OLYMPIA, Wash., Aug. 25 - The Washington Indian Gaming Association (WIGA) recently awarded $50,000 in scholarships to 33 Native American students who come from or attend school in Washington State. WIGA, a non-profit organization of tribal governments, runs a scholarship program for tribal members pursuing higher education degrees.
"The number of tribal members seeking higher education is increasing every year and we are especially pleased to be able to help them," said WIGA chairman, W. Ron Allen. "In addition to the scholarships awarded by WIGA, individual tribal governments around the state provide many more scholarships."
WIGA is a non-profit organization of Washington tribal governments that educates the public about Indian gaming and runs a scholarship program for tribal members pursuing higher education degrees.
Community College Scholarship Winners ($1,100 each)
-- Ashlee Abrahamson, Colville; Walla Walla Community College, WA
-- Shallee Graff, Port Gamble S'Klallam; Northwest Indian College, WA
-- Pamela George, Navajo; Clark College, WA
-- Delsen Lauderback, Lower Elwha Klallam; Peninsula College, WA
-- Tanner Loe, Colville; Bellevue Community College, WA
-- Francisco Orozco, Colville; Mesalands Community College, AZ
-- Sandra Parker, Makah; Peninsula Community College, WA
-- Rachel Phair, Lummi; Northwest Indian College, WA
-- Daniel Romero, Lower Elwha Klallam; Everett Community College, WA
University or College Scholarship Winners ($1,500 each)
-- Alana Best, Colville; Washington State University, WA
-- Angelena Campobasso, Colville; Eastern Washington University, WA
-- Sarah Donahue, Jamestown S'Klallam; University of Oregon, OR
-- Mary Lindeblad-Fry, Colville; Reed College, OR
-- Jaison Elkins, Muckleshoot; University of Colorado, CO
-- Tootie James, Quinault; University of Washington, WA
-- Tristen James, Tlingit and Haida; University of Washington, WA
-- Alyssa London, Tlingit; Stanford University, CA
-- Lacey London, Tlingit; University of Oregon, OR
-- Electra Magnuson, Tlingit and Haida; University of Washington, WA
-- Michael Peters, Squaxin Island; Southern Oregon University, OR
-- David Prince, Jamestown S'Klallam; University of Washington, WA
-- Anthony Rascon, Makah; University of Washington, WA
-- Lauren Smith, Skokomish; Stanford University, CA
-- Asia Tail, Cherokee; University of Chicago, IL
-- Latisha Toby, Lummi Nation; Western Washington University, WA
Graduate Program Scholarship Winners ($2,000 each)
-- Jodi Davis, Karuk/Seneca; Masters in Social Work, University of
Washington, WA
-- Khia Grinnell, Jamestown S'Klallam; J.D., Arizona State University, AZ
-- Toni Jefferson, Lummi Nation; Master of Business Administration,
Western Washington University, WA
-- Nancy Johnson, Colville; Masters of Arts, Heritage University, WA
-- Anthony Jones, Port Gamble S'Klallam; J.D., Washington University Law
School St. Louis, MO
-- Katrina Walsey, Yakama Nation; Master of Arts, Heritage University, WA
-- Rochelle Warner, Quileute; J.D., University of Washington, WA
-- Spusman Wilder, Colville; Masters in Forest Resources at the
University of Washington, WA
For more information about the WIGA Scholarship program, call 360-352-3248 or visit www.washingtonindiangaming.org.
Contact: Ernie Stebbins
(360) 352-3248
estebbins@reachone.com
Thursday, August 26, 2010
More Health Care Cost Shifting in 2011, Says Aon Consulting
CHICAGO - As the national unemployment rate continues to hover around 10 percent, health care costs for those jobless Americans have seen a year-over-year increase, according to Aon Consulting, the global benefits and human capital consulting business of Aon Corporation.
