text:
Axe-wielding raiders who carried out a brazen lunchtime smash and grab robbery at an Ilkley jewellers remained on the run last night.
Four men dressed in blue overalls and black balaclava masks struck at Lister Horsfall in Brook Street in full view of frightened shoppers last Thursday shortly after 1.30pm.
They used axes to smash holes in the protective glass before grabbing watches from the window display.
At one point one of the robbers used the axe to threaten a policewoman who approached the scene, according to a witness.
The gang then sped off in the silver Honda Civic, which had been driven on to the pavement in front of the shop, down Brook Street and Railway Road, narrowly missing a car and pedestrians.
The getaway car, which was driven by a fifth gang member, was quickly abandoned and set alight in Hampshire Close, Ilkley.
One witness, who saw the raid from her car and called police, said: "It really shook me up. I thought 'why are they parked on the pavement?' and then they all came out.
"They were wearing blue jumpsuits and they had black coverings over their heads."
A man who witnessed the robbery said one of the gang walked towards an approaching policewoman and threatened her with the axe he was carrying.
"He walked at her, it looked like an axe he had, and he raised it. Nobody should tackle them," he said.
Another witness, who did not want to be named, said: "They just sped off down the pavement, they could have killed somebody."
Lister Horsfall's managing director Nicholas Horsfall praised the actions of his staff who stopped the robbers escaping with a big haul by activating the security shutters.
Mr Horsfall said: "The quick thinking of the staff managed to avert a major loss. The shutters went down, the blinds went down and they were stripping the stock from behind the window to stop it being taken."
Mr Horsfall added: "We have systems in place to try to slow them down. I don't think it is as bad a loss as it could have been."
But he admitted he was surprised the robbers had managed to break through the toughened glass which was "as bandit proof as possible".
He said the three or four staff on duty were uninjured but were shaken by the incident.
Mr Horsfall added: "It is really frustrating that this is the world that we are living in and there is nothing you can do to deter them."
Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg, of Bradford District CID, who is leading the investigation, said: "First of all, we would like to thank the public for coming forward with information about this incident.
"We believe that the vehicle the offenders used was stolen from Merseyside in December and has possibly been stored locally since then, so we would be interested to hear from anyone who saw a new-shaped silver Honda Civic in their area before last Thursday. After dumping and setting this alight in Hampshire Close approximately 20 minutes later, the occupants escaped in a white vehicle. This is believed to have been a van, but we would like to know more information about this vehicle and where it went.
"We would also appeal to anyone who took pictures or video of the incident to contact Bradford District Reactive CID on 101 and pass on this footage, as it may prove vital in our investigation.
"Anyone else with information which may help the investigation is asked to either contact CID on the above number, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111."
It is the third time in two years the jewellers has been targeted by armed robbers – it was previously raided in June 2012 and September 2011.


text:
How Financial Aid Letters Often Leave Students Confused and Misinformed
The Department of Education has a model financial aid award letter. It's very different from what schools are actually sending.
The financial aid award letters that colleges send to prospective students can be confusing: Many mix grants, scholarships and loans all under the heading of "Award," "Financial Assistance," or "Offered Financial Aid." Some schools also suggest loans in amounts that families can't afford.
Take Parent Plus loans, a federal program that allows families to take out as much as they need, after other aid is applied, to pay for their children's college costs. As we recently reported with the Chronicle of Higher Education, Plus loans are remarkably easy to get. With minimal underwriting and no assessment of whether parents can actually afford the loans, families can end up overburdened by debt.
Colleges often exacerbate things when their letters lay out, or "package in," large Plus loans to cover unmet need when student aid falls short. Just like the government, many colleges recommend loans without regard to family income or ability to repay.
The practice can leave students feeling misled. As we reported, Agostinha Depina, a 19-year-old college student, said that one of her award letters — from her top choice, St. John's University in New York — "made it seem like they gave me a lot of money."
After consulting a counselor, she realized that "it was more loans in the financial-aid package than scholarship money." St. John's did not return our request for comment.
"Financial aid award letters need to be more transparent around laying out aid that doesn't need to be paid back and loans that do," Education Department spokesman Justin Hamilton said in an email.
The department has laid out what it says is a better option. Earlier this year it created a model award letter [PDF], which separates "gift" aid — grants and scholarships from the school or the government — from "loan options." Parent Plus loans are included in a separate category — "Other options" — with no suggested dollar amount.
The award letters many students are actually getting from schools look very different from the Education Department's preferred — but not required — layout. Here's one package from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, a public school.
Notice that the student in this case — whose name we have redacted for privacy — was suggested a $16,800 Plus loan in the financial aid award letter, bringing the student's total estimated financial assistance to $33,200.
Conveniently, the figure matches the stated cost of attendance for that year. Not so conveniently for this student, it was beyond what her family could afford. (MassArt has yet not returned our request for comment.)
The language on award letters can also leave the wrong impression. The MassArt letter starts by saying the student will be "eligible to receive the following assistance" — even though getting the Parent Plus loan requires a credit check and applicants are sometimes denied.
Another award letter from Pace University, a private university in New York City, also packages in the Parent Plus loan to bring the total "offer of financial assistance" to just a few dollars short of the full cost of attendance. The student in this case also qualified for a federal Pell grant — need-based aid that typically corresponds to a household income of $50,000 or less. Pace still suggested a nearly $19,000 Parent Plus loan for just one year.
Robina Schepp, Pace's vice president for enrollment and placement, said the school offers financial aid counseling and information sessions for parents and students.
Long Island University, another private university in New York, also packages in the Plus loan to match the estimated costs down to the dollar. An LIU spokesman did not comment.
Some colleges do consider parental income when they suggest Parent Plus loans. Ringling College of Art and Design uses an algorithm to determine the recommended loan amount. The school's letter notes that the listed amount is "an estimate of what you may wish to consider borrowing, and is partly based on your income." Parents, it says, "may apply for more or less."
Similarly, Drexel University — a private university in Philadelphia — packages in Parent Plus but "does take into account the ability of the family to contribute to the education cost for the suggested Plus loan amount," said Niki Gianakaris, a university spokeswoman. (Gianakaris said the school is also revamping its award letter to make clearer distinctions between grants, scholarships and loans.)
It's not clear whether these more conservative approaches to packaging in Parent Plus loans actually result in more conservative borrowing: At Drexel, the average Parent Plus loan was more than $24,000 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Meanwhile, the average parent loan at Ringling topped $26,000. That's much higher than the average Plus loan across all schools that year: $11,877.
As of late last month, more than 300 schools — representing about 10 percent of all undergrads — had adopted the Education Department's model letter.
Some members of Congress have tried to go further. Earlier this year, Sen. Al Franken sponsored legislation that would make it mandatory for all institutions of higher education to adopt a standardized financial aid award form. The bill is still in committee.
"Students and parents are not getting consistent, accessible and comparable information about college costs and their financial aid offers," Sen. Tom Harkin said in an emailed statement. Harkin is chairman of the Senate education committee and a co-sponsor of Franken's bill. "A concerted effort at all levels — campus, community, state and federal — is necessary to ensure that families have the information they need to make the decision that is best for them."
26 comments
Based simply on your article - which isn't necessarily scientific or representative, and isn't represented as such - it appears that private, for-profit educational institutions (likely in cahoots with financial institutions, of course) are more likely to attempt to abuse prospective students and their parents than public, non-profit education institutions.
But it would be nice to see solid evidence…
Me, I feel quite confident in assuming that many, many private for-profit educational institutions have been created over the last decade solely because of student lending and anticipated - and subsequently delivered - Republican bankruptcy "reform" in the same arena.
That is, the Republicans set a whole generation of America's kids up like ten-pins in a bowling alley, and now they're knocking them down…and the Republicans are now simultaneously running advertising demanding that those kids vote Republican with a divide and conquer strategy of blaming the parents and grandparents of those kids for increasing the financial pressure on them with Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid deductions on top of their student debt payments!!!!!
Are the righties/Republicans some (in lieu of some choicer, more explicit terms) dirty birds, or what?
Glad you are doing this series!
In the meantime, data collection is rapidly expanding with this rationale:
"Technology, data, and entrepreneurs can help with college affordability—as well as help address our national priorities in K-12 education.""Education Data Initiative, an Administration-wide effort to 'liberate' government data and voluntarily-contributed non-government data as fuel to spur entrepreneurship, create value, and create jobs while improving educational outcomes for students"... "all while rigorously protecting personal, proprietary, and national security information." "Our Administration's education agenda, including initiatives like Race to the Top and the ESEA Flexibility Package, have emphasized the centrality of data." http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/01/19/unlocking-power-education-data-all-americans
Oh the sweet mingling of corporations and government!
Three corporations stand to profit in a "data locker commitment": Microsoft, Parchment and Personal.
"A Personal Learning Profile is the collection of all the information about what and how I learn—both in formal settings like school, and informal settings like online learning or community activities. So it would include grades and test scores, as well as results from a robotics competition, feedback from a violin performance or books I've read. Soon students will see MyData download buttons on a variety of sites that have that have parts of their learning profile, such as a school's online grade book"
Just press MyData Button for Big Bro to mine data for "life long learning"!!!
What is wrong with these kids? Use the community college system for the first two years. It was set up amid a lot of controversy as part of Johnson's Great Society. Community colleges are far less expensive than regular college. Why not take advantage of it? And why would you go to a private university rather than use the state college systems? State colleges are expensive enough, but private universities are really like going to the moon. The expense is ridiculous. If you can afford college on your own or with help from your family, knock yourself out. But if you have to place burdens of loan debt on your family, that's wrong. Times are too tough. If enough kids reject the private colleges, their prices will come back down from space and rejoin the human race.
