State & Region


Gates Foundation gives $335M for teacher quality
Associated Press SEATTLE - Three school districts and a coalition of charter schools have agreed to be test kitchens for some radical ideas for improving teacher quality - from paying new teachers to spend another year practicing before getting their own class to letting student test scores affect teacher pay. In exchange, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is handing them the biggest pile of cash it has spent on education reform in about a decade.
Full story >>

Gov. Rendell vows to be an advocate for change during last year in office
HARRISBURG - Gov. Ed Rendell vowed Wednesday to be a low-key but resolute advocate for government reform during his last year in office, saying special interests hold too much sway in Harrisburg. Rendell renewed his pitch for imposing the first-ever limits on state campaign contributions, ending the election of appellate judges and giving citizens control over the redrawing of legislative districts every 10 years.
Full story >>

Emergency landing in Kansas
Associated Press WICHITA, Kan. - An airline passenger suffered a slight injury while coming down an escape slide when a charter plane made an emergency landing in Kansas after losing an engine. Allegiant Air spokeswoman Sabrina LoPiccolo says the MD-80 was carrying 125 passengers from Pittsburgh to Laughlin, Nev., on Wednesday night and had stopped at Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita to refuel.
Full story >>


Marketplace
Classifieds
Jobs
Cars
Real Estate
Rate card
Photo Store
News
Local
Obituaries
Police Beat
Business
State
Nation
World
Communities
Washington County
Greene County
South Hills
Sports
Headlines
Blogs
Columns
Opinion
Editorials
Letters
Submit Letter
Blogs
Columns
Forum
Lifestyle
Entertainment
Engagements
Weddings
Anniversaries
Births
Calendar
Announcement Forms
Service
Subscribe
Temp. stop delivery
About Us
Contact Us
Terms of Service
Facebook | Twitter
Newsletter
This page is best viewed using Firefox.
Spreadfirefox Affiliate Button
© 2009 Observer Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.