Monthly Archives: February 2017

Another Jewish cemetery desecrated; what will the President say? Isn’t the government supposed to help? – San Diego Jewish World

Posted: February 26, 2017 at 11:48 pm

Posted on 26 February 2017.

establish justice, insure domestic tranquility From the preamble of the U.S. constitution

By Bruce S. Ticker

Bruce S. Ticker

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania Just Sunday afternoon, I was gazing at an internet photo of cemetery headstones, some overturned, bearing names like Singer, Weiss, Goldstein and Markowitz three miles southeast of my apartment in Northeast Philadelphia.

The desecration of nearly 100 headstones at Mt. Carmel Cemetery over the weekend is the latest crime directed at Jewish cemeteries, community centers, synagogues and other facilities during the past few months. Mt. Carmel is part of a collection of cemeteries across the street from the Frankford Transportation Center, the northern terminus of the citys elevated train which I ride frequently.

It is disturbing enough that American Jews are targeted so much at this time, but it would be far scarier if the government refused to address this problem. The introduction to our constitution states that we enforce the law and keep all of us as safe as possible. This is a contract between the American people and our government.

The Jewish community has been able to rely on this premise, as have all other racial, religious and ethnic groups at least in modern times. So-called President Trump managed to disrupt this comfort zone when the issue arose at his first presidential news conference and he persisted in stumbling through this episode when he sought to reassure American Jews.

Let us give him the benefit of the doubt that Trumps response was due to sloppy governance, not cynical pandering to anti-Semites who form part of his base. Idiocy is scary enough.

Certainly, every American must be protected by the government, but starting on Feb. 16 the Jewish community experienced a five-day period of confusion over the governments reliability to ensure as much as possible the safety of Americas estimated 5.3 million Jews.

This is personal. Despite my exposure to anti-Semitism, I have always felt I could depend on the government at all levels to address illegal actions toward Jews be it physical assault, vandalism or job discrimination.

That is so fundamental. Jews throughout history have been vulnerable to anti-Semitic acts because the government either sponsored them or was lax in addressing the offenses. Not in America. In fact, my people have been relatively fortunate here in the past 227 or so years.

The system cannot prevent all anti-Jewish acts nor control the thinking of anti-Semites, but it can and does address these incidents as they happen.

Today, police automatically investigate reports of criminal acts against Jews. Moreover, vandalism of synagogues and other Jewish facilities often prods our non-Jewish neighbors to come out in droves to repair the damage. Agencies on the state and federal levels routinely respond to claims of workplace bias. The FBI usually investigates nationwide crime patterns that victimize Jews as well as everyone else.

As The New York Times reported it, Trump muffed an ideal opportunity to reinforce the governments role on Feb. 16 when reporter Jake Turz asked, What we are concerned about and what we havent really heard being addressed is an uptick in anti-Semitism and how the government is planning to take care of it.

As Turz recounted the spate of bomb threats at Jewish facilities and similar incidents from Maine to California, Trump interrupted him in mid-sentence, saying, I understand the rest of your question

(HmmmTrump revealing his psychic skills.)

I am the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life, Trump continued.

(Apparently, our president did not even understand the initial part of your question.)

I find it repulsive, Trump went on. I hate even the question because people that know me

He admonished Turz for ignoring Benjamin Netanyahus friendship with Trump whom the Israeli prime minister regards as a friend of Israel and the Jewish people instead of having to get up and ask a very insulting question like that. Just shows you about the press, but thats the way the press is.

Like many allies of Netanyahu, Turz is Orthodox and reports for Ami Magazine, an Orthodox Jewish weekly based in Brooklyn. He is conspicuous at White House news conferences by his Orthodox-style attire. To clarify, more of the Orthodox are prone to vote Republican, press for hardline Israeli actions and even take Christian right-type positions such as opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage.

The response from mainstream Jewish groups was swift and biting. Summing it up well was David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, who said, Use your bully pulpit not to bully reporters asking questions potentially affecting millions of fellow Americans, but rather to help solve a problem that for many is real and menacing.

