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VA Reports Show Hospitals Need Further Improvement

Veterans Affair Department

The Veterans Affairs administration has had significant issues over the years. Between internal matters festering to the outside, false reporting, and patient care falling to the wayside over the years, the VA has not been meeting standards. With yearly VA reports recently released, reports indicate that improvements have been made, but, not enough has been changed to create sustainable change. The Veterans Affairs administration has struggled to provide quality care to veterans. The VA has released new statistics that show small steps are being achieved to move this broken system in a better direction. According to USA Today, the number of one-star Veterans Affairs hospitals has dropped from 14 to nine since last year. That means that will improvements are being made, but, there is still a lot of progress to be made.

A VA medical center in Memphis Tennessee has been one of the lowest rated medical centers in the country. It was recently ranked a one-star hospital for the third year in a row. The issues in this hospital that have been reported have surrounded the critical issue of patient safety. Patient safety issues have increased at this location and led to the low score this facility continues to receive. The questions persist, why can’t they improve the processes or leadership that prohibit this facility to earn a higher rating that would ultimately help veterans? If there are consistent issues, there might be a theme that runs through these hospitals. Employees within the VA have reported that internal reporting can fall on deaf ears, and often issues that need to be addressed are pushed aside or silenced. This is not a way to fix a broken system.

Facilities that continually score low and have persistent problems need increased monitoring and stronger leadership. In the reports that are released each year, there seem to be several consistent findings among the lower performing hospitals. Not surprisingly, the Phoenix VA hospital remains at the bottom of the barrel for national ranking. Since the 2014 scandal that arose out of their false patient reporting, it seems like they have made very little progress. Across the board, there was both downward and upward movement for hospitals across the country. While some improved, others dropped. This inconsistent in upward improvement reveals that there is still a lot of work to improve the system so that veterans across the country are receiving quality care.

Whistleblowers have been coming forward to expose the truth about their patient or professional experience with the VA. When they have come forward, Attorney Natalie Khawam of the Whistleblower Law Firm has been representing them in their fight for justice. Khawam works with internal and external whistleblowers, as well as veterans who are not receiving the proper health care they are entitled to that have led to problems that could have been prevented. While veterans were willing to put their lives on the line for our country’s freedom, when they return home they are not always treated how one would expect. Attorney Khawam has represented several veterans who have fallen victim to low VA healthcare standards.

Sergeant First Class Richard Stayskal is a veteran. Due to a misdiagnosis, Stayskal is facing terminal cancer. He will leave behind a wife and two children and is not able to take legal action according to certain doctrines. Attorney Khawam is representing him to fight for a different outcome and find recourse for him and his family. Another example of this is when Attorney Khawam represented a Marine combat veteran who was trying to sue for malpractice. A five-year delay in diagnosing potential cancer will cut his life short. If the VA isn’t taking care of its patients, someone else must fight for their and their family’s future and ensure mistakes made by healthcare providers are corrected. Of course, health care providers are not perfect, and sometimes mistakes are made. But the consistent pattern of the VA failing its veterans is displayed through the misdiagnosis that was fueled further by unreasonable wait times.

These recent reports do not instill confidence in Veterans and their families. The only thing that seems consistent about the VA is how inconsistent the system functions. It is a terrifying thought that the inefficiency of VA hospitals leads to life or death outcomes. But unfortunately, this has been the result for some veterans who have had to rely on VA health care. Systems that have persisting problems take time to improve. But is unfortunate for veterans located in specific parts of the country, that little to no improvement has been made in the lowest ranking hospitals. Thankfully there are resources like the Whistleblower Law Firm, who aim to help veterans get what they deserve.

HarveyWeinstein.com & BrettKavanaugh.com Websites Turned Against Them

Some would say it is a sweet revenge. Yesterday, it was discovered that the HarveyWeinstein.com & BrettKavanaugh.com websites were turned into victim resource websites. We got more information on the BrettKavanaugh.com domain in the news. It was purchased 3 years ago by the team at FixTheCourt.com and their CEO Gabe Roth also mentioned they have many others they may use in the future. All we know about the Harvey Weinstein url is that it was on the auction block and they have been sitting on it until recently. It is a sad turn of events.

The two websites share a similar layout. They are resource sites to help victims reach out to the proper authorities.

Brett Kavanaugh Harvey Weinstein

The lesson out of all of this is that you must own your own domain if you’re in the public spotlight. This includes CEO’s, celebrities, and politicians. If not, they won’t have the ability to control what is placed on them and it may not be the best information.

Today also marks the anniversary of the #MeToo Movement. The movement has come along way since the allegations against Harvey Weinstein started to flood in. We’ve seen a lot of happenings along the way. From false allegations to Senator Al Franken stepping down and of course the recent confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court where several women accused him of sexual assault.

