Delaware Grapevine Names The Names As DEMs Pick Up The PAC Checks

Celia Cohen rips one out about the DEM want-to-be up-and-comers at a recent fund-raising reception for the Women's Democratic Club of Delaware PAC. The gig was held at John Rago's house and featured 'Vice Sister" Valerie Biden ~

Among the hob-nobbers was Charlie Oberly, the ex-attorney general who is one of the people in search of a presidential appointment as the U.S. attorney for Delaware. Also John Carney, the past lieutenant governor running for the Congress. Ditto for Carl Danberg, the corrections commissioner who could be the understudy candidate for attorney general if Beau Biden goes elsewhere -- like the race for the Senate.

...Other political figures were there, too, including the mayor and Chris Coons, the New Castle County executive. Sen. Tom Carper arrived after Valerie spoke and people were leaving.

..."It's overwhelming. It's a sense of pride to know him for 25 years. He's the vice president of the United States. It makes you happy," Oberly said. "To have Delaware at the Naval Observatory is really very special. Who ever would have thought?" said Rebecca Young, the vice chair of the New Castle County Democrats.

Frieda Berryhill Writes: The Great American Sick Out

I am sick of this!
The only way to fix this is run it like Medicare and SS , like very other industrialized nation.
CAN’T YOU REMEMBER HOW THEY FOUGHT THAT? Same folks , same Corps., What would we do now? Line Market Street with tin cups and beg?

Read it and cry and while you do Remember this was written 70 years ago. Same words , same fight, same corporations. So, distribute widely !!!!

Message to Congress on the National Health Program - January 23, 1939
“The health of the people is a public concern; ill health is a major cause of suffering, economic loss, and dependency; good health is essential to the security and progress of the Nation…………SAME OLD , SAME OLD…
Click on it:…..Social Security Online - HISTORY
Use it, the arguments have already been made !!!!!
More than twenty years ago, when Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson were attempting to correct ..... (The President). Mr. Arthur J. Altmeyer, Chairman, ...

~*~

Walgreens Shows Delaware The Best Way To Lower Pharma Costs?

