Biden to nominate former FRA head Batory, Idaho transit official Clegg for Amtrak board – Trains
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biden-to-nominate-former-fra-head-batory-idaho-transit-official-clegg-for-amtrak-board https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/biden-to-nominate-former-fra-head-batory-idaho-transit-official-clegg-for-amtrak-board/ Biden to nominate former FRA head Batory, Idaho transit official Clegg for Amtrak board – Trains WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will nominate former Federal Railroad Admininstration Administrator Ron Batory and Elaine Marie Clegg, CEO of Valley Regional Transit in Idaho’s Ada and Canyon counties, to serve on Amtrak’s Board of Directors, the White House announced today (May 2). Batory, now a resident of New Mexico, and Clegg, of Boise, Idaho, […]Read More… https://www.trains.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BatoryNEW.jpg InStock USD 1.00 1.00 news-wire news-reviews article TRN 2024-05-02 2024-05-02
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News & ReviewsNews WireBiden to nominate former FRA head Batory, Idaho transit official Clegg for Amtrak board
Nominees of two western residents will address concerns over board’s geographic makeup
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Former FRA administrator Ron Batory will be nominated to serve on Amtrak’s board of directors. David Lassen
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will nominate former Federal Railroad Admininstration Administrator Ron Batory and Elaine Marie Clegg, CEO of Valley Regional Transit in Idaho’s Ada and Canyon counties, to serve on Amtrak’s Board of Directors, the White House announced today (May 2).
Batory, now a resident of New Mexico, and Clegg, of Boise, Idaho, would help address the geographic requirements that have been a stumbling block in filling board vacancies [see “Senators challenge Northeast Corridor tilt of Amtrak board nominees …,” Trains News Wire, April 26, 2023, and “Senate confirms three nominees …,” News Wire, Jan. 24, 2024].
Batory’s lengthy resume in the rail industry spans more than 45 years, and includes stints as president of the Belt Railway of Chicago and CEO of Conrail Shared Assets. He also recently served as the trustee of the CP-Kansas City Southern Voting Trust, overseeing KCS prior to the approval of the CPKC merger. He served as FRA administrator from February 2018 to January 2021, overseeing the implementation of positive train control and publication of a final governing Amtrak on-time performance on host railroads, among other accomplishments.
Amtrak board nominee Elaine Clegg outside the Boise Depot, the 1925 Union Pacific station now a city events facility. Valley Regional Transit
Clegg has spent 25 years as a public servant focusing on transportation and land use, including nearly 20 years on the Boise City Council; she has been Valley Regional Transit’s CEO since February 2023.
“I am deeply honored to be given this opportunity by the Biden-Harris administration to join the Amtrak Board of Directors and contribute to the advancement of rail transportation in our country,” Clegg said in a press release. “I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to ensure Amtrak continues to serve the needs of passengers and communities across America. It is especially exciting to have a chance to serve at this time as passenger rail is making a comeback and to represent the West as it seeks rail expansion.”
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Both nominees must be confirmed by the Senate and would serve five-year terms.
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Shanea Fulks is the owner of Seven Sisters Closet Revival, a new consignment store at 260 South Woodruff in Idaho Falls. Take a look inside in the video above. | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
Do you want to know what’s happening in the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
BIZ BUZZ
IDAHO FALLS
New consignment shop in Idaho Falls offers vintage clothes for customers and booth space for sellers
Clothes on display at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
IDAHO FALLS – Curating vintage clothing is Shanea Fulks’s passion, and she’s sharing it with the community through a new business venture.
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Seven Sisters Closet Revival opens Saturday at 260 South Woodruff inside Parkwood Plaza in Idaho Falls. It offers racks of vintage clothes for customers and booth space for others to sell their items.
“You get a rack with shelves, and you can come in throughout the week and sell things,” Fulks tells EastIdahoNews.com. “The things you’ll see in the middle of the store are pieces that I have curated. I hand-pick all the things I bring to the store.”
See some of the items in the video above.
Fulks says she’s had multiple people walk in already who are excited about the shop.