Delivering personalized and actionable data to prospective college students (of all ages) enables them to make informed decisions and graduate with as little debt as possible. With that as its mission, last week Rezolve Group and its subsidiary Student Aid Services of Sacramento became the first to enable colleges and other post-secondary schools to adopt the new Financial Aid Shopping Sheet, an individualized aid award letter to help prospective students understand and compare their affordability among various colleges of interest.
Serving nearly 700 campuses and 1.5 million college students annually, Rezolve Group showcased how some colleges it works with are already adopting the Shopping Sheet and Student Aid Services' own detailed Personal Student Prospectus to communicate an individual's affordability and academic fit by providing accurate aid eligibility and cost estimates as well as other personalized information about academics, housing and other interests so students and their families make smart choices.
Knowing aid eligibility, net price (sticker price minus free grants) and a student's real out-of-pocket costs and eventual monthly loan repayments is essential to planning for college and needs to be done well in advance of actually applying to schools.
I keep waiting for the education cost bubble to burst and each year I'm surprised it hasn't. I thought the growing disparity between indebtedness and ability to get a job to pay it would pop the bubble, but so far it just continues to squeeze it and squeeze it.
Won't disagree one way or another on the way private vs. public schools work their awards letters, because I don't know. That said, it's important to note none of the private schools listed above are for-profit. Just because a school is private does not mean it's for-profit, a huge distinction for accounting and regulatory standards. For-profit schools include institutions like ITT, or the Arts Institutes, often Culinary schools, or institutions like the University of Phoenix. Private non-profit universities are expected to account and behave according to non-profit standards, and are regulated as such.
@William McClaim - thank you!
My cue to go: "Private non-profit institutions engaging in such behavior? Oh, dear - you mean they don't even have the profit motive to justify such heinous behavior? But…that suggests other motives such as pay-offs from lending institutions to the educational institutions…the possibility of which should be investigated!!"
lolll….matter of fact, the student lending arena has the aroma of a suddenly foreclosed fish market about it:
Not every state is as aggressive as New York when it comes to protecting their consumers…to include their students. In fact, I daresay New York is an extraordinary exception for even making the attempt…and still has loopholes sufficient to ensure that Wall Street and Big Banking operate from there.
Stephanie, call it pervasive marketing. Schools have the luxury of having two of the most gullible audiences possible, teenagers who are trying to define their identities and parents who "want the best" for their children. Ask around teenagers and parents of teenagers you run into, and you'll get a consistent story that community college is some sort of exile for poor kids.
Considering the money private schools put into circulating their names and the money states do NOT put into doing so, it's maybe easy to imagine how brand has become so important.
And there are times when it is important. In an "old boys' club" industry like finance or law, having been someone's nephew's freshman year roommate is often more important than the degree (and just as many industries where it just matters that you have any degree), so "community college then transfer" isn't a one-size-fits all solution.
The Shopping Sheet is great. Our institution is implementing it. In fact, I've been tasked with formatting it and creating it.
That said, and "apples to apples" comparison is only part of the issue.
What happened to students and families actually budgeting their costs? The article states the listing of PLUS loans as deceptive and contributory to increased debt burden. The fact is: all three parties have an equal responsibility in this:
1. Students MUST budget their costs. As most of us know, the cost of college, the ever-confusing COA (Cost of Attendance) includes things like clothing, misc/personal, transportation, and entertainment. While clothing is important, the suggestion that a loan should subsidize a student's ability to have spiffy new clothes or a nice Prada bag is outrageous. Parents and their students need to seriously consider budgeting, in addition to their direct costs (tuition, fees, and housing—if on campus) a reasonable monthly amount necessary to cover things like groceries, travel, and what contribution they will make out of pocket.
2. Institutions need to make sure they communicate clearly about the PLUS loans (credit-based, higher interest rate, etc.). In fact, our institution takes extra effort to dissuade individuals from pursuing this loan. Institutions need to be more pro-active about grants/scholarships. They need to learn to effectively utilize funds, discounts, and endowments available. Finally, they need to take responsibility for their direct costs. Many institutions have inflated sticker prices due to subjective reasons (professor celebrity, institutional reputation, so on and so forth). It is imperative to make sure that institutions price their costs reasonably, accurately, and ETHICALLY. We live in a society that breeds competition and free market. Because of that, even non-profit institutions shell out $250,000+ salaries for presidents and VPs. Additionally, our undergraduate program has not increased tuition in 4 years, though it is going up by a minimal 3% (unofficially) for the 2013/2014 academic year.
3. The federal government should compile accurate data about the correlation of those receiving the most Pell and their likelihood of graduation/employment. At this time, despite all the data that we have, there has not been any tracking of this information. For a vast government as ours, that detail on our now $40 billion investment should seem obvious. There is some suggestion through correlative data that those receiving the most gift aid are not necessarily the most successful, competent, or effective in the society after graduation. Additionally, the aid process needs to continue to be more streamlined. I am not a fan of big government, but private lenders participating in the Stafford Loan process seemed to be a less effective way of administering such funding, especially with what often seemed like inherently evil intentions by lenders to abuse or skirt federal regulation. Finally, the DOE needs to add logic to their policies, procedures, and regulations handed down to institutions. The Return of Funds process is convoluted and messy. I attended a conference back in May where a DOE rep presented on the Return of Funds process. He literally stated, "don't look for logic in this regulation; it is not there. Just follow the regulations even if it doesn't make logical sense." Yeah, that definitely seems like the best practice.
Those are just some of the issues, but in my experience (6 years in higher ed fin aid), the only party not actively pursuing personal responsibility in it is the student and family. While institutions and the government may not make the most beneficial changes and updates, we are in a constant state of flux and introspective evaluation. We regularly update our practices as is the DOE. But, you ask a student to complete a budget with their parents to fully evaluate what their need is and what their ability to pay may be, you get a lot of grief, resistance, and complaining.
I and my colleagues have dedicated our lives and careers to helping students achieve their higher education goals and it is often disappointing to see the lack of interest in parents and families in being actively involved in being a partner toward meeting their goals.
Most private and state schools list the parent and graduate PLUS loans as part of available financing resources on the award letter. This is nothing new.
While it may be a little confusing at first, parents and students are then given instructions how to secure these funds. In students case they must complete an MPN and an entrance interview. Parents must complete an MPN and a credit check. If they credit is denied, the student is eligible for additional loan funds.
Parent don't take out PLUS loans because they're deceived, they take those out to pay for cost of attending college because they don't have any savings and have failed to plan for their kids education. The award letter is just the first step and the first communication between families and the office of financial aid. Families know exactly how much they borrow, when repayment begins, interest charged and if they are approved or denied for this LOAN. This is why it doesn't matter how you present it on a first communication letter. It all comes down to if the parents and student want to buy more college than they can afford at that present point in time.. This decison is allways made by the consumer. Our learning institutions have provided considerable resources in financial literacy and debt management over the past decade.
No one talks about the other side of the trasaction. How do you tell a kid or a family that "this private university is NOT for you because you can't afford it based on your current income" when our government has put in place a financing mechanism called parent PLUS loan specifically for this purpose? This loan program is put in place, to allow parents who haven't saved and planned for kids education to catch up. Weather this loan should exist or not and its credit approval criteria is another topic all together.
To state that our private universities imply shady practices hiding the true cost of education is dangerous to the world reputation and brand our universities have build over the last century. Our universities are the pillars of our nation and to compare them to credit card companies is not a road our nation should go down. While I love the work Pro-Publica has done on other issues, I'm not sure they understand the big picture here.
Also, as far as which type of college to attend dabate, since its a federal loan, the credit approval criteria is the same regardless of which private university or communitty college their kid chooses to attend.
I think there is a misconception regarding the role of a college's Financial Aid Office. Our primary responsibility is to assist students with finding funding for college. While we would love to help students and parents learn financial responsibility (and we do in fact provide some information about making wise choices), our ultimate goal is to help students and their families determine what aid might be available to help them pay for college. While not the ideal solution, student and parent loans are indeed valid sources of aid; families who have limited grant or scholarship aid available may need to rely heavily on loans to pay for college.
As long as the school clearly marks a loan as a loan, I believe it is correct for the school to list loans as some of the financial resources potentially available to them. Excluding loans from the financial aid package will likely result in many students deciding they can't afford to attend school at all moving to private loans (with much less student-friendly terms) to cover the remaining cost.
While I agree that the shopping sheet is better formated and clearer than most award letters, it still doesn't solve anything.
Families are either unprepared to pay for college due to their lack of financial planning and responsible budgeting or they come from poor socioeconomic backgrounds.
PLUS loan like very other loan puts people in debt. Access to credit for education is GREAT and too much of debt is BAD. Parents and families need to know this.
How much is too much debt? Our government credit approves PLUS loans. Should a financial aid office be able to reject it?
Our President took out a ton in student debt.Can you imagine if someone at Harvard had the ability to tell him that although he secured the funds to pay for the tuition, he can not attend because technically he can't afford it? Also, if our Presidents Grad PLUS loan wasn't part of his award letter, he would have thought that he can't afford his education and never pursued Law school.
We should better prepare our nation by teaching financial literacy to our kids in grade school. Budgeting and financial responsibility courses are as equally or more important than trigonometry.
I don't disagree that some award letters can be misleading. But, more troublesome, is the undertone in your article that it is the SCHOOL'S responsibility to know what a family can afford and only package that amount. That is impossible, unless we want to triple the info collected on the FAFSA (which we DON'T! - it is already too confusing for families as it is!)
