Daily Archives: August 14, 2017

State legislatures around the country have made significant progress passing bills on issues such as immigration, policing and healthcare, even as Republicans in Congress and President Trump have struggled to make similar progress at the federal level.

"States are coming up with innovative ways to address immigration issues in education, healthcare, and economic development that the federal government seems to ignore," state Sen. Rene Garcia, R-Fla., said last week.

As expected, the states aren't all seeing these issues as Trump sees them. Several Republican legislatures, for example, have introduced or passed bills prohibiting sanctuary policies and backing law enforcement, but others controlled by Democrats have pushed their own views on issues like healthcare.

California and New York, for example, have advanced legislation in at least one chamber of their state legislatures to examine the impacts of a single-payer healthcare system.

Still, many states with Republican majorities are managing to make progress on these issues in a way Trump supports, even as he struggles at the federal level to make similar progress.

For example, state bills related to immigration have proliferated. According to a report from the National Conference of State Legislatures, states enacted 90 percent more laws tied to immigration in the first six months of 2017 as compared with the first half of 2016.

Some say that increase is due to the unilateral executive branch action Trump was able to take without the help of Congress and inaction by federal lawmakers. Trump's action and his rhetoric have been credited with a significant drop in attempted illegal border crossings in the first few months since he took office.

Specifically, state legislators in 47 states enacted 133 laws and 195 resolutions related to immigration from January to June. Only Alaska, Massachusetts and North Carolina did not enact immigration-related laws.

The common issues covered by the state laws were sanctuary policies, refugees, education and civics, and in-state tuition, according to NCSL's report.

Some states, including Texas and Mississippi, enacted laws banning sanctuary cities and counties, while others, such as Vermont, passed a law prohibiting state and local law enforcement from sharing information with the federal government regarding a resident's immigration status.

In addition to immigration, roughly a dozen states this year have passed laws intended to increase protections for law enforcement, which are called "Blue Lives Matter" bills, which increase the penalties for assaulting or resisting a police officer.

"One of Donald Trump's pillars is strengthening and supporting law enforcement," Ronnie Lampard, director of the American Legislative Exchange Council's task force on criminal justice reform, told the Washington Examiner. "This is how many states have acted on this, and as a result, many states have passed laws protecting or providing sentencing enhancements and creating protections."

"You have Republicans that control a lot of the states and are in the same party as the president," Lampard continued. "They recognize this is an issue the president campaigned on and traditionally Republicans have favored."

Though many law enforcement groups have backed the president's push for law and order, police organizations and agencies at the federal, state and local level split with Trump over his suggestion last month that officers should be more violent when handling suspects.

"When you see these towns and when you see these thugs being thrown into the back of a paddy wagon, you just see them thrown in, rough, and I said, Please don't be too nice,'" Trump told police officers during a speech on Long Island, N.Y.

After the president's remarks, the Suffolk County Police Department, which has jurisdiction over part of Long Island, say it won't "tolerate roughing up of prisoners." The International Association of Chiefs of Police also said treating people "whether they are a complainant, suspect or defendant, with dignity and respect" is a "bedrock principle" of policing and justice.

Unlike immigration and policing, states are mostly relying on Congress to act on healthcare, an issue that has dominated the national conversation.

"Without explicit authority given to the states, they won't have the flexibility and authority to implement the changes they need to make to bring down the cost of care and increase access," Mia Heck, who leads the health and human services task force at ALEC, told the Washington Examiner.

But even here, some Democratic-led states have decided to push forward with their own plans to change their individual healthcare systems.

Five states considered bills for universal healthcare or a public option. The California state Senate, for example, passed a bill establishing a commission to study how to introduce universal healthcare in the state.

The New York State Assembly passed legislation establishing a single-payer system for state residents.

Heck said many more states will likely consider a single-payer system if Republicans in Congress fail to pass legislation rolling back the 2010 healthcare law, or the Affordable Care Act, which is often called Obamacare.

"If Congress doesn't act to repeal and replace Obamacare, the policies that are implemented in the next year and two to three years are going to be fundamental in how our healthcare system works," Heck said. "It nothing is done and we continue to go down the road of increased premiums, increased deductibles, then single-payer is going to be an option."

Some states have backed Trump and the GOP-led Congress on imposing work requirements for Medicaid recipients. New Hampshire and Arkansas enacted laws requiring enrollees in their respective Medicaid expansion programs to adhere to a work requirement.

Read more here:

State legislatures making progress on major issues that are still stuck in Congress - Washington Examiner

Once positioned on an idyllic, shaded sidewalk, our newspaper's Freedom of the Press bench now sits inaccessible behind a construction barrier.

Our building isn't much better off, barricaded by fences and accessible by a dirt path.