Update: Joint Meeting set for Tuesday to discuss Walgreens decision. Please let your reps know how you feel. We need to address Brand Name Drug advocacy in Delaware.
House Committee: Health & Human Development Chair: Michael A. Barbieri [S. Quinton Johnson, Donald A. Blakey, Gerald L. Brady, Earl G. Jaques, Thomas H. Kovach, John A. Kowalko, Nick T. Manolakos, Joseph E. Miro, William A. Oberle, Teresa Schooley, Darryl M. Scott, Robert E. Walls]
Senate Committee: Health & Social Services Chair: Margaret Rose Henry [Patricia M. Blevins, Bethany A. Hall-Long, Harris B. McDowell, Karen E. Peterson, Liane M. Sorenson]
Room:House Majority Hearing Room Date/Time: 06/09/2009 12:30:00 PM
~~~~~
Steve Newton has a "Best of Delaware Blogging' in the queue this morning. He finds the crux of Walgreen's argument compelling and concludes (among other things) ~

A 5% improvement in our generic fill rate for Medicaid, bringing Delaware up to 54%--or roughly the national average--would save the First State $6 million, and render the issue of cutting the reimbursement rate for brand names moot by simply not allowing their use as often.

Tom Carper Watch ~ For-Profit Health Care Boondoggle And Olympia Snowe's Public Option "Trigger' Trick

Carper to WDEL: Feds can take healthcare lesson from Delaware ~

Carper says Delaware's making great strides in transferring medical records currently on paper to a digital database. Carper says the instant access allowed by electronic records storage will speed treatment, and online security measures will seafeguard patient privacy.

Of course, Tom isn't talking about the lobby layer that has entwined itself to this effort. Reports show that K Street stands to cash in on billions via "handling" the electronic data base.
WE WON'T TOLERATE MORE OF THIS, TOM CARPER

More Carper news at CorrenteWire ~ No legislation is better than fake legislation (lambert-snark, natch).

From Robert Reich's blog ~
Last night [Olympia] Snowe hosted a private meeting between members and staffers about a new proposal Pharma and Insurance are floating, and apparently she's already gained the tentative support of several Democrats (including Ron Wyden and Thomas Carper). Under Snowe's proposal, the public option would kick in years from now, but it would be triggered only if insurance companies fail to bring down healthcare costs and expand coverage in he meantime.
What's the catch?
First, these conditions are likely to be achieved by other pieces of the emerging legislation; for example, computerized records will bring down costs a tad, and a mandate requiring everyone to have coverage will automatically expand coverage. If it ever comes to it, Pharma and Insurance can argue that their mere participation fulfills their part of the bargain, so no public option will need to be triggered. Second, as Pharma and Insurance well know, "years from now" in legislative terms means never. There will never be a better time than now to enact a public option. If it's not included, in a few years the public's attention will be elsewhere.
Much the same dynamic is occurring in the House. Two members who had originally supported single payer told me that Pharma and Insurance have launched the same strategy there, and many House members are looking to see what happens in the Senate. Snowe's "trigger" is already buzzing among members.

Plus ~ President Obama has long said he wants an IT revolution in healthcare, the idea being making medical records electronic will result in better patient care with lower costs. And already a whopping $19.5 billion in public moola has been allocated in the stimulus package towards that goal. Companies like Microsoft (MSFT) and IBM (IBM) have set up IT healthcare units, salivating over getting their piece of the pie.
With a comment rescue ~ Many in high tech well know that Ross Perot made his original big bundle by computerizing medical records for the feds (Medicare, I think it was). The current generation wants its slice of this huge pie

~*~

Frieda And I Will Be Appearing On Community Crossfire At 9PM Tomorrow And Mayor Baker Will Be On CNN At 9AM

Sunday Teevee! Watch a few Delaware Way bloggers on Community Crossfire (we are slated for 9:30).

And WDEL reports ~ Wilmington's mayor will be featured on a Sunday morning news program

Mayor Baker will be a guest on CNN's "State of the Union" program at 9am. The show hosted by John King, will feature Baker and Mayors Michael Dinwiddle of Spring Hill, Tennessee and Micheal Brown of Flint, Michigan. The trio will take part in a 15 minute segment about how the economic crisis is affecting their cities and how they are coping with budget issues.

Carper And Others Full Of Hot Air Over Cramdown FAIL

YEESH!

Tom Carper's vote against the CRAMDOWN legislation for the American homeowner's benefit was all too unjustified; all too unsubstantiated...so says the New York Times, now......a little late, --better than never?

Media Matters brings the story summary~ The New York Times reported that "academic studies" undermined criticism of a provision that would have allowed bankruptcy judges to renegotiate primary mortgages. But during debate over the provision, the Times repeatedly reported criticism of the provision without noting that research undermined that criticism.

From the NYT ~ Obama did not mention that the measure he was signing, the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, was missing its centerpiece: a change in bankruptcy law he once championed that would have given judges the power to lower the amount owed on a home loan.

Oh well, Mr. Carper...

~*~

But Where, Oh Where, Do The Big Heads Meet?

Which meetings are your representatives going to be attending? Chairing? What is going on with the Big Heads? This is where the rubber hits the road between the executive and legislative leaderships. The Big Heads' meetings are exempt under the Open Government bill-to-be-signed. Don't we even get their meetings' schedules on a public calendar somewhere?

Senate Meeting Notices ~

House Meeting Notices ~

~*~

Looking Beyond The Walgreen War On Medicaid Tactics To War On Medical Marijuana?

Delaware DEM 'Rounds the Horn on the Walgreens vs. the State of Delaware, yesterday. And one of the comments [You forgot our post on the pot for pain bill at DP] made me pause....

What kinds of paybacks might we be seeing if the Assembly keeps going with Margaret Rose Henry's Medical Marijuana legislation? Why do I sense some real paybacks coming along with the advance of a decent Medical Marijuana law for our state?

Comment rescues on Walgreens ~

Ask anyone who survived Katrina/Rita about Walgreens and you’ll get an earful and then some. Days after the storm and flooding the undamaged stores remained locked medical personnel couldn’t get the needed meds to treat survivors. Many stores flooded by the levee breaks remain empty and untouched - at least as of my last visit in 2008. The company made a big deal of documenting the few stores that were eventually looted to gain a level of sympathy from the public. NOLA bloggers took them on with damning photos and the campaign lost traction.

Walgreens isn’t the first company that I’ve heard of that made the cynical choice that breaking the law is more profitable than following it - but it is the only pharmacy I’ve heard of with that business strategy.

Pollution Gets A Pass In Delaware Again?

Sussex Green lays it out --because somebody has to ~ Pollution gets a pass in Delaware as DNREC considers continuing DSWA's compromising our ground water with fly ash fill --of course, it is fly ash conveniently in-need-of-dumping from neighboring businesses...

In 1997, construction began on a fourth cell at the SSWMC landfill. DSWA also agreed to allow the use of fly ash as subgrade fill and berm material for this cell. Since cell number 4 is of comparable size to cell number 3 it is possible that an additional one million tons of ash has been placed close to the water table. The actual amount has not been verified by Sussex Green.
The construction of a fifth cell at the SSWMC site is currently in the permitting phase with DNREC.

Water analysis found "elevated concentrations noted in the above conclusion refer to arsenic and selenium". And between DSWA and DNREC, there's not much to inspire public confidence on the matter.

Both Frank Gravas and Ashby Bryan of DNREC have assured environmental advocates that coal ash will not be used in the construction of cell number 5. However, the following technical specification from the DSWA cell permit application leaves open the possibility that coal ash could be used.

Ruh Roh, Former Congressional Candidate, Mike Miller, Is Arrested For Cape Henelopen School Incident

Lower, Slower Delaware blog has the scoop ~ SOTW ~

Well, it took me some time to find a worthy, local "politician" to be named Schmuck of the Week, but we have a real winner this time - Mike Miller.
Here's the story from the today's Cape Gazette:School board candidate banned from schools after arrestMichael Miller, who ran in last month’s Cape Henlopen School District Board of Education election, was arrested Tuesday, June 2, for an incident that occurred at Shields Elementary School. As part of the condition of his bail, he is prohibited from having any direct or indirect contact with any Cape district personnel or property.

