Friday, November 29, 2013
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Gratitude: Wish you a meaningful Thanksgiving
of love and wonder with family and friends
"Gratitude takes three forms: a feeling in the heart, an expression in words, and a giving in return."
~John Wanamaker
"Gratitude takes three forms: a feeling in the heart, an expression in words, and a giving in return."
~John Wanamaker
Monday, November 25, 2013
NC Governor McCrory Names Members of Task Force on Safer Schools
Governor
McCrory Announces Task Force on Safer Schools ...
Corporal Joe Pass: Resource Officer, NWHS, Guilford County Schools
Corporal Joe Pass: Resource Officer, NWHS, Guilford County Schools
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Inside EF-4 tornado (190+ mph) Washington, Illinois (3:33 min video: explicit language)
E4 tornadoes (190+ mph) cut a three-mile swath (& more than 46 miles long) through Washington,
Illinois about 150 miles southwest of Chicago. Authorities in Washington, IL acknowledged
that they had vastly underestimated the number of homes damaged or destroyed,
and revised the initial figures of 250 to 500 homes, to upward of 1,000.
Some of those belonged to the area’s 911 dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics and police officers, who are spending little time attending to their own ordeals.
“The first responders are people too, and sometimes we forget that,” Buffalo Grove Police Chief Terry Vavra said. “They had to either leave their home, and leave that devastation, or they weren’t even home when the devastation occurred.”
-----
Illinois woman organizes effort to get lost photos returned to tornado victims
Images for family bible found in tornado
News for family bible found in tornado
News for washington, illinois tornado
Washington IL tornado damage assessment starts as FEMA arrives
Some of those belonged to the area’s 911 dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics and police officers, who are spending little time attending to their own ordeals.
“The first responders are people too, and sometimes we forget that,” Buffalo Grove Police Chief Terry Vavra said. “They had to either leave their home, and leave that devastation, or they weren’t even home when the devastation occurred.”
-----
Thank you for support you choose to extend: prayers, financial, ...
If you choose to share with Washington, Illinois tornado victims, the following allows total amount to be invested directly to food, etc. for children/families... no cut to administrative costs.
If you choose to share with Washington, Illinois tornado victims, the following allows total amount to be invested directly to food, etc. for children/families... no cut to administrative costs.
Check: (Tax Deductible)
Payable to: Washington Rotary Foundation
For: Washington, IL Tornado AssistancePayable to: Washington Rotary Foundation
Mail to:
c/o: District 50 schools
Attn: Dr. Patrick Martin
304 East Almond Drive
Illinois woman organizes effort to get lost photos returned to tornado victims
Images for family bible found in tornado
News for family bible found in tornado
News for washington, illinois tornado
Washington IL tornado damage assessment starts as FEMA arrives
Best coin ever spent
Best coin ever spent.
A little girl donates some coins to a street musician and gets the best surprise in return. Well, that's certainly money well spent.
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Two Wolves Inside of Me (video)
Life: a series of choices. Where you are right now can all be linked back to every choice that you've made in your life to date.
Every day we all make countless choices and every single one of them counts. That is what this short movie is all about.
Watch: Two Wolves Inside Me >>
Copyright © 2010 - 2011 flickspire
Every day we all make countless choices and every single one of them counts. That is what this short movie is all about.
Watch: Two Wolves Inside Me >>
Copyright © 2010 - 2011 flickspire
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Washington Strong: 11-17-2013 Washington, Illinois tornado
Washington IL Tornado Recovery
An E4 tornado (190 mph) cut a three-mile swath through Washington, Illinois about 150 miles southwest of Chicago. Authorities in Washington, IL acknowledged that they had vastly underestimated the number of homes damaged or destroyed, and revised the initial figures of 250 to 500 homes, to upward of 1,000.
Some of those belonged to the area’s 911 dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics and police officers, who are spending little time attending to their own ordeals.
“The first responders are people too, and sometimes we forget that,” Buffalo Grove Police Chief Terry Vavra said. “They had to either leave their home, and leave that devastation, or they weren’t even home when the devastation occurred.”
* Washington Strong (4:22 min.)
