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
State set to cut funding for schools
Suburban Chicago News – Current negotiations in Springfield could result in 10 percent cuts to the state’s school funding foundation level, meaning millions less in state aid to local schools. State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, an Aurora Democrat who chairs the Elementary and Secondary Education Appropriations Committee, said this week the state budget crisis will likely affect general state aid, lately the only consistent funding source from Springfield to local schools.
Record number of Ill. students take AP exams
Decatur WAND (NBC) 17 – The Illinois State Board of Education says a record numbers of Illinois students took Advanced Placement exams last year. But the proportion of students who passed the college-level exams continues to decline.
Budget cuts cause unrest in higher education The state’s huge budget shortfall is beginning to affect classes at public universities. Ghaziaouf Alph, a pharmacy major at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said, “My teachers ain’t in class and I have these two substitute teachers who don’t know how to teach nothing. My grades are affected.”
Teacher jobs in jeopardy in District 200
Chicago Daily Herald – Warrenville Unit District 200 officials work to address a projected $8.6 million deficit in their 2010-2011 budget. The changes are among roughly $7.7 million in proposed cuts being reviewed by the school board and an advisory finance committee that’s assisting with the budget process. Both panels received the first draft of suggested cuts on Wednesday.
Funding cuts may mean D204 staff cuts
Glen Ellyn Sun – If the state of Illinois doesn’t come through with the funding it owes Indian Prairie School District 204, several teachers will likely lose their jobs. “We have not landed on what that number will look like,” said Superintendent Kathy Birkett, who confirmed Wednesday non-tenured staff would feel the hit. In a message to District 204 community members, Birkett explained the effects of the state’s financial woes on education.
District 21 prepared to make major cuts Thursday night
Chicago Daily Herald – District 21 officials are getting ready to make some tough decisions tonight (Thursday). “I expect by the end of the night the school board will know the direction they want to go,” said Superintendent Gary Mical. “A lot is tied into teacher negotiations that are ongoing.”
Hillsboro Schools Face Tough Choices
Hillsboro Journal News – would have done nothing to improve the forecast. When the current fiscal year ends this summer, Superintendent Powell predicts a $2 million total fund deficit, including $1.8 million in the education fund from which most day-to-day school operation is paid. That projection is provided the state pays its obligations.
Parents plea for limited cuts
Chicago Daily Southtown – As Mokena School District 159 moves forward on deep cuts to its programming for next year, plenty of residents aren’t letting those programs go without a fight. Hundreds of people crowded Wednesday night’s school board meeting at Mokena Elementary School, pleading with board members for a chance to weigh in on what gets slashed from the 2010-11 district budget.
Adviser gives District 165 board members look at financial future
Crystal Lake Northwest Herald – During its first meeting since the failed referendum, the District 165 school board reviewed a potential financial forecast. Howard Crouse, senior financial adviser with Naperville-based PMA Financial Network, presented an example of a similar, but larger school district during a special board meeting Wednesday night.
Making a run for it: Two school districts participate in ‘Race to the Top’
Freeport Journal Standard – More than 40 percent of Illinois school districts, including Freeport School District 145 and Eastland School District 308, have laced up their running shoes to participate in “Race to the Top,” a federal competitive grant program intended to drive education reform.
Geneva school salaries not the highest, not the lowest, district says
Arlington Heights Daily Herald – Are Geneva teachers paid too much, too little, or just enough? This week the school board released a teacher staffing and salary study, comparing Geneva to 19 other suburban districts. It is one of several comparative studies the board has requested as it prepares to make decisions about what to spend money on for the 2010-11 fiscal year.
MHS teachers, school board negotiation stall
Mundelein Review – Terrence Napolski, president of the Mundelein Education Association, which represents 138 teachers, counselors and other certificated employees in the district, said teachers have been working without a contract since the beginning of the current school year and there has been little movement in contract negotiations over the past several months.
Woodland teachers union cries foul
Streator Times-Press – The Woodland Education Association is filing an unfair labor practice complaint against the Woodland School Board. According to association President Deidre Toler, the union is unhappy with the board’s handling of the recovery of $217,360.96 overpaid to 75 current and former teachers between the 2004-05 school year and the 2007-2008 school year.