Mr. Miller created a scene, fled the scene and then turned himself in at Troop 7, where police arrested him for theft and disorderly conduct. Bond was set at $1,000 unsecured, pending further court action.

Of course, this morning on Dan Gaffney's show on WGMD, Mike said he was
innocent and it wasn't his fault. With Mike, it's never his fault. Everyone else
is responsible for his arrests and his defeats at the ballot box.

He blames his overwhelming smack down by Andy Lewis in last month's school board election on "the Cape Gazette's endorsement of Andy and Sarah," (that's a direct quote given to me, by the way). No Mike, that wasn't why you lost. It's because people have come to realize that you are a buffoon and that it appears your only employment is running for office. Let's see - 4 losses for Cape School Board and 3 losses for Congress.

Walgreens Vs. The State Of Delaware Blogger Roundup

Allan Loudell brings a fine point to the Walgreens vs. Delaware scandal over on his WDEL blog --showing Walgreen's not-so-super history over reimbursement squabbles with other states. Steve Newton on Delaware Libertarian covers perceived bias in the story's local blogger reporting. But Shirley called it all first of all. Good reading.

~*~

Marielle's Photo Blog "Lunch Break"

untitled ~

red-wall-with-toulouse-lautrec ~

Also view Marielle's shots: On the Train Home To Delaware and Parking Garage. Wilmington, Delaware.

HealthJustice Writes: 'Medicare For All' DC Mall Rally Set For June 25th

Make A Loud Noise in Washington DC

Come to Washington June 25 and Shout For Medicare For All

From the inbox ~
in this issue The Great American Sickout; Rapper TV Ad

Dear Nancy Willing,
On June 25, we will be in Washington DC shouting and chanting and demanding for Medicare For All. Please join us. Meet at the Washington Monument at 10 a.m. on Thursday June 25.

Click here for all the information. Sign up here.

The Great American SickOut

June 25 is a Thursday. Correct. That makes your presence in Washington even more valuable. After our rally we will lobby individual Congressmen and Senators. Make your appointment with your congressman or senator of choice now. Call today. Click here for phone numbers at the Capitol. If you cannot come to Washington, take the day off anyway. It's the Great American Sickout. Take the day to call your Senators, your representatives, the White House and all your friends. Tell them all: Single Payer Medicare For All is the ONLY Real Health Reform. Everything else is just putting lipstick on a pig.

Watch for Our Ad With Doctor Rapper Jewel Crawford

Physician from Atlanta and rapper Jewel Crawford, "Dr. J Loretta C",
will be rapping her way to Washington soon on national TV. Join Jewel in
June. The 25th is the day.Call 800-578-4171 for information. Click here to find out what we are doing and why.

The ads and the rally cost money. There are only three weeks left to help out. Donate today to put us all in Washington.

~*~

Floyd McDowell Writes: Will Governor Markell Listen To Alternative Ideas For Re-Entry?

Thanks, Heather.
If the Act was passed and ONLY one Rehabilitation Center created in Wilmington with current corrdinated grant and other funds, it would start saving millions of dollars that could fund the 7,000 (97%) in prison who are going to be released with a comprehensive individualized rehabilitation plan.

Our Act created these community-based Rehabilitation Centers as Administrative organizations with responsibility, accountability and quality assured program and cost effective assurance operated under the administration, supervision and certification standards established by our State Dept. of Health and Social Services.

The Governor's Re-Entry Plan is ludicrous and pure hallucinatory.

To believe that five seperate bureaucratic departments, without any funds are somehow going to accomplish any fraction of what our Act will accomplish is like someone looking each morning under the pillow for a reward for that tooth lost three years age. His plan doesn't even reach the "Tinker and Proclaim" level. It has no organizational entity to corrdinate the now sawed-off shotgun approach to disburse our now fragmented grants going to many suspect groups who actually sit on the Re-Entry Sub-Committee of the Delaware Criminal Justice (?) Council. I have recommended these decision-makers hold their meetings in the Siberia Ward of our State Hospital for Mentally Impaired.

In the mentime, we'll keep informing our State Legislators and citizens about the research-documented ways our Act will reduce crime, restore offenders and save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in future prison construction and operating costs.

Our efforts are continuing to add Coalition orghanizations and individuals.

Dear Delaware Representatives:
I am sending this email to urge you to become informed about the Delaware Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation Act drafted by Dr. Floyd McDowell of Bear, DE. This act--which is aligned with and surpasses the currently announced I-ADAPT plan proposed by Gov. Markell and his council--will reform our current prison and criminal justice system in such a way as to bring back integrity, morality, and cost-effective and evidence-based results!

Recidivism is a major factor in our nation's and our state's growing demand for more prisons. This act eleviates the need for more prisons by reducing recidivism through pre and post re-entry services. It also diverts non-violent drug offenders from prison to rehabilitation centers where they can get the help they need.

This is huge in curbing the growing prison population as a large number of our
currently incarcerated are in prison for drug-related offences. I have attached a synopsis of the act along with the act itself. Please do not disregard this opportunity to make a tremendous difference in Delaware! If you would like more information, please visit www.deinformedvoters.org . Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Heather Smith-Chandler
Concerned Citizen andDelaware Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation Coalition Chairperson

~*~

Scary US Ecomony?

From DKos, SusanG

passes this along ~

"His Daughter Would Make A Great Politician"

From FDL ~ Watertiger gives you "Seed of Cheney"

Opposition To Public Health Insurance Plan Starts On GOP's Partisan Line

Even Senator Baucus supports putting a public option in the plan ~

Supporters of a new public plan contend it would give people more choices, create more competition and "keep insurance companies honest," as Obama wrote to Baucus, D-Mont., and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., chairman of the health committee.

Opponents say private insurers could not compete with a public plan that didn't have to make a profit. They argue that private health plans would end up going out of business, leaving only an entirely government-run health care system.
There appears to be little room for compromise, with Republicans contending that no matter how a public plan is designed, it would inevitably balloon and crush the private market.

"It's kind of a litmus test sort of thing," Grassley said. "It's just very, very difficult, but I suppose that somewhere out there there's something that's politically realistic that's not a public option that satisfies Republicans and Democrats. But it isn't a government-run system," Grassley said.

Many Democrats, meanwhile, insist that a final bill must contain a public plan. Even Baucus, a moderate who's been working intensely with Grassley to produce a bipartisan product, said Thursday he can't see the Senate passing a health care overhaul without one. "I think a bill that passes the Senate will have some version of a public option," Baucus said after the second of two meetings he convened Thursday on health legislation.

Obama's goal for overhauling the health care system is to lower costs and extend care to 50 million uninsured people. The president wants a bill on his desk in October. Committees led by Kennedy and Baucus are both preparing to vote on bills later this month, though Republicans are protesting they're going too fast.

Jud Bennett Writes: Vance Phillips And Sussex Council Must Follow Delaware FOIA Law

Editorial Staff of the Cape Gazette has nailed it correctly this time. Council President Vance Phillips all wet in bashing Council Woman Deaver for releasing letter from "The Citizens for the Separation of Church and State."
Read the Editorial From the Cape Gazette Below:

Freedom of Information Act in its own words
"In a recent letter to the editor, the Sussex council president contends the council is permitted to meet behind closed doors on any matter that involves pending or potential litigation. He also says the council receives so many letters it would be impossible to release each one.

We understand the council must at times meet in executive session to discuss issues, including legal matters or appropriate responses to legal questions. The Freedom of Information Act clearly permits closed-door discussions, but also limits them. It also defines public records, and contrary to the president’s assertion, public records are public, no matter how many of them the council receives.

Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act states: “Public record is information of any kind, owned, made, used, retained, received, produced, composed, drafted or otherwise compiled or collected, by any public body, relating in any way to public business, or in any way of public interest, or in any way related to public purposes, regardless of the physical form or characteristic by which such information is stored, recorded or reproduced.”

It doesn’t take a lawyer to figure out a letter from a public organization commenting on routine council practices clearly fits this broad definition even if this letter refers to legal cases, suggesting possible litigation. Virtually anything the council does, from making a donation to the Boy Scouts to rezoning a parcel of land, could become the subject of a lawsuit. The information act would be pointless if it allowed closed sessions for discussion of matters that could later be litigated.

Instead of searching for ways to justify closed-door sessions, the council might also review the first paragraph of the law, which sets out its purpose: “It is vital in a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner so that our citizens shall have the opportunity to observe the performance of public officials and to monitor the decisions that are made by such officials in formulating and executing public policy; and further, it is vital that citizens have easy access to public records in order that the society remain free and democratic. Toward these ends, and to further the accountability of government to the citizens of this State, this chapter is adopted, and shall be construed.”.

Openness and the free flow of ideas are hallmarks of American democracy. These same ideals must also be the practice of Sussex County Council."

Cape Gazette editorials are considered and written by members of the Cape Gazette editorial board which includes: Dennis Forney, publisher; Trish Vernon, editor; Kerry Kester, associate editor; Dave Frederick, sports editor; Laura Ritter, news editor; and Jen Ellingsworth, arts and entertainment editor.

State Launches New Online Portal For Agency Bid Solicitations

(Presser)

Markell Launches Bids ~ Makes it Easier for Businesses to Compete for State Work
Portal access begins today

City: DOVER –Text of Press Release: Governor Jack Markell announced the launch Thursday of the State’s new online portal for agency bid solicitations, which will become the central repository for Request for Proposal (RFP) bids and Invitation to Bid (ITB) solicitations statewide. The new service will provide a one-stop shopping experience for businesses interested in bidding on a state contract. The portal can be found at www.bids.delaware.gov

“This new one-stop site could bring more businesses and more bids to the table to help drive down costs on everyday items. It removes hurdles for businesses that want to partner with the state and gives everyone insight into what the state seeks to buy. It lets companies put people to work to build their business and create jobs instead of having to track dozens of sites to be sure they do not miss a chance to offer better prices or service to the state,” Markell said.

The launch of the vendor portal is the first piece of a two-part program geared toward centralizing statewide contract bid opportunities for local businesses. The second piece, which will be available to the public no later than August 1, 2009, is a vendor notification system, which will alert service subscribers to specific bid solicitations as soon as they are posted on the portal site.

“These tools will provide our business community with the resources they need to increase partnership with the State and help rebuild our economy one job at a time,” said Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Ann Visalli. “The partnership between OMB’s Government Support Services, the Department of State’s Government Information Center (GIC) and the Department of Technology and Information (DTI) has produced a vitally important service allowing the State to do business more effectively in our own local communities.”

"This new online portal allows the State to be more responsive to the needs of our entire business community, while also being a responsible business partner to existing and potential vendors," said Delaware Economic Development Office Director Alan Levin. "By centralizing our bids and reaching out to our local communities with new opportunities for economic development, we are improving business practices and moving forward on a path to future prosperity."

~*~

20th Tiananmen Square Commemoration Silenced ~ Shame, Shame, Beijing

I can think of no place better for the American President to be today than in the Mid-East --promoting US interests, peace and freedom-- just as China is in the midst of dealing with a potential PR fiasco for Tiananmen's 20th.

Who arranged this calendar? (Reuters image)

BEIJING – China aggressively deterred dissent in the capital on Thursday's 20th anniversary of the crackdown on democracy activists in Tiananmen Square. But tens of thousands turned out for a candlelight vigil in Hong Kong to mourn the hundreds, possibly thousands, of demonstrators killed.
The central government ignored calls from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and even Taiwan's China-friendly president for Beijing to face up to the 1989 violence.
In Beijing, foreign journalists were barred from the vast square as uniformed and plainclothes police stood guard across the area, which was the epicenter of the student-led movement that was crushed by the military on the night of June 3-4, 1989.

First Draft Blog Takes Best Biden Line From Richard Wolfe's Renegade

Athenae of First Draft writes ~


You know, for all the times I think Biden can be and has been a tool:

“Biden was offended about a story pushed by conservative operatives about his daughter getting into trouble with the police,” Wolffe writes in the book, “Renegade.”

Wolffe, who covered the presidential campaign for Newsweek and now works as a political analyst for MSNBC, doesn’t explain what the “trouble” was. But Ashley Biden was charged in 2002 with obstructing an officer during an incident outside a Chicago nightclub. The charge was dropped after she apologized.

Biden brushed aside his staff’s suggestion that he release a statement, according to Wolffe. Instead, Biden said, “Hell, no. I’m going to call John myself,” Wolffe wrote in the book, which will be released today.

When McCain refused to take his call, Biden was even more annoyed. He tried again when the candidates were in New York on the anniversary of 9/11, preparing for a forum on public service.

“McCain’s aides said he could not be disturbed, but that did not inhibit Joe Biden,” Wolffe wrote. “He walked up to McCain’s door and thumped on it. ‘John McCain,’ he shouted. ‘It’s Joe Biden. The next time I phone you, take the damn call.’ ”

More ~ First Draft on what the "idealogue-asshats-in-my-state-lege" [Texas State Legislature] did in its last day of session .

Monday was the last day of the 2009 session of the Texas Legislature, the day both the House and the Senate were supposed to adjourn sine die, having completed the business of the people of the state. It surprised no one that what happened instead more closely resembled chaos. ...

~*~

Official 145th General Assembly Daily Activity Log

Read the

145th General Assembly

Session Activity Report

HERE

~*~

4th MEAL PRODUCTIONS SEEKS NEW SCRIPTS

4th MEAL PRODUCTIONS SEEKS NEW SCRIPTS,

10 MINUTES LONG!

Looking for scripts for our annual 12-Hour Theater project in June.

New plays wanted.

Your pieces will be work-shopped, directed and put up within a span of 12 Hours!
DEADLINE: Saturday, 6/13 at 6pm.

Send submissions to maggie@4thmealproductions.org

For more information, go to 4thmealproductions.org.

~*~

From The Philly Inquirer ~ Biden In Trenton For Corzine Campaign Kickoff

Biden helps Corzine out of a tight corner in Trenton ~

Biden hammered that point home. “We need Jon Corzine at the helm. Barack and I need him. America needs him,” he said at the Richard J. Codey Arena. Organizers had hoped for 3,000, but the crowd appeared smaller

...The vice president’s appearance and a fund-raiser tomorrow, headlined by the rocker Jon Bon Jovi, show that after months of trying to avoid public reelection talk, the Corzine camp will come hard out of the gates. The governor trails in early polls, but aides believe Republicans were damaged during their primary, in which Christopher J. Christie was chosen as the candidate.

~*~

RE: The State House Of Representatives Sure Worked It's Tail Off Yesterday

The Delaware House Minority has a very attractive and informative blog and twitter page ~ found HERE ~ We offer news and information about the Delaware House of Representatives on behalf of an inquisitive public.

You can follow all of the action at Leg Hall in real time there. Thanks!!
~~~~~
Update: a bit more detail and a bit less editorializing would be nice, *sigh* twitter has its limits.

