Category: General Information

There won’t be any teachers to teach children to read, so I imagine there will be a reduced demand for those library books anyway….

March 15, 2010 by Kenneth

I’ve been letter writing this week to protest the proposed state library funding cuts:

Dear Leaders of the Florida Legislature:

Please restore funding for State Aid to Public Libraries to the current $21.2 million. If state aid is eliminated, branches will close all over the state and library service in rural libraries will be decimated because of their reliance on state funding!

I reside in rural Wakulla. We only have one library in our county. On any given day, our library parking lot is packed with cars. Adults and children make ample use of our library resources. When new books arrive, the reserve waiting list is months long.

On school days, every computer in the library is utilized. Children who live in the area walk to the library to do their homework. I see students accessing library resources to write papers and to do research for their classes.

In Wakulla, the library is a community hub where residents can gather to watch films, participate in educational programs, and access vital community information.

Pictures of the Week with Michael Shaw/BagNewsNotes.com (3/12/10)

March 12, 2010 by Kenneth

Pictures of the Week

No Days Off Radio – Open Discussion

March 12, 2010 by Kenneth

We’re back! After a busy few weeks, No Days Off returns at 4 PM today with Pictures of the Week and open discussion. Call in at 4:30 to comment on whatever topic strikes your fancy.

Michael Shaw of BAGnewsNotes will be up first to discuss Pictures of the Week (posted here soon). Call in or join us in the chat room.

Call in number: (347) 539-5919

Indictment Count #3 – YOUNG, INC. (It’s a family affair!)

February 18, 2010 by Kenneth

In day 3 of “Indictmentpalooza,” we learn that it’s a family affair! Looks like longtime Congressman Bill Young’s family has benefited greatly from earmarks too. Check out the latest press release from Charlie Justice’s campaign:

YOUNG, INC.

Former Staff And Family of Rep. Young Benefit from $118 Million In Taxpayers’ Money From Young Earmarks

Young Steers $45 Million Of Taxpayers’ Money to Young, Inc. Clients In Just 4 Years; $73 Million Earmarked for Employers of Young’s Sons

St. Petersburg, FL – February 19, 2010 – Congressman Bill Young has steered more than $118 million in taxpayers’ money to the direct and indirect benefit of his children, daughter-in-law and former staff members.

Along the way, Young has taken $386,000 in campaign cash from the clients of his former staffers.

“This is just wrong,” said Charlie Justice. “Congressman Bill Young treats the federal budget like his personal piggy bank. Since 2005, Bill Young has steered $45 million in taxpayers’ money to his daughter-in-law and former members of his staff. In addition, the employers of his sons have received $73 million in earmarks placed in the budget by their father. At the same time, Young has taken $386,000 in campaign cash from the clients of his former staff.”

No Child Left Behind, FCAT, and Children from Haiti

February 17, 2010 by Kenneth

A teacher I met via Facebook recently vented her frustration about the No Child Left Behind policy and how it is implemented via rules about FCAT in the state of Florida. The situation that really upset her involved a little boy that recently joined her elementary school class in Central Florida. She wrote:

“There is evidently a new or fairly new law that all children have to take the FCAT. I have a boy in my third grade class literally “off the boat” well, plane from Haiti. He started school in the U.S. last Monday. I was told he has to take the FCAT. I checked with other people at other schools to see if the ESOL assistant at my school was mistaken. It is true, he has to take the FCAT. This is beyond outrageous. I’d go to my local paper, but they twist everyone’s words. This is beyond stupid. I’d love to have the ignoramuses who made this ruling take the FCAT, even third grade FCAT in a language they don’t know.”

I began to help her do some research. We found that multiple states have varying levels of temporary exemptions from NCLB mandated testing for recent immigrants who are classified as ELL – English Language Learners.