Monthly Archives: July 2012

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was awarded the 2012 Liberty Medal, the Philadelphia-based National Constitution Center announced. March 24 file photo. UPI/Art Foxall

License photo

PHILADELPHIA, July 6 (UPI) -- Boxing legend Muhammad Ali was awarded the 2012 Liberty Medal, the Philadelphia-based National Constitution Center announced.

The Liberty Medal is awarded annually to a person or organization that is working toward ensuring liberty for people worldwide.

Ali's selection for the award was made public Thursday by the center. Officials from the center said Ali has been an champion of constitutional principles while working to expand the concept of "We the people," the Philadelphia Inquirer reported

Center president David Eisner said Ali "will be the face of the Constitution's 225th anniversary."

"Muhammad Ali symbolizes all that makes America great, while pushing us as a people and as a nation to be better," he said.

A formal award ceremony to honor Ali will be held in Philadelphia in September. Because Ali's movement and speech have been deteriorating due to Parkinson's disease, his wife, Yolanda, will speak at the ceremony on his behalf, the report said.

Read this article:
Muhammad Ali given 2012 Liberty Medal

As Liberty County seeks to cut costs to operating its jail facility, San Jacinto County offers possible ways to save money by housing inmates and demonstrating how a county can run a jail cheaper than private contractors.

San Jacinto County recently renewed its jail contract to house inmates for Trinity County at a rate of $38 per day. If Liberty County has 155 inmates in jail, they can pay $71.12 per inmate. The amount paid is on a sliding scale. As more inmates are housed, the price decreases. If it falls below 150, the price is the actual cost plus 15 percent.

San Jacinto County has had previous experience with housing inmates from other areas such as Polk County. At one time, San Jacinto was housing 50 inmates for Polk County, according to Capt. Thomas J. Bartlet, jail supervisor.

Bartlet said that his jail has the capacity and staff to house extra inmates from other counties and has actively sought such arrangements in the past. He supposed that they could house Liberty County inmates with adjustments made for transporting inmates to court and coverage of medical costs.

San Jacinto County Jail has an average daily inmate population of 73.08 inmates, according to Bartlet. The jail is supervised by Bartlet and is operated by four Sheriffs Office deputies, 12 jailers and an administrative assistant for a total of 18 county employees operating a jail that can house up to 144 inmates. The annual budget is approximately $1.8 million.

The inmate number includes female inmates and segregated inmates which require special detention facilities, according to Bartlet.

Liberty County has contracted with Community Education Centers, a private jail operation company, to run their county jail. There are 55 CEC employees at the jail, which consists of 31 correctional officers and the rest are support staff positions such as medical personnel, clerks and human resources. The annual jail budget for Liberty County is approximately $4 million.

The Liberty County Jail has a capacity of 389 which is 303 at the new jail and 86 at the old jail. They currently house approximately 170 inmates per day due to a personal recognizance bond program which releases first-time, nonviolent offenders to reduce costs instead of keeping them in jail while they await trial.

The new program has reduced the daily inmate population by approximately 100 inmates which has saved the county $1 million during its first year.

While on the surface, the prices seem very competitive when contrasted with Liberty County, other factors make the option not as simple as comparing prices, according to Wes Hinch, Liberty County Attorney.

More:
San Jacinto County offers ways to cut costs for Liberty County Jail

ROSEMONT, Ill. Cappie Pondexter scored a team-high 19 points, including a pair of key late free throws, and the LIberty held off a late Sky comeback for a 64-59 victory on Friday night.

The win was the second straight for the Liberty (6-9) and first in two tries over Chicago.

I knew they would make a run at home, Pondexter said. We showed we really wanted to win. We had to dig deep at the end and take control of the game. We had to settle down and take their momentum away.

Chicago (8-6) trailed 61-59 following Sylvia Fowles bank shot with 1:23 left, but missed a chance to tie on a turnover with 48 seconds to play.

Pondexter, fouled on an inbound pass with 19.3 seconds left, hit two free throws to open a four-point Liberty lead.

We just told them to win it on defense and rebounding, Liberty coach John Whisenant said. We had trouble scoring and I knew it would be that way. We missed some baskets that were easy, but so did they. They missed some putbacks. Ill take the way it was.

Essence Carson had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Leilani Mitchell had 12 points and Kara Braxton added 11 for the Liberty.

Fowles paced Chicago with 20 points, while Tamera Young added 16. The Sky shot 6 for 21 from the free-throw line and their 28.6 percent from the line was a franchise low.

We just threw it away, Fowles said. We had no sense of urgency. I dont know why. We missed free throws, 10 missed layups. Weve been talking about this since Day 1. The coaches do everything they need to do to prepare us for the game. Its so frustrating. This is not OK. I dont know what its going to take. Weve got to dig deep and win as a team.

Pondexter had seven first-quarter points including a 3-point play with 11.3 seconds left as the Liberty opened an 18-14 lead. Chicago hit just three of 11 free throws and went 5 for 14 from the field.

