Related:
ARTIST Dave Wolfe
Vol. 6 No. 28 (Jan. 5, 2019)
Editor\’s Note: Each Sunday morning we post a weekly comic strip provided by cartoonist Dave Wolfe. Dave has been drawing since he was 5 years old, he knew he wanted to be a cartoonist at the age of 8. He’s been distributing his comics in school since 3rd grade. (click image to enlarge)
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Winter weather is unpredictable. Home and business owners rely on outdoor power equipment to keep the power on, clear obstructions from yards and driveways, and keep their families and businesses safe. Do you know how to correctly fuel and maintain equipment so it runs well all season?
The
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI)
offers tips to help users protect their equipment and get the most from it when it’s needed during the winter.
“By its very nature, winter weather is unpredictable. Trees can fall due to ice, snow, or wind and cause power outages. You need your generator to keep the lights and heat on, and your chainsaw and snow thrower to help you clear the way,” says Kris Kiser, President and CEO of OPEI. When deciding on a portable generator to buy, consider the
advantages of an inverter
generator, with less noise being a great feature.
“Whether you’re using battery, gasoline, propane, diesel or hybrid powered equipment, there is a product to meet your needs. But you have to know how to fuel it correctly,” said Kiser.
If using gasoline-powered equipment, OPEI reminds everyone to protect their power and choose the right fuel for the equipment they are using. Most outdoor power equipment is warranted to run on gasoline containing E10 (10 percent ethanol) or less. But many higher ethanol fuel blends, such as E15, E30 and E85, are available in the marketplace.
“As government policies continue to bring uncertainty into the gasoline retail marketplace, especially regarding ethanol content levels in gasoline, the consumer has to make sure the right fuel is chosen for the right product. Protect your power with proper fueling,” says Kiser.
He adds, “Avoid mis-fueling. Use ten percent ethanol (E10) fuel blends or less in your chain saw, portable generator, snow thrower, trimmer, blower and other outdoor power equipment.”
Here are safety tips to help home and business owners:
Tip #1: Consult the equipment’s owner’s manual and follow all fueling guidelines for your outdoor power equipment.
Familiarize yourself with the controls. If you have lost your manual, look it up online.
Tip #2: Inspect equipment.
Check for loose belts and missing or damaged parts. Replace any parts needed or take your equipment to a qualified service representative.
Tip #3: Clean equipment.
Remove any dirt or debris. A clean machine will run more efficiently and last longer.
Tip #4: Drain old fuel.
Fuel sitting in the tank for more than 30 days (without a fuel stabilizer) can deteriorate, which may cause starting or running problems and, in some cases, damage to the fuel system.
Tip #5: Only use E10 or less fuel.
Some gas stations may offer 15 percent ethanol (E15) gas or higher ethanol fuel blends, but fuel containing more than 10 percent ethanol can damage–and is illegal to use — in small engine equipment not designed for it.
Tip #6: Label your fuel can with the date of purchase and ethanol content of the fuel.
Never put “old” gas in your outdoor power equipment. If you don’t know the date of purchase, safely dispose of fuel and buy fresh gas.
Tip #7: Safely store your fuel in an approved container and away from flames or heat sources.
Keep fuel out of the reach of children and pets.
Tip #8: Never add fuel to a hot engine.
Wait for it to cool before fueling.
Visit
www.opei.org
for more tips and go to
www.LookBeforeYouPump.com
for safe fueling information.
About OPEI
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is an international trade association representing power equipment, small engine, utility vehicle, golf car and personal transport vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. OPEI is the advocacy voice of the industry. OPEI is managing partner of GIE+EXPO, the industry’s annual international trade show, and the creative force behind the environmental education program,
TurfMutt.com
. OPEI-Canada represents members on a host of issues, including recycling, emissions and other regulatory developments across the Canadian provinces. For more information, visit
www.OPEI.org
.
According to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data released last week, New Jersey experienced an outflow of nearly $3.2 billion in Individual Income Tax Return Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for tax year 2017-2018.
With this added net loss of AGI, New Jersey\’s total net loss is $28.1 billion over a 13-year period, dating back to 2004-2005.
\”This continuing outflow of income tax returns speaks to our declining competitiveness in the region and the nation,\” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka. \”We need to improve our state\’s economy through comprehensive planning and reform, rather than excessive taxation, which serves as the trigger for people to want to leave our great state.\”
In 2017-2018, New Jersey recorded an inflow of $8.3 billion in income tax returns, compared to $11.5 billion in income tax return outflow.
Data shows that New Jersey\’s regional competitors – New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Massachusetts, Delaware and Connecticut – received 41% of New Jersey\’s outmigrated AGI in 2017-2018.
