Monthly Archives: June 2014

Will the UN Criminalize the Pro-Life Movement as “Torture”?

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rtr2j60lLast week, questioners on United Nations Committee Against Torture called pro-life speech “torture.”

This move is part of a broader push by the radical abortion lobby to essentially criminalize the pro-life movement.

The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) – an extremist international abortion syndicate that is spearheading the anti-life push – sent a letter last month to the U.N. body on torture claiming that Church leaders in the pro-life movement have “perpetuated torture” by taking a stand against abortion.

In a deadly irony, an organization that promotes the indiscriminant slaughter of defenseless babies is urging the U.N. to view those who promote life as committing torture.

While specifically aimed at the Catholic Church, the vile assertions could affect all Christians and the pro-life movement as a whole. The abortion lobby specifically alleges that church leaders have “contributed to torture and ill-treatment perpetuated by other states by negatively interfering with the development of state policy on abortion, in violation of its obligations under Articles 1, 2, and 16.”

Read more at ACLJ

VA, IG warn against rush of veterans into private care

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jeff-miller-fla-r

Republican Representative Jeff Miller of Florida.

A report by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ inspector general and a separate “access audit” of appointment scheduling practices across VA healthcare facilities confirm system-wide abuses to distort wait times for care, which have put patients at risk and shaken confidence in how VA hospitals and clinics are staffed, managed and resourced.

Yet even as the acting IG and another senior VA official confirmed the depth of the patient wait-time scandal at a hearing Monday of the House veterans affairs committee, as well as possible criminal activity by some administrators, they cautioned irate lawmakers against sending thousands more VA patients into the private sector for healthcare needs.

The caution flags haven’t slowed Congress. On Tuesday, the House unanimously passed the Veterans Access to Care Act (HR 4810/PDF) from Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), VA committee chairman. It would require VA to offer non-VA care to enrolled veterans who cannot get an appointment within VA wait time goals or who live more than 40 miles from a VA medical facility.

Read more at Stars And Stripes

Some Church Members Tried To Get This Pastor Fired For Packing Heat.

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church-640A pastor in Birmingham, Alabama regularly carries a .45 pistol around with him as is his right under the law. Some trustees and deacons of the Friendly Baptist Church were so upset with his decision to carry the gun that they fired him.

However, the pastor, Cedric Stringer, responded that “nobody can fire him but God” and fired the trustees and deacons who opposed him and replaced them with ones who were willing to support the pistol carrying pastor.

Birmingham, where the church is located, is one of Alabama’s largest cities, not exactly in the middle of nowhere.

Read more at Western Journalism

Marine Vet Held by Iran to Kerry: Don’t Set Bad Precedent by Trading for My Release

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From Free Amir Facebook Page.

From Free Amir Facebook Page.

The news cycle is currently focused on the swap to release Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl — five Taliban commanders for the Idaho native — but many Americans still remain held abroad by nefarious regimes or terrorists.

One of those, a Marine veteran who served with distinction in Iraq, specifically said last fall that, even though his unlawful imprisonment in Iran was taking a horrible toll, he would not want his release to come from any sort of swap with Iran.

From our Yellow Ribbon Project story on Flagstaff, Ariz., native Sgt. Amir Hekmati:

Amir took his case directly to Kerry in a letter smuggled out of prison and obtained by the Guardian in September. After thanking Kerry for lobbying on his behalf, Amir stressed that the confessions on false charges were “obtained by force, threats, miserable prison conditions, and prolonged periods of solitary confinement.”

“This is part of a propaganda and hostage taking effort by Iranian intelligence to secure the release of Iranians abroad being held on security-related charges. Iranian intelligence has suggested through my court-appointed lawyer Mr. Hussein Yazdi Samadi that I be released in exchange for 2 Iranians being held abroad,” Amir wrote in the letter confirmed authentic by his family. “I had nothing to do with their arrest, committed no crime, and see no reason why the U.S. Government should entertain such a ridiculous proposition. I do not wish to set a precedent for others that may be unlawfully (obtained) for political gain in the future.”

Read more at PJ Media

Free Amir Web Site (Facebook)

Arizona and Nevada to hold public and virtual meetings for the Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study

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i11PHOENIX – Two years ago, the Arizona and Nevada departments of transportation launched a study to determine the feasibility of building a new multimodal interstate corridor linking Phoenix and Las Vegas, while stretching south to Mexico and potentially north to Canada. That study is now nearing completion and will include one more opportunity for the public to get involved and provide comments.

