By Peter Ripley, Publisher
We celebrated our Independence Day this week, and what could be a better story on this 4th of July week? Immigration of course! After all our fore fathers were immigrants coming to the Americas. If any can lay claim of ownership of this nation it's the Native Americans!
If you can see clearly through the nonsense lately from the Democratic side of insanity calling to abolish ICE, how irresponsible that proposal is!
This subject hits close to home here in Port Angeles back in 1999, thanks to border patrol police they stopped a would be terrorist attack. The following are a collection of stories that deals with the need for our border patrols. The left would have the borders wide open for anyone to come across, even would be criminals. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how foolish that is.
News Story spotlight: Remember Ahmed Ressam?!
Terrorists targeted Disneyland, Space Needle---UPI Archive
"WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 -- Former CIA officials told United Press International that southern California's Disneyland and Seattle's Space Needle were targets of foiled 1999 millennium bombing, attack financed and advised by Saudi millionaire terrorist Osama bin Laden.
According to these sources, who asked not to be identified, the plot came to light when a 32-year old Algerian man, Ahmed Ressam, was stopped by U.S. Customs officials on Dec. 14, 1999 at Port Angeles, about 60 miles northwest of Seattle, after crossing the Canadian border."
https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/02/20/Terrorists-targeted-Disneyland-Space-Needle/9610982645200/
Editorial note: Apparently back in 1999, Sen Murray was concerned about protecting our border, according to a news report from the Washington Post dated 2008 with the headline: Plugging a Very Porous Northern Border
Quote: " Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.): "I am very concerned, and have been for a very long time. I think the problems up there are large and need to be dealt with."
She sings a different tune now a days. Today, she decries the government keeping the borders save according to her many press releases.
Now the idiotic calls for abolishing ICE from the Democrats! So much for obeying the laws of the land huh readers?
See headlines...
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Save ICE': White House launches full-scale defense of agency amid Dem calls to abolish---FOX NEWS
The Trump administration has launched a full-scale defense of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the face of growing Democratic calls to “abolish ICE” -- a slogan that was once limited to the far-left fringes of the party.
“While I stand before you today at a time when some people are actually calling for the abolition of ICE, in this White House let me be clear -- we are with you 100 percent," Vice President Mike Pence said at ICE headquarters on Friday. "And as the president said last night we will always stand proudly with the brave heroes of ICE and Border Patrol.”
Related press release from the White House: Abolishing Ice Would Erase America’s Borders And Open The Floodgates To More Crime, Drugs, And Terrorism.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/abolishing-ice-erase-americas-borders-open-floodgates-crime-drugs-terrorism/
"SAVE ICE: Leading Democrats in Congress have called for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be abolished, which would grind immigration enforcement to a halt, with devastating consequences for public safety.
Abolishing ICE would mean open borders because it would eliminate the agency responsible for removing people who enter or remain in our country illegally, including drug dealers; gang members; and child molesters, rapists, and other sex offenders.
Calls to abolish ICE are an insult to these heroic law enforcement officers who make sacrifices every day to secure our borders, enforce our laws, and protect our safety and security.
President Trump will protect ICE so these brave Americans can continue to do their job of protecting our communities.
REMOVING CRIMINALS: Abolishing ICE would allow dangerous criminal aliens—including violent and ruthless members of the MS-13 gang—to remain in American communities and inflict terrible harm on innocent American men, women, and children.
During fiscal year (FY) 2017, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested more than 127,000 aliens with criminal convictions or charges.
Criminal aliens arrested by ICE ERO in FY 2017 were responsible for:
More than 76,000 dangerous drug offenses;
More than 48,000 assault offenses;
More than 11,000 weapon offenses;
More than 5,000 sexual assault offenses;
More than 2,000 kidnapping offenses; and
More than 1,800 homicide offenses.
ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made 4,818 gang-related arrests in FY 2017.
Abolishing ICE would mean that countless illegal aliens who pose a threat to public safety would be allowed to roam free—killing, injuring, and threatening Americans—instead of being removed from the country.
SEIZING DEADLY DRUGS: Abolishing ICE would mean more dangerous illegal drugs flowing into our communities, causing more Americans to needlessly suffer.
ICE plays a critical role in combatting the drug crisis facing our Nation.
ICE HSI seized more than 980,000 pounds of narcotics in FY 2017, including thousands of pounds of the deadly drugs fueling the opioid crisis.
ICE HSI seized 2,370 pounds of fentanyl and 6,967 pounds of heroin.
ICE HSI logged nearly 630,000 investigative hours directed toward fentanyl.
Abolishing ICE would leave these drugs in our communities to cause more devastation.
HELPING PREVENT TERRORISM: Abolishing ICE would mean eliminating the agency that deports aliens that pose a terrorist threat to the United States.
ICE was created in 2003 to better protect national security and public safety after 9/11 terrorists exploited immigration rules to gain entry into the United States.
The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks found that many of the 9/11 hijackers committed visa violations.
ICE identifies dangerous individuals before they enter our country and locates them as they violate our immigration laws.
Abolishing ICE would enable the hundreds of thousands of foreign nationals who illegally overstay their visa each year to remain in the United States indefinitely."
