It is the Holiday season and time to cook and bake.
Last week, we wrote up two great recipes (pumpkin cake and derby pie) and we're looking for more.
If you have a GREAT Holiday recipe you want to share with your Hendersonville friends, email us: newshendersonville@gmail.com
We'll publish the great-sounding (and tasting) ones for all of Hendersonville to see and share.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
County Commission Shopping Spree
Mike Towle takes the County Commission to task for their big spending ways just months after they refused to open the pocketbook for schools.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Holiday Recipes
Here are two reader submitted Holiday dessert recipes...both sound delicious:
Derby Pie
No, it is NOT Derby season. But yes, this pie will fit right in to your Thanksgiving table:
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 tsp Vanilla
3 TBSP Bourbon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBSP melted butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 or 10 inch pie shell
Beat eggs well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add pecans and chocolate chips last. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35 min. Cover crust with foil to prevent over-cooking in last 15 mins. Top with whipped cream and serve
Gooey Pumpkin Cake
1 butter recipe yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines is preferred)
1 egg
1 stick of butter (melted)
Mix above and press down into a 13x9 baking dish
8 oz cream cheese
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter, softened
16 oz box powdered sugar
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
mix above with mixer and pour on top of cake mix
Bake at 350 45 minutes or until done in the middle
Derby Pie
No, it is NOT Derby season. But yes, this pie will fit right in to your Thanksgiving table:
Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
2 tsp Vanilla
3 TBSP Bourbon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBSP melted butter
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 or 10 inch pie shell
Beat eggs well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add pecans and chocolate chips last. Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 35 min. Cover crust with foil to prevent over-cooking in last 15 mins. Top with whipped cream and serve
Gooey Pumpkin Cake
1 butter recipe yellow cake mix (Duncan Hines is preferred)
1 egg
1 stick of butter (melted)
Mix above and press down into a 13x9 baking dish
8 oz cream cheese
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 stick of butter, softened
16 oz box powdered sugar
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
mix above with mixer and pour on top of cake mix
Bake at 350 45 minutes or until done in the middle
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
School Board Meets Tonight
With a rather thorough agenda, including how to handle potential teacher layoffs should they be required next year (hint: absent new county funding, teacher layoffs seem very likely next school year).
They'll also be discussing the retirement package they plan to offer employees who retire by June 30, 2013.
They'll also be discussing the retirement package they plan to offer employees who retire by June 30, 2013.
County Commission Passes Bailout Bill
Last night, the Sumner County Commission passed a spending package that included a $3 million bailout of the County Insurance Trust.
Why the bailout? Because the Trust is $6 million in the red. That's right, if the Trust were to payout all outstanding claims right now, it'd be at a negative balance of $6 million. So, adding $3 million and adopting some cost-saving measures will allow the Trust to continue.
How did it get this way? YEARS of mismanagement by the County Commission. They consistently under-funded the Trust and now, the chickens are coming home to roost.
Where's the money coming from? The Hospital Reserve Fund. The County has a grand total of nearly $30 million in reserves. However, during the recent budget battle over schools, Hospital fund money was not allowed to be spent on school funding, even for school capital projects.
The Commission also approved funding for 3 libraries and an emergency response center.
It was pointed out that the County can barely operate the libraries it has now. Comm. Chris Hughes asked how the Millersville Library's long-term operating costs would be covered -- no one could answer this question. Comm. Goode asked about where the funds would come from to support over $7 million in technology upgrades needed for schools because of federal testing mandates. No one could answer this. Comm. Hughes (rumored to be considering a 2014 run for County Executive) asked about the $26 million in outstanding school capital projects that have yet to be funded. No one had an answer. Comm. Goode asked about the scrutiny and due diligence paid to these library projects. Again, no solid answers were given.
Lots of questions, no answers. A badly mismanaged insurance trust and a $3 million bailout funded at the expense of other worthy needs. At the end of the night, the project list passed with a 17-6 vote. No word on when the community can expect to hear more answers to these critical questions.
Why the bailout? Because the Trust is $6 million in the red. That's right, if the Trust were to payout all outstanding claims right now, it'd be at a negative balance of $6 million. So, adding $3 million and adopting some cost-saving measures will allow the Trust to continue.
How did it get this way? YEARS of mismanagement by the County Commission. They consistently under-funded the Trust and now, the chickens are coming home to roost.
Where's the money coming from? The Hospital Reserve Fund. The County has a grand total of nearly $30 million in reserves. However, during the recent budget battle over schools, Hospital fund money was not allowed to be spent on school funding, even for school capital projects.
The Commission also approved funding for 3 libraries and an emergency response center.