NJBIA has historically tracked this data and will have further updates on the latest IRS findings in the coming weeks.
By Dave Lemery |
The Center Square
Pity the commuter or trucker who must steer his or her vehicle onto the Pennsylvania Turnpike to get to work each day – the toll rates that critics say are already exorbitant are about to get even worse.
Reeling under massive debt payments that were supposed to be covered by tolls on Interstate 80, the ailing Turnpike administration is set to roll out even higher toll rates starting Sunday, Jan. 5.
For a passenger vehicle traveling from the westernmost toll plaza in Warrendale, just outside Pittsburgh, all the way across the state to the easternmost ticketing plaza in North Wales, just outside Philadelphia, a motorist today can expect to pay $36.20. But by next week, that price will rise to $38.40.
In 2016, the same trip cost $30.32 in tolls.
The source of the Turnpike’s financial distress is
a 2007 law
that diverted $450 million annually from Turnpike coffers to PennDOT to fund other efforts. When the federal government refused to allow the state to put tolls on I-80, the annual payments became unsustainable and have led to annual toll hikes; in the preceding 64 years, the Turnpike averaged less than one toll hike per decade.
Lawmakers later approved a smaller payment from the Turnpike to PennDOT – starting in 2022, the obligation will drop from $450 million a year to $50 million through 2057. But in the meantime, the Turnpike has accumulated about $13 billion in debt, and climbing.
In November, Rep. Lori Mizgorski, R-Allison Park,
said more action needs to be taken
beyond the scheduled drop in PennDOT payments in two years.
“The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) has been forced by law to raise tolls for 11 straight years, while causing the turnpike to reduce its rebuilding program by 13 [percent], forcing their debt levels to more than $13 billion,” Mizgorski said. “The turnpike commission needs to make critical investments to power economic growth across the Commonwealth and provide relief to its customers from excessive toll increases.”
In a news conference last year to call attention to the Turnpike’s financial issues, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale noted that the effects of the rising tolls radiate throughout the state’s economy, raising prices even for those who never drive a single mile on the highway.
“For those that think, ‘Well, I don\’t drive the Turnpike, why should I care about this? I don\’t pay that?’ News flash. Those truckers that are driving on that, they\’re hauling fruit, they\’re hauling food,” DePasquale said. “They\’re hauling goods and services that you\’re buying in Pennsylvania. Yes, you are paying that, because that is being passed along to the consumers.”
Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton said last year that about half of the turnpikes $1.2 billion in revenue each year is going toward paying $600 million in debt, preventing the commission from taking on needed large-scale improvement projects.
DOVER (Jan. 2, 2020) – DNREC staff were dispatched today to the Lewes wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) after Tidewater Utilities notified the Department that the facility was once again forced to bypass stages of its treatment and discharge partially-treated effluent into the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal late Wednesday evening. The bypass lasted two hours while Tidewater operators worked to find a solution for problems with new treatment membranes. By 11:45 p.m.
Wednesday Tidewater was able to end the bypass and resume normal treatment of effluent at the wastewater treatment plant.
DNREC today monitored the WWTP’s operations and Tidewater Utilities’ continued efforts to mitigate recent system malfunctions at the plant. The Lewes WWTP discharged partially-treated effluent from Dec. 18-28, 2019 after a system malfunction caused contamination of the plant’s treatment membranes that filter flow. New membranes were installed Dec. 28, enabling full treatment to resume at that time, but Tidewater reported today that pressure build-up behind the new membranes required a bypass to avoid compromising their use. Tidewater, in consult with the membrane manufacturer, has instituted new operational protocols to minimize pressure build-up moving forward, with no further bypass events expected by plant operators. Tidewater also informed DNREC earlier today that an additional set of refurbished membranes are ready to be put back into service later today to help alleviate strain on the new treatment unit.
DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin confirmed Monday that an environmental violation had occurred when the Lewes WWTP bypassed normal treatment operations between Dec. 18-28 because of the plant’s system malfunction, and that DNREC is currently gathering pertinent information before determining appropriate action. Department staff will continue to monitor the situation at the plant daily as Tidewater Utilities works toward maintaining consistent treatment of effluent without further system malfunctions.
Although the plant is currently back online and has resumed normal treatment of effluent, DNREC also encourages the public who depend on the Lewes WWTP plant to handle their wastewater to continue practicing water conservation while corrective measures continue at the plant.
The following environmental legislation will be up in the state legislature on Monday, January 6, 2020.
Assembly Environment and Solid Waste:
A4819(Benson/Pinkin): Establishes goals, initiatives, and programs to encourage and support the use of plug-in electric vehicles.