Proviso District 209 hires lobbying firm to recoup funds
Maywood Herald – The Proviso School District 209 Board of Education approved a $30,000 contract with a lobbying firm to find money from Springfield to avoid teacher layoffs. Paul Williams and Associates will look for potential sources of funding and lobby state officials to finance educational programming and capital improvements in District 209.
North Mac board to be seated Wednesday
Springfield State Journal Register – The newly elected North Mac Board of education will be seated Wednesday. The meeting is set for 7 p.m. on the Girard campus. The Girard and Virden school districts will merge into the North Mac School District on July 1.
OUR VIEW: The intent and reality of state fees
Freeport Journal Standard – Farmers are about to find out what educators learned a long time ago. Money collected by the State of Illinois goes into the general fund. From that fund, monies are mixed with other revenue sources and eventually flow like a river in the general direction of Chicago.
School bus driver to wrap up 39-year career
Springfield State Journal Register – Nancie Klein’s career as a school bus driver started on a dare. “A friend said, ‘You could never drive a school bus,’ and I thought, if I can drive a farm truck, I can drive a school bus,” the 80-year-old former farm wife said. Sure enough, Klein could. She since has spent nearly 39 years hauling children to and from school across the A-C Central School District, serving generations of families and covering thousands of miles of country roads in the process.
Chicago schools’ growing environmental options
Medill News Service – The Chicago Public Schools have recently come under scrutiny for their use of disposable trays and the amount of food waste they throw away, but school officials say they’re doing what they can to be more environmentally conscious. “Our issue here is that we’re a district of 670 schools,” CPS spokesman Frank Shuftan said. “Everything we do has to be geared towards dealing with that volume. There’s a cost issue.”
Plan strips school councils of power to pick principals
Chicago Sun Times – Hundreds of parent-led local school councils would be stripped of the critical power to pick principals under a bill introduced this week by the Rev. James Meeks, head of the Senate education Committee. Plus, up to 42,000 students at 65 of the city’s lowest-scoring public schools would be entitled to tuition vouchers to attend private or parochial schools under an amendment
Political News
Glass half empty, mayor and state seek more stimulus
Medill News Service – If a kid blows his weekly allowance the minute he gets it, mom and dad usually aren’t too forgiving. But what if he’s spent only half that allowance and asks for an advance? In this case, replace the child with Mayor Richard M. Daley and mom and dad with the federal government. And that weekly allowance is what most call stimulus money.
Dillard says Jim Ryan cost him an outright win
Western Springs Doings – Had former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan not entered the GOP gubernatorial race, state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-24th, of Hinsdale said he would have “handily” won the nomination. The fact that DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom still got 7,000 votes despite dropping out also hurt his chances of a clear victory.
Our View: Dems should look downstate
DeKalb Daily Chronicle – Democrats across the state are breathing a collective sigh of relief after Scott Lee Cohen tearfully stepped aside Sunday from the lieutenant governor’s nomination that he won Feb. 2. Party leaders now will choose a replacement running mate for Gov. Pat Quinn in the Nov. 2 election.
Madigan wants lieutenant governor job gone Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has proposed legislation to end the state office of lieutenant governor. The proposal would abolish the elected office in 2015 and designate the Illinois attorney general as the governor’s successor, if needed.
Is ‘diversity’ a consideration for lt. gov?
Chicago WLS (ABC) 7 – Democratic leaders don’t like talking about it publicly, but some believe the party’s fall ticket should be more diverse. They also believe that Cohen’s resignation allows the party a chance to add diversity, which is why two Asian Americans are getting serious buzz.
Duckworth has flaws Quinn needs to see
Chicago Daily Southtown – Phil Kadner – Gov. Patrick Quinn may want to think twice about lobbying for Tammy Duckworth as his running mate in November’s election. Duckworth is an assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Before that, she was director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2006.
Former state official engaged in ‘decadent’ behavior, ethics commission finds
Springfield State Journal Register – A former top-ranking official in the state Department of Healthcare and Family Services engaged in “decadent” behavior, didn’t show up for work and used her state computer for viewing pornography and other personal activity, according to a report released by the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission.
