Energy Drinks May Be Linked To Traumatic Brain Injuries. Lees, Kathleen. Sept. 20, 2015.

Previous studies have shown that energy drinks can be particularly dangerous for your cardiovascular health. Yet a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE shows that they may also increase the risk of serious damage to the brain.

"We've found a link between increased brain injuries and the consumption of energy drinks or energy drinks mixed with alcohol," Dr. Michael Cusimano, a neurosurgeon at St. Michael's Hospital, said in a statement. "This is significant because energy drinks have previously been associated with general injuries, but not specifically with traumatic brain injury."

During the study, which was conducted at St. Michaels hospital in Canada, researchers conducted a survey that was given out to more than 10,000 middle and high school students' ages 11 to 20 years old in Ontario in 2013.

The participants were asked about their energy drink consumption and if there had been an instance in which they had experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), meaning if they had sustained a blow to the head that left them unconscious for longer than 5 minutes and/or resulting in hospitalization for overnight or longer.

Findings revealed that 22 percent of the students said they had experienced a TBI, while 6 percent said they had a TBI in the last year, most of which happened while participants were playing sports.

"It is particularly concerning to see that teens who report a recent TBI are also twice as likely to report consuming energy drinks mixed with alcohol," Dr. Robert Mann, senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, said. "While we cannot say this link is causal, it's a behavior that could cause further injury and so we should be looking at this relationship closely in future research."

Lees, Kathleen. Science World Report. Sept. 20, 2015

Craig Frank was elected Chair of the Utah County Republican Party

At this time there are no votes posted on the Utah County Republican
Party web site.   920 out of  over 1600 delegates credentialed, however there
were 108 less votes cast in the second round  (789) of balloting for chair
than there were cast in the first round.  (897)

Chair Votes                                               Vice Chair
First Round                                                First Round
Craig Frank    289                                      Kevin Braddy       427
Kirby Glad     279                                       Scott Ward           195
Cory Maloy   167                                       Ben Summerhalder  167
Wendi Baggley 162                                    Sean Nielsen              99

Second Round                                           Second Round
Craig Frank     331                                      Kevin Braddy        479
Kirby Glad      286                                      Scott Ward              162
Cory Maloy     172                                      Ben Summerhalder  148

Secretary
Kristen Chevrier   518
Becky Pirente        379

Treasurer
Rob Craig

Senate Districts 7 and 24                          Senate District 13 and 11
Nathan Ivie                                                  Kevin Braddy
Marcus Jessop                                              David Lifferth
Kari Malkovich                                            Heather Williamson
Amelia Powers                                             Casey Voeks

Senate District 14                                       Senate District 15
Kristen Chevrier                                           Reed Farnsworth
Kirby Glad                                                    Dann Hone
Lowell Nelson                                               Adrielle Herring
Joseph Mark Phelon                                       Arturo Morales-llan 
Kraig Thorne                                

Senate District 16                                        District  27
Chris Herrod                                                  Paul Baltes
Michael Melendez
Brian Voeks


Kurt Hanson Herald Extra.com
                                                                   

Two New Candidates for State Central Committee

As of this morning Monday, April 6, 2015 at 7:49 a.m. there are two new
 State Central Committee Candidates that weren't posted Friday at 5:00 p.m.
which was the filing deadline.

District 7
Nathan Mark Allred   1176 S 590 E   allrednate@gmail.com     (801)830-9249

District 16

Brian J Voeks	136 E 200 N	brian.voeks@gmail.com	8014734478
As a conservative, I support the Republican platform and will work to promote our party's values and principles. I will attend every SCC meeting, defend our caucus system, and support positions that will strengthen our party and its influence. I currently work for Commissioner Bill Lee, and before that I worked on Mia Love's 2014 campaign team as her communications director. I have also spent these past two years as an unofficial "senior advisor" to our current Utah County GOP chairman. :) I hold a BA in political science from BYU and a JD from the University of Utah.

Voterclick updated April 6, 2015

2015 Candidates for Utah County Party Officers

Candidates filed for Utah County Party Officers.  Friday April 3, 2015 at 5:18 p.m.

