Erica Headlines on One News Page

Student Entrepreneurs Earn Cash at TREP$ Marketplace

Patch Verona-Cedar Grove, NJ --

Students in grades five to eight set up shop in the Cedar Grove High School Auditorium on Sunday March 3, to sell their wares at the annual TREP$ Marketplace.

More than 200 students participated in a program in which teachers volunteered their time teaching students the ins and outs of the business world, including product development, finance, advertising, marketing and salesmanship.

The six-week program was sponsored by volunteers of the Memorial Middle School Family School Association (MMS FSA) and spearheaded by MMS guidance counselor Erica Slota, Science teacher George Czergovitz, fifth grade language arts teacher Erika Junghanz and math teacher Jessica Johnson.

“Some made $40, some make $400, Either way to me it's a success," said Cedar Grove Memorial Middle School Principal Richard Mangili. Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Raises Funds in Honor of East Lyme Boy

Patch The Lymes, CT --

*A Press Release from CT Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.*

The Connecticut Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) hosted their Kick-Off Celebration last week at the New Haven Lawn Club in New Haven to introduce their 2013 candidates for the Man & Woman of the Year (MWOY) fundraising campaign.

Candidates are competing for the title of Man & Woman of the Year and have agreed to utilize their leadership abilities to conduct their own fundraising campaigns for LLS. The candidates are judged solely on a philanthropic basis – on their success in generating funds for LLS during the (10) week period from the Kick-Off on February 26^th through the Grand Finale on May 4^th. Every dollar raised is counted as one vote.

Candidates raise funds in honor of our Boy, Andrew of East Lyme and Girl of the Year, Danielle of Madison – local leukemia survivors. The male and female candidates with the most votes will be named the 2013 Man & Woman of the Year. Their totals will also be submitted for the national titles.

This year, the CT Chapter is celebrating its 11^th MWOY Campaign. In the ten years of the Connecticut MWOY campaign, 86 Connecticut candidates have raised more than $1.6 million to help find cures for blood cancers.

The Man & Woman of the Year campaign is an extremely cost efficient fundraising event; approximately 86 percent of the money raised through the campaign goes directly back to our mission.

“We are grateful for the support of the candidates, it means so much to people like the Boy & Girl of the Year, their families and others who have been touched by one of these diseases,” said Jeannie Montano, Executive Director of the Connecticut Chapter.

The following individuals have committed to joining this year’s campaign:

Kevin Bielen of Hamden; Gregory Francis of Shelton; John Gaffney of Madison; Barry Kostrinsky of New Rochelle, NY; David Kweskin of Stamford; Joel Mastroianni of Hamden; Matt Rose of Danbury; TJ White of Stamford; Paula Dagen of New York City; Chiquita Stephenson of Westport; Sue Tebolt of Avon; Ellen Wasyl of Old Saybrook; Erica Zaky of Stamford; Juanita Strassfield of Cortlandt Manor, NY

Visit http://www.mwoy.org/ct to learn more about The Man & Woman of the Year Campaign

*About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society*

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society *^® *(LLS)* *is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

Founded in 1949 and^headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. www.lls.org. Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

This morning, like so many other moms, dads and caregivers, I took my kids to the grocery store.

It was a nice little trip. My kids enjoyed the ginormous kiddie "car" cart they insisted I push around the store. We talked about healthy foods as we picked up bananas in the produce section. We talked about "sometimes" foods when I picked up cookies in the packaged goods.

And then we talked about boobs and naked ladies.

WHY was I talking about boobs with my 4-year-old daughter in the grocery store? Oh, because this magazine cover was in plain view of my kids as we checked out.

"Mommy, why are that girl's boobies showing?" she said to me.

Err....

"Mommy, she's in PANTIES!"

Um....

"Mommy, that girl doesn't have any clothes on!!"

Well....

Okay, I am so not a prude when it comes to certain things. I listen to Howard Stern daily. I read Fifty Shades of Grey. I am all for freedom of speech and expression, but why do I need to have boobs in my face and the face of my kids at the GROCERY STORE?

Really, this is not a conversation I felt like having at the grocery store. Not only do I need to find a way to explain to my daughter why this woman is freezing her boobs off on an apparent Alaskan cruise, I need to find a way to tell her -- SOMEHOW -- that no woman looks like this. This was an airbrushed to hell photo that is in *no way* representative of what real women look like.

I mean, Kate Upton may be a supermodel, but I am going to bet she has at least a few flaws that were airbrushed, no?

Well, I did what any social media savvy mom would do, I contacted the store through a private message on Facebook.

I also posted it to my own Facebook page, which prompted a rather lively discussion not so much about the over-sexualization of women, but about the lack of common sense various media use when placing these types of images in places where children can see them.

*Don't Bite the Hand That Feeds You*

When will stores and brands realize that MOMS (women) do most if not all the shopping for their families? And, I would argue, that most moms may find images like this offensive -- especially when placed in plain view at the grocery store.

Call me crazy, but I am more likely to shop at stores that DON'T offend me.

Really though, it is just a sad commentary on the way women are portrayed in the media. And while images like this will never go by the wayside, it's important to teach our children that it is not OK for women to be portrayed like this, and these images are not representative of what real women look like.

But thankfully, us moms can make a difference. Just ask Kelly Brown who blogs at The Turnip Farmer. She graciously "fixed" the magazine cover in question JUST FOR ME.

And to quote Kelly, "I put them in stripes to make them look fat."

Courtesy of Kelly Brown

I think it's an amazing improvement, don't you agree?

This post originally appeared on No Sleep 'Til College. Reported by Huffington Post 1 day ago.

As the gun debate rages in the wake of the Newtown shootings, the National Rifle Association has revved up its relationship with NASCAR.

The NRA will title-sponsor its first NASCAR Sprint Cup race on April 13 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, USA Today reports. The former Texas 500 will now become the NRA 500. The race will air live on Fox.

Individual tracks can negotiate their own sponsorship deals, but NASCAR gets final approval, the racing body explained in a statement to The Huffington Post.

"The race sponsor for Texas Motor Speedway’s April event falls within the guidelines for approval for that event," the statement concluded.

Track president Eddie Gossage said the naming extended the speedway's business relationship with the NRA.

"It's not about politics. It's about sports marketing," Gossage said, according to the Associated Press. The deal is for one year with a renewal option.

In a video message, NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre said "NRA members and NASCAR fans love their country and everything that is good and right about America," the news outlet notes.

Texas Motor Speedway's post-race celebration already features guns, Sporting News points out. Winners traditionally fire blank-filled six-shooters in the air, and the pole winner wins a rifle, AP added.

A public advocacy group that criticized the NRA's reversal of its support on universal background checks several weeks after the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre said the sponsorship move wasn't surprising.