Indeed, there is an undertone in our country that it is always "someone else's" responsibility to pay for MY education! That is called "entitlement" and it has become a very troublesome way of thinking for us!
Paying for college is the student's/family's responsibility. We forget that sometimes! With the exception of the Pell Grant and a few other VERY LIMITED AND DECLINING federal and state grants, financial aid is first and foremost up to the STUDENT and FAMILY! If you can't pay for it out of current income or past savings, then you will have to borrow if you want it (just like any other item.) And it is up to the STUDENT and the FAMILY to figure out how much, if any, they want to borrow. And, just like in the housing meltdown, families have to be careful. So, let's stop taking the responsibility away from where it should truly belong by making people feel like it is always someone else's responsibility!
The news is not very understanding, etc. I understand then speak
I can't help but be amused when a comment that introduces proof of criminal wrongdoing on the part of the financial industry and legislative attempts to prevent future wrongdoing results in a flurry of activity on a thread that was otherwise just idling - more or less - along.
Do you suppose that has anything to do with why I post so information? Both to point out who works for who, and to make such individuals earn their money? lollll…
Thanks for the link, it's packed with interesting information. There's certainly a lot of questions that should be asked, and problems that should be dealt with, in the way that college financing intersects with predatory loaning.
I will say from my experience of attending a public school (Virginia), a private school (California), and now an international state school (Germany), that the worst in terms of transparency on financing was the public school. The public school submitted my financial aid in a form similar to LIU's above, and was difficult to obtain counseling. My private university offered counseling both prior to FAFSA, after, and during my school term. That makes no qualitative or quantitative statements on which is better or worse, just an anecdotal experience. Of course, the relationship of the resources between the public and private school could be a big difference. My university in Germany is actually tuition-free (thank you Green party), so it is not an issue here. The BAföG in Germany serves as student loan/grant legislation but as a foreigner I have no real experience of it.
Also, not to downplay your contributions, but I think you'll find that RealClearPolicy linked this article yesterday. They drive a lot of traffic (myself included) to articles that have yet to get exposure!
MISSING ISSUE. At what educational institution did students or their parents learn anything about finance or even how to balance a checkbook. Budgeting - Credit - Cost of Borrowing, are all foreign concepts. Maybe from watching NBC's Numbers? (off-Air), or best bet would be sports betting - at least there real numbers are used.
DIsclosures only work if students or their parents understand them. Maybe we need to write "Disclosures on Student Loans for Dummies" (no offense intended)
@ Richard
Bingo. Ms. Wang completely misses the issue and instead focuses on a syptom. We need to get budgeting and financial literacy in our grade schools. Our HS kids take Calculus courses and can find second and third derivatives but can't balance a checkbook or understand the concept of present value or how interest compounds.
Our school system purposely is designed to produce financially iliterate graduates who then become financially illeterate adults and parents. This is the 800 pound gorrilla in the room that no one wants to talk about.
"I can't help but be amused when a comment that introduces proof of criminal wrongdoing on the part of the financial industry and legislative attempts to prevent future wrongdoing results in a flurry of activity on a thread that was otherwise just idling - more or less - along."
"Do you suppose that has anything to do with why I post so information? Both to point out who works for who, and to make such individuals earn their money?"
ibsteve2u: At least in the public sector, none of us in the financial aid world are becoming rich through our jobs. I would actually earn more as a public school teacher (a career well known for low pay rates) than I do as the head of the scholarship department at a large public university. (And we work long hours—I average 50 a week year-round and up to 80 a week in particularly busy times of the year—with no overtime compensation, despite our low pay.) Most financial aid professionals are in the job because of their love for students and their belief in the importance of higher education, not because they are trying to make money!
I do agree that certain schools abuse the system. Some (but not all) for-profit proprietary schools lead students to sign up for extensive loans without making sure they understand the nature of the funding, and might even deliberately mislead students, making them think they received scholarships rather than loans. However, we're talking about a small, specific segment of the higher education institution population.
National Center on Education & the Economy
Tough Choices or Tough Times
Earlier, almost all the jobs subject to automation were low-skill jobs. That is no longer true. Now it is more accurate to say that the jobs that are most vulnerable are the jobs involving routine work. If someone can figure out the algorithm for a routine job, chances are that it is economical to automate it.
Many good, well-paying, middle-class jobs involve routine work of this kind and are rapidly being automated…
Today, Indian engineers make $7,500 a year against $45,000 for an American engineer with the same qualifications. If we succeed in matching the very high levels of mastery of mathematics and science of these Indian engineers — an enormous challenge for this country — why would the world's employers pay us more than they have to pay the Indians to do their work?
@William McClain, re: "Also, not to downplay your contributions, but I think you'll find that RealClearPolicy linked this article yesterday."
While you may think my ego is severely and permanently damaged beyond all hope of repair, again I've seen it enough - a flurry of activity in response to the introduction of evidence unfavorable to Big [enter sector here] - to be willing to risk the assumption; to find out that I might have been wrong in making the assumption…well, such is the risk of making a public assumption. Perhaps a coincidence, in this case.
But the publishing of ProPublica's investigation by Real Clear Policy? I find that "other" than reassuring…Forbes Media owns 51% of Real Clear Politics, and Real Clear Policy is a sister site of same. Steve Forbes hasn't developed a reputation for involvement in anything that, to quote the Constitution, promotes the general Welfare. I.e., I would not risk assuming that those who show up because of something they read on Real Clear Policy would be biased in favor of the American public…or America's students, in this particular case.
Not that I am suggesting that you, William McClain, have any such bias - anymore than I am suggesting that every single comment made since I made my comment linking the information about the New York State Attorney's action is the direct result of the fact that this article was linked to by Real Clear Policy. That would be two more assumptions.
Speaking of which, the latter observes that California has approved open-source, digital textbooks for state schools "for the 50 most popular lower-division college courses". That is "progress" - unless it spreads to public schools at the pre-college levels, where it will further bind parents into paying private internet service providers a monthly fee so that their children can receive a public education. Which is already a problem, given that even homework assignments and answers are given via the internet, these days.
@Bonnie, who said "However, we're talking about a small, specific segment of the higher education institution population."
So you're saying that "a small, specific segment of the higher education institution population" is behind practices that have grown so common that, to quote ProPublica, total outstanding college debt is estimated at $1 trillion dollars???
It would seem to me that that the practices that drive the cost of a college education so very high that it yields so very much debt would have to be…pervasive…across all of higher education or that debt could never have reached such an astounding number.
That supply and demand thing, you know; if terribly over-priced college educations were the exceptions rather than the rule, then that debt figure would be far lower.
And it is a supply and demand thing…the Republicans and the neoliberals passed voodoo economics which said the more you take, the more you can keep…that incentivized the few to look at "labor" - the American people - as a cost…something to be eliminated.
Then the Republicans and the neoliberals passed inequitable free trade…and people like Jack Welch said "Our duty is to the shareholder today - not the corporation's or the nation's tomorrow!". And cutting costs became getting rid of American "labor" - that is, offshoring…aided and abetted by Walmart's demands that American manufacturing meet or beat the prices Walmart could get from communist manufacturers or Walmart would take away their shelf space.
Next thing you know, no manufacturing jobs…America became, in fact, Mao's "paper tiger". And Wall Street and the banks laughed and laughed, because the destruction of the rest of the economy - for the internet made the offshoring of our service sector possible, too - made them top dog. Next thing you know, Wall Street it telling the remaining American corporations to cut costs - that is, offshore - or they'd badmouth their corporations…and since some evil geniuses had started paying America's CEOs in stocks, making Ayn Rand displace God and Jesus Christ as Corporate America and the right's new Divinity…
Anyway, before you know it the only way to even pretend you could have a future was with a college degree; demand outpaced supply, so of course higher education started raping America's youth…and of course the banks and Wall Street wanted a piece of the action…and of course Congress - properly bribed - let 'em all have a slice of the American Pie…
And here we are…a $1 trillion-and-expanding student debt bubble that I think the right wants to intentionally burst. I think those rightie buggers are hoping to make a new class of Americans…a rehash of America's past: Indentured students.
But before they do that, they want to use those students to take down America's old folks; hence advertising like "voteourfuture" and all of that whining from the right about accumulating debt that America's young are going to have to pay off on top of their student debt.
The right/Republicans are some mean, sadistic blankety-blanks. I hope they don't win any more elections, because if they do, they have America's students/kids and America's grandmas and grandpas right where they want 'em: In their gunsights.
America's right is really predictable, people: What are they going to do? It's a priority thing….whatever will make the few who control them richer faster while hurting the most Americans possible.
When I post something like my preceding comment, I think "There are people who are going to read that and think me a radical". But all I am doing is stating the obvious; the weird thing is so few people are outraged over it, because this decay…this intentional destruction of the 'American Dream'...this war upon the American people launched by the right/Republicans has been underway for 40 years! Every chart and number - every result - out there shows it!
I'm not a radical…I just love American and her people - and I know how earlier empires died: They were destroyed from within by the greed and sadism of a few. Have you been reading the newspapers? Watching TV? Listening to the radio? Our right - our Republicans/Tea Party/Libertarians/[insert latest misleading name here] - are growing Neros and Caligulas faster and faster…like slimy fungus crawling on rotting logs in a dank and creepy swamp.
They're puttin' a hurtin' on America for certain, and they're doing it in the worst, most evil way possible: By telling Americans that other Americans are "OK" to look down upon/despise/hate/leave to die/force to die.
