The James Logan Courier

By Steven Thomma and David Lightman
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama and Republicans sparred over health care in a historic face-off Thursday, punctuated by a pointed exchange between Obama and the man he defeated for the presidency in 2008, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

McCain criticized Obama for leading a Democratic effort to overhaul health care marked by secret negotiations, legislative payoffs to key senators and a popular backlash against a system he called unsavory.

He chided the president that the two of them had promised to change the way Washington works when they ran in 2008, and that Obama had failed to deliver.

By Alexa Rocero, Courier Staff Writer

The last American to stay behind in Kigali during the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Carl Wilkens made his third visit to James Logan last week. The assembly was organized by Social Science teacher Stephanie Papas and began with an informational Powerpoint about the genocide currently going on in Darfur. Afterward, Wilkens rolled onstage, sitting atop a very long bike with a sign that read “Pedaling for Peace” posted on the back. He explained how he and his wife were in the midst of a mission of pedaling across America, talking to highschools about genocide and hate prevention. Their goal was to make it to Washington D.C. by June, a goal that looks a bit unrealistic at the point. Wilkens joked that “We’re behind schedule because we’ve been doing more talking that pedaling.”

By Farah Habad, Courier Staff Writer

For many years, the air at Logan has been stiff with tension between the African American Community and the Hispanic community. In an effort to alieviate the tension, Principal Amy McNamara-Furtado proposed a retreat to promote a peaceful environment. The retreat was held last month.

About 35 African-American and Latino students attended the meeting, which was facilitated by Logan staff under the guidance of Enid Lee, a nationally recognized authority on student equity.

By Kim Geiger and Tom Hamburger
Tribune Washington Bureau (MCT)

WASHINGTON — After effectively quashing discussion of a federal tax on soft drinks last year, Coca-Cola, Pepsi and the fast food industry are facing a new battle on the state level, where legislators are beginning to consider their own taxes on sweetened beverages to improve public health and generate revenue.

The next showdown could be in California, where legislators last week vowed to pass such a tax in light of new studies linking soft drink consumption to obesity in children and adults. One study suggests that obesity and related problems cost California alone $41 billion a year in medical expenses and reduced productivity.

By Laurel Brodzinsky, Courier Staff Writer

A planned Culinary Arts Center to be built on the James Logan campus was effectively canceled last month when the New Haven school board redirected money previously set aside for the project.

In a January New Haven school board meeting, the trustees approved the recapturing of eight million dollars they previously budgeted for the center and other projects. About $6.9 million of this was budgeted for a new Culinary Arts Center on the James Logan campus. Construction originally was going to begin in the summer of 2008.

The center was to include classrooms, training kitchens, and a full-service, 75-person restaurant. The plans were for it to be built on the corner of Alvarado Blvd. and Hartnell, taking up 8513 square feet. The money to build it came from Measure B, which was also used to fund the new Performing Arts Center.

By Michelle Danai, Courier Staff Writer

Ask retiring Social Science teacher James Hansen about his work and he will tell you that he has never had a job. “I’m lucky! I’ve never had to go to work because I’ve always gone to school.” says Hansen.

In June, Hansen will complete 34 years (including one year of student teaching) of “going to” James Logan High School. During these years, Hansen has taught all grade levels and eight different Social Science courses, in addition to Journalism, Typing, Summer School Independent Study and Coaching Baseball. However, since the early 1990’s he has primarily taught the twelfth grade American Political Systems course.

By Eric Brown, Courier Music Critic

YouTube has been credited with exposing hundreds of millions of people to unique and obscure spectacles, from strangely behaving children to vicious scenes of nature on the African savannah. One of the more innovative and artistic YouTube sensations was OK Go’s music video for their song “Here It Goes Again”. The 2006 video features the band performing a choreographed routine on eight treadmills, has gathered almost 50 million views, and is sure to become one of the quintessential videos in music history. The band’s recordings are also strong—2002’s Ok Go and 2005’s Oh No are both excellent albums, blending edgy guitar riffs with a charming knack for catchy pop tunes. The same cannot be said of their latest release Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, which marks a departure from everything the band has gained praise and notoriety for.

By Alexa Rocero, Courier Staff Writer

Our school’s Close-Up club recently returned from their 6-day annual trip to Washington. It was a very successful trip, where students got to experience first-hand our country’s government at work.

Among many of the activities planned for the students, they were able to go to Capital Hill and meet with Congressman Peter Stark, observe a committee meeting in action, and watch as Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner testified about our nation’s economy and President Obama’s administration. Some students had the opportunity to meet Senator John Kerry, and some even saw John McCain.