“Finally, the roadblocks to make EV’s a reality in New Jersey are being lifted. This legislation is more critical because cars and trucks are the biggest source of air pollution in our state. The legislature is now accelerating moving forward with the original bill instead of the weakened one amended by the Murphy Administration. The new version will have the same targets as the original bill of 330,000 EV’s by 2025, 2 million by 2035, and at least 85% of all light duty vehicles sold in New Jersey will be electric by December of 2040. This bill will help kick electric vehicles into high gear. It’s a major step forward in making EVs a reality in our state,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We are finally going to put our foot on the acceleration and move forward after Murphy’s staff to cut back and weaken EV goals. Now it is critical that the bill is pushed through committee and will move forward in both houses.”
Assembly Appropriations:
“There are two bills up, A6088 (Burzichelli) and A5741 (McKeon/Pinkin), that are trying to fix the solar program. When Governor Murphy signed the Clean Energy Act of 2018, we said that it would hurt the solar program and cause it to crash. That was a pass-first, fix-later legislation that was only a cover for the nuclear subsidy bill. We said that the bill would lead to the solar market collapsing completely, putting a wrench in our plans to make New Jersey cleaner and greener. Now, the legislature is working on short-term Fix Bills to deal with the damage from the Clean Energy Act,” said Jeff Tittel. “Instead of fixing and expanding the solar program, the legislature are postponing the inevitable crash of the solar market. These Fix Bills do nothing to improve the solar program, and instead continue to undermine New Jersey’s clean energy goals.”
A6088 (Burzichelli): Allows BPU to increase cost to customers of Class I renewable energy requirements for energy years 2022 through 2024, under certain conditions.
“We support this bill because it will prevent the collapse of the solar market, but our concern is that this is a temporary fix. We are heading into a crisis for solar energy, and this bill is just a stopgap instead of a real solution. We have said from the beginning that the cost cap would hurt the solar industry and cause it to crash. This legislation is just a short-term fix that averages the cost cap out over five years to extend the program. Under this bill we can only get to 200 Megawatts per year instead of the 500 MW that we need to reach our clean energy goals,” said Jeff Tittel. “We should be completely getting rid of the cap. We don’t have caps on energy from coal, nuclear, oil, or gas. Having a cap on solar hurts renewable energy and favors fossil fuels.”
The bill would allow the BPU to increase the cost cap on Class I renewable energy requirements if the total energy costs during energy years 2019 through 2021 is less than 9%. Since the solar program went into effect about 10 years ago, solar has become 29 percent more efficient and gone down in price by 25 percent.
“What we need is a real fix, not a temporary one. This bill raises the cost cap and averages it out over five years. If the costs exceed the limit the BPU is still required to set aside the Renewable Portfolio Standard for that year. You also have to factor in legacy SRECs as well as transition SRECs. Our concern is that even with this change in the law it will not allow us to have a robust solar program,” said Jeff Tittel. “We need to remove the cost cap, but we also need to come up with a new solar program that is more cost effective and works for all of New Jersey. This includes looking at other funding mechanisms and regulations to push for solar programs to get done.”
A5741 (McKeon/Pinkin): Revises law concerning solar renewable energy portfolio standards, solar renewable energy certificates, and net metering..
“Even though this bill does not actually fix our solar program, we support it because it will prevent the program from crashing. New Jersey passed legislation in 2018 that ends the solar program at 5.1 Gigawatt hours in 2021, but we already have 5.8 GWh in approved applications. This bill would increase the solar incentive program to 6.39 GWh in 2026. This is like swerving to avoid a tree and driving off of a cliff instead. The solar market can end by either running out of the program or by hitting the cost cap,” said Jeff Tittel. “These were the flaws we saw in the 2018 solar bill and they are coming home to roost. We opposed that bill because it would lead to the solar market crashing, and now we are getting a temporary Band-Aid instead of a real fix.”
The bill amends provisions in current law to increase the solar program from 5.1 % in 2021 to 6.39% in 2026. There are five times as many jobs in the solar sector than there are in the coal industry. Improving solar energy in the state would make our environment cleaner, fight climate change, and increase green jobs.
“If New Jersey is going to deal with climate change, we need to take steps to reduce GHG emissions and move forward toward reaching 100% renewable energy. This bill is just kicking the can down the road with a temporary fix, and will not allow for a robust solar energy program. Increasing the solar program by 1.29 percent will not get us anywhere near Murphy’s goals of 50% renewable energy by 2030 or 34% solar by 2050,” said Jeff Tittel. “This bill is a short-term fix. We should be making sure the SRECs program reflects the actual cost of certain sectors of the solar market. Improving solar energy in the state would make our environment cleaner, fight climate change, and increase green jobs.”
