College Education

Working toward his doctorate in musical arts at West Virginia University, Yew Choong Cheong has a few things in common with Ludwig van Beethoven.

For starters, they're both talented pianists.

Recently awarded the 2007 International Young Soloists Award by VSA arts, Cheong, 28, won a $5,000 scholarship to continue music education and an invitation to play the piano at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. VSA arts is an international, nonprofit society for people with disabilities to participate in and enjoy the arts.

Then there's the disability. Like Beethoven, Cheong makes music despite progressive hearing loss affecting both ears.

Cheong wears a hearing aid, but he cannot use the telephone, and face-to-face conversations are sometimes difficult.

Senator Young offers week-end report on state legislation

The fast-paced atmosphere surrounding the General Assembly this week marked the arrival of crucial mid-session deadlines for lawmakers. In the Senate, committee action on bills introduced in that chamber concluded Thursday. Next week Senators will complete work on their bills and those successfully making it through the first half of the process will advance to the House of Representatives for its consideration. Meanwhile, Representatives added finishing touches to their bills in hopes of gaining House approval so their legislation can advance to the Senate for further study. The following brief summary highlights some of the legislative action taken this week.Senate committee advances lottery privatization proposalBy a vote of 7-5, the Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy approved a controversial measure proposed by the governor to lease the Hoosier Lottery to a private company for $1 billion.

Misir Mardanov: Graduates may apply for master’s degree

“Bachelors at the age of military draft may apply for the master's degree this year. They may continue their education after 1-year military service", said Azerbaijani education minister Misir Mardanov, APA reports.

The minister noted that Azerbaijani Education Ministry does not recognize diplomas of Russian University branches illegally functioning in the country. “Most of these branches have been closed. The others are on trial. The procedure will be over soon", he said. As for students of these branches, Mardanov stated that only some of them will be transferred to other private universities. “We will transfer those students who were legally admitted to the universities", he underscored. /APA/

Lottery idea: $20 a play for $1 million

Plans are in the works for an old-fashioned raffle -- a drawing game that harks back to the origins of lotteries in the United States. But this one will be up-to-date in its scope.Instead of paper ticket stubs, the state would offer 500,000 numbers for sale on play slips through the computer network in place at outlets statewide.The $20 cost of a ticket would establish a high mark for a single play since North Carolina launched its lottery in March.Four grand prizes of $1 million are planned. So if tickets sell out, $20 would buy a 1-in-125,000 shot at the big prize."It's about as good as it's going to get to win $1 million," lottery chief Tom Shaheen said of the odds.He said plans call for five additional winners of $100,000 and 500 winners of $1,000.The other 99.89 percent of the tickets would be losers.The game would generate roughly $3.5 million for education programs but would not make a big dent in what have been sluggish sales overall.Shaheen proposes that tickets go on sale in May and that winning numbers be drawn on the Fourth of July.

Changes in sex-offender law debated

WAPELLO, Iowa — General topics at a legislative forum Saturday in Wapello were discussed after U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, was briefed on the aftermath of a recent storm. Sex offendersIssues in the state Legislature include a contentious battle over sexual predator laws, especially a law that limits where sex offenders can live.