On First Avenue Southeast, where cars once sped by, a construction crane stretches into the sky and 3,200 truckloads of dirt have been removed. Only the railroad remains, unstoppable as ever.

As neighbors of the colossal two-year construction project that will result in a 19-story Hilton hotel, a parking ramp, and upgraded sewer lines, we have front-row seats to the daily spectacle of destruction, creation, and cooperation. Now that the incessant banging on bedrock has ended and cranes have been erected, we've mostly reacted with curiosity -- kind of like those people in the photo.

According to Rick Brostrom, senior project manager at Kraus-Anderson Construction, on any given today there could be over 300 people working on the site. We get to chat with some of those workers, admire their skill, and picture ourselves in their shoes. And we get to bear witness to the slow-motion flood of over 120 million pounds of concrete and rebar pouring into the construction zone over the next year.

Old, unseen elements of our infrastructure have been dug up and laid bare for examination. One editorial board meeting was interrupted by the excavation of an old clay sewer pipe, buried decades ago. That's when it hit us; this work is for the benefit of people we may never meet, the same way we benefitted from whoever laid those clay pipes way back when. The same way that writers from that era hoped their wisdom might travel through generations.

That clay pipe was replaced by a fiberglass-reinforced one measuring 48 inches in diameter. It's a stronger pipe, placed further underground, and it should be workable further into the future than its clay predecessor. By the time those pipes need to be swapped out again, most of us won't be here, but waste will still flow.

"That's our goal, hoping to get 75-plus years out of everything you put in the ground," said Matthew Crawford, project development manager for the city public works department.

Proximity to the project comes with plenty of downsides. We field calls daily from people who've had to circle the block to find a way into our offices. Some simply give up. The finished project will render our street more narrow than it was before and will rob us of some parking spots.

We expected to hear similar complaints from our neighbors at the Parker, 101 E Center St. Instead, they touted the high level of cooperation and communications with Kraus-Anderson. They have their sidewalk back and they give new residents ear plugs as welcome gifts. Aside from that, they're just excited to see what the growth will bring.

The inconveniences and annoyances are the price of progress. Every leap forward leaves people behind, and this is a forward-looking project. First Avenue had to be ripped up, so rather than rip it up again later, Public Works decided to do it now. The parking ramp project has installed footings capable of allowing for a future expansion of the ramp. Knowing how contentious parking is in our downtown and how much growth the city is expected to go through, that's an option they'll likely use.

Sometimes it's good to take a breath and imagine your problems from the vantage point of someone living a century from now. We are all minuscule parts of an inconceivable whole, frustrating itself into the future, footing by footing, pipe by pipe, word by word.

Progress doesn't care how annoyed we are.

See the rest here:

Progress doesn't care about our inconveniences - Post-Bulletin

Updated at 11:10 p.m.

Two state troopers were killed Saturday afternoon when a helicopter crashed into a wooded area near Birdwood Golf Course in Albemarle County.

The pilot, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, of Quinton, died at the scene. No one on the ground was injured, according to police.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

The Bell 407 helicopter they were piloting was being used to assist public safety efforts for Saturdays Unite the Right rally, which found thousands of alt-right demonstrators and counter-protesters clashing on Market Street and around the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. State, city police and Albemarle County police, as well as the National Guard, monitored the protests.

Neighbors in the Old Farm Road area flocked near the crash site in its immediate aftermath, with many saying they had heard the helicopter hovering close to nearby homes before pulling into the wooded area. State police joined county police and fire units who were the first responders to the scene.

Authorities have said there is no indication that foul play was a factor in the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are now involved in the investigation.

Our state police and law enforcement family at-large are mourning this tragic outcome to an already challenging day, said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, superintendent of the state police. Lt. Cullen was a highly respected professional aviator and Trooper-Pilot Bates was a welcome addition to the Aviation Unit, after a distinguished assignment as a special agent with our Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Their deaths are a tremendous loss to our agency and the commonwealth.

Cullen graduated from the Virginia State Police Academy in 1994 as a member of the 90th Basic Session, and joined the Virginia State Police Aviation Unit in 1999. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Bates graduated from the Virginia State Police Academy in 2004 as a member of the 107th Basic Session. He had just transferred to the Aviation Unit as a trooper-pilot in July, and would have turned 41 on Sunday.

One person was killed and 19 were injured when a car plowed into a crowd on a Downtown Mall cross-street.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and first lady Dorothy McAuliffe released the following statement on the trooper deaths:

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jay and Berke, both of whom were our close friends and trusted members of our team. Jay has flown us across the commonwealth for more than three and a half years. Berke was devoted to our entire family as part of our Executive Protective Unit team for the past three years.

This is a devastating loss for their families, the Virginia State Police and the entire commonwealth. Our hearts go out to their wives and children, and we stand by to support them during this difficult time. These heroes were a part of our family and we are simply heartbroken.

