Cantwell, Coast Guard Announce Improved Health Care Access for Coast Guard Families in Southwest Washington and Northern Oregon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul F. Zukunft announced that Coast Guard families in Southwest Washington and Northern Oregon will now have greater access to health care providers.

Specifically, Coast Guard dependents of active duty members stationed at Station Cape Disappointment, the National Motor Lifeboat School, and the Sector Columbia River area will be eligible to enroll in the TRICARE Prime Remote health plan, allowing families to seek out-of-network care, which is of critical importance in remote areas where TRICARE coverage is poor. Without this designation, Coast Guard families have experienced difficulty accessing health care for their families and some had been traveling over a hundred miles – sometimes 6 hours or more round trip – to access health care.

“Coast Guard members stationed in Southwest Washington and Northern Oregon protect our people, our environment and our economy every day. I applaud the Coast Guard for working with me to make sure these Coast Guard families can receive the health care they deserve, where they live and serve,” said Senator Cantwell.

Due to the remoteness of the region, Coast Guard families’ health care access hinges on their units’ TRICARE designation, which governs where Coast Guard families may receive care. In 2015, the TRICARE designation of these Coast Guard units was changed from TRICARE Prime Remote to TRICARE Prime because the Department of Defense recognized the Sector Columbia River Medical/Dental Clinic as a Military Treatment Facility. While Military Treatment Facilities are intended to deliver medical and dental care to active duty members, families and retirees, Sector Columbia River Medical/Dental Clinic is unable to offer full services to families due to a lack of space, staff, and resources – leaving many families without access to local medical and dental care.

In 2016, Cantwell met with Coast Guard families at U.S. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Washington where she learned about the challenges families face when seeking health care in the region. Cantwell went to work with the Coast Guard and the Department of Defense Health Agency to fix the issue.

After pressure from Cantwell, the Department of Defense added 16 primary care providers to the TRICARE network in the Sector Columbia River region. However, families were clear that even with the additions access had not improved, and independent data revealed that many of the providers in the area were not accepting new patients, did not meet TRICARE standards for care, and were specialists rather than primary care providers. Wait times for these few providers often ranged from one to three months. For children, wait times ranged from two to seven months, which represents an unacceptable burden on Coast Guard members and their families.

Despite the Department of Defense’s efforts, Cantwell continued to pressure the Coast Guard to fully address Coast Guard families’ access to health care. In two separate hearings, Cantwell enlisted the help of Admiral Zukunft to restore access to adequate healthcare for Coast Guard families stationed in Southwest Washington and Northern Oregon.

Today’s announcement is in large part due to the continued efforts of Senator Cantwell.

"Many thanks to Senator Cantwell for her continued support of the Coast Guard and our over 1,000 Astoria area families who now enjoy better access to quality healthcare.  Her personal attention to this matter is a great example of the tremendous support Congressional members provide to keep our service members and their families Semper Paratus - Always Ready,” said Admiral Paul Zukunft, Commandant Pf the U.S. Coast Guard.

Cantwell is a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the Coast Guard, and has used her position to ensure Coast Guard families receive the benefits they deserve. In June of 2016, after pressure from Cantwell, the U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Paul F. Zukunft, announced that the Coast Guard would expand paid maternity leave from six weeks to twelve weeks. Cantwell also secured an amendment to the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act of 2015 to expand the Combat Related Special Compensation program to cover more Coast Guard men and women. Combat related special compensation provides post service financial benefits for service members with disabilities from injuries sustained from certain activities during active duty service.-----press release issued June 20th
https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-coast-guard-announce-improved-health-care-access-for-coast-guard-families-in-southwest-washington-and-northern-oregon

( For state headline news see page 2)


Advocacy Notebook: 
Nominate those who help employ people with disabilities
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment and the Washington State Business Leadership Network are now accepting award nominations for employers and individuals who make extra efforts to recruit, hire, advance and retain employees with disabilities.
https://esd.wa.gov/newsroom/nominate-those-who-help-employ-people-with-disabilities

Kilmer Statement on Health Insurance News for Washington state

Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) released the following statement after Premera announced they will file plans for Washington state’s 2018 individual health insurance market in Grays Harbor County. It was also reported that for the 2018 individual and family health insurance market the average proposed rate increase will be 22.3 percent.  

“Folks in Washington state deserve a government that is fighting for them to have access to affordable healthcare, not one that is playing politics with insurance markets,” said Kilmer. “Today folks in our region heard that coverage will still be offered in Grays Harbor County next year, which matters for those who were worried that they would lose access to care. Unfortunately, Washingtonians also discovered that rates are going to jump double digits on many health plans. This is unacceptable for someone wondering whether to pay for groceries or medication they need. Or the parents worried about whether they can simply continue taking their child to the doctor. I wasn’t in Congress when the Affordable Care Act passed but I am committed to fixing our healthcare system so affordable, quality coverage can be in reach of people in our region and our state.” ---press release issued June 19th
http://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/kilmer-statement-on-health-insurance-news-for-washington-state_



Advocacy notebook: 
US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AWARDS $43.3M IN GRANTS TO PROVIDE EMPLOYER-DRIVEN TRAINING, SUPPORT REINTEGRATION OF HOMELESS VETERANS
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta today announced the award of $43.3 million in grants through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service to provide training to an estimated 21,000 homeless veterans to help them reintegrate into the American workforce. In all, the department’s 2017 award will fund 155 grants in its Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program.
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/vets/vets20170619

HUD REPORT CALLS FOR GREATER ACTION, TO REDUCE INJURIES TO SENIORS IN THE HOME
 WASHINGTON - Approximately one-third of adults age 65 years or older fall in their home, resulting in injury, long-term disability and premature institutionalization. By 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the cost related to these kinds of injuries to be nearly $60 billion a year. In an effort to reduce and prevent falls and their associated costs, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today released a wide-ranging report recommending a more holistic approach to seniors aging-in-place and their health needs.
https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2017/HUDNo_17-047

For more national headline news see page 2

US DEFENSE DEPT: Dunford: Coalitions Support Local Partners in Driving Down Violence

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2017 — From West Africa to Southeast Asia, military coalitions support partners on the ground in driving down the levels of violence arising from the transnational threat so local forces can deal with their own security challenges, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.
Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford spoke before an audience at the National Press Club, discussing the broad design of the campaign being conducted today against violent extremism in the context of all the challenges that face the United States, including North Korea, China, Iran and Russia.
Dunford took questions from the audience that began with defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
Defeating ISIS
"The United States is supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces in seizing the key Syrian city of Raqqa, Dunford said, noting that the SDF is about 50,000 strong, of which about 20,000 to 25,000 are Arab and the rest are Kurdish. As the U.S.-led coalition supports local efforts to seize Raqqa, another effort led by the U.S. State Department is establishing a governance body, the general said.
"That governance will leverage Arab leaders who are from Raqqa and will also work on establishing a security force made up of local personnel so stabilization efforts that will follow the seizure of Raqqa," Dunford added.
ISIS is one manifestation of the transregional violent extremism that is devastating cities across Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other countries, he said. What connects extremist groups from West Africa to Southeast Asia is the flow of foreign fighters, the flow of resources and the narrative or message they disseminate, Dunford said, noting that he calls these things "connective tissue between the groups."
He added, "Strategically, the idea is to be able to cut the connective tissue … by establishing a broad coalition with a good exchange of information and intelligence so we can get after the flow of money, the flow of foreign fighters and deal with the narrative."---read rest of article from DOD webpage
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1219258/dunford-coalitions-support-local-partners-in-driving-down-violence/

Related stories: US military shoots down Iranian-made drone in southern Syria--AP
BEIRUT — The U.S. military said it shot down an Iranian-made, armed drone in southern Syria on Tuesday, marking the third time this month that that the U.S. has downed aircraft affiliated with Syrian President Bashar Assad's government.

Armed Russian jet comes within 5 feet of US recon jet---FOX NEWS
An armed Russian fighter jet buzzed a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft in the Baltic Sea on Monday, two U.S. officials told Fox News.

WP: U.S. risks further battles as it steps deeper into Syrian quagmire
BEIRUT — The United States is becoming more perilously drawn into Syria’s fragmented war as it fights on increasingly congested battlefields surrounding Islamic State territory.

