November 22, 2009
Alonzo Weston - Reporter/Columnist
Characters set the stage for children’s programming
Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Friday, Nov. 13, 2009
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Monday, Nov. 9, 2009
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
Fewer voters turn out 2nd time
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
Program targets struggling readers
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
Monday, Oct. 26, 2009
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009
Monday, Oct. 19, 2009
Monday, Oct. 19, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009
Monday, Oct. 5, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009
Plans for Uptown redevelopment put on hold in tough economy
Friday, Oct. 2, 2009
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009
Is down economy producing pack rats?
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Monday, Sept. 21, 2009
Monday, Sept. 21, 2009
Lindbergh care team works to help families, children
Monday, Sept. 21, 2009
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009
Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009
Claudia Black saw “Sesame Street” for the first time from a 12-inch TV in Ethiopia. She lived there on a military base with her husband, Bill, and young son, Ed, for 2½ years in the early 1970s.
“MASH” reruns and days-old American sporting events took up most of the six-hour TV broadcast day. “Sesame Street” was the only children’s programming available. But it was more than good enough, Mrs. Black said.
“The conversations, the music, the characters and their behaviors, the positive messages and teaching shared through this production meant a great deal to me,” she said.
Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Down a steep grassy hill and to your left, after you pass through the front gate of the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Weston, Mo., sits the “colored section.”
New alcoholism drug gives addicts a chanceFriday, Nov. 13, 2009
David More ran away from home at 9. He experimented with drinking at 13. When he turned 17, his brother, after getting into a scuffle with him, committed suicide with their father’s pistol.
By the time he was 21, the Independence, Mo., man said he was pretty much an alcoholic.
“That’s when my experimenting went into overdrive,” Mr. More said. It got even worse in his 20s, when his son was killed in a car wreck.
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
UNION STAR, Mo. — A fidgety huddle of grade-schoolers anxiously watched the military green Humvee pull up in the Union Star R-II School parking lot Wednesday afternoon.
Memories of childhoodWednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Those cinnamon bears were addictive. And in the days of penny candy, every kid knew you got 2 cents for every empty pop bottle you turned in to the grocery store.
John Beasley - “Positootly” (Resonance Records)Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Easily Beasley's most potent and personal recording to date.
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Matt Ziesel received a standing ovation Monday night and he didn’t even have to score a touchdown this time.
MAP test among country’s hardestMonday, Nov. 9, 2009
St. Joseph School District officials have long said that Missouri may have one of the toughest state student assessment tests in the nation — the Missouri Assessment Program. Now there’s a study to back up that assertion.
The National Center for Education Statistics released a report last week that showed MAP standards in reading and math are among the most rigorous in the nation. Missouri rated second highest of all states in three out of four measured areas in the study.
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
The eight pieces selected on the album span some 25 years in the Michael Brecker library and are culled form seven different recordings.
Fewer voters turn out 2nd time
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
The passage of the school levy Tuesday might make the case that “yes” voters have more tenacity than “no” voters.
Unofficial polling numbers for the St. Joseph School District’s property tax levy increase show a lower voter turnout than in April. There were 2,000 fewer people who voted in the November election. There were 2,127 fewer “no” votes than in April, but only 50 fewer “yes” votes than seven months ago.
“The ‘yes’ votes were tremendously consistent with what the ‘yes’ vote was in April,” said Pat Conway, Buchanan County clerk.
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
Saxophonist David Murray employs tow Gwo Ka Master drummers and vocalists Klod Kiavue and Francois Ladrezeau, in his spirited, groove-teeming follow-up to 2004’s critically acclaimed Gwo Ka Masters recording “Gwotet.”
Carlos Barbosa-Lima - “Merengue” (Zohomusic)Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
“Merengue” is full of musical surprises innovative arrangements and brilliant guitar playing.
New voices in the mediaTuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
The news media has always been a white male dominated field. For years the voices of blacks, Hispanics and women were not heard in TV or in print.
Campaign groups make final push for school levySunday, Nov. 1, 2009
The wish list shrank in seven months. In April, voters were asked to continue a 63-cent operating levy without a sunset clause and pass a bond to build two new schools.
Both issues failed.