Jenny Durkan’s $5.9 Billion Dollar Budget Proposal in Seattle

Jenny Durkan

The City of Seattle looks forward with Mayor Jenny Durkan’s announcement of her 2019 and 2020 budget proposal. Being Durkan’s first budget proposal, she excitedly began with, “Good afternoon. It is an honor to be with you today as I present my first budget as mayor of Seattle. I know the Mayor is usually at City Hall to deliver her budget speech. And yes: After 100 years, that’s what I said, ‘Her budget speech.’”

This monumental moment for Durkan was followed by the city’s plans and budget for the coming years.

A proposed allotment of money has been set aside for the employment of 40 new police officers, 120 firefighters, and 24 new call center employees for Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle City Light, according to CrossCut.com. The city’s transportation services will be greatly benefited from Durkan’s proposed budget. $2.5 million is granted toward Sound Transit with the planning of a new light rail station. King County Metro will be asked to add more bus services around Seattle as well. Additionally, new bus and bike lanes will be added in the city under the new budget.

Durkan is working for taxpayers to vote “yes” on the school levy this November in attempts to fund preschool, K-12, and community college schools in Seattle. An allotment of $2.6 billion is going toward Seattle utilities — this includes garbage, recycling, clean water, and power.

Durkan’s most prevalent headlining budget is her proposal for managing homelessness in the city. A proposed budget of $89.5 million was made toward the funding of programs, resources, and departments aiding the homelessness epidemic. In the first half of her inaugural year as mayor, Durkan’s efforts resulted in two times the re-homing of homeless individuals than the year prior. More than 500 beds were added to Seattle homeless shelters during her first year. The mayor’s budget proposal took what was once temporary spending money toward homelessness and made it permanent. Durkan’s Biennial Budget Proposal has laid out the city’s plan to implement 2,300 more emergency shelter beds, 70% of these beds being 24/7 enhanced shelter beds. Continued investment into the Seattle Rental Housing Assistant Pilot program and Seattle’s Tiny Home Village are to happen thanks to Durkan. The homelessness crisis has resulted in abundant amounts of trash and garbage in the city, especially in encampment areas. Durkan’s budget supports 4 cleanup programs to help resolve this issue. The Homelessness and Housing Investments budget sheet states, “including…removing trash from unmanaged encampments, cleaning trash in the public right-of-way, providing litter bags to unmanaged encampments and collecting syringes from public places and disposal boxes throughout Seattle.” Since the beginning of these programs a count of 111,000 syringe needles have been picked up.

Mayor Jenny Durkan’s leading-edge budget proposal leads the way to a productive and innovative upcoming few years for the City of Seattle.

Who is Jenny Durkan?

Jenny Durkan served as the Mayor of Seattle, having been elected in November 2017 and officially taking office on November 28, 2017. She is a member of the Democratic Party and was the first openly lesbian person to be elected mayor of the city.

Before becoming mayor, Durkan had a substantial career in law and public service. She served as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, a position she was appointed to by President Barack Obama. In this role, she worked on issues related to police reform, civil rights, and drug enforcement, among others.

As mayor, Durkan faced numerous challenges, such as managing the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating civil unrest and protests related to racial justice and police violence, and addressing the rising cost of living and homelessness in Seattle. Her tenure as mayor was marked by various policy initiatives and controversies, especially in relation to policing and housing.

Jenny Durkan announced in 2020 that she would not seek re-election and concluded her term at the end of 2021.

Berg And Harberts – Revenge TV Show

A modern retelling of Alexander Dumas’ classic novel The Count of Monte Cristo, the hit ABC television show Revenge has captivated millions with its tale of conspiracy, family secrets, and vengeance. Nominated for multiple awards such as the People’s Choice Awards and the Golden Globes, this series has built a large fan base and a dedicated following thanks to its masterful storytelling and production.

At the helm of Revenge from the premiere of its third season in 2013 to its finale in 2015, the writing and production team of Berg and Harberts guided the show’s storyline to its thrilling conclusion. But how exactly did Berg and Harberts gain their expert narrative skills and become the production powerhouses they are today – and how have their careers been shaped by Revenge?

The Story of Berg and Harberts

Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts, the dynamic duo of Berg and Harberts met when they were undergraduates at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Situated right outside of Chicago, Berg and Harberts gained invaluable skills in television writing and production through Northwestern’s Creative Writing for the Media program, honing skills in writing for movies, television, and the stage. However, their passion for television didn’t begin at Northwestern.

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Gretchen Berg grew up dreaming of stories while playing in the woods with her friends. She dabbled in poetry and theater in high school, describing herself as a loner amidst a sports-focused student body. Berg found a creative outlet in her school’s TV studio, where she was able to turn her daydreams into reality. She chose to attend Northwestern to obtain a well-rounded education, and it was there that she met Aaron Harberts, a P.A. on her student film project.

Harberts entered Northwestern in 1991, when Berg was a junior. An openly gay man who grew up in a religious family, Harberts was born in Waterloo, Iowa, and split his childhood between Iowa, South Florida, and Indiana. During his father’s sermons, Harberts would daydream fantastical stories, much like Berg had in the woods. At Northwestern, Berg and Harberts were colleagues, but not particularly close until Harberts moved to Los Angeles in 1995.

