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up front Monday 6 February 2023
Biden’s State of the Union to tout policy wins on economy

Continued from Front energy prices from the war, attack on the Capitol by
has begun to ease. pro-Trump rioters, a protec-
The newly empowered Still, only a quarter of U.S. tive fence was reinstalled
GOP is itching to undo adults say things in the Sunday around the Capitol
many of Biden’s achieve- country are headed in the ahead of Biden’s address.
ments and raising the right direction, according After the speech, Biden,
specter of persistent inves- to a new poll by The Asso- Vice President Kamala Har-
tigations — including into ciated Press-NORC Center ris, and his Cabinet plan to
the recent discoveries of for Public Affairs Research; hold over 30 events in two
classified documents from about three-quarters say days to drive the message
his time as vice president at things are on the wrong home to the American
his home and former office. track. people in their communi-
“Jobs are up, wages are Similarly, views of the na- ties. Biden will visit Wiscon-
up, inflation is down, and tional economy remain sin to discuss job creation
COVID no longer controls President Joe Biden speaks at the Democratic National deeply negative, with 24% on Wednesday and on
Committee winter meeting, Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Philadelphia.
our lives,” Biden told the Biden will deliver his State of the Union address on Tuesday night. calling the national econ- Thursday will be in Tampa,
Democratic National Com- Associated Press omy good and 76% calling Florida to talk about his ef-
mittee on Friday. “But now, it poor. Forty-one percent forts to lower prescription
the extreme MAGA Repub- While large-scale biparti- lance balloon Saturday, of Democrats and 8% of drug costs and protect So-
licans in the House of Rep- sanship remains unlikely, as part of a broader sec- Republicans call the econ- cial Security and Medicare.
resentatives have made Biden was set to reissue his tion on countering China’s omy good. The figures are “During the State of the
it clear they intend to put 2022 appeal for Congress more assertive economic similar to when Biden deliv- Union, President Biden will
it all at risk. They intend to to get behind his “unity and military actions around ered his State of the Union outline how the past two
destroy it.” The president, agenda” of actions to ad- the world. address last year, but an years has seen historic job
meanwhile, is shifting his dress the opioid epidemic, His address last year adjustment from Biden’s growth, falling inflation,
focus from legislating to mental health, veterans’ came just days after Rus- first year in office when higher wages, and record
implementing the massive health and cancer. sia launched its invasion of Americans were more opti- investments coming back
infrastructure and climate Biden will also call on law- Ukraine and many in the mistic; about half said they to America,” the White
bills passed in the last Con- makers to responsibly raise West doubted Kyiv’s abil- thought the country was House said. “The econom-
gress — and to trying to the debt limit and keep the ity to avoid a swift routing. headed in the right direc- ic travel blitz showcases
make sure Americans cred- government funded. The Now the war is on the cusp tion when the president how the president’s vision
it him for the improvements. president has remained of entering its second year, took office. is creating jobs, rebuilding
“These things don’t sell opposed to negotiating and under Biden the U.S. At the same time, 57% say our infrastructure, lowering
themselves,” Transporta- to avoid default, while Re- and allies have sent tens of their personal financial costs for families, tackling
tion Secretary Pete Butti- publicans are pushing for billions of dollars in military situation is good. That’s climate change, investing
gieg said Sunday on NBC. unspecified deep spend- and economic assistance unchanged since Decem- in our future and delivering
“And it’s one of the reasons ing cuts to reduce the defi- to bolster Ukraine’s defens- ber but has eroded slightly for families too often left
I’m really looking forward cit. es. Now the president must since earlier last year. No behind.”
to that State of the Union Biden, according to two make the case — both at less than 62% of Americans The travel follows Biden’s
address. I will say that there administration officials who home and abroad — for had called their personal stops last week in Baltimore,
have been so many ac- requested anonymity to sustaining that coalition as financial situation good in New York and Philadelphia
complishments under this preview the speech, was the war drags on. AP-NORC polls conduct- focused on rail and water
administration. It can be also expected to discuss his Meanwhile, inflation, which ed from late 2019 through infrastructure projects fund-
difficult to list them in a dis- decision to shoot down a rose precipitously last year spring of 2022. ed by the 2021 bipartisan
tilled way.” suspected Chinese surveil- in part because of soaring Two years after Jan. 6, 2021 infrastructure law.q

Ride at Iowa amusement park where

boy died will never reopen

ALTOONA, Iowa (AP) — The need to meet our operat- general manager in 2022.
ride at an Iowa amusement ing standards,” Lentz said Palace Entertainment is the
park where an 11-year-old in the statement. “Based U.S. subsidiary of Madrid-
boy was killed in 2021 will upon that review, the best based Parques Reunidos.
never reopen, the park’s path forward is to close The Jaramillo family filed a
owners said. Bill Lentz, Ad- Raging River, and focus lawsuit against Adventure-
ventureland’s general on enhancing the Adven- land and its former owners
manager, said in a letter tureland experience else- in June 2022, and a sepa- Remembrances of Michael Jaramillo, the 11-year-old killed on
posted on the park’s web- where.” Michael Jaramillo rate claim against the state the Raging River ride at Adventureland, are seen as family and
site Friday that after spend- died and his brother and of Iowa in September 2022. friends gather for his funeral at Corinthian Baptist Church, July 17,
ing months reviewing the father were injured on July That lawsuit is tentatively 2021, in Des Moines, Iowa.
safety of the Raging River 3, 2021, after their raft over- set for trial next spring. The Associated Press
ride, officials decided to turned and trapped them former owners have main- using Flex Seal instead of was killed after he fell when
close it permanently. in the water. The ride uses tained that the ride was approved patches to fix the ride began moving un-
“The decision comes af- a conveyor belt to move safe. State officials cited leaks in rafts’ flotation blad- expectedly. He became
ter months of examina- large circular rafts through the park in November 2021 ders, which keep the ride wedged between a boat
tion of the ride, working rapids. The park was sold to for 17 safety violations relat- afloat, and not adequately and a concrete sidewall,
closely with its manufac- Palace Entertainment in the ed to Jaramillo’s death. The documenting or testing re- and his head was repeat-
turer to identify what en- wake of the boy’s death Des Moines Register reports pairs. In 2016, seasonal em- edly rammed. He died
hancements each would and Lentz took over as that the violations included ployee Steve Booher, 68, days later.q