Daily Archives: July 23, 2017

EU will hit Poland with deadline to reverse curbs on judicial freedom – The Guardian

Posted: July 23, 2017 at 1:03 am

Protesters in front of the Polish parliament as senators voted on laws giving politicians control over judges. Photograph: Wojtek Radwaski/AFP/Getty Images

The EU is expected to give Polands rightwing government until September to reverse a controversial set of laws that give the countrys politicians control over its supreme court.

The Polish senate defied international condemnation early on Saturday and mass demonstrations in Warsaw to approve a law that allows the firing of its current supreme court judges, except those chosen by the justice minister and approved by the president.

Protests continued in Poland. on Saturday. But despite increasing dismay at developments, the European commission knows it needs time to build support before moving towards what is regarded as the nuclear option of suspending a countrys voting rights in the EU for the first time. Last week the first vice-president of the EUs executive, Frans Timmermans, warned that Brussels was very close to triggering the sanction, which would spark a major confrontation with one of the EUs most populous member states.

The legislation passed on Saturday is only one of a series of contentious legal reforms being pursued by the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) which have prompted thousands to take to the streets in protest against what many claim is the death of Polish democracy.

The new law gives the president the power to issue regulations for the supreme courts work. It also introduces a disciplinary chamber that, on a motion from the justice minister, would handle suspected breaches of regulations or ethics. The law now requires only the signature of the president, Andrzej Duda, who was previously a member of PiS, to become binding.

With Brexit negotiations in full flow, there is unease in Brussels at taking any action that could be seen as heavy-handed in relation to a member state.

With the EU engaged in a difficult balancing act, it is understood Timmermans will suggest at a meeting of commissioners on Wednesday that Poland be given until the next general affairs council of EU ministers, on 25 September, to respond to claims that its measures are a systemic threat to the rule of law. While Poland has ignored the commission when it has previously set deadlines on this issue, the move would at least give the commission the summer months to garner the support required to impose tough sanctions.

The EU believes, however, that it will be in a position to launch two infringement proceedings against Poland as soon as this week, in an attempt to slow the countrys drift towards what Brussels regards as authoritarianism.

The first, it is understood, will highlight that the governments insistence on the early retirement of judges is discriminatory towards women, as the age thresholds are different for the sexes under the new laws.

The second infringement proceeding focuses on the failure of Poland to give its people effective access to justice, by undermining the independence of the courts. Both legal arguments have been deployed by the European commission before in the case of Hungary, and forced the country to rethink.

Jarosaw Kaczyski, head of Polands ruling party, claims the judiciary in Poland still works to a communist-era model and that the system needs radical changes to become efficient and reliable. The Polish prime minister, Beata Szydo, says the legislation is an internal matter and the government will not bow to any foreign pressure.

About 200 protesters have gathered in front of Dudas holiday home in Jurata, on the Baltic coast, to demand that he does not sign the bill.

The president has 21 days to sign it and is not expected to do so before his meeting on Monday with the head of the court, Magorzata Gersdorf. Two other bills, on a key judicial body and on regular courts, also await Dudas signature.

On Friday the US state department urged all sides to ensure that any judicial reform does not violate Polands constitution or international legal obligations and respects the principles of judicial independence and separation of powers, and urged dialogue.

So far Duda has not accepted an invitation for talks on the issue from the European council president, Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister. Speaking to Polish broadcasters, Tusk repeated his readiness for talks and said he was a little disappointed there had been no meeting. Polands president should be concerned about a situation that is, lets say, serious, he said.

The Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbn, said on Saturday that Budapest would fight to defend Poland. The inquisition offensive against Poland can never succeed, because Hungary will use all legal options in the European Union to show solidarity with the Poles, he said.

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Indeed expansion signals rise of technology jobs in southwestern Connecticut – The Advocate

Posted: at 1:02 am

Photo: Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media

Datto CEO and founder Austin McChord stands in the companys Norwalk headquarters, on April 19, 2016.

Indeed expansion signals rise of technology jobs in southwestern Connecticut

Southwestern Connecticuts economy is programmed to grow its technology sector for years to come, according to industry experts.

Job-search giant Indeeds recent announcement that it would increase its Stamford contingent by some 500 people in the coming years represents a milestone for the local economy. Many see the companys expansion as proof the area is developing into a top destination for technology talent and that Indeeds plans speak not only to its own success but the potential for other firms in the field.

Any time a large tech company is expanding their operations and increasing staff, its a positive for the state, said Matt McCooe, CEO of Connecticut Innovations, a state-chartered business investing and consulting organization. I expect youll see more big announcements of tech companies coming to Connecticut. There is a a lot of real estate available. That creates opportunity for people to come and negotiate good deals.

