twitter Archive

0

Arts at Darton Day to be held Tuesday (Exclusive to thealbanyjournal.com)

By Walter L. Johnson II

Local high school students with an interest in the arts will have the chance to express their appreciation for it closer to home

The Albany-based two-year college will host the third-annual “Arts at Darton Day”, this Tuesday, Feb. 8, on the Darton campus.

Darton professor of music Jeff Kluball says the “Arts at Darton Day” is a tremendous opportunity for high school students to gain greater awareness, as well as exposure to, the arts at the constantly growing institution.

“It provides us a way to actually educate, and let high school students in the area come in, and experience college life first hand, instead of just a traditional recruiting day where students come and visit the college, and pick up brochures,” Kluball said. “We actually have them come in, and experience the arts at Darton College.  They go to theatre classes, art classes, music classes, and theatre and dance classes.”

Kluball added: “They leave here better artists, and better prepared.  Plus, they know what it’s like to be at college for a day.  They’re actually in classes with college students, and they play their instruments, they play the musical instruments, their try their dance shoes, they participate in that, and they also put together things in the theatre.  So, it’s quite an experience, it lets them know what college is all about.”

Participants in the “Arts at Darton Day” will also learn how to use computer art to make images of themselves, including magazine covers, art professor John Dimino said.

“We’re learning different programs like Photoshop and In Design,” Dimino said, “but we’re teaching the students to use the computers as art-making tools. So, at the ‘Arts at Darton Day’, we’re going to have the (high school) students work in different areas, like the computer lab, and then they’ll work in ceramics, and we’ll have them doing drawing, so they can experience what it’s like to be an art student at Darton for the day.”

Kluball says the response to the “Arts at Darton Day” has grown positively in the two years that it’s been held on campus.

“It’s been well-received every year, and we have high school sponsors and counselors that bring students up,” Kluball said, “and students can come over on their own as well, and we’ve had very good feedback on it.  It actually serves a purpose as well, because it lets high school students know there’s more things to do in the arts beyond high school.”

Kluball also expects to see about the same numbers attending the “Arts at Darton Day.”

“We’ve averaged almost 100 students every year,” said Kluball. “We’re already anticipating at least that this year.  We have over 75 (students) that have already confirmed reservations, and we have some very nice things to offer them since we started the ‘Arts at Darton Day.’

Additionally, students who attend Darton from outside of Albany/Dougherty County will also be encouraged to make the most of the new student center that opened last year, as well as the on-campus housing, Kluball added.

“We do have new dormitories,” Kluball said. “We’re in our second year with dormitories.  We have a brand-new student center that is great for student activities.”

Dimino hope students take away a lot of things they’ll learn from the “Arts at Darton Day.”

“We’re just looking forward to meeting the high school students that will be here,” Dimino said, “and to show them what we do, give them the opportunity to work in the ceramics room, and to make something to take home with them.”

For more information on the “Arts at Darton Day”, contact Jeff Kluball at (229) 317-6852, or send e-mail to jeff.kluball@darton.edu, or Gail Apperson at (229) 317-6554, or send e-mail to gail.apperson@darton.edu.   Students can also register online at http://www.darton.edu.

8

Bishop steered scholarships to family

By JOHN BRESNAHAN | 9/9/10 10:23 PM EDT

POLITICO.COM

Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.) awarded three scholarships from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation to his stepdaughter and wife’s niece between 2003 and 2005, according to records from the nonprofit group.

Bishop is the second Democrat found to have funneled CBC Foundation scholarship funds to relatives, threatening to turn the program into a larger political problem for the party. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) recently paid back $31,000 to the foundation for scholarships that she improperly awarded to various relatives and children of a top staffer.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/41953.html#ixzz0z93jiAWg

Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.), chairman of the CBC Foundation, has promised an “extensive audit of the scholarship program” run by the organization.

Bishop, though, also appears to have favored family members with CBC scholarships.

