Heroes, in their words

Tim Duncan is in the NBA and has won three world championships. Lastly, he is a very good role model.Therefore you can see that Tim Duncan is my favorite African-American of achievement. Tim Duncan does not drink, smoke or do drugs and he doesn't hang out with people who make negative choices. Tim, does not complain if he loses a game. He shows good sportsmanship. Tim Duncan is my favorite African-American of achievement because of the way he lives his life.- Joey MontesanoCasey Park Elementary SchoolLarry BellMy favorite African American of achievement is Dr. Larry Bell. He has helped teachers all over the world. He runs workshops for teachers to help them educate. He is a 25-year veteran of education. He even traveled to South Africa to share his ideas.He is an educational consultant, a motivational speaker and an author.


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Council Members Approve Extension, Expansion Of SMID District

After six weeks of discussion, including nearly three hours Monday night, Sioux City council members vote to continue the self-supported municipal improvement district, with expanded borders. By a vote of 4-to-1, with Mayor Mike Hobart being the lone dissenting vote, the council approved a five year agreement... and then voted to waive the second and third readings of the ordinance. The council had considered a three year proposal, but councilman Brent Hoffman urged the group to recognize the mandate downtown businesses gave on the SMID. "In this case 8% of the people are protesting," said Brent Hoffman, Sioux City City Council Member. "We need to hear and acknowledge that, and try to improve it, but we can't let that to drive the overall vision of the city. Council Member Dave Ferris called the whole ordeal a quote "embarrassment" and a "fiasco." Roger Caudron of Downtown Partners, the group that administers the tax, says he recognizes that not every property owner is happy about tonight's decision.


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Twin Pines Task Force Presents Findings

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Twin Pines Golf Course Task Force presented its findings on ways to pay for improvements Wednesday night.They suggested creating a one-year local option sales tax, selling a three acre portion of the course, selling the naming rights to the course or using property taxes to pay for the renovations.The group said selling any more than three acres doesn't make sense.Council members will likely decide which options to pursue sometime in the next six months. Complete Text of the Twin Pines Task Force Report Task Force Formation, Purpose and Scope of Work The Twin Pines task force was created in August, 2007 at the request of the Mayor and City Council after significant public input was received at two public open houses concerning the concept to improve Twin Pines Golf Course with financing from the sale of a portion of the 150-acre course.


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Black students fare better in Vigo Schools

In 2006-07, the high-school graduation rate for Vigo County School Corp. black students was 63.2 percent, according to the Indiana Department of Education.That exceeded the statewide graduation rate for black students, which was 57 percent.Vigo County's black graduation rate also showed improvement over 2005-06, when it was 48.1 percent.The graduation rates for the past two years use a new state formula based on students who complete their high-school education in four years or less. Individual students are tracked through a Student Test Number system that began in 2002.Last month, the Indiana Youth Institute published a column praising the school district's efforts to raise the graduation rates of its black students, although IYI's numbers and methodology are different than what the state now uses.The IYI column — published by various media outlets — states that the black graduation rate increased significantly between 2001 and 2005.


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Make My Day

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Microsoft killed Santa Claus.

Okay, they didn't kill the real Santa, but an automated Santa chat-bot they had set up last week. The Santa-bot was an agent on their Live Space website and MSN Messenger program. Children could ask Santa some questions and tell him what they wanted for Christmas, and an automated program would give the appropriate responses.

But according a story in to the London Register, the virtual Santa got into some real trouble when he was chatting with two girls, 11 and 13 years old, who offered him a piece of virtual pizza.

"Eat it!" they told him.

"You want me to eat what?!?" Santa-bot responded. "It's fun to talk about oral sex, but I want to chat about something else..."

I promise I'm not making this up.

Microsoft tried to fix the Santa-bot earlier this week, but it didn't work.


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Make a splash with water features

Water features are among the most popular gardening touches. Given the choice, people always seem to prefer a garden space with some type of water, whether it's an ocean view or a simple recirculating fountain. Most garden centers, including those at home improvement superstores, offer a selection of materials for building and stocking ponds. You can have a concrete, fiberglass or rubber-lined lily or fish pond with waterfalls, cascades, self-contained fountains or a simple water sculpture.

Place water features where you will have the greatest opportunity to enjoy them — in the back yard, either as part of a patio or in a separate garden space. The sound of falling water is soothing. Place a fountain in a slightly hidden area, at the end of a meandering path or in a small meditation garden, adding the delight of surprise.


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Reform of health care in motion

Although most of the details are yet to come, lawmakers this session set in motion a reformation of the health-care system that, if it becomes in reality anywhere close to what is visualized, will bring health care that costs less, has better quality and will give every Utahn insurance.

Whether by fate or by choice, the state can no longer put off a revolution in the health-care system that, if left to its own devices, would account for every dollar in the state economy in about 30 years.

"There was little choice but to make this a landmark year, because without landmark thinking, health care will soon overwhelm the economy," said House Majority Leader David Clark, R-Santa Clara, sponsor of HB133, the legislation that is the catalyst for changes expected to be under way for the next decade.


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