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Normandy reverses, will pay transfer tuition bills
The Normandy School District will pay the tuition bills for students who've transferred away from the unaccredited district. The school board voted Wednesday night to reverse its October decision to withhold the funds.
Board members had objected to paying the nearly $1.4 million bill because the cash strapped district is already struggling to cover the cost of educating its remaining students. But withholding of the tuition had put the district at odds with state law, and in jeopardy of losing state funds.
Parents and teachers again asked the board to reconsider planned budget cuts that will result in teacher layoffs and one school closure.
MO supers offer student-transfer woes solution
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - A group of Missouri school superintendents has developed an alternative to a state law allowing students to transfer from unaccredited to accredited districts.
The Kansas City Star reports that under the plan, students in struggling districts could transfer to better-performing schools in their home districts. And after five years of failure, districts could be dissolved and distributed to accredited districts.
Twenty leaders from around Missouri drafted the school-improvement plan and provided it to The Star on Monday. The draft says the existing transfer law "is not in the best interest of all students and will not lead to improvement of unaccredited districts."
A spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro hasn't yet had a chance to review the proposal.
Normandy to cut more than 100 teachers
Normandy Schools Superintendent Ty McNichols will outline proposed budget cuts at Thursday night's school board meeting. But Wednesday, district officials briefed employees about the plan as the struggling district tries to cover transfer costs for hundreds of students.
Teachers learned yesterday that 103 of the district's 650 employees will lose their jobs by the end of December. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that layoff notices will go out next month.
District officials say class sizes could go as high as 29 students and Bel-Nor Elementary School is expected to close.
The district is projecting a $6.8 million shortfall this school year because of the added cost of the state mandated school transfer program.
Riverview Gardens working to balance cost of transfers
The Riverview Gardens School District will offset some of the $15 million they're spending on the school transfer program with a series of budget cuts, but no layoffs so far.
District officials outlined the cuts Tuesday. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the district will save as much as $3 million by leaving teacher vacancies unfilled, slashing the professional development budget, modifying the busing contract and through other savings in technology and facilities costs.
Even with the budget cuts, the district will be more than $7 million in the red if transfer costs remain the same in the 2014-15 school year.
Teachers in the Normandy District have been told they won't avoid layoffs as that district deals with transfer costs. On Thursday, Superintendent Ty McNichols will present a staff reduction plan that could include a school closing. Normandy officials say they will run $6.8 million short before the end of this school year.
After the state Supreme Court upheld Missouri's school transfer law, more than 2,000 students opted to transfer out of the unaccredited districts and attend better performing schools. Under the law, their home districts must cover costs.
Normandy School Dist. will have better budget picture in spring
Normandy officials say it's too soon to say whether the cost of hundreds of students transferring out of the unaccredited district will lead to major budget cuts.
Assistant Superintendent of Operations, Mick Willis, told board members Wednesday night that staffing levels, the number of buildings the district can operate and the number of services it can provide are largely driven by the number of students enrolled in the district.
"We have to pay a lot of attention to enrollment, what those numbers look like," Willis said. "And then where we should be relative to those enrollment numbers."
A final budget recommendation will be made to the board in June, after property tax revenues are determined.
Parents who attended Wednesday's board meeting were more concerned about the district's progress toward accreditation.
MO Legislatures hold hearings on state's school transfer rules
There are a lot of problems with Missouri's school transfer law, but no easy solutions. That's what state lawmakers heard from St. Louis area school administrators and state educators during five hours of hearings Tuesday.
The legislators are considering changes to the current law that allows students in unaccredited districts to transfer to better schools at the expense of their home district. Issues of cost were a repeated theme yesterday.
Three districts in the state are currently unaccredited: Normandy, Riverview Gardens and Kansas City. But with 11 other districts only having provisional accreditation and new state education standards, there is concern that the transfer situation could be much more widespread in the next few years.
