| New assisted living facility to open soon
PLEASANTON - When the doors open at Parkview Assisted Living this month, 10 years of planning and development to bring the 105-unit senior housing complex to Pleasanton will come to a close. The 60,000-square-foot complex is a joint venture of the city, the nonprofit group BRIDGE Housing Corporation and assisted living services provider Eskaton. In addition to providing assisted living and memory care for Tri-Valley residents, the $25 million facility includes 31 units set aside for low-income seniors -- a commodity in short supply. "There are very few affordable assisted living facilities (in the Tri-Valley)," Pleasanton housing specialist Scott Erickson said. "None reach the depth of affordability that ours does." Anne Burns Johnson, president of Sacramento-based Aging Services of California, said being able to offer 30 percent of units as affordable housing in a project like this is a higher-than-usual share.
Budget remake is unlikely, local legislators say
Local legislators say its unlikely they will reopen the budget and fund from a revenue surplus all the projects Gov. Ernie Fletcher proposed in his State of the Commonwealth speech Tuesday. The $232 million surplus can be used to provide additional funding for education and health-care initiatives, Fletcher said. Fletcher attributed the surplus to his effort to modernize the tax code and improve efficiency in government. "This is not a budget year, but our effort to run government effectively has created the opportunity to address some of Kentuckys pressing needs in this session," Fletcher said. Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway, said Fletcher proposed some good programs, such as providing $5 million for adult education and $20 million for need-based tuition assistance. However, Rollins said putting money in the budget reserve trust fund or the state retirement systems will have priority.
Center may carry name of 1st Hispanic councilman
A west Phoenix senior center could be renamed after the city's first Hispanic city councilman. No city-owned facility bears the name of Adam Diaz, although he made history in 1953 when he was elected to the City Council. The 97-year-old hobnobbed with political giants like the late Sen. Barry Goldwater. Diaz helped found Friendly House and mentored Hispanic leaders such as county supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and former state lawmaker Alfredo Gutierrez. .
Head Start programs make cuts
Several Head Start programs across the country, including Cabarrus County, have slashed staffing and programming to adjust their budgets in response to flat federal funding in recent years, according to a survey released last week by the National Head Start Association. The national private, nonprofit organization is calling for a $750 million increase in federal funding through the 2008 fiscal year to stabilize what Head Start officials deem an 11 percent effective cut in federal support - adjusted for inflation - since 2002. Head Start programs received a 1 percent cut in federal funding for the 2006 fiscal year. "I don't recall a worse time for the program or more threatening circumstances," said Sarah Greene, president and CEO of the National Head Start Association. Without such funding, the quality of Head Start programs will continue to decline, Greene said.
2010 World Cup to sell southern Africa
Mrs Masire-Mwamba advised the business people, sport officials and other stakeholders not to forget that everything they do should be guided by the principles of FIFA and should be in the context of the world footballs governing body requirements. The Botswana Football Association (BFA) president, Mr Phillip Makgalemele said football and business officials from the two countries should come together and negotiate business deals. He said there is need to replicate what the Germans did when they hosted the 2006 World Cup in terms of partnerships between sports and business. The 2010 FIFA World Cup should be packaged as part of diversifying the economy and various national activities should from now on have this major event as part of their theme to give it the hype and profile, Mr Makgalemele said.
|
