A coming-of-age story about a journey into alternate universes
Patricia York makes a publishing debut with ‘Sabrina So Far’
SALT LAKE CITY — Patricia York takes her readers on an adventure into the wilds of a young girl's newly opened heart and mind. “Sabrina So Far” (published by Balboa Press) advocates the idea that we are as wise as our life experience permits and growing into oneself might take a minute.
Exiting a strict Mormon lifestyle, Sabrina follows her newfound curiosity down some strange rabbit holes. Inclined towards the ideal, her vivid imagination calls forth a teacher/guide from another realm who just happens to have written a classic little gem called, “The Lazy Man's Guide to Enlightenment.”
Thadeous Golas, a one-time hippie and resident of Haight-Ashbury during the 70's (now a citizen of the 5th dimension) hijacks Sabrina in some unexpected places: a Narnian style closet, a new-age bookstore, and way out in the Utah Moab desert.
"It's a book I would love to have read, coming out of the fundamental mindset, navigating from a linear way of thinking to a more creative, whimsical lucidity," says York. "There is a vast and boundless expanse of mind where there are no rules, regulations or 'commandments'. This is what we often call Spirit. But, it is not separate from ordinary life. And ideas which are attributed to a deeper and more mature wisdom are experienced by young Sabrina, simply because she is open to the new and uncertain."
In “Sabrina So Far”, York invites readers to join Sabrina on this wild and sensuous ride into the Great Unknown.
“Sabrina So Far”
By Patricia York
Hardcover | 5.5x8.5 in | 372 pages | ISBN 9781982207359
Softcover | 5.5x8.5 in | 372 pages | ISBN 9781982207335
E-Book | 372 pages | ISBN 9781982207342
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Growing up in Missouri, Patricia was raised by loving parents. After three years at Brigham Young University (BYU), she moved to Los Angeles where she signed a seven year actor's contract with 20th Century Fox Studios and co-starred in ABC's primetime television series, 'Land of the Giants' (under the name, Heather Young). Turning then to playwright, she went on to write libretto/lyrics for three full-scale musicals, all published and toured. Best loved is the musical version of the English classic, 'Jane Eyre'(Jerry Williams, composer). While in Los Angeles, she married David Youkstetter. Five beautiful children later, they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. Paradoxically, this is where York found self-inquiry, and began a more conscious (and paradoxically, less serious) life journey.
Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, Inc. – a leading provider in publishing products that specialize in self-help and the mind, body, and spirit genres. Through an alliance with the worldwide self-publishing leader Author Solutions, LLC, authors benefit from the leadership of Hay House Publishing and the speed-to-market advantages of the self-publishing model. For more information, visit balboapress.com. To start publishing your book with Balboa Press, call 877-407-4847 today.
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Gov. Herbert appoints Kelly Pehrson to serve as interim manager of Utah Department of Agriculture and Food
SALT LAKE CITY (Jan. 14, 2020) – Following Commissioner Kerry Gibson’s announcement that he will step down from his position at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) to run for Congress, Gov. Herbert has appointed Kelly Pehrson as interim manager of the department, effective immediately.
Kelly has most recently served as deputy director at UDAF, in which time he has had oversight over agency budgets, human resources, and other administrative affairs.
“I’m grateful to Commissioner Gibson for his service to the state, and I respect his decision to run for office,” said Gov. Gary R. Herbert. “I’m also thankful to Kelly Pehrson for stepping into this role so that operations at the Department of Agriculture and Food can continue uninterrupted.”
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See this alert in its entirety, with additional visuals, at http://utgunrights.com/alertsupdates/2020/alert011420.htm
Republicans Give Gun Owners the Middle Finger in Election Year
Alert for 1/14/2020: In preparation for the Jan. 27 general session, UT Gun Rights presents its 2020 Bill Tracking Page: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly. Gun owners are encouraged to visit this page frequently at
http://utgunrights.com/alertsupdates/2020/goodbadugly.htm
Notice that no "Good" Bills are currently listed. Abysmally, after review of more than 150 bills, UT Gun Rights has yet to identify a single decent bill worthy of a "good" designation.
Utah Republican statutators (aka "legislators") are poised to turn tail and retreat with hardly a whimper. They have surrendered the offensive — indeed the entire political battlefield — to a small inner "leadership" cabal comprised of their most corrupt and degenerate members.
