Great news: The lame duck is dead, at least in one chamber

Following is a statement on today's decision by Senate leadership not to convene lame-duck session this year:

The Senate's decision not to hold lame-duck session is an important step in the right direction. For at least this year, it gives Pennsylvania citizens the same protection against post-election deal-making that citizens in most states already enjoy. Since the House cannot enact legislation without the Senate, citizens may rest easy after Election Day.

This is an improvement that 82 percent of Pennsylvania voters want, according to a 2007 Keystone Poll. It's good to see that Senate leadership values demonstrating that things really can change for the better in the Capitol.

Questions

* Will House leadership make the same declaration?
* Will House leadership pass legislation amending the Constitution to prohibit lame-duck session permanently?
* Will House leadership pass a law to the same effect until a Constitutional amendment can take effect?
* Where do your legislators stand on this issue?

My answers:

I am against all lame duck sessions.

I would try to amend the Constitution, and the city charter, to prevent the spending of any money in a lame-duck period.

I'm not sure where our state reps stand on this issue. If you do, please inject into the comments.

Rush to judgment

Op-Ed by citizens who care about our schools.

Rush to judgment Closing Schenley cannot be justified until the school district develops a high school reform plan

By Linda Metropulos and Jill Weiss

On May 19, Pittsburgh Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt recommended that Schenley High School be closed -- even though a comprehensive, districtwide high school reform plan has not been formulated or presented to the school board.
Linda Metropulos (lmetropulos @earthlink.com) and Jill Weiss (weissjm@carlow.edu) are co-chairs of a committee working to save Schenley High School.

Without such a plan, how can the decision be made to close one of the most illustrious and successful schools in the district, a building that could be saved if the right team of professionals helped guide the process? We are asking the school board to table the Schenley vote until a comprehensive analysis has been conducted and publicly debated.

Members of the board, parents, students and the public have asked for a comprehensive reform plan. The only plan so far has been to close Schenley because it has deteriorated, thanks to years of neglect and poorly executed renovations.

Mr. Roosevelt stated that the district must choose "instruction over bricks" while not revealing the true cost of re-opening two schools and renovating two additional schools to accommodate the current Schenley student body of 1,100 students. According to Mr. Roosevelt, Schenley would cost at least $76 million to renovate. When board members questioned the cost to remodel four schools to accommodate Schenley students, they were given a low-ball estimate of $35 million.

There is some question as to whether these numbers are only construction costs or complete project costs. A report by MCF Architects that compares the cost of renovating Schenley to those of renovating the Reizenstein building has not been released to the board or the public. How can the board undertake a smart and fiscally prudent vote when information is confusing, sketchy or withheld?

It is also disappointing that the International Baccalaureate program, one of the strongest academic programs currently offered by the Pittsburgh Public Schools and a reason many families have stayed within the city, would be set adrift, with no permanent home identified until 2009. The lack of a well-thought-out plan for the IB program is causing chaos and concern and is forcing many families to look for other options for their children.

It is disingenuous to assume an inexpensive building solution is going to mysteriously appear for 1,100 IB students from throughout the district. Why would the administration want to prematurely eliminate Schenley from future consideration? What other options are there?

Mr. Roosevelt talks about creating a science and technology school, possibly alongside the Carnegie Science Center. Are we to believe funds will mysteriously appear for this school, as well?

Over the past year, a committee of concerned professionals has been meeting to look at renovation and fund-raising options for Schenley. Schenley is so well constructed that it would cost more than $500 per square foot to build new today -- about twice the value of modern school buildings. Why walk away from such a formidable structure?

There are alternative ways to approach the needed improvements that would cost less than the worst-case scenario that Mr. Roosevelt presented to the board. An investment in Schenley now could allow the school to be used for another 100 years.

One idea is to re-use the building's original passive system for ventilation instead of installing air conditioning. There are numerous such practical options that could lower the cost of renovation. Pittsburgh prides itself on being a leader in green design and construction; what better way to demonstrate this than by keeping an institution of this caliber functioning instead of discarding it?

Mr. Roosevelt said his staff had looked at possible state and national resources to renovate Schenley but had found nothing useful. However, our committee has found numerous programs that might be available.

Schenley High School has been set adrift by the Roosevelt administration. The superintendent says we cannot afford to save the building where Nobel Prize winners and internationally known artists and musicians were educated. He says we cannot afford to renovate the building in which politicians, civil rights lawyers, star actors and athletes have been nurtured and where children from throughout the city have thrived and learned.

