Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Safe Homes for Single Mothers Moose Jaw wants to make sure single parents have a safe, warm place to live over the holiday season.

The organization took nominations this weekso thattwo single parentscould be chosen to receive two water heaters with installation included.

We've done a number of projects. I think we've donenineprojects here in the cityinfive and a half yearsand we haven't done aproject yet this year, with what went on in the spring, obviously withCOVID, said founder Mark Paterson.

The water heaters were sold to Safe Homes for Single Mothers by Home Hardware Moose Jaw at cost.Successful nominees will be asked to supply a couple of documents to proveidentificationand incomeand Paterson is hoping to have the heaters installed over the weekend.

Hesaid theyve had a lot of responses as single parents are struggling to get through the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that hes had to turndownsome applicants because they were as far away as Prince Albert.

As a professional home inspector, Paterson said he doesnt stop at just the installation of thewaterheater.

I'm not just going tolook at the water heater situation. I'm also going to pull the panel cover off, and if there are some things in there that maybe need to be addressed, werealso going to do that.

For those who arent selected for a heater, there is still hope asthe organization is also looking to help put food on the table.

They have partnered up with South Hill Fine Foods to supply 15 food hampers over the holiday season.

Nominations will be taken by sending a message to Safe Homes for Single Mothers through their Facebook page. Paterson said, despite the name, they have helped single fathers in the past, and nominations for single dads will be considered.

Link:
Organization Reaching Out to Help Single Parents - DiscoverMooseJaw.com

MANVILLE, NJ - Valairco Heating and Cooling offers a solution to air purification with the Aerus Hydroxyl Blaster with ActivePure Techology. This is the only air purifier scientifically proven to reduce the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus on surfaces. SARS-CoV-2 is the virus that causes COVID-19.

ActivePure Technology uses light waves and a catalytic process to produce friendly oxidizers that duplicate nature and safely reduce contaminants on surfaces.

The ActivePure Technology disinfection system is the safest, fastest and most powerful surface and air-purification technology available that minimizes recontamination and cross contamination in real time without the use of chemicals or ozone.

Our newsletter delivers the local news that you can trust.

The benefits include:

Contact Valairco at 908.725.6200 for more information.

About: Valairco offers quality heating & cooling services.Call today to schedule heater installation, AC repair & more with their team! Valairco is prepared to get the job done.Whether you need heater replacement, indoor air quality maintenance, or AC repair, their team of highly-trained and licensed technicians will provide fast, reliable serviceevery time. They even offer free in-person consultations to help you get the most out of your service.

Family owned and operated for over 50 years, Valairco understands the importance of quality customer service. They have been named Angies List Super Service Award Winner and are aBest of Home Advisorwinner and My Central Jersey Best of the Best 2020 Readers' Choice Award.

When you rely on Valairco for yourAC repair, heater installation, or water heater replacement, you can rest assured that youre receiving top-quality workmanship at fair rates. Plus, they stand behind their work with a number of extended warranties for your peace of mind. Schedule your service today!

Read the original here:
Valairco Heating and Cooling Offers Solution to Surface and Air-Purification - TAPinto.net

By Raheem Akingbolu

In a market that is dominated with products of similar attributes, superior brands are known to show clear differentiation with innovative ideas that come with them.

This, perhaps, explains the reason why many corporate organisations launch distinct innovations to set them apart from the crowd. In the water heating sector, one organisation that has demonstrated this trait over the last few years is the Ariston Thermo Group.

Determined to prove that its product offerings can deliver comfort even in the most extreme weather conditions, Ariston Thermo Group conceptualised and executed the Ariston Comfort Challenge (ACC). The delivery of this real-life mission has continued to reverberate in the minds of its target consumers.

The Ariston Comfort Challenge proved to be the best campaign to express the Groups core vision of delivering sustainable comfort for everyone, everywhere in the world, which includes innovation, comfort, sustainability and efficiency.

The Ariston History

While Ariston Thermo Group was founded in Italy in 1930, starting with the production of weighing scales, the company witnessed intense growth and metamorphosed into a big brand 30 years after, producing gas cylinders and electric water heaters.

Having enjoyed acceptance in the market where it operated, the company consolidated its leadership position in the Italian water heater segment by expanding into Western Europes main markets. Years after, it began to make inroads into the heating sector, producing boilers. The Ariston brand, the most international brand of the 90 years old Ariston Thermo Group, is an Italian brand with a strong heritage and history.

The group, a manufacturer and marketer of heating and hot water products, systems and services offers energy-efficient solar, electric and gas water heaters and components such as electric heating elements and thermostats in the thermal comfort market for domestic, commercial and industrial spaces

Ariston Thermo Group has grown to become a global brand establishing a huge presence in both emerging and frontiers markets located in different parts of the world.

Currently, the group has maintained a leadership stronghold in the global thermal comfort market for domestic, commercial and industrial spaces operating in three different sectors with leading brands and an extensive range of solutions and services. In Nigeria, the company has entrenched its name in the mind of its relevant target segment through different product offerings.