This treacherous, backstabbing, criminal cabal coordinates with, and facilitates, the disastrous efforts of effeminate Democrats and other elitists who cry and whine for more gun control. These violent destroyers of civilization recognize that Utah gun owners will not currently accept door-to-door mass firearm confiscations, and therefore proceed to enact their deadly agenda by a thousand sinister cuts.
The upper ranks of this cabal have no shame, no backbone, and no allegiance to anything but their own filthy profits and shallow egos. Everything is for sale, and nothing is sacred in the "pay-to-play" underworld they perpetrate for their own amusement.
If successful, this cabal will further alienate and offend Utah gun owners, the Republican core base, in an election year. By dominating and abusing the entire legislative process, this cabal has reduced the Utah legislature to a worthless mass of despicable cowards — too afraid of their own shadows to stand up and fight in any meaningful and significant way.
Is it any wonder that Utah is a fraud capital? With "friends" like these, gun owners will continue to lose their rights and peace will never be attainable. As U.S. General George S. Patton purportedly expressed it during World War II,
"I'd rather have a division of Germans in front of me, than a French one behind me."
UT Gun Rights recently exposed the rabid gun control agenda of Utah governor Gary "Fudd" Herbert, and will soon expose the two Republican legislative "leaders" who are ultimately responsibility for the general failure of the Utah legislature: House Speaker Brad Wilson and Senate President Stuart Adams.
As will be demonstrated, the political buck stops with these two de facto dictators. Only by reining in their inordinate power can gun owners begin to free themselves from the criminal cabal that rules Utah with an iron fist.
Tired of Sitting Obediently in the Back of the Political Bus?
Are you sick of self-proclaimed "conservative" politicians who attempt to school you on how fortunate gun owners are to have them in charge? You know, the pompous "leaders" who instruct you to, "Know your place, boy!" and not get too uppity or demanding whenever they betray your interests?
While you sit quietly and obediently in the back of the political bus, these politicians are driving your rights into the merciless hands of a sinister, foreign, globalist klan of lowlifes. This "Global Klan" wants nothing more than to goad Americans into an Uncivil War against each other, and barring your personal political involvement, it will likely succeed.
UT Gun Rights will highlight and expose this "Global Klan" in a future alert as well. In the meantime, consider What You Can Do to politically resist the nefarious, gun control agenda that is engulfing America at
http://utgunrights.com/freeammo/whatyoucando.htm
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By Patricia Levesque
Chief Executive Officer of ExcelinEd
I’m excited to share an insightful documentary released by ExcelinEd board member Gary Chartrand on the school choice landscape in Florida.
“Igniting the Future: Navigating School Choice” features interviews with school leaders diving into the wide variety of school options Florida families can choose from and helpful tips for selecting the right school for their children.
The documentary aired as a one-hour special on WJXT in Jacksonville.
You can also watch a short interview with Gary previewing the documentary.
It’s a wonderful piece. I hope you get an opportunity to watch it.
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Nominees announced for 3rd District Juvenile Court vacancy
SALT LAKE CITY – The 3rd District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected nominees for a vacancy on the 3rd District Juvenile Court. The vacancy results from the retirement of Judge Kimberly K. Hornak, March 1, 2020. The 3rd Judicial District includes Salt Lake, Summit, and Tooele counties.
The nominees for the vacancy are: Frank Call, attorney, Frank N. Call; Monica Greene, managing attorney, Utah Juvenile Defender Attorneys; Annette Jan, section director, Office of the Attorney General; Brent Salazar-Hall, partner, Lowe, Hutchinson, Cottingham & Hall; Tasha Williams, attorney, Utah Juvenile Defender Attorneys.
Written comments can be submitted to the 3rd District Judicial Nominating Commission at judicialvacancies@utah.gov or Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice, P.O. Box 142330, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-2330. The deadline for written comments is noon January 27, 2020. The Nominating Commission may request further information or conduct an investigation of the nominees after reviewing public comments. After the public comment period, the names will be sent to Gov. Gary R. Herbert, who will have 30 days to make an appointment. Gov. Herbert’s appointee is subject to confirmation by the Utah Senate.
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Researchers Find that Cookies Increase Ad Revenue for Online Publishers
Key Takeaways:
CATONSVILLE, MD, January 14, 2020 – How long has it been since you logged onto a Web site and you were prompted to decide whether to opt out of “cookies” that the site told you will enhance your online experience? Minutes? Hours?
