Murderer Caught Locally Scheduled To Die In July

Back in the mid-1990s, the midstate was horrified to learn of the murders of four people including one in Cumberland County. The murderer, Mark Spotz, was caught at what is now the Pike Motel in Carlisle. Below is a recent media release from Governor Rendell's office announcing the scheduled execution date.

GOVERNOR RENDELL SIGNS

EXECUTION WARRANTS

HARRISBURG — Governor Edward G. Rendell today signed warrants for the execution by lethal injection of Mark Spotz, Schuylkill County, and Manuel Sepulveda, Monroe County. Spotz’s execution is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25; Sepulveda’s for Thursday, July 27.

In March 1996, Spotz was convicted of first-degree murder for the 1995 kidnapping, robbery and shooting of 52-year-old June Ohlinger. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed Spotz’s sentence on July 20, 1998. Spotz, 35, filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the United States Supreme Court, which was denied on April 19, 1999.

A petition for post-conviction relief was denied by the state Supreme Court on May 2, 2006.

In November 2002, Manuel Sepulveda, 27, was found guilty in the killings of John Mendez and Ricardo Lopez a year prior. He was sentenced to death in January 2003, a decision that was upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Aug. 19, 2004. On April 4, 2005, Sepulveda filed a petition for a writ of certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court. Certiorari was denied on Feb. 21, 2006.

Both men are inmates at the State Correctional Institution Greene. Governor Rendell has now signed 55 execution warrants.

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For an interesting letter from death row, click here.

For more news stories on this murderer, click here or here.

(Source: Pennsylvania Governor's Website)

Governor's Race: 30 Day Content Analysis Shows Early Strategies

Although election day won't be for several more months, both the Democrat and Republican candidates for Pennsylvania governor are out and about trying to better position themselves with voters and reporters. And, North Ridge Buzz noticed today that both the Swann and Rendell camps issued two media releases each according to each sides Website and Capitolwire.com. So, with the primaries over, we can expect to see an increase in rhetoric. The only question is how nasty will it get and who will be more negative.

A 30-day content analysis of headlines on news releases and statements posted at www.swannforgovernor.com and www.rendellforgovernor.com possibly reveals things to come as well as differing early strategies.

An analysis of headlines on Rendell's releases shows that 64 percent of the time Rendell attacks Swann, while 36 percent of the releases provide campaign information. None of the releases' headlines posted on www.rendellforgovernor.com between May 1 and May 30 provided positions on issues. Currently, the campaign is led by veteran campaign communicator Dan Fee, who also runs Pennsylvania Citizens for Fairness -- a group owned by the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association.

An analysis of Swann's releases shows that 26 percent of the releases' and statements' headlines attack Rendell, while 32 percent of the time his camp provides campaign information. Although often criticized for not making his positions public, a review of all headlines on releases and statements on www.swannforgovernor.com shows that 42 percent of the time the Swann camp is providing details of his position on issues.

From May 1 through May 30, Rendell's camp issued 11 media releases and statements according to his campaign Website, while Swann's camp issued 19.

Examples of today's media releases are below ...

Swann for Governor: Governor Tom Ridge endorses Lynn Swann.

Former Governor Joins Swann Campaign as Honorary Chairman

PITTSBURGH -- During a statewide campaign swing across Pennsylvania, Swann for Governor today announced it received the endorsement of former Governor Tom Ridge. The Governor has also agreed to join the campaign as Honorary Chairman of Swann for Governor.

“I believe this is one of the most important elections in the history of our state,” said Governor Ridge. “Lynn Swann has what it takes to get Pennsylvania back on track. He has a clear, positive vision for the future, and he stands ready to make the tough decisions we need to help meet the promise of Pennsylvania.”

Ridge joined Swann and his running mate, Jim Matthews, for a day-long, statewide swing stopping in Philadelphia, Scranton, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Erie.

“I am honored to have the support of Governor Tom Ridge as I continue my campaign for change and reform in Pennsylvania,” said Swann. “Governor Ridge has established a legacy of service to our state and to our nation, and he understands what it will take to get Pennsylvania back on track. Under his leadership, our state was making great progress, and I am committed to continuing that progress as Pennsylvania’s next Governor.”

During each stop, Swann outlined his policy proposals to reform Pennsylvania’s property tax system, jump start anemic job creation, establish greater accountability and transparency in state government, and improve Pennsylvania’s education system.

For more information, visit www.swannforgovernor.com.

Contact: Melissa Walters, (412) 325-8888

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Rendell for Governor: Will Lynn Swann provide evidence of the crime he accused Rendell staffers of?

Or will he continue to make reckless charges as his campaign heads into a tailspin?

PHILADELPHIA: Lynn Swann, the handpicked gubernatorial candidate of Republican insiders in Harrisburg and Washington, DC, on Friday accused members of the Rendell Administration of committing a crime by threatening potential Swann donors with loss of contracts or grants.

Swann refused to reveal the names of threatened donors and his campaign said they had no intention of filing a complaint with the state Attorney General.

As reported by the Patriot News, “If what’s being alleged were true, it would fall under the state's bribery and corrupt influence statute,” according to the state Attorney General’s office. In the more than 30 years Governor Rendell has been in public life, the attorney general's office has never received such a complaint against Rendell.

