During the third quarter of each school year, I assign a research project to the eighth graders in my communication arts classes at South Middle School. They are required to write a 1,000 word essay, which this year will center around whichever aspect of the civil rights movement the students choose to examine.
Before the project gets underway, each student is made to understand that plagiarism will bring an automatic zero. It is really not something I feel the need to explain, since my students are intelligent and Joplin R-8 schoolteachers do an excellent job of teaching students why cheating is wrong and what the consequences will be if they try it.
That is why it is such a shame when I discover that plagiarism is being blatantly practiced by some of the people whose decisions in the state legislature make a big difference in my students' lives. I wrote recently about how Rep. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, sent out a capitol report which was almost word for word the one sent out by his legislative leader, Speaker of the House Rod Jetton. At the time, I wrote that I recalled another Joplin legislator had used the same Medicaid report, also claiming authorship. At the time, I could find no evidence in print about which legislator it was, I was relying solely on my memory. I have since uncovered the same column, with Joplin Republican Marilyn Ruestman's byline on it.
Quite frankly, we elect our state legislators because we expect them to be our voices in government. We do not put them in Jefferson City to parrot the voice of Rod Jetton or anyone else.
Apparently, Rep. Richard did not get the word that his plagiarism was out in the open. I have received his most recent Capitol Report, in which the second part of the two-part Medicaid series is featured. Once again, the message is almost word for word the same thing Rep. Jetton wrote in part two of his Medicaid report.
And Rep. Ruestman did exactly the same thing.
This paragraph opens Rep. Jetton's column:
"Last week, I wrote about the past changes to our Medicaid program. I talked about the fast rising, uncontrollable costs and explained that we had over 1 million people on the program. I also critized (sic) those who have made unfounded claims, trying to scare everyone on Medicaid."
Compare that to this paragraph in Rep. Ruestman's column:
"Last week, I wrote about the past changes to our Medicaid program. I talked about the fast-rising, uncontrollable costs and explained that we had over one million people on the program. I also criticized those who have made unfounded claims, trying to scare everyone on Medicaid."
The only changes were the correction on the spelling of criticized plus putting a dash in fast-rising and changing the numeral 1 to the word one.
And now the same paragraph in Rep. Richard's column:
Recently, I wrote about the past changes to our Medicaid program. I talked about the fast-rising, uncontrollable costs and explained that we had over 1 million people on the program. I also criticized those who have made unfounded claims, trying to scare everyone on Medicaid."
The same process is followed through each paragraph of the columns, which I will try to post later today, to allow Turner Report readers to make complete comparisons.
Remember the words in Rep. Ruestman's column, "Last week, I wrote," and the opening words in Rep. Richard's column, "Recently, I wrote."
No, Rep. Ruestman, you did not write anything. You took someone else's work and you claimed it as your own. The same holds true for Rep. Richard. Southwest Missourians should expect more from their elected officials. No offense to Rep. Jetton, but we didn't elect him to represent the Joplin area, we elected Ron Richard and Marilyn Ruestman. If they are fully in favor of the Medicaid reforms, then please let them have the courage...and the decency...to put it in their own words.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Whirlpool puts positive spin on eliminating Arkansas jobs
If there is any question about why newspapers and television stations should think twice before printing or airing news releases verbatim, all you have to do is consider the release issued Monday by the Whirlpool Corporation from its Benton Harbor, Mich., headquarters.
The suggested headline read, "New Refrigerated Factory in Mexico to Become Operational in 2006." The release notes that Whirlpool invested $250 million in the facility, which is not Mexican, but North American.
In the third paragraph, Whirlpool officials begin touting some of the good things that have happened to the company in the past year, including updating at its plants in Clyde, Ohio, Marion, Ohio, Fort Smith, Ark., Monterrey, Mexico, and Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. In fact, this new refrigerator factory that the company is touting will hire 1,000 workers when it is fully operational.
Nowhere in the news release does Whirlpool mention anything about hiring new workers in the United States. In fact, buried deep within the release is the information about how this change will affect the Fort Smith, Ark. plant. "Once the Ramos Arizpe facility is operational, approximately 730 employees at Whirlpool's Fort Smith, Ark., plant would be part of a layoff, currently planned for October 2006, as some models currently manufactured in Fort Smith would be shifted to the new plant in Mexico. Whirlpool currently anticipates that the vast majority of the layoffs will be voluntary and many of those would be recalled within 18 months, as part of the normal attrition rate at the Fort Smith facility. Since 2003, the Fort Smith facility has hired nearly 800 new employees."
