GE Healthcare has introduced a new interventional X-ray unit that is neither floor-mounted nor ceiling-mounted. Instead, the Discovery IGS 730 uses a mobile motorized gantry with laser-guided navigation, the ability to preset movement parameters and of course, steering and guidance by a user during a procedure.
"We created a totally different class of imaging system," says Hooman Hakami, president and CEO of GE's interventional systems unit. "If you're an interventional radiologist and you're trying to decide between ceiling-mount and floor-mount, you're deciding between, 'Do I want patient access or do I want room, air flow and sterility?' You don't have to make that choice here."
The Discovery IGS 730 features precise positioning, unlimited parking capabilities and nearly two dozen advanced applications. It has a cable management system that is fully expandable and retractable, allowing for full mobility.
The installation time, Hakami estimates, is the same as what it would be for one of GE's existing floor-mounted systems. "We tried to make it so that it wasn't more cumbersome from an install standpoint," he says.
In terms of safety features, the Discover IGS 730-which has gone through the equivalent of a decade's worth of clinical procedures testing-has a mechanism that will automatically stop the machine if it bumps into something - a foot for example.
Although this system is still pending 510(k) approval, it has been generating a lot of excitement among radiologists, according to Hakami. "Interest in it so far has been phenomenal," he says. "Even as a concept, the idea was getting a tremendous amount of feedback. Now that can see it, touch it and see what the capabilities are, the reaction has been just amazing."
2011年11月29日星期二
Chesterfield Royal Hospital's Timely Reminder From Chief Nurse
Alfonzo Tramontano (pictured left) is reminding staff, patients and visitors that the best and simplest way to stop infection in its tracks is to wash hands with soap and water; and to use the gel dispensers available across the hospital - starting at the temporary front entrance.
"We treat over 60,000 in-patients on our wards every year and we have an excellent record," he comments.
"Year-on-year we have seen hospital acquired infections including Clostridium difficile and MRSA reduce - and we want to ensure we achieve our standards this year - but it is a real challenge.
"With the onset of winter and infections such as Norovirus (winter vomiting disease) and seasonal flu already rife in our communities, it's timely to remind people that cleaning hands really can save lives."
The trust has a high national rating for cleanliness and is regarded as a model of good practice by the Health Protection Agency, but is continually looking at ways to reduce the risk of all avoidable infections.
A case of MRSA recently has seen the trust make some more major changes to clinical practices on wards. Single use blood pressure cuffs are now used in high-risk areas; 200 bladeless Dyson fans have been purchased (MRSA bacteria was found to have survived in some fans at bedsides) and a new style cannula pack is set to be introduced next month.
The trust has also stepped up MRSA checks on hospital staff (about a third of the healthy population carry MRSA harmlessly on their skin or up their nose) and all high-risk patients coming in for surgery and emergency treatment are also swabbed for the infection. There is a simple course of medication that can be given to treat MRSA carried in this way.
"We are confident that we are doing all we can to prevent infection and the spread of infection," says 'Fonz'. "We are asking local people to support us by doing all they can as well - and by working together, we'll be successful."
As well as hand washing, the trust is asking people not to come and visit - or to come for appointments - if they have had any sort of diarrhoea and sickness. Anyone suffering from this type of infection should avoid public places until they have been free of symptoms for 72 hours.
"We treat over 60,000 in-patients on our wards every year and we have an excellent record," he comments.
"Year-on-year we have seen hospital acquired infections including Clostridium difficile and MRSA reduce - and we want to ensure we achieve our standards this year - but it is a real challenge.
"With the onset of winter and infections such as Norovirus (winter vomiting disease) and seasonal flu already rife in our communities, it's timely to remind people that cleaning hands really can save lives."
The trust has a high national rating for cleanliness and is regarded as a model of good practice by the Health Protection Agency, but is continually looking at ways to reduce the risk of all avoidable infections.
A case of MRSA recently has seen the trust make some more major changes to clinical practices on wards. Single use blood pressure cuffs are now used in high-risk areas; 200 bladeless Dyson fans have been purchased (MRSA bacteria was found to have survived in some fans at bedsides) and a new style cannula pack is set to be introduced next month.
The trust has also stepped up MRSA checks on hospital staff (about a third of the healthy population carry MRSA harmlessly on their skin or up their nose) and all high-risk patients coming in for surgery and emergency treatment are also swabbed for the infection. There is a simple course of medication that can be given to treat MRSA carried in this way.
"We are confident that we are doing all we can to prevent infection and the spread of infection," says 'Fonz'. "We are asking local people to support us by doing all they can as well - and by working together, we'll be successful."
As well as hand washing, the trust is asking people not to come and visit - or to come for appointments - if they have had any sort of diarrhoea and sickness. Anyone suffering from this type of infection should avoid public places until they have been free of symptoms for 72 hours.
2011年11月28日星期一
Early 'Hospital Discharge' Advice Aids Care
A new guide helping elderly and vulnerable patients in Chesterfield better plan their hospital stay will improve care and help them make a full and quicker recovery, the health bosses from NHS Derbyshire County say.
Most patients stay in hospital for only a short time. But for those who stay in hospital for lengthier periods they may be unable to leave hospital, or transfer to community hospitals or residential homes simply because their care needs had not been planned earlier.
Now health chiefs from NHS Derbyshire County say the new 'Planning Your Discharge From Hospital' guide - which has been put together in conjunction with Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council - will help medical staff, nursing and social care teams support patients and their families to better prepare to leave hospital or transfer to more suitable care more quickly and safely. It will also help to keep more acute hospital beds available to treat people who are ill and avoid unnecessary hospital readmissions.
Evidence shows that once a patient is well enough, delaying discharge home or transfer, even by a day or so, to a more suitable care setting can hinder a patient's recovery - particularly if their condition has stabilised and they need extra support to begin living life independently again.
Delaying transfer also increases the chances of vulnerable and elderly patients being readmitted to hospital once they are discharged, and their chances of picking up other illnesses.
Jackie Pendleton, Chief Operating Officer for North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Making sure patients get the right support when they are medically ready to leave hospital is a top priority and getting the right help at the right time also helps to keep beds free for patients who are severely ill. This new guide ensures that the system works in everyone's interests, so that all patients in Chesterfield get the right care and support at the right time and when they are most likely to benefit.
"It will also make sure that the right conversations take place between medical, nursing and social care staff to make sure patients make the best possible recovery and recuperation, at the right point in their hospital stay."
25,000 copies of the new guide have been printed. These are to be distributed to patients by health and social care staff within Derby and Derbyshire.
No one is discharged or transferred from an acute hospital bed without first being assessed by the medical or social care team in charge of their care.
Once they are medically well enough, patients can return home, or continue receiving rehabilitation treatment or care and support elsewhere.
Most patients stay in hospital for only a short time. But for those who stay in hospital for lengthier periods they may be unable to leave hospital, or transfer to community hospitals or residential homes simply because their care needs had not been planned earlier.
Now health chiefs from NHS Derbyshire County say the new 'Planning Your Discharge From Hospital' guide - which has been put together in conjunction with Derbyshire County Council and Derby City Council - will help medical staff, nursing and social care teams support patients and their families to better prepare to leave hospital or transfer to more suitable care more quickly and safely. It will also help to keep more acute hospital beds available to treat people who are ill and avoid unnecessary hospital readmissions.
Evidence shows that once a patient is well enough, delaying discharge home or transfer, even by a day or so, to a more suitable care setting can hinder a patient's recovery - particularly if their condition has stabilised and they need extra support to begin living life independently again.
Delaying transfer also increases the chances of vulnerable and elderly patients being readmitted to hospital once they are discharged, and their chances of picking up other illnesses.
Jackie Pendleton, Chief Operating Officer for North Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "Making sure patients get the right support when they are medically ready to leave hospital is a top priority and getting the right help at the right time also helps to keep beds free for patients who are severely ill. This new guide ensures that the system works in everyone's interests, so that all patients in Chesterfield get the right care and support at the right time and when they are most likely to benefit.
"It will also make sure that the right conversations take place between medical, nursing and social care staff to make sure patients make the best possible recovery and recuperation, at the right point in their hospital stay."
25,000 copies of the new guide have been printed. These are to be distributed to patients by health and social care staff within Derby and Derbyshire.
No one is discharged or transferred from an acute hospital bed without first being assessed by the medical or social care team in charge of their care.
Once they are medically well enough, patients can return home, or continue receiving rehabilitation treatment or care and support elsewhere.
2011年11月27日星期日
Garden State Plaza gets OK for parking guidance system
The Garden State Plaza received unanimous approval for the installation of a parking guidance system in its main parking deck, as well as several other minor improvements to the parking lot and entrances
The approval was granted by the Paramus Planning Board at meeting earlier this month.
The system consists of a network of cameras within the garage and a sign outside the entrance, according to civil engineer William Page. The cameras, which are spaced at approximately every other parking space, detect whether nearby spots are occupied. Spaces that are open will have a green light above them, and occupied spots will have a red light.
In addition, the number of open spaces is calculated by the system and displayed on the sign at the garage's entrance, giving motorists up-to-date information on both how much parking is available and where it is located.
"This is what they call real-time sequencing," Page said. "As cars go into parking spaces, that information will be sent to the computer, which will then tell people that are driving into the garage that there are 200 parking spaces on level three or 100 parking spaces on level one."
The primary purpose of the plan is to ease the flow of traffic in and around the garage, according to Page. Drivers currently travel throughout the garage looking for an open space, adding to congestion and increasing the risk of accidents. Once the system is installed, drivers will know exactly where to look for a free space.
"They'll know their chances are better finding a space on level two and they'll drive right to that location instead of circulating around," Page said.
The system is expected to operate half an hour before the mall opens and remain on half an hour after the mall closes for the evening, Page said. The sign itself is designed to prevent glare from the sun, maximizing visibility and minimizing distraction to drivers during the day. The sign's LED lighting will remain visible at night without giving off much light and can be dimmed or intensified as needed.
These signs are new to the area, but Westfield, the company that owns the Garden State Plaza, does have similar signs in other malls and they have proven useful, according to Page. Board member Gary Pucci noted that he has also seen the signs while traveling and agreed that they will ease the circulation of traffic in the Garden State Plaza.
"I'm quite familiar with these systems, as I travel to Germany a lot and I go where they have them. They work quite well," Pucci said. "They are very helpful and will be a good addition for the traffic flow at the Plaza."
The ring road between Old Navy and Macy's is also slated for general improvements, motivated by a desire to improve valet parking, according to Page. Currently, the space for valet parking at the Capital Grill is limited, and has caused a negative impact on nearby traffic.
"What we're trying to do is come with some plans where the valet parking for Capital Grill would work so you wouldn't have cars parked into the ring road and improve circulation in the area," Page said.
To remedy the situation, the space for valet was expanded from 4 feet to 18 feet, enough parking for six cars directly in front of the restaurant, according to Page. The restaurant will retain seven standby spaces located nearby for use as needed.
The entrance curb needs adjustment to accommodate the change, and the ring road itself will be straightened in the vicinity of the changes, according to Page. The road is currently curved at that location, something that has drawn concern from local fire officials. The new layout will make the area both more accessible for emergency vehicles and easier to navigate for everyday motorists.
"We did lose 27 parking spaces, but in reference to what we're doing with safety and circulation and the valet parking for Capital Grill, we think it's a fair tradeoff," Page said.
The approval was granted by the Paramus Planning Board at meeting earlier this month.
The system consists of a network of cameras within the garage and a sign outside the entrance, according to civil engineer William Page. The cameras, which are spaced at approximately every other parking space, detect whether nearby spots are occupied. Spaces that are open will have a green light above them, and occupied spots will have a red light.
In addition, the number of open spaces is calculated by the system and displayed on the sign at the garage's entrance, giving motorists up-to-date information on both how much parking is available and where it is located.
"This is what they call real-time sequencing," Page said. "As cars go into parking spaces, that information will be sent to the computer, which will then tell people that are driving into the garage that there are 200 parking spaces on level three or 100 parking spaces on level one."
The primary purpose of the plan is to ease the flow of traffic in and around the garage, according to Page. Drivers currently travel throughout the garage looking for an open space, adding to congestion and increasing the risk of accidents. Once the system is installed, drivers will know exactly where to look for a free space.
"They'll know their chances are better finding a space on level two and they'll drive right to that location instead of circulating around," Page said.
The system is expected to operate half an hour before the mall opens and remain on half an hour after the mall closes for the evening, Page said. The sign itself is designed to prevent glare from the sun, maximizing visibility and minimizing distraction to drivers during the day. The sign's LED lighting will remain visible at night without giving off much light and can be dimmed or intensified as needed.
These signs are new to the area, but Westfield, the company that owns the Garden State Plaza, does have similar signs in other malls and they have proven useful, according to Page. Board member Gary Pucci noted that he has also seen the signs while traveling and agreed that they will ease the circulation of traffic in the Garden State Plaza.
"I'm quite familiar with these systems, as I travel to Germany a lot and I go where they have them. They work quite well," Pucci said. "They are very helpful and will be a good addition for the traffic flow at the Plaza."
The ring road between Old Navy and Macy's is also slated for general improvements, motivated by a desire to improve valet parking, according to Page. Currently, the space for valet parking at the Capital Grill is limited, and has caused a negative impact on nearby traffic.
"What we're trying to do is come with some plans where the valet parking for Capital Grill would work so you wouldn't have cars parked into the ring road and improve circulation in the area," Page said.
To remedy the situation, the space for valet was expanded from 4 feet to 18 feet, enough parking for six cars directly in front of the restaurant, according to Page. The restaurant will retain seven standby spaces located nearby for use as needed.
The entrance curb needs adjustment to accommodate the change, and the ring road itself will be straightened in the vicinity of the changes, according to Page. The road is currently curved at that location, something that has drawn concern from local fire officials. The new layout will make the area both more accessible for emergency vehicles and easier to navigate for everyday motorists.
