jimblr.com

Most Minnesotans see Richard Hamilton Smith’s photographs every day. They just don’t know it. His pictures often appear in advertising with no acknowledgement of the photographer behind the lens. But that will change Saturday when the US Postal Service and Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission celebrate a First-Day-of-Issue ceremony for the commemorative stamp bearing Smith’s photograph. Smith was unable to attend the unveiling in Winona last fall, but he will be at Saturday’s Statehood Festival on the state Capitol grounds. Usually, Smith, who lives in rural Park Rapids, prefers to avoid the limelight. Saturday he will be signing posters and other postal paraphernalia bearing the stamp’s image as they go…
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parkrapidsenterprise.com

By BETH HARRIS – 57 minutes ago
NEW YORK (AP) — Finding Big Brown’s first trainer requires a long walk to the far back corner of sprawling Belmont Park, past rundown barns with peeling white paint.
Pat Reynolds is sitting in his small, harshly lit office, last barn on the right. Outside the door, some of his 15 horses curiously poke their heads out of stalls. None is the once-in-a-lifetime horse that got away.
The one who did was Big Brown.
“There are pangs of `what if.’ Could should woulda,” said Reynolds, whose former pupil went on to win the Kentucky Derby and Preakness and on Saturday will attempt to become thoroughbred racing’s first Triple Crown winner in 30 years.
The colt was out of Reynolds’ barn a few weeks after he saddled Big Brown to a debut victory — by 11 1/4 lengths — in a turf race at Saratoga in September.
He was gone in a sale for $2.5 million to IEAH Stable, whose co-president Michael Iavarone was impressed with Big Brown’s win. Owner Paul Pompa Jr. retained a 25 percent interest in Big Brown, but the deal required the horse be transferred to Rick Dutrow Jr., who trains for IEAH.
Under Dutrow, Big Brown ran to dominant victories in an allowance race, then the Florida Derby, Kentucky Derby and Preakness. He is the 2-5 early favorite for the 1 1/2-mile Belmont Stakes.
Reynolds has no horses entered on the Belmont undercard, so he may watch Big Brown’s run at history from home or the track. “Maybe they’ll give me a little bean bag chair to set on,” he said.
Saying goodbye to Big Brown wasn’t a total loss. Pompa gave Reynolds 10 percent — or $250,000 — of the sale price.
“I used that money to get myself squared away, get out of debt and keep going in the game,” said Reynolds, who at 57 has enjoyed some graded stakes wins in a training career that began in 1974.

ap.google.com

The zoo: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily beginning Saturday and until 5 p.m. today and Friday
Zoombezi Bay: 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through June 5 plus Aug. 18-21 and 24-26, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1; 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays June 6-Aug. 16; and 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays June 8-Aug. 14 plus Aug. 17, 22-23 and 30
Jungle Jack’s Landing: opens when Zoombezi Bay opens and closes one hour after Zoombezi Bay closes
New entrance and exit gates feed all traffic into the parking lot from a relocated Powell Road. Parking costs $5.
Visitors to the zoo and/or Zoombezi Bay enter through a new and larger front gate, which is automated with bar-code scanners.
A ticket for Zoombezi Bay includes access to the zoo as well as Jungle Jack’s Landing. A ticket for the zoo includes access to Jungle Jack’s Landing. The prices:
The zoo: $10, or $7 for children 2 to 9 and senior citizens, free for children younger than 2.
Zoombezi Bay: $29.99, or $24.99 for children 2 to 9 and senior citizens, free for children younger than 2.
Jungle Jack’s Landing: $1 or $2 a ride, or $15 a day for unlimited rides.
For more information, call 614-645-3550 or visit www.columbuszoo.org.
A slight drizzle and 64 degrees: Is this any way to launch a water park?
“Hey, it’s perfect,” said Rick Dike, pulling himself out of the Wild Tides wave pool Saturday at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s new Zoombezi Bay.
Dike was among 6,000 guests
– invited to test-drive the Powell water park and the adjacent amusement park, both set to open to the public Monday.
The guinea pigs — especially the younger ones — didn’t seem to mind the cool, cloudy weather as they made their way through 15 activities filled with more than 1 million gallons of water.