Our question is how can we afford not to renovate this building, one where students of every color and social strata choose to attend school together. Living and learning together is a life lesson that cannot be taught in books; it becomes a part of us only through experience and tolerance.

We have been told that the fate of Schenley must be decided now. We are asking school board members to table the issue beyond their June meeting until they can make an informed decision.

Keeping alive the option of renovating Schenley High School would be choosing "students and bricks.

Schenley High School, interview with board member

* http://kdka.com/video/?id=41766@kdka.dayport.com

Budget Discussion about schools

Another school meeting. These meetings should happen with the district. Instead, they sub-contract to A+ Schools. Thankfully A+ Schools is there to be a bit of an escape value. But, when you really have some troubles with the schools, you don't want to go talk to the lunch-room lady.

A+ Schools is to Pgh Public Schools as a lunch-room lady is to a school principal.

That isn't an original quote authored by me. However, it came from one of the four citizens who recently spoke to the Pgh Public School Administrators and Board at last month's public testimony meeting.

Join A+ Schools to talk about the PPS budget!

Schools and Money: Community Meeting on School Budgets

A+ Schools, in cooperation with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, invites you to attend this community meeting about the PPS site based budgeting process and the budget reductions that result from enrollment declines. We’ll discuss maintaining educational priorities as part of the budget process.

Monday, June 9th
6PM to 8 PM
Life’s Work of Western PA
1323 Forbes Avenue, Uptown (across from Duquesne University’s Palumbo Center)
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

TO REGISTER: Sign up online at www.aplusschools.org or by calling 412-258-2660 ext. 101.

FREE Dinner and childcare (for children over 1) will be provided to registrants.

Free parking is available in the Life’s Work parking lot as well as the nearby streets.

Please RSVP by Friday, June 6th.

---

Theresa Smith's comments:

Greetings:

As many of you know, I have requested that A+ Schools schedule a meeting with PPS regarding the budget. I am thrilled that they have successfully scheduled the meeting and that PPS has agreed to meet, please see the meeting information below. The intention of the meeting is to provide folks with an opportunity to receive answers pertaining to the PPS individual school budgets. Many of our schools face serious cuts in funding and PPS has mentioned that they attribute the declining enrollment as one factor. I did question ...what would happen to the funds that would no longer be allocated directly to the schools. I was told the funds would remain in the general budget and could be redirected to other PPS initiatives. I am hoping parents realize the importance of showing a large crowd to reflect our concerns for our children and all schools.


Thank you for considering attending this worthwhile meeting and I hope to see you there,

Theresa Smith

Live blogging: City council

These are urgent times for kittens. Thanks for that knowledge Mr. Kraus. He thinks you'd be doing a "great service" to the city by adopting a cat or dog. We learned this at 10:20 am, 20-minutes after the scheduled meeting should have begun.

In campaign finance reform discussions.

Rev. Burgess does not want to have the reporting to include spouse info. So, if Mrs. Ravenstahl makes a donation to someone, then she'd not need to note that she is the spouse of an important person (authority board member, etc.).

Tonya is confused. She said, "I'm confused here."

Darlene does not want to neuter the political action committees. She feels that the amount of donations should increase for PACs. Hey, neuter those pets Darlene.

Vo Tech in our schools

The P-G did an article about Vo Tech in schools. This is a topic that I've talked about on many instances.

But, I don't get to talk to Jon Delano on a Sunday morning TV show, like the media darling, Superintendent of Schools, Mark Roosevelt.



The article by P-G's Joe Smydo, is something to look at with an eye to fine detail.

It is very funny, and tragic, that the mentions of 'cutting edge Vo Tech lessons' are being hyped as a part of the Engineering Magnet at Taylor Alderdice High School. The Dice students have an interesting program. The Dice students are NOT Vo Tech students.

South Vo Tech High School closed a few years ago. Vo Tech education in Pittsburgh Public Schools is frail, at best.

Pittsburgh Public Schools needs to do an overhaul of its Vo Tech positions and programs. This was promised years ago. It is late and long over due. The administration has not done its homework in this regard, like the other missing plans for high school reform.

When South Vo Tech closed, we were promised a comprehensive plan for Vo Tech Education. We are still waiting.

The article has plenty of interesting talk. Sadly, there is very little evidence of that talk being walked in the schools of Pittsburgh -- with the smaller, specialized expection of the Alderdice Engineer Magnet.

Brings May Flowers ... slideshow

Gives new meaning for local drivers of "flipping the bird"

Took this photo while walking the sidewalk in another city.



