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Updates from Utah Gov - Organizations

Tuesday, July 19, 2016 - 9:15am

H.E.R.O. Summer Camp teaches children about humane animal issues

 

Campers are learning through play at the Humane Society of Utah

 

Utah youth are learning about important animal welfare issues while having fun at the Humane Society of Utah’s first H.E.R.O. (Humane Educators Reaching Out)

​Summer ​

Camp for Kids presented by the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation. Camp runs July 11-15 for first, second and third graders and July 18-22 for fourth, fifth and sixth graders from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at the Humane Society of Utah facility located at 4242 S. 300 W. Murray, Utah. Children participate in age-appropriate games, workshops and presentations focused on proper pet care, spaying and neutering to control pet overpopulation, animal welfare issues, how to meet a new dog, clicker training and more. The goal of the H.E.R.O. Camp is to foster empathy, compassion and respect for all animals through fun and engaging educational activities.

 

 

“We feel that to make a change in the animal welfare, pet overpopulation and pet homelessness issues we face in Utah and as a country, we need to begin by educating our children,” said Caitlin Lisle, HSU Humane Education and Outreach Director.

 

H.E.R.O. campers enjoy special guest presentations from Banfield Pet Hospital ®, Scales and Tales Utah

​, ​

Ching Farm Rescue and Sanctuary

​ and Therapy Animals of Utah​

. Along with daily interaction with HSU’s dogs, cats and various small pets, campers get the chance to see and learn about a variety of animals including an alligator, emu, llama chickens, snakes, a donkey, pig and other surprise visitors.

 

 

Lisle has a B.S. degree in Education and has worked for the Humane Society of Utah for nine years. She has been visiting schools and teaching children about animal welfare for the past three years. “It’s been a dream of mine to expand our humane education program, and our goal is to educate 10,000 children this year, so I’ve been busy, but it’s rewarding to see a kid’s face light up when they see the animals.”

 

Campers keep a journal about what they have learned and experienced each day. At the end of the week, a graduation ceremony is held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and campers receive a certificate of completion from the camp counselors.

 

Special thanks to HSU staff and volunteers for their work. The H.E.R.O. Summer Children’s Camp is made possible by a grant from the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation, and supporting sponsors, Mountain America Credit Union, Banfield Pet Hospital ® and Albertsons.

 

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SALT LAKE CITY (July 14, 2016) – FOX Sports Networks return as the national broadcast partner for the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. A total of 21 hours of national programming will be provided on FS2 across the U.S. for the professional cycling stage race, Aug. 1-7, including 14 hours of live, high-definition coverage. 

 

The opening stage of the race will begin at 7:55 a.m. from Zion Canyon Village, and the live FS2 coverage on Aug. 1 will air from 10 a.m. - Noon (MDT). The following six days of racing will be broadcast from 2 - 4 p.m. on FS2. Nightly recap shows will be broadcast on FS2 as well, with times varying by region and viewers are asked to check local listings. Studio announcers will be Steve Brown, Todd Gogulski and former professional cyclist Lucas Euser. Course reports will be provided by sports personality and reporter Kristen Kenney.

 

International broadcast coverage will be provided on networks and fee-based services in 15 countries across five continents. This programing features Cycling Central in Australia, L’Equipe in France, Bike Channel in Italy and four nations of the United Kingdom, and SuperSport in the 48 nations of the Sub-Saharan Africa territory. An additional 900,000 household global subscribers with SNTV will receive news updates about the race.

 

It is the sixth year for live start-to-finish race coverage on the award-winning global web and mobile Tour Tracker® platform. The Tour of Utah Tour Tracker® powered by Adobe® will provide live streaming video coverage for cycling fans worldwide. Commentators for this coverage are Frankie Andreu and Tim Johnson, with behind-the-scenes correspondence provided by Chad Andrews.

 

Tour Tracker also provides enhanced coverage with GPS race tracking, race analysis, photography, and results for every stage. The apps are available for iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices. The Tour was viewed by more than150,000 race fans from 139 countries using the Tour Tracker® experience online and with mobile devices last year. Links to the web and mobile apps will be available at www.tourofutah.com/race/tourtracker.

 

KJZZ 14 Television, an independent broadcast television station which serves households across Utah and parts of five other states, will air a one-hour Nightly Race Recap program at 8 p.m. for all seven days of race week. The station will also broadcast a 30-minute Preview Show on July 30. The Preview Show will give a sneak peak at the 705-mile race that showcases 16 professional teams, including five teams from the Tour de France. KJZZ 14 Television Regional coverage in the Western states will also be broadcast by ROOT Sports.

 

On radio, The Zone Sports Network will provide race updates at :42 past the hour, starting at 10:42 a.m. on Aug. 1-5. Tony Parks will anchor the radio coverage heard on The Zone (1280 AM, 97.5 FM).

