America. "By doing so, we can secure strong economies for our states and country."
The group, seeking to raise graduation rates, says it requested information from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and 33 governors – and the leaders of colleges and universities in those states – heeded the call and submitted data, using the Complete College America/National Governors Association Common College Completion Metrics, in an effort to get a better sense of how students are faring on a majority of college campuses.
Michigan did not participate but neighboring Ohio, Indiana and Illinois did submit data.
"My understanding is that Michigan unfortunately did not have the stream of data necessary to become part of this initiative," said Sara Wurfel, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Snyder about why he was not among the 33 governors. "There were several years of baseline data that had to be available and used to work with this group."
Wurfel said this and more and better overall data collection that tie into dashboards and performance/outcomes – is a key objective and priority for Snyder. She said Michigan has made significant headway this year and can be proud that our colleges and universities are working cooperatively with the state.
The federal government currently requires colleges and universities to track first-time, full-time students, but according to the report, about 4 of every 10 public college students attend part time — and no more than a quarter of part-time students ever graduate.
Only 60 percent of full-time college students earn a bachelor's degree in eight years, compared to 26 percent of part-time students.
The report said fewer than one in five black and Hispanic students, older students and those receiving Pell grants attending college part time will earn a degree in six years.
"We set out to tell the whole story, the story that college students today are living, not the story of a system that doesn't count nearly half the students it serves," Jones said.
In Florida, for example, only 35.6 percent of full-time students at Florida public universities graduate in four years from bachelor degree programs. Part-time bachelor's degree students graduate in six years 36.9 percent of the time. Fewer than 10 percent of part-time students in two-year degree and certificate programs graduate.
According to the report, most students are balancing some combination of families, jobs and schools and getting tied down in work or stuck with remediation that keeps them from finishing, according to the report.
"The longer it takes, the more life gets in the way of success," the report says. "Students lives fill up with jobs, relationships, marriages, children and mortgages...Not surprising, college often gets left behind."
The report recommends that states adopt financing incentives to push colleges to pay more attention to completion rates. The report points out strategies that have been successful in raising the graduation rate such as including remedial instruction in the curriculum instead of requiring separate courses.
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Last edited by mom23kids; 05-15-2013 at 10:50 AM.
Trying to do this by skidding into 7-11's and such will only cause frustration and minimal results. There's no way around it. You need to determine if you want to make the time commitment required to prepare wholesome and clean meals on a regular basis.
Maybe this ends up being something that's not for you, but I can guarantee you that after a while your mindset will change and you'll automatically plan your day so you can fit this in without disrupting your life.
And if you absolutely can't find the time to feed yourself with the right stuff, skip the meal(s) until you can. It may actually be more beneficial for you than you think.
Good luck and keep trucking!!!
Well, the eggs and guacamole were the best part by far. The coke zero, ranch dressing, and salad all had something to be desired. The dressing has all sorts of nasty oils in it, and the coke still causes the insulin response. The salad is not the end of the world but you should still probably make your own.
Just wanted to list a favorite salad dressing for you:
extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice in what whatever ratio floats your boat (I like half and half, but I've always loved sour things)
1 clove grated garlic
Anybody who believes that a packet of pre-made ranch dressing is a better choice than a white potato has missed the point entirely.
If you can get eggs and guacamole, an apple or banana and some real cheese, and a dressing-free salad, you can make an acceptable meal of it, even if it's not perfect. Rancid PUFA is my enemy # 1, with gluten (which is possibly in that faux lunch meat) coming in close behind at # 2.
For something to drink get one of those sun tea type jars, slice lemons, cucumbers, berries, anything you want for that matter and throw them in. Fill with water and put in 'fridge. After at least 8 hours fill a few water bottles and you're good to go!!
Barb - Portland, Oregon
"Everything is as it should be given what has gone before. This is not an excuse but it is a reason"
~ Dr G & Barb ~
EMonger, welcome to Primal. There's so much to wrap your head around when it comes to diet isn't there?
I have found three simple things to avoid: flour, white sugar and vegetable oils.
That of course wipes out 99% of processed foods, but that's just a happy side effect (or... is it?).
And "meat" is just code for a high quality protein source. You're already all over how awesome eggs are, but I think that tins of fish will work in your busy lifestyle as well.
Here's Marks take on them.
p.s. The easiest lunch I have found to work around a busy schedule is.... no lunch at all! I have a big hearty fast based breakfast (typically bacon, eggs, mushrooms, avocado etc) and then a decent dinner as well.
Water is the only thing I have between meals.
Last edited by magicmerl; 05-15-2013 at 08:41 PM.
Disclaimer: I eat 'meat and vegetables' ala Primal, although I don't agree with the carb curve. I like Perfect Health Diet and WAPF Lactofermentation a lot.
Griff's cholesterol primer
5,000 Cal Fat <> 5,000 Cal Carbs
Winterbike: What I eat every day is what other people eat to treat themselves.
TQP: I find for me that nutrition is much more important than what I do in the gym.
bloodorchid is always right


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Former Ferris High School baseball player Eric Diaz was selected in the 16th round by the Kansas City Royals in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft today.
Diaz, of New Mexico Junior College, was the 482nd player drafted overall.
"I'm real excited. It's a dream come true," Diaz, a pitcher, said. "I had to do a lot of things to get to this place."
Diaz was at his home in Jersey City when he got the call from the Royals, which caught him by surprise. The 6-foot-1 lefty expected to be drafted somewhere in the 40th round, but was glad the call came much sooner.
After transferring to New Mexico Junior College from Sussex County Community College last year, Diaz redshirted this season and did not see any game action.
"I was really surprised. I didn't pitch this year in college," he said. "I didn't even know the draft was early today."
Although Diaz has not negotiated a deal with the Royals yet, he expects to sign and report to rookie ball in Surprise, Ariz., sometime in the near future.
For more on Diaz, see tomorrow's Jersey Journal.


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I haven't done, like, an official study, but the letters to the editor in Monday morning's O might have tipped the scale: I think we've now had more commentary, in print and in the blogosphere, about a proposed $5.5 million project to put a recycled bridge across I-405 than we have had for the $4.2 billion proposal to build a massive new I-5 bridge across the Columbia River.
The cost of using the Sauvie Island bridge as a pedestrian and cycling bridge would be just a rounding error in the Columbia Crossing project, which raises a welter of huge transportation, fiscal and land-use issues.
But as I've learned over the years, taxpayers don't view spending in the same way as a budget analyst for the Government Accountability Office. They react from the gut, asking themselves: does this make sense?
They hate screwups where the money seems to go down the rathole (think of the computer fiascos at Oregon DMV and Portland's water bureau) and for things they wouldn't buy themselves (like the $127-a-yard carpet for the new state archives in the early 1990s).
A lot of people are now jumping on the Flanders Street project, saying it would cost a couple of a million dollars more than a simple concrete bike and pedestrian bridge over the river (although that assumes construction costs won't continue to rise, which they likely will). Mayor Tom Potter opposes it, saying the city shouldn't be looking at this project when there are still East side neighborhoods without sidewalks.
Let me put my biases out front. I mostly use my bike to get around the city and this bridge would certainly provide an important link between the Pearl District and the Northwest neighborhoods, particularly for riders who want to avoid as much auto traffic as possible. But I'm also a hardened enough cyclist that I can navigate the adjoining streets.
Instead, what I think most people miss are intangible benefits of the project. A striking bike and pedestrian bridge would make it much more appealing for people to circulate between these two neighborhoods, contributing in a small way to increasing the city's attractiveness. In the new economy, that's important as cities compete now on livability as much as they do on traditional measures of business competitiveness. Look at the $500 million bet the city of Chicago put on the Millenium Park wedged between downtown and the lakefront.
Sometimes, you'd be surprised what a bridge can do. In Redding, the city (with the help of private donors) built a $23 million pedestrian and bike bridge in a nondescript ravine. Designed by the famed Spanish designer, Santiago Calatrava, the bridge - which is as much art as engineering - anchors a new park that is packing in the crowds and gives 1-5 travelers an excuse to stop in Redding.
As sheer spectacle, the Sauvie Island bridge isn't in the same category. But it's safe to say that the innovative use of an old auto bridge would quickly find its way into international media coverage of Portland, which is already seen as a place that isn't your standard cookie-cutter mid-size American city.
This, however, is a harder sale to make with voters - and commentators - who aren't particularly interested in issues like walkability or urban form. I suspect a lot of the naysayers would go away if only this bridge helped carry people into a major-league baseball park.
At this point, it looks like Commissioner Sam Adams (the mayoral candidate and sparkplug for the bridge project) has lined up the votes he needs over Potter's objections. Adams is taking a big political risk, since he's getting hammered on this almost every day (see here and here).
Adams does have his supporters on this, ranging from local neighborhood associations to the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. But I bet he wishes this bridge fight wasn't happening just as voters are getting ready to cast their judgment on him.


