January 23, 2019: Trump Plans for Two State of the Union Speeches, This Festival Is Inviting Attendees to View Films in a Coffin, State Department Cancels Border Security Conference Because of Shutdown

1. TRUMP PLANS FOR TWO STATE OF THE UNION SPEECHES: President Trump is preparing to give two State of the Union Speeches. One will be a traditional address to Congress and the other will be a political rally outside of Washington. Republicans have reportedly encouraged Trump to force House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to disinvite him by announcing his plans to give the speech from the House chamber. ABC News: “Sources told ABC News that the president was previously planning two separate versions of the State of the Union—one version if the government was still shut down and another if the government was open. However, now the planning has evolved, assuming the government shutdown could drag on past next Tuesday—the expected delivery date of the address. If the president decides to deliver a speech in rally form, it would mark the first rally style event the president has attended since the partial shutdown began.” https://abcn.ws/2FR4vJP

2. THIS FESTIVAL IS INVITING ATTENDEES TO VIEW FILMS IN A COFFIN: Is the latest film festival trend foregoing a theater for a coffin? Probably not, but the upcoming Goteborg Film Festival in Sweden is encouraging attendees to try it. For the premiere of the Swedish sci-fi film Aniara on January 27, volunteers will view the film while sealed in a coffin. The festival plans to do 33 sarcophagus screenings over five days. The Hollywood Reporter: “The ‘sarcophagus screening’—during which eight volunteers at a time will be shut into specially made caskets outfitted with screens, speakers, and air vents—is designed to enhance the bleak themes of the movie's late-era capitalism dystopian setting, according to the festival's director, Jonas Holmberg. It's a drama about a spaceship carrying consumption-obsessed passengers, knocked off course en route to Mars, that serves as ‘a metaphor for Earth, that the future of our planet could be this kind of sarcophagus, floating alone through space as we use up our natural resources’ Holmberg says, strangely upbeat. ‘Our goal was to find a way to take the experience of the film, and the apocalypse, further. To take the sense of aloneness and claustrophobia and strengthen it.’” https://bit.ly/2TcB3SA

3. STATE DEPARTMENT CANCELS BORDER SECURITY CONFERENCE BECAUSE OF SHUTDOWN: The State Department has canceled an international conference on border security because of the federal shutdown, which was caused by disagreements over border security. The 16th International Export Control and Border Security Conference was slated to take place in Edinburgh, Scotland, in February, tackling the issue of moving weapons of mass destruction and conventional weapons across borders. CNN: "However, it has been postponed 'due to uncertainty associated with the continuing partial U.S. federal government shutdown,' according to a letter obtained by CNN, signed by Kathryn Insley, the director of the Office of Export Control Cooperation. In the letter, dated January 16, Insley wrote that they 'are working to identify alternative dates" and would be in contact with participants "as soon as we are operational again.' The letter was sent to at least 55 U.S. embassies and missions worldwide who were helping to facilitate travel by expected attendees to the conference. The missions were asked to convey the information 'to the appropriate host government officials who have been nominated to attend the Conference.'" https://cnn.it/2T5Tlog

* LOCAL NEWS *

BOSTON:  Access TCA has acquired Seattle-based Rock Solid Meetings & Events.

DENVER:  The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa has appointed Ann Sutherland Lynch as director of sales and marketing for the hotel and the adjacent Holiday Inn Express Denver Downtown. 

LOS ANGELES:  AC Hotel Beverly Hills has opened on Wilshire Boulevard. The 142-room property has 2,040 square feet of meeting space, which includes a rooftop terrace that can hold as many as 50 guests for receptions. 

For information on upcoming events in Los Angeles, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/losangeles

MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA:  Hard Rock International is collaborating with Clean the World, an organization dedicated to hygiene and sustainability, to fight the spread of preventable diseases. Participating Hard Rock properties will donate sanitized hygiene kits made with recycled hotel materials like hand soap, shampoo, and conditioner. Hotels also will offer Clean the World’s hygiene kit-building program as a community engagement activity. 

NEW YORK:  The New York premiere of HBO comedy special Amanda Seales: I Be Knowin’ takes place tonight at Roxy Cinema. 

Goop’s wellness summit In Goop Health will take place March 9 at Pier 17. 

Event agency First has promoted Jeanelle R. Beach to the new role of chief people officer. Beach will oversee the People and Culture human resource management department for all of First’s offices. 

For information on upcoming events in New York, visit Masterplanner: http://www.masterplanneronline.com/newyork

SEATTLE:  Hosts Global has opened destination management company Hosts Seattle, which will produce meetings, conventions, incentive programs, and special events in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest. 

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  Fast-casual pizza chain &Pizza has partnered with José Andrés and World Central Kitchen for #ChefsForFeds to provide free food to federal workers in need during the government shutdown. 

YOUR NEWS: What are you doing? Tell us: [email protected]. 

JOB BOARD: Post a job or find a job: http://jobs.bizbash.com

With contributions from Claire Hoffman in Los Angeles and Beth Kormanik, Michele Laufik, and Ian Zelaya in New York.

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