NY TIMES: Arrests at U.S.-Mexico Border Drop for First Time in Months
WASHINGTON — Federal immigration agents apprehended just over 42,500 people at the southwestern border in June, according to data released on Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security, a drop in the number of migrants trying to enter the United States after a spike the previous three months.
WP: Breaking border laws is as American as it gets
The American revolution, according to U.S. history textbooks, was about freedom and liberty and justice. On the nation’s birthday, as the Trump administration cracks down on border crossers in the name of law and order, it may be a good time to consider the fact that the U.S. founders were relentless lawbreakers — particularly of laws meant to restrict who and what was allowed to cross borders.
IN WORLD NEWS HEADLINES FROM THE UN NEWS CENTER & OTHER SOURCES...
UN PRESS RELEASE: Security Council Sanctions Committee Concerning Iraq Removes One Entity from Its Sanctions List
On 5 July 2018, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1518 (2003) approved the removal of the following entity from its List of Individuals and Entities subject to the assets freeze set out by paragraphs 19 and 23 of Security Council resolution 1483 (2003) adopted under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.
https://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13409.doc.htm
Millions denied citizenship due to ideas of national, ethnic or racial ‘purity’: UN rights expert
Ideologies which define nationality as being determined by ethnicity or bloodline are denying millions of people of their right to citizenship, a UN expert has charged.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/07/1013982
Fisherwomen of Lake Chad show optimism in face of multiple challenges
It’s eight o’clock in the morning and fifty-year-old Falmata Mboh Ali paddles her small dugout canoe to the shores of a tributary of Lake Chad in Bol, a small town 100 miles north of the capital of Chad, N’Djamena.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/07/1014002
From the US MISSION TO THE UN:
Ambassador Haley on a More Efficient UN Peacekeeping Budget and Other UN Reforms
“The new UN peacekeeping budget is a responsible reduction in spending. We’re grateful for Secretary-General Guterres’ leadership on UN reform and for the support of Member States in moving these necessary reforms forward. The world needs a UN that is disciplined, efficient, accountable, and results-driven. With these reforms come opportunities to finally bring the UN into the 21st century, get rid of things that aren’t working, and help the UN work smarter,” said Ambassador Haley.
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8509
FACT SHEET: U.S. Accomplishments During UN Fifth Committee Negotiations (May-June 2018 Session)
The United Nations Fifth Committee (administrative and budgetary committee) agreed on a range of issues related to the UN Peacekeeping budget, UN Reform, and oversight during this historic session.
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8508
Remarks at the Conclusion of Work of the Fifth Committee for the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly
" On management reform, the organization’s ability to effectively deliver on its mandates has been improved. Critical functional areas such as supply chain management, information and communications technology, and budget and finance have all been restructured to enhance coherence, accountability, transparency, and speed. But our work is not yet done. We look forward to reaching consensus on restructuring reform of human resource management during the upcoming main part of the 73rd session. We remain committed to supporting the Secretary-General in the weeks and months ahead as he and his senior management team lead the critical change management process that is necessary for effective implementation of changes underway by the target date of January 1, 2019."
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8507
US STATE DEPT: Death of Saudi Students
Spokesperson Nauert (July 5): “The U.S. expresses its heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of Theeb al-Yami and Jaser al-Rakah after their tragic deaths in Massachusetts. The young men drowned while courageously attempting to save children in distress. Their heroism represents the very best of the international students who enrich communities across the U.S.”
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/07/283834.htm
PAGE 2
Senator Murray’s Statement on Trump Administration Move to Rescind Efforts Promoting Diversity in Higher Education
Press release issued 7/ 3/ 18
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=1D678D1C-DD8A-489F-8128-AB9503C713C4
Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement today in response to the Trump Administration’s announcement that it would rescind current civil rights guidance promoting diversity in education.
“With this latest action, President Trump, Attorney General Sessions, and Secretary DeVos are making it more difficult for colleges and universities to open up doors of opportunity to students and communities who have historically been left behind, and more difficult for them to increase access and diversity in their classrooms, which is something we know helps all students succeed.
“This shouldn’t shock anyone who has been paying attention to what President Trump has said about immigrants, women, people of color, and people with disabilities, or to anyone who has watched what he and Secretary DeVos have done to roll back civil rights enforcement on behalf of survivors of sexual assault, LGBTQ students, and more—but it should be one more reminder that his Administration is doing everything they can, every day and at every level, to divide communities and undermine our American values.”
Related press release from the DOJ: Attorney General Jeff Sessions Rescinds 24 Guidance Documents
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today announced that, consistent with his November 2017 memorandum prohibiting the Department from making rules without following the procedures required by Congress, he is rescinding 24 guidance documents that were unnecessary, outdated, inconsistent with existing law, or otherwise improper.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-jeff-sessions-rescinds-24-guidance-documents
In other Educational news:
Prepared Remarks from Secretary DeVos to the National Leadership and Skills Conference
https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/prepared-remarks-secretary-devos-national-leadership-and-skills-conference
Quote: " While in the United States we confront stigmas associated with technical education and apprenticeships, in Switzerland this sort of educational opportunity is commonplace. It's so interesting that more than two-thirds of current high school students pursue their education through apprenticeships—in every sector of the economy. Not just the skilled trades, with which we are more familiar here, but also healthcare, finance, law and countless others."