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View Single Post
19th August 2007, 02:35 AM
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 172
Hi windsurferdagg,
(from my perspective on that 1 shot) looks like your leaning too much towards the back of your board pulling your sail too far back killing power. Front hand is too far forward too (this alone costs speed). I think your lines are too (futher back, you can handle/get more wind).
Not sure about ideal angle for top speeds, never measured it, I guess if straight across the wind is 0 and straight down 90 then it would somewhere around 25-40° (never measured it, but when I fly downwind I really lose a lot of height).
You say the shot was made at a somewhat unlucky time, otherwise I would also have commented that the board could be more leveled out from front to back. Your knees are bent and I think you are puling your front foot up (something you do when going upwind). Your front leg would normally be straight nudging the board downwind (if it doesn't feel like on the verge of catapulting it just aint right).
Your arms are bent, lines long enough/commit enough (soley) to your harness?
note to the "hunched stance":
If you don't have much wind (or you're trying to get the very last out of your sail just before catapulting) you crouch OVER the board keeping the sail UPRIGHT and PULLING (keeps board flat (minimal tail drag) and the power on).
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By RON DEUTER
Sports Editor
IRON MOUNTAIN - Iron Mountain High School's senior athletes received a heartfelt and sincere send off from their coaches Wednesday evening at the Mountaineer Boosters 55th Annual Senior Awards Night at Iron Mountain High School gymnasium.
Article Photos
Ron Deuter/The Daily News Photos
Mandy Haferkorn and James Christiansen were the winners of the Izzo-Mariucci Scholarship Wednesday night at the Mountaineer Boosters 55th Annual Senior Awards Night at Iron Mountain High School.
Jack Merrill and Kristen Gendron were selected as the 2014 recipients of the Pat Izzo Memorial Award.
Kristen Gendron and Jack Merrill received Iron Mountain's highest athletic honor, named recipients of the prestigious Pat Izzo Memorial Award.
The accolade, created in honor of the 1961 graduate who was tragically killed in a car crash during his freshman year at college, is bestowed on a male and female student-athlete who represent the best of Iron Mountain athletics both on and off the court.
Gendron was described by her coaches as a very respectful young lady who would do anything to help a teammate or classmate. Merrill was said to be someone who would do anything to help his team win. He'd play any position, never complained about playing time and was very supportive of his teammates.
Gendron and Merrill were selected by a vote of coaches.
Mandy Haferkorn and James Christiansen were picked as recipients of the Izzo-Mariucci Student-Athlete Scholarship, a $5,000 award.
Motivated and unselfish were adjectives used to talk about Haferkorn, a decorated skier with numerous varsity awards as well as All-U.P. and All-State honors to her name.
Christiansen was commended for his unmatched work ethic and fierceness as a competitor. He too won several all-conference and U.P. accolades for his efforts in football and wrestling.
In addition to his Izzo-Mariucci selection, Christiansen earned three MVP awards. He was named the football team's Most Valuable Player, Most Valuable Back and was voted wrestling MVP. Other multiple MVP honors went to Gendron in girls soccer and volleyball; Elli McCole in girls tennis and girls basketball; and Sawyer Kujala in boys soccer and boys tennis.
NOTES: With nearly half of their matches ending in ties so far this season, boys tennis coach Greg Stegall said he likes his team's chances at today's Mid-Peninsula Conference championships. "One good day of tennis and we can make it happen," he said ... Wrestling MVP James Christiansen almost didn't even go out this season. Having not wrestled since his sophomore year and rather beat up from a bruising football season, Christiansen, after much pleading from head coach Brandon Rutter, was a late addition to the roster. After going 5-0 in his first tournament of the season, he decided to stick with it and wound up with a successful campaign culminating in a berth in the state tournament. ... Football coach Robin Marttila had some sound and simple advice for his graduating seniors, imploring them to focus their time and energy on the important things in life. ... Athletic Director Chris Hartman offered a special thank you to Jeff Porier for taking over the head coaching duties of the girls soccer team at the last minute when first-year coach Carlye Buchcuski had to vacate the post just ahead of the team's first road trip due to a change with her responsibilities at work. Porier, literally learning the girls names on the first bus trip to Kewaunee, Wis., said he really enjoyed his time with the team.
FOOTBALL - James Christiansen (Most Valuable Player, Most Valuable Back), Joseph Axberg (Most Valuable Lineman).
BOYS BASKETBALL - Zach Caudell.
WRESTLING - James Christiansen.
GIRLS SOCCER - Kristen Gendron.
VOLLEYBALL - Kristen Gendron.
GIRLS SKIING - Mandy Haferkorn.
BOYS SOCCER - Sawyer Kujala.
BOYS TENNIS - Sawyer Kujala.
GIRLS TENNIS - Elli McCole.
GIRLS BASKETBALL - Elli McCole.
BOYS TRACK - Jack Merrill.
SOFTBALL - Emily Oberthaler.
BOYS SWIMMING - Aaron Pope.
BOYS SKIING - Marco Savarin.
GIRLS BOWLING - Rachel VanKlompenberg.


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Theodore "Ted" Frois, a 1969 Loyola law graduate, is the 2011 recipient of the St. Ives Award, the alumni association's highest honor.
Nick Melvan, a doctoral student at LSU Health Sciences Center, is one of the 70-member U.S. delegation that will participate in the 61st Meeting of Nobel Laureates and Students in Lindau, Germany, this summer.
Josefa Salmón, a Loyola professor of languages and cultures, has received a Fulbright grant for research in Bolivia this academic year.
Dillard is one of seven U.S. institutions picked to participate in a project to help historically black institutions of higher learning compete internationally.
The University of New Orleans is on U.S. News & World Report's list of the 20 most popular national universities. The status is based on yield, the percentage of applicants who register. UNO's yield was 59.1 percent.
Xavier University is one of 12 schools named a 2011 member of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science Education Alliance. The accolade is designed to enhance teaching and research.
John Pope can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 504.826.3317.


text:
I could not find where the setting for the blocks are stored (I looked into the db, or files outside of db). I want to restore the user block by modifying the setting because I am unable to access the webpages.
edit: I seem to be able to find the setting in plugin_setting table, but don't know what the columns mean: setting_value setting_type
Also the error message I received is:
Code: Select all
[11-Nov-2013 12:23:04] PHP Fatal error: Call to a member function getSessionVar() on a non-object in /home/journal/public_html/cache/t_compile/%%36^36E^36E89D0E%%header.tpl.php on line 223
Thank you.


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Saturday, April 25, 2009
Otter Lake
7 comments:
- Baino said...
Brian Miller where is your hat! We daren't go out in the sunshine without one! Looks gorgeous! Love the weir picture,very contemplative.
- April 25, 2009 at 2:59 PM
- Ronda Laveen said...
Looks like it was a wonderful, warm Friday night too. Shorts, T-shirt and tank top weather. Oh yeah!
- April 25, 2009 at 5:55 PM
- Mrsupole said...
Oh that looks like so much fun to have been there. You all seem to be doing so many things together as a family. The boys must really be enjoying all of this time together with you two. And the funny thing is that because you are taking so many pictures, you will always keep these memories alive for them. When I see old pictures it brings back so many forgotten memories. I now wish I had taken more of them throughout my life.
God bless.
- April 25, 2009 at 9:51 PM
- Babooshka said...
Cute series of images and yes who wouldn't want to be here.
- April 26, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Where are the snakes? Looking like fun!!!
- April 26, 2009 at 10:47 AM
- California Girl said...
Wonderful photos and your children are adorable. I bet you had the best time. I miss my boys being little .
- April 26, 2009 at 12:31 PM
- Marianna said...
Looks like you had fun!! thank you for sharing...I'll try and keep those lake images in mind when I go to work tomorrow.
Take care
Peace and love
- April 26, 2009 at 1:05 PM


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Marvin's is having another Saturday morning sale -- the $1.66 Azaleas are back.
This week you can also get Pine Bark Brown Mulch for $1.66 each or 3 for $5.
It's the shredded-style.
The bag size is 2 cubic feet.
The sale if from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday only.
First come first serve at all locations.


text:
The top quotes in politics …
"We've defeated the massive left wing conspiracy!" — Sen. John McCain on Nats mascot Teddy Roosevelt finally winning a race.
"I think … he'd vote for Chavez." — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez predicting who Obama would support if he were Venezuelan.
"It's a facial expression I do when I'm excited." — A Chipotle manager explaining what he's doing in this picture.
"I like Big Bird." — GOP White House hopeful Mitt Romney on his plan to cut PBS funding.
"I had five seconds before you interrupted me." — President Barack Obama disagreeing with debate moderator Jim Lehrer.
"I can't believe i'm saying this, but Obama looks like he DOES need a teleprompter." — Comedian Bill Maher reacting to the debate.
"Michelle wanted to go home with Mitt." — Ann Coulter knocking Obama's performance.


text: Nigga Jesus By Jon Blackmon New web series coming this Easter. Published January 12, 2012 30 views More Info » Full Credits Jon Blackmon Uploader Additional Credits Additional Credits: Directed By Jon Blackmon Stats & Data 0 Funny Votes 4 Die Votes 30 Views Published: January 12, 2012 Categories: Web Series Sketch Parody Keywords: fynny jesus comedy urban Up Next: The Real Life With Sidney Poitier AUTOPLAY Up Next In: 10 The Real Life With Sidney Poitier The Real Life With Sidney Poitier Episode 1 Pt.1 The Real Life With Sidney Poitier Episode 1 Pt. 2 Manolis Zontanos talks about Jesus (Comedy Now) Follow Facebook Twitter Tumblr Instagram Browse Related Comments 4+ more View All ▶ Jon Blackmon Vaguely Related Videos Vaguely Related Pics & Words Advertisement Tags: fynny jesus comedy urban Advertisement


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University of Massachusetts freshman defenseman Adam Phillips was named the Pro Ambitions Hockey East rookie of the week.
Phillips scored two goals in the 4-1 win over Lowell Saturday, and now has six goals already this season.
How encouraging is that? Well, Justin Braun, another right-handed shot on defense who has made it up to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League, scored only four goals in each of his first two seasons at UMass.