A3783 (Eustace): Requires owner or operator of certain trains to have discharge response, cleanup, and contingency plans to transport certain hazardous materials by rail; requires NJ DOT to request bridge inspection reports from US DOT.
“We need this legislation and we need it now. New Jersey is already seeing hundreds of shipments of explosive fossil fuels, whether it is bomb trains carrying Bakken crude oil or LNG, and we could be seeing more in the future. PHMSA recently approved a special permit that will allow hundreds of trains carrying explosive LNG through New Jersey communities and neighborhoods. Not only do these hazardous shipments put people at risk by cutting through densely populated communities but they can also cause ecological disaster and water supply nightmares,” said Jeff Tittel. “We need this legislation to protect communities that have dangerous train cars traveling through them every day. It has passed in the Senate and now the Assembly needs to act quickly and get to Governor Murphy’s desk to sign.”
The bill requires operators carrying Bakken crude shipments to have discharge response, cleanup, and contingency plans to transport certain hazardous materials by rail. Previous Bakken train derailments have led to train cars setting on fire, homes being destroyed, forced evacuations of entire towns, threatened water supplies, and human casualties. Governor Christie vetoed this bill when it was originally passed and an attempt for an override was made.
“We need this legislation because if there is an accident or spill, it can catastrophic consequences to our communities. This bill requires the railroad to have a warning system in place and a contingency plan that will deal with any potential spill or accident. This legislation also gives towns important tools to deal with a response or emergency clean up and will give the town notice when a train is coming through. It is important that the state legislature is resisting Trump Administration rollbacks to rail safety,” said Jeff Tittel. “This bill will help protect the people of New Jersey from dangerous spills and derailments. We need our legislature to move quickly on this bill to help protect susceptible communities.”
A4819 (Benson/Pinkin): Establishes goals, initiatives, and programs to encourage and support the use of plug-in electric vehicles.
“Over 45% of our greenhouse gasses in New Jersey come vehicles and our state suffers from failing air levels. This bill is the first major step in reducing pollution and GHG’s from our transportation sector. Now it is critical for the legislature and Governor Murphy to pass and sign this comprehensive electric vehicle legislation. Our state used to be a leader in innovation and transportation and can be again in clean transport. We can see the benefits of clean air and clean jobs if the BPU builds a state-wide network of charging stations, creates green jobs, saves people money on gas, and reduces air pollution. Half of New Jersey’s greenhouse gases come from mobile sources, but these emissions can be easily cut by implementing EV technology,” said Jeff Tittel.
A6102 (Kennedy): Provides two-year exemption for hospitals from requirement to source separate and recycle food waste.
“We oppose this legislation because hospitals should be the easiest place to separate and recycle food waste. We are in a climate crisis and our waste is a major contributor. Food waste that is brought to landfills instead of anaerobically digested or composed contributes to global warming and GHG emissions. As we move toward getting to zero carbon, we need to move towards getting to zero food waste,” said Jeff Tittel. “Hospitals create a tremendous amount of food waste, and they should be one of the simplest places where food waste could be recycled.”
Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee:
S3796 (Andrzejczak): Requires DEP Commissioner to establish individual transferable quota system for menhaden purse seine fishery.
“Menhaden are an important species and the food supply and stability of our fisheries, but this bill would lead to overfishing of this critical fish. Our concern is that the bill will privatize the regulation and mandate by setting up this quote system. By locking in quotas for different fishing interests, we believe it will lead to overfishing. What is an even bigger problem is the trading system of quotas. Menhaden are a critical link to the food web and are known as forage species. This means they function as a food source for larger species like bluefish and striped bass,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “This legislation will essentially be a destructive domino effect throughout the marine food chain. It will not only impact these important species, but impact New Jersey’s commercial and recreational fisheries.”
A North Carolina Family is Celebrating Blood Donors and Organ Donors on Their Son’s One-Year Double Lung Transplantaversary
January 2, 2020
—
January is designated as National Blood Donor Month by The American Red Cross. During this month, all are encouraged to give blood, which is typically in short
COTA Patient Charlton Buchanan Double Lung Transplant Recipient
supply at this time of the year due to the holidays and an increase in communicable illnesses. A COTA family in North Carolina will be forever grateful to the blood donors whose blood was used throughout their son’s transplant journey and his life-saving transplant that occurred last year on January 16
th
.
Charla and Trevor Buchanan of Robbinsville, North Carolina, are stepping into 2020 hoping and praying this is a year of no medical emergencies, no surgeries, no complications and no setbacks for their son, Charlton, who will be celebrating his 26
th
birthday in September — a dream come true for this family.
