Sen. Lee Statement on Passage of USMCA
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee issued the following statement Thursday after the Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA):
“Today’s passage of the USMCA was a huge win for all of Utah, especially the more than 120,000 Utahns whose jobs depend on trade with Mexico and Canada. Utah dairy farmers, manufacturers, and the agriculture community will all benefit from continued free and fair trade with our immediate neighbors to the north and south. Utah exports more than $2.5 billion a year to Mexico and Canada, and thanks to this agreement that number will only grow and make Utah’s economy stronger. This update to our trade policy moves the U.S., Mexico, and Canada further into the 21st century, setting mutually beneficial standards regarding the treatment of digital services and e-commerce.”
An online version of this release can be found here.
===============
Secretary Perdue Statement on Senate Passage of USMCA
(Washington, D.C., January 16, 2020) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued the following statement after the Senate passed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) by a bipartisan vote of 89 – 10.
“We’ve long waited for this day and now USMCA will finally head to the President’s desk,” Secretary Perdue said. “The passage of USMCA is great news for America’s farmers and ranchers. With Congressional consideration now complete, our farmers and ranchers are eager to see the President sign this legislation and begin reaping the benefits of this critical agreement. I thank President Trump and Ambassador Lighthizer for successfully delivering an improved and modern trade agreement and working so hard for the people of American agriculture to get this deal across the finish line.”
Background:
USMCA will advance United States agricultural interests in two of the most important markets for American farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses. This high-standard agreement builds upon our existing markets to expand United States food and agricultural exports and support food processing and rural jobs.
Canada and Mexico are our first and second largest export markets for United States food and agricultural products, totaling more than $39.7 billion food and agricultural exports in 2018. These exports support more than 325,000 American jobs.
All food and agricultural products that have zero tariffs under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will remain at zero tariffs. Since the original NAFTA did not eliminate all tariffs on agricultural trade between the United States and Canada, the USMCA will create new market access opportunities for United States exports to Canada of dairy, poultry, and eggs, and in exchange the United States will provide new access to Canada for some dairy, peanut, and a limited amount of sugar and sugar-containing products.
Earlier this year, nearly 1,000 American food and agriculture associations and companies announced their support for USMCA and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture signed a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to ratify USMCA.
In September, all former U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture since President Reagan’s Administration announced support for USMCA. In a letter to Congressional leaders, former Secretaries John Block (Reagan), Mike Espy (Clinton), Dan Glickman (Clinton), Ann Veneman (W. Bush), Mike Johanns (W. Bush), Ed Shafer (W. Bush), and Tom Vilsack (Obama) underscored the importance of passing USMCA saying, “We need a strong and reliable trade deal with our top two customers for U.S. agriculture products. USMCA will provide certainty in the North American market for the U.S. farm sector and rural economy. We strongly support ratification of USMCA.”
Key Provision: Increasing Dairy Market Access
Key Provision: Biotechnology
Key Provision: Geographical Indications
Key Provision: Sanitary/Phytosanitary Measures
Key Provision: Poultry and Eggs
Key Provision: Wheat
Key Provision: Wine and Spirits
###
View this email in your browser
Do you know the facts?
The current tax bill:
"Petition efforts are an important option in the public policy process,” said Rick Larsen, Sutherland president and CEO. “But all too often, we see the tactic of presenting partial, inaccurate or emotional information, to motivate citizens to sign on the spot. We believe the process – and the citizens – deserve greater respect.
"Sutherland’s concerns have to do with the fact that the increase in sales tax on food is being highlighted at the exclusion of other important elements within the legislation, including a significant overall tax cut for the majority of Utahns, restoring the dependent exemption, an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and additional tax relief to protect lower income families. In addition, claims that the process was rushed or lacked transparency are just simply not true," Larsen said.
