Senate confirms Fernandez to head FTA
The U.S. Senate has confirmed appointment of Nuria Fernandez as administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, becoming the first confirmed administrator in more than a decade and the first Senate-confirmed woman of color to lead the agency. “I am humbled and extremely grateful for the confidence bestowed upon me by the U.S. Senate, the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg,” Fernandez said in an FTA press release. “I am committed to supporting our nation’s public transportation systems and the millions of Americans who depend on the transit services they provide.” Fernandez, who had been appointed as a deputy administrator in January, was nominated for the top job in April [see “Digest: Biden to nominate Fernandez …,” Trains News Wire, April 13, 2021]. Her experience includes a period as acting administrator of the FTA during the Clinton Administration.
Downeaster adds stop in Falmouth, Maine, during golf tournament
Amtrak’s Downeaster will add a stop in Falmouth, Maine, June 24-27 to serve spectators attending a professional golf tournament. The stop at the Falmouth Country Club golf course during the Live + Work in Maine Open tournament, part of the Korn Ferry Tour, will put spectators just a 10-minute walk from the tournament entrance. The tournament will be providing free shuttle bus service. There is no on-site public parking for the tournament. “We are proud to partner with the Live + Work in Maine Open to make accessing the tournament easy and stress-free for golf fans,” Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Rail Authority, which sponsors the Downeaster, said in a press release. More information on service to the tournament is available here; the Downeaster schedule is available here.
South Carolina short line to serve major new facility for winemaker
The Lancaster & Chester Railroad will serve a new production facility to be built by E & J Gallo Winery in South Carolina’s Chester County, providing a transportation link to CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern that was a requirement in selection the location of the $423 million facility. The first East Coast location for California-based E & J Gallo will be built on a 650-acre site, and will include production, bottling, canning, and distributions for domestic and international products that are among Gallo’s 130 brands. The Lancaster & Chester, a 62-mile railroad, is one of five short lines operated by holding company Gulf & Ohio Railways. “We are delighted to have such a high-quality new customer and we look forward to providing them with superior service. It’s a wonderful gift for us since the 125th anniversary of this railroad is this week,” Gulf & Ohio Chairman Pete Claussen said in a press release.
Why is “the first Senate-confirmed woman of color to lead the agency” even an issue? Who cares? Is this person the best candidate for the job? Can this person manage the agency in the manner it should be? What does race or sex have to do with anything?
It is insignificant and has ZERO bearing on the qualifications and requirements of the job. Why do you people in media continue to play this game?
In 100 years, we’re going to hear about the first left-handed, Inuit, single amputee, scuba diver to ever hold some position. It’s not newsworthy. I’m sorry. It’s not.
Re FTA confirmation: This is my personal reaction to this news. I don’t give a (expletive deleted) if some woke lunatics are rejoicing that a woman, and a woman “of color” no less, has this position. Can she do the job? Nothing else should matter.
GEORGE – This is my personal reaction to your post: — The presidency of Kamala Harris is 90% about woke policies as to race, and 10% about all other issues the federal government deals with.
Ms. Harris was selected as president based on her race and her gender — Mr. Biden said as much in so many words. So why would it be a surprise if such holds for all other offices as well.
Your sharing of your reaction does not add anything to the discourse. You could have been silent and had the same impact, or you could have been positive and said “Well that is nice”, but instead had to be negative.
And I think a bigger issue is that “are they qualified” only comes up when it is women and minorities. If it was a white male, would you comment “I hope they are qualified for this position?”
Mr. Johanson – As to your second paragraph, my answer is “Of course I would.” Seems like a no-brainer. As to your first paragraph, you can’t be silent and have the same impact. That kind of silence will be the ruination of the FTA and every other aspect of government, as Mr. Landey points out. Buying into that kind of thinking will be the end of the great American experiment, which may not even be taught in schools anymore.
So are you speaking out about her qualifications or are you speaking about her being female and minority. If its the first, you haven’t offered anything of substance. If it is the second, then I suppose we know your view.
As for great American experiment, now you are just connecting random nonsense together.
Well said Clayton. I wish some of these people would keep their inane political comments off these pages. Their opinions mean squat to the reporting here.
Mr.Reiter – What started this was the inane political comment in the news article characterizing Ms. Fernandez as the “first woman of color to lead the agency.” That’s what meant squat to the reporting. Should Ms. Fernandez sit at her desk and wonder why she is there, other than her personal merit?