County Party Chair o 
Kirby Glad 1175 N 910 E  kirbystuff1@comcast.net       (801) 376 2050           http://kirbyglad.com

Wendi J Baggaley        1467 E Hawk Way     wendispolitics@gmail.com     385-375-0099 wendi4chair.com

Principles --- People --- Politics Other ways to contact me: scoutmom35@gmail.com, facebook Wendi Baggaley or Wendi J Baggaley, and my blog, http://politicalpensieve.blogspot.com/

A. Cory Maloy           3169 N Provence Ln   cory@corymaloy.com            (801) 477-0019           www.corymaloy.com

Who was the very first Republican candidate you voted for? For me, that was Ronald Reagan. See more information about me and my platform at www.corymaloy.com

Craig Allan Frank        5198 N University Ave          craig@votecraig.com   8013623171    www.votecraig.com

Served in the Utah State House of Representatives (2003-2010, 2012), PG09 Precinct Chair, State Delegate, County Delegate, State Central Committee Member. Lifelong Platform Republican. Platform Principles and Common Sense.

County Party Vice Chair     o         

Benjamin R Summerhalder      125 S 1050 W benutahgop@aol.com (801)375-7579           

Kevin Braddy 6615 W 9500 N          braddyk@gmail.com   801-358-0777

Sean Lamarr Nielsen   580 N Star Ln sean@zappestcontrolutah.com          (801)380-9753           

I will stand up to promote and protect individual rights and freedoms as set forth in the United States Constitution, and to limit the scope of government to the authority set forth therein. Let's reclaim our platform and conservative values!

Scott Ward      974 E 1050 S   scott@utahgopguy.com          (801)805-8239           

County Party Secretary       o          Becky Pirente 3853 S McGregor Ln  pirente@gmail.com     (801)362-7392           

Serving in county party leadership as precinct chair and leg. chair for eight years, I've fought to preserve our caucus and strengthen our party by teaching people how they can have a voice. I am committed to electing and supporting principled Republicans. I will encourage and support all of our candidates in a fair and open process. I value the participation and contributions of each person.

Kristen S Chevrier      5626 W 11270 N        politicalmommy@gmail.com  801-369-0468

County Party Treasurer      o          Rob Craig        1868 N 2600 W          robcraig@mac.com      801-885-7053

District 7 & 24 State Central Committee - Elect 4 ( Dist 7 residents) 

Lisa M Shepherd        895 N 2550 W            LisaMShepherd@gmail.com   801-787-8211

Marcus Jessop            187 E Water Ln           marcusjessop4h@gmail.com   8014713732   

Amelia A Powers        9852 S 6000 W           amelia.powers@hotmail.com  (801)367-9856           

Tamara Suzanne Atkin           5542 W 8400 S           tspatkin@gmail.com   8013767401   

Kari L Malkovich       715 S Skylake Dr        klmalkovich@gmail.com         801-822-9149

John Clifton Clark      540 N 600 E    cjohn27@comcast.net (801)465-3616           

Vice Chair, Payson Precinct 3. I seek to represent the many moderate Republicans who may now feel disenfranchised.

Ronald Nathan Ivie     6871 S 3200 W           Nathaniviereining@gmail.com            (801)455-4728           

Keri Witte       2895 W 1010 N          keriw@linkrealms.com           (801) 377-8448           https://keriwitte.wordpress.com/

District 7 & 24 State Central Committee - Elect 4 ( Dist 24 residents)

No one filed in District 24.

            District 13 & 11 State Central Committee - Elect 4 ( Dist 13 residents)

David Evan Lifferth    8782 N Pinehurst Dr  Dave_Lifferth@Yahoo.com    (801)358-9124            http://davidlifferth.ning.com/

Goals: Defend our Caucus, Be accessible, Be Open, Defend our Conservative Values

Kevin Braddy 6615 W 9500 N          braddyk@gmail.com   801-358-0777

Rob Craig        1868 N 2600 W          robcraig@mac.com      801-885-7053

Heather Williamson    1086 S Topaz Rd        williamson.heather@ymail.com          (801)995-5365           

Casey Paul Voeks       717 S 2575 W caseyvoeks@gmail.com          8018373548   

I have served the past two years as Utah County Chair and have not missed any of the State Central Committee meetings as I have represented our county. The state party is at a crossroads with SB54 and the future of the convention system. I am happy to continue to serve on the state central committee if that is the will of my senate district's delegates.

