| STATE OF THE STATE: Text of Delaware governor's prepared address
Lieutenant Gov. Carney, President Pro Tem Adams, Speaker Spence, members of the 144th General Assembly, members of the Delaware judiciary, other elected officials, members of my Cabinet, state employees, distinguished guests, my family and my fellow Delawareans
I am particularly proud to appear before you for this State of the State address as it kicks off my last year as your Gov.. As you all know, my career in elected public office started in this Chamber, where so much of what I worked on as your Gov. began as a priority for me as a legislator.
My annual appearances before you, my legislative friends, have not only been an opportunity to remember my roots but also reaffirm my long-standing priorities, such as creating world-class schools, protecting our precious environment, fighting to keep and create jobs, and working to make Delaware a healthier state.
Intimidating groups of teenagers adorn the landscape
The cute puppies in the windows are a magnet for the under four year old set who love to drag their parents there to inspect the inventory. Most of the males I observe wear sneakers... young men or old men, sneakers are the footwear of choice. Sandals show up in the warmer weather and they and shorts are interesting because you can inventory the large amount of tattoos that live on ankles and lower legs. Old timers like me are continually asking themselves, "What were they thinking?" Watching parents with small children create a special appreciation for my idea of family responsibilities. It engages all of one's attention and energy to take a three year old to the mall. With no difficulty at all, the toddlers can break away and run into Olympia sports, pick up a baseball bat, and start whacking things.
Prepared text of Ritter’s State of the State Address
To all Coloradans outside this chamber, good morning.
To Lieutenant Governor OBrien, President Groff, Speaker Romanoff, Mayor Hickenlooper, Executive Directors, Board of Education members, Supreme Court justices, Treasurer Kennedy, Attorney General Suthers, Secretary of State Coffman, Honorable Representatives and Senators, thank you for being here today.
We are blessed with several other special guests as well: Representative Perlmutter, local government leaders, and Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Ernest House Sr. Thank you all for everything you do for Colorado.
Colorados first lady, Jeannie, two of our children, Tally and Sam, and my mother, Ethel, are here as well. Jeannie: Thank you for everything you do for the people of our state, particularly your focus on mental-health issues.
Fault Lines on Accreditation
Only proposals on which every negotiator agrees get forwarded to the education secretary for possible action, which means that any individual negotiator can sink any particular proposal. But if the negotiators fail to reach agreement, the Education Department has the latitude to propose its own rules. (The education secretary can also change regulatory language that the negotiators have agreed on, with a "written explanation" for doing so.) That dynamic has the tendency to put pressure on negotiators — fearful of what the department might do if left to its own devices — to compromise on a proposal that they can live with. That dynamic was clearly in play on Wednesday, as accrediting officials who were clearly uncomfortable with several of the department’s proposed agenda items threatened to withhold their support for keeping those items on the committee’s plate.
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