Minneapolis The Minnesota congressman who chairs the U.S. House education committee proposed Thursday to cut some strings that come with federal education money, but his new bill drew quick criticism from the U.S. Department of Education.

Republican Rep. John Kline introduced the State and Local Funding Flexibility Act, which is the third in a series of bills to overhaul the No Child Left Behind education law. The legislation would allow schools to take money intended for one educational purpose, such as for poor or migrant children, and spend it on another school priority, such as teacher training or reading programs.

“Washington bureaucrats cannot dictate how money is best spent in the classroom – those decisions should be left to the teachers, school administrators, superintendents, principals, and state leaders,” Kline said in a news release.

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CLEVELAND

Columbia Reservation, 25145 Royalton Road, Columbia Station. (440) 458-5121, (800) LCM-PARK or LorainCountyMetroParks.com.

French Creek Nature Center, 4530 Colorado Ave., Sheffield Village. (440) 458-5121, (800) LCM-PARK or LorainCountyMetroParks.com.

Burrells and the Underground Railroad, 11 a.m. to noon July 9.

Kopf Family Reservation, 32649 Electric Blvd., Avon Lake. (440) 458-5121, (800) LCM-PARK or LorainCountyMetroParks.com.

Sandy Ridge Reservation-Johnson Wetland Center, 6195 Otten Road, North Ridgeville. (440) 458-5121, (800) LCM-PARK or LorainCountyMetroParks.com.

Reptile Watch, 9-11 a.m. July 9.

State NAACP leaders are warning that they might take further action against the Wake County school system because of concerns about a new student assignment plan.

The Rev. William Barber, president of the state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, held a private, two-hour meeting Thursday with Wake Superintendent Tony Tata to get an update on the development of the plan.

In May 2010, the school board eliminated wording in the student assignment policy saying that Wake would try to balance schools on the basis of family income.

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Isabella Joseph of Moreland Hills raced out to a huge lead on the front nine as she cruised to a victory in the most recent North Coast Junior Tour event at Lost Nation Golf Course in Willoughby.

Joseph shot a 41 on the front nine en route to an 88, which was seven strokes ahead of Ali Gole of Concord as Joseph won the girls 12-15 age group. Joseph had a seven-stroke lead after the front nine as no one made was able to get any closer.