Aon Consulting surveyed 1,079 employers nationwide in its 2010 Benefits Survey, and found an increase in monthly COBRA* contributions for terminated employees. Specifically, the average monthly cost for employee-only HMO coverage for a terminated worker is $429 this year, compared to $399 for the same coverage in 2009. For employee plus family, the former employee is paying $1,251 a month this year, compared to $1,171 per month last year. As for PPO coverage, the average monthly cost for employee only is $449 in 2010, compared to $439 in 2009, and for employee plus family, the cost tops out at a monthly average of $1,310 this year, versus $1,275 last year.
"The increased frequency and duration of COBRA use is creating a significant strain on the program, leading to higher costs," said John Zern, executive vice president and Health & Benefits Practice director with Aon Consulting. "Those who are unemployed, and facing uncertainty about employment prospects and future COBRA availability, are utilizing the program more than we've traditionally seen to treat a variety of conditions prior to potentially losing coverage. This coupled with the high unemployment rate, is placing the COBRA program in a unique and unprecedented position."
As for current employees, they can expect to shoulder more of the expense related to health coverage in 2011, according to this survey. In fact, 65 percent of employers plan to increase cost sharing next year for things such as deductibles, co-pays and out-of-pocket maximums. What's more, 57 percent of companies say they will ask employees to contribute more for the overall cost of health care in 2011. The amount of cost sharing implemented by employers varies. On plan design (e.g., deductibles, co-pays and out-of-pocket maximums), 46 percent of employers are shifting costs to employees equal to the overall renewal increase, while an additional 46 percent are shifting costs to workers that are less than the overall renewal increase. For overall health plan cost, 40 percent of employers say the additional worker contributions will be equal to the 2011 renewal increase, and 49 percent indicate that workers will be asked to pay less than next year's renewal increase.
"We believe the new health reform law will increase health care costs by 2 percent to 4 percent during the next three years," said Tom Lerche, senior vice president with Aon Consulting. "In addition, we expect to see new costs related to excise taxes and potential cost shifting from reductions in Medicare reimbursement to providers, which will be on top of existing long-term medical trend inflation. These factors will lead many employers to consider increased employee contributions for health coverage, as well as plan design cost sharing."
* COBRA - refers to the Consolidated Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, and includes provisions for members of company health plans who have lost their coverage due to a "qualifying event" to continue coverage at the employee's expense for a period of time.
Aon Consulting surveyed 1,079 employers nationwide in its 2010 Benefits Survey, and found an increase in monthly COBRA* contributions for terminated employees. Specifically, the average monthly cost for employee-only HMO coverage for a terminated worker is $429 this year, compared to $399 for the same coverage in 2009. For employee plus family, the former employee is paying $1,251 a month this year, compared to $1,171 per month last year. As for PPO coverage, the average monthly cost for employee only is $449 in 2010, compared to $439 in 2009, and for employee plus family, the cost tops out at a monthly average of $1,310 this year, versus $1,275 last year.
"The increased frequency and duration of COBRA use is creating a significant strain on the program, leading to higher costs," said John Zern, executive vice president and Health & Benefits Practice director with Aon Consulting. "Those who are unemployed, and facing uncertainty about employment prospects and future COBRA availability, are utilizing the program more than we've traditionally seen to treat a variety of conditions prior to potentially losing coverage. This coupled with the high unemployment rate, is placing the COBRA program in a unique and unprecedented position."
As for current employees, they can expect to shoulder more of the expense related to health coverage in 2011, according to this survey. In fact, 65 percent of employers plan to increase cost sharing next year for things such as deductibles, co-pays and out-of-pocket maximums. What's more, 57 percent of companies say they will ask employees to contribute more for the overall cost of health care in 2011. The amount of cost sharing implemented by employers varies. On plan design (e.g., deductibles, co-pays and out-of-pocket maximums), 46 percent of employers are shifting costs to employees equal to the overall renewal increase, while an additional 46 percent are shifting costs to workers that are less than the overall renewal increase. For overall health plan cost, 40 percent of employers say the additional worker contributions will be equal to the 2011 renewal increase, and 49 percent indicate that workers will be asked to pay less than next year's renewal increase.