See the original post here:
Liberty hold off Sky

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) -- Cappie Pondexter scored a team-high 19 points, including a pair of key late free throws, and New York held off a late Chicago comeback for a 64-59 victory on Friday night.

The win was the second straight for the Liberty (6-9) and first in two tries over Chicago.

''I knew they would make a run at home,'' Pondexter said. ''We showed we really wanted to win. We had to dig deep at the end and take control of the game. We had to settle down and take their momentum away.''

The Sky (8-6) trailed 61-59 following Sylvia Fowles' bank shot with 1:23 left, but missed a chance to tie on a turnover with 48 seconds to play.

Pondexter, fouled on an inbound pass with 19.3 seconds left, hit two free throws to open a four-point Liberty lead.

''We just told them to win it on defense and rebounding,'' Liberty coach John Whisenant said. ''We had trouble scoring and I knew it would be that way. We missed some baskets that were easy, but so did they. They missed some putbacks. I'll take the way it was.''

Essence Carson had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Leilani Mitchell had 12 points and Kara Braxton added 11 for New York.

Fowles paced Chicago with 20 points, while Tamera Young added 16. The Sky shot 6 for 21 from the free-throw line and their 28.6 percent from the line was a franchise low.

''We just threw it away,'' Fowles said. ''We had no sense of urgency. I don't know why. We missed free throws, 10 missed layups. We've been talking about this since Day 1. The coaches do everything they need to do to prepare us for the game. It's so frustrating. This is not OK. I don't know what it's going to take. We've got to dig deep and win as a team.''

Pondexter had seven first-quarter points - including a 3-point play with 11.3 seconds left - as New York opened an 18-14 lead. Chicago hit just three of 11 free throws and went 5 for 14 from the field.

See original here:
Liberty upend Sky 64-59

For more than a century, the Statue of Liberty, a gift of friendship from France to the people of the United States, has been a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. Dedicated in October 1886, Lady Liberty quickly came to represent hope for millions of immigrants who entered the U.S. through New York, as they set out to make a life for themselves in the land of dreams.

Ironically, the statues uplifted torch, meant to suggest enlightenment by her creators, instead represented a message of welcome to anxious immigrants who had survived an arduous journey. And, over time, the statues official Web site notes, Liberty emerged as the Mother of Exiles, a symbol of hope to generations of immigrants. She became an icon of immigration, reinforcing the idea of America being a melting pot of many cultures.

Over the last 126 years, since the statues dedication, millions of stirring stories of immigrants have emerged, but few have come to life like that of Liberty: A Monumental New Musical, making its world premiere at the Warner Theatre in Torrington by special arrangement with Theresa Wozunk. With book and lyrics by Dana Leslie Goldstein, music by Jon Goldstein, and under the direction of acclaimed New York stage director Igor Goldin, Liberty opens June 30 and will continue through July 14 at the Warner.

This is a fantastic opportunity for local audiences to see a professional production before it heads to New York, said Warner Theatre executive director John Bonanni. Our community of actors and volunteers are excited to inaugurate the Warners new professional development program, serving as an incubator for a commercial run in New York.

Liberty, according to the Warner, is a production that conveys the story of a young immigrant who arrives from France in 1884 amid anti-immigrant fervor. With powerful political forces working against her, and only a precious few on her side, she is befriended by fellow immigrants from all corners of the world. Libertys compelling and sometimes uncertain journey leads her to becoming the symbol of all immigrants, winning over the people of the United States and taking her rightful place in New York Harbor.

Featuring an entirely original score, Liberty has only been performed in pieces at venues such as the Lower East Side Tenement Museum and the New York Immigration Coalition. It was presented as a developmental workshop as part of Mayor Bloombergs Immigrant Heritage Week, as part of the grand reopening of the crown of the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 2009, and, most recently, as part of the official celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Statue of Liberty National Monument last year. As the show prepares for an off-Broadway premiere in New York City, it marks a first for the Warner Theatre, which has never before developed and premiered a new musical prior to its commercial New York run.

Ive been with the show two or three years now, Mr. Goldin said, noting that he has been with other shows from the beginning. Liberty existed before I came aboard and though I havent worked on new shows by design, I tend to enjoy it more than established shows. I like to develop a production. Its certainly more challenging, and you become completely immersed in it. There is so much of you invested in it.

Twenty-year-old Madeline Brewer, who is stepping into the role of Liberty, feels the same way. Ms. Brewer graduated in May from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in New York City, and said this is her first leading role. She relishes the opportunity to shape the character for audiences who will meet Liberty for the first time June 30.

Its been crazy, but its been an awesome experience, Ms. Brewer said enthusiastically after a musical rehearsal for the production. At AMDA, were taught how to make a role our own, how to develop a character, and I have certainly had the chance to do that with Liberty. Ive discovered some things come organically, such as how I relate to her. You definitely develop a character like this differently, because you cant see how others have done it, and thats great for me as an actress.

For a first gig, she said at a press event after she was introduced to the community, this isnt too shabby. Continued...

Originally posted here:
'Liberty,' a Musical Under Construction, Comes to Warner Theatre in Torrington