Wednesday, August 31, 2016
USDA Proudly Supports the LGBT Community in Oregon and Nationwide
From the USDA:
Rural Development State Director Vicki Walker staffing the USDA booth at the Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival along with representatives from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service on August 13.
I recently had the privilege of representing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development at the Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival in southwestern Oregon. We stood side-by-side with our counterparts at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Forest Service. When this festival began 25 years ago, the idea of a government agency participating was unthinkable. At that time, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals had no assurance of equal treatment when requesting government services or financial assistance. In fact, it was not so long ago that federal employees suspected of being gay were fired from their jobs. This sad chapter in our history saw careers destroyed and lives irreparably damaged.
I am deeply proud of the tremendous progress we have made nationally and at home here in Oregon to correct those past mistakes. USDA has been among the first federal departments to participate in Pride festivals across Oregon, and we have been leading the way nationally in the arena of LGBT civil rights. We were one of the first federal departments to enact protections specifically on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. USDA has instituted training for our employees, and we have been making a concerted effort to reach out to our LGBT customers, partners, and potential future employees. As I handed out information on the financial programs in Rural Development and the career opportunities available with USDA in a park festooned with rainbows, I experienced first-hand the incredible strides we have made in recent years toward a new era of civil rights.
Ensuring our programs are accessible to the LGBT community is especially important for Rural Development, as we play a key role both in providing low-income rural residents with affordable housing and in providing access to capital for rural businesses to help them get off the ground, expand their operations, and provide more quality jobs. Last year alone, Rural Development provided nearly $480 million for affordable housing and $68 million to support rural businesses in Oregon. This assistance can be especially important for the LGBT community as a study by the Williams Institute found that LGBT individuals are more likely to live in poverty. According to the study, 24 percent of lesbian and bisexual women are poor compared with 19 percent of heterosexual women while transgender people are four times as likely to live in poverty as gender conforming individuals.
At this year’s Eugene/Springfield Pride Festival, I spoke to families, leaders in the community, young people just starting their careers, and seniors now helping to raise their grandkids. The refrain I heard from each one of them was a sincere and heartfelt thanks for being there, for visibly demonstrating our support for this long underserved community, and for setting an example as a government agency that is welcoming and open to our LGBT friends and neighbors.
Through outreach efforts like these, USDA is showing our commitment to civil rights as an employer of choice and an equal opportunity provider. To the everyday Americans who have shown the courage and confidence to say who you are and to make your voice heard, please know that USDA is here for you, not just during Pride celebrations, but year-round.
This year, USDA in Oregon has participated in Pride festivals across the state, including in Eugene, Portland, and Bend.
New FAA Rules for Commercial Drone Use Now In Effect: Here’s What You Need to Know
Heads up: if you are looking to fly a drone for business purposes, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has put into effect new rules for commercial drone use.
New FAA Rules for Commercial Drone Use Now In Effect: Here’s What You Need to Know
New FAA Rules for Commercial Drone Use Now In Effect: Here’s What You Need to Know
Meet the East Coast's first black female comic book store owner - Aug. 31, 2016
Ariell Johnson checks out a customer at the cash register as patrons browse her store's collection of comic books. The 33 year old is the owner of Amalgam Comics and Coffeehouse in Philadelphia. You might say Johnson is a superhero herself.
She's the first black woman on the East Coast to own and operate a comic book store. The comic book world tends to skew heavily towards white males. That's true among comic book authors and owners. But when it comes to finding inspiration, Johnson didn't have to look far. She turned to the X-Men.
Meet the East Coast's first black female comic book store owner - Aug. 31, 2016
She's the first black woman on the East Coast to own and operate a comic book store. The comic book world tends to skew heavily towards white males. That's true among comic book authors and owners. But when it comes to finding inspiration, Johnson didn't have to look far. She turned to the X-Men.
Meet the East Coast's first black female comic book store owner - Aug. 31, 2016
The Child and Adult Care Food Program Responds to the First Lady’s #GimmeFive Challenge!
From the USDA:
Taste preferences and eating habits are formed early in a child’s life, making CACFP a critical part of establishing healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
Through its 15 nutrition assistance programs, USDA strives to improve access to safe, healthy food for all Americans. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) provides aid to child and adult care centers and family or group day care homes for the provision of nutritious foods that contribute to the wellness, healthy growth, and development of young children and the health and wellness of older adults and chronically impaired disabled persons. CACFP administrators and program operators receive support from many advocacy organizations who help ensure children and adults participating in CACFP receive nutritious meals. Below is a story from one of those advocacy organizations, the Child Care Food Program Roundtable.
By Chris Clark, Child Care Food Program Roundtable
In 2015, First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to end childhood obesity, Let’s Move!, celebrated its fifth anniversary. To mark the occasion, she issued the #GimmeFive challenge which encouraged all Americans to do five things to lead a healthier lifestyle. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) community heard this call to action and developed its own CACFP Take ACTION Challenge. That Challenge was launched at the 2015 CCFP Roundtable Conference, where over 500 conference attendees got up, got moving and performed the #GimmeFive Dance!
The Challenge is a yearlong initiative aimed at creating national CACFP awareness, including its collaborative role in quality child care, healthy children, food security and childhood obesity prevention. It recognizes and celebrates CACFP participants’ and professionals’ efforts to get over 1.9 billion CACFP healthy meals and snacks served in family child care homes, centers and after school programs to over 3.8 million children and adults each year.
