The American Soybean Association (ASA) applauds the Senate Agriculture Committee for its passage earlier today of legislation from Chairman Pat Roberts that would establish a national framework for the labeling of bioengineered food products, or GMOs. The legislation passed the committee with the support of all 11 Republican members, as well as Democrats Amy Klobuchar, Joe Donnelly and Heidi Heitkamp. ASA President and Delaware farmer Richard Wilkins praised Roberts’ leadership on the bill in a statement:”ASA is extremely pleased to see this bill come through committee, and we are very appreciative of the leadership shown by Chairman Roberts throughout the process. We’re also thankful for the Democratic support from Sens. Klobuchar, Donnelly and Heitkamp on this bill, as support from Senate Democrats will be key when the bill reaches the Senate floor in the coming weeks.”Now, our attention turns to the full Senate, and we will begin our press on senators from both parties to support this legislation. For soybean farmers, the bill represents our continued ability to use biotechnology within our operations. It means growing more while using less, and it means meeting the needs of a demanding American marketplace, and growing global population. We will communicate those benefits to senators every day until this bill is passed and signed into law.”
Heritage students energy plan honored
It’s called the Imagine Tomorrow competition.Each spring, high school students head for the Washington State University campus in Pullman to pitch visionary solutions for today’s sticky science and engineering challenges.An innovative biodiesel program at Heritage High School is very real, however. And clear-eyed experience, blended with far-reaching expansion plans, earned a team of four students a very real grand prize.Try cold, hard cash — $5,000 apiece, no strings attached — for winners Tyler Bradley, 18, a senior; Joe Dejony, 17, a junior; and sophomores Scott Maxfield, 15, and Zachary Schulling, 15.That was only part of $41,000 won by seven Heritage teams that carried the school’s Energy Smart collaborative banner. They brought home the largest share of at least $100,000 in awards split among more than 30 schools (with all but the grand prize money going to school programs, not to individuals).This third annual trip was the most rewarding 743-mile journey yet for biodiesel instructor Jim Neiman and teaching colleagues and students.“Our presentation is what made us win. We spent a lot of time on it, really put everything into detail,” said Maxfield, who plans to apply his prize to college civil engineering studies.
Assessor battling cancer wont seek third term
Clark County Assessor Linda Franklin said Wednesday that she’s been undergoing treatment for breast cancer and will not seek a third term. She said she’ll stay in office until her term ends on Dec. 31.Franklin, 64, a Democrat, also responded to a remark made last week by Clark County Commissioner Tom Mielke, who endorsed a Republican candidate for assessor and said, “The Assessor’s office has experienced huge budget increases in the past four years and has not been as transparent and accountable to the citizens of Clark County as it should have been.”The office’s two primary functions are to determine the assessed, and therefore taxable, value of properties in the county, and maintain mapping data through the GIS department, which also has the responsibility of producing the county’s road atlas.Mielke said he didn’t want to criticize Franklin personally, so he phrased it as “the office.”Franklin said it was a distinction without a difference.“When people attack my office, they are attacking me,” she said. “I’ve never been so disappointed in an elected official.”She said she and other elected county officials work with commissioners to get a balanced budget.The budget process is driven by the commissioners, she added, and so it should be “transparent” to Mielke.Franklin said Mielke can endorse whomever he wants, but she didn’t like how he “politicized the budget process.”“I’m concerned with what the property owners in the county think. They need to be confident that we are doing the best job we can.”Mielke said Wednesday that he was sorry to learn that Franklin has cancer, but he stood by his critique.“I’m sorry she took it personally. Could you imagine how I’d be if I took everything that was said about me personally?” Mielke said.