The question is, if these threats really occurred as Swann alleged in his interview with the Associated Press, why not file a complaint? Why not name names? Why would he not go to the authorities with proof?

According to political experts, after making the allegation, it is incumbent on Swann to provide additional details of the alleged crime.

"If there’s proof to the charge, provide evidence. Name names. You’ve got to provide specifics.” -- G. Terry Madonna, a public affairs professor at Franklin & Marshall College and director of the Keystone poll that recently showed Swann trailing by double digits."

"If this is all he says on that and doesn’t come back with more, it seems like a little bit of a reach. A charge like this begs more detail. Otherwise, if he doesn’t come up with more detail, this is classic election-year rhetoric.” -- Chris Borick, a political science professor at Muhlenberg College."

Lynn Swann now has two choices: Provide evidence of the alleged crime or apologize to the thousands of hard working government employees whose integrity he has impugned with his reckless remarks.

If he refuses to provide evidence or apologize, voters will know that Swann is willing to do and say anything to tear down Ed Rendell.

Contact: Dan Fee, 215-545-3190

Code Orange: Air Quality Action Days Forecasted For Cumberland County

Residents, Businesses Encouraged to Voluntarily Reduce Air Pollution

The Department of Environmental Protection and its regional Air Quality Partnerships today announced an air quality action day is forecasted for southwestern Pennsylvania, the Susquehanna Valley and the Berks/Lehigh Valley.

The forecast indicates Wednesday, May 31, will be a Code Orange day for both ozone and particulate matter, or PM 2.5, in the regions.

Southwestern Pennsylvania counties include Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland. The Susquehanna Valley comprises Cumberland, Lebanon, Dauphin, Lancaster and York counties. The Berks/Lehigh Valley covers Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s standardized Air Quality Index uses colors to report daily air quality (green signifies good, yellow means moderate, orange represents unhealthy pollution levels for sensitive people and red warns of unhealthy pollution levels for all). Air quality actions days are declared at orange and red, when fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone concentrations during the summer reach unhealthy levels.

Ozone in the upper atmosphere protects the skin by shielding it from harmful ultraviolet rays. But ground-level ozone is a key component of smog. It forms during warm weather when pollution from vehicles, industry, households and power plants “bakes” in the hot sun, making it hard for some people to breathe. Young children, the elderly, people with asthma or other lung ailments, and those who work or exercise regularly outdoors are most susceptible to the harmful effects of ground-level ozone.

Fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, has a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers, or about one-thirtieth the diameter of a human hair. Unlike ozone, particulate matter pollution can occur year-round. These particles can get deep into the lungs and cause significant health problems. PM 2.5 has been determined to be most closely associated with health effects related to increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits for heart and lung disease, increased respiratory symptoms and disease, and decreased lung function.

The particles come from a wide range of sources -- from power plants, industry, cars, trucks, buses, wood stoves and forest fires. Some particles are released when fuels are burned; others form in the atmosphere from reactions between gases released from power plants and factories.
On air quality action days, young children, the elderly and people with respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities.

To help keep the air healthy, residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily limit certain pollution-producing activities by taking the following steps:

• Ride the bus or carpool to work.
• Avoid burning leaves, trash and other materials.
• Wash dishes and clothes with full loads.
• Save energy -- do not overcool your home.

(Source: DEP media release)

Survey Finds Summer Drinks Need a Makeover

Put some new life into the traditional lemonade or iced tea this summer. A recent survey of1,000 adults conducted by Harris Interactive(R) found that 72 percent of respondents believe traditional summer drinks are in need of a makeover. This survey, conducted for Torani Italian Syrup (http://www.torani.com), found that lemonade (27 percent) and iced tea (29 percent) are the beverages most in need of a makeover. Wine coolers or spritzers (18 percent), sangria (11 percent) and blended drinks (17 percent) are also in need of change.

Among those surveyed, most enjoy the fresh summer flavors of raspberry (40 percent), peach (36percent), and lime (35 percent). More than 1/3 of southerners prefer Georgia peach as their favorite summer flavor. The Northeast also has a passion for peach with just under half (46 percent) preferring peach as their top pick. Almost half of those on the West Coast prefer raspberry (47 percent).

Satisfy these tastes by using Torani flavors to create these tasty sips. Torani inspired beverage makeovers:

Twilight Wine Spritzer
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Torani Peach syrup
1/4 cup Torani Raspberry syrup
1 cup sparkling water or club soda
1 bottle white wine

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a pitcher filled with ice and stir.

Firefly Sangria
Ingredients:
1 cup Torani Peach syrup
4 firm-ripe peaches cut into wedges
2/3 cup superfine sugar
6 cups Chilled rose wine
4 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda
Ice
Fresh mint for garnish

Directions: Stir together Torani, peaches and sugar; let sit one hour. Add mixture to a large pitcher stir in wine, sparkling water and ice. Garnish with mint and serve.

Easy Breezy Lemonade
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Torani Raspberry syrup
1 cup lemonade

Directions: In a glass filled with ice, combine both ingredients and stir.

Southern Sipping Sweet Tea
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Torani Peach syrup
1 cup unsweetened chilled tea
Directions: In a glass filled with ice, combine both ingredients and stir.

(Source: Torani Italian Syrup media release)

History Awaits You in Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region

The wind is freshening, the sun is shining and the water laps around you, clear, and calm.

