Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Stargazing - 05.16.12

Leo, the lion, dives head-first toward the western horizon during May and June evenings.

Tonight, it stands high overhead as darkness falls and sets about six hours later.

The last of its bright stars to set is Denebola, “the lion’s tail.”

Going Solar

WHEELWRIGHT: My name is Brian Wheelright, I am a PhD student in optical sciences at the University of Arizona, and I work at the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab. And what we’re looking at today is part of our solar lab, where were trying to get solar energy to be cheap and competitive with fossil fuels.

For three decades, the Steward mirror lab has been making some of the world’s largest telescope mirrors. Early this year, for example, it was working on four mirrors that, if turned on edge, would each be taller than a two-story building. It’s an enterprise that requires a lot of time, money, and expertise.

A few years ago, lab founder Roger Angel began turning that expertise to a new project: developing a cheaper way to generate solar power.

Technicians heat panes of ordinary window glass until they get soft, then mold them to a curved shape. They then mount the panes on a test stand in an abandoned swimming pool on the University of Arizona campus. The glass reflects sunlight into a special collector — a combination of lenses and solar cells that’s more efficient than most solar power systems today.

The rig borrows from techniques used to build telescopes — but with some differences.

WHEELWRIGHT: In telescope tracking, you have to be precise, and so it’s very expensive. Here, we just want it strong enough so that it survives the wind, but not so strong that it becomes expensive. Kind of a Sun telescope — an energy telescope is what they used to call this.

A larger test project is under construction. Like all telescopes, it’s designed to capture the light of a star — in this case our own star: the Sun.

G-MM™: Meditation Moment - 05.16.12

‘In him we live and move and have our being.’

Dear Lord, sometimes, when reading a familiar piece of scripture, a phrase leaps out and into our consciousness and lodges there.

Today it’s that idea: that we live and move and have our being in you.

From childhood, those of us who have had the good fortune to be taught about you have known that you are everywhere.

When we were children it seemed that you were in the garden, around the next corner, under the bed, even in the cupboard.

Now we know that it is not like that. Now we know that you are not outside but part of us.

You are the air we breathe, the one who holds us in a loving hand, keeping us in existence by loving us and yet the one who created the whole universe.

Is it too simple, dear Lord, to say that it is such a comforting phrase?

Thank you for this revelation.

I feel safe.

Acts 17:15, 22 – 18:1. Heaven and earth are filled with your glory!—Ps 148:1-2, 11-14. John 16:12-15.

05.16.12

History on May 16, yyyy

Today is Wednesday, May 16, the 137th day of 2012. There are 229 days left in the year.

Thought for Today:

“Work is about a search for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying.“—Studs Terkel, American author and historian (born this date in 1912, died 2008).

Today’s Highlight in History:

On May 16, 1868, the U.S. Senate failed by one vote to convict President Andrew Johnson as it took its first ballot on the eleven articles of impeachment against him.

On this date:

In 1763, the English lexicographer, author and wit Samuel Johnson first met his future biographer, James Boswell.

In 1770, Marie Antoinette, age 14, married the future King Louis XVI of France, who was 15.

In 1866, Congress authorized minting of the first five-cent piece, also known as the “Shield nickel.“

In 1910, the U.S Bureau of Mines was established. (It ceased operations in 1996, its functions having been transferred to other agencies.)

In 1920, Joan of Arc was canonized by Pope Benedict XV.

In 1929, the first Academy Awards were presented. The movie “Wings” won “best production,“ while Emil Jannings (YAHN’-ings) and Janet Gaynor were named best actor and best actress.

In 1939, the government began its first food stamp program in Rochester, N.Y.

In 1948, CBS News correspondent George Polk, who’d been covering the Greek civil war between Communist and nationalist forces, was found slain in Solonica Harbor.

In 1955, American author and critic James Agee died in New York at age 45.

In 1961, Park Chung-hee seized power in South Korea in a military coup.

In 1975, Japanese climber Junko Tabei became the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

In 1992, the space shuttle Endeavour completed its maiden voyage with a safe landing in the California desert.

Ten years ago:

Congressional Democrats demanded to be told what President George W. Bush knew about terrorist threats before Sept. 11 as the White House and its GOP allies defended the president for not disclosing intelligence that Osama bin Laden wanted to hijack U.S. airplanes.

The remains of kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl were unearthed in Pakistan.

Five years ago:

Anti-war Democrats in the Senate failed in an attempt to cut off funds for the Iraq war.

Britain’s army reversed course and announced that Prince Harry would not be sent to Iraq with his regiment due to “specific threats” from insurgents. (The prince did end up serving in Afghanistan for 10 weeks, until word of his deployment got out.)

British Prime Minister Tony Blair paid a farewell visit to President George W. Bush at the White House. Nicolas Sarkozy (sahr-koh-ZEE’) took over from Jacques Chirac (zhahk shih-RAHK’) as France’s president.

One year ago:

A judge in New York refused to release on bail the chief of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was accused of trying to rape a hotel maid. (The charges against Strauss-Kahn were later dropped.)

The Vatican told bishops around the world it was important to cooperate with police in reporting priests who’d raped and molested children and asked them to develop guidelines for preventing sex abuse; however, victims groups immediately denounced the recommendations as “dangerously flawed.“

Endeavour blasted off on NASA’s next-to-last shuttle flight commanded by Mark Kelly, husband of wounded Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

Today’s Birthdays:

Actor George Gaynes is 95

Actor Harry Carey Jr. is 91

Jazz musician Billy Cobham is 68

Actor Bill Smitrovich is 65

Actor Pierce Brosnan is 59

Actress Debra Winger is 57

Olympic gold medal gymnast Olga Korbut is 57

Actress Mare Winningham is 53

Rock musician Boyd Tinsley (The Dave Matthews Band) is 48

Rock musician Krist Novoselic (noh-voh-SEL’-ik) is 47

Singer Janet Jackson is 46

Country singer Scott Reeves (Blue County) is 46

Actor Brian (BREE’-un) F. O’Byrne is 45

Rhythm-and-blues singer Ralph Tresvant (New Edition) is 44

Actor David Boreanaz is 43

Political correspondent Tucker Carlson is 43

Actress Tracey Gold is 43

Tennis player Gabriela Sabatini is 42

Country singer Rick Trevino is 41

Musician Simon Katz is 41

Actress Tori Spelling is 39

Actress Lynn Collins is 35

Actress Melanie Lynskey is 35

Actress Megan Fox is 26

Actor Jacob Zachar is 26

Actor Marc John Jefferies is 22

Actor Miles Heizer is 18

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

WV Lottery - 05.15.12

Advocate for Smaller Schools Says West Virginia Needs a New Educational Philosophy

An advocate for small community schools says, 30 years later, it should be clear the Recht decision has not worked for the benefit of West Virginia’s students.