Growing in Fairfield County

Indeeds growth demonstrates how a technology firm can quickly scale up its operations. When it moved in 2011, with about 50 employees, to its current base at 177 Broad St., it took a half-floor. It now employs 750 and occupies six levels. The firm plans to take two more floors.

What we found is we were very able to access a great talent pool, said Indeed Chief Financial Officer Dave ONeill. Weve been able to have a niche where were one of the only significant tech companies up in this area, and weve been able to attract talent that way. But I would expect it to get more competitive in the suburbs as time goes by.

Indeeds growth aligns with gains throughout the tech sector in the state, especially in the southwest corner. The information sector, which relies heavily upon digital skills, added 600 jobs last month.

Seven Connecticut companies ranked on professional-services firm Deloittes 2016 Technology Fast 500 rankings of the fastest-growing tech companies in North America, matching the states representation on the previous years list.

Trumbull health-insurance solutions firm HPOne placed first among Fairfield County firms, at No. 357 overall, with 199 percent growth. Norwalk-based software company etouches ranked No. 461, with 132 percent growth.

To support companies like those on the Deloitte list, public-private partnerships in southwestern Connecticuts cities have increasingly sought to build up their local technology infrastructure and recruitment efforts.

Danbury, Norwalk, Stamford and New Haven applied for Innovation Places funds from Connecticut Innovations subsidiary CTNext. Stamford and New Haven, along with Hartford and New London, were announced earlier this month as the winners that will share a pot of $6.9 million in the current fiscal year.

Building up the citys high-speed internet capabilities represents a top goal for the Stamford consortium.

By putting in gig(abit) service at six places in our innovation district, were hoping to build the infrastructure that would then in turn build the market demand so small business can afford to get gig service whereas previously it was really expensive for them to do so, said Jackie Lightfield, executive director of the nonprofit Stamford Partnership, which played a leading role in advancing Stamfords CTNext application.

Other recently launched initiatives are also supporting emerging technology businesses in Fairfield County. Westport-based business accelerator The Refinery started last year Fueling the Growth with UberPitch, a business pitch competition for women-led technology companies. Stamford served as one of the competitions home cities for the initial round and hosted the finals.

The Refinery co-founder Janis Collins said she sees Stamford and New Haven as the states top hubs for technology innovation.

By going to Stamford for events, we get exposed to New York companies, Collins said. But New Haven is an exciting place, too. It doesnt have the same accessibility to New York as Stamford, but its more science-focused and it has tremendous upside with so much coming out of Yale.

An industry for the future

McCooe said he sees the confluence of tech firms in cities such as Stamford, Norwalk and Danbury as a boon for attracting new talent to the area.

If youre recruiting an employee to go to Des Moines, Iowa, and its a tech company, hes terrified that if he loses his job where will he go afterward in the area, McCooe said. Here, youve got the likes of Indeed and Kayak in Stamford and FactSet and Datto in Norwalk, and all these other great companies. Theres fluid job growth, so if an employees choose to leave a company, there are lots of places in this area where they can be gainfully employed.

Those technology positions not only help the states employment rolls, but also provide high-quality work that pays well and brings in tax revenue for the state, said Pete Gioia, economist for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. As of the first quarter of 2016, computing jobs in the state were paying an annual average of about $86,000, according to the state Department of Labor.

That sector has serious potential, Gioia said. All of those jobs are welcome additions to our economy.

The industry looks likely to continue expanding in the coming years. Connecticuts contingent of workers in computing professions is projected to rise from about 45,000 in 2014 to some 52,000 in 2024, according to the Labor Department.

The issue for us is not so much is there demand projects show tremendous demand but will be there will enough skilled workers to take these jobs? said Patrick Flaherty, assistant director of research in the Labor Department. Connecticut has tremendous education institutions in computer science and related fields, and hopefully folks will take advantage of them.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott

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Indeed expansion signals rise of technology jobs in southwestern Connecticut - The Advocate

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Journalism & accelerating technology – Tribune-Review

Posted: at 1:02 am

Updated 6 hours ago

Just for fun, I recently created a video of my beach vacation, posted it to Facebook and shared it with the world.

The entire production process took about 30 seconds and I reached hundreds of my friends online.

Doing the same thing 20 years ago, when I was in journalism school, would have taken far longer, moving images from one analog tape to another with a large and expensive editing bay. Sharing my work with the world? Almost impossible.

As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the iPhone this summer , it's worth taking some time to reflect on how quickly our world keeps changing and considering whether we're capable of keeping up.

Back in 2007, Sree Sreenivasan, who is now the chief digital officer for New York City, was asked to predict the technology we would be using today .

