Bea moves and looks like any other teenage girl but she says, she dresses her age and chooses appropriate wardrobe that match her good girl image. Although she already puts on some makeup, she defends that it is something that her work requires.

Contrary to what people read in tabloids, she is not [yet] into boys, no crushes or whatsoever. Bea is very focused on what she wants to do in her life, giving priority to her education. She’s currently in home study program and at Level 8 or equivalent to second year high school. After she finishes home schooling, Bea plans to take up mass communication in college. She also wants to enroll in a culinary school.

Bea cares

The Kapuso teen has been passionate supporting important advocacies since she was six years old. She has long been connected to Haribon, an organization that promotes environmental and wildlife protection and conservation in the country, as a young ambassador gracing every planting activity, fun run and other events that highlight biodiversity.

Due to her deep love for different worthy causes, in December last year, the teen star decided to put up her own foundation aptly called Bea Binene Cares.

“The foundation’s main objective is simply to give help, hope and happiness most especially to children. Because we are just started reaching out to people we focus on feeding programs. It’s the easiest way that we can share hope and happiness with the less fortunate,” she said and added, “when I became exposed to different advocacies; I realized that a lot of people really need help.”

Realizing that she has been receiving so many blessings, the foundation also is her means to give back.

Bea was once dubbed as the next Mel Tiangco of Kapuso Network. Although it’s an odd moniker for a rising teen star, Bea asserted that she is humbled and very flattered.

“I grew up in Kapuso Public Affairs so I’m comfortable doing things like that,” Bea beamed, “It started when I relieved for Tita Mel and until now if she is not available, I take her place in the Kapuso Foundation segment on 24 Oras.”

She likes action

As one of the busiest and the most visible teen talents of GMA Network, Bea is aware that comparison and competition is inevitable. She is always compared to Barbie Forteza, another Kapuso teen talent, who has been her co-stars in numerous projects since she started in showbiz.

“I don’t really dwell on the negative issues like comparing me to other stars, I know myself and my capabilities. I know I still have so much to learn that’s why I always try to put my best foot forward,” the young star said in Tagalog.

As a young star, Bea looks up to one of her co-stars in Alice Bungisngis. She said she has high respect and admiration for Jean Garcia.

(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on /2012/May/16)

THE TIMING
In a dream world, you arrive in time for Spoleto Festival USA (May 25-June 10), founded in 1977 by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Gian Carlo Menotti, to complement Festival dei Due Mondi (the Festival of Two Worlds) in Spoleto, Italy. The formula is unique: Over a period of seventeen days and nights, Spoleto presents opera, classical and modern music, theater, and dance. This years Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra will debut two works by Radioheads Jonny Greenwood and include the likes of Jake Shimabukuro, Joy Kills Sorrow, KD Lang, and Rebirth Brass Band. Alvin Ailey, Cedar Lake contemporary ballet, and acrobatic sensation Traces add a little New York City edge to the festival atmosphere.

WHERE TO STAY
The best part of Charleston is that it remains a glorious walking town. Drop off your bags at the historic Planters Inn and request a room on the second floor if you are in the mood for a ghost or two. A cost-effective option is Fulton Lane Inn. For a touch of history, stay at John Rutledge House Inn. If love is in the air, check into Vendue Inn. (Its one of Fathoms Most Romantic Hotels in the USA).

WHAT TO DO
Late Morning. A light lunch at the culinary anchor SNO.B (Slightly North of Broad) kicks off with a sip of something bubbly and fried shad roe. Mainstays like Hominy Grill, with those high-rise biscuits and award-winning shrimp and grits, are great for brunch. Or you can snag a seat before the crowds line up for sweet tea, crunch pickles, fried chicken, and porter-steward collard greens at Jestines Kitchen (251 Meeting St.; +1-843-722-7224).

Early Afternoon. King Street is ideal for shopping mainstream and indie boutiques. Indie Heirloom Book Company offers hard-to-find vintage culinary titles. Boutiques like Worthwhile and Alice Daisy cater to the fashion savvy. Indigo Cotton does a modern take on seersucker.

Late Afternoon. Stroll through the various graveyards (like historical favorite Saint Philips Episcopal Church Cemetery) and peek down the narrow corridors and secret gardens of Charlestons grand homes. Feel like a walk back to 1870? Try Magnolia Plantation and its stunning gardens. Or check out the Gibbes Museum.

Sunset drinks at the rooftop bar of the Vendue Inn always entice. Locals order Palmetto lager and enjoy watching the day slip away. Try your luck scoring a coveted, quiet outdoor courtyard table at Peninsula Grill and order the steak tartare or foie gras with Carolina peach jam.