It consists of five categories, each with a list of corresponding activities. Categories include CACFP Take Action Launch, USDA Resources and Best Practices, Health and Wellness, Educate and Advocate and CACFP Campaigns. Participants select the activities they are interested in undertaking, complete the activities, take a picture and tell their story. At the end of the Challenge—at the 2016 CCFP Roundtable Conference in Rancho Mirage, Calif. – the following awards will be presented: CACFP Gold, Silver, Bronze and Commended.
To date, submissions have been received from child care providers, sponsors, USDA and state agencies in over 35 states. Additional challenge partners are: Child Care Food Program Roundtable; Food Research Action Center (FRAC); Team FNV; Let’s Move! Child Care; T & L Foundation; California Department of Education; National Farm to School Network and USDA. Some fun and creative examples of Challenge submissions received to date include:
- Involving kids in taste testing recipes and creating their own recipe books to take home
- Forming intramural sports teams and exercising together at work
- Getting infants and young kids moving by listening to the Fruit and Veggie Swag collection of songs and videos
- Inspiring others to join the Challenge through friendly competition
- Starting a boot camp style fitness program for friends and colleagues
Building a healthy culture calls for action within and across sectors, because progress in one area will advance progress in another. CACFP, you are doing it! Thank you!
For more wonderful Challenge stories, visit: www.cacfptakeactionchallenge.org. For details about CACFP, please see: www.fns.usda.gov/cacfp/child-and-adult-care-food-program. To learn more about the Child Care Food Program Roundtable, go to www.ccfproundtable.org.
Apple Music Festival to light up London with 10 nights of spectacular performances this September
LondonAugust 25, 2016Apple today announced the Apple Music Festival will return to London's legendary Roundhouse this September for a 10th anniversary celebration of live music, curated exclusively by Apple Music for fans around the world.
http://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/08/apple-music-festival-to-light-up-london-this-september.html
http://www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/08/apple-music-festival-to-light-up-london-this-september.html
What are you doing Friday morning New York?
From U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds:
What are you doing Friday morning New York?
If you want to witness our beautiful red, white and blue F-16s in our famous #Thunderbird #DeltaFormation, we will be flying over the Hudson River, past the World Trade Center and around the Statue of Liberty, about 9:45a.m.
If you see us snap a picture and tag us!! We are looking forward to seeing all of you at the New York Air Show this weekend. #worldtradecenter#statueofliberty #newyork #airshowny #f16
What are you doing Friday morning New York?
If you want to witness our beautiful red, white and blue F-16s in our famous #Thunderbird #DeltaFormation, we will be flying over the Hudson River, past the World Trade Center and around the Statue of Liberty, about 9:45a.m.
If you see us snap a picture and tag us!! We are looking forward to seeing all of you at the New York Air Show this weekend. #worldtradecenter#statueofliberty #newyork #airshowny #f16
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
Monday, August 29, 2016
Sunday, August 28, 2016
Prepping for game day!
From U.S. Department of Defense (DoD):
Prepping for game day!
Crew of the Virginia-class fast attack submarineUSS Hawaii man the rails aboard USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park to shoot a spirit spot forFOX Sports to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the attack on #PearlHarbor. FOX Sports is returning to Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam to telecast four college basketball games live on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. Participants include the University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of California, Princeton University, and Seton Hall University.
U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Corey Barker
Prepping for game day!
Crew of the Virginia-class fast attack submarineUSS Hawaii man the rails aboard USS Bowfin Submarine Museum & Park to shoot a spirit spot forFOX Sports to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the attack on #PearlHarbor. FOX Sports is returning to Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam to telecast four college basketball games live on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7. Participants include the University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of California, Princeton University, and Seton Hall University.
U.S. Navy photo by Cmdr. Corey Barker
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Those Winning Royals
From KCTV5 News:
The Kansas City Royals are now 18-6 in August after they defeated the Boston Red Sox 6-3. Keep up the winning, boys!
The Kansas City Royals are now 18-6 in August after they defeated the Boston Red Sox 6-3. Keep up the winning, boys!
Friday, August 26, 2016
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Tiffany sales plunge as tourists rein in spending - Aug. 25, 2016
Sales at Tiffany have plunged, and the luxury jeweler is blaming tourists' drop in spending.
Tiffany & Co. reported that sales at its stores open at least a year tumbled 8% in the second quarter. Sales at its American stores were down slightly more, and it pointed to lower spending by Chinese and other foreign tourists as a key reason for the decline.
Tiffany sales plunge as tourists rein in spending - Aug. 25, 2016
Tiffany & Co. reported that sales at its stores open at least a year tumbled 8% in the second quarter. Sales at its American stores were down slightly more, and it pointed to lower spending by Chinese and other foreign tourists as a key reason for the decline.
Tiffany sales plunge as tourists rein in spending - Aug. 25, 2016
Prince's Paisley Park home and studio to be open to public - Aug. 24, 2016
Prince's home Paisley Park is being opened to the public, six months after the rock legend's death.
Fans can start buying tickets this Friday at 3 p.m. ET for tours that begin on Oct. 3. The home is in Chanhassen, Minn., about 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. The tickets are available online.
Prince's Paisley Park home and studio to be open to public - Aug. 24, 2016
Fans can start buying tickets this Friday at 3 p.m. ET for tours that begin on Oct. 3. The home is in Chanhassen, Minn., about 30 minutes outside of Minneapolis. The tickets are available online.
Prince's Paisley Park home and studio to be open to public - Aug. 24, 2016
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