Carolina ROCKY MOUNT TELEGRAM Page 2A Monday February 8, 999 Schools have long way to go to be best in U.Si of 4th graders in classes of 25 or more students, and 8th graders in math classes with 25 or more students. In Wisconsin, 91 percent of 8th graders said a majority of parents attended parent-teacher A conferences. Iny Connecticut. 73 percent of 8th Hunt graders said the same thing. But in North Carolina, only 52 percent of students said a majority of parents attended the conferences.) Statistics from both states also indicate more students attend -J Yt 1 The percentage of students getting free or reduced-price lunches, an indicator of relative wealth, also shows Connecticut and Wisconsin fare better, than North Carolina.
In Connecticut, 24 percent of students get free or reduced-price lunches, while 27 percent get them in Wisconsin. In North Carolina, 40 percent of students are eligible for the free or reduced-price lunches. In -student achievement, both Connecticut and Wisconsin have more 4th graders scored at least, "proficient" on the 1996 NAEP rrfath exam. Over 31 percent of Connecticut students excelled on the national test, students and more spending, tend to lead in the categories where North Carolina falls short. After adjustments for regional cost differences, Wisconsin spends about $7,097 for each of its 882,000 students.
Connecticut, one of the wealthiest states in the nation, spends $7,289 on each of its 542,000 students. North Carolina, by comparison, has nearly 1.3 million students, and spends about $5,346 for each one. Education spending for every $1,000 in state wealth the gross state product indicates that Wisconsin spends Connecticut, and North Carolina, $29.72. Fund-raising campaign Bill aims to keep casino boats out Rep. David Redwine filed bill last week.
RALEIGH (AP) Gambling cruises to nowhere, now popular in other coastal states, will be coming nowhere close to North Carolina if a state lawmaker has his way. Rep. David Redwine, D-Brunswick, filed a bill in the Legislature last week' that essentially would ban any one-day gambling cruises into international waters that begin and end in North Carolina! The same legislation also would put restrictions on gambling cruises that begin here but dock in other states or foreign countries. Redwine would like to ban casino boats outright, but federal laws designed to protect larger cruise ships limit their regulation. "I'm trying to make it as aggravating as can for them," Redwine said.
So far, the "cruises to nowhere" have stayed away from. North Carolina, but they are moving closer. Legislation to block the casino boats is pending in Virginia, where a Virginia Beach developer is considering plans to offer rHhegambling excursions. South Contributed photo Seated are Dr. John McAuliffe $nd Dr.
James Bowen (presenting the check). At rear are Dr. Eddie Roberts, Dr. Monty Sigmon and Dr. Kim Johnson.
Each doctor sponsored a CIS student for the 1999-2000 school year by contributing to this year's campaign. Nash Anesthesia Associates P.A. recently made a contribution to Communities in Schools as C.I.S. kicked off its annual fund-raising campaign, "Have a Heart." Campaign Chairman John Tur-nage, far right, joined the doctors at Nash Day Hospital to thank them for their leadership role. compared to 27 percent in Wisconsin and 21 percent in North Carolina.
But in North Carolina, 36 percent of 4th graders scored "below basic;" while Connecticut had 25 percent at that level; Wisconsin had 26 percent. Only 24 percent of North Carolina's 8th graders got the top rating on an NAEP science exam, while 44 percent got the lowest rating. In Connecticut, 36 percent of 8th graders scored at the top and 32 percent below basic. In Wisconsin, 39 percent scored at the top and 27 percent at the bottom. Both Connecticut and Wisconsin also had a lower percentage Hill said approximately $70,000 in medical costs is saved for every women whose breast cancer is found at an early stage.
The health department will take referrals for mammograms from its Women's Health Watch Clinic, area physi- jjjj'-j or lnieresiea women, wno le department for ease and Speed come to the cancer center. Heritage is not doing clinical trials currently, Harrell said. Some residents continue to travel the long distances to Chapel Hill to be included jn the testing of new cancer drugs. "We use regimens here that have already been proven to work," Harrell added. The cancer center idea came out of the need to meet the needs of the community, Andruss said.