Challenge West Virginia Executive Director Thomas Ramey says the ruling, issued in May 1982, was supposed to help students in the state’s poorest, most rural areas.

“The education systems in those counties and the education those children in those counties receive has not improved.  In many cases, it’s gotten worse,“ Ramey said on Monday’s MetroNews Talkline.

In the landmark decision in the case of Pauley v. Bailey out of Lincoln County, Ohio County Circuit Judge Arthur Recht helped change education in West Virginia when he ruled the state’s school funding system violated the Constitution and did not create a “thorough and efficient” education system.

As part of that decision, Recht ordered an overhaul to equalize the system, an order that lead to the creation of the state School Building Authority.

Now, twice a year, members of the SBA determine how the millions of dollars available for school construction and maintenance projects in West Virginia are spent.

Ramey says, over the years, the SBA has favored consolidations.

Since 1990, he says 350 schools in West Virginia have closed because of those consolidations, creating long bus rides for some students who no longer attend school in their communities.

SBA officials, though, say consolidations have led to better facilities and create more educational opportunities for students.

At the same time, they say they are helping with local projects that may not have adequate funding without the SBA.

Ramey does not agree.

He says West Virginia needs a new education philosophy.

“I actually think that children, low income children and children in rural areas, have just as much as a difficult time succeeding today than they did prior to the Recht decision,“ he said.

Analysis: Beleaguered Beef Purveyors Carve Out “Pink Slime” Stain

Behind the glass meat counter at Casey’s Market in a Chicago suburb, the butchers pick up their blades and carry on a generations-old tradition.

Piece by piece, the men use knives to cut meat and fat off beef carcasses, and grind them into mounds of hamburger.

“We’re seeing customers in here that we haven’t seen in ages,“ said store manager Joe Lane. “Everyone’s asking the same question: Do you use pink slime?“

Lane is not alone in laboring harder than ever to meet consumers’ demands for ground beef free of the ammonia hydroxide-treated filler that roiled the beef industry this spring due to health concerns even though there have been no reported cases of illness due to its consumption.

Leading beef producer Cargill Inc. has reverted to hand-carving meat out of trimmings cut from carcasses as a way to salvage some of the lean bits and avoid grinding more expensive cuts—part of a sector-wide scramble to replace what the industry calls “lean, finely textured beef” (LFTB) but what has been more damningly dubbed by the media as “pink slime.“

The effort has helped lift retail beef prices just ahead of the U.S. grilling season while compressing margins for beef processors who have struggled in recent years to cope with rising feed costs and falling per-capita consumption.

The cost of top-grade leaner beef trimmings, which do not require as much processing to reduce the fat content, have surged to historic highs this month. Meanwhile, the price for trimmings that contain 50% fat - the raw material used to produce LFTB - has plummeted to multi-year lows.

The hunt for a substitute has also has fueled a boom in U.S. imports, benefiting beef exporters in Australia, New Zealand and Uruguay, where cattle are grass-fed and tend to be less fat than their U.S. counterparts.

BPI SHRINKS, CARGILL CHANGES TECHNIQUES

So far, there is little sign the outcry is waning.

Beef Products Inc., the leading U.S. producer of the beef filler, said last week that the media furor has led it to close three of its four plants and lay off 650 people.

Other beef processors, determined to find a solution to keep their customers happy, have taken a technological step backwards in how they gather the ingredients needed for hamburger.

Few companies understand this shift as well as Cargill. In recent weeks, the company has seen an 80% drop in volume in its production of finely textured beef, said Cargill spokesman Michael Martin.

To keep up with customer demand for ground beef without LFTB, Cargill has started having its plant workers cut - by hand - as much of the meat out of its supply of its fattier beef trimmings as possible. Whatever is left is sent off to be rendered into tallow, which is then processed into different products, Martin said.

“When you look at the economics, we feel it’s better to hand-trim than grind primals,“ which are more expensive muscle meats such as chuck roasts and round cuts, Martin said. “It’s better to capture most of the lean we can get, rather than send it all to rendering.“

MODIFYING THE MIX

Finding enough of a key ingredient - beef trimmings with relatively little fat - to make hamburger more appealing to a critical public has become difficult, say processors.

Here’s why: Each beef carcass produces, on average, 100 pounds (45 kg) or more of trimmings, analysts said. These trimmings are used to make ground beef.

But not all trimmings are the same. In U.S.-raised cattle, much of these trimmings have a 50-50 fat-to-meat ratio. Such fattier trimmings are then mixed with other, leaner cuts in order to balance out the fat and create a hamburger that satisfies the American palette.

In the past, much of the beef processing industry relied on importing leaner beef trimmings, known as the 90s in industry parlance, from Australia and elsewhere.

The industry also relied on LFTB as a fix. It helped consume the domestic stockpile of the fattier trimmings, known as fresh 50s, and created a new supply of lean beef product that supplemented the fresh 90s.

Without LFTB, beef processors are “going back to how the industry produced hamburger 15, 20 years ago,“ said Jim Robb, director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver, Colorado. “They’re going back to blending the 50s with the 90s.“

The increased demand is further draining the domestic supply of fresh 90s, said Clint Peck, former director of the Montana Beef Quality Assurance program.

LEANER TRIM PRICES SOARING

The premium of the 90s over the fattier 50s swelled to a historic high in the wake of the public outcry.

Fresh lean 90s hit their highest price on record of $2.289 per pound on Friday, according to USDA data. The price of fresh beef trimmings containing 50% fat plummeted last month to 50.43-cents a pound, the lowest level seen in 4-1/2 years.

The benchmark trim has since inched back up to 65.94-cents a pound on Thursday, but still is below prices seen prior to the public LFTB outcry.

