Chris Miller, former Duck and NFL QB and coach, re-hired to coach South Eugene High football

South Eugene has called on Chris Miller to revive its football program once again.

The former Oregon and NFL quarterback called it ?round two? after he was hired as coach of the Axemen on Tuesday.

Miller led the Axemen to a 31-21 record from 2002-06, and South reached the playoffs during his final four seasons, including a quarterfinal appearance in his last year. The Axemen have not reached the state playoffs since he left and have won only two games, including one by forfeit, in the past three years.

?The thing with me is I have a great passion for coaching high school kids,? Miller said. ?I think you can help mentor and mold them and be a good role model for them. They have won only one game in three years, so that?s the ultimate challenge, but I love a challenge.?

Miller inherits a similar situation to his first tenure with the Axemen when South had not made the playoffs for eight years before he was hired.

When Chad Kessler resigned as coach after three seasons, Miller said he had some friends who are South Eugene graduates encourage him to return to the school. He was also interested in the job because former Oregon running back Dino Philyaw, his former assistant at South, has a stepson who will be a freshman for the Axemen in the fall and Philyaw might once again join his staff.

?Obviously, we are really excited to have Chris because of what he did in the past, and he?s a great fit for us,? South Eugene athletic director Dave Hancock said. ?Hopefully he can turn the numbers around and get more kids out, and that will be good for the kids.?

Miller said he hoped to get some enthusiasm back in the program. He is having a meeting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. today in the South Eugene cafeteria for South Eugene players and parents as well as those in South Eugene area middle schools.

?I think the excitement we create as a coaching staff, our passion and love for the game will help create excitement in the middle schools and high school,? Miller said. ?South has had an attrition rate recently, lots of kids leaving to go elsewhere, and our job is to roam the hallways and get kids out.?

Miller said he was talking to some former Oregon players in addition to Philyaw about joining his staff and also plans to hire some of his former players at South Eugene.

?They are young guys who are eager and fired up, and South Eugene needs that passion,? Miller said. ?We had a lot of energy and excitement when we were there before and we had a good rivalry with Sheldon, and we will look to rekindle that for the student body and the alumni.?

Miller left the Axemen when he was hired as the executive director at Kidsports and then he spent three seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Arizona Cardinals from 2009 to 2011.

?I?ve got three years in the NFL under my belt now,? said Miller, a 1983 Sheldon graduate who was a first-round pick by Atlanta in 1987 before playing 10 years with the Falcons, Rams and Broncos. ?I watched Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and all those guys. We will have a lot of exciting and new schemes and concepts and we will match those to fit our personnel.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rgsports/~3/e_Ce9ZkWdHg/miller-south-eugene-axemen-former.html.csp

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Inaugural Simpson Cup provides perfect proof of golf's power to inspire

Simpson, formerly the manager of Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer at IMG, knows what he is talking about. He had polio as a child which left him with a limp ? but which did nothing to diminish his passion for playing golf.

He realised that the fact that all men are equal on a golf course made it the perfect sport to help in the recovery of servicemen, women and veterans injured in the course of duty.

That in turn led him to set up the On Course Foundation, one of the Telegraph?s Christmas charities, which not only teaches disabled service personnel to play golf, but also seeks to find them work within the golfing industry.

?It?s amazing in terms of the self esteem and self-confidence it gives them,? he says.

On the day we meet, Simpson has just returned from the inaugural Simpson Cup, the On Course version of the Ryder Cup with 12 disabled Brits taking on their American equivalents in a ferociously competitive two-day tournament, which the Brits won.

The team was made up of men such as Paul, who was injured in Afghanistan last June, underwent 29 operations, lost his arm, and after joining On Course last November, now plays off a handicap of 18.

He was not a natural golf lover. Indeed a lot of these soldiers used to think golf was a game played by sissies, not to be compared with rugby or football. But thanks to the help of the On Course Foundation?s professional coaches, it has given them a new sporting obsession.

In finding them work, it will transform their lives, which is Simpson?s ultimate purpose. But simply as a sport they play, it helps to replace the self-sufficiency and purpose that they once found in the military. And the Simpson Cup produced exactly the same fierce competition that the Ryder Cup generates.

Simpson noticed the easy camaraderie and friendship that developed as soon as the veterans met.

They may come from different generations (some of the US players fought in Vietnam) and different cultures ? he noticed the way the Americans would list their injuries with medical precision, where the Brits just said ?I lost a leg? ? but they were united by the similarity of their experiences, sometimes in the same wars.