Having lost his housing, Harberts moved in with Berg, who had moved to Los Angeles after her graduation from Northwestern in 1993. There, Berg and Harberts grew closer, sharing work and eventually writing their first scripts together. It took tenacity, hard work, odd jobs, and cheap tacos, but in 1998 the hit TV show Beverly Hills, 90210 hired them as staff writers.

Rise to Revenge

After writing several episodes for 90210’s final two seasons, the cult classic science fiction series, Roswell,offered Berg and Harberts production roles. After the series ended in 2002, Berg and Harberts went on to work on the television series Wonderfalls, where they met elite television producer Bryan Fuller. Enamored of their writing and production talent, Fuller offered Berg and Harberts executive producer positions on his hit television show Pushing Daisies.

Berg and Harberts worked on Pushing Daisies from 2008 to 2009. Between Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies, they also filled several writing and production roles on shows such as Women’s Murder Club. They also wrote and launched their own television show, Pepper Dennis, which only ran for one season. In 2010, Berg and Harberts signed a two-year deal with ABC to work on television shows such as the medical drama Off the Map and GCB.

Breaking Into Revenge

In 2013, Berg and Harberts got another major project: executive producers on the hit ABC television series Revenge. The series was entering its third season and the show’s creator, Mike Kelley, had left his role as showrunner. Executive producer Sunil Nayar was taking the reins from Kelley, and the show required a new production team. In May 2013, ABC announced that Berg and Harberts would fill Revenge’s executive producer slots.

Throughout their time on Revenge, Berg and Harberts penned three episodes for its third season: “Dissolution,” “Hatred,” and “Impetus.” They also served as writers for other episodes in the series as well. Throughout the show’s final two seasons, Berg and Harberts served as executive producers for 45 episodes. They also served as consulting producers for seven episodes in the second season.

A captivated audience of 4.8 million United States viewers watched the conclusion of Revenge on May 10th, 2015. The ABC drama, which centered on the revelation of the long-lost daughter of a wealthy, but dangerous, family, reached a shocking conclusion with its final episode “Two Graves.” The story of the Clarkes was finally laid to rest for Revenge’s dedicated fanbase, providing a sense of closure for the heroine, Emily Thorne, and those who had followed the series from the beginning.

Berg and Harberts were behind some of the most shocking moments of Revenge’s final two seasons: the resurrection of a character thought to be long dead, a riveting confession, and the clearing of innocent names. Captivating storytellers and skilled producers, Berg and Harberts will surely continue to entrance American audiences for years to come.

How 90210 Put Berg And Harberts on the Map

Berg and Harberts 90210

The Influence of 90210

Few television shows have made more of an impact on the writing and production of television for teenagers than Aaron Spelling’s Beverly Hills, 90210. Set in the famous Los Angeles suburb, this teen drama followed the lives of two displaced Minnesota siblings navigating the alien world of Beverly Hills. The series grappled with sensitive subjects deemed taboo for television, such as sex, eating disorders, racism, suicide, and domestic violence. In addition, 90210 served as the launching point for several Hollywood stars, including Luke Perry, Jason Priestley, and Shannon Doherty.

In addition to creating a big break for several of the series’ actors, 90210 also served as the introduction to major Hollywood productions for the writing and production team of Berg and Harberts. After years of assistant jobs and living off of cheap meals around Los Angeles, the duo’s 1998 hiring as 90210 staff writers helped propel their talents into the limelight. Since then, Berg and Harberts have gone on to produce and write for award-winning television shows such as Roswell, Pushing Daisies, and Revenge.

Berg and Harberts’ Love of Narrative

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Gretchen Berg didn’t quite feel that she fit in. Born in the city in 1971, Berg spent her childhood days playing with friends in the woods near her home. During these play sessions, they would come up with magnificent stories and embark on fantastic adventures. To this day, Berg credits her ability to daydream with helping her write compelling narratives for her television shows.

While Berg is a major Pittsburgh Steelers fan, the emphasis on sports at her high school relegated her to the rank of “loner”. Berg dabbled in poetry and took acting and drama classes in addition to her general studies. She found her creative solace in her high school’s TV studio, where she was able to turn the stories of her daydreams into real screen narratives. Wanting a college experience outside of the heavy industry focus that film and TV programs at UCLA or NYU could provide, Berg decided to attend Northwestern University in 1988.

Aaron Harberts was born in Waterloo, Iowa in 1973, the son of a pastor. He grew up between Iowa, South Florida, and Indiana, listening to his father preaching. During these long sermons, Harberts would feel his mind wander in fantastic directions. Like Berg, Harberts was a daydreamer, and knew he wanted to write. He left his home to attend Northwestern in 1991, where he met Berg when he served as a production assistant for her student film.

Northwestern Chance Meeting

In 1992, Gretchen Berg was ending her third year at Northwestern University. Aaron Harberts was nearing the end of his first year at the Chicago-area university. Both were involved in the institution’s two-year Creative Writing in the Media course. While they didn’t become particularly close at Northwestern, they grew accustomed to one another and each realized that the other was easy to work with.