Night. Neither Husk nor its chef — Sean if-it-doesnt-come-from-the-South-it-doesnt-come-through-my-kitchen Brock — need an introduction; a meal here is a must. The airy dining space is a wise choice for the diner who appreciates food rooted in the culinary past of the Carolinas. Husks bar is a real highlight, mixing modern mixology with a woodsy, ramshackle vibe (and Paul Bunyan-esque tenders to match). Note the prevalance of preserved berries, syrups, and okra. And a healthy range of Kentucky bourbons.

Repeat. Sleep is in order after the gastronomical pleasures you encounter in Charleston. (Youll be hungry come morning.)

Looking for a refreshing mix of art, music, and restaurants devoted to heritage vegetables? FATHOM contributor Kate Donnelly makes a quick visit to Charleston, South Carolina.

OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS
A glorious nature preserve called Kiawah Island beckons with snowy egrets and lowcountry mise-en-scene. Your beach cruiser easily lets you have your own guided tours. The Sanctuary, which backs up to the Atlantic Ocean, is aces and is also on our Most Romantic Hotels in the USA list. Pam Harrington and Beachwalker offer villa and home rentals. Although Im not a golfer, Im extremely fond of Robert AM Sterns flawlessly designed Ocean Course Clubhouse at the islands end. Start with rosà and oysters under the compass of the bar. End in a rocking chair outside, soaking up lush panoramic views.

For more weekend getaway ideas, visit fathomaway.com.

Photos: Courtesy of Spoleto Festival; courtesy of Heirloom Book Company.

Parents at the school pay up to $7 a trip for their children to play sport in Berkeley and Figtree because crossing Keira St to access the nearby JJ Kelly Park has been deemed too dangerous.

Stuck in a situation where their children can see quality sports fields but not use them, parents have banded together to lobby Wollongong City Council to build a footbridge over the busy road.

Mother Kylie Stubbles said she was so angry when she found out why her children were unable to use the fields, she started a petition on behalf of the PC for a bridge to be built.

Currently, the kids miss out on a whole range of sports because we dont have a proper playing field in our school grounds and the school wont ask us to pay for more buses to do it elsewhere, but if we had safe access to that field we could do it, she said.

She said the school had used JJ Kelly Park for their cross-country carnival in March, but had to get police to set up a temporary crossing to assist the students to cross the road.

Its just not realistic to get the police here every time the kids want to play sport, she said. We want the kids to be able to use [the park] at least once a week.

Coniston principal David Lamb said he supported the push for safe pedestrian access.

The school supports any measure to increase safety of students while undertaking activities at our school, he said.

However, councils Director of Infrastructure and Works Peter Kofod said a bridge was not likely to be built in the short term.

Council understands the safety of schoolchildren is paramount, but the cost of constructing a pedestrian bridge could be as much as $3 million, he said.

This is a cost that would need to be considered under a future budget cycle as current funds have been allocated.

He said placing traffic signals at the intersection of Keira and Swan streets may be an option in the future.

So, Connie said, she went out and bought one too.

It was either ride or be left behind, the Independence resident said, adding that she and Ed have enjoyed biking together for 42 out of their 43 years of marriage. Weve been riding ever since.

The Drakes 5-mile ride to Independence City Hall Monday morning for the Bike Breakfast was a drop in the bucket compared to their usual rides that vary 10 to 40 miles each, several times a week.

Sometimes, well go two or three days without taking the car, Connie said.

About 40 bicyclists rode through the circle drive in front of City Hall for the healthy breakfast event, which started the local celebration of National Bike Week and was a part of the Building A Healthier Independence initiative.

Co-sponsored by the Health and Parks and Recreation departments, the event also included the unveiling of two bike racks at City Hall, the first of their kind at the building in recent years, staff say.

We have eight others were going to be putting around the city this summer, said Alicia Nelson, an Independence Health Department program officer who oversees the physical activities portion of Building a Healthier Independence.

Since last August, an ad-hoc City Council group, the Bicycle Transportation Committee, also has studied the needs of local bicyclists and possible future improvements.

The Drakes say theyd like to see marked bicycle lanes citywide since they enjoy riding to the bread store, the post office and to the Square but they cant always safely ride to their grocery store. Connie said vehicle drivers also should be aware that, within the Missouri state statutes, bicyclists have a right to ride on the streets.

Another bicyclist, David Thompson of Independence, said he hopes the momentum and support of bicyclists continues, including the designated and properly marked biking lanes.

Youre in Independence, Missouri Harry Truman walked everywhere, Thompson said. I hope wed have more opportunities for walking and biking.

Unlike the Drakes, Thompson just started biking a couple of years ago for running errands, he said, and now, I absolutely love it. Its starting to pick up, which is absolutely great. I bet I havent driven my truck but twice this week, and that was just to go to work because Im getting more familiar with areas.

