Latest news with #Putnam
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Summer school aims to bridge the gap of lost learning during Helene
May 28—Students in Haywood County have a key opportunity this summer to recover valuable instructional time lost to Hurricane Helene and winter weather, with programs available to support learning and allow for retakes of end-of-grade and end-of-course tests. "I encourage parents to participate in this program. Take advantage of this," said Haywood County Schools Board Chairman Chuck Francis. The program can be particularly beneficial for students who struggled this year, given that they missed 22 days thanks to Helene and winter weather. While Haywood County Schools is sixth in the state in academic performance, up from seventh last year, Superintendent Dr. Trevor Putnam isn't sure if Haywood can hold onto its high rank due to the disruption in learning from Helene. "We are down 200 plus instructional hours. I still think we will be in the running, but it will be hard to give up 200 hours of instructional time and compete with schools that had a full year," Putnam said. "You can't create 200 hours out of thin air." However, "we are going to get as many instructional hours back in the summer as possible," Putnam said. But it's more than just those hours missed. "It's not just the 22 days, but you think about the crisis and turmoil the kids were in after that," said Assist. Superintendent Jill Barker. "It's not just the 22 days. It's been more than that. We're trying to mitigate that." School leaders were also faced with the challenge of piecing together multiple different funding sources to provide the programs, as some money came from the state and some came from the federal level. They also had to face the challenge of making sure they achieved all of the requirements attached to the money for each program. "There's different rules for transportation. There's different rules for food," Barker said. Some students will have the opportunity to re-test before the school year is out, while others will have the opportunity to re-test during the summer program. "Kids that need intensive intervention, we're encouraging them to come to the summer program and re-test at the end of June," Barker said. "It is to mitigate lost instruction for kids. ... We are just trying to have that opportunity for kids that want to come." Following are some of the programs offered. Read to Achieve Students in kindergarten through third grade can take part in the Read to Achieve program. Read to Achieve Program will include phonics instruction, writing and specific reading intervention strategies. Transportation and meals (breakfast and lunch) will be provided. The Read to Achieve program is funded with state dollars, while Haywood County Schools is chipping in from Title I funds to add kindergarteners to the program. Building Master Builders Students in fourth or fifth grade have the opportunity to take part in the Building Master Builders program, which focuses on math and reading with some sciences added in. "They'll be doing YouCubed summer math, which includes math and reading. They'll also have some enrichment activities that will vary by school," Haywood County Schools Title I Director Charly Inman said. Those enrichment activities include the Science Olympiad, drones and Legos. Summer YouCubed Middle schoolers can take part in the Summer YouCubed Math Program. The programs aimed at fourth through eighth graders are being funded by state dollars, coming from the School Extension Learning Recovery Program, a direct response to Helene's impact. "That money will definitely cover all of the teachers and bus drivers. We're also able to get a director for each school," Inman said. Students in eighth grade or below will receive a meal. There will also be buses for students. Credit recovery for high school High school students can participate in a credit-recovery program in order to avoid falling behind. The high school program will not offer food, as each session will be about two hours shorter than those for the younger grades. High schoolers will also not attend on Fridays. Participation is voluntary in each of the summer programs, so parents or guardians make the decision. Parent notifications regarding students who could benefit from the service have already gone out. The help sessions will last three to four weeks, starting June 10. Classes are taught by local teachers.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wells Police pauses ICE agreement in light of pending legislation that would ban it
Wells resident Beth Allen speaks in opposition to the Wells Police Department contract with ICE during a Select Board meeting on May 6. (By Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star) The only Maine police department that has contracted with federal authorities to assist with immigration enforcement is pausing its agreement to see if the Maine Legislature votes to ban such contracts. Wells Police Chief Jo-Ann Putnam announced Tuesday night during a Select Board meeting that her department is adopting a 'wait-and-see approach' to credentialing its officers under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 287(g) program. 