While you may be familiar with the term, you may not completely know what a cookie is or what it does. A computer “cookie,” also known as a web cookie, Internet cookie or browser cookie, represents data packets that are sent to your computer to help a website track your visits and activity. As a result, the site is better able to track items in your shopping cart when browsing an ecommerce site, or personalize your user experience on the website so that you are more likely to see content and ads you want to see.
New research has explored the real value of the cookie to websites, advertisers, and found that cookies represent higher revenue to online publishers. According to the study, there is a 52 percent reduction in advertising revenue to publishers when cookies are eliminated through Internet user opt-out protocols. On the other hand, when cookies are present, publishers’ ad pricing doubles.
The study, to be published in the January edition of the INFORMS journal Marketing Science, is titled “Consumer Privacy Choice in Online Advertising: Who opts out and at what cost to industry?” It is authored by Garrett Johnson of Questrom School of Business at Boston University; Scott Shriver of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado; and Shaoyin Du of the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester.
According to the study authors, while most Americans decide not to opt-out of online advertising, 0.23 percent of American online ad impressions arise from users who decide to opt out of online ads. These users, in effect, have opted out of the use of cookies to track their online navigation of a particular site. This group was the focus of the study’s research to determine the impact of cookie removal on publishers.
In 2010, the American advertising industry decided to self-regulate by implementing its AdChoices program. This is where consumers are given the option to opt out of online advertising based on users’ behavior, simply by clicking the overlaid “AdChoice” icons on ads.
“In addition to finding that only a small percentage of Americans actually decided to opt out of online ads, one of our more important findings was that opt-out user ads tend to fetch 52 percent less revenue on the transaction than do comparable ads for users who allow behavior targeting, or opt in,” said Johnson.
The study authors calculate that the inability to behaviorally target opt-out users results in a loss of roughly $8.58 in ad spending per American opt-out consumer. This cost is covered by publishers and the AdChoices exchange.
For context, while the American advertising industry maintains an opt-out system, European regulators favor an opt-in policy through the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which requires users to provide consent before they see an ad targeting them.
“This study provides the first evidence of the adoption rate of AdChoice, which is 0.23 percent of American impressions,” said Shriver. “More specifically, we were able to uncover a privacy paradox. Consumers’ stated preferences overstate actual preference measures they take to assure their privacy. Multiple surveys show that about two-thirds of American consumers oppose online behavioral advertising, and 20 percent even claim to have opted out using AdChoices. Still, actual opt-out rates are much lower.”
“Though few users tend to opt out, we note that certain types of users are more likely to opt out, and that has certain consequences for the advertising industry,” said Du. “We find that opt-out rates are higher among users who install non-default browsers, such as Firefox and Chrome, which tells us that opt-out users are likely more technologically sophisticated. We also note substantial variation in opt-out rates by region by city and state and by certain demographics.”
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Dear Editor:
Please consider this punchy essay by veteran editor and West Virginian columnist James Haught on the miseducation perpetrated with our tax dollars on children via the voucher system. For PeaceVoice, thank you,
Tom Hastings
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Baby Dinosaurs on Noah’s Ark
by James A. Haught
544 words
In violation of the separation of church and state, American tax dollars are funneled to fundamentalist private schools teaching crackpot absurdities – such as a claim that Noah probably took two baby dinosaurs onto his ark.
To me, it’s a form of child abuse to teach such lies to youngsters. However, that’s what happens under the voucher system supported by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and many Republican legislators across America.
Under the banner of “school choice,” vouchers are a device to pour taxpayer money into religion, despite the First Amendment’s prohibition of it. Pious parents who don’t want their children exposed to public schools can obtain government vouchers to pay for religious schooling – some of it Catholic but more of it evangelical. The born-again schools provide shabby education.
The Orlando Sentinel examined 151 private Florida schools with 140,000 students – most of them funded with tax dollars through a voucher plan passed by Republican legislators. The Sentinel’s report began:
Some private schools in Florida that rely on public funding teach students that dinosaurs and humans lived together, that God’s intervention prevented Catholics from dominating North America, and that slaves who ‘knew Christ’ were better off than free men who did not.
It says some evangelical schools use texts from three fundamentalist publishers – Abeka, Bob Jones University Press and Accelerated Christian Education – adding:
The books denounce evolution as untrue, for example, and one shows a cartoon of men and dinosaurs together, telling students the Biblical Noah likely brought baby dinosaurs onto his ark.
Actually, the last dinosaurs became extinct nearly 65 million years before the first early humans appeared.