“Citizens have the right to challenge legislative action, but they should do so with all of the facts in mind. Otherwise, they risk hurting the very people they seek to help. A need to reform Utah’s tax code has been recognized for years and is becoming more urgent. Rapid growth, changes in consumer spending favoring services over goods, and technology, are all impacting reliable revenue sources that pay for infrastructure, public safety, Medicaid and even education. This Legislature had the wisdom and courage to look down the road – during a time of prosperity – and take steps toward addressing this complex issue. Opponents should not take inappropriate advantage of an inherently complex process – one that received more focus, public comment and revision, than a legislative session would have afforded.”
Sutherland urges citizens to become familiar with all of the facts before signing a petition.
“We have confidence in the ability of informed Utahns – given all the facts -- to make sound decisions,” Larsen concluded.
Additional resources:
On Tuesday, January 21, United Way will present its public policy agenda for 2020 with a panel discussion. This will include discussing legislative issues such as education, income and health…things that affect all of us Utahns.
The list of panelists are listed below.
We appreciate your consideration in running this story. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Whitney
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact: Ashleigh May | (801) 824-5949 | ashleigh@uw.org
United Way Presents Public Policy Agenda for 2020 at Legislative Preview Breakfast
Salt Lake City – United Way will present its public policy agenda for 2020, including legislative issues affecting all Utahns in the areas of education, income and health during its annual Legislative Preview Breakfast. Join us for an in-depth panel discussion with legislative leadership, moderated by Lisa Riley Roche of the Deseret News, on how these critical issues will be addressed during the 2020 Session.
Location: Hilton Salt Lake City Center
255 South West Temple, Salt Lake City
Date: Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Time: 7:30 a.m. Check-in
8 – 9:30 a.m. Panel Discussion and breakfast
Panelists Include:
###
United Way is working to create long-term change by harnessing the power of nonprofits, government, corporations, and thousands of individuals to work together and solve the most difficult problems we face as a community. You can be a part of the change and advocate to put #UtahKidsFirst this legislative session. Learn more at uw.org/advocate.
=============================
Dear Editor:
Please consider this thinkpiece by public commentator Bob Topper, who challenges Attorney General William Barr's claim that Judeo-Christian moral standards are the superior code of conduct on Earth. For PeaceVoice, thank you,
Tom Hastings
~~~~~~~~
The Better Moral Creed
by Bob Topper
1195 words
Last October Attorney General Bill Barr delivered a speech at Notre Dame during which he claimed that “Judeo-Christian moral standards are the ultimate rules for human conduct” and that “the fact is that no secular creed has emerged capable of performing the role of religion.” Barr, like many other Catholic and Evangelical fundamentalists, believes that without the moral standards defined by religion, society is doomed. That simply isn’t true. Look at Sweden and many other countries that are far more secular than American, yet have much lower crime rates. And in America, Christians are 20 times more likely to find themselves incarcerated than atheists. But Barr goes on to say that his moral standards “are like God’s instruction manual for the best running of man and human society.” Are they?
Barr would find himself at odds with Franklin and Jefferson. They believed in human nature. They were inspired by the philosophical positions of the Enlightenment thinkers, Hobbes, Locke, Hume, and Rousseau, and Spinoza, who thought that the best hope for a just society was [hu]man’s ability to reason. They looked back on darker times before the age of reason when religion worked hand-in-hand with monarchy governments, and saw that both were capable of great injustices, like the horrors of the Inquisition, hanging Mary Dyer, and the Salem witch trials. Their aversion to theocracy was as strong as their aversion to monarchy, and so they conceived a better form of government, democracy, free from religious influence, like the one we enjoy in America.
There is one reference to God in our Declaration of Independence, but it is not the God of Christianity or Judaism. It is to “Nature’s God,” the God of Deism. And while our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, God is not mentioned there at all. People are free to adhere to the tenets of any religion they choose, or to not have any religious beliefs.