We can't do that, and call ourselves Americans…or even humans. So stop enabling the Republicans already! You're not a bad person, are you? If you help them, you become them; it's one of those inescapable rules.
National Center on Education & the Economy
Tough Choices or Tough Times Executive Summary 2007
"The Executive Summary of Tough Choices or Tough Times by the New Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce explains how the dynamics of the global economy will lead to a steady decline in the American standard of living if this country does not undertake the first thorough overhaul of its education system in a century."
Take a good look at the graphic on p. 6 of this executive summary. American exceptionalism at its very best!
With the real truth…
"Earlier, almost all the jobs subject to automation were low-skill jobs. That is no longer true. Now it is more accurate to say that the jobs that are most vulnerable are the jobs involving routine work. If someone can figure out the algorithm for a routine job, chances are that it is economical to automate it. Many good, well-paying, middle-class jobs involve routine work of this kind and are rapidly being automated… "
"Today, Indian engineers make $7,500 a year against $45,000 for an American engineer with the same qualifications. If we succeed in matching the very high levels of mastery of mathematics and science of these Indian engineers — an enormous challenge for this country — why would the world's employers pay us more than they have to pay the Indians to do their work?"
ibsteve2u: "So you're saying that 'a small, specific segment of the higher education institution population' is behind practices that have grown so common that, to quote ProPublica, total outstanding college debt is estimated at $1 trillion dollars???"
No, I'm simply saying that *most* schools are not artificially increasing costs just to make more money, and that *most* schools are not misleading students regarding the loans they are borrowing. The majority of higher education institutions are following the correct procedure of letting students know of available resources (including student loans) and allowing them to make the choice of whether to borrow.
I'd like to make one other point: Before the existence of student loan programs, a post-secondary education was often too expensive for the average person. Unless a student was exceptional and received scholarship support, a higher education was generally limited to families that had significant financial resources. The student loan programs made education more universally available. People who feel they can't afford a college education without borrowing but who do not wish to borrow are in no different a situation than if they'd lived a hundred years ago. That is, nothing has really changed over time; the cost of a higher education has always been out of reach for most people. The availability of loans makes a college education more accessible to the masses, but the downside that those folks who need to borrow then have some debt.
Commenting on this story is closed.
Total outstanding college debt is estimated at $1 trillion dollars – and with costs still soaring, the burden on students and their families shows no signs of abating. We're examining how the complicated system of college debt is putting the squeeze on families.
Share Your Story
Your input can help ProPublica's reporting.
Have you worked in financial aid or student loans? Tell us about your experiences.
Do you have student loans? Share your story with us.
Icon graphics courtesy of the Noun Project.
Latest Stories in this Project
- Federal Government Finally Forgives Billions in Debt of Students Who've Become Disabled
- Department of Education Report Calls on Colleges to Step Up Support for Poor Students
- Reporting Recipe: How to Investigate Student Debt at Your College
- New Data Reveals Stark Gaps in Graduation Rates Between Poor and Wealthy Students
- As Pope Pushes to Help the Poor, Catholic Universities Leave Them Behind

subset: commoncrawl


text: Son of John Sanford Beaty and Mary Elizabeth Ross. Died of typhoid fever near Knob Noster, MO. At the time of his death, he was apparently married. Buried in Laurel Oak Cem., in Windsor, Henry Co. There is another headstone for him in Oak Grove Cem., Jerseyville, Jersey Co., IL, which mentions that he is buried in Windsor, MO.


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One of the most important parts of any article is the title. An eye-catching title is your first chance to make a good impression on your visitor and interest them in your web content. Title It is a Web Content Challenge to help us learn how to attract a visitor's attention and interest them in the content below the title.
The ChallengeEvery now and then someone posts an outstanding answer to a question at SitePoint and Hawk awards them a free e-book for their "Golden Post". Each month, we'll find one of these nuggets of information and depend on you to "Title It". You'll have seven days to think up a great title for the challenge. After that, we'll add a poll of the entered titles to the thread and vote on which one you believe is the best of the bunch. The poll will also last for seven days. The winner will be awarded a free SitePoint e-book of their choice.
The rules are simple.
So let's have some fun with this. Enter early! Enter often.
This month, how would you title this post from @scottymack?
Stop thinking about writing things for your website. Start thinking of the people who will be interested in the overall niche that your website is a part of. Who are they? What do they want to know about? What are they talking about or asking questions about? Make sure you can actually see them in your mind's eye and the type of people they are. That will give you the initial inspiration for creating conversational pieces that they can relate to.
A great place to figure out what people are talking about or have questions about is, indeed, forums. Yahoo Answers is also a great place to find questions that people are asking. Rather than posting answers on forums, you should be creating great content that addresses those questions on your blog. Then, you can post a link that answers the question on the forum and not just the answer there. That'll drive more traffic than just an answer will.
If you sell tents, the majority of your posts should be about camping - funny stories, new camping gear, great places to camp. There may be an occasional article about tents but that shouldn't be your focus. Your goal is to gain readership and recognition as an authority in the overall niche. People who are specifically interested in your products will find them from there. Link to your main product categories from a sidebar on the blog but leave everything else (your articles) in a "general" category. As your blog grows in popularity, it will gain its own links and will pass that authority to the rest of your website.
Finally, to answer your specific question, once you know who you are writing for and what they want to read about, you'll find it is far easier to answer your own question. If you can write something every day that is compelling, go for it. If you can only do it once a week, that's fine, too. Obviously, the more you write, the more likely it is for your popularity to grow and for your website to climb because of all of the long tail keywords (unintentional as they may be). Just don't write something because you think you need to; though, only write when you have something that is definitely worth reading - not in your opinion, but in your readers' opinions.
Finally, whatever you decide, keep it consistent. Don't start writing every day, then taper off to every week and ultimately get to it only twice a month. Readers expect consistency - not only in the type of writing but in how often they can expect something new.
Public is King
Gain Readers by Writing Appropriate Content
Know your audience
Blog Sassafaz Drives Forum Traffic To Your Site!
"The Truth Behind Winning Blog Posts"
Building Site Authority Begins With Gaining Readers' Trust
Engage Your Readers - Increase Your Traffic
I can think of various titles like...
Give the Power to the People
Stop thinking... about yourself!
Do you know what you're writing for?
Understanding your readers...sells
Words don't pay you money; People do.
Okay, that was kinda long.
Challenge closed! It's time to vote for your favorite Title It title!
Well, I couldn't vote for myself so I voted for someone else's instead
Who said you couldn't vote for yourself. You just couldn't vote for yourself multiple times. Did you have a hard time choosing which of your entries was best?
I voted... loved this competition
Actually I did... It took me like 3 min instead of my usual 30 secs :lol:
Ha ha, I came here to post a title, but was too slow. But then, seeing the entries already posted, I'm sure I would not have topped them. Well done, everyone. I've cast my vote.
And the winner is:
@ServerStorm with 2 votes! Congratulations, Steve and Thanks to all who participated.
Darn I missed the voting.
Congratulations Steve!
Thanks but not really a convincing win. One more vote and we would be in the a tie pickle :eek:
Sorry, I don't have any pickles, but here's a cookie for you. You can eat it with your Root Beer. :drinky:


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Obama could nix tax free college savings plan
One of the tax changes President Obama proposed in his State of the Union Address is getting some backlash from families saving for college.
Sponsored by:
One of the tax changes President Obama proposed in his State of the Union Address is getting some backlash from families saving for college.
Administrators of Vista Care of Boardman say they've corrected the violations that led to government fines of $49,000.
Authorities said the men were from Toledo.
Trumbull County officials said they could not comment on the claim until they have a chance to review it.
A fire burned five buildings along a main business district street in a poor Pittsburgh suburb.
The plane crashed and killed everyone aboard except a 7-year-old girl.
Apparently, airline passengers aren't buying enough superhero pajamas and heated cat shelters.
The watchdog group agreed it wouldn't make disparaging remarks about the state agency or its officials.
Warning: Photos may be disturbing to some.
A few sailors have said they got sick after falling into the bay.
Patrick McClurkin plead guilty to counts of theft and contract violations.
The U.S. Department of Transportation put a plan for flights to Chicago on hold.
Authorities said the man was not keeping his house up to city code.
Police arrested one person in connection with the incident but have not filed charges.
Total annual costs under the plan are $22,400
The Democrats still don't have a city for their 2016 presidential nominating convention, but they now have dates.
They are expected to fetch more than $1 million.
The company is dealing with competition on a number of fronts.
The new data brings the season's total hospitalizations to 6,798.
Ohio's unemployment rate for November was 5 percent – the state's lowest since 2001.
A rally took place for the dog outside the courthouse.
Crews were called just after midnight to the house along Route 5.
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HEROIC James Haynes admitted he wanted to "cry for his mum" as he played through the pain barrier to help York City Knights seal top spot in Championship One.
Haynes, who had only passed fit to play 44 hours before Sunday's game at arch-rivals Hunslet after suffering concussion a week earlier, damaged ribs early on in the first half, with physios suspecting broken bones.
The 25-year-old full-back should have come off the field but repeatedly insisted he would carry on, and he went on to kick the last-minute winning goal to cap his The Press man of the match performance.
"It was my first carry. I've gone into contact and popped a rib," he explained. "But it's a big game. I wanted to play. It was the first time I'd ever played against Hunslet Hawks – I was either injured or not picked for previous games.
"There was no-one to come on and play full-back so I knew I had to carry on. I got it strapped up at half-time and played on."
Asked how he coped with the pain, he joked: "It's a matter of mind over matter.
