Maury Alliance, Maury County Public Schools Announce Education Technology Summit
COLUMBIA, Tenn. – State and local leaders will gather at Columbia State Community College’s Cherry Theater on Tuesday, April 25 for a community-wide panel forum to discuss ways technology is transforming education in Maury County. School district leaders are hailing the summit as a major opportunity for students and parents to learn about an important shift in local education. The forum will start at 6 p.m.
The event, Wiring the Classroom: Empowering Students Through Technology, will cover ways schools are using technology to enhance students’ educational experience. Parents, students and community members are invited to the forum, which is hosted by the Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance and will include business and education leaders from Maury County and the state. Maury County Public Schools students who attend the event will be entered into a drawing to win a technological device.
“Wiring the Classroom will explore how Maury County’s schools are changing the classroom experience,” said Maury County Public
Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Dr. Chris Marczak. “It’s vital that parents, students and others in our county embrace these revolutionary changes with us.”
MCPS has been on the leading edge of the shift from textbooks to technology. The district announced a new project-based learning model last fall, and its DIPLOMA program aims to place a device in the hands of every student and teacher in its schools. The district also plans to announce a digital business partnership this spring in coordination with the Maury Alliance.
“Our organization is proud to partner with Maury County Schools to host this event and support education in our community,” said Maury Alliance President Wil Evans. “We continue to work closely with schools and businesses to invest in students, who will fuel Maury County’s economic growth.”
Local panelists include Mount Pleasant Arts Innovation Zone Executive Artsministrator Dr. Ryan Jackson and Columbia Power and Water Systems Executive Director Wes Kelley. State leaders joining the panel include Complete Tennessee Executive Director Kenyatta Lovett and SCORE Policy Analyst Jeremy Meredith. Columbia Daily Herald Editor James Bennett will moderate the panel discussion.
Among the questions the event aims to answer:
Wiring the Classroom is the latest installment in a series of community education events sponsored by the Maury Alliance. Last year, hundreds of community members attended Unlocking the Keys to Student Success, a forum that outlined ways students could capitalize on Tennessee’s scholarship programs, and Connecting the Dots, which discussed ways to link Maury’s economic development efforts with its education system.
Interested parties can learn more about the event and RSVP at WiringTheClassroom.com.
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March 14, 2017
Sage the cat reward increased to $50,925
Outpouring of generous donations continue to be made on behalf of Sage the cat
The story of Sage, a 6-year-old domestic cat, has spread across the U.S. and beyond as donations contributing to the reward offered are collected to apprehend and convict the person or people responsible for his brutal torture and resultant death. Sage was discovered by the Cassel family in their Clearfield, Utah home Wednesday, March 8, 2017, with signs of abuse and taken to their local veterinary hospital. Sage was transferred to Advanced Veterinary Care hospital where he died from his injuries Friday, March 9, at 4:45 p.m. despite CPR efforts. The Humane Society of Utah (HSU) hopes the reward assists Davis County Animal Services in obtaining information required to identify and charge whoever is responsible for this serious and disturbing act of animal cruelty.
“It is humbling to see the number of people wanting to help and take action on behalf of Sage,” said Deann Shepherd, HSU representative. “We understand that this case is not only about the death of a cat; it represents a larger issue about the serious nature of animal abuse and its relationship to other anti-social behavior, cruelty and crime. People understand that whoever was capable of this heinous behavior needs to be apprehended for the safety of the community.”
Voluntary tax-deductible donations to the Humane Society of Utah have been received from across the U.S. and as far as Australia and England. In addition to the original $5,000 amount offered by the HSU, individual donations in the amount of $17,699 have been added. A generous donation of $10,000 was offered Friday, March 10, from an anonymous donor in Vernal, Utah.
“The unspeakable horror of this felonious action has brought the entire community together in unified grief and outrage,” said Gene Baierschmidt, HSU executive director. “It is our sincere hope that this widespread reaction will result in the swift resolution if the case and appropriate punishment for the perpetrators.”
The Humane Society of Northern Utah (HSNU) has collected $13,226 from individual donations for the reward. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) contributed $5,000.
According to the Utah State Criminal Code, it is a third-degree felony for a person to intentionally or knowingly torture a companion animal. Torture is defined as intentionally or knowingly causing or inflicting extreme physical pain to an animal in an especially heinous, atrocious, cruel or exceptionally depraved manner.
The punishment may be up to five years in prison and a fine up to $5,000. The HSU and community will ask for the maximum possible sentence.
HSU recommends pet owners keep their cats indoors.
Donations made online at utahhumane.org/donations are tax-deductible and will be rolled over to help future animal welfare cases and deserving animals in need if not claimed.