For more world news and events see page 2

Amendments to Washington's Money Transmitter Regulations Bring Clarification for Virtual Currency Companies

Olympia – This year the Legislature passed Substitute Senate Bill 5031, amending Washington’s money transmission laws to address changes and innovations in the industry — including key provisions related to the use of virtual currency in money transmission. With the passage of this bill, Washington joins only a handful of states that have succeeded in clarifying how companies offering virtual currency wallet services and other virtual currency services will be regulated.
Virtual currency, also known as digital currency, is a medium of exchange not authorized or adopted by a government. There are many different digital currencies being used over the internet. The most commonly known virtual currency is named Bitcoin. The Washington Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) began regulating virtual currency businesses in April 2014. On Dec.8, 2014, DFI issued interim regulatory guidance setting forth the business models that triggered a license requirement under Washington’s Uniform Money Services Act (UMSA). Recently, DFI sought to amend UMSA to incorporate its interim guidance and to fix some areas of the existing law that did not accommodate the virtual currency technology.
Substitute Senate Bill 5031 (link is external) passed the legislature and was signed by Governor Jay Inslee April 17, 2017. The agency worked extensively with industry crafting this legislation, incorporating many changes requested by industry based on their experience with the technology.
“Washington is a magnet for innovation and companies offering new technology,” DFI’s Director Gloria Papiez said. “With this new law, emerging companies offering virtual currency will have much greater clarity as to what the law requires.
“We are always evaluating new innovative business models in connection with our existing regulatory structure," Papiez added. "Sometimes clarifications or updates to regulations are required as laws are applied in connection with new technology that was likely not contemplated when the law was originally enacted.”
In part, the new law provides detailed definitions as to what activities involving virtual currency are considered “money transmission” triggering a license requirement.
“In drafting the proposed legislation, we received considerable input from industry experts familiar with emerging technologies involving various uses of virtual distributed ledger systems," DFI’s Director of Consumer Services Charlie Clark noted. "This law strikes the right balance as to which activities involving virtual currency are truly money transmission, thereby requiring a license, and which activities should not be subject to our regulation.”
The bill also includes important consumer protections, including requiring a third party security audit for companies that store virtual currency on behalf of others, and requiring that companies providing virtual currency products or services provide consumer disclosures. The new law goes into effect July 23, 2017.
Recently, DFI had the opportunity to work with another type of regulated entity in the virtual currency space. In concert with the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), DFI granted authority to Gemini Trust Company, LLC, a New York virtual currency exchange company to do business in the State of Washington. Such authority was permitted through a multi-state reciprocity agreement for trust companies. The company is regulated by the NYDFS and was chartered as a limited purpose trust company by the NYDFS on Oct. 2, 2015. DFI approved the authority June 9, 2017.
“This is an example of responding innovatively within our existing Washington laws in partnership with other state regulators,” Director Papiez said, adding, “in this case New York State, using the Conference of State Bank Supervisors’ uniform application process which provides for reciprocity for trust institutions.”-----press release issued June 14th
http://www.dfi.wa.gov/news/press/virtual-currency-regulation

For more business and financial news see page 2

25 years since his death Jim Garrison's investigation on the JFK assassination still makes sense.

Editorial note: I was only three years old when the tragic events on that November 22nd  in  Dallas Texas, 1963, when a fine president was cut down.  Of course I didn't understand what was going on, but I knew a important man was killed, I could tell that by the reactions of my first foster family when they heard of the news, and spent hours watching the tv news cast of the day in the days that followed. Later years I watch the film clip of the famous Zapruder film, and saw first hand what happened, even I could tell that assassination had to have  been done by more than just a lone gunman, and I sure didn't buy the magic bullet explanation.
Let's take a look at Garrison's take on all of this, starting with background of Garrison himself, according to what was posted on wiki: "Earling Carothers Garrison was born in Denison, Iowa.  He was the first child and only son of Earling R. Garrison and Jane Anne Robinson who divorced when he was two-years old. His family moved to New Orleans in his childhood, where he was raised by his divorced mother. He served in the U.S. National Guard in World War II, then obtained a law degree from Tulane University Law School in 1949. He worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for two years and then returned to active duty with the National Guard. After fifteen months, he was relieved from duty. One Army doctor concluded he had a "severe and disabling psychoneurosis" which "interfered with his social and professional adjustment to a marked degree. He is considered totally incapacitated from the standpoint of military duty and moderately incapacitated in civilian adaptability."

Although one doctor did recommend that Garrison be discharged from service and collect 10% permanent disability, Garrison opted instead to join the National Guard where his record was reviewed by the U.S. Army Surgeon General who “found him to be physically qualified for federal recognition in the national army.
Garrison worked for New Orleans law firm Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles from 1954 to 1958, when he became an assistant district attorney. Garrison became a flamboyant, colorful, well-known figure in New Orleans, but was initially unsuccessful in his run for public office, losing a 1959 election for criminal court judge. In 1961 he ran for district attorney, winning against incumbent Richard Dowling by 6,000 votes in a five-man Democratic primary. Despite lack of major political backing, his performance in a televised debate and last minute television commercials are credited with his victory.
Once in office, Garrison cracked down on prostitution and the abuses of Bourbon Street bars and strip joints. He indicted Dowling and one of his assistants for criminal malfeasance, but the charges were dismissed for lack of evidence. Garrison did not appeal. Garrison received national attention for a series of vice raids in the French Quarter, staged sometimes on a nightly basis. Newspaper headlines in 1962 praised Garrison's efforts, "Quarter Crime Emergency Declared by Police, DA. – Garrison Back, Vows Vice Drive to Continue – 14 Arrested, 12 more nabbed in Vice Raids." Garrison's critics often point out that many of the arrests made by his office did not result in convictions, implying that he was in the habit of making arrests without evidence. However, assistant DA William Alford has said that charges would more often than not be reduced or dropped if a relative of someone charged gained Garrison’s ear. He had, said Alford, “a heart of gold.

Kennedy assassination investigation
As New Orleans D.A., Garrison began an investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in late 1966, after receiving several tips from Jack Martin that a man named David Ferrie may have been involved in the assassination.  The end result of Garrison's investigation was the arrest and trial of New Orleans businessman Clay Shaw in 1969, with Shaw being unanimously acquitted less than one hour after the case went to the jury.
Garrison was able to subpoena the Zapruder film from Life magazine. Thus, members of the American public - i.e. the jurors of the case - were shown the movie for the first time. Until the trial, the film had rarely been seen, and bootleg copies made by assassination investigators working with Garrison which led to the film's wider distribution. In 2015, Garrison's lead investigator's daughter released his copy of the film, along with a number of his personal papers from the investigation.
Garrison's key witness against Clay Shaw was Perry Russo, a 25-year-old insurance salesman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. At the trial, Russo testified that he had attended a party at anti-Castro activist David Ferrie's apartment. At the party, Russo said that Lee Harvey Oswald (who Russo said was introduced to him as "Leon Oswald"), David Ferrie, and "Clem Bertrand" (who Russo identified in the courtroom as Clay Shaw) had discussed killing President Kennedy.  The conversation included plans for the "triangulation of crossfire" and alibis for the participants.
Russo’s version of events has been questioned by some historians and researchers, such as Patricia Lambert, once it became known that part of his testimony might have been induced by hypnotism, and by the drug sodium pentothal (sometimes called "truth serum").  An early version of Russo's testimony (as told in Assistant D.A. Andrew Sciambra's memo, before Russo was subjected to sodium pentothal and hypnosis) fails to mention an "assassination party" and says that Russo met Clay Shaw on two occasions, neither of which occurred at the party.  However, in his book On the Trail of the Assassins, Garrison says that Russo had already discussed the party at Ferrie's apartment before any "truth serum" was administered.  Moreover, in several public interviews, such as one shown in the video The JFK Assassination: The Jim Garrison Tapes, Russo reiterates the same account of a party at Ferrie's apartment that he gave at the trial.
Jim Garrison defended his conduct regarding witness testimony, stating:
Before we introduced the testimony of our witnesses, we made them undergo independent verifying tests, including polygraph examination, truth serum and hypnosis. We thought this would be hailed as an unprecedented step in jurisprudence; instead, the press turned around and hinted that we had drugged our witnesses or given them posthypnotic suggestions to testify falsely."----read the full article here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Garrison

Other readings: NEW ORLEANS, AND THE GARRISON INVESTIGATION
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/garrison.htm
Papers of Jim Garrison/ national Archives
https://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/finding-aids/garrison-papers.html
Oliver Stone's Portrayal of Jim Garrison
http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100bigjim.html

Editorial Note: I believe Garrison's theory is more plausible than the Warrens Commission on the assassination. Until we know the truth and justice is finally served, we still be bumbling in the dark.
We have to start demanding answers from our government we can no longer accept the same old song and dance they have been dishing out since that fateful day in 1963. If there is any suspects still alive, they should be brought to justice, there is no statute of limitation on murder I know of.



This week's bible study see page 2

Local city council candidates responses to email inquires about their stands

Editorial Note: This publication emailed the current candidates running for City, and Port Commission offices, thus far only gotten two responses from the candidates of the 13 candidates from both the City, and Port postings
I asked what were their stands in regards from fluoridation, to what sets the apart from their opponents, the following are from the City Council race for Position 3, Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin, and Artur Wojnowski.

• Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin

Port Angeles City Council Position 3 candidate
 I was born and raised in Port Angeles, graduating from Port Angeles High School in 1998. I returned back home after college, motivated by the idea that if one wants to make the world a better place, start in the place one calls home.
 I taught science for several years and during that time continued to become interested in public policy. Subsequently, I went to law school at Gonzaga, where I graduated with highest honors in 2013.
Since then, I've been privileged to work as a constitutional lawyer on issues related to the relative power of the people, our governments, and corporations. This work has given me a deep understanding of how local governments work and what they can do to protect the people's rights, health, safety, and welfare.
As a representative of the people of Port Angeles, I intend to work toward creating a city that values community dialogue and collaboration; fosters a local economy that works for everyone; and solves tough problems like affordable housing and homelessness. This work ultimately requires all of us working together. We can do this - we share this place: it's our home.