Over the years, the Ariston brand appears to have worked along the line of thought that each market has its behaviours, cultural nuances and consumer trends, which calls for specialized variations of this original brand identity. Through some corporate identity elements, such as brand values and logos, which have been maintained across all countries, Ariston local departments have also been given enough power to adapt products and messaging to appeal to their consumers. Analysts have since described this as a fine balancing act between creating a shared brand experience worldwide and being adaptable enough to remain relevant in each specific country.

The positive side of all these is that the Ariston brand has remained a strong brand in the water heating industry and has remained a worldwide expert in water and environmental heating, providing innovative solutions to its consumers.

The products are characterized by comfort, exclusive design, efficiency and quality and features at the same time very competitive price.

For instance, in some countries, including Nigeria, Ariston LYDOS ECO, which was also recently introduced into the market, is believed to be the best solution for the user who wants a product that would guarantee energy-saving and at the same time maximum performance and maximum safety, is believed to be changing the market. WaterPlus technology provides up to 16 per cent more hot water. According to experts, some of its unique selling points are; simple installation, safe and environmentally friendly construction.

New Brand Communication Campaign

Like a scene from an epic thriller, the recently premiered global campaign of the Ariston brand comes with suspense, anxiety and curiosity. Through adventurous elements in the campaign, the promoters successfully enthralled their consumers.

The Ariston Comfort Challenge is though meant to further boost the profile of the Ariston, the leading and the most international brand in the Ariston Thermo Group, by highlighting its global mission of bringing sustainable comfort, even where it seems impossible to find but it will be achieved beyond that, considering the creative ingenuity explored in the campaign.

The Ariston Comfort Challenge focused on ensuring thermal comfort could reach anywhere in the world. Through this mission, Ariston has donated a warm shelter to a group of scientists from the University of Copenhagen involved in climate change studies in the remote and icy Island of Disko, in Greenland (Arctic).

Thanks to this mission, Ariston brand has also had the chance to give evidence to its product quality, which can work even in Extreme Conditions.

Director, Central Africa, Ariston Thermo Group, Mr Gaurav Bisaria explained that a safe and sheltered house, heated and provided with hot water for the maximum comfort even during Polar winters would have not been possible without our commitment to quality.

He noted that the success of the Ariston Comfort Challenge Greenland Mission is another proof of the company core value of superior quality of Ariston products, which could be seen in the efficiency of the output of the product even in the extreme weather condition.

We are really glad about launching this amazing campaign on the 90th anniversary of Ariston Thermo. The Group is a is a global leader in thermal comfort solutions for domestic, commercial and industrial spaces and The Ariston Comfort Challenge Greenland Mission is a campaign that makes us very proud as it testifies to the commitment to product quality in the quest of bringing comfort to everyone, even where it seems hard or impossible to find. Our new breed of water heaters introduced into the Nigerian market will help us embrace a completely new and different way to bring our purpose and mission to you he said.

He averred that the different ranges of Ariston Water Heater are of great quality which has endeared many customers to the brand. He noted that specific features in the products have continued to give the brand the edge in the marketplace. He listed the features to include high PUF insulation, Ultra-strong tank among others.

We are not known for compromising quality for all our products. It is the same quality of Water Heater installed in developed markets that you see available in Nigeria. Apart from that, the Water Heater acquired ten years ago is as good as the new one.

I can say that we have kept strictly to European standards in terms of the components and the maximum requirement for power consumption. Our Water Heaters are designed to withstand heat and rust. With Ariston Water Heater, you can keep water warm for a long period even when it is not in use. This is made possible because only Ariston has high PUF insulation and Ultra Strong tank that enables it to withstand high pressure and keep water hot, he said.

Speaking on safety, Bisaria stressed that all Ariston products have inbuilt protection that reduces chances of any accident or hazard arising from usage. According to him, each product comes with a safety valve which when properly installed protects it and the end-user against high pressure. Also, he stated that the product has a thermostat that protects the Water Heater against power surge which is seen by cutting off heating when it reaches the desired temperature.

To further prevent human or material losses, Bisaria explained that users must take precautionary measures by ensuring they engage the service of skilled personnel for installations.

Speaking on the effort made to bridge the capacity gap in the area of installation, he noted that Ariston had taken huge steps to improve on the number of skilled personnel. He further disclosed that the company had embarked on refresher courses and training to increase the pool of installers needed.

Read the original post:
Positioning through Sustainable Comfort - THISDAY Newspapers

Andy Fillmore| For the Star-Banner

TheCommunityWith A Heart2020-21 campaign kicked off this month, with thevolunteer outreach continuing to helplocal families achieve a better life.

CWAH has raised more than $1.8 million in 34 years of operation, and all funds went directly to local families, according to a campaign announcement from CWAH Chair Monica Bryant.

"This is a tough year for a lot of families, so we're hoping for a successful campaign," Bryant stated.