As products of the Enlightenment, our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution do not depend on religion. The foundation is set out in the Preamble of the Constitution: “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice and insure domestic Tranquility….” It is “the People” who would establish Justice and insure Tranquility; it is “the People” who would establish the moral creed.
Contrary to Barr’s assertion, our Constitution and legal system, as designed by the founding fathers, a creed that is based upon equality and justice, and defined by reason, is a far better “secular creed.” It is reason of the People that governs our moral conduct, not religion, fantasy, or superstition.
Basic principles of our nation, equality and democracy, are not Christian principles. Christianity teaches that some are chosen and rewarded with life everlasting, while those not chosen are condemned to eternal suffering. Given that more than half of the world’s population is never exposed to Christianity, it is difficult to see this as just or compatible with the idea that humans are created equal. As for the principle of democracy, Christianity supported the “divine right of kings,” and Jesus said “render on to Caesar what is Caesar’s.” Unlike the founders, he did not say rise up and rebel against Caesar’s unjust taxes. And while the bloody civil war was fought to resolve that all men are created equal, pro-slavery forces appealed to the Bible to justify their belief in white superiority. To preach that this nation is, or ever was, founded on Judeo-Christian principles, one must overlook glaring inconsistencies.
Years ago my very good friend Phil passed away. Admired for his understanding, decency, kindness, and his bright intellect, Phil’s friends thought him to be one of most moral and ethical people they knew. Phil was an atheist. He did not use the Bible to tell him right from wrong. He was his own moral compass, and his life demonstrated that religion is not necessary for a moral and ethical society.
Phil realized that the Bible is neither a perfect nor complete guide to ethics and morality. Consider truth. Without it, our society, any society, cannot function. Even organized crime syndicates depend on truthfulness. The eighth Commandment, “Thou shalt not bare false witness against thy neighbor,” touches on truthfulness, but forbids only one type of lie and then only against a neighbor. But our legal code is comprehensive, covering every variety of falsehoods, and misrepresentations. Law libraries are filled with volumes dedicated to contract law, slander, perjury, libel, fraud, false advertising and much more. Our legal system is dedicated to ensuring truth and justice, and does so more thoroughly than the Bible. In fact, society’s requirement for moral truthfulness predates the Bible.
Our secular creed may be imperfect but is more just and even-handed. Consider that while the Bible prescribes stoning for adulterers, the eighth amendment forbids cruel and unusual punishment. And we know now that homosexuality is not a choice; that the lines between masculinity and femininity are blurred, and that a continuum exists between female and male. Today most people, especially young people, understand that gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender are what Nature’s God wanted them to be. That they deserve our respect is something that our courts have recognized and their rights as human beings have been confirmed. And while no one likes abortion, our courts have also recognized that a prohibition based religious belief is not sufficient to deny women access. There is simply no real evidence to support the fundamentalist’s views on abortion or homosexuality, and so our courts rightfully decided there can be no prohibitions. Compared to the Judeo-Christian moral creed, our legal system does a much better job of ensuring justice and is far more compassionate.
Barr’s thinking poses great danger to a free society. The imposition of Christian beliefs on non-Christians is precisely what the founders and our Constitution sought to prevent. Refusing service to someone who does not agree with a religious belief is not a right of religious liberty, it is a right to religious prejudice to harm others.
It is better to follow the founder’s example; respect religion but recognize that in this enlightened age, it is not the ultimate authority on moral conduct any more than it is on science, medicine, or engineering. That is not to say it is irrelevant. Jesus’ most important message: “Love thy neighbor” is as relevant today as it was two thousand years ago.
Theocracy is a form of government that draws its authority from religion. Advocating for Judeo-Christian moral standards in favor of reason and our Constitution, as attorney general Barr does when he claims that those standards are “God’s instruction manual for the best running man and human society,” is, in essence advocating theocracy. That is at odds with the first amendment of the Constitution he has sworn to uphold. And to see where that might lead us, we need only look at the theocratic regimes in the middle-east. To address the problems of today, like global warming and wealth inequality, it will be far better for us to emulate the founding fathers and understand that the solutions are not in the Bible, but rather with good people reasoning together.