The books teach Religious Right politics, saying the historic civil rights movement occurred because “power-hungry individuals stirred up the people” – and that the Endangered Species Act is part of a “radical social agenda” – and they hint that gays are evil, and European whites are superior.
The Sentinel said some evangelical schools “hire teachers without degrees and with criminal records, and forge fire and health inspection forms, and… hold classes in aging strip malls” where some face eviction for nonpayment of rent.
The Huffington Post likewise studied fundamentalist private schools and concluded that they “teach lies. These schools teach creationism, racism and sexism. They’re also taking your tax dollars.” It says one teacher called environmentalists “hippie witches.”
Intelligent, educated Americans should pity children from born-again families who suffer indoctrination with such right-wing hate and superstition. When the youths enter adult life, they’re ill-equipped for modern scientific society.
Regardless, the GOP and DeVos want to increase tax money for religious schools, despite the separation of church and state. Here’s an ominous court case: Conservative Montana legislators passed a 2015 law letting religious parents donate to private church schools and write it off their taxes. In 2017, Montana’s Supreme Court struck down this taxpayer funding of faith. Right-wingers appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is to hear Espinoza v. Montana soon, on January 22.
Secular groups have filed briefs against the Montana travesty. But Republican appointees on the highest bench may ignore the First Amendment’s command that government must stay out of religion.
Stay tuned. Keep watching to see whether conservative justices funnel your tax dollars to church schools teaching that Noah took baby dinosaurs on his ark.
–end–
James Haught, syndicated by PeaceVoice, is editor emeritus of West Virginia’s largest newspaper, The Charleston Gazette-Mail.
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According to a recent study from SmartAsset, people working in Weber County have among the best access to workplace benefits in Utah. The study measures local unemployment rates and living expenses, as well as the percentage of the population in each county that have employer-sponsored health insurance and retirement plans.
Additional study details including the methodology and interactive map can be found here: https://smartasset.com/retirement/401k-calculator#Utah
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*For your convenience, here is a pre-written article that you may run in your publication free of charge. (Please feel free to use all the info or the portions that work for you.) If you are interested in a photo of the author, please let me know. If at all possible, we ask that you include the author's bio with the article.
Can Main Street Save Us All?
By Quint Studer
The last few decades have been a whirlwind. Globalization has redrawn boundaries we've long lived by and counted on. Technology has transformed everything about how we work, shop, and even socialize. There's turmoil on the political front. At times it's easy to feel a little lost. But here's the good news: When things get scary, we tend to get focused on what matters most.
In times of rapid change, it's only human to seek a foothold. We look homeward. We forge deeper connections with our families, friends, and neighbors. No wonder so many of us are looking to revitalize and reinvent our communities.
Thomas Friedman addresses this subject in Thank You for Being Late. He quotes from a ballad by Brandi Carlile, "You can dance in a hurricane, but only if you're standing in the eye." The "eye" in this context is the local community. They provide a firm place to stand and find stability while all this change is swirling around us.
I agree with Friedman. In the midst of uncertainty and chaos, strong, functioning communities make us feel grounded, safe, and empowered. And it all begins with a vibrant downtown filled with thriving businesses; lots of places to eat, drink, and socialize; and plenty of fun things to do. Downtown is the living, breathing heart and soul of any healthy community.
In my work with cities, towns, and communities on revitalization efforts across the U.S., I've seen it firsthand: Downtowns are making a huge comeback. I've walked up and down many Main Streets with many leaders and citizens. I've seen "ghost town" areas slowly come back to life with the help of a vibrant downtown. And what I've come to believe is that Main Street is more than a collection of restaurants, shops, apartments, and office buildings. Main Street is our salvation. When we can get this piece right, it can change lives for the better.
To build a stronger America, we need to invest in our communities. We need to empower entrepreneurs, build a strong local business presence, and make sure leaders are well trained so they can succeed long-term. We need to improve our education systems. We need to improve civic IQs and get citizens engaged and excited. We need to change the conversation about what our communities can become. And—this is essential—we need to start by creating vibrant, walkable downtowns and thriving Main Streets. Here's why:
Investing in Main Street encourages entrepreneurship and creates more small businesses. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses create two out of every three net new jobs in the private sector. Plus, over half of all Americans own or work for a small business. Small business is the engine that powers communities.