He started out by compiling a list of all the technology that did not exist even 10 years before that. The list included a number of innovations that most of us could not live without today GPS, HDTV, text messaging, cable modems, Google, Facebook, USB flash drives, Xbox. It also featured some that few people would consider essential today, such as Myspace.

Without being too specific, Sreenivasan came pretty close to identifying where we are: What I do know is that technology will continue to get cheaper, faster and better in the years ahead. But with that will come more dangers from cybercrime to loss of privacy.

What's truly frightening is that 2007 might have been just the tipping point for technological accelerations.

Rapid change affects the ways we consume news and information, how we interact, our use of natural resources and the broad reach of individual humans. We can use that change for better or worse, as New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman points out in his November 2016 book, Thank You for Being Late.

What one person one single, solitary person can now do constructively and destructively is also being multiplied to a new level, Friedman writes.

For journalists and media consumers, these exponential growths should be inspiring. The disruptions obviously are painful in job losses, particularly. But this period of journalism also holds great potential for the future.

One could argue that we sit on the cusp of journalism's greatest age, as Peter Herford, one of my former journalism professors at Columbia University, recently posted on Facebook.

There is more investigative journalism being practiced today than ever before, he said, yes with fewer resources than when the behemoths of journalism were at work, but collectives, cooperatives and the worldwide reach of the internet and social media have multiplied the power of journalists.

Mistakes will be made, and not every news outlet will find success.

We still need to find ways for journalists to make money.

Undoubtedly, the end product will look different than it has for the past half-century.

But journalism today reaches more audiences, engages them in meaningful new ways and has more impact than ever.

Andrew Conte is the director of the Center for Media Innovation at Point Park University.

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The Navy’s put down a ‘significant bet’ on the $13 billion USS Gerald R Ford, which some say is a risky gamble – CNBC

Posted: at 1:02 am

Mandy Smithberger, director of the Straus Military Reform Project at the Project On Government Oversight, said some of the mistakes made by the Navy on big-ticket programs have been self-inflicted. The service's tendency to "develop really complex technology that's expensive to maintain and not reliable," has been a major drawback.

Added Smithberger, "It's not necessarily that it's new technology but it's immature so it has to be proven technology."

Some analysts said the new ideas for the next-generation ships originated in the 1990s, when there was a "go for broke" mindset by some decision makers.

In the case of the Ford-Class carrier, the Navy decided to make all of the key changes in new technology upfront on the first ship in the class, rather than wait for successive carriers. The Navy plans to spend around $43 billion on the first three Ford-Class aircraft carriers.

At the same time, the Navy and other services have faced fiscal challenges due to the ongoing effect of the budget caps signed into law six years ago.

"The Budget Control Act, as far as it pertains to defense, was wrong-minded and that should not have been systematically reducing defense spending," said Brian Slattery, a policy analyst for national security at Washington-based Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

He also said the inability of Congress to pass regular budgets is "very disruptive" to Navy and other service programs.

For the Navy, though, the budget situation is particularly pressing because of Trump's stated goal for a larger Navy fleet.

As a GOP candidate last year, Trump pledged the Navy would build 350 surface ships and submarines. He has since accepted the Navy's new force structure goal of a fleet of 355 ships up from the battle force of 276 ships as of Friday.

However, reaching the Navy goal could cost approximately $400 billion more over 30 years than the service's previously stated force goal of 308 ships, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Based on CBO's calculations, the Navy would need to buy around 329 new ships over 30 years to reach the 355-ship fleet. That compares with the 254 ships it estimates would be bought under the Navy's prior force goal.

"Cost is probably the biggest challenge reaching the larger fleet size," said Smithberger. "You'd have to increase Pentagon spending a lot to afford everything that they're trying to buy. It will require cutting other services or other Navy priorities, including airplanes."

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The Navy's put down a 'significant bet' on the $13 billion USS Gerald R Ford, which some say is a risky gamble - CNBC

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Cadaver dogs beat technology in locating buried bodies – TribDem.com

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SOLEBURY Hank was hard at work, his nose to the ground, scouring a targeted location around piles of dirt, gravel and boulders last Monday.

About a half-hour after being unleashed, the 3-year-old golden retriever and cadaver dog lifted his paw and scratched the dirt.

Then he fixed his gaze directly at his owner and barked.

I could tell immediately from his behavior he found a scent, said Hanks handler, Philadelphia Police Department K-9 Officer Richard Treston.

Storm, a German shepherd and cadaver dog from the same department, targeted the same patch of dirt with her nose 15 minutes later. More than 12 feet beneath the animals paw marks and buried inside an old oil tank converted into a cooker were the bodies of three of the four young men who vanished earlier this month.

