Nye - Gateway to Nevada's Rurals

Nye County Democrats host Jefferson-Jackson Dinner April 10

Featheriver — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:31:09 +0000

Greetings,

On Saturday, April 10, 2010 the Nye County Democratic Party will be holding its Jefferson-Jackson Dinner at the Nevada Treasure Resort in Pahrump. The evening begins at 7:00 pm. Our speakers will be; Senator Harry Reid, Congresswomen Berkley and Titus, State Treasurer Marshall and State Controller Wallin. We will also have candidates for office speaking.

Tickets are: $40.00 each/$70.00 per couple/$300.00 per table. You may call me at 775-910-3494 to order tickets or you may send a check to: 1201 S. Hwy 160, Suite 105, Pahrump, NV 89048. If you would like the tickets mailed to you, please enclose a SASE otherwise you may pick them up at the door.

We need to get an accurate count for dinner for the caterer, so please contact me as soon as possible if you will be coming.

We are looking forward to seeing you there.

Kathleen L. Bienenstein,

Chair, Nye County Jefferson-Jackson Dinner Committee

Women in the World Summit

Featheriver — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:15:06 +0000

The Daily Beast

A few days ago I blogged a post about March being the month in which outstanding women are featured. Today The Daily Beast has a featured article about

Women in the World, will showcase the stories of outstanding women leaders fighting sex trafficking, child marriage, and other challenges holding back women and girls. Featuring Meryl Streep, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Her Majesty Queen Rania, and activists from across the globe, it will be a live event—live-streamed on The Daily Beast—that focuses in depth on powerful human stories about women.

The gathering will include women pioneers in government, media, social activism, business, and the arts. It’s shaping up to be an incredibly exciting three days of provocative political discussion, dramatic presentations, and fiery debate, including such terrific participants as former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright; Thomas L. Friedman; Katie Couric; Meryl Streep; Prajwala founder and anti-trafficking activist Sunitha KrishNan; Chouchou Namegabe, the Congolese anti-rape activist and journalist; Kakenya Ntaiya, the founder of girls’ schools in Kenya; Afghan women’s activist Suraya Pakzad; Barbara Walters; Christiane Amanpour; French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde; Nora Ephron; Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, former British first lady and human-rights lawyer Cherie Blair; and many, many more.

To get involved with this remarkable and important event, email us.
Connect with the Women in the World Summit on Facebook, Twitter, and our own Social Engagement Site.

A tip of my hat to The Daily Beast for calling such an array of women leaders to our attention.

Bank of America to end debit overdraft fees

Featheriver — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:47:44 +0000

Bank of America announced it will end overdraft fees on debit cards this summer, a move that will cost the bank a large amount of revenue and pressure others to follow suit.

Customers who don’t have enough cash in their accounts to make a purchase will simply be declined.

More than 60% of overdraft fees charged by Bank of America come from debit cards.

A new federal law is forcing banks to get permission from customers before allowing overdrafts on debit purchases and ATM withdrawals, fees that earned banks $20 billion last year.

Regulators became concerned by reports of people paying as much as $40 for a cup of coffee thanks to overdraft fees, and Congress is considering even more restrictive rules.

A 2008 study by the FDIC found that while 75% of customers are never charged overdraft fees, a small group—14% of cardholders—generates 93% of the fees.

[Source: New York Times via Daily Beast]

Notice that B of A didn’t end these fees voluntarily. It happened because of the new federal law passed in Congress.

Ensign on Massa: “I don’t tickle anyone.”

Featheriver — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:53:21 +0000

WASHINGTON – Republican Senator John Ensign – speaking from his room at the C Street Center – has come out swinging against ex-Representative Eric Massa.
“That he would admit to a tickle fight is a travesty and an embarrassment for this Congress,” said Ensign, who at no time during his speech slept with any of his friends’ wives. “The Democrats have once again proven to have serious ethics problems.”

Ensign – who while speaking never once tried to find a job for anyone he cuckolded – said he felt his record showed him as a fierce non-tickler.

“I don’t tickle the Republican Party at all,” said Ensign, who was backed by close friend, Republican Sen. Tom Coburn. “I stridently avoid any ticklish situations.”

Ensign’s speech was cut short, however, as his parents arrived and chased away reporters with a broom and $100 bills.

[dagblog]

Robber needs a better business plan

Featheriver — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:36:38 +0000

Authorities in Riverside County, California, say a woman with a gun robbed 11 customers at a market and got away with $6.