Last year, the lives of 52 families were improved with more than $69,000 donated by members of thecommunity. One of those helped was Essie Wright, of Ocala.

A Dec.25, 2019,Ocala Star-Banner article detailed how Wright's home in northwest Ocala needed bathroom plumbing, flooring repairs anda properly working hot water heater.

The 86-year-old woman was forced to walk with a cane across the interior of her home to use a second bathroom because of bad flooring in the bathroom nearest her bedroom.

Wright and her daughter Wanda Follins had cared for a family member in the home for 30 years, and house repairs were a low priority, Follins said.

In 2019, CWAH stepped in to help Wright, who also has medical issues.

"(The CWAH help) was a godsend," Follins said in a recent phone interview.

Scott Hackmyer is a CWAH board member and one of the field case workers who screens clients and helps coordinate repairs or other needed assistance.

More: Christmas during COVID-19: USPS launches Operation Santa with new digital letter adoption

Doc's Restoration in Summerfield was set up to do plumbing repairs and renovateflooring in the bathroom, and anew hot water heater was installed by another company.

"You could feel the love," Follins said about the coordinated effort, which she said made her mother's life better.

Hackmyer said a donationby Doc's Restoration made the complete job possible.

"As the cost of renovating the bathroom exceeded the $1,200 maximum limit that CWAH has in place, a local church also helped with the cost and, as a Christmas present to Essie Wright, Doc's Restoration absorbed the total cost of the plumbing work that was needed to complete the bathroom repair," Hackmyer stated.

Follins gives thanks to God and appreciates the upgrades to her mother's home done by other members of the community through CWAH.

Hackmyer said a donor would be sought to upgrade Wrights heat pump system, which has had freeze-up problems.

More:Have you thought about donating miles or reward points? Here are 5 ways to help those in need this holiday season.

CWAH has assisted with outstanding mortgage and utility bills, and repairs have been madeby local tradesmen who donate their time to help their neighbors.

Fundraising, screening and organization of assistance projects is done by volunteers with no overhead costs.

"One hundred percent of all donations received go directly to help individuals and families that live in Marion County. The Marion County Sheriff's Department donates meeting space for us to use, and the member agencies that make upCommunityWith A Heart are all donating their time and services," Hackmyer stated in an email.

"Families are screened to assure the needs are legitimate, and a home visit is made to every family requesting help so we can verify what has been told to us. We are really trying to help those in crisis get from Point A to Point B, where they will be self-sufficient and survive the crisis they are currently experiencing," Hackmyer stated.

"The donations made by the public are what allow us to extend this helping hand to those in need in ourcommunity," Hackmyer stated.

To donate toCommunityWith A Heart, mail checks to CWAH Fund,P.O. Box 1777,Ocala, FL 34478.Donations are tax deductible and go directly to help residents in Marion County.

How to Apply for Assistance:

To seek help fromCommunityWith a Heart, contact one of the following agencies for a referral to the program: Marion County Children's Alliance, Brothers Keeper, Interfaith Emergency Services, Marion County School Social Services, Salvation Army,CommunityLegal Services of Mid-FloridaInc., Ocala Housing Authority, Soul Harvest Ministries, Isaiah Foundation, City of Ocala, Central FloridaCommunityAction Agency, Marion CountyCommunityServices and Habitat for Humanity.

Other ways to help

Marion County Children's Alliance:Funds for emergency shelter in motel/hotel for victims and survivors of domestic violence; gas cards, new, unwrapped toys or gift cards for children ages 12-18. Call(352) 438-5990.

Brothers Keeper:Gas cards, bus passes, unwrapped toys for children ages 1-12.(352) 622-3846.

Salvation Army:Shampoo and conditioner,coats for children ages 2-12,towels, bedding, bus passes and canned food items.(352) 732-8326.

Interfaith Emergency Services:Coats for all ages, Bus passes and non-perishable food items. (352) 629-8868.

See the original post:
Community With a Heart ready to help in Marion County - Ocala

While Inslee has said many times he plans to serve his full term as governor, many think it would be hard for him to turn down a job serving under a new Democratic president especially one that involves combating climate change, one of Inslees core issues.

While hes stated that he loves Washington, wants to be near his grandchildren,and feels he has unfinished work here, I believe his core concerns around the environment and his desire to make an impact on the largest stage possible would make a cabinet post hard to turn down, political science professor Vernon Johnson wrote in an email. Johnson directs the Ralph Munro Center for Civic Education at Western Washington University.

Biden announced last week that former Secretary of State John Kerry would serve as a special presidential envoy on climate, which will involve sitting on the National Security Council. But there are other climate-focused jobs Biden has yet to fill.

Should Inslee accept a federal job, it would set off a chain reaction in Washington state politics, starting with a temporary replacement followed by a field of people jockeying to replace Inslee permanently.

The state constitution is clear: Should Washingtons governor vacate his office in the middle of his term, the lieutenant governor takes over.