Anyone with information regarding who may be responsible for the torture and death of Sage is urged to contact Davis County Animal Services at 801-444-2200 or Clearfield Police Department at 801-525-2806. Tips can remain anonymous,
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About the Humane Society of Utah
The Humane Society of Utah is dedicated to the elimination of pain, fear and suffering in all animals. Since 1960, the HSU has been sheltering homeless animals, fighting cruelty and neglect, and creating an environment of respect, responsibility, and compassion for all animals across the state of Utah. HSU is the largest open-admissions shelter in the state and welcomes any companion animal that can legally be admitted. As a member of the No-Kill Utah (NKUT) Coalition, the HSU works hard to ensure that every healthy and treatable pet that enters the facility will be placed into a loving home. The Humane Society of Utah is a local, private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that does not receive any state tax dollars or government funding. HSU is funded by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses and foundations. Read more about the HSU online at www.utahhumane.org.
About the Humane Society of Northern Utah
The Humane Society of Northern Utah provides services to the people north of Layton, Utah. We have a Safe Haven Sanctuary in Corinne, Utah and are finishing an adoption center in Farr West, Utah. Our programs include education, Emergency medical, adoptions, rescue, an animal food bank and more. We are advocates for the animals. Visit our website at www.humanesocietyofnorthenutah.com.
About the Humane Society of the United States
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization, rated most effective by our peers. For more than 60 years, we have celebrated the protection of all animals and confronted all forms of cruelty. We are the nation’s largest provider of hands-on services for animals, caring for more than 100,000 animals each year, and we prevent cruelty to millions more through our advocacy campaigns.
The HSUS is approved by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance for all 20 standards for charity accountability, and was named by Worth Magazine as one of the 10 most fiscally responsible charities. To support The HSUS, please make a monthly donation, or give in another way. You can also volunteer for The HSUS, and see our 55 ways you can help animals. Read more about our 60 years of transformational change for animals, and visit us online at humanesociety.org.
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Rise Broadband, the country’s leading fixed wireless internet and phone provider, opens nominations for its 3rd Annual No Barriers Warriors Mountain Training Expedition for wounded veterans.
Twelve veterans will be chosen to participate in an all-expenses-paid training program from September 23 – 30, 2017. During the week, they will reflect on past experiences, recognize present situations and explore future possibilities through a 40-mile wilderness trek and other activities.
Rise customers and the general public are encouraged to nominate family members, relatives or friends. Self-nominations are accepted and nominees must live within Rise’s 16-state coverage area (see release for specifics).
Full details are contained in the attached announcement. For easy reference, the nominations page is: www.nobarriersusa.org/warriors/expeditions/rise-broadband/
We hope you will include this information in an upcoming brief to advise local veterans of this unique opportunity.
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Exciting news - The Humane League has officially launched our 88% Campaign! This unprecedented initiative includes a wealth of new information through several assets, including a white paper, case study, video, quick fact sheet, infographics, and more. Considering the increasing concern surrounding fast-growth chicken nationwide and in your region, I thought this data and campaign may be of interest to your readers!
The 88% Campaign’s new research explores the fact that the vast majority of animals in the U.S. food supply are chickens raised for meat, representing 88.7% of nearly 9 billion animals killed each year. These animals are afforded no federal protections despite the reality that they suffer some of the worst abuses in factory farming, including selective breeding that forces them to grow so large so fast that they experience crippling internal and external injuries and sometimes early death. In addition to the many welfare issues endured by fast-growth chickens, the white paper explores “woody breast” as another example of the dire consequences of the modern, fast-growth, enormous chickens bred for meat. It has become increasingly common for consumers to complain about affected breast fillets due to their poorer quality, appearance, and texture.
The Humane League is focusing on changing the plight of these animals through our 88% Campaign, an effort that has already convinced more than 20 food companies to commit to improvements, including Panera, Starbucks, and Sodexo. With the success of these policies, the 88% Campaign has now launched with a full spectrum of assets to build on their momentum. Since its launch, the initiative has reached over 215,000 users on social media and already thousands of consumers have voiced their shock and concern at the new information this glimpse into chicken factory farming has provided them.
In addition to being a resource for information, the 88% Campaign encompasses the corporate outreach, strategic campaigns, and grassroots organizing that has and will continue to play a role in securing policies from food companies nationwide. This week alone, The Humane League’s work with Red Robin and Spectra Food Services and Hospitality resulted in progressive policies. We currently have active campaigns against Subway and Bojangles that are gaining enormous support through social media and grassroots actions following strategic corporate outreach from The Humane League.
Considering the momentum of this movement and our active campaigns, would you be interested in covering the 88% Campaign? I invite you to explore the new website and its resources, and I hope these materials will be a thorough resource for your coverage of chicken factory farming in the future
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