Berg graduated from Northwestern in 1993 and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of television writing. In 1995, Harberts attempted to make the same move, but his plans for housing fell through. Berg offered Harberts a place to sleep while he was figuring his situation out – right underneath her wet bar.

At the time, Berg was trying to write her first sitcom script. Struggling with the difficulty of a script, Berg turned to Harberts for help and a proposal: they were talented writers and worked together well. Why not take a crack at writing a script together?

In six months, they had their first script – an unfunny sitcom that they burned all existing copies of. However, a bigger phenomenon was born: the production team of Berg and Harberts, who would go on to write and produce award-winning television shows on their way to the top.

Breaking Into the Business with 90210

Between 1995 and 1998, Berg and Harberts hustled around Los Angeles, picking up assistant jobs where they could and surviving without landing steady work. They watched endless hours of television and film to analyze for narrative, plot, dialogue, and other structural features to improve their own writing. Most importantly, Berg and Harberts wrote – anything and everything, whenever they could.

An agent came across one of their scripts and forwarded it immediately to a television agent within the same company. Within a few weeks, Berg and Harberts were signed, and in 1998, they were hired as writers for Aaron Spelling’s hit Beverly Hills, 90210. Tasked with re-introducing Luke Perry back into the show’s ninth season, Berg and Harberts quickly made a name for themselves as television writers.

After 90210 ended in 2002, Berg and Harberts were immediately offered production positions on the cult TV show Roswell, and they haven’t had to interview for a job since. From Pushing Daisies to Mercy to Revenge, Berg and Harberts have gone on to write and produce television shows across the genres of drama, science fiction, and comedy. An unbeatable duo with an unbreakable bond, it’s no wonder that Berg and Harberts are ones to watch in the challenging world of Hollywood television.

They are also well known as the initial Star Trek Discovery showrunners who really launched the highly successful show on the CBS Network.

Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts

Gretchen Berg And Aaron Harberts Photo

Only the best writing and production teams have worked on as many hit television shows, cult classics, and well-loved programs as the esteemed duo of Berg and Harberts. Composed of college friends and colleagues Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts, these television minds have penned episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Roswell, and served as executive producers for Mercy, Reign, and Off the Map.

From a chance meeting at Northwestern University to producing award-winning television shows such as Revenge and Pushing Daisies, this dynamic duo’s tenacity, talent, and wit has propelled them to the top of network television minds – and they aren’t going away anytime soon.

The Story of Gretchen Berg

Half of the Berg & Harberts duo, Gretchen J. Berg was born on February 8th, 1971 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From an early age, Berg developed an interest in telling stories and creating new worlds. She reminisces on her childhood in Pittsburgh during a 2010 interview with hometown publication Pittsburgh Magazine, remembering the days where she would disappear into the woods with her friends for hours at a time. During these play sessions, they would wander into dreamy play sessions that would last until the sun went down – encouraging and inspiring her daydreams and storytelling to this day.

During high school, Berg was a loner. Her alma mater, North Allegheny High, placed a major emphasis on sports. However, despite a lack of school spirit, Berg found her calling in acting and drama classes. School required a lot of writing, allowing Berg to stretch her writing talent and develop key skills in writing structure, plot, and narrative. North Allegheny also had a TV studio – a privilege that Berg took full advantage of to create new ideas and see them come to life.

Wanting to pursue television and film, Berg searched for the perfect undergraduate program to fulfill her dreams. She decided against attending major media programs at New York University and the University of California at Los Angeles, where the film and TV programs focus solely on themselves and leave little room for a well-rounded education. Berg craved hands-on experience in film and television production, but also an opportunity to pursue a liberal arts education. This led her to Northwestern University, where Gretchen Berg would meet Aaron Harberts, her future writing and production partner.

Gretchen Berg lives in Los Angeles, California. She is season ticket holder for the Pittsburgh Steelers and her early influences include Remington Steele and The Monkees.

The Story of Aaron Harberts

Aaron Harberts was born on January 20th, 1973 to religious parents in rural Waterloo, Iowa. He grew up in Indiana and South Florida, spending much of his life navigating between the three states to spend time with his spread-out family. Aaron Harberts is an openly gay man and one of the first of such to work on many shows in the various leadership roles he has held. He is married and lives in Los Angeles, California.

Harbert’s father is a Presbyterian minister, so he spent much of his young life in church, listening to his father’s sermons. Harberts credits this time with inspiring his writing career. According to a 2000 interview in Crackdown, Harberts stated that during church, he would sit in the pews and daydream of fantastical stories to write. He wrote a few books during his early elementary years, with titles like “The Time Car,” about a detective who hunts down criminals in a flying car.

Company: https://www.crunchbase.com/person/aaron-harberts

When Aaron Harberts graduated from high school in 1991, he attended Northwestern University to study film and television. Entering his freshman year while Berg was beginning her junior year, the dynamic duo met during a two-year program called Creative Writing for the Media.