"We're the only hospital in Edgecombe County and as part of our mission, we knew the community was yearning for this she said. "We work to make sure that our residents are able to get any medical service they need right here at home." Dinsa-Chester originally came to Heritage to manage the Macclesfield Clinic but was given privileges to practice' oncology, the field in which she has experience. Harrell, Nurse Practitioner Lisa Coltrane, and administrator Betty Summerlin make up the cancer center team. Dinsa-Chester sees patients on Tuesday afternoons. Chemo is i offered through Friday.
"Some people still feel that burden RALEIGH (AP) Gov. Jim Hunt says he wants North Carolina to have the best public schools in the nation by the end of the next decade. But a comparison of the states by Education Week's Quality Counts indicates North Carolina may have more than a little way to go. Although no state is rated "first," the comparison indicates North Carolina lags in student achievement, the amount of money dedicated to public schools and other factors listed under "school climate conducive to learning." Wisconsin arid Connecticut, with smaller numbers of HUSSEIN From page 1A hearts," said Mohammed Karim Zabous, 50, from the town of Jerash. Along the procession route, people pelted the coffin with flowers and waved their hands in farewell as it passed.
At several points in the half-hour journey riot police and soldiers had to hold back the crowd as people surged forward. King Abdullah and all the royal princes, flanked by an honor, received the coffin, carried by pallbearers in black armbands. Earlier, a riderless white stallion-one of the king's favorite horses was led into the palace compound with a pair of empty boots in the stirrups, facing backward. In the hours before Jordanians piled flowers under posters of the late king, flew black flags from doorposts and car antennas and flocked to mosques for early morning, prayers. The country was to remain virtually shut down until Saturday as a period of official mourning was observed.
In addition to the 800,000 people who turned out in the capital, another 1.2 million attended rites held elsewhere in the country a remarkable turn- out for a country of less than 4 million people. "Whatever we say, we can't express what we He was "my father in what he did and how he loved us we can't forget him," said Osama Mohammed Safi, 17, who was wearing a black headband. The funeral occasioned the country's largest military mobilization since bread riots in southern Jordan in 1997. Soldiers perched on rooftops along the procession route, and the hilltop complex housing the royal compound resembled a heavily military base, with jeeps and trucks outfitted with machine guns and soldiers from all three elite military branches. If overwhelming in scale, the rites were also haunting in their simplicity, with ceremonial elements unchanged over the centuries.
The king's body was to be washed in accordance with Islamic practice, scented with musk, and buried in a humble white shroud. Also in keeping with traditional Muslim religious practices, women were not to take part in the formal funeral devotions -not even Hussein's American-born wife, Queen Noor; Women were to pay tribute in separate ceremonies Tuesday at the palace of King Hussein's mother. Visiting female dignitaries including first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton were to be received for condolence calls there today. smaller schools. In Wisconsin, 46 percent of high school students are in schools with less than 900 students, while 31 per- cent of elementary students afe in schools with less than 350 students.
In Connecticut, 38 percent of high school students and 16 percent of elementary school students are in small schools. North Carolina, 31 percent of high school students and 11 percent of elementary students attend small schools. John Dorrian of the Public School Forum of North Carolina said the smaller schools, and the relative wealth of the states, can be mg factors in how well students perform. Carolina lawmakers are considering similar legislation after 'a casino boat operator set up shop in Little River, S.C., last Lloyd Milliken, a businessman who leases property to the Victori Casino boat in South, Carolina, explored having a boat dock at Carolina Beach along the southern North Carolina coast, but decided to drop the idea. Tyler- Greenwell, marketing director for Victori Casino, says it is difficult to understand the hubbub created by his compa ny tuu-ioot ooat.
xou migni nave inree snips operating out of here in 10 years if you could do that. This hue and cry of all these boats corning in here the numbers just dorft they'd just leave us alone, we'd probably go bankrupt Greenwell rejects the idea that casino boats bring with them unsavory elements like topless bars and other adult businesses. The company's clients are callv wealthv and well-behaved. r- the kind of people a tourist community would want to attract, he said. patients TelegramViola Harris changed.
