Sam Coughlin The results of the midterm election, which featured seven Notre Dame or Saint Mary’s alumni running for national office or governor, will help shape the immediate political future of the country, professor of political science David Campbell said.Campbell, who specializes in American politics, said the Republican Party’s success in reclaiming a majority in the Senate could produce a more difficult road to a Republican White House in 2016.“From the Republicans’ perspective, winning Congress may actually complicate their attempt to win the presidency in 2016,” Campbell said. “They succeeded in 2014 by running against the President and, to a lesser extent, the Democratic Senate.“It will be much harder for the Republican nominee to blame the country’s sour mood solely on the White House, since the GOP will have had full control of the legislative branch.”With a majority in the Senate, Republicans now control both houses of Congress, something Campbell said would increase governmental productivity — ideally.“One would like to think that Republican Congress and Democratic President will now have an incentive to work together but, alas, that is unlikely,” he said. “More likely is that President Obama will use his veto authority more than he has thus far and reject legislation passed by Congress.”With a little over two years left in office, President Obama will likely start to try to mold his legacy, Campbell said, though he must do so without a Democratic majority in either house of Congress.“Traditionally, presidents in their final two years look to establish a legacy and often do so in areas where the president can act without the need for Congressional approval,” he said. “Foreign affairs is the classic example — look for the President to engage more on the world stage. But another example is executive orders, often to create national monuments and parks. President Obama has already done some of this recently [and] I expect to see more.”Overall, Campbell said these midterm elections reflected national trends that have recently solidified and a historical pattern typical of midterms.“We continue to see many of the patterns that, in recent years, have been ‘baked into’ our elections,” he said. “Young people went Democratic, but turned out in low numbers; minorities went Democratic, but also turned out in low numbers; white men skewed Republican and turned out in reasonably large numbers.“It has long been the historical pattern that the president’s party loses seats in midterm elections,” he said. “And, given the president’s low approval numbers, it is thus not surprising that we see the same this year. The notable aspect of this election is less that the Republicans picked up seats, but more that they did so well and thus took control of the Senate.”Though the only Notre Dame alumnus currently serving in the U.S. Senate, Joe Donnelly (D-IN), class of 1977 and Law School class of 1981, was not up for re-election this year, Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s alumni who ran for other national offices fared well in their races.Rep. Peter King  (R-NY-2) won re-election for his 12th term in Congress with nearly 70 percent of the vote. King, who graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1968, serves on the House Homeland Security Committee and as Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence.Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN-1), who received his law degree from Notre Dame in 1973, won re-election with just over 60 percent of the vote. Visclosky, whose district includes Gary, Valparaiso and Michigan City, has served in the House of Representatives since 1985.Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA-3) won just over 60 percent of the vote en route to re-election for his third term. Kelly, who attended Notre Dame on football and academic scholarships, graduated in 1970.Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA-12) claimed nearly 60 percent of the vote in his district to win re-election to his second term. Rothfus graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1990.Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-13), Notre Dame class of 1999, won with nearly 70 percent of the vote in a district that includes parts of northeast Philadelphia. This was Boyle’s first election for the U.S. House of Representatives after serving for 5 years in the Pennsylvania House.Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX-4) ran unopposed after defeating 17-term incumbent Republican Rep. Ralph Hall in the primary to win his first term in the House. Ratcliffe graduated from Notre Dame in 1987 and worked in the Department of Justice during George W. Bush’s administration.Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX-30) ran without a Republican challenger and took 88 percent of the vote in her district, which includes parts of the Dallas metropolitan area. Johnson, who graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1956 with a degree in nursing and was the first nurse elected to Congress, will begin her 12th term when the 114th Congress is sworn in this January.Rep. Donna Christensen (D-U.S. Virgin Islands), a non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives who has served nine terms, graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1966. She is the first woman to represent an offshore U.S. territory in Congress and the first female physician to serve in Congress. This year, she ran to become the first female governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Neither she nor her main opponent, Independent Kenneth E. Mapp, claimed a majority of the votes so the election will result in a runoff sometime in the near future.Tags: 2014 Election, David Campbell, Donna Christensen, eddie bernice johnson, Keith Rothfus, midterm elections, Mike Kelly, Pete Visclosky, Peter King read more

3SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr,Tansley Stearns Tansley is a dynamic force of nature, fiercely crusading on behalf of all credit unions while tirelessly driving forward the brand image and family spirit of Canvas. She joined us … Web: https://www.canvas.org Details I’m a big fan of the Super Bowl. It’s such a tradition to enjoy the game with those we love, and there is something for everyone. In my house, my husband loves football, my daughter, MacKenzie, loves the music and showmanship of halftime, and I love the creative advertising. As a curious observer of humans, I’m intrigued by what sticks with MacKenzie as she watches the commercials. There are insights brimming through the commercials she repeats and even memorizes.For those of you who lean into the creative advertising like I do, it’s fun to talk about the commercials. We all have opinions about what worked and what didn’t. Sometimes, the spots even start trends as we learn new slang and catchphrases that grow into our vocabulary, or the vocabulary of our kiddos. Remember, the “It’s a Tide ad” from 2018, or Budweiser’s “Dilly Dilly!” in 2017, or Jake from State Farm in 2011? I’m willing to bet that you just said the word “khakis” in your head.What does any of this have to do with credit unions? Leveraging the Super Bowl can be part of the answer to a decades-long dilemma: Credit unions need to improve awareness and make it stick. CUNA’s Open Your Eyes campaign research shows we have to make changes to be considered by people looking for a financial institution. We must educate consumers that they’re able to join a credit union and overcome misconceptions like, “Accessing my money is more challenging at a credit union,” or “Credit unions are too small to meet my needs.”Of course, on its own, a Super Bowl ad cannot address all of those challenges. It can, within the context of a broader branding strategy be an important tactic. In order to take advantage of the visibility the Super Bowl creates and capture viewers’ attention, it must be done fearlessly. Our invitation to credit unions is: Go big. Do it now. Do it well.A year ago, as part of our strategy to become a household name in the communities we serve, Canvas leapt at the opportunity to reach the broader Colorado audience. On February 3, 2019, we ran a local 30-second Super Bowl commercial.Gasp! How could we do such a thing? Isn’t that expensive? How is generating a commercial within budget possible? It’s possible because our CEO, Todd Marksberry believes in telling our story. He and our entire leadership team trusted in our internal creative agency’s ability to build the creative in-house. They also knew what a commercial with that much exposure could mean to a growing brand.In our commercial, we announced our new mortgage product: “100% Home.” Through our research and surveys, we heard our members’ voices. They shared that the idea of buying a home as a millennial felt like an unattainable goal in the hot Colorado housing market. For many, a large down payment prevented them from reaching their dream. In response, we developed our “100% Home” product which has a zero-down payment and 100% financing option to support qualified consumers who are stuck in the endless cycle of renting. Our marketing team wrote the script, storyboarded the shots, filmed the commercial, and ran the advertising, all with the goal of bringing awareness to our new mortgage product, ultimately helping more Coloradoans become homeowners.And guess what? It worked.By the end of 2019, we received 542 applications for 100% Home, totaling roughly $167,000,000 and closed on 28 of those loans for just shy of $10,000,000. Our purchase volume grew by 58% that year. And the Super Bowl commercial that started it all? It cost under $20,000 because we purchased the spot locally and managed all the creative in-house.Beyond a reasonable investment, what made the entire campaign work so well was that it was grounded in the voice of our members. The investment in ongoing, member-fueled research infuses key insights into