• Artur Wojnowski: Thank you, I'd be happy to give you my stance and reasoning on these topics. Bearing in mind that people can find pros and cons for any topic, people choose the facts most aligned with their opinion. Once decided, it's almost impossible to change those opinions. 

Personally, I am against fluoride. In fact, I believe the water should be as pure as possible with exception of natural vitamin/minerals and only the amount of disinfectant needed to keep drinking water safe to drink. We can all probably agree, that we don't want to go back in time to a point where we have to boil our water to make it safe to drink.
The real question is, with fluoride being easily accessible, are there community members who would not receive it without the fluoridated water?  Wouldn't it be better to assist with access to other individual fluoridated products (rinses, toothpastes, etc.) to community members in need, than to add fluoride to everyone's water supply?  We are unable to know how much community members are ingesting when its added to the water supply.
Editorial note: Answers to my question on city council as an elected body taking stands on issues.
 As a population that is supposed to be governed by majority, if we take an issue to vote, we need to honor the response of the community.  Their voice should be acknowledged with an appropriate action.
Wild Olympics - I applaud these efforts as well as other movements towards sustainability and conservation. Such efforts lead to innovation and cost reductions, among other benefits. It is my observation that the Olympic Peninsula has a great balance of preserved nature with plentiful access to it. I don't believe we need to increase this amount. Doing so will have negative consequences for our community. We cannot preserve our way out of jobs. Tourism is one way to bring people to Port Angeles, but keeping them here will require family-wage jobs..
Whaling - If the local tribes have a contracted right, it needs to be upheld. It would be like me charging someone more money even though there was an agreed upon price. The tribes have voluntarily stopped when needs arose.
City Council members need to find a balance between holding firm to a deeply-held belief and advocating on behalf of the community majority. When the community is given choices, the candidates elected into position likely hold opinions preferred by the majority of the community. This doesn't mean they agree on every point, which means City Council members need to observe and listen to what the community says.
Editorial Note: This publication gave all these candidates chances to avail themselves of getting their message heard, thus far, only these two candidates availed themselves of this opportunity.

For more local headlines and commentary see page 3

Inslee says vacuum of international leadership left by President Trump “is going to be filled by governors across the United States”

Gov. Jay Inslee yesterday joined with California Gov. Jerry Brown and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown to welcome Fiji Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama in signing the international Under2 Coalition. The governor’s then accepted Bainimarama’s invitation for states to participate in COP23 where world leaders will gather this November at the U.N. Convention on Climate Change to discuss implementation of the historic Paris climate agreement in 2015.
Bainimarama, who also serves as president of COP23, extended an invitation to the newly formed United States Climate Alliance to send a delegation of states to the upcoming convention in Bonn, Germany. States and other sub-national governments are not able to formally enter into the Paris agreement. Inslee said that in the wake of President Trump’s announcement that the United States is withdrawing from the agreement, Bainimarama’s invitation is an opportunity for governors to pick up the mantle of climate leadership and demonstrate that the country will continue to do its part.
“The vacuum that has been created in international leadership by the total failure of Donald Trump to follow our tradition of international leadership is going to be filled by governors across the United States,” Inslee said. “We have 12 states and one territory in our alliance already. We intend to be a vocal messenger of hope and inspiration to the rest of the world, at Bonn.”
Inslee, Jerry Brown and Kate Brown talked about the efforts underway in each of their states to curb greenhouse gas emissions through initiatives such as renewable energy and grid modernization, electrification of transportation infrastructure, energy efficiency and policies to price or cap carbon emissions. Inslee has pursued several policies to grow Washington’s clean energy economy, curb carbon emissions, promote electric vehicles, and more.
“The Pacific Coast Collaborative and Under2 MOU are terrific examples of collaboration and reflect the shared goals of subnational jurisdictions,” Kate Brown said. “Strengthening the commitment to combat climate change with additional partners such as the recently formed governors Climate Alliance sends a very strong message to our global allies. Despite the decision by our White House to retreat, we, as Oregonians and as Americans, will move forward to fulfill the goals of the Paris agreement. The Paris agreement is a blueprint for job creation, stability and global prosperity.”---read more of the press release issued June 14th
https://medium.com/wagovernor/on-to-bonn-west-coast-states-accept-invitation-to-2017-u-n-climate-convention-in-germany-bb5b4fc74782

Related stories
Herrera Beutler and Derek Kilmer introduce ocean acidification bill
Southwest Washington Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler has started a bipartisan effort to protect the region’s shellfish industry from the effects of climate change.
The Camas Republican has co-introduced a bill with U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, a Tacoma-area Democrat who represents coastal areas, to encourage companies and individuals to develop ways to research and monitor ocean acidification.
http://kilmer.house.gov/news/in-the-news/herrera-beutler-and-derek-kilmer-introduce-ocean-acidification-bill

Seattle PI:  Rep. Derek Kilmer, who represents the Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas, took out after Pruitt at a House Appropriations Committee hearing.


For more state news see page 2

Cantwell, Collins Introduce Bill to Kickstart American Apprenticeship

Legislation would create $5,000 tax credit, hundreds of thousands of new apprenticeships
Press release issued June 14th: https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-collins-introduce-bill-to-kickstart-american-apprenticeship
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced legislation to enhance America’s ability to train and educate its workers through registered apprenticeships and increase the competitiveness of our workers and businesses in the global marketplace. Apprenticeship programs are a tried and true model of workforce development, allowing workers to earn while they learn and companies to increase the skills of their workforce.
The Senators introduce their legislation as the White House is expected to unveil a series of announcements promoting apprenticeships. The Apprenticeship and Jobs Training Act of 2017 goes further than these actions, creating a concrete, powerful incentive for businesses and workers to embrace apprenticeship programs, accelerating the adoption of the apprenticeship model and helping businesses refocus on the benefits of training and educating their workers.
“This bill kicks American apprenticeship into high gear by establishing the first ever national incentive for apprentice programs. It will help close our skills gap, get more Americans back to work, raise wages, and allow our companies to continue to make the best products in the world,” said Senator Cantwell. “Expanding apprenticeship has bipartisan support and we hope the Administration will join us in this effort."
“Few issues are as important to the American people as the availability of good jobs in our communities,” said Senator Collins.  “Apprenticeships are a proven way to help workers secure good-paying jobs by providing them with skills that are invaluable to employers.  Our legislation would encourage businesses to pursue this successful model as well as ensure that veterans can apply their previous training to apprenticeship programs.”
American companies’ investment in job training and education has declined steadily since the mid-1990’s. U.S companies are only investing half of the amount in job training they did a decade ago. The Apprenticeship and Jobs Training Act would accelerate the expansion of the apprenticeship model in this country by providing a $5,000 tax credit for new registered apprentices hired by American companies.
The apprenticeship model is increasingly necessary today. According to a survey by the National Association of Manufacturers, 67 percent of manufacturers reported a shortage of available, qualified workers. According to the National Skills Coalition, fifty-three percent of U.S. jobs are middle skill, meaning that they require some form of postsecondary education and training beyond high school, but not a four year degree. Yet, only 43 percent of U.S. workers are trained at this level.
Apprenticeship programs benefit both the company and employee. According to a study by the Department of Labor, workers who finish apprenticeships earn an average of $240,000 more in wages over a lifetime than job seekers with similar work experience. According to the Urban Institute, more than 80 percent of U.S. companies that have registered apprenticeships say it is an effective strategy for helping them meet their demand for skilled labor, and 94 percent of employers would recommend registered apprenticeships as a strategy to other employers.
Specifically, Cantwell and Collins’ legislation would:

·         Create a $5,000 tax credit for up to three years for companies that hire and pay employees enrolled in a federal- or state-registered apprentice program. Additionally, employers participating in a multi-employer apprenticeship program, the credit rate would be $3 per hour each individual works.

·         Allow senior employees near retirement to draw from pensions early if they’re involved in mentoring or training new employees. Workers must be at least 55, and have reduced work hours to spend at least 20 percent of their time training or educating employees or students.

·         Help veterans get into skilled jobs that match their military experience sooner by allowing credit in apprenticeship requirements for previous military training.

News Notebook
Seattle PI:  Connelly: Sen. Murray gets cold shoulder after asking to see GOP health care bill
A Republican committee chairman refused point-blank Tuesday a request by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., that the Senate panel hold a hearing and take testimony on a health care plan that the GOP is writing in secret.


For more news from our congressional delegation to Washington DC, and Advocacy related news see page 2

Council Candidate Artur Wojnowski says it was old friend who hacked into his facebook page.

In an emailed statement to this newspaper after being asked by this publication for clarification of the news article in the PDN last week.

