| McLaughlin-Brubaker get title
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker got the title, John Baldwin Jr. got the girl. McLaughlin and Brubaker, last year's junior world champions, served notice they're going to be a threat on the senior stage as well, winning the pairs title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Saturday. Their overall score of 190.74 was more than seven points ahead of Baldwin and Rena Inoue, two-time U.S. champions. Brooke Castile and Ben Okolski, last year's champions, were third. "I can't believe we're national champions," McLaughlin said, her eyes wide. Inoue and Baldwin have plenty to celebrate, too. As they took their bows, Baldwin dropped to his knees and asked his longtime girlfriend to marry him. Stunned, she just stared at him. "I didn't know.
Group homes need a permit
Albany can and should require the property owner to go through the conditional use process before operating directly or indirectly any group home.Secondly, Albany can legally limit the congregation of convicted felons. Federal anti-discrimination law does not apply to convicted felons. While Albany does not appear to have such a law in place, it makes sense to regulate the deliberate concentration of convicted felons for their sake and everyone else's sake.Ultimately, the issue comes down to the question of whether or not the city cares about families and whether it really wants to protect and enhance the historic single-family areas. Most of the tools are already on the statute books. New ones could be added. The city should act.John Redmond Byrne, AlbanyOxford House helps peopleI am writing in response to the article in Monday's paper regarding the new Oxford House on Sixth and Ferry.
Govt could boost student allowances
It follows the release of a study that shows each student now owes tens of thousands of dollars and with the cost of living going up, students say they are getting desperate. Their union says many cannot survive on an allowance of $70 a week on average paid by the government, a payment nearly two thirds of them cannot get. United Future education spokesperson Judy Turner says the survey shows that the average student is now left with only $8 a week with which to feed themselves from their student loan for living costs. "We would not expect any other group in society to survive on a loan of $150 a week, with average accommodation costs at $142 per week. But two-thirds of students are only eligible for a loan of $150, which they have to pay back," she says.
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