Gunman holds up Hazel Dell hair salon escapes police say
Sheriff’s deputies set a tracking dog on the trail of an armed robber who assaulted a hair salon employee in Hazel Dell on Thursday night, but the gunman escaped with a customer’s $40, police said.Deputies rushed to the Hair and Nail Place in the 6400 block of Northeast Highway 99 at 6:54 p.m. Thursday, said Sgt. Linda Hayes with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.A man had walked in, displayed a silver semiautomatic pistol and demanded money. When an employee told him to get out, he pushed her and she hit her head on a glass shelf.A customer gave the robber $40 from her purse and he left on foot.The employee suffered a head laceration but refused to be checked at a hospital, Hayes said.Police took positions around the area and a K-9 team searched the area around the bowling alley and a nearby Mexican restaurant, but the robber escaped.There was no detailed description of the gunman, just a thin man in his 40s or 50s and about 5 feet 5 inches tall.John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.
Duck boat takes to water at Fall Fest
A history of the 31-foot DUKW boatScott Hill Park & Sports ComplexThe population of Woodland was 5,512 as of July 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.WOODLAND — “We’re going to do a beach assault,” declared Jeff Wilson from his World War II duck boat.However, his crew of 15 looked unprepared for any battle.Duck boat rides were popular Sunday during the Lewis River Fall Fest at Horseshoe Lake Park in Woodland. The event was a fundraiser for the Scott Hill Park & Sports Complex, a 40-acre property that supporters are hoping to develop.“That’s very neat,” said Marilyn Van Horn of Woodland after her 20-minute duck boat ride on Horseshoe Lake. “It’s something you never get to do.” She and husband Neil moved to Woodland four years ago from Portland’s Mount Tabor neighborhood. “We are happy we moved here. We hate to go into Portland,” she said.Built in 1945 for the war effort, this DUKW (known as duck) is 31 feet long, 8 feet wide and amphibious.“What you have is a 16,000-pound monster,” said Wilson, who owns the duck boat and donated proceeds from the $5-a-person rides. He said perhaps 500 people took rides over the weekend. His company TDI, a Longview portable toilet firm, also does business in Woodland.Wilson said the duck has 140 horsepower, can go 55 mph on land and 7 mph in the water, and, “I can run about eight hours on 15 gallons of gasoline.“It’s a true amphibian.” Wilson said. “It’s all-wheel drive. It has a propeller.”He said some passengers “are apprehensive. It’s not a natural feel to take a perfectly good vehicle and drive it into the water.”Wilson said riding in the duck gives people a feeling for history.“The ducks were built primarily by women. These were built in Dearborn, Mich. … It’s not just a museum piece,” he said of the rig. “People can touch it. They can feel it.” Jeff WilsonDonated DUKW boat rides during the festival to raise money for Scott Hill Park & Sports Complex
Longview man 82 says hes OK after tackling burglary suspect
LONGVIEW (AP) — An 82-year-old Longview man says he was a little sore but otherwise OK after tackling and helping police catch a suspected felon one-third his age.Terry Miracle was weeding in his garden Friday when heard a commotion. It was police chasing a burglary suspect identified as 27-year-old Morgan Perry Bluehorse.As officers chased him through yards and over fences, Miracle could hear them coming closer, The Daily News reported Sunday. Miracle told the newspaper that he got into position, remembering his high school football training from 65 years earlier, and the suspect came barreling around the house.“He was looking back over his shoulder to see where they were, and he turned around the corner of the house and he was coming at me just like the runners used to do when I played football,” Miracle said. He ran toward the suspect, who halted and stumbled as Miracle launched a “cross-body block.” “I kicked out my knee, as I always did with a cross-body block, and caught his knee with my knee,” Miracle said. “He went down and so did I.”
