Thursday, October 8, 2009
Students take part in Pinwheel for Peace effort
September 22, 2009
PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com
A child's toy and a simple message were the two ingredients of a worldwide effort.
"There shouldn't be fighting or wars," said K'von Tutson-Huddleston, a fifth-grader at George Washington Intermediate Elementary School.
Yesterday, students from George Washington and Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center participated in the fifth annual international Pinwheels for Peace."Pinwheels are one of the first symbols of childhood," said art teacher Ryan Miller, who organized the project at George Washington.
More than 700 fourth- through sixth-graders wrote poems about peace. Then, using markers, crayons and colored pencils, they created pinwheels. The school's fifth- and sixth-grade students placed their creations in the form of two peace signs in the school's front yard yesterday, while the fourth-graders lined the edge of the yard with their artwork.
"They understand the concept of peace," said Miller, who started the program in the district four years ago. "If they don't at the beginning, then at the end -- through the poems and talking about the project as a group -- they become more aware of what peace actually is."
Pinwheels for Peace is an offshoot of the United Nations' International Day of Peace, which is annually observed Sept. 21.
Sixth-graders Rosa Davies and Alexis Holmes each decorated their pinwheels with peace signs. "We can all come together," Rosa said. K'von highlighted one side of his pinwheel in New Castle's school colors -- black and red -- and the other side with a Christmas theme.
Following George Washington's lead, Lockley kindergarten teachers Chris Ferry, Sue DeRosa and Victoria Bober had their 62 students become involved.
"In our room, we talked about peace and getting along," DeRosa said. "We learned how to use your voice and not your fists to get along peacefully."
In addition to making pinwheels, the students crafted "peace sign" necklaces and engaged in role-playing exercises. Among the lessons taught were being nice, being kind and being helpful.
"All we asked them is, to draw something (on their pinwheels) that would make the world beautiful," Bober said.
Friends holding hands and rainbows were among the themes the children presented.
"They really do understand more than sometimes what you give them credit for," Bober said. "They do know there are wars going on in the world."
Fireman, paramedic deliver baby
Oct. 7, 2009
By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com
An air of excitement surrounds the birth of a newborn child.
Frank John Donnelly turned the thrill switch up a notch Friday night.
When Johnna Donnelly’s water broke around 10 p.m., she readied for the trip to the hospital. The Highland Avenue resident called her mother to come over and look after her oldest son. She then waited for her husband, John, to return from walking the dog.
Johnna Donnelly didn’t expect an at-home birth.
“It just happened that fast,” she said yesterday.
An hour passed, the baby started to crown. Donnelly said her mother panicked and called 911.
Good move.
A New Castle Fire Department crew — assistant fire chief Jim Donston, firefighter/paramedic Mike Kobbe and firefighter/paramedic Larry Coyne — was alerted at 11:04 p.m. and arrived four minutes later. A Noga Ambulance crew of Capt. Dan Yoder and Bobbi Motter was close behind.
“Childbirth was imminent,” Donston said. “I got on scene, and she was on the living room floor in labor.
“Before Dan got there, the head delivered.”
Yoder entered the room and Donston called him over.
“I walk around the corner (and) Jim says, ‘Dan, I got a problem here,’ ” Yoder said. “I run 1,000 calls a year — half of them in the city of New Castle, and probably 200 of them with Jim. And if Jim says, ‘There’s a problem’ — there’s a problem.”
The umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck, and the head had turned blue.
“I told her, ‘We’re in trouble here. With this next push, you’ve got to give it everything you have,” Donston said. “And she did.”
The initial push allowed Yoder to release the pressure created by the umbilical cord. Two more pushes: the baby’s out and the cord untangled.
Kobbe cut the cord. Yoder suctioned the baby’s mouth and nose. Within a minute, the blue disappeared, replaced by a pink color.
Meet Frank John Donnelly — 8 pounds, 2 ounces and 20 inches long. Time and date of birth: 11:12 p.m. Oct. 2, 2009.