The rest is here:

2 state troopers die in helicopter wreck - The Daily Progress

Drivers Advised of Heavy Traffic During Ag Progress Days

As many as 45,000 people will visit Rock Springs this week for Penn State's annual Ag Progress Days, the largest outdoor agricultural exhibition in the state and one of the largest in the United States.

Ag Progress Days will be held 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. on Wednesday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Thursday at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs along Route 45.

About 60 percent of the visitors to Ag Progress Days are involved in agricultural production in some way, and the event features special presentations, demonstrations and a trade showthat offers those in the ag industry one-stop shopping for tools and to learn about services and technology for virtually any category.

But among the 500 exhibitors from around the country, spread across 150 acres of farmland, there is much to enjoy for people of all ages and backgrounds, including activities, tours, demonstrations and food.

Jesse Darlington, Jr., facilities manager in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, is interim manager of the expo this year, stepping in for Bob Oberheim, who retired after 25 years following last year's Ag Progress Days.

"Agriculture impacts all of us every day, from the food we eat to the fuel and fiber we use," Darlington said in a release. "We want to invite people to be more active participants in these processes, and come out and learn about agriculture in Pennsylvania and the research being done at Penn State. It's informative, but also fun, and a great way to involve children in learning more about things like health and safety, animals and science."

At the College of Agricultural Sciences building, water quality will be the focus, with exhibits and presentations Penn State Extension educators and faculty discussing a variety of issues. Members of the Pennsylvania 4-H state council also will present at 1 p.m. each day a hands-on experience for children and families to learn about reducing flooding and pollution.

All residents can learn about the ways they can help protect water quality.

"We'll be highlighting those steps in the College Exhibits Building during Ag Progress Days, with experts on hand to talk about what farmers, homeowners, forest landowners, private well owners and city dwellers can do to ensure clean water in Pennsylvania," saidMatt Royer, director of Penn State's Agriculture and Environment Center.

There are plenty of youth activities scheduled. At the 4-H Youth Building, kids can learn about 4-H's many programs in science, technology, engineering and leadership, with rabbits, robotics and plant activities and demonstrations.

Elsewhere on the grounds, the Kids Climb lets youth try safety equipment and climb trees. Shaver's Creek Environmental Center will have presentations with live turtles, snakes, amphibians and birds of prey. A corn maze provides a fun way to learn about agriculture. And kids can race the serpentine track at the Pedal Go Kart Derby.

The Equine Experience offers something for horse owners and those who just love horses, includingdemonstrations by Spring Mount Percherons of Tyrone and miniature horse performancesby the Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association Youth Ambassadors.

A"Salute to America" Evening Extravaganza will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday featuringPercherons and miniature horses along withthe Keystone Dressage and Combined Training Drill Team

"We receive a great response on the variety of activities and horses we offer at the Equine Experience," said Brian Egan, instructor in equine science in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "From miniature horses all the way to draft horses, the event covers the gamut of the equine animal. The horse arena is always a popular destination at Ag Progress Days, and we're looking forward to another successful event."

In the Lawn and Garden Area, visitors can learn about "fertigation," whichcombines fertilization and irrigation. Gardeners can learnabout growing herbs, flower arranging, square foot gardening hydroponics and much more, and have their questions answered by Penn State Master Gardeners.

Pollinator-friendly gardens and landscaping remain a focus of the area, with a pollinator garden on site for visitors to see native plants that attract threatened pollinators. Experts will also display a demonstration beehive and operate a small bee yard.

"The demonstration plots serve as living proof that the average gardener can do something to attract and help pollinators," Molly Sturniolo, Centre County Master Gardener and Lawn and Garden Area coordinator,said. "Planting these flowers and other host plants is well within the ability of the average Pennsylvania gardener."

In the Crops, Soils and Conservation Building, specialists will answer questions about crop production, weeds and biofuels and provide information about crop and nutrient management, organic farming and sustainable agriculture.Farm Safety Demonstration Areawill offer demonstrations and prevention measures for issues such as reducing the risk of childhood injuries due to falls from hay holes and run-over incidents involving skid steers. The Rural Health and Safety Tent will offer a variety of health screenings.

The Pasto Agricultural Museum will be open for visitors to experience hands-on exhibits and see more than 1,300 items dating from 4,000 B.C. to the 1940s. Special demonstrations will include "Axe Whisperer" Jim Walizer and a comparison of old-time and modern farmers, among others.

Free daily tours around the surrounding, 2,400-acre Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center will be conducted on topics ranging from American chestnut tree planting to feedlots and grazing for animals tohigh tunnel fruit and vegetable production and more.

For full schedules and maps, visitagsci.psu.edu/apd

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Ag Progress Days Offers Exhibitions, Activities for All - State College News