"I think it is obvious that the NRA believes that they have an open, fruitful ground to plow and generate support for their extreme position among NASCAR fans," Agenda Project founder Erica Payne told HuffPost.

Payne cited recent surveys that showed that the vast majority of Americans and NRA members support background checks on gun purchasers. She also mentioned a previous study that indicated most NASCAR fans were in favor of an assault weapons ban.

Payne also took race officials to task over a car in last month's Daytona 500 that advertised a Newtown victim's relief fund. She criticized driver Michael Waltrip and NASCAR officials for remaining mum on gun policy.

Last September, the NRA served as the name sponsor of Atlanta's NRA American Warriors 300 on NASCAR's lower-profile circuit, the Nationwide Series. But its title-sponsorship on NASCAR's major circuit is a first. Reported by Huffington Post 1 day ago.

6 Schreiber Students to Showcase Art at All-County Exhibition

Patch Port Washington, NY --

The artwork of six Schreiber High School students will be featured at the Ninth Annual Art Supervisors Association All-County Art Exhibition at Adelphi University in Garden City on March 17 from 12-4 p.m..

This one-day exhibit, at Adelphi’s at the Ruth S. Harley University Center, will showcase more than 1,100 pieces of artwork produced by kindergarten through twelfth grade students from Nassau County school districts.

Representing Schreiber are Christopher Goh, Juiette Hayt, Natalie Martinek, Elizabeth Meyer, Caroline Rybecky and Stephanie-Anne Thomsen.
Participating students study with Schreiber art teachers Miranda Best and Erica Cryer.

In addition, Hayt, a senior, was selected to receive the Art Supervisors Association Senior Scholarship Award.

The administrators and staff of Schreiber High School extend congratulations to these distinguished students and wish them much success as they continue their studies in artistic field of study. Reported by Patch 10 hours ago.

Hamden Middle School Eighth Grade Honor Roll

Patch Hamden, CT --

*HAMDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL HONOR ROLL*

GRADE 8
MARKING PERIOD 2

HIGH HONORS
Aakshi Agarwal, Nina Allison, Maya Anderson, Brandon Baez, David Bamgboye, Rachel Baumann, Jacob Begemann, Kyra Bellamy, Kayleigh Boemmels, Lila Brown, Alexa Buonaiuto, Andre Cai, James Cantafio, Melinda Joyce Cayetano, Sharon Cheng, Erin Christie, Brittney Cifarelli, Sophie Coassin, Hailey Collins, Noelle Couture, Olivia Curello, Evann D'Adamo, Joseph DeGrand, Gavin Deng, Ramon Dizon, Julian Driebeek, John Duenzl, Mark Durwin, Jordan Earl, Kaley Emmerich, Aaron Garner, Marika Garvey, Henry Gelperin, Rosa Genao, Taylor Hall, Jonathan Hiebert, Rachel Hird, Ehran Hodes, Kayla Johnson, Dalia Josephs, Jillian Kahen, Isaiah Kane, Michala Katz, Anna Kruger-Dull, Jose Kuilan, Madison Ledford, Amelia Lewis, Hong Lin, Nickolas Linn, Julia Luedee, Yuliya Lyalka, Aviral Mahajan, Vidhya Maran, Isabel Marchand, Kailey McKiernan, Shaelyn Meyers, Maya Micci Morrison, Amy Nicefaro, Sarah Nicholas, Philip Oliver, Matthew Pauly, Simon Pinela, Andrea Reyes, Nicholas Savakis, Alyssa Sebastian, Charles Sedore, Elizabeth Sloane, Taylor Steigman, Julia Stover, Cheyenne Timberlake, Heather Tucker, Vinh Ung, Briana Vazquez, Alexandra Wuerth

HONORS
Glory Adekanye, Rakayat Alam, Destanie Allick, George Alvis, Samantha Ambrose, Kevin Antoine, Irsa Awan, Nikole Baker, Tyler Barletta, Michael Barnes, Meghan Basilici, Paul Beaver, Rebecca Begemann, Shana Bellamy, Jake Blackwell, Malcolm Braren, Isaac Brown, William Bruce, Emily Casbarro, Alyssa Cassarella, Osman Cayan, Victoria Charron, Dana Marie Chea, Kaitlyn Christie, Liam Clune, Daniel Collins, Nadine Collins, Miguel Corzo, Jacqueline Coto, Julieta Couly, Daniel Cruz, Sean Cuevas, Kelsey Cuneo, Tatiana Del Rio, Hannah DelVecchio, Kevin DeRenzo, Grace Desroches, Sofia DiAdamo, Megan Diana, Nicholas DiCarlo, Michael DiCristina, Giuliana DiMeo, Maia Dingus, Kelly Dolan, Vincent Dominguez, Malcolm Driffin, Jocelyn Dryfoos, Stirling DuBell, Jessica Eliason, Alanah Erazo, Nathaniel Fielding, Camron Fowlin, Emma Fracasso, Stephanie Gamelin, Thomas Gigantino, Javier Gonzalez, Abhishek Gorti, Jayne Guzman, Fatima Hammoudeh, Uswa Hanif, Joseph Hansen, Tri Ho, Logan Hoyt, Madinakhon Isroilova, Kristen Jarmoszko, Jazmin Jimenez, Gabriel Katz, Jessica Kelsey, Alexis Lacanilao, Mia Laguna, Elijah LaTorraca, Peter Leff, Sydney Leon, Anderson Loaiza, Edward Lorsin, Dean Luedee, Hannah Magson, Tori Maltese, Victoria Marino, Amelia Matthews, Feezan Mazhar, Tahjai Mazyck, Tavares Mazyck, Shakira McLain-Russell, Petar Meandzija, Jacob Mele, James Miller, Justin Mitchell, Brittany Mitchner-Jeter, Robert Moffa, Ryan Morley, Joshua Morrow, William Munstermann, Julia Novella, Karolyn O'Connor, Shawn Odei-Ntiri, Briana Okereke, Gabriella Panayotakis, Andrew Pascale, Thomas Pauly, Carmen Perez, Alicea Pernal, Taeyques Ploughman, Michael Prevost, Abriana Quinones, Jadyn Reilly, Shanice Rhodes, Madison Ricci, Marc Riccitelli, Stephen Richetelli, Shakema Rivera, Elliot Romo Kurek, Jeremy Routh, Juliana Ruggiero, Annalisa Salazar, Celena Salvo, Gabriella Santelli, James Santore, Kymani Scarlett, Salvatore Schaivone, DeShawn Schwan, Joy Shorey, Jessica Marie Siervo, Avery Simmons, Deandre Sinclair, Abhishek Singla, Morgan Slater, James Smyth, Cassidy Sullivan, Julia Szczech, Jade Taylor, Berket Tewolde, James Thompson, Michael Torello, Mariah Torres, Joshua Tramontano, Jacob Trautner, Ela Uzunpinar-Cengiz, Liana Valin, Joshua Vilmont, Jaime Vives, Monay Waldon, Allen Wang, Dereck Webb, Andrew White, Miranda White, Audrey Young, Andrew Zhang