Starting in January, that will be U.S. Rep. Denny Heck, D-Olympia, who recently won election to the lieutenant governors office. Heck, 68, is retiring from Congress at the end of this year.

This arrangement would be a temporary one, however. A vacancy in the governors office would trigger a special election to decide who will replace Inslee on a more permanent basis. Heck has said he isnt interested in the job long term and would return to the post of lieutenant governor after a permanent replacement is elected.

If Inslee quits before mid-May, when candidates in Washington state begin filing torun for office, the special election to replace him would be held in November 2021. If he resigns after candidate filing week begins in May, the timing of the special election is less clear, said Kylee Zabel, a spokesperson for WashingtonsOffice of theSecretary of State.Zabel saidthe secretary of statesoffice and the state attorney general are conferring on that hypothetical scenario right now.

Whenever the special election occurs, whoeverwins would serve the remainder of Inslees four-year term, which runs through January 2025.

Aseem Prakash, a political science professor at the University of Washington, said the selection of Inslee for a cabinet post or cabinet-level roleis within the realm of possibility.

Prakash, the founding director of the UWs Center for Environmental Politics, said he thinks EPA administrator or energy secretary couldbe afitfor Inslee, should he be tapped for a federal job.Prakash said others have started to emerge as favorites for the Interiordepartment, including U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico, whowould be the first Native American cabinet secretaryif she is selected.

Biden is facing several different pressures as he chooses his cabinet, Prakash said.

I think the left is putting pressure on him, and theyre giving two kinds of signals, Prakash said. One is that you need someone who is totally committed to a Green New Deal. And, secondly, they want someone who is representing the diversity of the Democratic coalition.

Inslee, who is white, wouldnt contribute to the diversity of Bidens cabinet. But unlike some other picks, he is relatively noncontroversial and may have less difficulty getting confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Prakash said. The Senate may very well remain in Republican hands for the next two years, pending the results of two Jan. 5 runoff elections in Georgia.

As far as Inslee saying he wont take a federal cabinet job, Prakash, too, is skeptical.

He said Inslee made his federal ambitions clear last year during his climate-focused run for president.

Everybody knows that Inslee is interested, Prakash said. Everybody acts coy and shy and says, I wont do it. But they will.

There is no shortage of interest. In fact, Inslees decision to run for a third term put many of his fellow Democratic politicians ambitions on hold.

During Inslees short-lived run for president last year, several people said they were interested in succeeding him as governor. Chief among them were state Attorney General Bob Ferguson,Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franzand King County Executive Dow Constantine.

Each decided not to run after Inslee dropped out of the presidential race and said he would seek a third term instead. At the same time, all three Democrats said they would be interested in running for governor should the position become open in 2021.

On the Republican side, no one has been as forthright in expressing interest. But GOP politicians who are commonly discussed as possibilities include state House Minority LeaderRep. J.T. Wilcox, R-Yelm; Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier; and Kim Wyman, Washingtons secretary of state.

Further down the ballot, others had expressed interest in becoming attorney general, should Ferguson run for governor, as well as succeeding Franz in her position managing the states public lands. Inslees reelection bid put the brakes on their aspirations, too.

For that reason, Prakash said, I dont think the local politicians will mourn if Inslee takes a job in Washington, D.C.

Right now, Everyone is stuck, Prakash said. If Inslee goes to Washington, D.C., by contrast, Everybody would move up.

This month, Constantine announced he is running for reelection as county executive. But when asked if that means hes no longer interested in the governorship if it becomes available, he didnt rule out the possibility.

Instead, Constantine sent by text message a list of all the things he wants to tackle in another term leading King County, including ending chronic homelessness and remaking the criminal legal system.

Any other bridges I will cross if and when I come to them, Constantine wrote.

This story has been updated to include more information about possible candidates forgovernor should a vacancy arise.

Follow this link:
What happens if WA Gov. Jay Inslee takes a job in Biden's cabinet - KXLY Spokane

Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr (R) is playing it close-to-the-vest when it comes to announcing Maryland Department of Health Secretary Robert R. Nealls replacement.

Nealls retirement goes into effect on Tuesday, and as the clock ticked closer to midnight, no one seemed to know when the announcement will come or who will win the appointment: Not representatives from House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) and Senate President Bill Fergusons (D-Baltimore City) offices, nor Senate Executive Nominations Committee leaders, who will be tasked with confirming or denying Hogans appointee.

Totally a blank on all those issues, Executive Nominations Chairman Ronald N. Young (D-Frederick) said Monday.

And the not-knowing transcends party lines: Republican leadership in the General Assembly has no clue either.

Havent heard a thing, said House Minority Leader Nicholaus R. Kipke (R-Anne Arundel).

In the midst of a pandemic, which worsens as days go on, Neall, a lifer in Marylands political scene, gave Hogan and his fellow cabinet members three-weeks notice of his departure.

