Category Archives: Freedom

GREENSBORO --

The Freedom boys basketball team had been known for its decisive scoring runs this year.

But Friday's 3A boys West Regional semifinal was decided mostly during a 24-5 outburst by Hickory that lifted the Red Tornadoes out of an early deficit and into a 27-12 lead by the beginning of the second quarter in a 81-63 victory.

The Tornadoes' ability to stay in front by double digits (they led 38-28 at halftime) despite center Gavin Huffman picking up his third foul at the 5:56 mark of the second quarter was paramount.

"That spurt right there at the end of the second quarter, we felt like if we could continually put pressure on them, we could do that," Hickory eighth-year coach Shawn Johnson said.

Freedom (26-3) cut the lead to 35-28 and had a 3-point shot just before half that could have trimmed the lead to four points, but got no closer.

"There were a couple of sequences like that," Freedom coach Casey Rogers said. "We had a chance to do something to get back in it, did not, and they did on the other end."

Hickory (27-3) scored the most points of any Freedom opponent this year, and things went no better on the offensive end, where Freedom was held below 70 points for just the second time in 14 games. The point total was the Patriots' lowest since December.

Freedom had lost its only two games by nine combined points.

Hickory shot 46 percent for the contest while limiting Freedom to a 21-for-65 performance (32 percent). Freedom was also just 17 for 40 from the free throw line.

Link:
Freedom goes cold as Hickory runs away

SOPERTON, Ga., March 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cool Planet Biofuels, a developer of negative and neutral carbon fuels, announced its use of REPREVE(R) Renewables' FREEDOM(TM) giant miscanthus to manufacture tank-ready gasoline. REPREVE Renewables provided feedstock to Cool Planet Biofuels for testing in its process. By using FREEDOM, Cool Planet reported that they were able to achieve a 4,000 gallons/acre conversion rate, which outperforms other feedstocks such as corn, switchgrass and wood on yield. The resulting fuel, claims Cool Planet, is chemically identical to gasoline from fossil fuel and is currently being road-tested in cars in California.

REPREVE(R) Renewables, LLC, is a leader in biomass energy solutions and the exclusive supplier of FREEDOM giant miscanthus. FREEDOM was developed at Mississippi State University as the best bioenergy crop for growing in the Southeast. REPREVE Renewables is focused on commercializing FREEDOM giant miscanthus by providing planting material and growing protocols to growers in the Southeast United States.

Phillip Jennings, a REPREVE Renewables founder, said the development from Cool Planet is a big step in bringing drop-in gasoline from grass to the marketplace.

"When gasoline can be made from plants, it's important to grow the most plant material per acre," said Jennings. "The yield per acre of FREEDOM giant miscanthus is unmatchable among purpose-grown energy crops. We look forward to the day when producing 3,000-4,000 gallons of gasoline per acre of land is done on a commercial scale. REPREVE Renewables is ready to do our part to make it happen."

The announcement demonstrates what is achievable under optimum growing conditions in the Southeast United States. Cool Planet estimates under more routine growing conditions, an average yield of 3,000 gallons per acre. In two years, Cool Planet has accumulated a list of investors that includes oil giant BP's venture capital arm, BP Technology Ventures; General Electric Co.; ConocoPhillips; Constellation Energy Group; NRG Energy Inc.; Google Ventures; Shea Ventures; and North Bridge Venture Partners. REPREVE Renewables continues to work with companies like Cool Planet Biofuels to bring renewable energy to commercial scale.

About REPREVE Renewables:

REPREVE Renewables, LLC, with R&D headquarters in Soperton, Georgia, is an innovator in the quest to bring workable solutions for renewable energy to market. The Company participates in the research and commercialization of viable non-food biomass solutions for renewable energy, thus decreasing U.S. dependency on foreign oil. REPREVE Renewables has the exclusive license from Mississippi State University to commercialize FREEDOM giant miscanthus, a bioenergy crop from which electricity and fuel can be produced effectively and efficiently. For more information about REPREVE Renewables, visit http://www.repreverenewables.com or http://www.freedomgiantmiscanthus.com.

FREEDOM is a trademark of Mississippi State University, used under license.

REPREVE is a registered trademark of Unifi, Inc., used under license.

For more information, contact:

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REPREVE(R) Renewables' Freedom(TM) Giant Miscanthus Used by Cool Planet to Produce Gasoline

Editors note: Every Friday throughout the run of From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen, we will feature unique and original posts by staff writers, musicians, visual artists, and more, with a focus on a range of issues including protest, dissent, and the role of art in politics and political campaigns. Todays post is from Courtney Swafford of Wilmington, DE who was recognized with a Scholastic Art & Writing Award for the following story.