John Daniel Morris     1018 W 250 S madnessjm@hotmail.com       8013612090   

I am running as a SCC member. I have been involved in Republican Party on many different levels and I want to ensure that we have correct participation and stand for something. I plan on enforcing principles that are inline with our Constitution as well as our morals of the county and state.

District 13 & 11 State Central Committee - Elect 4 ( Dist 11 residents)

No one filed in District 11

            District 14 State Central Committee - Elect 5    

David J Adamson       485 W Hindley Dr      david.adamson@imail.org       (801)756-1103           

Kirby Glad      1175 N 910 E  kirbystuff1@comcast.net       (801) 376 2050           http://kirbyglad.com

Kraig     Ashby Thorne 299 S Cherry Hill Dr  kraigthorne@yahoo.com         801-368-9874

I have been involved in the Utah County Republican Party as chair or vice chair for PG6 and Vice Chair of Legislative District 57 for over ten years. I have been an officer in the Veterans of Foreign Wars (post 4918 and District 4) for over seven years.

Kristen S Chevrier      5626 W 11270 N        politicalmommy@gmail.com  801-369-0468

Lowell Nelson 11167 N 5100 W        lowell@netdocuments.com     8019039587    http://www.lowellnelson.info/

We must retain the strength of our caucus-delegate-convention system, promote state sovereignty as the rightful remedy against oppressive acts of the federal government, and doggedly adhere to the rules of the party and to fairness in their conception.

Joseph Mark Phelon   4018 W Cypress         Jphelon@lycos.com   801-368-4459

Howard Patrick Holman         930 N 1050 E  pat.holman@gmail.com          (801) 796-1686          

Kenneth Wayne Sumsion       1164 N 560 W            kwsumsion@gmail.com          (801) 874-7679          

Currently serving on the State Central Committee and on the State Executive Committee. 100% attendance for both Committees. Served six years in legislature. This is an extremely important time for our party as we have filed a lawsuit against the state government for trying to dictate how we, as a private organization, will select our candidates. I have been in the middle of this fight the last two years and would like to see it through. You know me and my principles well as I knocked on almost everyone of your doors running for the open senate seat. I ask for your vote that I can continue to push our party to stand and fight for our caucus rights. I have a MACC and I am a CPA. I have worked in CA, AL, NC & UT in numerous industries and various accounting positions, such as, Auditor, Systems Consultant, Financial Analysis, Division Controller.

District 15 State Central Committee - Elect 4     Matthew Bowler        1847 S 400 W matt@mattbowler.com           801-400-3192            http://www.facebook.com/ groups/utcons

Reed Johnson Farnsworth      319 N 250 E    reed@farnsworth.us   (801) 358-8613          

Kevin Ryan Greene    986 W 270 S   Kevin.greene@law.utah.edu   8019211473   

Support making the party a larger tent. Support preserving and defending the caucus system. Support our nominees after convention. I believe the party desperately needs younger representation. The youth vote is crucial not only locally, but nationally.

Arturo Morales-llan    1762 S Glendell Dr     arturo1997usa@gmail.com     (801) 368-3660           https://www.facebook.com/arturo.moralesllan

All you need to know about me is that I am never afraid to stand up and speak up on defense of conservative truths and principles. I take the charge of representing my constituents very seriously and I do not miss SCC meetings. I have been quoted on every newspaper in Utah, Radio and TV representing our Republican values.

Adrielle Herring          1847 S 400 W adrielleherring@hotmail.com  (801)362-6075           

Tai W. Riser    526 N 450 W  tairiser@msn.com       801-400-0662

David Kyle     36 E 1700 S     davidkyleonline@icloud.com  (801)615-1532            www.davidkyleonline.com

Dann W Hone 285 E 1910 S   dannhone@gmail.com (801)221-1997           

11 Year Precinct Chair; 4 years Vice Precinct Chair; 15 years State Delegate; 4 Years Utah County Audit Committee (2 years as Chair); Currently Adjunct Faculty, Political Science, UVU; Emeritus Administrator/Faculty (30+ years), BYU; Board of Trustees (Chair 6 years), Crandall Historical Printing Museum; Board of Directors, Printing Industries of Utah; numerous business Board of Directors and officer, current and past; author; Father (sic children) and Grandfather (14+ grandchildren); wife Shirley Rae Stokes Hone.