–end–
Bob Topper is a retired engineer and is syndicated by PeaceVoice.
======================
Free Webinar on 1/22: Social Skills Strategies for ADHD / Autism
Forward this email to a friend »
FREE WEBINAR THIS WEEK
A Parent's Guide to Social Skills Strategies for Children with ADHD or Autism (or Both)
with Mark Bertin, M.D.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 @ 1pm Eastern Time (find it in your time zone >)
Can't attend the live webinar?
Register now anyway and we'll email you the replay link
Strong friendships are a vital support for a child’s overall happiness and resilience. Both ADHD and autism affect peer relationships – and many children have symptoms of both. How can parents best support social skills growth and success? In this webinar, learn how ADHD and autism impact social emotional development, and clinical and at-home strategies to support social emotional abilities.
NOTE: Qualify for a certificate of attendance when you attend an ADDitude webinar live or listen to the replay.
A message from this webinar's sponsor
Accentrate™ is a dietary supplement that is specifically formulated to address the nutritional deficiencies known to be associated with ADHD. | www.accentrate.com
ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.
Free Webinar on 1/22: Social Skills Strategies for ADHD / Autism
Forward this email to a friend »
FREE WEBINAR THIS WEEK
A Parent's Guide to Social Skills Strategies for Children with ADHD or Autism (or Both)
with Mark Bertin, M.D.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020 @ 1pm Eastern Time (find it in your time zone >)
Can't attend the live webinar?
Register now anyway and we'll email you the replay link
Strong friendships are a vital support for a child’s overall happiness and resilience. Both ADHD and autism affect peer relationships – and many children have symptoms of both. How can parents best support social skills growth and success? In this webinar, learn how ADHD and autism impact social emotional development, and clinical and at-home strategies to support social emotional abilities.
NOTE: Qualify for a certificate of attendance when you attend an ADDitude webinar live or listen to the replay.
A message from this webinar's sponsor
Accentrate™ is a dietary supplement that is specifically formulated to address the nutritional deficiencies known to be associated with ADHD. | www.accentrate.com
ADDitude thanks our sponsors for supporting our webinars. Sponsorship has no influence on speaker selection or webinar content.
Dear Editor:
Please consider this essay by Dr. Wim Laven calling on us all to recall and activate the moral high ground of Dr. King. For PeaceVoice, thank you,
Tom Hastings
~~~~~~~~
Honestly reflecting on Martin Luther King Jr. in the age of white lies
by Wim Laven
1008 words
I find no hero more inspiring than the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and I see crucial need for his message during the current epidemic of intentional cruelty and persistent moral cowardice at the highest levels in the United States of America.
In testament to the inspiration I have drawn from Dr. King, I revisited his 1967 question “Where do we go from here?” in the title of my doctoral dissertation. He saw two paths before our nation: community or chaos, and he worked for community. He launched the Poor People’s Campaign. He sacrificed everything, giving the last true measure of devotion, not to flag, but to people, all people.
Checking our racialized language, the common understanding of the term “white lie” is that it’s a minor, harmless little fib. I’m instead using it to mean lies told by white supremacists or those told by those who seek to retain the profoundly unequal economy of our profiteering plundering classstarting with Trump.
The ubiquitous white lies of our times obfuscate the depth and meaning of King’s message. The annual tradition of sharing favorite MLK quotes, which enters into full swing during the celebration of his birthday, is so fashionable that everyone but the most extreme racists will participate, and even many of them will too. Donald Trump’s racist career does not preclude his participation. His defenders throughout the GOP have cynically done so as well.
Back in 2011, then-House majority whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA 23rd) posted this to mark MLK Day:
Today we celebrate the life and work of a great man who has left his imprint on our nation and this world for generations to come: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught us to love one another, accept each other, celebrate our differences, and remember that which brings us together – we are all God's children and we are all charged with making this world a better place. Dr. King dedicated his life to this effort, and as we honor his memory, we must ensure that we too are always striving to make a difference.