This guy was right outside of these joints:

and . It was like he was a prop!

He makes our pigeon problem look small. Pound for pound, don't know how it stacks up with the geese that Dan Onorato needed to gas at the local parks last year.

What's going on here? (game)

Photo 1:


Photo 2:


Comments welcomed.

Hint: Both photos were taken in the same stretch of road (perhaps a private driveway), outside a hotel in Amsterdam.

City Council intends to hire its own attorney

The taxpayers of the city already pay for a legal department. We don't want to pay for another.

I'm with Motznik and Dowd.

City Council intends to hire its own attorney Council members Jim Motznik and Patrick Dowd did not sign the letter.

If you have five pitchers on the team and they are not getting the job done, fire the pitching coach -- and -- fire a few of the pitchers. Bring up a few new replacements.

Don't hire a sixth lawyer. Don't hire more.

To rebuild our city, we must take down some of the broken parts first. Then we can build on solid ground.

City council should move to make the budget for the law department ZERO for the next six months. The law department isn't doing the job it needs to do. So, they should not be funded.

City council has the power of the purse. Use it.

The city, the taxpayers, and the citizens are all going to suffer -- nobody wins -- when more lawyers are hired. When parts of the city fight with other parts -- the only victors are the lawyers. We don't need more lawyers. We don't need to spend additional money on lawyers when the ones we have don't do the jobs that they should be doing.

What do the OVERLORDS say about the hiring of additional attorneys? They are often attorneys too -- so that will be interesting.

How about if the members of city council want to get a second opinion, then they go to the Act 47 Overlords or the ICA Overlords (we have too many of them too) -- and ask their attorneys to come up with an answer.

So, we really have the city law department, plus, we have the law departments of the two sets of overlords. I figure that is THREE sets of attorneys.

How about if they run to one of the authorities and use the legal council that they hold on retainer.

The School District has its own attorney. Perhaps we can get some additional work out of him?

What about the Allegheny County Bar Association? What about some of the law schools in the area? Perhaps Pitt Law or Duquesne Univ. might be willing to help out in a pinch?

Is this about patronage and jobs, again?

Why not get some advice from the lawyers that are quick to rush into municipal bond deals?

In the past, Jim Motznik hired attorneys to do the work of his district out of his district's slush fund. If the staff of the council is not good enough with law -- then perhaps a member of city council should hire a lawyer for his or her staff. Use staff money to hire lawyers. That is already in the budget.

City council staffers are too busy working on the next pets to present before city council meetings. There are the proclamations too -- but here, I mean dogs and cats. Council and Bruce Kraus is working to make sure that the animal shelters are moving animals.

The legislation that was presented and eventually passed today was redundant, so he said himself. There were changes (amendments) to the new law that came after talking with a local District Judge. Thanks District Magistrate King. Pittsburgh does NOT need new laws that are just re-dos of ones that are already on the books.

Folly!

City Council increases fines before passing graffiti bill: "Now vandals can be hit with fines ranging from $250 to $1,400 per incident, depending on the amount of damage done, in addition to being compelled to remove the graffiti. Councilwoman Tonya Payne pushed for the higher fines -- up from a range of $100 to $500 approved last week -- which were unanimously approved."

More questions:

Is council going to do a national search for its lawyer? Will this be a bid process? Can a 'retainer' be used for the contract?

Did the present law office director undergo scrutiny after Luke fired all (or most) the directors? They had to re-apply, right? What about George?

Does council provide a 'performance evaluation' of the law department and its director? Does the mayor?

What do the OVERLORDS think about more spending by city council for marginal value added services in terms of fixing the city's massive debt? Might the overlords nix the contract for council's own attorney?

Pittsburgh Pist-Gazette: Patrick Dowd On The “Politics Of The Middle”

Pittsburgh Pist-Gazette: Patrick Dowd On The “Politics Of The Middle”: Patrick Dowd On The “Politics Of The Middle” By Bram and Char

Fellow bloggers talk to Patrick Dowd. Long posting. Nice insights. My comments are over there and posted in these comments for my records.

Enjoy.

Great work bloggers. Keep it up.

Fantastic opening season Mr. Dowd.

Now if you only had the time to get into saving Schenley, working on Vo Tech plans and urban recreation -- we might be able to die more slowly with the bleeding of our young people in the city and region.

C-Span -- LIVE -- NOW -- Libertarian Party Convention

Tune into the C-SPAN coverage of the . Our guys from Pittsburgh are there too.http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

The first round vote count is happening now. Real democracy at work.