Education a priority for Missouri lawmakers
The many issues surrounding education in Missouri has lawmakers taking a closer look at student transfers, teacher evaluations and school safety. An interim House committee on education is holding hearings on those and other topics this week in several communities. Meetings today in St. Charles and St. Louis will focus on student transfers out of unaccredited districts. This fall, students from the Riverview Gardens and Normandy districts became the first in Missouri to transfer to neighboring districts. Meanwhile, the Joint Committee on Education has scheduled a hearing October 1 in Jefferson City focused solely on student transfers.
State education officials asking for more money to help unaccredited district
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Missouri education officials are seeking an additional $6.8 million to help an unaccredited school district in the St. Louis area.
The State Board of Education approved the budget request Tuesday for the Normandy district. That's the first step in a process that ultimately requires the support of the governor and Legislature to become a reality.
Students started transferring out of the Normandy and Riverview Gardens districts this year under a state law that requires unaccredited districts to pay the costs for students who want to attend other public schools.
The state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says Normandy is projected to run out of money in March.
The additional funding recommended Tuesday would come as a supplemental state budget item to be considered after lawmakers convene in January.
Francis Howell sends first tuition bill to Normandy
The first tuition bill is in for Normandy students who transferred to Francis Howell.
Four hundred forty-nine transfer students began classes in Francis Howell schools on August 8th. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the total due now is just over $424,000. Francis Howell Chief Financial Officer Kevin Supple told the paper the bill was sent Tuesday via email.
Normandy officials say the invoice must be processed and approved by the school board, which could take a month or more.
Missouri education officials have suggested unaccredited districts pay tuition bills within 10 days. State officials have also said they will withhold state aid distributions if an unaccredited district falls two months behind in paying transfer tuition.
MO officials have plan to increase oversight of unaccredited schools
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The State Board of Education is increasing its oversight of Missouri's unaccredited schools and hiring a consultant to help develop an improvement plan.
The board's action comes in advance of an Aug. 28 effective date for a new law allowing the state to more quickly intervene in unaccredited schools. Three districts currently lack accreditation - Kansas City and the suburban St. Louis systems of Normandy and Riverview Gardens.
State Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro says state personnel will increase classroom visits and interaction with local education officials.
The board also approved a contract with The Cities for Education Entrepreneurship Trust to analyze the reasons for failure in the Kansas City School District and make recommendations to improve it. The suggestions also could be used for other schools.
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Join United States Tennis Association (USTA) Colorado tennis instructors for a free, fun introduction to the sport of tennis using the QuickStart Tennis play format. Geared towards kids 10 and under, the QuickStart Tennis format is an exciting new way to teach kids tennis.
There will be two sessions: 2:00 - 2:45pm ~ Ages: 4-6 years old 2:45 - 3:30pm ~ Ages: 7-10 years old
Wear your tennis shoes and get ready to play! We'll provide everything else.
For more information please contact the Blair-Caldwell Library at (720) 865-2401 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
Learn yoga poses with Harmony Yoga. Aprende posturas de yoga con Harmony Yoga.
It is the new craze! Come zumba with us. Ven a bailar zumba con nosotros.
Curious about the ancient Chinese art of feng shui? Lorrie Webb Grillo, Certified Practitioner of Essential Feng Shui and owner of Thriving Spaces Denver will demonstrate how you can use Feng Shui tools to make beneficial changes to your environment.
Learn yoga positions with Harmony Yoga. Limited to 24 participants. Aprende posturas de yoga con Harmony Yoga. Se limita a 24 participantes.
Learn about Aromatherapy and make a couple of potions to take home! Aprende sobre la aromaterapia y haz unas pociones para llevar a casa.
DPL Holiday Closures December 24, 25, 31, January 1 More...
DPL Newsletters All Social Media

subset: commoncrawl


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Old Maid and marbles, tin checkers, sock monkeys and Raggedy Ann storybooks ring up intrinsic childhood memories from the past, especially for baby boomers and their parents.
