Archive for April, 2011

By Lisa Yensen

LINCOLN PARK Spring is here, and warmer weather brings outside events for residents.

At an April 4 City Council meeting, Mayor Frank Vaslo and the council approved two proclamations, two weeks for fixing up the city and two charitable solicitations

The first proclamation sets Arbor Day for April 29.

Arbor Day originated in 1872 when J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for planting trees. It first was observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska.

Council members hope residents will plant trees and also support efforts to protect trees and woodlands.

The city recently received a 2011 DTE Energy Foundation Tree Planting grant and plans to use the money to plant trees in the community in celebration of Arbor Day.

The week of May 15 to 22 has been proclaimed Public Works Week in the city.

National Public Works Week comes every year and this is a celebration and acknowledgement of the men and women of our public works department not only here in Lincoln Park but really across the nation, Vaslo said. A lot of the work they do just goes unheralded, frankly.

The council hopes residents will take the time to recognize the contributions public works officials make every day to the citys health, safety, comfort and quality of life.

The Department of Public Services will be conducting the annual Clean Up, Fix Up program from May 23 to June 3, with the exception of May 30. Continued…

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Apr 27
2011

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If you celebrate Easter or just really like the treats that accompany the holiday, theres something for you in the area this weekend:

Wallingford Center throws its Easter extravaganza, complete with Easter Bunny, Bubble Man, and sweet treats. The festivities begin at 9 am; please note that this is a BYOB (bring your own basket) event. See our coverage from last year here.

Woodland Park Zoo hosts its annual Bunny Bounce for ages 1-8 from 9:30 am to 2 pm on Saturday. Enjoy crafts, bunny encounters, entertainment and other animal enrichment programs throughout the day all included with zoo admission. Children are encouraged to bring their own basket or reusable bag. (A limited supply of egg hunt bags will be available for children without their own bag or basket.) Note: For the animals’ safety the eggs will be empty; children will receive their treats as they exit the zoo.

Egg hunts for ages 3 and under will run continuously in the Picnic Shelter near the North Meadow from 9:30 am-2 pm Egg hunts for ages 3-5 and 6-8 in the North Meadow are at 10 am, 10:30 am, 11 am, 11:30 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 1:30 pm and 2 pm

Trophy Cupcakes sells what it deems its most anticipated cupcake, the Hi-Hat, at Wallingford Center only on Saturday (the centers closed on Sunday, but the U Village location will have them). Its a gravity-defying concoction described on the Trophy site as Valrhona Chocolate Cupcake with a sky-hi swirl of pastel marshmallow frosting, which is then dipped in Semi-Sweet Callebaut Chocolate! Quantities are limited so order in advance!

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Apr 27
2011

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Men of a certain age share many traits. One of these is the belief that we can still play sports and participate in physical activities the same way we could when we were a little shorter in the tooth and longer in stride.

We have a terrific, albeit misplaced, sense of confidence in our physical prowess. Some call this affliction weekend warrior syndrome, but my spouse says this is a somewhat inaccurate descriptor for me since I manage to injure myself on a regular basis not just on weekends and this causes her worry. So Ive come up with a new tag: the weakened worrier.

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Since hitting 40 (at full speed, with no extra padding, protection or helmet), an age considered ancient for most professional sports players, I have managed to accumulate a list of injuries that would make a pharmaceutical sales rep salivate. Its not like Im into bungee-jump stick-fighting or anything otherwise extreme. Im just trying to get some exercise and have fun. Then I get injured. Every time.

The latest of my many knee injuries was suffered about a year ago while overseas in Afghanistan training police officers. I wish I had a more manly story, but I hurt my knee playing squash. The Catch-22 was summed up nicely by a French doctor on duty in the military hospital after he examined my knee and X-rays. He came to the conclusion that playing squash in my overweight condition caused too much stress on the cartilage in my knee. You are fat. You need to do exercise. You must lose weight, he said. I began protesting that I had in fact been exercising, but it was no use.

My next-to-last injury was also from playing squash, except this time my rather inexperienced partner decided the term squash was a verb, not a sport. In keeping with tradition, this injury was received during my first game back after my previous squash injury last year. In a laudable effort, my opponent drove his shoulder into my ribcage while trying valiantly to close the distance with the ball.