Working in Clark County Interior Designer Victoria Bradford
Working in Clark County, a brief profile of interesting Clark County business owners or a worker in the public, private, or nonprofit sector. Send ideas to Mary Ricks: mary.ricks@columbian.com; fax 360-735-4598; phone 360-735-4550.Victoria Bradford worked in the banking business but had a passion for design. She went back to school to study interior design. She started her new career by remodeling private yachts. These days, she works on custom home projects, commercial design and color consultation. She believes she should always leave things better than what she found them. “Design is about the client, not me,” Bradford says. “I love making my clients happy.”Name: Victoria Bradford, interior designer.Job/employer: Owner of Comfort Interiors Inc., 901 Main St.Age: 54.Professional background: I worked in the banking business at Key Bank for a few years. After my husband died when I was 34, I went back to school. I had always had a passion for design, so I studied interior design at Marylhurst University. After graduation, I started my career in remodeling private yachts. In 2000, the opportunity came to buy Comfort Interiors.Dean Irvin, who owned Comfort Interiors, donated it to SWIFT (Southwest Washington Independent Forward Thrust), a nonprofit group. To get the maximum exposure for the sale, SWIFT decided to sell the business on eBay and use the auction proceeds to create an endowment to benefit downtown Vancouver. Bradford needed more room and found a good building in a good location downtown.What she does: I do custom home projects, commercial design and color consultation. Because of the wide array of products available, it is a good time to be in the business. Everyone can afford good design, you just need to know how to put it together. Design is about the client, not me. I ask a lot of questions and try to find something that reflects their personality.
Woman in rape case sues UO coach
PORTLAND (AP) — A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by three University of Oregon basketball players filed a lawsuit Thursday against the school and head basketball coach Dana Altman.The suit alleges Altman knew when he recruited Brandon Austin that the player had been suspended from Providence College in Rhode Island due to allegations of sexual misconduct. It also claims that the university put off disciplinary action against the players in order to help the basketball team and that it illegally accessed her campus counseling records.The woman, who is still a University of Oregon student, alleges the school was negligent, violated her civil rights and privacy, and deprived her of her right to an education. “UO delayed taking any action on the sexual assaults for over two months while it prioritized winning basketball games over the health, safety, and welfare of its students,” the lawsuit alleges.Interim President Scott Coltrane said the university disagrees with the allegations in the lawsuit and believes it acted lawfully. He said the university is trying to improve its code of conduct and its handling of student discipline.
61 believe staff are not fully aware of the healthcare services available
Almost two thirds (61%) of people management professional respondents who work for an organisation that has a health and wellbeing strategy believe that employees are not fully aware of the healthcare services available to them, according to research by Axa PPP Healthcare.Its Realising the value of your health and wellbeing strategy report, which surveyed 344 people management professionals, also found that 51% of respondents that work for an organisation with a health and wellbeing strategy believe that board level executives do not understand the value of investing in employee health and wellbeing.The research also found:60% of respondents that work for an organisation that does not have a health and wellbeing strategy in place feel that board level executives do not understand the value of investing in employee health and wellbeing.More than a third (37%) of respondents cite a lack of employee engagement as the biggest challenge to implementing and delivering a health and wellbeing strategy.31% of respondents identify inadequate budget as a key barrier to implementing and delivering a health and wellbeing strategy.75% of respondents that work for an organisation with a health and wellbeing strategy agree that investing in health and wellbeing has had a positive impact on their workforce and business performance.Chris Horlick (pictured), distribution director at Axa PPP Healthcare, said: “While it’s encouraging to see so many people management professionals recognise the value of a health and wellbeing strategy, it’s disappointing that some still face significant barriers to success. For example, lack of buy-in and support from senior management and inertia on the part of unengaged employees; two important obstacles that health services providers can help wellbeing advocates to overcome.”
