[update] Mansfield has some 'green' school buses

New filters on the buses reduce the emissions of particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by 90 percent. ----------

The public is invited to a ribbon-cutting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 16 at the Audrey P. Beck Municipal Building (Town Hall) to celebrate the successful retrofit of 20 school buses with diesel engine particulate filters.

The Town of Mansfield was awarded a $246,600 Clean School Bus Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to purchase and install these diesel particulate filters, which reduce the emissions of particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons by 90 percent.

One of the retrofit school buses will be on hand to view – and test with a white hanky.

The Beck Building is located at 4 South Eagleville Road (the corner of Routes 195 and 275).

[update] At Thursday’s ceremony, Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator of EPA New England  said, “The goal of EPA’s Clean School Bus USA program is simple – to ensure that by next year, every school bus in all 50 states emits less pollution and contributes to cleaner air for our children and our communities… We offer our congratulations to Mansfield for retrofiting the town’s entire fleet of school buses.  By reducing diesel exhaust, we can all breath easier.”

Posted April 15, updated April 17, 2009

UConn's Auriemma chosen to coach Olympic hopefuls

UConn women's basketball Head Coach Geno Auriemma with 2009 trophy. Photo © Vito J. Leo for HTNP.com

USA Basketball announced Tuesday that UConn women’s basketball Head Coach Geno Auriemma will serve as the head coach of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team for 2009-12.

Auriemma’s selection was made by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Steering Committee and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.

“There is no better coach in America than Geno Auriemma and we are delighted to be able to have a coach of his caliber lead our women’s national team program through the 2012 Olympic Games,” said USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo.

Auriemma – an assistant coach to the gold medalist 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, and winner of six NCAA championships at the University of Connecticut – will coach the USA Basketball Women’s National Team to compete in the 2010 FIBA World Championship (Sept. 23 – Oct. 3 in the Czech Republic).

And if the USA qualifies, he will continue with the 2012 Summer Olympic Games (July 27 – Aug. 12 in London, England), as well as additional USA training camps and exhibition games.

Should the U.S. not finish with the gold medal in ’10, it would have two more chances to qualify for the Olympics: the 2011 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament and 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Posted April 15, 2009