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RIM Sells Cloud Services Unit to Synchronoss
RIM Sells Cloud Service Division to SynchronossResearch in Motion (RIM) is further streamlining its business with a surprising sale of its cloud business unit Newbay to mobile software developer Synchronoss for $55.5 million in cash.
RIM acquired Newbay in 2011 for a rumored $100 million with the intent to use it as a foundation for its cloud-based content services. While Newbay's flagship product LifeCache is used by carriers such as T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon, the expected enterprise public cloud product has not materialized. This left RIM with a consumer product that was direct competition with Apple's iCloud.
Synchronoss said that "Newbay's cloud services are delivered to millions of user and stores billions of media files for live operator services around the world," which would help "further [establishing] Synchronoss as the clear leader in providing cloud based mobile content services for mobile operators around the world."
Synchronoss expects the acquisition to be neutral to slightly accretive to its full year 2013 financial results.
Wolfgang GruenerWolfgang Gruener is a contributor to Tom's IT Pro. He is currently principal analyst at Ndicio Research, a market analysis firm that focuses on cloud computing and disruptive technologies, and maintains the conceivablytech.com blog. An 18-year veteran in IT journalism and market research, he previously published TG Daily and was managing editor of Tom's Hardware news, which he grew from a link collection in the early 2000s into one of the most comprehensive and trusted technology news sources.
See here for all of Wolfgang's Tom's IT Pro articles.


text:
PMI paintball is part of Kee Action Sports which is also known as Pure Energy. PMI manufactures co2 paintball tanks, carbon fiber tanks, compressed air paintball tank, aluminum tanks, compressed air tank, and hpa paintball tanks. Pure Energy tanks are available in 50ci, 70ci, 68ci, 90ci, 48ci, 72ci, 12oz, 20oz, and 24oz.
Use the navigation filters on the left side to filter out what paintball equipment you are looking for.
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text:
One of the biggest drawbacks to having the greatest media spotlight in the NBA are the gross misconceptions that spread through the consciousnesses of fans and analysts alike. The Los Angeles Lakers possess this blessing and curse.
For example, one of the most widely known urban myths is that Kobe Bryant never passes the basketball.
This notion has spread into the psyche of non-basketball fans via forums such as NBA memes and various other media outlets that cater not only to the NBA fan, but to the layman as well.
Though I am neither debunking nor agreeing with the previously mentioned notion, there is no doubt that the Lakers, given their national spotlight and large market, have accumulated a myriad of misconceptions over time that have run rampant.
These range from silly memes regarding Kobe Bryant and his lack of passing to generalizations about the softness of certain players and things of the like.
This article addresses some of the most recent and most concerning misconceptions that could ultimately prove detrimental to the team in the long run.


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Thank goodness. Her "sisters" had arrived.
First on the scene was Pat Giovannini of East Hanover Twp., adorned in full electric-pink belly dancer attire and draped in a multi-layered gold coin belt that rang out a message of comfort.
Both Herdman and Giovannini are part of In the Pink, a belly dancing troupe with a bond more powerful than their love for the ancient Egyptian form of dance, known for its silky scarves, sensual veils, gyrating hips and dangling jewelry. They are both cancer survivors who shake out a musical message of healing for others.
Herdman beat breast cancer twice, requiring a lumpectomy and radiation the second time around. Giovannini suffers from lung cancer and COPD, which require her to take a collection of pills each day and still often leave her struggling for air.
"I may not be able to run a 100-yard dash, but I can still get up and shimmy," Giovannini said.
When they are dancing outside and the weather further impairs her breathing, she said, "I have it in my head that the show must go on, and I just go."
That spirit prompted Herdman to issue this order to the nurses at Harrisburg Hospital after her pre-performance fall: "Do whatever you want to me. Just don't cut my costume!"
In that silky, bedazzled costume resides so much of her strength.
Herdman, a New Jersey transplant with a lingering accent, has been belly dancing for 30 years. She founded the group with another breast cancer survivor. Herdman, who is almost 70, also teaches belly dancing at Dickinson College for a student troupe called Anwar and for the Carlisle Recreation Center. In the Pink's studio is in Herdman's home in South Middleton Twp.
Herdman and Giovannini are joined in the dance troupe by Jane Svitchan of Lower Paxton Twp., a longtime women's health nurse at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and another breast cancer survivor.
In the Pink became so in demand that they needed a manager, Wendy Haney, to coordinate their bookings. Haney's daughter, Samantha, a junior at York College, maintains their website.
A few members from the past have moved on to other pursuits, so now they are joined by three "Angels" who have not battled cancer themselves but who have supported a cancer survivor.
In addition to Haney, the Angels are Adrianna Lourenco of Carlisle and "Junior Angel" 13-year-old Kali Myers.
In the Pink performs for free at hospitals, women's shelters, cancer support groups, fairs, parties, cancer walks and, most recently, the Women's Show at the York Expo Center. Although they are never paid for their performances, they estimate that they have raised more than $5,000 for charities such as Penn State Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society and the Children's Miracle Network. They often throw Haflas — giant parties with live music, food stands and vendors — with all proceeds donated to charity.
They each have their own niches. Giovannini, a motorcycle enthusiast, holds a Bikers and Belly Dancers event that combines pink chiffon with blue jeans and black leather for a cause.
Svitchan has been a nurse for 30 years and is a leader in fighting shaken baby syndrome, so she often issues a "Shake your Hips ... Never a Baby" message and raises money to fight domestic violence. Although not a mother herself, she is an 11-time godmother who eagerly awaits the birth of Giovannini's 10th and 11th grandchildren so she can care for them in the hospital nursery.
In facing the imminence of death and witnessing the miracle of childbirth together, the Pinks feel like their lives have come full-circle.
When the group is together, the laughter is contagious and the connection palpable. Long after their weekly practices are over, they find themselves still lingering at their cars, talking. It's difficult to peel themselves away.
"It's like a big sleepover where the girls put on fun outfits and everyone dances," Svitchan said. The women say Svitchan is the "light-hearted one" who is prone to get the audience not only dancing, but laughing.
They realize that many people in the audience may be in various stages of cancer themselves — awaiting biopsy results, recovering from chemo or caring for a loved one with cancer, and they want to show them, with some silk and some shaking, that whatever comes, they can do it. They recall one woman who was prepared for a double mastectomy within days. She arrived at their performance in tears and left dancing and smiling. The women gave her a hip scarf and a powerful dose of affection and attention.
"We were throwing up. We lost our hair," Herdman said. "We're not these fabulous Las Vegas showgirls. We're just regular women who show you can survive. You can celebrate."
When you find out you have cancer, "It's not a death sentence. It's not the end of the world," Haney said.
They end every performance with a Happy Birthday Dance, as they celebrate that they have lived to see another birthday. Many ladies in the audience get up and dance with them. "It's quite magical," Svitchan said.
"We're survivors, showing people you can do what you love and make people happy," said Herdman, who has also helped her husband battle prostate cancer.
While they may dance to the occasional modern pop song, most of their music is traditional, conforming to the art form's ancient roots. They dance with canes, veils, tambourines, finger cymbals, even wings, during their seven-song shows.
Besides the intellectual, emotional and spiritual benefits of belly dancing, they extol the health benefits. Once used centuries ago to help women in childbirth, belly dancing prevents osteoporosis, improves the flexibility of the spine and torso and strengthens the stomach muscles. It doesn't hurt the knees, is good for posture and weight loss, and builds strength, agility, endurance, flexibility and memory.
Herdman explains that belly dancing is "a dance of isolation." Dancers move only one area of the body at a time, while everything else stays still. But clearly, there is no isolation here. The Pinks move in tandem, healing, teaching, inspiring together.
"We live for today and practice, so we can dance for tomorrow," Giovannini said.
Written by DIANE WHITE MCNAUGHTON, For The Patriot-News


