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	<title>.Politics &#187; Oklahoma City</title>
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	<description>Poltical and government coverage from NewsOK</description>
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	<itunes:summary>Poltical and government coverage from NewsOK</itunes:summary>
	<itunes:author>.Politics</itunes:author>
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	<itunes:subtitle>Poltical and government coverage from NewsOK</itunes:subtitle>
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		<title>.Politics &#187; Oklahoma City</title>
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		<item>
		<title>President Clinton&#8217;s Speech after Oklahoma City Bombing</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/05/23/president-clintons-speech-after-oklahoma-city-bombing/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/05/23/president-clintons-speech-after-oklahoma-city-bombing/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 May 2013 14:36:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Moore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[President Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tornadoes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4724</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>President Barack Obama is planning to travel to Oklahoma on Sunday to check on tornado relief efforts, thank first responders, comfort victims and families and show the nation&#8217;s solidarity with the stricken citizens.<br />
The president is a gifted orator and, in his remarks from the White House on Tuesday about the tragedy, captured the physical and emotional work ahead:<br />
&#8220;There are empty spaces where there used to be living rooms and bedrooms and classrooms, and, in time, we’re going to need to refill those spaces with love and laughter and community,&#8221; Obama said.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>President Barack Obama is planning to travel to Oklahoma on Sunday to check on tornado relief efforts, thank first responders, comfort victims and families and show the nation&#8217;s solidarity with the stricken citizens.<br />
The president is a gifted orator and, in his remarks from the White House on Tuesday about the tragedy, captured the physical and emotional work ahead:<br />
&#8220;There are empty spaces where there used to be living rooms and bedrooms and classrooms, and, in time, we’re going to need to refill those spaces with love and laughter and community,&#8221; Obama said.<br />
His speech in Oklahoma on Sunday will no doubt have some affecting lines about the losses endured this week in Oklahoma.<br />
Most of the presidential visits to Oklahoma in recent years have been connected to tragedies, and there was no such event more horrific than the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.<br />
President Bill Clinton went to Oklahoma City a few days after the bombing and gave what was perhaps the speech of his life on April 23, 1995 _ a speech that has been dissected and analyzed many times for its rhetorical and political power.<br />
For many obvious reasons, the bombing was a far different event than the natural disaster that created the shock and grief among Americans watching scenes from Moore this week.<br />
Here&#8217;s how Clinton responded to it:</p>
<p><code><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5DgXx_evi6Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></code></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn Schedules Town Hall Meetings for Week of April 1; Stops Include Norman and Oklahoma City</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/03/27/u-s-sen-tom-coburn-schedules-town-hall-meetings-for-week-of-april-1-stops-include-norman-and-oklahoma-city/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/03/27/u-s-sen-tom-coburn-schedules-town-hall-meetings-for-week-of-april-1-stops-include-norman-and-oklahoma-city/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:03:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Norman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sen. Tom Coburn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Town Hall Meetings]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4616</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, has scheduled a series of town hall meetings in Oklahoma for the week of April 1.</p>
<p>“I encourage Oklahomans to attend and participate in these town halls,&#8221; Coburn said. &#8220;With pressing issues pertinent to Oklahoman being decided in Washington D.C. every day, these settings give me an important opportunity to hear directly from the people I am representing. I look forward to hearing the concerns of Oklahomans and informing them of my legislative efforts in the Senate.&#8221;</p>
<p>April 1</p>
<p>ADA<br />
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Muskogee, has scheduled a series of town hall meetings in Oklahoma for the week of April 1.</p>
<p>“I encourage Oklahomans to attend and participate in these town halls,&#8221; Coburn said. &#8220;With pressing issues pertinent to Oklahoman being decided in Washington D.C. every day, these settings give me an important opportunity to hear directly from the people I am representing. I look forward to hearing the concerns of Oklahomans and informing them of my legislative efforts in the Senate.&#8221;</p>
