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Practically Speaking
Kyle and her husband moved to Brookfield in 1986. She became active in local politics and started blogging in 2004. Her focus is primarily on local issues but often includes state and national topics, too. Kyle looks at things from the taxpayers' perspective in a creative, yet down to earth way, addressing them from a practical point of view.
25 new homes proposed for Linfield Crossing resubdivision
Up to twenty-five new single family homes are proposed for southeast Brookfield on the former Linfield Elementary School site*. (Photo was taken from The Red Mill parking lot on Tulane, facing south.)
Greenfield & Moorland Walmart Public Hearing, 6 pm, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013
Brookfield District 7 Aldermen Lisa Mellone and Renee Lowerr sent out this email to alert Brookfield residents of New Berlin's proposed Walmart store Public Hearing:
"This email serves to inform you of a Public Hearing that is scheduled for Monday, January 7, 2013 at 6 p.m. at New Berlin City Hall, 3805 S. Casper Dr. for the newly proposed Walmart development which will replace the Charcoal Grill currently located near the southeast corner of Moorland and Greenfield roads. Please note, this is a NEW BERLIN proposal not Brookfield, and only New Berlin officials have authority on whether this project moves forward. However, any citizen is able to attend any municipal public hearing and you do not have to be a New Berlin resident. If you would like to find out more about this proposal then I encourage you to attend. No action will be taken by the New Berlin Plan Commission until February 4, 2013."
Thank you Lisa and Renee.
Let me repeat, this is NOT a City of Brookfield proposal; it is a City of New Berlin proposal, so do not contact your Brookfield officials or representatives about this. Only New Berlin has the authority to move this project forward or stop it.
The proposed Walmart would be on the south side of Greenfield Avenue, west of Highland Memorial Cemetery (I guess those neighbors won't complain), which makes it IN New Berlin, not Brookfield. It will be on the site the Charcoal Grill currently occupies. There is one homeowner on the edge of the proposed store property, marked as R-5 on the maps, the one east or right of the other R-5, which is a house owned and rented out by the cemetery, according to New Berlin Now. Other than the east R-5 there are no other privately owned and occupied homes near the store frontage.
This Walmart proposal would be for a 24 hour store with pharmacy and groceries. Should the proposed Walmart be approved, the current Walmart, on National and Moorland, which is the closest store to our area, would be closed.
Welcome Trader Joe's, just in time for Thanksgiving
Click caption box at left of slide show for captions and dates
New Elm Grove Culver's is hiring: Saturday, Aug. 25th Noon - 4pm
Elm Grove's new Culver's restaurant is conducting interviews at their new location on Bluemound Road this Saturday, Aug. 25, 2012, from noon to 4pm. Or as Culver's would say, "Come join our True Blue Crew as a Team Member!"
If the major road construction on Bluemound Road, just east of Pilgrim Road and westward, has kept you from the area, you might not have realized a Culver's sprang up from the rubble of the razed UNO's restaurant this summer.
It has been fun to watch the building progress. I snapped the above picture on Aug. 9th; they are now working on finishing the exterior.
The new Culver's is on the northeast corner of Pilgrim and Bluemound, just east of Baker's Square. (Brookfield Square is on the opposite southwest corner.)
Job Fair for Brookfield's new Target store: May 24 - 26, 2012
Hope things go well for Target / Trader Joes: Public Hearing Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012
On a snowy winter's night last Thursday, a group of neighbors, District 7 Aldermen Lisa Mellone and Renee' Lowerr, Mayor Ponto, Community Development Director Dan Ertl, and some representatives from the Ryan Company gathered to discuss the changes the developer is requesting for the Underwood Crossing project.
Ryan Company's retail development director, Tony Barranco, explained the 4 changes to the approved plan and gave the reasons for the requests. All 4 seem very reasonable.
Though I have been in favor of the Target anchor store, at the Underwood Crossing Retail Center on Bluemound Road, I was wary when I heard they were requesting higher density.
But my fears were quickly alleviated. The request for the increased density from 35% to 40% is for the Jr. Anchor store adjacent to the Target only--not for the entire project. If you look at the drawing, you see the yellow is the original sizing, the red the requested size.
In fact, the density or Floor Area Ratio--F.A.R. (proportion of building structure to overall area) is well below the 30% standard. Underwood Crossing was approved at 16. If the increase in density for the Jr. Anchor is approved, it would be 17.2. If you notice the out buildings to the north, the Trader Joe's in right corner is now larger, but the Multi Tenant center building is about half its original size. The PNC bank to the west is smaller. (My adjustments in red are NOT to scale, and not yet approved, it is just so you get an idea of what they are asking for.)
The Jr. Anchor (still undisclosed but is some sort of home product store), is asking for an additional 5,900 square feet to be used mostly for merchandise storage, not retail floor. The additional space would be added to the east side of the building, with the majority to the back (loading area).
The other major issue is the request to increase the overall height of the light poles from 20' to 25'. Brookfield's standard is 20 feet. Here a 5' increase in pole height would result in 11 fewer light poles and less energy consumption. From what I could tell from the renderings Tony Barracano showed, the light pool would remain the same--in other words, here, they can do more with less. Because of the topography, the neighborhood is at a higher elevation than the retail center; the 5 foot increase shouldn't create a problem for the neighbors.
A 3rd request is to add Trader Joe's name to the monument sign on Bluemound. To me, Trader Joe's is the MAJOR attraction here. Target may be the largest anchor store, but Trader Joe's is the real star. Motorists should be able to see at a glance where the Trader Joe's entrance is. Trader Joe's logo is just their name in big red letters. It should go nicely with the Target. Ryan Company is not asking for a larger sign, just that Trader Joe's name be added.
I don't know if people realize what a feather in Brookfield's cap a Trader Joe's is for us. I know I have been wishing for one for some time. Evidently, Dan Ertl has been wooing them since they entered the Milwaukee market at Bay Shore.
Currently, that is the only Trader Joe's, and it is in a congested parking lot that is an accident waiting to happen. Still, people travel from more than 25 miles away just to shop at Bay Shore's Trader Joe's. I think we can safely conclude Brookfield's Trader Joe's will increase the success of every retailer located at Underwood Crossing. The least we can do is put their name on the sign!
The last item needing approval regards the berm. Initially, the berm's vegetation was not to be touched by the developer, but a section had to be cleared to connect to water. When the neighborhood saw how much better the berm looked after Ryan Co. restored the plantings with mixed evergreens, they wanted to see additional evergreen plantings incorporated into the berm. The neighbors are asking that undesirable trees such as Buckthorn and Box Alder be removed, and that Ryan replace with a variety of evergreens. They are willing to do this if they are granted the 25' light pole height variance. Ryan figures the money saved by using 11 fewer but taller poles would help pay for the $40,000+ additional evergreens to the original plan.
Bottom line: It is a case of give and take. From what I hear, Ryan Co. has been very receptive to the requests of the neighborhood. They helped clean up the former Quebecor site. They created a development that comes in well under the zoning FAR.
Their requests do not seem out of line to me for what we are getting. I hope it goes well for them with the Plan Commission and Common Council. Share your opinions at Brookfield City Hall Common Council Chambers Tuesday, January 17th at 7:45pm.
A Whole Lotta Diggin' Goin' On in SE Brookfield
If you haven't had occasion to travel on Bluemound Road on Brookfield's southeast side lately, you might not know that there's A Whole Lotta Diggin' Goin' On down here!
If traveling from east to west, the former Quebecor site is getting its clean up in preparation for Underwood Crossing, where the Target store slated for opening in fall of 2012. (The dirt heap has grown considerably since I snapped this pic in July.)
If you recall, there was a mixed use plan for the site proposed back in 2007 that fell through. This included apartments and lots of small shops.
Brookfield's proposed Target Store PUBLIC HEARING: Dec. 7, 7:45pm, UPDATE & maps
Would you want to help non-resident drivers cut through your neighborhood, just so they could get to a new proposed shopping center without using your closest busy main streets? Of course not.
Yet the Plan Commission and our City is doing just that with the new Target store proposal for the former Quebecor site on Bluemound, at the Brookfield/Wauwatosa border. Take a look.
The planners are promoting an additional, unnecessary, new street access point, running east/west from Columbia Blvd, (a purely residential street) to (and through) the new shopping center, when there is already adequate access from Bluemound Road!
And why are they pushing this? One reason is for people who might be playing baseball at Krueger Park, who MIGHT want to go to the new Target store after a game. They argue they need an easy way to get there from the park. (Rendering is from Ryan Co., the developer.)
So our planners, and some of the Aldermen on the Common Council, are willing to subject a quiet, single family, residential neighborhood to cut through traffic from the south, for all those who want to avoid the Bluemound and Elm Grove Road intersection. This would include Target Store bound traffic from Greenfield Ave to the south.
Who doesn't want this? Obviously, the neighborhood! But also the developer, Ryan Company.
It is my understanding that Ryan wants something that more closely resembles my cut-and-past efforts pictured here. Yellow indicates existing streets, orange would be new access with arterial lights on Bluemound. (Thanks to MapQuest satellite view and Ryan's rendering.)
Note that Columbia Blvd. does connect to Krueger Park. It would be very simple for those baseball players (who might want to shop after a game) to drive north on Columbia, turn right on Bluemound, travel 300 feet east to the new Target entrance, turn right, drive in and park.
As for the neighborhood itself, there are Greenway Trail connections for walking and biking there and from my neighborhood south of I-94. This system would also connect to the Trails in Wauwatosa. So there is pedestrian and bike access without using Bluemound Road.
This Public Hearing is primarily to change the LAND USE from Mixed to Retail. Remember the original plan was for high density housing? Translate: apartments. Believe me, Brookfield and the neighborhood is far better off with this being purely retail / business such as the Target, a restaurant and a bank. Brookfield doesn't need more apartments or condos that do not contribute enough in tax revenue to support the schools or services they use.