An E4 tornado (190 mph) cut a three-mile swath through Washington, Illinois about 150 miles southwest of Chicago. Authorities in Washington, IL acknowledged that they had vastly underestimated the number of homes damaged or destroyed, and revised the initial figures of 250 to 500 homes, to upward of 1,000.
Some of those belonged to the area’s 911 dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics and police officers, who are spending little time attending to their own ordeals.
“The first responders are people too, and sometimes we forget that,” Buffalo Grove Police Chief Terry Vavra said. “They had to either leave their home, and leave that devastation, or they weren’t even home when the devastation occurred.”
As of Thursday morning, here are the damage numbers from Sunday's tornados in Tazewell County
(posted by D. Norman from Tazewell County Board Member John Ackerman):
Tazewell County Totals: 524 homes destroyed, 554 damaged
(posted by D. Norman from Tazewell County Board Member John Ackerman):
Tazewell County Totals: 524 homes destroyed, 554 damaged
Washington – 135 homes require MAJOR repairs, 491 total loss
East Peoria – 13 homes require MAJOR repairs, 21 total loss
Pekin – 25 homes require MAJOR repairs, 8 total loss
Sunnyland – 15 homes require MAJOR repairs, 4 total loss
--------------
Thank you for support you choose to extend: prayers, financial,...
If you choose to share with Washington, Illinois tornado victims, the following allows total amount invested directly to food, etc. for children/families...no cut to administrative costs.
Click below: videos
* 11-21-2013 Washington IL tornado damage assessment starts as FEMA arrives (2:45 min.)
East Peoria – 13 homes require MAJOR repairs, 21 total loss
Pekin – 25 homes require MAJOR repairs, 8 total loss
Sunnyland – 15 homes require MAJOR repairs, 4 total loss
--------------
Thank you for support you choose to extend: prayers, financial,...
If you choose to share with Washington, Illinois tornado victims, the following allows total amount invested directly to food, etc. for children/families...no cut to administrative costs.
Check: (Tax Deductible)
Payable to: Washington Rotary Foundation
For: Washington Tornado AssistancePayable to: Washington Rotary Foundation
Mail to:
c/o: District 50 schools
Attn: Dr. Patrick Martin
304 East Almond Drive
Washington, IL 61571
---------
---------
Click below: videos
* 11-21-2013 Washington IL tornado damage assessment starts as FEMA arrives (2:45 min.)
* Washington Strong (4:22 min.)
Put together a little slideshow/video of
some of the pictures from the storm that really say it all.
* click picture
* Video: Washington resident killed by tornado remembered (2:02 min.)
* click picture
Red Flags: Is your child being bullied?
According to Jerry Weichman, PhD, a licensed
psychologist who specializes in adolescence at the Hoag Neurosciences Institute
in Newport Beach, California, “Kids often spend
more time at school than they do at home, so it’s important that parents stay
vigilant about what’s going on in their lives,” he tells Yahoo Shine. If you
think your kid is being bullied at school, here are some red flags to watch
for. Even one is enough to be concerned, according to Weichman.
Lashing out at home: Children understand when something feels wrong, but they may not know how to cope, says Weichman. “If your kid suddenly develops a short fuse and begins bullying siblings or a helpless family pet, it may be a learned behavior.”
The Strange Effect of Bullying
Lashing out at home: Children understand when something feels wrong, but they may not know how to cope, says Weichman. “If your kid suddenly develops a short fuse and begins bullying siblings or a helpless family pet, it may be a learned behavior.”
Disruptive sleep or eating patterns: Anxiety disrupts the body's daily rhythms and can cause
insomnia. Anxiety can also cause either an increase or a decrease in appetite,
depending on the individual.
Changes in schedule:
Does your kid suddenly not want to go to basketball practice anymore? Does he
take a different route to school? “He may be trying to avoid someone who is bullying.
The Strange Effect of Bullying
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Cumbria (UK) police highlight success of restorative justice
Cumbria police have highlighted the success of a punishment which forces criminals to face the consequences of their actions.
Restorative justice sees a face to face meeting between the offender and their victims.