Supplies of the meat scraps, too, swelled after several companies—from grocers Safeway Inc. and Supervalu Inc. to McDonald’s Corp.—stopped buying the product made from ammonia-treated fatty trimmings that were then mixed with ground beef.

“This meant prices had to drop sharply for the product to clear the market,“ said Chris Hurt, an agriculture economist at Purdue University.

TRYING TIMES FOR BEEF INDUSTRY

All this comes at a challenging time for the beef industry.

Feed prices are up. Weather woes led to the nation’s cattle herd shrinking to its smallest since 1952. More recently, futures contracts are still recovering from the news of a California dairy cow testing positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known as mad-cow disease.

Tyson Foods Inc.‘s beef business felt the broader industry strain, with overall volume in the meat company’s beef segment falling 10.7% in the second fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2012 compared with the same period a year earlier.

Cargill has also faced challenges. It recently said that while its global meat businesses improved during the third quarter, the unit’s profits were still well below last year’s record levels.

Retail ground beef prices are hitting historic highs, according to data compiled by U.S. Department of Agriculture. The average retail price for ground beef was $3.02 a pound in March, up from $2.24 two years earlier, according to government data.

But even with a bigger price tag at the grocery store, there’s been little sign of consumers shunning ground-beef, said Harry Balzer, a lead food industry analyst for the NPD Group.

“There’s no question about the American demand for it. Hamburger is the beef industry,“ Balzer said. “The question now is what the ‘yuck’ factor is going to do to demand.“

For the staff at Casey’s Market in Western Springs, Illinois, such concerns have given way to humor.

Business has been steady, but so have the questions from customers about “pink slime,“ said Lane, the market’s manager. So Lane taped a sign onto the glass meat counter, assuring customers that “Casey’s has never and will never use the Finely Textured Lean Ground Beef, known as ‘Pink Slime.‘“

“Now, people joke about wanting to buy a pound of pink slime,“ Lane said.

~~  Reuters ~~

The following is the comment by the West Virginia Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglas refered to in a comment below from WV Market Bulletin Vol. 96 No. 5 May 2012:

The media often uses a ‘play on words’ to grab the attention of the public. I’m referring to the uproar caused by the term ‘pink slime,’ which is used to describe lean fi ne textured beef (LFTB). LFTB is safe and available in supermarkets at a reasonable price.

While this lean tissue is “beef,” it does have a finer texture, which is why it is called lean fine textured beef. It is equal to ground beef in taste and nutritional value. LFTB statistics show approximately 850 million pounds produced annually is equivalent to 3.4 billion quarter pound patties or 8-9 percent of all ground beef products. To replace current LFTB production, beef imports would have to be increased by 50 percent because that is really the only other avenue we have for lean trim. (American Association of Meat Processors Newsletter, dated April 1, 2012)

West Virginia’s Unemployment Rate at 6.7% in April 2012

West Virginia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched downward one-tenth of a percentage point to 6.7% in April.

The number of unemployed state residents fell 1,000 to 53,800.

Total unemployment was down 8,200 over the year.

The national unemployment rate declined one-tenth of a percentage point to 8.1% in April.

Total nonfarm payroll employment declined 1,800, with losses of 1,300 in the goods-producing sector and 500 in the service-providing sector.

Within the goods-producing sector, employment declines included 1,000 in mining and logging, 200 in manufacturing, and 100 in construction.

Within the service-providing sector, employment declines included 800 in professional and business services, 700 in government, 200 in financial activities, and 100 in other services.

Employment gains included 800 in educational and health services, 300 in trade, transportation, and utilities, and 200 in leisure and hospitality.

Since April 2011, total nonfarm payroll employment has risen 6,200, with gains of 4,800 in the service-providing sector and 1,400 in the goods-producing sector.

Employment gains included 4,000 in educational and health services, 2,200 in construction, 1,700 in leisure and hospitality, 1,000 in professional and business services, and 900 in government.

Employment declines included 2,100 in trade, transportation, and utilities, 600 in manufacturing, 500 in financial activities, 200 in mining and logging, and 200 in other services.

West Virginia’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined three-tenths of a percentage point to 7.0% in April.

Mountaineer Food Bank Holds Open House - 05.10.12

On Thursday, May 10, 2011, Mountaineer Food Bank held its annual Open House & Volunteer Recognition.

Over 100 volunteers and supporters attended as volunteers were recognized for the tremendous service they provide towards hunger relief in West Virginia. In 2011, 336 volunteers provided 4,542 hours of volunteer service at Mountaineer Food Bank.

At the Volunteer Recognition, the following volunteers were recognized:

(For 10 years’ service)

•  Adam McMillion

•  Lillian Bennett

•  Ronnie Miller.

(For 5 years’ service)

•  Iva Hall, Hope Ballenge

•  Mildred Doddrill

•  Mildred Pegelo

•  Robert Stewart

•  Thelma Fitzgerald

•  Mabel Hall

(For 500 hours)

•  Robert Stewart

(For 100 hours)

•  Walmart Associates

•  Chesapeake Energy

•  JROTC of Nicholas County

•  Harland Walls

•  Jean Dickinson

•  Esther Hacker

In addition to recognizing volunteers, Mountaineer Food Bank recognized the following outstanding donors from 2011:

•  Dominion Foundation, represented by Bob Orndorff

•  Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, represented by Kim Tieman

•  One Shot Committee, represented by Frank Jezioro

Frank Jezioro presented a check to Mountaineer Food Bank for $75,000 from the 5th annual Governor’s One Shot Deer Hunt.

The Governor’s One Shot event is sponsored by the WV DNR and the One Shot Committee.

The event helps fund the Hunters Helping the Hungry program.

Flags Ordered Lowered in Commemoration of Peace Officers Memorial Day

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin today issued a proclamation ordering all U.S. and state flags (under Public Law 103-322), displayed at state facilities be lowered to half-staff the entire day of Tuesday, May 15, Peace Officers Memorial Day, to commemorate all federal, state and local law enforcement officers who have fallen in the line of duty.

“The untimely death of an officer is a harsh reminder of the dangers encountered by our law enforcement personnel,” said. Gov. Tomblin. “Joanne and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the families of these brave men and women who left this world far too soon. We are truly grateful for their selfless service and their commitment to upholding the law and ensuring our safety.”