"There were a couple of times I got tackled and wanted to stay down, shout for my mum and cry.
"It was tough, but adrenalin helps at the time. I don't feel as though it had a detrimental effect on my game."
The Knights' 20-18 triumph – courtesy of two tries in the last five minutes – set a new club record of nine consecutive victories and made it three wins out of three this season against the Hawks, who had gone into the match in second place.
Only Oldham can mathematically catch the Knights now but they must overturn a points-difference deficit of 161 points in their last two matches of the regular season and hope York pick up nothing at home to London Skolars in their one remaining game on September 7.
Top spot gives a supposedly easier route to the play-offs grand final, the winners of which are the only side promoted to the new-look Championship.
"It gives us an advantage in the play-offs," said Haynes, with first place all but secured. "We celebrated it after the game but we haven't finished the job.
"We get nothing for winning the league. It's all about winning the play-offs. We set a goal to finish as high as we could and then go for it in the play-offs, and we can't finish higher than first."
He added: "I feel Hunslet were the best in the league that we've played so far. They gave us everything. It was one of those games where something would give. It was us or them and it could have gone either way.
"The fact we've won so many games on the trot means we've got that winning mentality and we found a way to win."
The Knights now have two weekends off, with no league game next weekend due to the Challenge Cup final and then a free week in the fixture list.
"It's a good thing for me as I hope I will be okay for the Skolars game," he said when asked if the break comes at a good time.
As for his prospects of being fit, he added: "It's painkillers and play on, as long as I'm selected."


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Food, fun and fireworks will highlight Fourth of July celebrations throughout the St. Louis community. Here, find out the festivities your neighborhood has planned for Independence Day.
Clayton residents can beat the heat this Fourth of July with a patriotic celebration at Shaw Park Aquatic Center.
The event promises to be fun for the whole family with pool activities, kids' games, music, magicians, jugglers and giveaways from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Shaw Park Aquatic Center. "It's a bigger event this year because it is part of our Centennial Celebration," notes Patty DeForrest, director of parks and recreation.
Event admission for Clayton residents is $4 for kids and $6 for adults, while those with pool passes can attend free-of-charge. For more information, visit claytonmo.gov.
This year's Fourth of July celebration at Chesterfield Mall will be bigger and better as the city celebrates its 25th anniversary, organizers say.
The eighth annual event, which draws about 15,000, will offer food trucks; a kids' zone with inflatables, clowns and games; live music by nine-piece funk band, Fat Pocket; and a large-scale fireworks show. The main viewing area for the fireworks will be in the parking lot between Macy's and Dillard's.
"The event is very much a family-friendly festival atmosphere, and this will have the most activities and food offerings we've ever had," notes Libbey Tucker, community services and economic development director. Tucker adds that the celebration is unique because of its location. "The viewing area is on a higher elevation than where the fireworks are being shot off, so it makes them seem so much closer." For more information, visit chesterfield.mo.us.
The sounds of Fanfare will open Kirkwood's Fourth of July Freedom Fireworks celebration at Kirkwood Park, 111 S. Geyer Road. The crowd-pleasing band will play a mix of Motown, rock, pop and more.
Murray Pounds, director of parks and recreation for more than 30 years, says the free event hasn't changed all that much through the years. "We stay with the tried-and-true tradition." That method is working for Kirkwood, as a healthy crowd of about 20,000 keep coming year after year. "Back in the days when I was a day camp counselor and we handed out snow cones, we had about the same number of people come out," Pounds says. "There's a rich history."
And it's truly a family affair, with groups bringing picnic baskets, lawn chairs, blankets and Frisbees for pre-fireworks entertainment.
The patriotic night closes with a crescendo as a 20-minute fireworks display is set off around 9:30 p.m. above the city. For more information, visit kirkwoodmo.org.
In Ladue, Warson Terrace neighbors will be marching to the beat of their own drum this Fourth of July. For the past seven years, former St. Louis Symphony keyboardist Barbara Liberman has organized a neighborhood parade and picnic.
Led by the snare drum beats of former symphony percussionist Henry Claude, kids, parents and pets decked out in red, white and blue march through the neighborhood sounding noisemakers, waving American flags and singing patriotic songs such as Yankee Doodle and My Country 'Tis of Thee as neighbors in lawn chairs look on.
Following the parade, everyone meets on Liberman's backyard deck for games and food, including St. Louis favorites like gooey butter cake and fresh fruit from the farmers market. "It's an old-time get-together," Liberman says. 'There's a spirit of good will. We're all Americans no matter our political beliefs, religion or color. I love that kind of togetherness."
Liberman says the celebration started some 40 years ago by a next-door neighbor, who has since moved away. But today the tradition marches on, 40-neighbors strong. "It just thrills me. I love all this mingling of generations and carrying on of the tradition. And don't you think memories made together are always the best?"
The 61st annual old-fashioned family Fourth of July celebration returns to Webster Groves July 3 to 6.
Opening night gets rolling with the Children's Pet Parade, where attendees can dress up their animals in patriotic gear and march through downtown. The family favorite event has welcomed dogs, cats, hamsters and guinea pigs in past years, says Mike Oppermann, director of parks and recreation.
The Happy Days Carnival held by the local Lions Club also returns this year with 15 rides and not one—but two—wristband nights, which allow unlimited rides for $25. And at 10 a.m. July 4, more than 100 floats and marchers will be featured in the Show Me Creativity Parade. Additional events include the crowning of Miss Webster, live music and a kids' cartoon pool party.
And the celebration would not be complete without plenty of fireworks. Breathtaking displays will go off both July 4 and 6 over Moss Field.
During the course of the four-day celebration, some 100,000 revelers will attend, Opperman notes. Activities are free, with the exception of the carnival and barbecue held by the Lions Club. And those proceeds go directly back into the community, Opperman says. "It's very family-oriented, with a lot of history and tradition," he adds. "It's a great chance to celebrate our country." For more information, visit webstergroves.org.
Full of timeless tradition, Fair Saint Louis downtown will again celebrate the Fourth of July with a bang.
'America's biggest birthday party' will kick off downtown with the Freedom 4-Miler at 7 a.m. and the Family Fun Run at 8:30 a.m. Free festivities continue at 9:30 a.m. with the 136th annual Veiled Prophet Parade—themed It's About Time, featuring more than 130 units with floats, helium balloons, marching bands, beauty queens and more—traveling through a new downtown route, including historic Washington Avenue.
And stick around for special live performances under the Arch from country star Trace Adkins, rocker Bret Michaels and internationally lauded rock group The Counting Crows at 8 p.m. on July 4, 5 and 6, respectively. The annual event also will feature an air show, local bands and kids' activities. And every night ends with a bang as firework shows close each concert.
The party continues at Soldiers Memorial with Celebrate Saint Louis concerts, featuring country crooner Josh Turner; local alternative rock band, The Urge; rap artist K'naan; and rock group, NeedToBreathe, on July 12, 13, 19 and 20, respectively.
For more information, visit fairsaintlouis.org.


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U.S. Goverment Issue. Aluminum frame military issue folding cot. Legs fold in and the cot folds in half for easy, nylon cover, compact storage.
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Chefs' Secrets: Pomegranate Frittata
Updated 9:43 am, Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Dear Pat: A group of friends and I had brunch recently at Pomegranate, a restaurant in Artisan's Alley. We loved the ambiance, and the food was excellent — so fresh and tasty. I ordered the Pomegranate Frittata that was filled that day with zucchini and yellow squash, red onion and tomato, and it was so good, I'd love to try my hand at making it at home. Could you please ask the chef if she will share?
Dear Roxanne: Chef/proprietor of The Pomegranate, Nancy Fitch (also of Peach Café in Boerne), presents this delicious Pomegranate Frittata as a special at her Sunday Brunch, which she serves from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Food & Drink Channel
Essentially, frittatas are crustless quiches, egg-based with milk or cream and cheese and gussied up with just about any vegetable you like. Fitch's recipe uses zucchini and yellow squash along with red onion and tomato, a delightful vegetarian combination. It has a light and airy texture, and mild, delicate flavors. Punch it up if you like with a few spoonfuls of salsa for a more assertive "San Antonio" taste.
Brunch is a wonderful meal — a meal to linger over and recharge your energy for the coming week. You'll feel totally relaxed if you start your meal with Pomegranate's Endless Mimosa, then move on to any one of Fitch's inspired array of dishes, including Belgium waffles with whipped cream and berries, potato pancakes served with smoked salmon, poached eggs and chive crème fraîche, or crab cakes with curried cream sauce and tomato chutney. Fresh blueberry pancakes and traditional Eggs Benedict are on the menu too. Each Sunday, a special frittata is served, and this one will be served all through May.
During the week, you can check out Pomegranate's comfortable contemporary space where diners can enjoy salads, soups, quiches, crab cakes, sandwiches, including panini, and a wide beautiful array of housemade desserts. Vegetarians will find lots to choose from, and meat eaters will love the likes of pulled pork, roast beef, and Reuben sandwiches — all prepared with Fitch's special touch. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m..
The Pomegranate is at 555 W. Bitters Road in Artisan's Alley.
Pat Mozersky is a freelance writer for the Express-News. Contact her at


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Save on the Betsey Johnson Babycakes Pink Crystal Heart Watch
Adorable Pink and Gold crystal watch by Betsey Johnson with heart details.