So it should be of little surprise, then, that vintage toys from Tonka trucks and Furby to Rock 'Em Sock 'Em robots and chatter telephones (dial-up, of course) are causing cash registers to ring during this Christmas season as retailers offer increased "retro" toy selections.
It is not a full-fledged trend yet, experts say, but each year shoppers are seeing a few more toy items they remember from their pasts.
"This year we happen to have some hot toys – some really 'topping everyone's list toys,' and I think it's bringing it more to the forefront," said Laurie Schacht, toy expert and co-publisher of the Toy Insider, an annual consumer holiday toy guide.
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/12/02/2540378/retro-toys-making-comeback-this.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy
You're seeing the return of Furby, the 1990s Hasbro owl/hamster creature, that Schacht says will end the 2012 Christmas holiday shopping season as one of the "hottest" toys out there, along with the return of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which also is doing well at retail counters, she said.
But so is the decades-old Slinky, (the song is celebrating its 50th anniversary), Cabbage Patch babies and Spirographs, in limited distribution this holiday year, but poised for a bigger release in 2013, Schacht said.
"It's such a great toy, a craft activity," she said of the Spirograph. "I was so excited when I saw it."
It's a combination of factors that bring a retro toy to the top of current toy lists, Schacht said, including parents who remember when they played with the toy or parents who remember when their kids played with the toy (and now want to purchase it for their grandkids).
In the case of Furby, Schacht said each of her kids had their own when they were little. "Now Furby is back, and back in a big way. You're seeing Furby all over – that's another thing that's clearly moving it to the top of the list. And this Furby is even better than the original one," Schacht said, featuring more animation and functioning on 21st-century apps.
Schacht admits that her initial concerns that the retro Furby would be too expensive (they cost considerably more than the originals), have proven to be misguided.
While Furby, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Cabbage Patch dolls are beloved by Gen Xers, certain retro toys resonate across generations, she said. And several retailers now carry displays of retro toy items, from local second-hand and vintage shops to Target, Toys R Us, Walmart, Mast General and others.
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Adopt Ronson!
VIDEO: Misheard Song Lyrics - 2013 Edition
VIDEO: Kindergartner Signs Her Class Holiday Concert As A Surprise For Her Deaf Parents
He makes his move for a goodnight kiss and she SHAKES HIS HAND! (Oh... and it's all caught on this security camera)
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Worst way to EVER get 'closer' from a previous relationship
Men and women have VERY different ideas about beauty: Amazing graphic shows ideal female face according to each sex
Here's one way to get back at an ump for some bad calls...
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Does This Commercial Nail The Double Standard Between Men and Women?


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HJC has been designing & manufacturing high quality protective helmets since the early 1950s. In the 1990s HJC became the American top selling motorcycle helmet - a position it has held ever since. HJC's focus remains on building helmets of remarkably high quality, with extraordinarily generous specifications and at unbelievably reasonable prices.
The HJC FS-11 Motorcycle Helmet is one of HJC's long surviving models due to its simple design, practicality and reliability. With the FS-11 you can guarantee that you are well covered as it features are there to make your ride as comfortable and as clear as possible. The easy operating sun visor works hand in hand with the simple touch cheek pad inflation system. You can also take this quality on track as the FS-11 is ACU Gold approved making it perfect for track use in almost any condition. HJC have a huge range of helmets for every type of rider so get down to GhostBikes today for great prices on all the HJC range!!!
GhostBikes now stock a full range of HJC Motorcycle helmets Please click here to see what's currently available.
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Welcome to my MULTIFANDOM blog!! My name is Alex, 19, United States.
Fandoms: Doctor Who, Sherlock, Merlin, GoT, LOST, Orphan Black, Downton Abbey, Supernatural, Robin Hood, Borgias, HP, LOTR, Marvel, Hunger Games, Disney, Les Miserables, Star Trek, Breaking Bad, and Percy Jackson.
