This is the archive for May 2009
By Margaret Talev and Warren P. Strobel
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has a sweeping goal for his speech Thursday in Cairo, Egypt: to begin remaking the dynamic between the United States and Muslims abroad.
He'll declare a clean break from the Bush administration's "war-on-terror" approach to foreign affairs and forcefully endorse establishing a Palestinian state.
Posted by courier at 04:40 PM. Filed under: News
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By Jenelle Gallardo,
Courier Staff Writer
As the school year comes to an end, students are faced with new beginnings. Seniors are headed out of high school, toward summer plans and beyond.
"I want to get a job at Wells Fargo and a head start on GED's at Ohlone, and maybe a quick trip to Canada to visit my cousin I've never seen before," said senior Mandip Sekhon.
Senior Kristen Kidd plans to spend her near future "cheerleading at Ohlone, shopping, working, boys, more shopping, and [going to] L.A."
Posted by courier at 09:06 AM. Filed under: News
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If confirmed, Sonia Sotomayor
would be the first latina on the
U.S. Supreme Court.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama introduced his nominee to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Appearing in the White House East Room with her at his side, Obama called Sotomayor "an inspiring woman who I believe will make a great justice."
He said she met his two basic criteria, intellect and a "recognition of the limits of the judicial role. ... A judge's role is to interpret, not make law."
Posted by courier at 09:24 AM. Filed under: News
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By Steven Thomma And Jonathan S. Landay
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)
WASHINGTON — North Korea's new in-your-face test of a nuclear weapon poses a grave new challenge to President Barack Obama, one with no clear path to a solution.
Obama vowed Monday that the international community would "stand up" to North Korea for its belligerent action, and the U.N. Security Council unanimously condemned the North Korean test Monday afternoon, calling it a "clear violation" of a 2006 U.N. resolution.
Posted by courier at 04:33 PM. Filed under: News
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Former Vice President
Dick Cheney
U.S. Gov.photo
WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Dick Cheney's defense Thursday of the Bush administration's policies for interrogating suspected terrorists contained omissions, exaggerations and misstatements.
In his address to the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative policy organization in Washington, Cheney said that the techniques the Bush administration approved, including waterboarding — simulated drowning that's considered a form of torture — forced nakedness and sleep deprivation, were "legal" and produced information that "prevented the violent death of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of innocent people."
Posted by courier at 10:57 AM. Filed under: News
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By Weida Siddiqi, Courier Staff Writer
This year's STAR testing went well, but could be improved next year, said Vice Principal Rhonda Neagle, who was in charge of the mandated testing sessions that spread over two weeks of school.
California requires that every year students in the third grade through 11th grade take what's called standardized testing. The tests are taken so the state, the school board and others can see what level students are at in subjects such as language arts, math, and science.
Turnout was good for this year's round of testing. According to Neagle, only about about 35 of the 1100 freshman, 63 of the 985 sophomores, and 147 of the 1009 juniors did not show up to take the tests the first day of testing April 21.
Posted by courier at 09:36 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
Hillview Crest Elementary School made a significant jump in statewide rankings released today by the California Department of Education as part of the 2008 Academic Performance Index (API) "base reports."
Statewide rankings show how each school compares to all other schools in California. A rank of 10 means that a school is in the top 10 percent of all schools statewide, compared separately for elementary, middle or high schools. A rank of 1 denotes the lowest 10 percent.
Posted by courier at 12:41 PM. Filed under: News
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LUNCH
Salsa Bar at the Creations booth! Pizza, Chinese, grill items such as burgers & chicken strips, deli sandwiches and, of course, burritos!
MISCELLANEOUS
Don’t miss the student art show, on display in Century Theater lobby now through May 29th. See awesome artwork from AP, Digital and Multicultural Art.
BSU meeting on Thursday, 5/21/09, in Room 529 at 3:35. Meeting will be short.
Posted by courier at 10:06 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
The Board of Education on Tuesday night received the annual Superintendent’s report on Measure A and the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee’s annual report on the $120 million bond, approved by New Haven voters in 2003.
Using state matching funds and local revenues and transfers, the District has increased the impact of the bond to $169 million and financed the construction of Conley-Caraballo High School, modernization projects at Cesar Chavez Middle School and Alvarado Middle School, the construction of new classrooms, a childcare center and the Performing Arts Center at James Logan High School, and several other projects. Future projects include the Culinary Arts Institute at Logan.