Then the captain barks at you to haul the mainsail halyard, and you are jolted from your reverie.

Touching history doesn't get much more immediate than this.

A Lake Erie day sail on the square-rigged U.S. Brig Niagara may be an extreme example, but history is everywhere in Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region.

Erie, Crawford, Venango, and Mercer counties in northwestern Pennsylvania have a rich history to discover.

Erie, the region's northern most point, is home port for the Niagara, which is berthed at the Erie Maritime Museum. The museum's historical artifacts, exhibits, and interactive displays bring the stories of the Warof 1812, the Battle of Lake Erie and Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry to vividlife.

Just to the south in Waterford is a model of the French fort that George Washington visited in 1753 as an emissary of the British colonies, and the Eagle Hotel, a restaurant and museum built in 1825.

Crawford County is home to the Riverside Inn in the historic spa town of Cambridge Springs. In continuous operation since 1885, the building is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

In the charming town of Meadville, you can visit Pennsylvania's oldest working market house in continuous operation, the Meadville Market House. The Academy Theatre, built in 1885, and the Baldwin-Reynolds House Museum testify to a lost era of graciousness and style.

Just down the road is Titusville, the birthplace of the oil industry. At Drake Well Museum, you'll find a full-sized, working replica of that well. Ride the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad for a tour of The Valley That Changed The World.

Franklin in nearby Venango County is home to the DeBence Antique MusicWorld Museum, which houses the largest collection of antique mechanical instruments in America. In the 18th century, the French, British, andAmericans all built forts near Franklin, where the Allegheny River and French Creek meet.

Minutes away is Oil City, one of the world's first oil boom towns. Oil City, home to the Venango Museum of Art, Science, and Industry with exhibits that tell the story of the beginnings of the oil industry and how it influenced the area and the world.

In Mercer County, near the Ohio state line, one of the country's most prominent historic properties is the Buhl Mansion Guesthouse and Spa, a Romanesque castle built by steel magnate Frank Buhl. For a taste of the Old South in northwestern Pennsylvania, Tara, A Country Inn is a hotel and restaurant complex inspired by the plantation house in the motion picture"Gone With The Wind."

The region also boasts shopping of all sorts, and winery tours to fill your itinerary. Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region offers a variety of roadtrips ideal for weekend getaways or longer trips. To order your Road TripGuide or for more information, go to http://www.pagreatlakes.com/ or call1-866-7PA-LAKE.

Visit Pennsylvania's Great Lakes region and take in all of the history and legends the region has to offer. When you visit, remember that George Washington really did sleep here.

(Source: Pennsylvania Great Lakes Region)

Summer Concert Series Set To Be Held At The New Pavilion On Longs Gap Road

A summer concert series has been announced by North Middleton's Waggoners UM Church at 1271 Longs Gap Road.

The series will be held at the new pavilion recently built next to the church with each concert starting at 6 p.m.

Scheduled to appear are ...

June 4 -- The Craig Sunday Orchestra
June 25 -- 7 Mile Road
August 6 -- Reminisce
September 10 -- The Jacobs Brothers

(Source: The Waggonette)

Are Smart Cars Finally Coming To America?

It took nearly seven years, but a University of Maryland time-use expert finally managed to get his answer to better fuel mileage into this country – the “Smart Car.”

“I'm probably one of the first in Maryland or the DC area to own one,” says John Robinson, a sociologist and a national expert on time usage. “It’s essentially a car cut in half, but it can get up to 50 miles per gallon, seats two very comfortably and is cleverly designed. It’s a little bigger than a motorcycle, but a lot safer. I saw one in Paris in 1999 and have been trying to get one ever since.”

Ironically, U.S. regulations made it difficult to import the German/French car. “I spent hundreds of hours and made thousands of phone calls satisfying all the red tape,” he says. “It had to be retrofitted to meet various U.S. standards, including some environmental ones, even though it’s one of the cleanest cars on the road.”

Several earlier attempts to import the car failed. But Robinson says the bureaucratic kinks have been worked out, and it was shipped through a California company that retrofitted it and sent it on to a New Hampshire dealership. He drove it home to Maryland in a blinding rain storm just before Mother’s Day.

Robinson liked the car so much he bought two. “It really is like half a car,” he says. “The shipping container holds two of them. So it’s no more expensive to ship both.” He says the car is not cheap – about $30,000. “Over time it will pay for itself if gas prices remain so high,” he adds.

“It’s ideal for me,” Robinson says. “Over 90 percent of all trips in this country only involve one or two people in the car, and a two-seater works fine for me. I’ll also spend a lot less time looking for parking spaces.”

People who saw the recent Pink Panther movie may be familiar with the car’s unusual design. Inspector Clouseau drove one in the film. “It’s one of the few things he did right,” says Robinson.
Robinson adds that he has no financial stake in the company or any arrangement with dealers.

(Source: University of Maryland news release)

(Photos: Top -- Smart Car in Paris, June 2005. Photo by L-Mo. Bottom -- John P. Robinson, director of the University of Maryland's American Time Use Project savors the fruit of his seven-year quest: a fuel-efficient 'Smart Car'.)

Armed Robbery In North Middleton Township Uni-Mart

The following is listed as the Crime of the Week on the North Middleton Township's Crime Stoppers Wanted Website. Please note that the date of the crime listed is for June 2006, likely an error since it is only May 2006.