[MSNBC]

Rory Reid for Governor BBQ April 17 in Las Vegas

Featheriver — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:09:16 +0000

COME ONE and ALL (Invite EVERYONE – friends, family, soon-to-be-supporters of Rory, et al.)

What: BBQ for Rory Reid for Governor

Where: John and Vicky Birkland’s backyard
5832 Trailblazer Drive, North Las Vegas 89031

When: Saturday, APRIL 17^th
Time: 4:30 to ???

Fee: $10 per adult (kids free)

Menu: Hot dogs, hamburgers, veggie burgers, salads, fruit – and welcoming any POT LUCK dishes anyone wants to bring!

RSVP: 702 505-9459 or jabirkland@cox.net

Yes, we’re also hosting a BBQ for Kate Marshall on Sunday May 2^nd (week before Mother’s Day), so hope you can come to both events!

Sorry I haven’t yet got any cute invitation, but I wanted to get out the word so you can mark your calendars to SAVE THE DATE. We want YOU and YOURS to come. I’ll send out more information soon, but MARK IT DOWN. WE would LOVE to have YOU here.

Thanks!

Vicky and John Birkland (avid supporters of our next Governor – Rory Reid)

505-9459

Sue Lowden’s record with OSHA as a business executive

Featheriver — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:58:45 +0000

All Nevada voters should be aware of the following information. For those of you who may not know, Sue Lowden is running for Governor of Nevada. Currently she is running for the Republican nomination in the upcoming Primary election to run on the Republican ticket in the General Election in November.

I received the following from Friends for Harry Reid:

For Immediate Release Tuesday, March 9, 2010

CONTACT: Zac Petkanas, Deputy Communications Director, (702) 278-2120

Lowden’s Casinos A Dangerous Place to Work

Cited 221 Times by OSHA for Safety, Health Violations, Some Involving Exposure to “Bloodborne Pathogens”

LAS VEGAS – As a casino executive, Sue Lowden has proven that she will do anything to make a buck. As previously reported, she broke the law to deny her employees health insurance and even gave her CEO husband six-figure bonuses while slashing the jobs of hundreds of her workers.

Now, we learn that under Sue Lowden, casinos owned by Archon Corporation were dangerous places to work. In fact, during the years she was a casino executive, the Sahara, Hacienda, Santa Fe and Pioneer Hotels and Casinos were cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration at least 221 times.

Fifty-two of these violations were classified as serious. Four of the total 221 were repeat violations.

Her casinos were also fined 35 times for workplace safety violations. Clearly she didn’t learn her lesson because one of these fines cost the company $12,400 for a repeated violation, when she repeatedly failed to keep workplace floors free of nails, splinters, holes, and loose boards at the Hacienda.

Of the other 221 violations, one includes a 2001 violation that resulted in a $1,680 fine after it was found they had violated a requirement that explosion-proof wiring must be used in areas where dangerous quantities of flammable vapors are sprayed. Another includes a $4,500 fine at Sahara in 1994 for not providing employees medical evaluations following a report of a blood borne pathogen exposure incident. Yet another in 1992 resulted in a fine at the Santa Fe for failing to label hazardous chemicals.

“It looks like Sue Lowden will stop at nothing to make a buck, even if it means breaking the law and putting her employees’ safety on the line,” said campaign manager Brandon Hall. “If she isn’t even willing to look out for the people who helped her make her $50 million fortune, how can Nevadans who don’t know her at all believe she’ll actually fight to protect them?”

BACKGROUND

Lowden’s Casinos Cited For Numerous OSHA Violations

Sue Lowden’s Casinos Have Been Cited For 221 Workplace Safety Violations. During the years when Sue Lowden played a role in the management of the Sahara, Hacienda, Santa Fe, and Pioneer Hotels and Casinos, her companies were cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration at least 221 times, including 52 violations classified as “serious” and 4 repeat violations. [OSHA Inspection Records: Hacienda Hotel and Casino, 1988-1995, Sahara Hotel and Casino, 1988-1995, Santa Fe Hotel and Casino, 1991-2000, and Pioneer Hotel and Casino, 1989-2010]

Sue Lowden’s Casinos Have Been Fined 35 Times For Workplace Safety Violations. During the years when Sue Lowden played a role in the management of the Sahara, Hacienda, Santa Fe, and Pioneer Hotels and Casinos, her companies were fined at least 35 times, including one fine for $12,400 for a repeated violation. . [OSHA Inspection Records: Hacienda Hotel and Casino, 1988-1995, Sahara Hotel and Casino, 1988-1995, Santa Fe Hotel and Casino, 1991-2000, and Pioneer Hotel and Casino, 1989-2010]