“Sometimes women will be in labor for 20 hours after their water (breaks),” Kobbe said. “It was one of those cases where it happened really quick.
“It was a very healthy delivery. The baby was perfect. There were no complications other than the cord.”
Yoder stimulated the baby, dried him, warmed the child and handed off the crying newborn to Motter. The baby, placed in a foil blanket and towel, and mother then headed to Jameson Hospital.
“It was perfectly timed,” Johnna Donnelly joked. “I’m tired, sore.”
Mother and son remained in the hospital for two days as Frank John was kept on oxygen and monitored.
“The fire department here is phenomenal,” Donnelly said. “They are great first responders.”
In addition to the fire department and Noga, she thanked the maternity ward nurses and Dr. Pek Teh for their care.
“It’s nice to bring somebody into the world,” Yoder said, “instead of ... trying to keep them from leaving.”
By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com
An air of excitement surrounds the birth of a newborn child.
Frank John Donnelly turned the thrill switch up a notch Friday night.
When Johnna Donnelly’s water broke around 10 p.m., she readied for the trip to the hospital. The Highland Avenue resident called her mother to come over and look after her oldest son. She then waited for her husband, John, to return from walking the dog.
Johnna Donnelly didn’t expect an at-home birth.
“It just happened that fast,” she said yesterday.
An hour passed, the baby started to crown. Donnelly said her mother panicked and called 911.
Good move.
A New Castle Fire Department crew — assistant fire chief Jim Donston, firefighter/paramedic Mike Kobbe and firefighter/paramedic Larry Coyne — was alerted at 11:04 p.m. and arrived four minutes later. A Noga Ambulance crew of Capt. Dan Yoder and Bobbi Motter was close behind.
“Childbirth was imminent,” Donston said. “I got on scene, and she was on the living room floor in labor.
“Before Dan got there, the head delivered.”
Yoder entered the room and Donston called him over.
“I walk around the corner (and) Jim says, ‘Dan, I got a problem here,’ ” Yoder said. “I run 1,000 calls a year — half of them in the city of New Castle, and probably 200 of them with Jim. And if Jim says, ‘There’s a problem’ — there’s a problem.”
The umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck, and the head had turned blue.
“I told her, ‘We’re in trouble here. With this next push, you’ve got to give it everything you have,” Donston said. “And she did.”
The initial push allowed Yoder to release the pressure created by the umbilical cord. Two more pushes: the baby’s out and the cord untangled.
Kobbe cut the cord. Yoder suctioned the baby’s mouth and nose. Within a minute, the blue disappeared, replaced by a pink color.
Meet Frank John Donnelly — 8 pounds, 2 ounces and 20 inches long. Time and date of birth: 11:12 p.m. Oct. 2, 2009.
“Sometimes women will be in labor for 20 hours after their water (breaks),” Kobbe said. “It was one of those cases where it happened really quick.
“It was a very healthy delivery. The baby was perfect. There were no complications other than the cord.”
Yoder stimulated the baby, dried him, warmed the child and handed off the crying newborn to Motter. The baby, placed in a foil blanket and towel, and mother then headed to Jameson Hospital.
“It was perfectly timed,” Johnna Donnelly joked. “I’m tired, sore.”
Mother and son remained in the hospital for two days as Frank John was kept on oxygen and monitored.
“The fire department here is phenomenal,” Donnelly said. “They are great first responders.”
In addition to the fire department and Noga, she thanked the maternity ward nurses and Dr. Pek Teh for their care.
“It’s nice to bring somebody into the world,” Yoder said, “instead of ... trying to keep them from leaving.”
District feels state budget fallout
Oct. 8, 2009
By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com
The $5.3 million check is not in the mail.
Hiring a bill collector sounds tempting, but Joseph Ambrosini knows the effort would be futile. So the New Castle Area business manager — and his 499 counterparts — must wait for a resolution to the state budget impasse.
