Steve Klein addresses current issues impacting Yelm and vicinity and provides a meeting place for anyone with an interest in this area to provide their ideas and opinions
“Get Ready with Quick Tips: Come Early, Come Prepared, and Discover Something New”
“The final weekend of summer travel means your chance for one last trip before school starts. Great idea! But you’re not the only one with that idea. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the 10th most connected international hub in the U.S. and the 11th most connected domestic hub, making the airport a key travel destination for you and thousands of others. Take advantage of our tips to help make your travel efficient and enjoyable,” by the Port of Seattle.
“EARTH UFO Fest is the link to start with to see what’s happening at the 3rd Annual UFO Fest Aug 30th, 31st & Sep 1st. It’s at The Thurston Co. Fairgrounds this year. Including – Speakers at the Cosmic Symposium , Out of this world Live Entertainment, UFO bouncy house Spaceship, Interactive Alien Greeters, Galaxy Theater, Demonstrations, Vendors Galore, Delicious Earthly foods, Searchlights, Aeronautics, Skywatch, Nightly Costume parade and contest, 2 BEER GARDENS and more.”
“FFA National Convention Fundraiser at Pizzeria La Gitana”
Wednesday, August 28, 2019 at 11 AM – 9 PM
“20% of ALL sales on August 28th will be donated to FFA to sponsor those members attending the 2019 National FFA Convention. “Come support Yelm FFA members who are attending Nationals in the fall! “So awesome!”
“Yelm Preserves the Past While Looking to the Future”
“Through two new projects funded by the Washington State Legislature, the City of Yelm is simultaneously preserving the past while looking to the future. The iconic 125-foot water tower that has loomed over the town since the 1940s is being converted into an art piece, while a new building, to be constructed almost directly under the tower will house a satellite branch of South Puget Sound Community College and a business incubator space.
“Representative J.T. Wilcox was one of those legislators who secured funds for both projects,” by Heidi Smith, Thurston Talk.
“A Gyrating Economy, and Trump’s Volatile Approach to It, Raise Alarms”
” Mr. Trump’s wild and unscripted pronouncements on Friday renewed questions about his stewardship of the world’s largest economy even as he escalated a trade war with China before heading to France for a high-profile summit with the leaders of many of the world’s other major industrial powers.
“Even some of his own aides and allies were alarmed by his behavior,
seeing it as the flailing of a president increasingly anxious over
the dark clouds some have detected hovering over an economy that
until now has been the strongest selling point for his
administration. They privately expressed concern that he was hurting
the economy and was doing lasting damage to his own prospects for
re-election.
Mr. Trump has become one of the biggest sources of global economic instability after presiding over a period of growth and job creation,” by Peter Baker, The New York Times.
“Gay workers not covered by civil rights law, Trump admin tells Supreme Court”
“The Justice Department, in a brief submitted to the high court Friday, argued that Title VII ‘does not bar discrimination because of sexual orientation,'” by By Brooke Sopelsa, NBC Out.
“We Can’t Confront Climate Change While Lavishly Funding the Pentagon”
“The Pentagon is staring down the barrel of what could become the longest, hottest war in U.S. history. This titanic clash pits the largest military the world has ever seen against an omnipresent opponent that can marshal resources like no enemy it has ever encountered.
“That opponent is climate change, and according to a joint investigation by NBC News and InsideClimate News, the extreme heat it brings is already generating military casualties,” by JP Sottile, Truthout.
“Trump’s large union crowd at Shell was given the option of not showing up — and not getting paid”
“The choice for thousands of union workers at Royal Dutch Shell’s petrochemical plant in Beaver County was clear Tuesday [Aug. 13, 2019] : Either stand in a giant hall waiting for President Donald Trump to speak or take the day off with no pay.