Watching the videos of them in action, it is impossible not to be moved by their enthusiasm, and skill. Tony Jacklin and Arnold Palmer were just two of the greats who came to watch and were extraordinarily touched by what they saw.

But, as Simpson says, you do not have to play at this exalted level to benefit from the work of the On Course Foundation. He tells the story of a man who came to one of their training sessions who looked unkempt and lost.

He had no physical injuries, but had suffered very badly from post-traumatic stress disorder. By the end of the day, he was transformed.

When he came to say thanks, he explained he had not left his home for a year; he had been too depressed. ?That?s the brilliant thing,? says Simpson. ?Golf gets you out of the house, and allows you to get really involved in something that you are very excited about.

?It means you can just ring up an able-bodied mate and say do you fancy a game??

Such freedom is quite an advertisement for the On Course Foundation.

In a year when disabled athletes have changed our perceptions of disabled people, how inspiring that this remarkable charity is using this great game to change lives for the better.

Source: http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/568598/s/26bbff8a/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Csport0Cgolf0C97540A850CInaugural0ESimpson0ECup0Eprovides0Eperfect0Eproof0Eof0Egolfs0Epower0Eto0Einspire0Bhtml/story01.htm

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Man Accused of Threatening To Burn Down Church, Shoot Pastor

ST. CHARLES (KMOX) ? A man has been jailed after allegedly threatening to burn down a church, kill a pastor, and ?fill the seas with Christian blood.?

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Derek Michael Ficik, 26, of Maryland Heights, has been charged with one felony count of making a terrorist threat.

Police say that Sunday Ficik called pastor Marc Sikma of Matthias? Lot Church in St. Charles, threatening to burn down his church and put a bullet in the pastor?s head. He went on to threaten Christianity and Christians.

Sikma later told police that he was unable to sleep and considered canceling Matthias? Lot?s Christmas concert.

Court records cited by the Post-Dispatch show Ficik is a practitioner of witchcraft and astro6 projection who believes demons tell him what to do and that he must obey. He is being held on a $50,000 cash-only bond.

Source: http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/12/19/man-accused-of-threatening-to-burn-down-church-shoot-pastor/

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Thuraya and SoftBank Mobile to provide Japanese satellite network ...

Louise Duffy | 19-12-2012

Mobile satellite services operator Thuraya Telecommunications and Japanese telco SoftBank Mobile have signed an agreement to provide Japanese business, enterprise and consumer subscribers across Thuraya?s satellite network with mobile satellite communication services.

Softbank Mobile has been approved by the Japanese regulator to provide Thuraya?s satellite network services in Japan. Starting in February 2013, Thuraya?s handsets and airtime services will be sold to customers from SoftBank Mobile?s distribution channels. As part of the agreement, the two companies will design a new version of Thuraya?s handset with special features, available exclusively for sale by SoftBank Mobile.

Thuraya?s services are available to SoftBank users who are outside of terrestrial networks, or in areas where those networks are unavailable or are vulnerable to natural disasters. Thuraya?s services aim to allow media, energy, government, and all other types of enterprises, as well as individual consumers to communicate at any time from anywhere in Japan and the maritime areas surrounding it.

"During the disruption caused to mobile network services when the Great East Japan Earthquake hit in 2011, satellite communication services played a significant role in restoring network transmission services and providing subscribers with preliminary communication services. By partnering with Thuraya, SoftBank Mobile aims to provide reliable and easily deployable emergency mobile telecommunication services during times of disaster recovery operations," said SoftBank Mobile's executive vice president, director & CTO, Junichi Miyakawa.

"With the partnership with a trusted satellite operator coupled with a superb mobile satellite products, SoftBank Mobile is well positioned to provide our subscribers with high quality and reliable mobile voice communications across Thuraya's broad geographic footprint both on land and at sea."

"Like SoftBank Mobile, Thuraya is committed to providing reliable connectivity to serve humanity. This groundbreaking alliance between our companies represents an exciting milestone for SoftBank's subscribers who can now benefit from comprehensive coverage of our satellite network," added Samer Halawi, chief executive officer for Thuraya.

"This agreement is another example of Thuraya's flexibility and product innovation which has met the specific requirements of SoftBank and its customers. Thuraya is looking forward to bringing the best of mobile satellite devices and industry expertise in support of critical communication services in our partnership with SoftBank Mobile."