District 16 State Central Committee - Elect 3    

Tom C Jarman            1339 S Alpine Way    seize_the_day_tcj@yahoo.com          (801)372-8914           

I support the Republican platform of Utah County. I commit to attend the quarterly meetings and represent S 16. Thanks, Tom

Norm Jackson 8855 Timphaven Rd   normjacksonjd@msn.com       (801)224-4947            None

Former member of Constitution and Bylaws Committee. Vice-Chair of Provo Canyon Precinct #2. Available to attend meetings.

Japheth Abram Mcgee            255 S 700 W   mcgeejapheth@gmail.com       (801) 358-4307          

Michael Adam Melendez       606 W 1720 N            zosomm90@gmail.com           (714)510-5796           

I will continue to defend our caucus system, encourage young people to be involved in our party, and advocate for party unity. Our party organization needs to be effective in order to be successful in elections and in promoting our platform. I currently serve as a precinct chair and on the Utah Federation of College Republicans Executive Board.

Craig Allan Frank        5198 N University Ave          craig@votecraig.com   8013623171    www.votecraig.com

Served in the Utah State House of Representatives (2003-2010, 2012), PG09 Precinct Chair, State Delegate, County Delegate, State Central Committee Member. Lifelong Platform Republican. Platform Principles and Common Sense.

Christopher Niles Herrod       4125 N Crestview Ave           chris.herrod1@gmail.com       (801)836-1304           

I'm a platform Republican and believe in upholding it. Served the last 2 years on the SCC and was elected to the State Executive Committee by the SCC. 100% attendance on both Committees. Would like to serve 2 more years to protect the caucus system.

District 27 State Central Committee - Elect 1    

April Taylor Clawson            652 E 1600 N  aclawson52@msn.com           (801)491-0630           

Paul Jack Baltes Jr      368 E 1075 N  paulb@constantcrowd.com    (801)378-3231           

I have served as your representative on the SCC for the last 2 years, and in that time we've sent Sean Reyes' name to the Governor for approval (I helped campaign for him and was the first to commit to helping him); we've outlined the strategy for the lawsuit defending the Caucus system, as well as many other accomplishments for the Party. I will continue to represent you there, with your vote and continued support. Thank you very much.

Voter Click.com

5 Reasons to File Your Taxes Early. Geoff Williams. U S News and World Report. Jan. 2, 2014.

5 Reasons to File Your Taxes Early

Advantages to filing early include receiving your refund faster and avoiding fraud.

If you like to file your taxes early and then chuckle at all the procrastinators who wait until April 15 nears, your day of reckoning is getting close. The earliest day the IRS will begin processing 2013 individual tax returns is Jan. 31, 2014, a date slightly later than usual due to the government shutdown last fall.

What are the advantages of filing early? Here's a list of good arguments from tax preparers.

Get your money now. This is the most obvious reason a taxpayer might want to file as early as possible. But try not to fall into the trap of thinking you need the refund before the IRS can get it to you. Some tax preparation services offer refund anticipation loans, which have steep fees that eat into that refund.

You'll also likely get your money in a shorter amount of time if you file earlier than the person who files a month or two after you, according to Elaine Phelan, a professor of accounting at Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. Early filers may only have to wait for their refund for 21 days – the average time taxpayers have had to wait in recent years, and sometimes less, according to the Internal Revenue Service – whereas a later filer may have to wait longer, say, 31 days.

"If you work with a paid preparer, they are excited to jump into the new year and will enthusiastically get your taxes done quickly," Phelan says. "If you are expecting refunds, the IRS processing centers are less busy and will process your claim faster, so you might even get that refund sooner."

And, of course, if you file electronically versus putting your form in a mailbox, you should get your money even faster.