Puerto Rico to Pilot New Student-Centered Funding System
WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced that the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) will be the first to pilot new flexibility under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to create a student-centered funding system. The model is designed to equitably allocate local, state and federal resources based on student needs.
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/puerto-rico-pilot-new-student-centered-funding-system
U.S. Secretary of Education Approves Oklahoma ESSA State Plan
WASHINGTON —U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today announced the approval of Oklahoma’s consolidated state plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“I am pleased to approve Oklahoma’s plan, which complies with the requirements of the law,” said Secretary DeVos. “I encourage states to use their plans as a starting point, rather than a finish line, to improve outcomes for all students.”
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-secretary-education-approves-oklahoma-essa-state-plan
NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES...
WHITE HOUSE: Remarks by President Trump Celebrating the Six-Month Anniversary of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-celebrating-six-month-anniversary-tax-cuts-jobs-act/
DOD: Mattis Returns From Asia, Resets for NATO Summit in Brussels
WASHINGTON --
Defense Secretary James N. Mattis has just returned from a trip to China, South Korea and Japan and is immediately immersing himself in preparations for attending the NATO Summit in Brussels next week, a Pentagon spokesman told reporters today.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1565635/mattis-returns-from-asia-resets-for-nato-summit-in-brussels/
DOJ: Former CEO of Tennessee-Based Telemarketing Company Sentenced to Federal Prison
A Brentwood, Tennessee man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 66 months in prison for his criminal conduct in marketing and misrepresenting health insurance plans, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee.
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-ceo-tennessee-based-telemarketing-company-sentenced-federal-prison
EPA to Host Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Plan III Public Engagement Session in Duluth
CHICAGO (July 5, 2018) – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host the third of six informal public engagement sessions on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan III next week in Duluth, Minn. The session will run from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, July 12, at the EPA Mid-Continent Ecology Division, 6201 Congdon Boulevard.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-host-great-lakes-restoration-initiative-plan-iii-public-engagement-session-duluth
DEPT. OF INTERIOR: Relive the Spirit of the American Revolution
7/2/2018
Every year, we celebrate our nation’s birthday on the Fourth of July, but the story of the American Revolution is about so much more than just one day or one place. From protests against taxation and a lack of representation, to the clashing of armies on numerous battlefields 1,000 miles apart, the struggle for independence began slowly and built into an unstoppable movement that changed the world.
https://www.doi.gov/blog/relive-spirit-american-revolution
PAGE 3
Senator Cantwell Statement on Resignation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt
Press release issued 7/ 5/ 18
https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-cantwell-statement-on-resignation-of-epa-administrator-scott-pruitt
Seattle, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following statement on the resignation of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt:
“Environmental stewardship is not a part-time job – it requires constant vigilance. The fact that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt actively did the opposite makes his resignation today a great day for salmon, clean air, and Mother Earth. I look forward to considering the nomination of an EPA Administrator who will respect taxpayer dollars and stand up for the environment.”
Cantwell to Trump: Stop Undermining Health Coverage for Millions of Washingtonians with Pre-Existing Conditions
Press release issued 7/ 3/ 18
https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-to-trump-stop-undermining-health-coverage-for-millions-of-washingtonians-with-pre-existing-conditions-
Washington, D.C. – Today at an event with patients and patient advocates, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced a new letter to President Trump demanding he stop his administration’s efforts to strike down important patient protections and undermine health care for millions of Washingtonians living with pre-existing conditions.
“We’re here today because the health care of millions of Americans is at risk, and we know that, here in Washington, people with everyday issues like asthma or diabetes could be affected by the changes that the President is calling on,” Cantwell said at today’s event. “We want these patients in the state of Washington to be protected… And that is why we are saying today, with a letter to the President: tell the Department of Justice we need to fight to cover pre-existing conditions, not stand on the sidelines or allow other AGs to fight against them.”
More than 3 million Washingtonians under the age of 65 live with a pre-existing health condition, which can include common conditions ranging from allergies, asthma, and high blood pressure to cancer and diabetes. More than 385,000 of those with pre-existing conditions are children under the age of 18.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) outlawed insurance company discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, meaning that insurance companies cannot deny coverage to people or charge them more because they have a pre-existing condition. However, in February, a group of state Attorneys General sued to overturn the ACA. In June, the Trump Administration escalated its deliberate attempts to take away Americans’ health care and insurance protections when the Department of Justice announced it would not defend the ACA’s pre-existing condition protections.
“Your Administration has now taken direct action to nullify major provisions of a law that was passed by Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Three out of four Americans support keeping pre-existing condition protections, according to a survey by the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation. I urge you to listen to them and direct the Department of Justice to preserve pre-existing condition protections by reversing its actions in Texas v. HHS,” Senator Cantwell wrote to President Trump in the letter.
At the event, Senator Cantwell also released a report on the threats to health care coverage for the millions of Washingtonians under the age of 65, including more than 867,000 in King County alone, living with a pre-existing health care condition.
“Just a few years ago, people were commonly denied insurance…, and if they didn’t get a denial, they got some exorbitant rate,” Cantwell continued. “Today, we want to make sure patients are not denied access to health care just because of diabetes or asthma or some other pre-existing condition.