According to Charla, “For 24 years we have been on a Cystic Fibrosis (CF) journey … but more than that, we have been on a faith journey. Our son, Charlton, was born with CF, which is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and an overall inability to thrive. From his premature birth until very recently, Charlton’s life has consisted of daily physical and respiratory therapy, medications, quarterly clinic visits to UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill and annual (sometimes bi-annual) hospital stays. Although his treatment regimen has been incredibly time consuming (2-4 hours daily), Charlton seldom complained as a little boy … as a teenager … or as a young adult. He has always had a positive attitude and has lived a full and active life. In fact, many people never knew he was battling a challenging and life-threatening disease.”
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that primarily affects the lungs, but also the pancreas, liver, kidneys and intestines. Long-term issues include difficulty breathing and coughing up mucus as a result of frequent lung infections. CF is an inherited disease, and while there is promising research, there is no known cure.
Even with a multitude of CF-related challenges, Charlton attended and graduated from Robbinsville (NC) High School. He then attended Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina, and received a degree in computer information systems on May 12, 2018. Charlton was hired by the Graham County (NC) government to work in its Information Technology Department. His life definitely seemed to be moving in the right direction. His friends and family were thrilled for this young man who simply was not going to let anything stand in his way … including his battle with Cystic Fibrosis.
However, 2018 proved to be one of the hardest years of Charlton’s life due to nine hospitalizations. His lung function rapidly declined, and with each hospital stay, increasing amounts of oxygen were required. During a challenging two-week hospital stay in December, Charlton’s transplant team decided it was time to list Charlton for a double lung transplant while he was still healthy enough to thrive and before there was further lung decline. Charla, Trevor and many other family members and friends knew this would one day be his reality, but the news took everyone by surprise.
Charlton was officially listed for new lungs on January 9, 2019. One week later on January 16
th
, the Buchanan family received ‘the call’ telling them lungs were available. Charla posted this update on Facebook, “Transplant day has been long for everyone. We are all excited and want to hear good news, but the only news so far is that the surgery is going well and it will still be a long wait. On January 17
th
she updated, “Charlton is out of surgery and in recovery. He woke up easily, was taken off the ventilator, took his first breath with lungs that are NOT diseased with Cystic Fibrosis — and never will be. To say we are amazed, awed and blown away is an understatement.”
Charlton’s post-transplant recovery was nothing less than amazing. On the second day after his double lung transplant, Charlton was moved to the stepdown unit and walked five laps. On day three post transplant he was able to eat real food. Eight days after his transplant, Charlton was discharged to medical housing close to the transplant center. According to Charla, this recovery timeline tied for the shortest UNC Medical Center record for a double lung transplant patient.
In the midst of this whirlwind a transplant social worker at UNC Medical Center had introduced the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) to the Buchanans and suggested they might want to consider fundraising for the transplant-related medical costs they would be facing. On January 11
th
, Charla called COTA to learn more and to ask many good questions about how COTA might be able to help. On January 29
th
, Charla and Trevor returned the paperwork and officially became part of the COTA Family.
The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) works with individuals of any age with single gene disorders, such as Cystic Fibrosis, Polycystic Kidney Disease and Sickle Cell Anemia. COTA uniquely understands that parents who care for a child or young adult before, during and after a life-saving transplant have enough to deal with, so COTA’s model shifts the responsibility for fundraising to a community team of trained volunteers. Another plus? COTA funds are available for a lifetime. On February 22
nd
, a COTA fundraising specialist trained volunteers in Robbinsville for the COTA for Team Charlton campaign and walked the group of attendees through the entire COTA fundraising process. This group of family members and friends quickly got to work organizing fundraisers for COTA to help with mounting transplant-related expenses.
According to Charla, “From the moment we reached out to COTA, we were set at ease. Every staff member we spoke to was so reassuring and helpful, patiently answering the multitude of questions and listening intently to our concerns. Charlton received his transplant so quickly that we had not yet had time to officially become part of COTA. When we reached out a week after his transplant … our minds in a whirlwind … they made the process so easy. Very soon after that we began receiving much-needed support and our team of volunteers began fundraising with COTA’s guidance and support.”
“As our COTA team of volunteers began to raise funds in honor of Charlton, we were relieved to share that COTA is a 501(c)3 charity so all contributions to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law, and COTA funds are available for a lifetime,” Charla said. “Our volunteers were given a fundraising website at no charge and I used the COTA site to blog medical updates to our friends and family.”
Charlton remained in the Chapel Hill area, some 315 miles from their home, for three months. On April 10, 2019, Charlton was released to return home to Robbinsville. Charla blogged on the Team Charlton COTA website, “WE ARE HOME!!! Twelve weeks to the day after his transplant. Charlton even went back to work today. He feels great and has been hiking and enjoying time with friends. His lung function numbers continue to climb higher than they have been in more than two years with his oxygen levels staying at 100%.”
