Bullard Seeks New Principal While Accreditation Review Is Pending - gvwire.com

Bullard High School, which is in the midst of a delayed accreditation review, is in search of a new principal after Dr. Johnny Alvarado resigned to take a new job at Selma Unified School District.

Alvarado’s tenure at Bullard was short — he started work in July 2019, when Bullard was already one year into a two-year probationary accreditation with the Western Association of Colleges and Schools.

Area residents are “taking a back seat” on lobbying efforts this time around, former trustee Michelle Asadoorian told GV Wire. But she says the district would do well to consider Armen Torigian, Tenaya Middle School’s principal.

Bullard’s probationary accreditation was subsequently extended, in part because of leadership change at the northwest Fresno high school but also because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alvarado told GV Wire on Tuesday.

WASC now is scheduled to conduct either an in-person or virtual visit next spring, he said. The accreditation committee had been scheduled to visit in the middle of November, but the change in school leadership prompted the postponement.

The district did not immediately respond to a request for information about Bullard’s accreditation status.

Accreditation is important because it’s a sign that a school meets quality standards showing that students are being properly prepared for college and the workforce.

The 2018 WASC report found a number of areas in which Bullard needed to show improvement, including providing more support for students who are college-bound or in career technical education, improving professional development opportunities for faculty, and developing a stronger sense of community among students, staff, parents, and other stakeholders.

New Job at Selma Unified

Alvarado now is chief academic officer of Selma Unified, a job that he said gives him the opportunity to work at the district level. His first day was Monday.

The highlights of his tenure at Bullard included improvements in academic performance and reductions in behavioral referrals, he said. But close to half of his time at Bullard was during the COVID pandemic, when schools were closed and few if any behavioral referrals occurred. Standardized testing was put on hold during the pandemic.

Alvarado said his decision to leave Bullard for Selma Unified was not an easy one and his departure was “bittersweet.” But even though the timing is awkward — several months into the school year and with the accreditation pending — the opportunity for himself and his family was too good to pass up.

Prominent members of the Bullard community had lobbied several years ago for the district to appoint Alvarado to Bullard’s top job, including former Trustee Michelle Asadoorian.

Area residents are “taking a back seat” on lobbying efforts this time around, Asadoorian told GV Wire. But she says the district would do well to consider Armen Torigian, Tenaya Middle School’s principal.

Torigian is a Bullard graduate who returned to teach business at his alma mater for 10 years, left for a job at Central Unified as a school administrator, and then returned to Fresno Unified to head Tenaya.

“Armen Torigian has worked his whole career toward this job. He bleeds Bullard blue,” Asadoorian said.

Bullard Alum Hopes to Head School

Torigian, who was a place-kicker for Fresno State’s football team in the 1990s and is a university graduate, confirmed to GV Wire that he has applied for the job.

“It’s not a secret where I want to end up,” he said.

He’s already pretty familiar with the high school’s student body, many of whom attended Tenaya while he was principal. Torigian says that during his tenure at Tenaya the school’s culture and students’ sense of connection improved significantly, which he attributes to the strong teamwork among school staff. On his arrival only 40% of students reported they felt connected to the school, but in the latest survey 84% say they feel connected, he said.

That increase is in large part because students are encouraged to get involved and be empowered, he said.

Torigian said he heard that the district wants to have an appointment in time for the Dec. 8 School Board meeting so the new principal can start after the Christmas holiday break.

According to the Fresno Unified job board online, the deadline to apply for the Bullard principal job is Wednesday. The annual salary range is $122,121 to $148,439.

2018 WASC Visiting Committee Accreditation Report

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Appeal asking for a stay of execution for Julius Jones still pending at 10th circuit - KFOR Oklahoma City

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Appeal asking for a stay of execution for Julius Jones still pending at 10th circuit  KFOR Oklahoma City
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Pending town board approval, Spencer to contract with Rowan Sheriff to alleviate officer shortage - WBTV

SPENCER, N.C. (WBTV) - The Rowan County town of Spencer will likely begin paying the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office for deputies to help cover patrol shifts. Three patrol officers and a sergeant have recently resigned from the Spencer Police Department.

“Our staffing levels are low,” said Town Manager Peter Franzese. “They (deputies) would cover shifts temporarily while we build back our staffing.”

The Rowan County Commission approved its part of the plan on Monday night. Under the terms of the agreement, the Town of Spencer will pay deputies at 1.5 times their regular hourly rate for each hour worked, regardless of the number of hours worked for the sheriff’s office . Deputies working in Spencer would also receive a $300 bonus for working 40 hours in a 14-day period, and a $150 bonus for working at least eight hours on Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Spencer will pay Rowan County $50 for each hour of service. That money will cover associated costs, including the salary and benefits, vehicle, gas, uniform, and equipment.