HONORABLE MENTION
Noah Abbatemarco, Dina Alissi, Valentin Ayala, Dylan Bailey, Spencer Bezerra, Alexander Blair, Ryan Bowens, Nicholas Brignola, Brandon Brooks, Christopher Brown, Saraah Cardwell, Erica Cathey, Noelle Chardon, Prisca-Laura Charles, Miles Cogdell, Alana Cooper, Brianna Cusanelli, Adrienne Daur, Sierra Dingle, Nicholas Ferraro, Tevin Gardner, Jaquan Gaskins, Tyler Gibson, Erin Haaga, Virgil Harrell, Scott Hotchkiss, Sean Humble, Jamie Jinks, Noah Kanner, Carl Legere, Yi Xun Li, Jonelle Lorde, Adaiah McKenzie, Latron Norris, Nasia Norris, Name Osman, Juan Perez, Justin Piscil, Carissa Poole, Janaiah Powell, Tatinna Priestley, Amir Rajeh, Miangela Ramos, Alexander Reaves, James Reddington, Nikema Rivera, Jocelyn Roberson, Alise Robertson, Amy Rodriguez, Nicholas Rubino, Samantha Ryan, Julianna Santiago, Olivia Santoro, Denise Solis, Kilee Speakes, Jessica Taylor, Ryan Tomlin, Denasha Upchurch, Benjamin Weingart, Colby White, Anaya Wright, Nydaria Wright, Layla Yehyawi Reported by Patch 10 hours ago.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Car sales in Europe are at the low end of expectations and the market is likely to remain shaky for at least five years as the region implements austerity measures to cut its debts, industry executives warned on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Geneva car show, the head of Ford'sEuropean business, Stephen Odell, said he expected sales on the continent to continue "running along the bottom" of the U.S. car maker's forecasts during the first half of this year, following a dismal January and February.

German premium car maker BMW, meanwhile, predicted the market was likely to stay tough for years to come.

"We believe that the underlying problem in Europe, which is mainly about debt, will persist for at least five more years," Chief Executive Norbert Reithofer said.

Demand for cars in Europe has been hit hard as disposable incomes have been squeezed by rising prices, subdued wages and government austerity measures.

New car sales in the 27-member European Union dropped 8.2 percent to a 17-year low in 2012, and figures so far this year suggest the market is getting weaker.

New car registrations in Germany, previously a bastion of stability, slumped over 10 percent in February, while they were down around 12 percent and 17 percent in France and Italy respectively.

TIME TO CUT FORECASTS?

Morgan Stanley analysts on Tuesday cut their forecast for EU car demand this year to a decline of 6 percent from a drop of 4 percent previously, warning that weakness in southern European markets like Spain and Italy was spreading northwards.

Duncan Aldred, the sales chief of General Motors'Opel brand, predicted on Monday that European car sales could slide as much as 10 percent this year.

However, other executives remained reluctant to cut their forecasts so early in the year.

French car maker PSA Peugeot Citroen, for example, said on Tuesday it was sticking to its view the European market would contract between 3 percent and 5 percent this year.

"The pressure is not letting up," Peugeot brands chief Frederic Saint-Geours said.

Ford's Odell also reiterated the No. 2 U.S. car maker's prediction of between 13 and 14 million vehicle sales in Europe this year, although he signaled a high degree of uncertainty.

"Frankly, who knows what happens in the second half," he said.

Odell also warned it was likely to be four to five years before European demand recovers to the 17 million to 18 million vehicle range seen in 2007, before the global financial crisis.

Europe would see "a very slow recovery curve and probably some blips," he forecast.

Ford, like many rivals, is pinning its hopes on sales of higher margin sports-utility vehicles (SUVs) and crossovers, which have features of SUVs, such as the EcoSport, which it is showcasing in Geneva and will bring to Europe later this year.

BMW, meanwhile, was optimistic demand from the United States and particularly China would continue to outweigh weakness in Europe after it reported record group sales for the first two months of the year.

"We're cautiously optimistic for this year," CEO Reithofer said, forecasting a 2 percent rise in the U.S. market and 8.5 percent growth in China, as well as a 2 percent drop in Europe.

(Additional reporting by Laurence Frost; Writing by Mark Potter; Editing by Erica Billingham)

Copyright (2013) Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions

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Join the conversation about this story » Reported by Business Insider 15 hours ago.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Robert Menendez, who has maintained all along that he never paid prostitutes for sex, said he is looking forward to whatever evidence emerges from courts in the Dominican Republic to vindicate him.

A Dominican lawyer on Monday released an affidavit from a 23-year-old woman saying she fabricated a story about Menendez paying her for sex.

"I've always said that these are false, they're smears," Menendez, D-N.J., told reporters at the Capitol, referring to published reports that he paid prostitutes for sex in the Dominican Republic. "And, so, I look forward to seeing whatever the Dominican courts have that prove what I've said all along."

Vincio Castillo Seman, a Dominican lawyer, told reporters at a news conference Monday in the Dominican Republic that a woman identified as Nexis de los Santos now claims both that she "never went to bed with" Menendez and never actually met him.

Castillo, the son of a Dominican presidential adviser and the brother of a member of the country's Congress, has been entwined in the scandal himself, accused of hosting outings on his yacht in which Menendez used the services of prostitutes.

Like Menendez, he has strongly denied the allegations. Castillo said he would seek a criminal probe into the source of the reports. On Monday, Castillo distributed copies of the woman's sworn statement to reporters. The woman did not attend.

Castillo said de los Santos claims she and a friend were approached by another Dominican lawyer, Melanio Figueroa. The two women recited the accusations on a video that was recorded without their consent, he said.

In an interview with The Miami Herald, Figueroa denied orchestrating the accusations against Menendez. "It was a case that I handled for these women and faithfully represented them for what they said," he said.

Just before Menendez's successful re-election in November, The Daily Caller, a conservative website, published a story that included a video interview with two women who claimed to be prostitutes. The women – whose faces were blurred in the video – said Menendez paid them $100 for sex after agreeing to a fee of $500.

On its website early Tuesday, The Daily Caller said neither of the women in the video identified herself as Nexis de los Santos. The website also said both women consented to the presence of a video webcam.

In the video released last year, the two women also claimed they had sex with Castillo and Dr. Salomon Melgen, a Florida eye doctor of Dominican descent who is a prominent Democratic campaign contributor and a major supporter of Menendez. De los Santos claims those allegations are also fabricated.

Melgen said in a statement that he is pleased Dominican authorities are investigating the prostitution claims, which he says are false.