A trained expert asks structured questions that highlight how the offender’s behaviour has impacted on people’s lives.
Since 2008, officers in Cumbria have had the option to deal with low level offending by using Restorative Justice as an alternative to conventional means.
The system has gone from strength to strength, with 270 crimes in 2011 and 320 crimes in 2012 being dealt with in a restorative way.
Assistant Chief Constable Michelle Skeer said: “Restorative justice is a great way of dealing with minor offences to the benefit of both the victim and the community. It also provides police officers with the flexibility to deal with a variety of offences effectively.
“One of the priorities for Cumbria Constabulary is to utilise restorative processes more, involving victims, and giving them a voice in the way the police deal with lower level offences and anti-social behaviour. The implementation of the process will be decided on a case by case basis.
“It can provide the victim with a degree of closure, which they have had direct control over and have helped to facilitate. Going through the Community Resolution or Restorative Justice meeting has also been proven to have more impact on an offender than a prison sentence or a court punishment alone. The Offender can see the consequences of their actions, leading them to make changes in their future behaviour.”
A trained expert asks structured questions that highlight how the offender’s behaviour has impacted on people’s lives.
Since 2008, officers in Cumbria have had the option to deal with low level offending by using Restorative Justice as an alternative to conventional means.
The system has gone from strength to strength, with 270 crimes in 2011 and 320 crimes in 2012 being dealt with in a restorative way.
Assistant Chief Constable Michelle Skeer said: “Restorative justice is a great way of dealing with minor offences to the benefit of both the victim and the community. It also provides police officers with the flexibility to deal with a variety of offences effectively.
“One of the priorities for Cumbria Constabulary is to utilise restorative processes more, involving victims, and giving them a voice in the way the police deal with lower level offences and anti-social behaviour. The implementation of the process will be decided on a case by case basis.
“It can provide the victim with a degree of closure, which they have had direct control over and have helped to facilitate. Going through the Community Resolution or Restorative Justice meeting has also been proven to have more impact on an offender than a prison sentence or a court punishment alone. The Offender can see the consequences of their actions, leading them to make changes in their future behaviour.”
Last updated at 12:52, Monday, 18 November 2013
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Monday, November 18, 2013
Restorative Justice: Interview with Eric Butler
By Hana Baba
Today we're talking about Restorative Justice and how some schools are shifting their approach to student discipline. Eric Butler is the Restorative Justice Coordinator at Ralph Bunche High School in Oakland. There are over 20 schools in Oakland that have incorporated some sort of restorative approach to discipline. This means, instead of a punitive approach to issues at school, all parties are encouraged to address the harm that's done and then try to repair any harm that was caused in their community. Eric Butler says the approach is a complete shift from how schools traditionally deal with discipline.
ERIC BUTLER: "We’re doing something different we’re apologizing for those messed up messages that we taught because we should’ve been teaching tolerance."
Click the audio player above to listen to the full interview. (Hana Baba...drop down to RJ)
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Brotherly love...Arthur & Johnnie Ashe... 11:37 min. video
Ashe family history: shows how powerful and deep brotherly (and sisterly) love is.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Restorative justice may be good fit for NM, attorney general says
By Lauren Villagran / Journal Staff Writer - Las Cruces Bureau | Thu, Nov 7, 2013
LAS CRUCES – Attorney General Gary King told a border conference Wednesday that Mexican-style restorative justice could alleviate overload in the New Mexico system.
He suggested the state could learn from Mexico’s practice of bringing victims and perpetrators of petty crime face to face to keep small crimes from clogging the system.
“They sit across the table from each other,” he said. “They can work out an arrangement where the victim is compensated by the perpetrator of the crimes. I think our system, which is overloaded, could really benefit from looking at the Mexican restorative justice system.”
Restorative Justice New Mexico’s website defines the process as one that “looks at the crime in terms of harm that has been done, rather than rules which have been broken.” It seeks to include all the people affected by the crime in a solution.
King said he witnessed restorative justice at work in a courthouse in Mexicali in the state of Baja California Norte. State District Court judges have recommended restorative justice in criminal cases including a 2011 shooting in Santa Fe, and Albuquerque has used restorative justice in juvenile offenses for years.
