Daily Archives: June 30, 2012

Ohio's Freedom Center gets financial help

Posted: June 30, 2012 at 10:16 pm

CINCINNATI (AP) The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is getting help with longstanding financial problems through a merger into the Cincinnati Museum Center's corporate structure and from a $1.8 million grant.

The Museum Center's board of trustees recently approved a resolution allowing it to become the Freedom Center's parent organization with financial oversight of the national center. The merging of the organizations' operations allows cost savings intended to provide financial stability for the Freedom Center and eliminate a $1.5 million annual budget shortfall, Museum Center spokeswoman Elizabeth Pierce said Friday.

Freedom Center officials said last year that the annual shortfall could force the center to close by the end of 2012 if the money wasn't found. The Freedom Center, which opened in 2004, also said that while attendance was up slightly in 2011 over the previous year, it has declined since a 2005 peak.

Museum Center officials have said the partnership offers financial strength and new opportunities for both organizations.

The Museum Center houses a history museum, a children's museum and a natural history and science museum. The Freedom Center, which is now its fourth wholly owned subsidiary, focuses on the 19th century Underground Railroad for escaping slaves and on freedom throughout the world.

The Freedom Center's board changed its bylaws earlier this year to allow for the merged operations, which will enable reduced administrative expenses in areas including human resources and finance, Pierce said.

The Freedom Center will remain responsible for its fundraising, programming and efforts to enhance its image.

Pierce said both organizations will retain their separate brands and missions and will remain separate legal entities for the purpose of charitable gifts and revenue.

"This collaboration also gives a level of operating efficiency that will allow both organizations to better deliver their education missions," Pierce said.

Much of the three-year $1.8 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's American Healing program, also announced last week, will be used to increase awareness and understanding about the history of racial oppression in America and to create interactive and multi-media education programs. About $400,000 of the grant will be applied to the Freedom Center's endowment fund, officials said.

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Liberty finds economy in a post-dated Fourth

Posted: at 10:16 pm

LIBERTY -- With a name like Liberty, youd expect a town to shine the fire engines for the Fourth of July parade, trot out the mayor in an Uncle Sam hat and blow the sky apart with more fireworks than they set off at Disney World.

But they wont. Not on Wednesday, anyway. This Randolph County town, with the states most patriotic name, will throw its America party on Saturday three days late.

You can get half-off on fireworks, explained Roger Davis, town manager.

The thinking goes like this: With a population of some 2,800, Liberty would have a hard time luring people away from holiday fireworks shows in Raleigh and Greensboro or even the fishing booth at nearby Randleman.

But by waiting each year until the Saturday after the Fourth, when rockets red glare sells at a 50-percent discount, Liberty can throw a wingding that lures 80 percent of the towns residents, draws curious out-of-town visitors, brings 60 vendors, 10 food trucks and an all-day lineup of bands, including Rough Cut, The Shell-Tones and Lightnin.

That can push the holiday as far back as July 11 in years when Independence Day actually falls on Saturday. But Liberty figures, correctly so far, that party-goers will save up some of their flag-waving oomph for the weekend.

Its probably the only time all year we have traffic, Davis said.

Five years ago, Liberty had no Independence Day party at all, and the holiday passed as quietly as the public library on a Tuesday afternoon. The chance to create something special hung like a piata, waiting for Liberty to swing.

Even though the town is named for an antebellum plantation, its too colorful to sit out the spectacle of July Fourth. Liberty is home to Craig Kirkman, world skeet champion. The Chamber of Commerce is housed inside a red caboose. Theres an ocean mural painted on the back of Hurricane Janes restaurant, which also boasts fake palm trees.

Even in June, flags hung from every telephone pole downtown, not to mention the tricolor bunting on the cupcake shop or the plywood Old Glory hanging in the guitar store window. Carol Walls thrift store, Awesome Finds, sells a flag-themed teddy bear. Carolyn Vickrey decorates the mannequin in her dress shop window in Betsy Ross attire.

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Bill Abbott: Second Amendment has only one meaning, implication

Posted: at 10:15 pm

If we are serious about knowing what the founding fathers believed about the Second Amendment, we need to read their documents:

"(It is) only beginning in the second half of the 20th century that the Orwellian view gained currency that 'the people' means the states ... that 'right' means governmental power, that 'keep' does not mean to possess, that 'bear' does not mean carry, that 'arms' do not include ordinary handguns and rifles and that 'infringe' does not include prohibition." S.P. Halbrook

I will quote a few of hundreds of examples of the stance of the founding fathers on the Second Amendment:

Mass Declaration of Rights, 1778: "The people had a right to keep and bear arms."

Documentary History of the Ratifications: "From keeping their own arms," Samuel Adams.

Debates in the Several State Conventions, "Having our arms in our own possession," Patrick Henry, who also states that "we trust in our possession rather than in the control by Congress."

A Dissertation on Slavery, by St. George Tucker: "If the amendment did not mean individuals, why were slaves prohibited to keep arms?"

Creating the Bill of Rights: "The right to keep arms for common and extraordinary occasions," Samuell Nasson.

Nw York Journal, March 23, 1769: "It is a natural right which the people have ... confirmed by the Bill of Rights, to keep arms for their own defense."

The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: "No freeman shall ever be debarred the use of arms."

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Free speech protected

Posted: at 7:17 am

WILMINGTON The Board of Selectmen meeting on Monday was a smorgasbord of town affairs. However, the most impactful portion of the meeting came at the end, when one resident called on Selectmen to remove a Board of Appeals member due to Facebook comments. Selectmen, however, didnt bite.

Public comments heated up when resident George Lingenfelter asked the Board if all members had received his letter demanding the removal of a member of the Board of Appeals because of some comments made on a personal Facebook account.

All of the Selectmen acknowledged receiving the letter and openly denied the request to remove the individual from the Board of Appeals.

Selectman Lou Cimaglia said that because a person serves on a Board in the Town does not mean their rights of free speech are taken away.

I dont understand why a gentleman cant have an opinion or vote the way he wants to just because he serves as a volunteer of the Town, he said.

Selectwoman Judy OConnell said that she is denying the request and that Lingenfelter has recently exercised his freedom of speech when he took out an ad that called the members of the Board of Selectmen ignorant, but that doesnt give anyone the right to remove him from any position he holds.

Charles River Labs

Beginning with the amendment of a flammable license for Charles River Laboratories on Ballardvale Street. Environmental Health and Safety Manager of Charles River Labs Jason Burrill explained that the majority of flammable liquids on site are stored for use with the labs back-up generators. He said because the Lab works in a very sensitive field, many of the materials and animal welfare depend on the back-up generators in the case of emergencies.

New Dunks

The meeting moved on to discuss the common victualler license for a new Dunkin Donuts in the office park at 66 Concord Street. According to Adam Quinn, president of DJQ Donuts, the new store would be located in the corner space two units down from Sandwich Exchange. DJQ Donuts also owns 2 Dunkin Donuts stores on Lowell Street and one on Middlesex Avenue in Wilmington. The Board approved the license contingent upon DJQ Donuts meeting all requirements from the Board of Health, Building Inspector and the Planning Board. Quinn said he has already been in contact with all three entities.

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