We werent ready to announce this yet today, but I can confirm we just had an emergency cabinet meeting this afternoon where Secretary Bobby Neall, who has been a long-time friend for decades and whos done an incredible job leading a wonderful team of people throughout this crisis, he gave us notice that hes leaving the administration, said Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr (R) at the end of a news conference in mid-November.

Nealls reasoning? Hes tired.

These last three years, though trying, have been very rewarding and I simply do not have the strength and vitality to continue, he told the Joint COVD-19 Response Legislative Workgroup in November. You have to know when to say when.

Neall is tapping out after more than 40 years as a public servant, representing Anne Arundel County in the state House and Senate, as county executive, and everything in between, flip-flopping his party affiliation along the way.

Hes also not the first to step down from the Department of Health since the pandemic reached the state 10 months ago.

Former Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services Fran Phillips announced her retirement in late July, and Gregg Todd, the former deputy secretary of operations, accepted a position as controller for Ingraham County, Mich., over the summer.

Philips vacancy was filled by Acting Deputy Secretary Dr. Jinlene Chan, and Todd was replaced by Atif T. Chaudhry.

But the name of Nealls replacement remains a mystery to political heavy-hitters, some of whom think his shoes will be difficult to fill.

No, I have to say the governor doesnt call me for advice and I think Bobby Neall will be hard to replace, said Senate Health, Education and Environmental Affairs Committee Chairman Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince Georges).

Sen. Clarence K. Lam (D-Howard and Baltimore County), a public health doctor, said the piece thats lost in Nealls departure is the amount of respect he has garnered from having been around the block quite a while.

I think its going to be a real challenge to find a replacement for him that carries that gravitas, Lam said in a phone interview Monday.

Hogan spokesman Michael Ricci told Maryland Matters in an email that he expects an update on Nealls replacement as early as Tuesday.

[emailprotected]

Original post:
Hogan Plays It Close to the Vest as Neall's Retirement Looms - Josh Kurtz

Kevin Wagner| Palm Beach Post

Question:Who replaces the Vice President if he or she dies?

Answer:This was oneissue that the drafters of the Constitution missed because there was no procedure for replacing a sitting Vice President. As a result, for much of our nations history, the death, removalor promotion of the Vice President to the Presidency resulted in a vacancy in the office of the Vice President until the next election.

Indeed, the office of Vice President has been vacant for extended periods over the course of U.S. history. When Harry S Truman ascended to the Presidency after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1945, the office of Vice President remained vacant for over three years until the election of 1948.

When added together, the U.S. has been without a Vice President for roughly 37 years. Americans may not have noticed, because until more recent years, the job itself has not been very memorable. As the first Vice President, John Adams, put it: "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived."

The problem was largely solved by the adoption of the 25th Amendment in 1967, which allows the President to nominate a replacement Vice President, but requires the choice to be confirmed by a majority vote in both chambersof Congress.

We saw the first application of this amendment in 1973, when Richard M. Nixon nominated Gerald R. Ford, who was confirmed by Congress to the Vice Presidency after the resignation of then-Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. Ford then ascended to the Presidency in 1974, after the resignation of President Nixon. This allowed President Ford to use the new amendment to select Nelson Rockefeller as Vice President. Interestingly, this resulted in an administration where neither the President nor the Vice President were actually elected to either office.

Question:Can the Senate block President Joe Bidens Cabinet choices?

Answer:Presidents get to fill thousands of jobs when they assume office, but the most focus is on the nominations of Cabinet Secretaries, like the Defense Secretary or the Attorney General. These are influential jobs, as these individuals make policy decisions and run government departments with substantial powers.

Each of the Presidents Cabinet nominations must be approved by the Senate. So, in theory, yes, the Senate could block or reject any nominee. However, Presidents are often given some deference in building their administration, so a partisan no vote is not automatic.

Further, a change to a Senate rule in 2013 prevents confirmation votes for Cabinet Secretaries from being blocked by the filibuster. Previously, a controversial nominee would require 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. However, that rule was changed about seven years ago so that votes on executive branch nominations and federal judicial appointments cannot be filibustered.

The new rule has worked well for Republicans in confirming an almost unprecedented number of judges over the last four years, often on close votes, but it will also make it easier for Biden to confirm his Cabinet.

Kevin Wagner is a noted constitutional scholar, and political science professor at Florida Atlantic University. The answers provided do not necessarily represent the views of the university.

The professor wants to hear from you. Keep in mind that no question is too basic; but it can be too partisan. So if you have a question about how American government and politics works, send us an email at rchristie@pbpost.com.

Read more:
The Civics Project: Replacing a vice president was not addressed in the original US Constitution - Palm Beach Post

The President-elect says he wants a government as diverse as America when he enters the White House. Here are some of his Executive Branch picks. USA TODAY

WASHINGTON In January 2017, Betsy DeVos,President Donald Trumps nominee for education secretary, told lawmakers at her confirmation hearing that the threat of grizzly bears in Wyoming justified the national push to equip schools with guns. She was responding to a question from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., whod made gun control a priority afterchildren in his state were massacred in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

DeVos gaffe, which garnered a slew of memes and a spoof on Saturday Night Live,became a metaphorfor her tenure as education secretary.It also contributed to her status as the most unpopular member of Trumps already-controversial Cabinet. DeVos won confirmation, thanks to Vice President Mike Pences tiebreaking vote.