Posted by courier at 10:04 AM. Filed under: News
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Despite backing from the
California Teachers Association
and others, five measures were
defeated Tuesday.
WASHINGTON — Saying California voters delivered a message to "go all out" in cutting government spending, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Wednesday promised to make severe cuts in education, health care and law enforcement.
"We tried to not make those kind of cuts, but now we have to," the Republican governor told reporters in Washington. "There's no other choice. I think the message was clear from the people: Go all out and make those cuts and live within your means."
Posted by courier at 09:39 AM. Filed under: News
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Astronauts Michael Good (bottom) and Mike
Massimino participate in the STS-125 mission's
fourth spacewalk. NASA photo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronauts Michael Massimino and Michael Good were hoping Sunday their tough repair mission, fixing the Hubble telescope's black-hole hunter, would go as smoothly as Saturday's spacewalk that revived a dead space camera on the observatory.
No such luck.
Posted by courier at 11:35 AM. Filed under: News
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"Big Rob" Lealao, center, and a
Polynesian Club member cook
chicken for the Unity Fair Friday.
Courier Photo
On Friday, Logan held the annual Unity Fair to celebrate the various cultures and ethnicities we have at Logan. It was a way to appreciate our culture and learn about other peoples' also. From the great food they had to the wonderful dances each culture presented, it was great.
I enjoyed the Polynesian food the most, which was presented by the Polynesian Club. They served chicken,white rice and macaroni salad. To top it all off I had an iced mocha from the Garden Club.
I feel like the Unity Fair brought Logan's many cultures together. Logan is always known for having racial issues. This one day can change one's mind about how they feel about a culture, either enlightening them or making them appreciate what they already knew.
Posted by courier at 09:20 AM. Filed under: News
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The Yomiuri Shimbun (MCT)
TOKYO — A 17-year-old third-year male student in Kobe, Japan, was confirmed infected with the new type of influenza virus, or H1N1, also known as swine flu, Saturday, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.
It is the first infection of the new flu confirmed in Japan outside of cases discovered during onboard quarantine inspections at airports.
Posted by courier at 04:22 PM. Filed under: News
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By Tim Higgins
Detroit Free Press (MCT)
DETROIT — General Motors on Friday announced it would inform about 1,100 dealers — or 18 percent of its 5,969 stores — that the automaker no longer "sees them as part of its dealer network on a long-term basis."
"This process starts today, as GM begins contacting dealers regarding its long-term planning," the company said in a statement.
GM said that, in most cases, existing franchise agreements run through October 2010.
The troubled automaker described the dealers being let go as "underperforming" and having "very small sales."
Posted by courier at 08:06 AM. Filed under: News
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Sohail Khan, 13, shows his
shrapnel wound in his stomach.
(Saeed Shah/MCT)
MARDAN, Pakistan — The Pakistani army denies knowing that its war against Islamic militants has caused civilian casualties, but patients and family members at a local hospital told McClatchy Newspapers on Thursday that multiple relatives were killed when the military shelled or bombed their homes.
So far, there appear to be just a handful of civilian casualties from the fighting in Swat, a valley 100 miles from Islamabad. More of them, however, along with damage to homes and businesses and the plight of the hundreds of thousands who've been displaced by the fighting, could undermine hard-won public support for fighting the Taliban.
Posted by courier at 08:34 AM. Filed under: News
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Courier Staff Report
Logan's teachers and others ate a tasty and free breakfast this morning, provided to them by the ASB and the school's administration as thanks and recognition of the Day of the Teacher.
Dozens of teachers and other Logan staff lined up before school to get plates full of bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, fruit and other goodies dished up by Leadership students and administrators.
Tomorrow, they'll be served lunch.
Other recognition of the teachers' work came in the form of praising emails from Principal Judy Billingsley and Superintendent Kari McVeigh.
Posted by courier at 09:26 AM. Filed under: News
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Services have been
set for Juan Rodelas
Juan "Johnny" Rodelas' family has arranged funeral and memorial services for the Logan student who was killed after a Saturday night auto wreck.