While the year isn’t even half over yet, it’s going to be a hard climb for anyone to topple the summer Joss Whedon is having. If The Avengers box office wasn’t enough to give him the best summer ever (it is), his co-writing and producing on The Cabin in the Woods might be the nudge to put him over the top with most fans.

Whedon has a few projects in the pipeline (he wrote the upcoming In Your Eyes and is directing his take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing), but what if you need more Whedon right now!? Turn your eyes to the page, dear friend. Titan Books currently has three Joss-related offerings ready for your perusal. We took a look at them to give you the straight dope on whether they’re just for super-fans or if everyone can enjoy. After all, not everyone is a huge fan of Whedon. Indeed, personally, I’m at best 50/50 on the guy, finding serious flaws within some his work, absolutely loving some of it, and having not ever watched a good chunk of it. The following contains spoilers for The Cabin in the Woods and Joss Whedon’s career.

Title: Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion

Level of Joss: High

Fan Status: Epic

Published under the PopMatters banner, Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion is a thick tome packed with more than 400 pages of essays about the man and his work, spanning his career up until this point. As a book of essays, there aren’t any pictures included, but the material is broken up into easily digestible sections for efficient reading while pooping.

This book is best suited towards real Whedon fans and followers of his Buffy: The Vampire Slayer television series, as the essays on that show, including Raise Your Hand If You’re Invulnerable!, Note to Self, Religion Freaky, and Women Who Hate Women, comprises about 160 of the books total pages.

Angel, Firefly, and Serenity are also sufficiently covered alongside Whedon’s work in comics and on Dollhouse. Those of you rushing out to read about The Cabin in the Woods or The Avengers will probably be met with disappointment after all, books aren’t written and published instantly, so both of these sections are light and were written well before the films were even completed.

Final Word: With a bunch of entertaining and enlightening sections, the book is interesting and definitely full of words, a must have for Whedonites and big Buffy fans. Casual Whedon viewers or those looking for information on his most recent projects will be better served elsewhere.

Title: The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Visual Companion

Level of Joss: Moderate

Fan Status: Moderate

This was a book I was looking forward to even before I saw The Cabin in the Woods. With everything I had heard of the film, I knew I was going to want to dive deeper into the world. After seeing the film, I was even more pumped up there was so much there, so much room for expansion.

While this Visual Companion is an awesome read, there is some room for disappointment. This was the perfect venue to really shine a spotlight on a lot of the monsters that we don’t get a good look at through the film and while most of them are in here, it’s not quite the rogues gallery it should have been.

The Visual Companion includes the complete script, hundreds of color photos, sketches, interviews with cast and creators, a forward by director Drew Goddard and an afterword by Whedon. The pictures and sketches are the highlights, even though there could have been a thousand more, what’s included is a great look into the creation of the world. There’s also a pretty clean shot of The White Board, offering a glimpse into all the horrible creatures we didn’t get to see.

Final Word: An excellent pick-up for fans of The Cabin in the Woods. It’s a beautifully put together book overflowing with images and insight into all the hectic stuff that happened in the film. Highly recommended. Also, some of my favorite monsters from the move are shown in detail and given a name: DISMEMBERMENT GOBLINS.

Title: The Cabin in the Woods: The Official Movie Novelization

Level of Joss: Low

Fan Status: Low

The least tied to Whedon, the official novelization comes to us via New York Times best selling author Tim Lebbon, author of Dusk and the official novelization of 30 Days of Night. Based on the screenplay, the novelization comes in at a brisk 300 pages and features a few things, mostly dialogue, that weren’t in the movie.

When dealing with a crazy, hectic sequence like the lobby massacre in the film, a novel won’t ever be able to capture all that magic without really dragging on and throwing in pages and pages of description and, as such, Lebbon’s work doesn’t hit you with the wow factor the same way the movie does.

Still, it’s an entertaining read just as vibrant and funny as the film. If you’ve never read a horror book, you should. It’s a completely different way of experiencing the sensation.

Final Word: Best suited for fans of the movie, since it offers more insight into the minds of the characters but lacks a little pop when compared to the bat-shit insane visuals of the film. Definitely a worth-it pick up; it even offers a brief insight into just way those monsters, when released, and so fucking hungry.

via press release:

As part of the network’s Upfront presentation today in Manhattan, ESPN announced a strategic collaboration with Twitter that will offer fans and advertisers unique, interactive programs around major sporting events, beginning with the upcoming NBA Finals. The effort will be promoted across Twitter, ESPN networks, ABC and ESPN’s broad array of digital assets, including ESPN.com and ESPN Mobile.

“Working together, ESPN and Twitter are giving marketers a clear and powerful way to link on-air and online social conversations around sports,” said Joel Lunenfeld, Twitter’s Vice President of Global Brand Strategy. “It’s the first time advertisers can engage the audience around ESPN’s premier content across screens and where the conversation is happening on Twitter.”