DeVos, a conservative billionaire philanthropist, advocated for school choice. In her view, public education money should follow students to whatever learning model their parents prefer whether its a traditional public school, a charter school, a private school or a home school.

Overall, DeVos didnt accomplish much of her school choice agenda. Her hallmark education freedom campaign, which sought to create a national private school voucher program, didnt come to fruition. Congress repeatedly killed that proposal, which in its latest iteration sought to allocate $5 billion toward tax credit scholarships for private school.

If we fast-forward 10 years and look back at this period, were not going to see much, said Dale Chu, a senior visiting fellow at the Fordham Institute, a right-leaning education think tank.

DeVos did convince Congress to expand 529 plans, enabling the state-sponsored college savings accounts to cover private school tuition. She got lawmakers to reauthorize a program providing private school vouchers to students in Washington.

She has really tried to make the case that as education secretary, her job is to work with schools of all stripes, said Lindsey Burke, who directs the Center for Education Policy at the Heritage Foundation, a right-leaning think tank. Public education means education of the public and for the public not just traditional public education.

Teachersunions and civil rights groups, including the NAACP, had a different take.

She came into that position with one purpose in mind: to destroy public education, said Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, noting public schools enroll 90% of the countrys schoolchildren.

DeVos gained traction in her efforts to reverse a suite of policies from President Barack Obamas administration that she said had given the federal government an outsize role in education. Many of those policies pertained to civil rights.

She axed guidelines meant to reduce racial disparities in student discipline rates, arguing they made campuses less safe. She rescinded regulations requiring schools to provide facilities accommodating transgender students, sayingshe wanted toreduce federal "overreach" in schools.

Some of DeVos most concrete policy changes, experts suggested, concerned Title IX, the federal law protecting people from sex-based discrimination in education. She revoked Obama-era guidance that she said negated the due process rights of college students accused of sexual assault.This year, DeVos raised the bar to prove claims of sexual misconduct in schools. She argued the procedures enacted in May would tackle the tragic rise of sexual misconduct complaints in our nation's K-12 campuses.

How DeVos' policy works at some colleges: Hearings are traumatic for both sides

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos hosted a listening session in 2018 on the impact of the department's Title IX sexual assault guidance on students and families and institutions.(Photo: Jasper Colt, USA TODAY Network)

President-elect Joe Biden said he plans to scrap those changes, though DeVos college regulations were backed by federal court rulings.

The big question is: How long does it take them to put a replacement together? said Terry Hartle, the senior vice president for the American Council on Education, a lobbying group for the industry.

The Biden administration could plan simply to cut the rules and come up with a replacement later, he said. Or it could repeal them and replace them immediately with a new set of regulations. Either way, those rules would have to be made available to the public for review before they are made official.

The DeVos regulations went into effect in August. Before a university can take any form of punitive action in response to potential sexual misconduct, officials need a formal complaint. Not all survivors of sexual assault are ready for formal complaints and the investigations and cross-examinations they require.

In normal times, changing a colleges process of handling sexual misconduct complaints would be a massive undertaking, said Jody Shipper, a former university administrator and an adviser to colleges onTitle IX.

Many institutions are hurting financially and struggling to respond to the changes in operations caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Some have started furloughing or laying off employees, which means they may lack ready hands to overhaul sexual misconduct rules.

Shipper said she has seen several new Title IX policies that have gaps or mistakes.

Its clear people scrambled, Shipper said.

Some will certainly see DeVos as a defender against governmental overreach. On the college level, she rolled back several federal rules meant to protect students who borrowed federal money to pay for their education.

To Steve Gunderson,CEO of a trade group of for-profit colleges, DeVos department reversed policies that unfairly targeted the members of his organization.

One of those unfair rules, he said, was the Obama administrations push to limit federal funding to colleges whose programs provided gainful employment. That rule was meant to protect students from wasting time and money on shoddy programs that dont lead to jobs. Gunderson argued it was used to target for-profit institutions.

Gunderson said information published by the Education Department, such as expanded details about how much students pay for a program and earn in their lifetime after completing it, should be enough to help them choose successful programs.

I think theres a growing belief that transparency of data and common metrics is far better in higher education than a whole set of rules and regulations, Gunderson said.

DeVos department denied many requests from student loan borrowers who said their college failed to provide them an adequate educationor forgave only partial amounts of what borrowers sought. Borrowers sued the department for the inaction, and theyve won some cases.

Under DeVos, the federal government even rolled back rules for accreditation, the dry and arcane process of approving which universities can receive federal funding.