"We did lose 27 parking spaces, but in reference to what we're doing with safety and circulation and the valet parking for Capital Grill, we think it's a fair tradeoff," Page said.
2011年11月24日星期四
Commission may reduce 16-unit project
Approve an affordable housing project at a density less than the 16 units proposed for an acre off North Salem Road? Or just deny the Eppoliti Realty application?
“What we’re all struggling with is density on that site,” Joe Fossi told his colleagues on the Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night. “That’s what it gets down to, for me: I’m not comfortable with that many units.”
He added, “I don’t want to get dragged down the rabbit hole of denying the project, and not having it stand up in court, and spending a lot of the taxpayers’ money.”
After approving a wetlands permit needed by the project, the commission talked itself out on the zoning issues Tuesday night and opted to schedule another meeting next week to discuss it further.
The Eppoliti project will be the subject of a special meeting next Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 in the town annex.
“It’ll be the only item on the agenda,” Chairwoman Rebecca Mucchetti said.
Members were acting as the Inland Wetland Board, separate from their duties at the Planning and Zoning Commission, when they granted a wetlands permit required by the project.
The wetlands approval was for the “alternative” plan proposed by the developer to accommodate concerns raised about harming a wetland on the nearby Christiansen property off New Street. The alternative plan that won approval involves relocating a planned building at the back of the Epploiti site, placing it about 19 feet from the rear property line.
Significantly, the approval included provision for revising the wetlands permit, should the affordable housing project be substantially changed during the Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval process.
The zoning aspect of the Eppoliti project was discussed for more than an hour Tuesday.
The legal constraints the commission has under the state’s affordable housing statute, 8-30g, loomed over the discussion, with commission attorney Tom Beecher in attendance, offering guidance.
Major “health and safety” issues the commission was troubled by included:
Sight lines at the driveway onto North Salem Road, near the “Joe’s corner” intersection of Routes 116 and 35, do not meet state requirements. The state Department of Transportation revoked a permit granted in the mistaken belief the driveway was to serve one house, not a 16-unit complex.
The plan is short of parking space requirements and the commission worries that, with the lot overfilled, access by fire trucks would be difficult — especially if there were piles of plowed snow in the ‘dead end’ lot with only one driveway in and out.
Excessive storm runoff has been documented in the area, and the hours of testimony by competing engineers for the applicant and neighbors left a concern that test holes weren’t dug deep enough to assure that the highly engineered drainage system would work as its supposed to.
There is also concern that the state’s Storm Water Quality Manual recommends that the water infiltration system be located farther from the foundation of one of the proposed buildings than the plan proposes.
Some commissioners seemed interested in an outright denial, but state law tells commissions to modify and approve projects, when possible, rather than simply rejecting them.
Mr. Fossi suggested the commission consider reducing the plan’s density from 16 to perhaps 12 units on the one-acre site, which would make it easier to address many of the other concerns.
“With 12, we solve the parking issue, we solve some of the impervious surface issues, runoff issues,” he said.
Commissioner Phil Mische said the density reduction wouldn’t solve what appears to be the application’s most serious problem: the sight line with the driveway.
“Knowing the potential for danger around this intersection, right there it’s not a down-size, it’s a denial,” he said.
Though still torn as to what they should do with a project they’re clearly not comfortable with, by the end of Tuesday’s meeting commissioners felt they were making progress.
“We’re circling,” Chairwoman Rebecca Mucchetti said. “We’re getting closer.”
“What we’re all struggling with is density on that site,” Joe Fossi told his colleagues on the Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday night. “That’s what it gets down to, for me: I’m not comfortable with that many units.”
He added, “I don’t want to get dragged down the rabbit hole of denying the project, and not having it stand up in court, and spending a lot of the taxpayers’ money.”
After approving a wetlands permit needed by the project, the commission talked itself out on the zoning issues Tuesday night and opted to schedule another meeting next week to discuss it further.
The Eppoliti project will be the subject of a special meeting next Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7:30 in the town annex.
“It’ll be the only item on the agenda,” Chairwoman Rebecca Mucchetti said.
Members were acting as the Inland Wetland Board, separate from their duties at the Planning and Zoning Commission, when they granted a wetlands permit required by the project.
The wetlands approval was for the “alternative” plan proposed by the developer to accommodate concerns raised about harming a wetland on the nearby Christiansen property off New Street. The alternative plan that won approval involves relocating a planned building at the back of the Epploiti site, placing it about 19 feet from the rear property line.
Significantly, the approval included provision for revising the wetlands permit, should the affordable housing project be substantially changed during the Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval process.
The zoning aspect of the Eppoliti project was discussed for more than an hour Tuesday.
The legal constraints the commission has under the state’s affordable housing statute, 8-30g, loomed over the discussion, with commission attorney Tom Beecher in attendance, offering guidance.
Major “health and safety” issues the commission was troubled by included:
Sight lines at the driveway onto North Salem Road, near the “Joe’s corner” intersection of Routes 116 and 35, do not meet state requirements. The state Department of Transportation revoked a permit granted in the mistaken belief the driveway was to serve one house, not a 16-unit complex.
The plan is short of parking space requirements and the commission worries that, with the lot overfilled, access by fire trucks would be difficult — especially if there were piles of plowed snow in the ‘dead end’ lot with only one driveway in and out.
Excessive storm runoff has been documented in the area, and the hours of testimony by competing engineers for the applicant and neighbors left a concern that test holes weren’t dug deep enough to assure that the highly engineered drainage system would work as its supposed to.
There is also concern that the state’s Storm Water Quality Manual recommends that the water infiltration system be located farther from the foundation of one of the proposed buildings than the plan proposes.
Some commissioners seemed interested in an outright denial, but state law tells commissions to modify and approve projects, when possible, rather than simply rejecting them.
Mr. Fossi suggested the commission consider reducing the plan’s density from 16 to perhaps 12 units on the one-acre site, which would make it easier to address many of the other concerns.
“With 12, we solve the parking issue, we solve some of the impervious surface issues, runoff issues,” he said.
Commissioner Phil Mische said the density reduction wouldn’t solve what appears to be the application’s most serious problem: the sight line with the driveway.
“Knowing the potential for danger around this intersection, right there it’s not a down-size, it’s a denial,” he said.
Though still torn as to what they should do with a project they’re clearly not comfortable with, by the end of Tuesday’s meeting commissioners felt they were making progress.
“We’re circling,” Chairwoman Rebecca Mucchetti said. “We’re getting closer.”
2011年11月23日星期三
Taiwan Wins European Satellite Navigation Competition
The European Satellite Navigation Competition (ESNC) 2011 announced on November 18 the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) was the champion for the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) Living Lab Award for its creative Geo-coupon App based on the Global Navigation Satellite System. ITRI capacity for research and development thus attracted worldwide attention. A total of 23 countries have participated hosting different regional preliminaries of the creative contest for satellite positioning applications initiated by the European Union. Under guidance of the Department of Industrial Technology of the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) for innovation award and prototyping award, ITRI joined and became one of the hosting nations. This year, ITRI strove to host with the topic of "connected vehicle" and solicited entries around the world and the number of teams applied and entries received topped other regional contests. After going through fierce contest, ITRI, Institute for Information Industry (III), and the German Space Center respectively won championships for the Galileo contest and prototyping team in the Taiwan region.
Dr. Sheng-Lin Chou, deputy general director of ITRI's Information and Communications Research Laboratories, pointed out Taiwan's ESNC has entered the fourth session. Differing from creative applications in satellite navigational technology in the past years, this year the ESNC has introduced new elements of creative telematics and concomitantly the first time Taiwan led the world in hosting prototyping contest, a breakthrough to the past contests of emphasizing only on creative ideas. Because of the challenge and fun of the contest and Taiwan's world-renowned ICT (information and communications technology) capability, the contest attracted worldwide attention. The number of applications and entries to the contest in Taiwan topped the world. In 2011, a total of 23 countries including Germany, Spain, Israel, India, the Netherlands, the USA, Ukraine, Sweden, Singapore, Hungary and Finland participated in the Galileo contest with 75 entries received for the Taiwan region (representing 18.7% of 401 entries globally) producing outstanding results in innovation award for the Taiwan region and global prototyping award.
Dr. Jet P. H. Shu, an advisor of the Department of Industrial Technology, MOEA said, through ESNC, Taiwan's creative applications for satellite navigation can be elevated to the world arena and global satellite navigation creative applications also can be introduced to Taiwan, thus creating a new global business of smart vehicles through integration of navigational satellites and telematics. Taiwan has long been a power in ICT while the world-famous automobile manufacturers are mostly in Europe, therefore a contest matching satellite navigation and telematics is of major significance in fostering close relations between Taiwan and the European automobile manufacturers.
In the GNSS special topic category, ITRI team created the Geo-coupon app so that the user, wherever he or she goes, can immediately identify the store through the global navigational satellite system positioning and use the cell phone to directly download the coupon for presentation to the store to obtain a discount price. This creative and practical design stood out among the participants and won the champion award for Taiwan.
Dr. Sheng-Lin Chou, deputy general director of ITRI's Information and Communications Research Laboratories, pointed out Taiwan's ESNC has entered the fourth session. Differing from creative applications in satellite navigational technology in the past years, this year the ESNC has introduced new elements of creative telematics and concomitantly the first time Taiwan led the world in hosting prototyping contest, a breakthrough to the past contests of emphasizing only on creative ideas. Because of the challenge and fun of the contest and Taiwan's world-renowned ICT (information and communications technology) capability, the contest attracted worldwide attention. The number of applications and entries to the contest in Taiwan topped the world. In 2011, a total of 23 countries including Germany, Spain, Israel, India, the Netherlands, the USA, Ukraine, Sweden, Singapore, Hungary and Finland participated in the Galileo contest with 75 entries received for the Taiwan region (representing 18.7% of 401 entries globally) producing outstanding results in innovation award for the Taiwan region and global prototyping award.
Dr. Jet P. H. Shu, an advisor of the Department of Industrial Technology, MOEA said, through ESNC, Taiwan's creative applications for satellite navigation can be elevated to the world arena and global satellite navigation creative applications also can be introduced to Taiwan, thus creating a new global business of smart vehicles through integration of navigational satellites and telematics. Taiwan has long been a power in ICT while the world-famous automobile manufacturers are mostly in Europe, therefore a contest matching satellite navigation and telematics is of major significance in fostering close relations between Taiwan and the European automobile manufacturers.
In the GNSS special topic category, ITRI team created the Geo-coupon app so that the user, wherever he or she goes, can immediately identify the store through the global navigational satellite system positioning and use the cell phone to directly download the coupon for presentation to the store to obtain a discount price. This creative and practical design stood out among the participants and won the champion award for Taiwan.
2011年11月22日星期二
Michelin Guide awards first star to Abtestube
Abtestube, the gourmet restaurant helmed by Chef Roland Schmid at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz in Switzerland, is now the proud owner of its first Michelin star, as awarded by the Michelin Guide on the 15th November 2011.
Michelin stars are bestowed only on those restaurants that deserve a traveller’s special attention. A select group of 11 restaurants were awarded their first star in the Michelin Guide to Switzerland 2012, bringing the countries’ total number of starred restaurants to 96. Switzerland is among the European countries with the most Michelin stars per capita.
The Abtestube is the culinary flagship at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, the five star resort in Switzerland. With a cosy yet sophisticated alpine design, the restaurant seats up to 30 diners in three intimate dining areas. The space housing the restaurant was originally built in 1774 for local abbots, giving rise to the name Abtestube, meaning “abbot’s room“. With simple wooden furnishings and arched ceilings, the space has a welcoming, traditional Swiss feel.
Roland Schmid’s mission is to delight diners with elegant, authentic dishes, with a strong focus on carefully selected, high quality ingredients. Guests might expect “Swiss Prim“ meat sourced from the very best local suppliers, the freshest Zander fished from Lake Constance and regionally grown vegetables to be amongst the highlights of Schmid’s menu. Combining tried and tested techniques with new and innovative concepts, the Chef demonstrates dishes that mix tradition with a touch of the avante-garde, drawing upon both Swiss and international flavours. A starter might be Six Snails from Freiamt, served with snail ravioli, parsley puree and shiitake sabayon, followed by Trianon of “Swiss Prim“ veal, served with truffle and black salsify for main course, and finishing with a Chocolate, Pear and Pumpkin Cube or a selection of cheeses, selected by Matre Fromager Bernard Antony.
“I would like to thank the guests that have visited our restaurant from across the globe, and my dedicated team who work hard to ensure diners experience nothing less than the very best in culinary magic. I am honoured to receive this prestigious award from Michelin and look forward to continue evolving our gourmet cooking at Abtestube and to offering some of the very best cuisine in Switzerland“ commented Roland Schmid.
Michelin stars are bestowed only on those restaurants that deserve a traveller’s special attention. A select group of 11 restaurants were awarded their first star in the Michelin Guide to Switzerland 2012, bringing the countries’ total number of starred restaurants to 96. Switzerland is among the European countries with the most Michelin stars per capita.
The Abtestube is the culinary flagship at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, the five star resort in Switzerland. With a cosy yet sophisticated alpine design, the restaurant seats up to 30 diners in three intimate dining areas. The space housing the restaurant was originally built in 1774 for local abbots, giving rise to the name Abtestube, meaning “abbot’s room“. With simple wooden furnishings and arched ceilings, the space has a welcoming, traditional Swiss feel.
Roland Schmid’s mission is to delight diners with elegant, authentic dishes, with a strong focus on carefully selected, high quality ingredients. Guests might expect “Swiss Prim“ meat sourced from the very best local suppliers, the freshest Zander fished from Lake Constance and regionally grown vegetables to be amongst the highlights of Schmid’s menu. Combining tried and tested techniques with new and innovative concepts, the Chef demonstrates dishes that mix tradition with a touch of the avante-garde, drawing upon both Swiss and international flavours. A starter might be Six Snails from Freiamt, served with snail ravioli, parsley puree and shiitake sabayon, followed by Trianon of “Swiss Prim“ veal, served with truffle and black salsify for main course, and finishing with a Chocolate, Pear and Pumpkin Cube or a selection of cheeses, selected by Matre Fromager Bernard Antony.
