Thursday, February 29, 2024

Author

Jamie Buck
February 29, 2024

In Today’s Huntingdon Valley Insider:

📅 Thursday, February 29, 2024
•Leap Year: Timekeeping's Astronomical Alignment
•U.M. Police Report Multiple Arrests
•PA Proposes Stipends to Combat Teacher Shortage
⛅️ Weather + 🎭 Events + 🏈 Sports

👀 for best viewing, Read Online

Why Do We Have Leap Years? A Look at Timekeeping's Astronomical Alignment

Leap years are a fascinating aspect of our calendar system, introduced to ensure that our calendar aligns closely with the Earth's movements around the Sun. The reason we have leap years is due to the precise length of a year not being exactly 365 days but rather approximately 365.2425 days, or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 56 seconds, as noted by the National Aeronautics and Space Museum. This slight discrepancy amounts to almost an extra quarter of a day each year. Without correcting this accumulation, our calendar would slowly drift away from the astronomical seasons, causing notable shifts in our seasonal markers over time.

To mitigate this drift and keep our calendar in sync with the Earth's orbit, an extra day—February 29—is added to the calendar every four years, creating what we know as a leap year. This adjustment ensures that seasons occur around the same time each year, maintaining consistency in our timekeeping with the Earth's annual journey around the Sun.

However, the leap year system has a further correction mechanism to maintain long-term accuracy. Since adding a day every four years slightly overcorrects the discrepancy, the Gregorian calendar includes a rule to omit certain leap years. Specifically, if a year is divisible by 100 but not by 400, it is not a leap year. This rule explains why the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, whereas the year 2000 was. The next occurrence of such an exception will be in the year 2100. These adjustments ensure that our calendar remains as accurate as possible in reflecting the Earth's orbit and the changing seasons.

Upper Moreland Police Report Multiple Arrests Including DUI and Retail Theft

The Upper Moreland Police Department has recently reported several arrests stemming from various incidents, including charges of simple assault, driving under the influence (DUI), retail theft, defiant trespass, and possession of marijuana. These cases highlight the department's ongoing efforts to address and curb criminal activities within the community.

Incidents and Charges:

  • Matthew Wood, 27, of Willow Grove, faced charges of simple assault, terroristic threats, and harassment following a physical altercation on Easton Road on February 4. The incident, which occurred at 11:36 pm, involved Wood allegedly causing injury to another individual.

  • Justin Houk, 28, of Richboro, was arrested for two counts of DUI after being involved in a motor vehicle accident on January 20 at 3755 Davisville Road, Hatboro, around 3:36 am. Investigations revealed Houk was impaired while operating the vehicle.

  • Brian Aguado, 47, of Philadelphia, also faced DUI charges after a motor vehicle crash near Terwood Road and Edgehill Road in Willow Grove on January 30 at 1:35 pm. Aguado was found to be impaired at the time of the incident.

  • Timothy Keller, 58, with no fixed address, was arrested for defiant trespass at the Courtyard Marriott, 2350 Easton Road in Willow Grove, on February 19, 2024, at 8:14 pm. Keller had returned to the business from which he had previously been officially trespassed.

  • Christopher Ryan Homan, 42, of Warminster, was charged with retail theft for allegedly stealing $388 worth of merchandise from the Weis Market in Huntingdon Valley on February 10 at 5:17 pm.

  • Abigail Rivera and Nasira Wilson, both 20 and from Philadelphia, were arrested for retail theft and possession of a small amount of marijuana on February 10 at 2:54 pm. The duo is accused of stealing merchandise and jewelry from the Five Below store in Willow Grove and were found in possession of marijuana at the time of their arrest.

These arrests underscore the diverse nature of crimes that the Upper Moreland Police Department addresses, from property crimes to substance abuse and public safety offenses. The department continues to actively patrol and investigate to ensure the safety and security of the community.

Pennsylvania Proposes Stipends to Combat Teacher Shortage

Facing a critical teacher shortage, Pennsylvania legislators are proposing innovative solutions to attract and retain educators. State Senator Vincent Hughes is spearheading the Student Teacher Stipend Program for the 2024-25 academic year, offering $10,000 to $15,000 to student teachers who commit to working in high-needs districts. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to address the scarcity of teachers by enhancing their compensation.

Governor Shapiro's budget proposal includes a $5 million allocation to support the student teacher stipend fund, emphasizing the state's commitment to resolving the teacher shortage. Hughes advocates for a significant increase in teacher salaries, suggesting that a starting salary of at least $60,000 is necessary to retain talent within the state. The proposed stipend program also requires participants to teach in Pennsylvania for a minimum of three years, ensuring a return on investment.

The push for better compensation extends beyond stipends, with Hughes highlighting the need for pay raises, sign-on bonuses, and grants to encourage more individuals to pursue teaching careers. These measures are supported by Governor Shapiro's $48.3 billion budget plan, which includes an additional $1.1 billion for education, potentially funding some of these incentives.

The Pennsylvania State Education Association, led by President Aaron Chapin, echoes the call for higher starting salaries for teachers. The teacher shortage is a statewide issue, with districts struggling to fill positions, impacting the quality of education. This crisis is underscored by Pennsylvania issuing the lowest number of new teaching certificates in the 2021-22 school year, a 70% decrease from 2011.

Research from Penn State’s Center for Evaluation and Education Policy Analysis highlights the high attrition rates among Philadelphia teachers, with charter school teachers leaving at a significantly higher rate than their district counterparts. These findings underscore the urgency of addressing the teacher shortage to ensure that all students have access to quality education.

The proposed measures represent a comprehensive approach to tackling the teacher shortage in Pennsylvania, focusing on financial incentives and long-term commitments to the profession. As the state faces widespread vacancies and high attrition rates, these initiatives offer hope for stabilizing and strengthening the teaching workforce.

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Complete Local Sports Schedules:
Lower Moreland H.S. Schedule
Upper Moreland H.S. Schedule
Abington Senior H.S. Schedule
HVAA Updates
Bryn Athyn College Schedule
ANC Secondary Schools Athletics

Leap years correct the slight misalignment between the calendar year and the Earth's orbit, adding an extra day every four years to prevent seasonal drift. The Gregorian calendar refines this system by excluding certain centennial years from being leap years unless they are divisible by 400, ensuring long-term alignment between our calendar and the Earth's movements.

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