The Role of Paper Ballots, Their Security and How They’re Made

In the continuing escalation in his attack on Amazon, President Donald Trump issued an executive order yesterday for the establishment of a federal task force, led by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin or his designee, to investigate the finances of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), which has lost more than $65 billion during the past 11 consecutive fiscal years. The special commission is expected to submit a report on its findings and recommendations within 120 days. Some pundits argue that President Trump's tweets against the online retail juggernaut are politically driven, given that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also owns the Washington Post, which has been highly critical of Trump and his policies. Trump's ongoing public statements and tweets against Amazon, and how the online retailer is destroying the traditional brick-and-mortar retail industry, have negatively impacted Amazon's stock price. The main drag on USPS finances, in reality, has been the mandate that it pre-fund its retiree health care obligations to the tune of more than $38 billion. For the first time, last year the Postal Service missed payments it owes to the federal retirement system, for a combined total of $6.9 billion. Click Read More below for additional information.

REI Co-op will open its new store in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on September 4 for limited in-store shopping, offering a wide assortment of quality outdoor gear for hiking, camping, climbing and more. Designed to be a gateway to outdoor adventures in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, REI Pigeon Forge will feature the co-op’s newest retail format offering a variety of gear rentals, zero contact bike shop services for maintenance and repairs and Buy Online Pickup In Store capabilities. The new 21,500-square-foot store was originally scheduled to open in the spring but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. REI Pigeon Forge marks the co-op’s fifth location in the state and will serve the co-op’s nearly 250,000 lifetime members in Tennessee and the millions of visitors that adventure in the region every year.

As students and teachers nationwide head back to school, learning technology company HMH today announced major enhancements to Ed, HMH’s connected teaching and learning platform, that will offer an even more streamlined experience to empower educators and engage students. Seamless integrations with Google Classroom and Clever, as well as refinements and new features to many of HMH’s core, supplemental and intervention solutions and professional learning services, provide powerful connected teaching and learning experiences that drive positive outcomes—all from one platform. “At HMH, we know that an innovative, connected approach is what educators need to make the most of their time and resources and meet all students where they are,” said Greg Collins, SVP of Platform at HMH. “This back-to-school, a streamlined Ed experience will equip students, teachers and administrators with powerful integrations like Google Classroom and Clever, enhanced embedded assessment, joint solutions like Amira + Saxon Phonics & Spelling and evolve the overall HMH platform experience.”