Northwestern University and Happenstance

In 1992, Harberts was nearing the end of his first year at Northwestern University while Berg was gearing up for her last year. Berg was directing a student film at the time, which Harberts began working on as a P.A. They worked in a close capacity on these projects and through the Creative Writing for the Media course, which introduces students to the mechanics of creative writing for stage, film, and television. Although they worked together, they didn’t develop a close relationship until Harberts moved to Los Angeles in 1995.

Having graduated from Northwestern in 1993, Gretchen Berg had already moved from Chicago to California, trying to make her living in Los Angeles. When Harberts was trying to make the same cross-country move in 1995, his housing situation fell through. He moved into Berg’s place while she was trying to write a sitcom spec and struggling with revising her screenplays before presentation to studio executives. Berg recalled appreciating Harberts’ sense of humor during their Northwestern days, and asked him if he’d like to write a script with her as a team. He accepted, and Berg and Harberts was born.

Six months later, Berg recalls that they finished their first script, which she described as similar to the hit sitcom Friends, albeit a terrible version. They burned all the remaining copies of this script and from the ashes, Berg and Harberts have emerged as a multi-talented writing and production team for dozens of popular television programs.

From the Writer’s Room

In their early days roaming Los Angeles, Berg and Harberts attempted to break into the business by taking assistant jobs throughout Hollywood. They were young, broke, and determined; living off of taco trucks and other cheap meals to stretch their limited funds. They spent hours studying, criticizing, and analyzing films and television shows to determine best practices for plot construction, pacing, comedic timing, and other narrative aspects. Berg recalls that the team wrote almost constantly – everything from television dramas to sitcoms to made-for-TV movies.

All this hard work paid off. This practice helped Berg and Harberts sharpen their writing skills to a fine point and broadcast their names out into the world. By some sort of happenstance, an agent found a copy of one of their screenplays and passed it on to a television agent, who signed the duo in just a matter of weeks. This was the beginning of the big Hollywood break Berg and Harberts had been waiting for.

Berg and Harberts’ big break came when the hit television show Beverly Hills, 90210 hired them as staff writers. They penned their first episode in 1998. They are responsible for an iconic episode that re-introduced Luke Perry’s character, Dylan McKay, back into the world of elite Los Angeles teens on the show’s ninth season. Throughout the ninth and tenth seasons of 90210, Berg and Harberts worked on 32 episodes as writers and executive story editors. Following the conclusion of 90210, the cult TV show, Roswell, offered Berg and Harberts producer positions.

From the Production Floor

While on the staff of Roswell, Berg and Harberts served as producers for the show’s duration from 2000 to 2002. They served as producers and co-producers for 39 episodes and writers for 9 episodes. The show developed a cult following among science fiction fans despite its short run, and helped cement the team’s position in Hollywood’s writing and producing elite.

Following the end of Roswell, Berg and Harberts began work on the television show Wonderfalls as writers and producers. While working on this series, they met writer and producer Bryan Fuller, who would eventually hire the duo to work on his hit television program Pushing Daisies. Between Wonderfalls and Pushing Daisies, Berg and Harberts served as producers and writers for multiple series. They even wrote and created their own television show – 2006’s Pepper Dennis, which only ran for one season.

From 2008 to 2009, Berg and Harberts worked as writers and co-executive producers for the award-winning television show Pushing Daisies. From 2009 to 2010, the duo became showrunners and executive producers for the short-lived television show, Mercy. From 2013 to 2015, Berg and Harberts worked as executive producers for the hit show, Revenge, creating a masterful tale of conspiracies and family secrets that captivated the heart of millions of viewers around the globe. The team were the showrunners for Star Trek Discovery and it became a huge hit on CBS under their watch.

Berg and Harberts Today

As of 2018, Berg and Harberts have served on the writing team for 16 television shows, including titles such as Reign, GCB, Off the Map, and Women’s Murder Club. In addition, they have 14 producer credits to their names. They have served as showrunners for three television shows, signing deals with networks such as ABC and NBC. They have worked on medical dramas, comedies, science fiction series, and Los Angeles teen tales. Their wide range of credits highlights their ability to create compelling stories in multiple genres. Both Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts have IMDb profiles that feature all of their successes in Hollywood.

Suffice it to say, Berg and Harberts have come a long way from their Creative Writing in the Media course at Northwestern University. From Chicago to Los Angeles and their origins in Pennsylvania, Iowa, South Florida, and Indiana, Berg and Harberts are only just beginning their reign among the television elite. This multi-talented duo is fresh off their latest showrunner gig, and big projects are likely in the works.

We’re excited to see what Berg and Harberts’ futures hold. Based on this team’s history, long breaks aren’t part of their writing and production style. From 90210 to Roswell to Revenge and beyond, we will be seeing a lot of Berg and Harberts in the next few years. Keep an eye on their Twitter feeds – there’s no telling where these talented best friends will take their captivated audiences next.