The stakes in the fight to protect these critical health care provisions got even higher this week when Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement from the U.S. Supreme Court. President Trump now has the opportunity to provide a lifetime appointment to a justice who could undermine health care access and protections for millions of Americans.
Since President Trump’s election, Senator Cantwell has fought back against his efforts to undermine health care coverage for millions of Americans. In June of 2017, Senator Cantwell spoke on the Senate floor to condemn Republican efforts to cut billions of dollars from Medicaid. In July of 2017, she called out Republican efforts to authorize “junk” health insurance plans without coverage for essential health benefits, like hospital stays or prescription drugs. In September of 2017, Cantwell fought back against a plan to take billions of dollars from Washington state, which could have devastated coverage for hundreds of thousands of children throughout the state. And in June of this year, Senator Cantwell once again called on the Trump Administration to abandon its efforts to authorize “junk” plans and joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus to condemn President Trump’s refusal to stand with patients across the country and defend health care protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions.
BUSINESS RELATED NEWS HEADLINES...
Workers, Farmers, Families, and Business are All Losers in a Trade War
It's finally here: Retaliation Week, when other countries impose tariffs on about $75 billion worth of U.S. goods in retaliation for U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and certain Chinese imports.---US Chamber of Commerce
https://www.uschamber.com/series/above-the-fold/workers-farmers-families-and-business-are-all-losers-trade-war
US DEPT. OF LABOR BLOG: EMT Apprenticeship Program Gives Californian a Career Serving His Community
https://blog.dol.gov/2018/07/05/emt-apprenticeship-program-gives-californian-career
Federal Reserve Board invites public comment on proposal to adopt ISO 20022 message format for Fedwire Funds Service
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20180705a.htm
USDA BLOG: Innovative Practices Protect Natural Resources at First-Generation Dairy Farm
Overlooking the southernmost shores of Vermont’s Lake Champlain lies Lucas Dairy Farm. Two years ago, first-generation farmer Jon Lucas moved his family and 150 milking cows and young stock to Orwell, Vermont, to lease the hillside land.
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2018/06/29/innovative-practices-protect-natural-resources-first-generation-dairy-farm
FTC Halts Online Marketers Responsible for Deceptive “Free Trial” Offers
A federal district court has granted the Federal Trade Commission’s request to stop a group of San Diego-based Internet marketers from deceptively advertising free trial offers and not only charging consumers full-price for the trial product, but also enrolling them in expensive, ongoing continuity plans without their knowledge or consent. The court order announced today temporarily halts the operation, freezes its assets, and appoints a temporary receiver over the business.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/07/ftc-halts-online-marketers-responsible-deceptive-free-trial
PAGE 4:
Inslee kicks off new Department of Children, Youth, and Families
State agency will take preventative approach to child welfare, help children and families overcome barriers to success
From the Governor's medium page dated 7/ 2/ 18
https://medium.com/wagovernor/inslee-kicks-off-new-department-of-children-youth-and-families-8b3480a66b4
Gov. Jay Inslee was joined today by youth, family advocates and state leaders to celebrate the launch of the state’s new Department of Children, Youth, and Families. The agency’s opening on July 1 was the culmination of a two-year effort to transform the way Washington serves at-risk children and families.
Not only does the new department bring together early learning and child welfare services previously housed at separate state agencies, it supports the philosophy in Washington state that all children get an equal opportunity to succeed and that families benefit when services and policies take a preventative approach to problems, Inslee said.
“We shouldn’t be waiting until a child is harmed to step in. There’s so much we can do starting as early as a mother’s pregnancy to reduce the chances of harm to children and increase the chances they can succeed in school and in life,” Inslee said. “By bringing together the staff who work most with children and families, we’re going to be much better able to identify children and parents or caretakers who are struggling and need support.”
DCYF staff includes foster care workers, social workers, licensors, researchers, and policy experts in the fields of early learning and child welfare. The cabinet-level agency combines the Department of Early Learning and the Children’s Administration, which was formerly part of the Department of Social and Health Services. In July 2019, DSHS’s Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration will also join the new department.
Proponents of the transformation modeled it on successes seen in other states.
New Jersey, Wisconsin and Tennessee, for example, have set up departments dedicated solely to serving children and families. These agencies have displayed more accountability and more easily instituted policy improvements while they spotlight the importance of these services to reach more families in need.
The process for considering a unified agency devoted to children and family services started when the governor issued an executive order creating the Blue Ribbon Commission on Children and Families. The commission’s work resulted in a bipartisan and unanimous recommendation to establish DCYF. Inslee signed House Bill 1661 on July 6 of last year, starting the transition process that created the new agency.
While testifying in support of HB 1661 last year, Annie Blackledge, executive director of The Mockingbird Society and someone who grew up in foster care, said that the old way of structuring child welfare services isn’t sustainable and allows some of our most vulnerable to fall through the cracks.
“The siloed approach, while well intentioned, leaves gaps that result in an undue burden on families, youth and communities,” she said. “Our social workers are overburdened, our foster parents are burning out, and our kids are struggling in care. We can’t continue to tinker around the edges. We need a new approach.”