<p>April 1</p>
<p>ADA<br />
9:30 – 10:30 a.m.</p>
<p>East Central University</p>
<p>Bill S. Cole University Center – Estep Multimedia Center</p>
<p>1100 E. 14th Street</p>
<p>Ada, OK</p>
<p>ARDMORE<br />
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Ardmore Convention Center</p>
<p>2401 N. Rockford Road</p>
<p>Ardmore, OK</p>
<p>DUNCAN</p>
<p>5:30 – 6:30 p.m.</p>
<p>Red River Technology Center</p>
<p>Health Career Center building</p>
<p>3300 W. Bois D&#8217;Arc</p>
<p>Duncan, OK</p>
<p>April 2</p>
<p>LAWTON</p>
<p>8:30 – 9:30 a.m.</p>
<p>Cameron University</p>
<p>McCasland Foundation Ballroom</p>
<p>501 NW University Drive</p>
<p>2nd floor</p>
<p>Lawton, OK</p>
<p>ALTUS</p>
<p>12:00 – 1:00 p.m.</p>
<p>Western Oklahoma State College</p>
<p>Auditorium</p>
<p>2801 N. Main Street</p>
<p>Altus, OK</p>
<p>ELK CITY</p>
<p>3:00 – 4:00 p.m.</p>
<p>City Hall</p>
<p>320 W. 3rd Street</p>
<p>Elk City, OK</p>
<p>EL RENO</p>
<p>6:00 – 7:00 p.m.</p>
<p>Canadian Valley Technology Center</p>
<p>6505 E. Hwy. 66</p>
<p>El Reno, OK</p>
<p>April 3</p>
<p>GUTHRIE</p>
<p>8:00 – 9:00 a.m.</p>
<p>Guthrie town hall meeting</p>
<p>Oklahoma Sports Museum</p>
<p>315 W. Oklahoma Avenue</p>
<p>Guthrie, OK</p>
<p>NORMAN</p>
<p>12:00 – 1:00 p.m.</p>
<p>The Hall at the Railhouse</p>
<p>102 W. Eufaula Street</p>
<p>Norman, OK</p>
<p>OKLAHOMA CITY</p>
<p>6:00 – 7:00 p.m.</p>
<p>Metro Tech Technology Center</p>
<p>1900 Springlake Drive</p>
<p>Oklahoma City, OK</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Robert E. Bacharach to Get Full Senate Vote</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/15/robert-e-bacharach-to-get-full-senate-vote/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/15/robert-e-bacharach-to-get-full-senate-vote/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:39:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Courts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4552</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Senate leaders have agreed to a vote on Feb. 25 on the nomination of Robert E. Bacharach for the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. That vote will come 13 months after President Barack Obama first nominated the federal magistrate judge to the appeals court.<br />
Bacharach, 53, who works at the U.S. district court in Oklahoma City, enjoys strong bipartisan support in the Senate and has received the highest rating from the American Bar Association, but Senate Republicans have been slow-walking _ and even blocking _ votes on Obama&#8217;s judicial nominations for several months.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Senate leaders have agreed to a vote on Feb. 25 on the nomination of Robert E. Bacharach for the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. That vote will come 13 months after President Barack Obama first nominated the federal magistrate judge to the appeals court.<br />
Bacharach, 53, who works at the U.S. district court in Oklahoma City, enjoys strong bipartisan support in the Senate and has received the highest rating from the American Bar Association, but Senate Republicans have been slow-walking _ and even blocking _ votes on Obama&#8217;s judicial nominations for several months.<br />
The Senate on Wednesday overwhelmingly approved a circuit court nominee from Maine who also had first been nominated in January 2012.<br />
Bacharach is expected to be confirmed easily for the post left vacant by Robert Henry in July 2010.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>MetroTech&#8217;s Sharron Jackson to Watch State of the Union Speech in House Gallery</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/12/metrotechs-sharron-jackson-to-watch-state-of-the-union-speech-in-house-gallery/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/12/metrotechs-sharron-jackson-to-watch-state-of-the-union-speech-in-house-gallery/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:26:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[President Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rep. James Lankford]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4546</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>MetroTech business coach Sharron Jackson will be watching the State of the Union speech in the U.S. House gallery on Tuesday as a guest of Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City. Jackson is president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Oklahoma City.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>MetroTech business coach Sharron Jackson will be watching the State of the Union speech in the U.S. House gallery on Tuesday as a guest of Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City. Jackson is president of the Black Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Oklahoma City.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>First Lady&#8217;s Guests for State of the Union Speech</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/12/first-ladys-guests-for-state-of-the-union-speech/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/12/first-ladys-guests-for-state-of-the-union-speech/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:43:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Executive]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Norman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[President Barack Obama]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4544</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>In addition to Oklahoma City teacher Susan Bumgarner, first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will have these guests for Tuesday&#8217;s State of the Union speech:</p>
