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Prague - Czech President Milos Zeman evidently does not strive for an accommodating approach to enable the birth of a new government but he intentionally takes dissident stands thwarting the political mainstreams efforts, Petr Fischer writes in daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) today.

This political strategy enables Zeman to attract the publics attention, control the political debate and also push through his will effectively, irrespective of the majority opinion, Fischer writes.

Zemans public appearance on Friday showed that he will insist on the replacement of some candidates for ministers proposed to him by possible new PM Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD), Fischer writes.

Zeman indicated that he would nod to the Sobotka-proposed cabinet lineup if Zemans people, or members of the outgoing caretaker government, occupied the posts of deputy ministers in the new government, but this is unacceptable for the new coalition, judging mainly by the CSSDs reaction, Fischer writes.

Zeman will therefore step up his pressure. Sobotka asserts he will make no concessions, as a result of which Zeman might further protract the Sobotka cabinets appointment, Fischer says.

It would probably be the best if the dispute ended up at the Constitutional Court, whose verdict would indicate whether the president or prime minister-designate should have the upper hand in forming the cabinet, Fischer says.

It is laudable that President Milos Zeman wants to hold regular separate meetings with the new cabinet members in order to discuss their plans and mainly financing of the steps promised by the government, but he cannot do so without appointing the cabinet first, Alexandr Mitrofanov writes in Pravo.

He points to a fresh public opinion poll showing that three-quarters of Czechs want Zeman to use his presidential powers cautiously and to take constitutional habits into account.

This is demanded not only by a majority of those who supported Zemans rival, conservative TOP 09 head Karel Schwarzenberg, in the direct presidential election a year ago, but even by a majority of Zemans supporters, Mitrofanov writes.

It would be naive to expect Zeman to meet this demand of people. The possible new prime minister, Bohuslav Sobotka, and the candidates for ministers whom Zeman intends to grill in the weeks to come know what they can expect and they are probably psychologically prepared for it, Mitrofanov writes.

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Czech press survey - January 13

By NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - One of President Barack Obama's longest serving advisers, who joined his team a decade ago when he was running for the Senate, is leaving the White House this month to work as a lawyer in private practice.

Danielle Gray will step down as White House Cabinet secretary after the president delivers his State of the Union address on Jan. 28. She is looking to join a law firm and teach.

Gray is among a handful of Obama's aides to announce resignations in the new year, as fatigue sets in after five years of all-consuming work. Their departures are leaving the president without some of his most trusted advisers.

Gray, 35, has handled a variety of tasks for Obama, including helping to write his health care law to protect it from inevitable legal challenges. Obama said in a statement that he's grateful that Gray put her legal career on hold to work for him for a decade.

Gray wanted to leave a year ago, but Obama asked her to stay on as his Cabinet secretary to start his second term. Disputes over policy and communications can erupt between the White House and Cabinet members, such as the first term debate over the Afghanistan war effort that came to light from a memoir by former Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said Gray deepened interactions with members of the Cabinet and made sure their concerns were being heard by the president in the weekly reports. "We'll continue to prioritize that," McDonough said. He said her replacement has not been chosen.

Obama's statement said Gray has been instrumental in helping shape his administration's policy. "And over the past year, as Cabinet secretary and a close adviser to me, she has not only helped make sure every agency in the federal government remains focused on giving hardworking Americans a fair shot at opportunity, but that our policies reflect the values we have always fought for," Obama said.

Gray, like Obama, is a graduate of Harvard Law School who was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. One of her professors at Harvard was future Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, and Gray helped Kagan and fellow Justice Sonia Sotomayor through their confirmation process in the first Obama term. Some in the White House wouldn't be surprised if Gray, who also clerked for Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, is a judicial nominee herself one day.

Gray, a native of Riverhead, N.Y., got a bachelor's degree from Duke and worked briefly at a New York law firm after graduating from Harvard in 2003. But she gave up that lucrative career path to work on Obama's 2004 campaign for Senate and was one of the early staffers on his presidential campaign as a policy adviser.

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Long-serving Obama aide is leaving White House - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports

PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -

One of Portland's Powell's bookstores will get a makeover starting today.

Powell's City of Books located on 1005 West Burnside St. in downtown Portland announced the six-month-long remodeling project in May of last year.

While the flagship store said necessary improvements needed to be made, additional changes will be introduced to its store's Green and Blue rooms. A brand-new layout will update the store's look and feel while still maintaining Powell's historic spirit.

A new entrance and roof with energy-efficient windows will be enhanced by additional skylights and new lighting. The outside of the store will also get a fresh coat of paint.

The store said it will remain open during normal business hours. However, both the Green and Blue rooms will be closed. Books currently housed in those rooms will be temporarily moved to other parts of the building.

The Green Room entrance will also be closed. Customers can enter through the Orange Room at 11th Avenue and Couch Street.

Architects Ernest Munch and Corey Omey of Ernest R. Munch Architecture & Urban Planning, Walsh Construction Company, and the city of Portland will head the remodeling project.

Powell's City of Books is the independent bookseller's flagship location, offering 68,000 square feet of used, new, rare, and out-of-print books.