It was a bittersweet moment, sad for the families and the outcome, but happy to be able to bring them closure, said Philadelphia police Officer Alvin Outlaw, Storms handler.

Investigators leading the multi-agency search said the cadaver dogs and their unique ability to detect human remains were key to the swift discovery of Dean Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown; Thomas Meo, 21, of Plumstead; and Mark Sturgis, 22, of Pennsburg, Montgomery County. A quarter-mile away, the dogs also assisted in the discovery of Jimi Taro Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township, whose remains were located in a single grave near a hillside.

For days, search teams from local, state and federal agencies combed the sprawling Solebury farm, deploying technology that the district attorney said he didnt know existed to search for the four men.

Investigators praise dogs

While investigators didnt divulge the high-tech equipment contributed by the federal government to scan the farm, they did praise the effectiveness of the dogs.

The dogs were incredibly valuable, said Bucks County Deputy Chief Detective Mike Mosiniak. When dealing with an 80-acre property with 90 percent woods and cornfields, its difficult to see above ground, let alone beneath it. They were able to pinpoint the locations where (the men) were found. There was no mechanical equipment out there that could do what they did.

Treston and Outlaw said their search began July 9, when they were called to a property on Aquetong Road in Solebury.

Investigators in surveillance helicopters, however, moved the search after they spotted a backhoe and several dirt piles on a nearby property at 6071 Lower York Road.

Once the dogs were let loose the next day, July 10, both Hank and Storm signaled to their owners, scratching the dirt, and the excavation began, officers said.

It was nerve-racking; they were banking on our dogs indications, said Outlaw, who said excavators dug for two days in the location the dogs identified.

Hours after human remains were discovered more than 12 feet beneath the ground on July 12, Bucks County District Attorney Matthew Weintraub credited the dogs abilities.

Though he said he couldnt understand the science behind the dogs tracking capabilities, one national expert detailed just how such dogs work.

For these dogs, finding bodies is not an innate ability but the result of intensive, dedicated training on real cadavers paired with the animals natural, instinctive abilities: high energy, the ability to focus without getting distracted, and the power of their noses, police and K-9 experts said.

No X-ray noses

Its not like they have X-ray noses. Clearly the scent managed to find way to the surface, possibly through loose soil, and the dogs were able to isolate it, said Cat Warren, author of What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs.

She said cadaver dogs were able to track bodies buried more than 70 feet below ground after a mudslide wiped out a community in Oso, Washington. Theyve isolated the smell of a fingernail and tooth among a mountain of wood chips after a grisly Connecticut homicide. And after drownings, some have detected bodies 250 feet beneath the water.

Warren said cadaver dogs are trained to pick up the scent of human remains and detect odors emitted from decomposition or through drops of blood, a bone fragment, a piece of human tissue and especially fat.

Warrens German shepherd, Joco, is trained to pick up even cremated remains.

The dogs follow a scent that rises to the surface, she said.

Warren said that no technology can compete with a cadaver dogs abilities.

A well-trained dog cant be replaced in most of these cases, she said.

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Firefighters make progress on blaze in Gold Country – SFGate

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Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle

What locals call "The Little Church in the Hills" was totally destroyed in the Detwiler Fire in Mt. Bullion, as seen on July 21, 2017.

Firefighters with Cal Fire continue to battle the Detwiler Fire on the outskirts of Mariposa, on July 19, 2017.

An air tanker drops fire retardant along the ridge line above Lake McClure, on July 20, 2017.

George Skogan stayed in his home during the evacuation and is now clearing brush around his backyard, in Mt. Bullion, Ca., on Friday July 21, 2017.The fire came within 30 yards of his home.

What locals call "The Little Church in the Hills" was totally destroyed in the Detwiler Fire in Mt. Bullion, Ca., as seen on Friday July 21, 2017.

Jeana Marshall, made a sign for the fire personnel fighting the Detwiler Fire, near where they have made over 5,000 sandwiches, at the River Rock Inn, as seen on Fri. July 21, 2017, in Mariposa, Ca.

An inmate firefighter team out of the McCain Valley keeps watch on a fire line as they continue to battle the Detwiler Fire on the outskirts of Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Air tanker drops fire retardant along the ridge line above Lake McClure, as the northern end of the Detwiler fire moves closer to Coulterville, Ca., on Thursday July 20, 2017.

Firefighters with Cal Fire continue to battle the Detwiler Fire on the outskirts of Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Structures and vehicles were destroyed as the fast moving fire tore through Mt. Bullion, Ca. on Tuesday night, as seen on Thursday July 20, 2017.