Sabian Hart, a youth who experienced Washington’s foster system and also represents The Mockingbird Society, said today that the new department is off to a strong start , especially because it has an Office of Youth Engagement.
“Having people who have been in the system, especially young people, is an irreplaceable puzzle piece,” Hart said. “We as a state can be an example for how to do foster care worldwide.”
The two co-chairs of the blue ribbon commission, retired judge Anne Levinson and state Rep. Ruth Kagi, also spoke at the celebration.
“It’s been a Herculean effort, and there’s such a feeling of success today that we really have accomplished the impossible,” said Kagi, who sponsored HB 1661 and chairs the Early Learning and Human Services Committee in the House. “We’re off to a great start. … It bodes for a much better future for children and families in Washington.”
Levinson said, “We launched this work knowing that most child welfare systems were created decades ago. … We owed it to (our children) to change from a crisis-driven approach to a supportive, outcome-based, prevention and early-intervention approach focusing on risk factors most likely to hinder development and successful transition to adulthood.”
With DCYF, Washington also has an opportunity to create a cohesive support system for kids and families. DCYF will work to identify where families encounter gaps in services or have difficulty accessing services. By closing those gaps, DCYF can help reduce family trauma and promote family resilience and well-being.
“We have been tasked with designing an agency that helps all children and families thrive,” DCYF Secretary Ross Hunter said. “I want to build a system that is more equitable and that is centered in the communities we serve.”
Through its Office of Innovation, Alignment, and Accountability, the new agency is working with experts around the state to develop goals and examine the ways in which race, ethnicity and poverty affect a child’s opportunity for success.
Hunter, a former DEL director, has been serving as DCYF secretary since Aug. 1, leading a yearlong transition effort that has involved hundreds of staff across DEL and DSHS.
“Staff have worked above and beyond their traditional workloads participating on mission teams and workgroups to ensure a seamless merger so that children and families will continue receiving services without interruption,” Hunter said. “Because of their hard work, we’re well-positioned to take on the challenge of creating an effective, robust system that works for Washington’s families.”
MORE NATIONAL RELATED NEWS...
HUD CHARGES NEW YORK DEVELOPER, OWNER, CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, AND ARCHITECT WITH DISCRIMINATING AGAINST PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it charged a New York-based developer, owner, construction company and architect with housing discrimination for failing to design and construct a condominium development in the Long Island City area of Queens, New York, in compliance with the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act. Read HUD's charge.
https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/HUD_No_18_066
Treasury Sanctions Three Nicaraguan Individuals for Serious Human Rights Abuse and Corrupt Acts
Washington – The United States is deeply concerned about the ongoing crisis in Nicaragua. We condemn the violence perpetrated by security forces and others that have resulted in the death of at least 220 demonstrators, and nearly 1,500 injured.
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm422
Overcoming Homelessness and Poverty through Education--US Dept. of Education
The U.S. Department of Education’s Youth Engagement Team was pleased to host students affected by homelessness and their peer leaders from SchoolHouse Connection for a listening session with Jason Botel, principal deputy assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education. He was recently appointed vice-chair of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The session provided students an opportunity to discuss obstacles that homeless students encounter in pursuing their education, and the practices and policies that can help them succeed. The students present endured repeated moves between schools and unstable living situations; they also experienced hunger, deep poverty, and in many cases, parental abandonment and abuse. Despite these challenges, they are still pursuing their educations in college.
https://blog.ed.gov/2018/07/overcoming-homelessness-poverty-through-education/
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. and FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Stephen Ostroff, M.D., on the ongoing risk of salmonella in kratom products
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm612420.htm
U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Preliminary Determination in the CVD Investigation of Imports of Rubber Bands from China and Negative Preliminary Determination in the CVD Investigation of Imports of Rubber Bands from Thailand
https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2018/07/us-department-commerce-issues-affirmative-preliminary-determination-cvd
PAGE 5
AG FERGUSON ASKS COURT TO ACCELERATE FAMILY SEPARATION CASE
Press release issued 7/ 2/ 18
https://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ag-ferguson-asks-court-accelerate-family-separation-case
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson today asked a federal judge to order the federal government to provide details about and access to victims of the Trump Administration’s family separation policy on an expedited schedule. Last week, Attorney General Ferguson led a coalition of 18 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit in Seattle seeking to end the family separation policy permanently.
The motion for expedited discovery is necessary because hundreds of separated parents are in federal custody and the Administration can move them to other facilities at any time without notice. The motion asks the court to order the federal government to cooperate in facilitating access to detained parents and to report to the court on the progress of such efforts.
In support of the motion, the states included declarations from parents and interviews with children separated by immigration officials as a result of the policy. The states also filed other declarations from immigration rights workers, elected officials and medical experts. The motion includes 99 declarations in all, and they can be found here, here and here.
A mother who fled Honduras after receiving death threats, currently held in Washington, described the experience of being separated from her 6-year-old son shortly after crossing the border: “From there, my son Jelsin and I were separated. I was not told where he was being taken. They only told me he would be a ward of the state. To calm my son down, I told him it would only be for three days, although I really did not know. We had never been apart.”
She was not able to speak to her son for almost a month. When she did contact him, she said, “He was only able to say a few words. He was just crying. … I cannot express the pain I have felt being apart from him.”