Recently Charlton updated his friends, family and social media followers on how things are going post-transplant. Here is the list of accomplishments he shared:
I set the hospital record for getting listed, transplanted and discharged.
I got out of ICU in one day.
I do not cough or get out of breath now.
I do not have to do breathing treatments anymore.
I am very thankful for my donor and continue to pray for his/her family.
“It is overwhelming to hear the word ‘transplant’ but even more overwhelming to learn about the related expenses. From the moment we learned about the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) and reached out prior to our son’s transplant, we were instantly set at ease. COTA is more like a family than an organization. COTA does not simply assist with transplant-related expenses, they give peace of mind. And to a family in crisis, that gift is priceless! It is hard to describe the reassurance in knowing COTA will be there for Charlton
… for a lifetime,”
Charla said.
“COTA allows us to breathe easier every day because we do not have to focus on the financial aspects of Charlton’s disease and treatment, but can enjoy the journey of healing,”
she said.
Charlton continues to thrive in every aspect. At his ten month post-transplant follow-up appointment, the doctors told him he was doing so well he did not need to come back until his one-year checkup. He never coughs any more, and he is currently at his heaviest weight. Charlton is eating well, working out at least three times a week and overall feeling great. He goes to work every day and is very active doing the things he enjoys, which include hiking, fishing, snowboarding, rock climbing, traveling, going to concerts, hanging out with friends and family, and actively participating in his church. Charlton is living life to the fullest and is now planning for a bright future — something he was previously reluctant to do.
Mom Charla reflected, “Looking back at pictures from last year at this time, it is very humbling to realize how low he actually was and now how far he has come. This lung transplant has truly been a life-saving gift in so many ways, and COTA has been there through every step of the process. We now understand why a transplant anniversary is celebrated.”
.
So…in 2020, DEMAND CHANGE. Support women running!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — CHICAGO – 1/2/2020 — Formulating New Year’s Eve resolutions for 2020?
RUN
, a new independently produced TV show, has a suggestion for the feminists in the room: support women running for office using a “squad” mentality that defends, supports and amplifies women during their run!
RUN
has already transformed the campaign of one woman, Bushra Amiwala, who won her race for school board in IL in 2019 by a narrow margin with the team’s help. The format of the show includes five female experts in campaign strategy, PR, tech, activism and comedy that empower scrappy, novice, passionate female political candidates to run. The team has already gathered an audience of 30k followers and is currently in talks with networks to land the show. The show’s trailer and info can be found at
www.runtheseries.com
.
“Nothing is going to change for women until women demand change as a group,” states Genevieve Thiers, producer and tech trainer of
RUN
. “We are the supermajority. But we’ve faced so many challenges for equality in our own lives that we very rarely support each other, monetarily or otherwise.” Thiers has one suggestion for reversing this thinking. “It’s 2020. Try something new. Reverse course and throw your support and voice behind as many women who share your views and are running as you possibly can.” Thiers has put her money where her mouth is on this front. A mother of twins who founded tech company
Sittercity.com
and has funded over 15 women in tech companies and supported over 50 women in politics, she is a force for women worldwide.
The RUN team has five specific suggestions for how best to help women running.
Support her with talent.
If you have an area of expertise….be it campaign, fundraising, tech, content creation, social media, field work, legal….reach out to her team right away and ask if there are gaps you can fill in the campaign office while she runs.
Support her with money.
Not all of us have to max out in donations. Even $1000 makes a huge difference to a woman running. The very best thing you can do is a home event, where you invite neighbors, friends and family and set a goal to raise x dollars for the candidate and her team.
Defend her.
If news comes out that seems suspect, in today’s era of false news it very well might be false. Women are also especially prone to attacks on their looks, their voices and any emotion they show. Use your voice on social media to call out anything blatantly unfair and urge friends to, too.
Amplify her.
In the same way, if the women you are supporting have policy changes, messaging or news that they are trying to distribute, send it across your social networks and send bulk emails. This is easy and will do wonders for her viral reach.
Zig when others Zag.
At first, your strategy of supporting women might be met with raise eyebrows, especially from boomer women, who unfortunately had it the worst when it came to competitiveness. Don’t try to talk these women over to your side. Just loudly and consistently support women and you will see it rub off fast into their own behaviors as well.
“It is so important for women to be a part of the political process” states the show’s PR expert Mary Simms, an army veteran and mother of twins based out of California. So this year, get out there this year and help women RUN.