In short, Trump shattered the contract between American Jews and government protection from oppression.

Practically speaking, Trumps response to the reporter will probably make no difference in the lives of American Jews, but officially it was a breach. Maybe he intentionally ignored the real thrust of the question to please his anti-Semitic supporters, or maybe he had such a lapse in concentration that he simply misunderstood the question. This was the president talking about constitutional policy and traditional routine practice. As George Costanza of Seinfeld asked about pigeons who historically fly away when cars approach until one such bird flouted tradition, Dont we have a deal with the pigeons?

Of course, Trump has threatened the security of Muslims, Hispanics and others, but his breach with Jews was done in a sharper manner. He could not tout any excuses that Jews might be dangerous and he acted in a more specific, categorical manner for no discernible reason. Especially, consider his staunch backing of Israel and his family relationship (his daughter as convert to Judaism).

His efforts to fill the breach were downright tepid. He waited five days after the confrontation with the reporter before offering an easy answer. In a flat, static tone of voice, he said, The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.

Another Trump comment was nice but a tad mystifying. As The New York Daily News reported, he said, Anti-Semitism is horrible. And, its gonna stop and it has to stop.

Anti-Semitism is horrible? Is this a matter of debate? As for stopping anti-Semitism, Trump would surpass the likes of Oskar Schindler, Raoul Wallenberg and Meep Gies as gentiles who saved Jews during World War II should he accomplish this feat.

It will be sufficient if Trump can end acts of anti-Semitism. American Jews will appreciate that deal.

* Ticker is a freelance writer in Philadelphia. He may be contacted via[emailprotected].

Read the original post:

Another Jewish cemetery desecrated; what will the President say? Isn't the government supposed to help? - San Diego Jewish World

Posted in Government Oppression | Comments Off on Another Jewish cemetery desecrated; what will the President say? Isn’t the government supposed to help? – San Diego Jewish World

McAuliffe vetoes bill to disclose refugee records – WRIC

Posted: at 11:48 pm

RICHMOND, Va. Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed a bill Friday that would have required the state Department of Social Services to publish non-identifying information for refugees resettled across Virginia.

Many individuals and families placed in Virginia through the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program are fleeing governmental oppression, persecution, and violence, McAuliffe said in his veto statement.

Many leave their countries because they are targeted by their home countrys government, often for helping to further American interests. Disclosing such information in this political climate not only sends a message of discrimination and fear, but it also poses a real danger to many of our newest Virginians.

House Bill 2002, introduced by Del. Charles Poindexter, R-Franklin County, would have required immigrant resettlement agencies, such as the Catholic Diocese and the U.S. State Department, to report demographic information on refugees, including the total number of refugees, the localities in which they have been placed and other facts, to Virginias Department of Social Services. Those reports would then be forwarded to other government agencies, including the General Assembly and the governors office.

Supporters of the bill argue these reports would give government officials the ability to plan for benefits, health care and other related social costs, as well as lay out education-related expenses that would allow children of refugees to enroll in Virginia public schools.

McAuliffe said those requirements would instead put undue stress on the organizations in charge of resettling refugees.

House Bill 2002 would create an unnecessary burden for already overworked nonprofit organizations and would limit these organizations ability to accomplish their mission of safely settling refugees in the commonwealth, McAuliffe said.

The governor added that the regulations would also discourage those wanting to relocate from tenuous circumstances in foreign countries to the commonwealth.

Refugees are in the United States legally, he said. They undergo a more rigorous screening process than anyone else allowed into the United States. Creating a publicly available list of these individuals would send a message of exclusion to people looking for the chance to rebuild their lives free of tyranny and oppression.

As Virginians, we know the many benefits and contributions that refugees bring to our communities and Virginias economy, McAuliffe added. House Bill 2002 sets us on the wrong path. It does not reflect Virginias values.

The bill will now return to the General Assembly, where supporters will face an uphill battle in overriding the governors veto. In order to successfully countermand McAuliffes ruling, supporters would need to gather a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers.