I could feel my left lung collapse and it was a few minutes before I was vertical and breathing again from both airbags. I drove myself to the hospital, where the X-rays and doctors informed me, almost to my disappointment, that my injury consisted merely of the smirk-inducing condition known to all over-40s as soft tissue injury. Thankfully, my wife was out of town for a few days so I could whine at will to the dog.

The pulled groin I received a couple of years ago during my second ice hockey game in about 28 years drew even less sympathy. However, I call no fair on that front because women can never fully understand what its like to be injured in that area.

My worst mishap on the ego scale arrived during an afternoon of tobogganing. It actually had nothing to do with a toboggan because of the massive amount of snow that had buried the tow lifts on the mountain that day. So instead, we did what most athletes of our calibre would do in this situation: We went to the pub.

The damage occurred in the parking lot of said saloon. Having no place to change, I secreted myself between a couple of parked cars and tried to take off my long underwear. I sprained my thumb while hurriedly trying to strip one long john leg and sock off my foot while hopping up and down on the other foot. I still think it qualifies as a sports injury.

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Apr 26
2011

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The 2011 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race is set for Saturday, May 21 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (SPEED, 7 pm ET), but there will be plenty of action in and around the Charlotte area to engage fans leading up to Saturday nights grand finale.

NASCAR Revd Up, a six-hour event highlighted by a concert and fan entertainment, is back for its third consecutive year. The event, which is free to the public, takes place Wednesday, May 18 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte from 4 to 10 pm ET. The program will feature driver appearances, NASCAR showcars and interactive displays, and culminate with a free concert starring multi-platinum country artist Gary Allan and country artist Josh Kelley.

Continuing the fan-friendly activities throughout the week, the seventh annual NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman will take place Thursday, May 19 at 7 pm ET at Time Warner Cable Arena (SPEED to televise on delayed basis beginning at 8 pm ET). This competition between the top-24 Cup Series pit crews has become a popular event among the fans and features the unsung heroes of the sport. The events finishing order determines pit selection for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. The No. 11 FedEx Toyota is the defending Pit Crew Challenge Champion.

Heres a full schedule of events for all-star week (all on-track events televised by SPEED):

  • Wednesday, May 18, 4-10 pm ET at the NASCAR Hall of Fame — NASCAR Revd Up featuring a concert and interactive fan entertainment (free admission).
  • Thursday, May 19, 7 pm ET — Time Warner Cable Arena — NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Challenge presented by Craftsman (for tickets go to www.pitcrewchallenge.com or call the Charlotte Bobcats ticket office at 800-745-3000)
  • Friday, May 20, NASCAR Day — Plans for NASCAR Day activities will include local activities at numerous NASCAR race tracks around the country. NASCAR Day is an annual charitable celebration that unifies the NASCAR community to better the lives of children. Limited-edition NASCAR Day pins are available and support the mission of Victory Junction. The pins are available for a $10 donation at The Sprint Experience at-track and at WWW.NASCAR.COM/foundation.
  • Friday, May 20, 5 pm ET — Charlotte Motor Speedway — NASCAR Sprint Cup All-Star Qualifying (for tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or log onto www.charlottemotorspeedway.com).
  • Friday, May 20, 8 pm ET — Charlotte Motor Speedway — NASCAR Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (for tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com) — SPEED to televise.
  • Saturday, May 21, 7:30 pm ET — Charlotte Motor Speedway — Sprint Showdown (top-two finishers qualify for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race). For tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
  • Saturday, May 21, 9 pm ET — Charlotte Motor Speedway — NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (for tickets call 1-800-455-FANS or www.charlottemotorspeedway.com).

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Apr 26
2011

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A recent dinner conversation with Jack Nicklaus at his favorite restaurant, Limoncello Italian Grill, focused on bonefishing and grandchildren – his primary interests, for the most part, these days.

His golf course design business occupies the largest share of his work time. But when he and his wife, Barbara, arent attending games and events for their 21 grandchildren, they will hop over to the Bahamas and fly fish. Nicklaus finds the stalk and the chase for an elusive bonefish enough to satisfy his competitive urge these days.

This great champion, the winner of 18 professional major golf championships, plays very little golf anymore.

Maybe eight or ten times when I want to, he said, and a dozen or so times when I have to.

For millions who know his name, that might come as a surprise, especially on what is the 25th anniversary of his sixth Masters victory in 1986.

The following day he took the time to reminisce about his last major win, which came at Augusta, when newspaper stories suggested he was washed up.

His remarkable memory, savvy with fact and recall, was evident as he talked about the 1986 Masters.