RUN the Series
RUN is a new series produced by Ana Breton, Victoria Elena Nones and Genevieve Thiers. The show helps women running for office win via training and help from five female experts in Campaign Strategy, PR, Tech, Activism, and Comedy called “The Boss Squad.” In each episode of RUN, a different woman\’s campaign is transformed from striving to thriving. Filmed in the heart of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, RUN’s pilot episode follows 21-year-old muslim candidate Bushra Amiwala in her race for School Board in Skokie, IL. (Spoiler alert—she wins!). The show aims to inspire, educate, and empower an audience of women and girls to get out and knock doors, become a donor, take the leap to run for political office and build squads around each other to win. See more at
www.runtheseries.com
.
Join Caesars Entertainment, one of the world\’s top entertainment companies.
Event is open to 18 years of age or older
Our award winning team is on a mission to inspire grownups to play and we want you to come join the fun. Harrah’s Philadelphia will be hosting a Free Table Games Dealer Training Hiring Event on
Friday January 3rd from 4:30PM to 5:30PM & Wedensday January 8th from 4:30PM to 5:30PM.
Our Job Fair will be held on the 6th floor at Harrah’s Philadelphia inside our Dealer Training Academy.
Academy begins January 13th 2020 at the following time offerings:
3:00pm – 7:00pm (Option #1)
7:00pm – 11:00pm (Option #2)
Come as you are, no dress requirements are necessary for this event!
LEARN HOW TO BE A TABLE GAMES DEALER
FOR CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT
Free training through our on-site Table Games Academy.
Flexible training schedule.
Classes are a short 6 weeks in length.
We will provide an assigned buddy for your continued on the job training.
WHY IS TABLE GAMES A GOOD FIT FOR ME?
We’re a 24 hour business, so we have different shifts available.
Dealer earn upwards of $20 per hour with included tips.
Benefits available to full time employees.
Responsibilities and Duties
REQUIREMENTS
Must have an upbeat personality and love to provide superior customer service.
Classes will be scheduled 6 weeks based on learning comprehension.
Classes will run Monday – Friday for your convenience.
Class sessions are 4 hours.
Must pass a basic math assessment for consideration.
Drug testing required.
Background checks required for criminal and employment verification.
Qualifications and Skills
No previous experience is necessary for this free training opportunity please visit: sign up today!!
Have questions about Free Casino Dealer Training Harrah\’s Philadelphia ?
Contact Harrah\’s Philadelphia
TO REGISTER CLICK HERE
PITTSBURGH & CHICAGO–(
BUSINESS WIRE
)–
Kraft
Hockeyville™ USA is back again this year to find America’s most-spirited hockey community. Together with the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), Kraft Heinz is looking to crown one hockey community in America with the
Kraft
Hockeyville™ USA 2020 title, award
$150,000 in rink upgrades along with $10,000 worth of hockey equipment through the NHLPA Goals & Dreams program, and provide the chance to host an NHL
®
Pre-Season Game in their community rink.
“The incredible response we’ve seen from hockey communities over the years has been an inspiration,” said Magen Hanrahan, vice president of media and marketing services, Kraft Heinz. “Every year, we’ve seen communities come together to support their local rinks, and we’re proud to be a small part of the passion that ignites hockey communities each year.”
Kraft
Hockeyville™ USA is proud to rally local communities around their true passion for hockey. The 2020 program was announced live during today’s broadcast of the 2020 Bridgestone NHL
Winter Classic
®
outdoor game in Dallas, Texas, featuring the Dallas Stars against the Nashville Predators.
How
Kraft
Hockeyville™ USA 2020 Works
Hockey communities hoping to become the next
Kraft
Hockeyville™ winner can kick off their chance during the nomination phase, where they can share unique stories about their local rink, teams and passion for hockey. Throughout the submission process, hockey towns need to rally their fans on the mobile-friendly platform at
www.KraftHockeyville.com
, where communities earn Rally Points by adding notes, uploading photos and videos, and tweeting from the community page. Finalists will be selected based on the best stories and their community’s total Rally Points through three periods:
Period 1 (January 1 – February 29, 2020) – Local communities head to
www.KraftHockeyville.com
to submit their story on why their rink should be crowned
Kraft
Hockeyville™ 2020. Once submitted, it’s up to the fans and hockey community to engage with the story online to boost their digital Rally Points. Communities are judged based on a combination of total Rally Points and the best story.
Period 2 (March 22 – 27, 2020) – Once the judges read through each rink’s story and calculate the total Rally Points of each submission, the top four finalists will be announced on March 22, 2020. After the official announcement, the weeklong rally begins for each of the four finalists to bring their community and supporters nationwide together in preparation for the live voting event.
