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Libraries protest Random House price hike

NEW YORK (AP) - The American Library Association is urging Random House Inc. to reconsider its steep increases in the price of e-books for library wholesalers.

Random House, the country's largest trade publisher, announced earlier this week that wholesale charges for e-books would rise by more than 20 percent for new adult releases and more than double for new children's books. Random House noted that e-books can be "repeatedly circulated without limitation," unlike paper books, which eventually become worn or damaged.

The library association issued a statement Friday saying that libraries were enduring "extreme financial restraint," which a major price hike would worsen. Other major publishers, including HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, have either limited e-books for libraries or made them entirely unavailable.

Publishers are concerned that free downloads could cost them sales.

2012 Sacramento Beer Week Guide

SACRAMENTO - Your complete guide to the festivities, food and fanstastic craft beer on tap at the third annual Sacramento Beer Week.

Beer Week Information:

Your Sacramento Beer Week Questions Answered

Events by Location:

St. Baldrick's Foundation & de Vere's Irish Pub: Local Volunteers Shave Their Heads

St. Baldrick's Foundation & de Vere's Irish Pub:  Local Volunteers Shave Their Heads

 

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Natomas school board votes to lay off elem. P.E., art teachers

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Natomas Unified School District board voted to cut as many as two dozen teaching positions and to increase salaries for selected administrators at Tuesday night's meeting.

The school board voted 4 to 1 to lay off P.E. and Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) teachers from elementary schools.

The board also voted for pay increases ranging from $33 to $10,000 for selected administrators.

Before the meeting, students, teachers and parents rallied after school at Natomas Park Elementary to try and save P.E. and arts programs.

Natomas' Superintendent Walt Hanline said the changes aren't about eliminating the programs, but instead about focusing resources.

"Instead of spending $250,000 on teachers that do a little bit everywhere, maybe we need to focus on, instead, of what we're doing now," Hanline said.

Community Sponsors

Who is paying for the new arena?

SACRAMENTO, CA - The Sacramento mayor's chief of staff released the cost of building a new entertainment and sports complex on Wednesday.

The total cost is now $390 million: the City of Sacramento will pay $255 million; the Kings and the Maloofs will pay $73 million; AEG, an arena management company, will pay about $60 million. Another $3 million will come from Mayor Kevin Johnson's Brick-by-Brick program.

Most of the city's contributions will come from privatizing the city's parking assets and another $3 million from parking revenue Sacramento County has agreed to share with the city.

READ MORE: Term sheet overview for new entertainment and sports complex

Parents address Natomas school board cuts

NATOMAS, CA - Fourth grade students at Two Rivers Elementary School finished their physical education class on Wednesday with a game of indoor volleyball after rainy weather forced them to stay inside.

"I like gym because it helps you learn and how to stay active and healthy," student Alyssa Levy said.

But now some parents feel the Natomas Unified School Board is making an unhealthy choice.

As of July 1, there will no longer be physical education teachers in elementary schools. Instead, a P.E. teacher will coach and provide lessons for teachers.

"My fear is what winds up happening is it becomes an organized recess," P.E. teacher Ellen James said. "It's just another time where they take them out for 20 minutes and they get to run around, which is not the same as teaching all the standards that are laid out by the state that the kids are supposed to have."

The plan eliminates seven physical education teachers.

H.S. Hoops Scores: CIF-SJS Section Championships Set

SACRAMENTO - The Sac-Joaquin Section Championships are set for boys and girls high school basketball in division one, two and three, after 16 teams battled in the semifinals Tuesday night.

Boys D-III

  • #2 Sierra 67, #3 Center 50
  • #1 Foothill 59, #4 Lindhurst 39

Girls D-I

  • #6 Oak Ridge 63, #2 Armijo 52
  • #4 Kennedy 52, #1 Pleasant Grove 48

Girls D-II

  • #3 McNair 58, #7 River City 43
  • #1 St. Mary's 74, #4 Florin 33

Girls D-III