A helicopter makes a water drop as firefighters continue to battle the Detwiler Fire on the outskirts of Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

A scorched Highway 49 north of Mariposa, Ca., on Thursday July 20, 2017.

Dessy White packed up her chickens as Detwiler fire moved along the ridge lines at the northern end of the fire near Coulterville, Ca., on Thursday July 20, 2017. She lives about two miles from the fire.

Cal Fire strike team leader Zack O'Neill works a fire line as firefighters continue to battle the Detwiler Fire on the outskirts of Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Jeffrey Hernandez with Cal Fire as firefighters continue to battle the Detwiler Fire on the outskirts of Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

The Detwiler fire burned over 45,000 acres Wednesday as over 2,000 firefighters worked to gain control of the blaze, officials said.

An inmate firefighter team out of the McCain Valley keeps watch on a fire line as they continue to battle the Detwiler Fire on the outskirts of Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Structures and vehicles were destroyed as the fast moving fire tore through Mt. Bullion, Ca. on Tuesday night, as seen on Thursday July 20, 2017.

A burned sign along highway 140 west of in Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Burned out structures and vehicles along highway 140 west of in Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Burned out structures along highway 140 west of in Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Barbara Milazzo, on Wed. July 19, 2017, rescued her friend's cat "Andromeda" and brought the cat to the animal rescue center at the Evangelical Free Church evacuation center in Oakhurst, Ca.

Burned out structures and vehicles along highway 140 west of in Mariposa, Ca., on Wednesday July 19, 2017.

Melted lawn chairs rest outside a residence leveled by the Detwiler fire near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017.

Flames rise behind a vacant house as a firefighter works to halt the Detwiler fire near Mariposa, Calif., on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

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Another Voice: Build on progress in police reforms – Buffalo News

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By Sarah Wooton and Denise Walden

Recently, the Buffalo Police Department has announced two promising changes: It will start a body camera program and seek state accreditation. These address two of 32 recommendations in Collaboration, Communication and Community-Building: A New Model of Policing for 21st Century Buffalo, a 2016 report by the Partnership for the Public Good and Open Buffalo. These changes require careful implementation, however, and they must be accompanied by other reforms.

Body cameras can benefit both officers and civilians. Footage can be used to substantiate citizen claims of use of excessive force or to exonerate officers of unsubstantiated claims. Research suggests that both officers and residents behave better when being filmed.

But the policies that govern body cameras will be crucial to their success. First, the departments policy should outline exactly when officers must turn their cameras on, and establish consequences for violating this rule. Second, the policy should protect the privacy of vulnerable individuals, such as children. Third, it should make footage available to the public through an independent committee. In cities where footage is controlled by the police, body cameras lose credibility and value. Lastly, the body camera policy should be easily available to the public (currently, the department does not put its policy manual on its website).

In addition, the department has announced that it will seek outside accreditation, as required by the City Charter. This long-awaited move will provide an outside set of expert eyes to review policies and practices and suggest improvements. To ensure that it receives accreditation, the department should promptly negotiate with its union to begin annual performance reviews of all officers a glaring gap in its current management practices.

While accreditation and body cameras are promising, they cannot be the only improvements. In Open Buffalos 2016 survey of more than 2,000 Buffalonians, only 20 percent of residents felt that the police respected people of color. The policing reports 32 concrete recommendations are based on policies that have succeeded in other cities. Two examples are instituting fix-it tickets for minor offenses and requiring all officers to commit hours to community policing activities like foot patrols and attending community

meetings. Finally, it was disturbing that the Common Council canceled the Police Oversight Committee meeting scheduled for July after Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda said he could not attend.

The department should be seeking more, not fewer, opportunities to meet with lawmakers and citizens to discuss public safety and ideas for change. This is especially so given the infrequency of these meetings and the unanswered questions surrounding the deaths of Wardel Davis and Jose Hernandez-Rossy. Buffalo needs policing that is more community-based, open and accountable and those changes cannot happen without real citizen engagement.

Sarah Wooton is the policy analyst at the Partnership for the Public Good. Denise Walden is the community impact coordinator for Open Buffalo.

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Six Utahns receive Pioneers of Progress Awards – Deseret News

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Sarah Jane Weaver, Deseret News

Elder Robert D. Hales and his wife, Sister Mary Hales, after he was honored with one of the 2017 Pioneers of Progress Awards on July 13, 2017. The awards were presented as part of the annual Days of '47.

SALT LAKE CITY Days of '47 trustees honored six Utahns "who perpetuate a legacy of industry and integrity" during their annual banquet at which Pioneers of Progress awards are bestowed.