It then continues by noting that the Fort Smith facility has about 4,600 workers, producing exactly the same type of machinery that will be manufactured at Whirlpool's new plant in Mexico.
And almost certainly, Whirlpool's stock will rise in value as more Fort Smith workers are pushed toward the unemployment line, voluntarily, of course.
The suggested headline read, "New Refrigerated Factory in Mexico to Become Operational in 2006." The release notes that Whirlpool invested $250 million in the facility, which is not Mexican, but North American.
In the third paragraph, Whirlpool officials begin touting some of the good things that have happened to the company in the past year, including updating at its plants in Clyde, Ohio, Marion, Ohio, Fort Smith, Ark., Monterrey, Mexico, and Ramos Arizpe, Mexico. In fact, this new refrigerator factory that the company is touting will hire 1,000 workers when it is fully operational.
Nowhere in the news release does Whirlpool mention anything about hiring new workers in the United States. In fact, buried deep within the release is the information about how this change will affect the Fort Smith, Ark. plant. "Once the Ramos Arizpe facility is operational, approximately 730 employees at Whirlpool's Fort Smith, Ark., plant would be part of a layoff, currently planned for October 2006, as some models currently manufactured in Fort Smith would be shifted to the new plant in Mexico. Whirlpool currently anticipates that the vast majority of the layoffs will be voluntary and many of those would be recalled within 18 months, as part of the normal attrition rate at the Fort Smith facility. Since 2003, the Fort Smith facility has hired nearly 800 new employees."
It then continues by noting that the Fort Smith facility has about 4,600 workers, producing exactly the same type of machinery that will be manufactured at Whirlpool's new plant in Mexico.
And almost certainly, Whirlpool's stock will rise in value as more Fort Smith workers are pushed toward the unemployment line, voluntarily, of course.
Joplin skydiver's adventures go national
Joplin skydiver, Shayla Richardson, who survived after her chute failed to open (see the post on Monday's Turner Report) was featured on the national CBS news this morning.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Diamond superintendent completes defensive driving course
In an earlier Turner Report entry, it was mentioned that Diamond R-4 Superintendent Mark Mayo had been stopped for speeding, but no further information was available at that time.
I finally have the information. According to Lawrence County Circuit Court records, Mayo pleaded guilty to speeding (11-15 miles per hour over the limit) and in exchange for not having points taken from his license, he agreed to take defensive driving school, which he successfully completed. He also paid a $46.50 fine.
I finally have the information. According to Lawrence County Circuit Court records, Mayo pleaded guilty to speeding (11-15 miles per hour over the limit) and in exchange for not having points taken from his license, he agreed to take defensive driving school, which he successfully completed. He also paid a $46.50 fine.
U. S. Supreme Court will not hear local case
Fate played another cruel trick on Granby's most famous bank robber, William J. R. Embrey today.
On the same day that the U. S. Supreme Court elected not to hear his appeal of his prison sentence, all of the publicity went to the court's decision not to block the midnight execution of Crips founder Tookie Williams.
According to his appeal, Embrey claims he should not have been sentenced to consecutive 20-year terms for bank robbery and kidnapping in connection with the March 11, 1979, robbery of a bank in Southwest City.
Embrey and his half-brother, Luie White of Diamond, approached bank official Darrell Spillers and his family at their Southwest City home and demanded money. Spillers took more than $11,000 from the bank, while Embrey and White held his family hostage. They left for Oklahoma in Spillers' car, taking him with them as "insurance," in case Spillers had called the police while he was at the bank.
When they reached their getaway car, they released Spillers unharmed. Embrey was later convicted in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on charges of armed bank robbery, in violation of the Federal Bank Robbery Act and kidnapping in violation of the Federal Kidnapping Act. On Sept. 19, 1980, Embrey received the consecutive 20-year sentences. Embrey received a break in 1997 when an appellate court panel ruled that he should not have received consecutive sentences and he was released since he had already served the time for one crime. The full court overruled that decision, however. Embrey was free on appeal, but he was unable to leave well enough alone.
On Dec. 5, 1998. Embrey, 64, and his half-brother, Luie White, were each charged with possession of firearms by a convicted felon following a traffic stop, according to court records.
White, who was driving, initially denied knowing who Embrey was, according to a news release from the U. S. Attorney's office, but then identified him as Herbert Jensen. After further questioning, the passenger identified himself as William Embrey. The trooper asked for permission to search the car.
At that point, according to the federal indictment, Embrey began to show heart attack symptoms and asked for antiglycerine pills which he said were in the trunk of his car. Embrey has a history of heart problems.