Readers, Yours truly took it upon myself to get to the bottom of a news story which was posted in the Peninsula Daily News last week entitled: Port Angeles City Council candidate says his account was hacked
 It seems to me after reading the below statement by Wojnowski paints a clearer picture, and identifies the one who hacked was an old friend, some friend huh? And the readers responses already labeled this guy as a bigot, something which Wojnowski flatly denies. This all sound like a gotcha job by the PDN on a conservative candidate for city council. The following is emailed messages to this publication on the matter, he done a good job explaining things. It also shows that the PDN went on a full scale attack without knowing all of the facts, and readers went right along with it.

email text:
Thank you Mr. Ripley for showing interest in my candidacy. Let me first reply to your second email.
I did not write those posts. I wasn't even aware of their existence until Mr. Gottlieb made me aware of them in his aggressive questioning. He called me expecting answers right away, to which I explained I couldn't provide insight, as I haven't even seen them.
I told him I would look into it and get back to him. Being very busy right now between full time employment and full time construction season I am working from 7am - 10:30pm depending on the day. After numerous rounds of phone tag, I switched to email. Mr. Gottlieb refused to communicate via email, stating "we don't do interviews via email". I emailed him a statement informing him I'm still looking into the account breach but would be happy to tell him my stance on any questions he my have, but it would have to be in email.
He didn't respond back nor give me time to look into it before writing his article. Since then we have deduced that the account breach was done by an old friend that I haven't spoken to in years.
Anyway to put that to rest, no I didn't write those posts. I am not racist, homophobic or anything in between. I don't care who you are what you believe in or what your lifestyle choice. I support your right, even if you have ill intentions, because those are our given rights. Some people would not agree and would like those rights taken away, put you down, and silence you.
But my candidacy is about choice and allowing Port Angeles a wide array of representation. Vote on what my stance is. If my opinions align with yours, then vote for me because a vote for me is a vote for you, the everyday common person. I am going on 4 years living in Port Angeles - I have no political ties, no affiliations. The only reason I am running is because of a bad experience with an employee at city hall. I thought to myself this is how a citizen is being treated and worse this is a city employee representing the city. So I decided to do something. I could make more money with my time and not subject my wife and child to these types of attacks.  Those who know me, know I am a hardworking man that does quality work at fair pricing. I bring that to the council. Artur Wojnowski Candidate for City Council, from an emailed response to this paper's inquiries, Port Angeles Globe)


Below is my statement for candidacy thank you.
I'm Artur, and I'm running for city council.
I was raised in a polish home in suburban Chicago with parents who worked hard all day long to take  make just enough to barely make it. There persistent payed off when they went into business for themselves. Their hard work ethic was ingrained in me and I continue working hard in everything that I do.
I studied architecture at local community colleges but soon after started working for the family construction business. During slow time I would work at various big box retail, hospitality, logistics and small mom-pop businesses.
Now I work as a full time maintenance manager for a home owner association where I work with a board to take care of a golf course,swimming pool, roads, building and common areas in the community consisting of 200+ homes and lots.
I am also work in my spare time as a licensed, bonded and insured general contractor. In which I perform variety of different tasks to take care of just about every need. On average I work 78hrs a week between both jobs.
After being here for 3yrs, my wife and have decided that is the area we want to raise our 6yr old son. With this decision in mind and other observations over the 3 yrs of our residency. I have decided to run for city council so that our community has more choices for representation.
With my work and employment experience and younger generations point of view. The community of port Angeles would have a better balance of representation of this diverse community of individuals to continue to grow and prosper.
I am hoping to improve efficiency, cut/reallocate wasteful spending, create an environment that brings in people, businesses/jobs and improvement to our community. We have to look to growth and prosperity increase community satisfaction.
We cannot rely on raising taxes to create revenue to maintain our city and our services. We do not want to turn into the large cities like Chicago, New York,  and most of California where there average citizen is no longer represented and forced to leave because they are price pout of the market. We want to like these cities in appeal. We have such wonders all around us.
We are a city second to none, we need to look to the past and learn from our mistakes and look to the  future
I will achieve this by first listening to our community, making a list of priority, and working with anyone who is will to help to find multiple avenues to implement and measures to deal with the unpleasant issues we have in port Angeles.
A vote for me is a vote for you. I will represent every voice equally to ensure the future of our community.----Artur Wojnowski, Candidate for City Council (emailed statement to this paper.)

EPA Honors Redmond, Washington High School Students for Outstanding Environmental Work to Reduce Their Carbon Footprint

Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized 13 student leaders at the Tesla STEM High School in Redmond, Washington, for their outstanding work to reduce their carbon footprint at school and home. The high school students’ project is among 15 student projects from 13 states to receive the 2016 President’s Environmental Youth Award for their environmental education and stewardship achievements. EPA presented the award at a ceremony today at the Tesla STEM High School.
“Today, we are pleased to honor these impressive young leaders, who demonstrate the impact that a few individuals can make to protect our environment,” said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt. “These students are empowering their peers, educating their communities, and demonstrating the STEM skills needed for this country to thrive in the global economy.”
The student Leadership Team of Tesla STEM High School launched “Schools Under 2C,” a group dedicated to raising youth awareness about the environment. Consisting of over 100 students, Schools Under 2C have lead their school to reduce their carbon footprint by over a ton and a half each month. The students have also worked to demonstrate that reducing emissions is not only beneficial to the environment, but saves their school district money as well. The student Leadership Team has challenged other schools across the nation to do the same, and already almost 30 schools, including schools in Australia, Asia and Africa, have joined their program to take on the “Schools Under 2C” Challenge.  By leading their school to reduce their carbon footprint, they have set a precedent for the rest of the community.
“It is exciting to watch our students develop a proactive program to address solutions to climate change in our school while educating students in other schools about the need to contain the increase of global temperatures to below 2 degrees,” said Mike Town, Tesla STEM High School teacher and Schools Under 2C sponsor.
Through simple educational programs, the students have been sparking behavioral changes throughout their school. They began monitoring and reducing lighting usage within each classroom, and teachers have pledged to turn off their lights during their planning period and lunch. They have worked with their county’s Green School Program to implement a composting program. The students have also started an educational campaign to encourage students to take “greener” alternative modes of transportation to and from school. They are partnering with the City of Redmond to develop a smart phone app to encourage students to bus, carpool, bike, or walk to school. Using the app, students will be able to track how they travel to school every day and earn rewards for taking cleaner modes of transportation with a prize from a local business.
Besides challenging other schools to join their Schools Under 2C program, they have organized outreach events to raise awareness on environmental issues in the communities. They are still expanding and growing. In the future, through Schools Under 2C, the students will continue educating the next generation on solving environmental issues, one degree at a time.---press release issued June 13th
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-honors-redmond-washington-high-school-students-outstanding-environmental-work


NEWS FLASH!
Steve Scalise Among 5 Shot at Baseball Field; Suspect Is Dead
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A lone gunman opened fire on Republican members of the congressional baseball team at a practice field in a Washington suburb Wednesday, using a rifle to shower the field with bullets that struck five people, including Steve Scalise, the majority whip of the House of Representatives.---NYT
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/14/us/steve-scalise-congress-shot-alexandria-virginia.html



For more national news headlines see page 2

Aral Sea ‘Probably Biggest Ecological Catastrophe of Our Time’, Secretary-General Says

 Stressing Need to Act Forcefully in Preventing Tragedy from Multiplying

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ statement following his visit to the Aral Sea, in Muynak, Uzbekistan, today:
Visiting the Aral Sea and seeing what was the fourth-largest inland sea in the world almost dead has caused a tremendous shock.  This is probably the biggest ecological catastrophe of our time.  And it demonstrates that men can destroy the planet.
The Aral Sea’s progressive disappearance was not because of climate change, it was mismanagement by humankind of water resources.  But it also shows that if in relation to climate change we are not able to act forcefully to tame this phenomenon, we might see this kind of tragedy multiply around the world.
So let’s use the Aral Sea as a symbol of how humanity can destroy the planet and let’s make it a lesson for us all to be able to mobilize the whole international community to implement the Paris Agreement — Governments, businesses, civil society, cities, States — in order to make sure that tragedies like the one I have seen in Uzbekistan will not be repeated.
http://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sgsm18565.doc.htm

Related story: Catastrophe of Aral Sea shows 'men can destroy the planet,' warns UN chief Guterres
10 June 2017 – Continuing his visit to Central Asia, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today visited the Aral Sea – once the world's fourth largest inland sea, that has now shrunk to about a quarter of its original size due to human mismanagement – where he urged the world to take lesson from the catastrophe and to ensure that such tragedies are not repeated.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56949

NEWS NOTEBOOK

President Donald J. Trump Proclaims June 2017 as National Ocean Month
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
 A PROCLAMATION
National Ocean Month celebrates the mighty oceans and their extraordinary resources.  This month, we recognize the importance of harnessing the seas for our national security and prosperity.
 Thirty-four years ago, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the creation of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, making clear America's sovereign right to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage ocean resources extending 200 nautical miles from our shores.  This is the world's largest Exclusive Economic Zone, spanning more than 3.4 million square nautical miles    an area larger than the combined landmass of all 50 States.  We must recognize the importance of our offshore areas to our security and economic independence, all while protecting the marine environment for present and future generations.
 Today, our offshore areas remain underutilized and often unexplored.  We have yet to fully leverage new technologies and unleash the forces of economic innovation to more fully develop and explore our ocean economy.  In the field of energy, we have just begun to tap the potential of our oceans' oil and gas, wind, wave, and tidal resources to power the Nation.  The fisheries resources of the United States are among the most valuable in the world.  Growing global demand for seafood presents tremendous opportunities for expansion of our seafood exports, which can reduce our more than $13 billion seafood trade deficit.
See full statement: https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/05/31/president-donald-j-trump-proclaims-june-2017-national-ocean-month