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<< Previous 1 2 3 4 Next
To continue your adventure to Sugarite Canyon State Park, take NM 72 in
Raton, east across 1-25 for about 5 miles until you reach a junction and
turn left on NM Highway 526 traveling north 1.7 miles to Sugarite Canyon
State Park. At the park entrance are the remains of the Sugarite
Coal Camp, including a couple of old buildings and numerous rock foundations.
Long before this beautiful canyon became a coal camp, it was called home
to a number of Native American tribes, including the Comanche, Ute, and
Apache who hunted here for centuries
Established in 1912, the coal-mining "company town" was just one of seven
towns in the Raton area built by the St. Louis, Rocky Mountain and Pacific
Railroad. In its heyday, it boasted up to 1,000 residents, a school, a
theater, the Blossburg Mercantile Company, the Bell Telephone Company, an
opera house, a physician, a justice of the peace and a music teacher.
Old foundations dot the hills in Sugarite
Canyon State Park.
Coal mining tailings are in the
background, Kathy Weiser, September, 2008.
This image available for
photographic prints & editorial
Miners relied on mules to pull carts laden with coal out from the
depths of the Sugarite Mines. In 1941, it was announced the mines
would be closed and the population scattered, homes were moved to
Raton and Sugarite was left virtually deserted. In 1944, the post
office closed its doors forever.
Amazingly, given its size, there is little left of Sugarite other than
low walls and foundations. However, this was not uncommon at the time,
as "company towns" were often moved -- lock, stock and barrel to the
"next" mining camp, or were sold off for salvage.
However, a glimpse at the life of the miners can be seen if you take a
scenic hike through the ruins, which includes numerous foundations
along the interpretive trail.
Continue into Sugarite Canyon State Park to Lake Maloya and Lake Alice
to explore more ruins of abandoned coal camps, fishing, or hike the
park's numerous trails where you can enjoy the wildlife.
More Information:
HCR 63, Box 386
Raton, New Mexico 87740
Continue the journey along the Dry
Cimarron Scenic Byway by return to New Mexico Highway 72 and
continuing east about five miles to the Yankee area.
When settlers first moved west along the
trails to this area, the grass was so tall and thick that at times it was
necessary to navigate with a compass. On a knoll to the south there used
to be a mansion built by Yankee entrepreneur A.D. Ensight after the turn
of the century. Before the settlement of Yankee was formed, farmers from
nearby Johnson Mesa dug coal on the slopes of the mesa for their own
personal use. In 1904, the Chicorica Coal Company, backed by a Wall Street
brokerage firm and the Santa Fe Railroad, promoted by the entrepreneur A.
D. Ensign, developed the coal beds on Johnson and Barela mesas. As the
Yankee mines continued to develop, frame houses were built and the
population grew to several thousand residents by 1907 featuring a school
and numerous businesses. The mansion that ensign built was a beautiful two
story home that featured solid mahogany, velvet furniture, oriental rugs,
and marble statues. But the Ensign estate changed hands several times and
by 1923 its treasures had been sold and the mansion fell into a state of
disrepair. All traces of Yankee have vanished and the site is now occupied
by a cattle ranch.
Johnson Mesa
72 twists and turns as the road climbs up to Johnson Mesa. Along the 8
mile drive you can often see deer, turkey, and bear on this climb, as
well as gorgeous views to the lower elevations. Suddenly the road takes a turn and you will find yourself on an enormous
plain. On top of this high, grassy plateau, once sat the small
community of Bell, a progressive farming settlement, whose residents
established the first telephone connections in
New Mexico.
Bell, built two thousand feet above the valley floor, looked out upon the
vast valley below.
the early 1880s, Marion Bell, a railroad construction worker, led a group
of fellow workers and miners to the mesa top, trying to find a safer and
more predictable occupation. Several families tried their hand at
farming while some miners tried to juggle both occupations. For those
ambitious fellows working at both farming and mining, carrier pigeons were
dispatched from Blossburg to fly up to the mesa to notify the miners that
they were needed down in the Raton Valley.
The St. John Methodist Episcopal Church was
built in 1897, Kathy Weiser,
September, 2008.
Atop Johnson Mesa this lonely barn sits
silent, Kathy Weiser, September, 2008.
one time there was a family living on every 160 acres of land and the mesa
boasted five schools, a church and many recreational facilities for family
life. Times were often hard for the mesa people where winters were often
severe and the entire mesa was snowbound.
After World War I, people began leaving the mesa for better opportunities
and in 1933, Bell closed its post office.
Cemetery Atop Johnson Mesa, Kathy Weiser, September, 2008.
This image available for
photographic prints & editorial
Coming down Johnson Mesa. Tthere's a reason
why this is
a scenic drive, Kathy Weiser, September,
From Legends' General Store
New Mexico Historic Book Collection - 33
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Several of the volumes have great period illustrations and portraits of
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titles such as the Illustrated history of New Mexico By Benjamin
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text:
By Everett Merrill
The first time Johnson faced Oratory, its smaller lineup was intimidated by the much taller Oratory frontcourt of 6-10 Matt Billups and 6-5 Tom Ward. The result was a predictable lopsided loss for Johnson.
Yesterday in Clark, there were no lingering effects in the rematch as a poised Johnson team knocked off Oratory, 69-63, for its third consecutive victory of the season.
Dan Hogan led Johnson with 19 points, going 10 of 12 from the line, while John Caliguire scored 18 points. The Crusaders were 20 of 28 from the line and 11 of 17 in the fourth quarter.
Johnson took the lead for good at 45-43 on a 3-pointer from Cody Dalziel with 1:33 remaining in the third quarter. A put-back from Hogan gave coach Dave Kennedy's team a 47-43 advantage.
"We didn't give up on ourselves when something negative happened, like a turnover or a bad shot" said Kennedy regarding the difference in the two games with Oratory. "We did a much better job of fighting through that type of adversity. We played 32 minutes today of pretty good basketball.
"With the exception of the Rahway game we've pretty much been in every game. The last time we faced them (Oratory) they must have had 20 blocked shots against us. We took care of the basketball, but we had a tough time getting shots off. Today, we took a step forward by not getting intimidated and finishing our shots."
Oratory, a semifinalist in last year's North Jersey, Non-Public B state playoffs, closed to within three at 55-52 with 5:00 left to play, but Johnson embarked on a 6-0 run to take a 61-52 lead against the Summit school. Caliguire, Hogan and Jeff Siessel contributed two points apiece in the spurt.
Kevin Zychowski led Oratory with 28 points, draining six 3-pointers to increase his Union County lead to 49. Billups ended with 16 points.


text:
The women's basketball team will head to Washington, D.C., Feb. 13 to face American University for the second time this season. The team hopes to make a comeback this game after losing to American 62-56 earlier in January.
"Going into this game our whole team feels confident and ready for the next step of our season," freshman forward Kerry Kinek said. "We feel we had a rough first half of Patriot League play, but we are excited to play again and come out on top." Kinek is the leading scorer in points per game for the team.
"After graduating four seniors last year (three of whom started), we are a younger, more inexperienced team than in years past," assistant coach Laura Kurz said. "Our senior captains, Kelly Peterson and Becky Guman, have done a great job in leading this younger group of kids."
"There have been some growing pains along the way and we've lost a couple of close games, but those experiences will make us that much tougher later in the season," Kurz said.
"American is a solid team with a good amount of experience," junior guard Hilary Weaver said. "A win against this team would boost both team morale and confidence as we head into the second half of Patriot League play."
"I think our biggest weakness compared to American is game experience," she added. "They have a number of players who have been major contributors for several years and that often results in confidence."
The team is now 10-12 in the season and has six games left before the Patriot League Championships. American has a slightly better record of 12-9. As of now, American is in second place in Patriot League standings.
"The great thing about the Patriot League is that we have the opportunity to play each team twice," Kurz said. "In our first match-up against American, we struggled against their defensive pressure. They ran a full court press that caused us to turn the ball over."
Ideally, the team will focus on limiting its turnovers and maintaining offensive pressure. Turnovers have plagued the team throughout the season.
"For American, turnovers that lead to easy baskets give them a lot of momentum and only increase their defensive intensity," she added. "Taking care of the ball has been a major point of emphasis for us this year: we are a much better team when we limit our turnovers."
"Our goal for this game is to definitely limit turnovers and play a good defensive game in order to fuel our offense," Kinek said. "Our team has been working exceptionally hard at practice, pushing one another because we all have the mindset of winning patriot league, now that the tournament nears."
Weaver said that she thought that the game against Holy Cross would really help to determine momentum for the American game.
"The team itself hasn't necessarily changed, but the length of practices and other factors have changed in order to keep our bodies fresh and healthy," she said.
"We normally have a two day preparation. The first day we focus mainly on ourselves and adjustments we will make going into the game. The day before the game we will watch film of our opponent and go over specific scout details in practice," she added.
"Our focus in practice is on ourselves and getting better every day," Kurz said. "We have lost a few tough games in the last couple of weeks, but we stress to our kids that it's a long season and it's important to peak at the right time. We still feel like we have our best basketball ahead of us and are looking forward to the challenge of the second half of conference play."
Despite their last few losses, the team looks to play their best in order to prepare for the championships.
"We dug ourselves into a midseason slump over the past few games, but the team is getting back on track and working hard," Weaver said.
The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. at American tomorrow. Lehigh will then go on to play against Colgate College this Saturday in Stabler Arena at 7 p.m.
Story by Brown and White sports writer Elizabeth Gilbert, '15.


text:
US court ruling won't change ban on gay marriage in Pennsylvania
The U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage says nothing about the validity of Pennsylvania's ban.
Despite the Supreme Court's decision Wednesday, gay marriage bans still stand in Pennsylvania and roughly three dozen other states. Pennsylvania's constitution, however, does not ban gay marriage.
Every other state in the northeastern United States allows same-sex marriage except New Jersey, and it allows civil unions. Pennsylvania doesn't allow civil unions, and a spokesman for Republican Gov. Tom Corbett said he supports a state constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Two Democrats running for governor, John Hanger and Tom Wolf, said it's time for Pennsylvania to allow gay couples to legally marry. Another Democrat running for governor, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz, said every American should have the legal right to marry who they love.
Copyright 2013 WFMZ. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text: Alright THR's collective expertise...I've been shooting autos for quite some time and I've never been able to figure out why some of my autopistols are unreliable with certain brands of ammunition. I'm talking about identical bullet shapes and weights. The most recent example was just last week. I was shooting my Colt 1911 which has fed everything so far. I stoked it with some PMC 230gr. ball and it choked on every round. Is this problem due to the shape of the rim, since I know some manufacturers use different rim shapes (see an S&B vs. WinnyWhiteBox). Or perhaps the OAL of the round is longer or shorter than others? Any other explainations?