As he got out of the car, the trooper noticed two 9 mm ammunition clips on the seat where Embrey was sitting, according to the indictment. After putting Embrey in an ambulance, authorities said, a loaded handgun was found on the ground where he had been sitting. Three shotguns, three revolvers, more ammunition, Halloween masks, wigs, makeup, gloves, a police scanner and two-way radios were also found in the car's trunk.
According to an Associated Press report, one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said state and federal authorities believed Embrey and White were preparing to rob another bank.
Since that time, Embrey has made at least two attempts to sue the Highway Patrol officers who stopped him. claiming they violated his civil rights. Embrey, acting as his own lawyer, claimed troopers Stephen L. Grass and C. N. Ponder, were "trolling the highways for the purpose of targeting out-of-state and rental vehicles then creating and/or finding reasons to stop said vehicles for the sole purpose of searching for drugs."
On the same day that the U. S. Supreme Court elected not to hear his appeal of his prison sentence, all of the publicity went to the court's decision not to block the midnight execution of Crips founder Tookie Williams.
According to his appeal, Embrey claims he should not have been sentenced to consecutive 20-year terms for bank robbery and kidnapping in connection with the March 11, 1979, robbery of a bank in Southwest City.
Embrey and his half-brother, Luie White of Diamond, approached bank official Darrell Spillers and his family at their Southwest City home and demanded money. Spillers took more than $11,000 from the bank, while Embrey and White held his family hostage. They left for Oklahoma in Spillers' car, taking him with them as "insurance," in case Spillers had called the police while he was at the bank.
When they reached their getaway car, they released Spillers unharmed. Embrey was later convicted in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri on charges of armed bank robbery, in violation of the Federal Bank Robbery Act and kidnapping in violation of the Federal Kidnapping Act. On Sept. 19, 1980, Embrey received the consecutive 20-year sentences. Embrey received a break in 1997 when an appellate court panel ruled that he should not have received consecutive sentences and he was released since he had already served the time for one crime. The full court overruled that decision, however. Embrey was free on appeal, but he was unable to leave well enough alone.
On Dec. 5, 1998. Embrey, 64, and his half-brother, Luie White, were each charged with possession of firearms by a convicted felon following a traffic stop, according to court records.
White, who was driving, initially denied knowing who Embrey was, according to a news release from the U. S. Attorney's office, but then identified him as Herbert Jensen. After further questioning, the passenger identified himself as William Embrey. The trooper asked for permission to search the car.
At that point, according to the federal indictment, Embrey began to show heart attack symptoms and asked for antiglycerine pills which he said were in the trunk of his car. Embrey has a history of heart problems.
As he got out of the car, the trooper noticed two 9 mm ammunition clips on the seat where Embrey was sitting, according to the indictment. After putting Embrey in an ambulance, authorities said, a loaded handgun was found on the ground where he had been sitting. Three shotguns, three revolvers, more ammunition, Halloween masks, wigs, makeup, gloves, a police scanner and two-way radios were also found in the car's trunk.
According to an Associated Press report, one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said state and federal authorities believed Embrey and White were preparing to rob another bank.
Since that time, Embrey has made at least two attempts to sue the Highway Patrol officers who stopped him. claiming they violated his civil rights. Embrey, acting as his own lawyer, claimed troopers Stephen L. Grass and C. N. Ponder, were "trolling the highways for the purpose of targeting out-of-state and rental vehicles then creating and/or finding reasons to stop said vehicles for the sole purpose of searching for drugs."
Lawsuit against Joplin officer officially dismissed
A federal lawsuit against Joplin police officer Ron Buchanan was officially dismissed today.
The dismissal order, signed by Judge James C. England, was filed in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. The attorney for James Wright, the Joplin man who claimed Buchanan, other Joplin police officers and Jasper County Sheriff's Department deputies beat him during his arrest in January 2001, filed a document Dec. 9 saying that the case against Buchanan would be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be filed again.
The Dec. 9 filing indicated that a settlement had been reached between Wright and three other officers.
Buchanan, you will recall, has been in the news recently for his involvement in the controversial arrest and handcuffing of an 11-year-old boy at a Joplin elementary school.
The dismissal order, signed by Judge James C. England, was filed in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. The attorney for James Wright, the Joplin man who claimed Buchanan, other Joplin police officers and Jasper County Sheriff's Department deputies beat him during his arrest in January 2001, filed a document Dec. 9 saying that the case against Buchanan would be dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be filed again.
The Dec. 9 filing indicated that a settlement had been reached between Wright and three other officers.