Dave Pederson, general counsel to the attorney general, said restorative justice is prevalent in Navajo and other tribal courts and it is a tool judges have the option to use. But it hasn’t been widely institutionalized in the state criminal justice system.
“It has not been formalized to a great degree other than the creation of some of our specialty courts, which I think are a spinoff of this concept,” Pederson said, referring to drug court and mental health court.
King said, “I’ve talked to a lot of people about it because as I’ve seen it operate in Mexico, I think it’s really something that we can do here in a fairly straightforward way.”
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Real Talk for Real Teachers...Rafe Esquith
Video: Educator-author Rafe Esquith |
Watch Tavis Smiley Online ...
Morning Video: Rafe Esquith's Back To School Advice
Books by Rafe Esquith:
Lighting their Fires: raising extraordinary kids in a mixed-up, muddled-up, shook-up world
Real Talk for Real Teachers
Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire
There Are No Shortcuts
Morning Video: Rafe Esquith's Back To School Advice
Books by Rafe Esquith:
Lighting their Fires: raising extraordinary kids in a mixed-up, muddled-up, shook-up world
Real Talk for Real Teachers
Teach Like Your Hair's On Fire
There Are No Shortcuts
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Veterans: Thank you: Gratitude & Remembrance
For those on active duty: thank you for your service for citizens and country.
"Go to Your Courage...it is not confidence...It Is Courage." Dad, WW II Veteran, Army Major
Arthur Ashe - Did you know?
"Go to Your Courage...it is not confidence...It Is Courage." Dad, WW II Veteran, Army Major
Arthur Ashe - Did you know?
Ashe family history: shows how powerful and deep brotherly (and sisterly) love is.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Operation Yuletide & Fill the Cruiser Programs Return to Bring Holiday Cheer to Greensboro Families
Local shoppers will see Greensboro Police Department employees outside their favorite shopping centers this month as the department promotes Operation Yuletide, an initiative to bring holiday cheer to at least 100 deserving Greensboro families.
Throughout the year, police often meet people who are experiencing tough times. To make the holidays a little brighter, GPD employees nominate families for Operation Yuletide. In its third year, Operation Yuletide hopes to provide a full holiday meal and gifts of new clothing, toys, and household items to these families.
Last year, Operation Yuletide delivered goods to 116 families.
This event is truly a partnership that involves the entire community,” said Police Chief Ken Miller. “Our friends from Neese’s Country Sausage provided food for the families and refrigeration trucks to keep perishables fresh. People from Christ Wesleyan Church helped collect monetary donations and accepted delivery of food from First Harvest Food Bank. And we had a huge outpouring of volunteers who helped in so many ways to make this event possible.”
Donations from businesses and community members also made Operation Yuletide a success. Police rely on the generosity of the public to donate gifts at Fill the Cruiser events. GPD employees encourage shoppers to fill police sedans with needed items that will later be wrapped and delivered by police department personnel.
Fill the Cruiser events are scheduled from 11 am to 3 pm at the following stores:
Anyone interested in contributing monetary donations can make checks payable to Christ Wesleyan Church, 2400 S. Holden Rd., Greensboro, NC, 27407. Please indicate Operation Yuletide at the bottom of the check. Church staff will provide receipts for tax-deductible cash donations. All proceeds will benefit Operation Yuletide.
Police personnel and volunteers will deliver donations to local families in mid-December.
City of Greensboro...Vision Internet |
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Healthcare Faith Summit: Developing/Nurturing Healthy Families, Healthy Communities
Th., Nov. 14: Healthcare Faith Summit
Site: Mount Zion Baptist Church (Greensboro, NC).
Please help us spread the word …the summit is FREE, however we need you to register ASAP ….thanks …Pastor Odell Cleveland
Site: Mount Zion Baptist Church (Greensboro, NC).
Please help us spread the word …the summit is FREE, however we need you to register ASAP ….thanks …Pastor Odell Cleveland
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
The Dash 2:42 min. video
Life works in strange ways. Joseph Epstein once said, "We do not choose to be born. We do not choose our parents, or the country of birth. We do not, most of us, choose to die; nor do we choose the time and conditions of our death. But within this realm of choicelessness, we do choose how we live."