May 15 was designated in 1962 by presidential proclamation as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week in which that date falls as Police Week.

Michigan Prez Concedes an “OOPS!” on RichRod Hire

A 15-22 overall record, an embarrassing 6-18 mark in Big Ten play, the first major violations in the football program’s history and disgruntled fans and alumni alike were the wreckage left in the wake of the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan.

Even to those wearing the deepest hue of maize-and-blue-colored glasses, the RichRod experiment was an abject failure that could’ve set the program back several years.

At a Rotary Club function in Flint, Michigan, Friday, May 11, 2012, UM president Mary Sue Coleman allowed as much, with mlive.com writing that “Coleman admitted… that the university made the wrong choice bringing in Rich Rodriguez as head football coach.”

As noted by AnnArbor.com, it was the first time Coleman, who along with then-athletic director Bill Martin hired Rodriguez to take over for Lloyd Carr in 2008, had publicly made such an admission.

The criticism of Carr and his conservative offensive approach, Coleman said, led the university to do a 180-degree philosophical turn from the previous regime.

“We though, OK, well let’s go hire the guy who invented the spread offense,” Coleman, presumably facetiously, told the crowd before rhyming her way to the conclusion that “[h]e was a hot, young coach with a different approach.”

Despite his West Virginia roots, RichRod was never “the Michigan man” most had come to expect as head of the storied program.  RichRod’s successor, Brady Hoke, on the other hand?  He eats, sleeps and breathes that moniker.

“He has more of the kind of Midwestern ethos,” Coleman said of Hoke.

And he has more of that winning ethos to which Michigan has become accustomed, producing in his first year with the Wolverines the program’s first 11-win season since 2006.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, has landed on his coaching feet, with Coleman saying she is “very happy” for Rodriguez and his new gig at Arizona.  We’re quite certain that many a Michigan fan would concur, that they are very happy RichRod’s in Arizona as well.

More West Virginia Students to Get Free Meals

More West Virginia public school students will be allowed to eat breakfast and lunch at school for free beginning in the fall.

West Virginia education officials say West Virginia is one of only four states to be selected to participate in the Community Eligibility Option for the coming school year.

Under this program, if at least 40% of a school’s students qualify for free meals, the entire school can participate.

At least 293 schools in West Virginia already qualify which means thousands more children will get free meals every day.

West Virginia currently has a pilot program providing free meals for all students in Cabell, Clay, Fayette, Gilmer, Lincoln, Mason, McDowell and Mingo counties.

West Virginia: Medicaid Changes

West Virginia officials outlined plans to shift around 57,000 people who rely on Medicaid into managed care, telling lawmakers the move would improve the health of some of the sickest people who rely on this government program while also cutting an estimated $15 million annually in prescription and medical costs.

Several members of the House-Senate Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability greeted the details with cautious optimism. But several also echoed concerns from advocates for these low-income residents about the state’s ability to provide the needed care.

Through managed care, primary physicians develop individual treatment plans, and refer these patients requiring specialists to a network of providers. Pre-approval is required for certain procedures or for seeing an out-of-network provider.

Nearly all states have begun covering people on Medicaid through managed care. West Virginia’s program now covers nearly 170,200 people this way, mostly members of families who receive federal welfare-related benefits. The plan detailed Monday would affect low-income seniors and people with disabilities who also receive help through the federal Supplemental Security Income program.

Commissioner Nancy Atkins of the Bureau of Medical Services told the legislators that her agency hopes to expand managed care gradually, a few counties at a time, between December and August. The agency has already sought federal approval for the planned changes, which includes shifting pharmacy benefits, and the projected savings reflects the entire managed care population, Atkins said.

Atkins said around 35% of people on Medicaid are seniors or the blind and disabled, but they account for 70% of the program’s annual costs. She also said that these people also often have such chronic ailments as diabetes, heart disease and mental illness.

“These folks, I think, have a difficult time navigating the health care system,” Atkins said. “Our goal with this population is to improve their health outcomes and coordinate care around the Medicaid member.”

Atkins also said that the state’s approach embraces several health-related measures recently passed by lawmakers. One is the medical home concept, which also promotes individual care plans to address a person’s chronic ailments. Another is the physician-sponsored care network.

Louise Reese, chief executive of the West Virginia Primary Care Association, told the legislators Monday that one such network will compete with the state’s existing managed care companies to provide this coverage for Medicaid. All but four of the state’s 28 federally qualified health centers helped found this effort, called the West Virginia Family Health Plan. The other centers will be part of its network of providers, Reese said.

“We’re very excited to be able to participate,” Reese said.

Alderson-Broaddus College Awards Doctorate of Public Service to McKinley

Congressman David B. McKinley (R-WV) was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Public Service at Saturday’s Commencement exercises at Alderson-Broaddus College in Phillipi, West Virginia.

“It was truly an honor for me to receive this honorary doctorate from an institution that has been educating West Virginia’s finest for the past 140 years,” said Congressman McKinley.  “Alderson-Broaddus has been providing a quality education for students seeking various fields in liberal arts while focusing on their spiritual well-being, at the same time.”

Alderson-Broaddus College overlooks the picturesque Tygart River Valley in Philippi, West Virginia.

Alderson-Broaddus College is a health-related and professional educational institution.

Alderson-Broaddus College is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches, USA, and the West Virginia Baptist Convention.

The annual commencement exercises took place, Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 2:00 PM in Rex Pyles Arena in the Memorial Coliseum.

James C. Justice, II, the C.E.O. and owner of The Greenbrier Resort, delivered the keynote speech, “Lead with Passion,” to 101 graduates.

Vadis: Food Giveaway - Thursday, 05.17.12

Food distributions at Midway Volunteer Fire Department, Vadis Road, Vadis (Off U.S. Hwy 33E/119N) .

Thursday, May 17, 2012   from 6:00 to 8:00 PM.

GSC Football Presents: 2012 Golf Outing – 05.18.12 - This Friday

Region VI Workforce Youth Council Meeting - 05.16.12

The Region VI Workforce Investment Board Youth Council will meet Wednesday, May 16, 2012, at 10:00 AM at the Region VI Workforce Investment Board offices located in the Rose Plaza in White Hall, WV.

