Saturday, March 12, 2016
Nancy Reagan Funeral Service (Full Video)
A funeral service for former first lady Nancy Reagan was held at the
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
President Obama Participates in South by Southwest Interactive Discussion
The President participates in South by Southwest Interactive to engage
in a panel conversation about civic engagement in the 21st Century
before an audience of creators, early adopters and entrepreneurs who are
defining the future of our connected lives. This event was held at the
Long Center for Performing Arts in Austin Texas.
U.S., South Korea Stage Assault Drill Amid Nuclear Threats from North
U.S. and South Korean troops staged a big amphibious landing
exercise Saturday, storming simulated North Korean beach defenses amid
and threats by Pyongyang to annihilate its enemies.
The landing and assault drills on South Korea's
east coast were part of eight weeks of joint exercises between the
allies which the South has said are the largest ever. The North has
denounced the exercises as "nuclear war moves" and threatened to respond
with an all-out offensive.
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Secret Service Rushes Stage to Protect Donald Trump at Ohio Rally
A Donald Trump rally took a dramatic turn Saturday when a
disturbance broke out behind him — causing Secret Service agents to jump
on stage and form a wall around the candidate amid the commotion.
A campaign spokeswoman said that a man at the
Dayton, Ohio, event "attempted to breach the secure buffer and was
removed rapidly and professionally."
The suspect was identified as Thomas Dimassimo,
and was charged with disorderly conduct and inducing panic — both
misdemeanors, Chief Mike Etter of the Dayton Airport Police Department
told NBC News.
Dimassimo jumped the bike racks and tried to
climb onto the stage, but was stopped by Secret Service stationed there,
Etter said.
Click here for the full article.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny to Visit the White House
President Obama will welcome Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Enda Kenny of Ireland to the White House on Tuesday, March 15th,
to
celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and to discuss issues of mutual
concern.
The United States and Ireland enjoy a strong relationship; deep
cultural, historic, and people-to-people bonds; and a shared commitment
to advancing global peace, security, and prosperity.
In the morning, the Vice President will host the Taoiseach for
breakfast at the Naval Observatory, and the President and Vice President
will meet with the Taoiseach in the Oval Office. That afternoon, the
President will host a reception to celebrate his eighth
St. Patrick’s Day at the White House. During the reception, the
President and Taoiseach will participate in the annual Shamrock ceremony
started by President Truman.
Also on March 15th, the Vice
President will meet with First Minister Arlene Foster
and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Northern Ireland at the
White House to discuss the Stormont House and Fresh Start agreements and
progress being made toward building a peaceful and prosperous future
for the people of Northern Ireland.
St. Patrick’s
Day is being celebrated at the White House early this year as the
Taoiseach must attend an important European Council meeting in Brussels
on March 17th.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Veep Meet & Greet: His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan
The
Vice President met yesterday with His Majesty King Abdullah II in
Amman, Jordan. The two leaders discussed our ongoing cooperation to
defeat ISIL and promote a negotiated
political settlement to the conflict in Syria.
They also discussed
current tensions between Israelis and Palestinians, as well as
opportunities for Jordan to increase its energy diversification.
The
Vice President reiterated the United States' unwavering commitment
to Jordan's security and stability, and praised the ongoing military
cooperation between the two countries.
He also thanked His Majesty for Jordan's generosity in hosting over 635,000 registered Syrian refugees.
Source: The White House, Office of the Vice President
Donald Trump News Conference in West Palm Beach, Florida
Former Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson endorsed Donald Trump at a news conference in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Iran Missle Test and its Potential Impact on the Nuclear Agreement
Foundation for Defense of Democracies Executive Director Mark Dubowitz
discusses Iran’s launch of two ballistic missiles and how the test could
affect the Iran nuclear agreement.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Discussion on U.S. Response to Zika Virus
Experts discuss the U.S. response to the Zika virus at a forum hosted by
the Bipartisan Policy Center, the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, and
the Harvard Global Health Institute.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
New York State Master Teacher Program Expanded
Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced
the expansion of the New York State Master Teacher Program. Launched in 2013,
the initiative rewards the state's highest performing teachers to ensure the
best and brightest stay in the classroom and share their expertise with peers
and pre-service teachers. Additional funding will enable more outstanding
secondary school Science, Technology, Engineering and Math teachers to join the
existing statewide network of 623 Master Teachers.