With three Republican delegates already opposing the bill in the House and a 21-19 party-line split in the Senate, supporters would have to persuade more than a dozen legislators to flip their vote in order to enact the legislation.

Never miss another Facebook post from 8News

Find 8News onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram; send your news tips toiReport8@wric.com.

View original post here:

McAuliffe vetoes bill to disclose refugee records - WRIC

Posted in Government Oppression | Comments Off on McAuliffe vetoes bill to disclose refugee records – WRIC

No need to relaunch war on drugs: Duterte aide – ABS-CBN News

Posted: at 11:47 pm

A drug user inhales "Shabu", or methamphetamine, at a drug den in Manila, Philippines February 13, 2017. Reuters

MANILA - Secretary to the Cabinet Leoncio Evasco Jr. clarified Monday that the Duterte administration's war on drugs has not been stopped but is a continuing campaign under a different law enforcement agency.

Evasco said the President merely transferred the responsibility from the Philippine National Police to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, but the same concept of the drug war remains. "I don't think there was a stoppage on this. It is just shifting from PNP to PDEA."

Over the weekend, there were calls from Senator Alan Peter Cayetano for President Duterte to re-launch the war on drugs, claiming that the drug trade has come back out of the shadows after Duterte halted anti-drug operations under the PNP's "Oplan Tokhang."

"Pag bumalik ang mga pusher, kasunod na n'yan ang patayan ng inosente, kasama na d'yan ang rape, ang nakawan. Kaya ngayong gabi, ako ay nakikiusap sa ating Pangulo at sa PNP: i-relaunch ninyo ang inyong anti-drug drive." Cayetano's said during the vigil-rally in support of the Duterte administration at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta Saturday.

But Evasco said: "I don't think there is a need to re-launch that because the president just shifted the mandate from PNP to PDEA. It is now the task of PDEA to continue what have been done by PNP."

Evasco, however, said PDEA have yet to provide Malacanang a report on how the war on drugs have progressed after the transfer. He also said the issue has not been discussed in Cabinet meetings lately.

"I hope in the coming meetings this will be discussed," he said.

More than 7,000 people have been killed since Duterte was sworn in almost eight months ago, about 2,500 of whom were killed in official police anti-narcotics operations. Human rights groups believe many of the killings are extra-judicial executions committed as part of the war on drugs, and in cooperation with the police - a claim the Duterte administration has repeatedly denied.

See more here:

No need to relaunch war on drugs: Duterte aide - ABS-CBN News

Posted in War On Drugs | Comments Off on No need to relaunch war on drugs: Duterte aide – ABS-CBN News

Our View: White House plan reignites wasteful war on drugs – Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

Posted: at 11:47 pm

Just when you thought the useless and wasteful drug-war philosophy of the past was slowly receding in the rear view, the Trump administration is pulling a U-turn.

The White House indicated last week that states like Maine that have legalized marijuana should expect greater enforcement of federal anti-pot laws, going against public sentiment, economic trends, and the good sense that anti-drug resources should be spent on solving the opioid crisis, not disrupting safe, established businesses following state law.

UNNECESSARY UNCERTAINTY

Its hard to know just what the administration has in store. The announcement last week, by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, came with no further details or policy changes, except to say that only recreational marijuana, not medical, would be targeted.

Going after recreational marijuana goes against a campaign pledge from Trump, but that doesnt mean much. He also said last year that he would protect transgender Americans, yet he recently rescinded federal direction on bathroom use for transgender students, citing state rights. (Apparently, states are free to discriminate, but not to legalize a largely harmless drug.)

It does, however, jibe with the views of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who once said that good people dont smoke marijuana and now oversees the Justice Department in a country where nearly half the people have tried it.

Sessions in his confirmation hearings would not commit to following the Obama administrations policy of leaving states alone as long as a solid regulatory structure was in place. Federal law is the law, Sessions has argued, and he will enforce it even when it conflicts with state law.