Viewings will be held at the Fremont Memorial Chapel, 3723 Peralta Blvd. in Fremont, on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
A vigil mass will be held starting at 6:30 p.m.
Posted by courier at 09:24 AM. Filed under: News
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A memorial to Juan Rodelas has
sprung up at the site of the accident
that claimed his life. Courier Photo
Friends and acquaintances of Juan "Johnny" Rodelas, who died from a car wreck Saturday, paid tribute to his memory Monday at the school where he was a popular and out-going 16-year-old junior, at the site of the horrific wreck that claimed his life, and in comments on The Courier's website.
“He will always be loved. I’ll miss him. He was like a best friend, someone I could trust and tell everything. He always knew how to make me smile,” said Logan junior Alyssa Segorini Monday afternoon.
“He was a good man. It’s sad to see him go, but God only takes the best,” said Robert Luke, a junior.
Posted by courier at 05:23 AM. Filed under: News
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Courier Staff Report
Juan Rodelas
James Logan junior Juan "Johnny" Rodelas died after a horrific car wreck on Central Ave. Saturday.
He would have been 17 years old in June.
A grieving student is comforted while
Juan Rodelas' fellow Puente Program
students gather in the background.
Courier Photo
His friends gathered in Colt Court to honor his memory Monday morning before school and during first period, and Principal Judy Billingsley called for the Logan community to keep Rodelas in their thoughts.
In an email to the school, Billingsley wrote, "Our 11th grade student Johnny Juan Rodelas Jr., was killed in a solo car accident on Saturday night. He had been driving on Central Avenue in Union City when he had the accident.
"According to this morning's Argus," Billingsley wrote, "it was a "loss of control" accident in which the vehicle crashed into a pole. A passenger in the car, Alejandro Gomez,sustained non-life threatening injuries and was treated at Eden and released early Sunday morning. Johnny was involved in the Puente program. His parents are active members in the Union City community."
Posted by courier at 06:19 AM. Filed under: News
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President Barack Obama (center)
with Afghan President Karzai (left)
and Pakistan President Zardari.
White House photo
WASHINGTON — President Obama and the leaders of Pakistan and Afghanistan, setting aside months of friction, committed themselves again Wednesday to their faltering joint effort against Taliban and al-Qaida extremists.
After a day of talks, Obama said he was satisfied that the leaders "fully appreciate the seriousness of the threats we face, and have reaffirmed their commitment to confronting it."
The president also moved to quell any doubts about U.S. support for the two embattled leaders, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, saying U.S. backing would not waver.
Posted by courier at 11:16 AM. Filed under: News
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By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer
Building on the Strategic Plan that was crafted by the community to reflect its vision for the New Haven Unified School District, the Board of Education on Tuesday night adopted a Comprehensive Strategic Planning Framework to help meet the District Goal of having all students performing at grade level in core academic subjects.
The framework is made up of Seven Essentials for Continuous Growth and Improvement, each defined by five to nine Leading Indicators, said Superintendent of School Kari McVeigh, who was tasked by the Board with developing a theory of action to improve student performance. The Seven Essentials are designed to assure that the District:
• Provides District-Wide Instructional Foci
• Uses Data to Inform Instructional and Professional Development Decisions
• Implements a Targeted Professional Development Plan to Grow and Strengthen Instruction
• Learns and Uses Research-Based Best Instructional Practices
• Creates and Maintains Effective and Safe Learning Environments
• Aligns Resources (Human, Time, Money) Toward Instructional Focus and Student Learning
• Involves Parents and Community in Student Learning, Assessments and Learning Supports
Posted by courier at 12:07 PM. Filed under: News
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By Brandon Bailey
San Jose Mercury News (MCT)
SAN JOSE, Calif. — President Barack Obama has outlined a series of proposals for cracking down on overseas tax havens and eliminating tax breaks for U.S. corporations that do business overseas — a sensitive subject for tech companies that have extensive global operations.
The president did not propose eliminating the current law that allows U.S. companies to defer taxes indefinitely on overseas income, which some industry leaders had feared. But his call for ending some deductions drew negative reaction from groups representing tech and other industries, which argue that the changes would make it more difficult for U.S. companies to compete abroad.
Posted by courier at 09:40 AM. Filed under: News
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