Menendez's ties to Melgen have come under close scrutiny after an FBI raid last month at the doctor's West Palm Beach, Fla., offices. Menendez has acknowledged flying on Melgen's private jet to the Dominican Republic twice and was compelled to reimburse $58,000 for the two flights that he had previously failed to report.

A watchdog group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has said it had received emails starting in April 2012 alleging that Menendez used the services of prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. The emails came from someone identified as "Peter Williams," though that may be a pseudonym.

___

Associated Press writers Ezequiel Abiu Lopez in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and Erica Werner in Washington contributed to this report. Reported by Huffington Post 13 hours ago.

Westwood Regional Students Presenting 'Little Shop of Horrors'

Patch Westwood-Hillsdale, NJ --

The Woodington Players of Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School are presenting Little Shop of Horrors, which transforms the stage of the Campbell Auditorium into the skid row slums of New York City in 1960.

In the show, Mr. Mushnik is struggling financially in his flower shop, and both of his employees, Seymour and Audrey, separately dream of escaping their hopeless poverty. Seymour displays a “strange and interesting” plant to attract customers and names the plant “Audrey II” after Audrey. After a surprising turn of events, the audience is able to witness the plant’s overwhelming growth as it takes over the shop.

Tickets are $10 in advance and can be reserved at woodiestickets@gmail.com. Performance dates are March 14, 15, and 16, 2013 at 7 p.m. with a Saturday matinee on March 16 at 1 p.m.

Editor's note: This info was provided by Erica Golle-Curioni on behalf of the Westwood Regional School District.

Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Jim Leggate at Jim.Leggate@patch.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Reported by Patch 8 hours ago.

SVMS 2nd Quarter Honor Roll Students Named

Patch Hellertown-Lower Saucon, PA --

*High Honors*

*Grade 8* - Jonah Beers, Trevor Blackwood, Michael Boreman, Cole Bower, Kayleigh Boyle, Shannon Boyle, Gabrielle Brogle, Vincent Bufanio, Michael Chaffier, Caleb Chen, Jason Cherry, Ashley Chi, Hayden Clifford, Helen Cordes, Jacob Coyle, Emily Deily, Ashley Dougherty, Jessica Evans, Katia Faroun, Rachel Fenstermacher, Sean Freed, Aaron Gardiner, Kelsey Gatchel, Taylor Geiger, Laura Gombocz, Zachary Harvey, Jordan Hawk, Renae Hotchkiss, Erin Kelly, Victoria Kohn, Evan Kramer, Noah Kriner, Nicholas Madajewski, Hannah Maykut, Paige Medei, Tanner Morgan, Ashleigh Nagy, Joseph Naiburg, Wakana Nakajima, Jacob Nichols, Jamie O’Brien, Alexandra Ordonez, Kiran Pandey, Kiera Peterson, Savannah Radogna, Geoffrey Reed, Katherine Ross, Daniela Sanchez, Sarah Savant, Haley Schulte, Elizabeth Seipp, Jennifer Sinko, Jillian Sinko, Gunnar Smith, William Smith Joshua Snead, Jill Spirk, Christina Stack, Allyson Starr, Hannah VanNorman, Drew Wagner, Konstandinos Zaharakis, Xin Qiao Zhang

*Grade 7* - Megan Altemose, Katherine Appel, Brynn Bambu, Patrick Beatty, Ethan Bernstein, Nicole Butch, Camryn Butera, Alexa Chaikowsky, Susanna Chen, Hayley Cunningham, Alexa Curtis, Alexander Dabundo, Garrett Deppert, Kaleigh Dyer, Sean Fenoff, Olivia Frey, Olivia Gardiner, Samantha Gaydos, Lexi Hollingsworth, Adriana Intini, Connor Jackson, Rhiannon Jaen, Benjamin Johnson, Kyle Kalinchock, Kevin Kern, Valerie Kline, Dylan Kozlowski, Jamie Lasko, Renee Lepley, Thomas Madigan, Lauren Malone, Matthew Mayger, Bradley McAllister, Rebecca McCabe, Clare McKenna, Amanda Meadows, Brandon Melendez, Kathryn Milliren, Bailey Morgan, Rebecca Old, Sara Patterson, Joel Paulson, Zachary Petiet, Leigh, Petrie, Erika Pugliese, Joslynn Rose, Steven Rose, Brooke Schultz, John Seipp, Ethan Smiley, Christopher Smith, Nicholas Steckel, John Story, Erik Sundlof, Kylee Swoveland, Brooke Szmodis, Benjamin Szydlow, Phoebe Tanis, Vanesa Valencia, Elana Valladares, Shelby VanVliet, Samuel Ward, Andrew Wieder, Shannon Williams, Alstan Wolfe

*Grade 6* - Emily Ackerman, Heidi Altif, Carl Barrell, Yasser Bendjilali, Nicholas Blacklock, Jacob Boehm, Megan Bredbenner, Anthony Bufanio, Jacob Campbell, Hanna Ciesielka, Siobhan Coakley, Ian Csicsek, Jessica Danner, Lindsay Dortic, Sarah Duffy, Jacy Frace, Kiana Faroun, Chase Fong, Katherine French, Morgan Fritts, Josiah Gaston, Megan Gatchel, Evangelos Hahalis, Melina Heffner, Jenna Hoff, Audrey Holland, Evan Honsel, Reily Hudak, Mary Johnson, Serafina Johnstone, Katelyn Kramer, Aaron Kuhns, Justin Kyra, Bethany Lathan, Brianna Lee, Mia Lloyd, Tyler Marino, Reily Martin, Allison Martins, Keegan Maykut, Brandon McIntosh, Isabella Medei, Abigail Misiak, Paul Myers, Katherine Naiburg, Antoine Neveu, Sydney Oskin, Nayana Pandey, Lauren Polak, Kimberly Polefka, Jarred Reccek, Brooke Riefenstahl, Kiele Riefenstahl, Madelyn Schaffer, Cole Schreck, Samantha Severn, Cora Shine, Kayla Shive, Jenna Skillinge, Christopher Stump, Mackenzie Swett, Jared Thatcher, Chloe Trachtenberg, Kylie Trapp, Nicole Valianatos, Talia Vinson, Matthew Wagner, Timothy Weaver, Mikayla Yeager, Hannah Yonney, Mara Yurasits, Zoe Zaharakis, Jonathan Zettlemoyer

