 "Photo: KRT photo")
ON CAMPUS Reading program expands to St. Columbkille's School
The Read Aloud program, an initiative that brings staff and faculty members to local elementary schools for reading and discussion, has expanded to a third Brighton school, according to the Boston College Chronicle. Read Aloud has been a fixture at two local elementary schools for the past decade and will now be offered to three grades at St. Columbkille's School. The 70 volunteers in the program, ranging in age from 20s to 60s, spend about an hour per week reading specially chosen, age-appropriate books to children. They also spend time discussing the books and holding general discussion with the students. This year saw the largest pool of applicants from the BC community.
Professor, students to create Web forum for Katrina victims
A Web site dedicated to adolescents affected by Hurricane Katrina is being designed by a professor and about 40 graduate and undergraduate students, according to the BC Chronicle. Belle Liang, an assistant professor in the Lynch School of Education, began work on the project after seeing the psychological effect that the storm had on people, especially youth. Besides the more obvious needs of food and shelter, the displaced have a need for friends and community, she said. The site, called GenerationPulse, will compile writings and visual art from adolescents directly and indirectly affected by the disaster. It is scheduled to premier in December.
UNIVERSITIES Cornell president condemns teaching of intelligent design
The movement to have intelligent design taught as science in schools across the nation is "very dangerous," said Cornell University's interim president, Hunter R. Rawlings III, according to The New York Times. The president denounced the system in a speech Friday given to hundreds of faculty members and trustees. In the address, Rawlings said colleges have not engaged in enough debate on the matter, which he called "religious belief masquerading as a secular idea." Intelligent design is a theory that states a higher power must be responsible for the universe because it is too intricate to be the product of natural selection and evolution.
George Mason Univ. wants charges dropped against protestor
Following an incident where a student at George Mason University was arrested in a confrontation with military recruiters, the university has released a statement urging for charges against him to be dropped, according to The Washington Post. In late September, Tariq Khan, 27, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was standing at a recruiter's table with flyers and wore a sign on his chest that read "Recruiters Lie, Don't be Deceived." Two men, one who identified himself as a Marine, yelled at Khan and ripped the sign off of his chest, he said. After brief questioning by campus police, he was arrested and charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct. The university released its request after conducting interviews with students and campus police. Khan maintains that he broke no university policies.
NATIONAL DeLay's lawyer requests judge to step down Rep. Tom DeLay's lawyer asked the presiding judge to step aside for making campaign contributions to Democrats, according to The Washington Post. After a hearing of less than five minutes, Judge Bob Perkins deferred further proceeding until a hearing is held on the request. DeLay reiterated his innocence to reporters after his brief first day in the courtroom. "I will be exonerated," the Texas Republican said. He did not speak inside in the courtroom; instead, he will have his chance to plead innocence at a later date. DeLay is being charged with conspiracy and money laundering, stemming from financial contributions in a legislative campaign. The hearing will now go to a state administrative judge.
LOCAL Brighton playground equipment torched by arsonists
Days before its installation, playground equipment at the Ringer Park lot was destroyed by fire early Wednesday morning, according to The Allston-Brighton TAB. The $80,000 apparatus was reported to be damaged, and Boston Police and Fire officials have called the blaze an arson. Workers at the site said the "tot lot" was clearly the intended target, as a lumber pile 10 feet away from the equipment was untouched. Area neighbors were stunned. "It was like a big bonfire," said Alda Conti, who reported the fire from her Imrie Road window.
Brookline among most polluted cities in the Boston area
In a recent study conducted by Northeastern University, Brookline was ranked the 25th most polluted city per square mile and 61st most polluted overall in the Boston area, according to The Brookline TAB. More than 350 cities, towns, and neighborhoods were considered, and Brookline stood out to many because of its ethnicity. "In communities with that type of income level and that racial makeup tend to score much higher than Brookline," said the study's author, Daniel Faber, director of the Philanthropy and Environmental Justice Research Project at Northeastern.
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