Sarah Hall
Editor, Eagle Star-Review
315-434-8889
Ext: 310
Recent Stories
Stand Against Suicide to hold fundraiser June 2
This summer, SAS will hold its first-ever “Take a Stand, Save a Life” fundraiser. The soon-to-be annual event will feature a craft fair, car and motorcycle show, live music, raffles, children’s activities and food.
How will erroneous state tests affect teacher evaluations, school funding?
Did you hear the one about the talking pineapple? How about the one about the math question with no right answer? These aren’t riddles. They’re questions from the New York state math and English Language Arts exams given to third- through eighth-graders statewide from April 16 to 27. The tests are designed by Pearson, Inc., which has a $32 million contract from the state to provide the tests, and vetted by a team of psychomatricians (test experts) before they are distributed to school districts. The pineapple question refers to a much-maligned reading passage on the eighth grade ELA exam describing a race between a pineapple and a hare, a twist on the old fable of the tortoise and the hare. The entire passage and related questions can be read here: usny.nysed.gov/docs/the-hare-and-the-pineapple.pdf. The passage so confused such a great number of students that the state had to pull the questions; they won’t be counted towards the final assessments.
Stirpe announces run for 127th Assembly district
Former Assemblyman Al Stirpe announced Wednesday that he will run for the 127th Assembly seat he held from 2007 to 2011. The seat is currently held by Don Miller. Stirpe made the announcement at a press conference on the lawn of the NSEA offices in North Syracuse in front of representatives from the Democratic party, labor and local nonprofits.
Rematch 2012: Buerkle vs. Maffei
Two years ago, Republican newcomer Ann Marie Buerkle beat out Democratic incumbent Dan Maffei for the 25th Congressional district seat by a margin of 648 votes. In 2012, the two will once again go head to head, but a number of factors have changed, including the shape and number of the district in which they’re running, the political makeup of that district and, to an extent, the political climate. The candidates are running in a presidential year, which will likely have an impact on voter turnout, at the very least. One thing’s for sure: despite the fact that she’s the incumbent, Buerkle hardly has this race in the bag. “This race is going to be a tough one to handicap beforehand,” said Dr. Grant Reeher, a professor of political science at Syracuse University. “It’s going to be a tough one to predict. My hunch is that it’s going to be a pretty competitive race.”
State houses present plans; on-time agreement expected
The New York State Senate and Assembly presented their one-house budget proposals last week, and both have sent representatives to committee to negotiate with Gov. Andrew Cuomo in hopes of passing a satisfactory state financial plan by April 1. Already, lawmakers in Albany have approved key aspects of the reform plan Cuomo presented on Jan. 17, including a new Tier VI pension plan, new teacher evaluations and expanded gaming and casinos.
Open government, transparency shine in Onondaga County for Sunshine Week
Eagle Newspapers reporters Amanda Seef and Sarah Hall took an in-depth look at numerous issues in the community regarding open government and transparency.
Let the sun shine in
“Sunshine is said to be the best of disinfectants.” United States Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis wrote those words in a 1913 Harper’s Weekly article entitled “What Publicity Can Do” to emphasize the importance of government openness and transparency. Nearly a century later, how far have we come?
Executive sessions often improperly scheduled by school boards
If you’ve ever been to a school board meeting in Central New York, you’ve probably noticed something on the agenda called an executive session. You probably didn’t know that the school board isn’t allowed, under New York state’s Open Meetings Law, to schedule an executive session on its agenda. Odds are the members of the board who put together the agenda weren’t aware of that fact, either.
Committee on Open Government director an idealist at heart
For many, the heady dreams and lofty ideals of the 1960s gave way to more pragmatic goals; it was less about saving the world and more about saving for retirement. But that wasn’t necessarily the case for Bob Freeman. “When I was in college in the late 1960s, it was the era of protest and idealism,” Freeman said. “Many of us were very much involved in the civil rights and antiwar movements. So what did we do? We sat around talking about how we were going to change the world. What I’ve discovered is that if we can make a dent in the world, that is a sign of success.”
Girl Scouts commemorate 100 years
The Girl Scouts have grown significantly since their first meeting in the Low mansion in Savannah, Ga. on March 12, 1912, where topics covered ranged from caring for babies to securing a burglar with eight inches of cord. The meeting was headed up by Juliette Gordon Low, known colloquially as “Daisy,” who believed that all girls should be given the opportunity to develop physically, mentally, and spiritually. With the goal of bringing girls out of isolated home environments and into community service and the open air, she created the Girl Guides to offer them the opportunity to do just that. Under her guidance, those first 18 girls hiked, went on camping trips, learned how to tell time by the stars and studied first aid. As time went on, the Girl Guides — later called Girl Scouts — became more and more popular. In addition to outdoor activities, the organization began to take on community service activities, especially after America became mired in World War I and later the Great Depression. It’s now a staple of the institution.