Zadora's timepieces are amazing! I definitely don't have the ching for this bling, (10Kish) but I wish I did. I'm only including the frog and snake in this list, but the skull embedded in jewels is insane!Tags: watches, jewelry, bling, luxury, time pieces, frog, wristwatches, extravagance, exotic jewelryAdded 6 Years Ago from Zadoratimepieces
This gorgeous Pink Diamond watch by Dior is absolutely to die for! Mother of Pearl Dial, stainless steel bracelet with sapphire crystals, and 44 Diamonds set on the sapphire bezel!!! This watch is PERFECTION!


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Point Table
Top 3 Run scorers
Top 3 Wicket Takers
CAB secretary Sourav Ganguly planning pre-season meet
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is planning to start a pre-season invitational tournament on the lines of Buchi Babu Trophy in Chennai and Moin-ud Dowlah Gold Cup in Hyderabad.
Playing cricket tougher than administration: Sourav Ganguly
In his first day in office as Cricket Association of Bengal joint-secretary, former India captain Sourav Ganguly Saturday said playing cricket was "tougher" than wearing the administrator`s hat.
Dalmiya confident to team up with CAB joint secretary Ganguly
Jagmohan Dalmiya, re-elected unopposed as president of the Cricket Association of Bengal for yet another term, hoped to again "team up" with newly-elected joint secretary Sourav Ganguly.
Sourav Ganguly begins new innings as cricket administrator
Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly Sunday started a new innings as a cricket administrator - with his unanimous election to the joint secretary`s post at the Cricket Association of Bengal`s 83rd annual general meeting here.
Ganguly set to be annointed as CAB secretary
Former India captain will begin a new innings as cricket administrator when he`s elected uncontested for the post of joint-secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) at its 83rd AGM here on Sunday.
All-round show by Karn Sharma takes India A closer to final
Young leg-spinner Karn Sharma`s all-round exploits helped India A eked out a thrilling one-wicket victory over South Africa A team to reach closer to the title round in the Quadrangular `A` series here today.
Manoj Tiwary, Manish Pandey script 70-run win for India `A`
Manoj Tiwary and Manish Pandey missed out on three-figure marks but their contrasting innings were enough to guide India `A` to a comprehensive 70-run win over South Africa `A` in the second match of the quadrangular series here on Tuesday.
Gopal Sharma ousted from UPCA selection committee
Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association(UPCA) has undergone major alterations in the selection panel as former India off-spinner Gopal Sharma and Ranji stalwart Shashikant Khandekar were shown the door in the Dehradun meet on Sunday.
Club files Sourav Ganguly`s nomination as CAB joint secretary
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly`s nomination for the post of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) Joint Secretary was today filed by his club Barisha Sporting ahead of the annual general meeting on July 27.
Sourav Ganguly all set to be elected as CAB`s next joint secretary
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly`s much-awaited entry into cricket administration will happen on July 27 when he will be elected Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretary in its 83rd Annual General Meeting (AGM).
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Updated: Jun. 18
Larimer County has set two new survey bench marks in the Glen Haven and Drake area. This will be valuable information for property owners and surveyors working in the canyon.
Updated: Jun. 5
Do you own an agricultural business that was affected by the September 2013 flood? The Colorado Department of Agriculture will be hosting a June 11, 2014 Application Workshop at The Ranch (Larimer County) to assist agricultural businesses with completing their grant application, which has a deadline of June 17, 2014. More information »
If you would like personal assistance with your application or to know whether you meet the requirements to apply for the grant, Lara Duran is holding office hours at the Larimer County Extension office each Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through the month of June. Schedule an appointment with Lara »
Updated: Jun. 2
The free sand bag location in Estes Park has moved from Fish Hatchery Road to the Fairgrounds at Stanley Park. Sand bags will no longer be delivered to the Fish Hatchery Road location.
Please enter the fairgrounds gates from Community Drive and then turn left. Sand bags are available in the southeast portion of the fairgrounds, while supplies last. Gates will remain open. Another delivery may be made by tomorrow.
Please consider your neighbors—take only the number of sand bags you need. More information »
Updated: May 29
SERVE 6.8 has set a goal of filling 30,000 bags this weekend. Volunteers are needed to make this happen. There are 6 shifts available at the Larimer County Ranch to help fill sandbags. Sign up
Updated: May 23
Two flood recovery projects are underway in the Fish Creek corridor, with the long-term goal of restoring public infrastructure and increasing health and resiliency of the stream corridor. More information »
Updated: May 22
SERVE 6.8 has partnered with the American Red Cross and Larimer County to fill sandbags for the flood and fire survivors. We need as many volunteers as possible to make as many sandbags as we can to protect our community against spring runoff. Join us at the Ranch, Budweiser Event Center, every Saturday through July 19 (except on May 31) from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. to volunteer and make sandbags. Lunch is provided. Don't forget to bring sun screen, closed toe shoes, and water! Sign up »
Updated: May 19
This hands on workshop is for any homeowners recovering from the floods and will cover mold remediation and drywall installation. It will be tailored to recovery after the Colorado floods. View flyer »
Updated: May 13
Information regarding the disposal of flood debris at the Larimer County Landfill has been updated. View the news release »
Updated: May 6
Larimer County will begin demolishing six homes seriously damaged by the 2013 flood on Tuesday, May 6, 2014, with the first home in the Big Thompson canyon posing the greatest risk of being washed downstream, causing further damage, as waters rise. More information »
Updated: Apr. 21
Bioengineering for bank stabilization means incorporating living and dead trees into the materials used to build up eroded riverbanks as opposed to riprap, which is rocks. It's not just boulders, true riprap rock has a certain specific gravity and is quarried to have angles so it has more of a grip when pummeled by floodwater. But bioengineering is more resilient, and better for the riparian ecosystem. More information »
Updated: Apr. 9
The Larimer County right-of-way debris program is ending on May 10. To fully utilize this program, please remove debris as soon as possible. You may contact the debris hotline to schedule a pick up at (970) 498-7140. For questions, please contact Lori Hodges at (970) 498-7147.
Updated: Apr. 8
Larimer county is working in collaboration with the American Red Cross and SERVE 6.8 to provide free, filled sandbags to flood and fire survivors. Learn more »
Updated: Mar. 24
The Mountain Outreach Team is hosting support meetings for flood survivors throughout April 2014. Learn more »
Updated: Mar. 20
Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States. The American Red Cross developed its new Flood App to help save lives and reduce losses from floods and flash floods. Learn more »
Updated: Mar. 17
United Policyholders' most recent survivor tip publication regarding disaster income tax filing. This document is a distillation of the February disaster tax workshops that were facilitated along the front range of Colorado. Please note this is intended simply as a "heads up" tip sheet and that the rules and guidelines on this subject are lengthy and complex. View tips »
Updated: Mar. 7
Flood recovery work continues in numerous areas around the County. View bulletin
Updated: Mar. 12
There is a high probability that homes and other structures damaged in the 2013 flood, unless removed or repaired, maybe washed downstream by high water during spring runoff or during subsequent high rainfall events. These structures have the potential to cause serious secondary flooding, threats to public health, and damage to improved property including damage to newly repaired or replaced roads and bridges. More information »
Updated: Mar. 6
Updated: Mar. 6
Learn more about the resources provided once a Federal Disaster has been declared. View resources »
Updated: Feb. 28
U.S. Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet joined Gov. John Hickenlooper today to announce their successful effort to secure Federal Emergency Management Agency aid for state and local governments working to reduce hazards in streams caused by the September flood that pose an immediate threat to lives and property. This is a significant step in the state's work to rebuild and to help prepare for the impending spring runoff.
"Working as a team, we've made great strides rebuilding since September's flood. These funds, which I was proud to fight for in Washington, will help reduce the chances that spring runoff and rain do not cause tragic landslides or result in more destructive floods," Udall said. "This is welcome news for Coloradans along the Front Range, but it will not address all of our remaining needs. I will keep fighting to secure the resources communities ravaged by September's flood need to address both immediate dangers and to fully rebuild."
"This is a huge relief to Coloradans across the Front Range," Bennet said. "Several Colorado counties face the prospect of further property destruction when snow begins to melt in a matter of weeks, swelling streams clogged with hazards, and creating a high risk of new flooding. We're glad to work with FEMA and state and federal agencies to support local communities in their efforts to remove this debris as quickly as possible, in order to avoid more destruction this spring."
"FEMA's decision to help cover the cost of removing hazards from streams will help prevent future disaster and aid the state's recovery efforts," Hickenlooper said. "We are grateful to FEMA for allocating the resources needed to take this step to protect Coloradans in the flooded areas, many of whom are still recovering."
FEMA's initial focus on removing hazards from streams will be in Larimer and Boulder counties; other impacted counties are eligible to apply to FEMA for assistance as local officials define threats and identify sites.
Please contact Mike Saccone at (202) 224-4334.