The awards honor Utahns nominated by the public whose lives and achievements commemorate principles of pioneering such as faith, courage, industry, integrity and sacrifice, and whose work benefits present and future generations.

The honorees on Thursday were:

Michelle Baker Science and technology

Baker is a biology professor and an associate of the Ecology Center at Utah State University. Baker's research focuses on water quality, and she is the director of iUTAH EPSCoR, a program aimed at strengthening Utah's water future. In addition to the Pioneers of Progress award, Baker also received the 2015 Governor's Medal for Excellence in science and technology.

Dell Loy Hansen Business and enterprise

Hansen is the founder and CEO of The Wasatch Group, a real estate agency in Salt Lake City. He is also the owner and chairman of Real Salt Lake, a major league soccer team. In addition, Hansen contributes to the Hansen Scholars Foundation, which offers scholarships to underprivileged students in Utah State University's Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. He also serves on Major League Soccer's board of governors and on the Utah Sports Commission board.

Kathleen Christy Education, health and humanitarian assistance

Christy has spent her life working in education and has served in many different positions, including a teacher, an equity specialist at the Utah State Office of Education, an elementary school principal and an assistant superintendent for the Salt Lake City School District. In addition, she currently serves on the Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, the Utah Foster Care Foundation board and the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum board.

Susan Allred Historic and creative arts

Allred is a costume designer who developed a passion for her profession during her time at Southern Utah University. Her designs have been featured in Utah Opera, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir PBS Christmas Show and the Mormon Miracle Pageant. In addition to the Pioneers of Progress award, Allred was also awarded with the Governor's Award for her contribution to the arts in 2015.

Donald Evan Moss Legacy Award

Moss was an owner and co-founder of Chuck-A-Rama restaurants. He received an accounting degree from the University of Utah, and served in the Utah and Idaho National Guard for six years. He was also active in a Rotary Club and has housed several foreign exchange students throughout his life. He died in 2010.

Elder Robert D. Hales President's Award

Elder Hales was Presiding Bishop of the LDS Church from April 1985 until called to his current position on the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in April 1994. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a fighter pilot, and graduated from the University of Utah with a bachelor's degree, and an MBA from Harvard University. Other church positions held by Elder Hales include bishop, branch president, high councilor, the Sunday School general presidency, assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve and as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.

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Battle lines widen as plans progress for high-powered transmission line between Madison and Iowa – Madison.com

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Battle lines are widening as the prospective paths narrow for a proposed high-powered transmission line through southwestern Wisconsin.

Developers of the planned Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line from the Madison area to Iowa have shrunk the two corridors under consideration. Previously mile-wide swaths, the paths have been pared to 300 feet across and are being identified as "preliminary" routes, up for government analysis.

American Transmission Co., of Pewaukee; ITC Midwest, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Dairyland Power Cooperative, of La Crosse, want to build the 345-kilovolt transmission line from the Cardinal electrical substation in the town of Middleton to the Hickory Creek substation near Dubuque.

It would run about 125 miles and would cost an estimated $500 million. The three utilities hope to have the line in service in 2023.

The two preliminary routes traverse Dane, Iowa and Grant counties; one of them also cuts through Lafayette County. The southern path runs along Highway 18-151 and existing transmission lines. The northern route aims straight west, about halfway between Highway 18-151 and Highway 14, before turning southwest near Highland.

"The majority of the preliminary routes follows either a transmission line or a highway ... except the northern route, from Cross Plains to past Highway T in Iowa County," said ATC spokeswoman Kaya Freiman.

Though the routes have been trimmed, a couple of options have been added back in at the request of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service -- one of the government agencies that will decide the project's fate. The additional options, both on the southern route, are just east of Mount Horeb and near Livingston.

The three utility companies proposing Cardinal-Hickory Creek contend the extra wires will bolster the electric grid's reliability, offer access to lower-cost power and increase the number of connections to the region's wind farms.

Local residents say the new transmission line would spoil the rural beauty they cherish and endanger sensitive nature areas. They say the line is not needed. A growing number of communities are raising questions as well.

"This is a very rich area" with endangered birds and animals as well as unique natural resources that are not federally protected, said David Clutter, executive director of the Driftless Area Land Conservancy, based in Dodgeville. Those include petroglyphs -- rock carvings dating back at least 2,000 years -- that could be damaged if vibrations from construction machines erode the soft sandstone, he said.

Some groups look favorably on the project, though, as a way to boost the use of wind-generated power, much of it in Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota.

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek line is a continuation of the 345-kilovolt Badger Coulee transmission line between the La Crosse area and the Madison area, said Chris Kunkle, regional policy manager for Wind on the Wires, a St. Paul-based organization that promotes renewable energy.The 180-mile, $580 million Badger Coulee line is currently under construction.

