Sens. Murray, Cantwell, Bipartisan Group of Western Senators Press White House to Extend Critical Lifeline Funding in Disaster Aid Request

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 10/ 30/ 17
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined a bipartisan group of Western senators to urge the White House and its Office of Management and Budget to fulfill the federal government’s promise to rural communities by extending a critical lifeline that funds road repairs, schools, and law enforcement in rural communities in any future emergency disaster supplemental funding bill it sends to Congress.

The senators pushed for a two-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Act (SRS). SRS payments support public schools, public roads, forest health projects, emergency services, and law enforcement in more than 700 counties across the country.

The payments expired last year, leaving counties uncertain as to how to fund these essential services in rural areas.
“We have seen firsthand the hardships rural counties face as a result of SRS authorization lapsing. Without the certainty of SRS payments, schools, libraries, and jails will close…” the senators wrote in a letter to Trump and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney. “Roads go unpaved and become unsafe. Mental and physical health services are scaled back or even ended. Fewer and fewer law enforcement officers are forced to patrol larger and larger areas.
“In the interest of working together in a bipartisan way to support local rural communities, we ask that you and Director Mulvaney work with the Congress to include a reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools in any emergency disaster funding legislation,” they wrote.
Counties received their last SRS funds in March 2016. Since the program expired, residents in many of the counties that depend on this funding have had to choose between keeping schools and libraries open or laying off law enforcement.
The lack of certainty about SRS funding comes at a time when rural communities in the West are also being hit by record-breaking fire seasons that have been exacerbated by the federal government’s broken system of wildfire funding.
https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=279A4694-8D58-42F9-9673-06647606B5D8

 WORLD NEWS AND EVENTS.

UN PRESS RELEASE:  Secretary-General Calls Highest Recorded Number of Child Casualties in Armed Conflict ‘Global Shame’, during Security Council Debate
Press release issued 10/ 31/ 17
Children around the world are suffering enormously and unacceptably by conflict.  This is a source of global shame.  The period covered by my report revealed an alarming level of violations.  We see armed groups forcing girls and boys to act as suicide bombers.

We see children stigmatized for having been recruited and used by armed groups.  We see children held criminally responsible for acts they were forced to commit.  And we see parties to conflict often obstructing life-saving aid for children.

Over the period covered by the report, we witnessed the most child casualties ever recorded by the United Nations in Afghanistan; a doubling of verified cases of recruitment and use of children in Syria and Somalia; and wide‑spread sexual violence against children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan and elsewhere.
Tens of millions of children across the globe were also uprooted from their homes by fighting — their families often split apart, their childhoods disrupted, their futures put at risk.
Despite this bleak picture, some progress has been made.  Changes to the reporting process this year allowed for deeper engagement with parties to conflict to encourage the implementation of measures to better protect children.  Many entities are now undertaking such measures, as my report outlines.  I have asked my Special Representative to work closely with these parties to improve their efforts to spare children from the horrors of war.
Measures to better protect children were put in place by five Government security forces and four armed groups during 2016.  These ranged from specific steps such as the release of children held in prison in Somalia, to substantive measures affecting complex operations such as those undertaken by the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in the Yemen, led by Saudi Arabia.
While there is progress, the scale and intensity of some of today’s crises require us to redouble our efforts and take innovative approaches.  The cross‑border elements of conflict are increasing year by year.  To address this, we need to strengthen our engagement with regional and subregional actors.

We should also encourage additional legal and political commitments to protect children, as well as other measures that my Special Representative is developing.  I appeal to Member States to provide resources to support these initiatives.

In 2016, thousands of children were released from armed groups and armed forces, yet only half were successfully reintegrated into their families and communities, most notably by UNICEF [United Nations Children’s Fund] and its partners.  We must do more to provide funding and capacity for programmes that offer education, job training, counselling and family reunification.

The legal framework to protect children in armed conflict is in place.  I call on all parties to respect this framework in all conflict situations.  We also must pursue accountability for abhorrent crimes and violations of human rights and humanitarian law.  If we leave the next generation traumatized, seething with grievances, we betray those we serve and we betray ourselves.

I call on all parties to conflict to work with the United Nations, both on the ground and in New York, to ensure that we protect the most vulnerable of your populations and the most precious resource of your countries: your children.  And I urge this Council to strongly support this work as we strive together to build long-term peace, stability and development.  Thank you.
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sgsm18772.doc.htm


UN PRESS RELEASE: Third Committee Concludes Human Rights Debate amid Calls to Raise Living Standards, Foster Peaceful Coexistence among Faiths, Ethnicities
Press release issued 10/ 30/ 17
The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its debate on human rights today as Governments described measures to ensure their citizens enjoyed full protection of their fundamental freedoms.

Several speakers focused on efforts to strengthen national laws and institutional frameworks, with the representative of the Philippines pointing out that a Presidential Human Rights Committee had been set up to harmonize institutional efforts.  Mechanisms were in place to guarantee that rights violators would be held accountable.  Sudan’s delegate similarly said it had hired more prosecutors, judges and police to ensure that rights were protected, while Mauritania’s delegate recalled that the country had adopted and ratified all the relevant human rights conventions.

Others stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence among racial and religious groups, with Singapore’s delegate attributing such success to polices focused on social integration and harmony, maintaining that fragile balance required zero tolerance of actions that denigrated religious or ethnic groups.  In Myanmar, whose delegate said had a long history of peaceful coexistence, the Government had formed an Interfaith Friendship Group, with representatives from all faiths in 122 organizations at the national, state, district and township levels.

Cultural rights, however, remained underdeveloped compared to other human rights, said Azerbaijan’s delegate, who condemned the destruction of cultural heritage, particularly Armenia’s “plundering” of its territory.

The denial of human rights due to aggression and foreign occupation was another theme throughout the discussion.  In that context, Ukraine’s delegate stressed that the people of Crimea had been denied their rights during three and a half years of Russian occupation.  It was crucial to monitor the occupying Russian forces to ensure their actions complied with international law.
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/gashc4214.doc.htm

UN PRESS RELEASE: Secretary-General Urges Security Council to Be Ambitious in Considering Options for Providing G-5 Sahel Joint Force with Vital Support
Press release issued 10/ 30/ 17
Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Security Council meeting on the Sahel, translated from French, in New York today:

I would like to thank the Government of France for initiating this debate, which follows on from the Security Council’s visit to the Sahel.  I would also like to thank the Ministers of the country members of the G-5 [Group of Five] Sahel for their presence today.

And allow me to pay tribute to the three Chadian “Blue Helmets” from MINUSMA [United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali] who lost their lives last Thursday, as well as to their injured colleagues.  I would like to commend them for their courage and dedication in working to bring peace and security to Mali.  Their sense of sacrifice makes it our duty to find solutions, urgently, to enable us to combat terrorism in Mali, while guaranteeing the security and safety of MINUSMA personnel.

The situation in the Sahel concerns all of us.  Poverty, underdevelopment and climate change have all contributed to the humanitarian and security crises.  Weak institutions and the exclusion and marginalization of certain groups are exploited by extremists and terrorists.  Porous borders facilitate human trafficking, the trafficking of drugs and weapons, and other criminal activities.
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/sgsm18770.doc.htm

From the UN NEWS CENTER:

Unrest in Cameroon's Anglophone regions sends thousands fleeing to Nigeria – UN agency
31 October 2017 – The United Nations refugee agency is scaling up efforts with partners to provide humanitarian assistance to thousands of Cameroonians who have fled violence in that country's Anglophone regions to south-eastern Nigeria.
https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57998

Push for Global Goals makes partnerships, innovation 'more important than ever,' UN forum in Bahrain told
31 October 2017 – A United Nations forum opened today in Manama, Bahrain, highlighting the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57996

Tuberculosis world's top infectious killer; UN health agency calls for political action to stop spread
30 October 2017 – Progress has not been fast enough over the past year to reach global and regional targets on stopping the spread of tuberculosis (TB), or to make real headway in closing persistent gaps in TB care and prevention, the World Health Organization warned Monday.
https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57991

US MISSION TO THE UN:

Remarks at a UN Security Council Open Debate on Children in Armed Conflict; Ambassador Michele J. Sison
Press release posted 10/ 31/ 17
" We should all be disturbed by the Secretary-General’s report on children and armed conflict this year. The report shows that in conflicts around the world, children are being killed and maimed, abducted, and attacked in schools and hospitals, recruited to fight, sexually abused, and denied humanitarian aid – by state and non-state actors alike. All parties to armed conflict should share the goal of protecting children from violence, and yet, all too often, violations and abuses of international law affecting children in armed conflict are rampant.

Of particular concern to the United States is the scale and gravity of such violations and abuses against children by terrorist organizations including the Taliban, ISIS, Boko Haram, and al-Shabaab. These groups are responsible for many of the most barbaric attacks, committing over 6,800 violations and abuses against children, as documented by the UN.