<p>Sergeant Sheena Adams (Vista, CA)</p>
<p>Team Advisor &#038; Lead Instructor, Female Engagement Team</p>
<p>A native of Kauai, Hawaii, Sergeant Adams joined the Marine Corps in 2003 and attended recruit training in Parris Island, S.C.  In 2010, Sergeant Adams joined the Female Engagement Team (FET) and was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan from September 2010 to April 2011 in direct support of 1st Battalion 8th Marines in Musa Qal’eh District.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In addition to Oklahoma City teacher Susan Bumgarner, first lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden will have these guests for Tuesday&#8217;s State of the Union speech:</p>
<p>Sergeant Sheena Adams (Vista, CA)</p>
<p>Team Advisor &#038; Lead Instructor, Female Engagement Team</p>
<p>A native of Kauai, Hawaii, Sergeant Adams joined the Marine Corps in 2003 and attended recruit training in Parris Island, S.C.  In 2010, Sergeant Adams joined the Female Engagement Team (FET) and was deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan from September 2010 to April 2011 in direct support of 1st Battalion 8th Marines in Musa Qal’eh District.  Sergeant Adams received her Combat Action Ribbon and Navy and Marine Corp Achievement Medal (second award) after successful completion of the deployment.  In September 2011, Sergeant Adams returned to 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Advisor Training Cell, as Team Advisor/Liaison and lead FET instructor, where she re-engineered the Period of Instruction for future FETs.</p>
<p>Alan Aleman (Las Vegas, NV)</p>
<p>DREAM Student </p>
<p>Alan Aleman was born in Mexico City, Mexico.  In high school, Alan watched his friends come of age – driving around town with their new licenses and earning some extra cash from their summer jobs at the mall.  Although Alan knew he could not do those things because of his immigration status, he was determined to get a good education.  Last year, when Alan heard the news that the Obama Administration was going to provide Deferred Action for undocumented youth like him to emerge from the shadows, he was one of the first to sign up.  Alan was among the first people in Nevada to get approved.  In that moment, Alan said, “I felt the fear vanish.  I felt accepted.”  Today, Alan is in his second year at the College of Southern Nevada.  He’s studying to become a doctor and he hopes to join the Air Force.  Alan is currently working at Hermandad Mexicana, where he is in charge of final review for DACA applications.  </p>
<p>Jack Andraka (Crownsville, MD)</p>
<p>Winner of the 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair</p>
<p>Jack Andraka, 16, of North County High School, was awarded first place for his new method to detect pancreatic cancer at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2012, a program of Society for Science &#038; the Public. Motivated by the death of his uncle due to pancreatic cancer, Jack created a simple dip-stick sensor based on diabetic test paper to test blood or urine to determine whether or not a patient has early-stage pancreatic cancer. His study resulted in over 90 percent accuracy and showed his patent-pending sensor to be 28 times faster, 28 times less expensive and over 100 times more sensitive than current tests. President Obama strongly believes that we need more students like Jack who are passionate about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and has hosted two White House Science Fairs to celebrate students participating in such competitions.  </p>
<p>Susan Bumgarner (Norman, OK)                                         </p>
<p>Early Childhood Educator</p>
<p>Susan Bumgarner&#8217;s home state of Oklahoma is a national leader in providing access to high quality preschool for all children, and she has been an early educator in the Oklahoma system for more than twenty years. Susan was educated at the University of Oklahoma and influenced by family members who taught and studied there.  Susan has written curriculum, trained Head Start teachers, taught infants and toddlers, and prepared parents by teaching Early Birds readiness class.  In 1992 Susan began teaching pre-kindergarten at what is now Wilson Arts Integration Elementary School, a public school. “My work is enthralling and my students are amazing, creative, intelligent people,” she said. “It is an honor to facilitate their playful transition into the formal world of learning.”</p>
<p>Deb Carey (New Glarus, WI)</p>
<p>Small Business Owner, New Glarus Brewing Company </p>
