Real Good and For Free
… Over the last ten years, I have attended many wonderful and free children’s programs, including story-times, craft and drawing programs, and music and theatre performances, many occurring through Durham County Library.…
WWIII: Whose Side Are We On?
Russian interference in favor of Donald Trump in the 2016 elections has been confirmed, apparently motivated by Russia’s desire to invalidate American sanctions and human-rights protections. Despite denials of collusion between the Trump Campaign and Russia, a few weeks ago the Trump White House made clear that it would not impose Congress-mandated sanctions against Russia…
Society Supports Sexual Harassment: Admission is First Step to Recovery
Of course I am appalled by any grown man hitting on a 14-year-old; but, hey, it happened to me repeatedly from the time I was twelve. I relinquished (I refuse to say 'lost') my virginity at 14. My best friend in middle school was sexually promiscuous, which everyone (including me) swept under the carpet or gossiped about. At least three of my high-school friends were severely hit on or actually had affairs with married men. Just 200 years ago…
Assessing substitute problem
… DPS should investigate these schools that are “always short on subs.” If teacher turnover rates are high, the Durham PTA Council should be consulted regarding those schools. …
DPS Having Trouble Finding Substitute Teachers
I sent the email below to Durham Public School board members today. If you live in Durham and agree, please follow suit.
The Power to Change
Click on the link below to see my recent post in the Durham News (News and Observer). I do believe it's time for a change. But meaningful change can only come from within…
Your Village
In organizing children’s events this summer, I’ve talked to several science museum directors and staff, mostly about how to ensure that people actually attend the events. It’s not a matter of young people wanting to be there. It’s a matter of their parents getting them there. Turns out it’s one of the biggest challenges for education directors across the country…
From the Desk of Melissa Rooney (Amberjack Publishing)
… At a subsequent writing workshop, I was told by way of consolation that Dr. Seuss would have a hard time getting published today. His books are too wordy, for one thing. …
An ‘A’ for Jordan
… On Friday, Jan. 29, Jordan High School teachers, students and their community partners were awarded an N.C. Beautiful Windows of Opportunity grant for a project that incorporates …
Durham's Bionomic Education and Training Center program and the Future of our Youth
In April, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency calculated that fifty-five percent of monitored waterways in the United States are impaired by pollution, meaning they are too polluted for healthy recreation, public drinking water and subsistence fishing. Twenty-five percent of the nation’s beaches are under advisories or closed at least once per year due to water pollution.
Goodbye Amazon, Hello Ninth Street
… Last year I hoped Americans would boycott the holiday materialism that feeds the corporate monster and its wealthy share-holders. In retrospect, I couldn’t even do this myself..…
Awards, Icing on the Environmental Cake
… Every year, the SWCD’s poster, essay, public speaking, and slide-show contests are open to all 3rd through 6th grade students. Each first place student wins $50, and their teachers win $30; second place students win $25.…
Neighborhood Revitalization: Be a Part of It
… Bill Anderson—passionate friend, neighborhood activist and watchman extraordinaire— recently became a realtor primarily to revitalize Durham neighborhoods House by House, Block by Block (as espoused in Alexander von Hoffman`s book)…
Come learn Thursday what ‘Lights On Afterschool’ is all about
… Lights On Afterschool is a nationwide project of the Afterschool Alliance (afterschoolalliance.org/index.cfm), which is dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to affordable and quality after-school programs. It’s a great way for families, companies, volunteers, anyone to learn about …
Why did you do that?
… I thought that women and doctors insisting on early births for nonmedical reasons lived only in cynical imaginations and television soap operas. Turns out that, in the last decade, the main stream has effectively reduced ‘full-term’ to 37 weeks…
For the Love of BETC
… Polluted runoff is a leading cause of impairment in at least 40% of North Carolina's waterways, including all of Jordan Lake and a significant part of Falls Lake. Forty percent of America's rivers and 46% of America's lakes are too polluted for fishing, swimming, or aquatic life…
Digging our Way Out
… Thanks to a heads-up from Ray Eurquhart, a long-time Durham Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) board member, in October I contacted the SWCD about the N.C. Community Conservation Assistance Program (CCAP), which funds up to 75% of qualifying stormwater management projects on public and private land…
Cuts We’d Like to See
…This month’s Interneighborhood Council (INC) listserv is buzzing with discussion of Durham’s city budget. North Carolina's state government faces a budget deficit of more than 20% of the total 2009-10 budget, so it is no surprise that the city of Durham is looking toward drastic cuts as well.…