South Sudan also remains a major cause for concern. The number of children who have been recruited by armed groups is around 17,000 – coincidentally about the same number of staff as the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. Ambassador Haley just returned from that country, where she issued a stern warning to President Kiir: “The hate and the violence that we are seeing has to stop." She also told President Kiir during their meeting that he could not deny the actions of his military, whether it was related to violence or rape or child soldiers. Sexual violence against girls and boys in particular, including mass gang rape, has intensified, even in parts of the country that were once deemed safe for them. The UN and this Council should bring all of our influence and tools to bear to ensure that all parties to the conflict in South Sudan immediately end committing all violations and abuses against children."
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8059

Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Peace and Security in Africa, Ambassador Nikki Haley
Press release issued 10/ 30/ 17
" Violent extremism in the Sahel is a growing problem. And responding to this violence is more dangerous than ever. We applaud the men and women of the armed forces of the G5 Sahel countries. We also salute the region’s partners, particularly France, with its longstanding counterterror operation. And we thank the brave men and women serving in the world’s most dangerous peacekeeping mission in Mali. All these forces and missions have lost personnel. Civilians have also been the victims of violence across the region, including the tragic attack in Burkina Faso in August.

Many, many families have lost loved ones. Earlier this month, four members of our special forces and five members of the Nigerien army were killed on the Mali-Niger border while working together as partners to ensure peace in a threatened region.

But it is not just violent extremism that plagues the people of the Sahel. Crime is also a growing problem. Historical trade routes across the region provide an opportunity for some of the worst actors in the continent. Criminals who traffic in drugs and human beings seek to profit from the chaos in the Sahel, and they are succeeding, to the detriment of human security in West Africa."
https://usun.state.gov/remarks/8056

US STATE DEPT: The Capture of Mustafa al-Imam
Press release issued 10/ 30/ 17
I am deeply grateful to the U.S. military, law enforcement, and intelligence community for their efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of the September 11, 2012 terrorist attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities in Benghazi, Libya. The Department of State family continues to mourn the loss of Ambassador Chris Stevens, Glen Doherty, Sean Smith, and Tyrone Woods, and we will spare no effort to ensure that justice is served for these dedicated Americans and public servants. I spoke with some of their family members to underscore the U.S. government’s unwavering support.
https://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2017/10/275190.htm

Related story: Statement by President Donald J. Trump on the Apprehension of Mustafa al-Imam for His Alleged Role in the September 11, 2012 Attacks in Benghazi, Libya Resulting in the Deaths of Four Americans
Yesterday, on my orders, United States forces captured Mustafa al-Imam in Libya. Because of this successful operation, al-Imam will face justice in the United States for his alleged role in the September 11, 2012 attacks in Benghazi, which resulted in the deaths of Ambassador Christopher Stevens, Glen Doherty, Sean Smith, and Tyrone Woods—four brave Americans who were serving our country.---White House press release issued 10/ 30/ 17
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/10/30/statement-president-donald-j-trump-apprehension-mustafa-al-imam-his

US STATE DEPT. BLOG: Going Beyond Emergency Food Assistance
Blog posted 10/ 30/ 17
This year we are confronting unprecedented levels of food insecurity worldwide. South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen all are facing the credible threat of famine.
But it’s recent natural disasters in the United States that have reminded me crises can happen everywhere and anywhere. Wherever they happen, people need help to survive and get back on their feet.
That’s why at USAID’s Office of Food for Peace, we save lives, but also focus on equipping people with the knowledge and tools to feed themselves, so we can reduce the need for future food assistance.
https://blogs.state.gov/stories/2017/10/30/en/going-beyond-emergency-food-assistance

US DEFENSE DEPT: Mattis: Military Force Authorizations Remain Sound
WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2017 — The 2001 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force remain sound bases for ongoing U.S. military operations against the mutating threat of terrorism fueled by extremism aimed at innocents around the globe, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Capitol Hill this evening.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1358069/mattis-military-force-authorizations-remain-sound/

Dunford Hosts Trilateral Meeting With South Korean, Japanese Military Leaders
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii, Oct. 30, 2017 — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff hosted a trilateral conference with South Korean and Japanese military leaders here yesterday.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1356965/dunford-hosts-trilateral-meeting-with-south-korean-japanese-military-leaders/

Strikes Continue in Effort to Defeat ISIS in Syria, Iraq
SOUTHWEST ASIA, Oct. 31, 2017 — U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting eight strikes consisting of 14 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1358248/strikes-continue-in-effort-to-defeat-isis-in-syria-iraq/

World & National headlines from Reuters...

Russia's Putin arrives in Iran to discuss Syria, nuclear deal
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin began a visit to Iran on Wednesday designed to underpin closer ties between two countries at loggerheads with the United States as President Donald Trump threatens to pull out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.

U.S. pursues direct diplomacy with North Korea despite Trump rejection
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is quietly pursuing direct diplomacy with North Korea, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s public assertion that such talks are a waste of time.

Two years after the Paris attacks, France ends state of emergency
PARIS (Reuters) - Two years after militants killed 130 people in coordinated attacks across Paris, France officially ended a state of emergency, replacing it with the introduction of a new security law which critics say undermines civil liberties.

Deadly attack in New York branded 'terrorism' by authorities
NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Uzbek immigrant accused of killing eight people in New York City by driving a rental truck down a riverfront bike path on Tuesday appeared to have acted alone, but the Halloween Day attack had all the hallmarks of terrorism, authorities said.

Monsanto, BASF weed killers strain U.S. states with damage complaints
CHICAGO (Reuters) - U.S. farmers have overwhelmed state governments with thousands of complaints about crop damage linked to new versions of weed killers, threatening future sales by manufacturers Monsanto Co (MON.N) and BASF SE (BASFn.DE).

U.S. Army deserter Bergdahl suffers nerve damage after captivity: witness
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) - U.S. Army Sergeant Brad Bergdahl suffers significant nerve damage as a result of malnutrition and torture while he was a prisoner of the Taliban after being captured in Afghanistan when he deserted his post in June 2009, defense witnesses said.





Daily Bible Verse: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 1:18 NKJV

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This is the best first step to stop Russian meddling in our politics

Congressman Kilmer press release date 10/ 26/ 17
http://kilmer.house.gov/news/in-the-news/this-is-the-best-first-step-to-stop-russian-meddling-in-our-politics

During the 2016 election, hostile foreign powers unleashed unprecedented, anonymous attacks on the American people through the largest online platforms, the equivalent of strafing our TV sets with lies and disinformation during the 1960s and 1970s. The Internet Research Agency, a Kremlin-linked “troll farm” spent more than $100,000 on thousands of Facebook advertisements linked to the election and divisive social issues.

Due to the highly-targeted nature of the advertisements and private platforms they infected, neither the wider public nor civil society has been able to see the content of the ads. The government and watchdog groups were similarly left in the dark until after the election, subsequently, when the damage was potentially done. The national security implications of foreign entities continuing to meddle in American elections are a clear and present danger to the United States.

Yet, nearly a year later and despite months of investigations, lawmakers of both parties have been slow to act. Meanwhile, the country remains vulnerable to foreign interference. In his recently published book “The Darkening Web,” Harvard Professor Alexander Klimburg wrote that “the rise of cyberspace has breathed new life into former Soviet military strategy.” He goes on to observe that “Russia’s philosophy of information conflict is much older than the United States.” ( read more on link source link)

OUR SCHOOLS 2017...

US DEPT. OF LABOR BLOG POST: Growing a Community Through a Teaching Apprenticeship
Dated 10/ 26/ 17
https://blog.dol.gov/2017/10/26/growing-community-through-teaching-apprenticeship

Jessica Jones has a goal: To change her urban Missouri community from within, by starting young children on the path to emotional and social literacy.
By participating in the LUME Institute’s Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program in St. Louis, she is gaining the tools to help little ones grow into more capable and confident young adults – as well as the training she needs for a fulfilling career.
Growing up in a St. Louis suburb, Jessica says she didn’t have strong emotional and social connections as a child. She was interested in early childhood education after graduating from high school, but lacked the money and opportunity to further her education. Becoming a mom at 17 made pursuing a career even more challenging. To help pay the bills, Jessica worked in various clerical and odd jobs over the years.
She learned about the opportunity to join the pilot class of the early childhood apprenticeship program through the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE). SLATE partners with the LUME Institute to place qualified unemployed and underemployed workers in this high-demand career field.

Today, the 30-year-old single mom of four is using the skills she is learning as an apprentice to improve the lives of the children she teaches at University City Children’s Center.
“I am gaining in-depth knowledge about the growth and development of children. Laying a foundation of trust early in a child’s life is going to help them grow and succeed on a personal level,” Jessica said.
Now halfway through the two-year apprenticeship, Jessica has earned a Child Development Associate Credential and is receiving regular pay raises. Upon completing the program, Jessica will have received 4,000 hours of professional development and on-the-job training, college credits, and a certificate from the Department of Labor.
Her long-term goals include completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in early childhood education and one day opening her own community learning center. “I have a career now, not just a job,” Jessica said.