“‘Your attendance is not mandatory,’ said the rules that one contractor relayed to employees, summarizing points from a memo that Shell sent to union leaders a day ahead of the visit to the $6 billion construction site. But only those who showed up at 7 a.m., scanned their ID cards, and prepared to stand for hours — through lunch but without lunch — would be paid.
“‘NO SCAN, NO PAY,’ a supervisor for that contractor wrote,” by Anya Litvak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“Last month after Donald Trump watched Fox News lob what he called “softball questions” at a Democratic lawmaker, the US president delivered a crisp smackdown of his favorite network: ‘Fox sure ain’t what it used to be,'” by France’s AFP.
“U.S. Steel plans to lay off hundreds of workers in Michigan”
“United States Steel Corp will temporarily lay off hundreds of workers at its Great Lakes facility in Michigan in coming weeks, according to a filing the steelmaker made with the State of Michigan,” by Reuters.
“Trump Steadily Fulfills Goals on Religious Right Wish List”
“After a flurry of recent actions, the Trump administration is winning praise from conservative religious leaders for fulfilling many of their goals,” by the Associated Press.
“Budget Deficit on Path to Surpass $1 Trillion Under Trump”
“The federal budget deficit is growing
faster than expected as President Trump’s spending and tax cut policies
force the United States to borrow increasing sums of money.
“The deficit — the gap between what the government takes in through taxes and other sources of revenue and what it spends — will reach $960 billion for the 2019 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. That gap will widen to $1 trillion for the 2020 fiscal year, the Congressional Budget Office said in updated forecasts released on Wednesday [Aug. 21],” by Jim Tankersley and Emily Cochrane, The New York Times.
Read more budget deficit to reach $1 trillion under Trump
“New CBO Budget Projections Show Toll of Budget-Busting Legislation”
“The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) just released its latest baseline, projecting high and rising debt made worse by recent legislation.”
“In terms of annual borrowing, CBO projects deficits to total $960 billion (4.5 percent of GDP) this year, cross the $1 trillion mark next year,” by The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
“With America’s democracy threatened by foreign disinformation campaigns, voter apathy and deepening political divides, the last thing it needs is further erosion of its free press.
“Yet now the nation’s two largest newspaper chains, GateHouse Media and Gannett, are poised to merge.
“Although little can be done to stop this deal, it’s time for a movement to protect the free press through policy reforms, public education and an emphasis on local stewardship.”
“Local news coverage saw a devastating plunge over the last decade. Newsroom employment fell by nearly half, from 71,000 to 38,000 from 2008 to 2018. At least 1,800 newspapers closed altogether since 2004.”
“Warm temps, wildfire smoke possible for western Washington next week”
“A weather pattern expected to bring warmer temperatures to western Washington could also bring some wildfire smoke to the area,” by Ben Dery, KING-5 TV News, Seattle.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers use a facial recognition device at Miami International Airport to screen travelers entering the United States, on February 27, 2018, in Miami, Florida.” Credit: Joe Raedle, Getty Images
“Facial Recognition Technology Is Aiding ICE in Sanctuary Cities”
Editor’s note: “Big Brother” has now arrived!
“Cambridge, Massachusetts, became the fourth U.S. city last week to ban the use of facial recognition software amid privacy and civil liberties concerns. Oakland, San Francisco and Somerville, Massachusetts, have passed similar bans, and ordinances are now pending in Berkeley, California, and state legislatures in Massachusetts and Michigan as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) pushes for a nationwide ban.
“According to The Washington Post, Utah and Vermont allowed ICE to analyze millions of motorists’ photos without their knowledge. Meanwhile, ICE agents subpoenaed Washington State’s Department of Licensing to conduct a facial recognition scan of license applicants’ photos. More than a dozen states allow undocumented people to drive with legal licenses or driving privilege cards, with some of those states already allowing the FBI to scan photos,” by Candice Bernd, Truthout.
“16 beers and 2 ciders on tap. We have cans of domestic and microbrews. We also carry NW wines. Our tap list is on the app untappd, download it to keep up to date.”