Wolf, featured in the ART.WRITE.NOW. exhibit, was created by Komrorng Bo, a graduate of Central High School in Philadelphia.

To write is to share. I write in order to communicate to others, in the hopes that they can somehow appreciate what I mean to tell them. When I won my medal from the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, that hope was realized; I knew that Id succeeded, and I was beside myself. Knowing that someone else had read my work and understood me, that they could connect to it themselvesthis knowledge gave me affirmation that Id never had before.

The world often judges by class rank or sports trophies, and as a homeschooler I simply didnt have opportunities like these to prove myself. The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards changed that. They gave me a sense of validation, not as a homeschooler compared to those from more standard forms school, but as a writer compared to other writers. Recognition like this is invaluable, and I cannot thank the people at the Awards enough for all that theyve done for me and for other young artists and writers.

Jesus face fell off a long time ago. Ive watched the spidery cracks spread through the paint of the icon from the day I first noticed them in sixth grade, as I pretended to watch the priest. Now the picture hangs in the small recess where the priest stands, at the front of the chapel. The niche is so small that the priest, old, fat and insipid, has to squeeze around the corner to get behind the pulpit. The poor lighting back there hits his crinkled face at odd angles so that it looks like a dress shirt thats been slept in. His sagging, crumpled skin scrunches and creases in an endless maze of flesh as he deadpans the Book of Judith to his audience of lethargic schoolchildren. No one really listens. They just stare, glassy-eyed, while the monotone slogs through the heavy air in the vestry. Who was Judith? Nobody knows, and nobody really cares. The air is too muggy for that. The priest reads on for a few lines more, then stops and intones, This is the word of the lord. Then he steps out from behind the pedestal, and his flowing sleeve brushes some flakes of paint off from Jesus hair. Theres a small heap of these paint chips on the floor under the painting. The priest steps on them every time he goes back there, grinding them into the burgundy carpet. Down in the pews, all of the students laboriously stand themselves up and pull out their Psalters. The books are old, the tune is old, 264 ShOrT ShOrT STOrY the words are old, and we cant read music. Our indistinct mumble flounders its way through the meaningless characters on the pages. No one knows the song, and no one really cares. After all, who wants to praise a faceless god?

Swaffords piece won a Gold Key, the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers highest level of achievement on the national level.

ART.WRITE.NOW., a traveling exhibition featuring works by winners of the prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, will be on display at the National Constitution Center through Wednesday, March 14, 2012.

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Freedom Friday: Cracking God

The solution might seem simple.

Freedom Hill Elementary School in Vienna exceeds its capacity by about 100 students. Neighboring Lemon Road Elementary School in Falls Church is about 100 students under capacity. Why not shift 100 students from Freedom Hill to Lemon Road?

Parents of students at these schools say it isnt that easy because the debate is about which students get shifted. This week, Fairfax County Public Schools staged two community meetings to get parents views on two options of how to reassign students from Freedom Hill to Lemon Road.

Option A would reassign a portion of students living in Idylwood Apartments, located on the northwest side of Idylwood Road. Option B would reassign students living in Marshall Heights and Dominion townhomes and a portion of Idylwood Apartments to Lemon Road.

Both options would decrease student enrollment at Freedom Hill, as well as lowering the schools percentages of English for Speakers of Other Languages students and students eligible for free and reduced-price meals.

While Option B would see a greater transfer of students to Lemon Road, Option A shows a greater growth in students eligible for ESOL and free and reduced-price meals programs for Lemon Road, which would go from 21.7 percent ESOL to 28.4 percent and from 25.3 percent free and reduced-price meals to 30.8 percent.

The PTA believes Option B would be the most fair to both schools, said Lemon Road PTA President Jenn Brunner. It will bring the most students over to Lemon Road.

Additionally, she said the socio-economic demographics of the students who would be shifted under Option B more closely match the demographics at Lemon Road.

Freedom Hill parents, however, say they take a different view of these options.

Geographically, it makes more sense to us to keep those townhouses, said Freedom Hill parent Dianne Gurdak. I think anyone at Lemon Road would say Option B because they get less free and reduced lunch. They get less ESOL. And theyll say they are helping Freedom Hill, but its only 10 kids or so [more under Option B].

More:
Crowding solution for Freedom Hill not so clear

COLUMBIA, S.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Thousands of middle and high school students will have access to expanded educational opportunities provided by the Celebrate Freedom Foundation, supported by a new partnership with Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company.

