The president denounced waste, inefficiency and downright fraud in the government's health care system on Wednesday as he sought to rally public support for his revamped overhaul plan.
The legislation would give months of continued jobless checks to people who have been out of work for more than half a year and help the unemployed pay for health insurance. The 62-36 vote came over protests from conservatives who say the bill adds too much to the $12.5 trillion national debt.
The relationship between the House and the Senate is becoming heated, affecting Democratic efforts to get health care and other legislation passed. Norman Ornstein, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, offers his insight.
Ohio Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich brought up a resolution Wednesday to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by the end of this year at the latest. Although the measure did not pass, lawmakers agreed on one thing: The debate itself was important for the Congress to have.
A long-overlooked group of women who flew military aircraft during World War II were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday. Known as Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, they were the first women to fly U.S. military planes.
Ruy Teixeira correctly predicted a Democratic majority in 2008. As 2010 elections draw near, he returns to act as a clairvoyant, with Matt Continetti, associate editor of The Weekly Standard. Matt Bai of The New York Times Magazine fills in for Political Junkie Ken Rudin.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said insurers should drop their opposition to health overhaul and instead help fix a broken system, marked by spiraling costs and a lack of consumer choice.
The president's party typically loses about a half-dozen seats in midterm elections. With 37 governorships at stake this year, that may mean bad news for the Democrats.
NPR's Julie Rovner and Father Thomas Reese of Georgetown University's Woodstock Theological Center talk to Steve Inskeep about how abortion remains an obstacle to passing health care legislation. They also discuss the influence of Catholic bishops on the health care vote.
Asked on Glenn Beck's Fox News Channel show, the former New York congressman said his actions toward a male staffer at a birthday party might have been misinterpreted. "I should have never allowed myself to be as familiar with my staff as I was," he told Beck.
Georgia:
New Page 1Georgia.gov Portal sites Agency Press Releases
The long closed wooden bridge will officially re-open at a
ribbon-cutting 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13th. City officials are expected to hold a brief
ceremony to recognize the groups that helped fund the repairs. The bridge has been
closed since it failed an inspection by the Georgia DOT in May of last year.
Pickens schools win big at reading bowl
By Angela Reinhardt
In a banner weekend for Pickens County schools,
Harmony Elementary, Pickens County Middle and Pickens High all placed
in top three positions at the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl’s North Georgia Regional Competition.
Host, Pickens Middle School (PCMS), welcomed 480 students from 48 schools in the North Georgia
region to compete by answering questions about books chosen from the Georgia Children’s Book
Award nominee list for elementary and middle school students, and books that received the
Georgia Peach Award for high school competitors.
PCMS received first place in the middle school division. Harmony Elementary School
took home third place in the elementary division, and Pickens High roped in a third place finish
in the high school division.
Following their first place win, PCMS moves on to the division championship at Luella Elementary School on Saturday, February 21, in Locust Grove where, if they take home another first place win, they will move on to the state championship in March.
“This was a red ribbon day for Pickens,” said Karen Gurty, PCMS media specialist and reading bowl infrastructure coordinator for the North Georgia regional event. “This competition really makes reading like a sport and allows students to shine where they have strengths.”
Gurty also said the competition became a “real community affair,” bringing together volunteer efforts from across the county.
The Retired Teacher’s Association, The Pickens County Reading Council, the Leo Club and others volunteered their time for the reading bowl, which was estimated to have attracted 1,500 students, parents and teachers from the North Georgia region.
“We’ve been very lucky with our town support, “ Gurty said. “This event was a full community effort.”
Kristie Moss, Hill City media specialist working behind the scenes, also said the experience was a real success, especially for the students involved.
“Students learned how to discipline themselves with others when they missed questions, or [when] they didn’t beat the buzzer. I was glad to see so many teams in the competition,” she said.
This makes the second consecutive year PCMS has hosted the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, and according to Gurty, they have plans to host again in 2010.
“I was approached, and I agreed to do it again. The reason we do this is to support reading,” Gurty said. “Plus, this keeps our students who want to participate from having to travel so far.”
PCMS won the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl state competition in 2003-2004, and PHS took first place in state for the 2004-2005 school year.
To learn more about the reading bowl, visit http://glma-inc.org/readingbowl.htm.
Habitat for Humanity seeking home owner
By Maria Boling
Habitat for Humanity in Pickens County is beginning the Family Selection process for their next home. This energetic group of volunteers wants to attract the largest possible selection of applicants and therefore needs the public’s assistance.
The successful Pickens County applicant is chosen based on three simple criteria:
1) The applicants’ level of need.
2) Their willingness to become partners in the program (sweat equity).
3) Their ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest loan.
In some ways the above measures are very helpful in keeping the evaluation focused on the critical and appropriate requirements. On the other hand, this structure makes the window of opportunity limited and minimally addresses the many diverse situations of some applicant families.
Recommendations of families for selection to purchase homes from Habitat for Humanity are handled using the above criteria in a way that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, handicap, religion, national origin, family status or marital status.
Mark your calendar. Habitat for Humanity will open this window of opportunity and accept applications between March 30 and April 4. Make plans now!
If you know of a family in need of decent, affordable housing, please contact the Pickens County Habitat office located behind the Community Thrift Store on 135 Cares Drive in Jasper.