That was then; now McCarthy and virtually all elected Republicans support Trump no matter how egregious his racialized statements and policies, e.g., calling refugees fleeing war zones “animals” and urging crowds to tell elected representatives who are people of color to go back to their countries of origin (all but one of them born in the US, but let’s not let the facts get in the way of a great racist chant). Send them back! Send them back! Um, sure, like Detroit, the Bronx, Chicagothe places three of them were born?
The Poor People’s Campaign is still struggling to find ways to alleviate the conditions of poverty—everywhere. The US enters into “free trade agreements” promising to help people, but the deals tend to increase poverty on both sides. NAFTA, for example, has left persistent poverty and increased unemployment in Mexico, and reduced wages while costing 100,000-700,000 jobs in the US. The agreements work well for elite owners, not so much for millions of workers.
The President who paid fines for racist practices in his real estate business has signed an executive order “that will seek to remove regulatory barriers in the housing market, which would reduce the price of homes and reduce homelessness.” Specialists call that dubious.
The equality King sought extended to all humans. He saw the innocent people being killed in Vietnam as his brothers and sisters. Living up to King’s message means opposing the intentional extension of endless wars and the intentional escalation of violence being perpetrated by White House policies motivated to antagonize and terrorize millions of people around the globe. It also it also means reflecting on the military-complex as a whole. Predating the Black Lives Matter movement by decades, King was familiar with the complaint that African Americans were disproportionately drafted, assigned to combat units and killed in Vietnam, and statistics support that conclusion.
King was diplomatic but clear in his concerns and critiques. Today, he would spotlight the cruel injustice in those opposing reparations by highlighting the ongoing benefits of white privilege, the many harms to people of color from systems much more than overt name-calling, and the continued failure to address the threats of white supremacy. He would draw parallels between the ongoing efforts to disenfranchise and restrict minority votes and the anti-democracy practices of Jim Crow segregation and voter suppression. Of course Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell opposes reparations, his ancestors owned slaves, and he has had a lifetime of benefit he inherited and which he’s grown through corruption.
The racism that elected Trump is the same as the racism that opposed Obama because of his color (not his policies) is the same as the racism calling slaves 3/5ths of a human for purposes of representation in Congress.
King always made fierce calls to action; The Trumpet of Conscience (1968) harnesses his full moral authority to pronounce:
We must move past indecision to action. We must find new ways to speak for peace in Vietnam and for justice throughout the developing world, a world that borders on our doors. If we do not act, we shall surely be dragged down the long, dark, and shameful corridors of time reserved for those who possess power without compassion, might without morality, and strength without sight.
Naturally, as we’ve come to expect, Trump is using King’s holiday to brag about himself. Just surreal. From his proclamation:
We have seen historic economic growth, with more than 7 million new jobs since my election and record highs in African-American, Hispanic‑American, and Asian-American employment. Through a focused effort of deregulation and growth-oriented policies, we have unleashed the potential of the American economy and bolstered the strength of the greatest workforce in the world, the American workforce.
In 2020 we can all oppose Trump’s attacks on the poor and his efforts to increase instability and escalate violence and war. We can support movement towards equality and challenging injustice, and we all should act with Kingian compassion, courage, and conviction.
~~~~~~~~
Wim Laven, Ph.D., syndicated by PeaceVoice, teaches courses in political science and conflict resolution.
-----------------
How to Motivate Teenagers with ADHD
Forward this email to a friend »
View this email in your browser
ADHD IN ADOLESCENCE
How to Motivate a Teen with ADHD
Teenagers with ADHD have to really want something to succeed at it. And conjuring that drive is half the battle. Help your teen tap into their innate (but often buried) motivation by understanding what they really want, and using those desires to set and reach goals. | Keep reading →
Welcoming Creativity Into Your Morning Routine
Challenge: Kids with ADHD are spontaneous & creative, but they desperately need structure. Solution: Infuse their routines with joy.
