USDA Has More Than $400 Million Still Available for Renewable Energy System and Energy Efficiency Loan Guarantees
WASHINGTON, July 18, 2019 – Acting Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development Joel Baxley today encouraged farmers, rural small businesses and agricultural producers to apply for financing in a key U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides loan guarantees to help rural small businesses lower their energy costs.
“Under the leadership of President Trump and Agriculture Secretary Perdue, USDA is committed to increasing economic development in rural communities across the country through strong partnerships with rural businesses,” Baxley said. “USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) is an important tool to help strengthen and grow the rural economy.”
USDA accepts applications for REAP funding year-round. Potential applicants should contact their state USDA Rural Development office for additional information.
REAP funding can be used for renewable energy systems such as anaerobic digesters, biomass, geothermal, hydropower, wind and solar. It also can be used to make energy efficiency improvements to heating, ventilation and cooling systems; insulation; and lighting and refrigeration. Below are some examples of USDA’s REAP investments.
In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities. In January 2018, Secretary Perdue presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump. These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Supporting the rural workforce was a cornerstone recommendation of the task force.
To view the report in its entirety, please view the Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity (PDF, 5.4 MB) (PDF, 5.4 MB). In addition, to view the categories of the recommendations, please view the Rural Prosperity infographic (PDF, 190 KB) (PDF, 190 KB).
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
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There’s a Senior Selfie craze flooding Facebook right now, and locals are all smiles as they show off their wrinkles (real AND fake)! In fact, government officials and SYNERGY HomeCare declared July Senior Selfie Month… and locals can post with a purpose by adding #SeniorSelfie and #EndAlz to their pictures.
SYNERGY HomeCare started the Senior Selfie craze to celebrate the beauty of aging. Now, younger social media pros are taking part by adding laugh lines to their selfies and sharing them online, too! But these simple pictures have a bigger purpose: help the fight against Alzheimer’s disease! Throughout July, for every Senior Selfie posted to SYNERGY HomeCare’s Facebook page, the in-home care franchise organization will donate $5 to the National Alzheimer’s Association.
We’re even planning Senior Selfie parties for local seniors to help them get involved and to teach them the trendy technique. Let us know if you are interested in attending. If not, a simple mention of the picture push would help our efforts tremendously! Feel free to use this VO script and these pictures in your newscasts!
Getting involved is a snap!
Ways to Cover Senior Selfie Month:
Did you know?
In the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease, people lose the ability to smile. SYNERGY HomeCare wants to save their smiles AND their memories by raising awareness and money for continued research into this growing epidemic.
According to the Alzheimer's Association:
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USDA Radio Newsline
Wednesday, July 17th Stories:
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Press Contact: (951)532-6803
Steven Sabel, Director of Public Relations
publicity@shakespeareoxfordfellowship.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Justice Stevens helped lead the way in pointing to
Edward de Vere as the true Shakespeare
NATIONAL – The nation and the world lost an advocate for liberty and social justice with the passing of retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. Justice Stevens was a leader of the court on major issues and cases dealing with abortion, the death penalty, flag burning, and gay rights, among others. Justice Stevens was also one of five recorded members of the US Supreme Court to lead the way in bringing attention to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
"I think the evidence that he (the man from Stratford) was not the author is beyond reasonable doubt," stated Stevens in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in 2009.
Stevens joined fellow Justices, Sandra Day O'Connor, Harry A. Blackmun, Lewis F. Powell Jr., and Antonin Scalia, as known skeptics of the standard man from Stratford story. Ruth Bader Ginsberg is also said to harbor doubts.
"Where are the books? You can't be a scholar of that depth and not have any books in your home. He never had any correspondence with his contemporaries, he never was shown to be present at any major event -- the coronation of James or any of that stuff," Stevens said.
Stevens first became interested in the Shakespeare Authorship Question when members of the Supreme Court held a mock trial of the issues in a moot court in 1987. As a result of that event, Justice Stevens said he had "lingering concerns about some of the gaps in the evidence." He specifically referenced the absence of eulogies for the Stratford man at the time of his death in 1616, and the absence of writings about the author during his lifetime.
"There is this sort of gnawing uncertainty," said Stevens. "You can't help but have these gnawing doubts that this great author may perhaps have been someone else."
His further investigation of the issue led him to believe that the true author was a nobleman, and that the nobleman who fit the role of the author best was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.
"I think his claim is by far the strongest that has been put forward," Stevens said.
He determined that the qualifications of the writer, and the writer's established standards could only point to a nobleman of the Elizabethan court.
"There are just too many places where nobility is stressed as a standard," said Stevens.
He went on to commend Oxfordian scholars on their extensive research into the topic, and for "putting forth honest views that are based on careful and deliberate study."
"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Paul Stevens, giant of the US Supreme Court and a signatory to the online Declaration of Reasonable Doubt about the Identity of William Shakespeare," said John M. Shahan, chairman and CEO of the Shakespeare Authorship Coalition.
Stevens signed just over ten years ago, on July 1, 2009, soon after his fellow justice, Sandra Day O'Connor.
"Our condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and revered him."said Shahan.
"The world truly lost one of the greatest legal and analytical minds of recent times. We are proud to call him a fellow Oxfordian," said John Hamill, president of the Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship.
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For additional interviews, quotes, or story ideas, please contact:
Steven Sabel, Director of Public Relations
Shakespeare Oxford Fellowship
