Share and Swap Plants

Armed with spades, gloves, and plastic containers, gardeners will be out by the hundreds on Saturday, May 31 to participate in the Spring Perennial Divide hosted by Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN). During this annual event, community and backyard gardeners will be able to exchange, donate or simply take home perennial divisions, bulbs, herbs, and other plants. The plant swap will take place, rain or shine, at BNAN’s City Natives Nursery, 30 Edgewater Drive Mattapan Square from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

Writing Contest from Shell

The Economist and Shell have joined forces for the fourth international writing competition. Potential applicants should visit www.shelleconomistprize.com for rules, directions, and the questions to be answered in the essay.

The prize-winning essay will receive $20,000 and will appear in the prestigious annual publication from The Economist: The World of 2004. Two silver runners up will each receive $10, 000 and five bronze award winners will each get $5000. All eight essays will be published on the website. Submission deadline is Friday, August 22, 2003.

Student Loan Interest Rates to Fall to Record Lows

Economists are predicting that education loan interest rates will once again drop to historic lows when they are reset for the coming academic year, benefiting millions of new and current student and parent borrowers.

Interest rates on federally guaranteed, variable-rate education loans are reset annually, with an effective date of July 1. These rates are based on the last auction of the 91-day Treasury bill in the month of May plus a margin of interest set by the federal regulation. On July 1, 2003, rates are expected to reach all-time lows, based upon the expected rate-set of Tuesday, May 27, 2003.