Together their awards include: Peabody Award Nomination, Saturn Award, Logo’s NewNowNext Award, and a GLAAD Award Nomination.

Their most recent project is Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.  Read more about the show Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and the writers Berg and Harberts here.

Follow them on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/GretchenJBerg
https://twitter.com/AaronHarberts

State Legislator and Seattle City Councilmembers Receive Washington Champions for Children Award

Washington State Champions for Kids Sept 2018

Federal Way, Wash. (September 17, 2018) – State Representative Tana Senn (D-Mercer Island) and Seattle City Councilmembers Rob Johnson and Lorena González received the Washington State Champion for Children Award from Save the Children Action Network (SCAN) at SCAN’s annual advocacy summit over the weekend. This is the first time that SCAN has given Champions for Children awards in Washington State.

“In Washington, we’re fortunate to have strong champions for kids who understand the critical importance of early learning. I’m so glad that we were able to recognize three elected officials who worked hard to prioritize early learning this year,” said Kris Perry, President of SCAN. “Every child deserves a strong start in life, and thanks to our champions, more children in Washington will get one. SCAN looks forward to continuing to work with these policymakers to make continued progress for early learning and children’s issues.”
Perry described why each winner received the award.

“Rep. Tana Senn fiercely advocated for more home visiting funding, ultimately winning an additional $2.3 million state dollars for home visiting across the state. Thanks to her efforts, hundreds more families and young children will have access to vital home visiting services that prepare kids for kindergarten and support healthy early childhood development.”

“Seattle City Councilmembers Rob Johnson and Lorena González worked tirelessly to create a balanced Families, Education, Preschool and Promise (FEPP) Levy that supports children from cradle to career. Thanks to their leadership, the final FEPP Levy includes a significant and critical investment in preschool and early learning. If voters support the FEPP Levy on the November ballot, the Seattle Preschool Program will not only be sustained, it will grow by 1,000 slots, translating to thousands of kids getting access to affordable, high-quality preschool. ”
On Saturday, dozens of volunteer advocates traveled from all over Washington State for the annual advocacy summit, in which they engaged in a day of learning and training, with the goal of empowering volunteers to use their voice for kids.

Photo: From left, Seattle City Councilmembers Lorena González and Rob Johnson and state Rep. Tana Senn accept the Save the Children Action Network State Champion for Children Award in Federal Way on Saturday, September 15. Save the Children Action Network has worked at the local, state and federal levels in Washington since 2014 to expand access to high-quality early childhood education in the U.S. and end preventable deaths of mothers and children around the world.

Save the Children Action Network is the political voice for kids.

Washington State Fair 2018

Washington State Fair

The annual Washington State Fair opened earlier this month for it’s 21 day return each Fall. Washington’s 2018 State Fair began August 31st and runs through September 23rd in the great city of Puyallup, WA. Bring together family, friends, and loved ones for a Fall kick-off with good food and entertainment at the Washington State Fair.
A long standing Washingtonian tradition of attending the fair has been around since the opening of the fair in 1900. Beginning as a small valley fair to show neighboring and nearby folk agriculture and food, it has blossomed into quite the function. Today’s fair brings visitors from all over the state back every year with the fun new and exhilarating things to see and do.

Exhibits, attractions, and rides are all the most ranted and raved about parts of visitor’s Washington State Fair experiences. This 2018 fair season features farm life exhibits, petting zoos, art showcases, stained glass blowing, cooking shows, the Farm at Sillyville, a Cirque Ma’Ceo Equestrian Stunt Show, Discover the Dinosaurs and much more. Classic rides include the Classic Coaster, Antique Carousel, and ultimate fair favorite– the Extreme Scream. For thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies, the Sling Shot will fling you high into the sky while the Zipper, Zero Gravity, or Tornado can fill your adrenaline fix from a lower altitude. Get the most bang for your buck by purchasing an Xfinity Dizzy Pass– a wristband granting visitors unlimited rides. We may recommend hitting the rides prior to rolling over to the food courts. Washington State Fair food classics of Fisher Fair Scones, Elephant Ears, deep fried foods, barbeque, roasted corn, pizza, caramel apples, cotton candy, Earthquake Burgers, and of course Krusty Pups, are all awaiting visitors inside the fairgrounds.

The Columbia Bank Concert Series is by far the most popular attended fairground event. Located in the Grandstands near the North end of the fair, this venue’s capacity of over 10,000 allows for large and grand concerts. Headliners for this 2018 Washington State Fair Concert Series include Khalid, Florida Georgia Line, Macklemore, Brett Eldredge, Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts and Cheap Trick. Get tickets here.

