October 31, 2016

Nevada Supreme Court ruling on minimum wages mixed

The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday issued a mixed ruling in the battle over the state’s constitutional minimum wage law.

The battle is over the provision that allows employers to pay workers a dollar an hour less if they offer a qualified health plan. At present that would be $7.25 an hour instead of $8.25 for businesses that don’t offer a health plan. The provision also requires that health plan not cost the employee more than 10 percent of their pay.

The opinion by Justice Michael Douglas says the constitutional language requires the health insurance plan “must be made available to the employee and any dependents of the employee.” It doesn’t, he wrote, say employees must actually enroll in the health plan for the company to qualify to pay the lower rate.

But the opinion states the constitutional language specifically says the plan can’t cost more than “the employee’s gross taxable income from the employer.” The opinion says that language specifically prohibits counting tips and gratuities as part of a worker’s wages because they don’t come from the employer.

Read more: http://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/government/nevada-supreme-court-ruling-on-minimum-wages-mixed/#

October 31, 2016

More Utah students may get access to breakfast in the classroom

SALT LAKE CITY — More than half of the kids getting free or reduced-price lunch at Utah schools are forgoing breakfast — at least the one their schools are offering at no extra charge.

Low participation rates in breakfast served at schools is something the state has struggled with for a while, ranking dead last among other states in recent years.

And it isn't because the kids aren't hungry.

"The expectation to get kids to school early when parents are trying to fit that into an already hectic schedule is hard to overcome," said Marti Woolford, with Utahns Against Hunger.

Read more: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865666019/More-Utah-students-may-get-access-to-breakfast-in-the-classroom.html

October 31, 2016

Donald Trump says losing to Evan McMullin in Utah would be ‘devasating,’ likely cost him election

Donald Trump lashed out at independent Evan McMullin, calling him "a puppet" who could cost Republicans the election and give liberals the Supreme Court for the next 60 years if he wins in Utah.

The Republican presidential candidate and his running mate Mike Pence never uttered McMullin's name in their joint interview with Fox News' Bret Baier on Saturday. Instead Trump called out Bill Kristol, the conservative commentator who sought to recruit an independent challenger and helped nudge McMullin into the race in August.

"He gets his puppet to go and run in Utah. The guy takes votes away from me," Trump said, before adding, "You know, we're going to win Utah."

Trump later called McMullin "a puppet of a loser."

Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/news/4522885-155/donald-trump-says-losing-to-evan

[font color=330099]It takes a puppet to know a puppet, Donald.[/font]

October 31, 2016

Chelsea Clinton to campaign in Aurora on Tuesday and Boulder on Wednesday

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's daughter, Chelsea Clinton, is expected to be in the Boulder area on Wednesday morning to campaign for her mother.

Clinton will launch phone banks and canvasses in the Aurora area prior to coming to Boulder to do the same, according to a news release from the Clinton campaign.

She is also expected to urge voters to return their ballots early and check on their voter registration status at iwillvote.com.

Members of the public who want to attend the Boulder event can RSVP online.

Read more: http://www.reporterherald.com/news/ci_30519871/chelsea-clinton-campaign-boulder-wednesday

ETA: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/10/29/chelsea-clinton-making-colorado-stops-on-tuesday-wednesday/

October 31, 2016

University of Northern Colorado students lead protest outside Trump rally

GREELEY -- Protesters and supporters of Republican nominee Donald Trump clashed Sunday before the candidate was set to speak in Greeley at the University of Colorado.

Prior to the rally starting at the Bank of Colorado Arena at the Butler-Hancock Athletic Center, the Hillary Clinton campaign hosted a press conference outside the library across from the event.

Local leaders gathered to speak about the differences between Clinton and Trump. A news release from the campaign stated, "From boasting about sexual assault to attacking a Gold Star family, Trump has demonstrated time and time again that he lacks the experience and temperament to be president. In contrast, Hillary Clinton has spent her career fighting for women and children and is focused on building an America that is stronger together with an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top."

Rep. Dave Young, D-Greeley, who attended the press conference said, "I do talk to a lot of Republicans.... Frankly, I do think there are a number of people, at least in my district, that are Republicans that are looking for their party. They don't know where it went. I don't know what the big moving trends are maybe at the national level, what that really means, but I do think people are really questioning the viability of somebody like Donald Trump and don't understand how he ended up at the top of the ticket."

Read more: http://www.reporterherald.com/news/ci_30523309/unc-students-lead-protest-outside-trump-rally

October 31, 2016

Colorado Republicans join Trump in leveling disproven allegation of “widespread” election fraud

John Sampson, a former Republican state senate candidate who resigned this month from his position as Adams County GOP vice chair, agrees with Donald Trump that Democrats and others in the United States “rig elections and engage in systemic and widespread voter and election fraud.”

Sampson, who made the comments on Facebook Tues., is apparently joined by State Senator Laura Woods (R-Arvada), who liked a Facebook meme last weekend titled, “Breaking News: Fox News Is Reporting Widespread Voter Fraud, Obama Says It’s Dangerous to Report It.”