UN NEWS CENTER: Linking past and present, audiovisual heritage is ‘part of our common history,’ UNESCO says on World Day
27 October 2017 – Through sound recordings and moving images, audiovisual heritage provides priceless insight to the past while preserving unique documentation for future generations, the United Nations cultural agency said on the day set aside to raise global awareness about the importance of the fragility of this heritage.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=57978

US DEPT. OF EDUCATION:

Department of Education Withdraws Outdated Subregulatory Guidance
WASHINGTON— As part of the ongoing Administration-wide effort to reduce the regulatory burden on Americans, today the Department of Education announced it will withdraw nearly 600 out-of-date pieces of subregulatory guidance on its books. Each item has been either superseded by current law or is no longer in effect. Removing these out-of-date materials will make it easier for schools, educators, parents and the public to understand what guidance is still in effect. (press release issued 10/ 27/ 17)
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/department-education-withdraws-outdated-subregulatory-guidance

Secretary DeVos Convenes Parent Roundtable to Mark National Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia Awareness Month
WASHINGTON – As part of the Department's recognition of National Learning Disabilities and Dyslexia Awareness Month, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos today convened a roundtable of parents and advocates from the disability community to engage in a dialogue on how the Department can best serve children with disabilities.

"Every child has unique challenges and abilities, and children with dyslexia are no different – they simply learn differently," said Secretary DeVos. "As many as one in five Americans experience a language-based learning disability, and too many of them do not receive the resources they need in our schools. The Department will continue to work every day to empower families with the supports and services they need in learning environments that best fit their children's individual educational needs. I'm grateful to Sen. Bill Cassidy and Dr. Laura Cassidy for joining this discussion and for their exceptional work on this issue, and I thank all of today's participants for the constructive exchange." (press release issued 10/ 25/ 17
https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/secretary-devos-convenes-parent-roundtable-mark-national-learning-disabilities-and-dyslexia-awareness-month

US DEPT. of EDUCATION BLOG: A Vocational Rehabilitation Success Story: Joseph Cali
Following an automobile accident in 2006 resulting in paralysis, Joseph spent several months in physical therapy and rehabilitation and now uses a motorized wheelchair. Joseph went on to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2014 – both from Rutgers University. Joseph also acquired specialized certificates in physical rehabilitation, supervision, and management.
https://blog.ed.gov/2017/10/vocational-rehabilitation-success-story-joseph-cali/

NASA: Ohio Students to Speak with NASA Astronauts on Space Station
Students at Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, will speak with NASA astronauts living, working and doing research aboard the International Space Station at 10:10 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The 20-minute, Earth-to-space call will air live on NASA TV’s Media Channel and the agency’s website.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/ohio-students-to-speak-with-nasa-astronauts-on-space-station

WORLD & NATIONAL HEADLINES FROM REUTERS...

Ousted Catalan leader accepts new election, says 'long road' to independence
BRUSSELS/MADRID (Reuters) - Catalonia’s ousted leader Carles Puigdemont on Tuesday agreed to the snap election called by Spain’s central government when it took control of the region to stop it breaking away, but he said the fight for independence would go on.

China, South Korea agree to mend ties after THAAD standoff
SEOUL/BEIJING (Reuters) - Seoul and Beijing on Tuesday agreed to move beyond a year-long stand-off over the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea, a dispute that has been devastating to South Korean businesses that rely on Chinese consumers.

U.S. sees China in 'retrenchment' on move toward market economy: U.S. official
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States believes that progress with China on a range of trade issues has been increasingly difficult and Beijing appears on a “trajectory of retrenchment,” a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday.

New Jersey pastor sentenced to five years for bitcoin exchange scheme
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New Jersey pastor was sentenced to five years in prison for scheming to help an illegal bitcoin exchange escape scrutiny from banks and regulators.

In Russia probe, Mueller's first charges a show of force
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - President Donald Trump brushed off the first indictments in the probe of his campaign’s ties to Russian election meddling, but the charges sent a clear signal to the White House and other Trump associates: Robert Mueller means business.

NJ sues OxyContin maker, links marketing to opioid crisis
(Reuters) - New Jersey on Tuesday sued Purdue Pharma LP, maker of the chronic pain medication OxyContin, accusing the company of engaging in deceptive marketing practices that contributed to what it called the state’s opioid crisis.

Daily Bible Verse: Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

1 Peter 5:8-9 NKJV

 Free bible studies (WBS)

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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

STATE LABOR AND INDUSTRIES: Fatal fall investigation results in citation and fine for Aberdeen lumber mill

Press release issued 10/ 25/ 17
Tumwater – An Aberdeen lumber mill has been fined $112,000 for safety violations following the death of a worker last April. Andrew Ward, 41, died when he fell from an elevated platform where he was working to the concrete surface below.
An investigation by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has found and cited Sierra Pacific Industries for seven safety violations at the lumber mill where the incident happened.
L&I's investigation found that a section of permanent yellow guardrail was removed from the 17-and-a-half-foot-high platform and replaced with yellow caution tape so that a crane could move some equipment. When Ward went to the edge of the platform to communicate with the crane operator below, he leaned forward and fell.
The investigation found that the employer knew that caution tape cannot be used in place of guardrails at a high elevation, but still regularly allowed it to happen. Additionally, the employer was required to provide workers with a fall protection system, such as a harness, lanyard and tie-off point, while working on the elevated platform without adequate guardrails, and when removing them.
As a result, Sierra Pacific has been cited for a willful violation, the most serious, with the maximum penalty of $70,000 for not ensuring that an open-sided work platform was adequately guarded and for not ensuring employees wore fall protection equipment.
"A death like this is especially tragic because it was completely preventable by using proper fall protection and following safe work practices," said Anne Soiza, L&I's assistant director for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. "Falls are the leading cause of worker deaths and immediate hospitalizations. Employers need to be vigilant about preventing falls."
The employer was cited for an additional six serious violations, each with the maximum penalty of $7,000. Those violations covered a range of serious hazards that exposed workers to harm, including ineffective safety and health training; a safety program that wasn't tailored to company operations; inadequate personal protective equipment training; untrained crane personnel; and not following safety precautions required for open flame work.
Because of the willful violation that led to the death of a worker, Sierra Pacific Industries has been placed on the severe violator list and will be subject to follow-up inspections to determine if the conditions still exist in the future.
http://lni.wa.gov/News/2017/pr171025a.asp

MONDAY'S BUSINESS AND FINANCE REPORT

US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Tax Reform Cannot Wait, Must Not Fail
Blog post dated 10/ 30/ 17
https://www.uschamber.com/above-the-fold/tax-reform-cannot-wait-must-not-fail

This month marks the 31st anniversary of the last time Congress passed a major overhaul of the tax code. In the years since, however, our tax system has grown increasingly complex. It has fallen out of step with our economy and become a drag on job creation and wage growth. Major reform is needed to spur economic growth and boost middle class families and job creators. Washington must achieve it, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is here to help—just like we were 31 years ago.

I remember how hard it was to reform the tax code in 1986. It took the efforts of political heavyweights like President Ronald Reagan, House Speaker Tip O’Neill, and Treasury Secretary James Baker—and the legislation still collapsed repeatedly before final passage. It also took the willingness of the business community to stand up and stick its neck out to support a package that wasn’t perfect but much better than the alternative.
Now it’s time to do it again. It will be no easier this time around. But we’ve got a once-in-a-generation chance to get it done—and if we do it right, it can be the single most important step our leaders take to drive the economy forward.

Above all else, the Chamber is pushing for reforms that maximize growth. This includes lowering tax rates for all businesses and infusing permanency, simplicity, and clarity into tax law. It also includes an internationally competitive territorial system, which means America will no longer tax U.S. businesses’ overseas earnings at home after they’ve already been taxed abroad. Tax reform must also eliminate the bias against capital investment and much, much more.

Even as we push for our goals, we must keep in mind that no one gets everything he or she wants out of a bill of this magnitude. The 1986 package wasn’t perfect, but the Chamber supported and helped pass the final compromise because it achieved our ultimate goal of significantly lowering marginal tax rates. Similar compromises will be necessary today, as they are for all major legislation.