Of course, that conflict could be lessened, though not entire erased, if federal agencies and Congress took the sensible steps of reclassifying marijuana as a drug with accepted medical uses something on the books in 28 states now and rewriting financial rules to allow marijuana businesses that follow state law to use the banking system.

Instead, the Trump administration appears ready to antagonize those businesses; the real question is how. Spicers announcement has already injected great uncertainty into the industry, and actions such as raids or prosecutions of recreational marijuana businesses would further chill investment and scare off customers.

PUBLIC SIDES WITH POT

That would unnecessarily stunt an industry that is expected to produce more than 250,000 jobs and $24 billion in revenue by 2020, and send millions of productive and otherwise law-abiding Americans back to the black market, where their money is much more likely to end up in the hands of criminals who are actually dangerous.

States like Maine that have legalized marijuana should fight this kind of federal overreach. Unlike with the transgender case, state laws on marijuana are not discriminatory. They are a true example of the Jeffersonian concept of states as laboratories, and so far the experiments are working just look at the successes in Washington state and Colorado.

Federal resources would be much better spent helping stop the daily carnage from opioid use than dismantling an industry that has entered the mainstream.

Eight states, comprising 21 percent of the countrys population, have voted to legalize marijuana. A new poll from Quinnipiac University found 59 percent of Americans think pot should be legal nationwide, and 71 percent say the federal government should not enforce federal laws against states that have legalized pot.

As Maine state officials and legislators work to implement the new marijuana-legalization law here, they should not be deterred by the noise coming from the Trump administration. They should reassure with their outspoken support the business interests looking to invest in the industry, and they should remember that they have history and public opinion on their side.

Read the original here:

Our View: White House plan reignites wasteful war on drugs - Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

Posted in War On Drugs | Comments Off on Our View: White House plan reignites wasteful war on drugs – Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinel

Newington forum on gambling addiction today – Bristol Press

Posted: at 11:47 pm

The compulsion of betting, wagering, winning and losing will be the focus of an upcoming public forum hosted by the Newington Kiwanis Club.

On Monday, Feb. 27, the club will present two members of Gamblers Anonymous at its monthly speaker meeting at Paradise Restaurant, 10 East St., New Britain.

This event is a must see for family members and friends of susceptible persons as well as for those who find themselves enchanted by the possibilityof the big win, Kiwanis Program Chairman Al Cohen said. With the advent of so many well-publicized gambling facilities, the temptations of the big win may ensnare ordinary persons from all levels of life.

Cohen has invited two Tonys to tell their tales that evening both recovering gambling addicts. Tony M. is driving down from his home in Massachusetts, to reach people who might be considering putting an end to their games.

Our numbers have dwindled through the years; less people seem to be seeking help, Tony M. said Tuesday. We believe there arent necessarily less people out there that have the addiction, just less people seeking help. Thats why this is a great opportunity to have the voice of Gamblers Anonymous be heard.

A recovering alcoholic might count the days since their last drink; Tony placed his last bet on Dec. 5, 2004.

Ive been clean over 12 years. My relationships with my children, my wife and family members have gotten better. My life in general has gotten better.

The struggle of a gambling addict follows the same vein as that of a drug or alcohol addict. Gambling, however, is not as easily recognizable as the latter types of addictions.

It will make a good person do some things they wouldnt normally do, Tony M. explained. Steal and lie to people they love. But its more of a hidden disease. If a person is drunk or on drugs you can usually tell, but if a person is a compulsive gambler you cant read that just by looking at them.

He met the other Tony, who lives in southern Connecticut, at a GA meeting nearby. The pair will both share their stories and answer questions from the audience at the upcoming event.

Theres no cure for this, you dont graduate or anything like that, Tony M. said. Its something you have to work on pretty much the rest of your life.

Radio and television host Steve Parker will conduct the program, which begins at 7 p.m. Those who wish to dine are encouraged to arrive earlier. Admission is free and walk-ins are welcome. The Newington Kiwanis free public forum nights began in 1986 and reoccur on the last Monday of each month except May and December.