<p>Deborah Carey’s decision to start New Glarus Brewing Company was rooted in doing what was best for her family.  As she worked on a business plan, her husband Dan, a master brewer, gathered the materials, grains and equipment needed for start-up.  In 1993 they negotiated to rent a warehouse in New Glarus, exchanging the lease for stock in the New Glarus Brewing Company.  They sold their home and raised $40,000 in seed money, but still needed more funding. Deborah pitched her story to local newspapers, and the media attention brought $200,000 from investors.  In the early days, the couple worked hard to establish the brewery’s reputation for consistent quality beers and developed a very loyal customer base. Today, New Glarus Brewing Company has grown to 50 full-time employees, and registered growth in profits of 123 percent from 2007 to 2009, becoming Wisconsin’s number one micro-brewery relative to sales volume.</p>
<p>Sergeant Carlos Evans, USMC (Cameron, NC)</p>
<p>Wounded Warrior </p>
<p>Sergeant Evans, born in Puerto Rico, was on his fourth overseas deployment when he sustained injuries in Afghanistan that resulted in the loss of both of his legs and his left hand.  Recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center, Sergeant Evans met the First Lady and later visited the White House for a Wounded Warrior Tour.  At that time, the President signed his prosthetic arm.   He credits the support he has received from private organizations to the First Lady and Dr. Biden’s efforts in Joining Forces.  In 2012, he received a custom home from Operation Coming Home and now resides in North Carolina with his wife and two young daughters.  </p>
<p>Tim Cook (Cupertino, CA) </p>
<p>CEO of Apple<br />
Before being named CEO in August 2011, Tim was Apple&#8217;s Chief Operating Officer and was responsible for all of the company’s worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple’s Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.</p>
<p>Prior to joining Apple, Tim was vice president of Corporate Materials for Compaq and was responsible for procuring and managing all of Compaq’s product inventory. Previous to his work at Compaq, Tim was the chief operating officer of the Reseller Division at Intelligent Electronics. Tim also spent 12 years with IBM, most recently as director of North American Fulfillment where he led manufacturing and distribution functions for IBM’s Personal Computer Company in North and Latin America.</p>
<p>Tim earned an M.B.A. from Duke University, where he was a Fuqua Scholar, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Auburn University.</p>
<p>Cleopatra Cowley-Pendleton and Nathaniel A. Pendleton Sr. (Chicago, IL)</p>
<p>Cleopatra and Nathaniel’s daughter Hadiya Pendleton was murdered on January 29, 2013, when she was shot and killed in Harsh Park on Chicago’s South Side. Hadiya had participated in President Obama’s public inaugural celebration on January 21, 2013.  She was an honor student and band majorette at King College Prep High School.  First Lady Michelle Obama attended Hadiya’s memorial service on Saturday, February 6th.   </p>
<p>Menchu de Luna Sanchez (Secaucus, NJ)</p>
<p>Registered Nurse, NYU Langone Medical Center </p>
<p>When Hurricane Sandy cut the power at NYU Langone Medical Center, Menchu Sanchez, a Registered Nurse, devised a plan to transport twenty at-risk infants to intensive care units around the city.  She organized the nurses and doctors to carefully carry the babies down eight flights of stairs with only cell phones to light the way.  Even as Menchu’s own home was flooding, she thought only of protecting the babies in her care.  Menchu was born, raised, and educated in the Philippines and she immigrated to the United States in the 1980s.  She has worked as a nurse in New York for more than 25 years, and has been at NYU since 2010.  Menchu currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children, both of whom are in college.</p>
<p>Bobak Ferdowsi (Pasadena, CA)</p>
<p>Flight Director, Mars Curiosity Rover</p>
<p>Bobak Ferdowsi, aka NASA’s “Mohawk Guy,” is a member of the Mars Curiosity rover team at NASA and Caltech’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.  After the successful landing of the Curiosity rover in August 2012, President Obama called to congratulate the team on their success, and singled out Bobak for his unique haircut that captured the imagination of millions of people around the world. The Curiosity rover is a car-sized robot equipped with a laser, chemistry set, and drill for assessing whether Mars ever had an environment able to support small life forms. Bobak is an Iranian-American and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional who, in addition to his inspiring day-to-day work on the Mars Curiosity mission, volunteers as a FIRST robotics mentor to get more boys and girls excited about STEM education.</p>
<p>Bradley Henning (Louisville, KY)</p>
<p>Machinist, Atlas Machine and Supply</p>
<p>Bradley Henning’s high school has one of the best machining programs in Kentucky.  He got hooked on machining in his sophomore year, and by the time he graduated, Bradley had taken enough vocational classes to get hired as a full-time apprentice with Atlas Machine and Supply in Louisville, Kentucky.  For the past four years, Bradley has worked under a veteran machinist and is taking additional classes to earn his full certification. Today, at 23, he is a card-carrying Journeyman Machinist at Atlas, and responsible for mentoring the next generation of apprentices.  Bradley is committed to a career in manufacturing and sees a bright future ahead. “This is going to be my lifelong career,” he said. “I come in every day with a smile on my face. I learn something new every day…I love that.”</p>
