Gov. Gary R. Herbert to Sign S.B. 103, Victim Targeting Penalty Enhancements
What:
Gov. Herbert, Senator Stuart Adams, Speaker Brad Wilson, and Lt. Governor Spencer Cox will sign S.B. 103, Victim Targeting Penalty Enhancements, into law in a public ceremony, historically marking the moment Utah’s comprehensive bill to prevent hate crimes becomes law.
Who:
Gov. Gary R. Herbert
Senate President Stuart Adams
House Speaker Brad Wilson
Sen. Daniel Thatcher
Rep. Lee Perry
Rep. Patrice Arent
Rep. Sandra Hollins
Sen. Derek Kitchen
Bishop Scott B. Hayashi, Episcopal Diocese of Utah
Seth Brysk, Regional Director, Anti-Defamation League
One Voice Children’s Choir
When:
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
12:00 p.m.
Where:
Capitol Rotunda
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(Washington, D.C., April 2, 2019)— A new study released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finds greenhouse gas emissions from corn-based ethanol are about 39 percent lower than gasoline. The study also states that when ethanol is refined at natural gas-powered refineries, the greenhouse gas emissions are even lower, around 43 percent below gasoline.
“These new findings provide further evidence that biofuels from America's heartland reduce greenhouse gases even more than we thought, and that our farmers and ethanol plants continue to become more efficient and effective,” said Secretary Sonny Perdue. “President Trump has made it abundantly clear he is unleashing the full potential of American energy production as we retake our rightful place as the world’s leader. Expanding the sale of E15 year-round will provide consumers with more choices when they fill up at the pump, including environmentally friendly fuel with decreased emissions. I appreciate EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler moving expeditiously to finalize the E-15 rule before the start of summer driving season.”
Background:
The study, led by Dr. Jan Lewandrowski of USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist, and published in the journal Biofuels, supports findings of other research that ethanol has a significantly better greenhouse gas profile than previously estimated.
The study, titled “The greenhouse gas benefits of corn ethanol—assessing recent evidence,” attributes much of these additional benefits to revised estimates of the impacts of land-use change as a result of demand for ethanol. Where previous estimates anticipated farmers bringing additional land into production as a result of increased corn prices, recent analysis finds only modest increases in crop acreage. Additional improvements at ethanol refineries, combined with on-farm conservation practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as reduced tillage and cover crops, have further decreased emissions associated with corn ethanol. The study projects that with added improvements in refineries and on farms, a reduction of over 70 percent in lifecycle emissions is possible by 2022.
The study is available for download. More information on the greenhouse gas profile of biofuels is available at https://www.usda.gov/oce/oeep.
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Utah Treasurer invites Utah women to attend first annual financial empowerment conference
SALT LAKE CITY – April 2, 2019 –Treasurer David Damschen today announced that Utah’s first annual women’s financial empowerment conference will be held on April 22 at the Sheraton Salt Lake Hotel. Conference attendees will learn how to improve personal and family finances, maximize income, reduce debt, improve credit, start a business, save for retirement and develop a financial support network to build a more secure financial future.
“As chair of the Utah Council on Financial and Economic Education, I am grateful for the opportunity to bring together some of Utah’s top financial leaders to share their knowledge and skills with Utah women,” Treasurer Damschen said. “This is an excellent opportunity for women of all ages, cultures and financial situations to grow their financial capability together.”
The conference is focused on women because of some of the unique financial situations women face. Women live longer than men and are more likely to outlive their assets. Women are also more likely to take on caretaker responsibilities, teach their children about money and help elderly or disabled loved ones manage their finances. Additionally, women are increasingly playing a greater role in the workforce and market. Two-thirds of household breadwinners and co-breadwinners are women, and 89 percent of financial decisions are made by women.
“Women fill many important roles in our state. It is critical to equip them with the knowledge, skills and resources they need to make sound financial decisions for themselves and their families,” said Susan Speirs, CEO of the Utah Association of CPAs and chair of the nonprofit responsible for organizing the conference.
The cost of attending the conference is $25 and includes all sessions, breakfast and lunch. Scholarships are available for those in need. Those interested in scholarships should contact the Utah Office of State Treasurer by phone, 801-538-1042, or email, sto@utah.gov.
For more information or to register for the conference, visit: womeninthemoney.org.
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A weekly report on education news and commentary you won’t find anywhere else — from the nation’s leading voice on education innovation and opportunity.
DISGUSTING LIES. Yes, we are angry. It’s still so hard to believe but even The Washington Post, which you can disagree or agree with on any number of issues, has mostly been even-keeled when it comes to coverage of ed reform. So their recent posting on page A4 of a story by a blogger they employ, whose preferences and leanings toward only teachers unions are well known, blew our minds. That “story” (and truly it was a story) was full of lies. In fact, it suggested that the feds wasted $1 million on charters that were closed, and then proceeded to relay misleading words and distorting facts about schools to prove their point. Jeanne Allen led the counter charge, igniting a tweet storm of ad hominem attacks. They can have the personal attacks, we’re happy having the facts.
LAND OF ENCHANTMENT DISENCHANTS. Educator and school founder JoAnn Mitchell runs an award-winning, high-performing charter school serving low-income children in New Mexico. The state’s new Secretary of Education is throwing roadblocks in the way of her replication and expansion. Why would someone concerned about students interfere? Interviewed on the most recent Reality Check podcast, her story of the attacks on the high-achieving Mission Achievement and Success Charter School, which has been supported and funded at a fraction of the cost of traditional public schools, will curl your toes.
RESCUING THE CONFINED. Helping prepare students for their exit from incarceration, the Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings (CEEAS) works to provide numerous educational offerings to teens and young adults held in confinement. Their Unbound newsletter sponsors monthly “Readathons” and the just tabulated results for February show that 6,429 books were read! Who can deny that preparing youth to reclaim their lives requires not only knowledge but positive life habits like reading and setting meaningful goals. Founded by David Domenici, whose successful founding of the Maya Angelou Charter School in DC earned him a place in the DC Charter Hall of Fame, CEEAS is showing how education and a better life are so intricately connected.
A BULLSEYE FOR “WHY AMERICA?” CER established the “Why America?" project to teach students about American history in settings outside the classroom. While experience has long suggested the beneficial effects of experiential learning, it’s always nice to have our intuition confirmed. A just released University of Arkansas research study shows that students who attend multiple arts field trips have higher levels of social-emotional skills, stronger school engagement and higher test scores. Color us not surprised.
As always, your comments and suggestions are most welcome.
Founded in 1993, the Center for Education Reform aims to expand educational opportunities that lead to improved economic outcomes for all Americans — particularly our youth — ensuring that conditions are ripe for innovation, freedom and flexibility throughout U.S. education.