Now St. Joseph School District and levy campaign officials are asking voters to grant one simple request: on Tuesday, vote yes to pass a 63-cent levy with a five-year sunset clause.
“I think a yes vote is justified to keep giving us funding for the children of our community,” said Jason Park, campaign co-chairman for “Our Children. Our Future. Our Decision.”
The levy measure, which needs a simple majority to pass, failed by 172 votes last April. Many felt the lack of a sunset clause and being tethered to a bond issue helped bring about its failure. Other factors were a weakened economy and opposition from a group known as “Citizens Against Forever Tax.”
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
Something for every taste from jazz, blues, funk, Celtic and classical music.
Program targets struggling readers
Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
The St. Joseph School District began a pilot program this year to help struggling readers. “Response to Intervention” takes a three-tiered approach that allows teachers to give more individualized instruction to students in kindergarten through second grade.
Levy opposition group claims conflict of interestThursday, Oct. 29, 2009
A spokesman for Citizens Against Forever Tax raised issues Wednesday about a school levy campaign team member’s involvement in a lawsuit that could hinder the St. Joseph School District tax revenue.
Straight talk about hairWednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
A part of my childhood memories smells like burning hair. It’s a smell that comes from when my grandmother, mother and aunts used to take turns straightening each others hair with a hot comb heated by the kitchen stove.
I remember what “conk” smells like too. That burning lye and raw egg concoction black men used to straighten their hair reeked of sulphur.
Many blacks grow up knowing what burning hair smells like. Other races have no idea the pains some of us put ourselves through to have “good” hair.
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
The St. Joseph School District made a few cuts after the 63-cent levy tax failed last April. One question on some voters minds is what cuts would be restored if the levy gets passed on Nov. 3. Janet Pullen, St. Joseph School District chief financial officer, said it’s ultimately a board decision on what services would be restored from the cuts. The school administration would make recommendations. “Some of the recommendations we would make for their consideration would be things like looking at the salary schedules which we didn’t have any raises at all this year, and looking at restoring some of the teaching and learning resources that we had to cut,” Ms. Pullen said.
Average Joe: Rules of the gameTuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
Most guys think of relationships in sports metaphors. Getting on base. Scoring. Touchdown. Slam dunk. Fair catch. Since many of us use these and other sports-related terms when talking about the opposite sex, women would be wise to get hip to this terminology. Basic lessons guys learn from playing sports also translate quite well in the realm of romantic matters. The same time-honored rules of hard work, teamwork and loyalty work whether on the field of play or in the court of love. The Web site oldandsold.com posted a list of sports rules that were first published in 1911. At no cost to you the reader, Average Joe will translate these rules into relationship terms.
Reeder still listed with groupTuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
Monday came and Kenneth Reeder is still listed as treasurer of Citizens Against Forever Tax on the Missouri Ethics Commission Web site.
This comes after Mr. Reeder said last week that he would be removed as treasurer of the group opposing the school levy.
Mr. Reeder said last Friday that the eight day contribution report to the commission would reflect that change.
Monday, Oct. 26, 2009
Every household works to balance its budget. The St. Joseph School District is no different.
Having more money coming in than going out, plus something in the bank are the standard rules among many financial planners.
If the St. Joseph School District was a household, it might be in financial trouble, according to Jana Castanon of Consumer Credit Counseling Service.
Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009
The unemployment rate nears 10 percent. Many people are experiencing wage freezes or layoffs. Some businesses have shut their doors.
Anyone trying to get any tax or levy passed these days can count on opposition from at least one source: the economy.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Some St. Joseph residents have received mailers opposing the 63-cent school levy, according to officials of the pro-levy group “Our Children. Our Future. Our Decision.”
The mailers are marked “Paid for by Citizens Against Forever Tax.” That’s the same group that opposed the school levy/bond vote last April and was led by Ken Reeder.
Among other things, the mailers say “Our Tax Dollars are Going to Waste” and “Vote No on November 3rd!”
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Though decidedly a jazz CD, “Where Is Love?” transcends musical sub-genres while establishing an identifiable and contemporary sound.
Still in fashionWednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
The huge clanking figure moving toward me in the News-Press parking lot last Friday was none other than Bag-Head Jheri, the Messanie Street philosopher, wearing a T-shirt that read, “Proud Member of the Reality Based Community.”