text:
Photos of two suspects in a Saturday armed robbery in Vancouver have been released, and Vancouver police urge anyone who recognizes either suspect to call Detective Wally Stefan at 360-487-7425.
The photos were captured by a surveillance camera at the 7-Eleven on the 5600 block of Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard in Vancouver, where four unidentified men entered the store at about 5 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25.
A suspect showed the convenience store clerk a chrome pistol, grabbed money from the store's register and fired a round into the floor behind the counter, police said.
The robbers fled the store, but a witness reported seeing four men get into a light green car parked against the fence, north of the store. Police recovered a shell casing at the scene.
This robbery occurred just more than an hour after another robbery: A man was walking alone near the intersection of East 30th and V streets in Vancouver at about 3:40 a.m. when a light green sedan stopped near him on the street.
Four teenage males got out of the car and surrounded the man. They asked for his wallet and money, police said. One of the attackers fired a gun in the air. The man gave them his wallet, and the robbers drove west onto East 32nd Street. A fifth suspect may have been driving the vehicle. Police later recovered a shell casing at the scene.
Police are not yet disclosing whether the shell casings recovered at the two robbery scenes are the same, said Kim Kapp, a spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Department.
Detectives from the Vancouver Police Department Major Crimes Team are investigating these robberies and ask anyone with information on the identities of the suspects or the vehicle to contact Detective Wally Stefan at 360-487-7425.
-- Anna Marum


text:
Fannie Mae has launched an easy-to-use, self-service system to automate purchase offers on Fannie Mae-owned foreclosed properties. Real estate professionals will now submit a client's purchase offer through the Online Offers link on HomePath.com and then track the status of that offer on the website. With this and other initiatives, we are working to make it easier for buyers to purchase Fannie Mae properties.
This brings more functionality to HomePath®, a free site where prospective homebuyers can view detailed information on thousands of properties available from Fannie Mae, including single-family homes, condominiums, and townhouses. HomePath also provides information on financing options.
With Online Offers, homebuyers and their agents will find greater transparency in both submitting and tracking purchase offers. The system proved popular with agents during pilot programs in Orlando, FL; San Diego, CA; and Wayne County, MI. After using the pilot for more than a year, an agent in Orlando told us that he found Online Offers "efficient, informative, and user-friendly."
We give special consideration to buyers who will make a property their primary home, which helps to preserve home values in the neighborhood and stabilize the surrounding community. Owner-occupants have an early advantage with FirstLook, which allows homebuyers, some nonprofits, and public entities to bid on and purchase foreclosed properties before those properties are made available to investors. FirstLook is typically available during the first 15 days a property is listed on HomePath.com.
From January 2011 through September 2011, Fannie Mae sold more than 192,000 properties. This amount exceeded our total sales for all of 2010.
Jay N. Ryan, Jr.
Vice President for REO Sales
February 15, 2012
The views expressed in these articles reflect the personal views of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of any other person, including Fannie Mae or its Conservator. Any figures or estimates included in an article are solely the responsibility of the author.


text:
Kettering University's research could help make children safer in cars.
The university has been working for nearly 18 months to help Dorel Industries design a new car seat to protect children from side-impact collisions.
Air Protect, which Dorel developed with the help of Kettering University's Crash Safety Center, is expected to go on the market in August. It will be available in the Safety 1st Complete Air car seat.
And news of the new design has already spread as far as Montreal, making the Canadian Press Monday (Read article here.)
The Canadian Press article stated:
Dorel Industries' said Monday its Air Protect system reduces the likelihood of injuries by releasing side air cushions to slow the movement of the head during a collision.
It mimics a Whoopee cushion by slowly losing air and absorbing the violent energy that can cause head trauma.
Kettering's Crash Safety Center opened in 2005 and has helped with research and consulting of the car seat industry and raising awareness of car seat safety.


text:
The Associated Press has put out an article detailing how a state government shutdown may affect public schools, community colleges and universities.
Here it is:
"Some districts told the Michigan School Business Officials they may have to shut their doors if a protracted state shutdown causes a missed payment.
But most districts said they would tap their reserves or borrow more money to stay afloat.
Several districts might start to trim back nonacademic programs -- including sports, field trips and other activities -- soon after a state shutdown to save money.
"The big picture is that school districts will do everything they can to stay open -- period," said Tom White, executive director of the Michigan School Business Officials.
PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES: The state's 15 public four-year schools and 28 community colleges should stay open, but layoffs or some other cutbacks are possible if the shutdown continues for long."
More from The AP....
Another option would be to raise tuition, which already increased an average of about 10 percent at universities this fall. Universities haven't received their August payments from the state, and the next payment is due Oct. 16.
Combined, they account for $280 million. Some community colleges might have to borrow money or tap into their reserves to stay afloat.
"It's going to affect the small rural schools much more than the larger, urban schools," said Mike Hansen, president of the Michigan Community College Association. "Some of these schools could be on the brink of financial disaster.
Jackson Community College is expecting a $1.02 million check next week, officials have said.
The money was from a delayed August payment, meaning JCC has been living off of just tuition bills since July since community colleges get no September state aid.


text:
Southern Regional (Manahawkin, N.J.) standout, Mike Gesicki, is one of the most sought-after tight ends throughout the northeast. His combination of size and ability to catch the football has made him a top choice for multiple programs across the country. NJ.com caught up with Gesciki who discussed his Rutgers recruitment, in-depth, his time frame for a decision, the schools he has visited this summer and will visit going forward, his top six, his position preference and much more. Let's get it on!
TH: What you been up to, Mike?
MG: A lot of traveling, seeing different schools, seeing different places, staying busy working out. I've been busy, but I've been enjoying myself.
I've been to Ohio State, I was at Miami (Fla.), and I was up at Florida State. I'll be at Duke tomorrow (yesterday), Wisconsin next Tuesday, Penn state next Friday. And I know I'm going to a Rutgers practice, again, when they start up. So, I'll be around.
TH: You released a top five a month or so, ago. Has anything changed since then?
MG: I have a top six, now. My top six after going to see all these schools and different places I've been, in no order: Miami (Fla.), Rutgers, Florida State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State.
TH: Are you getting any closer to making a final decision, Mike?
MG: I'm gonna go to games, and I think the last game I have set up is in the middle of October. So after I get all the experiences going to games, I think I'm gonna get it all out; probably by the end of October, very beginning of November.
TH: I always thought that if you were going to commit to Rutgers, it would have already occurred. Is Rutgers really a legitimate contender for you?
MG: Of course, I talk to coach Cohen all the time, I talk to coach Simon all the time; coach Camp, coach Prince. They all get in contact with me, I get in contact with them. I love Rutgers, I've been there probably four times, make it a fifth this summer going up to a practice. I like where they are heading, going into the Big Ten after the successful season they'll have this year.
I know the players really respond well to coach Flood. He's a phenomenal coach. And they've got a good program going on there. It's definitely on the rise at Rutgers. Being so close to home, it's a pretty cool deal, as well. Everybody can come watch me play, experience the same things I'm experiencing. That would be pretty cool. They are definitely still up there.
TH: Have you discussed Rutgers with any committed prospects or other potential recruits?
MG: I've talked to their quarterback, Tyler Wiegers, and I've heard from Myles Nash. Different guys have reached out to me, I've reached out to them. I know that their whole recruiting class are very happy to be Scarlet Knights. And they're excited about where the program is going.
TH: With the recruiting process becoming accelerated, this year especially, do you feel any pressure make your decision soon?
MG: With it being so late and a lot of guys committing, getting it out of the way earlier, I know it's kind of a numbers game at this point in time. But I've heard from Rutgers, and they told me my spot would still be there. I've heard from Ohio State, they told me no rush. Wisconsin, take your time. Everybody just, kind of, says take your time, no rush and make the decision that's right for you. So, I'm being reassured by my top schools. They're letting me know -- Florida State, Miami -- they've been very supportive of my choice.
TH: You've told me in the past that Rutgers is recruiting you as a wide receiver. What position does each of your other top six members have you projected to?
MG: Every other school in my top six is looking at me as the h-back kind of hybrid tight end guy rather than wide receiver.
TH: What's your preference?
MG: It's different. I went to camp at Rutgers (Friday Knight Skills Camp) as a receiver and I fit in well and was able to do the drills just like all the smaller guys. A lot of schools before this year were saying I was too slow to play receiver. Then I came out and ran a 4.52 (40-yard dash at Ohio State) showing I'm definitely a lot faster than what people thought. A lot of people have doubts about me playing receiver, but I know for a fact, that if I went to Rutgers and I wanted to play wide receiver, I would be fine.
Other schools want me in that h-back/tight end position, and that's just something that I've opened up to. I've sat down and watched film with all the different coaches. It's pretty cool to be able to sit down and watch film with the coaches from Ohio State, coaches from Wisconsin. You realize there are different positions out there. And I need to have all my options open, just because there are so many ways you can get the ball. And that's kind of that new evolving position; that new h-back /tight end position that everybody kind of wants. So, it's just something I've opened myself up to but I'm not set on anything yet.
TH: I've noticed you've been working hard throughout the off-season. Talk about some of the strength and conditioning you've been doing, this summer.
MG: I just weighed in, I was 6-6, 237. I'm getting there. I'm definitely getting stronger, as well. Our coach runs an off-season strength and conditioning program. And right now, we're doing sets of five. And I just got 300 (pounds on the bench press) for five the other day. I'm excited about that. I'm trying to break our team record for bench. The record is 375. So I'm trying to get up there.
TH: Any schools outside of your top six making a charge?
MG: I've been in contact with Alabama, and they want me to come to a camp. But I was planning to go to Florida State, that day. But they're very low on tight ends so they still want to get me out for a visit. So, that might be a possibility. Checking out Alabama, I know it's a different world out there. I'm not 100 percent sure yet on that.
But they're interested in me. I talk to coach Cristobal. He said Alabama doesn't really offer anybody without seeing them in-person, getting them on campus. It's a different process but obviously it works for them, winning three of the last four national championships.
Follow me on Twitter @TodderickHunt
Tune in weekly to Verizon Fios1 Sports during the football season (check your local listings) as I am the color analyst for the Star-Ledger Game of the Week.


