Clinton to receive Medal of Freedom
WASHINGTON- Former President Bill Clinton is to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House on Nov. 20.
The Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. It is presented to individuals who have made meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
Other people scheduled to receive the medal that day include media mogul Oprah Winfrey, country musician Loretta Lynn, astronaut Sally Ride, civil-rights activist C.T. Vivian and former University of North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith.
Arkansan to join
‘stroller brigade’
On Tuesday, Little Rock resident Linda Rogers, vice president of programs for Easter Seals of Arkansas, and hundreds of other parents will meet with their senators to urge updates to federal toxic-chemicals laws.
The group will also march on Capitol Hill in what it is calling a “stroller brigade” to highlight toxic chemicals that have been found in consumer products such as household cleaners, children’s products and building materials.
Bill adds clause in U.S. labor law
U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Ark., filed a bill Tuesday to exempt children’s consignment sales from Fair Labor Standards Act regulations.
The federal government wants the businesses to pay workers at least minimum wage. Some consignment sales pay employees by giving them early access to the merchandise.
The bill would benefit entrepreneurs such as Rhea Lana Riner, founder of Rhea Lana’s Franchise Systems Inc., a Conway-based business that runs consignment-sale events in 19 states.
Hotel group wants health-law tweak
Arkansas members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association visited Capitol Hill on Wednesday to discuss the effects of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on their businesses. U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin’s staff said the members support a change, backed by Griffin, that would modify the law to define a full-time employee as working 40 hours a week. The Affordable Care Act defines a full-time employee as someone who works 30 hours a week.
The Arkansans were Shash Goyal of Little Rock, Jayesh Lallu of Cabot, Bhu Makan of west Little Rock, Girish Patel of Searcy, Bhavin Patel of Little Rock, Andy Patel of Sherwood and Nila Patel of Texarkana.
Utility gets USDA infrastructure loan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded Rich Mountain Electric Cooperative Inc. a $16.6 million loan Thursday for its operations in Arkansas and Oklahoma. The loan is supposed to help the cooperative serve 618 customers, build 98 miles of distribution line and a mile of transmission line, as well as other system improvements.
In total, the department granted $960 million in loans to 32 rural electric-utility systems nationwide for infrastructure.
The department grants the loans under the authority of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
Planning to visit the nation’s capital? Know something happening in Washington, D.C.? Contact us at (202) 662-7690 or swire@arkansasonline.com Sarah D. Wire
Front Section, Pages 12 on 10/27/2013