“I would like to thank the guests that have visited our restaurant from across the globe, and my dedicated team who work hard to ensure diners experience nothing less than the very best in culinary magic. I am honoured to receive this prestigious award from Michelin and look forward to continue evolving our gourmet cooking at Abtestube and to offering some of the very best cuisine in Switzerland“ commented Roland Schmid.
2011年11月21日星期一
Superhero Blasts The Bugs At Chesterfield Royal Hospital
Hero Joe (above) has been on Nightingale Ward to help raise awareness of the importance of hand hygiene and how cleaning your hands can protect you from a number of bugs and viruses.
Representing GoJo, who provides the Royal with a variety of hand gels and dispensing machines, the character visited a number of wards at a time of year when the importance of hand hygiene becomes particularly significant.
Rob Nash is the Head of Environmental Risk, he said: "We wanted to bring him down as part of Hand Hygiene Week. As we enter the winter months and see an increase in viruses such as Norovirus, Influenza, coughs and colds we thought it was particularly relevant.
"He's been giving out hand gels as well as information leaflets whilst representatives from GoJo have been speaking to patients, visitors and staff about the important message behind his appearance."
Jane Hill, GOJO's Regional Support Executive, said. "It was an honour to support the hospital in spreading positive hand hygiene during the week. Such a simple procedure, if done correctly, can help stop the spread of germs.
"Hero Joe was very popular with the children and we hope he positively and permanently influences their hand hygiene habits."
His visit comes just a week after Basil Ward was closed following an outbreak of Norovirus and at a time where people are being encouraged to get themselves vaccinated against flu.
The Royal's Senior Matron for Infection Prevention and Control added: "We can't over-emphasise the importance of good hand hygiene in stopping these diseases from spreading. We can't prevent outbreaks but we can all help to limit their impact by encouraging people to wash their hands with soap and warm water, dry them thoroughly and put the paper towels in the bin.
"We have sinks and hand gel dispensers in every bay, sinks at the entrance to every ward spine and two hand gel dispensers on each spine. They are there for a reason and we would urge all visitors and staff members to use them every time they enter and leave a ward."
An information video called 'Save Lives - Clean Hands' that explains when to wash your hands and the correct way to do so can be found on the trust's website and YouTube channel.
Representing GoJo, who provides the Royal with a variety of hand gels and dispensing machines, the character visited a number of wards at a time of year when the importance of hand hygiene becomes particularly significant.
Rob Nash is the Head of Environmental Risk, he said: "We wanted to bring him down as part of Hand Hygiene Week. As we enter the winter months and see an increase in viruses such as Norovirus, Influenza, coughs and colds we thought it was particularly relevant.
"He's been giving out hand gels as well as information leaflets whilst representatives from GoJo have been speaking to patients, visitors and staff about the important message behind his appearance."
Jane Hill, GOJO's Regional Support Executive, said. "It was an honour to support the hospital in spreading positive hand hygiene during the week. Such a simple procedure, if done correctly, can help stop the spread of germs.
"Hero Joe was very popular with the children and we hope he positively and permanently influences their hand hygiene habits."
His visit comes just a week after Basil Ward was closed following an outbreak of Norovirus and at a time where people are being encouraged to get themselves vaccinated against flu.
The Royal's Senior Matron for Infection Prevention and Control added: "We can't over-emphasise the importance of good hand hygiene in stopping these diseases from spreading. We can't prevent outbreaks but we can all help to limit their impact by encouraging people to wash their hands with soap and warm water, dry them thoroughly and put the paper towels in the bin.
"We have sinks and hand gel dispensers in every bay, sinks at the entrance to every ward spine and two hand gel dispensers on each spine. They are there for a reason and we would urge all visitors and staff members to use them every time they enter and leave a ward."
An information video called 'Save Lives - Clean Hands' that explains when to wash your hands and the correct way to do so can be found on the trust's website and YouTube channel.
2011年11月20日星期日
'My aunt fell through cracks in the system'
A midwife who devoted 40 years of her life to the NHS has been let down by the long-term care system.
June Birch now is in advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, living in a nursing home in Lancashire. She may finally be receiving the care she needs, but it has been a costly four-year battle to get there.
In summer 2007, June started to develop signs of dementia and, after a series of distressing incidents, was admitted to Southport Hospital. Discharged in November that year, the local authority told June's family that she could not return to her flat but, instead, required round-the-clock care from an EMI (elderly mentally infirm) home. Daren Birch, June's nephew, began researching local care homes, and placed her in the care of what he was told was a suitable residence.
Over the course of the following year, June became increasingly confused and, as a result, aggressive, frequently lashing out at other residents and staff. Daren noticed the deterioration in her condition and questioned the type of care that she was receiving.
"She lost a considerable amount of weight and it was not very long before she no longer recognised us. She was doubly incontinent and her general health became significantly worse," he said.
During this time, Daren applied to the Court of Protection to gain control of June's estate, while the care-home fees mounted to the tune of 40,000.
June's worsening condition and daunting debts prompted Daren to contact Paladin Advocates, legal specialists in continuing health care. Continuing care patients receive full funding and 24-hour nursing care.
"I had never even heard of continuing care," said Daren. "But once it was explained it became clear that June was eligible."
It was only when Paladin became involved that June underwent an assessment, and it was found that she was not in a care home that met her needs.
"We had stated from the beginning that we wanted an EMI care home – as the hospital had told us to request," said Daren.
"The place we had been told was an EMI establishment was only a residential care home, and did not provide the level of care June required. Luckily, our request was on record so once the mistake was brought to our attention June was moved straight away."
Unfortunately, although June was recommended by the nurses who assessed her as eligible for continuing care, the primary care trust refused to accept the recommendation. Anne Reed of Paladin appealed against the decision on behalf of the Birches and took it to review – twice.
The assessment was finally accepted in August this year, but Ms Reed's plea was reassessed last month. The primary care trust has yet to reach a decision on whether it will accept the recommendation.
Ms Reed is now fighting to have the total cost of June's care repaid, arguing that she should never have had to pay for her care.
"I cannot believe that no one ever thought initially to give June a care assessment. She was clearly eligible for continuing care from November 2007, when she was first discharged from the hospital, yet her first assessment was not until February 2010 – prompted by us," said Ms Reed.
Daren said the emotional costs had been far greater than the financial ones. "I can't understand how she fell through the cracks in the system," he said.
"I can't help thinking that if she had received the correct level of care from the beginning her condition would not have deteriorated so quickly."
June Birch now is in advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, living in a nursing home in Lancashire. She may finally be receiving the care she needs, but it has been a costly four-year battle to get there.
In summer 2007, June started to develop signs of dementia and, after a series of distressing incidents, was admitted to Southport Hospital. Discharged in November that year, the local authority told June's family that she could not return to her flat but, instead, required round-the-clock care from an EMI (elderly mentally infirm) home. Daren Birch, June's nephew, began researching local care homes, and placed her in the care of what he was told was a suitable residence.
Over the course of the following year, June became increasingly confused and, as a result, aggressive, frequently lashing out at other residents and staff. Daren noticed the deterioration in her condition and questioned the type of care that she was receiving.
"She lost a considerable amount of weight and it was not very long before she no longer recognised us. She was doubly incontinent and her general health became significantly worse," he said.
During this time, Daren applied to the Court of Protection to gain control of June's estate, while the care-home fees mounted to the tune of 40,000.
June's worsening condition and daunting debts prompted Daren to contact Paladin Advocates, legal specialists in continuing health care. Continuing care patients receive full funding and 24-hour nursing care.
"I had never even heard of continuing care," said Daren. "But once it was explained it became clear that June was eligible."
It was only when Paladin became involved that June underwent an assessment, and it was found that she was not in a care home that met her needs.
"We had stated from the beginning that we wanted an EMI care home – as the hospital had told us to request," said Daren.
"The place we had been told was an EMI establishment was only a residential care home, and did not provide the level of care June required. Luckily, our request was on record so once the mistake was brought to our attention June was moved straight away."
Unfortunately, although June was recommended by the nurses who assessed her as eligible for continuing care, the primary care trust refused to accept the recommendation. Anne Reed of Paladin appealed against the decision on behalf of the Birches and took it to review – twice.
The assessment was finally accepted in August this year, but Ms Reed's plea was reassessed last month. The primary care trust has yet to reach a decision on whether it will accept the recommendation.
Ms Reed is now fighting to have the total cost of June's care repaid, arguing that she should never have had to pay for her care.
"I cannot believe that no one ever thought initially to give June a care assessment. She was clearly eligible for continuing care from November 2007, when she was first discharged from the hospital, yet her first assessment was not until February 2010 – prompted by us," said Ms Reed.
Daren said the emotional costs had been far greater than the financial ones. "I can't understand how she fell through the cracks in the system," he said.
"I can't help thinking that if she had received the correct level of care from the beginning her condition would not have deteriorated so quickly."
2011年11月17日星期四
After Referndum, What do the Voters Really Want?
The referendum is behind us. The electorate has spoken loudly; the logical question is - what's next; what do the voters really want? What do citizens that never came forward in Monday night sessions, but voted overwhelmingly in favor of the referendum really want to see?
It is not that hard to figure out. We should be the very best that we can be and need to be. This is what Falls Church citizens have consistently desired throughout the last decade, made clear in referendums, and what we want - going forward - are the very same things that City Council has memorialized in their strategic guidance document but, sadly, has managed to lose sight of over the past two years. The voters want the Council, as elected leaders, to do the things it said it believed in and then promised to do. The citizens of the City of Falls Church want their tax dollars to count for something. They want proper conservative spending. Among the last things they want are elected politicians who levy and increase taxes without any tangible benefit. The path forward for our elected leadership calls into play three principles:
Maintain focus on priorities. We want great schools and recognize that revenue generation is the only way to get them. Voters are properly beyond simply unhappy that property taxes continue to escalate out of control without reason and without improvements to things that matter: obsolete schools, consumer parking, storm-water management, cut-through speeders and lack of commerce in our City. Citizens don't understand the City's position when it refuses to negotiate with developers who propose building less than 100% commercial facilities. We reject coded insinuation that says we want less young families in the city since that will only increase the pressure on our school system. Voters recognize that without school-age children, we cease to have a reason to exist.
We need a new high school. We have many resources already in hand. We have an extension university facility. We have a concrete plant. We have a City maintenance yard and a car storage lot. True leadership would do much with that information. True leadership would not have turned down a combination of Federal earmark funds, State tax credit investments and private equity committed to financing mixed-use commercial affordable housing totaling nearly the entire external capital requirement. A financial institution would have moved its data center and customer service operation into our city if we could have provided affordable housing for its workers.
Recognize opportunities and plan to live in the future. Soon, the Silver line will be operational. What sorts of parking, shuttle services and commercial ventures have we sought, in partnership with our adjoining jurisdictions, to take advantage of the new line to Dulles Airport?
What is proper conservative spending? Stop endless spending on studies that validate what we already know. Numerous studies over the past ten years have concluded that we really have a storm water problem. After spending nearly a million dollars on studies on City Hall, it was concluded that the building is obsolete for its intended purpose and now need to spend another three million just to keep the court contract with Arlington. Let's review what has happened over current and prior councils. The past city council exhibited unprecedented leadership in engaging with the development community. They foresaw that by taking advantage of opportunities and exhibiting far-sighted leadership, our City could diminish the need to finance itself on the backs of the residential tax payer. Prior councils brought about a slew of environmentally-sustainable mixed-use developments conforming to economic prosperity needs and meeting many of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) definitions for buildings that will survive the test of time. These include The Spectrum, the Read Building, Byron's, BJ's, the Hekemian mixed-use rental complex, the Flower Building (USGBC Gold Rating) as well as moving the ball close to the goal line in negotiations for the Gateway, City Center South and Broad Street Hotel projects. Without real estate and sales tax income from these projects, residential taxpayers could expect another four million dollars of taxes each year.
Do the right thing - always. The prior council voted to move elections to November to enable more voters to exercise their franchise as citizens. The current council is considering reducing the number of voting wards from five to three. If successful, this will exacerbate access and will result in further voter restrictions. I remain unalterably opposed to any further activity on this diversionary issue.
Let's hope that the current council is up to the challenge. Now that November balloting has passed by overwhelming assent, we ask our elected leadership to pay attention to what is truly important. Council: Let's be honest with ourselves. The work remains. Please don't make us wait for another November.
It is not that hard to figure out. We should be the very best that we can be and need to be. This is what Falls Church citizens have consistently desired throughout the last decade, made clear in referendums, and what we want - going forward - are the very same things that City Council has memorialized in their strategic guidance document but, sadly, has managed to lose sight of over the past two years. The voters want the Council, as elected leaders, to do the things it said it believed in and then promised to do. The citizens of the City of Falls Church want their tax dollars to count for something. They want proper conservative spending. Among the last things they want are elected politicians who levy and increase taxes without any tangible benefit. The path forward for our elected leadership calls into play three principles:
Maintain focus on priorities. We want great schools and recognize that revenue generation is the only way to get them. Voters are properly beyond simply unhappy that property taxes continue to escalate out of control without reason and without improvements to things that matter: obsolete schools, consumer parking, storm-water management, cut-through speeders and lack of commerce in our City. Citizens don't understand the City's position when it refuses to negotiate with developers who propose building less than 100% commercial facilities. We reject coded insinuation that says we want less young families in the city since that will only increase the pressure on our school system. Voters recognize that without school-age children, we cease to have a reason to exist.