Bernard Schoenburg: Money only 1 part of a winning mix, says Plummer
Springfield State Journal Register – The family of JASON PLUMMER, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, spent $1.3 million or more on his race, but Plummer doesn’t think money alone led to his victory. “The reality of the situation is, there’s a lot of things that are important,” Plummer said by telephone from his hometown of Edwardsville
Blagojevich maintains ‘not guilty’ plea
Crains Chicago Business – Ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich pleaded not guilty Wednesday to revised federal corruption charges and challenged prosecutors to allow jurors to hear all of the FBI’s recordings of his telephone conversations. Sounding unusually combative after the brief hearing, Blagojevich told reporters he would not ask Judge James B. Zagel to prevent jurors from hearing FBI wiretaps in which prosecutors say
Blagojevich brother pleads not guilty The brother of ousted Gov. Rod Blagojevich has pleaded not guilty to revised federal corruption charges. Robert Blagojevich says he is in the fight of his life and admits ties to his brother have been strained by the case.
Opinion: Time for Obama to go gangsta on GOP Civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer made famous the phrase, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” For me, I’m sick and tired of Democrats having power and being unwilling to use it. I’ve always respected Republicans when they had power because they were willing to use it and maybe apologize
National News
Sec. Duncan Addresses Senate, Pushes Student Loan Industry Overhaul AACRAO Transcript – On Tuesday, Education Secretary Arne Duncan reaffirmed his support of President Obama’s plan to overhaul the student loan industry, reports the Washington …
Childhood obesity linked to early death: US study AFP – Being obese as a child increases the risk of dying before you reach 55, says a study published Wednesday, a day after US First Lady Michelle …
Trimming the Fat Wall Street Journal – ? Rarely is there much good to say about the Obama Administration’s health-care agenda, so its childhood anti-obesity campaign is a welcome turn. …
What Went Wrong at Toyota It was the world’s most admired automaker, a company that had redefined manufacturing. Then the recalls started. What can other firms learn from a corporate culture that went horribly wrong?
It’s Her Party: The Brilliance of Sarah Palin Sarah Palin is clever, deceptive and infuriating — which makes her the Republicans’ most potent force
Iran’s Anniversary: The Opposition Tries to Thwart a Crackdown As Tehran presses it nuclear program forward, its political crisis continues, with every anniversary an occasion for protest
Will Lindsey Vonn Have to Drop Out of the Games? U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn, whom NBC and other marketers are betting will captivate Olympic audiences like Michael Phelps did, could pull out of the Games
Post-Partum Depression: Signaled During Pregnancy? Studies suggest that so-called antenatal depression may not only predict postpartum depression in mothers, but also lead to long-term changes in babies’ health and behavior
Most Viewed Articles on washingtonpost.com
1) Most Americans are dissatisfied with government Two-thirds of Americans are “dissatisfied” or downright “angry” about the way the federal government is working, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. On average, the public estimates that 53 cents of every tax dollar they send to Washington is “wasted.”
2) Alexander McQueen found dead at home LONDON — British fashion designer Alexander McQueen was found dead at his London home on Thursday, his spokeswoman said. He was 40 years old.
3) Record blizzard shuts down the government John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the person who makes the call as to whether federal government employees report to work or not discusses the effects of closing the government during the Blizzard of 2010 and whether further closings may occur.
4) Palin’s populism: It just might work With a well-honed message, the former governor has to be taken seriously.
5) 2 ex-employees say Blackwater billed government for prostitute Two former employees of Blackwater Worldwide have accused the private security contractor of defrauding the government for years with phony billing, including charging for a prostitute, alcohol and spa trips.
6) What fuels the grass-roots rage The field is getting crowded and the intrigues intense as electoral hopes rise.
7) At unmanned NW Safeway, honor system is reported Outside, whiteout. Inside the Safeway in Tenleytown, the aisles were empty, the salad fixings gone, the milk shelves cleaned out. The only evidence of what had happened sat on the cashier’s belt in Lane 2 — a few coins and a couple of wrinkled bills that told the tale: The staff skipped out and …
8.) Washington’s newest hero, able to clear tall drifts in a single pass He arrives in a cloud of hissing white flakes with an unmistakable whine, leaving a trail of clear pavement in his wake. He accepts no money for his work. He moves so fast and is so bundled up against the cold you might not recognize him — or even catch his name.
9) Google, raising the Web’s speed limit Google staked a claim on another corner of the technology universe Wednesday, saying it now wants to turbocharge your Internet connection.
10) GOP hope rises in California The field is getting crowded and the intrigues intense as electoral hopes rise.
Word of the Day for Thursday, February 11, 2010
coquetry \KOH-ki-tree; koh-KE-tree\, noun:
Dalliance; flirtation.