*Honors*

*Grade 8* - Brittani Bauer, Kylee Bernardo, Mackenzie Butera, Cole Carey, Aidan Cassidy, Thomas Coakley, Jacob Doddy, Skylar Ehrhart, Myra Fisher, Maxwell Frank, Gabriella Giannetto, Stephen Good, Kayla Hart, Celia Heenan, Amanda Heft, Kathryn Hoff, Kelly Hofstaedter, Evan Holbert, Paul Intini, Sierra Johnson-Vetere, Hope Kunsman, Jarred Kyra, Dylan Leibensperger, Abraham Lugo, Blaiz Maguire, Samuel Margolis, Allie Martin, Lindsay Masiado, Zachary Meyers, Paul Miller, Dioniser Miranda, Justin Morgandale, Khoa Nguyen, Isaiah Onuschak, Rachel Panek, Dominick Peteto, Kayla Prichard, Kayla Reifinger, Ally Small, Ryan Smith, Karly Souders, Madison Stump, Joel Tanis, Jacob hatcher, Alyssa Trudniak, Mackenzee Warnke, Skylar Warrelmann, Molly Wean, Paul Weierbach, Darius Wilkins, Alexandra Youse

*Grade 7* - Haley Andreas, Daniel Austin, Fox Avery, Thomas Baxter Redfern, Cassidy Beahn, Ashley Bedner, Kylie Bodish, Erica Carr, Alexandra Dale, Damian Dziadowicz, Crystal Gallard, Mason Gerstenberg, Hope Gress, Madison Guerrieri, Emily Hahr, Megan Hashagen, Courtney Heiser, Makenna Hill, Alexandra Houck, Hannah Housenick, Brittany Howell, Garrett Hudak, Payton Johnson, Samantha Johnson, Emma Keats, Ryan Koch, Nicholas Korin, Helen Kreschollek, Holden Lau, Victoria Ludwick, Kyle Malone, Anastacia Mantoni, Matthew Marker, Kyle Petsch, Brianna Regalis, Paul Reily, Taylor Roney, Emma Rover, Alexis Royer, Braden Simpson, Luke Smith, Samuel Striz, Tucker Stromski, Austin Till, Cassandra Torres, Brianna Ward, Joseph Wunderly, Tyler Yeakel, Emily Youells, Marley Ziegler

*Grade 6* - Christian Alling, Ethan Baldwin, Eric Boyko, Ian Britland, Makayla Bubori, Mikayla Burns, Christian Caballero, Ross Cannon, Curtis Clifford, Thomas Coffin, Abigail Crostley, Harrison Dale, Phillip Dayoub, Anna Dixon, Jessica Duffy, Brandon Ehritz, Kelvin Gallard, Emma German, Nichola Giannetto, Allycia Gonzalez, Destiny Gonzalez, Jared Harka, Dylan Hero, Jarrett Hirschbeck, Aaron Kline, Christopher Knauss, Joshua Leidy, Connor Lettich, Nicholas Marouchoc, Tyler Massey, Kaitlyn McCormick, Evan Meixell, Nicholas Millets, Jina Morel, Patrick Morrissey, Jarod Morykan, Connor O’Donnell, Ofori Ohene, Adrian Ortiz, Patrick Patterson-Zuber, Cameron Pritchard, Jakob Raven, Aidan Redding, Nicholas Rosengrant, Ali Schrantz, Caden Swiderski, Lauren Weintraub, Olivia Williams, Nicholas Zanon, Aidan Zawodny Reported by Patch 9 hours ago.

Shares of Tarsis Resources rallied more than 30% on Tuesday, a day after the company took another step toward advancing its goals for this year.

Its stock was lately trading at 12.5 cents, up more than 31%, or 3 cents.

On Monday, the company inked a non-binding preliminary deal to acquire a 100 per cent interest in four gold-silver properties in Mexico, and two gold properties in Nevada, from Almaden Minerals (TSE:AMM) (NYSE:AAU).

Currently, Tarsis has nine properties in the Yukon, Canada, and one in Mexico - the Erica property, which the company last month optioned to Osisko Mining Corp (TSE:OSK), already knocking off its first goal for this year.

After completing the deal for Erika, the company's second priority for 2013 was adding new properties in Nevada as well as in Mexico, a goal it crossed off with yesterday's announcement.

The Canadian junior mineral explorer said work is underway to consummate the acquisition through a formal agreement.

Under the terms, Tarsis will pay Almaden four million common shares and grant a 2% net smelter returns royalty on any production from the projects.

Areas of influence in Nevada and Mexico will be outlined, and Almaden will provide Tarsis with its proprietary data and concepts. In exchange for this data, Tarsis will issue 200,000 shares to Almaden for each new property acquired within the area of influence.

Tarsis will also issue a further 800,000 shares to Almaden once it first discloses a mineral resource on any of the new properties.

The Canadian junior functions on a prospect generator model, which means it seeks out prospective exploration projects to acquire, and then vends or options them to partners for development. This model has allowed the junior to raise cash in an otherwise tough market.

“It’s been really tough for junior companies to raise money that don’t have a niche, a management team with particular experience, or a project that is appreciated,” CEO Marc Blythe says.

“We have a strong group of supporters who like the prospect generator model, and for this reason, we haven’t had difficulties to date.”

Indeed, the company has strong backers. Kinross Gold (TSE:K) invested about a year and a half ago, and now has around a 9% stake, while Sprott’s Rick Rule has a more than 10% interest. Almaden Minerals (TSE:AMM) also holds over 10%.

Last October, Tarsis closed a financing for total proceeds of just over $1 million, raising double what it had originally anticipated. Backers in the offering included Sprott, and management, which holds a significant chunk of shares, among others.

Tarsis said each of the new properties it will acquire in Mexico feature epithermal style mineralization and are prospective for gold and silver. Prospecting samples done by Almaden on the Gallo de Oro property returned values of up to 104 grams per tonne (g/t) gold.

Historic artisanal mining is evident with small pits and shafts on the property, the junior noted, but there is no evidence of drilling.

The Nevada properties, meanwhile, are prospective for gold and feature "Carlin-style pathfinder elements" believed to be supportive of this model. Preliminary soil work from the BP property features anomalous Carlin-style pathfinders including gold, thallium, arsenic, antimony and mercury. Reported by Proactive Investors 8 hours ago.

Patch San Juan Capistrano, CA --

“In God We Trust” will be coming to a city hall near you.

The San Juan Capistrano City Council liked the idea a resident promoted to have the nation’s motto featured somewhere in the government building. A subcommittee will form to figure out exactly where and how it should be displayed.

“I think it will be a blessing for this city,” said resident Jeff Péo, who, with friends from his church, are willing to foot the bill.

Councilman Sam Allevato envisioned an educational display featuring replicas of important national documents in what is called a freedom shrine.

But one student, Erica Delamare, said she would prefer to keep church and state separate.

“It’s a community hall, not a place of worship,” said the San Juan Hills High School student. “I am a catholic, and I believe in God. But I believe City Hall should remain neutral.”

Péo said he had done his research and found that three times, the U.S. Supreme Court has found that the nation’s motto does not marry government with organized religion. Reported by Patch 2 days ago.

Patch Oakton, VA --

It may have taken until March, but Oakton finally saw the beginning of what is likely to be its first significant snowfall Wednesday morning.

