Franklin educator uses board game to teach historical lessons

FRANKLIN —
Their ships reach the shore of Catan, an island of rolling hills and pastures and towering mountains. With wood and bricks, they set out to build settlements and amass resources.

They eventually carve out roads for other villages. Cities spring up everywhere, but supplies grow scarce. Brief alliances and rivalries form. Some seek isolation; others barter willingly with friends and enemies alike, though every exchange is calculated.

Soon, the pioneers find themselves vying for supremacy over Catan, to establish that great empire. Another Rome or Egypt.

Mark Brady announces to the room full of sixth graders that it’s time to move on to their next class. Rapt no longer, the social studies students sigh in disappointment and begin packing away the role-playing board game they had been lost in for the last hour or so.


Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/education/x1433777900/Franklin-educator-uses-board-game-to-teach-historical-lessons#ixzz2Nh9wjp7C

Expand State Partnerships for Passenger Rail

As passenger rail ridership grows nationwide, Amtrak and some states are engaging in innovative new partnerships to foster this demand. To comply with the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) that passed in 2008, federal and state policymakers will not only need to focus on the financial and operational performance of short-distance routes, where over 80 percent of the system’s ridership occurs, but also on the future of long-distance routes.

Of course, more federal support would help. But with additional federal funding unlikely and state budgets significantly pared, policymakers will need to consider more sustainable ways to finance the nation’s increasingly intermodal transportation network. Passenger rail, in particular, has shown the importance of states stepping up and taking action.

And several states have already seized the opportunity. Before PRIIA passed, 15 states paid at least a portion of the operating expenses for 21 different routes, affirming their commitment to passenger rail and placing them in a better position to target future spending. Oklahoma and Texas, for example, have jointly financed the Heartland Flyer and contributed more than $17 million combined from 2007 to 2011. Collectively, the 15 states have allocated almost $850 million during the same span.

Some states have also invested in rolling stock and other capital improvements that have furthered economic development along different corridors. North Carolina, for instance, has actively supported the Carolinian and Piedmont by rehabilitating stations and upgrading state-owned tracks. California has continued to invest in the Pacific Surfliner, the Capitol Corridor, and the San Joaquin, all of which rank among the 10 busiest routes nationally.

http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/the-avenue/posts/2013/03/13-passenger-rail-state-subsidies-puentes-kane

It's National Potato Chip Day

Feb. Retail Sales Up 0.7%

Retail sales beat February estimates as consumers adjusted their spending in response to an increase in payroll taxes and higher gasoline prices, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF).

February retail sales -- excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants -- increased 0.7 percent seasonally adjusted from January and increased 0.5 percent unadjusted year-over-year.

“Retail continues to show its importance to the economy,” said Matthew Shay, NRF president and CEO. “That said, our consumer research consistently shows a cautious shopper that is making tough spending decisions based upon economic uncertainties, lower paychecks and higher prices for things such as gas."

"This is particularly true among those making $50,000 or less a year,” Shay continued. “While retail sales numbers indicate good momentum for the economy, consumers with less earning power may continue to face ongoing pressure and retail sales will encounter further challenges as sequestration takes full effect in March.”

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/top-stories/headlines/consumer-insights/id37572/feb-retail-sales-up-0-7-/?cid=homepage

The Tax Favored By Most Economists

Looking for a public policy that would improve the operation of the economy, lower our dependence on foreign oil, reduce pollution, slow global warming, allow cuts in government spending, and decrease the long-term deficit? Then a carbon tax is what you want. As one of the few taxes favored by economists, carbon taxes could help the nation address several issues simultaneously.

The basic rationale for a carbon tax is that it makes good economic sense: unlike most taxes, carbon taxation can correct a market failure and make the economy more efficient. Although there are substantial benefits of energy consumption, there are also substantial societal costs – including air and water pollution, road congestion, and climate change. Since many of these costs are not directly borne by those who use fossil fuels, they are ignored when energy production and consumption choices are made, resulting in too much consumption and production of fossil fuels. Economists have long recommended a tax on fossil-fuel energy sources as an efficient way to address this problem.

Not surprisingly, most analyses find that a carbon tax could significantly reduce emissions. Tufts University economist Gilbert Metcalf estimated that a $15 per ton tax on CO2 emissions that rises over time would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14 percent. Another study estimated that the European countries’ carbon taxes have had a significant effect on emissions reductions.