During her introduction of Trump during a campaign stop in Golden Saturday, Woods said Democrats are trying to rig the election.

Woods, who’s battling Democrat Rachel Zenzinger in a key Arvada/Westminster legislative race, said Trump will “lead our country to greatness once again” Woods has stood firmly behind Trump throughout the ups and downs of the mogul’s campaign, saying she’ll likely lose of Trump loses her district.

Read more: http://www.coloradopols.com/diary/88982/colorado-republicans-join-trump-in-leveling-disproven-allegation-of-widespread-election-fraud

October 31, 2016

Why it’s a bad idea to explain how you’d cheat the election system, especially if you’re CO’s SoS

Appearing on KNUS 710-AM Oct. 22, Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams (R) explained to host Chuck Bonniwell and co-host Julie Hayden how he’d commit election fraud, if Williams were a bad guy, an “unethical Democrat,” as Boniwell put it.

Williams said 50 Colorado voters, who registered and voted same day, later did return a post card from the address provided, raising questions about who they were and where they went. But this is light years away from proving that fraud was committed, and it’s consistent with how many citizens live. That is, they move a lot.

In fact, voter fraud has not been shown to be an almost nonexistent problemin states like Colorado that don’t require photo idea. A recent Loyala study gives you the details. In the wake of Trump’s accusations about voter fraud, media outlets across the country have confirmed that voter fraud is a nonissue in the U.S.

And Williams didn’t discuss the flip side, namely that photo ID laws stop legitimate voters from casting ballots. In nine states that passed such laws, it’s estimated that over 3 million voters will be affected. That’s the real issue here.

Read more: http://www.coloradopols.com/diary/88915/why-its-a-bad-idea-to-explain-how-youd-cheat-the-election-system-especially-if-youre-cos-secretary-of-state

October 31, 2016

PUC approves new power plants for Guam Power Authority

Guam - It looks like Guam will soon be getting new power plants in Harmon. While the need for more power plants is not up for discussion at this point, Both the PUC and some members of the renewable energy think GPA may not need to build 180 megawatts of combined cycle plants.

While the discussion has shifted from If to When, the PUC and some members of the renewable energy community have questioned GPA’s plan to build 180 megawatts of conventional generation. Jeff Voacolo, COO of Micronesia renewable energy, says Guam should not mortgage their future on conventional energy, when the renewable energy industry is growing fast.

“This industry is moving so fast especially with battery storage, it’s really questionable where are we going to be in two years in five years in ten years and mortgaging the Island of Guam. Even if you do an IPP you’re still paying for that power for the next 30 years,” said Voacolo.

In his testimony to the PUC, Voacolo argued that 60 megawatts or even 100 would be sufficient for Guam considering the advancements in battery storage. Voacolo says that residential battery storage technology is currently positioned to help relieve Guam of some conventional energy.

Read more: http://www.pacificnewscenter.com/business-pnc/utilities/11422

October 31, 2016

GovGuam office rent nearly doubles to $14M in a decade

Fourteen years ago, the Department of the Interior recommended that the government of Guam avoid leasing office space as much as possible. The public auditor echoed those sentiments a couple of years later, saying GovGuam should consider building instead of renting.

GovGuam instead doubled its spending on rented office space, spending $14 million last fiscal year, compared to $6.8 million a decade ago, government audits, other financial records and bid documents show.

GovGuam’s increased spending on office rent shifted millions of dollars from the public purse to the bank accounts of private businesses.

One of the reasons for the increase in GovGuam’s rent: some government entities that once had rent-free offices, or paid lower rates for smaller space before, now pay private landlords for much larger office spaces.

Read more: http://www.guampdn.com/longform/news/2016/10/30/govguam-office-rent-nearly-doubles-14m-decade/92345022/

October 31, 2016

Gov. Kate Brown, Paul Evans rallies for gun legislation with Moms Demand Action

More than 30 people squeezed into the conference room of the Services Employees International Union headquarters in Salem on Saturday to advocate gun safety, before launching a canvassing effort for Rep. Paul Evans, candidate for House District 20.

Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, an organization created in 2012 to push gun reform to legislators, state and federal institutions, companies, and educational institutions, hosted the rally as a precursor to a canvassing effort for Evans, a representative the organization refers to as a "gun sense champion."

"We all know to make Oregon safer, we need to have gun sense activists in our legislature, which is why we're here today to ensure the re-election of Paul Evans," said Lisa Reynolds, a volunteer for the Oregon chapter of Moms Demand Action.

More than 20 volunteers donned red t-shirts emblazoned with the words "Moms Demand Action," and armed themselves with clipboards before hitting the streets with the goal of knocking on 1,000 doors Saturday morning, according to Reynolds. They aim to knock on 10,000 doors during the next 10 days leading up to the election.

Read more: http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2016/10/29/gov-kate-brown-paul-evans-rallies-gun-legislation-moms-demand-action/92969598/