Below are links to news stories of interest from newspapers that came up during a search today. These links were active at the time of this e-mail, but should you want to save a story, printing it or cutting and pasting the entire article and saving it to your computer is recommended.
State News 
One sick child, two teachers and a selfless act LINCOLN — Tuesday was Tim Chavosky’s last full day as a science teacher at Lincoln High School. In February, the ax fell on nine LHS teachers who were laid off because of budget constraints. Chavosky was one of the teachers cut. But Chavosky’s situation is different from the other eight. He volunteered to go. Why he volunteered might end up being the best lesson he ever taught the students at Lincoln High.
Decatur School District, teachers union at odds over ‘Race to the Top’ memo
Decatur Herald – DECATUR – The second deadline for Race to the Top is fast approaching, and Decatur’s application lacks the signature of the Decatur Education Association. Bobbi Williams, director of special programs, gave a report on the federal program to address low-performing schools to the school board Tuesday.
Dist. 205 and Teachers Join Race to the Top
WIFR (CBS) 23 Rockford – a more than four billion dollar jackpot. And representatives for both the teachers union and the administration say it’s too big a prize to miss out on. Rockford Education Association president Molly Phalen says the teacher’s union is joining the district in signing the state’s application for round two of the federal “Race to the Top” contest.
REA puts frustrations aside for Race to the Top collaboration
WREX (NBC) 13 Rockford – The Rockford Education Association puts clashes with Superintendent Dr. LaVonne Sheffield on the back burner and pledges collaboration. Both sides signed a memorandum of understanding to work together
Somonauk teachers agree to salary freeze, cut programs reinstated
Ottawa Daily Times – union also approved the changes to the contract, voting “overwhelmingly in favor of freezing our salaries and stipends at the exact salary paid for the 2009-2010 school year,” said Somonauk Education Association President Lois Whalen. “Teachers, and especially Somonauk teachers, are committed to our students we work with every day,” she added.
D204 support staff OKs hourly pay freeze
Fox Valley Villages Sun – a 2 percent “step” raise for existing employees. Currently, starting secretaries earn $13.49 per hour and other IPCA members, including deans assistants, health assistants, and teacher assistants start at $11.01 per hour. Carol Schaible, president of IPCA, said 78 percent of the union’s members are also District 204 residents, something that was kept in mind
Teachers say union OK of U46 pact likely
Elgin Courier News – teachers would not receive a pay increase, so it “won’t dramatically increase the number of teachers we can recall.” Nor would more U46 staff necessarily be recalled, Sanders said, even if Gov. Pat Quinn signs legislation to fix the district’s funding process and give the district $22 million more general state aid for the 2010-11 school year. That’s because the state is so far behind
Unit 5 may start an hour later on up to 16 days next year
Bloomington Pantagraph – Superintendent Gary Niehaus emphasized the board won’t decide tonight whether to introduce the late starts, but it could direct him to discuss the idea further with union officials with the Unit Five Education Association. In a work session set for 5 p.m. the school board is expected to discuss how the still-uncertain state budget will affect the district’s 2010-11 budget.
The Southern: Cut fat from state budget, not meat of public education Editorial – Some lawmakers in Springfield apparently realize the state of Illinois is pursuing a path of financial ruin. That sounds good, but serious state budget deliberations were needed months ago, at the opening of the regular session of the State General Assembly.
Our Opinion: Disappointing decisions by U of I board
Springfield State Journal Register – There is no doubt a university presidency is a difficult, 24/7 job. But the fact that new U of I President Michael Hogan’s salary of $620,000 is more than the $177,412 that Gov. Pat Quinn earns and President Barack Obama’s $400,000 salary shows how university administrator salaries have gotten out of hand. THE U OF I BOARD approved Hogan’s salary
News-Gazette: Who says how much is enough? The (Champaign) News-Gazette – When Michael Hogan starts his new job as president of the University of Illinois in July, he’ll be earning an annual salary of $620,000 a year, and that has a lot of people upset. The anger or resentment or whatever one chooses to call it is no big surprise. Big salaries bring out the envy in many people. But the envy is accompanied by anger this time, and not without reason.