The Capital Weather Gang was forecasting 6 to 12 inches outside the Beltway, and 3 to 8 inches inside of it. Oakton is pretty close to that dividing line, so it's hard to tell just how much snow it will see.

*For all snow updates, read: Virginia Snow Storm: Traffic, Closings in Oakton.*

But any amount of snow is probably enough for the kids and pets, who have barely seen snowfall this season.

So grab your camera for some winter fun. Click on "Upload Photos and Video" to share your adventures in the snow on Patch.

We got you started with a couple great photos from Max Steinmetz from a 2011 snow storm.

You can also email pictures to erica.hendry at patch.com or leslie at patch.com. Don't forget to tell us from which neighborhood you're enjoying the snow. Happy snapping!

*For more pictures, visit our Pics&Clips gallery.* Reported by Patch 2 days ago.

Patch Tiverton-Little Compton, RI --

*School: *Tiverton High School

Tiverton High School Principal Steven M. Fazette Steven M. Fezette this week announced the students who acheived honors and high honors for their grades during term 2.

*High Honors:*

*Grade 12: *Cody Albernaz, Sherrilyn Barbosa, Delight Bucko, Kaleigh Cordeira, Elise Daglis, Kirstie Devine, Daniel Dumont, Khouri Houde, Elizabeth Janick, Arhontoula Karakatsanis, Megan Lusignan, Emily Masse, Kristen Morrissette, Allison Motta, Craig Patterson, Derek Patterson, Chandla Perrotta, Rachel Pimentel, Benjamin Sanford, Theodore Tsiongas, Sophie Von Maluski, Sarah Whiston, Jacqueline Wilson.

*Grade 11: *Matthew Bessette, Laura Martin Rodriguez, John Molinski, Michael Molinski, Avery Pacheco, Kristen Petrarca, Samantha Rollings, Shane Silvia, Rebecca Turner.

*Grade 10: *Brandon Moss.

*Grade 9: *Connor Caley, Grace Cavanagh, Nicholas Clark, Samantha Cookinham, John Donahue, Aurora Goodland, Justin Morrow, Alec Murray, Timothy Murray, Meaghan Peirson, Ian Rashleigh-McNally, Alexandra Ryll, Samantha Skrzypiec, Maya Umehara.

*Honors:*

*Grade 12:* Megan Arruda, Hope Ashley, Mikayla Auger, Nicholas Barboza, Maya Bergandy, Olivia Bergandy, Margaret Bodington, Andrew Bonoan, Darren Brennan, Alexandra Buchanan, Marni Burk, Jennifer Burton, Mariah Caldwell, Emma Carr, Joshua Chaves, Taylor Clark, Ian Couto, Jenna DeCosta, Nicole DeLuca, Cody DeSoto, Bianca DiPrato, Mae Edwards, Erica Farias, Tyler Farias, Lauren Ferreira, Stacy Ferreira, Jamie Fitzherbert, Tiffani Fortier, Michaela Greene, Mitchell Hartnett, Joshua Johnson,Victoria Kulpa, Eva Lavoie, Jameson Lawrence, Andrew Lewis, Jose Martinez, Erin Matthews, Matthew McCormack, Evan McGreavy, Carrie Munroe, Andrew Murray, Nickolas Muzzioli, Blake Nappi, Cynthia Pavao, Ariana Perry, Michaela Perry, Chelsea Petit, Samantha Plant, Amanda Purcell, Marisa Raposa, Amanda Ryll, Andrew Sampaio, Roxanne Souza, Courtney Toler, Alysa Tripp, Samuel Turner, Richard Upchurch, Samantha Welchman.

*Grade 11:* Coral Aiello, Baxter Alves, Macy Amaral, Sarah Barboza, Allison Benevides, Jaclyn Bokowsky, Andrew Bolduc, Alyssa Bouchard, Chelsea Bouchard, Aidan Bradley, Regan Burke, Logan Cabral-Pelletier, Katelyn Caraveo, Hannah Cook-Dumas, Cole Criollos, Victoria Davis, Alexandra Durand, Taylor Furtado, Jasmin Giguere, Colleen Gillis, Jacqueline Helger, Jameson Hughes, Matthew King, Kelsi Korzeniowski, Jacob Kulpa, Kathryn Landry, Sarah Leonard, Samantha Marshall, Sara Massa, Rachel Mauricio, Lucal Munafo, Jacqueline Oliveira, Jocelyn Pacheco, Cooper Pallasch, Dominic Payer, Hannah Queern, Allison Quicho, Abigain Rezendes, Connor Roemlein, Eli Reoske, Emily Russo, Haley Simons, Cassidy Sullivan, Kayla Walker.

*Grade 10: *Ashley Beals, Christina Bebe, Elanor Bodinton, Seth Camara, Raegan Cleary, Caroline Connick, Cheyenne Cory, Samantha Cray, Kaitlyn de Melo, Gretchen Desrosiers, Victoria DiBenedetto, Tori Flynn, Alexis Guay, Madison Higginbottom, Hannah Hoyle, Nicholas Jennings, Nathan Johanning, Joviana Key, Meghan Labrecque, Rachel Mellen, Ashley Mello, Eric Mendoza, Kelsie Mendoza, Abigale Neville, James Pereira, Ida Puerini, Jacob Rapoza, Emily Rego, Briana Resendes, Justin Ruckdeschel, Chrystal Santos, Darean Skrzypiec, Olivia Souza, Benjamin Theroux, Tyler Tripp.

Grade 9: Bethany Alvarez, Jacqueline Arruda, Molly Arruda, Emily Blais, John Bonoan, Laurel Branco, Mollie Cholette, Cosette Coston, Samantha DaSilva, Zachary Davey, David DiManno, Justin Dore, Benjamin Duckett, Meagan Duclos, Sarah Dulac, Joshua Feld, Leonardo Feliciano, Nicholas Fiore, Vincent Fiore, Andrew Furze, Jayde Garcia, Katie Gousie, Julienne Hughes, Keegan Kerns, Dante Krystman, Matthew Lavoie, Camryn Luby, Benjamin Lusignan, Colby Machado, Samantha Moreira, Alex Muzziolo, Emma Panell, Rachel Queern, Meghan Reed, Ethan Roemlein, Charlotte Sanford, Elizabeth Sartini, Ava Saurette, Amber Silva, Lindsay Silvia, Lauren Smith, Mark Tosi, Alexander Turner, Ally Watts, Caroline Wilson. Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

Patch Vienna, VA --

It may have taken until March, but Vienna finally saw the beginning of what is likely to be its first significant snowfall Wednesday morning.

The Capital Weather Gang was forecasting 7 to 14 inches outside the Beltway, and 5 to 10 inches inside of it. Vienna is right along that dividing line, so it's hard to tell just how much snow it will see.