Although a carbon tax would be a new policy for the federal government, it has been implemented in several other countries (though not always in the manner advocated by economists), including the Scandinavian nations, the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The Canadian provinces of Alberta and Quebec adopted carbon taxes in 2007, followed by British Columbia in 2008. Meanwhile, California, the 9th largest economy in the world, has recently initiated a cap-and-trade system, which auctions carbon permits to companies.

http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2013/03/12-taxing-carbon-gale

In Response To High Profile Case, McCaskill Drafting Legislation On Sexual Assault In Military

As many as 19,000 service members are sexually assaulted each year. A small fraction of those cases -- around 2,500 a year -- are actually reported, and a much smaller fraction are prosecuted.

The Senate Armed Services held a hearing on sexual assaults in the military, following a high profile case in which Lt. Col. James Wilkerson was convicted by a military jury of "abusive sexual contact." After the trial and conviction, a Lieutenant General dismissed the charges, without having to provide an explanation.

Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill has said that the appearances of this case are devastating to other victims of sexual assault in the military, and that it appears as though "somebody (was) taking care of one of their guys."

In response, McCaskill has announced she is drafting legislation to change the Uniform Code of Military Justice to prohibit commanders from nullifying a guilty verdict by a jury, and would require a written justification for commuting or lessening a sentence.

http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org/post/response-high-profile-case-mccaskill-drafting-legislation-sexual-assault-military

Editorial: Missouri Senate blames unions for economic woes. Oh, please.

For those of you wondering who could possibly be blamed for the moribund economy all of us in Missouri and the nation suffered through in recent years, worry not.

The Missouri Senate has found the culprit. It’s public employees.

It’s those absurdly high-paid teachers, nurses, janitors, secretaries, pothole fixers and home health care workers.

Early Tuesday morning, while some of those workers were helping roll over your grandma or grandpa at the nursing home so they didn’t get bed sores, the Republicans who lead the state Senate set things right. They gave initial approval to a bill that will make it a little harder for the unions that represent those public employees to collect fees that might be used to elect thoughtful people to elected office.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-missouri-senate-blames-unions-for-economic-woes-oh-please/article_7b7a6d18-272c-5c94-b475-ffdba3bcde67.html

Mo. Senate panel votes to end renters' tax break

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Despite pleas from the poor not to do so, a Senate budget panel voted Tuesday to do away with a longtime tax break for low-income seniors and disabled residents who live in rented homes.

The legislation backed by Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon and Republican Senate leaders would eliminate a tax credit for about 104,000 low-income renters while leaving it in place for a slightly larger pool of homeowners. The $57 million in savings from the abolished tax break would be redirected to mental health care, nursing homes and home-based health and living services that could benefit the disabled and seniors.

The bill, which now goes to the full Senate, would implement a recommendation from a tax-credit review commission appointed by Nixon. That panel said the income tax break, which is intended to partially offset local property taxes, is not as necessary for renters because there is not enough evidence that landlords pass on the full cost of property taxes to renters.

But recipients of the tax break testified Tuesday that it helps them pay for utilities, medical bills, clothing and other daily living expenses.

http://news.yahoo.com/mo-senate-panel-votes-end-123714783.html

Four Arrested After Gun Incident At Normandy High School

WELLSTON, MO. (KTVI) – The mother of a Normandy High School student saw people exchanging guns in the school parking lot Tuesday afternoon, according to the Wellston Police Department.

Four people, who were inside two vehicles, were arrested and police said they found two guns in the vehicles.

“We are not sure what the plan was, but we believe something bad could have happened,” Wellston Police Department Sgt. Marvin Berry said.

At least two of them are Normandy students.

http://fox2now.com/2013/03/12/four-arrested-after-guns-found-on-normandy-high-school-parking-lot/

Twinkies Due on Shelves by Summer as $410 Million Bid OK'd

Twinkies and other Hostess snacks could be back on shelves by this summer after a successful $410 million bid for the business.

The winning bid is a joint venture by private equity firms Apollo Global Management (APO) and Metropoulos & Co. A statement from Dean Metropoulos, founder of one of the firms, confirmed they are the winning bidder.

"Our family is thrilled to have the opportunity to reestablish these iconic brands with new creative marketing ideas and renewed sales efforts and investment," said Metropoulos. "We look forward to having America's favorite snacks back on the shelf by this summer. We are also ecstatic to bring jobs back to many cities across the country."

The bankruptcy court had been set to have an auction among qualified bidders on Thursday, but Hostess notified the court late Monday that no other qualified bids had been submitted. That means the $410 million bid wins by default with no further approval of the court being required.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/twinkies-due-on-shelves-by-summer-as--410-million-bid-ok-d-220652823.html