'This decision reflects the need to see how the legislation ends up playing out in Augusta,' Putnam said, referencing LD 1259, which had a public hearing on Monday. Two bills, LD 1259 and LD 1971, would prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies from carrying out the work of federal immigration authorities. LD 1259 would do so by explicitly prohibiting contracts with such authorities, while LD 1971 would place restrictions on enforcement activities absent formal agreements. Based on Putnam's brief comments at the meeting, it is unclear exactly what the pause means. Putnam could not be reached by the time of publication. In early May, she told Maine Morning Star that Wells officers had begun the training for the program, which is online. After the 287(g) program was discontinued in 2012 due to the discovery of discriminatory practices such as racial profiling, President Donald Trump revived it to bolster ICE's capacity by deputizing local police officers to detain immigrants, an authority otherwise generally reserved to federal authorities. Immigration enforcement hearing highlights lack of protocol for local, federal collaboration Putnam and Police Capt. Kevin Chabot previously told Maine Morning Star that they entered into the agreement to take advantage of a training opportunity and streamline work. On Tuesday night, Putnam said, 'I would like to reiterate one more time that at no point was there ever any intent on doing proactive immigration enforcement.' Wells remains the only local agency to have entered the program in Maine. Monmouth Winthrop Police Department, a combination of departments that serve central Maine communities, applied for the program but withdrew its application after community pushback. Community pushback in Wells is continuing in light of the pause. 'Our group, although appreciative of a pause, really is looking for Wells Police to withdraw from the contract,' Wells resident Peg Duddy told Maine Morning Star Wednesday morning. Duddy and other residents have been calling for termination of the agreement during Select Board meetings, including Tuesday night after Putnam announced the pause. The group has also been collecting signatures from Wells residents in favor of withdrawing and had more than 350 as of Wednesday morning, Duddy said. These residents have said they don't want their local force collaborating with an agency that has been accused of disregarding due process, for local police funding to go toward federal enforcement and possibly litigation, or for Wells to be known as an unwelcoming place for immigrants. However, other residents have commended local police for entering the federal partnership, showing that the matter has divided the community. The two bills heard on Monday come after Republican legislators presented a conflicting bill last month that would prevent local agencies from adopting any policies that restrict them from assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration law. None of these bills have received votes yet and there is only a month left until lawmakers are expected to conclude their work for the first year of Maine's two-year legislative session. One of the bill sponsors, Rep. Ambureen Rana (D-Bangor), told Maine Morning Star that the intention is for the Legislature to make its decisions on the issue this year. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Business Wire
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Franklin Templeton to Convert 10 Putnam Municipal Bond Mutual Funds to ETFs
SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Franklin Templeton today announced plans to convert 10 Putnam municipal bond mutual funds into exchange-traded funds (ETFs), marking a significant expansion of its municipal bond ETF lineup following the acquisition of Putnam Investments in January 2024. The conversions are expected to be completed between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026. The funds selected, which will become part of the Franklin Templeton ETF platform, include: Putnam California Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam Massachusetts Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam Minnesota Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam New Jersey Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam New York Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam Ohio Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam Pennsylvania Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam Short-Term Municipal Income Fund Putnam Tax Exempt Income Fund Putnam Tax-Free High Yield Fund 'To meet investor demand for high-quality municipal bond strategies delivered in a more cost-efficient, flexible, and transparent structure, we plan to convert these funds to ETFs to better serve our clients,' said Patrick O'Connor, Head of Global ETFs at Franklin Templeton. 'Our ETF lineup is built to offer choice at the highest level, spanning solutions for all types of investors. These latest additions reflect that commitment and mark another milestone as active fixed income strategies continue to modernize within the ETF ecosystem.' Municipal bonds remain a core component of many investor portfolios, offering federally tax-exempt income and historically low default rates. In addition to their income-generating potential, they can serve as a valuable diversifier within fixed income allocations. 'With these conversions, we remain at the forefront of bringing municipal bond strategies to market at scale in an ETF wrapper,' said Ben Barber, Director of Fixed Income - Municipal Bonds at Franklin Templeton. 