I also love anything Broadway, Gotye, Jessica Chastain, Period Drama, and I'm a Nerdfighter!!
haha c:


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Widespread Roma exclusion persists, find new surveys
Roma kids take photos in their community
BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – 24 May, 2012 – Many Roma continue to face discrimination and social exclusion across the European Union (EU), according to a new report published jointly by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and UNDP. The situation of Roma is on average worse than the situation of non-Roma who live close by.
The report is based on two surveys on the socio-economic situation of Roma and non-Roma living nearby in 11 EU Member States and in neighbouring European countries.
"These survey results paint a grim picture of the current situation of the Roma across the 11 EU Member States surveyed," says FRA Director Morten Kjaerum.
"Discrimination and anti-gypsyism persist. The results show that swift, effective action is needed, particularly to improve Roma education. This is key to unlock their future potential, and it will equip young Roma with the skills they need to escape the vicious cycle of discrimination, exclusion and poverty."
The report shows that in the 11 EU Member States surveyed, where the overwhelming majority of Roma EU citizens live, the situation of Roma in the areas of employment, education, housing and health is on average worse than the situation of non-Roma living close by. Roma continue to experience discrimination and are not sufficiently aware of their rights guaranteed by EU law.
"For me the most striking finding was the high number of working children," said UNDP human development advisor Andrey Ivanov. "We all know that children are the major victims of poverty and the data on children below the age of 15 working (and respectively – not studying) is a brutal indicator of this." (See: Roma excluded from society: Q&A with Andrey Ivanov)
Some key findings:
- Only 15 percent of young Roma adults surveyed have completed upper-secondary general or vocational education, compared with more than 70 percent of the majority population living nearby;
- On average, less than 30 percent of Roma surveyed are in paid employment;
- About 45 percent of the Roma surveyed live in households lacking at least one of the following: an indoor kitchen, toilet, shower or bath, or electricity
- On average, about 40 percent of Roma surveyed live in households where somebody went to bed hungry at least once in the last month because they could not afford to buy food
Results are intended to provide policy makers with the necessary evidence for designing effective policy responses to address the situation.
"The discussion about social exclusion should start with the realistic acknowledgement of the real status – the real depth of exclusion," said Mr. Ivanov. "This depth determines the feasibility of certain approaches – and non-feasibility of others."
The survey results have fed into the European Commission's Roma Communication which will also be presented in Brussels on 23 May 2012.
EU Member States have developed national strategies for Roma integration. Local authorities should engage with both Roma and non‑Roma in their communities to implement these plans, building trust, developing social cohesion, and combating discrimination and anti-Gypsyism.
See: Europe's biggest societal problem - The plight of Europe's Roma, featured in the Economist.
The situation of Roma in 11 EU Member States, 2012
Roma kids in Romania
Supporting the Roma community in Albania
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My fiance and I have driven by El Campesino restaurant in Robinson Town Center a handful of times on our countless shopping trips and had always wanted to visit there. All of our friends had gone there many times and kept bragging about how good the restaurant was. So we finally decided to give it a try..
What kind of bar makes you feel like you're underage when you aren't and have a 100% valid driver's license to prove it?
Our server refused to accept my Minnesota driver's license. I suggested they scan it, but the server said they didn't have one, which I later found out to be false. The server also refused to acknowledge that my other forms of ID (credit card, school ID, etc) matched my driver's license. It seemed as though the server was just set on not serving my party and I.
Minnesota licenses are made out of a rubber-like compound, which may arouse some suspicion, but seriously at least try to verify my ID in some objective manner. He also stated that because my party had licenses from different states (we are students), "clearly" that meant all of our IDs were fake.
My experience at Kelly's was quite upsetting.
AVOID if you have an out-of-state or international ID--they only trust Pennsylvania driver's licenses!
been there 4 times and had a wonderful times with friends. the first time we tried an assortment of tapas and with each bit i wa like "oh my God" it was that good. the delicate fusuin of flafors were a treat indeed. I always let the handsome manager sugest a cocktail and i haven't been disappointed. An enjoyable relaxing 4 hours just breezes by. I tend to avoid crowds so i haven't gone on a weekend night when there's entertainment. I'll have to try that. when we went there was nice music in the background that wasn't so loud that you couldn't enjoy good conversation with your friends. the last time wejust met friends for a drink and the manager sugested Velozi's for dinner. He actually walked us over, procured us the best table for six and introduced us to the owner. what an evening of great company great coctails and great food.