“We created the Master Teacher Program to attract our best and brightest teachers to the classroom and strengthen the quality of our schools in communities across this state,” Governor Cuomo said. “By expanding this program we are giving more talented professionals in STEM education the opportunity to develop their careers and help lay the foundation for a world-class workforce. I encourage all of New York’s outstanding educators in these fields to apply to the Master Teachers program today.”
The Master Teacher Program is supported by SUNY campus partners in nine economic development regions and in partnership with Math for America in New York City. In addition, three regional programs (Central New York, Long Island, and Western New York) will host a pilot program to extend the Master Teacher Program to outstanding STEM teachers with training and expertise in working with English-language-learners and special education designated students.
SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher said, “Our Master Teachers are truly leaders in STEM education, and their work is critical in inspiring more teachers to be experts, and thereby more students to have a higher understanding of STEM subjects. There is more work to do in bringing the Master Teacher program to communities across our state. I encourage our brightest teachers to join and apply today.”
The current 623 Master Teachers have an average teaching experience of 14 years. Representing nearly 300 school districts, they teach all levels of STEM courses at the middle and high school levels. Fifty Master Teachers have earned National Board Certification, a national recognition of the highest professional standards. Many of these individuals began their teaching career following successful professions in STEM fields, including careers as meteorologists, research scientists, and mechanical engineers.
To be eligible for application to the NYS Master Teacher Program, teachers must be certified New York State public school teachers in grades six through twelve. Teachers must have a minimum of four years of experience teaching STEM subjects and must spend at least 60 percent of their time in the classroom teaching STEM subjects.
Individuals that meet the above eligibility requirements and the following additional criteria are encouraged to apply for the pilot program being launched in the Central New York, Long Island, and Western New York regions: hold an extension certificate in bilingual education, or hold certification in English as a Second Language, or hold a dual certification in a content area and special education.
Master Teachers:
Receive
a $15,000 stipend per year over 4 years for participation in the program (total
compensation of $60,000 per Master Teacher).
Engage in peer mentoring and intensive content-oriented professional development opportunities throughout the academic year.
Work closely with pre-service and early career teachers to foster a supportive environment for the next generation of STEM teachers.
Attend required regular cohort meetings, participate in and lead several professional development sessions each year, and participate in the training of pre-service and early career educators as part of the Master Teacher program.
Additional information about the Master Teacher Program and the application requirements and process is available at www.suny.edu/masterteacher.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Ben Carson Endorses Donald Trump, Praises His 'Guts' And 'Energy'
Ben Carson, the former pediatric neurosurgeon who dropped out of the
Republican presidential race last week, endorsed Donald Trump on
Friday, praising his "guts" and "energy."
"There are two different Donald Trumps," Carson
said at the billionaire's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
"There's the one you see on the stage and there's the one who is very
cerebral, sits there and considers things very carefully. You can have a
very good conversation with him. That's the Donald Trump that you're
going to start seeing more and more of."
Trump agreed with that assessment.
"I probably do agree. There's the public version
… it seems to have worked over my lifetime," he said. "I think it's
different than the personal one."
Click here for the full article.
Wounded Warrior Project Fires Top Two Executives Amid Reports of Lavish Spending
The top two executives at the prominent veterans
charity Wounded Warrior Project have been fired amid allegations of
extravagant spending on themselves and their employees.
The board of directors fired chief executive
officer Steven Nardizzi and chief operating officer Al Giordano Thursday
after an independent review found "some policies, procedures and
controls at WWP have not kept pace with the organization's rapid growth
in recent years and are in need of strengthening," according to a
statement from the nonprofit sent to NBC News.
The charity, one of the largest in the nation for veterans, has been mired in controversy since January, when a CBS News investigation
found many of its donations were going toward employees: $26 million on
company conferences in 2014 alone, according to CBS News.
Click here for the full report.
Source: NBC News
World's Oldest Man Is 112-Year-Old Holocaust Survivor Israel Kristal
Talk about staying power.
Holocaust survivor Israel Kristal was confirmed
by Guinness World Records on Friday as the planet's oldest living man,
having graced the earth for 112 years and 178 days.
"I don't know the secret for long life," Kristal, who lives in Haifa, Israel, told Guinness.