Colonial Life has committed $100,000 over the next three years to help support the Celebrate Freedom Foundations educational programs. The programs focus on STEM subjects science, technology, engineering and math that are considered essential to the nations competitiveness and leadership role in the world economy. The goal is to encourage students to learn more about and pursue careers in fields that rely on these skills. The partnership will help fund:

This effort builds on Colonial Lifes long history of support for the Celebrate Freedom Foundation, says Randy Horn, Colonial Lifes president and chief executive officer. Were committed to developing the leaders of tomorrow by investing in educating and developing our future workforce. Nearly half of our total corporate social responsibility funding is education-focused, and Celebrate Freedom Foundations efforts align well with this focus.

Colonial Lifes support will greatly help our efforts to deliver effective educational opportunities and recognize outstanding JROTC participants, adds Jack Lovelady, Celebrate Freedom Foundations president and chief operating officer. These programs help develop critical skills greatly needed in the global workplace. Theyll help us maintain the U.S. technological advantage essential to assuring the health of our nations industry and, ultimately, Americas freedom.

To learn more about the Celebrate Freedom Foundation or its educational and JROTC programs, call (803) 708-4752 or visit http://www.CelebrateFreedomFoundation.org.

About the Celebrate Freedom Foundation

The Celebrate Freedom Foundation is a nonprofit educational and historical 501 (c)3 corporation dedicated to educating children, promoting lasting patriotism and honoring the military past, present and future. It provides innovative educational outreach programs in unconventional settings, focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics in elementary, middle and high schools. For more information visit http://www.CelebrateFreedomFoundation.org or call (803) 708-4752.

About the Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps

The Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps is a federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools across the United States. The program was originally created as part of the National Defense Act of 1916 and later expanded under the 1964 ROTC Vitalization Act.

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Colonial Life–Celebrate Freedom Foundation partnership benefits students nationwide

Freedom of Information not so free at the state house.

A recent restructuring bill forced a lot questions from citizens concerned about the separation of powers in state government. So through theFreedom of Information Act, many wanted details on how law makers put together the bill. But South Carolina legislators are exempt from such disclosure.

The Freedom of information Act or FOIA went into effect in 1967. In short, its purpose is to allow the release of previously undisclosed documents, controlled by the government. But in some cases, such as those at the South Carolina state house, the rules don notalways apply. An email obtained by the South Carolina Policy Council, shows that lawmakers are well aware of what they have to release and when. And they do not have to release anything.

Lawmakers passed a law back in 1980 which allows them to ignore FOIA requests. Rick Brundrett from the Policy Council, says there is no real recourse for tax payers who have questions.

Citizens have a right to know how their government operates. And freedom of information is designed to give citizens the opportunity to learn how their government operates. When the legislature has this exemption set for themselves no other state agency has citizens cannot learn as much about how their government operates.

The policy council reports they first found out the scope of the emotions, when they tried to get information on Boeing incentives and were stonewalled. Meantime a bill is up for debate that could end the law.

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Freedom of Information not so free at the state house.

By KENNETH KNIGHT | The Tampa Tribune Published: February 29, 2012 Updated: February 29, 2012 - 12:00 AM

David Sheppard's first official day as Freedom High's new principal went as he expected.

He described Feb. 20 as "an average, good old hardworking day."

Shortly before 2 p.m., Sheppard, who served as Wharton High's assistant principal of curriculum before his promotion, just had wrapped up a visit with a parent and chatted briefly with Assistant Principal Rosemary Owens.

"It's a whirlwind," Sheppard said, as he tried to grab a quick snack shortly before the end of school.

His day had been filled with meeting teachers and staffers, greeting students and conferencing with a parent or two who wanted to address an issue.

"The conversations I have had and the issues I've dealt with are very similar to an average, good old hardworking day," he said.

"It's been a good start," said the youthful 42-year-old, who replaced Chris Farkas, Freedom's popular former principal. "Most of the staff and several students have welcomed me."

That same day, Farkas started his new job as the school district's first-ever Area 8 leadership director, a post created to help devote more attention to public schools in south Hillsborough County.

Sheppard said he and Farkas were scheduled to meet a few more times during the next week or two to discuss school matters as part of the handoff.

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Freedom's new principal adjusts

FORT WAYNE, Ind., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (Pink Sheets: FDMF) CEO Brian Kistler today confirmed that the company has received the funding to produce and ship KC 9000 for the previously mentioned Middle East trial.

Kistler stated, "The first trial tentatively set to take place in April 2012 has been moved up to early March. The purpose of this trial is to show the effectiveness of cleaning, oil covered, drill cuttings from wells being drilled on shore. The parties requesting the trial have funded all expenses of product, shipping, travel and lodging for me to attend this event. The location for the trial has not been disclosed to me at this time; however all plans are being coordinated through our agent in Dubai."

