ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) - The bill for removing asbestos from a central Indiana county’s government office building is getting bigger. The cost for the work in the Madison County Government Center had been estimated at $2 million. But county administrator Dan Dykes says that projection is now $3.5 million. The (Anderson) Herald Bulletin reports that estimate includes the asbestos removal, new fireproofing, moving and storage for county offices, new ceiling tiles, paint and carpeting. That total doesn’t include the $420,000 cost to lease space to house county offices for seven months so the work can be completed. County council members are expected to vote Nov. 14 on a plan to borrow the $3.5 million and repay it with county income tax revenues. Asbestos can cause lung cancer and other health problems if inhaled. ___ Information from: The Herald Bulletin, http://www.theheraldbulletin.com … [Read more...] about Indiana county facing bigger bill for asbestos removal work
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Aging, disabled consumers may be clueless about state’s new long-term care program
Libby Powers, a 29-year-old disability rights counselor born with spina bifida, understands the state’s pending Community HealthChoices program better than most of the other 80,000 southwestern Pennsylvanians soon to be affected by it. To the Sewickley resident whose mobility problems already enable her to receive government-funded home care and transportation assistance, this new managed care program that starts Jan. 1 sounds like a good thing. “It’s going to make everything more streamlined for everyone,” with potentially better communication among health care and in-home providers, said Ms. Powers, an independent-living coordinator for the Disability Options Network, a private, nonprofit agency. Efficient streamlining and coordination of services for aged Medicare and Medicaid recipients or younger adults with disabilities is indeed the stated thrust of the Wolf administration’s Community HealthChoices initiative. Those goals may not be apparent at … [Read more...] about Aging, disabled consumers may be clueless about state’s new long-term care program
Two simple ways to lower odds of stillbirth
Story highlights Many pregnancy guides do not give enough information about stillbirth, to avoid frightening women Any decrease in fetal movement should prompt a call to your health care provider (CNN)Canada's Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness day on Oct. 15, 2017 draws our attention to a bleak statistic -- an estimated one in four pregnancies end in a loss. Many of these are early miscarriages. But in Canada about one in 125 pregnancies end in a stillbirth -- that is, the death of a fetus in utero after 20 weeks gestation. Countries such as Korea and Finland have much lower rates of stillbirth, so we know that there is more we can do to prevent it. There is research on the risk factors that increase the chances of a stillbirth. Yet many pregnancy guides do not give enough information about stillbirth, in the belief that women do not want to be frightened about pregnancy loss. … [Read more...] about Two simple ways to lower odds of stillbirth
Puppy survives being kicked, hit by car and virus
HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) - At just about 4 months old, Brindle Bill still has loose puppy skin, big, bright eyes and a wiggly gait. He still whines when he’s not the center of attention. He still loves snuggling, exploring new smells and winding his leash around people’s legs. It’s hard to imagine the abuse and violence he endured just a few weeks prior. While many people have cared for him since then, his first rescuer was 19-year-old Hannah Williams of Thomasville. She was driving with her boyfriend around 10 p.m. Aug. 9 past Myers Park when she saw a small animal limping in the middle of the road. “There was a car in front of me and I see the car directly hit this thing in the middle of the road,” she said. “I saw it shoot out from under the car and tumble down the road.” She stopped the car and walked toward the animal. It was Brindle Bill, and he was “squealing,” she said. As she picked him up, three girls approached her … [Read more...] about Puppy survives being kicked, hit by car and virus
California declares state of emergency over hepatitis A outbreak that has killed at least 18 people
LOS ANGELES — California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency Friday because of the state’s hepatitis A outbreak that has killed at least 18 people. “Vaccinating people at risk of exposure is the most effective tool we have to prevent the spread of hepatitis A infection during an outbreak,” said California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Karen Smith. The department has already distributed about 80,000 doses of the vaccine, but officials said they need more to address the outbreak. The emergency declaration will allow the health department to purchase more vaccine doses and distribute them to more people who are at risk, officials said. Hepatitis A is commonly transmitted through contaminated food. The only U.S. outbreak in the last 20 years bigger than California’s occurred in Pennsylvania in 2003, when more than 900 people were infected after eating contaminated green onions at a restaurant. California’s outbreak, however, is … [Read more...] about California declares state of emergency over hepatitis A outbreak that has killed at least 18 people