For more world news and events see page 2

U.S. and Mexico Strike Deal on Sugar to Protect U.S. Growers and Refiners, Ensure Supply to Consumers

US Dept. of Commerce press release dated June 6th
We have gotten the Mexican side to agree to nearly every request made by U.S. industry to address flaws in the current system and ensure fair treatment of American sugar growers and refiners,” said Secretary Ross.  “I am glad to say that Minister Guajardo and his colleagues have been honest and collaborative partners in seeking a fair and sustainable solution – this bodes well for our long-term relationship.”
These new agreements between the Governments United States and Mexico, as well as the Mexican sugar industry, prevent dumping of Mexican sugar and corrects for subsidies the Mexican sugar industry receives.  The agreement addresses the concerns of the U.S. sugar industry and prevents harm to other U.S. industries, including confectioners, beverage producers, and corn growers, that might have resulted if no agreement were reached.
“Unfortunately, despite all of these gains, the U.S. sugar industry has said it is unable to support the new agreement, but we remain hopeful that further progress can be made during the drafting process,” continued Secretary Ross. “We look forward to continuing discussions with them as we finalize the agreement. We remain confident that this deal defends American workers across many industries and is the best way to ensure stability and growth.”
The revised suspension agreement has five major elements:

Price – The agreement increases the price at which raw sugar must be sold at the mill in Mexico from 22.25 cents per pound to 23 cents per pound.  For refined sugar, the price at the mill must increase from 26 cents per pound to 28 cents per pound. These prices exclude packaging and transportation.  This will protect the U.S. sugar industry from harm caused by Mexico “dumping” sugar in the United States.
Raw vs. Refined Split – The new agreement also reduces the percentage of refined sugar that may be imported from 53% to 30%.  This results in a significant increase in the amount of raw sugar available to U.S. sugar refiners while ensuring that subsidized refined Mexican sugar imports do not injure U.S. refiners.
Purity/Polarity – The dividing line between refined and raw sugar was reduced from 99.5 to 99.2 purity, referred to in the industry as “polarity.”  This means that “estandar,” a very common variety of sugar from Mexico, will count against the 30% limit on refined sugar.  This will further protect against unfair competition from subsidized refined Mexican sugar imports.
Enforcement – Mexico agreed to increased enforcement measures and to accept significant penalties for violations, including a reduction in the amount of sugar allowed to be imported equal to twice the amount of any sugar found to be in violation of the modified agreements.  In addition, Commerce can increase this reduction to three times the amount if necessary to deter further wrongdoing.
Additional U.S. Needs – Mexico accepted the above significant modifications on the condition that Mexico be granted a right of first refusal to supply 100% of any “additional need” for sugar identified by USDA after April 1 of each year.  Additional need is defined as demand for sugar in excess of the demand USDA had predicted for that crop year.  USDA will specify whether the additional need sugar is raw or refined without regard to the 70/30 split.  The dividing line between raw and refined additional need sugar is 99.5 polarity, but raw sugar must be shipped in bulk in an ocean-going vessel, increasing the likelihood it will enter a U.S. refinery for further processing.  Importantly, when the Export Limit is increased pursuant to a request by USDA prior to April 1, such sugar shall be subject to the pre-April 1 70/30 split and the 99.2 polarity divide, an added protection for U.S. domestic refiners. Further, USDA retains the flexibility to specify the polarity of post-April 1 additional needs sugar specifically needed to rectify certain extraordinary and unforeseen circumstances that seriously threaten the economic viability of the U.S. sugar refining industry.
press release: https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2017/06/us-and-mexico-strike-deal-sugar-protect-us-growers-and-refiners-ensure



News notebook
WA DFI: NASAA Cybersecurity Roundtable June 23
Cyberattacks have become one of the greatest threats globally to our financial sector. Cybersecurity is an issue for firms of all sizes, and a growing issue for securities regulators at all levels.
NASAA is hosting a free, one-day roundtable to bring together leading experts to discuss critical cybersecurity issues for securities regulators and regulated entities.
The roundtable will take place in Washington DC, but will also be available via webcast.
To learn more, visit http://www.nasaa.org/about-us/events/cybersecurity-roundtable/
Press release from WA DFI: http://www.dfi.wa.gov/industrynews/nasaa-cybersecurity-roundtable-june-23


For more business and finance news see page 2

WDFW: State shellfish managers set Puget Sound crab seasons

press release issued June 9th
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jun0917a/
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) today announced summer crab-fishing seasons for areas of Puget Sound, starting June 16 with an opening in three marine areas.
Sport crab fishing gets underway Friday, June 16, in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay – East of the Tatoosh-Bonilla line), 5 (Sekiu) and 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island), while Hood Canal opens June 24. Most other areas of the Sound will open for recreational crab fishing July 1, although two areas around the San Juan Islands open later in the summer to protect molting crab.
Seasons for the upcoming fishery are posted on WDFW's crab fishing website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/crab/. The website includes details on fishing regulations, as well as an educational video on crabbing.
Bob Sizemore, shellfish policy lead for WDFW, said recent test fisheries indicate that Dungeness crab remain abundant throughout most of Puget Sound.
"We are monitoring crab abundance and structuring fisheries in each region to maintain healthy populations," Sizemore said. "Crabbing should be good from opening day all the way through the end of the summer season, although much of the catch south of Seattle this year will be red rock crab."
The daily limit throughout Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. Fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across.
In all areas of Puget Sound, recreational crabbing is scheduled Thursdays through Mondays each week (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) during the following periods:
Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5 (Sekiu) and 11 (Tacoma/Vashon): Open June 16 through Sept. 4.
Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) and the portion of Marine Area 9 in Hood Canal south of a line from Olele Point to Foulweather Bluff:  Open June 24 through Sept. 4.
Marine areas 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait), 8-1 (Deception Pass), 8-2 (Port Susan/Everett), the remainder of 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) and 13 (south Puget Sound):  Open July 1 through Sept. 4.
Marine Area 7 South (San Juan Islands/Bellingham): Open July 15 through Sept. 30.
Marine Area 7 North (Gulf of Georgia): Open Aug. 17 through Sept. 30.
Crab fishers may not set or pull shellfish gear from a vessel from one hour after official sunset to one hour before official sunrise. All shellfish gear must be removed from the water on closed days.
Sizemore reminds Puget Sound crabbers that they are required to record their harvest of Dungeness crab on their catch record cards immediately after retaining crab. Separate catch record cards are issued for the summer and winter seasons.
Catch record cards are not required to fish for Dungeness crab in the Columbia River or on the Washington coast.

This weeks bible lesson see page 2

Local News Spotlight: Character Assassinations, are just as bad.

First of all making jokes about assassinating the current or any former president, and posting it on facebook is about as smart as, jumping out of a plane without a parachute!   But, in the case of even making jokes about assassination can carry prison time for most folks, the Secret Service takes these matters seriously. It's been a very disturbing trend happening on the pages of social media outlets, such as facebook.
Equally disturbing of identity theft being done by hackers, who invade facebook accounts stealing material from accounts, and then posting trash talk on facebook using a stolen account names. So, given the fact that many facebook subscribers have been hacked, one question comes to mind was this another case of facebook trolls doing dirty tricks on this city council candidate? Another question comes up, how did the Peninsula Daily News get wind of these postings in the first place?  This whole thing is a little too convenient wouldn't you say that these postings become relevant now that Wojnowski is running for office? Why not several months earlier?

Related stories...
Peninsula Daily News: Port Angeles City Council candidate says his account was hacked
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/politics/port-angeles-city-council-candidate-says-his-account-was-hacked/
Quotes: " A City Council candidate whose Facebook page included a March 2013 posting that joked about assassinating then-President Barack Obama said last week his account was hacked. Artur Wojnowski, a candidate for Port Angeles City Council Position 3, suspended his account on Friday. He disavowed the entry and several other 2013 posts he said were not his."

Editorial note: When this story was posted in the PDN you saw comments from readers already spewing out phrases that this guy is a racist, without knowing all the facts. Some say he already lost the election before it even started. Sounds to me the PDN, and whoever leaked the information was bent on character assassination.

The Lighter Side of Assassination?
In the wake of Kathy Griffin holding up a mock severed head of President Trump, it's disturbingly obvious that murderous thoughts about our leaders are now considered by the left to be light, humorous fare, a balm for their anxieties.----CNSN NEWS

Editorial Note: Sounds to me that Griffin found out posing for a picture that was suggestive like that wasn't too funny. Now she is playing the victim. But, what about the photographer, he isn't sorry about taking that picture, anyone cared to investigate him?