That is what The Dash is all about!
Watch - The Dash >>
Copyright Simple Truths, LLC
That is what The Dash is all about!
Watch - The Dash >>
Copyright Simple Truths, LLC
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
"The Final Gift", with film maker Therese Bartholomew
DATE AND TIME OF EVENT: November 18, 2013, 5:00pm - 8:30pm
LOCATION: 0014W for film at 6PM / 0015W for pizza at 5:15PM
EVENT SPONSOR(S): Prison Ministry Enlivening Duke Divinity (PriMEDD) Student Group
EVENT DESCRIPTION: One night in 2003, ThereseBartholomew woke to the devastating news that her beloved younger brother Steve had been shot and killed. Debilitated by depression, facing bond hearings and trying to keep her new marriage afloat, Therese worked through her grief the only way she knew how: by setting out to meet the person behind Steve’s untimely death. Completed in 2012, The Final Gift follows the filmmaker’s seven-year pursuit to find meaning in her life after her brother’s murder. Her vision for the film grew out grew out of her desire to meet and understand the killer. In December 2010, that meeting occurred and was filmed in a South Carolina prison. The meeting was the first victim offender dialogue involving a violent crime in South Carolina’s adult system. The film addresses universal ideas of forgiveness, redemption, as well as the larger societal questions –how do we make peace with crime, support the victims, and restore our communities? The documentary shows the impact of violence on a family and one survivor’s path to peace and healing. Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking, calls The Final Gift “a remarkable journey…intimate in the telling, honest and brave and true.” TodayTherese holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and is a frequent speaker on the subject of restorative justice; author of a memoir, Coffee Shop God (2009); and the first filmmaker in more than two decades to have brought cameras into a South Carolina prison. Therese lives in Charlotte, NC, with her husband Doug and children.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Senate Bill 52: An Act Promoting Restorative Justice Practices; Sponsor: Senator Jamie Eldridge
Summary: This bill creates an option for law enforcement and courts to refer juvenile and low-level adult criminal offenders to a community-based restorative justice program in lieu of or alongside other responses. The referral may be made pre-complaint, at the arrest, pre-arraignment, or sentencing phase and is contingent upon victim wishes. Restorative justice practices may include voluntary meetings among victim, offender, supporters, and community members that provide an opportunity to meet victim needs, hold an offender accountable, explore the impact of the crime upon community, and agree upon a constructive plan of repair by consensus.
Why This Matters: Restorative justice is an approach to community harm and criminal justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by the event, as opposed to just handing down a punishment. Restorative justice programs can be used to keep certain offenses out of the court system, saving the state valuable time and money, but still holding the offender accountable to the victim and the community.
Someone arrested for spray-painting graffiti, for example, may be asked to apologize to the property owner in person, and then spend his or her own time and money to paint over the graffiti. When the offender completes these requirements, the police can drop the case, keeping the offender out of court but still accountable for his or her actions.
Restorative justice helps victims by providing an opportunity to get an explanation and apology from the offender. As has been demonstrated in studies, many victims find closure through this process, and are better able to move on from the crime.
At the same time, it helps keep low-level offenders – particularly first-time and youthful offenders – out of the criminal justice system. Studies have shown that recidivism rates are significantly reduced for participants in restorative justice programs, and that these programs tend to cost far less than traditional court processes.
Restorative justice is not “new”: there are nearly 300 programs in the U.S. and the approach is well established in countries like New Zealand, throughout the United Kingdom, and in South Africa.
You can view the full text of the bill and track its history here.-
See more at: http://www.senatoreldridge.com/legislation/jamies-2013-2014-legislation/criminal-justice/s52-an-act-promoting-restorative-justice-practices#sthash.yRToqQ5H.MiO1e8yx.dpuf
Why This Matters: Restorative justice is an approach to community harm and criminal justice that emphasizes repairing the harm caused by the event, as opposed to just handing down a punishment. Restorative justice programs can be used to keep certain offenses out of the court system, saving the state valuable time and money, but still holding the offender accountable to the victim and the community.