I might remind our new Mayor Ponto that he told me he had a strong desire to protect the single family home's property values. I would like to see Mayor Ponto take a leadership role in this and protect this neighborhood from this unwanted and unnecessary intrusion.
Please help your fellow Brookfield residents preserve their neighborhood from unwanted non-neighborhood related traffic by commenting tonight at the Common Council Public Hearing or emailing your comments to email@example.com (She will forward them.) The Council will vote on this December 21st.
My Aldermen Lisa Mellone and Renee' Lowerr sent the following information in an email:
District 7 residents: Information Meeting Thursday, Oct. 21st
From my 2 Aldermen, Lisa Mellone and Renee Lowerr: There is a District 7 Information Meeting this Thursday at City Hall Council Chambers, from 7 - 8pm. (District 7 covers the southeast corner of Brookfield.)
They hold these meetings several times a year and are your opportunity to ask questions, discuss your concerns, and talk about your ideas for our city. Some of the current topics are the
Target Store proposal, Train Station, and the 2011 budget.
Since the election is less than 2 weeks away, remember we no longer vote at Heritage Christian School, but instead must go to St. Lukes Catholic Church on Greenfield Avenue and Davidson Road, west of our district.
Related Past Posts: Is a Target on Bluemound & 124th to be or not to be?
So thankful the Brookfield train station question has been delayed
Email Aldermen & More re: Brookfield train station
Stop the Obama & Doyle waste-of-money train
Quebecor Target Store at Plan Commission tonight
Can it be? A Target in Brookfield? How about Trader Joes too?
Need a job? Try Brookfield's new ParkSide23 restaurant
While shopping at Angelina's Deli, my favorite Italian food store on this side of town, I noticed some construction workers across the street at the former Pilgrim Square.
Wow, something is finally going in at the vacant Sticks and Stones restaurant, just south of Dixon Elementary School, on North Avenue.
2 meetings tonight discuss: Is a Target on Bluemound & 124th to be or not to be?
My Aldermen Lisa Mellone and Renee Lowerr informed me that there are 2 meetings tonight at City Hall discussing plans to build a Target store at the old Quebecor site.
The 124th & Bluemound Road Neighborhood Plan Task Force meets first in Council Chambers at 5:30pm. They are "to discuss possible amendments to the Neighborhood Plan because of the Target proposal." If you remember, there was another mixed use plan in place 4 years ago, but that project did not move forward.
In my opinion, the neighborhood, which is in my District 7 but not my immediate area, would be better off without the apartment/condo aspect of the project. Certainly our city already has enough rental property, which is often the downfall of the adjacent single family homes and community.
Brookfield also has an abundance smaller store strip malls, which are part of the mixed use concept. How many nail salons, take and bake pizza places, and coffee shops do we need? Brookfield Marketplace on Greenfield and Brookfield Commons on Bluemound have never been completely occupied since their completion and since the recession, have seen stores leave. At another area strip mall at Calhoun and Bluemound, the former Flanners has been vacant for years.
It would seem that if you have a larger store, with a good reputation, willing to move into Brookfield, this would be a better option that all those transient smaller stores. The neighbors have a legitmate concern with shoppers cutting through their neighborhood, but like Brookfield Commons, this area is rather land-locked too, with the freeway and parks to the south--it wouldn't seem to invite cut-through traffic. Yet the general consensus from a 2006 Plan Commission meeting was, "don't allow the new development traffic to invade their peaceful Columbia Gardens Subdivision Neighborhood!" Neighborhood traffic needs to be controlled.
While I would rather have a Woodman's or a Trader Joes move into that location, Target at least has a nicer image than other big box stores like K-mart and Walmart. Target seems to attract a different, more upscale clientele than the other stuff-marts.
If you live in that area, do attend the 5:30pm meeting.
Right after the Task Force discussion, the City Plan Commission will discuss this same project. "This is an open meeting and [all] are welcome to attend but there will be no opportunity for public comment."
There will be a future Public Hearing on the Target proposal amendments where you can voice your opinions, however.
While the jobs created from a Target are not high paying, at least Target would be a more consistent job and property tax provider than the coffee shop that is here today and gone in a month.
Alderman Lisa Mellone attached related materials for your perusal:
City 124th Street & Bluemound Road Neighborhood Plan
Map of Target Development Proposal
Target Memo from Ryan Company.pdf
936K View Download
|2010-07-12 Plan Commission Minutes re Target.pdf
208K Download
|10-11-2010 Task Force Staff Report.pdf
154K Download
|PC Agenda 2010-10-11.doc
54K Download
|PC Staff Report 2010-10-11.doc
80K Download
Past Posts:
Quebecor Target Store at Plan Commission tonight, 4K Tuesday, Bike Race Friday
Can it be? A Target in Brookfeild? How about a Trader Joes too?
Connectivity will make neighborhood streets a racetrack! Neighborhood concerns over traffic from the Plan Commission 2006 Plan Public Comment session.
Target Store at Plan Commission tonight, 4K Tuesday, Bike Race Friday
Alderman Lisa Mellone sent me the notice on the Target Store and Bike Race. A reader alerted me to the discussion of 4K at Elmbrook's School Board meeting.
Quebecor Target Store Project, Brookfield Plan Commission, 6pm tonight
"A concept review of the proposed Target Store development on the old Quebecor site is scheduled for this Monday, July 12th, 6pm in Council Chambers at City Hall. At this point the applicant is seeking feedback from the Plan Commission on the proposal at their meeting. "
This project has changed considerably from the former mixed use project, of housing and smaller retail, that fell through for the Quebecor site in 2007.
Even the original Ryan Cos proposal had a senior housing possibility, but that has changed too--at least from Ryan's perspective. JSOnline: Plan for new Brookfield Target on Blue Mound Road advance: "Ryan executives considered including senior apartments as part of the development. But that was dropped in favor of doing just retail, along with some expanded green space along the portions of the site that border N. Columbia Blvd. and Krueger Park... ...The green space would likely be donated to the city, the plan said."
Since Ryan Cos'. plan calls for a Target Store with grocery and a few other retail stores-- no housing--the City will have to revisit the plan to approve of the site being solely retail to move it forward.
Elmbrook School Board Meeting, Tuesday, July 13, 6pm at Central Administrative Offices
The Enrollment Management Study Team will give a report on their findings. (Item 3A on Agenda) Suggestions include ADDING 4K, closing a school and ADDING 4K, and more. With the new school funding changes (not favorable to Elmbrook), I am sure we want to keep an eye on these suggestions!
School Funding Plan Could Hurt
State Schools Chief Proposes Revamp of Funding System
Cycling Classic Bike Race, July 16th, City of Brookfield Civic Center
This looks like fun. On Friday, July 16th, Brookfield's Civic Center roads will be closed to serve as the track for several bike races during the day! Events start at 9:30am and the last race begins at 5:45pm.
The Convention and Visitors Bureau was looking for volunteers to serve as race marshals. If you are interested in helping, contact Nancy Justman at 262-789-0220 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Additional information can be found at International Cycling Classic
Well, it is back to the grindstone for me, or more specifically, sanding Spackle in my kitchen.
Can it be? A Target in Brookfield? How about a Trader Joe's too?
Oh, my goodness! The City of Brookfield is actually talking about a TARGET store in Brookfield?
It is almost too good to be true. But there it was in black and white on JSOnline.
According to the March 11th Business section, Developer hopes to bring Target, senior apartments to Brookfield.
Another planned Brookfield project falls through
Last week BrookfieldNOW reported Major projects falter in down economy, Percheron Square nearing deadline for moving ahead. While I don't wish financial troubles on anyone, I can't say I am sorry to hear these two projects fell through.
I was squarely against both Fountain Brook Crossing and Percheron Square because they both exceeded the original zoning density, Fountain Brook by far was the worst offender.
But as I drove down Greenfield last week, I couldn't help but notice another location where the project fell through. I saw a for sale sign (in photo) on the old Sentry grocery store site at Greenfield Ave. and Calhoun Rd. That original grocery store, as I understand it, was prevented from expanding by the city. Then in late 2003, early 2004(?) a new strip mall was proposed that was in the newer Modified Suburban Overlay configuration, with parking right up to the residences back yards to the north. That was defeated in a rare city hall fight that resolved in favor of the neighborhood. Then there was a proposal for an acceptable strip mall that had the standard parking in the front- shops in the back design. Neighbors liked it but the city balked because it wasn't fancy enough. At last another strip mall was proposed, was it called Deer Creek Commons or something like that? That was favored by the neighborhood and the city. Alas, it is not to be. The economy did it in?
Many of us in Brookfield believe our community is getting overcrowded and over-saturated with unnecessary development projects. Since we cannot maintain occupancy on what we already have, and traffic on busy streets such as Bluemound and Capital Drive and even Greenfield is already problematic, why increase the density each time a new proposal comes our way? (Increased density increases profit for the developer.)
This photo is of the former Flanners on Bluemound. It has been empty for several years now.
Brookfield's 2035 Vision Materials display no longer at library
Imagine my surprise. The 2035 Vision Implementation Comment Form I filled out at the library over a week ago stated in bold black letters: The deadline for providing comments is Monday, August 10th.
The library had a display with the various areas of "Vision" for Brookfield's future illustrated on large poster boards. There were also comment forms and a wooden box to collect the forms on a table front and center as you walked into the library.
Late Saturday afternoon, I stopped in for some music CDs and was going to look at the 2035 Vision renderings and information again, but it all had vanished!
I asked at the circulation desk what happened to the display and was informed that "they" took it away on Friday (Aug. 7).
