Saturday, April 17, 2010

“Tutoring program for homeless kids loses space at Ulster hotel (video)” plus 2 more

“Tutoring program for homeless kids loses space at Ulster hotel (video)” plus 2 more

Tutoring program for homeless kids loses space at Ulster hotel (video)

Posted: 17 Apr 2010 12:06 AM PDT

By PAUL KIRBY
Freeman staff

Click to enlarge

Ann Marie DiBella. Freeman photo by Paul Kirby

TOWN OF ULSTER — An after-school tutoring program for homeless children at a hotel on state Route 28 has been halted because the building is to be renovated.

Ann Marie DiBella, the coordinator of homeless services for the Kingston school district and a former Kingston alderwoman, said the two rooms at the Super Lodge that have been used for the after-school tutoring program will be unavailable during the renovation. The program has served as many as two dozen children at a time, she said.

"It is gone," DiBella said of the program.



The Super Lodge is used to house homeless families that are clients of the Ulster County Department of Social Services, and the tutoring program serves children in those families. DiBella said the families live in the part of the hotel where the tutoring rooms are located, but she did not know whether any of them would be displaced from their living spaces by the renovation.

DiBella said losing the tutoring rooms at the Super Lodge is another indication that Ulster County's government must come up with a long-term solution to the local homeless problem.

"The county relies on private (sector) space, and you are at the mercy of private enterprise to provide housing," she said. "But (private enterprise) can change that at any time. This is a perfect example of why motel housing is not the answer."

The King's Inn, a motel on Broadway in Kingston, formerly was used by Social Services to house homeless families, but it was shut down in 2007 because of numerous code violations and is about to be seized by the city for non-payment of taxes.

The Budget 19, near the Super Lodge on Route 28, also house homeless people placed by Social Services.

DiBella said she does not blame the owners of the Super Lodge for the current problem.

"They have every tight to embrace the American dream and be competitive," she said, referring to the planned renovation.

DiBella, who used to be Kingston's Fifth Ward alderwoman, long has pressed for Ulster County to build lodging for the homeless outside the city. There is one homeless shelter within the city — a facility on Thomas Street operated by Family of Woodstock.

DiBella has said a new shelter outside of Kingston could be modeled after Family's.

"I think it would be fiscally, morally and be for the betterment of our community," she said.

Ulster County Social Services Commissioner Roberto Rodriguez could not be reached for comment on Friday.

DiBella said homeless children living at the Super Lodge were given eight hours a week of after-school tutoring at the hotel.

She said it was important the sessions to be held there so that accessibility was not a problem.

"We have to go to them because its impossible for them to come to any sites because of transportation issues," she said. "When we got to them, they take full advantage of it. They are waiting for us to get there."

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Starwood Studios would offer place for musical recitals, academic tutoring

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 10:52 PM PDT

Bill Conrad, bconrad@acnpapers.com

Starwood Studios, located at the Offices at Byron Nelson, may soon be open to the public if a zoning change request is approved by planning and zoning and the Southlake City Council.

The offices, located at 630 E. Southlake Blvd, mainly consist of office suites, according to Debra Edmondson, general counsel for the buildings owners, Thomas Steven and Company, who spoke at a SPIN No. 7 meeting March 22.

Starwood Studios was formed when a former tenant, the Southlake Training Center, moved out last summer. The 4,300-square-foot space was converted to Starwood Studios and is currently used by the buildings tenants for parties and recitals. If the zoning change is approved, the studio could be rented to the general public.

Edmondson was clear that the only changes to the building would be in its usage.

No changes will be made to the outside of the building or to the building's parking, said Edmondson. The only changes will be made to what is going on inside.

Starwood Studios would only operate after regular business hours and would have several uses such as after-school tutoring, seminars, office parties and receptions. The room features couches, big screen televisions and a DJ booth.

This would be a unique little space that Southlake really doesn't have, said Edmondson. We have been using this for our tenants, but this will allow us to offer it during the evening and weekend hours to the general public.

Edmondson said she believes the studios would have a capacity of 100-125 people, but that number could be adjusted in order to keep within the parking regulations.

Another tenant already in the building, Hall Music Productions, would also put the studio to good use.

David Hall, a Carroll High School graduate and owner of Hall Music Productions, said the studios would be a great addition to Southlake.

There are so many kids in Southlake that write songs and create music and they don't have any outlet for that whatsoever, said Hall. Having a night each week where the kids can get together and perform for the public would be really great for the community. The only outlet they have now is all the way in Dallas in places such as Deep Ellum. We need to give them a venue for their creativity.

Hall has been teaching music lessons for 10 years in Southlake and said he offers lessons in all musical areas, including guitar, drums, singing and songwriting.

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Gujarat accuses Teesta of tutoring riot witnesses

Posted: 16 Apr 2010 12:33 PM PDT

The Gujarat government on Friday demanded registration of an FIR against activist Teesta Setalvad for interfering with the investigation into the 2002 riot cases by filing false affidavits of "tutored witnesses" before the Supreme Court.

In an affidavit filed in the top court, the state government also questioned the SC-appointed special investigating team's (SIT) decision to question Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the Ehsaan Jafri murder case.

Accusing Teesta of "tarnishing" the state's image, the Modi government sought action against non-government organisations (NGOs) for their "unlawful interference" in statutory proceedings.

The 68-page affidavit has been filed in response to Teesta's plea for a stay on the trial of nine cases related to the Godhra riots and their transfer to the CBI. The SC will consider it on Monday.

The SC had on April 27, 2009, directed the SIT to look into the petition of slain Congress MP Ehsaan Jafri's widow Zakia who accused Modi and 62 others of involvement in the murder of her husband. Teesta was the co-petitioner in this case. The SC later constituted the SIT.

According to the affidavit, though the court order required the SIT to only look into Jafri's complaint, it had "called persons named therein and recorded their statements, which was neither permissible in law nor contemplated in the aforesaid order (of the SC)."

Opposing the stay of trial in the nine cases, it also questioned Teesta's belated move against the SIT. The state said she filed the application at a time when trial in most cases had reached a crucial stage and the witnesses, allegedly tutored by Teesta, were required to be cross examined. This was clear from the statement of a witness before the SIT in the Naroda Gam case.

Her efforts to malign the Gujarat government failed with the SIT refusing to accept pre-judged and pre-typed copies of witnesses' statements, it added.

Zakia's complaint accusing Modi of being involved in her husband's murder case was belated and appeared to be a well-drafted "legal document."

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