*For all snow updates, read: Virginia Snow Storm: Traffic, Closings in Vienna.*

But any amount of snow is probably enough for the kids and pets, who have barely seen snowfall this season.

So grab your camera for some winter fun. Click on "Upload Photos and Video" to share your adventures in the snow on Patch.

To get you started, we picked our favorite neighborhood picture from a snowfall in 2012: Kimberly Maher's son Thomas, then age 3, riding his trike and tasting snow for the first time that year.

You can also email pictures to erica.hendry at patch.com. Don't forget to tell us from which neighborhood you're enjoying the snow. Happy snapping!

*For more pictures, visit our Pics&Clips gallery.* Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

Patch Fairfax City, VA --

It may have taken until March, but Fairfax City finally saw the beginning of what is likely to be its first significant snowfall Wednesday morning.

The Capital Weather Gang was forecasting 6 to 12 inches outside the Beltway, and 3 to 8 inches inside of it.

*For all snow updates, read: Virginia Snow Storm: Traffic, Closings in Fairfax.*

But any amount of snow is probably enough for the kids and pets, who have barely seen snowfall this season.

So grab your camera for some winter fun. Click on "Upload Photos and Video" to share your adventures in the snow on Patch.

You can also email pictures to erica.hendry at patch.com. Don't forget to tell us from which neighborhood you're enjoying the snow. Happy snapping!

*For more pictures, visit our Pics&Clips gallery.* Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

Filed under: Investing

*ICF International Receives 2012 CCBJ Business Achievement Award*

*Gold Award Recognizes ICF for Climate Risk Management and Adaptation*

FAIRFAX, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ICF International (NAS: ICFI) , a leading provider of consulting services and technology solutions to government and commercial clients, has received a gold award from Climate Change Business Journal® (CCBJ) in the 2012 CCBJ Business Achievement Awards. ICF won the award in the category of Consulting & Engineering: Climate Risk Management & Adaptation.

"ICF is honored to receive such a prestigious award from CCBJ," said Randy Freed, senior vice president for ICF International. "We are pleased to be recognized for our work helping clients worldwide to assess and manage the risks associated with climate change and to develop strategies that mainstream climate adaptation into their ongoing programs."

In honoring ICF with its gold award, CCBJ cited the following ICF projects:

· Supporting the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in the creation of its Climate Change Adaptation Plan and codeveloping a set of vulnerability assessment approaches for use in the design and implementation of projects in developing countries.
· Developing a set of tools to assess the potential impact of climate change on a number of new World Bank projects.
· Publishing the initial results from its work examining the climate vulnerability of transportation in Mobile, Ala., the largest U.S. federally funded adaptation project in a single metropolitan location.
· Producing guidance for state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations on using and applying climate information.
· Helping cities in the United States, the Caribbean, and Peru cope with the effects of climate change.
· Creating a framework in the mining industry to address climate risk.
· Building a spatially detailed analysis of the potential economic costs of climate change on the U.S. electricity industry.

"In an industry that has just managed to outperform the overall economy but still presents challenges in many segments, a number of companies have achieved double-digit growth, sustained high profitability, built a solid backlog, made successful forays into new practice areas or geographic markets, or developed technologies that can help build a more sustainable economy," said Grant Ferrier, president of Environmental Business International Inc., publisher of CCBJ.

The 2012 awards will be presented at a special ceremony at the Environmental Industry Summit XI in Coronado, Calif., on March 6-8, 2013. The Environmental Industry Summit is an annual three-day executive networking and educational event hosted by EBI, Inc.

*About ICF International*

ICF International (NAS: ICFI) partners with government and commercial clients to deliver professional services and technology solutions in the energy, environment, and infrastructure; health, social programs, and consumer/financial; and public safety and defense markets. The firm combines passion for its work with industry expertise and innovative analytics to produce compelling results throughout the entire program lifecycle, from research and analysis through implementation and improvement. Since 1969, ICF has been serving government at all levels, major corporations, and multilateral institutions. More than 4,500 employees serve these clients from more than 60 offices worldwide. ICF's website is http://www.icfi.com.

*Caution Concerning Forward-looking Statements*

Statements that are not historical facts and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements may concern ICF's current expectations about its future results, plans, operations and prospects and involve certain risks, including those related to the government contracting industry generally; ICF's particular business, including its dependence on contracts with U.S. federal government agencies; and its ability to acquire and successfully integrate businesses. These and other factors that could cause ICF's actual results to differ from those indicated in forward-looking statements are included in the "Risk Factors" section of ICF's securities filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included herein are only made as of the date hereof, and ICF specifically disclaims any obligation to update these statements in the future.

*About the CCBJ Business Achievement Awards:* In October-December 2012, Environmental Business Journal and Climate Change Business Journal solicited nominations for the EBJ/CCBJ Business Achievement Awards. Nominations were accepted in 200-word essays in either specific or unspecified categories. Final awards were determined by a committee of CCBJ staff and CCBJ editorial advisory board members. (Disclaimer: company audits were not conducted to verify information or claims submitted with nominations.)

*ICF International
Erica Eriksdotter, +1 703-934-3668*
*erica.eriksdotter@icfi.com*

*KEYWORDS:* United States North America California District of Columbia Virginia

*INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:*

The article ICF International Receives 2012 CCBJ Business Achievement Award Reported by DailyFinance 1 day ago.

10 Ways to Use Patch During a Snow Storm

Patch Westhampton-Hampton Bays, NY --

With a nor'easter, packing snow, on the way, Westhampton-Hampton Bays Patch will be working around-the-clock to cover updates related to the storm, but as with all of our reporting, the more interaction we get from our readers, the more comprehensive our coverage will be.

The following is a list of ways how you can use and help Patch to paint a local picture of the event.

*1. Get the news. *When we know about storm-related news, so will you. From important town and village announcements, damages, and power outages, we’ll have all the news covered 24-7. Refresh the homepageoften, we move fast.

*2. Comment.* Have relevant information to add to an article, jump in and make a comment. We’ll follow up and likely add it to the article. These storm stories will continue to evolve as we speak to more officials and locals. You can be a real-time source by commenting.

*3. Connect with the local editor. *If you have tips, e-mail editor Erica Jackson at Erica.Jackson@Patch.com. You can also text her at 631-605-9648. Feel free to text photos of what you're seeing out there.

*4. Follow us on Twitter.* Want the info the fastest way possible, follow Patch on Twitter@Whampbayspatch.

*5. Like us on Facebook. *Patch updates all our articles on our Facebook page. To get up-to-the minute updates, follow us on Patch here.

*6. Take photos.* Stay indoors if you plan to wait out the storm. But any photos you take of the aftermath, we’ll prominently display on Patch. You can e-mail them to Erica.Jackson@patch.com, upload them directly to articles, text them to (631) 605-9648 or add them to our Pics and Clips section here.