Someone arrested for spray-painting graffiti, for example, may be asked to apologize to the property owner in person, and then spend his or her own time and money to paint over the graffiti. When the offender completes these requirements, the police can drop the case, keeping the offender out of court but still accountable for his or her actions.
Restorative justice helps victims by providing an opportunity to get an explanation and apology from the offender. As has been demonstrated in studies, many victims find closure through this process, and are better able to move on from the crime.
At the same time, it helps keep low-level offenders – particularly first-time and youthful offenders – out of the criminal justice system. Studies have shown that recidivism rates are significantly reduced for participants in restorative justice programs, and that these programs tend to cost far less than traditional court processes.
Restorative justice is not “new”: there are nearly 300 programs in the U.S. and the approach is well established in countries like New Zealand, throughout the United Kingdom, and in South Africa.
You can view the full text of the bill and track its history here.-
See more at: http://www.senatoreldridge.com/legislation/jamies-2013-2014-legislation/criminal-justice/s52-an-act-promoting-restorative-justice-practices#sthash.yRToqQ5H.MiO1e8yx.dpuf
Friday, November 1, 2013
Restorative Justice Practices/Circles: How It Works
Has your child or someone you know ever been harmed?
Have you yourself harmed another at home, school, or work?
Join us to learn about a program designed through special mediation to
Keep Our Homes and Schools Safer!
Join us to learn about a program designed through special mediation to
Keep Our Homes and Schools Safer!
AN INVITATION TO OUR COMMUNITY
4th - 5th gd/MS/HS/College Students & Adults
Monday, November 4, 2013; 5:15 - 6:45pm
Jon Powell & Franklin Ard: Restorative Justice Practices/Circles
Speakers:
Attorney Jon Powell, Director of the Juvenile Justice Project, and
Franklin Ard, Social Worker III /General Instructor at NC Department of Public Safety, Division of Juvenile Justice
facilitate Restorative Justice Practice mediations with offenders and victims to “repair the harm”
This program can benefit people of all ages and all environments, especially school settings, thru deep questions:
-Who has been hurt?
-What are their needs?
-Who has the obligation to address the needs, to put right the harms, to restore relationships?
“Conflict is Opportunity…Don’t Waste It”
For further info and video, click left p1 and 5: www.saferschools.blogspot.com
New Garden Friends Meeting Worship Room, Greensboro
Walk around to back of NGFM: enter 2nd door from left
No food, no drink/water bottles in NGFM Worship Room...Thank you
No food, no drink/water bottles in NGFM Worship Room...Thank you
Restorative justice: How it works
At the center of the restorative justice process is a meeting between the offender and the victim, which research has shown reduces recidivism.
“Sitting in a circle face to face with the person you burglarized, who looks not unlike your grandmother, and having to apologize and hear the impact you had on their life, how you caused sleeplessness, or taken this prized possession, that is way harder than court,” said Sujatha Baliga, director of the Restorative Justice Project at the National Council on Crime and Delinquency. “Nothing we do in court has caused that ‘aha’ moment that comes from a deep understanding of the impact of our behaviors.”
The encounter also helps the victim. When Jennifer Hahn of West Des Moines caught the young boy who had stolen her son’s bike, “I was furious,” she said. “I probably would have put the kid in prison.”
Her anger turned to empathy, though, when she sat across from him in a restorative justice circle.
“We realized in the first circle that he couldn’t read. He didn’t have glasses so he couldn’t see. And no one even made sure he was eating lunch.” She also learned that he had stolen the bike to replace his own, which had been stolen. “I saw that he was a person, that he was a kid in crisis.”
However, restorative justice isn’t always the answer, experts agree.
Under the principles of most programs:
1) Juveniles cannot be diverted if they do not admit their wrongdoing. If they want to argue their innocence, they will have to go to court.
2) If the juvenile’s parents do not agree to diversion, the court must become formally involved.
3) If the victim objects to the diversion, or needs a no-contact order, a judge must see the case.
4) A juvenile with multiple offenses, or who has failed a previous diversion program, or who needs additional services often will wind up in the court system.
— Sharyn Jackson
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