Failure is not an option. The U.S. economy is rolling along at a slightly better pace after years of slow growth. If tax reform fails, the economy will likely slow. If it passes, tax reform will be the shot in the arm our economy needs to achieve long-term prosperity. This is why, through thick and thin, the Chamber will be there to help get it done.---THOMAS J. DONOHUE, President and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Big Lease Sales Show Trump Administration is Serious about American Energy
President Donald Trump has made it a priority to take full advantage of America’s energy abundance, and his administration continues to turn that into reality.
https://www.uschamber.com/above-the-fold/big-lease-sales-show-trump-administration-serious-about-american-energy

US DEPT. OF LABOR: DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROVIDES UPDATE ON OVERTIME
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced plans to undertake new rulemaking with regard to overtime.
On July 26, 2017, the Department of Labor published a Request for Information (RFI) regarding the Overtime Final Rule, which was published on May 23, 2016, asking for public input on what changes the Department should propose. That comment period has ended and the Department is reviewing those submissions.
On August 31, 2017, U.S. District Court Judge Amos Mazzant granted summary judgment against the Department of Labor in consolidated cases challenging the Overtime Final Rule. The court held that the Final Rule’s salary level exceeded the Department’s authority, and concluded that the Final Rule is invalid.
On October 30, 2017, the Department of Justice, on behalf of the Department of Labor, filed a notice to appeal this decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Once this appeal is docketed, the Department of Justice will file a motion with the Fifth Circuit to hold the appeal in abeyance while the Department of Labor undertakes further rulemaking to determine what the salary level should be.
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osec/osec20171030

IRS: 2018 PTIN Renewal Period Underway for Tax Professionals
IR-2017-180, Oct. 26, 2017
WASHINGTON –– The Internal Revenue Service today reminded the nation’s more than 727,000 federal tax return preparers that they must renew their Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTINs) for 2018. All current PTINs will expire Dec. 31, 2017.
Anyone who prepares or helps prepare any federal tax return, or claim for refund for compensation must have a valid PTIN from the IRS. The PTIN must be used as the identifying number on returns prepared. Failure to have and use a valid PTIN may result in penalties.
“We ask that you renew your PTIN as soon as possible to avoid a last-minute rush,” said Carol A. Campbell, Director, IRS Return Preparer Office. “It’s easy to let this slip as the holiday season approaches.”
For those who have a 2017 PTIN, the renewal process takes a few moments online. Those who cannot remember their user ID and password can find online tools to assist them. Preparers can get started at www.irs.gov/ptin. If registering for the first time, the PTIN application may also be completed online. There is no fee for obtaining or renewing a PTIN.
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/2018-ptin-renewal-period-underway-for-tax-professionals


US COMMERCE DEPT. PRESS RELEASE DATED 10/ 27/ 17; Statement from U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross on Q3 2017 Three Percent Economic Growth

Today’s release of the gross domestic product growth for Q3 2017 proves that President Trump’s bold agenda is steadily overcoming the dismal economy inherited from the previous Administration. This is a remarkable achievement in view of the recent hurricanes which have shattered so many lives. As we work together to help those areas recover, I am confident that they will rebound stronger than ever before.  And as the President’s tax cut plan is implemented, our entire economy will continue to come roaring back.
https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2017/10/statement-us-secretary-commerce-wilbur-ross-q3-2017-three-percent

U.S. Department of Commerce Issues Affirmative Preliminary Antidumping Duty Determination on Aluminum Foil from the People’s Republic of China
today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the affirmative preliminary determination in this antidumping duty (AD) investigation, finding that exporters of aluminum foil from the People’s Republic of China (China) sold their product at prices that resulted in preliminary dumping margins of 96.81 percent to 162.24 percent to be applied, based on factual evidence provided by the interested parties using the Department’s standard non-market economy dumping methodology.
https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2017/10/us-department-commerce-issues-affirmative-preliminary-antidumping-duty-3

US TREASURY DEPT: Treasury Sanctions Additional North Korean Officials and Entities in Response to the Regime’s Serious Human Rights Abuses and Censorship Activities
Press release issued 10/ 26/ 17
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today sanctioned seven individuals and three entities of the North Korean regime in response to the regime's ongoing and serious human rights abuses. Treasury is taking this action in conjunction with the State Department's "Report on Serious Human Rights Abuses and Censorship in North Korea," which is being submitted in accordance with the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016.

"North Korea is run by a brutal regime that continues to engage in serious human rights abuses. We are especially concerned with the North Korean military, which operates as secret police, punishing all forms of dissent. Further, the military operates outside of North Korea to hunt down asylum seekers, and brutally detains and forcibly returns North Korean citizens," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. "Today's sanctions target the North Korean military and regime officials engaged in flagrant abuses of human rights. We also are targeting North Korean financial facilitators who attempt to keep the regime afloat with foreign currency earned through forced labor operations."

Today's designations of the seven individuals were issued pursuant to E.O. 13687, which targets, among others, officials of the Government of North Korea and the Workers' Party of Korea. As a result of today's actions, any property or interest in property of those designated by OFAC within U.S. jurisdiction is frozen. The identifications of the three entities were issued pursuant to E.O. 13722, which, among others, blocks the property and interests in property of the Government of North Korea and the Workers' Party of Korea. Transactions by U.S. persons involving any of these sanctioned persons are generally prohibited.
https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/sm0191.aspx

THE FED: Federal Reserve Board announces new members of Community Advisory Council
Press release issued 10/ 26/ 17
The Federal Reserve Board on Thursday announced five new members of its Community Advisory Council (CAC).
The CAC is composed of a diverse group of experts and representatives of consumer, workforce, and community development organizations and interests, including from such fields as affordable housing, economic development, labor, small business, and asset and wealth building. CAC members provide information, advice, and recommendations to the Board on relevant policy matters and emerging issues of interest.
The new members of the CAC, who will replace five departing members, were selected from a pool of individuals who applied to the Board's public call for applications. Each will serve a three-year term beginning in 2018.
https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/other20171026a.htm

WORLD AND NATIONAL HEADLINES FROM REUTERS...

Spain's direct rule takes hold in Catalonia as secessionists accept elections
BARCELONA/MADRID (Reuters) - Spain’s direct rule over Catalonia took hold on Monday as state employees turned up for work despite calls for disobedience, and pro-independence parties said they would contest an election, implicitly accepting the regional government had been sacked.

Afghan Taliban say kidnapped U.S. professor is seriously ill
KABUL (Reuters) - The Afghan Taliban said on Monday that Kevin King, one of two professors from the American University of Afghanistan who were kidnapped at gunpoint in Kabul last year, is seriously ill and needs urgent medical attention.

Trump, Japan's Abe agree to work together on North Korea before Asia visit
TOKYO (Reuters) - President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to work together on steps to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile development, ahead of the U.S. leader’s visit to Asia, the Japanese government said late on Monday.

Puerto Rico moves to cancel Whitefish power contract after uproar
WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Puerto Rico’s government power company said on Sunday it will cancel a $300 million contract with a tiny Montana company to restore power to the storm-hit U.S. territory after an uproar over the deal.

Ex-Trump campaign manager Manafort indicted on conspiracy, other charges
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Paul Manafort, a former campaign manager for President Donald Trump, was indicted on charges of money laundering and conspiracy against the United States, the most serious step yet in a special counsel investigation into Russian links with Trump’s 2016 White House campaign.

Judge says Trump comments do not taint Bergdahl desertion case
FORT BRAGG, N.C. (Reuters) - The military judge hearing U.S. Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl’s desertion case said on Monday he will not dismiss the charges due to comments by President Donald Trump that the defense argued unfairly influenced the proceedings.

Daily Bible Verse: For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV

 Free bible studies (WBS)

https://www.worldbibleschool.org/

Learn english using the bible as text (WEI)

http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/

SUNDAY EDITION

WH: Tax Cuts and Tax Relief Will Put the American Economy in High-Gear
Press release issued 10/ 27/ 17
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/10/27/tax-cuts-and-tax-relief-will-put-american-economy-high-gear
“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass tax reform that is pro-growth, pro-jobs, pro-worker, pro-family, and pro-American.” – President Donald J. Trump

CURRENT TAX SYSTEM HOLDS AMERICA BACK: Without tax cuts and tax relief, the American economy will be stuck with low economic growth and depressed wage growth.

• For the last decade, annual growth in U.S. GDP has been stuck below its post-WWII average of about 3 percent.

• Without new economic policies, like the Unified Framework, the United States economy will likely continue to be stuck with low growth rates.

o The Congressional Budget Office projects that our Nation’s current economic policies will continue to keep our economy stuck at less than a 2 percent average growth rate for the next ten years.

• Wages and corporate profits used to grow at nearly the same rate, but that is no longer the case. In the last eight years, real wage growth has stagnated while real corporate profits increased by an average of 11 percent per year, according to an analysis by the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA).

o Wage growth has failed to keep pace with corporate profits as corporate tax rates in the United States have become increasingly uncompetitive.

o The economic consensus is that workers bear a sizable share of the corporate tax burden. An analysis from the Congressional Budget Office indicates more than 70 percent of the corporate tax burden falls on Americans workers.

• In the last five years, new equipment and capital investments detracted from the productivity growth of the American worker, for the first and only time since World War II.

CUTTING TAXES MEANS HIGHER GROWTH AND HIGHER WAGES: The Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code supported by President Donald J. Trump will cut corporate taxes and allow capital investments to be written off, jumpstarting America’s economic engine.

• Cutting the top Federal corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent and allowing businesses to write off the full cost of non-structure capital investments immediately would mean faster economic growth and higher wages, according to the CEA.

o GDP could increase by between 3 and 5 percent in the long term.

o American annual household income could increase by an average of $4,000.