But, if you still wanted to throw in your 2 cents regarding the 2035 Vision Implementation Comment Form, as seen at the library and Brookfield Square, know that the library comment box is no longer there to receive it. I would guess City Hall would still be accepting the forms? (They were closed at the time I discovered the collection box and display were gone.) You might want to call City Hall to verify they will accept your comment form: 262-782-9650. The form is available online for you to print out. Their fax number is 262-796-6671.
According to the City's website, there will still be 4 Open Houses in September "to get direct input from the public into the City's vision for the future." The notice talks about sending in your comment form to the City's planning consultant next month, so I don't know what the August 10th deadline was all about.
Please know that the input they are looking for is all in the positive. You are to select 5 things that are important to you. There is no way that I could see to object to any of the specific initiatives except to not check that vision.
Past Post: Voice your opinion on rail & Master Plan at National Night Out tonight
Voice your opinion on RAIL & Master Plan at National Night Out tonight
Tonight is the National Night Out at Brookfield's Safety Building and Civic Plaza, 5:30 - 8:30 pm. Not only are there some fun family activities offered, but there is also an opportunity to voice your opinion on Brookfield's future initiatives.
You can also fill out a comment form at the Brookfield Library. Deadline for submissions is August 10th. The 2035 Comprehensive Plan, will be adopted by the Common Council at year's end.
Some of the items on the 2035 Vision Implementation Comment Form (feedback form) are rather benign. Others are hot button issues. Here are some of mine in the order they appear on side 2. My position is in red.:
- Establish a new Targeted Investment Area along the 124th Street corridor from Burleigh Road to North Avenue. (I am against if it involves a tax district and usurps property owners rights.)
- Take a supportive approach to historic preservation including educational and persuasive (not coercive) efforts, and at all times supporting the rights of property owners. (I am for this. Saving the Siepmann home is an example of a supportive role.)
- Support the completion of an Environmental Impact Study (EIS), through an open, public process, to study the feasibility, locational options, impacts, and design options of a future interchange from Interstate 94 between the two that now exist. (I am against a Calhoun Rd. exit.)
- Support future high speed intercity rail service connecting Minneapolis - Madison - Milwaukee - Chicago and beyond, provided that a station in Brookfield is maintained and funded in state and federal plans. (Note: This is not the same as commuter or light rail.) (I am AGAINST rail in any form because it requires taxpayer subsidies and is NOT practical for most travelers.)
I almost can't believe it; the Siepmann House is saved!
After years of disappointing decisions regarding development in our city, I almost can't believe that the Common Council voted unanimously, 13-0* to allow the Siepmann Farmstead to stay last night. They did it with no discussion!
In so many past cases, the will of the people has been ignored. Capitol Heights comes to mind. That one was B.B., before I started blogging. Then there was TID 3. Many spoke out against that one at a plan commission meeting. It passed anyway. How about the heartbreak of widening Calhoun Road south? Maybe those examples are what make saving the Siepmann such a pleasant surprise.
The only hurdle remaining is an economic one. Will the developer 4S be able to make the changes he has proposed in this economy? I certainly hope so. As I stated before, the concept of a wedding center seems to be a good fit for the property.
A BIG thanks to the 13 Aldermen, Lisa Mellone in particular, the Elmbrook Historical Society, the blogs and articles on the historic farmhouse, Dan Ertl (I don't often get to thank him), the board of appeals, the plan commission, Chicago Title, for providing the title search free of charge to the Elmbrook Historical Society, and of course, 4S, the developer, for being open to the will of the people! (I probably forgot a few.)
I am grateful for the person who first put together that the demolition of the barn, noted in the first article, was really the farmhouse and for the Elmbrook Historical Society member who brought the issue to Cindy's and my attention.
You know, as a blogger, I often wonder if what I am posting will help or hinder an effort. In this case, I am delighted it turned out positively.
*Alderman Bob Reddin was not present. He was attending to a more important development, the birth of his new daughter!
Past Posts: Stonewood Village's Siepmann farm on chopping block at Tuesday's Common Council meeting
How much to raze Siepman Home?
Saving the Siepmann Farm House just jumped another hurdle
Saving the Siepmann Farm House just jumped another hurdle
If you have been following the save the Siepmann Farm House issue at Brookfield's Stonewood Village, you know that back in May, it looked like it would join the scrap heap of Brookfield's historic buildings. In my May 18th post, Stonewood Village's Siepmann farm on chopping block at Tuesday's Common Council meeting, I asked, "...can't we find some way to save the Siepmann farmstead and still do the wedding center?" and then urged that readers contact their aldermen.
The Siepmann Farm Homestead is a good example of a reader suggested blog topic. The morning of May 18th, someone sent me an email regarding moving or razing the Siepmann home. Since I thought it a worthy topic, I blogged about it.
How much to raze Siepmann Home?
Stonewood Village's Siepmann farm on chopping block at Tuesday's Common Council meeting
Stonewood Village, a Brookfield shopping center consisting of historic and period reproduction homes and buildings, is in the process of undergoing major changes, with an emphasis on weddings. The problem is, the historic Siepmann building*, circa 1856, stands in the way of the newly proposed and approved of building plans:
Don't want to see Blue Mound Pick 'n Save go chichi, too bad about V Richards
Oh I know nothing ever stays the same, but I don't want to see the Blue Mound Pick 'n Save go. It was my favorite* Pick 'n Save store! Pick 'n Saves underwent a face lift in recent years, and in the process of trying to emulate a more V. Richards look in the stores and produce department, they eliminated refrigerator cases for their apples. Consequently, purchasing crisp apples became more challenging. The Blue Mound store was one of the few that still kept their apples chilled--if I was buying apples at nearly $2/pound, that is where I shopped.
Don't want to see more of these jobs in Brookfield
Several weeks ago, the sign was for Linens and Things going out of business sale. Last year it was Comp USA. Now it is Circuit City's turn. Who will be next?
Brookfield needs to increase density and zoning, why?
Town of Brookfield Aldi now open!
Well, today is the day. After months of discussion and remodeling, the new Aldi store opens its doors today at 19555 W. Bluemound Road.
Recession proof businesses, not many in Brookfield
Recession proof businesses
A Hooters in Brookfield? So much for image
Adios Pedro's. Hola Hooters. UGH
Information meeting re: Percheron Square tonight, Sept. 3, 6-7
My 2 aldermen, Lisa Mellone and Renee' Lowerr, sent out an email that there will be an information meeting on Percheron Square tonight, from 6-7pm at City Hall in Council Chambers. If you are interested in this development project, this would be a good opportunity for you to find out more. (Sorry this is late, I have been having computer troubles.)
Town's Aldi's Approved, UNANIMOUSLY!
How about that turn around? I noticed on Community Watch the Town of Brookfield approved Aldi's! Unanimously!
A Little History Re: What's Happening On Robinwood?
Gravel piles, backhoes, trucks, sewer suckers, barricades, sewer pipes and huge concrete junction pipes again are familiar sights for those living on Robinwood Street. Seems like the city just did sewer work over there.
Just What Can You Find At ALDI's? Low Prices For One!
I have shopped ALDI's for years now. It all started with "Big Tom" ketchup. We were a very brand loyal "Heinz" ketchup family and would not ever consider anything else on a burger. But a bargain hunting uncle of mine loved to shop at Aldi's and he would share the wealth with family. He gave us several "Big Tom" ketchups from Aldi's. Oh well, I can use them in meat loaf or something, I thought.
Percheron Square: Again, Density is the Problem
The Commission OKs plans for Ruby Farms site. What I find so frustrating with our Plan Commission is that they grant PDDs and project proposals so easily. Oh, they raise all sorts of questions and concerns, but then vote as if with one "Aye."
No Surprise, Percheron Square PDD Passed First Hurdle, or Should I Say Jump
I got back from the Plan Commission Meeting 30 min.ago. Dan Ertl spoke for a long time, then Ajay Kuttemperoor made the presentation for AVS Development.
VK's Percheron Square a.k.a. Ruby Farm Proposal Heads to Plan Commission Monday, 7pm
I hate to admit it, but it took me a while to figure out why VK Development would name the Ruby Farm/WTMJ project Percheron Square. The light bulb finally lit. (Somehow I thought the Ruby Farm horse barns housed Belgians instead of Percherons.)
In praise of Aldi's AND Trader Joe's: Wish We Had Both!
Poor Aldi's*. The Town of Brookfield Plan Commission squelched their plans for a new store. One of the reasons cited in the Community Watch post was that, "Some members of the Plan Commission said they were wary of the discount
grocer's reputation and the type of customers and tenants the store
would attract to Bluemound Plaza..." (near Best Buy)
You Can't Wash Your Car But The Car Wash Can?
It is watering restriction season for Waukesha County, but in Brookfield, lawn watering, pool filling, and car washing* is restricted whether you are on a private well or municipal water every day of the year.
Park land for fire station?
Update: I heard the Plan Commission meeting was well attended. If I hear anything more, I will post the info.
Must have been the right 12 people
Fellow blogger Janet Wintersberger recently echoed my sentiments that the Plan Commission rarely seems to listen to resident comments regarding development.
Will the real Rick Owen please stand up?
Remember the old TV game show, To Tell the Truth? The panel of celebrities was to guess which of the 3 contestants was the real person who had done some unusual or heroic act. One of the 3 was the real person, the other 2 would try to mislead the panel. At the end, the game host would say, Would the real So-in-so, please stand up. Then the real person would stand, sometimes surprising everyone.
Development to keep an eye on
My Alderman, Lisa Mellone, is really great about keeping her District 7 constituents informed of upcoming issues. She sent this District 7 update last night. (I posted her entire update on Brookfield7.) The 3 development issues should be of interest to all Brookfield residents.
Fountain Brook Crossing: 2 Unbelievably BIG buildings
I hope you took the time to look at the architect's renderings of Fountain Brook Crossing. But keep in mind, it is nearly impossible to imagine just how BIG this set of proposed buildings is simply by looking at those drawings. They are presented using the roadway to give some sense of open space and perspective.
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» [PRO FEATURE] Added ability to move around popup window and have it stay in place. Optionally remember popup window location between closes.