Source: http://www.rapidtvnews.com/index.php/2012121925514/thuraya-and-softbank-mobile-to-provide-japanese-satellite-network-service.html

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Israel OK's new homes in West Bank, Jerusalem

A Palestinian worker is seen on a construction site in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Sholmo, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012. A European diplomat says Germany and three other European members of the U.N. Security Council are preparing a statement condemning Israel's latest settlement plans in the West Bank.(AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

A Palestinian worker is seen on a construction site in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Sholmo, Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012. A European diplomat says Germany and three other European members of the U.N. Security Council are preparing a statement condemning Israel's latest settlement plans in the West Bank.(AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

(AP) ? Israel on Wednesday pressed forward with the construction of thousands of new homes in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, part of a series of new settlement plans that have drawn worldwide rebuke, including from its closest ally, the United States.

Separate planning committees on Wednesday gave approval to a new settlement in east Jerusalem, the first to be built in the contested area since 1997, and construction of 1,000 new homes in existing settlements across the West Bank.

The announcements drew harsh Palestinian condemnations and were likely to heighten the already rising tensions between Israel and its allies in the West. The Palestinians claim the West Bank and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967, as parts of a future state. The international community opposes all Israeli settlement in the two areas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a gathering of foreign diplomats, refused to back down.

"All Israeli governments have built in Jerusalem. We're not going to change that," he said. "I want you to ask any of you to imagine that you would limit construction in your own capital. It doesn't make sense," Netanyahu said.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Netanyahu, said the newly announced housing units are in areas "which will stay a part of Israel in a future peace agreement."

Israel annexed east Jerusalem, home to sensitive Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites, after the 1967 war in a move that has never been internationally recognized. While Israel claims the entire city, the Palestinians want to make east Jerusalem their capital. The battle over east Jerusalem is perhaps the most intractable and explosive issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Netanyahu authorized the construction of thousands of new settlement homes in response to the U.N. General Assembly's recognition of Palestine in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip as a nonmember observer state. Israel rejects a full pullback to its 1967 lines and accused the Palestinians of trying to bypass negotiations with the move.

The Palestinians say they turned to the U.N. in frustration after four years of deadlock in Mideast peace efforts. Though Netanyahu wants talks to start without preconditions, the Palestinians have refused to negotiate with Israel while settlement construction continues, saying the building in territories they claim is a sign of bad faith.

"The Israeli settlement enterprise in the West Bank and east Jerusalem is killing the two-state solution, and we are taking the battle against this enterprise to the international community," Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said Wednesday.

Israeli critics have accused Netanyahu of backing the plans to pander to hard-line voters ahead of Jan. 22 parliamentary elections.

Construction on most of the projects could be years away, but his strategy has antagonized Israel's allies, and the fierce international reactions appear to have caught Israeli officials off guard.

The United States, using especially harsh language, on Tuesday accused Israel of engaging in a "pattern of provocative action."

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland repeated that phrase Wednesday, adding that "these repeated announcements and approvals of new construction are harmful to the cause of peace."

The U.N. Security Council debated the matter on Wednesday. There was no vote. But representatives of all council members, except for the U.S., stepped to the microphone outside the chamber to denounce the Israeli settlement plans, which they warned is threatening a two-state peace settlement with the Palestinians.

Separately, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon told reporters that Israel's heightened settlement activity "gravely threatens efforts to establish a viable Palestinian state."

In Wednesday's decision, Jerusalem Planning Committee approved 2,612 housing units in the new east Jerusalem settlement called Givat Hamatos, said Jerusalem City Councilor Pepe Alalu.

The area, inhabited by a few dozen Jewish and Palestinian families who live in rundown trailers, would be the first new settlement to be built in east Jerusalem since 1997. Alalu, who voted against the project, said construction could begin in a year.

Critics consider Givat Hamatos a particularly problematic area to develop because, along with another contentious plan in an area known as E-1, it would hinder access to east Jerusalem from the West Bank. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

In a separate move, Israel's Housing Ministry said it would soon issue tenders for 1,000 new homes in a number of settlements, some deep inside the West Bank. Those settlements are Givat Zeev, Beitar Illit, Karnei Shomron, Geva Benyamin, and Emanuel.

Seeking bids for construction is the final stage of approval, and Hagit Ofran of anti-settlement watchdog group Peace Now estimated it would take six months to a year before building begins.