Updated: May 12
Help us clean up debris left on the riverbanks by the 2013 Colorado floods. More information »
Updated: Apr. 21
Larimer County is sponsoring an informational Emergency Preparedness Open House on Wednesday, April 30, 2014 from 6 - 8 p.m. at the Loveland Chilson Senior Center, 700 E. 4th Street in Loveland. The purpose of the Open House is to provide updates on flood and fire related recovery activities and to provide information on preparedness activities and actions for this upcoming season in Larimer County. More information »
Updated: Mar. 12
The Colorado Spirit Mountain Outreach Team is designed to support Larimer County's recovery from the 2013 flood. We provide outreach, crisis counseling services and connections/referrals to community resources. March newsletter »
Updated: Feb. 28
CDOT's schedule for US 36 emergency flood reconstruction and periodic road closures between Lyons and Estes Park. Detour routes strongly advised via State Highway 7, US 34. View CDOT press release
Updated: Feb. 28
A three-hour closure scheduled Wednesday, March 5 for blasting on US 36: Emergency flood reconstruction between Lyons and Estes Park. View CDOT news release
Updated: Feb. 28
Read the latest update information on FEMA grant distribution in Colorado, including information on Individual Assistance and how to appeal grant determinations. View bulletin
Updated: Feb. 21
Larimer County, in collaboration with the Larimer County – Flood 2013 Long Term Recovery Groups (Loveland and Estes Valley offices), is sponsoring an expanded Flood Recovery Information Open House on Saturday, March 8, 2014 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Rocky Mountain Park Inn Conference Center, 101 South Saint Vrain Ave, Estes Park. Learn more »
Updated: Feb. 20
John Trapani provided free educational tax loss workshops for Boulder, Larimer and El Paso counties on February 11, 2014. Watch video »
Updated: Feb. 20
GoodHealthwill, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Loveland, has received a grant from the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado to provide medical equipment and healthcare supplies to flood-affected residents of Larimer County at no cost. Equipment and supplies may include, but are not limited to: manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs/scooters, walkers/rollators, ramps, stair lifts, vehicle lifts, adjustable beds, bathroom equipment, grab bars, daily living aids, monitoring devices, incontinence supplies, wound care supplies, boots and braces, respiratory equipment and supplies, CPAPs, enteral feeding equipment and supplies, diabetic supplies, rehabilitation/therapy equipment, pediatric equipment, etc., as GoodHealthwill is able. The grant does not cover medications or home remodeling.
Flood-affected Larimer County residents in need of medical equipment or healthcare supplies should contact the project coordinator, Heather Bennetts, by email at email@example.com or by calling GoodHealthwill's Loveland office at (970) 624-6002. Assistance will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis until grant funds are exhausted. Recipients will need to provide a reference or FEMA paperwork to verify their flood hardship.
Updated: Feb. 19
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and contractor Kiewit Infrastructure will be scheduling lane closures on US 34 between Loveland and Estes Park in the coming weeks in order to allow for work that will help crews prepare for the spring thaw. Due to the temporary state of the highway following the September 2013 flood, crews need to perform hillside stabilization and rockfall mitigation work to ensure the highway remains safe throughout the spring as temperatures fluctuate with the weather. Rockfall mitigation work will help prevent loose materials from coming down on the highway on their own.
Upcoming impacts to motorists will mostly be single-lane closures for short durations to allow crews to perform barrier work, inlet work, or debris removal along the highway. Additionally, crews will be performing rock scaling operations which will require traffic stops for both directions of US 34 Mondays through Fridays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. During rockfall mitigation stops, motorists will be halted for as much as 30 minutes. All work and lane closures are weather dependent, but are expected to begin Friday, February 21 and last throughout the week of Monday, February 24, or longer. Motorists are strongly encouraged to build an extra 30 minutes of travel time into their schedules! Learn more »
Updated: Feb. 12
Larimer County officials are warning homeowners to be wary of possible scams targeting flood survivors. Reports of survivors being provided inaccurate or misleading information from individuals offering demolition services or utility call-back. Learn more »
Updated: Feb. 13
The Long-Term Recovery Fund is administered by Long-Term Recovery Group of Northern Colorado (LTRG-NoCo), which is made up of more than 50 nonprofit agencies, government organizations, faith-based groups and concerned citizens. The Fund will be used specifically for long-term recovery needs of Larimer County residents affected by the floods. United Way of Larimer County is serving as the fiscal agent for the Fund.
To be eligible for assistance, residents must have suffered losses in the September 2013 floods in Larimer County. Residents must meet with LTRG-LCF case managers, who will assess situations, identify resources, and refer residents to possible sources of assistance, including funds available from the LTRG-LCF. Learn more »
Updated: Feb. 7
Concepts for post-flood river corridor restoration relating to the Front Range floods of September 2013. This two-day seminar is intended to provide an opportunity to share some common problems and potential solutions with a wide range of individuals involved in the post-flood restoration challenge. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 31
View the presentation given at the Larimer County Informational Open House. Flood Recovery presentation »
Updated: Jan. 24
The Distribution Center located at the Outlets at Loveland will permanently close on Friday, March 28, 2014. Learn more »
Updated: Feb. 12
John Trapani provided free educational tax loss workshops for Boulder, Larimer and El Paso counties in February, 2014. A video recording of the Feb 11, 2014 Larimer County presentation will be posted to the website soon. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 31
Join us for a free educational workshop on flood damage and insurance. Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed during the September 2013 flooding are encouraged to attend this workshop. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 28
Larimer County will host United Policyholders for a special presentation aimed at flood survivors called Post-Disaster Income Tax Workshop. The session takes place on Tuesday, February 11, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Loveland Senior Center, 700 East 4th Street, Loveland. Note: A presentation on federal taxes and disaster losses was presented by the IRS in January 2013 and is available for video viewing at www.larimer.org/highparkfire under Videos. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 24
An informational flood recovery open house, sponsored by Larimer County, will be held on Wednesday, January 29 from 6 - 8:30 p.m. at the Loveland Senior Center. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 21
US 34 in the Big Thompson Canyon will close at Idlewild Lane on Wednesday, January 29 at 9 p.m., until Thursday, January 30 at 3 a.m. to accommodate the replacement of the Idlewild Lane bridge girders over the Big Thompson River The overnight closure location is at mile marker 78, roughly two miles east of Drake.
This is a complete closure and no through traffic will be allowed. There will be lane closures in place at this location beginning at 7 p.m., in advance of the full closure. The detour route between Loveland and Estes Park is on US 287, SH 66, and then US 36 through Lyons. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 21
This will be our last community status report as we have transitioned to targeted community engagement in the few remaining areas that experienced long lasting and severe road, power, telecom or other infrastructure damage.
When out-of-service issues occur we'd ask you report your repair issue via the online web tool or call (800) 573-1311 to report service outages.
For billing issues, flood impacted customers may continue to contact us (877) 908-9661. Additionally our retail store locations listed below may provide in person assistance. These two channels are prepared to address the varying needs flood impacted customers for: service transfer, billing, suspension, temporary, forwarding, etc. View impact report »
CenturyLink retail stores:
Updated: Jan. 17
Community Partnership awarding business-to-business financial support to aid small companies in Larimer County that were affected by the 2013 flooding. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 8
At the January 7, 2014, Administrative Matters meeting the Board of Commissioners voiced its support for helping to fund potential projects that could assist homeowners to protect homes in imminent danger from increased erosion due to the September 2013 floods. Severe erosion has placed many homes at risk of damage due to any small additional erosion on unstable stream banks.
Larimer County will proceed with contractual negotiations with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to serve as a sponsor and project manager for these potential protection projects. The NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program provides 75% of project funding and has funding of up to $4 million for exigent projects requiring protection measures that would need to be completed by April 15, 2014. The State of Colorado has agreed to provide 12.5% of the required match, and Larimer County, as sponsor, would potentially provide the remaining 12.5%, approximately $500,000. Significant additional work is now required to finalize contracts and identify individual projects.
Updated: Dec. 20
New information now available on floodplain impacts. Learn more »
Updated: Dec. 6
From CDOT: "Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has contracted with Phillips and Jordan, Inc., to collect debris from flood-impacted state highways." Learn more »
Updated: Dec. 6
Flood debris pick-up from the recent floods continues in the mountainous areas of Larimer County. Learn more »
Updated: Dec. 6
The case management office of the Long-Term Recovery Group for the Larimer County floods opened Dec. 3. Learn more »
Updated: Jan. 6
A full closure of the bridge will occur starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, January 8, and last until 6 p.m. that same day. Neighborhood access to the bridge will be closed after 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on that day. Contact Martina Wilkinson at (970) 498-5631 with questions.