'This is a meaningful step in making tax-free income solutions more accessible for all investors and reinforces our commitment to innovation and leadership in the municipal bond space.' Franklin Templeton's U.S. ETF platform currently includes over 70 ETFs with approximately $32 billion in assets under management as of May 15, 2025. The proposed changes to the product suite will further strengthen the firm's position as an industry leader in delivering choice to ETF investors across active, smart beta, and passive strategies. About Franklin Templeton Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE: BEN) is a global investment management organization with subsidiaries operating as Franklin Templeton and serving clients in over 150 countries. Franklin Templeton's mission is to help clients achieve better outcomes through investment management expertise, wealth management and technology solutions. Through its specialist investment managers, the Company offers specialization on a global scale, bringing extensive capabilities in equity, fixed income, alternatives and multi-asset solutions. With more than 1,500 investment professionals, and offices in major financial markets around the world, the California-based company has over 75 years of investment experience and $1.53 trillion in AUM as of April 30, 2025. The Company posts information that may be significant for investors in the Investor Relations and News Center sections of its website, and encourages investors to consult those sections regularly. For more information, please visit Important Information ETFs and ETPs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETFs/ETPs net asset value. Brokerage commissions and ETF/ETP expenses will reduce returns. ETF/ETP shares may be bought or sold throughout the day at their market price, not their Net Asset Value (NAV), on the exchange on which they are listed. Shares of ETFs/ETPs are tradable on secondary markets and may trade either at a premium or a discount to their NAV on the secondary market. What are the risks? All investments involve risks, including possible loss of principal. Fixed income securities involve interest rate, credit, inflation and reinvestment risks, and possible loss of principal. As interest rates rise, the value of fixed income securities falls. Portfolios focused on a single state are subject to greater risk of adverse economic and regulatory changes than a geographically diversified portfolio. Low-rated, high-yield bonds are subject to greater price volatility, illiquidity and possibility of default. Active management does not ensure gains or protect against market declines. An investor may be subject to the federal Alternative Minimum Tax, and state and local taxes may apply. These and other risks are discussed in the fund's prospectus. Please read it carefully. Franklin Distributors, LLC Member FINRA/SIPC
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lohud.com will post school election results as they come in on Tuesday, May 20
School district elections take place Tuesday, May 20, and will post results as we get them for districts in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. Polling hours vary but most districts close polls by 9 or 9:30 p.m. Look for lohud to start posting results shortly after 9:30 p.m. for small districts, although it usually takes several hours for some districts to release results. Registered voters will be asked to approve school board proposals for 2025-26 and choose school board candidates. Some districts will also ask voters to weigh in on a variety of propositions that have to do with spending public money. In some districts, library budgets and trustees are also on the ballot. Turnout is usually quite low for school elections, which take place each year in May. Three districts — Mamaroneck, New Rochelle and Pearl River — are proposing to raise their property tax levies by more than allowed under their state-imposed tax caps, meaning they will need the support of more than 60% of voters. Of the 53 voting districts in the Lower Hudson Valley, 28 are proposing to increase their tax levy as much as allowed under their tax caps. The Yonkers Public Schools, as one of New York's "Big 5" school systems, does not have a public vote on its budget. Districts where budget plans are defeated can propose second budget plans for public votes on June 17. Last year, voters rejected initial budget plans in Chappaqua and East Ramapo. Chappaqua was among four districts in the Lower Hudson Valley that proposed breaking their tax caps, but voters approved a second, revised budget plan that stayed under the district's tax cap. East Ramapo voters approved a second budget plan that included a 1% tax levy increase. But state Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, in a rare move, ordered the district to raise this year's tax levy by an additional 4.38%, an action that continues to divide the community. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Lohud to post Westchester, Rockland NY school election results May 20
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Driver airlifted with serious injuries after CT crash that snaps pole
A person was airlifted with serious but likely non-life-threatening injuries following a one-car crash into a roadside utility pole in Putnam on Saturday night, authorities said. East Putnam Fire Department, Putnam EMS and Connecticut State Police Troop D all arrived in the area of 58 Thurber Road and found the significantly damaged car that had snapped the pole at the base during the crash. The East Putnam Fire Department said the lone occupant was able to exit the car under their own power before emergency crews responded. Officials responded to the driver having a significant arm injury that required a tourniquet on the scene. Because of the severity of the injuries, a Quinebaug Valley Paramedic was requested to the scene and a LifeStar helicopter to Day Kimball Hospital, according to the East Putnam Fire Department. The patient was transported to Day Kimball Hospital and flown to UMass, according to the East Putnam Fire Department. The roadway was closed for about an hour and the crash is under investigation by Connecticut State Police Troop D.