Help the Washington State Fair preserve their values of: Education, Family, and Fun. The fairgrounds commits itself itself to ensuring the enhancement of education in the Puyallup area by offering generous scholarships, hosting the annual Puyallup School District Science Fair, and in many other ways. Family friendly activities are held in the fair year round, from quilting shows, dogs shows, to Santa’s photo opportunities from his vacation from the North Pole. The Washington State Fair and these other year round activities are funded by the charitable donations made by donors. To help keep the fair up and running, donations may be made here. For more information on donating and ways to do so, please visit: http://www.thefair.com/foundation/giving-opportunities

Plan your 2018 Washington State Fair trip at: http://www.thefair.com/plan-your-trip

Commuting down to the fair? Save some gas and shuttle down with others here: http://www.thefair.com/plan-your-trip/transportation

Google Maps Directions from Seattle to Washington State Fair. You’ll want to take I5 south and get on the 167. Continue your journey on the 167 and it will turn into 512 and go by Puyallup. The Washington State Fair is on your right and you really can’t miss it. It is one of the top 10 fairs in the United State!

Seattle’s Soccer Scoop

Seattle Sounders Soccer Team Logo

Seattle’s sports fans are some of the most dedicated and intense sports fanatics for good reason—Seattle’s teams are amazing. Before the NFL takes over the major news and media platforms with all the latest Seahawks news, let’s not forget to give credit to the city of Seattle’s much-deserved soccer teams.

The Seattle Sounders FC, Seattle’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team, are back on the turf to redeem themselves after their 2017 season MLS Cup runner-up title and maintain their 2017 Western Conference Title. With head coach, Brian Schmetzer, the Sounders began their 2018 season with a strong force of 5 wins, 2 losses in preseason friendlies in January and February. The team’s tenacious efforts didn’t quite show through once regular season matches began. Losing their first 3 matches in March, drawing their 4th and finally a win on their 5th in April, marked a rocky start to the regular season. The team began picking up wins at the end of July and have continued their winning streak including their most recent match on August 26th against the Portland Timbers in Portland, Oregon. The Sounder’s long-time forward player, Clint Dempsey, announced a few days after their Portland match of his retirement from Major League Soccer after this season– including retirement from his 5 years playing for the Seattle Sounders and his 16 years playing for the USMNT. The Sounder’s season regular season continues to the end of October with the Heritage Cup against the San Joe Earthquakes.

Stay up to date on the Seattle Sounders FC stats at: https://www.soundersfc.com/

Seattle Reign FC, Seattle’s National Women’s Soccer League team (the top division of women’s soccer in America) and 3-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champions, has been absolutely crushing their 2018 regular season. Kicking the season off in March with 2 wins against their friendlies, and their 2018 regular season home opener with a win of 2-1, really set the bar for the rest of Reign FC’s matches. Impressively enough, Seattle’s NWSL team has brought 8 wins, 4 losses, and 8 draws to the table under the coaching of Vlatko Andonovski during their 2018 season. Their regular season ends with a math against the Portland Thorns FC on September 7th in Portland. Seattle Reign FC midfielder/forward, Megan Rapinoe, has played for the USWNT since 2006. In the recent USWNT matches during the Tournament of Nations, the qualifying tournament for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, Rapinoe scored the goal keeping our USWNT undefeated in the tournament. Rapinoe was rewarded NWSL Player of the week twice this 2018 season. 2018 Reign FC players to highlight include first year Reign midfielder, Allie Long, who assisted Rapinoe’s goal in the USWNT game. Reign FC has 7 players who play for the US Women’s National Team as well.

For Seattle Reign FC updates and stats visit: https://www.reignfc.com/

Op-Ed: Tacoma Teachers Strike 2018

Tacoma Public School Strike

My name is Evelyn Cook and I am an 8th grade Language Arts teacher at a south end Tacoma middle school. After my TEA meeting tonight, I felt compelled to share a piece of writing that I intended to share at the Tacoma School Board meeting at the end of last year. I didn’t end up sharing it because I had not leaned into my fear and let nervousness get the best of me; in other words, I chickened out.

Tonight, I take a different stance as I’ve been reflecting deeply on the phrase “persevere in fear”. All day long, I’ve been planning and prepping lessons for my new students. On day 2 of this upcoming school year, I will challenge them to speak their truth. Well, I can’t call myself an educator and not model what that looks like although it comes with fear and apprehension. So here it is…

Written last April, 2017. Notes with an *asterick are my new insights.
Dear Tacoma Board members, fellow educators and valued community members,

I am still fairly new to teaching. I am about to complete my 3rd year teaching, my 2nd year in my current assignment.

I have been serving in the Tacoma community since before becoming a teacher though. Before I went to get my Master’s in Education, I was a social worker through multiple Tacoma non-profits. In these roles, I specialized with working with gang affiliated youth, teenage parents, drop outs, struggling students, undocumented youth, incarcerated youth, and unaccompanied refugees. In these roles, I’ve served our city’s bleeding young hearts. The world has chewed them up and spat them out.

I did not go into teaching, I was called into teaching. Like the great Nelson Mandela once said “Education is the most powerful weapon in which you can use to change the world”. I teach my students from day 1 that education is the most powerful weapon that they can use to change their lives and I work in a school where their life needs changing. They confront racism, community violence, poverty, family instability, homelessness, and lack of resources daily; all while trying to be a teenager, which is hard enough.