The American Psychiatric Association defines pathological gambling as a medical disorder directly impacting over two million people in the U.S. Warning signs include an obsession with having to get the mail, missing work, strange phone calls, disappearing for long periods of time, lying, missing money, calls from bill collectors and irritability.

For immediate help with a gambling addiction, call the Gamblers Anonymous hotline at 855-222-5542.

Erica Schmitt can be reached at 860-801-5097, or eschmitt@centralctcommunications.com.

Read the original post:

Newington forum on gambling addiction today - Bristol Press

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on Newington forum on gambling addiction today – Bristol Press

MGM’s new problem gambling program designed to raise awareness – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted: at 11:47 pm

Theres no such thing as luck, but compulsive gamblers should at least feel fortunate that the states largest employer is introducing a problem gambling program that locals will begin seeing soon.

While it isnt perfect, the GameSense program MGM Resorts International will unveil by the end of the year has the potential of providing a technological tap on the shoulder to players who cant quit gambling when they should.

MGM was ordered by Massachusetts gaming regulators to implement the program in that state when MGM Springfield opens its doors next year. When company officials took a look at GameSense, they decided to introduce it to all its U.S. properties, including 10 in Las Vegas.

MGM is partnering with the British Columbia Lottery Corp. to introduce the high-profile awareness program.

Its expected that GameSense will have a visible presence in MGM casinos with signage, kiosks and a team of advisers who will be trained to look for and talk to distressed gamblers who probably should have quit playing earlier.

One of the missions of GameSense will be to educate people about how gambling works so that they make better decisions about their play limits. Bo Bernhard, the executive director of UNLVs International Gaming Institute, says GameSense will function like a product label, giving consumers detailed information about the entertainment theyve chosen to participate in.

Its going to mean blowing up some of the commonly held misperceptions about slot machines, such as this machine is due to hit or that a certain machine is cold or hot. The reality is that a player has the same random odds for a favorable outcome every time the game is played.

MGM also is giving UNLV $1 million over five years to gather research on problem gambling, and that research and some policy and regulatory questions MGM will have to review could lead to even greater player awareness.

Imagine if a player could set limits for time or money spent playing and place those parameters onto the players loyalty card. When a player reaches that limit of time or money, the machine produces a reminder to the player. At that point, the player must make a decision: Should I reject the self-imposed limitation, or should I stick to the commitment I made?

Clearly, a player can simply remove the loyalty card and quit playing or go someplace else to gamble.

Alan Feldman, executive vice president of global government and industry affairs for MGM and a longtime advocate for problem gambling awareness programs, said some research has suggested that getting an earlier reminder about nearing the limit for time or money spent has produced a negative result. Instead of winding down, the player increases bets or tries to chase a loss more aggressively.

Thats why the UNLV research, which will be shared with the University of British Columbia and Harvard Universitys medical school on addictive behavior, is so important. The right balance must be struck to be effective, and researchers will try to find out what that is.

GameSense doesnt have all the answers.

But its a good start.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.

See original here:

MGM's new problem gambling program designed to raise awareness - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on MGM’s new problem gambling program designed to raise awareness – Las Vegas Review-Journal

NRL chief Todd Greenberg defends code’s commercial ties to gambling – The Sydney Morning Herald

Posted: at 11:47 pm

NRL chief Todd Greenberg on Sunday defended the game's commercial links to gambling in the wake of the allegations levelled at Tim Simona, insisting administrators were working hard to maintain "a really strong balance"between the sport's integrity and catering for thousands of supporters who enjoyed punting on the competition.

League Central last year agreed toa $60 million deal with Sportsbet in making the corporate bookmaker league's official betting partner and is also reaping a far greater windfall from the gambling industry than in previous years thanks to lucrative percentage-of-turnover contracts secured with betting agencies in 2015.

The emergence this month of an NRL integrity unit investigation into Simona'salleged betting activity on the game - the Wests Tigers centre is facing deregistration amid claims he arranged bets on opposition players - came with news that a NSW police strike force was still probing unrelated allegations of match fixing in the game.

Greenberg indicated the misconduct of individual players did not mean the NRL should scale back its relationships with gambling outlets.