We need a new high school. We have many resources already in hand. We have an extension university facility. We have a concrete plant. We have a City maintenance yard and a car storage lot. True leadership would do much with that information. True leadership would not have turned down a combination of Federal earmark funds, State tax credit investments and private equity committed to financing mixed-use commercial affordable housing totaling nearly the entire external capital requirement. A financial institution would have moved its data center and customer service operation into our city if we could have provided affordable housing for its workers.
Recognize opportunities and plan to live in the future. Soon, the Silver line will be operational. What sorts of parking, shuttle services and commercial ventures have we sought, in partnership with our adjoining jurisdictions, to take advantage of the new line to Dulles Airport?
What is proper conservative spending? Stop endless spending on studies that validate what we already know. Numerous studies over the past ten years have concluded that we really have a storm water problem. After spending nearly a million dollars on studies on City Hall, it was concluded that the building is obsolete for its intended purpose and now need to spend another three million just to keep the court contract with Arlington. Let's review what has happened over current and prior councils. The past city council exhibited unprecedented leadership in engaging with the development community. They foresaw that by taking advantage of opportunities and exhibiting far-sighted leadership, our City could diminish the need to finance itself on the backs of the residential tax payer. Prior councils brought about a slew of environmentally-sustainable mixed-use developments conforming to economic prosperity needs and meeting many of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) definitions for buildings that will survive the test of time. These include The Spectrum, the Read Building, Byron's, BJ's, the Hekemian mixed-use rental complex, the Flower Building (USGBC Gold Rating) as well as moving the ball close to the goal line in negotiations for the Gateway, City Center South and Broad Street Hotel projects. Without real estate and sales tax income from these projects, residential taxpayers could expect another four million dollars of taxes each year.
Do the right thing - always. The prior council voted to move elections to November to enable more voters to exercise their franchise as citizens. The current council is considering reducing the number of voting wards from five to three. If successful, this will exacerbate access and will result in further voter restrictions. I remain unalterably opposed to any further activity on this diversionary issue.
Let's hope that the current council is up to the challenge. Now that November balloting has passed by overwhelming assent, we ask our elected leadership to pay attention to what is truly important. Council: Let's be honest with ourselves. The work remains. Please don't make us wait for another November.
2011年11月16日星期三
Raytheon receives pair of military contracts
Raytheon Co. said today that it received a $24 million contract from the US Air Force for Paveway II laser-guided bomb components.
The contract, which was competitively awarded, represents the majority of the Air Force’s laser-guided bomb buy for overseas contingency operations, the defense contractor said.
Raytheon’s Paveway systems are designed to upgrade bombs into precision-guided weapons using laser and global-positioning guidance systems.
Separately, Raytheon said it received a $14.6 million contract to develop new image processing technology for the Advanced Distributed Aperture System.
ADAS gives helicopter pilots 360-degree situational awareness, making it easier for them to operate in low visibility conditions, Raytheon said.
The contract, which was competitively awarded, represents the majority of the Air Force’s laser-guided bomb buy for overseas contingency operations, the defense contractor said.
Raytheon’s Paveway systems are designed to upgrade bombs into precision-guided weapons using laser and global-positioning guidance systems.
Separately, Raytheon said it received a $14.6 million contract to develop new image processing technology for the Advanced Distributed Aperture System.
ADAS gives helicopter pilots 360-degree situational awareness, making it easier for them to operate in low visibility conditions, Raytheon said.
2011年11月15日星期二
Freeport's future takes shape in Vision 2025 plan
In an effort to create a possible plan for the town's future, the Freeport Economic Development Corp. is working with residents, business owners and town councilors to identify what will make Freeport "a vital place to live, work and play" in the next decade.
The document they create will be the Vision 2025 plan.
After FEDC collects suggestions from the public, it will submit a request for proposals to consulting firms to help develop the plan.
Residents, town officials and business owners created a similar document, Vision 2010, in 2000, to provide economic development guidance within the village district.
The Vision 2025 plan will address ways to expand and enhance the outdoor lifestyle brand; support and retain businesses; create connections to the water; develop of a local transportation system with regional connections, and enhance Freeport's business-friendly image.
Sande Updegraph, executive director of FEDC, said the Vision 2025 document may take a larger view than Vision 2010 and will provide a framework for development.
Vision 2025 and the Comprehensive Plan will work together, complement each other and are both strategic plans, Updegraph said, but are different types of documents.
"The big difference between the two is that the Comprehensive Plan really takes a general view of growth in the city, while the vision plan will identify some actionable items we can complete that fit within the Comprehensive Plan," she said. "The Comprehensive Plan is about zoning and land use policies, while the Vision is what we want Freeport to look like."
The first FEDC meeting on the Vision 2025 process was held on Sept. 29 and was invitation-only for business owners. The second meeting was open to the public and held on Oct. 27. The next meeting will be held during an FEDC business meeting from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Town Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The board has invited the council to offer feedback and the meeting is open to the public, Updegraph said.
At the October meeting, residents filled the council chambers to voice their suggestions, comments and concerns.
Resident Andrew Arsenault said he was opposed to the process and thought it should be a Planning Board initiative.
But Kate Arno, the FEDC president and newly elected Town Councilor, said the FEDC meetings are "always open to the public" and if confidential business matters need to be discussed, the board will convene in executive session.
"FEDC is a stand-alone nonprofit organization, not a municipal entity," Arno said Tuesday. "But, our meeting minutes are available to the public and our meetings are open to the public."
At the meeting, she encouraged the public to offer ideas that can be included in the RFP to help develop the Vision 2025 plan.
Some residents suggested the consultant consider expanding the educational and recreational opportunities at Wolfe's Neck Farm and create more of a connection between the town and the farm.
Others wanted to address ways to foster new local business in the downtown area.
Transportation and infrastructure, the need for a visual art center, more pedestrian and bicycle pathways, waterfront parking and access and smart growth practices were also discussed.
Jonas Warner said he would like the consultants to take into consideration the future of retail and what the trend toward online purchases mean for a community with a retail center.
In response to questions aimed at L.L. Bean regarding a hotel in the downtown or Flying Point Road area, John Oliver of L.L. Bean said such a development is "not on our planning horizon."
Arno said out of all the suggestions offered by residents, businesses and town officials, the FEDC board with the help of a consultant will look at three to five strategic objectives.
"This Vision 2025 plan is a nonbinding document, not an ordinance, but a shared vision put to paper," she said.
After the council offers suggestions at the FEDC meeting on Nov. 22, the board will begin reviewing the RFP. They will finalize the draft by the end of December and send it to a list of consultants by January. The proposals will be due by Feb. 15, 2012, and a consultant will be selected by the end of February.
The document they create will be the Vision 2025 plan.
After FEDC collects suggestions from the public, it will submit a request for proposals to consulting firms to help develop the plan.
Residents, town officials and business owners created a similar document, Vision 2010, in 2000, to provide economic development guidance within the village district.
The Vision 2025 plan will address ways to expand and enhance the outdoor lifestyle brand; support and retain businesses; create connections to the water; develop of a local transportation system with regional connections, and enhance Freeport's business-friendly image.
Sande Updegraph, executive director of FEDC, said the Vision 2025 document may take a larger view than Vision 2010 and will provide a framework for development.
Vision 2025 and the Comprehensive Plan will work together, complement each other and are both strategic plans, Updegraph said, but are different types of documents.
"The big difference between the two is that the Comprehensive Plan really takes a general view of growth in the city, while the vision plan will identify some actionable items we can complete that fit within the Comprehensive Plan," she said. "The Comprehensive Plan is about zoning and land use policies, while the Vision is what we want Freeport to look like."
The first FEDC meeting on the Vision 2025 process was held on Sept. 29 and was invitation-only for business owners. The second meeting was open to the public and held on Oct. 27. The next meeting will be held during an FEDC business meeting from 7:30-9:30 a.m. at the Town Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The board has invited the council to offer feedback and the meeting is open to the public, Updegraph said.
At the October meeting, residents filled the council chambers to voice their suggestions, comments and concerns.
Resident Andrew Arsenault said he was opposed to the process and thought it should be a Planning Board initiative.
But Kate Arno, the FEDC president and newly elected Town Councilor, said the FEDC meetings are "always open to the public" and if confidential business matters need to be discussed, the board will convene in executive session.
"FEDC is a stand-alone nonprofit organization, not a municipal entity," Arno said Tuesday. "But, our meeting minutes are available to the public and our meetings are open to the public."
At the meeting, she encouraged the public to offer ideas that can be included in the RFP to help develop the Vision 2025 plan.
Some residents suggested the consultant consider expanding the educational and recreational opportunities at Wolfe's Neck Farm and create more of a connection between the town and the farm.
Others wanted to address ways to foster new local business in the downtown area.
Transportation and infrastructure, the need for a visual art center, more pedestrian and bicycle pathways, waterfront parking and access and smart growth practices were also discussed.
Jonas Warner said he would like the consultants to take into consideration the future of retail and what the trend toward online purchases mean for a community with a retail center.
In response to questions aimed at L.L. Bean regarding a hotel in the downtown or Flying Point Road area, John Oliver of L.L. Bean said such a development is "not on our planning horizon."
Arno said out of all the suggestions offered by residents, businesses and town officials, the FEDC board with the help of a consultant will look at three to five strategic objectives.
"This Vision 2025 plan is a nonbinding document, not an ordinance, but a shared vision put to paper," she said.
After the council offers suggestions at the FEDC meeting on Nov. 22, the board will begin reviewing the RFP. They will finalize the draft by the end of December and send it to a list of consultants by January. The proposals will be due by Feb. 15, 2012, and a consultant will be selected by the end of February.
2011年11月14日星期一
Resource officer increases peace at Mount View
A typical day last summer for Waldo County Sheriff's Deputy Gerald Lincoln meant restoring peace at domestic disputes, responding to car accidents and investigating burglaries.
These days, the school resource officer makes sure classrooms, hallways and parking lots at Mount View complex and other Regional School Unit 3 schools are safe for students, staff and community members.
The new full-time job is still evolving, Lincoln said.
"It's new to the school, it's new to students, it's new to me and there's a new principal. There's a lot of newness," he said.
One recent day, Lincoln talked with middle school students about cyberbullying and first-graders about Halloween safety.
The retired Air Force lieutenant colonel also secured entrances at the three-school complex in Thorndike, greeted students when they entered and left, checked in with youth who have approached him with problems and prepared remarks for guest lectures.
Lincoln also assists, when requested by staff, with on-site issues ranging from drug infractions to fights.
Dressed in a brown uniform and equipped with a utility belt, which includes a pistol, Lincoln, arrives at 6:45 a.m. on school days in his Dodge Charger cruiser. He reviews the prior night's police reports to see if law enforcement personnel were involved in situations that might have had an impact on district students.
Then he goes to the lobby to greet students as they arrive.
As the job title indicates, Lincoln said he is a resource for students, educators, guests and the entire school community, including parents.
"I'm here to help," Lincoln said. "No student at school should feel unsafe."
The price tag this year for Lincoln's services is $70,000, which includes salary and benefits.
Superintendent Heather Perry said discussions for a school resource officer began early during last year's budget discussions and included researching how other districts used their officers.
"We liked that we could tailor the position to our needs in a unique way," she said, adding that the Unity-based, 11-town district would focus on preventing drug and alcohol abuse and preventing bullying.
She said the district had lost a drug and alcohol counselor, guidance counselors and other nonteaching staff because of recent tight budgets.
"We saw a school resource officer as focusing on prevention ... and could impact the lives of students at school and outside of school," Perry said, adding that law enforcement personnel are well connected with multiple organizations and services geared to helping youth.
Waldo County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jeff Trafton said Lincoln is "a conduit to all kinds of other services that kids need."
In 2002, when Trafton was a Maine State Police lieutenant, he helped forge an agreement with the rural district to have then-Trooper Tom Ballard work as a school resource officer for 16 hours a week.
It was a pilot project and was provided at no cost to the district, Trafton said.
In 2003, Ballard was promoted to sergeant and Trafton said the program ended because the troop did not have enough staff for another trooper to continue the program.
Trafton said he understood that some people might have concerns about a uniformed officer with a gun in a school setting.
"The government, it seems, is involved in every facet of our lives," he said. "But I'm a trained (school resource officer) myself and the basis of the position is to serve and support the students and staff."
It's imperative that the school resource officer have good people skills, he said.
"They have to be completely approachable or students are not going to connect with them," Trafton said.
Trafton said Lincoln is professional, competent and approachable. "And if he needs to take decisive action, he has the knowledge and training and ability to do it," he said.
Lincoln was a flight instructor in the Air Force and said the school resource officer position is a good fit for his personality and interests. "I understand the importance of it and the need to build rapport and trust with the students."
During his military career, Lincoln also worked at Bangor International Airport, where he was responsible for air refueling missions for military aircraft bound for Europe and the Middle East.
After retiring from the Air Force and after a brief stint as a first officer with Northwest Airlines, Lincoln joined the Waldo County Sheriff's Department.
In 2009, Lincoln was oldest person in his basic law enforcement training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, where he graduated the 18-week course third in the 53-cadet group.
"It was a good motivator for me in a lot of ways," he said. "In other ways it was very humbling."
Lincoln was elected president of his class and academy personnel in Vassalboro selected him for the Professionalism Award.
Tom Lynch, Mount View High School vice principal, said Lincoln epitomizes an ideal school resource officer "in terms of personality, presence, knowledge and experience working with kids."
"He has an ability to keep things very professional," Lynch said. "He has a way about him and kids accept him and listen to him. I think that's why we're seeing such early success."
Perry said youth have approached Lincoln with both practical and personal problems, from how to properly take care of a speeding ticket to how to handle an argument with a girlfriend or boyfriend.
Staff, Perry said, can use Lincoln as a sounding board when legal issues arise.
Lincoln's office in the high school guidance suite has a window from which he can see Route 220, the parking lot and school entrance.
Thank-you cards dot the bulletin board behind his computer.
The vice principal said Lincoln has helped make the school safer in a variety of ways -- from student behavior to reducing motorists speeding through the parking lot.