Soul Village has graced the R Bar with their talent. Sugar Ray and his excelent musicians were fantastic along with resident artist sitting in. As usual the staff and owners make everyone more than welcome
Food is ok, service is very slow & wait staff not attentive. Had to sit for 20 minutes waiting for a drink while the server ate his dinner. No wonder the place was a ghost town during the "dinner rush." Will not go back.
I am suspending comments on this page and deleting previous comments due to racist language and sock-puppetry -- posting under multiple names from the same IP address.
the best bar in Pittsburgh known it for years I want to thank Jamie and
Chris for letting us have the room for a fun night again thank you.Hope
to use it again for something in the future\
open 365 days a year best tenders friendly 2 bars in 1 backroom has 2 pool tables darts. the croud is diverse. everyone who is anyone goes even the mayor and big ben
Went to the show for the first time last night. Best open mic comedy I have seen in Pittsburgh in 11 years. The sound was really good too.
Definitely a dive bar - not what I expected - but the beer was cheap.
These guys are actually pretty cool to artists. All you have to do is be nice.
Great authentic Mexican cuisine.
My friend and I were looking for some Mexican on a Friday Nite. So we decided to go here and see how the food was...
The decor was dingy, it looked like it needs a good hosing... I didnt want to stay but my buddy wanted to try it out.
The menu was inaccurate and some of their food adaptation wasnt made to look appetizing in my opinion... We had simple demands, No refried beans, My buddy's burrito came loaded with them(Waitress and menu says they are not in the burrito). When food came and my buddy took a bite of his food, he stomach turned... The manager offered to make it for him properly and could not understand why he lost his appetite. As for my food, I got nachos and a quesadilla(simple enough right, big mistake). They cover all of their food with this white cheese sauce, its very bland and messy(consistency more like soup). I honestly feel My quesadilla lookes like a taco loaded with this nasty cheese also, very bland.
I CAN HONESTLY SAY that I would much rather go to a sheetz gas station and acquire the same meal choices. Their nachos have real NACHO cheese and their quesadillas have more flavor and sit much better in ur stomach, not to mention the price...
I DO NOT recommend eatig here at all, save your money and your colon
0 stars. Dishonest bartenders.
Cain's sucked no food, waited an hour, Services was horrible it's cleaned up
but same old carp. We would never ever go there again. If we could give it
a negative 5 we would.
My favorite dish is fajita quesadilla 12" tortilla with your choice of steak or chicken vegetables and cheese,try the best cheese dip in town baby! Homemade salsas, chips and Margaritas !
This is my favorite spot to eat on the southside! They have such a
different menu. Their fish sandwich and the salmon club sandwich
are the best things on the menu! I highly recommend them both!
Also the beer selection is great and the service is good too. Get
There early though cuz the place gets packed quick!
Love This Place! From the Food, Drinks, Beer Selection, Service and Atmosphere. Go Your will Enjoy!
Bartender was rude. Drinks priced ok, shots not made properly, and did I mention the bartender was rude?


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New innovative design; Top-grade synthetic leather construction for extra long usage; Lateral straps for long last durability; Classic 9 inch diameter; A must for all boxing workouts; Elastic non-included.
** For all heavy bag orders, the shipping charge quoted is only an estimate. Due to the actual dimensions and/or weight of your order, the final shipping charge may change....


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County Hall chief trims credit card use after scandal (From Maldon and Burnham Standard)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting MBS to 80360 or you can e-mail us Click here for details »
County Hall chief trims credit card use after scandal
11:00am Saturday 14th September 2013 in Local News
ESSEX County Council's top officer used her corporate credit card spend more than £300 on Christmas cards, it has been revealed.
