| War Memorial proposals unveiled
Four artists or groups of artists from several areas of the country have set up prototypes of their proposals for a memorial to veterans of war at Vinton's municipal building. The public is encouraged to view them and will eventually be able to cast a ballot for the one they prefer to see built on the Vinton War Memorial grounds. All feature ample seating areas and landscaping, along with water fountains. One features stately columns with phrases from the Bill of Rights inscribed at the base and another is centered on a large gazebo. Another design looks somewhat like the D-Day Memorial in Bedford and the still another features a large, star-shaped pool with ample room for people to sit and reflect. A committee largely made up of citizens is attempting to raise $250,000 for the veteran's memorial, the landscaping and its upkeep.
Ex TSU Employee, President Misused Funds, Prosecutor Says
(April 10, 2007)—Prosecutors claimed Tuesday that Texas Southern University's ex-chief financial officer was a "partner in crime" with the school's ex-president. Quintin Wiggins is accused of misspending more than $200,000 to buy furniture, landscaping and a home security system for now ex-president Priscilla Slade. His trial began Tuesday in Houston and is expected to last up to one month. But a defense attorney says Wiggins never intended to misuse public funds and he relied on what was done by his predecessors. The defense also says Wiggins didn't benefit from the purchases and was just doing his job. Wiggins, Slade and another ex-TSU employee were indicted for their alleged roles in the scheme. Charges against a fourth person were dropped in February.
UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF AUSTRALIA’S FINEST PRIVATE GARDENS WITH ROSS ...
One of Australias finest luxury tour operators, which launched its UK branch last year, has unveiled a breathtaking new tour available to British travellers, exploring the entire East coast of Australia. The fully hosted, all-inclusive Grand Tour of Australia allows travellers to indulge in the finer things in life as well as take in the most stunning gardens, normally not open to the public. Hosted by Australias leading television horticulturists and gardening personalities, Graham Ross and his wife Sandra, the tour invites garden enthusiasts to join him on the 14-day tour (exc flight time) from Cairns to Melbourne, via Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Canberra. Like all Ross Garden Tours, guests enjoy plush, 5-star accommodation throughout the trip including the Shangri-La in Cairns, Hilton Hotel in Sydney and the Stamford Plaza in Melbourne.
Where China's Rivers Run Dry
April 16, 2007 issue - The view from the top of the luxurious Morgan Centre (which will soon host a seven-star hotel) down onto Beijing's Olympic Green, where the 2008 Summer Games will begin in less than 500 days, is breathtaking. There, far below, lies the stunning Herzog & de Meuron-designed "bird nest" Olympic Stadium. Right next to it is the equally mesmerizing National Aquatics Center, a square structure with bubbled blue translucent walls known as the Water Cube. International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge has called this soon-to-be-completed sports complex "nothing short of staggering." How successfully Beijing has turned the Games into a global coming-out party is—for anyone who, like me, came to know China when Mao still held sway—a mind-bending accomplishment.
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