The biggest accomplishment from their perspective is going to be the deregulation, said Clare McCannof the left-leaning New America. All of that will add to the amount of time it takes to put some accountability back into the system.

Biden, in his higher education plan, promised to undo many of DeVos changes, stopping colleges from profiteering off students. He plans to reinstate Obama-era rules that tie a college's receipt of federal money in part to graduates' salaries and debt levels.

Kamala Harris, Bidens vice president, sued for-profit Corinthian Colleges when she was Californias attorney general for making false advertisements to students. The system of colleges closed in 2015 after the Department of Educationrestricted its access to federal money for allegedly lying about its job placement rates.

Student loans: Court fight over debts of former Corinthian Colleges students

DeVos issued a statement Tuesday defending her decisions on rolling back rules on Title IX and "reforming accreditation and other heretofore burdensome requirements and regulations." She criticized Biden's plan for cutting the cost of college and forgiving student debt.

"Weve heard shrill calls to 'cancel,'to 'forgive,'to 'make it all free.'Any innocuous label out there cant obfuscate what it really is: wrong," the statement read. "What we do next in education policy and in public policy writ large will either break our already fragile economy, or it will unleash an age of achievement and prosperity the likes of which weve never seen."

President-elect Biden has yet to name his choice for DeVos replacement. The former vice president, whose candidacy was endorsed by teachers unions such as the National Education Association, said that person will have experience as a public school educator.

One of the biggest tasks facing the incoming secretary will be related to colleges: the nations $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio. In terms of touching individuals, the Department of Educations biggest role is making and collecting student loans, Hartle said.

The Education Department has frozen interest rates on federally held student loans and paused borrowers' payments. This pandemic-era hiatus is slated to expire at the end of the month. The next secretary may have to handle the resumption of paymentsif the pause isnt extended before Biden takes office. (Politico reported late Tuesday thatDeVos' department instructed student loan servicers to wait at least aweek before sending bills to borrowers, which could suggest a further extension.)

DeVos deepened partisan divides within federal education policy. Many of the leading Democratic candidates for president in this years primary election, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, distanced themselves from charter schools a key issue for DeVos. Historically, some Democrats including PresidentBill Clinton and Obama supported charter schools, especially as an option for disadvantaged families in urban areas.

Given those divisions and Bidens commitment to unifying the country, some experts suspect DeVos successor will be agnostic on the subject of charters.

DeVos legacy will probably be one of rollbacks rather than steps forward. The secretary may be fine with that. Last month, in an interview with Reason, DeVos questioned the necessity of the department she was tasked with managing.

"This building," she said,"has caused more problems than it solved."

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/education/2020/12/02/betsy-devos-biden-education-secretary/3781931001/

Read the original:
Betsy DeVos vowed to change American education. For the most part, she didnt. - USA TODAY

Bengaluru: Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa is facing intense heat over cabinet expansion as impatience is growing among the aspirants. Several of them had defected from the Congress to the BJP in August 2019 thereby ensuring collapse of the Congress-JDS coalition Government and its replacement by the BJP administration. Several of the legislators have landed in Delhi to urge the BJP High Command to bring about pressure on the CM to induct them.

Utter confusion prevails within the State BJP as there are also rumours of Yeddiyurappa being replaced by a new leader. This has led to flurry of activity with Yeddiyrappa hastily appointing his acolytes as chairmen of boards and corporations. There have also been changes among the CMs advisors. The CMs move to include the Veerashaiva-Lingayats in the Central OBC list was stalled in the nick of the moment as dissidents mounted pressure on the High Command to rein in the Chief Minister. Following this, Home Minister Amit Shah reportedly rang up Mr. Yeddiyurappa asking him to put the decision on hold.

The grapevine has it that most of the moves by the CM are prompted by feelers that he may not be in the seat for long and marching orders are imminent. At 78, Mr. Yediyurappa has survived enough past the retirement of age of 75 years that the BJP has been following. It is not difficult to see that the haste in initiating the recent measures is mainly motivated by his desire to do the maximum benefit to the community to which he belongs. Constituting 17% of the State population, Lingayaths however rule the roost in power structure of the State. Of the 19 chief ministerial tenures in the State, members of the community had occupied the seat 13 times. A little less than one-third seats in the State Assembly are held by the Lingayath legislators. The community individuals represent a third of the posts in the top bureaucracy in the State. Yet the hunger for greater representation in the power corridors has remained undiminished. Tag of winning the all-time great CM within the community seems to have been behind the inspiration to shower the sops on the community.

Expansion of the cabinet is proving to be a pain in the neck for the CM. He had been promising induction of the long-time aspirants after the by-election results on November 10. But it remains unfulfilled even three weeks after the BJP bagged both the seats for which by-polls were held on November 3. One of the winnersMunirathana from R. R. Nagar within the Bengaluru urban districtshas also been the hot favourite for a cabinet post. Besides several other defectors who won their seats in December 2019 by-polls have been endlessly waiting for a berth in the cabinet. Party MLC A. H. Vishwanath belonging to the Kuruba community has also been pressing for his induction in the cabinet reminding the CM that of the 15 defecting MLAs, four were from Kuruba community. Some members have alleged that delay in cabinet expansion has led to groupism within the State BJP with migrant MLAs (read defecting MLAs) coming together to exert pressure for maximum allocation of berths to those who made sacrifices to see the installation of the BJP Government.

