Additions

The Owen J. Roberts School District has received approval from the state Department of Education for its preliminary architectural design drawings for additions at both the Coventry and East Vincent Elementary Schools. That announcement, made during a special meeting of the Board of Education Monday night, paves the way for project architect Thomas Large to review the intermediate drawings of the Vincent construction. According to a new construction schedule, bids for the project will be received at a special board meeting scheduled Aug. 1. Board president Thomas Cox said work could begin "immediately after the board authorizes the bids.

The Haddonfield School Board voted last night to submit final plans to the state Department of Education for the $1.6 million in additions to the Elizabeth Haddon and J. Fithian Tatem Elementary Schools. Approval by the state is expected to take between six weeks and three months, according to school Superintendent Barry Ersek, and the board cannot award the final bid until it receives state approval. The additions for the Haddon school call for a music room, music-practice rooms and a new library with a computer room.

The Whitpain Zoning Hearing Board denied a homeowner's request to construct two additions to his single-family house in the 1600 block of Arch Road because he could not show that his newly purchased house presented a hardship that needed relief. During its meeting Thursday, the board voted, 3-0, to deny the request of Robert Jefferies to build a 44-by-24-foot, two-story addition and a 12-by-17- foot, single-story kitchen to his house in the Blue Bell section of the township.

The Pennsauken school board last night delayed a decision on an $11 million proposal to build additions to the high school and an elementary school. The vote was postponed after board members Joanne Robertson-Palmer and Robert Wagner raised questions about the projects. Palmer said she was not convinced that the district should spend $395,000 for a new music room at the high school, and Wagner suggested that more money be targeted to elementary schools other than the George B. Fine School.

The Central Bucks School District's plan to renovate seven schools is moving into the design stage, but the cost of this project and others in the district has dismayed officials and board members. On Thursday night, the board voted, 8-1, to authorize the design of classroom additions to Gayman, Kutz, Linden, Titus and Warwick Elementary Schools. The additions are expected to cost $13 million. Board member John I. Ventresca voted against the plan. The board has not yet voted on Phase II, which includes the design of additional classrooms for Butler and Pine Run Elementary Schools.

More than a year after voters approved a $1.4 million referendum to build multipurpose rooms at the Bellmawr Park and Ethel M. Burke Schools, the district will hold groundbreaking ceremonies at the two schools tomorrow. "It's been a little bit of an uphill battle for us to get to this point. . . . Now we're in the final stretch, and we're extremely excited," Superintendent Timothy Bell said. When the referendum was passed, 530-337, in October 1993, officials said the additions would open this month.

Citizens task force and advisory committee members involved with the Owen J. Roberts School District's $10 million construction plans think back now to all the "little things" they added to their proposals for additions to two elementary schools. Their hindsight comes two weeks after the district announced that bids for construction at the Vincent and East Coventry Elementary Schools came in at nearly $13 million - almost $3 million more than had been anticipated. At the Aug. 1 school board meeting, members decided that rather than raise taxes to cover the higher costs, they would scale down the project so it could be paid for through a $10 million bond issue.

An architect's estimate and a high school student's plea may be the deciding factors in the debate over whether to simultaneously build additions to two Central Bucks high schools. Central Bucks school board members Charles D. Baker and Eric N. Raffle have asked the board to consider delaying or reducing the size of the planned additions - but their proposals appeared to gain little support from other board members Tuesday night. Supporters of the district's plan to simultaneously build the additions cited an architect's estimate that the district could lose $700,000 if it delayed or modified either addition.

Construction has begun on the district's new multipurpose rooms at the Bellmawr Park and Ethel M. Burke Schools, and officials are optimistic the additions will be completed by the end of the school year. "The construction work at the Bellmawr Park School is moving along really well," Superintendent Timothy Bell said. "We had some minor drainage problems with the Burke School roof, so we've dug up and repaired those drains. So we're about three weeks behind at that school, but we hope to catch up quickly.

After determing that the business meets zoning requirements, the New Britain Borough Planning Commission has given the owner of a crane-rental business approval to add to his building on Bristol Road. Frank Bauman, owner of the Bauman Crane Co., presented his plans to the commission on Tuesday to determine if he would have to seek a zoning variance to provide for the additions. The building is located within an industrial area. Had the business been deemed anything but industrial, Bauman would have needed the zoning board's approval before expanding the structure.