Buchanan, you will recall, has been in the news recently for his involvement in the controversial arrest and handcuffing of an 11-year-old boy at a Joplin elementary school.
Barton County hearing set for accused double-murderer
A 10 a.m. Dec. 28 arraignment on burglary charges has been scheduled in Barton County Circuit Court for Micah Joel Holman, 32, Carthage. Holman's case, initially filed earlier this year, was delayed after he was arrested in Jasper County on two counts of murder and two counts of armed criminal action in connection with the deaths of Marvin and Peggy Steverson of Carthage. A July 10, 2006, date has been scheduled in Jasper County Circuit Court for his murder trial.
Joplin woman survives parachute failure
KTHV in Little Rock carried the story of Shayna Richardson, 21, Joplin, who survived an accident in Siloam Springs in which she was skydiving and her parachute failed to open.
They're just too busy for their civic duty
Among the bills pre-filed with the Missouri House of Representatives is HB 1091 submitted by Robin Wright Jones, D-St. Louis, which would exempt officeholders from jury duty while they are serving.
I did not know that this was an urgent need. The bill applies to all elected officials, according to its text, so everyone from city council and school board members to Governor Matt Blunt to Rep. Jones would be exempt from jury duty.
Hopefully, this bill will meet the quick demise it richly deserves. Ms. Jones and other elected officials are no better than any of the rest of us and have the same civic duty we all have.
I did not know that this was an urgent need. The bill applies to all elected officials, according to its text, so everyone from city council and school board members to Governor Matt Blunt to Rep. Jones would be exempt from jury duty.
Hopefully, this bill will meet the quick demise it richly deserves. Ms. Jones and other elected officials are no better than any of the rest of us and have the same civic duty we all have.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Globe a little late on school reserves story
Regular readers of The Turner Report who saw today's Joplin Globe report on the amount of money schools hold in reserve when it could be going to teachers and into classrooms probably felt a sense of deja vu.
The same information ran in this blog on March 25, about eight and a half months ago. My entry was based on information from MSTA's monthly magazine. Veteran Globe reporter Andy Ostmeyer did an excellent job with the stories that I read on the Globe's internet site, and there may be more in the newspaper.
The story has become timely again with Governot Matt Blunt's proposal to require 65 percent of school districts' money go into classroom education. MSTA opposes that proposal and notes that many school districts already have the money, but are hoarding it.
This is a portion of what I wrote on March 25:
As state legislators struggle to fix the foundation formula under which Missouri public schools are funded, one problem has not been mentioned.
Many of the schools whose officials are suing the state claiming the funding system is inadequate are not spending the money they are getting. Missouri State Teachers Association's "School and Community" magazine's March edition begins an article called "The Hoarding Mentality" by saying, "More than half of Missouri school districts are accumulating excess reserves."
Schools can be penalized by the state for having an end balance of less than three percent, but "more than 20 percent isn't playing fair with students, teachers, and taxpayers," the article said. The article noted that it is wise for districts to hold some money aside for "avoiding financial stress," "gaining interest revenue," "avoiding interest costs for capital projects," and "covering unexpected costs and revenue shortfalls."
The MSTA released a list of school districts with ending fund balances of more than 20 percent and the list included most of the districts in the Turner Report area. Some districts, such as Joplin and Carl Junction, were only slightly above the 20 percent and had been below it for the past three years. Others, such as Carthage, Jasper, Lamar, and Liberal, were below the 20 percent, with Lamar getting dangerously close to the three percent threshold during 2002-2003.
McDonald County, which has been used as the poster child for funding inequity had an ending fund balance of 37.75 percent, while Sarcoxie had 33.8 percent, 34.45 percent, and 45.19 percent over the past three years.
Diamond stayed within the less than 20 percent, but comfortably more than 10 percent ending fund balance while the late Dr. Greg Smith was superintendent, but began hoarding money during the reign of superintendent Mark Mayo.
MSTA's figures show the school with an ending fund balance of 27.3 percent in 2003-2004 and 22.2 percent during the 2002-2003 school year. I found the 22.2 percent ending fund balance for 2002-2003 particularly enlightening since that was the year Mayo suddenly decided in June that two teachers had to be cut to save $66,000, even though the MSTA figures indicate Diamond had an ending fund balance of $1,115,000. (I should mention in the spirit of complete disclosure that both of the teachers whose positions were eliminated already had signed contracts for the next year and I was one of them. I should also mention that the decision turned out to be the best thing that could have happened for me.)