~*~

John Atkins Writes: Millsboro Should Be So Lucky!!

Jud Bennett ~
JUST RECEIVED: Representative John Atkins (D) of the 41st District sent this open letter below to the Coastal Network in response to the Controversial "Letter to the Editor" put out today by Eric Bodenweiser of Georgetown concerning the DEL-POINTE project near Millsboro. Things are heating up folks-- growth, religion, morals, politics, and big money are crossing swords all over Sussex County! SCROLL DOWN TO READ ATKINS RESPONSE TO BODENWEISER:

(Note: Mr. Atkins omits mention of the casino in question below...what up, John?).

RE: Letter to the Editor re: Del Pointe!

"To whom it may concern:
Where was Mr. Bodenweiser Monday night when the votes were cast? The Millsboro Town Council approved the Del-Pointe project 4-0 with one member abstaining for a possible conflict of interest. There were over 75 people in attendance (which is a huge turn-out for Millsboro) and NOT ONE person or group opposed the project.

Hundreds of petitions were hand- delivered to the Council from Millsboro residents in support of this project. Del-Pointe has been proposed for quite some time now, and I get dozens of phone calls a week from people looking for jobs who support this project. With the horse track will come movie theaters, restaurants, hotels, water parks, and a indoor shooting range, amenities and jobs that Millsboro and Sussex County desperately need.

Like Mr. Bodenweiser, I too grew up in Millsboro, and know all the families that he mentions. Many of them were in attendance to support Del-Pointe. Many of them have also personally contacted me and asked me to vote for this project. Many of the same families that he mentions in his letter have also asked me why Mr. Bodenweiser is so against Del-Pointe and the proposed horse track, when in fact he and his father made millions in the Bodie Dairy Market convieniance store chains-- selling lottery tickets, cigarettes, pornographic magazines, E-Z wider rolling papers, pipes, and condoms?

If Mr. Bodenweiser truly wants to stop the Del-Pointe project, then he should take the millions that he made from selling those items to the residents of Millsboro for over 30 years and purchase the proposed DEL-POINTE property. Then do whatever he wants with it.

Representative John Atkins-41st District"

There's Something Wrong With This Picture...

Evidence of a deepening economic crisis makes one think that the ramifications are fairly predictable and not just a few persons are wondering why the Beltway seems so confused as to the best path forward ~

Meanwhile, after an atrocious attack by host Adam Davidson on Elizabeth Warren, of all people, NPR's ombudsman reprimands Davidson for incivility to Warren, when the real issue is lousy reporting and sexism. (Via lambert)

~*~

Former Millsboro Resident Asks ~ Del Pointe or not Del Pointe?

(via Jud Bennett) Del Pointe or not Del Pointe?
6-2-09
Dear Sussex Citizens;
It seems our two local “conservative” Representatives, Joe Booth and John Atkins are convinced that building a new horse track and casino in the heart of Sussex County is the way to go. A refresher course on true conservatism from Representatives Carey, Hocker and Wilson may be required.

Word has it that Rep. Booth will be the primary sponsor of legislation that would allow the Del Pointe Racino to be built. This writer has spoken at length to Reps. Booth and Atkins on the subject without much success. Having been adamantly opposed to sports betting, Joe always returns to the mantra “it wouldn’t be fair not to give them a casino seeing as they already have permission for a horse track”.

On his continued slide into liberalism, John always comes back with “I’m just not convinced gambling is as detrimental to society as people think it is”.

The purpose of this letter, if published, is to ask the concerned citizens of the 37th and 41st districts and any other Delawareans to contact their representatives to voice their opinions. Knowing both of these men fairly well, I’m sure their minds will be swayed if enough voters were to take the time to contact them.

Although I have now resided in Georgetown for the last 15 years, I grew up in Millsboro. My parents, Bodie and Dolores brought me there when I was six, we moved when I was seventeen. Our house on 113 was wedged in between the Bullock’s and the Baker’s. I went to church with families named Cordrey, Collins, Pusey, Batchelor, White, Hastings, Murray and Atkins, I went to school with children named Wharton, Mitchell, Keenan, Hudson, Thoroughgood, Phillips, Truitt, Lynch, Hickman, Lingo, Workman, Rust and O’Neal. I palled around with buddies named Betts, Jones, Lisehora, Murray, Daisey, Anderson, Serman, Pettyjohn, and Stewart.

I am appealing to these families and all the unnamed others to find the time to contact their representatives.

Back then, Millsboro was known for its mill ponds where we swam and ice skated, Cupola Park and Big Thursday. All that still exists but what will Millsboro be known for 10 years from now? Generally speaking, when someone says they are off to Harrington and might swing over to Dover you know they are out for a day of gambling. Soon, if the Schell boys get their way, we can add Millsboro to the circuit. Is that what we want Millsboro to be known for?

The argument goes that we must have the gambling to get the good, family oriented stuff. To this writer, that argument is tantamount to saying we’ve got to have the brothel to get the church built. When I posed this to Rep. Atkins he came right back with “but prostitution is illegal!” to which I said “so far”.

I am blue in the face with these so called conservatives.

Please give me a break and have at ‘em. Joe can be phoned at 228-6786, mailed at 200 Garden Street, Georgetown, DE 19947 and emailed at Joseph.Booth@state.de.us. John is 745-1587, 236 Morris Street, Millsboro, DE 19966 and John.Atkins@state.de.us.

