Syracuse school board officials prepare to vote on Levy school closing

In attempt to save $2 million in staff costs, Syracuse school superintendent Daniel Lowengard wants to close Levy.

According to Syracuse.com on Tuesday the school board will vote and decide whether or not to close Levy school and if so what to do with all the students.

The school district plans to convert Hughes Elementary School at 345 Jamesville into a K-8 school.

According to curriculum official, Chris Vogelsang, the district also plans to enhance academic performance in Hughes and add a new principal by Sept..

Vogelsang said the district chose Levy because it is small. In addition a well-timed reconstruction at Hughes school would make the student integration process much easier.

Lowengard wants to use Levy to house the Institute of Technology at Syracuse Central while that school is being renovated.

If the plan goes through Levy students who live near Hughes would be enrolled there.  Students from other parts of the city could enroll at another school closer if room is available.

School board president Richard Strong said schools closing had to be considered. According to Strong the Levy idea was the most fitting and cost-efficient plan the district came up with in order to help alleviate the budget’s shortfall.

“It’s a complicated equation and we’re doing the best we can. I really believe that we’re doing the very best we can to minimize impact and cost while completing the goal at moving the construction project along at a pace that’s reasonable,” Strong said.

Thousands gather at Washington to make their voices heard on Immigration Reform

Obama's next move could be to tackle immigration reform. According to CNN.com President Obama said on Sunday that he was going to try everything he could to seal a bipartisan deal this year.

Last week senators Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham published a plan that outlined the legalization process of immigrants and temporary worker programs. The plan also included stricter border controls.

Obama put support behind the plan calling it promising and a basis for advancing immigration reform. He wants Congress to act on the plan as soon as possible.

Obama said deciding on immigration reform won’t be easy, however he feels a combined effort across political and social lines will make it possible.

“If we work together across ethnic, state and party lines, we can build a future worthy of our history as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws,” Obama said.

The topic of immigration reform had been set a side after an unsuccessful attempt by the Bush administration in 2007 to decide on policies.

Republican Luis Gutierrez stood behind the health care bill after getting a commitment to quickly advance on immigration reform.

According to CNN.com Gutierrez told Sunday’s crowd “The wait is over. The time is now”.

 “We’re ready to turn our hope into victory,” Gutierrez said.

Sri Lankan locals accuse  r&b singer Akon of desecrating a Buddha image

Protestors threw stones at a broadcaster’s headquarters on Monday according to Syracuse.com.

The broadcaster Majaraja Organization that’s sponsoring the Akon concert this April reported four workers were injured from the attacks.

The stones also broke windows and damaged vehicles outside the building.

Signs at the scene said “Stop Akon’s show”.

Akon’s music video shows provocatively dressed women dancing at a pool party with a Buddha statue in the background.

A large ethnic majority of Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese are Buddhists.

Although this protest did not leave behind severe injuries this wasn’t the first time Majaraja Organization has been under attack.

Last year a group of men tossed hand grenades and opened fire on the building, however no clear motive for the attack was identified.