How to tell if your Facebook has been hacked (and what to do)---CNET
There are several different ways hackers use a breached Facebook account. Automatic logins through Facebook allow hackers access to many different site accounts once they've taken over your Facebook. Spammers also hack Facebook accounts to gain access to your following. From your profile, a hacker can additionally gather a lot of personal information about you that can be used to steal your identity.


Peninsula Daily News: Employee sues top Clallam prosecutor, alleging sexual harassment
Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols has been sued by an office manager who claims that she was sexually harassed for two years. Tina Hendrickson filed a complaint and demand for jury trial June 1 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Tacoma.

Editorial note:  Another example of making quit judgements, and character assassination even before a trial? I imagine there are people already passing judgements on this without knowing all the facts.
Character Assassination, can be just as bad as the other form of assassination,  impugning someone's character without all the facts puts a cloud of doubt over that person, which they have to walk around with. I think people should refrain making rash judgement calls before all the facts are made known.  Not saying I'm perfect by no means, sometimes I let my emotions run wild, and make snappy judgement calls before knowing all the facts, but we strife to overcome using our emotional responses to pass judgement on others.




WHAT'S HAPPENING NEXT WEEK!

Clallam County Work session agenda highlight item:
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe presentation regarding a project to realign portions of Chicken Coop and Zaccardo Roads The Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe (JSKD would like to realign portions of the Chicken Coop and Ziccardo Roads into a single perpendicular intersection to SR 101.
The JSKT is also working with WSDOT to make several improvements to SR101 such as turn pockets and acceleration lanes adjacent to this new intersection. Parametrix Engineering is performing design and consulting services for the JSKT and has prepared several exhibits illustrating the proposed project and would like to present this to the BOCC so they have an understanding of the scope and benefits of this project. At some point this project will require future conveyances of new R/W from the JSKT to the County and acceptance of these new portions of these roads by the BOCC. Also vacation of the now unused portions of both Chicken Coop Road and Ziccardo Road will need to be done in accordance with State RCW's and County ordinances.
see details: http://clallam.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1058&meta_id=10586
See full agenda: http://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1058

Clallam County regular session on Tuesday, agenda item highlight item;
Notice that the following Supplemental Appropriations will be adopted by Resolution on June 27
Notíce is hereby given Clallam County will adopt by Resolution of the Board, supplemental budget approprÍations in the following funds pursuant to RCW 36.40.100, at 10 a.m. on June 27, 20L7 in the CommÍssíoners' Meeting Room (160) of the Clallam County Courthouse.
Non-Departmental, Opportunity Fund - Due to Carlsborg sewer project construction delay in 2016 additional construction costs and revenue reimbursements were not included in20L7 budget/$1,395,524
Public Works, Carlsborg Sewer Project
. The Carlsborg sewer project construction was delayed in 2016 making it necessary to carry forward estimated expenses and revenue in the 2017 budget; amount reflects adjustment for final amount due from the Opportunity Fund for the pass-through of the Publíc Works Trust Fund construction loan $1,395,524
¡ Side sewer connections revenue for the Carlsborg sewer project/9238 Copies of the budget change forms may be viewed at the office of the Board of Clallam County Commissioners from B a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday
See full details: http://clallam.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=327&meta_id=10627
See full agenda: http://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=327

In other local and regional meetings for next week....
Sequim City Council agenda highlight item: Bell Hill Estates preliminary major subdivision
See full agenda: http://www.sequimwa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/1651

Jefferson County Commission meeting agenda highlight item: AGREEMENT re: Jefferson County Central Services Director; In the Amount of $9,169.20 per month; Jefferson County Administrator; Mark McCauley
See full agenda: http://test.co.jefferson.wa.us/WEBLINKEXTERNAL/0/edoc/1691263/A061217.pdf

City of Forks agenda highlight item: Resolution amending airport improvement project.
See full agenda: http://forkswashington.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Agenda-2017-6-12.pdf


Daily Bible verse:    bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.----Colossians 3:13 NKJV
Matthew 7:13-14 NKJV
Free bible studies (WBS)
https://www.worldbibleschool.org/
Learn english using the bible as text (WEI)
http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/
(Join us in worship every Sunday starting at 10:30AM Church of Christ)
http://www.pacofc.org/index.php

Inslee signs executive order to support safe testing and operation of autonomous vehicles

Self-driving cars may sound futuristic, but Washington state is leading the way right now on developing autonomous vehicles that are safe and could help save lives, reduce carbon emissions and create jobs.
Gov. Jay Inslee today signed an executive order to support safe testing and operation of autonomous vehicles (AVs). The executive order establishes an interagency workgroup to work with local, regional and federal officials, stakeholders and industry groups, recommend changes or clarifications to state polices and rules about AVs, and examine other emerging automated transportation technology. The order also enables pilot programs for organizations developing AV equipment and technology.
The governor signed the executive order at Echodyne, a radar technology startup in Bellevue that is working to ensure AVs stay safe and affordable.
“Washington state is already a leader in autonomous vehicle technology. We are an early-adopter that welcomes innovation and the safe testing and operation of AVs,” Inslee said. “AVs could help save countless lives, reclaim time spent in traffic, improve mobility and be an important tool in our efforts to combat climate change.”
Safety of these vehicles is a top consideration for the governor and for the companies developing this technology.
“The governor’s executive order helps prepare us for the future by supporting the safe testing and operation of autonomous vehicle technology,” said Chief John Batiste of the Washington State Patrol.
“AVs could dramatically improve traffic safety by reducing highway fatalities,” added Darrin Grondel, director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. “Each year, 33,000 people die in traffic collisions in the United States, and 94 percent of those crashes are linked to human error.”
press release issued June 7th, read full article
https://medium.com/wagovernor/hands-off-the-wheel-c414fa6b11bb


NEWS NOTEBOOK
 Kilmer Statement on No Health Insurers Filing Plans for Grays Harbor for 2018
Washington, D.C. – Today, Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) released the following statement after no health insurers filed plans for Washington state’s 2018 individual health insurance market in Grays Harbor County. The move would leave more than 2,000 people in the county currently enrolled in the individual market without insurance.  
“For years, I have been working to get Congress to change how healthcare is provided in rural communities because this matters to people,” said Kilmer. “When Congress or the President play politics and destabilize the insurance market leading to today's news, that hurts people. It hurts folks in our region in need of treatment, or who want to take their kids to the doctor, or who are concerned about the cost of the treatment and medication they need. While I wasn't in Congress when the Affordable Care Act was passed, I’ll keep working to get folks to stop playing politics and focus on improving the system so people in rural areas have access to affordable, quality coverage.”
http://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/kilmer-statement-on-no-health-insurers-filing-plans-for-grays-harbor-for-2018_

For more state news headlines see page 2

SEN. PATTY MURRAY: Proposed cuts particularly cruel in light of recent report finding that nearly 12,000 people in Seattle and King County are currently experiencing homelessness

press release issued June 7th
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=A7319C1B-DE22-4247-A10B-509C9947217B
(Washington, D.C.) –  Today, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior Democrat on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee overseeing housing, questioned Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Sec. Ben Carson about President Trump’s proposal to slash 15 percent from the housing budget, including programs supporting critical efforts in Washington state to eradicate homelessness and increase access to affordable housing. Sen. Murray questioned Sec. Carson on HUD’s misplaced budget priorities in light of a recent report finding homelessness and housing insecurity on the rise in Washington state, asking Sec. Carson directly about HUD’s plan for combatting homelessness in Washington state and nationwide in addition to requesting clarity on his position regarding the effectiveness of Housing First interventions that prioritize moving homeless families and individuals into permanent homes as swiftly as possible.
Sen. Murray has been a consistent champion for HUD programs that work to get people off the street and into safe, appropriate housing, including McKinney Vento, Section 8 vouchers, and HUD-VASH, helping to restart the initiative for homeless veterans in 2008. Sen. Murray questioned Sec. Carson about his budget’s proposal to slash funding for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) that reduce homelessness across Washington state. In addition to questions on homelessness, Sen. Murray also asked Sec. Carson to explain the Department’s position on several housing issues impacting Washington state families, including HUD’s formula for calculating Section 8 housing that must account for rising housing prices in cities like Vancouver, Tacoma, and Seattle, and proposed cuts to programs supporting affordable housing and offering rental assistance.