On Saturday, June 6, 2006 at 0515 hours, three men entered the North Middleton Uni-Mart located at 1958 Spring Road, North Middleton Township. The men are described as black males wearing hooded sweat shirts with the hoods pulled over their faces. Two of the suspects were wearing dark hooded sweatshirts while the other one wore a white hooded sweat shirt. One of the men pointed a pistol at the clerk and took money from the cash register. The men were last seen fleeing the scene at about 0517 hours, toward the woods behind the Uni-Mart.

Anyone with information is asked to phone police at 717-243-7910.

Township Notes Impacting North Ridge

The following are selected notes from the North Middleton Township Board of Supervisors meeting of April 27, 2006. These are those that impact North Ridge.

Villages at North Ridge Sketch Plan – 150 Duplex Units
Kevin Hall of Hartman & Associates stated Mr. Gettys proposed 150 duplex units under the conditional use of the village cluster option. Mr. Hall mentioned the homeowners association would maintain the open space area. Mr. Fegley reviewed comments offered by Lester Brickner: (1) the site distance to the north at the intersection of Gap View and Cranes Gap Road should be verified, (2) the open space maintenance should be verified with the board especially with the intersections that have clear site angles (Tree View/Cranes Gap Road, Gap View/Cranes Gap Road, Gap View/North View, and Tree View/North View), (3) developer must show evidence that he has negotiated with owner of 420 Cranes Gap Road to remove an obstructions, and (4) clarification on plan that Gettel Drive will not be accepted by the Township until it is extended into the adjacent tract. Mr. Lebo reviewed his comments: (1) the 41 ft radius on the cul-de-sac did not meet the ordinance, (2) a requested waiver on the grade and horizontal curb for Tree View and Gap View, (3) the traffic study should be reviewed to see how it affects the street system, and (4) the sewer line would cross through various residential properties and wetlands, so the appropriate right of ways and permits should be obtained. Mr. Hall stated they would seek a waiver for the cul-de-sac and grade/horizontal curb, and a majority of the right of ways were acquired in reference to the sewer line. The open space requirement according to the ordinance was discussed. Mr. Hall noted they had exceeded the requirement. Supervisor Shearer added the open space requirements would be reviewed, and the codes department or council would forward a definitive answer from the board to the applicant.

Village of Cross Creek—Phases F & G
The final subdivision plan for Phases F & G of the Village of Cross Creek was reviewed. Mr. Fegley felt all the bonding information would be in place by next week. The only outstanding issues were the signatures, notary information, BOS signatures and review of the land development plan by the solicitor. Mr. Lebo stated comments from the county, roadmaster or the conservation district were not confirmed. Mr. Fegley reported receipt of the comments from the Cumberland County Conservation District in which the erosion and sedimentation control plan revision was approved. Mr. Fegley reviewed a letter from NMA in which they were ok with the plans submitted and recommended approval. However, Mr. Fegley pointed out some bonding fees were not listed, but were in the process of being added. John Gleim noted the bonding issue was being addressed. Mr. Lebo added his last comment was to assure the revision of the bonding estimates were addressed.

Creekview Park – Dogs
Supervisor Shearer noted he received a positive report that people were cleaning up after their dogs. He recommended permitting dogs in Creekview Park. Supervisor Bucher noted Mr. Cockley reported that Creekview Park was less littered than before the ban. Supervisor Shearer moved to permit dogs on a leash in Creekview Park on a permanent basis, and have the Recreation Board investigate the possibility of using other Township parks. Supervisor Bucher seconded the motion and the motion carried.

Aeromodelers
Supervisor Bucher noted the board denied renewal of the Aeromodelers agreement. The Aeromodelers requested an official response outlining the reasoning for the denial. Supervisor Painter noted they were seeking direction from the board since they host a show during Summerfair. Supervisor Bucher stated the intent of the denial was not to permit exclusive use to one entity. Supervisor Hurley mentioned the liability with the neighbors. Supervisor Bucher suggested writing a letter to them indicating a time frame to remove their merchandise from the building and deny any other use. Ms. Ealer pointed out the land was purchased as open space. After some discussion, Supervisor Shearer moved to approve the temporary use of the land 30 days prior to the Summerfair event, and Supervisor Myers seconded the motion. The motion carried with a 4-0 vote. Supervisor Painter abstained from the vote.

(Source: North Middleton Township Supervisors Meeting official minutes)

Tips On How To Walk Your Way To Better Health

Walking isn’t such a difficult thing – most of us have been doing it since we were very young. But starting and maintaining a regular walking program can be daunting, even though the benefits have been well documented.

Caroline R. Richardson, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, has some suggestions for people who want to get started. She also offers reminders of the myriad benefits of beginning an exercise program.

“Walking programs can be very effective in helping people get into shape, improve their cardiovascular fitness levels and, to some degree, lose weight,” she says, adding that one key benefit is that people tend to stick with walking programs. “Walking does seem to be better than more vigorous activities for adherence.”

Richardson’s five tips for starting a walking program:• Find a buddy with whom you can walk regularly. A friend can encourage you to walk on days when you aren’t motivated and can help you continue walking at a good pace.

• Use a pedometer. This will help you keep track of your steps and can be an excellent motivator. “Perhaps the most important thing to do is to get yourself a pedometer. Pedometers really help you see how much you’re walking and see when you’re successful,” Richardson says. Studies at the U-M Health System and Veterans Affairs are exploring the benefits of pedometer use (see more below).