When a business community is strong, its leaders can be galvanized to solve problems. These are the smart, influential people Jim Clifton, author of The Coming Jobs War, calls "tribal leaders." They have social capital and know how to get things done. Plus, they have a personal interest in the community's well-being.
It keeps young people at home and attracts talent. More and more young people are choosing small towns (for various reasons). This creates a great talent pool, which makes smaller towns attractive for entrepreneurs and all types of business investors.
It reconnects us on a human level. In a dehumanized age when so many people feel isolated, this factor is really important. Walkable main streets and good downtown programming bring people together. Trading face-to-face keeps the human interaction. This is a critical factor in creating a strong sense of community.
People see they really do have the power to change things. Once you get a few quick wins, the conversation changes. Citizens see it's up to them (not government) to reinvent themselves. They suddenly get more optimistic and confident. They get more civic-minded and connected to one another. There's a growing sense that we're all in this together.
It makes us better people. Coming together as a community makes us more inclusive, more compassionate. Our neighbors' problems become our problems. We're more willing to give our time and resources to make the community better.
We need to invest in our Main Streets, downtowns, and communities because it's where life happens. It's where we work, play, laugh, cry, love, meet new friends, learn, and create. It's home. And we have a human responsibility to make our home the best it can be—not just for ourselves and our families but also the friends and neighbors who live there too.
# # #
Quint Studer is author of Building a Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America and Wall Street Journal bestseller The Busy Leader's Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive. He is founder of Pensacola's Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the community's quality of life, and Vibrant Community Partners, which coaches communities in building out a blueprint for achieving growth and excellence. Quint speaks and works with communities across the country, helping them execute on their strategic plans, create a better quality of life, and attract and retain talent and investment. He is a businessman, a visionary, an entrepreneur, and a mentor to many. He currently serves as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of West Florida and as Executive-in-Residence at George Washington University. For more information, please visit www.thebusyleadershandbook.com, www.vibrantcommunityblueprint.com, and www.studeri.org.
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#SLAYCANCERWITHDRAGONS
JANUARY 2020
TYLER ROBINSON FOUNDATION TO HOST "SLAY CANCER WITH POKER" EVENT AT PALMS CASINO RESORT, SATURDAY, JAN. 18
The Tyler Robinson Foundation (TRF) is set to host their first charity poker event in partnership with the Charity Series of Poker on Saturday, Jan. 18. Dubbed “Slay Cancer with Poker,” the event will feature poker superstar Daniel Negreanu, Austin “Chumlee" Russell from Pawn Stars, WSOP bracelet winner Dutch Boyd, “Truth Be Told” star Mekhi Phifer, horror movie icon Kane Hodder and members of Imagine Dragons. The $300 buy-in event with $100 re-buys and $100 add-ons will take place at View Nightclub at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
All net proceeds from the event will benefit TRF. Players can get more information and pre-register online. Fans and supporters from around the world can also donate or bid on silent auction items at TRFCSOP.givesmart.com. For more information or for press access, contact Talia Rothman: talia@thepublicitylab.com.
MOUNTAIN RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS RAISE MORE THAN $57,000 FOR TRF IN JUST ONE MONTH OF FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
Students of Mountain Ridge High School in Herriman, Utah, recently celebrated the completion of one month of fundraising efforts for the Tyler Robinson Foundation (TRF). The students were able to raise $57,481.56 to support the nonprofit organization through completing “odd jobs” in the community and by participating and hosting activities including restaurant nights, volleyball and basketball tournaments, a Mr. Mountain Ridge competition and a winter dance.
The school was one of 25 schools to join Team TRF – a program designed to allow schools to support the TRF mission to strengthen families financially and emotionally as they cope with the tragedy of a pediatric cancer diagnosis. TRF expects even more excitement for Team TRF in 2020 in the U.S. and around the world with seven schools slated to kick off fundraising efforts over the next few months.
For more information on Team TRF or to coordinate an interview with a Team TRF school administrator or student, contact Tara Trovato: tara@thepublicitylab.com.
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, LAS VEGAS TO HOST BENEFIT NIGHT FOR TRF, JAN. 26
The Runnin’ Rebels are preparing to ball for a cause this month to benefit The Tyler Robinson Foundation. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas men’s basketball team will host a benefit night as they take on the San Diego State Aztecs at the Thomas and Mack Center. Fans are invited to purchase special tickets for $30 that include upper level mid-court seating, all-you-can-eat concessions including hot dogs, nachos, popcorn and soda and a stainless steel TRF water bottle. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to TRF.
