Post Offices

Missoulian: U.S. Postal Service will close Kalispell mailprocessing center

Postal Service Moves Ahead with Modified NetworkConsolidation Plan

 “The U.S. Postal Service today announced plans to move ahead with a modified plan to consolidate its network of 461 mail processing locations in phases. The first phase of activities will result in up to 140 consolidations through February of 2013.  Unless the circumstances of the Postal Service change in the interim, a second and final phase of 89 consolidations is currently scheduled to begin in February of 2014....

The list of 140 mail processing locations to be consolidated by February of 2013 is available after 3 p.m. ET today at http://about.usps.com/news/electronic-press-kits/our-future-network/welcome.htm."

Fire Danger / Defense Spending

Missoulian: Fire danger highest in 2 decades on BitterrootNational Forest, official say
Fire Weather Forecast Zone 111

Missoulian: House GOP defense bill challenges Obama policy 

H.R.4310 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year2012

Violence Against Women

Missoulian:  GOP revises anti-violence bill, draws veto threat

H.R.4970 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2012 

White House- Insuring that LGBT Victims of Domestic Violence Can AccessCritically Needed Services and Protections

 "Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee approved legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994, but failed to include critical provisions that would ensure that all victims of domestic violence can access vital services and protections.  Victims are victims, and, if you have been battered, stalked or otherwise threatened with violence, you should not be turned away by a shelter or denied the assistance you need merely because the aggressor is the same sex as you or because you are transgender.  Yet, the legislation approved by the House Judiciary Committee and being considered this week on the House floor would allow just that."

Bison / Consumer Prices

Missoulian:Meeting on FWP bison proposal draws supporters, opponents from near, far

Statewide Bison Management Plan EIS Public Scoping 

“In order to prepare a statewide bison management plan, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is moving forward with the development of a programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) to address the potential for bison restoration in Montana. The EIS will examine an array of possible alternatives from a no action alternative to a number of different bison restoration alternatives and the potential impacts of those alternatives.”

Helena Independent Record: US consumer prices flat as gascosts fall

Consumer Price Index Summary 

“The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of  Labor Statistics reported today. Over the last 12 months, the all  items index increased 2.3 percent before seasonal adjustment.”

Jobs for the Autistic Youth

Missoulian: 1 in 3 autistic young adults lack jobs,education 

The Post-High School Outcomes of Young Adults with Disabilities up to 6 Years after High School
 

Disability Differences in Employment Status

Excerpt from the study:

• The employment status of young adults with disabilities at the time of the interview varied widely by disability category with employment at the time of the interview ranging from 30 percent to 79 percent (table 8).

• Young adults with learning disabilities (79 percent) were more likely to have a paid job  than were those with deaf-blindness (30 percent), orthopedic impairments (38 percent), visual impairments (40 percent), traumatic brain injuries (44 percent), autism (45 percent), mental retardation (46 percent), or multiple disabilities (46 percent, p < .001 for all comparisons).