Three public meetings and a month-long online virtual meeting are scheduled for the Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study to gather comments for the draft Corridor Concept Report, a document that will outline the vision for the corridor, reinforce the justification for building a new multiuse interstate corridor and define an implementation plan to move this project forward.

The Corridor Concept Report and the supporting technical reports and work products will determine whether sufficient justification exists for a new multimodal transportation corridor. It will also establish potential alternatives for the new I-11 and Intermountain West Corridor. The report will outline four chapters: the need for a high-capacity, multimodal corridor to link economies; corridor alignment recommendations that link metro areas and connect communities; the economic value of investment in the corridor; and a call to action, emphasizing the need for continued collaboration to move the I-11 and Intermountain West Corridor forward.

Three public meetings will be held during the month of June:

Tucson Area
June 18, 6 to 8 p.m. (presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.)
Tucson Electric Power Community Room: 88 E. Broadway Blvd. in Tucson

Phoenix Area
June 25, 6 to 8 p.m. (presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.)
Palo Verde Energy Education Center: 600 N. Airport Road in Buckeye

Las Vegas Area
June 26, 4 to 7 p.m. (presentation begins at 5:30 p.m.)
Fifth Street Historical School: 401 S. Fourth St. in Las Vegas

Virtual Public Meeting
From June 18 through July 18, the public can also participate in a virtual meeting, reviewing the latest project information and providing feedback online. This month-long virtual meeting will be hosted on the project website, i11study.com.

ADOT and NDOT have been working together since the summer of 2012 on the Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study, which includes detailed corridor planning of an interstate link connecting the Phoenix and Las Vegas metropolitan areas, while extending the corridor through southern Arizona to Mexico and potentially north to Canada. Congress designated the future I-11 corridor between Phoenix and Las Vegas as part of the current surface transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

The Interstate 11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study is a two‐year, multiphase, high‐level study examining the feasibility, benefits, opportunities and constraints of a proposed new interstate highway corridor. The study is expected to be completed this summer. Funding to construct this new corridor has not been identified. In addition to the Arizona and Nevada departments of transportation, other study partners are the Maricopa Association of Governments, Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Federal Highway Administration and Federal Railroad Administration.

For more information about the I‐11 and Intermountain West Corridor Study and to sign up for updates, visit i11study.com.

UPDATE on Final paving of SR 89 in Prescott

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The final layer of pavement will be placed on State Route 89 (White Spar Road) in Prescott on Monday and Tuesday, June 16 and 17 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day.

This paving work did not occur earlier this month as originally publicized.

Drivers can expect delays of up to 15 minutes during paving activity. Once paving work is done, the project will be substantially complete with the exception of the final striping which will occur 30 days from now.

The speed limit will be reduced to 25 mph through the work zone. ADOT advises drivers and bicyclists to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Paving work on I-17 near Black Canyon City resumes tomorrow night

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adot-logo3The Arizona Department of Transportation will resume work on a paving project on northbound Interstate 17 near Black Canyon City (between mileposts 245 and 250) tomorrow night, June 11.

Overnight work hours are 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and drivers can expect I-17 narrowed to one lane, as well as the closure of the off- and on-ramps at the Bumble Bee/Crown King traffic interchange (milepost 248).

Crews will apply the final layer of pavement overnight next week starting on Sunday, June 15 through Thursday, June 19. Drivers can expect alternating lane restrictions on northbound I-17 through the project work area and the overnight closure of the Bumble Bee/Crown King exit during work hours. Minimal delays are expected.

The $2.3 million project began last summer and included the removal of a layer of existing pavement, shoulder maintenance and slope improvements to rock walls but warm temperatures did not exist once the work was completed and must be for the final (rubberized) asphalt.

The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Pavement work in median on SR 69 in Humboldt this week

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adot-logo3HUMBOLT – The Arizona Department of Transportation will be working on the pavement in the median and left turn lanes on State Route 69 in Humboldt (milepost 279) on Thursday and Friday, June 12 and 13 between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Drivers can expect the left turn lanes to be closed through the work zones. A clearly marked detour will be in place. ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel. Minimal delays are expected.