In 2003, Emmaundia Whitaker, the niece of Vivian Creighton Bishop, who is Bishop’s wife, was awarded an education scholarship. She was also given a similar award in 2005.

And in 2003, Aayesha Owens Reese, the congressman’s stepdaughter, was granted an education scholarship as well.

The congressman’s wife is a longtime state employee in Georgia. She currently serves as clerk of the municipal court in Columbus, Ga.

A Bishop spokesman insisted the Georgia Democrat did not violate CBC Foundation rules that were in place at that time by awarding scholarships to family members.

“It is our understanding that the CBC Foundation in 2008 revisited the guidelines and processes for its scholarship programs, and as such, included language to clarify that CBC family members are not eligible to receive the scholarships,” said Ashton McRae, Bishop’s spokesman, in a statement released by the office. “These scholarships … were awarded prior to 2008.”

Muriel Cooper, a spokeswoman for the CBC Foundation, said the organization “has and will continue to revisit guidelines and processes for its scholarship programs and, as such, has included language to clarify qualifications.”

Since 2008, scholarship applicants have been required to formally certify “that they are not a family member of any member of [the] CBC, CBCF staff or its Board of Directors, corporate advisory board or any CBCF sponsoring entity,” Cooper added.

It is unclear how much the CBC Foundation scholarships were worth, but they typically run in the $1,000 to $2,000 range, according to media reports. Each CBC member is giving $10,000 annually to dole out to scholarship applicants.

The CBC’s Cooper said the amount of the awards “is left up to the individual districts” and declined to provide information on how much Reese and Whitaker received via Bishop.

Applicants for the CBC foundations scholarships — which are funded by big companies like General Mills and Wal-Mart — are required to live or attend school in the lawmakers’ districts, have at least a 2.5 grade point average and “exhibit leadership ability and participate in community service activities,” among other restrictions.

For instance, in order to get money under the “CBC Spouses Cheerios Brand Health Initiative Scholarship,” as both Reese and Whitaker did, applicants must be planning to “pursue a degree in the fields of medicine, engineering, technology, nutrition or other health related studies,” according to the CBC Foundation’s website.

Information on what colleges Reese and Whitaker were attending at the time of the scholarship awards or what degrees they were pursuing was not available.

However, Reese was working in the Fulton County District Attorney’s office last year, according to news reports. She and her husband are residents of Lithonia, Ga., an Atlanta suburb, Sanford’s website states.

Bishop is the second prominent CBC member found to have steered CBC Foundation scholarships to family members or relatives of top aides.

Johnson repaid $31,000 to the foundation last week after The Dallas Morning News reported that she had steered 23 scholarships to relatives and the children of a top staffer.

Melanie Sloan, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group, said Bishop and Johnson were engaged in “reprehensible conduct.”

“Any member of Congress should know that if there is a chance to award scholarship money, it shouldn’t go to family members,” Sloan said.

Bishop was also caught up in a scandal in 2009 when the Georgia Bureau of Investigation began a probe into whether a youth program operated by Muscogee County Marshal’s Office improperly spent federal funds after it hired Bishop’s stepdaughter and her husband. Bishop had earmarked more than $190,000 for that youth program.
Reese and her husband, Stephen, were paid more than $14,000 by that program, although they lived in the Atlanta area, more than 100 miles from Columbus, where the program operated.

The GBI later ruled that the hiring of the pair was legal.

0

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-24

  • RT @Dougrea: RT @elissastein: PEEPS! I'm 4 followers away from 2500. Can you help me get there tonight?! #
  • RT @NewsGeorgia: "Police say Georgia mom forced son to kill hamster – Biloxi Sun Herald" http://tinyurl.com/yjq5wml #
  • RT @GAFrontPage: Kids: Don't Wait To Discuss Sexting With Your Child Or Teen: .. http://bit.ly/7Z2p0Y #
  • If you want to actually READ the balanced budget article, you can find it online here: http://bit.ly/7GXbuy #
  • Cindy here: found a cool pick to accompany Kevin's article about balanced budget. At least I think it's cool. http://brizzly.com/pic/17GH #
  • Cindy here: Will be at Camilla, GA Art show in Feb 6th at the train Depot. Have 1 free ticket, $25 value. DM if U want it. #SOWEGA #
Tags: twitter
0