columbusdispatch.com

After 36 years at the helm, the president of St. Johns River Community College asked the college’s trustees Wednesday to begin a search for a new leader.
Robert L. McLendon Jr., who was named the third president of the college in 1972, said he will stay until a new president is appointed.
McLendon, the most senior community college president in Florida’s system, served during major changes at the college, such as adding Orange Park and St. Augustine campuses and construction on several buildings.
With the college’s 50th anniversary this year, McLendon said he evaluated progress made and decided he would be leaving the college in a “good situation to build on.”
“It’s just time,” he said. “After 44 years - 36 of them as president - it’s time to move on. It’s a long time.”
During his term, the college added the Florida School of the Arts, the Criminal Justice Center in St. Augustine, the Thrasher-Horne Center for the Arts and the $13 million Health-Sciences Building in Orange Park.
Recently, his presidency faced several controversies including sexual harassment accusations, a stinging state financial audit and questions about use of funds.
McLendon, 70, said none of that played a role in his decision, which he said he made independently.
“I could have stayed there as long as I wanted,” he said.
McLendon settled the sexual harassment suit for $40,000 after a female employee claimed he groped her. McLendon’s attorney contended it was merely a hug after an emotional meeting.
A 2007 state audit also warned college officials against favoritism with outside contractors. McLendon denied any questionable dealings and officials have noted that subsequent audits showed no problems.
About $15,000 in tax funds used for college retreats also raised questions at the school. McLendon claimed the funds were appropriately used.
College trustee Preston B. Sloan said he doesn’t think any of those issues should affect McLendon’s legacy. He said the college has thrived for decades and the recent troubles are “only blips” in the college’s history.

jacksonville.com

Torontonians, please stifle your laughter when you read the following confession:
The stink of the subway fascinates me.
I’m talking about that stale whoosh of air that heralds the arrival of a train. It swoops in from the kind of shadowy tunnel that would make Lex Luthor homesick. It’s industrial. It’s decrepit. And to a small-town girl like me, it screams out one, glorious thing: BIG CITY.
If you didn’t grow up with a subway, an underground or a “tube,” one of the most thrilling aspects of visiting a metropolis that is thus endowed is navigating the transport system. The frantic paces, the dour faces and the prerecorded, disinterested voice that announces the next station - it’s all so very exotic.
And it’s easy. Compared to deciphering a streetcar or bus system, riding the subway is a cakewalk.
Having recently moved to Toronto, I vowed to ride the two staple TTC subway lines in their entirety. From Kipling to Kennedy and from Downsview to Finch - I sat amongst the black-clad commuters, avoiding eye contact as per the unspoken code.
But that’s not all.
I got out at every single stop, determined to prove that a) the subway is the best way to get to know the city in a hurry; and b) a point of interest is never more than a short walk from a TTC station.
All Aboard the Subway Safari …
It’s hard to avoid the creepy sensation that you’re approaching the ends of the earth as the train snakes past a colossal heap of dirt and debris, a metal scrapyard and a giant parking lot before depositing you near a colony of electrical towers. But hell hath sustenance, and it comes in the form of an old school diner that would have made Archie and the Riverdale gang feel right at home. Apache Burgers (a.k.a. the restaurant that political correctness forgot, 5236 Dundas St. W.) has been serving up (what else?) the Apache Burger since 1969.

canada.com

[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]
THE BOYS ARE BEING HELD HOSTAGE IN AN ALL-NEW “SOUTH PARK” ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23 AT 10:00 P.M. ON COMEDY CENTRAL
NEW YORK, April 21, 2008 — A class field trip to the living museum takes a deadly turn in an all-new episode of “South Park, entitled “Super Fun Time,” premiering on Wednesday, April 23 at 10:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on COMEDY CENTRAL.
Mr. Garrison takes the fourth grade class on an educational field trip to a Pioneer Village where dedicated workers remain in character as their counterparts from the 1800s. Cartman forces Butters to ditch the fanatical townsfolk and go to the amusement center located next door. While the rest of the kids are reluctantly learning about the good old days in Colorado, a group of trigger-happy thieves break into the museum and take everyone hostage.
Launched in 1997, “South Park,” now in its 12th season, remains the highest-rated series on COMEDY CENTRAL. “South Park” repeats Wednesdays at 12:00 a.m., Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. and Sundays at 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
Co-creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone are executive producers, along with Anne Garefino, of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning “South Park.” Frank C. Agnone II is the supervising producer. Eric Stough, Adrien Beard, Bruce Howell and Kyle McCulloch are producers. “South Park’s” Web site is www.southparkstudios.com.
COMEDY CENTRAL, the only all-comedy network, currently is seen in more than 91 million homes nationwide. COMEDY CENTRAL is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned division of VIACOM Inc.’s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks. COMEDY CENTRAL’s Internet address is www.comedycentral.com. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Press Central, COMEDY CENTRAL’s press web site at www.comedycentral.com/press.