Parents as Teachers helps children growWednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
A group of moms and dads sat around a huge circular rug inside the Keatley Center Tuesday morning, trying to hold energetic bundles of preschool energy in their laps. Parents as Teachers educator Jill Robinson asked the children what a cow sounded like. And a toddler chorus responded with a cacophonous: “Moo! Moo! Moo!” For the next hour, Ms. Robinson showed both parent and youngster through song and play the value of music in their child’s life. How music helps with language development motor and social skills.
Daniel Smith - "Blue Bassoon" (Summit)Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009
Some instruments like some people aren’t meant to lead in jazz. The bassoon is one such instrument.
Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records (BJU Records)Monday, Oct. 19, 2009
Some of the most creative and diversely influenced jazz to come along in quite awhile.
Monday, Oct. 19, 2009
The late Vince Guaraldi’s music is as relaxing as a glass of warm milk and a cookie.
District taking a ‘wait-and-see’ approachTuesday, Oct. 13, 2009
There’s no promise of new schools or a threat of job cuts dangling before voters like it was in April. This time around, the campaign to restore 63 cents to the St. Joseph School District operating levy on Nov. 3 is more of a wait-and-see approach.
“If it doesn’t pass, it will be adressed again in the board review that the board does for next year,” said Janet Pullen, St. Joseph School District chief financial officer. “We would anticipate we would make further cuts but it’s way too early to make actual decisions about what those things would be.”
In April, voters rejected renewing and making permanent a 63-cent operating levy first approved in 2004. Voters also rejected $45 million in construction bonds for two new elementary schools.
Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009
There are sunset clauses for capital improvement projects. There are sunset clauses in some liability insurance polices.
But rare is the school district, at least in Missouri, that has a sunset clause on its operational levy, state education officials say.
There isn’t a database that tallies just how many districts actually have an operating levy with a sunset clause. But Mike Parnell. director of education for the Missouri School Board Association, estimated it’s a very small percentage of the 523 school districts in the state.
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Sam Pierson remembers that the evening of March 1, 1998, started out cold and quiet. She and her friend Ken Vitt sat toastily snug inside his warm and secluded Lebo, Kan., home, while freezing winds and snow flurries mingled outside.
Independent auditor: School district's reserves an assetSaturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Having more than $30 million in reserves was the elephant in the room when the St. Joseph School District tried to get an operating levy passed last April.
But an independent auditor’s report Friday said the amount is more an asset than a liability. It’s a healthy amount to weather against what Rick Westbrook foresees as lean funding times down the road.
“I think your reserves, while it’s not as high as a lot of our districts, it’s not alarmingly low,” Mr. Westbrook, of Westbrook & Co., said during the joint school board personnel and finance committee meeting Friday. “I’m glad to see you maintained it this year.”
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
It’s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s true, Ival Lawhon was a master artist. His photos spoke volumes. Each and every picture he took gave us insight into a man who knew deep emotion and how to capture it.
District waits for drivers’ next moveTuesday, Oct. 6, 2009
School officials are unsure of the impact of school bus drivers’ decision last Friday to unionize. But Steve Huff, assistant to the superintendent, said the district doesn’t foresee any change in the near future.
Mold closes Spickard schoolMonday, Oct. 5, 2009
Spickard R-2 School District students began attending classes in nearby Princeton Thursday while the school takes care of a mold problem and carries out some renovations.
Levy campaign group announces co-chairsSaturday, Oct. 3, 2009
Only a handful of people were in attendance as the citizens’ group “Our Children. Our Future. Our Decision” introduced the co-chairs for its school levy campaign Friday afternoon. Besides the media, the librarian and a few group and family members, only one person showed up at the Parkway Elementary School library for the announcement.
A deep look into the seaSaturday, Oct. 3, 2009
When Sean Nash began the St. Joseph Marine Institute more than 10 years ago, many people asked him why. There’s no marine life in landlocked Missouri. Surely there are forests and other earthly things the kids could study.
The Benton High School biology teacher and instructional coach had a ready answer.