 

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah continues to be free to all spectators, making professional cycling one of the most unique professional sports in the world today. It is the first internationally-sanctioned cycling competition in North America following the Tour de France. More information about the Tour of Utah, the host venues and the teams can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com, as well as social channels Facebook (tourofutah), Twitter (@tourofutah, #TOU16), Instagram (thetourofutah), and YouTube (tourofutah).

 

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About the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah

The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah, referred to as "America's Toughest Stage RaceTM," is a week-long, professional cycling stage race for the best men’s teams in the world. The 2016 event will be held Aug. 1-7.  Now in its 12th year, the event was elevated in 2015 as a 2.HC-rated UCI stage race, making it one of the premier events in North America. The 2016 Tour of Utah will cover 705 miles of racing and 52,825 feet of climbing. The 2015 Tour of Utah men’s champion was Joe Dombrowski (USA) of Can nondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team. The Tour of Utah is owned by Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment. More information about the Tour of Utah,host venues and professional teams can be found by visiting www.tourofutah.com, as well as social channels Facebook (tourofutah), Twitter (tourofutah), Instagram (thetourofutah) and YouTube (tourofutah).

 

Media Contact

Jackie Tyson, Media Relations Manager, Tour of Utah

TourofUtahPR@pelotonsports.​net, 678-362-62​28

 

  

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AEMA Applauds State Land Commissioner Association Mineral Withdrawal Opposition

 

State Trust Land Group Passes Resolution Calling on BLM to End is Epic Land Grab

 

Yesterday, the Western State Land Commissioner Association (WSLCA) passed a resolution calling on the BLM to end its 10 million acre land withdrawal for the protection of Greater Sage-grouse. The resolution states, in part:

“The WSLCA opposes the US Department of Interior proposed 10 million acre mineral withdrawal as a detriment to the economic development and return on land managed by the states for the intended beneficiaries of the public trust.”

The Western States Land Commissioners Association brings together key land managers responsible for overseeing the administration of over 440 million acres of public and school trust land assets in 23 western states. AEMA welcomed the action saying;

“AEMA has long opposed the BLM’s epic land grab as unnecessary and harmful to not only mining but entire state economies. Now we have those responsible for funding our schools through state lands saying the same. The BLM simply does not have to take this action,” said Matthew Ellsworth, AEMA Government Affairs Director.

You can learn more about WSLCA by visiting www.glo.texas.gov/wslca/.  The resolution is included below.

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American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA) is a 121-year old, 2,100 member national association representing the minerals industry with members residing in 42 U.S. states, seven Canadian provinces or territories, and 10 other countries. AEMA is the recognized national voice for exploration, the junior mining sector, and maintaining access to public lands, and represents the entire mining life cycle, from exploration to reclamation and closure.

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Colorado’s Representative Jared Polis offers Amendment to prevent surgical sterilization of wild horses and burros. 

 

BLM and OSU approve dangerous experiments in storm of controversy.

 

WASHINGTON, DC  (July 15, 2016) - Colorado Representative, Jared Polis offered Amendment 128 (House Report 114-683) in the House of Representatives, “to help prevent the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from destroying this iconic symbol (Wild Horses and Burros) using funds allocated to be used for surgical sterilization of wild horses.” Polis’ amendment was offered to open a bipartisan debate. The Amendment gives Chairman Ken Calvert and other Republican committee members different strategies to handle the issue.   Rep. Polis opened his remarks by saying, “Mr. Chairman, Wild, Free-Roaming Horses and Burros are a living symbol of the historic and pioneer spirit of the west, like in my home state of Colorado.”

 

 

The Amendment comes on the heels of Oregon State University’s agreement to participate in BLM’s barbaric and inhumane Mare Sterilization Research which involves life-threatening experiments to sterilize mares (both pregnant and open) as well as fillies as young as 8 months of age.   The proposed experiments are invasive, inhumane operations which have no justifiable application and are, by the BLM’s own admission, risky.  "There is not a single thing that makes any sense about this horrific experiment,” stated Lisa Jacobson DVM, an Equine Veterinarian who has worked with both domestic and wild horses for decades. She continues, “I'm so ashamed for the veterinarians involved with this barbarism.   Shame on them & on the BLM. Absolutely unbelievable."

 

These brutal experiments are being conducted in the name of population suppression. Yet they will simply waste taxpayer monies while failing to address reductions in reproduction using non-invasive techniques. In its exhaustive review of the BLM’s Wild Horse and Burro Program in 2013. the National Academy of Sciences recommended the reversible fertility control vaccine, PZP, which causes no hormonal disruption, can be remotely delivered to selected wild mares.  This technology has long been proven as a safe, practical way to manage wild horse gene pools — and to avoid costly, traumatic roundups and excessive warehousing of those removed from the range.  Sterilization is no alternative to existing and humane management tools.