“We appreciate the sheriff and the county’s assistance to keep our shifts covered,” Franzese added. “We are doing all we can to build up our staffing.”

The Spencer Town Board will likely approve the agreement at its meeting on Tuesday, November 9.

Those interested in learning about a career with the Spencer Police Department can see more information here.

Copyright 2021 WBTV. All rights reserved.

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Pending work stoppage could have a chilling effect on MLB free agent market - Bless You Boys

When the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between major league baseball’s owners and players expires at midnight on December 1, 2021, MLB could see its’ first work stoppage since 1994, when labor strife led to the cancellation of the post season. ESPN reports that a work stoppage is all but certain.

There hasn’t been a player strike in one of the major sports since the 1994 season. Every work stoppage since has come in the form of a lockout, and that is the more likely cause of a work stoppage this time in MLB, especially during the off season.

It is possible that MLB will announce a moratorium on player movement, including trades and free agent signings, which would be like poking a stick into the eye of the players’ association. But even without a signing freeze, uncertainty about the terms of a new agreement could have a chilling effect on the free agent market.

Several clauses in the current agreement could change in a new CBA:

Luxury tax penalties, also known as Competitive balance taxes, could cause higher spending teams in particular to hesitate before signing any large contracts, not knowing the true cost of the deal. The New York Yankees, for example, went to great trouble to get their payroll under the tax threshold to lower their tax rate going forward.

The trouble is that we don’t know what the new threshold will be, or even if there will be an accelerator for teams that are repeat offenders. MLB actually suggested a $180 million upper threshold in a proposal to the players in September, which is lower than the current $ 215 million level. Nobody in their right mind believes that the players will accept a lower threshold, and as long as the owners are stuck there, there will be no agreement. But still, uncertainty remains.

Qualifying offers are due five days after the end of the World Series for any team hoping to receive compensation for losing their own free agent players. Under the current agreement, teams must make an offer of $ 18.4 million for one season, then have that offer rejected by the player, who then signs with a new team, resulting in compensation to the former club, depending on the amount of the new contract.

Chances are that teams will still receive compensation if they make a qualifying offer this year, but with the expiration of the agreement on December 1, the entire compensation scheme could change.

Free agent compensation payment for signing free agents is also on the table. Players want to eliminate payment of compensation, although it only applies to a select few players. Just two of ten players accepted qualifying offers last winter, and just one of seven the previous winter. If the payment of free agent compensation is eliminated, will teams be required to surrender a draft pick or two? What if they sign the player prior to the new CBA being signed?

A salary floor, which could force teams at the bottom of the payroll scale to spend more on player salaries, could be part of a new CBA. The owners proposed a floor, but only along with their ridiculous proposal for lowering the upper threshold on the competitive balance tax. Players should be pushing hard for a stiff tax on teams that fail to spend, but whether teams will have that incentive is not known.

Arbitration eligibility could also be modified in a new agreement. The eligibility requirement for arbitration has crept slowly downward, from three years, to two years and 120 to 140 days of service time. The deadline to make a qualifying offer to arbitration eligible players is also December 1st, the same day that the current CBA expires. Most likely, the 2022 arbitration class will not change, regardless of whether service time eligibility changes in the new agreement.

Free agent signings have slowed considerably in recent years, as salaries have declined and players and teams waited to see what the players at the top of the pay scale receive in free agency. If the Dodgers and Yankees are reluctant to sign Corey Seager because they don’t know the actual cost for lack of tax information, Carlos Correa and other premium shortstops may hold off until the bar has been set, just as an example.

An interim agreement to continue certain terms of the current agreement could remove much of the uncertainty in the market. MLB has offered to extend the current CBA for another season, an offer which was rejected by the players. An interim deal could provide that the current compensation scheme and competitive balance tax structure remains in place for the first year of a new agreement.

While owners are much more satisfied with the terms of the current agreement, players have seen total spending on salaries decline over recent seasons. Even though the status quo might favor owners in the short term, a robust free agent market is not something that they want to facilitate.

If the free agent market is brought to a halt, there could be a stalemate lasting into spring training, followed by a frenzy just before the 2022 season begins. Any edict from the commissioner’s office to not sign any free agent players could- and should result in legal action to ban the moratorium as an act of collusion.

A team- looking at you Tigers- could avoid the uncertainty by striking early on their free agent target(s), swallowing the fact that they will surrender a supplemental second round draft pick. Detroit doesn’t need to be concerned about the luxury tax, even if it were dropped to $180 million, and they shouldn’t be concerned about a $100 million salary floor. They might even find a player or two that also wants to jump the market and avoid the uncertainty of a possible work stoppage that leaves them in limbo all winter long.