"There are a number of improvements for treating the nausea and pain which makeg the treatments bearable," Dinsa-Chester said. "I was very pleased when Heritage was wu ing to create such a center. It's ji much needed resource." lists smoking and drinking, as two major factors to the county's elevated cancer rate. Edgecombe counties that have seen increases in bank holdups in recent years. Statistics from the North Carolina "Association of Financial Institutions indicate there has been a steady increase in bank holdups since 1995 in North Carolina.
Except for 1992 when there were 339 bank robberies in the state, there were more barik holdups in 1998 in North Car lina than any other year in the 1990s. "It's "very cyclical," Blowers said. "In 1992 in Charlotte, we had two to three a day, and It was driving us crazy." 3: Of area 7 women can be screened. This was one of ourattempts to try to secure funding, which was Nash County received $23,450 in- Breast and Cervical Cancer Program funds in 1997-98 from tin ctntp TriPrfiiinW rnntrarte with Boice-Willis Clinic in Rocky Mount for mammogram ccmng. physician at the Macclesfield Clinic.
"We were very fortunate to have Dr. Dinsa-Chester come on boarcV," Heritage Public Relations Manager Karen Andrus said. "She's wonderful with the patients and brings this hospital a very youthful and energized love of medicine." Patients who attend the cancer center sit in large, comfortable oversized chairs. The room is filled with things that give it a cozy feeling. "Some of these patients have to be here two to four hours at a time for treatment," Harrell said.
"We want to make it as comfortable as possible. It's a small area but not like the sterile environ-ment of a hospital. We have all of the things they need to make their treatment regiment easier for them." Harrell also said many of the patients do not require as much time for treatment. She said some come after work. While there, patients are able to watch television, listen to soft music or meditate while receiving treatment.
Patients from outlying areas like Macclesfield, Scotland Neck, Rocky Mount, Hobgood center helps CANCER From page 1A Hill said. inrougn our aggressive efforts of pursuing and receiving this grant, we will be able to provide service for 'more women," he said. "The NasK County Board of Health is most concerned about our efforts to pur-, sue alternative funding, so more By Viola Harris Staff writer TARBORO Twin County patients in need of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments are now getting if in their own backyard at Heritage Hospital's cancer center, which last spring. The state-of-art ienter is in the rehabilitation wing of the building, offering oncology services for which some patients had to travel nearly two hours to Greenville, Chapel Hill or Durham. Onocology Nurse Coordinator Joyce Harrell said she's excited about the new challenges "We work closely with our oncology specialist, the dietary department as well as other staff to make sure our patients are comfortable," Harrell said.
"It's so important that we all work together to make sure each patient gets' individualized care." Since April, 50 patients have been served by board-certified oncologist Dr. Kawal Dinsa-Chester. She and her husband Andrew moved to Tarboro last year. He is in internal medicine at Tarboro Clinic. Dinsa-Chester also serves as the family Chuck Hatfield Circulation director Keith Abbott Production director Marti Barnes" Advertising director Cancer Nurse Joyce Harrell readies a cancer treatment Rocky Mount Telegram they can't get the same measure of patient care at a small town hospital," Dinsa-Chester said.
"But this is very untrue especially here at Heritage Hospital. People are slowly starting to. realize that we have what they need. Patients love to come here because we're like a family." Dinsa-Chester said it's also a majorchallenge for the cancer center to make people realize that cancer treatments have BANK From page 1A robbers, but with drug trafficking." Rouse and Blowers both said drugs play a major role in the recent surge in bank holdups, especially jn the eastern part of the state. "Certainly, most (bank robberies) are drug-related," Blowers said, "either in the individual attempting to get more drugs or Jp get money to pay off some drug debt so they can get more, credit with their drug dealer." But it's not just Nash and RipWoodin Publisher Jeff Herrin Editor Julie Howard Accounting manager Miss your paper? We hope not But if you havent received your Rocky Mount Telegram by 6 p.m.
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