Lynch said having Lincoln at the rural complex gives him peace of mind in the event the unthinkable were to happen.
"At any given time, there are about 1,600 people, including staff, students and visitors here," said Lynch, adding that sheriff's deputies and state police troopers can be miles away.
In April 1999, Columbine High School high school seniors Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris murdered 12 fellow students and one teacher before they turned the guns on themselves in Littleton, Colo. It is the nation's worst school shooting in history.
In October 2008, closer to home, Randall Hofland took a fifth-grade class hostage with a handgun at Stockton Springs Elementary School. Maine State Police Detective Jason Andrews talked Hofland out of the classroom and took him into custody. No students were physically harmed.
Those incidents have made school staff hyper-aware of safety.
Lincoln, who has been with the sheriff's office for about three and a half years, said it can be difficult to measure incident prevention, but he said educators have told him that they can focus on educating when students are better behaved.
High school English teacher Tanya Hubbard attested to that.
"I find his presence to be encouraging," said Hubbard, who added she has seen many changes during her 36-year teaching career.
"This addition is a good one; everyone needs to feel safe. I feel like I can go to him with any concerns, behavior, students or referrals. He's professional and important to our system. He's authoritative and pleasant, together."
Lincoln, a 1982 graduate of Nokomis Regional High School, said he hopes students will use him for any number of reasons, from needing help with a domestic situation to pursuing a law enforcement career.
These days, the school resource officer makes sure classrooms, hallways and parking lots at Mount View complex and other Regional School Unit 3 schools are safe for students, staff and community members.
The new full-time job is still evolving, Lincoln said.
"It's new to the school, it's new to students, it's new to me and there's a new principal. There's a lot of newness," he said.
One recent day, Lincoln talked with middle school students about cyberbullying and first-graders about Halloween safety.
The retired Air Force lieutenant colonel also secured entrances at the three-school complex in Thorndike, greeted students when they entered and left, checked in with youth who have approached him with problems and prepared remarks for guest lectures.
Lincoln also assists, when requested by staff, with on-site issues ranging from drug infractions to fights.
Dressed in a brown uniform and equipped with a utility belt, which includes a pistol, Lincoln, arrives at 6:45 a.m. on school days in his Dodge Charger cruiser. He reviews the prior night's police reports to see if law enforcement personnel were involved in situations that might have had an impact on district students.
Then he goes to the lobby to greet students as they arrive.
As the job title indicates, Lincoln said he is a resource for students, educators, guests and the entire school community, including parents.
"I'm here to help," Lincoln said. "No student at school should feel unsafe."
The price tag this year for Lincoln's services is $70,000, which includes salary and benefits.
Superintendent Heather Perry said discussions for a school resource officer began early during last year's budget discussions and included researching how other districts used their officers.
"We liked that we could tailor the position to our needs in a unique way," she said, adding that the Unity-based, 11-town district would focus on preventing drug and alcohol abuse and preventing bullying.
She said the district had lost a drug and alcohol counselor, guidance counselors and other nonteaching staff because of recent tight budgets.
"We saw a school resource officer as focusing on prevention ... and could impact the lives of students at school and outside of school," Perry said, adding that law enforcement personnel are well connected with multiple organizations and services geared to helping youth.
Waldo County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Jeff Trafton said Lincoln is "a conduit to all kinds of other services that kids need."
In 2002, when Trafton was a Maine State Police lieutenant, he helped forge an agreement with the rural district to have then-Trooper Tom Ballard work as a school resource officer for 16 hours a week.
It was a pilot project and was provided at no cost to the district, Trafton said.
In 2003, Ballard was promoted to sergeant and Trafton said the program ended because the troop did not have enough staff for another trooper to continue the program.
Trafton said he understood that some people might have concerns about a uniformed officer with a gun in a school setting.
"The government, it seems, is involved in every facet of our lives," he said. "But I'm a trained (school resource officer) myself and the basis of the position is to serve and support the students and staff."
It's imperative that the school resource officer have good people skills, he said.
"They have to be completely approachable or students are not going to connect with them," Trafton said.
Trafton said Lincoln is professional, competent and approachable. "And if he needs to take decisive action, he has the knowledge and training and ability to do it," he said.
Lincoln was a flight instructor in the Air Force and said the school resource officer position is a good fit for his personality and interests. "I understand the importance of it and the need to build rapport and trust with the students."
During his military career, Lincoln also worked at Bangor International Airport, where he was responsible for air refueling missions for military aircraft bound for Europe and the Middle East.
After retiring from the Air Force and after a brief stint as a first officer with Northwest Airlines, Lincoln joined the Waldo County Sheriff's Department.
In 2009, Lincoln was oldest person in his basic law enforcement training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, where he graduated the 18-week course third in the 53-cadet group.
"It was a good motivator for me in a lot of ways," he said. "In other ways it was very humbling."
Lincoln was elected president of his class and academy personnel in Vassalboro selected him for the Professionalism Award.
Tom Lynch, Mount View High School vice principal, said Lincoln epitomizes an ideal school resource officer "in terms of personality, presence, knowledge and experience working with kids."
"He has an ability to keep things very professional," Lynch said. "He has a way about him and kids accept him and listen to him. I think that's why we're seeing such early success."
Perry said youth have approached Lincoln with both practical and personal problems, from how to properly take care of a speeding ticket to how to handle an argument with a girlfriend or boyfriend.
Staff, Perry said, can use Lincoln as a sounding board when legal issues arise.
Lincoln's office in the high school guidance suite has a window from which he can see Route 220, the parking lot and school entrance.
Thank-you cards dot the bulletin board behind his computer.
The vice principal said Lincoln has helped make the school safer in a variety of ways -- from student behavior to reducing motorists speeding through the parking lot.
Lynch said having Lincoln at the rural complex gives him peace of mind in the event the unthinkable were to happen.
"At any given time, there are about 1,600 people, including staff, students and visitors here," said Lynch, adding that sheriff's deputies and state police troopers can be miles away.
In April 1999, Columbine High School high school seniors Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris murdered 12 fellow students and one teacher before they turned the guns on themselves in Littleton, Colo. It is the nation's worst school shooting in history.
In October 2008, closer to home, Randall Hofland took a fifth-grade class hostage with a handgun at Stockton Springs Elementary School. Maine State Police Detective Jason Andrews talked Hofland out of the classroom and took him into custody. No students were physically harmed.
Those incidents have made school staff hyper-aware of safety.
Lincoln, who has been with the sheriff's office for about three and a half years, said it can be difficult to measure incident prevention, but he said educators have told him that they can focus on educating when students are better behaved.
High school English teacher Tanya Hubbard attested to that.
"I find his presence to be encouraging," said Hubbard, who added she has seen many changes during her 36-year teaching career.
"This addition is a good one; everyone needs to feel safe. I feel like I can go to him with any concerns, behavior, students or referrals. He's professional and important to our system. He's authoritative and pleasant, together."
Lincoln, a 1982 graduate of Nokomis Regional High School, said he hopes students will use him for any number of reasons, from needing help with a domestic situation to pursuing a law enforcement career.
2011年11月13日星期日
Stalking victims claim crime not taken seriously enough
Most victims of stalking who turn to the criminal justice system for protection say it is failing them, a survey reveals.
Two-thirds of victims said the police and Crown Prosecution Service did not take their complaints seriously enough, with offenders not being charged in nearly nine out of 10 alleged cases.
The survey of 140 victims was conducted by the charity Protection Against Stalking (PAS), which found "low level" stalking offences were dealt with too leniently and could escalate into more serious offences, including murder.
The majority of victims are women. One told how the criminal justice system had failed her: "The police told me to switch my phone off and ignore him. They said nothing could be done. I showed them dozens of texts and they were not really interested. They said nothing could be done unless he actually tried to hurt me."
Another victim said: "Being abandoned by the police while being stalked only adds to the fear and distress of what is already a terrifying situation."
Victims said their tormentors were escaping jail despite numerous offences. One victim said: "There have been over 50 breaches of non-molestation orders. The outcome was an £80 fine for the perpetrator."
Laura Richards, the author of the report, said: "Stalking is not fully understood by criminal justice professionals and too often the stalking pattern is missed. This results in a low priority being afforded to cases by all professionals in the criminal justice system. Victims pay with their lives."
The findings come as the government is expected to announce a review to see if tougher measures are needed. It will consult on whether stalking should become a specific criminal offence, as it already is in Scotland. There is no legal definition of stalking in English law.
Police and courts can issue restraining orders under the 1997 Protection from Harassment Act, but it is so widely drawn that it covers all kinds of harassment, including bullying at work.
The review, to be undertaken by the Home Office, CPS and Ministry of Justice, will look at police training and attitudes to stalking, the impact of guidance for prosecutors, and how effective restraining orders are in preventing harassment and stalking.
Home Office ministers hope techniques developed by a specialist unit, the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, can be used more widely. It has considerable expertise in assessing the risk in stalking cases to high-profile individuals, including members of the royal family and politicians. It makes psychiatric assessments available to police officers working on such cases.
Programmes may be run for convicted stalkers to challenge their criminal behaviour and deal with any mental health issues.
A Home Office spokesman said: "The effect of stalking on victims' lives can be devastating and we are actively looking at what more can be done to protect victims and ensure there are robust prosecutions."
According to the PAS survey, 42% of victims had been stalked for 24 months or more. One victim told of having to move 10 times; others said the constant fear was "soul destroying".
Some 62% of victims said phone calls were used by their tormentors; 51% reported being followed; 50% received unwelcome text messages; 50% suffered harassment through the use of a third party; 30% received email they considered harassment; 25% received distressing letters; and 25% of victims suffered break-ins.
Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter were also used, as was child contact and the court process.
The survey found that stalkers were former partners in 57% of cases, while 13% were strangers, 13% neighbours, 12% ex-colleagues, 11% an acquaintance, 6% a family member, 3% a patient and 3% a friend.
Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers, which is supporting a new anti-stalking law, said victims must be better protected. "The consequences of their not being taken seriously can be devastating and result in physical and mental injury and in far too many cases even homicide," he said.
"The time is right for the introduction of specific stalking laws so that perpetrators' behaviour can be fully taken into account befor
Two-thirds of victims said the police and Crown Prosecution Service did not take their complaints seriously enough, with offenders not being charged in nearly nine out of 10 alleged cases.
The survey of 140 victims was conducted by the charity Protection Against Stalking (PAS), which found "low level" stalking offences were dealt with too leniently and could escalate into more serious offences, including murder.
The majority of victims are women. One told how the criminal justice system had failed her: "The police told me to switch my phone off and ignore him. They said nothing could be done. I showed them dozens of texts and they were not really interested. They said nothing could be done unless he actually tried to hurt me."
Another victim said: "Being abandoned by the police while being stalked only adds to the fear and distress of what is already a terrifying situation."
Victims said their tormentors were escaping jail despite numerous offences. One victim said: "There have been over 50 breaches of non-molestation orders. The outcome was an £80 fine for the perpetrator."
Laura Richards, the author of the report, said: "Stalking is not fully understood by criminal justice professionals and too often the stalking pattern is missed. This results in a low priority being afforded to cases by all professionals in the criminal justice system. Victims pay with their lives."
The findings come as the government is expected to announce a review to see if tougher measures are needed. It will consult on whether stalking should become a specific criminal offence, as it already is in Scotland. There is no legal definition of stalking in English law.
Police and courts can issue restraining orders under the 1997 Protection from Harassment Act, but it is so widely drawn that it covers all kinds of harassment, including bullying at work.
The review, to be undertaken by the Home Office, CPS and Ministry of Justice, will look at police training and attitudes to stalking, the impact of guidance for prosecutors, and how effective restraining orders are in preventing harassment and stalking.
Home Office ministers hope techniques developed by a specialist unit, the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, can be used more widely. It has considerable expertise in assessing the risk in stalking cases to high-profile individuals, including members of the royal family and politicians. It makes psychiatric assessments available to police officers working on such cases.
Programmes may be run for convicted stalkers to challenge their criminal behaviour and deal with any mental health issues.
A Home Office spokesman said: "The effect of stalking on victims' lives can be devastating and we are actively looking at what more can be done to protect victims and ensure there are robust prosecutions."
According to the PAS survey, 42% of victims had been stalked for 24 months or more. One victim told of having to move 10 times; others said the constant fear was "soul destroying".
Some 62% of victims said phone calls were used by their tormentors; 51% reported being followed; 50% received unwelcome text messages; 50% suffered harassment through the use of a third party; 30% received email they considered harassment; 25% received distressing letters; and 25% of victims suffered break-ins.
Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter were also used, as was child contact and the court process.
The survey found that stalkers were former partners in 57% of cases, while 13% were strangers, 13% neighbours, 12% ex-colleagues, 11% an acquaintance, 6% a family member, 3% a patient and 3% a friend.
Harry Fletcher, assistant general secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers, which is supporting a new anti-stalking law, said victims must be better protected. "The consequences of their not being taken seriously can be devastating and result in physical and mental injury and in far too many cases even homicide," he said.
"The time is right for the introduction of specific stalking laws so that perpetrators' behaviour can be fully taken into account befor
2011年11月10日星期四
New Garden State Plaza Manager Has Jersey Roots
Deborah Mattes has managed four malls for Westfield, most of them in the Chicago area.
But none of them compare to her fifth mall, the Garden State Plaza, Westfield's largest U.S. shopping center, where Mattes was named senior general manager in September.
Mattes says she's ready for the challenge, and is even looking forward to Black Friday, when shoppers from miles away make a pilgrimage to Paramus to start their Christmas shopping.
"I'm looking forward to that energy and seeing the holiday season kick off that way," Mattes said.
Her move to New Jersey is in some ways a return home. Though Mattes grew up in the Chicago area, she was born in the Garden State and has some family in the area.
She's still getting used to the traffic, but the October snow was probably a familiar sight.