Someday we will all have to give an account for the things we did or even neglected to do while on this earth. In return, some of us will hear “I never knew you”, others will hear “come right on in” and still others will hear “well done my good and humble servant”. Which will be your fate?
Eric Bodenweiser
Georgetown

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Delaware Film Initiative

On House Committee

Agenda Today!
www.BringFilmToDelaware.comContact Members of the Committee - tell them you support this effort to bring thousands of jobs to Delaware

Representative Bryon Short, Chair of the House Economic Development Committee, has asked Brian Sowards to appear before the committee at 2:30 this afternoon to present the Delaware Film Initiative and offer legislators an update on discussions with film producers, the banking industry, economists, business leaders, and tourism experts about the effort to create thousands of high-paying jobs in Delaware.
Contact the Committee Members and tell them you support the Delaware Film Initiative!
Here's a list of the members of the House Economic Development/Banking/Insurance/Commerce Committee - simply click on their names to get their contact information - you can call, e-mail, and/or come to the hearing at 2:30 in Legislative Hall - just let them know that you support this effort to bring thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue to the state of Delaware!Chairman: B. Short , Vice-Chairman: D.E. Williams Members: E. Bradford Bennett, Gerald L. Brady, Gerald W. Hocker, Deborah Hudson, Helene M. Keeley, Gregory F. Lavelle, Michael Ramone, John J. Viola

Ned Carpenter's Son Picks Up The Torch For Sensible Drug Policy ~ AWESOME!

WNJ letter ~

My father, Ned Carpenter, was a champion of justice for those who could not advocate for themselves. He was deeply, and increasingly, troubled by the injustice he observed in mandatory minimum drug sentencing, and he remained steadfast in his advocacy for the repeal of these laws until his death last year.

If he were here today, this letter would be his, not mine; I am simply a respectful proxy. I know he would have taken this chance to re-emphasize the unfairness of the status quo, and to support the bill going before the state Legislature today calling for repeal.

This is a question of justice, and the facts support the case: There is no evidence to suggest mandatory minimum drug laws have made our communities safer, or deterred individuals from drug crime. Delaware's prison population has tripled despite these laws, and prison officials have estimated that less than half of the prison population struggling with substance abuse actually receives treatment.

Mandatory minimum drug sentencing is expensive. The cost to incarcerate one inmate in Delaware tops $30,000 annually. In a time when state employees face 8 percent pay cuts, public schools face budget cuts and families face unemployment and home foreclosure, we must consider ways to reduce prison spending so we can invest more in our communities. The time is now for legislators to reset the calculus, to observe what has worked, what has not worked, and to let choices reflect lessons learned.
Lea Carpenter Brokaw, New York

Delaware's PSC Is Stepping UP!!!!!!

WNJ has the scoop ~ Artesian fights Public Service Commission's efforts to have more discretion over spending

DOVER -- Water, electric and gas companies would be better held accountable for runaway spending under proposed legislation endorsed by the Public Service Commission.

But one big water company is fighting the effort, saying it could slow down projects and lead to micromanagement.

The PSC currently is empowered in rate-setting cases only to prohibit the most egregious examples of wasteful spending. But the legislation the agency wants the General Assembly to adopt would give the PSC more discretion over a utility's ability to make its customers pay for capital construction projects, lawyer's fees, staffing levels and executive compensation.

To stop a utility from recovering such expenses from customers, commissioners would have to judge that the spending was unnecessary or sufficiently outside the mainstream of acceptable industry practices. It would allow the PSC to review whether bidding on projects was competitive enough.

Deputy Attorney General Regina Iorii said 46 states have the ability to exercise such discretion, but Delaware is not one of them. Another deputy AG at the meeting, Kent Walker, described such standards as the norm. "It seems almost disingenuous to argue they should be held to anything less than that," he said.

Right On!
Frankly speaking, for those who don't read the Maryland papers, Artesian's been central to a huge scandal between a Cecil Commissioner, his day job and a loan for Artesian. Artesian planned for major infrastructure purchases from Cecil County and a watermain from the Susquehanna to serve the purveyors of the Aston Point development near the state line at Newark. Who wouldn't suspect that they are passing those costs to Delaware customers? Delmarva Power certainly did that when they provided the infrastructure for all the 10s of thousands of new homes built across the state since the ribbon-cutting of Route One.

~*~

More From Frieda ~

Was Vice President Cheney in the Neighborhood? ~ Shots From Range Hit Near Md. Nuclear Plant - WaPo

A statewide SWAT team exercise at a firing range on the secured grounds of a nuclear power plant in Southern Maryland was halted this month
after stray bullets shattered glass and struck a command center near the plant’s reactors, officials said yesterday.

And there is good news
China plans 440-bln dollars for Green Energy !!!
May 24, 2009
BEIJING (AFP) — China is planning a stimulus package worth 440 billion dollars to expand its renewable energy use, state media said, as the country aims to rely more on cleaner ways to power its growth.
The three trillion yuan (439.7 billion dollars) investment will see part of the focus on wind power, the Beijing Morning Post said,.
And bad news:
France, Saudi close to a nuclear Pact !Does this make sense ? Remember President Bush’s last trip to Saudi Arabia paving the way?
Lets just all join the club…but wait, there is Iran... makes you wonder ?

RIYADH (AFP) — France and Saudi Arabia are close to finalizing a civil nuclear cooperation pact which could lead to the sale of French atomic energy technology, French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said on Sunday
Can you comprehend the paradox of selling nuclear plants to anyone while pretending to “TALK” NON-PROLIFERATION

From 1945 to 2009, more than 2,000 nuclear blasts
By The Associated Press –
Numbers of nuclear explosions carried out by individual nations:
UNITED STATES - 1,032
RUSSIA (SOVIET UNION ) - 715
FRANCE - 210
CHINA - 45
BRITAIN - 45
INDIA - 3
PAKISTAN - 2
NORTH KOREA - 2
Dr, Strangelove is alive and well : “We’ll meet again, don’t know where don’t know when………….”
Watch "Earth 2100," a two-hour television event, Tuesday, June 2, at 9 p.m. ET.

On nuclear waste:

"No degree of prosperity could justify the accumulation of large amounts of highly toxic substances which nobody knows how to make safe and which remain an incalculable danger to the whole of creation for historical or even geological ages. To do such a thing is a transgression against life itself, a transgression infinitely more serious than any crime perpetrated by man. The idea that a civilization could sustain itself on such a transgression is an ethical, spiritual, and metaphysical monstrosity. It means conducting the economical affairs of man as if people did not matter at all." -- E. F. Schumacher “Small is Beautiful”

well said !

~*~

Frieda Berryhill Writes: The NY Times Finally Reports The Economic Disaster Of New Nukes

"You can not handle the Truth"!
After years of nothing but “pro-nuke” Press the Industry is somewhat in a state of shock. But have no fair, they are back with More Money, More Propaganda and more help from the likes of Senator Carper.

Free Press - The NYTimes finally reports the economic disaster of new nukes click on it. In a devastating pair of financial reports that might be called “The Emperor Has No Pressure Vessel,” the New York Times has blazed new light on the catastrophic economics of atomic power.

~*~

How Busy Is The Lt. Gov.?

Ok...Maybe I was a little harsh in my reaction to the news that Matt Denn is picking up 10 hours a week at Bifferato...
His News Advisoy ~ public appearances for week includes meeting with Parent/Teacher organization, faith-based organizations, student readers, VFW members, and small business owners

~*~

Frieda Berryhill Writes: Fusion Power In Our Time? Or Another Boondoggle ???

National Ignition Facility Prepares to Fire

[Photo via National Ignition Facility]

Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore lab in California are preparing to launch an unprecedented series of experiments that may lead to the ability to harness the power of the sun and to infinite energy. But some warn the experiment may yield dangerous knowledge, like the ability to create a new generation of atomic weapons.
Lawrence Livermore's National Ignition Facility, which was officially dedicated on Friday, is a $3.5 billion dollar project that will unfold over many years. It's housed in a mammoth building that could easily fit three football fields.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle:

It's purpose is to focus the immense energy in an array of 120 laser beams onto a tiny glass target the size of a BB shot, which is filled with hydrogen. This is all done under immensely high pressure to make the target heat like the fiery interior of a star at a 180 million degrees Fahrenheit.
At that instant - theory says but experiments have yet to achieve - the hydrogen isotope atoms inside the target would fuse to become helium and release more energy in a trillionth of a second than it took to produce the blast in the first place.
To scientists that outcome is called "ignition," a self-sustaining split-second of thermonuclear fusion that would - if successful - serve three vital functions:
-- Enable the keepers of America 's nuclear warheads to make sure that, after decades in storage, those elderly weapons are still "safe, secure and reliable," as their keepers hope.
-- Enable astrophysicists and other scientists to study for the first time what kind of matter lies inside exploding stars, as well as in the deep high-pressure interior of Earth and its sister planets.
-- Finally, if the coming years of experiments, which start next year, are successful, a truly limitless supply of clean electrical energy with no carbon waste would be created using the limitless hydrogen fuel in the world's oceans.

Is This Really About New Nukes? According to the Department of Energy, the facility "is a critical part of NNSA’s mission of maintaining the safety and reliability of our nuclear deterrent without conducting nuclear testing."
The U.S. has not performed an underground nuclear test since 1992. The government, through its National Nuclear Security Administration, is concerned that our current stockpile of weapons exists beyond their original life cycle, meaning they may be inoperable. The tests at NIF will test assumptions about the old weapons and update computer models that haven't yet been tested. In other words, the government can test nukes without heading to the Nevada desert.

DC Rally Set For June 25th ~ HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA NOW!

HEALTH CARE FOR AMERICA NOW!
WE CAN'T WAIT
2009 IS THE Year America Can Achieve
Quality, Affordable Health Care We All Can Count On

Tell Senator Carper to join with President Obama and support quality, affordable health care for all in 2009.

JOIN 10,000 HEALTH CARE SUPPORTERS IN DC
AS WE STAND FOR:

· Coverage You Can Afford
· Comprehensive Benefits You Can Count On
· Choice of Private or Public Health Insurance Plans
· Equal Access to Quality Care

WHEN: THURSDAY JUNE 25, 2009
WHERE: WASHINGTON DC DEPARTURE:

FIRST PICK UP: 408 E. 8TH ST., WILMINGTON, (PEOPLE'S SETTLEMENT BUILDING)

TIME: 6:15 AM
SECOND PICK UP: 109 GLASSGOW DR.NEWARK (BOYS & GIRLS CLUB)

TIME: 6:45 AM

LEAVING DC: 6:00 PM
COST: $25.00 INCLUDES: LUNCH,TRANSPERTATION, AND T-SHIRT.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT DARLENE BATTLE 302-656-3699

OR EMAIL: de.head.org@acornmail.net

Baucus To Meet With Single Payer Advocates Today

From Corrente ~ So says the Single Payer Action blog

“It’s the thirteen people who braved arrest at Senate Finance Committee hearing, the hundreds of single payer supporters who’ve shadowed Senator Baucus in his home state of Montana, and the thousands who have put pressure other members of Congress who have created this opening. We have no illusions that our discussions alone will persuade Senator Baucus to back a single payer bill. But the meeting is a clear indication that demonstrations and activism can move even our money-corrupted political culture.”

~*~

What Law Is Ready For The General Assembly?

Can you believe that the General Assembly is taking its sweet time this June....no Mondays or Fridays...
Anyhoo ~ Take a look at what they might not have time to talk about because of this fiscal crisis fight:

House Ready List

Senate Ready List

~*~

Mandatory Minimum Sentencing On House Judiciary Committee Agenda Tomorrow

Syl Wolford called to say that the House Judiciary Committee is discussing Mandatory Minimum law tomorrow. I hope they vote it out immediately and get it to the Senate STAT.

House Judiciary Committee:
Chairman: M. Marshall
Vice-Chairman:William J. Carson
Members:James Johnson
Thomas H. Kovach
Clifford G. “Biff” Lee
John L. Mitchell
Hazel D. Plant
Dennis P. Williams
David L. Wilson

WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! We Have Open Governent In Dover

Mike Matthews scooped it on Ginger Gibson's twitter thingie ~

~*~

Jud Bennett Writes: 'Groundwater: Our Hidden Resource' Seminar Set For June 10th In Lewes

Jud, Clean drinking water will be a problem unless we plan our growth carefully. - Joan Deaver

The Focus on the Delaware Coast seminar series is intended for government officials and concerned citizens who want relevant science-based information to inform and support their decisions. The first seminar in the series, “Groundwater: Our Hidden Resource,” will feature coastal groundwater and water resource experts from the University of Delaware, federal and state agencies, and water providers who will discuss groundwater availability, threats to water quality, and the economics of providing safe drinking water.

Date: June 10, 2009
Time: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Place: UD, Virden Center, located on the Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes, Delaware
Fee: $15 per person
Advance registration is required by June 5, 2009.

Click here for more information about the event.

To download the agenda and registration form, click here. .
For more information, contact:Joe Farrell 302-645-4250

Hosted by: University of Delaware, Delaware Geological Survey, the UD Institute for Public Administration and Water Resources Agency, and the Delaware Sea Grant College Program.

Sponsored by: Delaware Center for the Inland BaysSponsored by:Delaware Center for the Inland Bays

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DelleDonne To Play B'Ball ~ UD To Have Electric Year~!

Newark Post reports ~

Elena DelleDonne has joined the UD women's basketball program and will compete for the Blue Hens during the upcoming 2009-10 season.

(WNJ image)

David Brock Writes: Media Matters Needs Some Financial Encouragement

Dear Friend,
We've come a long way.
I started Media Matters for America in May 2004, hoping to use my experiences as a former member of the right-wing media to expose and combat the very sort of conservative misinformation that I myself once penned. At the time, there was no organization devoted to monitoring and correcting conservative misinformation and propaganda in the media in real time. Since then, Media Matters has grown in size and stature, and we are now the country's leading voice for media accountability.
Despite our successes, there is clearly plenty of work left to do. Just this past week, we have been exposing and rebutting falsehoods and baseless attacks by Rush Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich, and the conservative media echo chamber against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. They have shamelessly smeared her as a "bigot" and a "racist." Fighting this and other misinformation takes a lot of resources.
We have set a goal of raising $20,000 in the next two weeks. Your donation of $10 can go a long way. With your generosity, we can ensure the next five years are just as successful as the first five- if not more so.
>> Donate $5 for the past five years and $5 for the next five to ensure our continued success.
With your help, our work has resulted in numerous public apologies and substantive corrections of the public record. More importantly, we have debunked countless conservative talking points and smear campaigns. In short, Media Matters has created an environment where the media are finally being held accountable.
Some of our most notable achievements:

Stopping Swift Boat Attacks: Last year, our work stopped right-wing author Jerome Corsi from successfully replicating his swift-boat attack of John Kerry with a new book attacking then-Senator Barack Obama.

Fighting Sexism in the Media: We have been at the forefront of pushing back against sexist attacks on progressive leaders like Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, First
Lady Michelle Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, famously culminating in Chris Matthews' January 2008 on-air apology for his comment that Clinton only became Senator because "her husband messed around."

Exposing Incendiary Rhetoric on Right-Wing Radio: From Michael Savage calling autism "a fraud, a racket," to Don Imus' infamous "nappy-headed hos" comment, Media Matters has been at the forefront of documenting the incendiary, outrageous comments from conservative radio hosts throughout the country.

Documenting the Extent of the Pentagon's Media Military Analyst Program: After the New York Times published their exposé on the clandestine relationship among media military analysts, the Pentagon, and the defense industries, we documented more than 4,500 appearances by these analysts on major TV and radio networks. Our report on these appearances helped lead to language being included in the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill banning such propaganda.

While we have made great strides towards creating a culture of accountability in the media, there is still plenty of work to be done. This year, we've seen rampant conservative misinformation surrounding the economic recovery package, health care reform, climate change, the Supreme Court nomination, and the torture debate. Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the conservative noise machine have only grown louder, and they show no intention of quieting down any time soon.
Neither do we.
>> Donate $5 for the past five years and $5 for the next five to ensure our continued success.
Thank you for your continued help in our fight to hold the media accountable. Without you, none of these successes would have been possible.
With great appreciation,
David Brock, Founder & CEO, Media Matters for America

Now We're Talkin' ~ Markell Presser On AmeriCorps For Delaware

Governor Markell Announces AmeriCorps Grant Award

DOVER - Governor Jack Markell announced Tuesday that the Division of Parks and Recreation will receive nearly $370,000 in AmeriCorps grant funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service. The grant will support a total of 65 AmeriCorps members who will meet vital needs across the state in environmental and preservation initiatives.

“AmeriCorps teaches young people important lessons about the value of public service and help them pay for college,” Markell said. “The AmeriCorps positions coming to Delaware will help DNREC keep our great state parks looking good during the busy summer season, when many Delawareans take advantage of the parks’ natural beauty.”

AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet critical needs in education, the environment, public safety, and other areas. Its members serve in thousands of nonprofit and faith-based organizations in rural and urban communities throughout the nation. Among other activities, AmeriCorps members tutor and mentor youth, build affordable housing, teach computer skills, clean parks and streams, run after-school programs, help communities respond to disasters, and recruit and train volunteers.

The Division of Parks and Recreation was selected to receive continued AmeriCorps funding by the Corporation for National and Community Service in a highly competitive national process after being recommended by the Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of State Service Centers, State office of Volunteerism; in partnership with the Governor’s appointed Commission on Community and Volunteer Service, which plays a key role in promoting volunteering and administering AmeriCorps programs throughout Delaware. AmeriCorps programs are funded annually in three-year cycles, and the grants being announced today include both organizations receiving their first year of funding or those continuing in their second and third years. Later this summer, additional AmeriCorps Formula funded grant awards to other organizations within Delaware will be announced.

On a national level, AmeriCorps will support nearly 75,000 positions through regular 2009 funding, plus an additional 13,000 positions funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Most positions will start in the summer and fall. AmeriCorps engages people in intensive, results-driven service through more than 4,100 nonprofits across the country. Since 1994, more than 574,000 men and women have provided more than 718 million hours of service to their communities and country through AmeriCorps. More than (total members since 1994) (state) residents have given (hours since 1994) of service since the programs inception in 1994.

Last month President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, landmark legislation that will increase opportunities for Americans of all ages to serve, put AmeriCorps on a path to grow from 75,000 to 250,000 annual positions by the year 2017, and strengthen social innovation and volunteer generation in America’s nonprofit sector.

AmeriCorps is recruiting now. Applicants can choose from a wide variety of positions across the nation. Benefits can include a living allowance, health care, training and career skills, and a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award worth up to $4,725 to pay for college or to pay off student loans. Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting www.AmeriCorps.gov.