During that time, Mayo and the Board of Education eliminated the vocal music program, the middle school reading program, all full-time counselors except the high school position, increased classroom numbers, began charging fees to participate in athletics and forced the Booster Club to cover the cost of the wrestling program.
You would think the district was on the edge of financial catastrophe. But according to the MSTA figures, the Diamond R-4 School District had an ending fund balance of $1,239.399 in 2003-2004.
In that blog entry, I used my personal experiences and knowledge of the Diamond R-4 School District. Not one person has stepped forward to challenge those numbers and today's Globe indicates that other school district officials are conceding that MSTA's figures are accurate.
***
On a slightly-related topic, it still amazes me that the Globe was willing a few short years ago to devote considerable space to a fight between two mothers (including a Diamond R-4 Board of Education member) at a youth wrestling match (blowing it far out of proportion at a time when the school was trying to pass the bond issue for the new high school), but is willing to give the present superintendent a free pass as he helped increase the district's fund balance by running off one experienced teacher after another and eliminated valuable programs at a time when the district had the money to keep those programs going.
The same information ran in this blog on March 25, about eight and a half months ago. My entry was based on information from MSTA's monthly magazine. Veteran Globe reporter Andy Ostmeyer did an excellent job with the stories that I read on the Globe's internet site, and there may be more in the newspaper.
The story has become timely again with Governot Matt Blunt's proposal to require 65 percent of school districts' money go into classroom education. MSTA opposes that proposal and notes that many school districts already have the money, but are hoarding it.
This is a portion of what I wrote on March 25:
As state legislators struggle to fix the foundation formula under which Missouri public schools are funded, one problem has not been mentioned.
Many of the schools whose officials are suing the state claiming the funding system is inadequate are not spending the money they are getting. Missouri State Teachers Association's "School and Community" magazine's March edition begins an article called "The Hoarding Mentality" by saying, "More than half of Missouri school districts are accumulating excess reserves."
Schools can be penalized by the state for having an end balance of less than three percent, but "more than 20 percent isn't playing fair with students, teachers, and taxpayers," the article said. The article noted that it is wise for districts to hold some money aside for "avoiding financial stress," "gaining interest revenue," "avoiding interest costs for capital projects," and "covering unexpected costs and revenue shortfalls."
The MSTA released a list of school districts with ending fund balances of more than 20 percent and the list included most of the districts in the Turner Report area. Some districts, such as Joplin and Carl Junction, were only slightly above the 20 percent and had been below it for the past three years. Others, such as Carthage, Jasper, Lamar, and Liberal, were below the 20 percent, with Lamar getting dangerously close to the three percent threshold during 2002-2003.
McDonald County, which has been used as the poster child for funding inequity had an ending fund balance of 37.75 percent, while Sarcoxie had 33.8 percent, 34.45 percent, and 45.19 percent over the past three years.
Diamond stayed within the less than 20 percent, but comfortably more than 10 percent ending fund balance while the late Dr. Greg Smith was superintendent, but began hoarding money during the reign of superintendent Mark Mayo.
MSTA's figures show the school with an ending fund balance of 27.3 percent in 2003-2004 and 22.2 percent during the 2002-2003 school year. I found the 22.2 percent ending fund balance for 2002-2003 particularly enlightening since that was the year Mayo suddenly decided in June that two teachers had to be cut to save $66,000, even though the MSTA figures indicate Diamond had an ending fund balance of $1,115,000. (I should mention in the spirit of complete disclosure that both of the teachers whose positions were eliminated already had signed contracts for the next year and I was one of them. I should also mention that the decision turned out to be the best thing that could have happened for me.)
During that time, Mayo and the Board of Education eliminated the vocal music program, the middle school reading program, all full-time counselors except the high school position, increased classroom numbers, began charging fees to participate in athletics and forced the Booster Club to cover the cost of the wrestling program.
You would think the district was on the edge of financial catastrophe. But according to the MSTA figures, the Diamond R-4 School District had an ending fund balance of $1,239.399 in 2003-2004.
In that blog entry, I used my personal experiences and knowledge of the Diamond R-4 School District. Not one person has stepped forward to challenge those numbers and today's Globe indicates that other school district officials are conceding that MSTA's figures are accurate.
***
On a slightly-related topic, it still amazes me that the Globe was willing a few short years ago to devote considerable space to a fight between two mothers (including a Diamond R-4 Board of Education member) at a youth wrestling match (blowing it far out of proportion at a time when the school was trying to pass the bond issue for the new high school), but is willing to give the present superintendent a free pass as he helped increase the district's fund balance by running off one experienced teacher after another and eliminated valuable programs at a time when the district had the money to keep those programs going.
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