Her leadership isn't the only change at the Garden State Plaza. Mattes said the mall is sprucing up in advance of the holiday season, with new furniture and plantings.
The mall is redoing the pedestrian crosswalks from the outer ring road to the interior of the mall lot and is working to reroute the ring road to improve traffic flow. The mall also added floor space on the upper level, and customers can expect improved lighting both inside and outside.
The Planning Board recently approved a new parking guidance system for one of the mall's parking decks that will tell customers where and how much parking is available within.
Mattes said that despite the slow economy the mall is making its way back to the highs of 2007, when the mall made a reported $358.6 million in retail sales on the year, according to Westfield's annual reports. That number dipped to $308.5 million in 2009, but climbed back to $344.1 million last year.
The mall has seen an increase in spending from luxury customers and gotten more visitors from New York City, just 8 miles away, Mattes said.
Mattes said she tries to cultivate relationships with each store manager in the mall, communicating about any issues and working together on marketing strategies. The collaboration helps drive sales and traffic, she said.
The Garden State Plaza has a broad appeal that made it less vulnerable to the downturn than other businesses, Mattes said.
"You really have enough of an offering that appeals to everybody," she said.
The Garden State Plaza is about to increase those offerings with several new stores like C Wonder, a women's fashion accessory boutique; Aroma Espresso Bar, an Israel-based chain; Skagen Design, a designer of high-end watches; Naanoosh Mediterranean Grill, a fast-casual restaurant; and many others.
"I'm really excited," Mattes said. "It's a big honor to be running the Garden State Plaza, so I'm just thrilled that Westfield chose me to do that."
But none of them compare to her fifth mall, the Garden State Plaza, Westfield's largest U.S. shopping center, where Mattes was named senior general manager in September.
Mattes says she's ready for the challenge, and is even looking forward to Black Friday, when shoppers from miles away make a pilgrimage to Paramus to start their Christmas shopping.
"I'm looking forward to that energy and seeing the holiday season kick off that way," Mattes said.
Her move to New Jersey is in some ways a return home. Though Mattes grew up in the Chicago area, she was born in the Garden State and has some family in the area.
She's still getting used to the traffic, but the October snow was probably a familiar sight.
Her leadership isn't the only change at the Garden State Plaza. Mattes said the mall is sprucing up in advance of the holiday season, with new furniture and plantings.
The mall is redoing the pedestrian crosswalks from the outer ring road to the interior of the mall lot and is working to reroute the ring road to improve traffic flow. The mall also added floor space on the upper level, and customers can expect improved lighting both inside and outside.
The Planning Board recently approved a new parking guidance system for one of the mall's parking decks that will tell customers where and how much parking is available within.
Mattes said that despite the slow economy the mall is making its way back to the highs of 2007, when the mall made a reported $358.6 million in retail sales on the year, according to Westfield's annual reports. That number dipped to $308.5 million in 2009, but climbed back to $344.1 million last year.
The mall has seen an increase in spending from luxury customers and gotten more visitors from New York City, just 8 miles away, Mattes said.
Mattes said she tries to cultivate relationships with each store manager in the mall, communicating about any issues and working together on marketing strategies. The collaboration helps drive sales and traffic, she said.
The Garden State Plaza has a broad appeal that made it less vulnerable to the downturn than other businesses, Mattes said.
"You really have enough of an offering that appeals to everybody," she said.
The Garden State Plaza is about to increase those offerings with several new stores like C Wonder, a women's fashion accessory boutique; Aroma Espresso Bar, an Israel-based chain; Skagen Design, a designer of high-end watches; Naanoosh Mediterranean Grill, a fast-casual restaurant; and many others.
"I'm really excited," Mattes said. "It's a big honor to be running the Garden State Plaza, so I'm just thrilled that Westfield chose me to do that."
2011年11月9日星期三
Four Causes Of Winter Blues – And What You Can Do About Them
Winter is almost here. Not only is this a time for celebrations with loved ones, annoying Christmas music, and too many good things to eat – it’s also a time that, for many of us, is marked by the onset of the winter blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder affects millions of people all over the world every single year. Are you one of them?
Although researchers have discovered many linkages between environmental and physical factors, winter and depression, SAD is still a complex phenomenon that has more than one single cause. Here are the top four causes of depression in the winter — and what you can do about them.
1) Decreased sunlight. Sunlight stimulates the superchiasmatic nucleus in the brain, which in turn regulates our Circadian rhythms of sleeping and waking, including production of the “feel good” neurotransmitter serotonin. Make sure you get enough sunlight during the short winter days. If you can, spend at least 15 minutes outside everyday to make sure you’re soaking up enough of this valuable natural health aid.
2) Breathing stale and impure air. More and more studies are beginning to show that there’s a link between the air we breathe and the number of physical, mental and emotional ailments. Toxins, molds, pollens, and chemicals in our everyday home and office environments can create depressed emotional states. A solution for this is to purchase a large room air purifier for your living room or for your open plan corporate office. You can also purchase a smaller unit for your bedroom, as you’re bound to spend nearly 1/3 of your life sleeping in there. You can find personal air purifier reviews online to help you figure out which device suits you best.
3) Sedentary life. Who wants to go jogging in the dark? Not me! Most of us would rather spend our long winter evenings curled up with a good novel, watching movies with our sweethearts, or relaxing in the bathtub. Unfortunately, what this means is that we tend to slack off on our exercise regiments during the season. Exercise has been clinically shown to have the mitigating effect on winter depression, so don’t forget to get out there and get your daily dose of motion. Even a few minutes of walking is better than nothing. Take the stairs and walk whenever you can, and hit the gym after work if the thought of exercising outside in the dark is too much to handle.
4) Decreased vitamin D. Research has shown that decreased levels of vitamin D are linked to SAD. If you’re not getting enough sunlight each day (in the winter, most of us are not) you can purchase an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement at any health store or most major chain grocery stores. Follow the directions on the label to make sure you’re getting the right dose.
No one single solution can wipe away this complex problem all at once. Ideally, you should follow a regimen that combines light therapy, time outside, regular exercise and good nutrition, and proper nutritional supplementation. If you do, you’ll find that those feelings of unhappiness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, and other emotional malaise will cease to trouble you. In time, you can look forward to winter as what its meant to be: a time of joy and delight for everyone.
Although researchers have discovered many linkages between environmental and physical factors, winter and depression, SAD is still a complex phenomenon that has more than one single cause. Here are the top four causes of depression in the winter — and what you can do about them.
1) Decreased sunlight. Sunlight stimulates the superchiasmatic nucleus in the brain, which in turn regulates our Circadian rhythms of sleeping and waking, including production of the “feel good” neurotransmitter serotonin. Make sure you get enough sunlight during the short winter days. If you can, spend at least 15 minutes outside everyday to make sure you’re soaking up enough of this valuable natural health aid.
2) Breathing stale and impure air. More and more studies are beginning to show that there’s a link between the air we breathe and the number of physical, mental and emotional ailments. Toxins, molds, pollens, and chemicals in our everyday home and office environments can create depressed emotional states. A solution for this is to purchase a large room air purifier for your living room or for your open plan corporate office. You can also purchase a smaller unit for your bedroom, as you’re bound to spend nearly 1/3 of your life sleeping in there. You can find personal air purifier reviews online to help you figure out which device suits you best.
3) Sedentary life. Who wants to go jogging in the dark? Not me! Most of us would rather spend our long winter evenings curled up with a good novel, watching movies with our sweethearts, or relaxing in the bathtub. Unfortunately, what this means is that we tend to slack off on our exercise regiments during the season. Exercise has been clinically shown to have the mitigating effect on winter depression, so don’t forget to get out there and get your daily dose of motion. Even a few minutes of walking is better than nothing. Take the stairs and walk whenever you can, and hit the gym after work if the thought of exercising outside in the dark is too much to handle.
4) Decreased vitamin D. Research has shown that decreased levels of vitamin D are linked to SAD. If you’re not getting enough sunlight each day (in the winter, most of us are not) you can purchase an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement at any health store or most major chain grocery stores. Follow the directions on the label to make sure you’re getting the right dose.
No one single solution can wipe away this complex problem all at once. Ideally, you should follow a regimen that combines light therapy, time outside, regular exercise and good nutrition, and proper nutritional supplementation. If you do, you’ll find that those feelings of unhappiness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, weight gain, and other emotional malaise will cease to trouble you. In time, you can look forward to winter as what its meant to be: a time of joy and delight for everyone.
Southington voters approve funding for middle school projects
Voters Tuesday overwhelmingly approved spending $85 million to renovate and expand DePaolo and Kennedy middle schools.
The referendum question passed 4,697 to 2,215. Early in the voting, supporters of the projects were worried, as the numbers were running against the proposal. Democrats backing the school improvements attributed that to parents of children in the school system not voting until the late afternoon or at night, after dinner.
School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. had been pushing hard for approval. Along with school board members, Erardi made 32 presentations over the past year on the project, many attended by the public.
"It's great news for us," said Erardi, on Tuesday night. "Southington continues to write a story for the state to pay attention to, for New England to pay attention to and for this country to pay attention. It speaks to our commitment to our children to pass with a margin of over 2-1 in these times. This is a very special community in regards to public schools and children."
The project is scheduled to start in June 2013 and be completed by June 2015.
Talk of renovating the middle schools started 13 years ago. The schools are more than 50 years old and do not meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The renovation project would restore the schools to "like new" condition.
"Like new" refers to the stipulations of a Connecticut law that provides towns and school districts increased state-reimbursement eligibility if they choose to renovate a school rather than build a new one, according to literature distributed by the Southington Executive PTO Council.
"After nearly 60 years without renovations, it's time," said Al Natelli, a Republican re-elected to the Town Council Tuesday night, who spoke about the referendum before the results were in.
"There is technology that has emerged in the last 10 to 20 years that has to be implemented into the middle schools," he said. "We have these children that are coming from elementary schools that have all this technology and they are going to the middle schools without (it). We have to prepare them for the global economy."
The renovation plan for each school will increase the size of each from 107,450 square feet to 140,160 square feet. Each school's renovation will cost an estimated $42,450,000.
Each school will get 12 new classrooms, eight renovated science lab classrooms and new guidance and student service areas, computer labs, media centers, art rooms and music rooms.
New mechanical and electrical systems and technology and security systems are included in the plans, as well as enlarged health offices, additional parking and renovated graphics and tech labs.
According to the town, the cost of the project will not exceed $85 million. Southington is eligible for a maximum of $44.5 million in state reimbursement for both schools, which would result in a total potential cost to the taxpayer of $40.5 million with interest to be paid over 20 years.
"The bottom line is that I am grateful for the school board and elected officials that supported this during these tough times," said Erardi. "It's hats off to them."
The referendum question passed 4,697 to 2,215. Early in the voting, supporters of the projects were worried, as the numbers were running against the proposal. Democrats backing the school improvements attributed that to parents of children in the school system not voting until the late afternoon or at night, after dinner.
School Superintendent Joseph V. Erardi Jr. had been pushing hard for approval. Along with school board members, Erardi made 32 presentations over the past year on the project, many attended by the public.
"It's great news for us," said Erardi, on Tuesday night. "Southington continues to write a story for the state to pay attention to, for New England to pay attention to and for this country to pay attention. It speaks to our commitment to our children to pass with a margin of over 2-1 in these times. This is a very special community in regards to public schools and children."
The project is scheduled to start in June 2013 and be completed by June 2015.
Talk of renovating the middle schools started 13 years ago. The schools are more than 50 years old and do not meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The renovation project would restore the schools to "like new" condition.
"Like new" refers to the stipulations of a Connecticut law that provides towns and school districts increased state-reimbursement eligibility if they choose to renovate a school rather than build a new one, according to literature distributed by the Southington Executive PTO Council.
"After nearly 60 years without renovations, it's time," said Al Natelli, a Republican re-elected to the Town Council Tuesday night, who spoke about the referendum before the results were in.
"There is technology that has emerged in the last 10 to 20 years that has to be implemented into the middle schools," he said. "We have these children that are coming from elementary schools that have all this technology and they are going to the middle schools without (it). We have to prepare them for the global economy."
The renovation plan for each school will increase the size of each from 107,450 square feet to 140,160 square feet. Each school's renovation will cost an estimated $42,450,000.
Each school will get 12 new classrooms, eight renovated science lab classrooms and new guidance and student service areas, computer labs, media centers, art rooms and music rooms.
New mechanical and electrical systems and technology and security systems are included in the plans, as well as enlarged health offices, additional parking and renovated graphics and tech labs.
According to the town, the cost of the project will not exceed $85 million. Southington is eligible for a maximum of $44.5 million in state reimbursement for both schools, which would result in a total potential cost to the taxpayer of $40.5 million with interest to be paid over 20 years.
"The bottom line is that I am grateful for the school board and elected officials that supported this during these tough times," said Erardi. "It's hats off to them."
2011年11月8日星期二
Sensors alert drivers to parking spaces
Stressed-out Boston drivers may soon be getting some much-needed relief — a smartphone app that helps them find the most precious commodity in the city: an empty parking space.
The Herald has learned that the city is testing out a smart parking app that uses sensors to guide motorists to metered spaces that are likely to be unoccupied.
The pilot program, run by the company Streetline, now is being used on only a few dozen spaces in the Government Center area but could be expanded in the future to other areas of the city. The Menino administration still has not made an official decision to go ahead with the program, sources said.
But the Herald found a number of sensors, which look like oversized hockey pucks, embedded in the pavement on New Chardon Street, Cambridge Street and a few other downtown streets.
All drivers have to do is download a free app called “Parker” on their iPhone or Android, and the app, using guidance-based technology like GPS, will let the driver know where and how many spaces might be available. A green circle means a space is empty, blue means iffy, and red means the space is probably taken.
The Herald tested out the Parker app last week and found four green spaces that were supposed to be free on New Chardon Street. And when we arrived on the street, the spaces were indeed empty.