Illinois turns away 27,000 for financial aid
Sterling Sauk Valley News – Thousands of Illinois college students who were hoping for financial aid from the state may be out of luck: The agency that distributes the payments says an increase in demand has forced it to turn down almost 27,000 students, and that figure could grow to 200,000 by fall. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission says it expects to have about $400 million to spend
Political News
Illinois House approves budget; Senate to meet today Chicago Public Radio – Illinois is closer to a new budget. The state Senate this afternoon is scheduled to discuss a $13 billion deficit. The House yesterday approved a spending plan that relies heavily on borrowing and putting off paying state bills. Democratic Representative Pat Verschoore says the House budget plan is not a good solution but it’s the best given the options.
House OKs borrowing to cover state pensions Pension borrowing — a major (and controversial) component of a state budget plan — finally won approval in the Illinois House on Tuesday after a series of rejections. The scene now shifts to the Senate, which returns to Springfield today.
House passes pension borrowing plan on 2nd try The Illinois House approved, on its second try on Tuesday, a bill that borrows $3.7 billion so the state can make its pension payment. The vote was 71-44, with two members voting ‘present.’ Two Republicans crossed party lines to vote in favor of the bill.
Borrowing has huge role in proposed spending plan
Chicago Tribune – For the second consecutive year, lawmakers are favoring taking out a loan to cover the required contribution to pensions for retired state workers, judges, elected officials and teachers outside Chicago. Democrats argued that spending $1 billion on interest payments to cover the pension borrowing plan would be less expensive to taxpayers than simply refusing to make the pens
Illinois Lawmakers Adopt Plan to Borrow To Pay For Pensions
Chicago WFLD (Fox) 32 – One measure would borrow $3.7 billion to make the state’s annual contribution to government pension systems. Another would give Gov. Pat Quinn broad power to decide where to cut spending. Quinn would also be allowed to borrow from special government funds. A third measure cuts administrative spending by 5 percent.
NEW: Illinois House slashes $200 million in Medicaid, rejects other cuts Alton Telegraph – A day after a coalition of Democratic lawmakers proposed $1.3 billion in cuts in an effort to dig the state out of a $13 …
Democrats reject Black motion on 63 Republican bills
Champaign News Gazette – A motion by state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, to discharge 63 separate pieces of Republican legislation aimed at cutting government costs and improving Illinois’ economy was blocked Tuesday night by House Democrats. “I think part of the frustration I feel is that we’re not allowed to participate. We’re not asked. We’re not invited.
Curtailing use of state planes not on lawmakers’ list of cuts Chicago Tribune – Lawmakers are proposing a wide variety of ways to cut the woefully out-of-balance budget,
Quinn won’t sign bill to let colleges borrow The Associated Press – Gov. Pat Quinn says he will not sign a bill that would allow Illinois’ public universities to borrow money to make up for millions of dollars in overdue state funding.
White House Sending Campaign Help for Giannoulias
NBC Chicago – Alexi Giannoulias’ campaign said today that Secretary of education Arne Duncan and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina would be coming to Chicago in June to campaign for the senate candidate. “Should be a good time,” said spokesperson Matt McGrath
Pantagraph: A few reasons why public sees need for cuts The (Bloomington) Pantagraph – If state lawmakers wonder why the public doesn’t believe those who say there’s no fat to trim in the budget, let us explain.
During his first year, Quinn stayed at Executive Mansion 55 nights Gov. Pat Quinn had been in office only a few hours last year when he vowed to do something his impeached predecessor did not – live in the Executive Mansion in Springfield. But a Tribune analysis of his official travel schedule shows that Quinn stays at the ornate, taxpayer-funded house only sporadically. He didn’t spend more than three consecutive nights in the executive mansion.
Our Opinion: Spare state retirees dose of ‘tough love’ STATE REP. KAREN MAY, D-Highland Park, said the legislature might have to show state retirees some “tough love,” and start imposing premiums upon them for their health insurance as part of a plan to balance the state budget.