For the latest project updates and developments, you can visit Powell's remodeling website here.

Originally posted here:
Powell’s West Burnside store remodel starts today

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January 13, 2014 - United States Hockey League (USHL) Des Moines Buccaneers Urbandale (IA) The Des Moines Buccaneers are coming off a weekend in which they dropped two games and never led for a single second.

By any form of measurement it's a disappointment, so why is there as much optimism as though that record were flip-flopped? It's because of recent additions, and returns, that have the coaching staff feeling as though the roster is poised for a strong run.

Buccaneer fans caught their first glimpse at the team's Phase II Third Round draft pick Oskar Norlov, and saw a familiar face in Connor Schmidt make his return to Des Moines. Norlov is a highly talented forward from Sweden who had averaged more than a point per game in three years in the Swedish Elite League. Meanwhile, defenseman Schmidt played in 54 games for the Buccaneers in 2011-2012 before spending the last season and a half at Division I Ferris State.

Head coach Jon Rogger is encouraged by what he has seen and the potential down the line.

"I thought that Connor was terrific in both games this weekend. He plays hard and with a lot of energy every shift out. He is tough to play against and makes simple plays. He is definitely an upgrade on our blue line" said Rogger, who had scouted Connor when he was property of the Green Bay Gamblers prior to coming to Des Moines.

Rogger also likes what he has seen thus far from Oskar.

"He has to adjust to the speed and physicality of the USHL but we feel he will be an impact player for us" noted Rogger. He has great hands and sees the ice as well as any of our forwards"

This weekend also marked the return to the line-up of defenseman Alec Rauhauser, who had missed two months and 17 games due to an upper-body injury. The rookie from Bismarck, ND played on Friday before sitting out Saturday as the team eases him back in.

And far from an afterthought, the Buccaneers are hoping that Urbandale native Willem Nong-Lambert will be back in the line-up as early as this weekend. The team's reigning rookie of the year has been limited to only 11 games due to injuries this season but is close to a return.

"Anytime you get your leading scorer from a year ago back into your lineup you will see a difference in our team" said Rogger. "Willem plays a very important role for us as we plan to use him on both the power play and penalty kill. I feel he will continue where he left off and put up points right away."

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Des Moines Bucs Weekly

2013 Year In Review: Part Two

Tuesday, January 7, 2014 3:47 PM EST

A car crash that claimed the lives of a Grayling High School senior and the 31-year-old coach of the GHS varsity boys golf team. Camp Grayling's 100th anniversary. The reigning AuSable River Canoe Marathon champions winning the race for a sixth consecutive time. Grayling being selected for the Michigan Main Street program. Mercy Hospital Grayling being named one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals. Fracking in Beaver Creek. Just a few of the many local news stories covered by the Crawford County Avalanche this past year.

In sports, during the 2013 calendar year, Grayling High School's wrestling team won a Lake Michigan Conference title and a district championship, the GHS varsity boys basketball team won its third consecutive district title, and the football program won a second consecutive league title. The girls golf team made it to the state finals for a fourth consecutive season.

It was a busy year for Grayling and Crawford County. With 2013 coming to an end, the Crawford County Avalanche presents Part Two (July through December) of its annual Year In Review feature. Part One (January through June) was included in last week's edition of the Crawford County Avalanche.

Story summaries in the Year In Review are listed according to the edition in which the article appeared.

July

The Crawford County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to place a surcharge on all improved property, land which has buildings and utility services, to fund the countywide recycling program. The county recycling committee is seeking to levy a surcharge of $6 per year per household. Beaver Creek Township, Grayling Charter Township, and the City of Grayling will place the surcharge on tax bills of property owners. Frederic Township, Maple Forest Township and South Branch Township will utilize existing funds collected for trash disposal and recycling to pay for their obligations for the program. Lovells Township, which levies a millage to fund its trash transfer station, will run its own recycling program and will transport collected materials to Camp Grayling to be processed. (July 4)

The Mason-Griffith Founders Chapter of Trout Unlimited (TU), a partner of the AuSable River Watershed Committee, was given a two-year Habitat Improvement Account (HIA) grant from Consumer's Energy. The HIA program was established to mitigate damage caused to fish habitats by the hydroelectric turbines for dams located throughout the AuSable, Muskegon and Manistee Rivers. The Mason-Griffith of TU is using the grant to fund a project that will repair over 1,000 fish habitat improvement structures in the AuSable River put in by the Department of Natural Resources in the 1970s. (July 4)

The third edition of the AuSable River Canoe Marathon trading cards was released. The set included 18 different cards. Only 250 sets were available for each edition. The newest set - the 2013 edition - included: John Baker, Tom Cannon, Bernie Fowler, Michael Garon, Rod Halstead, Ryan Halstead, Jim Harwood, Peter Heed, Steve Krantz, Steve Landick, Fred Mills, the Memorial Monument (2008-2012), Josh Sheldon, Amy Solak, Tim Triebold, Dwight Walker, Jon Webb and Ed Wojahn. (July 4)

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2013 Year In Review: Part Two

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