• The corporate tax cuts and relief in the Unified Framework could mean a boost to the economy.

o 3 to 5 percent increase in GDP over ten years could represent an additional $700 billion to $1.2 trillion in economic output, based on CEA’s calculations and CBO’s baseline.

o Corporate tax reform could spur investment and reverse the trend of American workers losing productivity growth from new equipment and capital investment.

o Just cutting the corporate tax rate to 20 percent is estimated to increase long-run GDP by 3.1 percent, according to the Tax Foundation.

• Developed countries that have lowered their effective corporate tax rates have experienced wage growth across skill levels.

o Wages for American workers of all skill levels would increase after corporate taxes are cut.

o Developed countries with the low corporate tax rates have seen significantly higher wage growth compared with developed countries with higher rates.

• The United Kingdom shows how not to do corporate tax reform: despite the perception that they were a tax cut, the U.K. changes after 2007 resulted in a net tax rate increase. But changes on the corporate tax side of the Unified Framework lower taxes.
AN AMERICAN MODEL FOR AMERICAN JOBS: The Unified Framework will end the “offshoring model” as companies will bring profits back and invest in American workers.

• A reduction in the corporate tax rate will keep more money and investment in the United States, while reducing the incentive for companies to shift profits abroad, according to an analysis by the CEA.

o In 2016, a Federal corporate tax rate of 20 percent could have brought up to $140 billion in corporate profits back to America, according to CEA estimates.

o Those profits could have raised the incomes of U.S. households.

• Our current uncompetitive corporate tax rate encourages U.S. firms to keep profits offshore.

o The United States has the highest statutory corporate income tax rate among the 35 industrialized Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

o The U.S. statutory corporate tax rate has been higher than the OECD average for almost 20 years.

• Last year, more than 70 percent of foreign profits earned by U.S. firms were kept offshore, up from 42 percent in 1984, according to an analysis by the CEA.

o Companies hold an estimated $2.8 trillion in earnings offshore, according to Audit Analytics.

• Cutting corporate tax rates will encourage firms to invest back in the United States, creating well-paying jobs for hardworking Americans.

o After President Bush’s 2003 tax cuts, the economy created 7.8 million jobs over five years, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

o After President Reagan’s 1981 tax cuts, the economy created 14.8 million jobs over five years based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

o After President Kennedy’s tax cuts, the economy created 12.0 million new jobs over five years based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.


FROM OUR GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE
Summit on gangs to connect communities across Washington
From the Governor's blog page posted 10/ 26/ 17
https://medium.com/wagovernor/summit-on-gangs-to-connect-communities-across-washington-9cf6970dd1ea

Community leaders, educators, police to discuss prevention, intervention and suppression of gang violence

Gang activity is a problem in many cities, with gangs trafficking drugs and people through networks that crisscross the state.
That’s why better communication between communities is crucial to fighting the problem — and the Joint Summit on Gang Prevention and Intervention in Tacoma on Wednesday aims to strengthen those efforts.
The summit will host state and national experts on gang activity, including Eileen Garry, acting administrator of the U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, to share best practices and increase collaboration statewide. The event is intended for state, local and tribal community leaders, law enforcement, prosecutors, educators, providers of services for youth involved in gang activity and policymakers.
Gov. Jay Inslee had a similar discussion with local leaders earlier this month in Yakima, which is estimated to have the highest per capita rate of gang homicides in the state. The escalation in gang violence prompted Yakima officials to seek state funds for gang suppression and policing efforts in addition to the pursuit of prevention initiatives such as youth-engagement programs.
“The level of gang violence in Yakima and other parts of the state is unacceptable,” Inslee said. “While there is an obvious need for assistance for law enforcement, we know we also need preventive services. We need to out-recruit the gangs and connect our youth to something positive rather than a life that is dangerous to them and the community.”

Intervention and prevention models have had some success in cities around the state, including Spokane.
The Eastern Washington city of about 215,000 residents has about 200 known gangs, said Pastor Shon Davis, a member of the Kingdom Fellowship Church Alliance. The organization is composed of about 20 churches in the Spokane area and partners with schools to provide mediation, family outreach, mentorship and other services to gang-affected youth.
‘I survived it by the grace of God’
Davis can truly relate to the struggles facing the kids he serves. Born and raised in Compton, Calif., in the wake of the 1965 race riots, he joined a gang in his youth. Because of gang involvement, he was shot twice and two of his brothers were killed.
“Being a product of that environment, I say that I survived it by the grace of God,” Davis said.
He escaped that life and has been involved in gang-prevention programs since 1988. He became a pastor and moved to Spokane in 1994.
The following year, he started God’s Gym, a midnight basketball program for gang-affected youth. It gave young people something productive to do at night and got them off the streets. It also connected them with job and education services, as well as with help with navigating the criminal justice system.
For a young person who feels discouraged about their prospects in life, a gang can appear to offer a sense of belonging, identity and protection, Davis said.
A gang may also offer financial stability beyond anything a youth may have ever known, he said. For example, a mother might be on welfare, yet a gang is offering her child thousands of dollars to sell drugs or act as a lookout.
“How do you get them to say no to that?” he said. “My initial message to a lot of them is there are three ways out: You have prison, you have the grave and you have God. … We try to instill that spiritual side of their life. When you really know who you are and understand the meaning behind why you’re here, it gives you that self-confidence and self-worth about your future.”
While the church alliance still hosts the occasional midnight basketball game, it has shifted its efforts to two successful programs: the Police Activity League and the Youth Police Initiative.
The Police Activity League brings members of law enforcement and kids together for positive activities, such as flag football and learning programs, so youth can build good relationships with police. The Youth Police Initiative brings police officers into schools for honest dialogue with at-risk high school students about the students’ values and experiences.
Inslee’s office organized Monday’s summit in collaboration with the Attorney General’s Office, the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, the Washington State Association of Counties, the Association of Washington Cities and the Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice.
Davis, who plans to attend the summit, said he hopes the event unites cities across the state, “instead of everyone working in their own silos.” He also hopes to increase awareness about gang culture and empower state agencies to focus on more prevention strategies.

Law enforcement
Brad Richmond, president of the Northwest Gang Investigators Association, said collaboration across the state is vital to gang suppression. The organization trains law enforcement officers on how to disrupt and dismantle criminal-enterprise organizations and encourages police to work with community partners to prevent gang activity.
Crimes committed by gangs cover a broad spectrum, including violent crime, drug trafficking and sex trafficking. The criminal networks created by gangs span the state and the region, and infiltrate other parts of the country, Richmond said.
One important strategy, then, is increasing the information and data collected and shared by all levels of law enforcement, he said.
“Sharing of intelligence and collaboration is a huge asset to fighting gangs within our communities,” said Richmond, who is also a detective with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement agencies have found success in cracking down on gangs through the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force program, which brings federal, state and local resources together to conduct long-term investigations of the most violent and prolific gangs in a community, Richmond said.
Another effective tactic has been working with the Washington State Department of Corrections to gather intelligence about gang activity from inside the prisons, he said. Police and probation officers also work together to catch incarcerated gang members who reoffend.
Richmond said, however, that to prevent gang violence long term, leaders and policymakers must get to the root of the problem: helping at-risk kids and supporting struggling families.
I’m hoping that we come to some collective agreement on how we can do that statewide,” Richmond said about the summit.

OUR HEALTH & FITNESS

NEWS FROM THE FDA:
Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on the Trump Administration’s important efforts to address the opioid crisis
News release issued 10/ 26/ 17
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm582424.htm

Today the Administration took a historic step to direct additional resources to help address the staggering human and economic toll created by the epidemic of opioid addiction. We thank President Trump for his leadership in further empowering public and private parties around the country to do everything possible to more forcefully address this complex public health crisis. We are committed to taking additional steps under the new declaration of a public health emergency to more forcefully confront this immense national tragedy. This includes taking aggressive steps to prevent new addictions and opioid-related deaths, and help those currently addicted regain control and restore them to their communities.
Since becoming FDA Commissioner, I’ve made it one of my highest priorities to work on multiple fronts to reduce the scope of the opioid epidemic that’s devastating our nation and destroying individual lives and families. In particular, we believe the FDA has a vital role to play in curbing new addiction, reframing how we look at the benefits and risks of opioids as part of our pre- and post-market efforts, and keeping as many people as possible from experiencing the serious adverse effects associated with these medications. The agency is also focused on promoting the development of opioids that are harder to manipulate and abuse, and non-opioid pain treatments; supporting important efforts to increase the use of and access to the potentially life-saving antidote naloxone; encouraging the safe adoption and more widespread use of FDA-approved medically-assisted treatments to help combat addiction; and working with federal and international partners to stop the flow of heroin and extremely potent, and often deadly, synthetic drugs like illicitly made fentanyl. I also announced this week that the FDA will use our platform to join efforts to break the stigma associated with addiction and the use of medications that can help people live lives of sobriety.