The projects approved Wednesday were all among the plans announced by Netanyahu following the Nov. 29 U.N. vote.

Ofran said the Jerusalem Planning Committee is to discuss Thursday approving an additional 1,150 housing units in the east Jerusalem settlement of Gilo.

Also Wednesday, Israel charged an Arab citizen with attempted murder in connection with the bombing of a Tel Aviv bus last month.

Mohammed Mafarja, 18, was accused of planting a bomb on the bus during Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. According to the Israeli indictment, he carried out the attack in solidarity with Gaza Palestinians and to avenge Israel's assassination of Hamas military commander Ahmad Jabari. The bomb exploded minutes after Mafarja disembarked, wounding 27 people.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-19-Israel-Palestinians/id-777751ef4ca74616b9d297647a13bb40

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State News: Former pop star is new church pastor in Kansas

Thursday, Dec. 6

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:30 p.m. Bingo at American Legion Post 45, Fourth and Franklin streets

6:30 p.m. Flinthills Depression and Bipolar Alliance Support Group, First Christian Church, Fifth and Humboldt, Manhattan

6:30 p.m. Junction City Aglow Lighthouse meets in the meeting room at the Hampton Inn.

6:45 p.m. JC Sundowners Lions Club Christmas Dinner/Charter Night at Valley View Estates

7:30 p.m. Stated Communications, Union Masonic Lodge No. 7 AF&AM

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Friday, Dec. 7

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals

5 p.m. It?s About Me Breast Cancer Awareness Association, Medical Arts II Conference Room, Geary Community Hospital

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. American Legion Riders, Chapman American Legion, 222 1/2 Marshall

7:30 p.m. Dream a Little dream of Christmas, C.L. Hoover Opera House

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Dec. 8

10 a.m. Geary County Women?s Democratic Club meets at Church of Our Savior Methodist Church, Thompson Drive

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7:30 p.m. Dream a Little dream of Christmas, C.L. Hoover Opera House

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8:30 p.m. Troubadours of JC performance at C.L. Hoover Opera House

Sunday, Dec. 9

Noon Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

2 p.m. Dream a Little dream of Christmas, C.L. Hoover Opera House

7 p.m. Auditions for ?The Miracle Worker,? C.L. Hoover Opera House

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Dec. 10

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

2 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5:30 p.m. Friends of Hope Breast Cancer Support Group and Circle of Hope Cancer Support Group, Medical Arts Building II, Third Floor Conference Room, Geary Community Hospital

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Valley View Estate.

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

7 p.m. Geary County Fish & Game Association meeting, 3922 K-244 Spur

7 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary meeting, 203 E. 10th St.

7 p.m. Auditions for ?The Miracle Worker,? C.L. Hoover Opera House

7:30 p.m. Acacia Lodge #91, 1024 N. Price St., Junction City

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon Bingo at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to bank, post office and Walmart

Tuesday, Dec. 11

10 to 11 a.m. Bible study at Senior Citizens Center

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, JC airport terminal, 540 Airport Road

7 p.m. Auditions for ?The Miracle Worker,? C.L. Hoover Opera House

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Wednesday, Dec. 12

6:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

6:45 a.m. Breakfast Optimist Club, Stacy?s Restaurant, Grandview Plaza

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Noon Kiwanis meets at Kite?s, Sixth and Washington streets

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church 113 W. Fifth St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

1 to 4 p.m. Cards at Senior Citizens Center

5:30 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

6 to 7:45 p.m. AWANA Club, First Southern Baptist Church

6:30 p.m. Bingo at American Legion Post 45, Fourth and Franklin streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Fort Riley and Dillons

Thursday, Dec. 13

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Line dancing at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 a.m. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Southern Baptist Church, child care provided

11:30 a.m. NARFE Old Trooper Chapter 383 luncheon meeting, Senior Citizens Center, 1107 S. Spring Valley Road, members and guests welcome

1 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), Episcopal Church of the Covenant, 314 N. Adams St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:30 p.m. Bingo at American Legion Post 45, Fourth and Franklin streets

7 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie, 203 E. 10th St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Friday, Dec. 14

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

6 p.m. Smoky Hill Free Trappers, Tyme Out Lounge

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. 1st Infantry Division Band concert, C.L. Hoover Opera House

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Dec. 15

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Sunday, Dec. 16

Noon Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Father Kapaun Knights of Columbus, basement of St. Mary?s Chapel, Fort Riley

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

3 p.m. C.L. Hoover Classic Movie ?White Christmas?