» [PRO FEATURE] Added Full Screen Mode. Now you can read and edit your notes without distraction.

» Added new Dock and Menubar icon option. By default, NoteAway will show the Dock icon when active so that you get access to the apps full main menu items in the menubar.

» Added floating formatting bar while typing for convenient rich-text editing. Also, added support for Lists and Tables.

» Added zoom support in the text area on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and greater.

» Added ability to import textClippings like any other text file.

» Added option to Remember Note Selection between closes.

» Added new search options to search for "All Terms" or "Any Terms", also added new Smart Searches for "Has Tags" and "No Tags"

» Improved popup resizing, you can drag the left and right sides and bottom to resize the popup. Also, new options to resize text area in the vertical layout, you can now drag the separator.

» Improved support for multiple monitor setups, especially on OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

» Improved support for writing in non-English languages as well as basic support for Right-to-Left languages. If NoteAway was having issues as you typed, they should now be fixed.

» Improved exporting. NoteAway will now export RTF files instead of RTFD files if there are no attachments. And, you can optionally export plain text (even with a custom extension), as well as include Tags when exporting on OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

» Various other improvements such as allowing spaces in Tags, rearranged main menu items, improved Global Shortcut reliability as well as other fixes and improvements.

subset: commoncrawl


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Janet Grogan on X Factor
Michael Kehoe is a writer for Irish Music Daily and Ireland Calling.
His favourite Irish Music bands are Flogging Molly and the Dropkick Murphys.
You can follow him on Twitter and Google Plus.
McGinty and Carlin represent Derry
Bono hopes to get better and better
Enya's in the money despite no new album
Celtic Thunder - the kings of Social Media
Museum to honour One Direction star Niall Horan
Why do we love Fairytale of New York
Lonely Sinead prefers America to Ireland
Susan Boyle bullied after doctor's incorrect diagnosis
Van Morrison – the ten million airplays man
In-ear earphones 'damaging' children's hearing