It may help with financial aid. "Taxpayers with college-age children need to get their tax information early to get the maximum amount of financial aid," says Lawrence Pon, a tax specialist who owns an accounting firm, Pon & Associates, in San Francisco. He says there is a direct link between the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form and the IRS, so your tax information is sent directly to the financial aid form without you having to provide it yourself.

It may help if you and your ex-spouse are feuding. Hopefully you don't fall into this category, and it's better for each party if you can keep the IRS out of your marital strife, but Pon says that "sometimes divorced people do not agree on who claims the children as a dependent, even though there may be a court order and an agreement. Whoever files first will claim the child, and the other ex-spouse may be out of luck."

You'll lessen your odds of becoming a victim of identity theft. "The sooner you file your return, the less opportunity someone else has to file a return in your name," says Joe Reynolds, identity fraud product manager at Travelers, headquartered in New York.

He points out that some criminals have been known to break into a home or car, steal identification and then file taxes in that person's name, scoring a refund that doesn't belong to them. The odds are slim that that will happen to you, of course, but it is another reason to file earlier rather than later.

Reynolds also advises getting your refund via direct deposit "so criminals can't have it redirected to their address or steal it from your mailbox."

There's more time to catch potential mistakes. If you wade into your taxes now and discover there's paperwork you need that you don't have, or it's simply going to be a more complicated tax year than you anticipated, you may not end up filing early, but now you have more time to spend on your taxes.

Not that there aren't smart reasons to file close to or on April 15, of course. If you owe the IRS money, there's really no financial advantage for you to give it to them any earlier than April 15.  Still, by preparing your taxes early, you'll know earlier how much you owe and will have more time to drum up the money to pay.

Geoff Williams. U S News.com. Jan. 2, 2014

J C Penney closing 39 stores in April 2015. Kim Peterson. CBS News. Moneywatch.

J.C. Penney (JCP) said Thursday it will close 39 stores this spring and lay off 2,250 workers.

After the newest round of closures, Penney will have about 1,020 locations in 49 states and Puerto Rico.

Penney shares rose less than 1 percent Thursday to close at $7.95. That's nearly unchanged from a year ago.

Pennsylvania will see the most closings, with five. Penney's home state of Texas, where it has dozens of locations, will see only one closure.

Here's the list of all 39 stores Penney plans to shutter:

Georgia

            Walnut Square Mall in Dalton

            LaGrange Mall in LaGrange

            Gwinnett Place Mall in DuluthLagrange Mall in Lagrange

Iowa

            Southbridge Mall in Mason City

            Westland Mall in West Burlington

            Crossroads Shopping Center in Waterloo

Illinois

            Northland Plaza in DeKalb

            Quincy Mall in Quincy

Indiana

            Marquette Mall in Michigan City

Massachusetts

            Hanover Mall in Hanover

            Silver City Galleria in Taunton

Michigan

            Adrian South Mall in Adrian

New Jersey

            Cumberland Mall in Vineland

New York

            Hudson Valley Mall in Kingston

North Carolina

            Randolph Mall in Asheboro

            Southgate Mall in Elizabeth City

            Signal Hill Mall in Statesville

            Parkwood Mall in Wilson

Ohio

            Eastland Mall in Columbus

            North Towne Plaza in Greenville

            Upper Valley Mall in Springfield

Oregon

            Pony Village Mall in North Bend

Pennsylvania

            Chambersburg Mall in Chambersburg

            Susquehanna Valley Mall in Hummels Wharf

            Granite Run Mall in Media

            Nittany Mall in State College

            York Galleria in York

Rhode Island

            Providence Place Mall in Providence

South Carolina

            Aiken Mall in Aiken

            Inlet Square Mall in Murrells Inlet

South Dakota

            Lakewood Mall in Aberdeen

Texas

            Market Square Mall in Brenham

Virginia

            Manassas Mall in Manassas

            The Marquis in Williamsburg

Vermont

            Diamond Run Mall in Rutland

            St. Albans Shopping Center in St. Albans

Wisconsin

            Aviation Plaza in Oshkosh

            Regency Mall in Racine

                        Shawano Plaza in Shawan
Kim Peterson. CBS News.com