• Schedule regular walks in a PDA or calendar. This helps to ensure that you have a set time every day for walking, Richardson notes.

• If you have chronic medical problems such as heart disease or diabetes, you might want to check with you doctor to make sure a walking program is safe for you.

• Start slowly if you need to – just get started. “Just get up and walk around the block,” Richardson says. “Somewhere between three and four miles an hour should be your goal, but if you have to work up to that gradually, it’s better to walk slowly than to do nothing.”
  

Seven health benefits of walking:

• Improvement of cardiovascular function and possibly a reduction in the chances of having a heart attack

• Potential weight loss or weight control

• Reduction in blood pressure

• Has been found to be helpful in the prevention and treatment of depression

• Has a positive impact on the health of people with diabetes

• Helps build endurance and muscle strength

• Helps build and maintain bones and muscles

Richardson – who also is a research scientist at the Veterans Affairs Health Services Research & Development Service in Ann Arbor and at U-M’s Institute for Research on Women and Gender – is involved in studies looking at walking. Most of the projects involve using pedometers to help people start walking programs. The studies focus on people who have an illness or risk factor for an illness, such as diabetes or heart disease.

Many of the programs at U-M and the VA use enhanced pedometers – that is, pedometers that automatically upload step-count data to the Internet – that can help users see graphs and feedback that assist with goal-setting on a personalized Web page.

“An enhanced pedometer can really help you keep track of your walking goals and your successes,” she notes.

For more information, visit these Web sites:

UMHS Health Topics A-Z: Exercise to stay healthy http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/wha/wha_hmexerci_crs.htm

UMHS Health Topics A-Z: Tips for starting an exercise program http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_exerpres_sma.htm

National Institutes of Health: Walking, a Step in the Right Direction http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_exerpres_sma.htm http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/walking.htm

UMHS Health Topics A-Z: Advantages of walking to school http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/commentary/index.htm

UMHS Health Topics A-Z: Running shoes, finding the right fit http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_runshoe_sma.htm

UMHS Health Topics A-Z: The role of exercise in treating obesity http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/sma/sma_exercise_crs.htm

(Source: University of Michigan Health System media release)

Affairs Of The Heart Matter To Boys, Too

Teenage boys have feelings, too, and when it comes to matters of the heart, they may not be so fleeting after all. Not far beneath the bravado often on display is an unsure adolescent who finds it hard to express emotions that, while new, are nonetheless often sincerely felt.

Boys are more vulnerable and emotionally engaged in romantic relationships than previously thought, according to the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study led by Drs. Peggy Giordano, Monica Longmore and Wendy Manning of Bowling Green State University (BGSU).

Also contrary to traditional belief, girls in the study, on average, scored higher than their male romantic partners in terms of decision-making power.

The sociologists' findings appear in the April issue of American Sociological Review, the flagship journal of the American Sociological Association.

“These early relationships matter for boys, as well as for girls, and even though they may not last forever, the young people are taking important lessons from them about how to conduct social relationships, and about themselves and their emerging identities,” said Giordano, a Distinguished Research Professor of sociology at BGSU.

“They (teen romantic relationships) really have important socializing influences,” added Longmore, a professor of sociology.

Early dating experiences have been a relatively neglected subject of study, according to the BGSU researchers. That's due to assumptions that such relationships are short-lived and shallow, and therefore not very influential, Giordano explained. The focus has been almost exclusively on sexual behavior rather than on the relationship itself, she said.

More is known about adolescent influences from parents and peers, with whom romantic partners are often lumped, Longmore noted.

But the study, supported by funding from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, has sought to change that. Considering that about 80 percent of teenagers have had a romantic relationship by age 18, what it means to them should be of interest, Giordano said.

For the study, 1,316 junior high and high school students from seven Lucas County, Ohio, school districts were interviewed, primarily in their homes. The students recorded their responses on laptop computers. In-depth “relationship history” narratives were also elicited from 100 of the teens (51 girls and 49 boys).

Giordano said that in general, the boys revealed a self-portrait far removed from the confident, dominant image seen in the existing research literature. They reported significantly lower levels of confidence, as well as greater “communication awkwardness,” in their romantic relationships.

Girls may be better prepared for those relationships because of more experience with intimate communication with friends. However, boys as well as girls reported feelings of heightened emotions toward their current or most recent romantic partner—contrary to the notion that boys are only looking to “score” and are not emotionally invested in the relationship.

Boys in the Toledo sample also perceived being influenced more by girls than vice versa and, while most participants from both sexes indicated they shared equal decision-making power in their relationships, the tilt was toward the girls when power was thought to be unequal. These findings go against not only prior research but also against the common belief that men routinely exert more power and influence than women, the BGSU sociologists pointed out.

“If, in marriages, men are more powerful, there must be some point where there's a switch,” said Manning, a professor of sociology and director of the University's Center for Family and Demographic Research, with which Giordano and Longmore are also affiliated.

It is interesting to consider how aspects of adolescent relationships might influence boys' and girls' relationships as adults, Manning said. Intriguing new research possibilities present themselves as adolescents enter the workforce and get married, Giordano added, calling her colleagues' and her data “a rich reservoir of information about their early histories.”