It was pointed out that the County can barely operate the libraries it has now. Comm. Chris Hughes asked how the Millersville Library's long-term operating costs would be covered -- no one could answer this question. Comm. Goode asked about where the funds would come from to support over $7 million in technology upgrades needed for schools because of federal testing mandates. No one could answer this. Comm. Hughes (rumored to be considering a 2014 run for County Executive) asked about the $26 million in outstanding school capital projects that have yet to be funded. No one had an answer. Comm. Goode asked about the scrutiny and due diligence paid to these library projects. Again, no solid answers were given.
Lots of questions, no answers. A badly mismanaged insurance trust and a $3 million bailout funded at the expense of other worthy needs. At the end of the night, the project list passed with a 17-6 vote. No word on when the community can expect to hear more answers to these critical questions.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Losing Focus?
So, the Focus Academies are going to be more focused on STEM ... and not so much on other things (like health occupations, performing arts, AP, or IB)
Here are some survey results and a presentation that explains what's happening next.
Several reasons. 1) The community at large is most interested in STEM - so, it seems that whatever school got the STEM Academy would be in highest demand -- that was originally Gallatin). 2) Budget issues. It's not clear at all that the County Commission would support a fully-functional focus academy system 3) Some change is needed to move the district forward -- math continues to be a weakness and there is demand for STEM skills.
This option is offered as a means of moving toward Focus Academies at a reduced cost. Of course, the district did not hire 28 needed teachers this year and struggled to start school because of lack of proper funding.
Capital project money was moved to the General Purpose Fund meaning needed physical improvements have been further delayed.
There is (was) significant risk that if the District moved ahead with a Focus Academy plan, it would not be funded at the Commission level and therefore would create all kinds of disturbances for students in terms of plans and programs. Not to mention faculty who may have been hired and then would have to be let go.
So, aside from STEMing the tide of inadequate funding, the focus is on survival.
Here are some survey results and a presentation that explains what's happening next.
Several reasons. 1) The community at large is most interested in STEM - so, it seems that whatever school got the STEM Academy would be in highest demand -- that was originally Gallatin). 2) Budget issues. It's not clear at all that the County Commission would support a fully-functional focus academy system 3) Some change is needed to move the district forward -- math continues to be a weakness and there is demand for STEM skills.
This option is offered as a means of moving toward Focus Academies at a reduced cost. Of course, the district did not hire 28 needed teachers this year and struggled to start school because of lack of proper funding.
Capital project money was moved to the General Purpose Fund meaning needed physical improvements have been further delayed.
There is (was) significant risk that if the District moved ahead with a Focus Academy plan, it would not be funded at the Commission level and therefore would create all kinds of disturbances for students in terms of plans and programs. Not to mention faculty who may have been hired and then would have to be let go.
So, aside from STEMing the tide of inadequate funding, the focus is on survival.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
$7 million in new spending
So, the County Commission's Budget Committee meets Tuesday at 6 PM to discuss, among other items, spending $7.25 million from the Hospital Reserve Fund.
The Commission is proposing to use these dollars to 1) make up for the giant hole in the insurance trust left by their own mismanagement of the program 2) Fund several possibly worthy public projects.
It is interesting to note that the dollar amount matches almost exactly the dollar amount requested by the School System this year during the budget battle.
It's also interesting that while the County Commission refused to spend the money on schools because the money had to be spent on an "economic development purpose" they are now proposing to use $3 million to balance the insurance trust - which hardly seems an "economic development purpose" and is rather a "crisis avoidance purpose." The other projects may or may not merit expenditures from the County -- but remember, we didn't seem to have ANY money available for schools back in August. Now, it's fine to spend over $7 million on a BIG mistake and on special projects.
Again, that meeting is at 6 PM on Tuesday. Will the Budget Committee authorize these expenditures? Will doing so pass legal muster? Stay tuned ...
The Commission is proposing to use these dollars to 1) make up for the giant hole in the insurance trust left by their own mismanagement of the program 2) Fund several possibly worthy public projects.
It is interesting to note that the dollar amount matches almost exactly the dollar amount requested by the School System this year during the budget battle.
It's also interesting that while the County Commission refused to spend the money on schools because the money had to be spent on an "economic development purpose" they are now proposing to use $3 million to balance the insurance trust - which hardly seems an "economic development purpose" and is rather a "crisis avoidance purpose." The other projects may or may not merit expenditures from the County -- but remember, we didn't seem to have ANY money available for schools back in August. Now, it's fine to spend over $7 million on a BIG mistake and on special projects.
Again, that meeting is at 6 PM on Tuesday. Will the Budget Committee authorize these expenditures? Will doing so pass legal muster? Stay tuned ...
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