text:
Pittsburgh – When Kansas State faces Syracuse in the third round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at the Consol Energy Center, Rodney McGruder and Kris Joseph will be opponents.
But for four years ago, McGruder and Joseph were teammates.
Joseph, a native of Montreal, moved to Washington D.C. before his junior year of high school. He enrolled at Archbishop Carroll High School where he teamed up with McGruder for the next two years.
In addition, Joseph and McGruder played together on the prestigious D.C. Assault AAU team.
Joseph, a 6-7 senior, is now Syracuse's leading scorer at 13.8 points per game. McGruder, a junior, tops K-State in scoring at 15.4 points per game.
"He plays hard on both ends of the floor,'' Joseph said of McGruder. "I think (Thursday) he might have been guarding one of the best players on Southern Miss. He likes those challenges. He'll get up for this game. Everyone gets up to play Syracuse. I know he'll be especially ready to play against us.''


text:
This deal has ended.
Get this factory refurbished Cuisinart SS-300 - Single Serve Keurig Brewing System for $55 with free shipping at BuyDig. This is $180 off the retail price and the best refurbished price we could find by $14. It has a 10oz. water reservoir, brews 6, 8, and 10 ounces cups in under 10 minutes and it comes with a My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter. A 90-day warranty is included and there is no sales tax (except NJ).No longer available


text:
A New Orleans man faces murder charges after a woman he's accused of running down in a drunken rage died of her injuries. Claude Samuels, 55, has been booked with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder stemming from the Sept. 8 episode that killed Catina Williams and injured her sister.
Samuels was arrested on Sept. 20.
Williams died Sept. 12 from injuries she sustained during the argument that turned deadly. Police say Samuels ran over her, trapping her underneath the car. Williams' sister also was hit and was treated for her injuries at a hospital, police said.
The argument began when Samuels started driving erratically with Williams and her relatives in the vehicle, police said. When they arrived at the family's residence on Montegut Drive, police said the argument escalated and Samuels produced a knife and threatened people. Neighbors called police as Williams continued to plead with Samuels to leave.
According to witness statements, Samuels got in his car and began to drive away, but moments later he went back. The argument continued, and that's when police say he floored the gas until he struck the women.
When Samuels' struck the women, the vehicle got stuck on a drain on the curb. Witnesses said in attempt to flee the scene, Samuels continued to try to move the car, accelerating the gas while holding the door open and looking at Williams under the vehicle.
Bystanders eventually removed Samuels from his vehicle and detained him until police arrived. Samuels' blood-alcohol test results showed him at .153, nearly twice the legal limit, police said.
Samuels is being held on the Orleans Parish Prison on $260,000 bond.


text:
As I posted yesterday, the first sketch from the upcoming "Portlandia" Season 4 is online, and in it, we find comfortable Baby Boomers Malcolm (Fred Armisen) and Kris (Carrie Brownstein) getting their tailgate on in the parking lot of the Rose Quarter, before a "Prairie Home Companion" concert.
IFC sent links to the sketch today, along with the four Webisodes that feature more of the public radio party. You'll note the Subaru sponsorship, and mentions of the car's features in the Webisodes.
(Read more about "Portlandia" Season 4, and its guest stars, including Olivia Wilde and Kirsten Dunst)
Here's the sketch, from Season 4, which will debut on IFC Feb. 27:
The tailgate continues with the Webisodes. Here's one featuring Malcolm talking about how great his soup is (no dairy):
And watch out for that "Prairie Home Companion" streaker:
And you've got your T-shirts right here (made from recycled T-shirts):
And finally, the ticket scalper:
-- Kristi Turnquist


text:
KENT COUNTY, MI -- A Kent County sheriff's deputy is recovering after undergoing a 5-hour surgery Tuesday, Jan. 15, to repair a severely broken leg suffered during a weekend arrest.
Deputy Scott Abbatoy managed to hold down a man wanted on warrants in four counties despite pain from the break he suffered during a struggle with the suspect. Officers who arrived to assist minutes later took the man, Timothy Werkema, into custody near 15 Mile Road and Long Lake Road.
Related: Kent sheriff's deputy suffers broken leg, apprehends suspect wanted in four counties
Werkema now faces an assortment of domestic violence and assault charges, including an added violation of resisting and obstructing an officer causing serious injury. He also is charged with armed robbery related to an August holdup at an apartment in Cedar Springs.
Related: Man involved in struggle that severely broke Kent sheriff's deputy's leg is armed robbery suspect, police say
The sheriff's department posted an update to its Facebook page on Wednesday, providing an update on Abbatoy's recovery.
Abbatoy suffered damage to his meniscus and crushed cartilage in his knee. Surgeons placed a rod from his ankle to his knee and added plates and screws to repair broken bones.
"Overall, the doctors said the surgery went well," the Facebook post says.
Many viewers have posted messages of encouragement, sharing their thoughts and well-wishes for Abbatoy, and thanking him for his community service and dedication to his job.
"He wanted us to let everybody know the messages here have meant a ton to him and his family, and thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers," the sheriff's department said in its post.


text:
Elsie May Force, age 91, of Whitehouse Station, died Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington.
Born in Easton, Pa., she was the daughter of Leslie and Idell McPherson.
Elsie lived all her life in the Hunterdon County area. She was a graduate of Flemington High School. She worked at the Hunterdon Medical Center in the cafeteria and was a homemaker. She enjoyed spending time with her family.
She was predeceased by her husband, Wilbur A. Force Sr. in 2000 and by her brother, Bill McPherson and her sister, Leslie P. Freyer.
Elsie is survived by her two sons, Wilbur A. Force Jr. and his wife, Carol of Milford, Donald Force and his wife, Joan of Bloomsbury; four grandchildren, Kristin Christie, Brad Force, Kim Force and Kelly Cihanowyz; and five great grandchildren, Nicole and Courtney Cihanowyz, Chase and Carly Christie and Sarah Force.
Friends may visit with the family on Friday, March 22, at the Kearns Funeral Home Ltd., 103 Old Highway, Whitehouse, from noon-1 p.m. with a service being held at 1 p.m.
Burial will be in Newell Cemetery in Stanton.
In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations in Elsie's name to be made to the Whitehouse Rescue Squad, Box 175, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889.
For more information or to send condolences, visit kearnsfuneralhome.com.


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To the Editor:
Thank you for endorsing Julie Cecile for Onondaga County Family Court judge.
Family Court is not a court for politics, but a court for people. Cecile has the experience, both personally and professionally, to handle cases where people's lives are affected. The judge makes the difference.
The need for a co-located child advocacy center in this community had been a dream for decades. Several good people attempted to make that dream a reality, but were unsuccessful. Cecile, with her leadership skills and ability to work with all the diverse disciplines involved, did make it happen. She listens to all sides and helps people to hear each other.
Family Court needs Julie Cecile. Onondaga County residents need her. Please vote for her on Election Day.
Christine Larkin


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Santa Barbara police are on the hunt for a suspect or suspects responsible for what is likely a gang-related stabbing that took place Monday afternoon in the 900 block of East Gutierrez Street.
SBPD spokesperson Sgt. Riley Harwood said dispatch received a 9-1-1 call at around 2:45 p.m. of a man shouting that he had just been stabbed. Emergency responders arrived to find the 19-year-old victim — who is a known gang member — with a contusion to his head and two puncture wounds to his lower back, Harwood said. He was transported to Cottage Hospital, but his wounds were not considered life threating.
At around the same time, staff members of nearby Franklin Elementary School witnessed possible suspects run across the property, so they put the campus on lockdown. After consulting with police, the lockdown was lifted at around 3:25 p.m.
The suspect has not been cooperative with police in their investigation, Harwood said.