Area Counties include: Braxton, Doddridge, Gilmer, and Lewis.

For more information about the meeting contact Barbara J. DeMary at 304.368.9530.

Gilmer County Senior Center May 2012 Lunch Menu

Gilmer County Historical Society Meeting - 05.17.12

The May meeting of the Gilmer County Historical Society is this Thursday, May 17, 2012, at Noon.

Covered dish lunch and a business meeting after lunch.

The meeting is in the Library Annex behind the Holt House, 302 E. Main Street, Glenville, WV.

For Sale: 2007 Clayton Single Wide Home

For Sale 2007 Clayton Single Wide Home 16’ x 80’

3 Bedrooms and 2 Bathrooms

Excellent Condition

Will come with appliances (stove, frige, etc.)

Gas furnace, hot water tank and stove

Gas and electric hookup for dryer

Must see!

Asking $30,000 OBO.

CALL 304.364.4039 for more information or to see.

Ron Paul: The Fed:  Mend It or End it?

Last week I held a hearing to examine the various proposals that have been put forth both to mend and to end the Fed.  The purpose was to spur a vigorous and long-lasting discussion about the Fed’s problems, hopefully leading to concrete actions to rein in the Fed.

First, it is important to understand the Federal Reserve System.  Some people claim it is a secret cabal of elite bankers, while others claim it is part of the federal government.  In reality it is a bit of both.  The Federal Reserve System is the collusion of big government and big business to profit at the expense of taxpayers.  The Fed’s bailout of large banks during the financial crisis propped up poorly-run corporations that should have gone under, giving them a market-distorting advantage that no business in the United States should receive.  The recent news about JP Morgan is a case in point.  JP Morgan, a recipient of $25 billion in bailout money, recently announced it lost another $2 billion.  If a corporation shows itself to be a bottomless money pit of “errors, sloppiness and bad judgment,“ the Fed shouldn’t have expected $25 billion in free money to change that or teach anyone a lesson in fiscal discipline.  But it determined that this form of deliberate capital destruction was preferable to one business suffering bankruptcy.  Clearly, some changes need to be made.

Several reforms for the Fed were discussed at the hearing.  One was a call for the full employment mandate to be repealed, in order to allow the Fed to focus solely on stable prices.

Another reform calls for changes to the composition of the Federal Open Market Committee.  Still another proposal was for outright nationalization of the Fed or of its functions.  But if what the Fed does now is bad and inflationary, allowing the Treasury to print and issue money at-will would be even worse, and could possibly lead to a Weimar-like hyperinflation.

The problems and advantages of the gold standard were discussed at the hearing.  The era of the classical gold standard was undoubtedly one of the greatest eras in human history.  For a period of several decades in the late 19th century, the West made enormous advances.  However, the gold standard was still run by government.  The temptation to suspend gold redemption reared its head again with the outbreak of World War I.  Once the tie to gold was severed and fiscal restraint thrown to the wind, undoing the damage would have required great fiscal austerity.  Instead, the Western world proceeded to set up a gold-exchange standard which lasted not even a decade before easy money led to the Great Depression.

While returning to the gold standard would certainly be far better than maintaining the current fiat paper system, as long as the government retains the power to go off gold we may end up repeating the same mistakes.

The only viable solution is to get government out of the money business permanently.  The way to bring this about is through currency competition: allow parallel currencies to circulate without receiving any special recognition or favor from the government.  Fiat paper monetary standards throughout history have always collapsed due to their inflationary nature, and our current fiat paper standard will be no different.

It is imperative that the American people be educated on the dangers of the Fed and the importance of restoring sound money.  The laying of the groundwork must begin today, so that the American people will be prepared for the day when the mirage the Fed has created evaporates completely.  The full hearing footage is available on my website and I would encourage every American to take a look.

G-OB™: Gilmer County Schools Employment – Cook II , GCHS - 05.14.12

POSITION:    Cook II – Gilmer County High School 5:30 AM to 1:00 PM daily

JOB DESCRIPTION:

FOR THE POSITION OF COOK II

REPORTS TO:  Building Principal and Cook III or Cafeteria Manager

JOB GOAL: To provide a nutritious meal that meets all state and federal standards.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
 
1. Prepares and serves meals which meet the state nutritional standards from a planned menu.

2. Provides support to the school and cares for the welfare of the children.

3.  Assists the principal and teachers in establishing good public relations.

4.  Be acquainted with the policies of the school and with duties assigned. See that stock room, kitchen area, and all equipment is clean.

5.  Be responsive to the suggestions of the principal and Director of Child Nutrition.

6.  Observes working hours and operating policies established by the principal and the county school lunch supervisor.

7.  Strives to work carefully and efficiently, observing all nutritional requirements and sanitary standards in the preparation and service of school lunches/breakfasts.

8.  Prepares and updates records and reports for inspection by authorized personnel.

9.  Attends county food service continuing education and in-service programs.

10.  Holds a valid food handlers’ card and meets all requirements of the state and local departments of health.

11.  Utilizes all food stocked to the fullest extent possible.

12.  Be physically fit to perform all duties related to the position.  The employee understands that he/she must be physically able to lift large kettles and/or serving pans containing food stuffs and carry them, if necessary, to serving tables or sink and be able to perform certain other duties involved in the work area of the kitchen that involve reaching, bending and pushing.

13.  Be neatly dressed in a washable dress or slacks, preferably a uniform. Wear a hairnet while performing the duties of school lunch cook, as well as substantial footwear.

14.  Fulfills the required 200 day working term and accounts for inservice days.

15.  Maintains positive work habits.

16.  Performs duties efficiently and productively.

17.  Maintains and/or upgrades skills.

18.  Performs other tasks required in the preparation and serving of food and in the general operation of the food service program.

