| Herren Talks Prefuse, Savath, New LPs, Collaboration
"I play it for people and say, 'What is this shit? How do you interpret it?' And they're like, 'This sounds like some sad-ass soundtrack.' If there's one thing we can count on from Prefuse 73's Scott Herren, (now going by his full name: Guillermo Scott Herren), it's that he always has a ton of collaborations and side projects going almost simultaneously. So far this year, those projects are limited to three: a new Prefuse 73 album, a new Savath & Savalas album, Golden Pollen, scheduled for a June 19 release on Anti-, and a full-length collaboration with Japanese MC Twigy, tentatively due out in May. We caught up with Herren recently to talk about these three projects as well as his relationships with hip hop, his collaborators (including Battles' Tyondai Braxton), and the language barrier.
Teen Beaten by LGHS Seniors
A Monte Sereno family is asking the community for support after their son was savagely beaten by two Los Gatos High School seniors. Los Gatos/Monte Sereno police have arrested the two juveniles and the investigation is continuing, but several other teens witnessed the attack and have yet to come forward; their distracted parents seem clueless. The justice system grants juveniles special treatment. "If someone beat up a little dog, it would receive more attention and community outrage," says the victim's mother. Students who could shed light on the character of the attackers and back up the victim's story that it was a random, unprovoked, one-sided beating, have stayed quiet for fear of social if not physical retaliation. "Adam" is a junior at a private high school.
Experts: Schools' language offerings too narrow
When Roger Schindler began his teaching career at Central High in Grand Rapids 36 years ago, students had the option of learning Latin, Spanish, French, Russian, Swahili or Schindler's specialty, German. Today, Central, just like Lowell, Comstock Park, Kelloggsville and many other high schools, offers only two. "We teach French and Spanish. All the other languages have died over the years," said Schindler, director of foreign languages for Grand Rapids Public Schools. He taught his last German class about seven years ago. French and Spanish, which have been taught in high schools for generations, continue to dominate high school language departments. Despite the fact that Mandarin Chinese is becoming a vital language in the global marketplace, only one area school -- Rockford High -- teaches it.
Greg Jenson/The Clarion-Ledger
KidFest! Ridgeland, previously known as Circus Days in Ridgeland, corrals all ingredients to spark young imaginations and all the room to let them romp. The circus remains a powerful draw for the Saturday and Sunday event, but a broader scope and additional elements expand this festival's hands-on, kid-friendly appeal. "KidFest! seemed to better define what we're trying to do, which is provide a festival for families, primarily with younger children," said festival director Bob McFarland. "I look at this festival as part theme park, part amusement park, part zoo and part children's museum," McFarland said. "It has elements of each." Operative words are see, touch, learn and join in. That's what thrilled Laura Collins' three children at last year's festival.
Valencia Teenager Plays His Guitar to Victories
With a love for the blues, his favorite guitar and a round one victory already under his belt, 17-year-old Valencia High School senior Charlie Tichenor was ready for an evening of competition. As the Sherman Oaks Guitar Center store prize winner of the King of the Blues guitar competition, Tichenor earned the right to compete in the district finals - which were held Wednesday evening in Pasadena - when he was selected by a panel of judges to represent the store in the nationwide guitar competition. Though Tichenor is excited about the opportunity to both showcase his skills and compete against other top players in the area, the carefree but highly talented musician - who will be attending the Berkeley School of Music in Boston this fall - is not as concerned with winning as he is with enjoying the experience and learning from the competition experience.
Blowers blooming in new role as TV analyst
The early scouting report on this Mariners rookie is that his delivery and timing are good. He may be a little cautious while he learns a new position, but he's certainly coachable. Only a few weeks into his first season in the television broadcast booth, Mike Blowers is settling in nicely as he finds his stride. So far, the former Mariners infielder, who spent 11 seasons playing in the majors, has displayed an understated style. There are no hysterics, no stumbling over the play-by-play guys. The analysis has been solid if not yet spicy; the equivalent of the third baseman who handles all the balls hit his way, and is working on extending his range. "I felt my best bet was to just be myself as much as I could and if I needed help then I could polish it up from there," Blowers said.
Poles upping sticks to settle in Suffolk
SINCE joining the European Union in 2004, many young Polish people have left their country to work in other EU countries, particularly Ireland and the UK because of high unemployment. KAREN HINDLE meets a few who have settled in Suffolk.ON Norwich Road in Ipswich, there is a shop called Rasputin which sells an array of east European products. It also has a notice board where people can put messages up in their native language and find out about clubs, bars, shops and organisations for people of the same nationality.Co-owner Galina Perry, originally from the Ukraine, said the shop has helps provide a little home-from-home for the town's growing number of Polish residents. She added: “When they come here they do not feel deprived. They feel like they have come home."Over on Woodbridge Road, a Polish church under the leadership of Catholic priest, 35-year-old Krzysztof Kita, is growing in popularity among our Polish residents.
MEMBER EXCHANGE: Schools require students to read more nonfiction
Students are reading magazines, news articles, short books and other nonfiction works with their lessons. On every visit to the library, they are required to pick up at least one nonfiction book. And those getting help with their reading have to choose a nonfiction book for extra practice. "It's great," said Jeanine Sabo, a second-grade teacher at Prairie Norton in the South-Western school district. "We should be doing more." Nonfiction, teachers say, is increasingly important in teaching kids to read - and teaching older students how to navigate the kind of reading they'll do in everyday life. The trend spans all courses of study in every grade. "We're pulling back on fiction because we were spending too much time on it" at Canal Winchester Middle School, said Janine Taylor, that district's curriculum director.
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