EDUCATION
Trump asks Betsy DeVos to study federal overreach in education
President Trump signed an executive order calling on the Education Department to study whether the federal government has overstepped state and local control of education.
“We know that local communities do it best and know it best,” Trump said during a signing ceremony on Wednesday. “Previous administrations have wrongly forced states and schools to comply with federal whims and dictates for what our kids are taught. The time has come to empower teachers and parents to make the decisions that help their students achieve success.”
Under the executive order, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos will review any regulations or guidance that might be deemed as overstepping the department’s bounds.
Conservative groups in favor of limited government praised the executive action.
“Conducting such a review is part and parcel of ensuring that education innovation and opportunity are able to take root throughout our various education sectors,” said Jeanne Allen, founder and CEO of the Center for Education Reform. “The process will also allow the public to learn just how much oversight occurs as a result of bureaucracy, not law, and pave the way for all schools to focus on outcomes, not compliance.” – Jason Russell
OPIOID CRISIS
Bracing for the next killer: Addicts turn to animal tranquilizer
Health and law enforcement officials nationwide are seeing an increase in new overdose cases from a synthetic opioid that is 10,000 times stronger than morphine. Carfentanil is generally used to tranquilize large animals, such as elephants. A lethal human dose can be as small as a grain of rice.
Addicts are constantly chasing the feeling of their first high, which can push them to use increasingly dangerous drugs as their tolerance increases, said Melissa Dotter, a Marathon County, Wis., Drug Free Communities coordinator, in a recent interview with WSAW. Wisconsin is the one of the latest states to confirm carfentanil deaths. Three deaths this month in Maryland have been linked to the lethal drug. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who two months ago declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating opioid crisis, said carfentanil is just the latest in newer, deadlier drugs being sold to users or laced with other drugs without users’ knowledge.
While naloxone or Narcan can be used to help save someone from an opioid overdose, carfentanil is so strong that it may not be as effective. Carfentanil can also be absorbed through the skin so that police officers are being instructed to wear gloves and wear eye and mouth protection when handling the suspected drug.
Carfentanil began appearing last summer, and the drug was found in Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio before spreading east. Addiction specialists and health departments are racing to beef up efforts in response. – Joana Suleiman
IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS
Need a passport for summer travel? Apply now
State Department officials are urging travelers to get their passports as soon as possible because of increased demand, which could bring longer processing times.
The department, which processes passports, expects a surge in renewals starting this year. That is because people who obtained passports in 2007, when the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative went into effect, will have to renew in 2017 because those passports are expiring. The initiative requires all citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality to enter and leave the United States.
The State Department anticipates a record number of at least 20 million passport applications by the end of 2017, Jennifer Archibeque, customer service manager at El Paso Passport Agency, told the El Paso Times. “We encourage travelers to apply or renew well in advance because we anticipate to continue having a high demand of passports over the coming months,” she said.
Currently, passport processing times for routine service is six to eight weeks. That, however, could increase as the high demand trend continues. An adult passport book costs $135, including processing fees. The adult passport card is $55. Passport holders can renew by mail or in person for first-time applications at the State Department’s passport agencies, as well as at any of the thousands of accepted facilities, including U.S. post offices. Passport agencies typically require an appointment and are not usually open on weekends.
U.S. citizens can also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll free at 877-487-2778. More information can be found at travel.state.gov. – Joana Suleiman
