by D. Brian Burghart
ThiS ModeRn WoRLd
by tom tomorrow
2014, the warmest year ever: Believe that? Asked at Barnes & Noble, 5555 South Virginia Street Andy Vannostrand Sales
I don’t know that I experienced that. I can’t recall. We didn’t get a lot of snow. Obviously, we’re short of water. So, sure, why not?
Owen Hill Financial adviser
Of course. The science is there. I don’t think there’s any question about it. Two and two is four.
Monica Higgins Letter carrier
Hard promises
Climate change is a subject that we haven’t taken a lot of consciousness about. We need to put more into it. Every little thing helps.
Due to print deadlines, this editorial will be written after it’s often not about the degree, it’s about either personal improvement or academic buttressing. President Barack Obama’s America’s College Promise Many of the early critics of this plan say the problem announcement, http://1.usa.gov/1FzlV8m, but before his isn’t affordability or getting students into community State of the Union address. We here at the Reno News & college, it’s about getting them to graduate with an Review expect that this story will develop pretty quickly associate’s degree. Again, those of us who have attended in the coming weeks, but we want to get into the fray early community college would question whether we entered because the plan to provide free community college to everyone who maintains a 2.5 GPA while attending college with a plan of graduating from the community college, despite the requirement that we declare an intention. at least half-time has a lot of moving parts, some of which Spending $60 billion over 10 years isn’t going to change aren’t necessarily good. In other words, it’s not as simple the reasons students attend community college. It isn’t as “free college.” going to help the students who are First off, Pell grants already pay Community college already being helped, and there’s no for low-income students to attend real reason to assume it will improve community college. That means the is often not about a graduation rates. money would go to the students who degree, but about This puts thoughtful people in a can already afford to go to school. either personal really awkward position. Of course, That, in itself, may not be bad, but it education is one of the best ways a certainly raises questions about the improvement human being can improve himself fiscal reasoning behind this plan. And or academic or herself. Community colleges offer if it does indeed tax the 529 plans that many courses that are more trade- and many parents have paid into for years buttressing. skills-oriented than a typical four-year on the government promise that the (five-year) college or university offers. investment would not be taxed, then it’s Community colleges are also important bridges to higher potentially taking money directly from some low-incomeeducation for people who—maybe for linguistic reasons but-responsible families and giving it to families that can or because they attended a lower-performing high school already afford to pay without saving plans. system, like Nevada’s—would have trouble jumping right But think about how community colleges are actually into a bachelor’s program. used by students. Many students go to community colleges This idea has potential for improving the United States’ to take remedial and 100-level classes because they’re competitive stature in the world by giving our people a cheaper than taking them at four-year colleges. Many leg-up into higher education, but it might be a false hope, students attend community colleges in order to take classes particularly in the context of the Republican Congress to advance a career or to take career-oriented classes Obama will be working with in the next two years. Ω that aren’t offered at four-year schools. In other words, OPINION
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NEWS
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GREEN
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FEATURE STORY
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ARTS&CULTURE
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ART OF THE STATE
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FOODFINDS
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FILM
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MUSICBEAT
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NIGHTCLUBS/CASINOS
Mark Higgins Retired letter carrier
Stats don’t lie; it is the warmest one. What the reasons are, are varied, but you’d be a fool to think that man doesn’t have a lot to do with it—the added emissions into the atmosphere. It’s real, and it has to be dealt with one way or the other. You can’t fight science.
George Pauls Social worker
I don’t buy it. I don’t believe in global warming. We had a small ice age, we’re coming out of that. It’s a normal weather pattern. I don’t think that people have any effect on it.
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THIS WEEK
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MISCELLANY
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JANUARY 22, 2015
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RN&R
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