"We believe the new health reform law will increase health care costs by 2 percent to 4 percent during the next three years," said Tom Lerche, senior vice president with Aon Consulting. "In addition, we expect to see new costs related to excise taxes and potential cost shifting from reductions in Medicare reimbursement to providers, which will be on top of existing long-term medical trend inflation. These factors will lead many employers to consider increased employee contributions for health coverage, as well as plan design cost sharing."
* COBRA - refers to the Consolidated Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, and includes provisions for members of company health plans who have lost their coverage due to a "qualifying event" to continue coverage at the employee's expense for a period of time.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Payday Lenders and Payday Employees Fear for Their Jobs
LOS ANGELES, July 18 - The Financial Reform Bill has passed congress and is on its way to be signed by President Obama. One of the things this bill will do is create a new government agency to oversee and regulate the financial lending industry. This agency will be called Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB, along with many of the politicians who supported the bill, have vowed to put all sorts of caps and limitations on the short term lending industry, which includes the payday loan industry.
Many payday lenders and their employees, like Pay1Day.com, are worried about their future because they believe that they are already overregulated by their respective States. For example, the State of Arizona recently banned payday loans, which forced many payday lenders, like Solomon Finance, out of the State. The act of banning payday loans and having to shut down business resulted in thousands of citizens losing their jobs.
"The payday loan industry is already closely regulated," said Gabe Rodriguez, who is a known author for a website that writes about payday loans. He goes on to say, "States that have allowed regulated payday lending have very few complaints against our industry."
According to a comment left a one of the online payday loan blogs, an employee for a small payday loan company said:
"I work in a payday/small loan company. I am getting so flustered with all of this. Every day I wait on news that will shut us down or news that they will leave us alone. I feel as if many of us are on pins and needles wondering if soon we will be in the unemployment lines. Job security is gone, and a lot of the zest that I once had is fizzling out.. I am not alone in this.. There is uncertainty in the air... I sure wish at least we knew what and when these changes would occur."
Payday lenders feel that the financial reform bill is not addressing the root causes of what led the US economy to collapse in 2008. It was well documented and evident that subprime mortgages, the major wall street banks irresponsible lending, and the greed of CEOs and CFOs of those banks and financial institutions were the causes for the deep recession of 2008. In other words small lenders such as payday loan lenders had nothing to do with it yet may be overregulated as the result of the passage of this new financial overhaul.
Many payday lenders and their employees, like Pay1Day.com, are worried about their future because they believe that they are already overregulated by their respective States. For example, the State of Arizona recently banned payday loans, which forced many payday lenders, like Solomon Finance, out of the State. The act of banning payday loans and having to shut down business resulted in thousands of citizens losing their jobs.
"The payday loan industry is already closely regulated," said Gabe Rodriguez, who is a known author for a website that writes about payday loans. He goes on to say, "States that have allowed regulated payday lending have very few complaints against our industry."
According to a comment left a one of the online payday loan blogs, an employee for a small payday loan company said:
"I work in a payday/small loan company. I am getting so flustered with all of this. Every day I wait on news that will shut us down or news that they will leave us alone. I feel as if many of us are on pins and needles wondering if soon we will be in the unemployment lines. Job security is gone, and a lot of the zest that I once had is fizzling out.. I am not alone in this.. There is uncertainty in the air... I sure wish at least we knew what and when these changes would occur."
Payday lenders feel that the financial reform bill is not addressing the root causes of what led the US economy to collapse in 2008. It was well documented and evident that subprime mortgages, the major wall street banks irresponsible lending, and the greed of CEOs and CFOs of those banks and financial institutions were the causes for the deep recession of 2008. In other words small lenders such as payday loan lenders had nothing to do with it yet may be overregulated as the result of the passage of this new financial overhaul.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Disney Must Pay $270 Million to 'Who Wants To Be A Millionaire : Jury
LOS ANGELES, July 9 - On July 7, 2010, a federal jury awarded Celador International, Ltd. $269.4 million in damages after unanimously finding that Disney subsidiaries, ABC Television, Buena Vista Television, and Valleycrest Productions, Ltd. had breached their contract with Celador to share profits from the enormously successful game show "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?". In reaching its verdict in Celador International Ltd. v. Walt Disney Co., the nine member jury also unanimously found that the Defendants breached the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing they owed to Celador. The jury deliberated for two and a half days before reaching its verdict.