REPORTS TO:  Cafeteria Manager, GCHS; Principal, GCHS

PERFORMANCE RESPONSIBILITIES:

•  Interpret Menus

•  Prepare and Serve Meals

•  Help with reports and inventory

•  Other duties as assigned by Supervisor

EMPLOYMENT TERM:    2012 – 2013 School Year – 200 Days

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma or GED

• Must pass the state mandated test for Cooks

• Possess the knowledge, skills and ability to successfully carry out the responsibilities of the position

SALARY:     Based on Gilmer County Salary Scale, commensurate with job classification and years of service

APPLICATION SHOULD BE SENT TO:

                              Ronald Blankenship, Superintendent
                              Gilmer County Board of Education
                              201 North Court St.
                              Glenville, WV 26351

CLOSING DATE:   Monday, May 21, 2012 –  3:00 PM

As required by federal law and regulations, the Gilmer County Board of Education does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, marital status, disability, age and national origin in employment and in the administration of any of its education programs or activities.  Inquiries may be referred to Title IX Coordinator, Gilmer County Board of Education, 201 North Court Street, Glenville, WV 26351, phone 304.462.7386; to the Elimination of sex Discrimination Program Coordinator 304.558.7864; or the US Department of Education’s Director of the Office of Civil Rights 215.596.6795.

S12-501-03
Posted: 05.14.12

Bon Appétit: Turkey Soup with Pasta

Ingredients:

  16 ounces whole-wheat pasta shells
  1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  1 pound ground turkey
  1 cup chopped onion
  3 cloves garlic, minced
  2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
  3 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
  3/4 cup water
  1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
  1/3 cup tomato paste
  2 cups roughly chopped kale
  salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Stir in the pasta, and return to a boil.

Boil, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 12-15 minutes.

Drain well.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot; add turkey, onion, and garlic.

Cook over medium heat until meat browns and onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in sage and rosemary and cook for about 1 minute, do not allow herbs to brown.

Pour the broth and water into the pot along with the garbanzo beans and tomato paste.

Bring to a boil and add kale.

Simmer until kale softens, about 5 minutes.

Season soup with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a serving of cooked pasta in the bottom of a soup bowl and ladle hot soup over.

Ask the Doctor: Medication Can Relieve Body Itching

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: When exercising, I sometimes have itching.
Will you comment on this? - W.M.

ANSWER: One possibility is something called cholinergic urticaria.
It’s an outbreak of itchiness and tiny red dots, so tiny they can be hard to see.
They’re a miniature version of hives.
The cause is an increase in body temperature due to exercise.
Usually it happens after exercise and lasts for about 30 minutes.
Taking an antihistamine before exercising can prevent outbreak.
A rare condition that brings on a body itch is aquagenic pruritus.
“Pruritus” is “itching.“
This outbreak comes from contact with water.
One to 15 minutes after water hits the skin, itching begins, and it lasts from 10 minutes to two hours.
It can happen after taking a shower.
Water temperature has nothing to do with it.
The water can be cold or hot.
Antihistamines can prevent this, too.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I do not have the time or inclination to exercise for one hour at a time. However, I do lift weights sporadically throughout the day, every day, usually lifting each weight at least eight to 10 times.
I want to maintain some muscle mass.
I’m not overweight, and I eat healthy.
I walk everywhere. Is this productive? - C.A.

ANSWER: Yes, it’s productive.
Any exercise is better than no exercise.
A more structured program with a little more time would yield greater benefits.
Weightlifting is the best way to preserve muscle mass and strength.
Aerobic exercise is the way to maintain and improve heart and artery health.
That exercise requires the continuous movement of large muscles to raise the heart rate for at least a 10-minute stretch.
Thirty minutes a day of aerobics is the goal, but that 30 minutes can be broken into three 10-minute sessions.

Flashback: What Happened on May 15, ....

•  1880 The first central telephone office in West Virginia was established in Wheeling, Ohio County, between the Behren Brothers’ grocery stores. Within the year, there were 52 subscribers.

•  1973 West Virginia Surface Mining and Reclamation Association President Ben Lusk criticized a report by the Appalachian Regional Commission which said abolishment of strip mining would help the deep coal mining industry and decrease unemployment.

•  1974 Following a Kanawha County Board of Education election, the Charleston Daily Mail criticized the board for being unresponsive to constituents and said that the curriculum replaced traditional morals with secularism.

•  1992 The State Supreme Court overturned a circuit court decision which had banned the use of state Medicaid funds to finance abortions.

Daily G-Eye™: 05.15.12

Stargazing - 05.15.12

Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, is about to disappear in the evening twilight.

Look for the star blazing low in the west-southwest shortly after sunset.

Depending on your latitude, it sets one to two hours after sunset.

Making Mirrors

BRASS: We build mirrors 8.4 meters or 6.5, and our first step is to put down silicon carbide floor plates.

Beneath Arizona Stadium in Tucson, four giant slabs of glass are taking shape — the mirrors of future telescopes. Placed on edge, each mirror is taller than a two-story building, and its surface is as roomy as a small apartment. Yet each is relatively thin and lightweight.

The mirrors are produced by the Steward Mirror Laboratory at the University of Arizona. They’re the largest single-glass telescope mirrors yet built. They start with 20 tons of raw glass that’s melted inside a spinning oven. From inside the busy lab, Alan Brass explains:

BRASS: We’ve got 20 tons of glass loaded in, put the cover to the furnace on, start it spinning, and it takes about a week to get up to temperature. At 2130 degrees the glass fully is the consistency of honey…

As it spins, the glass forms the curvature needed to bring starlight to a sharp focus. After the mirror is cast, it cools for several months. Then its surface is ground and polished to a precise shape. After that, it’s tested to make sure it has the right shape — a flaw of a thousandth of the width of a human hair would spoil the view.

Finally, it’s packed and shipped to its destination — an astronomical observatory. After final assembly and testing, it’ll get to work — uncovering the secrets of the universe.

G-MM™: Meditation Moment - 05.15.12

Praising God changes lives.

Paul and Silas—although beaten, chained and imprisoned unjustly—praised God! Not only were they freed, but their jailer and his household were baptized. Elsewhere, we are told: ‘In all circumstances give thanks for this is the will of God’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

We can all sing praises to God during the good times.

But it is when the going gets tough that we need choose to offer what will be a ‘sacrifice of praise’.

Recently, it took the words of a song to remind me of the need to do just that: ‘In every season, you are still God. I have a reason to sing, I have a reason to worship.’

Following months of just surviving, it was difficult to begin to sing, but eventually my spirit lifted.

Let us sing praises to God today: our lives will change!