The sensors right now are on metered spaces but in the future could be placed in private or city garages so drivers looking to attend a game at Fenway or the Garden could find a spot, reserve it and pay for it from a phone.
Sounds great, but is “smaht pahking” really possible in a city known for its confusing parking regulations and even more confused drivers?
“If everything works out, this is going to be good for everybody, with less pollution, less fuel and less traffic,” said Christos Cassandras, a Boston University engineering professor who has developed his own smart parking app, which is even more advanced than the one Streetline uses.
One of the reasons Boston is so anxious to use a smart parking system is that the lack of parking is one of the major complaints cited by tourists and shoppers.
Research has shown that up to one-third of all cars driving around in a city are cruising the streets looking for parking spaces. The average time to find a space is about 10 minutes. That adds up to millions of gallons of wasted fuel, as well as increased air pollution.
But Cassandras said there are potential drawbacks to the Parker app. While it directs drivers to available spaces, it doesn’t tell them where the best ones are or allow them to reserve them, at least for now. This means it could create more congestion with drivers all competing for a few empty spots.
“It’s still putting pressure on the driver to make the final decision,” he said.
A number of other cities, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco, already have been testing out the app, but this is the first time Boston has tried out the new technology.
The Herald has learned that the city is testing out a smart parking app that uses sensors to guide motorists to metered spaces that are likely to be unoccupied.
The pilot program, run by the company Streetline, now is being used on only a few dozen spaces in the Government Center area but could be expanded in the future to other areas of the city. The Menino administration still has not made an official decision to go ahead with the program, sources said.
But the Herald found a number of sensors, which look like oversized hockey pucks, embedded in the pavement on New Chardon Street, Cambridge Street and a few other downtown streets.
All drivers have to do is download a free app called “Parker” on their iPhone or Android, and the app, using guidance-based technology like GPS, will let the driver know where and how many spaces might be available. A green circle means a space is empty, blue means iffy, and red means the space is probably taken.
The Herald tested out the Parker app last week and found four green spaces that were supposed to be free on New Chardon Street. And when we arrived on the street, the spaces were indeed empty.
The sensors right now are on metered spaces but in the future could be placed in private or city garages so drivers looking to attend a game at Fenway or the Garden could find a spot, reserve it and pay for it from a phone.
Sounds great, but is “smaht pahking” really possible in a city known for its confusing parking regulations and even more confused drivers?
“If everything works out, this is going to be good for everybody, with less pollution, less fuel and less traffic,” said Christos Cassandras, a Boston University engineering professor who has developed his own smart parking app, which is even more advanced than the one Streetline uses.
One of the reasons Boston is so anxious to use a smart parking system is that the lack of parking is one of the major complaints cited by tourists and shoppers.
Research has shown that up to one-third of all cars driving around in a city are cruising the streets looking for parking spaces. The average time to find a space is about 10 minutes. That adds up to millions of gallons of wasted fuel, as well as increased air pollution.
But Cassandras said there are potential drawbacks to the Parker app. While it directs drivers to available spaces, it doesn’t tell them where the best ones are or allow them to reserve them, at least for now. This means it could create more congestion with drivers all competing for a few empty spots.
“It’s still putting pressure on the driver to make the final decision,” he said.
A number of other cities, including Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and San Francisco, already have been testing out the app, but this is the first time Boston has tried out the new technology.
2011年11月7日星期一
Adoption rates increasing at an alarming rate
Adoption statistics show that adoption rates are increasing all over the world. When we see this type of rise in statistics, especially in an area that is so critical it brings several questions to mind.
Why is there such a huge increase in the numbers of children in foster care or in need of adoption? What action plan could be taken to control the rising numbers and who should be held responsible?
Lack of education – Some school programs are to vague on the issue of Sex Education and even though the topic may be discussed it is only in general and there isn’t much guidance as to abstinence. With state and federal laws putting so many restrictions on how schools are to handle sex education it is primarily up to the parent to give the education and the knowledge of how to abstain, use safe sex practices if they are active and to some, look, and listen. Stop and think about the consequences of having a child you cannot care for. Look at the number of children already in the foster care system and think about what you will be doing if you add one more child into an already over crowded system. Morals and values are extremely important and when we take the responsibility to have children it is also our responsibility to teach them to have those high morals and values, to respect themselves and others and to strive for positive results for the future.
Poor living conditions – Poverty and the economic strain that faces not just one country but the world plays a major role in the number of children facing adoption today. When the world wide economy began to falter families lost their homes, divorce cases escalated and the lack of money to care for families caused a major break up of the traditional family environment. Single parents especially fall under this category. The heartbreak of having to place your child in foster care because you cannot provide for them is terrifying. Especially if you are not sure you will “ever” be able to provide.
Child Abuse – There are over 3 million child abuse reports in the US every year. This is a major issue with children who enter the foster care programs and eventually are adopted to new families. This is just the number that are documented, there are at least 6 million reports not just actual cases.
Accidents or death in the family- Large numbers of children in foster care are not there due to lack of caring or neglect, or to the woes of our environmental and financial situations. They are there due to the loss of one or both parents. This could be from natural causes or from accidents that cause the death of one or both parents. In some cases there are other family members who can take the children but in some cases there are not. Foster care services try to keep siblings together during the adoption process but, due to the overwhelming strain on families today, sometimes they can only take one.
Lets look at the affects of adoption on children. Some children cope quite well to adoption and others do not. Grief over the loss of parents and or siblings can take hold of even the youngest of children.
Some adopted children may feel abandoned or neglected and have questions as to why they were given up or what was so wrong with them that their own parents did not want them. Please remember this is not true for everyone. Only some experience these types of issues.
Educational issues and relationship issues may arise from children who are adopted or living in foster care. They may not relate well with others due to lack of self esteem, fear of being abandoned again or anger over being in the system with no control over what happens to them or their siblings if they have them.
Knowing a child’s medical history can in some cases be paramount to helping them later in life should they become ill. If you are the adoptive parent it would be advised to find out as much as possible about the birth parents. Note: due to privacy laws this may not always be easily obtained.
The US State Department estimates that over 11,000 children from foreign countries were adopted into US families just in the year 2010 alone. The top five countries that the largest number of adoptions have been obtained are: The People’s Republic of China with an estimated 3400, Ethiopia with and estimated 2600, Russia with just over 1000, South Korea adoptions totaled 863 and the Ukraine came in at number five with 445 adoptions to the US. Please note that these statistics show a decline in adoptions to the US but not a decline in the over all world wide statistics of children waiting to be adopted.
According to the US State Department there are at least 250,000 children who enter foster care in the US alone, every year. The responsibility falls on everyone to take charge of this alarming issue and help to bring down the numbers of so many children needing love and guidance.
What can we do to help change the growing number of children in the adoption system? We can be proactive in our communities. Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, join your local church groups and support as many of your local organizations as possible to help in the fight against the enormous burden on our future leaders and parents. They need our support now to help them change the cycle.
Why is there such a huge increase in the numbers of children in foster care or in need of adoption? What action plan could be taken to control the rising numbers and who should be held responsible?
Lack of education – Some school programs are to vague on the issue of Sex Education and even though the topic may be discussed it is only in general and there isn’t much guidance as to abstinence. With state and federal laws putting so many restrictions on how schools are to handle sex education it is primarily up to the parent to give the education and the knowledge of how to abstain, use safe sex practices if they are active and to some, look, and listen. Stop and think about the consequences of having a child you cannot care for. Look at the number of children already in the foster care system and think about what you will be doing if you add one more child into an already over crowded system. Morals and values are extremely important and when we take the responsibility to have children it is also our responsibility to teach them to have those high morals and values, to respect themselves and others and to strive for positive results for the future.
Poor living conditions – Poverty and the economic strain that faces not just one country but the world plays a major role in the number of children facing adoption today. When the world wide economy began to falter families lost their homes, divorce cases escalated and the lack of money to care for families caused a major break up of the traditional family environment. Single parents especially fall under this category. The heartbreak of having to place your child in foster care because you cannot provide for them is terrifying. Especially if you are not sure you will “ever” be able to provide.
Child Abuse – There are over 3 million child abuse reports in the US every year. This is a major issue with children who enter the foster care programs and eventually are adopted to new families. This is just the number that are documented, there are at least 6 million reports not just actual cases.
Accidents or death in the family- Large numbers of children in foster care are not there due to lack of caring or neglect, or to the woes of our environmental and financial situations. They are there due to the loss of one or both parents. This could be from natural causes or from accidents that cause the death of one or both parents. In some cases there are other family members who can take the children but in some cases there are not. Foster care services try to keep siblings together during the adoption process but, due to the overwhelming strain on families today, sometimes they can only take one.
Lets look at the affects of adoption on children. Some children cope quite well to adoption and others do not. Grief over the loss of parents and or siblings can take hold of even the youngest of children.
Some adopted children may feel abandoned or neglected and have questions as to why they were given up or what was so wrong with them that their own parents did not want them. Please remember this is not true for everyone. Only some experience these types of issues.
Educational issues and relationship issues may arise from children who are adopted or living in foster care. They may not relate well with others due to lack of self esteem, fear of being abandoned again or anger over being in the system with no control over what happens to them or their siblings if they have them.
Knowing a child’s medical history can in some cases be paramount to helping them later in life should they become ill. If you are the adoptive parent it would be advised to find out as much as possible about the birth parents. Note: due to privacy laws this may not always be easily obtained.
The US State Department estimates that over 11,000 children from foreign countries were adopted into US families just in the year 2010 alone. The top five countries that the largest number of adoptions have been obtained are: The People’s Republic of China with an estimated 3400, Ethiopia with and estimated 2600, Russia with just over 1000, South Korea adoptions totaled 863 and the Ukraine came in at number five with 445 adoptions to the US. Please note that these statistics show a decline in adoptions to the US but not a decline in the over all world wide statistics of children waiting to be adopted.
According to the US State Department there are at least 250,000 children who enter foster care in the US alone, every year. The responsibility falls on everyone to take charge of this alarming issue and help to bring down the numbers of so many children needing love and guidance.
What can we do to help change the growing number of children in the adoption system? We can be proactive in our communities. Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, join your local church groups and support as many of your local organizations as possible to help in the fight against the enormous burden on our future leaders and parents. They need our support now to help them change the cycle.
2011年11月6日星期日
Nonprofit group provides benefit guidance to veterans for post-military life
In their work during more than a decade representing and helping veterans across the country in disability-benefits cases, Virginia Girard-Brady, Preston Girard and Rod Ratzlaff noticed some things slipping through the cracks.
Often as they seek a resolution in a benefits case, veterans need help with certain day-to-day expenses. Or when they return, veterans and their families have trouble navigating the Veterans Affairs system to find out just what assistance is available to them.
“We realized there were a lot of unmet needs and services, especially in educating veterans and some social services benefits,” said Girard, a veterans claims agent who has assisted his sister, owner of her law practice, ABS Legal Advocates, in Lawrence.
In late 2009, they, along with Ratzlaff, the practice’s manager, founded a nonprofit organization, The Alliance for Veterans and their Families Inc., to try to branch out and help veterans in more areas.
“There have always been a lot of issues that we’ve seen that we really couldn’t do a lot about as a private law firm,” said Girard-Brady, who started the law firm in 2000.
Now they are hoping to ramp up fundraising and services for the nonprofit, known as Kansas AVF, with an emphasis on helping veterans and their families in Douglas County and some of the surrounding area.
Girard, who is the AVF’s board president, said there will be a major push to notify veterans through seminars about what benefits are available to them and how they can go about obtaining them. The seminars will also focus on career and financial planning. Nationally the unemployment rate for veterans is typically a couple of points higher than current national rate of 9 percent.
“Our most valuable contribution would be to get them this information in a way that would be meaningful for them and make a difference for them,” he said. “Our goal is to help veterans and their families adjust and prosper in post-military life.”
He said that with more and more younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the VA will likely be dealing with thousands of new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and other medical and psychological issues, and the AVF also wants help connecting veterans and their families with affordable counseling and medical assistance available to them.
“It’s going to be tough,” Girard said. “We’re all going to have to step up.”
Another major goal is to establish an emergency fund to help certain veterans with needs such as stable housing, rent and utilities costs and transportation needs, Girard-Brady said.
They have established the Don Brim Emergency Relief Fund, named after one of their clients, a Vietnam veteran who was homeless for 10 years during a fight to obtain benefits. Brim was awarded full benefits in 2006 but died in 2009 from cancer.
Now Girard said they want the emergency relief fund to be available to help veterans in similar situations, and AVF leaders also want to be able to help steer veterans to other social service agencies in Lawrence and Douglas County that can help them.
They also have established a scholarship fund that would benefit veterans who need money to supplement their GI Bill funds.
The funds will be featured at a fundraiser open to the public at 5 p.m. today at Abe and Jake’s Landing, 8 E. Sixth St. Several bands will perform, including Big Brutus, which includes three Army National Guard members who served in Iraq.
“It’s creating awareness that this type of group is here in Lawrence, serving the needs immediately of more local veterans,” said Aaron Hale, a band member and AVF board member who was in a convoy that was attacked in Iraq.
Girard said there’s a $5 suggestion donation for the event.
More information is also available at avfinc.org or at the Alliance for Veterans and Their Families Facebook page. The AVF is also seeking grant funds, and the law firm provides in-kind donations of office space and equipment.
Girard said the organization wants to work to fill gaps for veterans and their families in any way they can.
“Often they come back from battle,” he said, “and then they have a new kind of battle.”
Often as they seek a resolution in a benefits case, veterans need help with certain day-to-day expenses. Or when they return, veterans and their families have trouble navigating the Veterans Affairs system to find out just what assistance is available to them.
“We realized there were a lot of unmet needs and services, especially in educating veterans and some social services benefits,” said Girard, a veterans claims agent who has assisted his sister, owner of her law practice, ABS Legal Advocates, in Lawrence.