Keep reading →
"What Could You Have Said Instead?"
Role-playing with a parent offers kids a safe, hands-on way to practice social skills like making eye contact, taking turns, or responding to teasing.
Keep reading →
"Helping My Daughter Cross the Finish Line"
"There's no law that says she has to finish every one of the 37 books she starts, but I do worry, knowing my own difficulty finishing projects...."
Keep reading →
In Search of ADHD Storybooks
Q: Can you recommend any good children's books to help me explain ADHD to my five-year-old?
See the book picks →
FREE WEBINAR ON JANUARY 22
ADHD, Autism & Social Skills
Learn how ADHD and autism affect emotional development & how parents can support social skills. Register now »
FREE WEBINAR ON JANUARY 28
Screen Use — and Abuse
Do your kids want to spend every free moment playing video games? How to create a more balanced screen diet »
Florida’s families and educators can be proud that more students are graduating from high school. Since 2008-09, the percentage of students graduating has gone from 65 percent to nearly 90 percent.
Statewide highlights of Florida’s 2018-19 graduation rate include*:
Black or African American students’ graduation rate increased to 81.5 percent in 2018-19, a rise of 0.6 percentage points over last year and an increase of 13.5 percentage points since 2014-15.
Hispanic students’ graduation rate increased to 85.9 percent in 2018-19, an improvement of 0.8 percentage points over last year and an increase of 9.2 percentage points since 2014-15.
Students with disabilities increased their graduation rate to 80.6 percent, a 3.6 percentage point increase over last year and a 23.8 percentage point improvement since 2014-15.
Economically disadvantaged students improved their graduation rate to 82.9 percent, an increase of 0.9 percentage points over last year and a rise of 12.5 percentage points since 2014-15.
*Source: Florida Department of Education
==============
Bishop Introduces H.Res. 804, Celebrating Utah’s Role in Advancing Women’s Suffrage
WASHINGTON – Today, Representative Rob Bishop was joined by Representatives Stewart, Curtis, and McAdams in introducing H.Res. 804, a bill recognizing the leading role of Utahns in the fight for women’s suffrage and celebrating the sesquicentennial of the first votes by women under the equal suffrage law in 1870.
Upon introduction, Representative Bishop said the following:
“Utah has always been a leader in the effort to provide women the right to vote. While Utah was the second territory/state to legally allow women suffrage, it was the first in the nation to have a woman cast a legal ballot, cast by Seraph Young and roughly 25 other women in Salt Lake City on February 14, 1870. In ironic injustice, it was the federal government that repealed that right in Utah, but one of the first things Utah did upon statehood was guarantee women’s suffrage and the right to hold office in the state constitution. The first woman elected to a legislative body was in Utah. This resolution recognizes that proud history.”
Senator Romney and Senator Lee introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
===================
TENNESSEE, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND MARYLAND REVEALED AS
STATES WITH HIGHEST PERCENTAGE DROP OF DUI FATALITIES IN THE U.S.
· A new study has ranked all U.S. states based on the number of fatal DUI crashes per 100,000 drivers from 2004 to 2018, in order to reveal those with the most progress.
· Connecticut was the only state in the U.S. who saw an increase in drunk driving fatalities.
Having the strictest and toughest policies on DUI does not guarantee having the highest drop of DUI fatalities in the U.S., new research from Siegfried & Jensen reveals. By analyzing each state's drunk driving fatalities statistics from 2014 to 2018, the study measured the progress done by each state. In previous research from Siegfried & Jensen, Minnesota was ranked as the state with the strictest DUI laws. Unfortunately, Minnesota with the strictest DUI laws, and Utah with the lowest B.A.C. limit did not make it in the top 10 states with the most progress.