<p>Tracey Hepner (Arlington, VA)</p>
<p>Co-Founder, Military Partners and Families Coalition </p>
<p>Tracey is a co-founder of the Military Partners and Families Coalition (MPFC), which provides support, resources, education, and advocacy for LGBT military partners and their families.  Outside of her work with MPFC, Tracey works full time for the Department of Homeland Security as a Master Behavior Detection Officer.  She is married to the first openly gay or lesbian general officer in the military, Army Brigadier General Tammy Smith.</p>
<p>Peter Hudson (Evergreen, CO)</p>
<p>Co-Founder and CEO, iTriage </p>
<p>Dr. Peter Hudson, the co-founder and CEO of iTriage, is a physician and entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience founding and growing healthcare-related businesses. His focus has been on creating efficiencies within the healthcare delivery system, and empowering healthcare consumers with technology.  Using open government data, Dr. Hudson launched iTriage in 2009, a company focused on prompting citizens to actively engage in their own healthcare. Through the app, an example of government inspired innovation, smartphone users can locate nearby providers based on their symptoms, make appointments, store their personal health records, save medication refill reminders, and learn about thousands of medications, diseases and procedures. </p>
<p>Governor John Kitzhaber (D-OR)</p>
<p>Governor John Kitzhaber has built on his experience as a former emergency room doctor to transform health care delivery in Oregon. Now in his third term, Governor Kitzhaber is working with the Obama administration to scale up innovative models that show how government can do more with less. These performance partnerships, which emphasize federal flexibility and local accountability, are key to achieving improved health care outcomes and efficiencies, better results for our students and building the infrastructure we&#8217;ll need to unleash the 21st century economy.</p>
<p>Mayor Marie Lopez Rogers (Avondale, AZ)</p>
<p>Marie Lopez Rogers served on the Avondale City Council for 14 years before being elected as the city’s first Latina Mayor in 2006.  Growing up in migrant farm labor camps and picking cotton alongside her parents in fields where her City Hall now stands, Mayor Rogers never imagined that she would be guiding the transformation of the region.  Mayor Rogers currently serves as Chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments.  In Dec. 2012, she was named president of the National League of Cities, an organization dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. She and her husband Ed have been married for 43 years and have three children and six grandchildren. </p>
<p>Amanda E. McMillan (Jackson, MS)</p>
<p>Pay Discrimination Victim </p>
<p>For a number of years Amanda McMillan worked as a secretary for the owner of a Forrest City Grocery Company. She was doing many of the same duties as male salespeople, but at lower pay. Despite repeatedly asking to be officially promoted to the better and higher-paying job in sales, she was told by the company that the job of a salesman was too dangerous for a woman, and that she would not be a good mother if she were on the road meeting customers. With the help of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), she sued the company for sex discrimination. The lawsuit charged that Forrest City Grocery denied sales positions to an employee because she was a woman and paid McMillan less than men doing the same work. When asked why she has pursued the case, McMillan said, “I’m doing this because it was wrong and I could never look my girls in the face and then tell them they live in America and could be anything they wanted to be.”As a result of the suit, Forrest City Grocery agreed to pay $125,000 in monetary damages and agreed to disseminate employment policies to employees and provide ongoing training for management on sex discrimination. Amanda, a mother of three, currently lives in Jackson, MS.</p>
<p>Lee Maxwell (Wilton, IA)</p>
<p>Graduate, Kirkwood Community College Wind Technician Program </p>
<p>In 2012, Lee Maxwell graduated from Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.   He gained twenty six separate certifications in everything from reading blueprints to driving forklifts.  Today, he’s responsible for turning on the power for new wind turbines that are being built all around the country.   Kirkwood started its wind technician training program three years ago in partnership with Iowa-based Clipper Windpower, combining an industry-based curriculum and donated equipment to give students the hands-on experience they need to succeed.</p>
<p>Lieutenant Brian Murphy (Oak Creek, WI)</p>