Senators Murray, Cantwell Oppose Trump Administration’s Proposal to Auction Off DOE Transmission Assets
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Maria Cantwell (D-WA), and a bipartisan group of Western senators voiced their strong opposition to a provision in the President’s Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request to auction off the transmission assets of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and other Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs) through the Department of Energy.
“[Bonneville Power Administration and other PMAs] have provided reliable and affordable electric service and are crucially important to rural communities in our states. Sale of the PMAs transmission facilities would not advance the President’s infrastructure objectives.  In fact, privatization of existing assets could affect opportunities for new infrastructure investments. Moreover, any private entity buying PMA assets will want to recover their investment.  The resulting rate increases would take money out of the pockets of consumers and businesses in our states,” the Senators said in their letter to Secretary Perry.
The letter concludes by stating, “There are improvements that can and should be made to the operations of some PMAs, but the dismantling of them is simply not sound governmental policy.  Instead, we look forward to working with you to make needed investments in PMA infrastructure and ensuring the future value of this important federal asset.”---press release issued June 7th
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=14F772DB-89B7-417B-87FB-6960F539ACE4

While VA works on a long-term plan to reduce wait times and improve veteran care, the Trump Administration is pushing provisions that would weaken the entire VA system
(Washington, D.C.) –  Today in a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) questioned Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. David Shulkin about whether he supports Trump Administration initiatives that would weaken VA in the coming years, moving the agency toward privatization. Sen. Murray, a senior member of the Committee and the daughter of a World War II veteran, is staunchly opposed to dismantling VA and has urged her colleagues in Congress to support a series of reforms to strengthen veteran care. In today’s hearing, Sen. Murray asked Secretary Shulkin about particular provisions that would destabilize the system.---press release issued June 7th
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=8D4FEAB1-9AF9-429B-AB3B-13F6CBBAD48D

For more news from our congressional delegation to Washington DC, and advocacy news stories see page 2

EPA to Extend Deadline for 2015 Ozone NAAQS Area Designations

press release issued June 6th
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-extend-deadline-2015-ozone-naaqs-area-designations

WASHINGTON –  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt sent a letter to governors today to inform them of EPA’s efforts related to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone promulgated in October 2015.  EPA is extending the deadline for promulgating initial area designations, by one year, for the 2015 ozone NAAQS.
States have made tremendous progress and significant investment cleaning up the air. We will continue to work with states to ensure they are on a path to compliance,” said Administrator Scott Pruitt.
The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ground-level ozone is an outdoor air regulation under the Clean Air Act.  As part of the process to determine what areas of the country are able to meet the current air quality standards, states are currently submitting their proposals for area designations under the 70 parts per billion (ppb) standard, which was lowered from 75 ppb in 2015.   Areas designated as being in “nonattainment” of the standard face consequences, including: increased regulatory burdens, restrictions on infrastructure investment, and increased costs to businesses.
EPA is giving states more time to develop air quality plans and EPA is looking at providing greater flexibility to states as they develop their plans. And, pursuant to the language in the recently-enacted FY2017 Omnibus funding bill, Administrator Pruitt is establishing an Ozone Cooperative Compliance Task Force to develop additional flexibilities for states to comply with the ozone standard.
Additionally, the Agency is taking time to better understand some lingering, complicated issues so that air attainment decisions can be based on the latest and greatest information.  This additional time will also provide the agency time to review the 2015 ozone NAAQS, prior to taking this initial implementation step.
Although the new ozone standard was set on October 1, 2015, there remains a host of complex issues that could undermine associated compliance efforts by states and localities.  The Agency is evaluating these issues, primarily focused on:
Fully understanding the role of background ozone levels;
Appropriately accounting for international transport,
And, timely consideration of exceptional events demonstrations.
“We share the goal of clean air, a robust economy and stronger, healthier communities. We are committed to working with states and local officials to effectively implement the ozone standard in a manner that is supportive of air quality improvement efforts without interfering with local decisions or impeding economic growth,” said Administrator Pruitt.
Since 1980, total emissions of the six principal air pollutants have dropped by 63 percent and ozone levels have declined by 33 percent. Despite the continued improvement of air quality, costs associated with compliance of the ozone NAAQS have significantly increased.


related story: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING …About The EPA’S Decision To Delay Implementation of the 2015 Ozone Standards
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/what-they-are-saying-about-epas-decision-delay-implementation-2015-ozone-standards

For more national headline news see page 2

UN NEWS CENTER: After 50 years of Israeli occupation, 'now is the time' to create Palestinian state – UN chief

5 June 2017 – Marking 50 years since the start of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, which resulted in Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territory, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today reiterated a call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56910

Continuing Occupation Sends ‘Unmistakable Message’ that Both Palestinian, Israeli Hopes Remain Unattainable, Secretary-General Warns in Anniversary Statement

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:
Today marks 50 years since the start of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, which resulted in Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza and the Syrian Golan, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and Syrians.
This occupation has imposed a heavy humanitarian and development burden on the Palestinian people.  Among them are generation after generation of Palestinians who have been compelled to grow up and live in ever more crowded refugee camps, many in abject poverty, and with little or no prospect of a better life for their children.
The occupation has shaped the lives of both Palestinians and Israelis.  It has fuelled recurring cycles of violence and retribution.  Its perpetuation is sending an unmistakable message to generations of Palestinians that their dream of statehood is destined to remain just that, a dream; and to Israelis that their desire for peace, security and regional recognition remains unattainable.
Ending the occupation that began in 1967 and achieving a negotiated two-State outcome is the only way to lay the foundations for enduring peace that meets Israeli security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty.  It is the only way to achieve the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.
Now is not the time to give up on this goal.  Continued settlement construction and expansion; violence and incitement; and the illicit arms build-up and militant activity in Gaza risk creating a one-State reality that is incompatible with realizing the legitimate national and historic aspirations of both peoples.  Now is the time to return to direct negotiations to resolve all final-status issues on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions, agreements and international law.
Now is the time to end the conflict by establishing an independent Palestinian State, living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel.  Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will remove a driver of violent extremism and terrorism in the Middle East and open the doors to cooperation, security, prosperity and human rights for all.
In 1947, on the basis of United Nations General Assembly resolution 181, the world recognized the two-State solution and called for the emergence of “independent Arab and Jewish States”.  On 14 May 1948, the State of Israel was born.  Almost seven decades later, the world still awaits the birth of an independent Palestinian State.
The Secretary-General reiterates his offer to work with all relevant stakeholders to support a genuine peace process.----press release issued June 5th

Related news stories:
NPR: 50 Years On, U.S. Presidents Still Seek Elusive Peace To A 6-Day War

REU: U.S. tells UN rights forum to remove 'chronic anti-Israel bias'
The Trump administration gave formal notice on Tuesday that it is reviewing its participation in the U.N. Human Rights Council and called for reforming the body to eliminate what it called its "chronic anti-Israel bias".

REU: Israeli panel approves West Bank settlement plan: reports
An Israeli panel approved plans on Tuesday for the first new Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank in two decades, Israeli media reports said, drawing Palestinian condemnation and defying repeated international appeals to avoid such measures.


History spotlight: D-DAY
The Western Allies of World War II launched the largest amphibious invasion in history when they assaulted Normandy, located on the northern coast of France, on 6 June 1944. The invaders were able to establish a beachhead as part of Operation Overlord after a successful "D-Day," the first day of the invasion.
Allied land forces came from the United States, Britain, Canada, and Free French forces. In the weeks following the invasion, Polish forces and contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece and the Netherlands participated in the ground campaign; most also provided air and naval support alongside elements of the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the Royal Norwegian Navy.
The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks and naval bombardments. In the early morning, amphibious landings on five beaches codenamed Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah, The United States landing on beaches Omaha and Utah, Great Britain landing on beaches Gold and Sword and Canada landing on Juno. The invasion began and during the evening the remaining elements of the airborne divisions landed. Land forces used on D-Day sailed from bases along the south coast of England, the most important of these being Portsmouth. wikipedia See full article




For more world news and events see page 2

US COMMERCE DEPT: Trade with China Continues Trend While Comprehensive Economic Dialogue Hopes to Balance Deficits

Press release issued June 2nd: 
The trade deficit in goods with China ballooned by 13.8 percent year-over-year while the overall trade deficit increased by 5 percent since March as imports increased slightly and exports declined following the release of the April 2017 International Trade in Goods and Services monthly data by the Department of Commerce.
“While the overall trade deficit continues to grow, it is too soon for the numbers to reflect the recent deal with China and other actions of this Administration is taking to level the balance of trade,” said Secretary Ross. “We look forward to the July 16 deadline which will open up the Chinese market to American beef, liquefied natural gas and other products.”
The U.S. goods and services deficit with China increased 5.4 percent from the fourth quarter of 2016 to the first quarter of 2017 growing from $77.714 billion to $81.901 billion.
The trade deficit widened month-to-month with China from 24.6 billion in March to 27.6 billion in April.
While the trade deficit with China grew, there was improvement in other areas.  April exports to South Korea were the highest ever on record, while exports to Japan were the largest since August of 2014.
Year-to-date, the goods and services deficit increased $9.4 billion, or 7.5 percent, from the same period in 2016. Exports increased $38.0 billion or 7.1 percent. Imports increased $47.5 billion or 7.1 percent.
The April increase in the goods and services deficit reflected an increase in the goods deficit of $2.3 billion to $68.4 billion and a decrease in the services surplus of less than $0.1 billion to $20.8 billion.

NEWS NOTEBOOK: UK police name two London attackers, say one investigated before (REU)
LONDON, June 5 (Reuters) - One of the three attackers who killed seven people near London Bridge on Saturday night was previously investigated by British security services but had not been viewed as a serious threat, British police said on Monday.

UN NEWS CENTER:  UN chief strongly condemns terrorist attacks in London
4 June 2017 – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned last night's terrorist attacks in London and expressed solidarity with the people and Government of the United Kingdom in the combat against terrorism and violent extremism.