our organization that drive all of our decisions as a member-owned financial cooperative. These insights make our advertising much more impactful.During this year’s Super Bowl, we did it again with a campaign built from our community and members’ feedback about wanting to work with financial institutions that make communication easy and engaging. Our message is simple: Canvas is B.S. Free. Being B.S. (a.k.a. Bank Slang) Free means we commit to eliminating confusing financial jargon from our language as an organization.One or two Super Bowl commercials will not single-handedly solve our awareness and consideration-based challenges. If credit unions invest in these larger spots and do the creative well, kiddos will start memorizing our creative, more people will talk about credit unions, and ultimately, do more business with our organizations. Most importantly as more people use credit unions, our impact will grow. While it’s not a magic wand, when we tell our story well, the possibilities are endless. Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, home of Superbowl LIII in 2019. read more

William E. Lyons Jr., age 78 of Brookville, Indiana died Friday, February 19, 2016 at Shawneesprings Health Center in Harrison, Ohio.Born March 25, 1937 in Cincinnati, Ohio he was the son of the late William E. Lyons Sr., and Elizabeth (Hertsenberg) Lyons. On July 7, 1989 he was united in marriage to the former Jamie Lee Staggs, and she preceded him in death on October 9, 2013.Bill was employed at JTM Food Group in Harrison, Ohio for over 30 Years. He was a Kentucky Colonel, and had also been bestowed the honor of Kentucky Admiral. In his leisure time he enjoyed Woodworking, Harley Davidson Motorcycles, and was an avid gun & knife collector.Survivors include two daughters & sons-in-law, Debbie (Pete) Strawn of Nashville, Tennessee, Darlene (Stan) Harmon of Dry Ridge, Kentucky; a son & daughter-in-law, Larry (Jenny) Staggs of West Chester, Ohio; 10 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren, as well as his beloved canine companion, Sugar.In addition to his parents, and wife, Jamie, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Donna Wright; two brothers Robert Lyons and Lenny Lyons, and his dog Squaw.Family & friends may visit from 1:00 P.M. until 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at Phillips & Meyers Funeral Home, 1025 Franklin Avenue, Brookville.Bob Lyons and Joe Moss will officiate the Funeral Services at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 23, 2016 at Phillips & Meyers Funeral Home in Brookville. Burial will then follow in Maple Grove Cemetery in Brookville.Memorial contributions may be directed to the American Cancer Society or Hospice of Southwest Ohio. Phillips & Meyers Funeral Home is honored to serve the Lyons family, to sign the online guest book or send personal condolences please visit www.phillipsandmeyers.com read more

ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — Two endangered sea turtles, rehabilitated at the Florida Keys-based Turtle Hospital, were released back to the wild Thursday with the assistance of some of the U.S. Coast Guard staff who participated in each of the reptiles’ initial rescues.“Emma,” a 150-pound female loggerhead sea turtle was rescued in June after she was found floating in the Atlantic Ocean off Islamorada. After being rescued by personnel from Coast Guard Station Islamorada, Emma was taken to the Turtle Hospital in Marathon where treatment included emptying excess air out of her body cavity and a regimen of fluids, vitamins and diet of fish and squid. “Bubbles,” a 225-pound adult female green sea turtle was found entangled in an abandoned fishing trap line by recreational boaters in mid-June, off Long Key. Officers from Coast Guard Station Marathon assisted Turtle Hospital staff with the rescue. The entanglement injury caused irreparable damage to Bubbles’ rear flipper resulting in amputation surgery. Bubbles was also treated for pneumonia, and received daily nebulizer treatments, antibiotics, wound care, laser treatment, fluids, vitamins and a diet of lettuce, green peppers, cucumbers and natural sea grass.U.S. Coast Guard First Class Petty Officer Michael Lees, who has served the last two years of his 10-year tenure in the Keys, described the rescue and subsequent release of the sea turtles as a rare treat.“It’s very fulfilling to see the final result of a turtle rescue,” Lees said. “In most of our cases involving people, it’s kind of an open-and-shut case,” he added. “Rarely do we get to see the actual release of the turtle, and that’s very fulfilling and we’re very grateful we were allowed to do so.”Lees said that the Coast Guard plays other important roles beyond human marine safety.“One of the Coast Guard’s missions is marine stewardship, and part of that is living, marine resources, so it’s something we don’t get to do as often but whenever that opportunity comes up it’s something that we really enjoy doing.”Since 1986, the Turtle Hospital in the Florida Keys has been rescuing, rehabilitating and returning sea turtles to the wild. read more