Before I get to the questions and I know at this point you are wondering if I am ever going to get there, I wanted to show you some numbers. Being a board, I am sure that quantifiable and qualitative data is important to you.

So here are some numbers for this year:
1. I come to work with our security guards 5 days a week.
2. I work through my lunch break 5 days a week.
3. I stay after school 3 days a week.
4. I average around 15-25 hours of unpaid work time a week, sacrificing time with my family and myself to do so.
5. I use 2 of my planning periods a week to plan, the other 3 are used dealing with hot messes.
6. I averaged out my workload, I work the equivalent of 35 hours a week, every week, 12 months a year, without a vacation, without holiday, without sick time, every single day.
7. That previous number doesn’t include the summer time, I give up for professional development, my reflections in the shower or before bedtime, my stack of PD books that I read for “funsies.”

*** This summer alone, I have spent 9 full days in training and have been working for the last two weeks in my classroom.

However, these numbers are not as important as the numbers coming up because they are about my students’ experiences.

8. I have been the first adult that 2 students have disclosed that they are suicidal to. One of them had recently attempted. I was the 1st adult they told.
9. I assisted one student with getting immigration help/resources as well as counseled them on DACA.
10. I had countless students tell me about being bullied.
11. One student told me about how she was sexual abused up to last year. I made sure she was safe, got her mental and medical care. She had cut her arms to the point that they were more cuts then not.
12. I assisted with getting other students mental health help and IEP evaluations.
13. I’ve physically broken up 3 fights and countless almost fights.
14. I swiftly kept my students safe during two real lockdowns, and countless drills.
15. I smile at EVERY student I see daily. I make sure that my classroom feels like a safe home.
16. I spend on average $20 a week on granola bars, applesauce, and raisins to feed my students. They are hungry and not just because they are growing.
17. I found 1 student this year who was a missing person. When that student was missing, I hugged her crying friends.
18. I motivate, push and support every student that comes into my classroom, every second of the day.
19. I have more students with reading skills that are behind their grade level then I do have of those on grade level.
20. I support multiple students who are at elementary reading levels, who tell me they feel stupid and have almost given up. I have got them engaging in their learning, challenging themselves, having academic discussions daily; because of this they don’t give up; they have hope. Some of them have told me they never thought they would be able to graduate high school.

So now that I’ve gone through my narrative and the numbers, I am finally here at the question.
Hearing all of this, how can you not fully stand behind your teachers? This experience of mine is not uncommon. All you would have to do is go to the classroom next to mine to see this again and again.

This year the union is still arguing with the district for a raise we should have got in September. Next year, there are talks of cutting our salaries. The district cites budget cuts but in reality, they are receiving the funding, have money in reserves, have created multiple new CAB positions (*11 new CAB positions last year), and are individually very well paid.

If we are truly a district that believes the potential in our youth, and I believe that we are, how is it that we can’t give the resources needed to the people who help form these impressionable future leaders? We, as teachers, are in their life daily. We, as teachers, are the ones doing the work. Don’t we deserve to be paid?

*I have been learning about the inequality in pay for other TPS employees like paras, bus drivers, janitors, etc. This is a system wide issue.

Sincerely,
Evelyn Cook

So here I sit and reflect upon these words that have poured out of my heart. Last spring Yes, they may be rough but let me tell you what would be far more of a harsh reality if TPS doesn’t step up. This reality affects not only myself as an educator but also as a parent of a TPS child and as a community member who has invested her whole professional career into Tacoma. If the central office in Tacoma does not meet us in the middle, they will lose MANY valuable educators that have made Tacoma the innovative, successful district that it is. If I can drive over to the next districts to make $15, 000 more a year, it will be Tacoma’s loss. I am higher up on the education scale (Master’s+ 45 credits), but yet, if I stay in Tacoma, I will make near to the same salary as someone entering the profession with a Bachelor’s degree in other districts.

But it is not about the money, really it is not. It is about what will HAPPEN to our schools if educators and other staff members are not paid a fair, competitive wage that they deserve. There will be a mass exodus of high quality teachers to other areas. All research cites again and again that high quality instruction by dedicated teachers will overcome any educational deficit. As a social worker, I have seen the students who Tacoma has failed. They need quality, they deserve quality.

This is not what Tacoma needs. This is not what our youth need. Our community will be hurt by this. This community, I have worked countless hours for will suffer. I have spoken my truth.

So what do we need?
Educators, other Tacoma Public School staff members, please come and demonstrate your right to vote. We are aiming to meet on Sept. 4th. We have seen what apathy can do to our country. It is your right to come vote, whatever way you believe, please exercise that right.

Community Members– families. We need you. We need you to call the central office and put pressure on them. We need you to stand with us.

Central Office, I really need you to get back to the roots of education. Get back to your WHY of why you entered education. Step inside a classroom. Look at your students’ faces. Hear their stories. Talk to teachers. Remember what it was like, every second of the day, to really educate.

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