Plans for Uptown redevelopment put on hold in tough economy
Friday, Oct. 2, 2009
Children play there sometimes. Occasionally there are empty beer bottles and other trash lying around. Other than that, the Uptown redevelopment project is just an expanse of empty field where a hospital used to be and a plan has yet to unfold.
The wisdom of yearsWednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Sometimes Veto Watson just wanted someone to drive him to a place where he could watch the trains go by. He wanted little else in life but couldn’t get enough of trains. Mr. Watson had tons of books and videos on trains. And if you stopped by his secluded Elwood home for a visit, you couldn’t leave unless you watched one of his train videos.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
The Youth Health Partnership held its annual meeting Tuesday afternoon at the Troester Media Center. The joint meeting between the partnership and the St. Joseph Board of Education was a passing of the baton of sorts, as the group paid tribute to former Heartland Health president and CEO Lowell Kruse for his work in bringing the school district and the hospital together to promote childhood health. Mr. Kruse’s successor, Mark Laney, told the group of about 70 people that he and Heartland Health would remain committed to Mr. Kruse’s legacy. “We don’t want to wait until we get sick as adults to start taking care of ourselves,” Dr. Laney said. “If we’re just going to take care of people that are adults that come to the hospital, we failed in the health care system.”
Average Joe: The follicle formulaTuesday, Sept. 29, 2009
I’ve been accused of changing hairstyles more frequently than Wooly Willy. You know that cheap toy from the 1960s now found mostly in dollar stores?
If you remember, it’s a quite simple toy — just a piece of cardboard with the face of a red-nosed, smiling, hairless man named Willy painted on it and covered in plastic. Inside the plastic is a clump of black iron fillings. You move those fillings with the magnet provided to make different hairstyles for Willy.
Is down economy producing pack rats?
Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009
Jeanine Ritchie will tell you everything serves a purpose in her Midtown home. The box full of empty energy drink bottles. The container overflowing with stuffed animals. The hundreds of pill bottles. The stack of empty Tidy Cat litter containers. The stray scraps of wood. “Lots of things I’ve had a long time that I really cherish for one reason or another,” Ms. Ritchie said from her cluttered yet clean and orderly living room while she watched two television sets at once, with the volume turned way up. Eleven years’ worth of living at the same address can pile up quickly. Stuff piled up so quickly, in fact, that it once took a group of social workers to help her clear some of it out.
Still going after all these yearsWednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Two days before his 100th birthday, Bill Bascue sat on a Maysville fishing bank with his son Dale.
After about six hours, father and son packed up their gear and headed home.
“We caught one little bitty one, that’s it,” Dale Bascue said.
When you live a century’s worth of days like Bill Bascue, some things are bound to get away. He’s learned that you just don’t worry and keep on fishing.
Monday, Sept. 21, 2009
On "Remembrance" bassist Patitucci pays homage to several of his heroes including Sonny Rollins and the late Freddie Hubbard.
Roni Ben-Hur - "Fortuna (Motema Music)Monday, Sept. 21, 2009
Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur's signature sound subtly infuses jazz with melodies and rhythms form romantic cultures.
Lindbergh care team works to help families, children
Monday, Sept. 21, 2009
Julie Gaddie knows a school isn’t always just a place to teach and learn. More often than not, it’s also a beacon of hope and care for the basic needs of students and their families.
“We’re here to serve the community. That’s our No. 1 calling,” said Ms. Gaddie, principal at Lindbergh Elementary School.
About four years ago, Ms. Gaddie and members of her staff noticed a growing need for basic services for many of their families. Some of the parents of the students had lost jobs and homes, and felt they had nowhere to turn.
Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009
The Hillyard Technical Center hosted a grand opening for its new science annex on Friday.
Will outside help pay off?Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009
Mary Battreall thinks we have people right here in town who can guide the St. Joseph School District just fine. The school district doesn’t need an out-of-town consulting firm to help them develop a long-range plan, she said.
“I think we should do it on our own,” Ms. Battreall said. “We’re capable of it if we put our efforts together.”
“Our Children. Our Future. Our Decision,” the community-led school levy campaign team, is looking to hire a consulting firm that will help bring the community together and develop a long-range plan for the school district.
JOB SEARCH
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