In order to properly address this crisis, we know it requires an all-of-the-above approach that will require each of us to work together ‒ the FDA and other government agencies, health care providers, the medical products industry, policy makers, patients and their families. At the FDA, we remain steadfast in using all facets of our regulatory authority to change the trajectory of this epidemic and stand ready to work with the Administration on these critical efforts.

Remarks from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., as prepared for oral testimony before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Hearing, “Federal Efforts to Combat the Opioid Crisis: A Status Update on CARA and Other Initiatives
Press release issued 10/ 25/ 17
https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm582031.htm
Chairman Walden and Ranking Member Pallone, thank you for the opportunity to testify today before the full committee.
The epidemic of opioid addiction that’s devastating our nation is the biggest crisis facing public health officials, FDA included.
As this crisis grew, many of us didn’t recognize the consequence of this threat. We missed opportunities to stem its spread. So we find ourselves at a tragic crossroad.
We have a crisis of such massive proportion that the actions we need to take are going to be hard.
We’ll need to touch clinical practice in ways that may make certain parties uncomfortable. This may include such steps as restrictions on prescribing, or mandatory education on providers. Long ago, we ran out of straightforward options.
At FDA, we’re working across the full scope of our regulatory obligations to impact this crisis.
That means updating and extending the risk management plans and educational requirements that we impose on sponsors as a condition of a product’s approval.

CDC: Getting Ahead of the Next Pandemic: Is the World Ready?
Press release issued 10/ 26/ 17
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1026-world-ready.html

When a deadly mystery illness was detected in Liberia in April 2017, first responders were on the ground within 24 hours. Through the Ministry of Health’s quick action and collaboration with global partners, the cause of the outbreak was identified as meningococcal disease and contained with only 31 cases and 13 deaths. In stark contrast, when Ebola struck Liberia just three years ago, it took the country months to mount an effective response; thousands of lives were lost as responders raced to control the growing epidemic.

The difference between these two outbreaks is just one example of the progress made since 2014 to advance the Global Health Security Agenda’s (GHSA) goal to strengthen countries’ response capacities. GHSA is a global effort to save lives and reduce the impact of disease threats – whether naturally occurring or manmade – by stopping them at their source.

CDC: New app helps parents track child’s developmental milestones
Press release issued 10/ 24/ 17
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1024-app-development-milestones.html

Is your child’s development on track for his or her age? Now you can find out with CDC’s new free Milestone Tracker app. The app makes it easy for parents to track, support, and celebrate their young child’s development.

“Skills like taking a first step, saying those first words, and waving ‘bye-bye’ are developmental milestones all parents anticipate and celebrate,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D. “This CDC Milestone Tracker app gives parents tips to help their child learn and grow, a way to track developmental milestones, recognize delays, and the ability to share this information with their healthcare provider.”

The new app offers

Milestone checklists for children ages 2 months through 5 years, illustrated with photos and videos.
Tips and activities to help children learn and grow.
Information on when to act early and talk with a doctor about a developmental concern.
A personalized milestone summary that can be easily shared with the doctor and other care providers.
Reminders for appointments and developmental screening.
The Milestone Tracker app, available in iOS and Android, was developed by CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” program to help parents, early care and education providers, and healthcare providers track developmental milestones in young children. Through this app and its many other parent-friendly tools, the program aims to improve the early identification of children with developmental delays and disabilities, including autism, so children and families can get the support and services they need as early as possible.

DOJ: DEA Joins Local Law Enforcement Partners in Nationwide Take Back of Opioids and Other Prescription Drugs
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/dea-joins-local-law-enforcement-partners-nationwide-take-back-opioids-and-other-prescription
The Drug Enforcement Administration will join forces tomorrow with more than 4,000 local, tribal, and community partners at more than 5,000 collection sites to collect potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.  The effort will help prevent these drugs, including opioids, from falling into the wrong hands and contributing to a lethal drug abuse epidemic in the United States.
On Saturday, Oct. 28, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. local time, individuals can take pills and other solid forms of medication at nearby collection sites (DEA cannot accept liquids, needles or sharps), which can be located at www.DEATakeBack.com (link is external) or by calling 800-882-9539. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
The DEA action comes just days after President Donald J. Trump announced the mobilization of his entire Administration to address drug addiction and opioid abuse by directing the declaration of a Nationwide Public Health Emergency to address the opioids crisis.

“Today the United States is facing the worst drug crisis in our history, as more Americans are dying from drug overdoses than ever before,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “We lose one American life to drugs every nine minutes. This crisis affects every American, as it is filling up our emergency rooms, our foster homes, and our cemeteries.



AT THE STATE LEVEL

DOH: Flu activity picking up in Washington: protect yourself now
Press release issued 10/ 27/ 17
https://www.doh.wa.gov/Newsroom/2017NewsReleases/17152FluSeasonNewsRelease

OLYMPIA –State health officials are already seeing influenza cases across the state, and they expect the number to rise in the coming weeks. People are urged to get a flu shot now as the best line of defense against flu.
“The flu can, and does, make people really sick,” said Dr. Kathy Lofy, health officer for Washington State Department of Health. “Most healthy people who get the flu don’t need urgent medical care; however, people in a high-risk group and those who are very sick should contact their health care provider as soon as possible.”
Flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months of age and up. Serious complications from influenza are more likely to occur in high-risk groups such as young children, people 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions. Health care providers, and others in close contact with people in high-risk groups, should get a flu shot to protect themselves and the people in their care.
People who are sick should stay home so they don’t spread the flu to others. Antiviral medication may be prescribed to help reduce the severity and duration of flu illness.
Washington had 278 confirmed flu deaths in the past year, and medical facilities saw high numbers of patients seeking care for flu. While most people with the flu can be safely treated at home, there are some symptoms that should trigger immediate medical care. To find out what to do if you feel sick with flu-like symptoms read this guide from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.
Department of Health encourages everyone to knock out flu with an annual flu shot. Visit KnockOutFlu.org for places to get your flu shot, weekly flu updates, and more.


NEWS STORY COMMENTARY

POOL EXPANSION MAKES PERFECT SENSE

Ballot Proposition and Expansion Plans
http://www.williamshorepool.org/expansion-plans
Why we need to Expand and Renovate:
Increased demand: Usage has DOUBLED from 50,000 annual visits to over 100,000 visits since the Pool District first formed in 2009!
 WE’VE OUTGROWN OUR POOL!
Pool facility was built in 1961 and has no major updates in locker rooms or pool area.
Expansion will provide new amenities and programs that will enhance services and increase revenue.
Facility upgrades will reduce costs and better accommodate future improvements.
​
ALMOST EVERYONE USES THE POOL!
Families
Kids Clubs
Swim Teams
School Districts
Coast Guard
Hospital
After School Care
Seniors and Adults
Feiro Marine Center
Home Schools

Proposed expansion will include:
Increased facility size: from 14,000 sq ft to 23,000 sq ft
Kids’ splash/play area with zero depth entry
Therapy/exercise pool
New locker rooms area with increased family/ADA change rooms
New steam room and dry sauna
Room for after school care
New entrance on the west side of the facility
48 new parking spaces with six ADA spaces
​What is this going to cost?
The total renovation and expansion will cost $12 million.  How were going to pay for this is:
Grants: $3 million
Existing Bond Capacity: $5.5 million
New Voted Bond Capacity: $3.5 million (Proposition 1)
What is the going to cost a homeowner will be for a $200,000 home?
New Voted Bond Capacity: $12.80 annually (Proposition 1)
Existing Bond Capacity: $18.00 annually
​​Proposition 1 will help us renovate and expand the pool to better serve our community!

Related news stories

PDN: Pool fees not linked to Port Angeles ballot measure
They had to run the above article because of a blunder article:
Fee increases are not linked to a Nov. 7 ballot measure that, if approved, would lead to a planned expansion of the William Shore Memorial Pool.A headline on a story on Page A1 Wednesday in the Clallam County edition incorrectly said that the pool is looking to raise fees and that a pool expansion would mean a 25-cent rate hike.

Editorial Comment: Despite the misinformation  of the Peninsula Daily news on stories regarding the pool expansion, I voted in favor of the levy for pool expansion. The pool serves many of us who have limited mobility due to a disability, along with the elderly.

WORLD AND NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES FROM REUTERS...

First Catalan poll gives slight lead to anti-independence parties
MADRID/BARCELONA (Reuters) - Political parties opposing a split by Catalonia from Spain had a small lead in an opinion poll published on Sunday, the first since Madrid called a regional election to try to resolve the crisis over Catalan demands for independence.

Rouhani says Iran will continue to produce missiles: TV
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran will continue to produce missiles for its defense and does not consider that a violation of international accords, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday in a speech broadcast on state television.

Taiwan president arrives in Hawaii despite Chinese objections
HONOLULU (Reuters) - Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen landed in Honolulu on Saturday en route to the island’s diplomatic allies among Pacific nations and set off for a visit to a Pearl Harbor memorial, despite strong objections to the visit from China.