“The Trump Administration’s family separation policy is not over – it continues to harm thousands of parents and children,” said Ferguson. “The gut-wrenching stories we have heard from families demonstrate just how much it violates basic decency and fundamental American values. The policy also violates the Constitution, and I will continue to fight to put an end to it.”
"The federal government has an obligation to reunite children with their parents immediately, and an obligation to cease any and all policies that ignore the due process rights of families seeking asylum or refuge at any of our borders," Governor Jay Inslee said. "Washington will not cease nor desist until justice and fairness for every impacted child and parent in Washington state is restored."
The motion for expedited discovery, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, requests that Judge Marsha Pechman order several actions to ensure that the Attorney General’s Office can collect information in a timely fashion.
If the judge grants the motion, it will require the federal government to respond to the states’ requests for information on an accelerated timeline and to cooperate with state requests to interview parents in federal detention. Some states have faced procedural difficulties or been denied access to federal detention centers and other federal locations that house affected immigrants.
Ferguson also requests weekly status conferences with the court during the period of expedited discovery.
Victims’ stories from Washington
In addition to the filing, the attorneys general included 99 declarations. Some declarations, given by experts in developmental psychology and public health, discuss the dangers of separating families and housing immigrant families together in barracks housing. Other declarations include those given directly by parents separated from their children and interviews with separated children.
Interviews and testimonies by parents and children voiced the sadness, distress and frustration the family separation policy has caused.
A 13-year-old girl was not able to say goodbye to her father when immigration officials separated them. The investigator wrote that the girl “reported that the guards threatened the people that they detained with separating them and sending them back home, she overheard them telling others they would be jailed for about 10 or 15 years, which scared her. The younger children were crying.”
In attempting to recount her experiences, the girl “had a hard time talking during most of the interview, was visibly upset and broke down in tears frequently.”
A 15-year-old girl identified as G and fleeing threats from a member of a criminal association in her home country, told the investigator “[Immigration officials] told her mother that G would be taken to another place where she would be able to visit her. G and her mother said goodbye to each other while crying, but G’s mother comforted her, saying she was going to visit her wherever she was going. Only later did G realize this was not true. As she recounted this moment, G was sobbing and visibly distraught.”
G also described seeing a 4-year-old girl crying inconsolably, and watching as an immigration official reprimanded the girl and turned her away.
Another girl in Washington is working with a therapist because she has nightmares. Immigration officials also separated her from her father shortly after she arrived in the United States.
Immigration officials took one mother’s children as she was in court. Upon returning and realizing this, she said, “I became physically unwell when I found out that my little boys had been taken away.”
Most parents related the difficulty they had had in contacting their children, and not receiving information on how to find their children from immigration officials. More than one parent relayed that after asking for weeks, their home country’s embassy was able to provide them with the location of their children.
A mother, fleeing death threats to her and her family, described the relief she had at finally contacting her daughter, but her daughter was unable to speak “because of how strongly she was sobbing.”
Though many families were seeking asylum, a number reported that immigration officials had never asked them why they sought refuge in the United States.
The motion includes costs the policy has imposed on states involved in the lawsuit, as well.
Ferguson and the states request that Judge Pechman consider their motion by July 13.
Ferguson leads a coalition of 17 states in the lawsuit: Massachusetts, California, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Policy history
On April 6, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a new “zero tolerance” policy on the United States’ southern border. Instead of making case-specific evaluations of individual cases, respecting due process rights and family integrity, the Trump Administration began prosecuting all possible immigration crimes, detaining all accused adults, even those with a legitimate asylum claim. The intended and acknowledged effect of this policy has been the separation of parents and children at the border.
The Trump Administration has been clear that the purpose of the forced separation policy is not to protect children, but rather to deter potential immigrants from coming to the United States. As Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said recently: “Nobody likes seeing babies ripped from their mothers’ arms … but we have to make sure that [the Department of Homeland Security’s] laws are understood through the soundbite culture that we live in.”
On June 20, President Trump issued an order purporting to end his family separation policy. Following a close review of the order, the Attorney General’s Office found two significant problems. First, the order does nothing to reunify families already torn apart by the Trump Administration’s policy. Second, the order is riddled with so many caveats as to be meaningless. For example, the order requires appropriations, although the total amount is unknown, as is the timeline for when or if such an appropriation would happen. It also relies on a federal judge approving a plan to indefinitely detain children, a scenario Ferguson described as unlikely.
In a separate, class-action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge in California issued a preliminary injunction on June 26. Among other relief, the judge ordered the Trump Administration to end the practice of separating families unless there is a danger to the child, and to promptly reunify families who had been separated as a result of the policy.
Solicitor General Noah Purcell and Assistant Attorney General Laura Clinton are leading the case for Washington.
The Washington State Attorney General’s Office prevailed in all six cases against the Trump Administration that are completed and there are no more appeals. That does not include three additional successful outcomes that have been or could be appealed, including blocking President Trump’s ban on transgender individuals serving in the military and his attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
STATE NEWS HEADLINES...
Commerce is seeking your help to strengthen businesses in your community
At the close of the last legislative session, the Washington State Legislature directed the Department of Commerce to “develop strategies to increase the competitiveness of rural businesses in securing local government contracts within their rural county.” The legislature identified specific information to be collected from local jurisdictions about their contracting and procurement processes with the intent to bolster the economic vitality of rural communities.