Team trips to Colchester Zoo, frequent meals in the House of Lords and a £1,150 meal for 23 people in the United States were also charged to Joanna Killian's card.
The information on all credit card purchases between January 2007 and June 2013 reveal the card's usage fell dramatically after former county council leader Lord Hanningfield was charged and later convicted of fiddling his House of Lords expenses.
A County Hall spokesman said this reflected a "change in culture at the county council" following the Peer's departure.
Since April 2010, Ms Killian's card has only been used six times for train journeys and once to renew a subscription to the Local Government Chronicle.
She said: "Since becoming chief executive I have worked hard to ensure that over £300m worth of savings have been made, and that the council is in a financially secure position to face the challenges now in our immediate future.
"As chief executive I attend events and meetings on council business. That is part of my job. I also sometimes incur expenses and these have always been subject to approval processes and are there for people to see on the council's website."
For a special report, pick up Friday's Gazette or Echo
Comments (1)
Please log in to enable comment sorting
12:58pm Sat 14 Sep 13
OMPITA [Intl] says...
The reference to a special report being published in Friday's Gazette or Echo means nothing to readers of the B&WT. Why mention it?
Come Mr Editor Sir, I have drawn your attention to this sort of thing so many times before (the initial report on the murder of Kirsty Humphrey in Monkwick being just one recent example).
Methinks it's time for a bit of gentle 'butt kicking' in your Editorial Office to wake up one or two of your recalcitrant sleepy heads.
I have a pair of size 10 Hobnailed Pit Boots you are most welcome to borrow for the occasion if you wish.
Kind regards.
Comments are closed on this article.


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Paul Erb |
Before heading out on the water one morning he shared his story.
He was originally a teacher, and how he went from teacher to business owner is so simple it's kind of funny. He was born to it, because most of his family members on his mother's side were educators.
"It was kind of what you were expected to do – you were either a teacher or a lawyer," Paul said.
That's at least part of the reason why he wound up teaching at Pinelands Regional School in Tuckerton, N.J.
Handiwork and clothing are part of his roots, as his mother, Catherine, was originally a seamstress and her father was a custom tailor on Wall Street.
He took his mother's advice and decided to enroll in college, and took his guidance counselor's advice and studied industrial arts. In 1978 he earned his bachelor's degree in industrial education from Rowan University (then Glassboro State), concentrating on communications technology. He earned a master's degree in industrial education while working as a graduate assistant and teaching photo typesetting, finishing in 1980.
Paul taught drafting and auto mechanics at a different high school for a year before landing a job at Pinelands, where he taught for 29 years.
"I was able to teach drafting or graphic arts and photography," he said, "but I enjoyed the graphic arts more."
That interest carries over well to his business – boat lettering and boating accessories – the inspiration for which came from a student. Paul said he had finished teaching a career lesson to his high school photography and graphic design students.
"One of them asked if I do this on the side because I could be making more money than teaching and I said, 'No.' Out of the mouths of babes. I decided he was right," he said.
He had already been doing this in a different capacity.
"My job was not just to teach the printing but, if they had an event and they needed T-shirts, my class would silkscreen the shirts," he said. "I printed all the school newspapers, the programs the school would use."
He also worked at a newspaper part-time, as a paste-up artist and graphic designer. While he worked for several publications, three of them had great names: the Beacon, the Tuckerton Beacon and the Lacey Beacon.
Paul also knew that with two daughters getting ready for college the extra income from a side business would be useful. The family helped get everything off the ground in 2003 and built Yachta Lettering LLC (a play on the "Seinfeld" joke: 'yadda yadda') into what it is today. His wife Lynn, a former art teacher, is the backbone of the business and his partner.
He had always worked two jobs, coaching and teaching at once, so the extra hours didn't deter him, he said. When he retired in 2009 he only stayed retired for about a year. That's where Uncle Henry's came in.