Tennessee was found to have the largest percentage change in drunk driving fatalities from 2014 to 2018. In 2014 it was recorded that there were 10.3 drunk driving fatalities per every 100,000 drivers. In 2018, that number drastically changed to 4.4 drunk driving fatalities per every 100,000 drivers in the state. With a -57.1% change in the number of drunk driving fatalities, Tennessee is the state with the most progress.
According to the data, the 10 U.S. states with the highest drop in percentage of drunk driving fatalities are as follows:
State
Score (out of a total of 100)
Tennessee
-57.1%
District of Columbia
-55.1%
Maryland
-52.7%
Mississippi
-52.1%
Delaware
-51.7%
Kentucky
-50.2%
Arkansas
-49.7%
Rhode Island
-48.2%
South Dakota
-43.7%
New Mexico
-41.3%
On the other hand, Connecticut was the only state in the U.S. that made no progress, and instead increased the number of drunk driving fatalities from 2014 to 2018.
According to the data, the 10 U.S. states with the least progress in drunk driving fatalities are below:
State
Score (out of a total of 100)
Michigan
-18.8%
North Carolina
-18.7
Nebraska
-16.9
New Hampshire
-16.7%
Iowa
-13.7%
Texas
-9.5%
Oregon
-8.7%
Indiana
-7.1%
Alaska
-3.8%
Connecticut
7.1%
- ENDS -
For more information, please contact:
José Fausto, Distilled
E jose.faustomartinez@distilled.net
T 206.965.9265
About Siegfried & Jensen:
Siegfried & Jensen is a personal injury law firm that has been helping the people of Utah and its surrounding states since it launched in 1990. The firm specializes in automobile and semi-truck accidents and injuries, such as bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, drunk driving accidents and accidental death.
Methodology
The rate of fatal drunk driving accidents (DUI rate) was determined as the raw number of fatal alcohol-related (BAC > 0.08) crashes for every 100,000 licensed drivers in that state.
Percent of change in DUI rate was calculated as the simple percent difference between the rate in 2004 and 2018, the latest year for which the data was available.
Data on fatal crashes was taken from the Fatality Reporting System database of the National Highway Safety Administration. Data on the number of registered drivers was compiled from the Highway Statistics series produced by the Federal Highway Administration.
==============
Hey members of the media!
We wanted to let you know about this emergency change to our guidebook that took effect yesterday. See details below:
For Immediate Release
Jan. 17, 2020
Cougar harvest objectives increased in emergency change to help struggling deer populations
SALT LAKE CITY — Cougar harvest objectives were increased in an emergency change on Thursday, Jan. 16, in an effort to help struggling deer populations in several areas of Utah.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Director Mike Fowlks issued the emergency change to the 2019–2020 Utah Cougar Guidebook to allow for more harvest of cougars, which are the main predator of mule deer in Utah.
“Cougar populations have grown along with mule deer populations over the last decade,” DWR game mammals coordinator Darren DeBloois said. “Cougar populations don’t immediately decline when deer populations do, and in some cases, cougar populations may be maintained by switching to different types of prey. Deer populations in some areas of Utah, however, have declined due to drought and heavy winter conditions over the past two years. In circumstances like these, mule deer populations can sometimes struggle to grow and recover.”
The majority of the units receiving increases are “harvest-objective,” meaning that once the quota for that area is filled, the hunt will close. As part of the emergency change, the total cougar harvest objective for 11 hunting units around the state where deer populations are struggling will be increased by 117.
“The units with emergency permit changes have exhibited deer population declines of 15% or greater and have either already filled their harvest objective for cougar or are expected to, based upon previous harvest success,” DeBloois said. “Reductions in cougar populations on these units and at these levels can facilitate mule deer herd recovery while providing sustainable management of both predator and prey populations.”
The change for increasing the cougar permits went into effect Thursday. All the other rules in the Utah Cougar Guidebook have not changed and remain in effect.