Period 3 (March 28 – 29, 2020) – The four finalist communities will compete to receive as many votes as possible at
www.KraftHockeyville.com
from 7 a.m. ET on March 28 until 11 a.m. ET on March 29. The winner of
Kraft
Hockeyville™ USA 2020 will be announced on March 29, 2020 during an intermission of an NHL game on NBCSN and will be awarded the grand prize of $150,000 in rink upgrades from Kraft Heinz and an opportunity to host an NHL Pre-Season Game. The First Prize rink
will receive $30,000 in rink upgrades while the Second Prize rinks will each receive $10,000 in rink upgrades. Each of the four finalists will also receive $10,000 worth of new hockey equipment from the NHLPA Goals & Dreams program.
This year, one lucky fan will also win a trip for two to a Stanley Cup
®
Game from Kraft Heinz. Starting March 22 through 29, fans can register online at
www.krafthockeyville.com
to be entered. Additionally, each vote cast during the 28-hour voting phase from March 28 to 29 equals one entry into the sweepstakes, so fans are encouraged to vote multiple times for their favorite community
1
.
Since launching in Canada in 2006,
Kraft
Hockeyville™ has positively impacted more than 120 communities with more than $5 million awarded in rink upgrades across Canada and the U.S. During the program, Kraft Heinz
will feature its diverse portfolio of products to unite hockey fans in their celebrations of the sport and their communities, including
Planters, Kraft
Natural Cheese,
Maxwell House, Oscar Mayer, Heinz
Ketchup
and
Kraft
Macaroni & Cheese.
For complete contest rules and nomination applications, visit
www.KraftHockeyville.com
. Kraft
Hockeyville™ USA can also be found on
(KraftHockeyvilleUSA),
(@HockeyvilleUSA) and
(@KraftHockeyvilleUSA). Fans can join the conversation using #HockeyvilleUSA.
NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, and the word mark NHL Winter Classic are registered trademarks and the NHL Winter Classic logo, and HOCKEYVILLE are trademarks of the National Hockey League. © NHL 2019. All rights reserved.
NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the NHLPA. © 2020. All rights reserved.
About The Kraft Heinz Company
For 150 years, we have produced some of the world’s most beloved products at The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC). Our Vision is To Be the Best Food Company, Growing a Better World. We are one of the largest global food and beverage companies, with 2018 net sales of approximately $26 billion. Our portfolio is a diverse mix of iconic and emerging brands. As the guardians of these brands and the creators of innovative new products, we are dedicated to the sustainable health of our people and our planet. To learn more, visit
https://www.kraftheinzcompany.com/
or follow us on
and
Twitter.
About the NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 31 Member Clubs and proudly welcomes its 32nd franchise, based in Seattle, for the 2021-22 season. Each team roster reflects the League’s international makeup with players from more than 20 countries represented, all vying for the most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Gary Bettman has served the NHL as Commissioner since February 1, 1993 and has guided the world’s top professional hockey league to more than $5 billion in annual revenues and partnerships with more than 40 blue chip corporate sponsors. Every year, the NHL entertains more than 670 million fans in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio; more than 151 million followers – league, team and player accounts combined – across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube; and more than 100 million fans online at NHL.com. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including NBC/NBCSN and the NHL Network™ in the U.S., Sportsnet and TVA in Canada, Viasat in the Nordic Region, Yandex in Russia and CCTV and Tencent in China. The NHL reaches fans worldwide with games available online in every country including via its live and on-demand streaming service NHL.TV™. Having entered the esports world in 2018, the League hosts the NHL Gaming World Championship™ annually, drawing record digital streaming audiences during the 2019 campaign. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL® App; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™; and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring unprecedented access to player and team statistics as well as every regular-season and playoff game box score dating back to the League’s inception, powered by SAP. The NHL is committed to building healthy and vibrant communities through the sport of hockey by increasing youth participation and engagement; fostering positive family experiences; promoting inclusion, positive culture and leadership; and supporting sustainable community impact.
About the National Hockey League Players’ Association
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), established in 1967, is a labour organization whose members are the players in the National Hockey League (NHL). The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, NHLPA Goals & Dreams was launched as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 20 years, more than 80,000 deserving children in 34 countries have benefited from the players\’ donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $25 million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit
www.nhlpa.com
.
1
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
. Legal residents of the 50 United States (D.C.), 13 or older. Void where prohibited. Promotion starts 3/22/20 and ends 3/29/20. For Official Rules, entry requirements, and prize descriptions, visit
www.krafthockeyville.com
. PRIZES/ARV: One (1) Grand Prize/$6,550; Fifty (50) First Prizes/$20. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Promotion Period. Sponsor: Kraft Heinz Foods Company, 200 E Randolph, Chicago, IL 60601.