"These projects are vital to ensuring we can transition our energy system to cleaner energy," Kunkle said.

Developers sent letters to property owners who may be affected by Cardinal-Hickory Creek's preliminary routes and environmental surveyors began combing the corridor in mid-May, collecting data on wetlands, waterways and wildlife.

Opponents, meanwhile, are digging in, especially against the northern route. Theysay they don't want high-voltage power lines and towers as tall as 100 to 150 feet sprouting up in Wisconsin's Driftless area, where the natural landscape was not bulldozed by glaciers.

The Driftless Area is a "unique eco-region and special scenic landscape," a 37-page statement submitted to regulators by the Driftless Area Land Conservancy says. It includes world-class trout-fishing streams and serves as "a rest stop for more than half of North America's migratory bird species," the organization says.

If a transmission line were built across the area, rare, threatened and endangered species could be at risk, such as Henslow's sparrow; the loggerhead shrike; the rusty patched bumble bee; Blanchard's cricket frog; and Blanding's turtle, the Driftless Area Land Conservancy claims. The group says cutting a swath through conservation areas could make rare birds more vulnerable to attacks by owls and raptors, and encourage populations of skunks and raccoons that hang around the edges of wooded areas.

Recreational trails also would be affected, including the Military Ridge State Trail, Governor Dodge State Park, and Blue Mounds State Park, the group says.

For Dan and Lisa Orman, the value of their home in rural Black Earth is at stake, Lisa said. The Ormans' 25-acre property is no longer in the line's proposed path -- at least, at this point. But that hasn't helped them sell their home so they can move closer to ailing parents.

"We have had, maybe, five showings since June of last year and all five of them gave great feedback on the house ... But they won't write an offer because of the pending project," said Lisa Orman. a member of the Vermont Citizens Powerline Action Committee. "Our realtors told us it would have an impact on the ability to sell our house, and that we're likely to take a 40 percent to 50 percent hit."

Local communities have held public meetings over the past eight months or so to discuss the project. More than 110 towns, villages and counties -- including Dane County -- have passed resolutions asking for a complete cost-benefit analysis comparing the big transmission line to alternatives such as boosting smaller power lines or using renewable energy sources. The Iowa County Board approved a resolution opposing the Cardinal-Hickory Creek project.

The proposed transmission line is one of 17 recommended as multi-value projects by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the Indiana-based regional transmission authority, in 2011. The projects are aimed at meeting regional electricity needs, providing economic benefits, and hooking into renewable resources across the 15 states and Canadian province of Manitoba within MISO's jurisdiction.

The Driftless Area Land Conservancy says, though, MISO's analysis is outdated. More recently, electric demand has flattened or declined, the group says. It says MISO's list considered the region's needs as a whole, not the need for the specific Cardinal-Hickory Creek line.

Meanwhile, Alliant Energy, of Madison, is building a 700-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant and a two-megawatt solar field in Beloit, and at least two wind farms are being developed in the state, so a transmission line bringing in more power is not needed, the organization says.

Residents opposed to the proposed Cardinal-Hickory Creek high voltage transmission line make their sentiments known with signs along the proposed route, including this one on Union Valley Road in rural Black Earth.

"The world has changed since MISO began this," said Howard Learner, executive director of the Environmental Law & Policy Center, with offices in Chicago and Madison, serving as attorney for the Driftless Area organization. "It's sort of like saying it's important to build more telephone wires and poles to serve the additional landlines that people in Middleton and Cross Plains are going to use, and then all of a sudden, cell phones came in."

Learner, who has a home near Spring Green, said upgrades to local power lines would be more appropriate than a huge transmission line that will carry electricity produced by fossil fuel and nuclear plants, as well as wind power.

"This is not the right place ... unless it's absolutely needed to keep the lights on, and this line is not needed for that purpose," Learner said.

Kunkle, of Wind on the Wires, whose members include renewable power developers and environmental nonprofits, said while the Cardinal-Hickory Creek line would not be limited to wind-generated electricity, it would open the door for more wind power on the electric grid.

"There are wind farms that have to shut down generators because they are short on transmission capability," he said. "All of the wind plants ... are hinging on this line."

Madison-based RENEW Wisconsin has not taken a formal stand on the project but executive director Tyler Huebner said the lines recommended by MISO are an important investment.

"Wind power is expanding tremendously throughout the Midwest, driven by lower cost. It really is setting up a very exciting future where wind energy can keep rates down or even lower rates for customers in Wisconsin and throughout the Midwest," Huebner said.