36 believe wearables can enhance productivity in the workplace
More than one-third (36%) of employee respondents cite increased productivity as a benefit of using wearable technology in the workplace, according to research by office search engine organisation Office Genie.Its survey of 1,000 UK employees also found that 42% of respondents believe that stress monitoring is an appropriate use for wearable technology in the workplace.The research also found:41% of respondents feel that supporting employees’ physical health would be an appropriate use for workplace wearables, 30% believe wearable technology should be used to boost productivity, and 20% think that monitoring mental health is an appropriate way of employing workplace wearables.43% of respondents cite employee wellness as a benefit of using wearable technology in the workplace, and 41% cite health benefits.More than half (51%) of respondents believe that wearable technology is beneficial in the workplace, compared to 69% of respondents aged 18-24 years old, and 61% of respodnents aged 65 years old and over.One-third (33%) of respondents would prefer to use employer-provided wearable technology for professional use only, and 21% would use it for both professional and personal purposes.49% of respondents are worried about the negative effect wearable technology could have on employees’ stress levels, 58% are concerned that their employer could look at data recorded by the devices outside of the workplace, and 67% worry that the use of wearable technology in the workplace could result in a big brother-style surveillance culture.Peter Ames (pictured), head of strategy at Office Genie, said: “If employers are planning to introduce workplace wearables, these concerns have to be considered. First and foremost, employees need to be be clear as to the legitimate reasons behind their introduction.“Creating a document informing staff of the data sets that will be employer-accessible can help reduce fears of snooping bosses. These concerns aside, workplace wearables have been linked to improved productivity and job satisfaction, as well as health benefits. So it definitely isn’t worth writing them off, particularly with the majority of employees in favour of them.”
WESC Foundation launches salary sacrifice car scheme
Visual impairment services organisation the WESC Foundation has introduced a salary sacrifice car scheme for its 240 Devon-based employees.The organisation launched the Lifestyle Lease scheme, provided by Maxxia, in June 2017 in order to extend the range of benefits available to staff.The scheme enables the lease agreement to be made directly with employees rather than the employer, meaning that staff can continue the lease agreement if they change jobs, either through their new employer or privately.The car scheme includes a range of support services alongside the provision of a new car. This includes all servicing, fully comprehensive car insurance, a tyre policy, all automotive glass, annual road fund licence, and breakdown and recovery assistance.To gain access to the company car scheme, staff register via the WESC Foundation-branded Lifestyle Lease portal. The portal features a frequently asked questions section and a live chat function to answer any queries employees might have, and to support employees in the decision making process.The organisation communicated the new scheme through a variety of channels, including an electronic newsletter, staff emails, on-site posters, and a benefits roadshow.The government limited the range of benefits that attract tax advantages when offered through a salary sacrifice arrangement in April 2017. The salary sacrifice arrangements, referred to as optional remuneration arrangements, that fall within the scope of the changes are benefits in kind (BIK) with a cash allowance option and flexible benefits schemes with a cash option. If an employee selects a benefit instead of some form of cash pay, the taxable value of the benefit is the greater of the amount of cash pay sacrificed and the taxable value under the normal BIK rules.The changes will not apply to salary sacrifice company car schemes entered into before 6 April 2017 until 6 April 2021. Ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) are exempt from the changes.Maureen Biss (pictured), deputy chief executive officer at WESC Foundation, said: “We wanted to provide our employees with a wider array of benefits, including the option to access new cars via an employee benefit car scheme.“Having looked closely at schemes that were available in the market, we selected [the] Lifestyle Lease as being the most suitable to meet our needs and those of our employees.”