February 2001: Pioneer Hotel Was Fined For Improper Wiring Near Flammable Vapors. The Pioneer Hotel was fined $1,680 after an inspection arising from a complaint found that they had violated a requirement that explosion-proof wiring must be used in areas where dangerous quantities of flammable vapors are sprayed. [OSHA Inspection Record, Citations Issued 2/2/2001, OSHA Regulation Definitions –Spray Finishing Using Flammable And Combustible Materials]

June 1995: Hacienda Hotel Was Fined For Repeatedly Failing To Keep Workplace Floors Free Of Nails, Splinters, Holes, And Loose Boards. The Hacienda agreed to pay a $12,400.00 fine for repeatedly violating the requirement that “To facilitate cleaning, every floor, working place, and passageway shall be kept free from protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose boards.” [OSHA Citation Record 6/13/95; OSHA Regulation Definitions – General Practices]

June 1994: Sahara Hotel Was Fined For Failing To Provide Medical Follow-Up To Bloodborne Pathogen Exposure. The Sahara was fined $4,500 after an inspection arising from a complaint found that they had violated, among others, the requirements that employers must provide medical evaluations and procedures including hepatitis B vaccination at no cost to the employee following a report of a bloodborne pathogen exposure incident. [OSHA Inspection Record, Citations Issued 6/21/94, OSHA Regulation Definitions – Blood-Borne Pathogens]

August 1993: Santa Fe Hotel Was Fined For Failing To Maintain A Clean Workplace. The Santa Fe Hotel was fined $2,500 after an inspection arising from a complaint found that they had violated a requirement that states, “All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms shall be kept clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition.” [OSHA Inspection Record, Citations Issued 8/20/1993, OSHA Regulation Definitions –General Requirements]

April 1992: Santa Fe Was Fined For Failing To Label Hazardous Chemicals. The Santa Fe Hotel was fined after an inspection arising from a complaint found that they had violated a requirement that all containers of hazardous chemicals must be properly labeled. [OSHA Inspection Record, Citations Issued 4/17/1992, OSHA Regulation Definitions –Hazard Communication]

Sue Lowden Cut Almost ¼ Of Her Workforce And Ended Employee 401(k) Matching While Her Husband Brought Home A $200,000 Bonus

Las Vegas Sun: “SEC Filing: Sue Lowden Cut Jobs, Got Bonus.” “Republican Sue Lowden’s company gave her husband a $200,000 bonus last year — bringing the couple’s combined paycheck to nearly $1 million — even as it slashed more than 100 jobs and eliminated the employee savings match, according to an annual report.” [Las Vegas Sun, 2/24/2010]

CQ Politics: “Reid Presses Attacks on Lowden’s Jobs Record.” Last week, Reid aides pounced on Archon’s annual financial report that showed the company reduced its employee rolls by nearly a quarter compared with 2008, while Paul Lowden received a $200,000 bonus. Monday, Reid’s campaign publicized records that showed a casino owned by an Archon subsidiary shut its doors in 2004, leaving 50-plus workers out of jobs. Paul Lowden also received a $200,000 bonus that year. [CQ Politics, 3/1/2010]

Lowden Illegally Denied her Employees Health Insurance

Las Vegas Review-Journal: “When Sue Lowden Headed The Santa Fe Hotel-Casino, Management Forced A Group Of Workers To Shift To Part-Time Status And Sign Away Their Health Care Coverage.” In March 2010, the Review-Journal wrote, “When Sue Lowden headed the Santa Fe hotel-casino, management forced a group of workers to shift to part-time status and sign away their health care coverage, said a judge who ruled the company violated fair labor practices. He ordered the Santa Fe to pay two dozen employees almost $188,000 in back wages and benefits and to reinstate three workers who lost their jobs, records show … The complex legal battles between the union and Santa Fe management came after workers from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1, 1993, voted 300-241 for unionization in a labor board-supervised election, according to published reports. The Lowdens refused to recognize the results and dealt directly with workers in reducing hours and benefits instead of bargaining with union representatives … After the judge’s ruling, the Santa Fe was ordered to post a three-page notice to employees in the hotel-casino, admitting to the labor violations and promising not to repeat them.” [Review-Journal, 3/7/2010]

###

Paid for by Friends for Harry Reid

–
Justin Barasky
Rapid Response Director
Friends for Harry Reid
440.476.4419 cell
www.harryreid.com

Nevada Congressional Delegation’s votes

Featheriver — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:28:52 +0000

Recent Senate Votes

Temporary Extension Act of 2010 – Vote Passed (78-19, 3 Not Voting)

The Senate passed this bill that provides short-term extensions of a number of programs that expired February 28, including unemployment benefits and federal health care subsidies for jobless workers. The bill was quickly signed by the President.