<p>Lieutenant Brian Murphy was the first police officer to arrive at the scene of the tragic Sikh temple shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin last August.  Lt. Murphy directly confronted the shooter, and took fifteen bullets to his head, neck, and body before the rest of the police force arrived.  When his fellow officers moved to assist him, he waved them off and told them to protect the threatened citizens who remained in the temple. When asked how he was able to respond with such bravery, Lt. Murphy responded, “That’s just the way we’re made.” Today, Lt. Murphy is on medical leave from the force and still recovering from his injuries.  Lt. Murphy has served as a police officer for more than twenty years and previously served in the Marine Corps and the United National security force.  He lives with his wife and children in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. </p>
<p>Lisa Richards (Arlington, VA)</p>
<p>#My2K Participant </p>
<p>Lisa Richards, a single mom, was one of thousands of Americans who shared stories about what paying $2,200 more in taxes would mean for her family by using #My2K. She wrote, “It&#8217;s 20 weeks of groceries, two years worth of gasoline, 1/3 of a new roof (which I need), six months of utilities.” With the passage of the middle class tax cuts at the beginning of the year, Lisa and millions of Americans like her did not see did not see an income tax increase. Born in Philadelphia and raised in New York and Dallas, Lisa has called the Washington, DC area home for more than 25 years. She now lives in Arlington, Virginia with her seven-year-old daughter working freelance and contract work for a variety of website clients.  </p>
<p>Kaitlin Roig (Greenwich, CT)</p>
<p>1st Grade Teacher, Sandy Hook Elementary School </p>
<p>Kaitlin Roig has taught first grade for six years at Sandy Hook Elementary, and has always had a passion for education and working with children.  She attended and received her Master’s degree from the NEAG School of Education at the University of Connecticut, where she was a member of the Order of Omega Honor Society, The Historical Honor Society, and the NEAG honor society.  In addition to her teaching, Kaitlin also started a running club called Marathon Mondays for third and fourth grade students at Sandy Hook Elementary.  She will be running the New York City Marathon this year.</p>
<p>Abby Schanfield (Minneapolis, MN)</p>
<p>ACA Beneficiary </p>
<p>Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Abby would have lost coverage upon turning 21 and would not have been able to obtain care due to her several pre-existing conditions.  Abby is a member of TakeAction Minnesota’s healthcare team, a grassroots organization that advocates for progressive policies ranging from health care to economic reform.  Abby was influenced by her experiences growing up with a chronic illness, and the privileges that come with being insured.  A recent graduate of the University of Minnesota, Abby hopes to work in public policy, focusing on women’s and community health. </p>
<p>Haile Thomas (Tucson, AZ)</p>
<p>Let’s Move! Champion </p>
<p>Haile Thomas is a 12 year-old Youth Advisory Board member with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.  She is Co-Founder/Director of the HAPPY Organization, an Arizona nonprofit dedicated to improving the health and wellness of youth through education, outreach, and advocacy about proper nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. Haile hosts an annual H.E.A.L. (healthy eating, active lifestyle) Festival on Global Youth Service Day in Tucson. She created the Healthy Girl Adventures Club to inspire girls to embrace healthy habits, and produces online cooking videos aimed at encouraging kids to get cooking. Haile is also the Youth Spokesperson and Jr. Chef Consultant for Hyatt Hotels. </p>
<p>Desiline Victor (Miami, FL) </p>
<p>Desiline Victor, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Haiti and retired farmworker, is 102 years old. On October 28, the first Sunday of early voting in Florida, Desiline went to vote at her polling place, a local library. When she arrived at 10:00 a.m., wait times were up to six hours. Determined to vote, she stood in line for three hours, until 1:00 p.m. After citizen advocates complained that the elderly woman was struggling on her feet, a poll worker asked Desiline to come back at a later time. On Desiline’s second visit that evening, she was finally able to cast her ballot. When she emerged from the building with her “I Voted” sticker, the crowd of thousands of waiting voters erupted into applause. Several voters remarked that the lines were long, and they needed to get home, but because of Desiline they would continue to stand and wait. Desiline resides in North Miami, where she is lovingly known as “Granny” among the city’s Haitian community. A spirited and independent centenarian, she enjoys attending church services and cooking her own meals.</p>
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		<title>Oklahoma City Teacher Invited to First Lady&#8217;s Box for State of the Union Speech</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/11/oklahoma-city-teacher-invited-to-first-ladys-box-for-state-of-the-union-speech/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/02/11/oklahoma-city-teacher-invited-to-first-ladys-box-for-state-of-the-union-speech/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2013 19:16:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[President Barack Obama]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4539</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Susan Bumgarner, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Wilson Arts Integration Elementary School in Oklahoma City, has been invited to sit in first lady Michelle Obama&#8217;s box for the State of the Union speech on Tuesday.<br />