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Dec. 17

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

2 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Valley View Estate.

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. Hope Al Anon meeting at First United Methodist Church

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon Bingo at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to bank, post office and Walmart

Tuesday, Dec. 18

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friend-to-Friend Caregiver Support Group, Faith Lutheran Church, 212 N. Eisenhower Drive

10 to 11 a.m. Bible study at Senior Citizens Center

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

6:30 p.m. Sunflower Quilters Guild, Dorothy Bramlage Library

7 p.m. Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol, JC airport terminal, 540 Airport Road

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Wednesday, Dec. 19

6:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

6:45 a.m. Breakfast Optimist Club, Stacy?s Restaurant, Grandview Plaza

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Noon Kiwanis meets at Kite?s, Sixth and Washington streets

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church 113 W. Fifth St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

1 to 4 p.m. Cards at Senior Citizens Center

5:30 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

6 to 7:45 p.m. AWANA Club, First Southern Baptist Church

6:30 p.m. Bingo at American Legion Post 45, Fourth and Franklin streets

7:30 p.m. Melita Chapter 116, Order of the Eastern Star, 722 1/2 N. Washington St.

7:30 p.m. Chapman Rebekah Lodge #645, Chapman Senior Center

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Fort Riley and Dillons

Thursday, Dec. 20

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Line dancing at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 a.m. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Southern Baptist Church, child care provided

1 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), Episcopal Church of the Covenant, 314 N. Adams St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:30 p.m. Bingo at American Legion Post 45, Fourth and Franklin streets

6:30 p.m. Flinthills Depression and Bipolar Alliance Support Group, First Christian Church, Fifth and Humboldt, Manhattan

7:30 p.m. Stated Communications, Union Masonic Lodge No. 7 AF&AM

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Friday, Dec. 21

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Dec. 22

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Sunday, Dec. 23

Noon Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Dec. 24

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

2 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Valley View Estate.

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

7 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary meeting, 203 E. 10th St.

7:30 p.m. Acacia Lodge #91, 1024 N. Price St., Junction City

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon Bingo at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to bank, post office and Walmart

Tuesday, Dec. 25

Christmas Day

Wednesday, Dec. 26

6:30 a.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

6:45 a.m. Breakfast Optimist Club, Stacy?s Restaurant, Grandview Plaza

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Noon Kiwanis meets at Kite?s, Sixth and Washington streets

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

12:15 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church 113 W. Fifth St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

1 to 4 p.m. Cards at Senior Citizens Center

5:30 p.m. Weight Watchers, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

6 to 7:45 p.m. AWANA Club, First Southern Baptist Church

6:30 p.m. Bingo at American Legion Post 45, Fourth and Franklin streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Presbyterian Church, 113 W. Fifth St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Fort Riley and Dillons

Thursday, Dec. 27

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Line dancing at Senior Citizens Center

9:30 a.m. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), First Southern Baptist Church, child care provided

1 p.m. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), Episcopal Church of the Covenant, 314 N. Adams St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie and Auxiliary kitchen is open with full meals

6:30 p.m. Bingo at American Legion Post 45, Fourth and Franklin streets

7 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie, 203 E. 10th St.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Walmart

Friday, Dec. 28

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

2 p.m. Doors open at the Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

5 to 8 p.m. Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles kitchen is open with short-order meals

6 p.m. Ogden American Legion Bingo, 515 Riley Blvd.

6 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, Women?s meeting, 119 W. 7th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

7 p.m. New Beginnings-New Life Support Group, Martha Hoover Conference Room, Geary County Community Hospital

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Senior Citizens Center errands to Dillons

Saturday, Dec. 29

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1 p.m. Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6:30 p.m. JC Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Bingo, 203 E. 10th St., open to public

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Sunday, Dec. 30

Noon Doors open at JC Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

1:30 p.m. American Legion Post 45 Auxiliary Bingo, Fourth and Franklin Streets

8 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Monday, Dec. 31

9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Exercise at Senior Citizens Center

Noon Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. 7th St.

2 p.m. Doors open at Junction City Fraternal Order of Eagles, 203 E. 10th St.

6 p.m. JC South Kiwanis meets at Valley View Estate.

6:45 p.m. Social Duplicate Bridge, 1022 Caroline Ave.

7 p.m. Hope Al Anon meeting at First United Methodist Church

7 p.m. Hope Al-anon, First United Methodist Church, 804 N. Jefferson.