WH: Readout of President Donald J. Trump's Call with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom
President Donald J. Trump spoke with Prime Minister Theresa May of the United Kingdom today. The President offered his condolences for the brutal terror attacks on June 3 in central London.  He praised the heroic response of police and other first responders and offered the full support of the United States Government in investigating and bringing those responsible for these heinous acts to justice.  



(For more business and finance news headlines see page 2)

WDFW: Anglers can fish for free June 10-11, 2017

OLYMPIA – Each year, thousands of Washingtonians go fishing – legally – without a license on "Free Fishing Weekend," scheduled for June 10-11.
During those two days, no license will be required to fish or gather shellfish in any waters open to fishing in Washington state.
Anglers will also not need a Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement, otherwise required to fish for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River and its tributaries.  Nor will they need a Two Pole Endorsement to fish with two poles in selected waters where two-pole fishing is permitted.
Also, no vehicle access pass or Discover Pass will be required during Free Fishing Weekend to park at any of the nearly 700 water-access sites maintained by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).  A Discover Pass is required in state parks on Sunday, June 11 and on DNR lands throughout the weekend however.
"If you haven't fished in Washington, or want to introduce fishing to someone new to the sport, this is the weekend to get out there," said Steve Thiesfeld, WDFW inland fish program manager.
Anglers have been catching daily limits of trout at lakes for the past month, and many rivers will open to trout fishing June 3 throughout the state. Other options available on Free Fishing Weekend include:
Lingcod on the coast.
Bass, crappie, perch and other warmwater fish biting in lakes throughout Washington.
Hatchery spring chinook on the lower Yakima River
Shad on the Columbia River.
Hatchery steelhead on rivers on the Olympic Peninsula.
For tips, new anglers should check online for the "Fish Washington" feature at the department's homepage (http://wdfw.wa.gov). The site provides details on lowland lake fishing, high lake fishing and marine area opportunities.
For those planning fishing vacations, Great Washington Getaways (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/vacation) showcases some of the state's best family travel and fishing opportunities.
And, for those who want even more fishing advice, the Fish Washington video page (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/videos) provides "how to" fishing videos designed to introduce techniques to both new and seasoned anglers.
Anglers who take part in free fishing weekend can also participate in the department's 2017 Trout Fishing Derby and redeem tags from fish caught over the weekend. Interested anglers should check for details online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/derby.
Before heading out, anglers should also check the current fishing regulations valid through June at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations.
While no licenses are required on Free Fishing Weekend, other rules such as size limits, bag limits and area closures will still be in effect. Anglers will also be required to complete a catch record card for any salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut they catch.
Catch record cards are available free at hundreds of sporting goods stores and other license dealers throughout the state. See http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/vendors on the WDFW website to locate a license dealer.
press release issued 6. 1. 17
http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/jun0117c/

This week's bible lesson see page 2

SHOULD WE HIDE OUR HISTORY BECAUSE IT'S NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT?

Editorial note: That's a question which I been pondering about ever since the news broke that some civil war monuments have been removed. Particularly the monuments of confederate generals. Granted if I been alive back then I'd be fighting on the side of the Union.  But, I do question the actions of some who want to change history if that is what this is all about
First let us look back 156 years during the American Civil war. BUT! It doesn't mean it's a cool thing to drive around with the stars and bars flag flying in the wind in the back of a pickup truck.  The flag they should be honoring in the back of their truck is old Glory, not the stars and bars of the confederacy.

 Quoting from wikipedia: " The American Civil War was fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865. After a long standing controversy over slavery and state's rights, war broke out in April 1861, when Confederates attacked Fort Sumter in South Carolina, shortly after Abraham Lincoln was elected. The nationalists of the Union proclaimed loyalty to the U.S. Constitution. They faced secessionists of the Confederate States of America advocating states’ rights to perpetual slavery and its expansion in the Americas.
Among the 34 U.S. states in February 1861, seven Southern slave states individually declared their secession from the U.S. to form the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy grew to include eleven states; it claimed two more border states (Kentucky and Missouri), the Indian Territory, and the southern portions of the Union's western territories of Arizona and New Mexico, which was organized and incorporated into the Confederacy as Confederate Arizona. The Confederacy was never diplomatically recognized by the United States government, nor was it recognized by any foreign country (although Britain and France granted it belligerent status). The states that remained loyal, including the border states where slavery was legal, were known as the Union or the North.
The North and South quickly raised volunteer and conscript armies that fought mostly in the South over four years. During this time many innovations in warfare occurred, including the development and use of iron-clad ships, ultimately changing naval strategy around the world. The Union finally won the war when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at the battle of Appomattox, which triggered a series of surrenders by Confederate generals throughout the southern states. Four years of intense combat left 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers dead, a higher number than the number of American military deaths in World War I and World War II combined, and much of the South's infrastructure was destroyed. The Confederacy collapsed, slavery was abolished, and 4 million slaves were freed. The Reconstruction Era (1863–1877) overlapped and followed the war, with the process of restoring national unity, strengthening the national government, and granting civil rights to freed slaves throughout the country. The Civil War is arguably the most studied and written about episode in American history."---read full story



The leading Generals:
Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th President of the United States (1869–77). As Commanding General (1864–69), Grant worked closely with President Abraham Lincoln to lead the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the American Civil War. Supported by Congress, Grant implemented Reconstruction, often at odds with President Andrew Johnson. Twice elected president, Grant led the Republicans in their effort to remove the vestiges of Confederate nationalism and slavery, protect African-American citizenship, and support economic prosperity. His presidency has often been criticized for tolerating corruption and for the economic depression in his second term.
Grant graduated in 1843 from the United States Military Academy at West Point, then served in the Mexican–American War. After the war he married Julia Boggs Dent in 1848, their marriage producing four children. Grant initially retired from the Army in 1854. He struggled financially in civilian life. When the Civil War began in 1861, he rejoined the U.S. Army. In 1862, Grant took control of Kentucky and most of Tennessee, and led Union forces to victory in the Battle of Shiloh, earning a reputation as an aggressive commander. In July 1863, after a series of coordinated battles, Grant defeated Confederate armies and seized Vicksburg, giving the Union control of the Mississippi River and dividing the Confederacy in two. After his victories in the Chattanooga Campaign, Lincoln promoted him to lieutenant general and Commanding General of the Army in March 1864. Grant confronted Robert E. Lee in a series of bloody battles, trapping Lee's army in their defense of Richmond. Grant coordinated a series of devastating campaigns in other theaters, as well. In April 1865, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox, effectively ending the war. ---see full story

Editorial Note: So, are we going to start taking down Union generals monuments, or just target confederate ones?

Robert E Lee
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was an American general known for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. The son of Revolutionary War officer Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, Lee was a top graduate of the United States Military Academy and an exceptional officer and military engineer in the United States Army for 32 years. During this time, he served throughout the United States, distinguished himself during the Mexican–American War, and served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy.
When Virginia declared its secession from the Union in April 1861, Lee chose to follow his home state, despite his personal desire for the country to remain intact and an offer of a senior Union command.  During the first year of the Civil War, Lee served as a senior military adviser to President Jefferson Davis. Once he took command of the main field army in 1862 he soon emerged as a shrewd tactician and battlefield commander, winning most of his battles, all against far superior Union armies.  Lee's strategic foresight was more questionable, and both of his major offensives into Union territory ended in defeat.
Lee's aggressive tactics, which resulted in high casualties at a time when the Confederacy had a shortage of manpower, have come under criticism in recent years.  Lee surrendered his entire army to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865. By this time, Lee had assumed supreme command of the remaining Southern armies; other Confederate forces swiftly capitulated after his surrender. Lee rejected the proposal of a sustained insurgency against the Union and called for reconciliation between the two sides.
After the war, as President of what is now Washington and Lee University, Lee supported President Andrew Johnson's program of Reconstruction and intersectional friendship, while opposing the Radical Republican proposals to give freed slaves the vote and take the vote away from ex-Confederates. He urged them to rethink their position between the North and the South, and the reintegration of former Confederates into the nation's political life. Lee became the great Southern hero of the War, a postwar icon of the "Lost Cause of the Confederacy" to some. But his popularity grew even in the North, especially after his death in 1870. Barracks at West Point built in 1962 are named after him. ( read full story) 



Related Stories:

NPR: New Orleans Takes Down Statue Of Gen. Robert E. Lee

FOX NEWS: New Orleans takes down prominent Confederate monument

WP: Protests against removing Confederate monuments are not really about history

NBC NEWS: Is Removing Confederate Monuments Like Erasing History?

NY TIMES: Mitch Landrieu’s Speech on the Removal of Confederate Monuments in New Orleans

NY DAILY NEWS: Condoleezza Rice argues tearing down slave owners’ statues is ‘sanitizing’ history
Quote: “When you start wiping out your history, sanitizing your history to make you feel better, it’s a bad thing,” Rice said.
Quote:  “I’m a firm believer in ‘keep your history before you.’ And so I don’t actually want to rename things that were named for slave owners,” Rice replied. “I want us to have to look at the names and recognize what they did, and be able to tell our kids what they did and for them to have a sense of their own history.”