Utah’s Legislature Addresses Gang Activity
See post by Senator Luz Robles on utahsenatedemocrats.org
Kearns Skate Park
County Mayor Peter Corroon joined a host of other officials in praising the community of Kearns and the cooperative efforts of a number of entities for bringing the skate park concept to fruition.
State Sen. Karen Mayne said “my heart was quickened when I drove in here today, realizing this park is going to be on Ed Mayne St.” The roadway was named in behalf of her husband, the late Ed Mayne, who served as a state senator and was a long-time advocate for the communities and residents on the west side of the valley. “I know how important developments like this were to Ed, particularly here in Kearns, and I know this is the place where this skate park should be.”
Full Article on Taylorsville / Kearns Journal: Officials break ground for Kearns skate park
Working for School Nurses
Quoting a recent article in the Taylorsville/Kearns Journal:
Mayne kicked off her initiative to educate those lawmakers by hosting a press conference at Oquirrh Hills Elementary this fall. Her goal is to have legislators “shadow” a school nurse in their districts, to learn first hand how many hats those nurses have to wear in a day.
“I taught school for 20 years, and I’ve seen how much these nurses are the first line health providers for these kids,” Mayne told an audience of teachers, students and nurses. “There are so many physical and mental health crises that arise in schools—far beyond just cuts and bruises. School nurses deal with students who have issues with diabetes, autism, asthma—and even seizures. With our budget cuts, I just want to make sure that what we have is at least protected.”
West Valley 5600 West Beautification Project
Quoting a recent article in the Millcreek Journal:
A joint effort of Kearns community officials, Salt Lake County, UDOT and local contractors has resulted in construction of a decorative concrete sound wall on the east side of the road, between 5400 and 4800 South. Officials met on Aug. 20 to cut a ribbon symbolizing completion of just the first phase of the project.
Former KCC chairman Chuck McDowell, who helped lead the effort to get the wall project started, said “we’ve always seen this as a major thoroughfare for the valley, I can’t begin to tell you how grateful we are for this.” He praised the efforts of late state Sen. Ed Mayne, and “by extension, his wife Sen. Karen Mayne,” for their work on getting funding approved and the wall constructed.
“These are long-term friendships we have with the residents in Kearns,” Karen Mayne said. “Ed always saw the needs for the west side and fought for us.” The improvements along 5600 West, including expansion of the road to four lanes, was always a priority for Ed Mayne, she said.
Eleanor Roosevelt Award
This year the Utah State Democratic Party selected Senator Karen Mayne to be the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Award. Each year, the Utah State Democratic Party gives this prestigious award to a Utah woman who exemplifies, “the high standards, compassionate philosophy and actions of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.”
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Senator Mayne has spent a lifetime working tirelessly to pursue her dream for a better Utah. As both a loyal member of the Democratic Party, and an individual willing to work with Republicans in the spirit of bipartisanship, Senator Mayne has been a champion in working to secure jobs for Utah’s working families. Senator Mayne says, “I am overwhelmed and humbled by this award, and I appreciate the continued support of my fellow Democrats, friends, legislators, and constituents.”
Senator Mayne will be officially honored at the 16th Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Luncheon at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City on October 22nd.
Salt Lake Community College
I am honored that Salt Lake Community College recently presented me with an award as a 2009 Legislative Champion. However, I am even more grateful to have Salt Lake Community College as a part of my District 5. With their commitment to changing people’s lives through education, and their dedication to serving Utah as the largest two-year community college in the state, Salt Lake Community College is undoubtedly the jewel of my senate district.
Salt Lake Community College and I share a common interest in helping to prepare the students of today for the jobs of tomorrow. I have had the opportunity to work with Salt Lake Community College on apprenticeship programs. We worked together to help promote Helmets to Hardhats, a program that introduces military veterans to promising trade apprenticeship opportunities. Whether it is helping military veterans in finding jobs and adjusting to civilian life, or simply helping to educate the next generation of Utah’s students, I hope to continue working with Salt Lake Community College in helping students get the training they need to succeed in our competitive world. It is my honor and responsibility to nurture and support Salt Lake Community College.