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Most years, there seems to be some kind of controversy at the Masters. One year, it might be Martha Burk holding a news conference on Washington Road; another, it could be Tiger Woods returning to the game following a one-of-a-kind offseason. You never really know for sure. Wednesday morning at Augusta National, chairman Billy Payne did his annual 30-minute state of the tournament thing. And since the club had opened its doors last August to the first two female members - former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and banker Darla Moore - there was no need for anyone to ask the annual questions about what was taking the place so long to get it done.

ATLANTA - When Charlie Manuel was asked on Monday who his lefthanded bat off the bench would be on days when Laynce Nix was in the starting lineup, the manager was somewhat stumped before coming to the conclusion that it would be switch-hitter Freddy Galvis. Manuel didn't mention Ender Inciarte, perhaps because he knew the 22-year-old Rule 5 pick, with no experience beyond Class A, wasn't long for the team. Inciarte was designated for assignment on Tuesday. In place of Inciarte is Ezequiel Carrera, a 25-year-old, lefthanded-hitting outfielder.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Cole Hamels has pitched against the Atlanta Braves 28 times, more than any other opponent. Of the 10 batters he has faced the most, six of them played for the Braves. When Hamels makes his first start of the regular season, presumably on opening day, it will be against the Braves. He will barely recognize them. No Chipper Jones (he retired). No Martin Prado (he was traded). No Brian McCann (he's injured). That added a little intrigue to Thursday's otherwise mundane spring training start for Hamels.

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT announced Friday that it will recommend nine schools to become renaissance schools, a district initiative aimed at turning around low-performing schools. Two of the selected schools - Strawberry Mansion High and McMichael Elementary - were on the district's proposed school closure list last week, but on Tuesday, the district announced that both would stay open. Strawberry Mansion, Edison High, and Barry, Bryant, Cayuga and McMichael elementaries were recommended to be Promise Academies.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Riding a wave of new tax revenue, California's spending plan for the coming fiscal year will rise by nearly $5 billion, a powerful indication that the state that came to symbolize fiscal mismanagement during the heart of the recession is emerging into brighter days. Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday proposed a $97.6 billion general fund budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year that wipes out years of deficits and even includes a modest surplus. The added revenue increased planned spending 5 percent over the current year and helped the governor pour more money into public schools and universities.

SEVEN FOOTBALL players have enrolled at Penn State for the spring semester, which means they can participate in spring practice. Cedar Cliff High's Adam Breneman, widely considered the top tight end prospect in the country, was joined by running back Richy Anderson (Frederick, Md.), quarterback Tyler Ferguson (Visalia, Calif.), defensive back Anthony Smith (Randolph, N.J.), defensive back Jordan Smith (Washington), quarterback D.J. Crook (Worcester Academy/West Barnstable, Mass.)

The call was soon returned Monday and Michael Young was on the other end, speaking to his new manager. Charlie Manuel greeted his third baseman, and as the 68-year-old baseball lifer is wont to do, probably generated a few fresh lineup ideas in his mind. "I could hit Michael Young in quite a few places," Manuel said. Then, the Phillies manager stopped himself. "Really," he said, "I could sit there and go over lineups all I want to. But when it gets down to it, who we have on the corners in the outfield will dictate where our lineup falls.

BRUSSELS - The European Union warned Israel of unspecified consequences Monday if it goes through with plans to build thousands of new settler homes in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The bloc's 27 foreign ministers said they were "deeply dismayed" by Israeli plans to expand settlements in East Jerusalem and particularly the E1 project, which would separate the West Bank from East Jerusalem, the Palestinians' hoped-for capital, and drive a big wedge between the northern and southern flanks of the West Bank.

There was little question that James Dellavecchia would spend his remaining years behind bars for the death of his neighbor Scott Robins, since his first-degree murder conviction carried a mandatory life sentence. But on Tuesday, a Delaware County judge took another step to ensure that the 73-year-old Ridley Township man would die in prison for what he called a "cold-blooded murder" by adding seven to 14 years more time on additional charges. "What this does ... is triple-guarantee, no matter what, he will never be paroled," said Judge Michael F.X. Coll.

An MRI exam conducted Tuesday on Andrew Bynum's knees revealed even more problems for the 76ers center, Bynum said. The results showed new developments: cartilage swelling in both knees and a bone bruise in his left knee, he said. Bynum previously had been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee. On Tuesday, Bynum visited David W. Altchek, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Before Friday's game with Utah, Bynum said he had experienced a setback in his rehab, which the Sixers hope will make him available to play by the middle of January.