Monday, May 4, 2009
Native honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, rare but not gone from Northwest Arkansas prairie and wetland areas such as World Peace Wetland Prairie
http://www.blogger.com/video-play.mp4?contentId=6e1ff8c647b31704&type=video%2Fmp4
Lindsley Smith offers update on 87th General Assembly and the public schools of Arkansas
Legislative Interim Update
From: LINDSLEY SMITH (lindsleysmith@msn.com)
Sent: Mon 5/04/09 10:36 AM
To:
Issues surrounding public schools didn’t have quite the spotlight during the regular session of the 87th General Assembly they’ve had in past legislative sessions, but that doesn’t mean lawmakers pushed those issues to the side.
The Arkansas Supreme Court in 2007 released the state from the 15-year-old Lake View school-funding case after a series of legislative sessions led to an infusion of about $1 billion in additional revenues for public schools and to the passage of several laws requiring more accountability and efficiency. By law, public schools are the legislature’s top funding priority.
With the state in a tight economy, few if any state agencies saw sizable budget increases. K-12 education received an increase of $28 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Per-student funding will go from the current $5,789 to $5,905.
While schools aren’t getting as much of an increase in state funding as they have in the past, it should be noted that many are still benefiting from a $456 million appropriation from the state surplus two years ago for school construction projects.
Public schools also are getting $570 million over the next six month in federal stimulus money. Of the $570 million in funding, about $111 million will be available for schools to improve academic performance and narrow the achievement gap.
About $117 million will be available special education and services to students with disabilities. The remaining $341 million will be available for renovation of school facilities and construction.
School districts can begin apply for funding on May 15.
In a recent teleconference with officials from schools across the state, Ken James, director of the state Education Department, said officials should ask four questions when deciding how to spend the funds:
· Will the funds be spent quickly to save and create jobs?
· Will student achievement improve?
· Will there be transparency in reporting and accountability?
· Will the money be placed in one-time programs that will not obligate the district financially when the money is gone within two years?
Meanwhile, the state also approved $35-per student enhancement funding that’s part of lawmakers’ attempts to ensure adequacy among districts no matter their location.
Lawmakers also provided $15 million to help public school teachers with their health insurance premiums and another $17 million in incentives for teachers with an increase in the number of students who score a 4 or 5 on end-of-course Advanced Placement exams.
Act 1481 of 2009 also offers incentives to schools for the number of students who complete the Smart Core curriculum and graduate. Smart Core is the state’s default curriculum beginning with the graduating class of 2010 that provides the foundation for both college- and career readiness. A fourth-year of higher mathematics after Algebra II and three years of laboratory-based science are the courses that set it apart from the state’s Core curriculum.
A school would receive $150 per student if 100 percent of graduates completed the curriculum, $100 per student for schools with at least 95 percent participation and $50 per student for schools with at least 90 percent participation.
From: LINDSLEY SMITH (lindsleysmith@msn.com)
Sent: Mon 5/04/09 10:36 AM
To:
Issues surrounding public schools didn’t have quite the spotlight during the regular session of the 87th General Assembly they’ve had in past legislative sessions, but that doesn’t mean lawmakers pushed those issues to the side.
The Arkansas Supreme Court in 2007 released the state from the 15-year-old Lake View school-funding case after a series of legislative sessions led to an infusion of about $1 billion in additional revenues for public schools and to the passage of several laws requiring more accountability and efficiency. By law, public schools are the legislature’s top funding priority.
With the state in a tight economy, few if any state agencies saw sizable budget increases. K-12 education received an increase of $28 million for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Per-student funding will go from the current $5,789 to $5,905.
While schools aren’t getting as much of an increase in state funding as they have in the past, it should be noted that many are still benefiting from a $456 million appropriation from the state surplus two years ago for school construction projects.
Public schools also are getting $570 million over the next six month in federal stimulus money. Of the $570 million in funding, about $111 million will be available for schools to improve academic performance and narrow the achievement gap.
About $117 million will be available special education and services to students with disabilities. The remaining $341 million will be available for renovation of school facilities and construction.
School districts can begin apply for funding on May 15.
In a recent teleconference with officials from schools across the state, Ken James, director of the state Education Department, said officials should ask four questions when deciding how to spend the funds:
· Will the funds be spent quickly to save and create jobs?
· Will student achievement improve?
· Will there be transparency in reporting and accountability?
· Will the money be placed in one-time programs that will not obligate the district financially when the money is gone within two years?
Meanwhile, the state also approved $35-per student enhancement funding that’s part of lawmakers’ attempts to ensure adequacy among districts no matter their location.
Lawmakers also provided $15 million to help public school teachers with their health insurance premiums and another $17 million in incentives for teachers with an increase in the number of students who score a 4 or 5 on end-of-course Advanced Placement exams.
Act 1481 of 2009 also offers incentives to schools for the number of students who complete the Smart Core curriculum and graduate. Smart Core is the state’s default curriculum beginning with the graduating class of 2010 that provides the foundation for both college- and career readiness. A fourth-year of higher mathematics after Algebra II and three years of laboratory-based science are the courses that set it apart from the state’s Core curriculum.