The USDA's Rural Utilities Service will analyze the preliminary routes and compile a draft environmental impact statement, expected to be issued in March 2018, said environmental protection specialist Dennis Rankin.

The federal agency is involved, in addition to state utilities regulators in Wisconsin and Iowa, because Dairyland Power is requesting financing from the Rural Utilities Service for its portion of the project, Rankin said.

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek application is expected to be submitted to Wisconsin's Public Service Commission in 2018 and to the Iowa Utilities Board in 2019, Freiman said.

If approved, costs would be spread across MISO's territory. She said Wisconsin utility customers would pick up 10 percent to 15 percent of the tab.

Cardinal-Hickory Creek is part of about $4 billion of transmission construction anticipated by ATC through 2025.

Visibility and progress are key messages at ADA celebration in Iowa City – The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

Posted: at 1:02 am

Jul 22, 2017 at 8:53 pm | Print View

IOWA CITY For Erin Noon, visibility is important.

Thats why events like Saturdays 27th anniversary celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act in Iowa City are important for Noon, who has cerebral palsy and serves as resources coordinator for the Johnson County National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI.

I think the ADA celebration is very important for visibility and making sure people with disabilities whether you have an invisible disability or an actual physical disability are represented in the Iowa City community, Noon said during the event that took place from 10 a.m. to noon on the Pedestrian Mall.

Iowa City has celebrated the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act since it was signed into law in 1990. The federal civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, state and local government services, public accommodations, commercial facilities and transportation.

I love this program because since I actually have a physical disability, its just so wonderful to celebrate it and get excited, Noon said.

The annual ADA celebration is presented by a host of community organizations including Access 2 Independence, Combined Efforts, Goodwill of the Heartland and NAMI. Notable attendees at Saturdays event included Iowa City Mayor Jim Throgmorton; Dave Leschtz, who formerly served as a social worker and University of Iowa disabilities educator; and Democratic U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, who represents Iowas 2nd District.

Throgmorton read two proclamations from the city, including one designating the week of July 17-21 as National Disability Voter Registration Week and July 22, 2017, as Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Day.

The proclamations, he said, were to urge community members to participate in activities that celebrate and honor the spirit of the act.

Loebsack, who kept his message brief, encouraged his constituents to keep fighting for their rights because, the minute you rest on your laurels, thats when somebody is going to try to turn the clock backward.

You can never, ever assume that were going to continue to make progress, Loebsack said, noting ways to engage in the political process. Its going to be up to you to talk to me ... to talk to your other representatives, to send letters and emails to your senator ... to be in touch with the President of the United States to make sure that we do not fall back.

His bottom line: To make sure that we keep going forward.

With informational booths set up to promote education and advocacy in Iowa City, groups in attendance included the UI Stead Family Childrens Hospital and the Aktion Club, a service club for adults with disabilities.

Jeoffrey Hacker, of Iowa City, an advocate for those with disabilities, also was on hand collecting signatures on his petition to ask the Iowa City Community School District to reinstate its Special Olympics program.

With Special Olympic medals wrapped around his neck, Hacker said he uses the medals as an example to show others with disabilities what they, too, might achieve through Special Olympics.

I want equal opportunity for sports, Hacker said.

Collecting signatures for nearly a month, Hacker said Saturday morning he was up to 58 as he works toward a goal of 1,000. Benefits of reinstating Special Olympics he said, include equal opportunity and providing an avenue for people with disabilities to gain self-confidence, obtain community building skills and have fun.

Also during Saturdays celebration, longtime disabilities advocate Keith Ruff received the Terry Cunningham Community Award and the Bill Reagan Vitality Award went to Combined Efforts, a visual and performing arts company with a mission of artistic excellence through purposeful collaboration between artists with and without disabilities.

l Comments: (319) 368-8531; alexandra.connor@thegazette.com

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Daily Archives: July 23, 2017

EU will hit Poland with deadline to reverse curbs on judicial freedom – The Guardian

Indeed expansion signals rise of technology jobs in southwestern Connecticut – The Advocate

Journalism & accelerating technology – Tribune-Review

The Navy’s put down a ‘significant bet’ on the $13 billion USS Gerald R Ford, which some say is a risky gamble – CNBC

Cadaver dogs beat technology in locating buried bodies – TribDem.com

Firefighters make progress on blaze in Gold Country – SFGate

Another Voice: Build on progress in police reforms – Buffalo News

Six Utahns receive Pioneers of Progress Awards – Deseret News

Battle lines widen as plans progress for high-powered transmission line between Madison and Iowa – Madison.com

Visibility and progress are key messages at ADA celebration in Iowa City – The Gazette: Eastern Iowa Breaking News and Headlines

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