Updated: Dec. 16
The last Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) for the September Colorado severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides is closing permanently at 3 p.m. (MST), Saturday, Dec. 21. Learn more »
Updated: Dec. 6
CSU Extension will host a second informational meeting Dec. 16 for farmers, ranchers, and landowners affected by the recent floods. Learn more »
Updated: Dec. 2
The Northern Colorado Distribution Center will reopen December 9, after temporarily closing from December 1-8 while moving to its new location at the Outlets at Loveland. Learn more »
Updated: Dec. 2
The flood debris pick-up schedule has been updated to include the weeks of Dec. 2-6 and Dec. 9-13. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 27
Beginning December 3, 2013, Larimer County residents who suffered losses from the September 2013 flooding will be able to access assistance through the Long-Term Recovery Group – Larimer County, which is made up of more than 50 nonprofit agencies, government organizations, faith-based groups and concerned citizens. Learn more »
Updated: Dec. 2
The Mountain Outreach Team is hosting a support meeting for flood survivors on Thursday, December 5, at 5:30 p.m. Learn more
Updated: Nov. 27
From FEMA: "If you are a homeowner, renter or business owner, SBA disaster loans are the primary source of money to pay for repair or replacement costs not fully covered by insurance or other compensation." Deadline to register is Dec. 2nd. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 27
From FEMA: "Individuals and families who are still being assessed regarding their housing needs may continue to be eligible for Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) through Dec. 14." Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 25
The Northern Colorado Distribution Center will be temporarily closed, starting Dec. 1 through Dec. 8, while it moves from its current location to the Outlets at Loveland. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 25
There are many variables to the debris pick-up schedule such as weather, access, and debris amounts that will influence the pick-up schedule. There are also important guidelines for debris removal. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 22
The debris removal schedule begins Monday, Nov. 25, with the first pick-ups scheduled for County Road 43 (from switchbacks to Glen Haven), Pinewood Springs, and County Road 4 west of Highway 287. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 22
From FEMA: "Colorado residents and business ownders with damage from September's severe weather have only one week left to resigister for help from FEMA. There is also only one week left to apply for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)." Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 22
From FEMA: "The Loveland Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Larimer County will permanently close at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 27." Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 19
From FEMA: "The deadline to register with FEMA has been extended to December 2, 2013, because of the long Thanksgiving weekend." Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 19
The Mountain Outreach Team is hosting a support meeting for flood survivors on Wednesday, November 20 at 5:30 p.m. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 19
Details regarding the debris removal plan for affected property owners are expected to be available later this week with the project beginning early next week. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 15
From FEMA: "An additional 21 days is added to the normal 60-day deadline to file your proof of loss flood claim with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)." Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 15
From FEMA: "Individuals and families who are still being assessed regarding their housing needs may continue to be eligible for TSA through Nov. 30 (checkout Dec. 1)." Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 12
The Larimer County Building Department is resuming normal, pre-flood, operating hours in the Estes Valley area. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 6
The trail between Bobcat Ridge and Storm Mountain (Power Line Trail) will close permanently this Friday, Nov. 8, 2013, at dark. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 6
The County's flood debris pick-up program is expected to begin in the next two weeks after the Board of County Commissioners approved a contractor for collecting debris. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 6
Temporary road repairs will begin Monday, Nov. 11, 2013, on Fish Creek Road in Estes Park. The Town and Larimer County are currently in the planning stages for permanent repairs. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 6
At the request of the State of Colorado, FEMA has approved an extension for storm and flooding survivors to register for federal disaster assistance. The new registration deadline is November 30, 2013, which is also the new deadline to complete and return low-interest U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loan applications. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 6
Larimer County - Life After the Flood is a seven-minute video recently released by the Board of County Commissioners detailing both the damage and the current County recovery efforts. Learn more »
Updated: Nov. 2
Construction crews have completed primitive roadways to reconnect the Retreat and Big Elk Meadows. Use of the roadways is restricted and for resident use only. The road is primitive, rough, and best suited for four-wheel drive and high clearance vehicles. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 31
If you receive a determination letter of ineligibility, be sure to read the entire letter carefully to find out why. In some cases, all you need to do is send FEMA a copy of the private insurance determination letter. You can call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585) or visit a DRC to find out how to appeal this decision, submit any required documents, or make changes to contact information. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 25
As the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) moves forward with repairs on US 34, they are requesting property owners with property on or close to the highway contact CDOT to allow access. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 25
From FEMA: National Flood Insurance policyholders whose homes or other structures were damaged by flooding have until November 14, 2013, to file claims for their losses. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 21
Larimer County has asked and received assistance from the FEMA in making substantial damage determinations on properties in the designated floodplain. FEMA and County staff teams will begin Wednesday, October 23, assessing homes in areas that are accessible along the Big Thompson, North Fork of the Big Thompson, Little Thompson, and Buckhorn Canyon. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 24
The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment asks for the public's help in identifying areas where hazard was deposited in the Buckhorn Canyon area from September flooding. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 24
On Thursday, October 31, the Larimer County CSU Extension office will host an informational meeting for farmers, ranchers, and landowners affected by the flood. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 18
If FEMA is asking you for proof that your home is not habitable, the Larimer County Building Department will provide FEMA with documentation based on information contained in damage assessments recently conducted for flood-damaged properties. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 18
From the Loveland Reporter Herald: "Starting Sunday (10/20), residents can travel from Estes Park to Drake at any time." Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 18
Burn permits will not be issued for burning of flood debris. Flood debris should not be burned. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 17
Larimer County is diligently working to implement a flood debris program and is currently in the process of hiring a contractor to remove debris left behind. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 16
On Thursday, October 24, at 1:00 p.m., United Policyholders and Larimer County will host a "Roadmap to Recovery" workshop. The workshop will highlight flood insurance basics and insurance claim topics. Flood survivors with damaged or destroyed homes are encouraged to attend. View bulletin »
Updated: Oct. 15
The State of Colorado has launched a new website to provide flood survivors with recovery information and resources. Visit website »
Updated: Oct. 12
November 16 is the deadline for flood survivors in Larimer County to register with FEMA for assistance.
Updated: Oct. 11
On October 10, Larimer County Commissioners and the County Manager hosted a work session highlighting updates on road repair, road access, and road costs following the September flooding. View view »
Updated: Oct. 11
In the October "Community at Work" radio show, Larimer County Community Information Manager Deni La Rue and County Engineer Mark Peterson talk about Larimer County's flood road and recovery efforts. Listen to the recording
Updated: Oct. 11
The Town of Estes Park, Larimer County, and Waste Management, Inc., are providing several options to Estes Valley residents who still need to dispose of flood debris. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 9
Mitigation advisers will offer rebuilding tips to help limit damage from future severe weather in Fort Collins and Loveland beginning Thursday, Oct. 10 through Tuesday, Oct. 15. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 10
The Larimer County Landfill has updated its flood debris information with details regarding household appliance disposal. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 8
The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment is providing freetetanus (Tdap) shots to those involved in flood clean-up efforts. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 8
Larimer County residents impacted by the recent flooding will receive mail-in ballots earlier than other county residents. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 2
While FEMA and SBA will stay in place at their current locations, other services for flood survivors located at the Northern Colorado Disaster Assistance Center in Loveland will transition out to normal agency locations after Friday, October 4. Learn more »
Updated: Oct. 1
Larimer County has established a flood informational telephone line. Learn more »
Updated: Sept. 30
Twenty-three teams of FEMA disaster specialists are deployed throughout Colorado's flood-impacted counties. The teams are canvassing affected areas to enable residents to apply for assistance with immediate and emerging needs. Learn more »
Updated: Sept. 24
Access to areas affected by the flooding may require registration and credentialing from the Sheriff's Office. Access may be limited to walking, ATV, horseback or other non-regular vehicle means. Learn more »
Updated: Sept. 24
FEMA has broadened assistance to Larimer County to include repair or replacement of public facilitates such as roads, bridges, public buildings, water facilities, public utilities, and parks. The expanded assistance will cover 75 percent of costs. Learn more »
Updated: Sept. 23
Property owners with valid flood insurance policies can file a claim. Instructions are provided at the National Flood Insurance Program website. Learn more »
Updated: Sept. 20
Several Larimer County parks, campgrounds, and open lands areas have been closed due to the flooding. Learn more »


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Within the next few weeks, we're going to be making several changes to the browsers we support in BrowserLab.
In our next release, coming in December 2010, we're going to be adding support for 3 new browsers:
- Firefox 4 beta (Windows)
- Internet Explorer 9 beta (Windows)
- Google Chrome 7 (Windows)
Update December 2, 2010: BrowserLab 1.5.2 is now live, and contains the above browsers.
We're also going to be removing some older browsers:
- Firefox 2 (OS X)
- Firefox 2 (Windows)
- Safari 3 (OS X)
These changes are pretty significant and represent a couple of firsts for us. It will be the first time we've removed any older browsers. And it is also the first time that we've ever added support for beta versions of new browsers. Going forward, we intend to bring newer, relevant browsers to you sooner than we have in the past. And of course, once the browsers are no longer beta, we'll be updating them to the shipping version as soon as we can.
Our BrowserLab browsers all have the Adobe Flash Player installed, and otherwise are left in their default factory install configurations. We believe that this is the way most users run their browsers, and will provide you with a testing environment that is most likely to simulate real world situations. If you ever need to know the exact version of the browsers we're running, in the BrowserLab client, choose Help > About to see version information for our Client, the Flash Player, and each browser.
To help us make decisions on when and whether we add support for a browser, there are several factors that come into play. We look at several statistical sources to gauge market share/usage of browsers. In some cases we also reach out to the browser vendors and make attempts to work with them to provide the best experience in BrowserLab. And of course we balance these with the other priorities for how we invest our engineers' time in the product.
In addition to the new browsers listed above, we are working on some additional new browser support, and plan to deliver another new release early in 2011.
Do you have questions about our browsers? Go ahead and ask in the comments, and we'll do our best to provide answers.
Bruce Bowman
Adobe BrowserLab product manager
twitter: @brucebowman


text:
SWINDON Town have announced the signing of midfielder Anton Rodgers on a one-year contract, subject to Football League and FA approval.
Rodgers, son of Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, has linked up with the Swindon squad at their army training camp this week and was involved in Town's win over Petersfield on Tuesday night.
The Advertiser reported that Rodgers was due to be unveiled as a full-time fixture following Tuesday's game, although the club insisted at the time he was only on trial.
Speaking to the club's official website, Rodgers said: "I know a few of the boys here and Luke (Williams) asked if I was interested and I was really keen," he said. "I'm from down the road in Reading so it was something I was interested in doing and I'm glad it's done now.
"I started my professional career at Brighton, before moving to Oldham. I was up close up with my family there with my dad at Liverpool. I just wanted to move closer back to home. Thankfully, Swindon were interested and it was something I could do.
He continued: "I like to get on the ball, set the play up and play through the lines of midfield, nick a goal if I can. I just want to play as much as I can." Finally, Rodgers revealed that he was glad to be around a number of familiar faces at SN1.
He said: "I know George Barker, Yaser (Kasim), Rapha (Branco) and Ben Gladwin; he's a Reading boy as well and he's one of my good friends. It make it that bit easier but still doesn't stop the nerves when you come in on the first day."