"There is a really strong balance here," he said during an interview with ABC News 24 aired on Sunday.

"I made some strong comments last year you'll remember about anyone involved in match fixing or gambling inside the game against the rules will face life bans and I stand by that because that really cuts to the absolute core of the integrity of the sport. For you and I to turn up every week to watch that contest, we need to know that's pure. Anyone who gets in theway of that will absolutely not be welcome back.

"But we do have to find a balance because people, particularly in this country, they love to have a bet. And we're not going to get away from that. So whether or not we have branding or not, people are still going to be looking to have a wager on the game.

"What we need to do, though, [is]we need to talk and market ourselves to those people who want to do that. We've got to make sure that we're very fundamental in how we have principles around those sorts of agreements. We're trying very hard in this space.

"There are a lot of my friends, a lot of your friends, who really enjoy to have a punt on a weekend, whether it's football, whether it's cricket or the horses. A lot of people in Australia enjoy punting. It's a difficult way to find this balance between enjoying the game but also making sure we're responsible."

Simona has until Friday to present his case to the integrity unit after being provided with documentation from the NRL relating to the case against him last week.

View original post here:

NRL chief Todd Greenberg defends code's commercial ties to gambling - The Sydney Morning Herald

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on NRL chief Todd Greenberg defends code’s commercial ties to gambling – The Sydney Morning Herald

David Letterman: Retired Host Risks Fortune On Gambling Obsession – The National Enquirer

Posted: at 11:47 pm

David Letterman is upping the ante with his latest obsession high-stakes poker!

But pals fear the retired Late Night host could be putting his $400 million fortune at risk, sources told The National ENQUIRER.

Dave has rediscovered his love for poker, dished a source. He hadnt played in years, but hes been getting back into it, and he even started teaching his 13-year-old son, Harry, over the kitchen table. Now Dave wants to take his skills to Las Vegas, where he dreams of winning big!

Dave, who retired in 2015, is gearing up to take on A-list poker-playing celebs like Ben Affleck and Tobey Maguire but he should cool his jets, warned the source.

Those guys are as close to professional players as you can get, spilled the source.

Daves totally out of his league with them. He might be worth $400 million, but those guys will have no hesitation in cleaning him out!

David Letterman: Bald, Bearded & Being A Dad

Daves lifelong idol and mentor, late Tonight Show icon Johnny Carson, was a legendary poker player hosting regular star-studded poker parties at his Malibu home during the 1970s and 80s.

Dave who made headlines in 2009 after a $2 million extortion attempt led him to admit on air to having cheated on his wife with multiple underlings insisted his poker playing is not a problem, added the insider.

Yet pals, worried about his decades-long battle with booze, fear Dave could end up flat broke like NYPD Blue creator David Milch who gambled away a staggering $100 million!

Daves trying to enjoy life a little by picking up new hobbies, but gambling isnt what his old friends had in mind, tattled the source. They wish Dave would stick to skiing and fishing. Everyones hoping this poker thing is just a phase.

Read more:

David Letterman: Retired Host Risks Fortune On Gambling Obsession - The National Enquirer

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on David Letterman: Retired Host Risks Fortune On Gambling Obsession – The National Enquirer

New poll shows an increase in SC residents’ approval of casino gambling – World Casino Directory

Posted: at 11:47 pm

If youre gambling legally in South Carolinathese days youre only doing so on a casino boat in international waters, but that could all change if the results of a new poll are an accurate indicator that residents attitudes toward gambling in the Palmetto State are changing.

Earlier this month, in response to a Winthrop University poll, 54 percent of residents asked said they were in favor of allowing casinos in the state. Some 42 percent were opposed to the idea, three percent werent certain, and one percent of those polled refused to answer, according to an exclusive report fromThe State newspaper. When asked the same question with the addition of a pledge to utilize casino revenues for road repair, that 54 percent increased to 68 percent, while the number of those opposed was reduced to 30 percent.

