Assessing Support Systems for COPD Awareness Month
Enlisting friends and family can make a huge difference for the 11.4 million Americans living with COPD
SALT LAKE CITY (Nov. 15, 2017) – Over 11 million Americans live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the numbers affected by this serious, chronic lung disease are far more reaching. A diagnosis of COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, comes with many physical and emotional challenges that can affect the whole family and circle of friends.
During COPD Awareness Month, the American Lung Association spotlights the millions of American directly and indirectly affected by this disease. From chronic cough and shortness of breath to fatigue and wheezing, it is difficult to breathe with COPD and over time symptoms and flare-ups worsen. But with a strong support network, COPD can be managed so that individuals can live full and active lives.
This November, take stock of those people that can be part of the strong support needed to manage COPD.
For more information about COPD, and tips on how to better manage care, visit the American Lung Association website at Lung.org/copd or call the free Lung HelpLine 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872).
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About the American Lung Association in Utah
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Guide Seal, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit the newly redesigned website: Lung.org.
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Bank of Utah, Arctic Circle Restaurants and Red Hanger team up for
Warm Bodies, Warm Souls Coat Drive
Arctic Circle and Red Hanger offer special incentives for people to drop off donations
OGDEN, Utah, Nov. 15, 2017 – What do a locally-owned bank, an iconic Utah restaurant chain and Utah’s largest dry cleaner have in common? They’re all partnering to collect warm coats, blankets and clothing to give to local charities across the state. Bank of Utah, Arctic Circle Restaurants and Red Hanger are co-sponsoring the sixth annual Warm Bodies, Warm Souls coat drive Nov. 20 – Dec. 15. The public is encouraged to collect new or gently-used coats, hats, scarves, gloves, socks and blankets and drop them off at any of Bank of Utah’s 15 locations, Arctic Circle’s 35 restaurants or Red Hanger’s 21 locations in Utah.
To encourage participation, Arctic Circle is offering a coupon for a free double cheese burger to those who donate at their restaurants, and Red Hanger will give customers a certificate for a free shirt cleaning for donating at their dry cleaner locations. Bank of Utah will offer donators their choice of the two coupons for donating at the bank branches.
“Bank of Utah started the Warm Bodies, Warm Souls coat drive in 2011, to help local non-profits in our bank communities care for needy families during the cold winter months,” said Douglas L. DeFries, Bank of Utah president. “Arctic Circle Restaurants and their foundation, Arctic Cares, joined us in 2014, which broadened the reach of the campaign. And now, we’re excited to have Red Hanger add their locations for a total of 71 drop off sites in all. Now it’s more convenient than ever to help warm the bodies and souls of the less fortunate, with a donation.”
Bank of Utah will distribute donations to the following charities:
According to Alicia Gleed Green, marketing coordinator for The Road Home, “We expect to see record numbers of people seeking shelter and basic needs such as blankets and coats this winter. “We are so grateful for the donations that come from Warm Bodies, Warm Souls.”
For more information on the coat drive and drop off locations visit https://www.bankofutah.com/warm-bodies-warm-souls.
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About Bank of Utah
Beautiful evergreen trees are admired for their ability to thrive in all kinds of conditions, symbolizing strength, protection, growth and knowledge. Like the sturdy pine in its logo, Bank of Utah has thrived for nearly 65 years to become one of the strongest banks in the country. Its roots were firmly planted in 1952 by the Frank M. Browning family of Ogden, and the bank has grown to more than 300 employees and more than one billion in assets. Bank of Utah has 13 full-service branches along the Wasatch Front, mortgage offices in St. George, South Towne, Price, Logan and Sandy, and corporate trust teams in Ogden and Salt Lake City. Bank of Utah offers personal and business banking, mortgage and commercial lending and trust and investment services. When you see a durable evergreen tree, remember Bank of Utah and its commitment to serve its thousands of customers for many years to come. For more information call 1-800-516-5559 or visit bankofutah.com.
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Judicial Watch Sues Kentucky Over Dirty Voter Registration Rolls
48 Kentucky counties have more registered voters than citizens of voting age
(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it filed a federal lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Kentucky over its failure to take reasonable steps to maintain accurate voter registration lists. The lawsuit alleges that 48 Kentucky counties have more registered voters than citizens over the age of 18. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Central Division (Judicial Watch, Inc. v. Alison Lundergan Grimes et al. (No. 3:17-cv-00094)).
Kentucky was one of 12 states to which Judicial Watch sent notice-of-violation letters this year threatening to sue because they have counties in which the number of registered voters exceeds the number of citizens of voting age. Both the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) and the Help America Vote Act require states to take reasonable steps to maintain accurate voting rolls.
Judicial Watch analyzed registration data and compared it to the most recent census data to determine the registration rates of United States counties. In its complaint, Judicial Watch notes that Kentucky’s registration rates are sky high, and are national outliers:
Whenever a jurisdiction has more voter registrations than individuals old enough to register – in other words, a registration rate exceeding 100% of adult residents – it is a strong indication, recognized by federal courts, that the jurisdiction is not taking the steps required by law to remove the registrations of ineligible registrants.
Kentucky leads every other state in the nation in the number of counties in which total registration exceeds the citizen voting-age population. Specifically, the number of voter registrations exceeds the number of age-eligible citizens in 48 Kentucky counties, or 40% of all Kentucky counties.
Judicial Watch also notes that Kentucky is one of only three states in the country where the statewide active registration rate is greater than 100% of the age-eligible citizen population.
Judicial Watch cites several other deficiencies in Kentucky’s handling of voter registration and related issues. Kentucky is required by law to disclose to the federal Election Assistance Commission the number of inactive registrations it carries on its voter rolls. It failed to do so. Kentucky is also required to report the number of address confirmation letters it sent to citizens who were thought to have moved out of state. It failed to release this information as well.
Kentucky is also required by the NVRA to keep registration-related records and to make them publicly available on request. Judicial Watch made such a request, and Kentucky initially promised to disclose these records. But it broke this promise and, to date, has failed to make records available.
Judicial Watch points out that Kentucky’s inflated voter rolls indicate that it is not complying with federal laws requiring it to cancel the registrations of citizens who have died or moved elsewhere. This conclusion is bolstered by Kentucky’s failure to divulge registration-related records it is required to disclose by federal law. In its lawsuit, Judicial Watch asks the court to declare Kentucky in violation of Section 8(a)(4) of the NVRA; to require it to implement a program to remove ineligible registrants; and to compel it to turn over relevant records and information.
“Kentucky has perhaps the dirtiest election rolls in the country,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “Federal law requires states to take reasonable steps to clean up their voting rolls – and clearly Kentucky hasn’t done that. Dirty voting rolls can mean dirty elections. This lawsuit aims to ensure that citizens can have more confidence that elections in Kentucky won’t be subject to fraud.”
Judicial Watch Senior Attorney and Director of its Election Integrity Project Robert Popper recently provided testimony to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity concerning the NVRA. Popper was formerly Deputy Chief of the Voting Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.
Judicial Watch previously filed successful lawsuits under the NVRA against Ohio and Indiana that resulted in those states taking several actions to clean up their voting rolls. Judicial Watch is currently suing the State of Maryland and Montgomery County over their failure to release documents in violation of the NVRA.
Judicial Watch is being assisted by Mark Wohlander of the Wohlander Law Office in Lexington, and by Thomas E. Clay of Clay Daniel Walton & Adams in Louisville.
