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On Tuesday December 5th, the Centerville school board held a meeting in the gym of
Centerville High school.

Many teachers and parents attended the meeting, it was the largest meeting held in over a
year at the school.

The evening began with a presentation from the high school's debate team. The team had
made it to the regional semi-finals in the competition where they hold debates with other
schools from the region.

The team will go to the championship round next month. The board also gave a special honor
to senior student Jay Cranston, for being in the top 500 students in the nation to score over
1500 on their SAT's. Cranston was presented with an award for his great achievement.

"This is a great honor. It took a lot of hard work but it was worthit," said Cranston.

From there the board took questions from the teachers and the parents in the audience about
any concerns they might have. The board has been thinking about cutting the schools
district's budget, which may means a cut in teachers. Board member Jane Harmon said the
school district is facing a five million dollar difference between the money needed to fund the
schools and the money that is actually available. Harmon said if the money isn't found
someteachers may have to belaid off and some school programs like team sports and music
programs may have to be cut.

Many parents talked to the board trying to convince them not to make this decision. They
talked about how the teachers are very good and how their children have grown very close
to them.

As a Centerville graduate I got to know a lot of the teachers in the centerville school district.
Personally I would not get rid of any of these teachers they are all very hard working and are
always looking out for the students.

Board member Jane Harmon said in order to make up the money the scvhool district may
have to raise property taxes, but many people in thge audience booed when she said this.
"I'm not saying this is automatically going to happen, but it may be something we have to look
at," Harmon told the crowd, and somore more people booed.

Th meeting was ajourned and afterwards Principle Tom Berkson said, "I just hope we can
solve this budget problem as fast as we solved the other one."
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Jack Johnson was in court yesterday on charges of DUI and assaulting a police oficer.

Jack was arested on June the 5th when he was puled over on State Street. Police Officer Fred
Smith testifid in court that Jack's Ford SUV was weaving and that he pulled him over at about
1 in the morning.
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Officer Smith testifid that when he approached Jack's vehicle, Jackstumbled out of the vehicle
and hit him in the face. Officer Smith quickly handcuffed and arrested Jack. A blood alcohol
test later showed that Jack had a blood alcohol content of .15.

“He was clearly drunk,” Officer Smith testified in court. “He was slurring his words and had
trouble even standing up.”

Officer Smith suffered minor facial injuries in the incident.

Jack was charged with assault, resisting arrest and DUI. His attorney, george Wolinski, told
the court that Jack's wife had recently divorsed him and that he had been deppresed.

The jury in state superior cort in Centerville deliberated for two hours before finding Jack gilty
on all counts. Judge Mike Mencher sentenced Jack to 2-4 years in state prison.
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of the story.

The Centerville City Council held a meeting last night. At the start of the meeting the council
took attendance, then recited the pledge of alliegiance. Then the council discussed several
issues. They discussed allocating $150 dollars to buy officie supplies for offices in the city
hall.

Council president Jay Radcliffe proposed apporving the money and coumncilwoman Jane
barnes seconded it. the council passed that motion unanimusly.

Then the council discuissed preparations for centerville's annual foruth of july fireworks.
coumncilwoman jane barnes said fifteen-hundred dollars had nbeen allocated for fireworks
for this years fireworks display. "That's less than we spent last year but with the budgetbeing
the way it it we'll have to have a smaller fireworks show this year," she said. the council
approved the money for the firworks.

Then thecouncil discussed the city budget. Councilwoman Lillian Kafka said the city is facing
an eight million dollar difference between the money needed for the budget and the money
that's actually available. She said this is due to the fact that with the recession the city is
receiving less aid from the state and federal governemnts. "Unless we can find eight million
dollars were going to have to make seriosu cuts in city services, including the police, fire and
parks and recreation depts," Kafka said.

Council presdient Radcliffe proposed raising the city income tax from one percent to one point
five percent. "This raise, while modest, shoudl enable us to make up the difference," Radcliffe
said. But councilman Jeff Fager told the council ina loud voice that he'd vote against any
proposal to raise taxes. "This council needs to exercise fiscal responsbility and be cutting
budhgets and taxes, not increasing them," he said. "The city budget isbecoming increasingly
bloated and out of control."
Then the council opened the meeting to public comments. Aman who identified himself as
Ray Washington, a local show store owner, got up to spoke. "What the heck are you doing
approving $1500 for fireworks when you're short eight millions dollars?" Washington askd the
council. "It's irresponsible to be talking about thesekinds of expenses with this kind of budget
deficit."

A woman who idenftified herself as Tricia Fager, a local homemaker, noted that city services
were already cut last year due to a budget deficit and that they can't be cut any more. "The
city park across from my house is filled with garbage and at night teenagers park there
andthrow beer cans all over the place," she said. "Where are the police? Where is the parks
andrecreation department? if you cut budgets any more this city's going to fall apart."