Submitted by Barb Lally for Rob Rice HomesEvery homeowner in a Rob Rice Homes Community can have the confidence and surety that the investment they make in their quality-built home will be protected through a well-managed Homeowners Association.To prove it, all someone has to do is drive through one of the many established Rob Rice Communities to see their long lasting value and beauty.“We have looked at other communities Rob Rice has built and they are still gorgeous,” one buyer recently explained at an open house.It is because Rob Rice himself focuses on protecting his owners’ interests and provides top level professional Homeowners Associations (HOA) management for his communities until the last home is built.“In newly-built, Rob Rice Homes communities, Rob initially manages all of the owner associations in-house,” says Kim Showalter, Rob Rice Homes Association Manager who says the local builder has provided association management since before there were management companies in the area. “His many years of experience and his willing assistance benefit the community over and over.”What an HOA doesA Homeowners Association provides a document to each homeowner called its Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs). It explains how the HOA operates and the neighborhood rules necessary to guard against things that can devalue homes and their community.“Another reason for an HOA is for the maintenance of the abundant green space and expansive landscaped areas, so characteristic of any Rob Rice Community,” Kim adds.“Rob helps them focus on fairness and consistency in applying the CC&R’s and guides communities on budgets that will provide security for the future needs of the neighborhood.”Rob Rice Homes encourages buyers to drive through their established communities, many built several years ago. The homes retain their quality and beauty and the neighborhoods are even more attractive than when a buyer first purchased their home.Carefully guiding a new community “I am on the board of eight of our associations right now and will stay on until all the homes are built,” says Rob Rice, the local builder who often drives through his communities with a watchful eye and attends their HOA meetings or serves on their boards.“I have a vested interest, not only because I care about the lasting value of a community with my name on it, but also because I own homes in each one of them. We do our utmost in quality home construction and like our homeowners, I want to protect that investment.”It’s a relationship that has produced and maintained dozens of flourishing Rob Rice communities in the South Sound.A long lasting relationship that worksThe Rob Rice Community of Rainer Park in Beckonridge is a neighborhood that has only grown more beautiful with time and is providing longstanding value to its homes. Their HOA has retained Rob Rice Homes as its management company for more than two decades.That’s unusual as normally Rob turns over the management of an association to the community’s choice of professional companies once they are ready. But in Beckonridge, the relationship with their builder is highly-valued.“It is mutual respect,” says Bill Kress, a former Beckonridge HOA Board member for 10 years who now serves as the community’s landscape chair. “The longer I served on the board the more I appreciated the guidance that Rob’s company provides. He and his staff provide great input on rules, regulations and state laws that need to be updated. I take pride in our community and our relationship with Rob Rice.”Small price to pay for huge protection A Rob Rice Home, built with quality craftsmanship and superb design, is a smart investment with enduring value. To ensure that, a well-managed, fair and consistent homeowners association is critical.HOA dues help maintain grass, flowers, entrance walls, landscaping, common areas and the overall aesthetics of a community. They also pay for the cost of running the association that helps homeowners abide by the rules that protect the community’s quality.Monthly dues range from $40 to $80 per month and many consider the fees minimal compared to the thousands of dollars in home value they protect.“Having a Homeowners Association already in place gave us peace of mind that we would not lose value on our home the way we have with other homes,” says Jani Greer, HOA vice president of the newer Rob Rice Community of Evergreen Heights. “The dues are a great value and are extremely important for making sure home values are maintained and enhanced.” Facebook16Tweet0Pin0 Rob Rice is Thurston County’s largest local home builder and was voted the Best of South Sound for 2013. He and his wife Helena live in Olympia with their two sons; Alex Michael and Carson. Rob is a graduate of Washington State University with degrees in construction management and architecture. read more