In remembering his last green jacket, Nicklaus recalled that he didnt play that well early in the week, but on Sunday his victory-in-the-making got its kickstart on the ninth green. He was preparing for a 12-foot birdie putt when a loud cheer went up behind him on the eighth green. Seve Ballesteros had eagled the hole.

Before he could address his putt, another rousing cheer went up. Tom Kite also eagled the hole.

He said something like, Lets see if we can make some noise of our own. The ball went into the cup and elicited a thunderous cheer from his followers.

The ninth hole through No. 18 were some of the best holes of his career, as he shot a 30 (65 for the day) on the back nine and saw Kite and Greg Norman fail to catch him on the final hole.

The crowd was overwhelmed by his comeback and were touched emotionally when he and his oldest son, Jackie, embraced on the 18th green.

My thoughts were that if I could get in position to win, Nicklaus said, that I knew how to win. It is nice to reminisce about such a memorable week for me, but not even I expected that I would have the final round that I had.

Some musings from Nicklaus about his life and career:

#x25BA; Distance has its advantage, but I was always more interested in being a shot-maker.

#x25BA; I always felt that if I gave an honest account with the media that they would be fair with me, and I think 99 percent of the time that is the way it has been.

#x25BA; My problem with golf equipment is that it is making golf courses obsolete. If we brought the golf ball back 10-15 percent, this would not happen.

#x25BA; I might have been a better golfer if I had been a worse father or a worse businessman.

bull; Loran Smith is a contributing columnist for the Athens Banner-Herald. E-mail: loransmith@sports.uga.edu

Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, April 03, 2011 report an error

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Apr 26
2011

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By GEORGE KARAM

Grade 10, Bishop Connolly High School

Throughout my childhood, I have had personal experiences with bullying, whether I was being bullied, or someone else was being bullied. I must confess, all through my youth from the age of five to fourteen, I have dealt with the health issue of childhood obesity. Being obese was probably the worst thing that overshadowed my life. I could not play and participate in physical activities as well as other children my age, and life was so much more of a burden because of my overweight stature. The very worst part by far though, was constantly being bullied by other people, which would result in me being deeply depressed.

I remember one day as I was walking home from school, someone yelled from their car: Run fatty run! I was in emotional pain that day and as I recall, I looked at myself constantly in the mirror for about two hours asking myself why I was so fat. I didnt even want to eat anything for the rest of the day.

That was only a small paper-cut compared to the endless wound of being bullied for being obese, but I never once had the thought of being a bully just to solve my problems.

I knew it was time for a major change to the way I lived, so with nothing but nutritious food and non-stop exercise, I went from being a 205-pound twelve year old boy to being a 189-pound thirteen year old boy. To me this was a major accomplishment, but to my surprise the bullying did not end. I was still being teased for being fat, and then I knew I had to push it up to the next level.

I love that I had the strength to overcome my bullies and beat them without ever insulting or harming them.

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Apr 25
2011

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Nottingham City Council called out for nominations in their search for the citys most senior athletes to celebrate and recognise their achievements.

The Athlete Award went to Dorothy Anthony, 83, from St Anns,who was nominated due to her commitment to the Extra Time Project at Nottingham Forest FC- attending sessions on a weekly basis including football, dancing and Nintendo WII. Dorothy has also raised hundreds of pounds completing many charity walks.

Dorothy McGlauglin, 76, won the award for Physical Activity Participant after being nominated due to her commitment to a local walking group. She never fails to attend even when the weather is bad and always has a smile for the group. She also attends Southglade Leisure Centreon a regular basis.

The Volunteer Award went to Colin Fry, 62, from Beeston,who has been a volunteer health walk leader with Best Foot Forward and has been involved with the Mary Potter walk for the last 5 years. Colin finds it so rewarding being able to help people benefit from exercise and the social aspect, trying to get people more active so they can enjoy a better quality life.

The winner of each category received a FREE 6 month membership to Flexible Fitness, the City Councils health and fitness scheme – giving unlimited access to gyms, swimming, fitness classes and sauna/steam rooms at all nine City Council leisure centres.

John Wileman, Head of Sport and Leisure at Nottingham City Council, said: These awards aimed to celebrate and recognise all the people across Nottingham who remain physically active despite many pressure they may face.

Its hoped the winners of this city search will act as ambassadors for older people participating in sport and physical activity, and that their enthusiasm will inspire others to become active.