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Michigan Mountain Biking Association
Tom Robbins wrote:It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Mike_D wrote:Is the Wynalda loop open yet? If so, any update on how the berms are packing down? I was out of town this weekend so I am not aware of how much rain we received around town. Hopefully there was gentle rain, not torrential rain to help pack down the berms that were powdered clay that I saw firsthand when I helped smooth them down last week Wednesday afternoon.
balexander87 wrote:Hoping you guys don't get too much rain up there. Would like to get up and ride Merrell and Luton tomorrow afternoon. Forecast looks like tomorrow should be good so long as you don't get too much today/tonight. Fingers crossed!
Mike_D wrote:FYI - The armoring thru the creek on the entrance/exit to the Wynalda loop is not holding up. On a ride today at lunch time, I sliced a Racing Ralph when 1 of the stones flipped up on it's side due to the soft clay underneath as I crossed thru it Perhaps larger stones encompassing the width of the trail would last longer here due to the soft substrate? Just a thought but I'm no armoring expert. I'd gladly help repair/improve this armored area when the time came to do it.....
Mike_D wrote:Well that explains why it looks like those stones were strategically "tossed" in there
What time is the armor party Thursday night?
Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 5 guests


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Norman Gray, 25, of Millville, was charged Thursday with murder in connection to the death of Khalil Wallace, 19, who went missing late last month and was discovered dead in a lake along Dragston Road in Downe Township.
Gray's other charges consist of conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, weapons offenses, hindering apprehension and desecrating human remains.
Bail for Gray was set at $1 million full cash.
He is currently lodged at the Ocean County Jail.
Earlier this month, Andre Gross, 29, and Boris Curwin, 19, both of Millville, turned themselves in in connection to Wallace's murder.
Both suspects were charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hindering apprehension, conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping and weapons offenses.
Their bails were both set at $1 million full cash, as well. Gross and Curwin both later pleaded 'not guilty' in Cape May County Superior Court.
Wallace was the father of an 8-month-old daughter and was described as a stellar football player during his time in Millville. He also went on to play for Rowan University, but was not enrolled or playing this season.
Wallace was awaiting trial on drug distribution charges at the time of his murder.
He was last seen Sept. 22 entering a van outside the Dollar Plus story on Washinton Avenue in Woodbine.
Prior to discovering Wallace's body, his cellphone was discovered in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Autopsy reports showed Wallace's death was the result of three gunshot wounds.
More updates will added to this report as they are made available.
Contact Reporter Jim Cook Jr. at email@example.com or (856) 451-1000 x.420.
Staff writer Stephen Smith contributed to this report.


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Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was born in Delaware in 1831, Crumpler was raised by an aunt who was dedicated to caring for sick neighbors and friends. At the age of 21, young Rebecca moved to Charleston, Mass., to work as a nurse for the next eight years. The first formal nursing school wouldn't open for another 20 years, so she was able to practice nursing without any sort of degree. In 1860, 29-year-old Rebecca Crumpler entered the New England Female Medical College. Upon graduation, she became the first black female doctor in the United States, and the only African-American woman to graduate from that college, which closed in 1873.
She practiced in Boston until the end of the Civil War. Then, in 1866, she moved to Richmond, Va., to help those affected by the devastation of the war. It was here, among a black population of 30,000, that she felt she could learn most about "the diseases of women and children." Despite enduring horrific racism and sexism, she, along with other brave black doctors, cared for freed slaves who otherwise would have received no medical care.
She returned to Boston, living in a mostly black neighborhood, caring for women and children until her retirement in 1880. She died in 1895. Although no photos of her remain, we can all imagine a face that reflects both the determination and compassion that guided her life.
Bio Courtesy of: Latimesblogs.com


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FLINT, Michigan — Flint is bucking a national trend when it comes to homicide and arsons through the first six months of this year.
Preliminary FBI crime figures show a 7.1 percent drop nationally in murders through the first six months of the year. It also shows a 14.6 percent drop in arsons nationally.
While the rest of the country is showing a drop, Flint has set an all-time record in homicides and has had a slew arsons this year.
The city now has 65, beating the 61 set in 1986.
Through June, Flint had 30 homicides, which nearly matched the 36 in all of 2009.
Flint had double and triple the amount of arsons during a 46-day period in the spring. It recorded more than 400 arsons through October — double what it was in 2009.


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THIS HOUSE at 8149 Portobello Way, Liverpool, has four bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms and 1,752 square feet.
Asking price: $155,000.
Selling points: The home is in excellent condition and has a new roof, a cathedral ceiling and a master suite.
The result: The home sold Dec. 3 for $148,000.
Listed by: MariRae Dopke, HUNT Real Estate ERA.


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It's a special Friday edition of the Food Dude!
New Jersey's very own food guru, Pete Genovese, resumes his weekly live chat at 12:30 p.m. today.
Here's your chance to ask any questions about great places for breakfast, lunch or dinner across New Jersey - or give a tip or recommendation of your own.
Genovese, a longtime feature writer for The Star-Ledger, has headed up the paper's popular Munchmobile series since 1999. And when the Big Dog is not prowling the Garden State, he writes a weekly restaurant review column called Eat with Pete.
The Trenton native is the author of 10 books, including "Jersey Diners,'' "The Food Lover's Guide to New Jersey,'' "The Jersey Shore Uncovered: A Revealing Season on the Beach,'' "Jersey Eats''' and "A Slice of Jersey.''
Join Pete in his live chat right here, starting today at 12:30 p.m.


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In the rapidly expanding electronics manufacturing and testing equipment market, design engineers are finding that engineering plastics can withstand the high temperatures, harsh chemicals, and mechanical wear that are encountered in equipment used to make and test integrated circuits. DSM's Jerry Thurston looks at the market and the part engineering plastics are playing in it now and in the future.
Design News: What growth is the engineering plastics field seeing in the semiconductor manufacturing and testing equipment market, and what's the outlook for the future?
Thurston: Sales of semiconductor devices grew at 32% in 1994 and are projected to grow at 40% this year. Sales exceeded $100 billion for the first time last year, and, at the current rate of growth, they will easily exceed $200 billion by the year 2000.
Our experience is that the use of advanced engineering plastics is growing at an even faster pace, as engineers discover the capabilities of these materials and use them more frequently in a diverse number of processes.
Q: Why have engineering plastics recently become of great interest to design engineers involved with semiconductor manufacturing and test equipment?
A: For many design engineers engineering plastics are a relatively new technology. These designers are only recently aware of the performance characteristics and wide scope of advanced materials available to meet their specific applications.
Q: What are the special requirements of semiconductor manufacturing and testing equipment?
A: High temperatures, electrical energy, mechanical stress, and very aggressive chemicals are used in produc-ing these devices. Parts made of engineering plastics often must provide a combination of such performance characteristics as electrostatic dis-sipation, thermal insulation, chemical and wear resistance, dimensional stability, and high purity, including outgassing requirements.
Q: What engineering plastics are of most interest in the manufacture of these electronic and testing equipment devices and why?
A: Fluoropolymers are the most widely used material at present. They offer high heat and chemical resistance and relatively high purity. Their drawback, however, is relatively low mechanical strength. Other high-heat-resistant materials, such as polyimides, poly-amide-imides, polyetherketones, and polyethersulfones, are becoming more popular.
Electrostatic dissipative polymers currently available include ESD acetals, ESD polyetherimides, and ESD fluoropolymers. These products have been developed to ad-dress the need to protect sensitive devices from electrostatic discharge. The highest purity polymeric resins include: polycarbonates, polyamide-imides, polyimides, polybenzimidazoles, and fluoropolymers.
Q: How are plastics now being used in the semiconductor industry?
A: Semiconductor manufacturing equipment components made of engineering plastics include heat-resistant and thermally insulating handles to grip hot wafer boats after they exit from the furnace, as well as ESD vacuum-wand tips to pick and place wafers. Other uses for the high-heat-resistant materials are: ESD combs for wafer transfer equipment, chemically resistant, high-purity wafer retaining rings, and heat-resistant nozzles.
In the case of testing equipment, uses for these materials include: thermal insulation for high-temperature test areas; dimensionally stable, wear-resistant nests, contactors and sockets; and ESD handling trays.
Q: Where may these engineering plastics be used in the future?
A: Through polymer engineering and compounding, materials can be made that combine many different benefits. Many current applications for engineering plastics are a result of the ability to tailor these materials to meet a special combination of properties mentioned earlier. Further applications for these materials will require an even greater combination of properties. For example, we are looking to develop a high-heat-resistant polymer that combines high strength and dimensional stability and is also electrostatic dissipating in nature.


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Bio: I've been gone for a while, things got hectic and I sort of dropped off the face of the earth. I picked up roleplaying elsewhere for a bit, but that didn't last too long. Snagged some new talents while I was away, so those'll be fun to mess with as far as roleplaying goes.
If we've done stuff together before, or you were in one of my previous roleplays, feel free to shoot me a message! (those that I remember off the top of my head: citylights, DumbDora, swishandflicker, Sarcasm, Jeffery!).
if you want to, just ask for my Skype and we can message there. (:


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MAURICE RIVER TWP. — A Carlisle Place home was partially destroyed by a fire 10 a.m. Thursday.
Leesburg and Port Norris fire fighters extinguished the fire, which occurred while one of the homeowners was at work and the rest were on vacation.
The cause of the fire was electrical problems in the kitchen of the home.
The Red Cross responded to the scene and spoke with the home owner about arrangements for his family.
Port Norris state police also reported Thursday that an unoccupied camper and trailer caught fire April 3 on Hesstown Road.
Both vehicles sustained heavy damage.
The cause of the fire was deemed suspicious in nature.
The fire is being investigated by Port Norris state police along with the New Jersey State Police Arson Unit and local authorities.


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Online Course Description
Fall Courses / August-December, 2014
OFFT 112 LN1: Keyboarding 1-B
The course covers the development of computer keyboarding skills as well as speed and accuracy. Basic business/personal letters from text copy and script with envelopes, memos and tables are also covered. Students will also develop proofreading skills and use Macintosh software.
Credits: 1
Prerequisites: OFFT 111 with minimum grade of C
Instructor: Payette
Run Time: Part Term 9
To view your required books, navigate to the Campus Store. Once there, select your area(s) of study and click continue. Then select the courses you're taking and click continue once more.