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- General questions and answers about cancer
- What are the different types of cancer treatment?
- What to expect when someone you know has cancer
- Ways to respond when someone you know has cancer
- A list of basic do's and don'ts when someone you know has cancer
- Offering support to someone with cancer
- What if the person's cancer comes back?
- To learn more
- References
General questions and answers about cancer
What is cancer?
The body is made up of trillions of living cells. Normal body cells grow, divide into new cells, and die in an orderly way. During the early years of a person's life, normal cells divide faster to allow the person to grow. After the person becomes an adult, most cells divide only to replace worn-out or dying cells or to repair injuries.
Cancer starts when cells in a part of the body start to grow out of control. There are many kinds of cancer, but they all start because of out-of-control growth of abnormal cells.
Cancer cell growth is different from normal cell growth. Instead of dying, cancer cells continue to grow and form new, abnormal cells. Cancer cells can also invade (grow into) other tissues, something that normal cells can't do. Growing out of control and invading other tissues are what makes a cell a cancer cell.
Cells become cancer cells because of damage to DNA. DNA is in every cell and directs all its actions. In a normal cell, when DNA gets damaged the cell either repairs the damage or dies. In cancer cells, the damaged DNA is not repaired, but the cell doesn't die like it should. Instead, this cell goes on making new cells that the body doesn't need. These new cells will all have the same damaged DNA as the first cell does.
People can inherit damaged DNA, but most DNA damage is caused by mistakes that happen while the normal cell is reproducing or by something in our environment. In most cases, no clear cause is found.
Cancer cells often form a tumor. But some cancers, like leukemias, rarely form tumors. Instead, these cancer cells involve the blood and blood-forming organs and circulate through other tissues where they grow.
Cancer cells often travel to other parts of the body, where they begin to grow and form new tumors that replace normal tissue. This process is called metastasis (meh-tas-tuh-sis). It happens when the cancer cells get into the bloodstream or lymph vessels of our body.
No matter where a cancer may spread, it's always named for the place where it started. For example, breast cancer that has spread to the liver is still called breast cancer, not liver cancer. Likewise, prostate cancer that has spread to the bone is metastatic prostate cancer, not bone cancer.
Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For example, lung cancer and colon cancer are very different diseases. They grow at different rates and respond to different treatments. That's why people with cancer need treatment that's aimed at their kind of cancer.
Not all tumors are cancer. Tumors that aren't cancer are called benign (be-nine). Benign tumors can cause problems – they can grow very large and press on healthy organs and tissues. But they can't grow into (invade) other tissues. Because they can't invade, they also can't spread to other parts of the body (metastasize). These tumors are almost never life threatening.
Is cancer contagious?
No, cancer is not contagious. In the past, people often avoided those who had cancer. They were afraid of all kinds of diseases, and didn't know enough about illness to understand that they were in no danger. Even today, families, friends, and co-workers of people with cancer sometimes shy away from them when they learn about the disease. As a result, people with cancer often say they feel isolated and alone. You don't have to stay away from someone with cancer – you cannot catch it from them. In fact, that person could probably use your company more than ever.
Is cancer caused by stress?
Many studies have looked for a link between personality, stress, and cancer. Careful reviews of scientific evidence do not show that someone's personality can increase their cancer risk. Study findings do not always agree, but the feeling of being stressed does not appear to be a strong predictor of cancer. Major life stressors, such as divorce or the death of a loved one, may raise cancer risk slightly. Also, poverty is linked to higher cancer risk, but this may be more related to health behaviors and poor access to medical care more than to poverty itself. Of interest, many studies have shown that people who are socially isolated are more likely to die of all causes, including cancer.
We do know that social support and practical help improve the quality of life of people with cancer, and in some cases prolong survival. These things also help people with cancer cope better with their diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. If someone you know has cancer, offering your help and emotional support is a key step toward helping that person manage the effects of their cancer.
Does cancer always cause pain?
Pain is one of the main reasons people fear cancer. If someone you know has cancer, it's normal to be worried about seeing him or her in pain. But there are some cancers which cause no physical pain at all. When a person with cancer does have pain it can be caused by a number of things. Some people have pain because of the growth of a tumor or as a result of advanced cancer, while others may have pain from surgery or the side effects of treatment.
You should also know that the cancer care team can treat and manage almost any kind of pain. A great deal of progress has been made in pain control, so pain can be reduced or relieved in almost all cases. Even patients with advanced disease can be kept comfortable.
You may also be concerned that someone taking pain medicine for cancer will become addicted to it. But the evidence shows that, in general, people who take prescribed drugs for cancer pain according to the doctor's directions do not become addicted. For more on this, please see Guide to Controlling Cancer Pain.
Do you always die if you have cancer?
No, but this idea is the major reason people fear cancer. The most recent available data shows that about 68% of people diagnosed with cancer are still alive 5 years later. Among those who are not cured of cancer, many can go on living for some years, even though there will be changes in their lives. For these people, cancer can be a lot like diabetes or heart disease – a chronic illness that's mostly controlled with treatment.
If someone you know has cancer, it's important for you to know that cancer is not a death sentence. If you believe they are beyond hope or help, you might not offer them your support. The truth is they may be living with a disease that can be treated or controlled. Keep in mind that cancer is often treatable, and even curable. This will help you focus on supporting the person as they learn to live with cancer. So remember the good news: there are nearly 14 million Americans alive today have had cancer, and the survival rate is improving all the time.
Last Medical Review: 05/13/2014
Last Revised: 02/05/2015


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Capitalize on your enterprising skills and venture into the world of business!
Are you caring and passionate about helping others? Spread your passion to your community through Community Support Services today!
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Like to tinker with new technology? Focus your inquisitive nature, and explore career opportunities in information technology.
Transform your creative flair, eye for detail, and love of technology into an inspiring career in web or graphic design.


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You are here
Senate Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee Hearing on FY 2010 Budget
Chairman Durbin, Ranking Member Collins and Members of the Committee, it is an honor to testify before you. I am pleased to be here to support the President's 2010 Budget for the SBA, but first I would like to briefly update you on the SBA's progress with the Recovery Act.
With the launch of the America's Recovery Capital (ARC) loan program yesterday, the SBA has implemented more than $645 million of the $730 million in total SBA Recovery Act funding. On March 19, we announced that we would raise guarantees on most 7(a) loans to 90% and reduce or eliminate fees on both of our flagship loan programs. The results are encouraging. In this environment of tight credit, we were able to increase our loan volume by more than 30% compared to the weeks before the Act was passed. Just as importantly, we have brought nearly 500 banks and credit unions back to the program, many of whom who had not participated since 2007.
By and large, the stimulus money is out in the marketplace – in the hands of entrepreneurs and small business owners – and it is working. At this pace, funding for the 90% guarantee and the fee reductions will last through December of this year.
Yesterday, we opened up applications in our ARC loans program. These loans will provide the relief that many viable but struggling small businesses need. The ARC loans are 100% guaranteed by the SBA for up to $35,000 with no interest for borrowers and no repayments for 12 months. We expect these loans to be in high demand. We have taken steps to ensure that smaller lenders and community banks have access to these loans before the supply runs out. Specifically, we have limited the number of loans a lender can give to 50 a week, with a total from any lending institution of no more than 1,000. And if a bank doesn't use all of the loans one week, they can roll them over to the next week.
The SBA is here to ensure that small business will continue to drive America's economic recovery and build a stronger foundation of American competitiveness while creating well-paying jobs in the 21st century.
The 2010 SBA Budget request of $779 million is key to moving forward with that overarching goal in mind. There are four basic functions of the Agency that are supported by this budget.
First, our disaster assistance programs ensure that businesses and communities can recover quickly from disaster and once again contribute to the local economy. We have a direct loan volume of more than $1 billion for this area and the processing times for our disaster loans are on target. We also have more than 1,200 trained standby employees who can be deployed to communities affected by disaster, and we continue to find ways to improve operations and planning in this area.
The total FY2010 request in this SBA function is $101 million for administration of the direct disaster loan program. Disaster loan subsidy funding is available through unobligated balances.
The budget request also includes $1.3 million in administration expenses for the disaster assistance programs and $1.7 million in credit subsidy funding to conduct two pilots of guaranteed disaster loan programs authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill.
Second, our capital access division oversees our business loan programs which now support a portfolio of more than $80 billion in loan guarantees. We have requested the same authorization levels as enacted in FY 2009 to support more than $28 billion in small business financing through our 7(a), 504, Small Business Investment Company and Microloan programs.1
The total subsidy request for this is $83 million for 2010, of which $80 million supports $17.5 billion in 7(a) volume and $3 million supports $25 million in Microloan volume.
Also, we continue our multi-year investment in the SBA's Loan Management Accounting System, an effort to replace our outdated computer system. The budget requests $5 million in additional funds for this effort.
Finally, $3 million is requested for Capital Access to conduct a study on the next generation of equity capital programs to help stimulate innovation and job creation.
Third, the SBA's Government Contracting Division helps small businesses receive opportunities to participate in government contracting and subcontracting, with a goal of delivering 23 percent of all federal prime contracts to small firms. These contracts serve as stepping stones for small business growth while allowing federal agencies access to quality products and services with high levels of innovation, service, and responsiveness.
This budget requests an additional $2 million to revise the certification process for the HUBZone and 8(a) Business Development programs, so that only eligible businesses participate in these programs. The money will also improve training programs which target both small businesses and procuring agencies to ensure that small businesses have the opportunity to compete.
Fourth, our entrepreneurial development division is the backbone of the agency, counseling entrepreneurs and small business owners across the country. We manage this effort through nearly 900 Small Business Development Centers and more than 100 Women's Business Centers, 350 chapters of SCORE, our mentoring program that matches experienced executives with small businesses, and other programs which comprise about 14,000 affiliated counselors in total. Entrepreneurial Development also includes major initiatives to reach small business owned by veterans, Native Americans, minorities and other populations, such as those in rural areas. Our role is to be there for those who need help accessing capital and advice to pursue small business opportunities.
I should note that the performance of our counseling operations is strong, with our Small Business Development Centers serving nearly 34,000 clients since October, a 5% increase compared to last fiscal year.
The major focus of this division in FY 2010 will be not only to maximize the impact of the linkages the SBA has with our extensive network of partners, but also to improve the coordination between our partners. In addition, we will take advantage of the collaborative opportunities we are seeing with federal agencies as well as state, local and private sector players who can help us serve entrepreneurs and small businesses.
The SBA is also engaged in new collaborations with the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Commerce, and others that I will describe further shortly.
As a foundation to support each of these four areas, the SBA is renewing its focus on investing in its people, technology, and other core agency investments that are critical to the agency's future.
With technology, the Recovery Act provides $20 million to move forward with efforts such as automating old paper-based systems, boosting data transfer speeds and a new web portal and a customer relationship management system.
The FY 2010 budget request includes $3 million for additional IT improvements related to technical training, off-site data storage, a better SBA internet presence, and more email storage capabilities for employees.
Our people, of course, are our strongest asset.
This budget request includes $13.6 million in additional funds for salaries and benefits, $10 million of which will go to hire about 80 additional employees, bringing total salary expenditures to $268 million with 2,203 employees. These new hires will be largely focused on loan purchases and processing.
This budget also requests an additional $2 million to help the agency address much needed efforts in this training, mentoring and our succession planning efforts. Our hope is that these investments in SBA staff will allow us to build on our recent Most Improved Agency award related to job satisfaction in the federal government. We rose from 30th to 26th, but there is still much room for improvement.
As you can see, we are a small agency with a big mission, especially in today's economic climate. Already, federal agencies throughout the Administration are turning to the SBA, looking for ways to tap into our vast network of staff and partners who are already "on the ground" interacting with small business owners across the country.
The most visible recent example of this has been our work with the Auto Task Force. We are moving rapidly to implement a new program to finance dealer floor plans. We have also been engaged more recently in the health care discussion to ensure that the needs of small business employees will be met in the future.
This budget allows us the flexibility to build more of these partnerships to adapt to the needs of these challenging times. Specifically, $20 million is allocated in the 2010 budget to allow the SBA to create truly powerful collaborations through three major initiatives.
The first initiative provides an additional $5 million to focus on veterans business issues. We have 12,000 troops coming home from Iraq this summer and tens of thousands more in the coming year. We must be ready to serve these veterans who are, or who want to become, small business owners.
Already, we have 8 specialized veterans resource centers, but we need to be serving veterans throughout our 900 Small Business Development Centers, our 350 SCORE chapters and our other partners. Also, there are nearly 2 million women veterans, and we need to ensure that our Women's Business Centers are well-equipped to serve all of them.
The $5 million requested in the 2010 budget will leverage our existing networks to serve veterans. We are already in conversations with the Secretary at Veterans Affairs on how to coordinate our efforts. This is the part of an overall objective at the SBA and across the Administration to collaborate and break down "sacred turf" in order to make our dollars work more efficiently for those who need our help.
Secondly, a $10 million initiative is requested to create a program of Ready Reserve teams or SWAT teams. This will be an interagency collaboration with SBA experts and experts at other federal agencies. At the request of the community, this team will go into areas that have been disproportionately impacted by the economy and help them plan for growth.
This will include regions that have been hit in the manufacturing sector, the automotive industry, and other communities that are reinventing their local economy from the ground up.
I recently went to Kokomo, Indiana, a town with 25% auto industry unemployment. The mayor, Greg Goodnight, asked me for exactly this kind of help as they work to grow new companies in electronics and engineering.
The Ready Reserve teams will work closely with our existing SBA partners to leverage the local assets in communities like Kokomo and uncover possible new opportunities. They will find ways to grow a broader knowledge base, to learn new skill sets, and to create 21st century jobs.
Third, the Budget contains a $5 million initiative is to support small businesses who participate in Regional Economic Clusters.
An example is the Maine boatbuilders who are working with new composite technology to create lighter, faster boats that are competitive in global markets. Senator Collins has been working with this group for some time. Maine's small boatbuilders have clustered together to be a new driver of the state's economy.
Clusters are forming in every state and will be fueled by efforts in the departments of Commerce and Energy. The SBA's resources on the ground will coordinate with Commerce's manufacturing and export centers, Labor's trade assistance programs, and others to serve each cluster's particular needs.
This budget will allow us $5 million for this effort to identify, grow and expand the partnerships that will allow us to maximize the national economic impact of regional clusters.
In sum, this $20 million budget request will allow the SBA to be a strong voice for small business across the Administration while reaching out to underserved populations such as veterans… emphasizing innovation in areas hard-hit by the recession… and building on the strengths that already exist in small business communities.
In the coming fiscal year, my personal commitment is that the SBA will measure our progress on an agency wide-basis and transparently report our activities to taxpayers. Already, we are tracking our overall progress in a systematic and integrated way, reviewing a dashboard of data on a weekly and monthly basis. We will use these metrics to continue implementing the Recovery Act, reinvigorating our agency and serving as the strongest possible voice for small business.
Provided with the resources, the SBA can continue to be a true catalyst for the growth and innovation – helping entrepreneurs and small business owners lead us out of this recession, stimulate the economy, strengthen U.S. competitiveness, and create new, well-paying 21st-century jobs.
Thank you and now I'm pleased to take your questions.