"I believe that everything is determined from above and we shall never
know the reasons why. There have been smarter, stronger and better
looking men than me who are no longer alive."
Click here for the full article.
Source: NBC News
Thursday, March 10, 2016
White House Arrival Ceremony for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
During official arrival ceremonies on the South Lawn, President Obama
welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie
Gregoire Trudeau to the White House as part of a state visit. Ceremonies
included a review of the troops, playing of national anthems, a pass in
review, and remarks by both leaders.
President Obama Joint News Conference with Prime Minister Trudeau
The leaders responded to
reporters' questions in a news conference in the White House Rose
Garden.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Roundtable on Demographics and Presidential Elections
Ruy Teixeira, with the Center for American Progress, and Karlyn Bowman,
with the American Enterprise Institute, discuss demographic trends in
presidential elections, as well as how racial diversity could impact the
2016 election.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Hearing on Federal Health Insurance Exchanges
Andy Slavitt, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, HealthCare.gov CEO Kevin Counihan, and Wharton
Business School Professor Scott Harrington testified at a hearing on the
federal health insurance exchanges.
Click here for video.
Source: C-SPAN
Pelosi Endorses Paid Family Leave Proposal
March 10, 2016, Manhattan - U.S. House of Representatives Democratic
Leader Nancy Pelosi endorsed Governor Andrew Cuomo’s paid family
leave proposal and joined the “Strong Families, Strong New York”
campaign to call for passage of the proposal this year.
Governors Cuomo, Shumlin and Hassan Urge EPA to Review Guidelines for Safe Drinking Water
Today, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New
York, Governor Peter Shumlin of Vermont, and Governor Maggie Hassan of New
Hampshire officially requested that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
conduct a review of the best available science regarding perfluorooctanoic acid
(PFOA), in order to assess and ensure the safety of drinking water exposed to
the contaminant. Additionally, the Governors called for full federal funding of
the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Clean Water Revolving Fund,
which are critical tools for supporting state efforts to upgrade drinking water
infrastructure.
These requests, which were made in a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, can be viewed below:
Dear Administrator McCarthy,
We write as Governors whose states are all in the midst of addressing local drinking water contamination involving the federally unregulated chemical perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). We are deeply concerned for the health and well-being of our communities grappling with this contaminant. In New York and New Hampshire, tests have indicated the presence of this chemical in public drinking water systems, and in New York and Vermont the chemical has been detected in several private wells. It is clear that PFOA contamination is not a state problem or a regional problem – it’s a national problem that requires federal guidelines and a consistent, science-based approach.
The EPA’s PFOA health advisory was recently lowered in one village in New York by the EPA’s Regional Office, though the higher advisory remains in the rest of the country. We urge the EPA, under your leadership, to expeditiously review the best available science on this contaminant, and provide uniform guidance to states that our health and environmental officials can use in assessing the safety of our drinking water. In addition, we seek your help and support for additional drinking water testing and analysis in communities exposed to PFOA.
We also are all strong supporters of full federal funding for water infrastructure. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund is a critical tool for states to invest in modern and safe drinking water upgrades. Unfortunately, over the last six years funding for this program, and its companion Clean Water Revolving Fund, have been flat or declining. This comes even as the American Society of Civil Engineers points out massive gaps between our water infrastructure needs and our investment. We should invest more in both the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund and the Clean Water Revolving Fund, and we look forward to working with you to make that happen.
We respectfully request your personal attention to the challenges created by PFOA contamination in our states. Consistency, accuracy, and uniformity are paramount. We look forward to your response and assistance as we work to identify the polluters responsible for this contamination, and hold them accountable for their actions. It is unacceptable to us that any community should have to be concerned about the safety of their drinking water. Families in our states are worried about potentially tragic short and long-term health impacts, not to mention the potential loss in property values for homes in affected areas. It has been our priority to ensure that residents are being provided clean and safe water immediately, and that our infrastructure be modernized to eliminate these concerns in the future.
Thank you.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
2,696 Sewage Overflows into NY Waters Endanger Public Health
Albany – Environmental Advocates of New
York has released a new report – Tapped Out: New York’s Clean Water in
Peril – which documents sewage overflows and the rampant
underreporting of such spills in New York State. The report also documents how
underinvestment has lead to a crumbling infrastructure and increased sewage
discharges in New York waterways.