*7. Shoot videos.* Same goes for video. Our smartphones have put high-powered video cameras in our pockets. Send clips our way to help us report on the effect of Nemo in your backyards. If they aren't too long, you can text and e-mail those too.

*8. Get the Word Out. *If power is out (or turned back on) in your neighborhood or if there is a downed tree blocking your street, let your neighbors know by posting an announcement on our announcement board. Click here to post an announcement.

*9. Find Emergency Numbers and Shelters. *During Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, Patch created extensive lists of evacuation routes, emergency numbers. You can find all you need to know by clicking here.

*10. Blog about it. *When all settles, scores of your fellow community members will have “I was there” stories to share. Don’t keep them to yourself. Sign up to be a blogger and let your neighbors know how you held up during the storm.

*Let us know if there's anything else you think we can do for you. Stay safe and warm during the storm!*

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*Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.*

-------------------- Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

PHILADELPHIA -- School activists are using unusual tactics to fight a contested proposal to overhaul the nearly bankrupt Philadelphia school district: They've gone to the city ethics board.

Their ethics complaint says the two private groups that helped fund and develop the plan should have registered as lobbyists, which would have compelled public disclosure of donors and meetings with public officials.

And while nothing illegal is alleged, the complaint highlights an issue that has become increasingly relevant as cash-strapped schools nationwide seek money from nonpublic sources to offset budget cuts. Supporters say private money funds badly needed innovations, yet critics say there is not enough transparency.

"Is it fair for a small number of really rich people to take over educational policy-making?" said Kenneth Saltman, an education professor at DePaul University in Chicago. "Who are the lobbyists really working for? Who's funding them?"

Parents United for Public Education, the Philadelphia group that filed the complaint in December, contends that the powerful William Penn Foundation and Boston Consulting Group used more than $1 million in donations to gain closed-door access to top district officials and push unpopular reforms, such as closing dozens of under-enrolled neighborhood schools while supporting more charter schools.

"No such access has ever been afforded to parents and community members who had to settle for limited information and public meetings," the parents group said.

District officials will vote Thursday on a revised recommendation to close 27 schools.

Jeremy Nowak, who led William Penn while the overhaul proposal was being developed, has said the foundation's mission to improve life in the Philadelphia region must include the school district, one of the nation's largest, poorest and most academically troubled.

"I would think you'd want philanthropy and business and others to care about this," Nowak told The Notebook, an independent news organization that covers the Philadelphia schools. "I think our problem is if we don't care about it."

Nowak abruptly left the foundation days before the complaint was filed.

The issue also has cropped up in New Jersey, where the American Civil Liberties Union sued to force Newark officials to publicly disclose details of a $100 million donation from Menlo Park, Calif.-based Facebook Inc. to the school system. A judge sided with the ACLU in December.

And attorneys at the Newark-based Education Law Center said it took an open records request to learn that a $430,000 grant from the Broad Foundation to the New Jersey Department of Education came with the caveat that it could be rescinded if Republican Gov. Chris Christie left office.

Philanthropy to public agencies in New Jersey is problematic partly because of outdated disclosure laws, said David Sciarra, the law center's executive director. But he noted lawmakers recently introduced a bill that would mandate state oversight of such donations.

"(It's) very difficult for the public to know how much money is flowing in to support a particular policy agenda," Sciarra said.

Broad Foundation spokeswoman Erica Lepping disputed the contention that the grant was not transparent. She stressed the foundation is not involved in setting state law and policy, "nor should we be."

"We agree to fund efforts that we believe will create strong public school environments in which good teachers can do great work and students of all backgrounds can learn," Lepping said in an email.

In Philadelphia, the debate began after William Penn gave school officials a $1.5 million grant last year to hire the Boston Consulting Group to review the struggling district.

After completing one phase of work, Nowak publicly encouraged others to donate $1.2 million for additional consulting. But that money was funneled through a third party, allowing Boston Consulting to continue its work without a direct contract with the district. Some donors were anonymous.

The public deserves to know whether those private funds paid for an honest assessment of the schools' needs or whether they bought a predetermined set of recommendations that could benefit the unknown donors, Parents United member Helen Gym said.

The William Penn Foundation and Boston Consulting contend the parents' complaint has no merit; district officials have said they alone will decide which parts of the proposal to implement.

But the foundation subsequently suspended grant-making to city-related agencies, saying it needed clarification of the lobbying ordinance. On Feb. 20, the ethics board said grants made in response to requests by such agencies don't constitute lobbying.

The board hasn't yet ruled on the parents' challenge, which centers on the fact that the schools did not have contract with the consultant or William Penn.

"If they had funded the district directly," Gym said, "we wouldn't have the basis for a legal complaint."

The Philadelphia schools had another philanthropic brouhaha in 2011, when Mayor Michael Nutter and others solicited private contributions to help buy-out district Superintendent Arlene Ackerman.

Nutter was trying to minimize taxpayers' liability for Ackerman's $905,000 severance package, but a public outcry over donors' anonymity scuttled the deal. The entire payment came from public funds.

___

Follow Kathy Matheson at http://www.twitter.com/kmatheson Reported by Huffington Post 1 day ago.

Cancellations and Closures Due To Snow Storm

Patch Westhampton-Hampton Bays, NY --

With a Winter Storm Warning In Effect For Westhampton-Hampton Bays,activities planned for Wednesday and Thursday are already being cancelled/postponed.

Find out school is letting out early? Library activities cancelled? Closing your shop for the day? Changing the time of an exercise class offered? If you have cancellations or closures to report, please leave a comment below so that readers can keep up in real-time. You may also email Erica.Jackson@Patch.com, and I will post them and update the list as soon as I can.

*Here is the running list of cancellations/closures:*

• *Hampton Bays Booster Club *meeting cancelled for Wednesday night. Will be rescheduled.

• A public hearing for the regional sustainability plan for Long Island, scheduled for Wednesday night at town hall has been postponed to Monday, March 11 from 7:00 – 9:00.

• The Hampton Bays School district announced that the Grade 8 Washington DC field trip, scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, is postponed and will be held this Sunday, March 10 through Tuesday evening.

• A reception for the Hampton Bays Good Ground Artists Group at the Patchogue Art Museum has been rescheduled for March 13. Find out more here.

The reception was originally scheduled for March 6, but has been postponed due to the predicted storm in the winter weather advisory.

*Be sure to check back as this list is updated in real-time. *

--------------------

*Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.*

-------------------- Reported by Patch 1 day ago.

Student Entrepreneurs Earn Cash at TREP$ Marketplace

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Menendez Looks Forward To End To 'Smears'

Westwood Regional Students Presenting 'Little Shop of Horrors'

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Tarsis Resources gains after property acquisition deal with Almaden Minerals

Council Likes 'In God We Trust'

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Tiverton High School Term 2 Honor Roll

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Cancellations and Closures Due To Snow Storm