“What we're trying to argue in our research is that romantic relationships do play a role in development,” she said. “While parents and friends continue to be critically important, the romantic partner also matters in multiple respects,” she noted, saying the relationship “can be a life-affirming, identity-enhancing element of one's development.”

The American Sociological Review, edited by Jerry A. Jacobs (University of Pennsylvania), is the flagship journal of the American Sociological Association.

The American Sociological Association, established in 1905, is a non-profit membership association dedicated to serving sociologists in their work, advancing sociology as a science and profession, and promoting the contributions and use of sociology to society.

(Source: American Sociological Association media release)

Pennsylvania's Backwood's The Place To Be during National Bike Month

Who says that a roadtrip through Pennsylvania requires a car? As many bicyclists can attest, the commonwealth – with more rail trails than any other state – beckons riders with escapes into the wilderness that clear the mind and sharpen the senses.

May is National Bike Month.

Ambling through the Pennsylvania Wilds region of the state is the Pine Creek Rail Trail, one of USA Today’s Top 10 places to take a bike tour. It stretches more than 50 miles from Ansonia to Waterville along the bottom of Pine Creek Gorge – more commonly known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, with depths in some places nearly 1,450 feet. The trail itself is used for riders, hikers and cross-country skiers and is surrounded by dramatic rock outcrops, waterfalls and wildlife.

When the final four-mile stretch opens this fall, Pine Creek Rail Trail will earn yet another distinction, moving onto the list of the top 50 longest trails in the country.

But Pennsylvania, the “State of Independence,” provides biking options that are a little less formal than its network of 132 rail trails.

The experts at Bicycling Magazine rank the Southern Alleghenies region of Pennsylvania as one of the top five bicycle areas in the country. The area is home to the largest pro-amateur road race in the country – the annual Tour de’ Toona – and hosted the Olympic Road Trials in 1992.

“Cycle the Southern Alleghenies” has compiled more than 45 self-guided adventures onto its Web site, http://www.cyclesa.com/. On-road routes have themes such as Raging Rapids and Covered Bridges Scenic Tour that guide visitors through the countryside. Off-road options are also available for every skill level, from the novice and weekend athlete to experts.

A variety of interesting trail-side diversions also await: from historic sites and museums, like the Little League Baseball Museum, to wineries and small-town fairs and festivals. Plus, there are more than 2,000 bed-and-breakfasts across the state, including several alongside bike trails – such as the Cedar Run Inn, just off the Pine Creek Rail Trail, or the colonial Golden Eagle Inn in the Southern Alleghenies region.

For help in planning your trek through Pennsylvania, go to http://www.visitpa.com/. More information on Pennsylvania’s Rail Trails is available from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, www.railtrails.org.

The Pennsylvania Tourism Office, under the state Department of Community and Economic Development, is dedicated to fulfilling the needs and aspirations of travelers by presenting them with the information and resources they need to plan and enjoy the activities, attractions and destinations that are uniquely Pennsylvania. For more information about Pennsylvania’s tourism industry, go to http://www.visitpa.com/, or call (800) VISIT PA.

(Source: Pennsylvania Tourism Office media release)

Carlisle Teachers Strike Update: Students To Return May 25

The following is a media release from the Carlisle Area School District. To read this on the CASD Website, click here.

PRESS RELEASE
May 18, 2006

Length of Strike – Teachers will be on strike for five school days. Teachers will return to work on Thursday, May 25th. School will be open on May 25th. Transportation will be provided as it has been in the past. School will continue for the duration of the year until Thursday, June 15th. School will be in session on Friday, May 26th. There will be no school on Memorial Day, Monday, May 29th.

Graduation – The district realizes the pressure that many families are experiencing as a result of graduation. We will do everything legally that we can to keep the date as close to June 8 as possible. More details to come.

Prearranged Absences/Family Vacation – In the event that families have made vacation plans the week of June 12, they should complete a prearranged absence form and submit it to their building principal. The district will be liberal in granting excuses for vacation during that week.

Transportation will be provided for non-public school students, out of district vocational students and out of district special education students. This includes transportation for CASD students attending the Yellow Breeches program, the Manito program, Wordsworth, Capital Area Intermediate Unit classes and consortium classes offered outside of Carlisle Area School District..

Student Activities – Extra-curricular and athletic events will occur to the extent possible. The following activities will continue as originally scheduled: Prom, LMS grade 8 dance, track & field, baseball, softball, lacrosse and soccer. Banquets scheduled for the week of May 22 will continue as planned. The elementary track meet originally planned for May 24 will be re-scheduled.

Report to Work - During the strike all 12-month employees will report to work as usual.

Requests for transcripts - The district will make every attempt to have transfer packets available for AWC students withdrawing from the district. Parents should complete the request form and submit it to the appropriate school office. They should include a self addressed envelope so the district can mail them their final grades.

Child care – Childtime will provide day care for a maximum of 90 students at Bellaire and Letort. Priority will be given to students who participate in their before and after school program. The YMCA and AWC will also provide day care for elementary students.

Summer school – Secondary summer school will be held June 26th – July 21st on Mondays through Fridays. Middle level summer school will be held June 26th – July 28th on Mondays through Fridays.

For additional information regarding school district operations during the strike, please continue to visit the district’s webpage (http://www.carlisleschools.org/), read the local papers and watch the local television stations. Thank you.

