| Making the Grade | Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt has put the district on a steep learning ...
Pittsburgh Public Schools Superintendent Mark Roosevelt had turned in his 45-page report -- a self-evaluation of his second year as the district's leading man. And as he entered the July 25 meeting of the Pittsburgh school board, all he needed was a grade. At the head of the long, slender conference table in the district's Bellefield Avenue headquarters, Roosevelt sat quietly as board members debated whether he had accomplished what he set out to do in his first two years -- and, subsequently, whether he deserved a pay increase of $15,000. Not everyone thought Roosevelt deserved high marks. "We need to show tough love to the man at the end of the table," said school-board member Mark Brentley, joining the meeting via speaker phone from St. Louis.
Desi Dialogues
If I cherished one special day during the year, besides my birthday, it was the New Year - not Jan. 1, but a day in August when members of my tiny Zoroastrian community in Mumbai, India, celebrated the beginning of their calendar year. Colloquially referred as Parsi New Year, the day was extra-special as community members, the Parsis, party all day long. One prime reason that this day was special is that unlike the scores of Hindu festivals, which are an all-year-round affair, our community celebrates only two others in the year. Navroze, a celebration of spring equinox, and Khodadsal, the birthday of our prophet Zarathusthtra. You see, our forefathers landed in India in the eighth century after fleeing the Arab invasion in Persia, refusing to leave their Zoroastrian religion, which is said to be one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions, founded around 1200 B.C.
Sugar Creek Arts Festival expands and grows
NORMAL -- "More" is the word to describe the Sugar Creek Arts Festival this year. There will be more artists, more food, more entertainment and more ground to cover during the festival's run Saturday and Sunday."Every aspect has expanded," said Doug Johnson, executive director of the McLean County Arts Center, which coordinates the show with the town of Normal and WGLT radio. "It puts us in the big league."The festival will feature a record 210 artist booths. The lineup will begin on North Street, west of Constitution Trail, and, for the first time, continue onto the Illinois State University quad."The partnership with ISU is really ideal," Johnson said. "It gives us extra space, expands the size and exposes the public to the quad. The Fell Arboretum (on the quad) is really one of the prettiest areas in town."The move also helps the festival work around construction in uptown Normal.Johnson and Normal's Community Development Director Steve Westerdahl have been working on alternatives for this year's festival for four or five years, knowing the uptown redevelopment plan would influence the space."The university came to us knowing we were pressed for space," Westerdahl said.
100-mile race tests Parkites' endurance
When Treasure Mountain Middle School teacher Duncan Orr limped into his classroom after completing the Wasatch Front 100-Mile Endurance Run 12 years ago, Lauren Adams didn't cringe at his pain. "I remember seeing him in agony after [his race] and thinking it was neat," she confesses. Now an adult, with four 100-mile races to her credit, Adams traces the roots of her own commitment to running to her old teacher. The former collegiate runner says she'll think of him when she enters her first Wasatch Front race on Sept. 8. "This is one race where I'm just hoping to have fun," she says. Putting in the hours means an early start to the day. Adams rises at 4 a.m. But the running addict never feels the need to sleep in. "I love it," she insists. To prepare for the ultra-marathon, Adams trains about three hours a day, completing her run before working at White Pine touring.
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