National Conference of State Legislature’s 2009 Legislative Summit in Philadelphia
Recently I attended the National Conference of State Legislature’s 2009 Legislative Summit in Philadelphia, where I had the unique opportunity to exchange innovative ideas with legislators from all across the country. Through a series of seminars, workshops, and meetings, we talked about different strategies that the states are using to create better public policy. Together each of us left with a greater understanding of the issues impacting America than when we first came.
I attended workshops where we discussed everything ranging from the environment to healthcare and pension reform. I listened to how other states are pioneering new efforts to reduce green house gas emissions through carbon capture and storage programs. We discussed how state and local communities are improving their transportation systems to meet the needs of the twenty-first century. Finally, we brainstormed ideas on how to better serve Americans through new ideas on pension and healthcare reform.
However, the one topic that seemed to be on everyone’s mind was the economy. All across the nation, states are feeling the stress from the recession, and are looking for ways to revitalize their communities. We passed a resolution supporting free trade, and talked about ways of reducing unemployment through the retraining of laid-off workers. Everywhere I went, and with everyone I spoke to, I continually heard the same message to buy American. I believe this message is the key to restoring stability for our families throughout Utah and America. In the end, learning about the challenges that other states face has refocused my efforts to continue formulating solutions and tackling the challenges in our state.
Buy American
I am proud to support “The Resolution to Buy American,” which encourages local governments to buy local and United States products whenever and wherever possible. If we are going to revive America’s economy, then we must invest the money from the Federal stimulus package to retain existing jobs, and maximize the creation of new jobs for the American people. I believe that this economic stimulus money should go back to employing the very people who provided it in the first place – America’s taxpayers. Furthermore, buying American will help restore economic stability in our local communities, and will directly help America’s families.
I have presented this resolution to City Councils, and Townships, and they overwhelmingly support our goals, because we all share a common interest in keeping America working. From the construction of towering skyscrapers and the network of America’s highways, to the engineering of the world’s smallest computer chips, America’s greatness has always depended on creating new jobs that utilize our different talents. Just as Americans persevered through economic hardship in the past, we must do so again now in the present by buying local and American made goods.
In this time of a troubled economy, we all need to pull together to keep our friends and neighbors working. We can achieve this by using American products and hiring locally, and in the end we will refocus and create a better future.
Legal Sized Resolution: LegalSizedResolution_02_17_2009.pdf
Helmets to Hardhats
On March 30th, Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr., signed a declaration recognizing Helmets to Hardhats and declared March 30, 2009, as Helmets to Hardhats Program Day.
Utah Senate Democrats blog has a nice write-up on the event and program: Helmets to Hardhats Program Day
Helmets to Hardhats is a nonprofit organization hosted by the Center for Military Recruitment, Assessment and Veterans’ Employment (CMRAVE), which connects veterans to promising careers in the construction industry. Utah is the 27th state to recognize the vital role of Helmets to Hardhats.
Helmets to Hardhats provides training and support to veterans returning from military service to facilitate a smooth transition to civilian life. Veterans log in to http://helmetstohardhats.org, establish an account, and begin their search for a productive career. The Helmets to Hardhats staff of construction industry and military professionals help guide veterans through their career search, connecting them with apprenticeship programs and providing career advice. Many Utah veterans have received this training. Click here for Ami Joi O’Donoghue’s great article in the Deseret News relating Darrell Robert’s personal military experiences.
Township bill sails through the Utah Senate
Without a single “no” vote, the Utah Senate passed a bill Friday that would protect boundaries for unincorporated townships such as Magna, Millcreek and Kearns.
Despite sometimes-heated opposition from the Utah League of Cities and Towns, Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, received overwhelming support for legislation that would keep Utah’s townships intact and prevent piecemeal annexations from their municipal neighbors.