8 p.m. Alcoholics Anonymous, 119 W. Seventh St.

Afternoon Bingo at Senior Citizens Center

Senior Citizens Center errands to bank, post office and Walmart

Source: http://www.thedailyunion.net/newsdetail.asp?article_id=16832

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Budget talks face big hurdles on spending side

5 hrs.

As fiscal cliff negotiators inch closer to compromise on proposed tax increases to close the federal budget deficit, work now turns to efforts to reach agreements on spending cuts.

In many ways, lawmakers have left the toughest part of their talks until last.

By mid-week, Congressional Republicans and the White House continued to whittle down their differences over how much to raise taxes. Unless revised, the current budget law would impose more than a half-trillion of takes hike and spending cuts on Jan. 1, an amount widely?believed to spell big trouble for the feeble U.S. economic recovery.

The initial gap in the tax proposals???the White House's call for?$1.6 trillion in new money and the?$800 billion counteroffer?from House Republicans ? had narrowed Tuesday?to about $200 billion, prompting optimism that a deal could be reached.

But there appeared to be little progress in negotiating a compromise to the spending side of the ledger, which remains burdened by massive funding gaps in both the Social Security and Medicare entitlement programs.

"We are not close to a deal,"?Sen.?Bob?Corker, R-Tenn.,? told CNBC Tuesday. "I've been trying for three weeks ? standing on my head, doing cartwheels ? to try to pivot to entitlement reform. This is not a deal here."?

It?s not hard to see why the spending side of the talks is proving so difficult.

One big reason: Congress has already enacted deep cuts in the growth of so-called discretionary spending, the money authorized every year to fund domestic programs, governments agencies and defense spending.

With the Budget Control Act of 2011 last year, both parties in Congress and the president agreed to tight spending caps that reduce discretionary spending by $1 trillion over 10 years. Those caps are expected to shrink federal?spending from 8.7 percent of gross domestic product in 2011 to 5.0 percent in 2022, according to the Office of Management and Budget.

?Essentially we?ve already implemented some quite big cuts, ??said Jim Horney, a budget analyst at the?Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. ?In many areas, we?re going to have to cut pretty far below inflation just to comply with the caps.?

But it remains to be seen whether Congress sticks with the budget control?plan over the next decade and generates the projected savings needed to rein in the deficit. Some budget analysts note that Congress has broken similar?budget promises in the past.

?Even though the law's in place right now to cap spending at a?modest growth rate in the future, that all depends on whether those caps really hold,? said Patrick Louis Knudsen, a budget analyst at the Heritage Foundation. ?We?ve had spending caps in the past but they've blown right through them.?

The bigger problem is that discretionary spend makes up only about third of what Uncle Sam spends every year. That makes it harder to shrink the overall deficit by cutting only the slowest-growing slice of the pie.

?You're basically cutting bone, and you?re not getting much for it,? said Georgetown University professor Gary Bass, a founder of budget watchdog?OMB Watch. ?The big-ticket items are the entitlements. But that?isn't?where Congress tends to make their cuts.?

That may be about to change. In return for raising taxes, congressional Republicans have made clear they won?t go along with any deal that?doesn't?include major changes in Social Security and Medicare.

While those programs offer the biggest potential for savings, they also present negotiators with the thorniest political choices. For decades, no politician has dared propose raising the costs to taxpayers?or cutting their?benefits.

Of the two, Social Security offers some relatively simple ? if politically painful???fixes. One involves slowing the growth of benefits to better reflect the real increase in the?annual?cost of living. Some critics argue that the program's adjustment formula is?too generous and contributes to the funding gap.

A beneficiary born in the 1940s, for example, will have paid in an average of about $195,000 (in current dollars) and can expect to collect an average of $175,000, according to CBO estimates. But, unless the formula is changed, the ratio of payments to benefits will?gradually shift for younger retirees in the coming decades. By the time those born in the 1980s retire, they will have paid in $260,000 in current dollars ? but will collect $285,000, according to CBO estimates.

Worse, the system relies on a slower?growing working-age population to fund the rapidly expanding pool of ?baby boom retirees. Today, there are nearly five workers supporting every retiree collecting benefits. By 2030, that ratio shrinks to just three workers supporting each beneficiary.

One proposed solution is to slow the growth of benefits. By applying a so-called ?chained? consumer price index (which takes into account consumer-buying patterns as prices of specific goods rise or fall), some analysts believe the long-term financial health of the system can be brought back into balance.