Several other members of the public spoke, both for and against the tax inxcrease. some of
the comments got very heated and some people started yelling at each other. when things
started to get out of control a city police officer was called in to restore order. council president
radcliffe made a motion that that the council continue its dicussion of the budget problems
and tax increase at its next meeting and and the council approved it. then the meeting was
adjourned.
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Branson Lexler 45, was arrested April 6th after police responed to a domestic violence call at
236 Elm Street in Centerville.

The first officer an the scene was officer Janet Toll of the Centerville police Department.

When the officer arrived she discovered victim Cindy Lexler, 19, running out of her house with
visibly bleeding from her mouth and swollen redness around her eye.

"She told me that her father was intoxicated and out of control so I immediatelty secured her
ands walked toewards the house," said Toll. As the officer walked closer to the door the
mother Lori Lexler came running out screaming "'He's got a gun, and my 12-year-old daughter
is in there.' My main concern at that point was thatr I had an unsecured resident in the house,"
said Toll.

After the officer heard this she pulled out her gun and approached the door. Cindy's father,
Branson Lexler, 45, came to the door screaming and cursing with his hands in an attacking
position and then he came barreling out of the house.

"I saw thaqt he no longer had a gun in his possession so I went to secure my weapon, while
doing so I lost my balance and fell of the step to the ground and Lexler attacked me," Toll
said. Officer Toll struggled with Lexler for 15 minutres until she was able to regain her footing
and sustain Lexler long enough to place him in handcuffs.

Officer Toll's backup showed up 20 mins. later and Lexler was taken into custody. The 44
caliber gun was recovered from inside the home.

"That was the most intense situation I was ever in with no man power to back me up," said
Toll. Lexler was charged with aggravated assault, 2 counts of simple assaulkt, 2 counts of
harassment, resisting arrest, and 3 counts of disorderly condiuct.

When toll arrived back at the police station she began to realize she couldn't mover her arm,
she was sent to Centerville hospital for an Mri and the results came backing showing she tore
his rotor cuff and she had a tear in her bicep. Toll has been a member of the police
Department for 6 years. "This is a job that I love to do and if I didn't I would be miserably doing
it," said Toll.
COPYREADING EXERCISE
Verbal deadwood
Column A Column B
_______ 1. for the reason that a. died
_______ 2. a larger proportion b. believes
_______ 3. at the present time c. although
_______ 4. succumbed to injuries d. now
_______ 5. at an early date e. remind
_______ 6. is of the opinion f. many
_______ 7. in the neighborhood g. near
_______ 8. in the event of h. soon
_______ 9. in spite of the fact i. because
_______ 10. draw the attention of j. if

COPYREADING EXERCISE
Redundancy

1. The final conclusion revealed that the dead corpse was a victim of a fatal murder.
2. The other alternative is to get some new recruits.
3. It was definitely decided to give free gifts to the underprivileged poor on Christmas.

COPYREADING EXERCISE
Brevity

1. The play will be shown in the month of December.

2. The meeting lasted for a period of two hours.
3. These children are the ones who are influenced by indecent films.
4. The building closed its door at five o’clock p.m. in the afternoon.

COPYREADING EXERCISE
Opinion and editorializing news articles

1. Mr. Amador Cabansag, a very energetic teacher of electricity in the famous Osmena High School,
held a very successful demonstration lesson.
2. The most efficient and knowledgeable principal represented the school in the well-known national
press conference.

COPYREADING EXERCISE
Check the corresponding number of the correctly spelled word:
1. ocasion 6. privileges
2. all-right 7. commitee
3. embarassment 8. diphtheria
4. inspite of 9. dessimenate
5. harrassment 10. tommorow
COPYREADING EXERCISE
Correct Usage, Grammar, etc

1. The sick man was (taken, brought) to the hospital.

2. Where is the other (pair, mate) of this shoe?
3. It is (unhealthy, unhealthful) to stay (in, under) the hot sun.
4. The article (shaded, shed) light on the whole subject.
5. The cadets are marching (on, in, at) the campus.
6. Come to work (in, on) time or you will be (fired, fired out).
7. Put all your (bedding, beddings) away and (take, bring) your (baggage, baggages) (in, on)
the corner of the room.
8. Our main concern (is, are) reference books which (is, are) very dear nowadays.
9. Five and six (is, are) eleven.
10. My friend and teacher (wants, want) me to visit her.
11. I (was, have been, had been) absent yesterday.
12. The criminal was (hang, hung, hanged) by the mob.
13. The owl unlike most birds is awake at night.
14. Claro m. Recto wrote “Abajo los cocoteros” and “Shadow and Solitude.”
15. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor (Dec. 1941; December, 1941; December 1941)
16. The birthday (celebrant, celebrator) received many gifts.
17. Mother is often tired from the (everyday, every day) chores.
18. Peter tried to (reason, reason out) to his father about his low grades.
19. The jeep (collided, crashed) against the wall of the school.
20. The old (is, are) richer in expertise than the young.