White nationalists stage anti-refugee protests in Tennessee
SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. (Reuters) - About 300 white nationalists and neo-Nazis held back-to-back rallies in two small Tennessee cities on Saturday to protest refugee resettlement in the state, which sued the federal government over the issue earlier this year.

Cuba to make it easier for Cuban Americans to visit
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Cuba will make it easier for its U.S.-based citizens to travel to the island, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said on Saturday, in a gesture to win support from Cuban Americans during a diplomatic crisis over allegations of mysterious health attacks.

Trump says will release nearly all JFK assassination files
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would release all documents related to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy except those with the names and addresses of people who are still alive.




​THE WEEK'S BIBLE STUDY
From Gospel Way: Bible Principles about Marriage and Sexual Relationships
Our society has become increasingly confused about the meaning of marriage. This confusion reflects itself in rampant violation of principles of sexual purity, which principles are based on the meaning of true marriage. In fact, it appears that efforts to confuse the meaning of marriage are often motivated by a desire to lower the standard of sexual conduct.
In order to emphasize the divine standard for marriage, let us summarize some basic teachings regarding marriage and the principles of sexual conduct that are based on marriage. But it must be emphasized that these teachings are revealed by the Creator and Ruler of the universe. All people are required to obey them and will be judged by them.
https://www.gospelway.com/topics/family/marriage-definition.php

AGO FILES CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMPLAINT AGAINST CLARK COUNTY REPUBLICANS

Press release issued 10/ 27/ 17
http://www.atg.wa.gov/news/news-releases/ago-files-campaign-finance-complaint-against-clark-county-republicans

OLYMPIA —The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) today announced that it filed a complaint in Thurston County Superior Court alleging campaign finance violations by the Clark County Republican Central Committee. Specifically, the AGO asserts the committee failed to timely report a total of $586,268 in contributions, and $463,079 in debts and expenditures since 2012.

In September, the AGO received a Citizen Action Notice alleging multiple violations of the state’s public disclosure laws by the Clark County Republican Central Committee.

After receiving the notice, AGO staff determined the committee failed to timely file numerous reports of contributions received and expenditures made since 2012.
Washington law requires political committees to regularly report information to the state Public Disclosure Commission about sources of contributions, starting with those over $25. Political committees must also regularly report information about their activities, including expenditures, debts and obligations.

Among the reporting deficiencies, the Clark County Republican Central Committee:
Failed to timely disclose $586,268.15 in contributions it received on 278 separate reports, up to 330 days late.
Failed to timely disclose $463,079.30 in expenditures (such as political donations) made on 72 separate reports, up to 130 days late. For example, the committee reported $176,014 in expenses after primary or general elections each year from 2013 through 2017, which should have been disclosed before the relevant election. Of those, $33,720 were contributions to state and local candidates.
By not timely reporting its contributions and expenditures, the committee inhibited the public’s right to know the source of the committee’s income and how it spent its funding.
The state seeks penalties and injunctive relief. The defendant will have 20 days from the date they are served to respond to the state’s complaint.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Linda Dalton is handling the case.
When the Attorney General’s Office receives a Citizen Action Notice, it has 45 days to investigate and respond to the citizen. If the Attorney General’s Office or local prosecutor does not initiate litigation, the individual may sue in the name of the state. If litigation is successful, any penalties awarded go to the state, and the individual’s attorney can recover attorney fees and costs. If the citizen’s litigation is unsuccessful, the defendant may recover attorney fees from the state.
The Attorney General’s Office enforces the state’s campaign finance disclosure law to ensure free, open and fair elections in Washington state. A summary of campaign finance case resolutions is available here.

WEEKLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT

NEWS FROM THE USDA:
USDA Offers Support to People and Communities Affected by California Wildfires
Press release issued 10/ 25/ 17
https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2017/10/25/usda-offers-support-people-and-communities-affected-california

WASHINGTON, October 25, 2017 – Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Anne Hazlett announced today that USDA is making resources available to help rural people and communities recover from the effects of California wildfires.
“While the full extent of damage from the current wildfires is not yet known, USDA Rural Development is committed to supporting the recovery of impacted rural communities,” Hazlett said. “We have a variety of assistance rural communities can use during the rebuilding process.”

Help for Communities
Rural communities that have been impacted by the fires can receive assistance through the Community Facilities Program to repair or rebuild essential community buildings and infrastructure and replace damaged equipment. Also, USDA can provide relief through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to help repair or rebuild rural water and wastewater systems in the aftermath of this disaster.

Help for Businesses
Rural Development can help businesses recover from the damage caused by wildfires by guaranteeing their business loans with eligible lenders through the Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program. Funds also may be available from Rural Development’s intermediary lenders.

Help for Housing
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is taking the lead to provide emergency housing for people who need it in these affected areas. Existing USDA home loan borrowers may qualify for assistance with their loan payments.
More detailed information on available resources from Rural Development may be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/services/rural-development-disaster-assistance.
Additional resources from USDA and other organizations for those impacted by disasters may also be found at https://www.usda.gov/topics/disaster.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; homeownership; community services such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov/ca.

USDA BLOG: A Source of Hope, Investing in Prosperity
Blog posted on 10/ 26/ 17
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/10/26/source-hope-investing-prosperity

In the early 2000’s, shopping malls were often a pinnacle of growth and prosperity in rural America. In the recent years we’ve seen the decline of so many of these rural establishments. These shopping centers were once a sign of success in rural communities, but now sit, falling apart, as disheartening archetypes of a dying era.

Times have changed. These shopping centers, if used as originally intended, may never be successful again. Yet, if we think creatively, there are solutions to making these giant buildings community centers and a driver of rural economic growth again.

I was fortunate to see an innovative approach to this challenge in Ontario, Ohio. With affordable financing from USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loan Program, Avita Health System was able to install a state of the art hospital in a vacant section of a rural shopping mall. This approach has made a struggling shopping center become home to all kinds of healthcare including substance use disorder treatment and mental health services now accessible to more than 125,000 rural residents in three counties in Ohio. These services are essential for Ohio communities who have been devastated by the opioid epidemic in recent years. Knowing they play a leading role in response and recovery, Avita Health System is working with local community leaders to create an actionable strategy to address this challenge and fill the gap in accessible treatment in these rural communities.
In addition to filling a gap in accessible healthcare services, Avita is able to increase the overall prosperity in Ontario and the surrounding communities by employing hundreds with good-paying rural jobs.
Since the grand opening of this hospital, the stores and businesses barely hanging on in the empty corridors of a struggling shopping center now experience enough foot traffic (and therefore business) to make it in this rural town center.
Earlier this year, Secretary Perdue elevated USDA Rural Development into the Office of the Secretary to ensure USDA is focused on and accountable for bringing back prosperity in rural America. This hospital in rural Ohio is an excellent best practice in the use of grassroots innovation and private-public partnerships to bring prosperity back to a rural community. As we examine the challenges rural America faces while trying to thrive in a modern economy, we need to be creative and resourceful in our investments.
In Ontario, Ohio, I saw that there are so many opportunities with existing infrastructure, vacant buildings, and partners to make meaningful investments that change the trajectory of a rural region. And, I am looking forward to seeing Rural Development facilitate more investments just like this one.

USDA NEWS BLOG: A Hurricane Named Harvey
Blog posted on 10/ 25/ 17
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/10/25/hurricane-named-harvey

Catastrophic, ferocious, devastating and unprecedented are just some of the words still being used to describe the hurricane known as Harvey that slammed Texas’ coast in late August.

Harvey made landfall in Rockport as a Category 4 Hurricane with sustained winds over 130 mph causing excessive damage and complete destruction of buildings. The city of Houston and entire southeast region of Texas experienced the worst flooding that Harvey had to offer as it moved inland and stalled out for days. While daily news coverage focused on the impact upon urban populations, farmers and ranchers in rural southeast Texas were also feeling the wrath of Harvey.

“Hurricane Harvey was a lot different than anything we have experienced here in south Liberty County,” said Jack Carraway, who has spent a lifetime ranching in the southeast region of Texas. Almost two weeks after Harvey struck, Carraway was still unable to get to all of his Trinity River bottom pasture to fully assess the damages.

Harvey hits Texas

It had been nine years since a hurricane made landfall in Texas. But Carraway and his family were monitoring the situation and watched as Harvey developed into a catastrophic storm headed for landfall in Texas. Evacuation plans for his cattle began in earnest. Two days prior to landfall, Carraway began moving his cattle off 1,000 acres of his Trinity River bottom land. Harvey made landfall on Friday, August 25, and by Saturday morning the hurricane had dumped 17 inches of rain in the area.
Carraway’s eyes got moist and he took a minute to compose himself when he recalled that morning.
“By Saturday morning, we came to move the cattle out of the area completely and the water was up, nearly getting into your truck to get to the pens to load them out,” he said. “That morning there was seven trailers sitting here to haul, plus there was three cowboys came … so there was help.”