"I was doing my end of the Yachta Lettering business and she was doing billing and other stuff and she finally said, 'Go find something to do and get out of my hair,' " he said. "The ad in the paper for Uncle Henry's came out and I called and took the job. It was something to do, to get out of the house, but it's a great job because I get to talk to different people every day."
It also seems to fit in with the nautical theme that ties many other things in his life together. He and his wife Lynn are both recreational sailors who've spawned a couple of competitive sailors, daughters Corinne and Nerissa. While Nerissa sailed for FGCU, Corinne sailed for Ocean County College. Nerissa, who is younger but went to FGCU first, helped start their sailing team, Paul said, and Corinne was a sailing instructor on Long Beach Island, N.J.
He said he and Lynn usually sail their 34-foot Catalina, "Yachta Yachta Yachta," for pleasure.
"When my daughters get on the boat, then we start racing," he said. "They tell me I'm going too slow."
He learned to sail when he was a Boy Scout, but didn't sail for quite a while, until 1980 when he and Lynn were married. They bought a 13-foot daysailer together. Since then they've owned several boats, each one a bit bigger than the last, but they were all Catalinas, a brand close to Paul's heart.
He credits his close knowledge of those boats with landing the business one of its largest opportunities.
As a volunteer at a boat show for the Catalina Yacht Store, he happened to have a chance to speak to its owner, Dave Day. Paul had noticed some shoddy design work and pointed it out.
"He was showing me some of the clothing he'd ordered and I said, well that's wrong, and here the logo's wrong, and so on," Paul said. "He looked at me and said, 'You're right.' "
The other clothing vendor had mixed up the coloring on certain parts of the Catalina logo, which was supposed to be the same as that on the sails. There were more noticeable mix-ups, including T-shirts with pictures of mismatched hulls and sails.
"The guy he had before really didn't know that much about the company," Paul said. "Because I was a true blue Catalina owner I knew what they were supposed to be. I think he was impressed by that, and because I was truthful and honest about it. My wife was getting mad at me, but I think that's why the guy liked us, because we were always truthful. That, and because his tag line with me was, 'If there's a way to do it, Paul will find a way'."
At the time he'd been the president of a Catalina fleet and asked Day to look at the shirts he'd made for them.
"He took a chance with us," he said, "and we've been working together since 2005. It's helped us out a lot. It gave me the confidence to really build our business."
Paul still works closely with Dave, and through working the boat shows he's since done business with some other people of note in the sailing world, including Bob Bitchin, and the International Order of the Blue Gavel, an international organization of retired yacht club commodores.
Paul said he was thrilled to be recognized personally by the owner of Catalina Yachts and invited aboard the owner's boat for the 2009 and 2010 Newport to Ensenada International Yacht race.
"It was an eye opener for me," he said. "It's a big race."
He found himself alongside names like Stars and Stripes and Pyewacket, owned by Dennis Conner and Roy Disney, respectively, huge names in the sailing world. He admits he was awestruck.
Paul and Lynn also were the masterful creators of the burgees for the 2013 World's Richest Tarpon Tournament, done in brilliant purple and white.
In addition to sailing for pleasure and for speed, he and his wife have done a little traveling aboard a sailboat, most notably in the British Virgin Islands where they chartered sailboats on a few different occasions and went island hopping.
"We both like it. It's laid back," he said. "No worries, is their philosophy; if I don't get it today I'll get it tomorrow."
Paul said he'd like to go back and that the phase of retirement that includes more travel is forthcoming. In the meantime, he and Lynn are enjoying the Boca Grande area for all it has to offer.
He had originally planned to retire to North Carolina.
"I always said, 'Nah, I'm never going to retire to Florida – it's too hot,' " Paul said. "Another teacher I worked with made a wager with me, so he went to North Carolina and visited the Hatteras area and I came down here and looked at Rotonda. Lynn and I fell in love with the area."
He never said what the wager was, but no one chose North Carolina.