 

In his presentation Rep. Polis pointed out the following:

 

 

  • Wild free-roaming horses and burros are the living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West. My amendment will help to prevent the BLM from destroying this iconic symbol.
  • What distinguishes America’s wild horses from their domestic counterparts is their natural behaviors and their social organization. Surgical sterilization will take the wild out of wild horses by removing the horses’ ability to produce the reproductive organs that drive their natural behavior.
  • Sterilization can be done on both male and female horses. In both cases, the experts have flat out said they are bad ideas. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) stated clearly that castrating stallions will cause “loss of testosterone and consequent reduction in or complete loss of male-type behaviors necessary for maintenance of social organization, band integrity, and expression of a natural behavior repertoire.”
  • Not only do these procedures destroy the wild nature of the horses, but they are gruesome, dangerous and a waste of taxpayer dollars. The NAS advised against the surgical removal of ovaries, warning “The possibility that ovariectomy may be followed by prolonged bleeding or peritoneal infection makes it inadvisable for field application.”
  • This procedure is a waste of taxpayer dollars because it would cost millions of dollars and it is entirely impractical to surgically sterilize 40,000 wild stallions and mares, a number that many disagree with BLM, is accurate.
  • BLM has a better, and far cheaper tool. The PZP birth control vaccine as an example– is deliverable via remote dart and cheap, at $25 a dose. It is 95% effective in preventing pregnancy for a year.
  • This proposal by the BLM has raised overwhelming opposition by the public. Over 20,000 citizens submitted comments in opposition to this plan.
  • The public wants wild horses protected, not surgically mutilated. Polls show that about 3 in 4 Americans want wild horses protected on public lands and 80 percent oppose horse slaughter.  
  • I ask for support on my simple amendment that will make sure the BLM spends our taxpayer dollars more wisely and protects an iconic symbol of the American west.

 

Rep. Polis’ staff worked with several organizations to craft this amendment.  Volunteer representatives from The Cloud Foundation (TCF) and other wild horse advocacies as well as staff from American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign (AWHPC) were pleased to provide technical assistance.

 

Ginger Kathrens, TCF Founder and Volunteer Executive Director who serves as Humane Advocate on the BLM National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board states, “This surgery is not practical unless you don’t care if a significant portion of the animals die.” She continues, “Both the BLM and Oregon State University have ignored the storm of protest over the proposed experiments.”

 

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LINKS:

 

Polis Offers Amendment. Rep.Jared Polis (D-CO-02) offers amendment against surgical sterilization

 

BLM Mare Sterilization Research EA

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Phoenix Marketing International’s AirportXP Reveals Best Airports in the Country
for Parking Accessibility and Getting to the Terminal
Salt Lake City International gets highest rankings for both in the large-hub category

Rhinebeck, NY - July 19th, 2016 - AirportXP, a mobile insights platform  from Phoenix Marketing International (http://phoenixmi.com/), that allows travelers to share their experience at the 250 busiest U.S. Airports, has revealed the highest traveler-rated airports in the country in regards to parking and getting to the terminal.

The following rankings are based off of 540,638 traveler responses, compiled from  6/29/15 to 6/12/16. Satisfaction was rated on a seven-point scale, with 1 being “very dissatisfied” and 7 being “very satisfied”. Percentages were calculated on the number of travelers that rated overall satisfaction as a 6 or 7. The size of the airport is based on passenger volume and classified by the Federal Aviation Administration:

Highest-Ranked Airports for Ease of Accessing Parking

Large-Hub:
1. Salt Lake City International (84.5%)
2. Tampa International (76%)
3. Charlotte/Douglas International (74.5%)
4. Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (71.4%)
5. Orlando International (71.3%)

Medium-Hub:
1. Eppley Airfield (80.6%)
2. Buffalo Niagara International (80.4%)
3. Theodore Francis Green State (77.8%)
4. Palm Beach International (76.6%)
5. Southwest Florida International (75.6%)

Small-Hub:
1. Spokane International (91.6%)
2. Baton Rouge Metropolitan, Ryan Field (91.4%)
3. Bishop International (90.9%)
4. Greenville Spartanburg International (90.4%)
5. Sarasota/Bradenton International (88.6%)

Highest Ranked Airports for Getting to the Terminal

Large-Hub:
1. Salt Lake City International (87.8%)
2. Tampa International (82.1%)
3. Charlotte/Douglas International (78.9%)
4. Denver International (77%)
5. Orlando International (76.8%)