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/news-releases/community-programs-facilities/commerce-is-seeking-your-help-to-strengthen-businesses-in-your-community/
Training Sessions: Strategies for Local Procurement Success
We’re listening! The Washington State Department of Commerce is taking additional measures to assist local firms in successfully winning government contracts with agencies in their own backyard. Join us at these upcoming training sessions. This is an opportunity to hear what other local governments have told us and share your thoughts with buyers and sellers and explore strategies for local procurement success.
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/news-releases/community-grants/training-sessions-strategies-for-local-procurement-success/
Cleaning up: Give input on Marshall Landfill
In late May, cleanup site manager Huckleberry Palmer led Carmen Nezat’s Eastern Washington University environmental geology class on a field trip to the nearby Marshall Landfill. Although the scene may look picturesque, contamination such as volatile organic compounds, methane, metals, herbicides, and nitrates are below. ---DOE
https://ecologywa.blogspot.com/2018/07/cleaning-up-give-input-on-marshall.html
Pathway to environmental careers now open
Washington Conservation Corps recruiting 300 positions across the state
OLYMPIA – The Department of Ecology is now recruiting for 300 environmental positions across the state in the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC).---DOE
https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/News/2018/July-3-300-WCC-positions-now-open
Washington State to launch tax-advantage savings plan for people with disabilities
Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) governing board announces program that could help an estimated 50,000 Washingtonians save for care-related expenses without losing disability benefits.
OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington State ABLE governing board announced that a new plan to help people with disabilities save for related care expenses without fear of disqualification from essential public benefits will launch by the end of this month. An estimated 50,000 Washingtonians could benefit from enrolling in an ABLE account.
http://www.commerce.wa.gov/news-releases/washington-state-to-launch-tax-advantage-savings-plan-for-people-with-disabilities/
PAGE 6
Collaboration at its best: Inslee hands keys to future innovation, clean-tech campus to Port of Skagit
From the Governor's Medium page dated 6/ 29/ 18
https://medium.com/wagovernor/collaboration-at-its-best-inslee-hands-keys-to-future-innovation-clean-tech-campus-to-port-of-91f32bf80ff2
Gov. Jay Inslee today handed over the keys to the future Sedro-Woolley Innovation for Tomorrow (SWIFT) Center to the Port of Skagit. The 225-acre property will be developed into a clean technology campus that serves as an economic engine for the area.
The property transfer, almost five years in the making, involved numerous local and state partners and is being hailed as a model of intergovernmental collaboration.
Northern State Hospital operated on the property from 1913 to 1973. The site later served as a multi-service center for the U.S. Forest Service and state Department of Social and Health Services. Most recently, the state Department of Enterprise Services has been leasing buildings and grounds to a number of organizations.
More state headline news...
New Maps Show Cascadia Tsunami Impacts for Anacortes, Bellingham
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) published today new maps showing the likely impacts to communities on the north Salish Sea mainland from a tsunami generated by a magnitude 9 earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone.
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/new-maps-show-cascadia-tsunami-impacts-anacortes-bellingham
Geoduck Tariffs Prompt DNR to Offer Refunds to Harvesters
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering financial relief to geoduck harvesters who successfully bid to harvest the state’s wild geoduck.
“Our state’s aquatic lands, and the working men and women who depend on them, are unnecessary casualties in an unnecessary trade war,” said Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz.
“These tariffs threaten our geoduck industry – and the divers, processors, and packers whose jobs depend on it. So we are doing are part to mitigate impacts to our communities and keep these businesses whole.
“President Trump has said trade wars are ‘good and easy to win,’ but this isn’t good, and it isn’t a win for our communities.”
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/geoduck-tariffs-prompt-dnr-offer-refunds-harvesters
Additional Burn Restrictions in Parts of Eastern Washington July 6
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in cooperation with partnering agencies, is implementing the following changes in burn restrictions on DNR-protected lands. Check with local jurisdictions for additional restrictions.
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/additional-burn-restrictions-parts-eastern-washington-july-6
Washington Supreme Court ruling highlights petition requirements
OLYMPIA — In a ruling issued Tuesday, the Supreme Court of the State of Washington outlined the responsibility of Secretary of State Kim Wyman to accept and evaluate initiative and referendum petitions.
https://www.sos.wa.gov/office/news-releases.aspx#/news/1293
LOCAL & REGIONAL MEETINGS & AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS.
CLALLAM COUNTY MEETINGS:
County Commission work session for 7/ 9/ 18
http://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1114
Agenda highlights:
1) Agreement and application authorization with Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office for Salmon Recovery Funding Board money which supports the ongoing efforts of the North Olympic Lead Entity for Salmon to advance salmon restoration and protection actions.