Acts 16:22-34. Your right hand has saved me, O Lord—Ps 137(138):1-3, 7-8. John 16:5-11.

Mary Margaret Murray

Mary Margaret Murray

Age 93, formerly of Alum Bridge, WV, died May 08, 2012, in Raleigh, NC.

She was born May 20, 1918, in Alum Bridge, WV, a daughter of the late William C. and Bridget (Sweeney) Stark.

She was a wife, mother and homemaker. She worked for several years at the Colonial and Mountaineer glass factories in Weston, WV.

She was a member of the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Raleigh, NC and enjoyed helping with church activities, gardening and cooking.

She is survived by one son, James Edward (Mary Ann) Murray of Weston; two daughters, Mary Eileen (Jimmie) Harper of Parkersburg and Roberta Lynn (James) Kimble of Raleigh; a brother, John Stark of Ravenswood; two sisters, Ernestine Gissy of Parkersburg and Regina Quesenberry of Weston; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, John Robert Murray of Weston; a brother, Bernard Stark of Sandyville, WV; and a sister, Irene Body of Katy, Texas.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 AM May 21, 2012 at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Alum Bridge where Rosary will be recited at 10:30 AM.

Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Weston.

Ethel Mae Mix Dennison

Ethel Mae Mix Dennison

Age 94, of Sutton, WV passed away May 03, 2012 at her residence.

She was born June 08, 1917 in Clay County, WV the daughter of the late Charley A. & Vera S. Johnson Nottingham.

Mae attended Wayside Church and liked to attend many other churches in the area. She was a member of Braxton County Senior Citizens Center and was a homemaker. She also loved to travel.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husbands; John J. Mix and S. G. Dennison, two brothers and 1 sister.

She is survived by her brothers; Farrell Nottingham, Dana Nottingham, Brantie Nottingham all of Strange Creek, WV, sisters; Marie Duffield and Lona Sanders both of Garrettsville, OH, Bertha Sirk of Strange Creek, WV, Laura Herold of Haddock, GA.

Memorial service in her honor will be held 1:00 PM Saturday June 02, 2012 at Strange Creek Church, Strange Creek, WV with Rev. Bobby Dale Harper officiating.

Greene-Robertson Funeral Home is humbly serving the Dennison Family.

05.15.12

History on May 15, yyyy

Today is Tuesday, May 15, the 136th day of 2012. There are 230 days left in the year.

Thought for Today:

“Martyrdom has always been a proof of the intensity, never of the correctness of a belief.” — Arthur Schnitzler (1862-1931).

Today’s Highlight in History:

On May 15, 1972, Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace was shot and left paralyzed by Arthur H. Bremer while campaigning in Laurel, Md., for the Democratic presidential nomination. (Wallace died in 1998; Bremer was released from prison in November 2007 after serving 35 years of a 53-year sentence for attempted murder.)

On this date:

In 1602, English navigator Bartholomew Gosnold and his ship, the Concord, arrived at present-day Cape Cod, which he’s credited with naming.

In 1776, Virginia endorsed American independence from Britain.

In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed an act establishing the Department of Agriculture. Austrian author and playwright Arthur Schnitzler was born in Vienna.

In 1911, the Supreme Court ruled that Standard Oil Co. was a monopoly in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act, and ordered its breakup.

In 1930, registered nurse Ellen Church, the first airline stewardess, went on duty aboard an Oakland-to-Chicago flight operated by Boeing Air Transport (a forerunner of United Airlines).

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a measure creating the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, whose members came to be known as WACs. Wartime gasoline rationing went into effect in 17 Eastern states, limiting sales to three gallons a week for non-essential vehicles.

In 1963, astronaut L. Gordon Cooper blasted off aboard Faith 7 on the final mission of the Project Mercury space program.

In 1970, just after midnight, Phillip Lafayette Gibbs and James Earl Green, two black students at Jackson State College in Mississippi, were killed as police opened fire during student protests.

In 1972, the United States returned the prefecture of Okinawa to Japanese administration.

In 1975, U.S. forces invaded the Cambodian island of Koh Tang and recaptured the American merchant ship Mayaguez. (All 40 crew members had already been released safely by Cambodia; some 40 U.S. servicemen were killed in the operation.)

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan told a gathering of out-of-town reporters at the White House he did not consider himself “mortally wounded” by the Iran-Contra affair. (The president got to relive his radio-announcer days when he complied with a reporter’s request to read aloud a promo for Nashville station WSM.)

In 1991, Edith Cresson was appointed by French President Francois Mitterrand (frahn-SWAH’ mee-teh-RAHN’) to be France’s first female prime minister.

Ten years ago:

The White House acknowledged that in the weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks, President George W. Bush was told by U.S. intelligence that Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network might hijack American airplanes, but that officials did not know suicide hijackers were plotting to use planes as missiles.

Financier Martin Frankel pleaded guilty in New Haven, Conn., to 24 counts of securities fraud and racketeering, admitting that he’d looted insurance companies of more than $200 million. (Frankel was later sentenced to nearly 17 years in federal prison.)

Five years ago:

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, who’d built the Christian right into a political force, died in Lynchburg, Va., at age 73.

Yolanda King, the firstborn child of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, died in Santa Monica, Calif., at age 51.

President George W. Bush chose Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute to oversee the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan as a war czar.

Prime Minister Bertie Ahern became the first Irish leader to address the joint houses of the British Parliament.

Kenny Chesney collected his third consecutive entertainer of the year trophy from the Academy of Country Music.

One year ago:

Thousands of Arab protesters marched on Israel’s borders with Syria, Lebanon and Gaza in an unprecedented wave of demonstrations, sparking clashes that left at least 15 dead.

