| Contractor loses La. scholarship account data dating back to 1998
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Boston-based contractor hired to store and safeguard state scholarship and college savings account data lost most of those records _ including bank account numbers and student and parent Social Security numbers _ during a move, officials say. "We certainly don't want to create any panic. But people should be aware and take the necessary steps," said Melanie Amrhein, executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. "This is backup data off of a mainframe that contains sensitive personal information." Special equipment and software and "sophisticated computer skills" would be needed to get the compressed records from the TOPS scholarship program, START Saving Program, and Free Application for Federal Student Aid, according to a notice posted on the Internet.
Panel: Build 'Early Action' projects on time
The staff came back Friday with other options: Delay other projects while carrying the Trolley forward, delay all of the early projects, or keep all of the projects on schedule and work to fill the gap later.The panel opted to keep every highway, rail and bus project on schedule.But in doing so, Santee Councilman Jack Dale reminded colleagues that they were committing themselves to "a mission to find additional dollars."And Del Mar Mayor Dave Druker, representing coastal North County on the panel, warned that if the mission fails, the agency will have to leave other projects behind in the second go-round of TransNet.Besides the Early Action Program, TransNet proposes to fund a slew of other projects. Those include popular North County projects such as car-pool lanes on Highway 78 between Oceanside and Escondido and widening of Interstate 5.The discussion was prompted by the need to adopt a TransNet financing plan as the agency prepares to sell $600 million in bonds this April to jump-start the 40-year campaign to make traveling around the county a little easier.The panel was persuaded to stay the course by John Meyer of Escondido, chairman of a regional watchdog group that oversees TransNet spending.
Lobbyists advise anti-lobbyist
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Republican Mitt Romney said Thursday he could govern in the country's best interest because "I don't have lobbyists running my campaign," although Washington insiders are on his senior staff and registered lobbyists are top advisers. One of them, Ron Kaufman, chairman of the Washington-based Dutko Group, regularly sits across the aisle from Romney on his campaign plane, participates in debate strategy sessions and just last week accompanied Romney to a lunch in Myrtle Beach with Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. Another adviser, former Rep. Vin Weber, R-Minn., is chairman of Romney's policy committee. He also is chief executive officer of Clark & Weinstock, and his corporate biography says he "provides strategic advice to institutions with matters before the legislative and executive branches of the federal government." "I think it's time for Washington – Republican and Democrat – to have a leader who will fight to make sure we resolve the issues rather than continuously look for partisan opportunity for score-settling and for opportunities to link closer to lobbyists," Romney said during a news conference.
Columbia City weathers storm, beats Carroll
The Lady Eagles built up a 19-point lead through the first three quarters and needed a good deal of it as the Lady Chargers made both defensive and offensive adjustments that held Columbia City without a field goal in the fourth quarter as the hosts cut the lead in half. In the first half, the Lady Chargers chose to double and triple-team Columbia City center Nicole Ott, freeing other Lady Eagles for open looks. In the first quarter freshman Sierria Burlage profited from the strategy scoring six points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field. While the Lady Eagles were shooting 5-of-10 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free throw line, a stingy perimeter defense from Columbia City was forcing the Lady Chargers into nine first quarter turnovers and limiting them to 2-of-9 shooting from the field.
Rutgers: High unemployment, slow growth for NJ
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey is caught in "the economic doldrums" and its economy likely will perform worse than the rest of the nation's through at least 2012, according to a Rutgers University semiannual economic forecast.
Slow job growth and rising unemployment are expected, with a quick turnaround unlikely, according to the Rutgers Economic Advisory Service forecast, released Thursday at a conference at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers.
Experts speaking at the conference said they see a 50 percent chance of a recession hitting the nation this year, possibly as soon as the first quarter.
"The fourth quarter (2007) gross domestic product number will be critical" in determining the trend, said Joseph Seneca, a professor at the school.
Wisconsin Sports Spectacular
My suggestion...Move Bill Hall back there. He obviously wasn't comfortable in center, which affected his bat. It's time to give Tony Gwynn Jr. the keys to center, Hart in right, and Braun in left. Eric Gagne will get his mojo back in Milwaukee, this is the year to make some noise at Miller Park and get into the playoffs. Packers No Superbowl in 08 for the Packers. Brett Farve will come back for another year pushing my Canton Ohio vacation back another year. They will draft defense to build a solid defensive squad like the one the Ravens had in 02. They will also build that offensive line up to create solid foundations on both sides of the ball. Grabbing a QB in the late rounds to back up Rodgers for life after Farve would be a good idea. Nall isn't the guy, because he isn't good enough. They will need somebody who can actually play because it looks like Rodgers is incredibly fragile.
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