PA Voted as follows:

6 Bob Barr

5 George Phillies

7 Mike Gravel

1 Mike Jingozian

2 Dr. Mary Ruwart

1 Steve Kubby

3 write ins

0 Wayne Allen Root

0 Christine Smith (given an anti Barr speech on her way off the podium.)

---

First vote totals and candidates for the second vote:

• Barr, 153, = 25%
• Mary Ruwart, 152, = 25%
• Root, 123
  
• Gravell, 71
  
• Phillies, 49
  
• Kubby, = 41, = 7%

  ---

  2nd vote:
  

• Barr, 188
• Rwart, 162
• Root, 138
• Gravel, 73
• Phillies, 36
• S.Kubby = 32

---

Updated:

PA's final vote: 15 for Bob Barr, 8 for Mary Ruwart, 2 for None of the above.

The Libertarian nomination for US President goes to Bob Barr.

Next up, the running mate.

I'll help him pack his home and office

Talk about the future of this guy's career is not welcomed because I'd rather work on fixing the schools. Sure, he his breaking them as fast as possible. But that isn't the real problem. However, if he needs some boxes, tape or a hand when it comes to moving -- let me know. I'll be glad to volunteer.

The final solution to $8-a-gallon gas - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: ".

ROOSEVELT WILL NOT RUN. Besides facing a firestorm of criticism over his plan to close Schenley High School, city schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt has also been the target of rumors about job opportunities elsewhere.

Roosevelt told Whispers he wants to dispel the gossip once and for all.

'I've been approached about a lot of jobs,' he said. 'I'm not interviewing with anybody. There was one job I got into deep discussion about, but it was not a superintendency.'

Roosevelt declined to specify what that job -- or any of the others -- was about or where it might have taken him."

Earthquake lessons?

Earthquake lessons? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Somebody better tell President Bush to send his FEMA director to China.

Looks to me like its government can handle a disaster far better than ours.

Lynn Ford, Gibsonia

Let's do all we can to pull our troops out of bases in foreign land and have them here, state-side. Then if there is an earthquake in the United States, we'll be able to deploy the people here to save ourselves, re-open the roads, check on the dams, fix the bridges, clear rubble, mend crushed bodies and bring relief where it is urgently needed.

Told ya. If you missed it -- too bad for you. Schenley's musical claims top prize

Kelly Awards.... and the envelope please.... (drum roll) ....

It will be in tomorrow's paper but I couldn't wait to break the news: Schenley's musical All Shook Up won best musical in the low budget category. Schenley student, Teressa LaGamba, won best supporting actress at the Kelly Awards presented last night. It is nice to have others recognize what the Schenley family has always known: Schenley musicals are magic!

Thanks for the news from our regular network of insiders!

2008 Gene Kelly Awards announced: "The Benedum Center was packed Saturday night as Pittsburgh CLO and the University of Pittsburgh honored Allegheny County high schools with the 18th annual Gene Kelly Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theater."

See the article on the show:

---

Award winning Kelly Critic review: "All Shook Up," Schenley, April 24-May 3: "It was this evident sense of community that allowed Schenley to take what would otherwise be written off as a testing situation and turn it into something truly magical. Whether in the moments of surprisingly-well-executed dramatic and choreographic teamwork (for a group of over 40 performers), or in the unmistakable passion shining through the smiles of each cast member, Schenley managed to prove, as their program so wholeheartedly attests, 'They can take the kids out of Schenley, but they can't take the Schenley MAGIC out of the kids!'"

Platters - 16 Tons - lyrics from LyricWiki

Platters - 16 Tons - lyrics from LyricWiki: "You load 16 tons,
And what do you get?
Another day older,
And deeper in debt.

New punctuation guidlines to make sentences more exciting!!! - Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopedia

Because of the high price of oil, these changes to the English language are being embraced. This should go a long way in keeping people happy this summer.

UnNews:New punctuation guidlines to make sentences more exciting!!! - Uncyclopedia, the content-free encyclopediaNew punctuation guidlines to make sentences more exciting!!!

More on Schenley and talk on Schools

The first part is from Jill Weiss. I'm not 100% certain where the second part came from. These were part of an email blast from concerned taxpayers and parents.

From Jill Weiss:

Mark Roosevelt's recommendation that Schenley be closed as a PPS and that the district could not afford to renovate it came as a surprise, because the last conversation I'd had led me to believe that the recommendation would be to not officially close it; as he said, "this would give us time to continue to look at options." Last night, he stated that he is living in the "real world" and that requires hard choices.