Flirtey launches first drone defibrillator service in US
RENO, Nev. (AP) - A drone delivery service has announced a new partnership with a Reno-based ambulance company to send out defibrillators and other emergency equipment by air during responses to cardiac arrest. The Reno Gazette-Journal reports Drone delivery service Flirtey announced it is joining Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority, allowing responders to send an automated external defibrillator by air in addition to an ambulance dispatch for every emergency call involving cardiac arrest. The program uses a rapid drone deployment program that combines Flirtey’s flight planning software technology with joining Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority’s patient care and transport programs. The goal is to help improve response times, especially in locations where traffic can slow down the arrival of paramedics on the scene. ___ Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com … [Read more...] about Flirtey launches first drone defibrillator service in US
Police: Man kills girlfriend’s son, then robs her
HOLMES BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Police say a man killed his girlfriend’s 17-month-old son and stole her car stereo and laptop while she was in the hospital with her dying child. The Bradenton Herald reports that 31-year-old David Vickers is being held without bail on charges of second-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. Authorities say Vickers was taking care of Luca Sholey while the child’s mother was at work. Vickers claims he put the boy to bed and found him unresponsive when he checked on him an hour later. An autopsy determined Sholey’s death to be from blunt-force trauma to his brain. The toddler also had bruises on his chest and six broken ribs. Vickers is also charged with theft after police say he pawned a car stereo and computer owned by Sholey’s mother. ___ Information from: The Bradenton (Fla.) Herald , http://www.bradenton.com LOAD COMMENTS ( HIDE … [Read more...] about Police: Man kills girlfriend’s son, then robs her
Rhode Island congressman pledges to donate brain to research
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A Rhode Island congressman is pledging to donate his brain to research into a degenerative brain disease detected in former football players. Democratic Rep. David Cicilline played Pop Warner football in his youth. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy has been detected after death in more than 200 men and boys who played football at the youth, collegiate and professional level. The Providence Journal reports Cicilline made the pledge Friday at a forum in Washington on the impact of concussions. The panel included researchers from Boston University who found that of 111 NFL players whose families donated their brains to research, 110 showed CTE signs. During the forum, Cicilline asked what Congress could do to help and one researcher suggested he donate his brain. Cicilline said he’d be happy to, after he’s dead. ___ Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com … [Read more...] about Rhode Island congressman pledges to donate brain to research
Martial arts teacher helps kids deal with bullying
STAFFORD, N.J. (AP) - Growing up in Barnegat, the bullying was bad for Alex Baker. “I was bullied horribly,” he said. “I was the only Asian person in my entire school. I was picked on, beaten up.” Then, at age 9, he made a life-changing decision. “I started Taekwondo and I came out of my little bubble,” Baker told the Asbury Park Press (http://on.app.com/2yJXb00). “I learned how to defend myself, to keep my mental composure when I was getting picked on, and it stopped.” He’s stayed with Taekwondo for 10 years, and it became both a sport and a lifestyle. Now 19, Baker is the head instructor at K.T.C., or Korean Taekwondo Center, in Stafford. Although he achieved a national ranking in junior competition, Baker - who is known at the center as Instructor Kang - focuses his energy on teaching the virtues of martial arts. “The smiles and the amount of self-control and discipline I see the kids enhance themselves with, it … [Read more...] about Martial arts teacher helps kids deal with bullying
Fort Wayne woman facing cancer after autoimmune disorder
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - Carla Pieper Knuth may be one of the few people in Fort Wayne who counts a 27-year-old milk carton among her prized keepsakes. The carton features a photo of her daughter, Tara Knuth, when she was only 2 years old - but the little girl wasn’t a missing child. Instead, the picture was a way to recruit people to a new idea: a national bone marrow registry. Diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called severe aplastic anemia, Tara Knuth needed a bone marrow transplant. Her own bone marrow wasn’t producing functioning blood cells, and none of her relatives matched all six of the necessary characteristics for a transplant to take hold. For her to survive, an unrelated donor needed to be found, and quickly. It was a long shot, but she nonetheless became a medical pioneer. Her doctors had her turn to a national database of potential donors only about two years older than she was. In turn, her parents supported placing the little blonde girl’s … [Read more...] about Fort Wayne woman facing cancer after autoimmune disorder