?You?re still adjusting Social Security to accommodate to the rise in the cost of living, but you?re accommodating it in a more accurate way,? said Knudsen. ?The existing CPI tends to overstate it.?

Opponents of the move argue that the chained index doesn't accurately reflect the typical?shopping basket of elderly consumers, who pay a disproportionate share of their income on health care, which is rising in cost more rapidly that overall?inflation.? ?

Another major fix could come from raising the cap on income subject to the payroll taxes that fund the program. Under current law, income over $110,000?isn't?subject to that tax; raising the cap to $170,000 would bring in another $450 billion over 10 years, according to CBO estimates.

That change alone could close the bulk of the retirement program?s shortfall, said Bass.

Solutions will be much harder to come by for the funding gaps overtaking Medicare, which pays for health care for seniors, and Medicaid, which covers low-income households. That?s because Congress has little control over the rapid increases in the cost of delivering health care, no matter how it?s funded.

One very simple proposal would be to raise the age at which Medicare?coverage kicks in. Though simple, the idea is deeply unpopular with a wide swath of older, politically influential voters.

?It?s just a code for cutting benefits,? said Bass. ?However you do the math, it?s a cut to the beneficiaries.?

The change also wouldn't generate nearly enough in savings to offset the harsh political backlash it would produce.?Raising the eligibility age by just two years, to 67, would only save $125 billion?over 10 years, according to the CBO. That?s about 2 percent of the $7 trillion, 10-year overall budget?deficit lawmakers are trying to close.

Another proposal: raise Medicare?premiums. Since the program was launched in 1966, the share paid by beneficiaries? premiums has fallen from half of the cost of coverage to a quarter. But raising that to 35 percent of the cost would raise just $240 billion over 10 years, according to CBO.

Other budget-balancing moves include applying a ?means test? to Medicare benefits ? cutting the amount of coverage for wealthier seniors who can afford to buy their own private insurance.

?Raising premiums simply feeds a larger government,? said Knudsen. ?By reducing subsidies, you?re actually restraining the growth of government, which is what we favor.?

But, like Social Security, politically powerful lobbies?behind seniors covered by Medicare, including AARP,?strongly oppose any benefit cuts.

The ultimate solution, say budget analysts, is to slow the overall growth of health care spending, one of the primary goals of Obamacare. But it remains to be seen whether the estimated savings from that health-reform law?will materialize. Even then, the savings from that program, by themselves, are too small to make a serious dent in the overall?deficit.

Until they are, the unchecked growth of health care costs will remain the biggest???and thorniest ? problem involved in taming federal spending, say budget analysts.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/budget-talks-face-major-hurdles-spending-side-1C7657732

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Space to Retire

Artist?s impression of De Velde?Lifestyle Estate in Somerset West, designed by dhk Architects.

Having successfully raised a family, invested decades of working hours in a chosen career and established some assets and personal wealth, your retirement should be a time of reflection and new beginnings.

For most retired people this means downsizing their family homes and freeing up capital to buy smaller homes and do the things they have always wanted with the remainder.

?Selling your family home and investing in a property for your retirement means that you are effectively buying a way of life, which is why buying a home in an estate makes sense,? says Steven Brookes, chief executive of Balwin Properties.

The company has established a portfolio of sectional title developments and has helped many retired people to find homes in which to enjoy their golden years.

?Many retirement villages and sectional title developments are not designed with the space and privacy from neighbours that their residents are accustomed to and are more concerned with economic use of area. However there are some that have been designed with the proper architecture and orientation of the buildings as well as the optimisation of natural elements to create homes that are generous in space while offering privacy, along with a host of features that can enhance your new lifestyle.?

He suggests the following to look for when buying a retirement property:

?Your most important consideration should be security. Older people are often seen as soft-targets for criminals, and with South Africa?s soaring crime rates, security is an unquestionable necessity. You need to feel safe in your home and the environment in which you live, so pick an estate that offers an array of physical and electronic security features that will enable you to take a stroll or enjoy a picnic with your grandchildren at any time of the day or night. A complete security system can give peace of mind if you are planning to travel and looking for a lock-up-and-go to suit your needs.

?The estate should also offer elements that suit your lifestyle. For example, our most recent development, De Velde Somerset West, offers residents full access to the world-class De Velde Lifestyle Centre which has a fitness area, a cinema room, a library, a herb garden, a wine cellar, two swimming pools and much more.

