| Contractor loses La. scholarship account data dating back to 1998
BATON ROUGE, La. -- A Boston-based contractor hired to store and safeguard state scholarship and college savings account data lost most of those records _ including bank account numbers and student and parent Social Security numbers _ during a move, officials say. "We certainly don't want to create any panic. But people should be aware and take the necessary steps," said Melanie Amrhein, executive director of the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance. "This is backup data off of a mainframe that contains sensitive personal information." Special equipment and software and "sophisticated computer skills" would be needed to get the compressed records from the TOPS scholarship program, START Saving Program, and Free Application for Federal Student Aid, according to a notice posted on the Internet.
Governor proposes lean operating budget
After a bruising special session to address Maryland's chronic deficits, Gov. Martin O'Malley proposed one of the leanest state budgets in the past two decades, relying on cuts in open space and road maintenance and a slowdown in an education spending initiative to place the state on sound financial footing.
The governor proposed a 4 percent increase in the state's operating budget - the lowest in five years and one of the lowest in the past 25 years. A 7.5 percent increase was approved by the General Assembly last year.
O'Malley, a Democrat in his second year in office, has been working to put his stamp on the state's government but has been constrained by a structural budget deficit, projected at $1.7 billion for the fiscal year that begins in July.
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Future wide open for Skyline senior
His Skyline teammates tried to recruit him to Minnesota early on, but he asked them to stop. "It's my decision," said Cooper, a 2007 SportsDay first-team All-Area selection. "Where I am most comfortable is where I'm going." Cooper, No. 13 on SportsDay's Area Top 100, said he will visit Oklahoma or Wisconsin next weekend and possibly Kansas the weekend of Feb. 1. He visited Kansas State in the fall. Cooper said if he's blown away by Texas Tech, he could commit this weekend. "It's the school that's been coming after me for awhile," Cooper said. He plans to let things play out, but his cousin, Victor Hunter of Irving Nimitz, is a backup middle linebacker at Tech. And his family wants him to stay close to home.
Families, businesses share money worries
Families, businesses share money worries More than half of Marylanders polled believe the economy is bad and getting worse Rising gasoline prices are part of the problem that is forcing up the cost of nearly everything, which has caused a general pessimism and expectation of recession. (Sun photo by Monica Lopossay / January 16, 2008) .
Matthews unveils Clinton plan to make higher education more accessible
Increasing a tuition tax credit, increasing Pell grants and simplifying the student aid process are a few of the proposals Democratic presidential candidate U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton campaign officials unveiled Thursday morning as part of her effort to make college more affordable and accessible.Sen. John Matthews, a state co-chair of the Clinton presidential campaign, presented Clinton's educational plan during a press conference held on the s.jpg of Claflin University's Tingley Memorial Hall.Speaking to about 20 students gathered behind him, Matthews stressed the impact Clinton's plan would have on them and thousands of other college students."If we can reduce your cost to go to college, more of our children will have access and all of us will be better off," Matthews said. "This plan is intended to make sure that lower income students have a chance to compete in this knowledge-based economy by getting a college degree and reducing your burden when you get out of college.
Intimidating groups of teenagers adorn the landscape
The cute puppies in the windows are a magnet for the under four year old set who love to drag their parents there to inspect the inventory. Most of the males I observe wear sneakers... young men or old men, sneakers are the footwear of choice. Sandals show up in the warmer weather and they and shorts are interesting because you can inventory the large amount of tattoos that live on ankles and lower legs. Old timers like me are continually asking themselves, "What were they thinking?" Watching parents with small children create a special appreciation for my idea of family responsibilities. It engages all of one's attention and energy to take a three year old to the mall. With no difficulty at all, the toddlers can break away and run into Olympia sports, pick up a baseball bat, and start whacking things.
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