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2010-01-18

  • Don Buie srikes a deal: He will spend a year in jail, 9 years on probation, pay $5,000 to the city, and be banished from Dougherty County. #
  • Jury in Buie case says it can't reach verdict. Judge Marshall told 'em to keep trying. #
  • Closing arguments are complete in Buie case. Jury begins deliberating in the morning after being charged by the judge. #
  • janabarnello: Graham says the problem with Albany is we've got "those three (Lott, Taylor, Smith) as city managers." #
  • Defense rests in Buie call without calling dedendant to testify. #
Tags: twitter
1

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-20

  • Local lawyer and ADICA board member Phil Cannon is on the stand as state's witness #
  • Buie's former assistant Monique Broughton is now on witness stand #
  • ADICA vice chairman James Griffin testified that he met Don Buie after City Manager Al Lott hired him as downtown mgr and ADICA director #
  • Buie attorney Graham says that she may bring in a witness to testify that Nicole Brown threatened to kill Buie #
  • Buie trial in recess til tomorrow when Nicole Brown testimony continues #
  • Nicole Brown says that Buie threatened to reveal a sex tape they had made together if she stuck with her story about them stealing funds #
  • Buie trial needed some spicing up and it has happened. His ex-girlfriend, Nicole Brown, is on the stand #
  • In her opening, Buie defense atty Graham said that Buie made good money and had more than $5K in an etrade acct, so he wasn't hard up fo … #
  • Earlier, defense atty Graham said the total amount that Buie is accused of misappropriating is $4500. #
  • Former ATI/ADICA bookkeeper Shawnee King, who issued checks at Buie's direction, is on the stand #
  • City Manager Alfred Lott just underwent questioning. Nothing spectacular. Now Assistant City Mgr James Taylor is on the stand #
  • That contradicts City Manager Alfred Lott's contention that he is not responsible for misuse by Buie of facade grant funds #
  • Wes Smith just testified that the facade grant program is under the authority of the city manager's office. #
  • Smith served 11 years as ADICA director #
  • Wes Smith, who took my place as assistant cituy manager, is on stand as state's first witness. No bombshells, yet. #
  • Graham on Buie: "He is like an absent-minded professor" … "Be didn't lie and he didn't cheat and he didn't steal." #
  • Buie defense attorney Johnnie Graham is giving opening arguments. #
  • Cohilas on city checks being given to Buie: "This is a classic kickback scheme." #
  • Now we are talking, huh? #
  • Cohilas: Buie committed corruption "for sex, for money and to cover up" #
  • ADA Chris Cohilas is presenting opening arguments in Buie case #
  • Judge Marshall has barred the public from the Buie proceedings until the jury is selected. Ga Rules of Law and Supreme Ct say that's not … #
  • Judge Marshall has barred the public from the Buie proceedings until the jury is selected. That's not kosher, according to Ga Rules of L … #
  • Judge Marshall has barred the public from the Buie proceedings until after the jury is selected. That's not kosher, according to Ga Rule … #
  • Courtroom is closed to the public for pre-trial proceedings in Buie case. Is a plea deal in thw works? #
Tags: twitter
0

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-06

Tags: twitter
0

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-12-06

Tags: twitter
0

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-22

  • A stranger at Subway just politely told me that I have cream od broccoli soup in my beard. My wife would not be proud. #
Tags: twitter
0

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-15

  • Deerfield wins! 35-21 #
  • 28-21 deerfield and 12-7 sherwood, both at halftime #
Tags: twitter
0

The Albany Journal Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-11-08

  • Chris Pike has defeated Arthur Williams for Ward 3. Congrats, Chris. Now go do great things, young man. We need you! #
Tags: twitter
SEO Powered by Platinum SEO from Techblissonline