The store will have a grand opening this weekend. Fulks is partnering with the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon-cutting and open house at noon on Friday. A local band will be performing during the event.
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Then on Saturday, a grand opening celebration will begin at 2 p.m. Several vendors and live entertainment will be available. Fulks says she’s looking forward to interacting with the community.
Fulks has been selling items from her personal collection online for years. After helping a mother and daughter find a formal dress during an interaction at another shop in town several years ago, Fulks says she realized there was a need for a store like this.
After about a year of working with real estate agents, Fulks says the Parkwood Plaza space formerly occupied by a beauty salon called Blush became available, and it was an ideal fit.
“It’s just been a whirlwind and we’re just trying to get it going,” says Fulks.
A rack of sweaters at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
Fulks’ interest in fashion stems back to childhood. She lost her dad and stepdad to suicide at a young age and grew up in a household that struggled to make ends meet. As a result, she says they bought clothes at Goodwill and other secondhand stores.
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She remembers being made fun of because of the clothes she wore. In time, she learned to embrace her uniqueness and developed an interest in vintage clothes.
“I’ve just always been attracted to old sweaters, military jackets (her dad served in Vietnam),” Fulks says. “I like to help people feel confident wearing something unique, even if it’s not trendy. Be bold and wear whatever you want.”
The idea of making the most of your circumstances and embracing who you are is inspired by her experience with suicide, and it’s reflected in the art that’s on display in her store.
“Part of the theme in my store is ‘Stay. We need you,’” she says.
Art on display at Seven Sisters Closet Revival | Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com
The business name refers to her family. She comes from a blended family of six girls and four boys. When she and her husband were married, they had a daughter — the seventh sister.
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Fulks says she’s looking forward to offering great deals to customers. She has two sons with autism who love art, and she wants to host art-themed events for people with special needs. She’d also like to host tea parties and other events in the future.
“I want people to come and feel like they belong,” she says. “I’m going to allow people to do karaoke. When you’re here, I want you to feel like you can have fun.”
Seven Sisters Closet Revival will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
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Gov. Brad Little has signed House Bill 533, which would remove the need for license plate stickers on Idaho vehicles.
The legislation, introduced earlier this session by Rep. Jon Weber (R) of Boise, eliminates the requirement for registration stickers on Idaho license plates. Weber stated during the bills intorduction that officers can verify the status of license plates without the stickers, potentially saving the state around $300,000.
During the bill’s introduction, some lawmakers argued that it could increase the workload for law enforcement.
For the second year in a row, House lawmakers will consider urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its ruling legalizing same-sex marriage.
The nonbinding resolution, which carries no legal weight, says the decision in Obergefel v. Hodges violates the longstanding religious definition of marriage between one man and one woman.
“The current definition of marriage that allows for same-sex marriages is a defilement of the word marriage,” said Rep. Tony Wisniewski (R-Post Falls), who sponsors the measure.
The resolution further states that the Obergefel decision “arbitrarily and unjustly” rejects the historical definition of marriage.
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Idaho voters passed a constitution amendment in 2006 that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, which was invalidated by the Obergefel ruling.
Wisniewski said regulating marriages should be a power left to the states.
Rep. Brent Crane (R-Nampa) agrees.
“If you want to get things … closer to the people with respect to some of these more complex social issues, I think the best place for those things to happen is in the states,” Crane said.
Doing so is a risk, he said.
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“You may have states that choose to acknowledge [polyamorous relationships]. You may have states that choose to have relationships between adults and younger children,” Crane said.
Cities in neighboring Oregon and Washington, for example, are considering giving those in polyamorous relationships legal recognition.
But he said that risk is worth it to allow other states that choose to only recognize traditional marriages.
Four lawmakers on the House State Affairs Committee opposed the resolution.
Rep. Erin Bingham (R-Idaho Falls) said she’s tried to balance her own religious beliefs with those of others while considering the measure.
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“I do feel like that it is important for us to work together, to find ways to compromise and to live together in peace and mutual respect,” Bingham said.
The resolution now goes to the House floor for consideration.
House lawmakers last year passed a similar measure, but it never received a hearing in a Senate committee.