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Location: Atlantic Station / 1380 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta GA 30363
Event Time and Date:
November 28, 2012
8:00 pm
Event Description: Totem traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations. Inspired by many founding myths, Totem illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species.
Price: starting at $35.00
Website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/tickets/atlanta.aspx?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=none&utm_campaign=072712^lvn^_live-nation-atlanta-atl-parent-event-listing&utm_content=text-link&utm;_term=(not-set)&cid=tot_afi_non_txt_tks_lvn_072712_live-nation-atlanta-atl-parent-event-listing_
Ages: All


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A Young Woman Grabs the Golden Ticket To College and a Better Future
Jessica McCormick never doubted she was going to college.
Not when she ran away from a violent home the summer before her senior year. Not when she bounced among the houses of friends and extended family. Not when, more than once, she wound up living, for several weeks, on the streets of her hometown, Grand Rapids, MI.
Despite everything, McCormick got good grades, worked in her high school's main office, sent off her college application and graduated. In June 2010, she received an acceptance letter from Aquinas College, a liberal arts school in Grand Rapids. And she realized she couldn't afford to go.
On average, higher education boosts people's lifetime earnings compared to having a high school-level diploma or less. For unaccompanied youth like McCormick, who have no fixed residence or family support, "It's the door out of not being able to get a job, not being able to support yourself," she says—in other words, a first step toward economic independence, a meaningful career and overall self-sufficiency.
McCormick's social workers at Arbor Circle, a Family and Youth Services Bureau-funded runaway and homeless youth program, jumped in to help.
"They were basically saying, 'That's the golden ticket in your hand,'" McCormick says. "'Don't throw it out.'" Arbor staff worked with the college's administrators, got McCormick financial aid, and arranged for her to start living on campus even before the semester started.
Now 20 years old and a junior majoring in sociology and community leadership, McCormick has started an organization called Hope House, which will support unaccompanied youth at her college by offering life-skills training, tutoring, mentoring, and other services and by acting as a liaison to the college's administration. To build her experience in the social services field, last summer she interned with the Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness.
"In my ideal world," she says, "every homeless youth would have a person or family member who would encourage them and help them find their golden ticket."


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The Gonzaga University women's basketball team put together a spectacular performance Thursday evening defeating the University of Idaho 97-62 in front of 5,370 Bulldog faithful at the McCarthey Athletic Center. The lopsided victory, which saw all 14 players score, was a perfect way to head into the holiday break and to rebound from a tough loss to Ohio State University Monday.
"We were very balanced tonight," explained Gonzaga head coach Kelly Graves after the game. "These are great games. Everybody got in and everybody contributed. I thought we really played well tonight, no question about it. Idaho is a good team and offensively we were as good as I think we can possibly be."
It was junior Jazmine Redmon that shined the brightest Thursday, collecting multiple career-highs. The guard from Spokane, Wash., dished out a career-high 11 assists – eight in the first 20 minutes - to go along with a career-tying high five steals. She also scored eight points and had four rebounds in 23 minutes of action.
"My teammates were just making their shots, so I kept getting it to them," explained Redmon whose previous career-high in assists was seven, secured four different times. "The team was just feeling the shots and I knew if I got them the ball they would get the two or a three."
That her teammates did. The Zags finished the contest hitting 40-of-74 from the field for a season-high 54.1 percent shooting.
Better than the field goal accuracy was the Bulldogs were credited with 31 assists on the 40 made baskets. The 31 assists tied the second-highest single-game assist output in school history and was just two shy of tying the record set in 1988.
"We had 31 assists tonight and that is terrific," stated Graves. "When the shots are falling and we are sharing the ball we are playing the right way and it is good basketball."
Thirteen of the 14 Bulldogs earned an assist. Sophomore Maiki Viela doled out a career-high five assists in 10 minutes of play, while senior Taelor Karr was credited with four.
Offensively, four players scored in double-figures. Gonzaga was led by both sophomore Sunny Greinacher and junior Stephanie Golden with 12 points apiece. Redshirt freshman Shelby Cheslek chipped in a career-high 10 points, while junior Haiden Palmer also had 10.
It was Greinacher, Cheslek and Golden that paced the Zags to their 48-26 halftime advantage over the Vandals. Each post tallied eight points in the opening 20 minutes and combined to shoot 12-of-19 from the floor.
Gonzaga had 13 players score in the second half and was led by sophomore Danielle Walters' nine points on three 3-pointers.
The Bulldogs largest lead of the contest came on Walters second 3-pointer of the night which put the score at 88-44 with 6:45 left in the game.
The 35-point victory improved GU's record to 10-3 on the year, while the setback dropped Idaho to 3-8 overall.
Gonzaga now gets to enjoy the holidays with family and friends and returns to action Saturday, Dec. 29 when it hosts Washington State University at 2 p.m.
Newspaper Box Score
IDAHO VANDALS vs GONZAGA BULLDOGS
12/20/12 6:00 pm at McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER - SPOKANE, WA
At McCARTHEY ATHLETIC CENTER - SPOKANE, WA
Charlston, Alyssa 7-12 4-6 21; Karr, Krissy 2-3 0-0 6; Ballestero, Connie
3-9 0-0 6; Forde, Ali 2-5 2-3 6; Graham, Jessica 3-6 0-0 6; Weiss, Janelle
1-5 2-3 5; Barr, Stacey 2-10 0-0 4; Schivo, Addie 1-2 0-0 3; Salvatore,
Christina 0-10 3-4 3; Austgulen, Maren 1-3 0-0 2; Overgaard, Ana 0-0 0-0 0.