Kistler further stated, "There are approximately 1 million tons of drill cuttings that have been accumulated that are yet to be processed from this one location. The current cost of cleanup is $65 per ton. Using KC 9000, costs show to come in under $50 per ton. Using this model would call for approximately 2 million gallons of KC 9000 to process the whole 1 million tons already accumulated. Moving forward the plan is to set up modular processing plants at the sight of the new wells being drilled so that the cuttings are able to be processed immediately which will save costs from transportation and storage of the cuttings."

"It is very rewarding to finally reach this point. When dealing with the foreign oil companies (which are all governmentally owned) it takes a great deal of perseverance and coordination to overcome the high degree of scrutiny and the barrier of entry. Thanks again to all of our shareholders for their patience," concluded Kistler.

ABOUT FREEDOM ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC:Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (FDMF.PK) is a publicly traded company that specializes in the identification and development of technologies with commercial applications in the energy industry sector. The company's original primary focus is the commercial development of its proprietary, heavy oil technology. KC 9000, a breakthrough technology, provides an effective and cost efficient system to enable heavy oil deposits to flow without heat. Recent research has developed and shown a new product SR-139 to be effective at breaking down asphalt shingles allowing the extraction and recovery of hydrocarbons.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTThis press release contains certain "forward-looking" statements, as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The Company, through its management, makes forward-looking public statements concerning it expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the Company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the Company. They include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to develop operations, the Company's ability to consummate and complete the acquisition, the Company's access to future capital, the successful integration of acquired companies, government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition, sales and other factors that may be identified from time to time in the Company's public announcements.

Contact: Brian Kistler CEO, 260-490-9990Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. Investor Relations Steven Marcus DME Capital LLC 917-648-0663 http://www.freedomenergyinternational.com

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Freedom Energy Confirms International Funding Received

When it comes to Freedom Road, Bruce Mazzoni, chairman of the Cranberry supervisors, is just plain tired of discussing how property should be used.

That was the summation of several minutes of comments underscoring township officials' frustration with the continuing conflict over the zoning of the property that flanks Cranberry's notorious bottleneck.

The issue came to a head Thursday as the board considered whether to accept an application from a consortium representing 13 Freedom Road property owners seeking a rezoning of their land. The application for rezoning accompanies pending appeals to the township zoning board and Butler County Common Pleas Court.

Supervisors voted unanimously against acceptance of the rezoning request.

The issue has been simmering for years. Township officials thought it was resolved in October 2010 when they approved a zoning overlay to allow property owners to develop their land for lower-impact commercial uses. The underlying residential zoning remained in tact, allowing property owners who didn't want to develop to continue unchanged.

The discussions about the zoning of the property along Freedom Road from Route 19 to the Beaver County line have been ongoing since the late 1990s.

In 1999, the Cranberry Planning Commission began looking at a request from residents along Freedom Road who wanted their land to be rezoned from residential to commercial.

In the township's early days, Freedom Road was one of two main thoroughfares cutting through farmland.

Houses were built on either side.

But, as the township developed, the road evolved from a residential street to a commercial throughway.

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Freedom Road conflicts continue in Cranberry

Insurers for Irvine-based Freedom Communications Inc. have agreed to pay $15.5 million as part of a final settlement stemming from the company's 2009 bankruptcy reorganization. Freedom owns The Orange County Register.

Most of the money will go to about 5,000 former Register newspaper carriers who filed a class action suit against the company nine years ago. They claimed they had been improperly classified as independent contractors rather than getting the pay and benefits of employees.

A final lawsuit stemming from Freedom Communications Inc.'s bankruptcy has been settled.

CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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A settlement approved by an Orange County Superior Court judge in June 2009 awarded the carriers and their attorneys $28.9 million, but the payout got caught up in Freedom's bankruptcy, which was filed three months later.

When Freedom emerged from bankruptcy in April 2010, the carriers and other unsecured creditors that had provided goods and services to the company shared an initial $14.5 million of the $40 million they were owed.

As part of the bankruptcy deal, Freedom agreed to allow the carriers and the other unsecured creditors to pursue separate litigation to recover additional funds from the insurers for the company's officers and directors.

The carriers and creditors subsequently filed suit claiming Freedom's officers and directors enriched themselves at the expense of unsecured creditors before the company went into bankruptcy.

Combined with the initial $14.5 million from the bankruptcy, the carriers and unsecured creditors recovered $30 million.

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Final $15.5 million settlement in Freedom BK