There are a huge variety of physical activities available in Nottingham for those aged 50+. In fact there is an over 50s activity directory available online which is a useful source for finding physical activities across the city. This directory is available at Physical Activities for the over 50s.

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Apr 25
2011

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Although Friday is the official national celebration of Earth Day, the 41st annual event mostly will be marked in Marin County with a series of activities Saturday.

Established in 1970 to honor the Earth and to increase environmental awareness, Marin has been involved in the event since its inception and there are a myriad events this year. They include:

Lagunitas: The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network will restore and enhance critical salmon habitat from 10 am to 2 pm Meet at 9255 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. at the Turtle Island Restoration Network headquarters. Contact: Emi Bauman, emi@tirn.net, or Diana Baetscher, diana@tirn.net; 663-8590 ext. 118.

Mount Tamalpais: Habitat restoration on the Marin Muncipal Water District; meet at Rock Spring parking lot at the intersection of Ridgecrest Boulevard and Pantoll Road. There will be a hike to Potrero Meadow, Laurel Dell, along Cataract Creek and back. This is a 3.5-mile round-trip hike and will last from 9 am to 2 pm Contact: volunteerprogram@marinwater.org, 945-1128.

Mill Valley: Remove litter along the path and around Bothin Marsh from 9 am to noon. Meet on the bike path at the end of Sycamore Avenue at Bayfront Park. Contact: Greg Reza, greza@co.marin.ca.us, 499-3778.

Mill Valley:

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Apr 24
2011

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CHICAGO – Discussions regarding the Suns in recent weeks often revolved around comparisons with New Orleans and Memphis. Now they are more in the same conversation with teams such as Cleveland, Minnesota and Washington.

The Suns are just playing out the string, like any other team eliminated from playoff contention. The Suns have six game dates remaining, starting with Tuesday night at Chicago, but their next relevant date is the May 17 draft lottery for a long-shot hope of getting help toward a Chicago-like turnaround.

The Bulls have gone from .500 last season to the top of the East at 56-20 this season, but the Suns would have to win four of their final six games just to finish at .500. They have gone 6-12 in March and April but do expect to have Steve Nash Tuesday night after Nash missed the past two games due to illness. Suns coach Alvin Gentry said he would alter the playing rotation in light of the Suns playoff elimination Sunday at San Antonio.

Well change a little bit because I want to see guys play with the starters some in those situations early in the game, said Gentry, who had a video session with the team Monday instead of practice. Were not going to play Grant (Hill) and those guys for long stretches of minutes.

But as he showed with a fiery halftime speech after a dismal first-half performance Sunday, Gentry will not tolerate half-hearted effort, either. Gentry called two timeouts in the first three minutes of the second quarter to try to stem the tide, a move that proved fruitless as the Spurs outscored the Suns by 30 over the middle 12 minutes of the first half.

We have to have all our guys playing hard, Gentry said. It cant be just a selective few. The only thing I am obligated to do is to have the team prepared to play, and the only thing they are obligated to do is compete hard. They owe that to (Suns Managing Partner) Robert (Sarver), to every fan that has come to our games. We owe that to Phoenix, and we owe it to everyone in the locker room. That has to be our goal right now, to compete hard and do the best we can.

Center Marcin Gortat questioned the Suns toughness, but forward Channing Frye said the teams issues have more to do with repeated mental lapses. He pledged that effort and desire to play wont be an issue.

Yall pay me 82 games to play this game, Frye said. Ive been on the bench for no reason, so Im taking advantage of every chance I got here. I may not play good every night, but Im going to give it all I have until that final horn is done. Whether were in the playoffs or not, weve got to come out and take some pride in this uniform. If you dont want to, then sit your butt on the bench.

Like Gentry, Gortat said all of the Suns did not play hard Sunday in the 114-97 loss that included the Spurs taking a 31-point lead before the Suns 12-0 third-quarter run and 20-5 fourth-quarter run made the score more respectable.

We need to try to prove were a good basketball team and try to get better for next year, Gortat said. Every guy has to prove hes good enough to be in this league and on this team. Just because were out doesnt mean Im going to show up on the floor and let anybody punk me under the basket. Im going to be tough and play hard and do whats necessary to win the game. If Coach lets me play 10 minutes or 30 minutes, Im going to play hard.

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Apr 24
2011

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Delores Johnson was awarded a prize for her photograph of an Emirati woman weaving. The National

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Apr 23
2011

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