?Retirement should be a time for relaxation and socialising with your friends and family. As you shop around for your new home, look for estates that are close to places such as beaches, shopping centres or attractions that will enable you to enjoy your new laid-back lifestyle to the full.?

The one, two and three-bedroomed homes on the De Velde Somerset West Lifestyle Estate were designed by Derrick Henstra of dhk Architects. One-bedroomed homes are priced from R499 900 and three-bedroomed homes from R899 900. Visit the show units between 2pm and 6pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

For more information, see www.develde.co.za.

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Source: http://www.sapropertynews.com/space-to-retire/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=space-to-retire

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Nervous parents send kids back to school in Newtown

Funeral directors from throughout Connecticut have come forward to help the grieving town, another example of support that's so desperately needed. NBC's Anne Thompson reports.

David Friedman / NBC News

Easton police officer J. Sollazzo greets parents and students returning to Hawley Elementary School on Tuesday in Newtown, Conn.

By Tracy Connor and Alexandra Moe, NBC News

With heavy hearts and amid high security, thousands of children in Newtown, Conn., returned to school Tuesday for the first time since a gunman killed 20 students and six staff at Sandy Hook Elementary.

It was a tiny glimmer of normalcy in a town that was also burying two more youngsters, but officials made it clear this will be no ordinary school day.

?This is a day to start healing,? Newtown High School Principal Charles Dumais wrote in an e-mail to parents before six schools opened two hours later than usual, with police officers and counselors on hand.

Sandy Hook, where a rifle-toting Adam Lanza turned two classrooms into a shooting gallery on Friday, remains a crime scene, with no indication if its 600 students will ever return to the building. Preparations are being made for them to use a school building in a neighboring town in the interim.

At Hawley Elementary, Keith Muckell said he felt ?deep sadness? as he dropped off his 8-year-old daughter, Shannon, but he knew he couldn?t keep her ?in a bubble.?

?I told her I loved her, kissed her, told the teacher to just take care of these guys. And he was like, ?We got it,?? Muckell said.

More victims of the mass shooting last week at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Conn., will be laid to rest Tuesday. Meanwhile, more details emerge about the gunman. TODAY's Natalie Morales reports.

He said that as Newtown?s children head back to school, he hopes the nation learns a gun-control lesson from the horrific tragedy that rocked the quiet bedroom community.

?I just hope that this is sort of a tipping point in some way to really do something meaningful," he said. "I am a hunter, a bow hunter just so you know, but I can't imagine why anybody would want these assault rifles. It just doesn't seem to me to make any sense."

Newtown Police Lt. George Sinko said the students? collective sense of security has been shattered.

"Obviously, there's going to be a lot of apprehension. We just had a horrific tragedy. We had babies sent to school that should be safe and they weren't," Sinko said. "You can't help but think... if this could happen again."

Full coverage: Tragedy at Sandy Hook

Even as schools were reopening, two more kids ? 6-year-olds Jessica Rekos and James Mattioli -- were being laid to rest.

Wakes also were scheduled Tuesday for Charlotte Bacon and Daniel Barden and for teacher Victoria Soto, 27, hailed as a hero for shielding her students in a closet.

On Monday, the first two funerals for shooting victims were held, with Noah Pozner and Jack Pinto, both 6, laid to rest in tiny coffins.

The slain children?s parents have been releasing statements praising school staffers and emergency responders.

The family of 6-year-old Dylan Hockley, a special needs student, said they chose Newtown for its excellent schools and ?shall never regret this choice.?

?Dylan's teacher, Vicki Soto, was warm and funny and Dylan loved her dearly.? We take great comfort in knowing that Dylan was not alone when he died, but was wrapped in the arms of his amazing aide, Anne Marie Murphy,? they added.

New details emerge on private lives of Adam Lanza, his mother

The father of Emilie Parker, 6, said he hoped her memory would inspire Americans to do good.

?Remember these beautiful children; keep them close to our hearts. Do not let their bright shining faces become extinguished,? he wrote.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy has called for a moment of silence on Friday at 9:30 a.m., exactly one week after massacre, one of the deadliest school schootings in U.S. history. Twenty-six church bells would be rung, one for each life lost.

David Friedman / NBC News

A nation mourns after the second deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at Sandy Hook Elementary, which left 20 children and six staff members dead.

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Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/18/15990432-nervous-parents-send-kids-back-to-school-in-newtown?lite

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