CIPD pilots returntowork programme to support parents in Yorkshire and the Humber
The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) has announced that it will pilot a new return-to-work programme to support parents living in Yorkshire and the Humber who wish to re-enter the workplace.The CIPD Parent Returner Programme, funded by the Government Equalities Office (GEO), has been designed to support parents who are not in work because of family commitments, but otherwise would prefer to re-join the workforce. Currently, 436,000 parents in the UK are in this situation.The pilot programme will work with 25 employers in Yorkshire and the Humber, providing training through workshops and webinars to help them improve internal recruitment policies and practices, targeted at returning parents. This will include ensuring that recruitment policies are inclusive and reviewing flexible working arrangements.The scheme will further offer free mentoring to 150 parents living in the region who have been out of the workforce for a year or more; they will receive tailored support via the CIPD’s Steps Ahead mentoring programme, which lasts between six and 12 weeks. This aims to help parents secure a job at the same level, or higher than their previous position.Steps Ahead uses mentors who are HR professionals within the CIPD’s membership network. They will help individuals build a CV and create or update an online profile, as well as offering interview tips and working on building confidence. Once in work, the mentors will take on a coaching role to further support parents’ transition back into the workplace.Mentors will begin working with local parents in September 2019.Parents participating in the pilot programme will also be able to attend a Pregnant then Screwed Live event in March 2020, which will offer returning parents the chance to network with employers and peers as well as attend talks and workshops.The CIPD Parent Returner Programme is supported by Timewise, Pregnant then Screwed, GPS Return and Humber Learning Consortium.Peter Cheese (pictured), chief executive officer at the CIPD, said: “The problem of getting more returners back into work is twofold. On the one hand, returners may be reluctant to put themselves forward for a role if they’ve been out of the jobs market for a while, even when they’re more than qualified. However, we also know that the lack of flexible working arrangements offered by employers can deter people from going back to work or make it practically impossible for them to do so.“Supporting employers and individuals alike is the most effective way to change the current situation. We’re excited to be launching this pilot in Yorkshire and the Humber, which we hope to go on and roll out nationally.”Penny Mordaunt, minister for women and equalities, added: “It is completely unacceptable that the careers of talented parents are held back because they take time out of their jobs to care for a loved one.“Businesses cannot afford to overlook the potential of these talented people. That’s why we are investing in returners to work, giving them the opportunity to refresh and grow their skills. By acting on this issue we can grow the economy and achieve true equality in our workplaces.”
Missing boater found dead in Biscayne Bay
MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – Police have confirmed they have recovered the body of a boater who went missing in Biscayne Bay on Friday.Officials said the Miami Beach Police Marine Patrol located the body of 22-year-old Tyron Robinson near Mount Sinai Medical Center, Sunday afternoon.Miami Fire Rescue had also received a call of a deceased man floating in that area. Officials said people on personal watercraft discovered the body.In an email, Miami Beach Police Officer Ernesto Rodriguez said, “His death appears to be a tragic accident; foul play is not suspected at this time.”Multiple agencies responded to reports of a missing person, Friday, just before 7:30 p.m. Officials said Robinson was on a 17-foot rental boat with his girlfriend when he entered the water and failed to resurface. His girlfriend then contacted authorities.Robinson had been last seen in Biscayne Bay, near the Venetian Causeway, approximately 500 yards north of Belle Island, in Miami Beach. Search teams used boats and helicopters but were unable to find him.According to Robinson’s family, he was visiting South Florida from Washington D.C. for Labor Day weekend. He is survived by a 3-year-old son. Police said the medical examiner will determine the final cause of death pending an autopsy.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
MIA flight delayed after swarm of bees found on jets wing
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLA. (WSVN) – A passenger flight headed to New York City from Miami International Airport was delayed for hours, Monday afternoon, after bees were spotted on the outside of the plane.A 7News viewer sent in a picture of the swarm on one of the wings of the American Airlines jet bound to John F. Kennedy Airport.The airline called a beekeeper to get rid of the insects. Once the aircraft was bee free, crew members and passengers returned to the jet.The flight finally took off at 5:18 p.m., more than four hours after its scheduled departure time.Remember, if you see news happening and can do so safely, take a picture or shoot video and send it to: senditto7@wsvn.com.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
NFL players catch mako shark off South Florida
HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) – A group of NFL players caught a huge mako shark, Monday night, during a fishing trip off South Florida.The three players will have quite a shark tale to tell their teammates when the season begins. “They said it was like the Super Bowl of fishing, ’cause it’s like a once-in-a-lifetime type of deal,” said Trent Brown, a lineman for the San Francisco 49ers.The three friends hit the water, Monday, and returned to shore with a mako shark over 7 feet long and weighing 300 pounds.It’s quite the catch, but the players said they expected to bring her home. “We said it. We said we would. We said we were gonna catch a shark,” said Antonio Morrison, a linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts. “We said it in the car, so we did it.”But even if they knew it would happen, the ship’s captain, David Ide, knows how rare their catch truly is. “We very rarely catch them. I’ve been charter fishing for the last 15 years and only caught a handful of them,” he said. “I’ve caught like, I think, four in 15 years of charter fishing, and we go every single day of the week.”The players went out Monday afternoon for a four-hour fishing session. They hooked some small fish first.The mako didn’t bite until the very end. The professional athletes experienced firsthand the power of the shark. “It took all three of them to reel it in, believe it or not,” Ide said. “They’re all big guys. They said they could do it by themselves, but it didn’t happen that way.”After the hard work of bringing the shark on the boat, everyone on board celebrated the exceptional catch.“It’s special for me just catching one, being a part of it,” said Neiron Ball, a linebacker for the Oakland Raiders.“You have a bunch of variables in fishing. It all has to come together to make this happen,” said Ide.The players plan on mounting the mako in their home.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Children gather for Kiwanis Clubs first day of camp in Miami
MIAMI (WSVN) – The Kiwanis Club of Little Havana kicked off the first day of camp in Miami.The organization will host the eight-week camp for hundreds of children and their parents at Lummus Park near Northwest Third Street and Third Court.Those attending, Monday, picked up their uniforms and snapped a few pictures before meeting with their counselors.The camp is free and supported by nonprofit and corporate partners.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Brownsville Middle School student disciplined for bringing pellet gun on campus
NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – A student was found with a pellet gun at Brownsville Middle School.Miami-Dade Schools told 7News that a seventh-grader was found with a pellet gun at the school, Thursday.Related: Gun falls out of Florida kindergartner’s backpack in classAccording to a Miami-Dade Schools spokesperson, the pellet gun was not loaded and the student will be disciplined.“The people just came and got him out of the class,” said sixth-grader Keondre Fluellen.Officials said students were not in danger.Parents are on edge after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, and they said they don’t know how a student could even bring a pellet gun on campus as backpacks have to be cleared.Other parents expressed their frustration. They wondered if a student could bring a pellet gun on campus, they could bring a real gun as well. “I feel sorry that they don’t have the school secured for the kids,” said mother Yolanda Fluellen.“We cannot keep these things and kick these things under the rug,” said activist Tangela Sears. “Our kids mean something to us. We cannot have kids coming in school with guns, BB guns.”Parents told 7News that the school did not alert them of the situation.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Nonprofit Fathers MIA honors coach killed in Parkland shooting
DAVIE, FLA. (WSVN) – A South Florida organization honored one of the adult victims of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.The nonprofit Fathers M.I.A. gave the family of Aaron Feis its “Father of the Year” award during a ceremony in Davie, Saturday night.Feis, an assistant football coach at the Parkland school, lost his life shielding students and teachers from gunfire during the Feb. 14 massacre.He was well-known as a mentor and positive influence on thousands of students and athletes in the community.Feis’ wife and daughter accepted the posthumous award.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
At least 3 injured after car jackknifes minivan at Miami stoplight
MIAMI (WSVN) – A violent rollover crash at a stoplight in Miami sent at least three people to the hospital.City of Miami Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the crash at the intersection of Northwest 71st Street and North Miami Avenue, Saturday morning.According to a witness, a minivan ran a red light and was jackknifed by a car, causing it to roll over.The van was carrying several people when it crashed, Rescue crews transported at least three passengers to the hospital in unknown condition.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Kenai Fire Captain Attending ARFF Response Training
ARFF is a special category of firefighting that involves the response, hazard mitigation, evacuation and possible rescue of passengers and crew of an aircraft involved in (typically) an airport ground emergency. Also, paramedics from the City of Kenai Fire Department, Nikiski Fire Department, and Central Emergency Services attended, both in person and online, a six day Paramedic Refresher course at the Beacon Training Facility in Kenai. Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享The Kenai Fire Department Captain James Dye is currently attending the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida.
Dye will be attending the conference until March 1, representing the City of Kenai Fire Department and the Kenai Airport.