Inclusion of Veerashaiva-Lingayath among the OBCs too has been a longstanding demand from the seers of the Community mutts in the State which wield considerable clout in decision-making within the State. Sixteen sub-castes of the community are currently considered the OBC. But seers and other community leaders are urging the community to include as a whole with the OBC category. A prominent mutt chief has even threatened protest if the community was not included in the 2A category for reservation in the State. In the State, Lingayaths are included in 3B category which applies to those living in rural areas thereby allowing 5% quota within the state.

Earlier this month, CMs decision to constitute Veerashaiva-Lingayath Board has been criticized by rival parties. Former CM H. D. Kumaraswamy wanted a similar board for the Vokkaliga community. Vishwanath too has demanded a development corporation for the Kuruba community.

There has been reshuffle among the CMs private staff with political and media secretary putting in their papers from the posts. His political secretary N. R. Santhosh was rushed to a hospital after a suspected bid to commit suicide. Santhosh is grandson of CMs sister. Earlier this month another of CMs media advisor Mahadeva Prakash resigned from his post. Prior to that, another political advisor M. B. Maramkal was removed from his post.

The fast-paced developments in the State BJP signal tightening of noose around Yediyurappa as a group of party legislators are camping in Delhi to seek High Commands assurance and approval for their induction thereby inviting Centres intervention in State party affairs.

M A Siraj is senior journalist based in Bengaluru. He writes for several publications in the country

Here is the original post:
Yediyurappa facing intense heat in move to expand cabinet - The Siasat Daily

The Cabinet approved on Thursday the amended Action Plan for the gradual resumption of flights and the reopening of airports. The Plan, which will enter into force on March 1, 2021, includes the categorization of states as well as the replacement of the classification categories of states.

Speaking after the Cabinet, Minister of Transport, Communication and Works, Yiannis Karousos said that the plan provides that for the categorization of the countries, the Ministry of Health will be based on the weekly report of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). For the states that do not have an evaluation by the ECDC, this evaluation will be done by the Ministry of Health.

As he said, the categorization of States are modified as follows: Category A is replaced by Green Category, in which there will be no restrictions, a practice that still applies today. Category B is replaced by Category Orange, which will require a negative PCR laboratory test within 72 hours prior to departure, a practice that is still valid today. Category C is replaced by Category Red, which will require double PCR laboratory test within 72 hours before departure and another PCR laboratory test upon arrival in Cyprus. No self-restraint or quarantine measures apply in this category.

There will also be a Special Permission Category (Gray) in which passengers must submit a laboratory PCR test within 72 hours before departure. In this category quarantine will be applied in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health.

The Minister said that in the categories Green, Orange and Red the following countries will be included: Firstly, countries of the European Union, secondly, countries of the European Economic Area including the United Kingdom and Switzerland, thirdly, countries that fall on the recommendation list for third countries of the European Council, and fourthly, third countries (Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Belarus).

He clarified that the countries that are not included in the above categories, will be classified in the category Gray special permission. In this category, he explained, a specific procedure will be followed for granting a special permission to enter the Republic of Cyprus for citizens of third countries.

Karousos stated that the following passengers will have the choice to carry out a laboratory test upon their arrival in the Republic of Cyprus: Cypriot citizens and members of their families (including their foreign spouses and their children), legal residents of the Republic and persons entitled to enter the Republic under the Vienna Convention.

The Plan also provides that the Ministry of Health will continue the random checks on passengers arriving in Cyprus, based on the epidemiological criteria of the countries from where flights to the Republic of Cyprus will be operated.

Karousos pointed out that in the amended Action Plan there is provision for people who will be vaccinated. These passengers will be excluded from laboratory tests. He said that the amended Action Plan will enter into force on March 1, 2021.

The Minister said that until the Action Plan enters into force there will be a transitional phase with a starting date of January 15, 2021. In this phase all the following countries can be classified into one of the 4 categories, namely Green, Orange, Red or Gray.

The EU member states, the European Economic Area states, including the United Kingdom and Switzerland, the third countries on the list of the European Council, and the third countries (Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Belarus), are included in the phase.

At the same time, the Cabinet approved the extension for another 6 months of the temporary Incentive Plan to the airlines. This is a Plan that has received positive reviews from airlines and has been described at the EU level as a Best Practice Plan. According to this Plan, an amount per passenger will be paid, as an incentive to the airlines. The amount will depend on the fullness of the aircraft and varies from 41% -70%.

(CNA)

Read more:
Governments approves Amended Action Plan for gradual resumption of flights - in-cyprus