thefutoncritic.com

The wildlife superstar typically spends 10 months of the year on camera for prime-time documentaries. He treks the globe through the roughest of rain forests, deserts, and brush. He has been bitten by snakes. He has been wrenched around while wrapped in an elephant’s trunk. And although on occasion he puts his life in peril, he thinks the environment is what’s really in danger.
Now, he’s bringing it back home to teach Boston a lesson in environmental stewardship.
In celebration of Earth Day, Jeff Corwin will speak and answer questions at the Franklin Park Zoo at 1 p.m. next Sunday. The conservationist, of Discovery Channel fame, grew up in Norwell and studied at Bridgewater State College and the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
While telling adventure stories and entertaining the crowd, Corwin will mix in his message of environmentalism, explaining that “big sexy issues” - like protecting tigers in Cambodia or lemurs in Madagascar- are connected to everyday energy-conservation efforts at home.
“It’s moments like this where people of all walks of life, all economic levels, and cultural experiences can come together to take stock of our challenges,” he said in a phone interview from a rain forest preserve in Panama, where he is filming a documentary, “The Vanishing Frog.”
Corwin also points to loftier, local environmental projects, such as the restoration of the Charles River, which “has the potential to be a great success story.” He also notes that the coastal waters of Massachusetts have become healthier since he was young. In line with Corwin’s plea for Bostonians to take personal responsibility for conservation, Computer Recycling USA will be on hand to collect used computer equipment from zoo attendees for a fee, with part of proceeds donated to the Franklin Park Zoo.

boston.com

AMERICAN LEGION POST 202 Veterans’ lounge with pool, darts and jukebox. Service members, veterans welcome, along with their guests. Membership available by calling the post. 1101 E. Scott. 10 a.m.-midnight Monday-Friday, 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, noon-midnight Sunday. (940) 322-8600. Every other Friday: Open mic w/ Ralph Glasgow and the Strang-A-Long Band from 7-11 p.m. Daily: Happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 120 Veterans’ lounge, big-screen TV, meeting room, darts, pool, beverage bar. Sponsor for Super Bingo on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Hall rentals. 4601 Lakeshore Drive. 5:30-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 5:30 p.m.-midnight Friday, 5:30 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday. (940) 696-2177. Every first and third Friday: Hamburgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, onion rings, pepper poppers and cheese sticks served from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Open to public. Second Saturday of the month: Call for food special.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 169 Veterans’ bar, pool, darts, shuffleboard, dominoes, boat ramp, picnic pavilion, lakeside activities, jukebox, dancing, hall rental. Charity sponsor for Riverside Bingo on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. 4605 Lakeshore Drive. Hours are from 5:30 p.m. to midnight Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 3 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, and 3-9 p.m. Sunday. (Bar may close earlier based on number of people present). Open to public. Memberships available, $30 a year. 692-9806. Saturday: All-ages show featuring Ligeia, With Blood Comes Cleansing, Since the Flood, Carnifex, Molotov Solution. $10. Begins at 8 p.m. April 11: A Day to Remember, Crime in Stereo, Just Surrender. May 23: Breathe Electric and other bands TBA. $8.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 264 Veteran’s lounge with pool, shuffleboard and jukebox, hall and meeting room. Service members and veterans welcome. 621 South Red River Expressway, Burkburnett. Open seven days a week, 3 p.m.-midnight Sunday-Friday and 3 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday (bar may close earlier, depending on number of people present). Call for membership information, hall rental. (940) 569-0731.

timesrecordnews.com

The Oak Park Unified School District will begin registration for the 2008-09 school on Thurs., Feb. 28 for kindergarten and elementary students in grades one to five who are new to the district.
Children going into kindergarten must be 5 years old by Dec. 2 in order to register for school.
Brookside Elementary will register new students who currently have a sibling attending any school within the district on Thurs., Feb. 28. Registration for other students will be Fri., Feb. 29. Paperwork can be completed between 1 and 3 p.m.
Oak Hills Elementary will register new students who have a sibling attending any school within the district on Thurs., Feb. 28.
Registration for other students will be Fri., Feb. 29. Paperwork can be completed on site between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on these days.
Red Oak Elementary will have registration packets available on Thurs., Feb. 28 for new students who have a sibling currently enrolled in the district. Registration packets will be available on Fri., Feb. 29 for other students.
Parents need to bring: proof of residency; copy of immunization record; certified copy of birth certificate that school may keep; complete address of former school, if applicable; and personal calendar to schedule kindergarten assessment testing.

theacorn.com