ADOT launches ‘Safe Phone Zones’ at 14 highway rest area locations

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PHOENIX – Travelers who stop to take a break at one of Arizona’s 14 highway rest area locations will now notice new signs designating the rest areas as “Safe Phone Zones,” which is part of a nationwide effort to encourage drivers to pull into a safe location to use their phones for calling, texting and accessing mobile apps.

Today, the Arizona Department of Transportation unveiled the new Safe Phone Zone signs as part of a partnership with GEICO. The signs feature the GEICO Gecko image and can be seen along the highways leading to the rest areas and within the rest areas themselves.

This sponsorship program is part of ADOT’s rest area public-private partnership, which began last October and is the department’s first fully implemented public-private partnership. Under this five-year agreement, Infrastructure Corporation of America, a private company, manages the daily maintenance and operations of the rest areas, and has implemented a sponsorship and advertising program to generate revenue for reinvestment in the rest areas. The GEICO sponsorship is the first one to move forward. ADOT still owns all 14 rest areas.

“ADOT’s top priority is safety and we are committed to educating the public about the dangers of distracted driving,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “These Safe Phone Zones provide travelers with the opportunity to pull into a rest area where they can use their phones safely and responsibly. We are able to move this project forward because of the legislation enacted to generate public-private partnerships in Arizona — partnerships that have proven to be an innovative approach to funding transportation projects with non-traditional funding sources.”

This morning, Halikowski was joined by representatives from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, GEICO and Infrastructure Corporation of America to unveil the new Safe Phone Zone signs at ADOT’s offices in Phoenix. The signs have already been installed in the rest areas and along the highways throughout Arizona.

“Distracted driving is a major concern for motorists in Arizona and across the country. Each year, there is a growing number of injuries and fatal accidents directly related to this issue,” said Martha Furnas, GEICO regional vice president. “GEICO is proud to partner with the Arizona Department of Transportation to create Safe Phone Zones throughout the state, where motorists can answer texts and make phone calls, all in a safe and convenient environment.”

The Safe Phone Zone signs will be installed and maintained by Infrastructure Corporation of America, as part of the public-private partnership with ADOT. The company plans to generate other sponsorships to add more amenities within the rest areas to provide a better experience for travelers.

“Every state is facing a tremendous challenge to do more with less in order to keep their infrastructure preserved and maintained,” said Butch Eley, CEO of Infrastructure Corporation of America. “ICA is proud to be Arizona’s partner in an innovative project that will ensure rest areas are well-maintained, that they generate new revenues to support high-quality maintenance, and through GEICO’s participation and expansion of the Safe Phone Zones, will make the highways safer. We are thrilled the Arizona Department of Transportation is taking a nationally leading role in advancing this innovative, public-private partnership model for the people of Arizona.”

ADOT is one of several state departments of transportation to implement public-private partnerships to move public transportation projects forward with private investment. For more information about ADOT’s public-private partnership program, go to azdot.gov/P3.

Save Meant-to-Rescue shelter sited.

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SMTR-140517WILLIAMS – The Save Meant-to-Rescue organization (Facebook) has been working to build a holding shelter and is closer to its goal. A site on Frank Way has been selected for the new shelter.

SMTR will lease the property from the city. The facility will hold rescued and found animals until the animals receive a home. The shelter will only release animals to homes with well-fenced in yards after the animals are spade or neutered. They may add chipping at a future date.

Robynn Eckel said that the shelter building is stalled currently due to the water restrictions. They also lack about 1/8 of the funds required so donations are still being gratefully accepted. Donations can be made at various locations in Williams such as Addicted to Route 66 Deals and the Camp Civitan Thrift Store. Donations can also be made through their web site.

eight-dogs-playing-cardsYou can help add their required piece of eight this Friday. You can change your luck and the life of a dog on Friday the 13th by attending the annual Casino Night fundraiser at the Sultana from 7 pm to 10 pm.

Entry is $20. For the cost of entry you receive $500 worth of chips to play black jack, craps, Texas Hold ‘Em and more. There will be live country entertainment by Half Hitch. You can participate in a silent auction for prizes such as jewelry and a helicopter ride for two over the Grand Canyon. At the end of the night you can buy raffle tickets with your chips for other prizes.

Save Meant-to-Rescue is a non-profit organization and, as such, will continue to need donations after the shelter is built. You will be able to participate in fund raising activities throughout the year, such as their golf tournament.