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WBNG E-News - Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
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Here's The Total Lifetime Cost Of Owning Your Pet
Sure, pets are cute but they also can cost a pretty penny. Between food, trips to the vet, cages, and licenses, the cost of having a pet adds up.
We've identified the total costs of owning pets, using ASPCA data collected at Visual Economics.
Click here to see the costs > »
Comments on this post are now closed.


text:
Italian companies drop racy lesbian car advert
Post your comment
Comments on this article are now closed.
Reader comments
Never portray the gay in adverts. Never.
Italian men do not approve of lesbians, you see….
Huge threat to their egos, poor dears.
Christine you are just the typical squallid lesbian who needs to generalize in order to be happy. My father is italian, there are 60million italians in Italy, how can you possibly say that without generalizing?
lesbian women do not approve of men… all of them, gay straight white black italian australian… becose YOU are insecure, jealous, envy, stupid and no offence but very predictable. But you know what?
people who don't like lesbians:
1. Straigh men
2. Gay men
3. heterosexual women
4. Bisexuals
5. Even some lesbians who see the retarded contraddictions.
a 13 year old boy (BOY) trapped inside the ugly body of a short angry nasty dyke. Enjoy! ;)
"Christine you are just the typical squallid lesbian who needs to generalize in order to be happy"
Oh, look everyone a bigot. How super.
"My father is italian"
Well, if a nasty bigoted bitch like you is the by-product of his mating with a diseased crack whore, I'd say he had at the very least defective genes. Being Italian is the least of his worries. And yours too by the sound of it.
"lesbian women do not approve of men"
"becose YOU are insecure, jealous, envy, stupid and no offence but very predictable"
"people who don't like lesbians:"
More issues.
"a 13 year old boy (BOY) trapped inside the ugly body of a short angry nasty dyke."
Is he describing himself?
Does c.j. stand for "complete joke"?
c.j, what a truly vile comment to make.
Seriously, this is not the place to be airing your bigotry against lesbians, go find a clinical physiologist. And you contradict yourself by making an argument against generalisations?
Terry is right about one thing, issues you do have, and in abundance.
Not related to Berlusconi in any way, are you?
Get a life, and a sense of humour, pet.
So that is were my top went! Teach me to stay of the vino…
god penis envy is so lame… nutjobs all over the place…
lesbians should really go to the nearest hospital. There's enough prozac for all the crazy angry sick stupid nasty lesbitches who are too short and fat to make any kind of impression. really, grow up.
Your issues can be cured. not by spending your money on trucks or bikes but medicine, pills and prozac+
have fun ;)
oh by the way, to Christine Beckett
I am not related to berlusconi, i hate that man, he does spread homophobia, misogeny, racesm. But your squalid comment says so many things about not my kind but yours.
Italian men do not approve of lesbians, you see….
The only pet here is your brain. That's what lesbians do no? Never generalize on women but do generalize on men.
the only sense of humor is when i see a lesbian trying very har to jump on a harley davidson but she is so fat and short she just falls on the ground.
Like it?
So if you are going to stop to spread the hate and lousy generalizations maybe other people will stop spreading generalizations on bitches like you.
Hug? I'd rather hug your mother, a real woman. Not like you, a dumb short fat bulldyke full of crap. And I don't need to write nasty things about anyone's mother, that's jus lame and predictable, I bet your mother is ashamed of you.
"god penis envy is so lame… "
I bet if you had a penis c.j., you wouldn't be such a dried up old bitch. Maybe someone might want to touch you without vomiting.
"nutjobs all over the place"
You said it lithium-boy! Is is time for your meds again?
"And I don't need to write nasty things about anyone's mother"
No one here likes a bitchy old bigot like you, so I'm guessing your mother probably regrets spawning a basket case like you dribbled down the side of her inside leg.
Seriously, take the bloody lithium c.j., it'll make you one bit less the awful creature you are.
Anytime we are part of a main stream ad, more power to us.
c.j., on your list of people who
don't like lesbians,your name
should have been at top.
My lesbian sisters, do not take to heart, insults, poison tipped
arrows, etc, that is hurled our
"That which does not kill us, only makes us stronger".
hahahaha :)
hahahaha oooh the lesbian mob… you make us laugh… unbelievable.. lesbians think they scare somebody… amaizing… ridiculous and pathetic… a bunch of short cu.nts dwarfing around and bitching about dick all the time.
prozac + was invented for lesbians like you. hahahah :)
cj is a troll folks, or some basket case that stumbled on this site by accident. Normal people do not react like that. There is something very wrong with this person.
Best ignore it.
;) love how you say "ignore him" but still reply… ;)
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The Help America Vote Act of 2002, or HAVA, has garnered most of its notoriety because it required election officials throughout the United States to replace old paper-based voting machines with controversial new electronic equipment by 2004. But there are other provisions in the law that took effect only in January 2006, and these are quietly creating their own potential for disrupting elections this November—including the 468 House and Senate contests that will determine control of Congress.
The new HAVA rules concern the databases that contain the voter rolls—and in 49 of the 50 states, if you are not on the rolls, you can't vote. Elections have often turned on the question of who gets to vote and who does not. This time around, voter eligibility will depend in large part on the contents of a number of databases, most of which have been in existence for less than a year and some of which have not been constructed in accord with the best practices of the database industry.
The new HAVA rules sound, at first, fairly innocuous. They require each of the 50 states to maintain a statewide database of registered voters, or create one if none exists. They also call for the states to verify a voter's registration record either with the state's driver's license records or with information in a federal database of all legal residents of the United States, which is maintained by the Social Security Administration.
HAVA gives the states wide latitude in reacting to database mismatches. If a voter's registration information and the data in the other databases differ, the act does not require that a state keep registrants off the rolls. But it also doesn't forbid the states to do so. State officials have therefore set up their own rules, which have resulted in mass purges of registrants in California, Iowa, South Dakota, Texas, and Washington, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law, in New York City.
In March, the center published an exhaustive study of the varying ways the states have responded to HAVA's database requirements, a 300-page document titled "Making the List: Database Matching and Verification Processes for Voter Registration." Tens of thousands of people could be disqualified in California alone, the nation's most populous state.
The new HAVA-required databases hold the names of all registered voters, but the mismatch problem mainly concerns new voters, those who have relocated, and those who have changed their name. After an initial verification of these new and changed registrations in Los Angeles County, where one out of every four voters in the state lives, 43 percent were purged from the rolls, according to Wendy Weiser, deputy director of the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center. Statewide, about 26 percent of voter registration applications were purged. The state processed more than 6 million registrations between 2002 and 2004, the most recent years for which statistics are available.
Weiser says there are some simple reasons for the high number of mismatches, and it is not out of line with the results of any comparison of two large databases of names. They can occur when the voter omits, say, a middle initial from one list but not the other, or if a hyphen in a last name gets turned into a space, or if an apostrophe gets dropped and "O'Brien" becomes "OBrien" or "O Brien." [See table, " The Match Game."] When the Social Security number, which is usually assigned at birth, is used instead of the driver's license number, mismatches are likely for women who change their surnames when they marry.
Then there's the problem of simple database mistakes. A study by the Board of Elections in the City of New York compared 15 000 new voter registrations with the New York state motor vehicle database. It found that 20 percent of the records failed to match because of typographical errors made by election officials. Weiser says that database experts have, over the years, devised automated techniques for avoiding erroneous mismatches, such as comparing phonetic versions of names, which would solve the "O'Brien" problem, and using lists of name equivalencies, such as "John" and "Jon" or "Sarah" and "Sara." But, she notes, many of the states didn't employ these more sophisticated methods, including tech-savvy California, home of Silicon Valley.
California had some quirky rules that contributed to the state's unusually high number of purged registrants, and those rules have since been tightened. Nevertheless, as of early August, 10 or 11 percent of California's registrants were still not eligible to vote in the November election, Weiser was informally told by state officials.
The state's rules could change again, though, because of a court case farther up the Pacific Coast. On 1 August, U.S. District Judge Ricardo Martinez, in Seattle, issued a preliminary injunction stopping Washington state election officials from purging from the rolls any voters whose election records don't pass the state's verification process. Although the Seattle ruling had no authority outside Washington, voting activists in California took it as a victory. California's method of matching the voter rolls to motor vehicle and Social Security records is "very similar to the Washington state law the court put on hold," says California state Senator Debra Bowen, a candidate in the upcoming election for secretary of state.
The confusion in California and elsewhere stems from the fact that the law requires that states "verify" the voter rolls but not that they necessarily do anything about registrants whose names or addresses can't be verified. The tendency toward purging the rolls may have been helped along, in part, by the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, the unit charged with enforcing federal election laws. Back in 2003, one of the division's lawyers wrote a widely circulated, nonbinding opinion to officials in Maryland, saying that if the information in a registration application doesn't match motor vehicle or Social Security records, the applicant shouldn't be added to the voter rolls. "Congress obviously intended," the letter says, "that where the results indicate the registrant is not eligible, has provided inaccurate or fraudulent information, or information that cannot be verified, then the application must be denied."
Despite the opinion, Maryland officials did not conduct mismatch purges similar to the ones in Washington and California. The necessary qualifications to be a voter, the Brennan Center report notes, have nothing to do with driver's licenses or even Social Security records, and come down to a few simple questions. Are you 18 years old and a U.S. citizen? Are you mentally competent? And for the states that disqualify such individuals: Are you not in prison or on parole? If the answer is yes to all those questions, you're qualified to vote.