2) Agreement with Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife to sublet a portion of leased hanger space from the County, as allowed in the rental agreement with the hanger landlord, for the purpose of boat, trailer, supplies and equipment storage (2g)*
3) Agreement with Richard B. Beers for use of hanger space to store boat, trailer, supplies and equipment storage (2f)*
County Commission regular session for 7/ 10/ 18
http://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=383
Agenda Highlights:
1) Resolution applying for a grant through Recreation and Conservation Office for improvements to the Dungeness Recreation Area
2) Agreement with Washington Military Department and Federal Emergency Management Agency for Hazard Mitigation Grant funding to update the Clallam County Hazard Mitigation Plan
3) The Board may recess into Executive Session to consider employment or dismissal of personnel, to review the performance of a public employee, to consult with legal counsel, to consider the position to be taken in collective bargaining, to consider acquisition or sale of real estate, or other matters per RCW 42.30.110
The Board may recess into Executive Session to consider employment or dismissal of personnel, to review the performance of a public employee, to consult with legal counsel, to consider the position to be taken in collective bargaining, to consider acquisition or sale of real estate, or other matters per RCW 42.30.110
The board will hold 3 executive sessions on Tuesday:
- The Prosecuting Attorney's Office has requested an Executive Session with the Roarcl of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, the Director of Community Development, and the Director of Human Resources/Risk Department. The purpose of this session is to discuss with the BoCC the END of litigation between Dungeness Heights Homeowners (or "DHH") and not less than two Defendants, Radio Pacific, Inc. and Clallam County. This would be an end to all litigation brought by DHH in opposition to the construction of a nearby cell phone tower.
- The Department of Human Resources requests the Board of County Commissioners meet in Executive Session for interviews of finalist candidates for the position of Superior Court Clerk. RCW 42.30.110(g) authorizes a governing body to hold an executive session to evaluate the qualifications of applicants for public employment.
- The Department of Human Resources requests the Board of County Commissioners to meet for discussion on candidates in application for the position of County Administrator. RCW a2.30.110 (g) authorizes a governing body to hold an executive session to evaluate the qualifications of applicants for public employment.
Special City Council Meeting Scheduled for July 10th
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Port Angeles will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 10, 2018, at 5:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 321 East Fifth Street.
The purpose of the special meeting is to:
Conduct a Priority Setting Worksession from 5 to 7 p.m. The worksession is open to the public.
Hold a closed Executive Session, at approximately 7 p.m., under authority of RCW 42.30.110(1)(g), in order to evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment
Port of Port Angeles Meeting for 7/ 10/ 18
https://portofpa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_07102018-311
Agenda Highlight:
Resolution No. 18-1175 – Authorizing Auction of “Hang Loose”
In order to facilitate passage of boat sale resolutions, which are identical except for the names of the vessels, their owners, and the auction date, staff introduced a draft of boat sale resolutions on August 10, 1998. The Commission approved the form of these resolutions (first reading) and directed staff to fill in appropriate vessel, owner and auction date information in the final resolutions (second and final reading).
PASD Board Meeting
When: Thu, July 12, 7pm – 9pm
Where: Port Angeles School District, 216 E 4th St, Port Angeles, WA 98362, USA
Description: Regular Meeting
CITY OF SEQUIM AGENDA FOR 7/ 9/ 18
http://www.sequimwa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1905
Agenda highlight: Resolution No. R2018-16 and Ordinance 2018-007 Adopting the 2019-2024 City of Sequim Transportation Improvement Program
CITY OF FORKS AGENDA FOR 7/ 9/ 18
http://forkswashington.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/CCAgenda_07092018.pdf
Agenda highlight: Set public hearing date for 2019-25 Capital Improvement Plan.
JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING FOR 7/ 9/ 18
https://media.avcaptureall.com/session.html?sessionid=60c1c5a8-54dc-4f70-954b-48b02a87954b&prefilter=845,5958
Agenda Highlight: AGREEMENT re: Educational Project for Middle School Students in Environmental Education and Field Experiences; In the Amount of $39,955; Jefferson County Extension, Washington State University; North Olympic Salmon Coalition
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🕂He's in your corner
WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.---Matthew 24:35 NIV
Weekly Bible Study
Jesus and the Cleansing of the Temple
The cleansing of the temple is recorded in Matt. 21:12-16; Mark 11:15-18; cf. John 2:13-16. Having entered the city, Jesus went to the temple and removed from it those who were using it for personal business profit. The various accounts show that people were buying and selling, changing money and selling doves (Matt. 21:12; Mark 11:15). Jesus had cleansed the temple similarly on an earlier but different occasion (John 2:13-17). After that first cleansing, apparently the men had returned after Jesus left. It would seem that the rulers, who ought to have kept them out, did not oppose the activity.---Gospel Way
Free bible studies (WBS)
Learn english using the bible as text (WEI)
(Join us in worship every Sunday starting at 10:30AM Church of Christ)
👲Riddle Genie
last week's question: Three girls are taking a bull to the zoo when their car brakes down. They motion for a guy to pull over. They ask to use his phone to call the zoo. He agrees, but says it would cost them $1 for every word. They only had $1 dollar. They paid the man and five minutes later the zoo was there. What was the one word used?
Answer from last week: Comfortable: com(come) for(for) ta(the) ble(bull).
New Question: A man and his wife were driving in a car, when the wife's behaviour caused him to stop the car and rush to the nearest house. When he returned to the car, he found his poor wife at death's door and there was a stranger in the car with her. When the police arrived, they did not arrest or even question the stranger. How come?
Answer next week:
