Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti creating coalition of proven staffers

As he continues to assemble his staff, it appears as if Mayor Eric Garcetti is bringing together what can best be described as a coalition government, in an example of what happens when the incumbent is not running and the winner is able to draw from a variety of sources. Garcetti, so far, has taken on folks who worked for both former mayors Antonio Villaraigosa and James Hahn.

The Hahn administration influence is the strongest. Staffers who worked for Hahn and now on the Garcetti mayoral team include Deputy Mayor Doane Liu and spokesman Yusef Robb. Also said to be in the mix is Sarah Dusseault, a former Hahn adviser who worked as policy director for Garcetti when he was on the City Council. From Villaraigosa, those remaining in the mayor's office include spokeswoman Vicki Curry, Public Safety Deputy Mayor Eileen Decker, transportation aide Borja Leon and scheduling director Martha Preciado. And, if you want to go back that far, at one time former Councilwoman Jan Perry worked for former Mayor Richard Riordan on census issues, before winning her seat on the City Council.

As he is running for Secretary of State, state Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Van Nuys, received a boost last week. Padilla, who is being termed out of his Senate post, was recently re-elected as president of the National Association of Latino Elected and

Appointed Officials (NALEO), which will also give him a national platform. He said the organization is committed to working on national immigration reform as well as promoting Latino elected officials from both parties. "I am humbled and honored that my colleagues have chosen me to again lead this organization," Padilla said. "The coming months offer our organization and community an extraordinary opportunity."

Gov. Jerry Brown set the special election to fill the seat vacated by the election of Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who gave up his 45th Assembly District seat, and it is shaping up to be a crowded race, pitting a number of political staff members against one another. A primary election is set for Sept. 17, and if no candidate gets a majority, the top two candidates will have a Nov. 19 runoff. Those who have expressed interest in running for the seat include Democrats Matt Dababneh, district director to Rep. Brad Sherman; Damian Carroll, district director for Councilman Paul Krekorian; and Jeff Ebenstein, a field deputy to Councilman Paul Koretz. Blumenfield also has a favorite in the race with Andra Hoffman, a Glendale City College faculty member. Two other Democrats are Daniel McCrory and Elizabeth Badger, while Republicans who have announced include engineer Chris Kolski and businesswoman Susan Shelley.

Monica Ratliff, the newest member of the LAUSD board, found herself right in the middle of the battle for board president last week. She was able to break with the board's tradition of launching into an automatic vote by getting the two candidates, Tamar Galatzan and Richard Vladovic, to explain what they would do as board president. "I was interested in what they had to say and to know who their choice for vice president would be and why," she said later. "I want to make sure that everything is transparent." Ratliff ended up voting for Vladovic, saying she was persuaded by his speech to promise more academic support for students and a better working relationship on the board.

Rick Orlov is a Daily News staff writer and columnist. His column, Tipoff, appears Mondays. For a daily fix on politics, go to the Sausage Factory at blogs.dailynews.com/politics. Orlov can be reached 213-978-0390 or at rick.orlov@dailynews.com. Daily News staff writer Barbara Jones contributed.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23615833/los-angeles-mayor-eric-garcetti-creating-coalition-proven?source=rss

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[Article] Workplace Wellness on a Shoestring | Wellness Council of ...

Katie Ehlman loves to run. But when she moved to Portland, Ore., from Little Rock, Ark., three years ago, she was unsure of the best routes.

Did she tap her network for newfound friends and neighbors? Sure. But the best tips came from her employer, a small financial services firm with fewer than 25 employees that had mapped out routes around its office to help employees walk or run to earn points toward prizes or paid time off.

?You?d be surprised how motivated and competitive co-workers can get when it comes to adding days off during the summer months or winning a free latte. For me, it?s been convenient and fun to run before work or at lunchtime.? Ehlman said. ?I don?t know that our office is super-healthy, but unlike some of the places I?ve worked, people here are happy to come to work and work out together.?

Historically, it has been easier for larger companies with greater resources to implement wellness programs at work. A report issued last fall by the National Small Business Association and Humana found that, while 93 percent of small businesses say employee health is important to their bottom line, just 22 percent were offering a wellness program.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is supposed to change that. Part of the landmark reform was crafted to help level the playing field between small and large businesses when it comes to purchasing employee insurance options. More specifically, PPACA provides for grants up to five years for employers with fewer than 100 employees who work 25 or more hours per week to establish new wellness programs.

In other words, the legislation offers employers a chance to do wellness on a shoestring.

?You don?t have to build an indoor climbing wall or provide discounts and access to the nicest gym in town,? said Dawn Gianni, a workplace wellness coach based in Chicago. ?You just need to get creative and contemplate some low-cost options based on your workforce needs. It?s much easier to assess the health and fitness levels of a 10-person company than it is a 1,000-person company, right??

For example, one of Gianni?s clients merely banned unhealthy foods in the office break room. Pastries and donuts were just too tempting to resist, she said, adding, ?It sounds really silly, but people were so appreciative. Willpower is not an easy thing for most of us, particularly when the office becomes a dumping ground for leftover cakes and candy.?

Scripps Hospitals were recognized by Fortune as one of the best companies to work for this year, in part because of its wellness initiatives. One step Scripps took, which could be replicated by small firms, was to remove vending machines offering unhealthy snacks. In their place, Scripps installed sell-service kiosks stocked with health food and complete meals. It also subsidized the cost.

Bandwidth, a communications technology company in Cary, N.C., introduced a wellness initiative for employees that included 90 minutes of free time during lunch to work out. The company also, according to its Web site, encourages physical fitness by sponsoring sports teams.

Executives for both companies have reported improved employee morale and lower health insurance costs overall, with few dollars spent.

Various studies continue to stress that the health of the average U.S. worker is poor: ?One in three suffers from some symptoms of depression, one in four smokes, one in five experiences difficulty sleeping, one in five is treated for high blood pressure, one in seven has high levels of cholesterol, and nearly half have not exercised in more than a month,? the Institute for Healthcare Consumerism said recently.

That?s why experts like Bruce Elliott, manager of compensation and benefits for the Society for Human Resource Management, maintain that preventative measures like wellness programs should be viewed as investments that will pay off over time.

How much time?

?Helping employees quit cigarettes or lose weight will translate to lower medical costs over three to five years,? Elliott said.

That might be fast enough for some employers, but the long-term benefits are hard to dispute.

Source: http://www.wellnessindiana.org/index.php/article-workplace-wellness-on-a-shoestring/

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European Commission okays GE's Avio buy

BRUSSELS (AP) ? The European Commission says it has approved General Electric Co.'s $4.3 billion purchase of the aviation parts division of Italy's Avio SpA after GE gave assurances it won't hold back Avio's participation in the European jet fighter project, Eurojet.

Avio is an important contributor to the consortium working on the Eurojet. After GE announced the Avio deal in December, the commission's antitrust authority said the purchase could create a conflict of interest. Both GE and Avio make engines for fighter jets.

The commission, the European Union's executive arm, said in a statement Tuesday that GE has made commitments to protect consortium information and to ensure " Eurojet and Eurofighter can continue to participate in future campaigns for export sales."

It approved the deal on the condition that GE follows through.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-07-02-EU-EU-General-Electric-Avio/id-6938d35efce9477e80148b8a78ab5cb9

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Demand for big pickup trucks fuels June U.S. auto sales

By Ben Klayman and Bernie Woodall

DETROIT (Reuters) - Sales of big, brawny pickup trucks fueled strong demand for new vehicles in the United States in June, driving the industry toward its strongest month since before the recession that drove General Motors Co and Chrysler into bankruptcy.

GM and Ford Motor Co posted stronger-than-expected sales, and Chrysler Group's sales met analysts' expectations as the improving U.S. housing market led to surging demand for full-size pickups at all the U.S. automakers. Toyota Motor Corp also reported surprisingly strong U.S. sales.

"America's families are better off than they were at the beginning of the year and they believe - with good justification - that the economic expansion is going to continue," GM Chief Economist Mustafa Mohatarem said in a statement.

Overall U.S. auto industry sales in June are expected to show a rise of up to 8 percent compared with a year earlier and could reach their strongest monthly pace since the recession pushed Chrysler and GM to seek bankruptcy protection in 2009.

Economists polled by Thomson Reuters expect an annual sales rate in June of 15.4 million vehicles. Several analysts and research firms that follow the auto industry expect a rate of 15.5 million to 15.7 million.

Chrysler, majority-owned by Italy's Fiat SpA, falls in the optimists' camp as it expects a sales pace in the month of about 16 million vehicles, including medium and heavy trucks. On that basis, Ford expects the industry to finish in the range of just over 16 million vehicles.

Medium and heavy trucks typically account for about 300,000 sales annually.

"The fundamentals for continued industry gains in new-vehicle sales remain intact," Chrysler U.S. sales chief, Reid Bigland, said in a statement.

GM expects a rate of 15.8 million, which would be the highest rate since November 2007. Volkswagen AG executives anticipate something in the mid-15 million range.

Monthly sales are seen as an early indicator of the U.S. economy's health. The auto industry has held up better than the broader economy as easier credit availability and pent-up demand for vehicles have driven demand.

In May, U.S. auto sales rose more than expected as construction workers and oil drillers bought more pickups to meet growing demand for their services, a trend major automakers expect to continue through the rest of the year.

GM's sales came in far higher than expected, rising 6.5 percent to 264,843 cars and trucks, or their highest level for June since 2008. Analysts had expected growth closer to 2 percent.

Sales of the No. 1 U.S. automaker's two top-selling vehicles, the Chevrolet Silverado pickup and Cruze small car, rose 29 percent and 73 percent, respectively. Sales of the GMC Sierra pickup were up a third.

Ford's sales also came in stronger than expected with an increase of 13.4 percent to 235,643 vehicles, above the 11 percent gain Wall Street had expected. It was the best June result for Ford since 2006. The company's F-150 pickup saw sales jump 24 percent.

Chrysler's sales rose 8 percent to 156,686 vehicles on strong demand for its two best-selling vehicles, the Ram full-size pickup (up 24 percent) and Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV (up 33 percent). It was the best June total for the automaker since 2007.

Toyota's sales rose a far stronger than expected 10 percent to 195,235 vehicles. Nissan's June U.S. sales also came in stronger than expected, rising 13 percent to 104,124 vehicles.

GM shares were up 1.7 percent at $34.59 on Tuesday morning on the New York Stock Exchange. Ford shares were up 2 percent at $16.06.

(Editing by John Wallace and Matthew Lewis)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chryslers-u-sales-june-rise-8-percent-124445638.html

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U.S. casualties hit 5-year low in Afghanistan as troops? role turns to advising

KABUL, Afghanistan ? The shift to Afghan security forces leading in combat and the ongoing reduction of U.S. troops here have driven American casualties during the first half of 2013 to the lowest level in five years.

"Afghan National Security Forces are primarily the units in contact with enemy forces, rather than ISAF personnel," Lt. Tamarac Dyer, a spokeswoman for the U.S.-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) wrote in an emailed response to questions about casualties.

In the first six months of the year, 72 American troops were killed in Afghanistan, according to icasualties.org, a web site that tracks casualties. The last year when casualties were that low for the same period was 2008. Then, 66 Americans died in between January and June, and 155 were killed in the full year. The worst year for U.S. casualties was 2010, when 499 Americans died. All told, more than 2,200 U.S. troops have been killed since the war began in 2001.

The nearly 12-year-old war has had time to develop patterns, and casualties in the second half of any given year have often been higher. This time, though, the insurgents will have fewer targets: U.S. troops are expected to accelerate their drawdown after the summer, and the current force of about 68,000 troops is scheduled to be cut in half by the end of December.

With Afghans in the lead, U.S. forces? exposure to danger also has been sharply reduced. Increasingly, U.S. troops, and their NATO allies, are working on large, heavily-secured bases, training and mentoring Afghan security forces, rather than patrolling the countryside.

The U.S.-led international coalition has been trimming its forces in advance of the full pullout of combat troops at the end of 2014. An advising force is expected to be left behind, but the size of that force has not yet been determined. U.S. military sources have suggested it might be as many as 15,000, including about 9,000 Americans..

Parts of the drawdown may go a bit more quickly than planned. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James F. Amos said last week that the Afghan units in Helmand Province ? historically the deadliest place for U.S. and international troops ? had improved so quickly that the Marines might bring home some of their military adviser teams this summer. They?ve ceased patrolling almost entirely, and just one Marine has been killed in combat in Helmand all year.

While Americans? war here is drawing to a close, the Afghans? is not. Their military, police and civilian casualties are all up sharply.

Statistics for casualties among Afghan forces can be hard to come by, but for two months from March 22 to May 22, at least 523 members of the national army, national police and border police were killed, according to the defense and interior ministries. Those numbers don?t include Afghan Local Police casualties, which also are substantial.

Last year, about 3,400 Afghan soldiers and police officers were killed, up from about 1,950 in 2011, according to the Brookings Institution.

That?s more the 3,344 troops that the NATO-led coalition has lost during the course of the entire war.

How to cut those casualties has become a priority for NATO commanders, who?ve worked hard in recent years to help the Afghans build their security forces to the target strength of 352,000. But high numbers of desertions and casualties means that about 50,000 new soldiers and police officers have to be recruited and trained every year.

Lt. Gen. Nick Carter, the deputy commander for ISAF, said last month that that attrition rate can?t continue indefinitely without affecting the ability of the Afghan forces to fight, and U.S. Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the ISAF commander, said the U.S. is ?working very closely with the Afghan leadership to identify the specific causes of those casualties."

"We?re looking at that as though they were our own casualties," Dunford said.

At news conference June 18, hours after Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced that Afghan forces were formally in the lead for security across the country, said that many Afghan casualties are caused by improvised bombs. ISAF, he said, has developed a detailed plan for equipping and training the Afghans to find and eliminate the bombs.

"I don?t think at this point that it reflects on their ability to secure the country. Their performance speaks for itself in terms of results," he said, speaking of the casualty rate. "But certainly reducing casualties over time is one of the most important and significant leadership challenges that the Afghan leadership has."

Civilian casualties also are increasing, according to the U.N. mission here. Nearly 3,100 were killed or wounded during the first five months of the year. That?s up 24 percent from the same period in 2012, said Jan Kubis, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) last month.

The jump was even greater for child casualties, which were up 30 percent.

Kubis said that the insurgents caused 74 percent of such casualties. Afghan and NATO-led forces were responsible for 9 percent.

The U.S. casualty numbers, meanwhile, are now so low that a single incident can have a sharp impact on any comparison to earlier years. Indeed, for the first few months of the year, there were so few combat casualties that aircraft accidents were the primary killer.

Now, improvised bombs, which have been the single greatest cause of deaths for US troops here, have again assumed that place. They have caused just under half the total for deaths among members of the NATO-led coalition, according to icasualties.

McCatchy special correspondent Rezwan Natiq contributed to this story.

Source: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/06/30/2659997/us-casualties-hit-5-year-low-in.html?storylink=rss

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How North Carolina Became the Wisconsin of 2013 (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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Texas abortion bill falls after challenge

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) ? Texas' lieutenant governor has acknowledged that Republicans missed their deadline to pass new abortion restrictions after protesters screamed down lawmakers as the final 15 minutes passed before the special legislative session's deadline.

Senators from both parties emerged from a private meeting with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and said they were about to officially acknowledge that fact.

Immediately following the vote, Republicans insisted they had started voting before the midnight deadline and passed the bill that Democrats spent much of Tuesday filibustering. But after official computer records and printouts of the voting record showed the vote took place Wednesday, and then were changed to read Tuesday, the senators convened for a private meeting.

More than 400 protesters erupted at 11:45 p.m. when Republicans suspended an 11-hour filibuster staged by Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth.

Source: http://www.wccbcharlotte.com/news/politics/213110611.html

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