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Description goes here
Our eco-friendly, nature-based lodge, is the perfect place for your Florida vacation. If you enjoy golf or any type of outdoor recreation, Wildwood Resort- just 30 minutes South of Tallahassee, Florida - is the place for you and your family.
So, what is a green hotel? Green Lodges, also referred to as green hotels, earth-friendly inns, eco-lodges, and eco-resorts, feature innovative and imaginative programs for conserving natural resources. The Florida Green Lodging Certification Program acknowledges and promotes lodging facilities that demonstrate water and energy conservation, waste minimization, recycling, indoor air quality, environmentally preferable purchasing, program sustainability, and pollution prevention. It's the least we can do to conserve and protect Florida's most precious natural resources. So rest assured your stay at Wildwood Resort is certified earth-friendly.
The Florida Green Lodging Program was established in 2004 by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) with the intent of recognizing and rewarding environmentally conscientious lodging facilities in the state. Through this rapidly growing program DEP encourages the lodging industry to conserve and protect Florida's natural resources. The Florida Green Lodging Program is unique in that it covers an all-inclusive list of environmental initiatives that are specific to protecting and preserving Florida's environment.
The lodging industry is one of Florida's largest commercial sectors. In 2005, according to research conducted by VISIT FLORIDA®, 83.6 million people visited Florida with about 50 percent of those staying in a hotel, motel or bed & breakfast. With this many visitors, the lodging industry can have a significant and positive impact on Florida's natural resources.
Going on vacation doesn't mean travelers should stop being environmentally conscientious. Be it water, fuel or energy conservation, each little bit helps to cut down vacation costs and protect the state's natural resources for future generations. Consider some of the following conservation tips for on the road travel:
Be a "green" guest— the following practices make overnight stays more eco-friendly:


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2 Comments
I love Jon Stewart…that CNN dude is an idiot.
But I thought Jeff had Pujlos on his ceiling? My image of him is now shattered ;o)
The other day I wrote what I thought was a heartfelt tribute to my good friend, Jeffery Lung. I lost a contest and as the terms of the contest dictated, I had to write an essay in praise of Jeff and that I did. However, it seems that everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Apparently the ethos of "gotcha' journalism" has seeped into every aspect of American life to the extent that even a laudatory essay automatically becomes suspect. C'mon people. I am not Keith Olbermann. I am not these guys:
I lost fair and square and so I did what was asked of me.
Now, I could have gone to one of the two extremes. I could have given the Oliver Stone on Hugo Chavez hagiography treatment to Jeff and made myself into as laughable an icon as the director of Platoon has now become. Or, I could have gone the other direction and filled the entry so full of sarcasm and tongue in cheek humor as to lose all sense of the original terms of the contest. Like Robert Frost, though, when I saw two roads diverge in a wood, I took the one less traveled by. The honorable one.
But the honorable path apparently doesn't mean much these days. You all want to hear me talk about Jeff's impressive collection of exfoliants and cleansers. Or his inability to find a girlfriend. Or Fernando Tatis' repeated requests to Jeff to stop sending him pictures and letters about how much alike their goatees look. But I drew a line and I refused to cross it.
So, you can continue waiting for the other shoe to drop, but you'll be waiting a long time. Jeff is my friend and that means I don't question his decision to hang a life-size poster of Patrick Swayze over his bed. Really, that is what being a friend is all about. And god knows it's better than a life-size poster of Whoopi Goldberg.
I love Jon Stewart…that CNN dude is an idiot.
But I thought Jeff had Pujlos on his ceiling? My image of him is now shattered ;o)
You two guys are so incredibly entertaining. I Love your stuff!
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The McHenry Police Department will host its first Coffee with the Chief event on Dec. 10.
Starting this month, Police Chief John Jones will conduct monthly "Coffee with the Chief" presentations.
These presentations are free to the public and will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on the second Monday of each month in the classroom at the Municipal Center, 333 S. Green St.
The first meeting will include a presentation by Sgt. Kevin Cox on the agency's involvement with the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System and tactical response incidents.
For information, visit the McHenry Police Department Facebook page or call 815-363-2218.


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A Rubik's cube of health careFebruary 03,2013
The University of Massachusetts Medical School released the fourth Vermont single-payer health care study done since 2001. Each has confirmed that both health care security and substantial savings are possible.
UMass makes perhaps the most compelling case for single-payer of them all. Without reform, Vermonters in 2017 will be paying more than $2 billion in private insurance premiums, plus more than $800 million in out-of-pocket medical expenses the product of the current relentless race-to-the-bottom competition for higher co-pays and deductibles compared to $1.6 million in local financing under a single payer that insures everyone and upgrades the coverage of those now underinsured.
The real challenge will be with crafting financing of that $1.6 billion in a way that will transmit those savings where we want them to go and not cause serious economic dislocation. Do we switch over to taxes? Do we continue to use premiums? In order to answer that, we need first to understand the current financing system. Its not what you might think.
Employment-based health insurance covers about 355,000 of Vermonts 625,000 residents. Employers pay about three-fourths of that premium cost. Any tax financing system will want a maintenance of effort that mirrors the existing contribution as much as possible. It is likely that tax financing would include an employer payroll tax that replaces the premium contributions they otherwise would be making for their employees.
This sounds simple enough at first blush, except that more than half of all Vermont businesses do not now offer coverage at all. Most of them are very small firms that are exempt from any requirement to do so under the federal Affordable Care Act.
Furthermore, the small firms that do provide coverage tend to be indirectly cross-subsidized by larger firms. Two-earner households tend to get their familys insurance from the larger of their respective employers. Large employers end up insuring in a greater proportion of the population than their share of either employment or payroll. Consequently, health insurance contributions tend to take an increasing bite out of payroll as firms get larger.
In other words, what we have right now is an informal system that, despite its many imperfections, generates substantial employer contributions, is graduated, exempts the majority of small business, and on average provides a level of coverage nearly equal to the platinum standard under the federal Affordable Care Act. We wont want to scuttle that.
Because of this, a flat-rate payroll tax will make losers of small businesses and winners of large employers. In addition, a flat payroll assessment will raise more money from small, non-insuring businesses than is required to cover the uninsured. It is little wonder we have heard so many business owners oppose payroll tax financing, given the flat payroll tax rates that have been suggested.
So what about a graduated payroll tax that mimics the contribution that employers are already making? Unless small firms are exempted altogether or pay a very low rate, the firms not now offering coverage a majority of all firms will still experience considerable sticker shock, likely dooming the single-payer enterprise politically.
Requiring all small firms to contribute substantially could also result in adverse wage effects. Lower-paying jobs tend to be concentrated in smaller businesses. It is generally recognized that health insurance is a fringe benefit paid out of a firms wages fund and causes downward pressure on wages.
So a tax-based system may want to craft a small firm exemption. But small firms consist of well-paid professionals in addition to mom and pops and struggling start-ups. So who is in? Who is out?
A switch to a tax-based financing system may also mean a big loss for organized labor. While most unorganized employees pay about 25 percent of the premium cost under their employer-sponsored coverage, the employee contribution paid under most collective bargaining agreements is much lower than that.
So as the 2001 Lewin report suggested, do we allow employers to pay a higher percentage of their payroll into the single-payer than the statutory rate? Do we exempt collectively bargained health plans from tax contributions altogether and allow them to buy into single-payer coverage by paying a lump sum premium? Or do we just say tough luck to unions who have traded wage gains for better coverage?
The UMass report has already broached the use of over $300 million in private premiums as part of single-payer financing. This raises the option of a single-payer that is even more significantly premium-financed, at least for the population not Medicaid- and Medicare-eligible.
Under this approach, Green Mountain Care single-payer coverage would have to be included as part of any coverage offered by an employer or purchased by an individual, akin to a Medicare Part C policy that includes Medicare plus any supplemental coverage.
A premium-based approach would dispense with much of the new taxes bogeyman (which always neglects to mention that the new taxes are replacing the old premiums). According to the Hsiao report, premium financing would transmit reform savings across the board to all businesses. But the approach has it own set of problems.
It would keep coverage tethered to employment. It would require financing an ongoing tax-financed subsidy for individuals not offered coverage at work so that, like under the Affordable Care Act, premiums are capped by income. That would require the added administrative expense of maintaining a means-tested subsidy system. And the track record of such subsidy systems has yet to show that it could attain universal coverage.
But such dilemmas are the Rubiks cube of health care reform and will have to be resolved no matter which path is chosen. The Legislature needs this session to begin the discussion of the menu of reform financing options and these trade-offs.
Otherwise when the next biennium rolls around and decisions have to be made, the question of system financing will present a seemingly insurmountable challenge that could stymie the remainder of the reform effort altogether.
John Franco is a Burlington attorney who has been active in health care reform for more than 25 years.MORE IN PerspectiveAlong with many Vermonters, immigrant farm workers in the Green Mountain State watched with... Full StoryVermonters have waited patiently for almost nine months now an exceedingly long period of time,... Full StoryBricks. The wall was full of bricks. Full Story
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Equal attention to Learning Supports is essential so that:
- Every student will demonstrate academic achievement and be prepared for success after high school;
- Every student will be supported by highly prepared and effective teachers and school leaders; and
- Every school will offer a safe and healthy learning environment for all students.
Since the '80's, the word "Wraparound" has carried many definitions, a philosophy, an approach, and a service. Throughout the word's evolution, the concept of Wraparound has consistently been characterized as an intensive, individualized care planning and management process. Wraparound is not treatment. Through a Wraparound process, a Child and Family Team collaboratively develop an individualized service and support plan to meet the needs of children/youth with an emphasis on integrating the youth into the community and building the family's social support network.
The values of Wraparound, as expressed in its core principles, are consistent with the system of care principles. The planning process along with the services and supports should be:
- Individualized,
- Family driven,
- Culturally competent,
- Community based,
- Natural supports, and
- Strengths based.