Potential applicants are encouraged, even urged to check into his home ownership opportunity.
The Habitat office can be reached at 706-253-2393. If no answer leave your name and phone number and a Habitat representative will be happy to contact you with more information.
Kate Puzey’s parents have endured a year of heartache. They lost their daughter under tremendously difficult circumstances, and felt they couldn’t get the answers they needed about her death.
EXCLUSIVE DETAILS: The son of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" cast member Nene Leakes is facing a different kind of reality following his arrest on drug possession charges.
There are handy husbands and then there are not so handy husbands. Today, we saulte the later with a visit to a popular web site that showcases all those home fix it jobs that could use a little help.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ratcheted up the pressure on health insurance companies on Wednesday, urging them to forgo short-term profits to make coverage more affordable and to stop fighting the Obama administration's reform effort.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim is the world's richest person, knocking Microsoft founder Bill Gates into second spot, as the wealth of the world's billionaires grew by 50 percent over the last year, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.
CAIRO (Reuters) - Arab League chief Amr Moussa said on Wednesday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had told him he would not enter indirect talks with Israel, only days after the Palestinian side had agreed to the contacts.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the House of Representatives moved on Wednesday to limit the ability of lawmakers to tuck pet projects into spending bills amid mounting election-year ethics concerns.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - With Governor David Paterson enveloped in scandal, New York's lieutenant governor is leading the notoriously difficult budget process and freeing up his boss to fight for his political life, experts say.
DETROIT (Reuters) - Federal regulators said they were looking into a report of another runaway Toyota Prius, this one in Westchester County, New York, where police said a woman pulling out of a driveway zoomed across a busy street and into a stone wall.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leader of the House of Representatives -- a persuasive arm twister and deal maker -- faces her toughest challenge yet: getting 216 votes to pass final legislation revamping the U.S. healthcare system.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Three American detained in Iran last year and accused of spying have been allowed to telephone their families, although formal consular access has not been granted, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania woman has been charged with plotting to kill a Swedish man and trying to recruit fighters via the Internet to commit violent attacks overseas, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday.
JOS, Nigeria (Reuters) - Sporadic shooting rang out overnight in the central Nigerian city of Jos and witnesses said at least one person was killed by soldiers enforcing a curfew days after attacks on three nearby Christian villages.
T. Marzetti Company announced as a precautionary measure that it is voluntarily recalling certain production codes of T. Marzetti Veggie Dips, Oak Lake Chip Dips and Great Value Chip Dips because an ingredient used in the product has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. There have been no reports of illnesses associated with the identified products, and no other types, varieties of flavors of products are affected by this recall. Read more...
The driver may experience a sudden loss of power steering assist that could occur at any time while driving. If power steering assist is lost, it would require greater driver effort at low vehicle speeds, increasing the risk of a crash. Read more...
Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. announced that it would provide additional services for New York Toyota and Lexus customers who are affected by Toyota’s recent recalls. These services are available to Toyota and Lexus owners in New York affected by current recalls involving sticking accelerator pedals, floor mat pedal entrapment, anti-lock brake system software updates, and Tacoma front drive shaft inspection. These services are provided for customers concerned about driving their vehicle before the repair is completed. Read more...
The handle on the tea kettle can come loose, posing a burn hazard to the consumer. This recall involves Copco and Wild Leaf Tea Co. Bristol model and Martha Stewart Collection® Enameled Steel Tea Kettles with enamel finishes in white, crème, blue, cobalt, sand, red and green. Read more...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received five reports of serious medication errors involving consumers who used Maalox Total Relief, the upset stomach reliever and anti-diarrheal medication, by mistake, when they had intended to use one of the traditional Maalox liquid antacid products. Read more...
Note: This recall release is being reissued to expand the January 18 recall to include approximately 4.9 million additional pounds of beef and veal products, and to correct net weights from 40 lbs. to 50 lbs. in five instances in the earlier release.
Huntington Meat Packing Inc., a Montebello, Calif., establishment, is expanding its recall of January 18 to include approximately 4.9 million additional pounds of beef and veal products that were not produced in accordance with the company's food safety plan. The products are adulterated because the company made the products under insanitary conditions failing to take the steps it had determined were necessary to produce safe products Read more...
Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc, announced it will conduct a voluntary safety recall to inspect the front drive shaft on a small production run of certain 2010 model year Tacoma 4WD trucks. The front shaft in approximately 8,000 vehicles may include a component that contains cracks that developed during the manufacturing process. As those vehicles are used, the cracks may eventually lead to the separation of the drive shaft at the joint portion. Read more...
Trader Joe's Company of Monrovia, California is voluntarily recalling Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.The product involved in this recall was distributed at Trader Joe’s stores nationally and comes in a 7.4 oz box marked with Use by/Lot Codes 16JUL10H2 and 17JUL10H1 on the top of the box and stamped individually on the side of each granola bar. Read more...
Well-meaning senior citizens who think they are helping a grandchild in distress are becoming victims of another wave of the so-called "Grandparent Scam," warns Better Business Bureau. Read more...
The popularity of social networking continues to grow among kids. Social networking sites can provide a secure way for kids to connect with each other, but they can also be exploited for any number of nefarious purposes. Better Business Bureau recommends parents take specific steps to keep their kids safe online. Read more...