A school would receive $150 per student if 100 percent of graduates completed the curriculum, $100 per student for schools with at least 95 percent participation and $50 per student for schools with at least 90 percent participation.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
NRCS offers landowners help cleaning debris and sediment out of streams and storm debris from under bridges, culverts
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing Arkansas landowners funding through the Emergency Watershed Protection program for the removal of ice-storm debris from streams and bridges.
Kalven Trice, state conservationist, said the debris from the Jan. 26-27 storm can cause flooding, stream bank erosion, and harm the watershed, bridges and nearby houses.
The Emergency Watershed Protection program provides technical and cost-sharing help. Assistance includes removing debris and sediment; and stabilizing levees, channels, gullies, bridges and culverts affected by debris.
Applications will be accepted at U.S. Department of Agriculture Field Service Centers.
For detail, contact any U.S. Department of Agriculture Field Service Center listed in phone directories under U.S. Government or at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.
Kalven Trice, state conservationist, said the debris from the Jan. 26-27 storm can cause flooding, stream bank erosion, and harm the watershed, bridges and nearby houses.
The Emergency Watershed Protection program provides technical and cost-sharing help. Assistance includes removing debris and sediment; and stabilizing levees, channels, gullies, bridges and culverts affected by debris.
Applications will be accepted at U.S. Department of Agriculture Field Service Centers.
For detail, contact any U.S. Department of Agriculture Field Service Center listed in phone directories under U.S. Government or at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Lecture on transition to solar power excellent
Please click on images to ENLARGE view of Fayetteville residents at a lecture on the effort to make the transition to solar power from coal and oil on Saturday, May 2, 2009, at Night Bird Books on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Please click on third image to ENLARGE view of Professor Richard Hutchinson of Louisiana Tech University lecturing on The Struggle for the Solar Future.
Please click on third image to ENLARGE view of Professor Richard Hutchinson of Louisiana Tech University lecturing on The Struggle for the Solar Future.
FarmToTable theme of today's program in the Rose Garden of the Walton Art Center with renewable-energy lecture at Night Bird bookstore at 2 p.m.
Please click on image to ENLARGE view of OMNI Springfest poster.
Please click on image to ENLARGE view of poster.
Solar Power Struggle
Professor Richard Hutchinson of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston will speak on "The Struggle for the Solar Future" at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at Nightbird Books on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
An inquiry into environmental change and the obstacles and opportunities in the path of the renewable energy transition.
Sponsored by OMNI Center for Peace, Justice, and Ecology.
Please click on image to ENLARGE view of poster.
Solar Power Struggle
Professor Richard Hutchinson of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston will speak on "The Struggle for the Solar Future" at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, at Nightbird Books on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
An inquiry into environmental change and the obstacles and opportunities in the path of the renewable energy transition.
Sponsored by OMNI Center for Peace, Justice, and Ecology.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Still no answer
Please click on image to ENLARGE view of digging machine inside park at Hill Place apartment development.
Why are the contractors trenching near the oak trees inside the dedicated park land on the development site northwest of So. Duncan Ave. and 11th St.?
Please click on image of trench-digging in the new parkland northwest of World Peace Wetland Prairie.
FARM to TABLE sustainable food celebration noon to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Rose Garden of Walton Art Center
What's Springfest without a little rain?
The intrepid OMNI volunteers still intend to host
Farm to Table: A Sustainable Food Celebration
this Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. in the Walton Arts Center Rose Garden
Don't forget to bring an umbrella when you come to learn about gardening, raising chickens, farmer’s market internship opportunities, community-supported agriculture, and retail and restaurant locations that carry local food...
As always, the OMNI MUSIC STAGE will provide a great lineup of local music.
NOON Candy Lee Long
1245 Shout Lulu
1:30 Geoff Oelsner
2:15 The Old 78's
3:00 Cousin Nature/Singing Veggie Wraps
3:45 Effron White
4:30 Dan Dean and The New Cliches
5:15 Jeff Kearney
A movie tent will feature short fun films such as the “Meatrix” and the “True Cost of Food”.
--------------------
The intrepid OMNI volunteers still intend to host
Farm to Table: A Sustainable Food Celebration
this Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. in the Walton Arts Center Rose Garden
Don't forget to bring an umbrella when you come to learn about gardening, raising chickens, farmer’s market internship opportunities, community-supported agriculture, and retail and restaurant locations that carry local food...
As always, the OMNI MUSIC STAGE will provide a great lineup of local music.
NOON Candy Lee Long
1245 Shout Lulu
1:30 Geoff Oelsner
2:15 The Old 78's
3:00 Cousin Nature/Singing Veggie Wraps
3:45 Effron White
4:30 Dan Dean and The New Cliches
5:15 Jeff Kearney
A movie tent will feature short fun films such as the “Meatrix” and the “True Cost of Food”.
--------------------
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