The city school board passed a $38 million budget for the 2009-2010 year. Ambrosini said that since July, the district paid $6 million for salaries, debt service and other expenditures.
“Most school districts have been able to weather the storm,” he said. “The biggest portion of state subsidy that we receive is basic education subsidy. We missed an approximately $3 million payment in August.”
The state also provides block grants and special education funding. Overall, New Castle has been shorted $5.3 million.
A $6.7 million budget reserve in addition to $2.5 million received from property and payroll taxes have kept the district operating. The school system also receives federal dollars.
Ambrosini does not foresee revamping the district’s spending plan. One casualty, though, is a study focusing on the future of the city’s primary and kindergarten centers. Those plans remain uncertain until budget details are finalized.
“School districts are required to have their budgets in on time,” board member Karen Humphrey said. “I would hope the people in Harrisburg recognize the importance of having their budget in place.”
Ambrosini said the next state subsidy payment of $3.5 million is scheduled for December.
“To go beyond that point, then districts would have to come up with financial mechanisms, such as a line of credit,” he said.
Ambrosini said securing credit would be the worst-case scenario. If a budget is not approved by December, he is prepared to propose to the school board that the district obtain a $4 million to $5 million credit line.
“There are financial institutions that are currently writing them for school districts,” he said.
Ambrosini said he is in preliminary discussions with Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank.
Humphrey said the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, which serves 27 school districts in Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer counties, discussed the loss of funding at the board’s September meeting.
“Business manager Bob Barber said he wasn’t ready to come and ask for it at that time,” said Humphrey, who sits on the 13-member board. “By the end of October, they would ask for approval.
“He said it would be the proper course of action he would need to take in order to meet payroll and other expenses.”
Ambrosini said the impasse has forced districts to keep cash readily available and out of investment funds.
“However, certificates of deposit are not getting the best return on investment.”
By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com
The $5.3 million check is not in the mail.
Hiring a bill collector sounds tempting, but Joseph Ambrosini knows the effort would be futile. So the New Castle Area business manager — and his 499 counterparts — must wait for a resolution to the state budget impasse.
The city school board passed a $38 million budget for the 2009-2010 year. Ambrosini said that since July, the district paid $6 million for salaries, debt service and other expenditures.
“Most school districts have been able to weather the storm,” he said. “The biggest portion of state subsidy that we receive is basic education subsidy. We missed an approximately $3 million payment in August.”
The state also provides block grants and special education funding. Overall, New Castle has been shorted $5.3 million.
A $6.7 million budget reserve in addition to $2.5 million received from property and payroll taxes have kept the district operating. The school system also receives federal dollars.
Ambrosini does not foresee revamping the district’s spending plan. One casualty, though, is a study focusing on the future of the city’s primary and kindergarten centers. Those plans remain uncertain until budget details are finalized.
“School districts are required to have their budgets in on time,” board member Karen Humphrey said. “I would hope the people in Harrisburg recognize the importance of having their budget in place.”
Ambrosini said the next state subsidy payment of $3.5 million is scheduled for December.
“To go beyond that point, then districts would have to come up with financial mechanisms, such as a line of credit,” he said.
Ambrosini said securing credit would be the worst-case scenario. If a budget is not approved by December, he is prepared to propose to the school board that the district obtain a $4 million to $5 million credit line.
“There are financial institutions that are currently writing them for school districts,” he said.
Ambrosini said he is in preliminary discussions with Pittsburgh-based PNC Bank.
Humphrey said the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV, which serves 27 school districts in Beaver, Lawrence and Mercer counties, discussed the loss of funding at the board’s September meeting.
“Business manager Bob Barber said he wasn’t ready to come and ask for it at that time,” said Humphrey, who sits on the 13-member board. “By the end of October, they would ask for approval.
“He said it would be the proper course of action he would need to take in order to meet payroll and other expenses.”
Ambrosini said the impasse has forced districts to keep cash readily available and out of investment funds.
“However, certificates of deposit are not getting the best return on investment.”
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