Added Ed Erhardt, president, ESPN Global Customer Marketing and Sales, “Advertisers and marketers have been asking for meaningful opportunities that tap into the power of social media. We know fans use ESPN and Twitter as their main source for content and connectivity. By taking that scale and combining it with the passion of sports fans, this program answers the value equation of social media while providing a new way for fans to engage with ESPN. It also gives our clients a tremendous opportunity to own the conversation with us around major sport holidays.”

Each program will be co-created by ESPN and Twitter, beginning with GameFace – the first effort, which will be focused on the NBA Finals. GameFace will be seamlessly integrated throughout the live ABC broadcasts and ESPN’s NBA Tonight programming with a dedicated Twitter hashtag #GameFace.

Fans will be encouraged to tweet photographs of their “game face” throughout the finals. At the conclusion of each game, NBA Tonight analysts will highlight the competition and reveal the best photographs on-air. The best photos will also be featured in a photo gallery on ESPN.com/NBA.

On Twitter, #GameFace will be supported through Twitter’s Promoted Products suite (including a Promoted Trend during the Finals), and the experience will be plugged on the @NBAonESPN Twitter handle. At the conclusion of the NBA Finals, ESPN basketball analyst Jalen Rose will tweet his top five favorite #GameFace entries before revealing the final winner, who will receive a grand tour of ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn.

Additional marquee sports events that have been identified include the Global X Games, Road to the BCS National Championship, Super Bowl, World Series, NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and NASCAR Chase for the Cup. Future events will offer a similar interactive experience, with new themes and dedicated hashtags to drive the sports conversation on Twitter.

Following a nationwide search over the last several months, the Wilton Library is pleased to announce that its new executive director is Elaine Tai-Lauria, a 25-year Wilton resident. Ms. Tai-Lauria will succeed current director Kathy Leeds, who announced her retirement last fall and will be leaving the library at the end of June after eleven years as its director. Ms. Tai-Lauria’s almost 35 years as a professional librarian and her ties to the Wilton community made her a winning choice from the original pool of close to 40 qualified candidates.

Ms. Tai-Lauria currently serves as the Head of Lending Services at the Greenwich Library, a position she has held for seven years. She has 30 years of seamless professional growth as a senior manager in public, corporate and academic libraries. At the Greenwich Library, she manages a staff of 42 people, coordinating circulation activities for three libraries in the system, and has worked closely with the senior staff to develop the strategic planning initiative for the Greenwich Library. Before that, Elaine worked as Director of Information Services for Purdue Pharma in Stamford, in a similar position with Texaco, and then as Manager of Reference and Information Services for Stanford University in Palo Alto. She has special strengths in mentoring and developing staff, and expertise in technology and marketing.

In addition to her notable career, Ms. Tai-Lauria has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Wilton Library since 2006. She served as Chair of the Technology Committee, and supported and worked at several fund-raising events. Her experience and understanding of technology prepares the library for the rapid pace of technological change. As a 25 year resident of Wilton, she knows the community well and has a vision to further develop existing relationships and partnerships with the schools and businesses in town as well as to find ways to encourage non-users to become patrons. According to Kathy Welling, chair of the Search Committee for the Executive Director of the Wilton Library, “In short, her stellar experience, excellent references and enthusiasm for the position combined with her understanding and devotion to our community made her stand out from the highly qualified competition.”

Ms. Tai-Lauria remarked, “Given the outstanding reputation of Wilton Library and having been so closely associated with it as a trustee, I am thrilled to be part of this wonderful institution in my own community. I look forward to leading the development of Wilton Library as we continue to bring our products, programs and services to our current and new users.”

Ms. Tai-Lauria’s official start date is July 1, 2012. She will be working closely with Kathy Leeds in the weeks leading up to that date to ensure a smooth transition. Wilton Library is located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in the heart of Wilton Center. For information and directions, visit www.wiltonlibrary.org or call 203-762-3950, ext. 213.

Upper Macungie officials agree to lease four more acres for the site of the new Parkland Community Library.

The leagues announcement signals it is comfortable with the investment money and any financing involved with Jamsion’s bid.

It also sets the stage for a vote by the Glendale City Council on payments to the Jamison group to facilitate the sale and help the group absorb short-term financial losses. The Coyotes lose $20 million to $25 million per season. The city will pay the Coyotes’ new owners to run Jobing.com Arena.

Jamison’s purchase of the Coyotes still needs final approval from NHL owners and the Glendale council, which could vote on a Coyotes deal this week.

Mike Sunnucks is a reporter for the Phoenix Business Journal, a sister publication of Sporting News.