The lawsuit, filed in 2004, arose over a dispute regarding profits from the highly successful game show. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?", which became a smash hit in 1999 and took ABC from #4 to #1 in network rankings, was created by British company Celador International, Ltd. which licensed the rights to ABC Television and Buena Vista Television for North America. In return, Celador was to share fifty-fifty in expected profits from the show. But based on accountings generated by The Walt Disney Co., not only did the show -- which aired on ABC for three years and has been in syndication for ten years -- never make a profit, it generated over $70 million in "losses" for Disney. The jury found otherwise after a four week trial in Riverside, Calif.
Paul Smith, chairman of Celador, said, "I am pleased that justice has been done and thank the jury for their wisdom and the time they have taken to consider this complex case."
"We are delighted with the jury's decision. Whether the parties are worldwide business conglomerates or two neighborhood businesses, a contract is a contract. The jury agreed that Disney's secret deals, and accounting maneuvers were not lawful," said Celador's trial lawyers Roman M. Silberfeld and Bernice Conn, partners with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. in Los Angeles.
About Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. (www.rkmc.com) is one of the top trial firms in the country. The firm's clients include numerous Fortune 500 corporations, emerging markets companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals as both plaintiffs and defendants. Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. is frequently engaged in high-stakes, complex litigation with significant bottom-line implications for their clients, and the business lawyers handle complex transactions in a variety of market segments. The firm has more than 250 lawyers located in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York and Naples (FL).
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. has been honored with recognition from The American Lawyer, which ranked the firm no. 6 in the country in the 2009 Pro Bono Survey, and twice named the firm to the A-List (2007 and 2004). The firm has regularly received a top ranking for litigation from Chambers USA. In 2009, the firm was included on the National Law Journal's "The Midsize Hotlist" and chosen as a "Go-To Law Firm" by Corporate Counsel.
The lawsuit, filed in 2004, arose over a dispute regarding profits from the highly successful game show. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?", which became a smash hit in 1999 and took ABC from #4 to #1 in network rankings, was created by British company Celador International, Ltd. which licensed the rights to ABC Television and Buena Vista Television for North America. In return, Celador was to share fifty-fifty in expected profits from the show. But based on accountings generated by The Walt Disney Co., not only did the show -- which aired on ABC for three years and has been in syndication for ten years -- never make a profit, it generated over $70 million in "losses" for Disney. The jury found otherwise after a four week trial in Riverside, Calif.
Paul Smith, chairman of Celador, said, "I am pleased that justice has been done and thank the jury for their wisdom and the time they have taken to consider this complex case."
"We are delighted with the jury's decision. Whether the parties are worldwide business conglomerates or two neighborhood businesses, a contract is a contract. The jury agreed that Disney's secret deals, and accounting maneuvers were not lawful," said Celador's trial lawyers Roman M. Silberfeld and Bernice Conn, partners with Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. in Los Angeles.
About Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. (www.rkmc.com) is one of the top trial firms in the country. The firm's clients include numerous Fortune 500 corporations, emerging markets companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals as both plaintiffs and defendants. Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. is frequently engaged in high-stakes, complex litigation with significant bottom-line implications for their clients, and the business lawyers handle complex transactions in a variety of market segments. The firm has more than 250 lawyers located in Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York and Naples (FL).
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. has been honored with recognition from The American Lawyer, which ranked the firm no. 6 in the country in the 2009 Pro Bono Survey, and twice named the firm to the A-List (2007 and 2004). The firm has regularly received a top ranking for litigation from Chambers USA. In 2009, the firm was included on the National Law Journal's "The Midsize Hotlist" and chosen as a "Go-To Law Firm" by Corporate Counsel.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Trucking Associations Support Efforts to Reduce Idling
ARLINGTON, Va., July 9 - The American Trucking Associations and several of its affiliates support the Diesel Idle Reduction Campaign headed by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), in partnership with the District Department of the Environment, District Department of Transportation and Maryland Department of the Environment.
The official launch of the campaign will take place at 11 a.m. on July 13 at COG headquarters near Union Station.