Medium-Hub:
1. Buffalo Niagara International (85.8.%)
2. Eppley Airfield (84.3%)
3. Theodore Francis Green State (82.4%)
4. Raleigh-Durham International (80.6%)
5. Palm Beach International (79.8%)

Small-Hub:
1. Spokane International (93.6%)
2. Bellingham International (92.8%)
3. Greenville Spartanburg International (92.5%)
4. Northwest Arkansas Regional (92%)
5. Baton Rouge Metropolitan, Ryan Field (91.9%)

“Getting to an airport prior to a flight can be stressful. While people may be excited about their flight, they are also nervous about whether they allowed themselves enough time to park or get dropped off. To assist, many airports make a significant investment in good wayfinding (signage) to help ease the journey. Good signage on airport roadways, as well as the roadways leading into the airport, can make a significant difference in a traveler’s overall experience,” said Scott Ludwigsen, Executive Vice President, Travel Research Group, Phoenix Marketing International.

“We recently completed a parking study for an airport where we found that more than a quarter of their passengers who planned to park onsite were not able to park in the lot they expected to because either the lot was full or they saw the sign for the parking entrance too late and chose not to navigate all the way around the airport to try again. This leads to a lot of last minute decision making, sudden and perhaps dangerous lane changes, and a good number of frustrated passengers before they even enter the terminal,” stated Ludwigsen.

About mXP
mXP, powered by SessionM, is a suite of mobile products that include Phoenix Marketing International's best-in-class market research methods, vertical industry expertise, and advanced analytics. mXP products provide access to an extensive network of on-the-go consumers, sourced from 100+ million mobile device users and among a coalition of 1,500 integrated mobile apps. mXP provides marketers with insights quickly, acquiring more than 275,000 responses each day, allowing for accelerated delivery of decision-making information and answers to business critical questions.

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Chimani and the National Park Service Launch A Mobile App 100-Mile Challenge for Acadia National Park

Users can download the free mobile app and unlock a special Acadia Centennial virtual badge after completing 100 miles of activity within the park.
 
Portland, Maine – July 19, 2016 – Chimani, Inc., in partnership with the National Park Service at Acadia National Park, has announced the launch of a new “100-Mile Challenge” feature within its popular Acadia National Park by Chimani mobile app.
 
Using the Chimani mobile app, visitors can “check-in” at specific locations listed within the new 100-Mile Challenge section of the app. The mobile app will confirm their location and then record the approximate number of miles completed to get to that point within the park. After accumulating 100-miles of activity, a special Acadia Centennial virtual badge will be unlocked within the mobile app. Visitors are encouraged to walk, hike, jog or bike to one of the many locations listed within the challenge.
 
“To celebrate Acadia’s Centennial we wanted to do something truly unique. The 100-Mile Challenge demonstrates the potential of mobile apps as means to drive increased outdoor activity and greater national park engagement for all ages, but especially the youth” said Gallivan. “We’re also excited about how this demonstrates so well the potential of public-private partnerships with the Park Service.”
 
The National Park Service is excited to be partnering with Chimani, Inc. to encourage visitors to  get outdoors and enjoy Acadia National Park through this new app feature,” said Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider. “We invite visitors to celebrate Acadia’s 100th anniversary by taking the 100-Mile Challenge and joining us for many special events throughout 2016.”
For a complete list of Acadia Centennial events and activities, please visit www.acadiacentennial2016.org.
 
The 100-Mile Challenge consists of more than 50 summits, carriage road intersections, and points of interest throughout Acadia National Park. To get started, visitors must first download the free Acadia National Park by Chimani mobile app from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Amazon Appstore.
 
Founded in 2010 after CEO and Co-Founder Kerry Gallivan attempted to access park trail info on his smartphone from the summit of Gorham Mountain in Acadia, the Portland, Maine-based app developer has been working to make national park information more accessible on mobile devices.
 
Chimani now has mobile apps for all 59 national parks and a flagship app, National Parks by Chimani, which covers all 412 national units - all are available for free download in the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon Appstore.
 
About Chimani, Inc.
Chimani, Inc. (www.chimani.com) creates apps for national parks and the outdoors. Chimani’s growing suite of apps includes guides to Acadia, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and all 59 National Parks. Chimani was recently chosen by Google to be one of nine app developers to partner in its new app-indexing program. In May 2016 Chimani was recognized by Outside Magazine as one of the “future pioneers” of national parks. 
 
About the National Park Service
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 412 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Visit us at www.nps.gov, on Facebook www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.
 
The National Park Service will celebrate its centennial in 2016 and is using this opportunity to invite a new generation of Americans, and those who already know and love the parks, to discover what national parks and other public lands mean to them through the Find Your Park campaign.  To learn more or get involved, visit www.FindYourPark.com.