A review of data published through the
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), in accordance with the Sewage Pollution Right to Know Act of
2012, shows that between May 2013 and June 2015, 2,696 sewage
overflows were reported.
While that figure is large, is it likely
a fraction of the true number of overflows happening statewide. Data which
demonstrates an inconsistent or outright lack of reporting includes:
85
percent of all reports failed to include spill volume.
58
percent of the 2,696 reported spills occurred in Erie County, pointing to
severe underreporting in other regions statewide.
New
York City, where an estimated 28 billion gallons of untreated sewage is
discharged into New York Harbor annually, reported just 563,910 gallons (0.002
percent) to DEC.
The
Capital Region, where an estimated 1.2 billion gallons is discharged into the
Hudson River annually, reported just 1.2 million gallons over two years.
Long
Island, where water quality issues are a strong concern, reported just 19
overflows – the lowest of any region statewide.
Liz Moran, water and natural resources
associate at Environmental Advocates of New York, and author of Tapped Out,
said, “There is a sacred bond between clean water and public health that is
being broken. In 2012, state legislators passed the Sewage Pollution Right to Know
Act, a common-sense law that says, knowing the public health dangers, if a
sewage discharge occurs, the public must be immediately notified. A law like
this is necessary due to the lack of investment in
an aging and failing system which dumps tens of billions of gallons of raw sewage
into local waterbodies every year.”
She added, “Although what we found is
that after 3.5 years, the law has not been fully implemented, lacks
standardized reporting requirements, and that while these numbers seem staggering,
they are likely a fraction of the true spills occurring statewide which go
unreported. The experts at DEC, and wastewater operators, are doing everything
they can with what they have – but cuts to agency resources and an ongoing lack
of investment in clean water infrastructure is placing public health at risk.”
The Sewage Pollution Right to Know Act
took effect in May 2013. Nearly three years later, the DEC has yet to finalize
regulations intended to provide standard reporting requirements for all communities
– the lack of regulations is affecting the quality of the data that is in the
Right to Know database.
Public Health Impacts
The public health dangers of untreated
sewage include waterborne pathogens, parasites, and disease-causing organisms
such as E. coli and Rotavirus. When overflows into local waterways occur –
which are common when precipitation and sewage enter the same system, or when a
system fails due to age – it leads to boil water alerts and waterbodies closing
for recreation and human activity due to the potential for sickness and even
death.
A 2013 analysis of water samples
collected at New York beaches found that 13 percent exceeded the EPA’s Beach Action Value
(BAV), which determines if a waterbody is safe for human activity.
Growing Infrastructure Needs - Water
infrastructure needs in New York State are enormous – the DEC stated in a 2008
report, A Gathering Storm,
that over the next twenty years $36 billion will need to be invested in our
wastewater infrastructure for all of the necessary repairs and upgrades.
According to the Environmental
Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Watershed Needs Survey, New York State has
the greatest documented wastewater infrastructure needs in the country, which
includes the third highest investment need in the nation to reduce sewage
overflows and stormwater pollution. And a 2014 report from the Office of the
New York State Comptroller, Growing Cracks in the Foundation,
found that there was an $800 million annual funding gap for sewer
infrastructure needs.
Environmental Advocates’
Recommendations
Staff funding for DEC must
be increased to ensure New York has enough cops on the beat to enforce laws and
protect public health. The current shortcomings of the Sewage Pollution Right
to Know Act are the result of inadequate funding that would ensure communities
are following consistent standards and have the technology available to
accurately track and report discharges. Additionally, too few resources are
available to DEC experts to finalize and implement current draft regulations.
Final Sewage Pollution
Right to Know Act rules should include:
No exemptions for reporting. Every spill can endanger public
health and should be subject to public notice as intended by lawmakers.
Proper notification of all potentially impacted communities
should occur (such as those downriver), not only where the overflow happened.
Immediate
reporting once a discharge is known.
A
more robust public notification effort that includes alerts to local media.
Governor Cuomo and Legislators should invest at least $800
million annually in the New York State Water Infrastructure Investment Act of
2015 (NYSWIIA), a budget line created in the SFY2015-16 Budget. NYSWIIA must be
permanently extended beyond its three-year life to create an ongoing commitment
to clean water in New York State.
Source: Environmental Advocates of New York