Those results vary a good deal from the Winthrop Poll conducted in October 2014, when 47.3 percent of the states residents said they were in support of allowing a limited number of casinos in the state and 47.3 percent were opposed to the idea, according to the news agency.

The author of the casino bill, State Rep. Todd Rutherford, D-Richland called the results of the polls, earth shattering. He said, What South Carolinians said in this poll is that they are tired of the Republicans digging into their pockets and taking their tax money when there is another alternative. Rutherford added, These poll numbers suggest Republicans need to get a grip on what the rest of South Carolina is saying, which is that its time to move forward and do so in a progressive way, according to the report.

The results of the polls have reenergized lawmakers who say the voters should be allowed to decide whether or not casinos should be legalized in the state. Less convinced by the polls, however, is the Republican-controlled S.C. House, which remains staunchly opposed to the legalization of casinos in the state. GOP lawmakers, who also hold a majority of the state Senate seats, say that increasing gambling will also increase crime and addiction. State Sen. Shane Massey, R-Edgefield, told the news agency that he doesnt think that gambling is a solution to our problems. Massey said, It likely creates even more problems. I cant imagine that 68 percent of my constituents would support that.

Proponents of legalization say that each year, hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue could be generated for the state with the addition of resort-styled casinos south of Charlotte, in Myrtle Beach, and across the border in neighboring Georgia from Savannah. The money could be used to repair the states roads, which have seen better days and are a legislative priority, according to the news agency.

If successful, and the proposal becomes law, South Carolina would join states such as Maine, Ohio, Kansas, Maryland, and others, which in the last decade have legalized commercial gaming to address budget issues. It wont be easy though, as Rutherfords proposal requires an amendment to the state Constitution. A two-thirds majority of legislators in both State House chambers would have to agree to allow voters to decide the fate of the proposal in the next general election.

Some Republicans, however, arent too confident in the poll results. Greg Delleney, R-Chester and House Judiciary Committee chair, said that after the surprise Election Day victory in November by President Donald Trump, he doesnt really have a great deal of confidence in polls, accordingto the news agency.

Calls to leave the decision regarding legalization up to the voters were also rebuffed by Delleney and Senate Majority Leader Massey, who noted that the state government in South Carolina is a republic, not a democracy. Delleney reportedly said the people of the state hire legislators to make those decisions and thats what they should do.

New poll shows an increase in SC residents approval of casino gambling was last modified: February 26th, 2017 by K Morrison

Casino Proposalpalmetto statepoll resultsrep todd rutherfordsouth carolinawinthrop pollwinthrop university

More:

New poll shows an increase in SC residents' approval of casino gambling - World Casino Directory

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on New poll shows an increase in SC residents’ approval of casino gambling – World Casino Directory

Pike County animal shelter reduces euthanasia rates – WYMT News (press release)

Posted: at 11:46 pm

PIKE COUNTY, Ky. (WYMT) - The Pike County Animal Shelter has been able to reduce their euthanasia rates to eight percent.

"It took a lot of burden off the people that have to do the bad thing. And now we don't have to hardly do it anymore," Jason Burke, animal control officer, said.

The Appalachian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Pike County Fiscal Court are covering each animal's expenses.

"That means that you'll get an animal that's spayed and neutered, vaccine, I mean, de-wormed, and everything," Burke said.

92 percent of animals that come to the shelter are released to adoption and rescues.

James and Whitney Whaley adopted their puppy, Dobby, on Valentine's Day.

"When you adopt from a shelter, it's kind of good you already have a dog that's established and you get to take them out of a bad situation and put them in a better situation," Whitney Whaley, owner of an adopted dog, said.

For the Whaley's, adopting their dog was one of the best decisions they made.

"It's now the three of us, while he's still definitely a dog, I mean, he's still kind of a part of the family," Whitney Whaley said.

Officials at the shelter, shared about 10 to 12 animals are adopted each and every day.

Read more:

Pike County animal shelter reduces euthanasia rates - WYMT News (press release)

Posted in Euthanasia | Comments Off on Pike County animal shelter reduces euthanasia rates – WYMT News (press release)