Finland scored five late goals to beat Sweden 6-1 and claim its second title at the ice hockey world championship played in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Today’s Birthdays:

Playwright Sir Peter Shaffer is 86

Actress-singer Anna Maria Alberghetti is 76

Counterculture icon Wavy Gravy is 76

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is 75

Singer Trini Lopez is 75

Singer Lenny Welch is 74

Actress-singer Lainie Kazan is 72

Actress Gunilla Hutton is 70

Country singer K.T. Oslin is 70

Singer-songwriter Brian Eno is 64

Actor Nicholas Hammond (”The Sound of Music”) is 62

Actor Chazz Palminteri is 60

Baseball Hall-of-Famer George Brett is 59

Musician-composer Mike Oldfield (”Tubular Bells”) is 59

Actor Lee Horsley is 57

TV personality Giselle Fernandez is 51

Football Hall-of-Famer Emmitt Smith is 43

Singer-rapper Prince Be (PM Dawn) is 42

Actor Brad Rowe is 42

Actor David Charvet (shahr-VAY’) is 40

Actor Russell Hornsby is 38

Rock musician Ahmet Zappa is 38

Olympic gold-medal gymnast Amy Chow is 34

Actor David Krumholtz is 34

Actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler is 31

Rock musician Brad Shultz (Cage the Elephant) is 30

Rock musician Nick Perri is 28

Monday, May 14, 2012

WV Lottery - 05.14.12

West Virginia Honors Budding Writers - 05.11.12

Hundreds of student authors were honored May 11, 2012 as part of the 29^th Annual Young Writers Celebration, a statewide competition that recognizes and encourages writing excellence in all grades.

“Writing is one of the most important skills for academic and professional success,” said West Virginia Superintendent of Schools Jorea Marple. “As we prepare students for the 21st century, clear communication through writing is more important than ever for future success.”

The annual event is sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) and the West Virginia Writing Project, which is part of the effort to improve writing in America. With three sites in West Virginia, Central West Virginia Writing Project (Central WVWP), Marshall University Writing Project, and the National Writing Project at West Virginia University, the Writing Project builds the leadership, programs and research needed for teachers to help their students become successful writers and learners.

The contest is funded through an allocation in the state budget to West Virginia’s National Writing Project sites and supported by the WVDE, Marshall University Graduate College of Education and Professional Development, the University of Charleston and the Charleston Daily Mail. The contest encourages classroom writing and honors first through 12^th grade writers in every West Virginia county.

In addition, the Barbara W. Walters Memorial College Scholarship was awarded to Amanda Entinger from Mountain View Christian, Fayette County

The celebration included talks by Marple and University of Charleston President Ed Welch. Workshops also were offered by West Virginia authors Colleen Anderson, Anna Smucker, Cheryl Ware and Elizabeth Campbell. Ron Sowell, songwriter and music director of West Virginia Public Radio’s Mountain Stage, performed as well.

As many as 800 students, teachers and family members attend Young Writers Day at the University of Charleston each year from all over the state of West Virginia.

2012 WV Young Writers Contest Winners

Grade 1-2                                  

1^st      Nate Smith              Madison Elementary, Boone County

2^nd      Kiah Napier             Wayne Elementary,  Wayne County

3^rd      Andrew Adkins        Clay Elementary, Clay County

Grade 3-4                                  

1^st      Rebecca Whetzel    East Hardy Early Middle,  Hardy County

2^nd      Jessica Fleming      Madison Elementary, Boone County

3^rd      Julianna A. Brown   Berlin McKinney Elementary, Wyoming County

Grade 5-6                                  

1^st      Jessica Taylor,        Clay County Middle, Clay County

2^nd      Abbey Delk             Triadelphia Middle, Ohio County

3^rd      Alli Suter                 Paden City Elementary, Wetzel County 

Grade 7-8                                  

1^st      Sarah Rowe            Buffalo Middle, Wayne County

2^nd      Paige Conrad          Shepherdstown Middle, Jefferson County

3^rd      Grace Ward            John Adams Middle, Kanawha County

Grade 9-10                                

1^st      Emily Hough           University High, Monangalia County

2^nd      Madalynn Payne     East Hardy High, Hardy County   

3^rd      Heather Green        Doddridge County High, Doddridge County

Grade 11-12

1^st      Brittany Strother      Lewis County High, Lewis County

2^nd      Catlin Wilson           James Monroe High, Monroe County

3^rd      Rebekah Honce      Bridgeport High, Harrison County

Barbara W. Walters Memorial College Scholarship 2012 Senior Winner: Amanda Entinger, Mountain View Christian, Fayette County

GSC to Induct Five at Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony - 05.19.12

On Saturday, May 19, 2012, Glenville State College will induct four alumni and one coach into the Curtis Elam Athletic Hall of Fame, which was established in 2001 through the generosity of the late Curtis Elam, a 1949 graduate.

This year’s inductees will be:

•  Ed Tekieli ’56

•  Coach/Athletic Director Leland Byrd

•  Steve Taylor ’60

•  Sandra Elmore ’73

•  Don Bullett ’82

The banquet and induction ceremony will begin at 6:00 PM in the ballroom of the Alan B. Mollohan Campus Community Center.

A meet and greet social time for banquet attendees will be held in the pre-function area of the Mollohan Center from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM that evening.

The public is invited to attend. Contact GSC’s Alumni Office at 304.462.4122 for ticket information.

Braxton County: Duck Resident Enters Plea to Using a Communication Facility to Commit a Drug Felony

A 28 year old Duck, West Virginia, resident entered a plea of guilty on May 08, 2012,in United States District Court in Clarksburg before Magistrate Judge John S. Kaull.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that: JOCELYN M. GRAHAM entered a plea of guilty to one count of the illegal use of the United States mail on August 03, 2010, to facilitate the distribution of methamphetamine and oxycodone.

GRAHAM, who is on bond pending sentencing, faces a maximum exposure of 4 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.

G-Fin™: U.S.A.: Economic Brief – 05.11.12

Producer Price Index

The Producer Price Index for finished goods fell 0.2% in April.

Prices for finished goods were unchanged in March and increased 0.4% in February.

The index for finished goods less foods and energy rose 0.2%.

U.S. Import and Export Price Indexes

U.S. import prices declined 0.5% in April, following a 1.5% increase in March.

The April decrease was driven by lower fuel prices which more than offset a small increase in nonfuel prices.

The price index for overall exports rose 0.4% in April after a 0.8% increase…

Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey

There were 3.7 million job openings on the last business day of March, little changed from February, but up significantly from a year earlier.

The hires rate (3.3%) and the separations rate (3.1%) were unchanged in March.

U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services, March 2012

Total March exports of $186.8 billion and imports of $238.6 billion resulted in a goods and services deficit of $51.8 billion, up from $45.4 billion in February, revised.