Gubernatorial candidate Whitney pedals throughout state for his green platform
Decatur Herald and Review – SPRINGFIELD – Traveling by public transit, Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney visited Central Illinois on Tuesday to call for the state to phase out its reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear power. The Carbondale attorney has been relying on his bike and mass transit to travel the state during a nine-day, 650-mile trip that will cover 19 cities when it’s completed in the coming
National News
Neither side happy with jobs bill being pushed through Congress Washington Post – Some conservatives say people who are out of work shouldn’t be able to collect jobless benefits for almost two years. Liberals, meanwhile, want Congress to pay for a New Deal-style program in which the federal government would send …
School is in session: Governor announces deal to eliminate Hawaii’s public school furloughs
CLTV-Chicago – The governor will release $57.2 million to the state school system, out of a total of $67 million the Legislature allocated from a special state hurricane relief fund; and teachers will hold classes on six of the 11 non-instructional days their labor contract previously required. “We are gratified that the agreement we worked hard to reach with the Board
Teacher in trouble after students don Klan robes ATLANTA (AP) — A North Georgia teacher is on administrative leave and could lose her job after she allowed four students to don mock Ku Klux Klan – in Klan-like outfits upset some black students at the school and led at least one parent to complain. Catherine Ariemma, who teaches the advanced placement course combining U.S. history with film education, could face punishment ranging from suspension to termination, Lumpkin County School Superintendent Dewey Moye said Monday
Politics and Gangsters: Behind the War on Jamaica’s Streets
In Jamaica, the same government trying to arrest an indicted gang leader had previously tried to shield him from extradition. Can Prime Minister Bruce Golding survive the showdown?
BP’s Oil: Fouling the White House Along with the Gulf
One day, the gusher in the Gulf will stop. Then what?
Is the Housing Market on the Rebound?
For the first time in years, it appears, now is actually a good time to buy a house
In Death-Penalty Cases, Innocence Has to Matter
The case of Hank Skinner gives the Supreme Court a chance to confront the fact that the legal system does not always seem to care whether the people it executes are actually guilty
Chinese Factory Under Scrutiny as Suicides Mount
The massive Foxconn factory in Shenzhen, China, is known for assembling electronic goods like Apple’s iPhone and iPad. But in recent months it has gained a darker image, as a place where workers regularly throw themselves to their deaths
Nations go own way on global financial reform
LONDON — The global campaign to harmonize rules for financial firms is swerving off course, threatening efforts to curb the risky bets that rocked the world economy two years ago.
(By Anthony Faiola and Brady Dennis, The Washington Post)
North Korea severs all ties with South
SEOUL — North Korea announced Tuesday that it is severing all relations with South Korea, heightening the risk of armed conflict and creating perhaps the most serious crisis on the Korean Peninsula in more than two decades.
(By Blaine Harden, The Washington Post)
BP readies mud and robots to try to plug oil well
The most critical moment in the oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico is at hand, as BP engineers armed with 50,000 barrels of dense mud and a fleet of robotic submarines are poised to attempt a “top kill” maneuver to plug the gushing well a mile below the surface.
(By Joel Achenbach and Steven Mufson, The Washington Post)
BP presents: One slick horror film
For all the gunk on television, it’s hard to think of a more depressing show these days than the “spillcam,” the live, continuous underwater footage of the broken BP pipe that has been gushing away deep, deep down in the Gulf of Mexico for more than a month now.
(By Hank Stuever, The Washington Post)
Obama beefs up border security
President Obama will deploy 1,200 National Guard troops and request an extra $500 million to secure the Mexican border, his administration said Tuesday, a move dismissed by Republicans as insufficient to win their cooperation on an overhaul of the nation’s immigration system.
(By Michael D. Shear and Spencer S. Hsu, The Washington Post)
Word of the Day for Wednesday, May 26, 2010
regnant \REG-nuhnt\, adjective:
1. Prevalent; widespread.
2. Reigning; ruling (usually used following the noun it modifies): a queen regnant.
3. Exercising authority, rule, or influence.