Bumgarner, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, has written curriculum, trained Head Start teachers, taught infants and toddlers and prepared parents in Early Birds readiness classes.<br />
She has been teaching at Wilson Arts Integration since 1992.<br />
The first lady&#8217;s box will include middle-class Americans representing the policy proposals the president is expected to outline in his speech, according to the White House.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Susan Bumgarner, a pre-kindergarten teacher at Wilson Arts Integration Elementary School in Oklahoma City, has been invited to sit in first lady Michelle Obama&#8217;s box for the State of the Union speech on Tuesday.<br />
Bumgarner, a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, has written curriculum, trained Head Start teachers, taught infants and toddlers and prepared parents in Early Birds readiness classes.<br />
She has been teaching at Wilson Arts Integration since 1992.<br />
The first lady&#8217;s box will include middle-class Americans representing the policy proposals the president is expected to outline in his speech, according to the White House.<br />
In November, Bumgarner was named a finalist for the 2013 Oklahoma City Public Schools Teacher of the Year award.<br />
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett was a guest in the first lady&#8217;s box in 2010 because of his work to fight obesity.</p>
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		<title>Rep. James Lankford Only Oklahoman Voting Against Fiscal Cliff Deal</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/01/02/rep-james-lankford-only-oklahoman-voting-against-fiscal-cliff-deal/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2013/01/02/rep-james-lankford-only-oklahoman-voting-against-fiscal-cliff-deal/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:37:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rep. Dan Boren]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rep. James Lankford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rep. Tom Cole]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4440</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, was the only member of Oklahoma&#8217;s congressional delegation who voted against the fiscal cliff deal on Tuesday. Both of Oklahoma&#8217;s senators supported it, and four of the five House members voted aye late Tuesday night.<br />
Among the four House members supporting it were outgoing Reps. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, and John Sullivan, R-Tulsa. Both of those members will be leaving the House on Thursday, when their replacements will be sworn in.<br />
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, said Wednesday, &#8220;This agreement is far from perfect, but preventing the largest tax increase in history and making tax cuts permanent for 98 percent of taxpayers is a major victory for American workers and for the economy.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, was the only member of Oklahoma&#8217;s congressional delegation who voted against the fiscal cliff deal on Tuesday. Both of Oklahoma&#8217;s senators supported it, and four of the five House members voted aye late Tuesday night.<br />
Among the four House members supporting it were outgoing Reps. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, and John Sullivan, R-Tulsa. Both of those members will be leaving the House on Thursday, when their replacements will be sworn in.<br />
Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, said Wednesday, &#8220;This agreement is far from perfect, but preventing the largest tax increase in history and making tax cuts permanent for 98 percent of taxpayers is a major victory for American workers and for the economy.<br />
&#8220;While I would prefer a combination of tax cuts and spending cuts, passage of this bill lays the groundwork for significant spending reductions in the coming weeks.  With tax rate increases off the table, President Obama and Senate Democrats will be forced to confront reality and accept spending and entitlement reforms.<br />
&#8220;Passage of permanent tax relief ensures that the upcoming budget debates will be solely focused on spending restraint.<br />
&#8220;Congress will have three significant opportunities in the next three months to reduce the deficit when we debate the debt ceiling, the across-the-board sequestration cuts, and the government funding bill that expires in March.  The fiscal cliff is certainly not the last debate we&#8217;ll have over spending, but it is the last time President Obama will be able to threaten massive tax increases to avoid addressing the real causes of our debt.&#8221;</p>