Sen. John Ensign voted NO……send e-mail or see bio
Sen. Harry Reid voted YES……send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act – Vote Passed (262-153, 16 Not Voting)

The House passed this legislation that would establish the first federal safety standards on seclusion and restraint in schools, allowing for restraints in cases when there is immediate danger to the student or others. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Rep. Shelley Berkley voted YES……send e-mail or see bio

Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act – Vote Passed (217-201, 14 Not Voting)

The House approved this bill that would provide $13 billion in payroll tax relief over 10 years for employers who hire unemployed workers and extend through 2010 a law that allows small businesses to deduct up to $250,000 in qualified expenses. The bill goes to the Senate.

Rep. Shelley Berkley voted YES……send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act – Vote Passed (262-153, 16 Not Voting)

The House passed this legislation that would establish the first federal safety standards on seclusion and restraint in schools, allowing for restraints in cases when there is immediate danger to the student or others. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Rep. Dean Heller voted NO……send e-mail or see bio

Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act – Vote Passed (217-201, 14 Not Voting)

The House approved this bill that would provide $13 billion in payroll tax relief over 10 years for employers who hire unemployed workers and extend through 2010 a law that allows small businesses to deduct up to $250,000 in qualified expenses. The bill goes to the Senate.

Rep. Dean Heller voted NO……send e-mail or see bio

Recent House Votes

Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act – Vote Passed (262-153, 16 Not Voting)

The House passed this legislation that would establish the first federal safety standards on seclusion and restraint in schools, allowing for restraints in cases when there is immediate danger to the student or others. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Rep. Dina Titus voted YES……send e-mail or see bio

Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act – Vote Passed (217-201, 14 Not Voting)

The House approved this bill that would provide $13 billion in payroll tax relief over 10 years for employers who hire unemployed workers and extend through 2010 a law that allows small businesses to deduct up to $250,000 in qualified expenses. The bill goes to the Senate.

Rep. Dina Titus voted YES……send e-mail or see bio

Note that Congressman Heller voted against business deductions for hiring unemployed workers.

Teacher speaks out about education in Nevada

Featheriver — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:58:07 +0000

A Reno teacher wrote a letter to the editor of the Las Vegas Sun about the budget cuts in Nevada’s education system. She makes valid points which should be in the minds of all Nevadans. Here is what she wrote:

Education in Nevada is a sad state of affairs

Megan Gonzalez, Reno

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 | 2:02 a.m.

As a Nevada teacher, I’m appalled by the recent multimillion-dollar cuts in education. Nevada ranks at the bottom in education funding, and now schools have taken a massive hit to their undersized budgets as the school districts must stretch to accommodate the vast student population.

Additionally, extreme focus on test scores has only intensified. Rather than educate, teachers are commanded by No Child Left Behind to get students to pass a state exam.

As the economy declines, parents lose their jobs, cars and homes, and students are distracted by their lives outside of school. Student achievement in socioeconomically depressed areas is often disproportionate to student achievement in more affluent areas.

Despite those circumstances, teachers are still compelled to move students toward passing a test, a test that is a minuscule, vague snapshot of a student’s capabilities. Teaching to a test leaves little room for creativity, imagination or “real world” application of skills.

The decreased funding directly contradicts the increased demands on Nevada teachers and students. If teachers are truly expected to educate instead of prepare for testing, funding for Nevada’s students must be increased, and demands for hitting an abstract bench mark must be reexamined.

[Source: Las Vegas Sun]

Health Insurance Industry push back on attacks

Featheriver — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:36:10 +0000

Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans, said insurance industry workers “do not deserve to be vilified for political purposes. … For every dollar spent on health care in America, less than one penny goes toward health plan profits. The focus needs to be on the other 99 cents.” AHIP plans to spend more than $1 million to run television ads on cable stations nationwide beginning in the next few days to push back on the attacks on insurers.

As “President Obama makes his final push to get health care reform through Congress, he is “seizing on a report showing that market concentration for health insurance is so monopolized that insurance companies are willing to raise prices and lose customers in an effort to help their bottom line,” HuffPost’s Sam Stein reported.”

[Source: Huffington Post]