Important questions were raised by some of the board members. Heather Arnet asked if there was anyone on staff who had been actively looking for funding on every level, and after hesitation, the answer was "yes," a response that was clearly not the case. She also requested that the board be shown a comprehensive high school reform plan before any vote be taken in June, so the board would know what expenditures they would be voting on in the near future, and Roosevelt denied that this would be able to be available. Sherry Hazuda also asked that the board be informed more completely of a comprehensive high school reform plan, if one exists. Randall Taylor reiterated that there is so much spending going on at other buildings which could be put into Schenley.

What has become clear is that the numbers for Schenley have been examined so much more thoroughly than those for the options that the district wants to take. Numbers have also been manipulated to fit the reform options. The Schenley numbers continue to be inflated by increasing construction costs, but the district project numbers do not. Roosevelt appears willing to accept the high number from MCF Architects, and all of their recommendations about Schenley (increasing costs, occupancy, and construction schedules), but he dismisses their numbers for Reizenstein, going with the lower district numbers.

The plan for the students of the new IB school is to stay at a minimally renovated Reizenstein for 4 years and during that time a permanent home will be found for them. Derek Lopez (head of high school reform) stated by that time the "Schenley students will have faded away." A committee will be formed to look for a permanent home for the IB school. What was not made clear was that this new home will also require money for renovation which could be approaching the cost of Schenley, depending on the state of the building.

I am asking others to write letters to the editor and letters to board members asking these same questions (or at least making a request to table the vote until there is a comprehensive reform plan.) Testifying publicly on June 16 is also effective. Please keep in mind the veracity of the district numbers for other reform projects as compared with the "real" costs of Schenley.

I am willing to keep working for the building, at least until the June vote, if not longer, as much for the process of letting the public know all of the facts, and but also to continue to show why the public has been so engaged with this issue.

*************************************

More details from A+ IB meeting on Tuesday night:

There is a list for the committee to find a new site for the IB building, by this November (although they are planning on a 4 year commitment to Reizenstein). If you'd like to see the members (or proposed members) give me a holler. Two parents are to be chosen by principals of Frick and "Schenley" to be on this committee.

Mr. Roosevelt confirmed that the University Prep program is aimed at "below proficient" (PSSA terms) students. Also that as the new high schools (IB, but particularly University Prep and Science - Technology) are opened, there will be, over the course of several years be a decrease in comprehensive high schools in the district to "3, maybe 4."

He also made the interesting point that while there is still a trend toward population decreases in the city, there may also be an increase seen as the casino (and associated businesses like hotels) open. These could lead to increases in populations (at least in areas) of the city schools.

*************************************

Components of a comprehensive High School reform plan would seem to include:

A report on all buildings in the district (including suitability for different ages, location, long-term costs for renovation, re-use, short and long-term maintenance costs) -- parts of this were done by A+ schools, but more with an eye toward selling closed schools.

More information about Science-Technology (is it also aimed at low-performing students?) The planning for this school (opening 2009-2010 school year) is said to be nearly complete. However, it doesn't yet have a building.

Vocational education given a high priority.

Three stranded planning -- what will the district look like if

• enrollment declines continue indefinitely
• enrollment levels off at or near current levels
• enrollment increases either due to programming or new families moving in to the city

Reflection -- Mourn -- Pray -- China slideshow

I took these photos while visiting a temple in China. They are all in the public domain and can be used by anyone for any purpose.



If you can furnish additional insight as to what the various names and purpose of the elements in these photos, please type away and explain. Input can occur within the comments of this blog. Also, each photo in this album has a spot that allows input.

Civic Arena could OPEN for all HOME GAMES after the building of the new arean

Wouldn't it be nice to have the existing Mellon Arena, the original Civic Arena, be open for all Pens games -- home and away -- in future years even after the new arena is built.

They are going to build a new arena. They could keep the existing one.

Rather than watching the game in the parking lot -- invite the excess fans to a game-day festival within the existing arena. Furthermore, ticket holders to the Pens Game could swing by the older, historic, civic arena before and after games.

The combination of the Civic Arena next to the new arena would provide for a "net gain" in development for the city and the region. We'd be able to host bigger event. Have flexibility to have scholastic, college and club hockey on many more dates -- not with a conflict with the pop concerts.

The tractor pulls can be at the existing Civic Arena -- while the latest rock concerts can be at the new venue.

The existing arena can be set up with lots of smaller spaces, push-carts, vendors, mini-stands selling funnel cakes, etc.

 
The Civic Arena has always been a great place to gather as a community -- and be 'civic.'