June 08, 2010

The National Safety Council today announced its support for the Distracted Driving Prevention Act. The legislation, introduced by Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), would provide incentive grants to states that adopt a ban on texting and handheld cell phone use for all drivers and a total ban on cell phone use by drivers younger than 18. In addition to restricting cell phone use by motorists, the bill also would create two high-visibility education and advertising campaigns, administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, to educate motorists about the dangers of texting and cell phone use while driving. Full release.

With an urgent extension of federal Medicaid relief (FMAP) unresolved by Congress, representatives of the Coalition to Protect Senior Care (CPSC)-are in Washington, DC today calling on Congress to expedite passage of the Medicaid relief this week. Long term caregivers are telling Congress that Medicaid funding is vital to maintaining a stable workforce and to preserving quality care for nursing home patients around the country. Full release.

NASA's first dedicated oceanographic field campaign goes to sea June 15 to take an up-close look at how changing conditions in the Arctic are affecting the ocean's chemistry and ecosystems that play a critical role in global climate change. The "Impacts of Climate on Ecosystems and Chemistry of the Arctic Pacific Environment" mission, or ICESCAPE, will investigate the impacts of climate change on the ecology and biogeochemistry of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. A key focus is how changes in the Arctic may be altering the ocean's ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is a leading cause of global warming. Full release.

PR Newswire has put together a comprehensive page of updates dedicated to the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill. Here you will find the latest news stories, maps, photos, Twitter posts, and other Web resources, all in one convenient location and easily sharable. Check it out.

U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert M. Groves today reaffirmed the agency's commitment to an accurate and complete count of everyone living in the Mississippi Delta. Groves visited the region last week and participated in a 2010 Census roundtable discussion in Jackson, Miss., organized by Concerned Citizens for a Better Tunica County. Participants included Southern Echo, an African-American leadership organization; Sunflower County Parents and Students Organization; Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance; Tunica Teens in Action; Moving Forward Gulf Coast; and Mercy Housing and Human Development of Gulfport, Miss. Full release.

Watching the public relations crisis engulfing BP as it struggles to manage the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, I am reminded of a wise old adage: When you're in a hole, stop digging. Every day, it seems, BP's leaders say or do something that makes the colossal environmental disaster even worse. I spent many years managing public affairs for ARCO, which was eventually bought by the British petroleum giant BP. After the company's April 20 drilling rig explosion off Louisiana, many friends asked me how I would handle public relations if I were in charge. At first I hesitated to embrace the role of Monday morning quarterback. But BP's repeated missteps have so astonished me that I could not hold back. Full release.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, roughly 33 million Americans have a disability and nearly half are unemployed. Just over 20 years ago, the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities launched the Bridges from school to work program to shrink the career gap for youth ages 17-22 with mental, physical and cognitive disabilities. Since its founding, the program has placed more than 12,000 young adults with 3,000 employers nationwide. Full release.

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the summer driving season have some experts predicting rising gas prices. Recaptured Energy Technologies reminds fleet managers that its hydraulic braking and propulsion system reduces fuel consumption by as much as 25 percent annually, significantly lowering fuel costs and keeping budgets under control. The unique nature of Recaptured Energy Technologies' new hydraulic braking and propulsion system for fleet, commercial and transit vehicles is that it can be retrofit to existing vehicles. Full release.

Members of the news media, including from publications such as The Washington Post, Time and Newsweek, have reacted harshly to the announcement of one of the top-selling books in America, which investigates President Obama, with multiple reporters sending expletive-laden e-mails to the author's publicist. The journalists rejected the thoroughly documented book before receiving review copies of the title. "The Manchurian President: Barack Obama's Ties to Communists, Socialists and other Anti-American Extremists" was released on May 3, 2010. Full release.

U.S. employers anticipate favorable hiring plans for Quarter 3 2010, marking three straight quarters of positive survey findings, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, conducted quarterly by Manpower Inc. Employers provided a seasonally adjusted Outlook of +6%, up from -2% during the same period last year. Ninety-eight percent of U.S. states have a positive hiring Outlook and 95 of the nation's 100 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas have a positive Outlook for Quarter 3 2010. Full release.

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