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		<title>Rep. James Lankford wins House GOP Post</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2012/11/14/rep-james-lankford-wins-house-gop-post/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2012/11/14/rep-james-lankford-wins-house-gop-post/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:02:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rep. James Lankford]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4368</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Rep. James Lankford was just elected chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fifth-ranking spot on the House GOP leadership team   …</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rep. James Lankford was just elected chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, the fifth-ranking spot on the House GOP leadership team   </p>
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			<wfw:commentRss>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2012/11/14/rep-james-lankford-wins-house-gop-post/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Rep. James Lankford to Seek House GOP Leadership Post</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2012/11/08/rep-james-lankford-to-seek-house-gop-leadership-post/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2012/11/08/rep-james-lankford-to-seek-house-gop-leadership-post/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Nov 2012 15:40:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rep. James Lankford]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4349</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, is planning to run for chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, a leadership position, when the House reconvenes next week. He is currently unopposed for the spot, which is now held by Rep. Tom Price, of Georgia.<br />
Lankford is still a freshman. He won a second term on Tuesday. He would be the first Oklahoman on the leadership team since Rep. Tom Cole, R-Norman, ran the National Republican Congressional Committee.<br />
The policy committee helps develop House Republican positions on various issues.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, is planning to run for chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, a leadership position, when the House reconvenes next week. He is currently unopposed for the spot, which is now held by Rep. Tom Price, of Georgia.<br />
Lankford is still a freshman. He won a second term on Tuesday. He would be the first Oklahoman on the leadership team since Rep. Tom Cole, R-Norman, ran the National Republican Congressional Committee.<br />
The policy committee helps develop House Republican positions on various issues.<br />
Lankford said Thursday, &#8220;I&#8217;m not one who has a passion for politics. I do have a passion for ideas.&#8221;<br />
He said colleagues have been talking to him for months about seeking the position.<br />
Lankford, 44, quickly became a favorite of House Republican leaders in his first term and a frequent guest on news programs.<br />
Twenty years ago, another Oklahoma City Republican was chairman of the House GOP Policy Committee _ former Rep. Mickey Edwards.</p>
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		<title>Two Oklahoma Judicial Posts at Stake in Presidential Election</title>
		<link>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2012/11/06/two-oklahoma-judicial-posts-at-stake-in-election/</link>
		<comments>http://blog.newsok.com/politics/2012/11/06/two-oklahoma-judicial-posts-at-stake-in-election/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:51:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Casteel</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Courts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Elections]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Federal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mitt Romney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oklahoma City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[President Barack Obama]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.newsok.com/politics/?p=4336</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>They&#8217;re not on any ballot, but U.S Magistrate Judge Robert E. Bacharach and Tulsa attorney John E. Dowdell have jobs at stake on Tuesday.<br />
Bacharach, a magistrate judge in Oklahoma City, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the appellate courts a step below the U.S. Supreme Court. Obama nominated Dowdell for a U.S. District judgeship in Tulsa.<br />
Both easily cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support. But Senate Republicans blocked the full Senate from voting on their nominations.…</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>They&#8217;re not on any ballot, but U.S Magistrate Judge Robert E. Bacharach and Tulsa attorney John E. Dowdell have jobs at stake on Tuesday.<br />
Bacharach, a magistrate judge in Oklahoma City, has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, one of the appellate courts a step below the U.S. Supreme Court. Obama nominated Dowdell for a U.S. District judgeship in Tulsa.<br />
Both easily cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support. But Senate Republicans blocked the full Senate from voting on their nominations.<br />
If the president wins another term, the nominations are expected to sail through.<br />
If Republican Mitt Romney wins the White House, he may decide to nominate two different Oklahomans for the positions.</p>
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