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Britney Spears' Marriage to Sam, Prenup On Hold Pending Conservatorship Ruling - TMZ

Britney Spears wants to get married, buy a house and have kids ... but those plans are all on hold until the judge in her conservatorship case decides if it should end ... TMZ has learned.

Britney and Sam Asghari are engaged, but sources with direct knowledge tell us they have not made any wedding plans because of the impending court hearing. Ditto the prenup ... there's been no movement. And, TMZ broke the story ... they want to buy a house together, but that's on ice as well.

All signs point to the 13-year-long conservatorship coming to an end, but it's not guaranteed. The wild card -- whether the judge orders a mental evaluation. Britney, Jamie and others have urged the judge to end it without such an evaluation ... in fact, so far no one involved in the conservatorship has suggested otherwise.

Nevertheless, with 13 years of mental evaluations on file with the court, it's up to the judge whether to cut Britney free without another one. The judge has an easy out given the parties don't want it, but given the various diagnoses over the years, the judge may want to hear from psychiatrists and other doctors before making the decision.

SEPTEMBER 2021

@britneyspears / Instagram

As for all her plans, Britney is living her life ... hanging with Sam, going on vacation and posting stories about her life on social media.

TMZ.com

We got Sam out last week who jokingly told us he was happy to be cast in an upcoming Mel Gibson flick, because living off stimulus checks was getting tough. BTW ... Mel and Britney have a strong connection. He reached out and helped her during her low point around the time the conservatorship began.

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Engineer inquires about pending fuel station in Monroe County - Martins Ferry Times Leader

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Engineer inquires about pending fuel station in Monroe County  Martins Ferry Times Leader
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Cabell Huntington Hospital cancels some elective surgeries due to pending strike - Huntington Herald Dispatch

HUNTINGTON — A strike that has yet to begin is already inconveniencing a Huntington woman who said she had her elective surgery cancelled by Cabell Huntington Hospital.

“I was scheduled for surgery two weeks ago to have my gallbladder removed,” said Jessica Blevins of Huntington. “I have been very sick, but Cabell Huntington Hospital called me on Friday and cancelled my surgery that was scheduled for this Friday (Nov. 5).”

Blevins, 41, said the hospital worker who called her said a pending strike by some union health-care workers at the hospital was the reason she was given for the cancellation.

“I’m trying to find someone else to do my surgery,” she said. “I contacted my doctor and still haven’t heard anything back. As of right now, there is no rescheduling by the hospital and they said they would get back with me.”

Molly Frick, director of human resources for Cabell Huntington Hospital, said Monday some elective surgeries scheduled at the hospital have been temporarily postponed.

“While we continue to negotiate the contract with the goal of reaching an agreement, out of an abundance of caution Cabell Huntington Hospital has temporarily postponed some elective surgeries,” Frick said in an email. “The hospital will re-evaluate the circumstances and work with patients to get them rescheduled as quickly as possible. We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience this is causing our patients.”

Frick did not provide a total number of elective surgeries temporarily postponed.

The hospital appears to be preparing for a strike by roughly 1,000 SEIU District 1199 union workers in the service and maintenance units set to begin on Wednesday, Nov. 3.

On Oct. 20, the union workers voted overwhelmingly to send a 10-day strike notice to the hospital’s management, union officials said. The union says workers are fighting for quality care, safe staffing, wages that allow them to provide for their families and health insurance coverage.

SEIU District 1199 members of the bargaining unit reported they overwhelmingly rejected the hospital’s latest contract offer on Friday.

“Management came to the table with major concessions, despite a new $51 million office complex and steady revenue and income margins since the acquisition of St. Mary’s (Medical Center) in 2019,” the union said in a statement.

Joyce Gibson, secretary-treasurer of SEIU District 1199 WV/KY/OH, said Monday that both sides were back in negotiations.

“For decades, the union workers at Cabell Huntington Hospital have been able to negotiate a fair contract with hospital executives, but now CHH administrators are prioritizing profits over quality care and the dignity of the hospital staff,” Gibson said. “The employees at Cabell Huntington Hospital, who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to care for our community, are deeply concerned about the future of quality care as hospital executives are refusing to address vital things like staffing and employee retention.”

Yvonne Brooks, who has worked at the hospital for more than 37 years, says workers are concerned about job security and patient care.

“We remain committed to sitting down with Cabell executives and negotiating a contract that protects patient care and ensures that workers and their families in our community have the job security and healthcare we have earned,” she said.

Cabell Huntington Hospital is one of the largest employers in Huntington and is part of Mountain Health Network, which also owns St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington.

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