By Beatrice Esteban, Courier Managing Editor

Many members of the Union City community concerned about proposed cuts to athletic, music and other programs, and other concerned about the re-opening of Barnard-White Middle School, gathered inside the New Haven Unified School District Office for a regular meeting of the Board of Education Tuesday night.

There was much traffic along Decoto Boulevard and Alvarado-Niles Boulevard as people struggled to find parking inside the parking lots. Those not so fortunate parked in areas such as the nearby Marina Foods area and the Union City Library. People shuffled inside promptly at 7 p.m. to get seats before the scheduled 7:30 p.m. start time, but the meeting did not start until 7:45 p.m.

Shinna Kim, a Logan junior and member of Logan Forensics team attending the meeting to decry proposed cuts to faculty stipends that support the team, said that she did not really know what was going on within the district, “and most don’t. I just want to figure out what’s happening at our school.”

By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer

The Board of Education on Tuesday night received a list of potential program reductions to balance the 2010-11 budget and provide the state-mandated starting point for balancing the 2011-12 and 2012-13 budgets.

The list includes $4.5 million in augmentations and reductions for 2010-11, including modification of the class size reduction (CSR) program in kindergarten through third grade (where the student-to-teacher ratio would rise from 20:1 to 25:1) and the elimination of CSR in ninth grade (where the ratio would increase to 30:1).

By Mike Swift
San Jose Mercury News (MCT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Google, the company that wants to make the world's information accessible, says the race and gender of its workforce is a trade secret that cannot be released.
So do Apple, Yahoo, Oracle and Applied Materials. These five companies waged an 18-month Freedom of Information battle with the San Jose Mercury News, convincing federal regulators who collect the data that its release would cause "commercial harm" by potentially revealing the companies' business strategy to competitors. A sixth company, Hewlett-Packard, fought the release and lost.

By Beatrice Esteban, Courier Staff Writer

Logan Photography Teacher Elba Rios' Digital Photography 1 class has been approved for credit at the University of California and California State University for the 2009-2010 school year, an achievement that won her praise from the Mission Valley Regional Occupational Program's administration.

By Rick La Plante, New Haven Schools Public Information Officer

The Board of Education, in a special meeting held Tuesday night, accepted a staff recommendation made in response to the Board’s decision Feb. 2 to reopen Barnard-White Middle School in the fall of 2010.

Seeking the least disruptive option for students, staff and families and the most effective use of financial resources that have been decimated because of the ongoing state budget mess, staff recommended that when the school reopens in the fall, enrollment would be capped at 60 students per grade level, a maximum of 180 students total. Staff further recommended that an analysis of community need and fiscal resources be conducted and that an additional recommendation be presented to the Board no later than Dec. 1, 2010, to address the future size of the school.

By Krystyna Wolny, Courier Staff Writer

Having a job exposes you to a variety of situations and people, including their endless ability to annoy. Working at a bookstore especially forces you to interact with others, fulfilling their needs, no matter how ridiculous. Customer service is a major part of what I do, and sometimes, it can be extremely nerve-wracking.

By Kathleen Mcgrory
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Seven months ago, University of Miami medical student Elizabeth Greig helped create a plan to get doctors to Haiti in the event of a natural disaster.
She never imagined it being put to use so quickly.

Greig, 31, a fourth-year medical student, is now the site director at the busy UM field hospital in Port-au-Prince. She coordinates efforts to transfer critical patients out of the country and works with nonprofit agencies to bring supplies in.

She is the only medical student working there.

By Julie Mendoza, Courier Staff Writer


We live in a world where, despite the fact that everybody is different, we're forced to follow the same rules. Students, both social and anti-social, are obligated to spend seven hours a day in school. What some people don't consider is that everybody learns differently. Some students prefer to teach themselves the curriculum, other students are too distracted by high school drama to concentrate properly on their work.

Fortunately, Independent Studies is an organization that enables students to do work to the best of their ability. It's a program with many pros and cons, the decision to switch from public school to Independent Studies is one that deserves much thought.

By Rick La Plante, New Haven Unified School District

The Board of Education on Tuesday night voted to reopen Barnard-White Middle School in the fall of 2010.

The Barnard-White Possible Uses Task Force recommended opening a school for 6th to 8th grade students, starting with a 6th grade of approximately 150 students in the fall of 2010, with the option of opening a 7th grade or both a 7th and 8th grade in the fall of 2011. A motion to accept the recommendation failed for lack of a second.