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Producer Profiles
Majomut - Unión de Productores Orgánicos Beneficio Majomut
Majomut is an association of cooperatives in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, uniting 1,000 coffee-growing families in 35 Tzotzil and Tzeltal indigenous communities. The group originally formed in 1981 with the mission to improve living conditions for producer families, and, in 1994, they became Fair Trade Certified. Their coffee is also Certified Organic, a practice they value not only for the absence of chemical fertilizers but because it allows them to care for the land as their ancestors did, fostering an intimate connection with nature for each farmer. This mountainous, high-altitude region is ideal for coffee cultivation, thanks to the heavy rains and dense soils teeming with fertile volcanic ashes. Selling their high-quality beans in the Fair Trade market allows them to continue pursuing their goals of social organization, environmental protection, and community development.


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Diversey Acquired Sealed Air Corp. and Diversey Holdings, Inc., have announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Sealed Air will acquire Diversey in a transaction valued at $4.3 billion. Diversey provides cleaning, sanitization and hygiene solutions to industrial and retail customers in the food and beverage, food service, health care, and lodging sectors, as well as to building service contractors worldwide. In 2010, it generated net sales of $3.1 billion. ...
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Empowered! by Earth Hour
"a little poem"
Time to flick off the power!
and guess watt?
it goes for a
whole hour!
We sit & talk
we go for a walk
we eat we drink
but! most of all we think!
Together in the dark
or; with my family in the park
or ... at the beach;
eating a peach!
My hat is green
I am very keen
Here I am!
I want to SCREAM!
written by "me down unda"


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Sat, 1 Dec 2012 8:00 PM - $enddisplaydate
Dec. 1-2
8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday (12:30 p.m. children's activities in the Grand Lobby)
Concert Hall, Forbes Center for the Performing Arts
The Shenandoah Valley's most beloved family holiday tradition for 44 years. This community favorite returns with a cornucopia of performances by JMU's small and large music ensembles and musical theatre students. The concert also features a holiday reading by a local Harrisonburg celebrity prior to the Dec. 2 matinee (at 12:30 p.m.), children can enjoy crafts, cookies and cider in the Grand Lobby. For tickets, check http://www.jmu.edu/jmuarts/ or call (540) 568-7000.
- Oct 22: - Dec 7: Sawhill Gallery Exhibition
- Oct 23: - Dec 1: New Image Gallery Exhibition
- Nov 16: - Jan 5: College for Kids


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Tonight we hear exclusively from people who were on the Makani Kai flight that crashed and killed State Health Director Loretta Fuddy.
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The Secret Health Benefit in Olive Oil's Scent
As if we didn't already love extra virgin olive oil enough–we even have a well known abbreviation for it, EVOO–two recently released research studies are giving us another reason to love this healthy fat!
Aside from being chockfull of antioxidants and high in monounsaturated fat, researchers have found that olive oil increases satiety, the feeling of fullness, which could be key to a healthy diet and weight loss.
Read on about why you should smell your olive oil after the jump!
Categories: Every Day Scoop, Food | Tags: EVOO, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Food News, Health, Healthy News, Judith Pena, Science
9 Comments


text: RV challange kiritasltu posted:2/19/2013 5:16:04 PM so want i one to do is i want to challange anybody in this site to know who is better in remote viewing the challange would last about week after that winner would be anounnced there is no prize i just one to test out mu rv abillity and see how better poeple are so if you interested write then i will choose whit who to battle and one week challange will begiin.kiritasltu posted:2/19/2013 5:17:51 PM sry for bad englishJaxerback posted:2/19/2013 6:39:51 PM I accept your challenge..and,geriausias zmogus gali laimeti...what a strange language!Wereparadox posted:2/19/2013 8:45:39 PM Is this a see the future remote view or see someone in the shower romote view. Cause those are the only two I know of.bobprin posted:2/19/2013 10:54:27 PM Don't look for me in the shower, it would take therapy and medication to return to normal.breeld posted:2/20/2013 8:27:53 AM Naw-that`s called voyeurism. Of course if you do it remotely, like with binoculars, it could be called remote viewing. Just to let you know, I just remote viewed bobprin, caught him in the shower, and GOD HELP US ALL!!!!!!!! Just sayin`......gary107 posted:2/20/2013 10:51:23 AM quick, Bob, tell your wife you are being stalked. tell her right away and then it appears it is not your fault.breeld posted:2/21/2013 5:45:56 AM lmaogary107 posted:2/21/2013 12:38:48 PM is there something I do not understand ?kiritasltu posted:2/21/2013 1:36:15 PM okey jaxer tommorow i will anounnce details and tegu geriauses laimi my langue is like japanese but japanese bit harderLincolnGenghis posted:2/21/2013 6:20:19 PM Kaip būti nustatomas nugalėtojas? , Kuris asmuo nuspręs? Už bonus taškus, kas buvo mano gėrimo praeitą naktį?gary107 posted:2/21/2013 7:55:33 PM sounds like the syntax is German.Jaxerback posted:2/21/2013 7:59:23 PM Guinness?kiritasltu posted:2/22/2013 11:46:27 AM okey details are simple i will take one thing and put it on my table and you will do same and winner will be what who will guess what other have so pleaz no cheating i want fare game and may the best one win.LincolnGenghis posted:2/23/2013 12:42:07 AM In Reply To:gary107 posted:2/21/2013 7:55:33 PM sounds like the syntax is German.lol german LincolnGenghis posted:2/23/2013 1:13:06 AM Some of the most brilliant people in the arts and music can so easily be brainwashed and manipulated I never understood that. gary107 posted:2/23/2013 2:17:48 AM they think with their hearts instead of their heads. Please log in or become a member to add a post.