However, in the end, the water had risen so quickly and was moving too swiftly to push the cattle solely on horseback, so boats were used to finish the gather.
“We had to get a couple boats to get them back on this end of the pasture. This end being the east end where the pens were set up. We got them all out. We had 56 cows, 3 bulls and 15 calves left in here. We got them all out except 3 calves.”
He later found two of the three calves. The third calf Carraway saw swimming north in flood waters five days later when the water was at its peak.

“I assume she is dead,” he added.
According to the news reports, floodwaters rose to 32.74 feet. The previous record was a little less than 31 feet, noted Carraway.
Neighbor helping Neighbor
The farming and ranching community is a strong family during good times and bad. Carraway suffered losses and neighbors and strangers immediately began helping him recover post Harvey. He lost cattle, 200 round bales of hay, fencing and 1,000 acres of pastureland that will need time to recover from the flood waters. (read more on the USDA webpage)

AT THE STATE LEVEL
WSDA: WSDA to host one of many Women in Agriculture Conference sites 
Press release issued 10/ 24/ 17
https://agr.wa.gov/news/2017/NR2017-10-24WomenInAg.aspx
OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is hosting one of the 40 Women in Agriculture Conference locations, to be held this year on Saturday, Nov. 18.
Each year, the conference connects women in the agriculture industry during a day of networking and learning with locations around Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana and Alaska.
The site WSDA is hosting will be at the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. SE, Olympia from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There are more than 20 other sites in Washington state alone. Visit WomenInAg.wsu.edu for additional locations and more information on the conference.
This annual event connects women in agriculture throughout the Northwest with a unique in-person and remote convention experience.
This year’s event theme is “We Can Do It” and features Oregon Department of Agriculture Director Alexis Taylor and Anne Schwartz, owner of Blue Heron Farm in Skagit County, as the keynote speakers. The day’s agenda also includes group discussion about topics on farming, business, and leadership.

Washington state First Lady Trudi Inslee lauded the conference and its goals.
“It is wonderful that there are organized efforts to both celebrate the growing role of women in the agriculture industry while also providing an opportunity for women to connect with each other and improve their professional relationships,” Mrs. Inslee said. “We celebrate women who grow food for our communities, farmers markets and restaurants, like Betsey Wittick of Bainbridge Island, and those who process our food and drink, like Meghann Quinn, brewing craft beer in the Yakima Valley. Keep up the great work!”
The conference is geared toward established, new, and aspiring women farmers, as well as supporting spouses, students, interns, or women who own an agriculture-related business.
General registration is $25 until Nov. 5, after which it is $30. The rate is $20 for agriculture students, farm interns, or FFA and 4-H members. Registration covers breakfast and lunch as well as all conference materials. Scholarships are available to qualifying women and students interested in attending. All applications are due Nov. 10.

LOCAL MEETINGS AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS.

CLALLAM COUNTY COMMISSION MEETINGS
Work session agenda highlights:
1) Discussion of joint letter with Port of Port Angeles to Senator Van de Wege, Representative Tharinger, and Representative Chapman requesting support in asking the Department of Revenue to expand its data sharing policy via interlocal agreements 

2) 2018 Indigent Defense Services Update  

3) Discuss coordination of transportation and infrastructure issues and projects common to Lower Elwha and Clallam County
( see full agenda)

Regular County Commission agenda highlights
1) Agreement amendment 8 with Washington State Department of Corrections, Washington Center for Women for transportation of sentenced female inmates

2) Resolution adopting the following Budget Reduction:
DCD – Long Range Planning – Reduce the projected 2017 expenditures and revenues for DOE grant G1400671.  These funds have been moved to the 2018 budget/($898,570)

3) Consideration of resolution adopting the following Debatable Emergencies:
Superior Court - Indigent Defense - Requesting additional funds to support Adult Felony indigent Defense and Expert Services/$200,000 Human Resources - Transition of training from retired Payroll Administrator to new Payroll Administrator/$30,000
Human Resources - Risk Management - Mandated BOCC approved transfer and assignment of Public Records functions to the HR-Risk Management/$95,000
Parks and Facilities
a. Unforeseen expenditures required to eliminate health and safety hazards at County Facilities and parks/$18,600
b. Additional costs - Janitorial Service required for HHS upper floor of Third Street Building, Courthouse utilities for cooling requirements, and landscape service required to maintain grounds/$63,250
BOCC - Operations - Funds needed to set up a new work space - computer, file cabinet, phone, desk, chair, etc./$2,624
NonDepartmental
a. Washington State Association of Counties 4th Quarter 2016 assessment was billed in January 2017 which was not included in the 2017 budget/$2,675
b. Funding needed to cover additional BOCC projects not included in the 2017 Budget - Spirit Vision Films and WSAC Coastal Caucus Assessment/$5,500
Indigent Defense - Additional funds to meet our contractual agreement with the Clallam Public Defender and translator/interpreter services/$25,968
http://clallam.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=347&meta_id=15653

4) EXECUTIVE SESSION - Friday, November 3 at 2 p.m.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has requested an Executive Session with the Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator, the Director of Community Development, the Planning Manager, the Building Official, outside counsel and the Director of HR/Risk Department.
Judy Lee asserts she is proposing a bed & breakfast as part of a residence her family intends to occupy.  DCD has concluded the proposed use is more accurately seen as a hotel, a prohibited use in the zone where it would be built.  Also, the applicant and the County disagree on which building code should be used to analyze and review the application.  Mrs. Lee has asked that the project be reviewed pursuant to the International Residential Code (or "IRC") and has sent the County a letter asking DCD to prepare a "notice of correction" under the IRC.  The County has received an Amended Notice of Tort Claim from Lee’s litigation attorney.  Attached to that Amended Notice of Tort Claim is a proposed Complaint that would be filed in U.S. District Court.  Named as Defendants in the proposed Complaint are the County and Director Winborn, both individually and in her capacity as DCD Director.  
RCW 42.30.110(1)(ii) expressly authorizes a governing body to convene an executive session because litigation against Clallam County is reasonably likely given the Amended Tort Claim includes a proposed Complaint. Discussing such matters in executive session is appropriate because public knowledge of the discussion would reveal the County’s legal strategies and likely result in an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency.
See full agenda



CITY OF PORT ANGELES
2018 Lodging Tax Event Grant Application Opportunity

Attention: Lodging Tax Event Grant Applicants
The 2018 Lodging Tax Event Grant Application is now available for local events intending to attract visitors from outside the North Olympic Peninsula Region. The application is intended to ensure that the revenue created by the City’s lodging tax is administered in a way that will generate the most benefit to local businesses and lodging facilities.
The program strives to incentivize and place more emphasis supporting new events, and events occurring outside the peak tourist season (Mid-September through May). Overall focus is on demonstrating positive lodging impacts. Funding may be used for the marketing and operations of an event, including the cost of right-of-way use permits and traffic control. Funding will not be allocated for the purchase of equipment or the improvement of property.
The 2018 Lodging Tax Event Grant Application consists of a cover page delegated to contact information and an application questionnaire. All information must be filled out completely and attachments presented in the order designated on the coversheet, or the application will be deemed incomplete.
The Community and Economic Development Department understands that newer events may have trouble answering some of the event related questions in the questionnaire, but asks that the questions be answered to the best of the applicant’s ability.
For general questions, or if any assistance is required to complete the application packet, the applicant can contact:
Ben Braudrick, AICP Assistant Planner
http://wa-portangeles.civicplus.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=470

WORLD AND NATIONAL HEADLINES FROM REUTERS...

Sacked Catalonia leader calls for opposition to Madrid's rule
MADRID/BARCELONA (Reuters) - Sacked Catalonian president Carles Puigdemont on Saturday called for peaceful “democratic opposition” to the central government’s takeover of the region following its unilateral declaration of independence from Spain.

In Kenya election re-run, polling incomplete and next steps uncertain
KISUMU, Kenya (Reuters) - Kenyans who boycotted a repeat presidential election voiced relief on Saturday after authorities indefinitely delayed further attempts to hold the vote in some opposition areas due to the risk of violence.

Big role for U.S. at climate talks despite withdrawal from Paris deal
OSLO/LONDON (Reuters) - The United States will play a big role at global talks next month on shaping the Paris agreement on climate change, to the dismay of some nations that want Washington sidelined because of President Donald Trump’s plan to withdraw from the deal.



First charges filed in U.S. special counsel's Russia investigation: source
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal grand jury on Friday approved the first charges in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters.

Tennessee cities brace for protests over refugee resettlement
(Reuters) - White nationalists and neo-Nazis are expected to converge on the small Tennessee cities of Shelbyville and Murfreesboro on Saturday to protest refugee resettlement in the state, seven months after it sued the U.S. government over the issue.

U.S. women gather in Detroit to build on anti-Trump Women's March
DETROIT (Reuters) - Thousands of women who marched to protest Republican President Donald Trump’s inauguration gathered in Detroit on Friday to organize around issues like the viral “Me Too” movement exposing the pervasiveness of sexual harassment and violence.


Daily Bible Verse:  because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
1 Peter 1:24-25 NKJV

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