The aims of the campaign, which include reducing discretionary idling, improving public health and protecting the environment, align with the goals of ATA's Sustainability Initiative.
ATA launched its six-prong campaign in 2008, with one goal being the reduction of both discretionary and non-discretionary idling. Discretionary idling, the type being targeted by COG's campaign, occurs when drivers leave engines running during their rest periods to provide heat or air conditioning for the sleeper compartment, keep the engine warm during cold weather and provide electrical power for their appliances. Non-discretionary idling, which can be reduced by improvements to our national highway system that alleviate bottlenecks, occurs when vehicles are stuck in congested traffic.
"When truck and bus drivers turn off their engines when they're not needed, they do more than avoid fines and cut fuel costs," ATA Vice President and Environmental Affairs Counsel Glen Kedzie said. "They take an important and easy step toward improving air quality."
Other components of the ATA sustainability plan include:
-- Federal laws requiring trucks to have speed governors set at 65 mph or
below, and a national speed limit of 65 mph for all vehicles.
-- Allowing more productive truck weights and combinations, which safely
improve fuel economy.
-- Expansion of the EPA SmartWay(SM) Transportation program, which works
to reduce greenhouse gases and save fuel.
-- Reducing idling by updating the interstate system and reducing traffic
congestion.
-- Developing fuel economy standards for commercial vehicles.
ATA affiliates who are actively supporting COG's idle reduction campaign include the Truckload Carriers Association, Maryland Motor Truck Association and Virginia Trucking Association.
ATA currently helps promote idling reduction by making its members aware of each jurisdiction's idling regulations. The American Transportation Research Institute regularly updates its idling compendium when new regulations are published. The compendium shows that currently, commercial vehicles in the District of Columbia are permitted to idle for no more than 3 minutes, with limits of 5 minutes in Maryland and 10 minutes in Virginia. Exceptions are made for certain conditions, as detailed in the compendium.
For more information about ATA's Sustainability Initiative, visit www.trucksdeliver.org.
The official launch of the campaign will take place at 11 a.m. on July 13 at COG headquarters near Union Station.
The aims of the campaign, which include reducing discretionary idling, improving public health and protecting the environment, align with the goals of ATA's Sustainability Initiative.
ATA launched its six-prong campaign in 2008, with one goal being the reduction of both discretionary and non-discretionary idling. Discretionary idling, the type being targeted by COG's campaign, occurs when drivers leave engines running during their rest periods to provide heat or air conditioning for the sleeper compartment, keep the engine warm during cold weather and provide electrical power for their appliances. Non-discretionary idling, which can be reduced by improvements to our national highway system that alleviate bottlenecks, occurs when vehicles are stuck in congested traffic.
"When truck and bus drivers turn off their engines when they're not needed, they do more than avoid fines and cut fuel costs," ATA Vice President and Environmental Affairs Counsel Glen Kedzie said. "They take an important and easy step toward improving air quality."
Other components of the ATA sustainability plan include:
-- Federal laws requiring trucks to have speed governors set at 65 mph or
below, and a national speed limit of 65 mph for all vehicles.
-- Allowing more productive truck weights and combinations, which safely
improve fuel economy.
-- Expansion of the EPA SmartWay(SM) Transportation program, which works
to reduce greenhouse gases and save fuel.
-- Reducing idling by updating the interstate system and reducing traffic
congestion.
-- Developing fuel economy standards for commercial vehicles.
ATA affiliates who are actively supporting COG's idle reduction campaign include the Truckload Carriers Association, Maryland Motor Truck Association and Virginia Trucking Association.
ATA currently helps promote idling reduction by making its members aware of each jurisdiction's idling regulations. The American Transportation Research Institute regularly updates its idling compendium when new regulations are published. The compendium shows that currently, commercial vehicles in the District of Columbia are permitted to idle for no more than 3 minutes, with limits of 5 minutes in Maryland and 10 minutes in Virginia. Exceptions are made for certain conditions, as detailed in the compendium.
For more information about ATA's Sustainability Initiative, visit www.trucksdeliver.org.
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