He bought some property in Rotonda and during a visit, they fell in love with a house his colleague's wife had been taking care of. So they bought it in 2004, just before Hurricane Charley rolled through. The house came through it all right, though, and he and Lynn live there still.
In retrospect, he said, the decision to move to Florida seems like a no brainer. Not everyone took so long to figure it out, though. He remembers when Nerissa was going to FGCU and returned home for Thanksgiving. While driving to their home in Jersey she turned to him and said, "Why didn't we move sooner?"


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Springsteen need's "Extra's", actually Fans! for a movie project!
Bruce Springsteen is working idea's for a documentary and feels you might be the real core of the story. All you need to know and to submit your interest is right here. read more ≫
-- Springsteen, Documentary, music, 2012, Fans


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You don't pay for tutoring unless you find a good fit!
Hi. My name is Michelle S. I am a high school special education teacher with 25 years of experience. I have co-taught in general science classes within the public schools. I have spent over 10 years teaching students study skills. I believe in using as many senses as possible in the learning experience. I will have a student use his/her large muscles to learn or I may make review games for the computer.I have completed a two week NASA workshop held in Mississippi as well as a workshop held at the Field Museum in Chicago. I am known as the Star Lady in my area. I have given presentations about astronomy and space science to school groups, library groups, the Boy Scouts, and the Girl Scouts. Come with me and learn about our solar system and universe.
I have co-taught in high school biology for about 5 years. I have co-taught in science for about 15 years.
I am a Solar System Ambassador through NASA's JPL. I have done astronomy presentations through local libraries, Boy Scout groups, Girl Scout groups and community college summer programs.
In my teaching experience, I spent about 10 years working with a biology curriculum that had an ecology basis to it.
Elementary Science is one of my favorite topics. In my teaching life and in my experiences as a Solar System Ambassador through NASA, I have learned a great deal about Elementary Science.
I hold an elementary ed certificate for the state of Illinois as well as a special education certificate for K-age 21.
I have taught study skills classes in the public high school for well over a decade. I am able to edit this to any grade level. I have 25 years experience as a special education teacher.
I hold an LBS special education teaching certificate.
I have taken a sign language course. I am familiar with many of the basic signs.
I have taught career education classes in a public school situation for several years. The student would go through a process from interest inventories to completing job applications and creating resumes.
I have a son who has ADD. I have also spent 25 years as a special education teacher. Many of my students have also had ADD.
During my 25 years as a special education, I have taught several students who have had Aspergers. I also learned a lot about Aspergers when I had two students who had Aspergers in my Astronomy club.
In my 25 years of teaching in special education, I have dealt with students who have autism.
I have taught in high school special ed for about 25 years. I have worked with students who are dyslexic in those 25 years.
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NBHA Co-Sanction Petition
We, the undersigned barrel racing competitors, producers and interested parties, hereby petition the National Barrel Horse Association to allow full same-run co-sanctioning with other barrel racing organizations. We believe that such full co-sanctioning is best for the sport, best for our horses, best for us the riders, best for show producers, and in the end best for all organizations which want to responsibly serve the barrel racing community.
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Super Bowl Blogging
Author:-Michele Rempel
How do you connect the popular subject of the Super Bowl (or any major event or holiday) to your blog's main theme? Here's an ingenious way. Daniel Stoica, an accounting professional, was able to connect his main theme of taxes to the common practice of sports gambling in the following blog:
Super Bowl XLV Pittsburgh Steelers vs Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl XLV will be played at new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, February 6 2011. Super Bowl Sunday is the highlight of the year for all Football Fans. The Super Bowl is also the highlight of the year for sports betting.
Gambling Winnings Are Always Taxable Income:
Gambling winnings are fully taxable and must be reported on your tax return…
(For the top seven facts the Internal Revenue Service wants you to know about gambling winnings, visit the Daniel Stoica Accounting Professional blog).
Daniel's blog post proves that you can be informative, timely and engaging by finding a common thread between your blog's main theme and a current event. You just have to be a bit creative.