In late 2009, they, along with Ratzlaff, the practice’s manager, founded a nonprofit organization, The Alliance for Veterans and their Families Inc., to try to branch out and help veterans in more areas.
“There have always been a lot of issues that we’ve seen that we really couldn’t do a lot about as a private law firm,” said Girard-Brady, who started the law firm in 2000.
Now they are hoping to ramp up fundraising and services for the nonprofit, known as Kansas AVF, with an emphasis on helping veterans and their families in Douglas County and some of the surrounding area.
Girard, who is the AVF’s board president, said there will be a major push to notify veterans through seminars about what benefits are available to them and how they can go about obtaining them. The seminars will also focus on career and financial planning. Nationally the unemployment rate for veterans is typically a couple of points higher than current national rate of 9 percent.
“Our most valuable contribution would be to get them this information in a way that would be meaningful for them and make a difference for them,” he said. “Our goal is to help veterans and their families adjust and prosper in post-military life.”
He said that with more and more younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, the VA will likely be dealing with thousands of new cases of post-traumatic stress disorder and other medical and psychological issues, and the AVF also wants help connecting veterans and their families with affordable counseling and medical assistance available to them.
“It’s going to be tough,” Girard said. “We’re all going to have to step up.”
Another major goal is to establish an emergency fund to help certain veterans with needs such as stable housing, rent and utilities costs and transportation needs, Girard-Brady said.
They have established the Don Brim Emergency Relief Fund, named after one of their clients, a Vietnam veteran who was homeless for 10 years during a fight to obtain benefits. Brim was awarded full benefits in 2006 but died in 2009 from cancer.
Now Girard said they want the emergency relief fund to be available to help veterans in similar situations, and AVF leaders also want to be able to help steer veterans to other social service agencies in Lawrence and Douglas County that can help them.
They also have established a scholarship fund that would benefit veterans who need money to supplement their GI Bill funds.
The funds will be featured at a fundraiser open to the public at 5 p.m. today at Abe and Jake’s Landing, 8 E. Sixth St. Several bands will perform, including Big Brutus, which includes three Army National Guard members who served in Iraq.
“It’s creating awareness that this type of group is here in Lawrence, serving the needs immediately of more local veterans,” said Aaron Hale, a band member and AVF board member who was in a convoy that was attacked in Iraq.
Girard said there’s a $5 suggestion donation for the event.
More information is also available at avfinc.org or at the Alliance for Veterans and Their Families Facebook page. The AVF is also seeking grant funds, and the law firm provides in-kind donations of office space and equipment.
Girard said the organization wants to work to fill gaps for veterans and their families in any way they can.
“Often they come back from battle,” he said, “and then they have a new kind of battle.”
2011年11月3日星期四
Parking Guidance System Approved at Garden State Plaza
Shoppers at Garden State Plaza will be able to see how many spots are available in one of the mall's parking garages and where, after the Planning Board approved plans for a parking guidance system Thursday.
One of the mall's parking garages will have a sign telling shoppers how many spots are available at each level within.
Inside, cameras above every other parking space will be able to tell whether a spot is occupied. If a spot is free, a green light will go on above the space. A red light will go on if the space is occupied.
Civil engineer William Page said the system will improve the traffic flow at the mall, since drivers will know exactly which level to go, or whether to even enter the garage if it's full.
The board also approved the mall's plans to straighten out the ring road surrounding Garden State Plaza. Currently, the ring road has an inward kink between Old Navy and Capital Grille.
Page said straightening the road would improve safety in that area and give Capital Grille more space for valet parking.
The mall's plans for improvements to three of its entrances also received approval. The mall plans new signs and lighting for the entrances between the Grand Lux Cafe and Legal Seafood, Legal Seafood and Macy's, and Capital Grille and Old Navy.
One of the mall's parking garages will have a sign telling shoppers how many spots are available at each level within.
Inside, cameras above every other parking space will be able to tell whether a spot is occupied. If a spot is free, a green light will go on above the space. A red light will go on if the space is occupied.
Civil engineer William Page said the system will improve the traffic flow at the mall, since drivers will know exactly which level to go, or whether to even enter the garage if it's full.
The board also approved the mall's plans to straighten out the ring road surrounding Garden State Plaza. Currently, the ring road has an inward kink between Old Navy and Capital Grille.
Page said straightening the road would improve safety in that area and give Capital Grille more space for valet parking.
The mall's plans for improvements to three of its entrances also received approval. The mall plans new signs and lighting for the entrances between the Grand Lux Cafe and Legal Seafood, Legal Seafood and Macy's, and Capital Grille and Old Navy.
2011年11月2日星期三
From the bench to the box
A retired San Luis Obispo Superior Court judge recently found himself in an unusual location in the courtroom — sitting in the jury box.
Attorneys arguing a civil trial chose retired Judge Christopher Money to serve on the jury, which goes against an unwritten rule among lawyers to never pick an attorney or judge to be on a jury.
Money said lawyers involved in trials often shy away from picking a judge or another lawyer for a jury because of perceptions about how they might apply the law.
Lawyers also sometimes fear a legal expert would become overbearing alongside other jurors who don’t have a background in law.
The recent civil case involved a dispute between a landlord and tenant over whether an inspection of a San Luis Obispo site was valid and didn’t break a contractual agreement.
Money said he was not the foreman and allowed his peers on the jury to conduct much of the discussion without saying too much. They came to a unanimous agreement in favor of the defendant after a two-week trial.
“I didn’t expect to be selected, but I’m glad I was because it gave me a different perspective than I had as a judge,” Money said. “I thought the jury did a tremendous job. They listened carefully and were very thorough in their deliberations.”
Susan Matherly, the county Superior Court’s executive officer, said she can’t recall a local judge serving on a jury in recent years, though she said nothing prohibits them from doing so.
Matherly said that when she worked in Los Angeles County’s court system, judges were occasionally picked for juries.
“It isn’t common, but it happens from time to time,” Matherly said.
Local lawyers Roy Ogden and Dennis Balsamo tried the recent lawsuit that concluded Friday before Judge Donald Umhofer in the Paso Robles court. Each felt Money could be a fair juror.
Each also could have removed him from a pool of more than 60 potential jurors by using a legal challenge that doesn’t require having cause.
“I relied on the strength of our case and felt Judge Money would be fair,” defense lawyer Ogden said. “He’s an intelligent guy and understands the law.”
Balsamo, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he thought Money would be “completely” fair in deliberations and that he might give other jurors some legal guidance if necessary.
“I didn’t think his presence would be more or less beneficial,” Balsamo said. “… I’m not happy with the jury’s decision, but I respect it.”
Money said he was happy to spend time in the “beautiful courthouse” in Paso Robles and said the experience taught him that “juries pick up on things quickly and lawyers don’t need to repeat points several times they often think they need to go over.”
A jury returned a verdict last week favoring landlord DW August Co. in a case that involved a school leasing property from the company in San Luis Obispo.
The lawsuit’s allegations included trespassing and invasion of privacy.
The owner of the Laureate School in San Luis Obispo, Eucasia Schools Worldwide, claimed the plaintiff cut a chain across the parking lot and entered the school without permission from school officials by way of a locksmith making a new set of master keys.
The lawsuit also alleged DW August accessed the plaintiff’s computer system, looked at papers, “maliciously” switched telephone and fax wires, and failed to secure a rear door, leaving the school’s confidential student and employee records unsecured, according to court documents.
The trial lasted two weeks and no money was awarded to the plaintiffs after a verdict came back Friday, according to Roy Ogden, who defended DW August. Plaintiff attorney Dennis Balsamo said he didn’t want to discuss details of the case.
Attorneys arguing a civil trial chose retired Judge Christopher Money to serve on the jury, which goes against an unwritten rule among lawyers to never pick an attorney or judge to be on a jury.
Money said lawyers involved in trials often shy away from picking a judge or another lawyer for a jury because of perceptions about how they might apply the law.
Lawyers also sometimes fear a legal expert would become overbearing alongside other jurors who don’t have a background in law.
The recent civil case involved a dispute between a landlord and tenant over whether an inspection of a San Luis Obispo site was valid and didn’t break a contractual agreement.
Money said he was not the foreman and allowed his peers on the jury to conduct much of the discussion without saying too much. They came to a unanimous agreement in favor of the defendant after a two-week trial.
“I didn’t expect to be selected, but I’m glad I was because it gave me a different perspective than I had as a judge,” Money said. “I thought the jury did a tremendous job. They listened carefully and were very thorough in their deliberations.”
Susan Matherly, the county Superior Court’s executive officer, said she can’t recall a local judge serving on a jury in recent years, though she said nothing prohibits them from doing so.
Matherly said that when she worked in Los Angeles County’s court system, judges were occasionally picked for juries.
“It isn’t common, but it happens from time to time,” Matherly said.
Local lawyers Roy Ogden and Dennis Balsamo tried the recent lawsuit that concluded Friday before Judge Donald Umhofer in the Paso Robles court. Each felt Money could be a fair juror.
Each also could have removed him from a pool of more than 60 potential jurors by using a legal challenge that doesn’t require having cause.
“I relied on the strength of our case and felt Judge Money would be fair,” defense lawyer Ogden said. “He’s an intelligent guy and understands the law.”
Balsamo, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he thought Money would be “completely” fair in deliberations and that he might give other jurors some legal guidance if necessary.
“I didn’t think his presence would be more or less beneficial,” Balsamo said. “… I’m not happy with the jury’s decision, but I respect it.”
Money said he was happy to spend time in the “beautiful courthouse” in Paso Robles and said the experience taught him that “juries pick up on things quickly and lawyers don’t need to repeat points several times they often think they need to go over.”
A jury returned a verdict last week favoring landlord DW August Co. in a case that involved a school leasing property from the company in San Luis Obispo.
The lawsuit’s allegations included trespassing and invasion of privacy.
The owner of the Laureate School in San Luis Obispo, Eucasia Schools Worldwide, claimed the plaintiff cut a chain across the parking lot and entered the school without permission from school officials by way of a locksmith making a new set of master keys.
The lawsuit also alleged DW August accessed the plaintiff’s computer system, looked at papers, “maliciously” switched telephone and fax wires, and failed to secure a rear door, leaving the school’s confidential student and employee records unsecured, according to court documents.
The trial lasted two weeks and no money was awarded to the plaintiffs after a verdict came back Friday, according to Roy Ogden, who defended DW August. Plaintiff attorney Dennis Balsamo said he didn’t want to discuss details of the case.
2011年11月1日星期二
EPA Planning Approach to improve water quality in U.S. cities.
Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a commitment to using an integrated planning process to help local governments dealing with difficult financial conditions identify opportunities to achieve clean water by controlling and managing releases of wastewater and stormwater runoff more efficiently and cost effectively. The integrated planning process, outlined in a guidance memo to EPA's regional offices from EPA's Office of Water and Office of Enforcement and Compliance, will help municipalities prioritize infrastructure investments to address the most serious water quality issues and provide flexibility to use innovative, cost-effective stormwater and wastewater management solutions.
"EPA is firmly committed to helping local governments identify opportunities to achieve clean water using a comprehensive integrated planning approach," EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe said. "An integrated approach allows communities to prioritize their investments to address the most serious water issues first and provides flexibility to use innovative, cost-effective storm- and wastewater management solutions - including green infrastructure."
Aging sewer systems, not designed to handle heavy rain and snowfall in addition to handling the wastewater from growing populations and local industries, can overflow, releasing untreated sewage into waterways, onto city streets or into the basements of homes. As the runoff flows over the land or impervious surfaces, including paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment and other pollutants. Overflows and stormwater can carry a variety of harmful pollutants, including bacteria, metals and nutrients that threaten communities' water quality and can contribute to disease outbreaks, beach and shellfish bed closings, flooding, and fishing or swimming advisories.
To better protect water quality, EPA will work with local governments to review the Clean Water Act requirements that each municipality must comply with and look for opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of solutions developed to meet those obligations. This integrated approach will identify efficiencies where more than one water quality issue can be addressed by the same solution and where competing requirements may exist, including how to best make capital investments and meet operation and maintenance requirements.
Integrated planning approaches can also have other benefits, like leading to the identification of innovative, sustainable solutions that improve water quality and enhance community vitality. Green infrastructure, such as green roofs, rain gardens, planter boxes, and permeable pavement, is an example of an integrated solution that can reduce, capture, and treat stormwater runoff at its source before it can reach the sewer system. Green infrastructure provides a cost effective way to reduce overflows and add green space in communities.
"EPA is firmly committed to helping local governments identify opportunities to achieve clean water using a comprehensive integrated planning approach," EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe said. "An integrated approach allows communities to prioritize their investments to address the most serious water issues first and provides flexibility to use innovative, cost-effective storm- and wastewater management solutions - including green infrastructure."
Aging sewer systems, not designed to handle heavy rain and snowfall in addition to handling the wastewater from growing populations and local industries, can overflow, releasing untreated sewage into waterways, onto city streets or into the basements of homes. As the runoff flows over the land or impervious surfaces, including paved streets, parking lots, and building rooftops, it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment and other pollutants. Overflows and stormwater can carry a variety of harmful pollutants, including bacteria, metals and nutrients that threaten communities' water quality and can contribute to disease outbreaks, beach and shellfish bed closings, flooding, and fishing or swimming advisories.
To better protect water quality, EPA will work with local governments to review the Clean Water Act requirements that each municipality must comply with and look for opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of solutions developed to meet those obligations. This integrated approach will identify efficiencies where more than one water quality issue can be addressed by the same solution and where competing requirements may exist, including how to best make capital investments and meet operation and maintenance requirements.
Integrated planning approaches can also have other benefits, like leading to the identification of innovative, sustainable solutions that improve water quality and enhance community vitality. Green infrastructure, such as green roofs, rain gardens, planter boxes, and permeable pavement, is an example of an integrated solution that can reduce, capture, and treat stormwater runoff at its source before it can reach the sewer system. Green infrastructure provides a cost effective way to reduce overflows and add green space in communities.
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