Sentinel Credits Trish For Uniting Groups During Anti-Strike Rally; More Information On Health Insurance Issue

It seems like only yesterday North Ridge's Trish Calzada was graduating college and ready for the world. Little did we know, she wasn't only ready for the world, but she was ready to take on the world.

According to a Carlisle Sentinel front page story that ran today, Trish single-handedly "walked up to the hundred-some people assembled in three groups holding signs" and united them during a rally near the Swartz building on the campus of Carlisle School District. Those watching Fox 43 News last evening saw this on television. The rally was designed to pressure both the Carlisle teachers union and school board to come to agreement and settle a disputed contract.

"There was just some talk about 'Which line are you in?' And I was like, 'Line?'" Trish, who serves as the North Ridge Buzz political and regulatory affairs editor, told Sentinel reporter Tatiana Zarnowski.

At that point, Calzada told all the groups that included teachers and community members to get closer in order to send a single clear message that all wanted to avoid a strike.

Unfortunately, the teachers union was unwilling to agree to the board's offer on health insurance despite the board being willing to concede on other issues. The board wanted teachers to pay two months' worth of their health insurance premiums by the end of the contract term and offer a high-deductible, low-cost health savings account plan in addition to traditional health insurance coverage.

Instead the union suggested paying 6, 8, 9, and 10 percent of health insurance premiums over the course of four years. The school board said that was an unaffordable counterproposal.

In an interview today with North Ridge Buzz, a human resource director based in Harrisburg mentioned that employees paying 10 percent of premiums is considered low by today's standards within the central Pennsylvania community.

An April 2006 study titled the State of Medicine in Pennsylvania conducted by the Pennsylvania Medical Society shows that Pennsylvania has some of the highest insurance premiums in the country. According to the report, Pennsylvania's health insurers increased premiums 40 percent per enrollee between 2000 and 2004 from $2,161 to $3,022. Health insurance revenues per enrollee in Pennsylvania are nearly double the U.S. average.

In addition, the number of privately insured individuals has dropped in recent years, while the number of individuals relying on publicly funded insurance programs has grown, a state trend that has not been noticed nationally. Also, Pennsylvania has between 900,000 and 1.8 million uninsured residents.

Insurance officials are quick to point out that utilization of provider services is high.

In a conversation with North Ridge Buzz, one politician representing another school district believes that the issue of health insurance for teachers might need to be addressed at the state level, possibly through a pooling of all teachers, similar to how state employees receive health insurance.

According to a late dispatch tonight by the Harrisburg Patriot-News, Carlisle isn't the only local school district with contract issues. West Perry finds itself without agreement over its next contract between its teachers and school district.

To read more about the teacher's strike as of today, read the Carlisle Sentinel.

New Poll of Rural Pennsylvanians Shows More Meth Abuse

Law Enforcement Leaders Call on Congress to Reject Budget Cuts to Children’s Programs Proven to Cut Crime

Three out of four rural Pennsylvanians believe that methamphetamine is a growing problem in rural Pennsylvania, according to a new poll conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research and released today by an anti-crime organization of Pennsylvania’s police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors. Seventy-five (75) percent also believe drug and alcohol abuse in their communities has increased over the last five years.

“The majority of rural Pennsylvanians say clearly that drugs, meth and crime have gotten worse,” said Police Chief Kurt Braun of Millersburg Police Department in northern Dauphin County. “Pennsylvania’s law enforcement leaders call on Congress to join us in pushing back on crime by pushing back on budget cuts.”

The poll was commissioned by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Pennsylvania and was released with a new report, Meth Abuse Threatens More Crime in Rural Pennsylvania: Budget Axe Cuts Deep into Rural Pennsylvania’s Public Safety.

The report explains the crime-fighting benefits of proven programs that help get kids a good start in life.

During a news conference at the State Capitol, law enforcement leaders called on Congress to reject cuts to law enforcement and investments in kids programs that help prevent future drug-related crime, especially since crimes committed by meth addicts have increased. According to a recent report by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, crimes committed by meth addicts doubled nationally from 3 million to 6 million between 2002 and 2004.

“More meth adds up to more crime for rural Pennsylvania,” said Bruce Edwards, President of the Pennsylvania State Troopers Association. “Pennsylvania’s law enforcement organizations call on our Senators and Congressmen to reject budget cuts to law enforcement and proven investments in kids that prevent crime.”

Programs and interventions that have been shown to reduce drug abuse, prevent child abuse and neglect, and prevent crime could lose significant funding under the Administration’s proposed budget cuts. While the U.S. Senate rejected the Administration’s cuts and voted to restore $7 billion to the part of the budget that includes kids’ programs, the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee endorsed the Administration’s cuts. The full House is scheduled to vote on the budget tomorrow (Thursday, May 4, 2006).

Under the proposed budget, by 2011, hundreds of thousands of kids would lose access to Head Start, child care, and after-school programs. In Pennsylvania alone, 15,000 kids would be dropped from child care, 4,500 from Head Start, and 5,000 from after-school programs in 2011. Funding for law enforcement could also be cut. The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), which helps departments put more police officers in communities, would be cut by 80 percent, or $2 billion, over five years. The Byrne Justice Assistance Grants, which allow states and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime, would be completely eliminated.

“Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter led the Senate to stand up for public safety with his budget amendment rejecting the Administration’s cuts and restoring investments in Pennsylvania’s children,” Adams County District Attorney Shawn Wagner said. “We’re calling on the entire Pennsylvania Congressional delegation to follow his lead and stand firm for kids and law enforcement.”

Studies show the effectiveness of intervening with kids early on. A landmark study of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program in Michigan found that at-risk kids who did not attend high-quality preschool were three times more likely to commit a drug related crime than similar kids who were enrolled in the program as children. In the “prime-time for juvenile crime” between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m., teens are more likely to abuse drugs, drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, get in or cause a fatal car crash, and be arrested or made a victim of violent crime. At-risk neighborhoods without Boys and Girls Clubs had a third more drug activity than similar neighborhoods with clubs.

As Congress continues to work on final budget decisions, the poll found that three out of four rural Pennsylvanians agree with Pennsylvania’s law enforcement leaders that making quality preschool like Head Start available to at-risk families will reduce the chance that kids from those families will grow up to commit crimes. District Attorney Wagner explained that cuts to Head Start would be particularly harmful in rural areas because kids from rural communities are nearly twice as likely to attend Head Start than non-rural kids.

In addition to crime prevention, investments in kids’ programs save money. The Perry Preschool Program cut crime, welfare, and other costs so much that it saved the American public more than $17—including $11 in crime savings alone—for each dollar invested. Another study found that each at-risk kid successfully prevented from adopting a life of crime will save the country between $1.7 million and $2.3 million.

“Senator Specter championed kids with his leadership for a smarter and safer Pennsylvania,” said Bruce Clash, state director of FIGHT CRIME: INVEST IN KIDS PENNSYLVANIA. “But the fight is not over. We need all of our state’s Congressional representatives to oppose rolling back investments in kids proven to save lives, save money, and prevent crime.”

In his comments during the event, Northumberland County Sheriff Chad Reiner said, “It’s simply wrong to cut federal support for law enforcement and prevention programs for kids when we know we can save lives. But it’s equally unwise to cut funds to programs that can save taxpayer money in the long run.” Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Pennsylvania is a bipartisan, anti-crime organization of more than 200 police chiefs, sheriffs, district attorneys, other law enforcement leaders, and violence survivors. It is part of the national organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids.

(Source: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids media release)

Harrisburg Brewers Fest Set

Organizers of the Harrisburg Brewers Fest recently announced that the 3rd annual event will be held on Saturday, June 17.

Since the event is typically packed (expect close to 3,000 visitors), for the first time there will be 2 sessions: one running from noon to 3:30 p.m. while the second runs from 5:00 to 8:30pm on Locust and Third Streets with the main entrance at the corner of Second and Locust Streets in downtown Harrisburg.

Tickets cost $35 if not bought in advance and covers unlimited beer samples from up to 35 breweries, a collector’s sampling mug, and entertainment from Quagmire Swim Team, DJ Geoffro, and The New Regency 5. There will be reasonably priced food concessions available including pit beef sandwiches, crab cakes, Jamaican cuisine, french fries, kettle corn, assorted nuts and almonds, beef jerky and soft pretzels.

The event benefits The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

For more information on this event, click here.

Census Facts for Features: Mother's Day, May 14, 2006

The driving force behind Mother's Day was Anna Jarvis, who organized observances in Grafton, W.Va., and Philadelphia, Pa., on May 10, 1908. While the annual celebration spread around the country, Jarvis began lobbying politicians to set aside a day to honor mothers. She finally succeeded in 1914 when Congress designated the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

How Many Mothers

80.5 million
Estimated number of mothers of all ages in the United States. (Source: unpublished Survey of Income and Program Participation data)

65 percent
Percentage of women in Mississippi and Arkansas, ages 15 to 44, who are mothers. The national average is 55 percent.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/fertility.html

81 percent
Percentage of women 40 to 44 years old who are mothers. In 1976, 90 percent of women in that age group were mothers.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/fertility.html


How Many Children

2.0
Average number of children that women today can expect to have in their lifetime.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

2.6
Average number of children that women in Utah can expect to have in their lifetime. This state tops the nation in average number of births per woman. Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont have the lowest average number -- 1.7 births.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

7.5
Average number of children that women in Niger, in Africa, can expect to have in their lifetime. This country has the highest fertility rate in the world. At the other end of the spectrum are Italy and Spain, in Southern Europe, where 1.3 children is the average birth rate.
http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbprint.html


Mothers Remembered

22,022
Number of florist establishments nationwide in 2003. The 113,270 employees in floral shops across our nation will be especially busy preparing, selling and delivering floral arrangements for Mother's Day.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html

The flowers bought for mom have a good chance of having been grown in California or Colombia. Among the 36 surveyed states, California was the leading provider of cut flowers in 2004, accounting for more than two-thirds of the domestic flower production ($304 million out of $422 million) in those states. Meanwhile, the value of U.S. imports of cut flowers and fresh flower buds in 2005 from Colombia, the leading foreign supplier to the United States, was more than $418 million.

More Than 152 million
The estimated number of Mother's Day cards given last year in the United States, making Mother's Day the third-largest card-sending occasion. Months ahead of this widely observed day of recognition, many of the 14,318 employees of the 114 greeting-card publishing establishments in 2003 will be busy creating Mother's Day greeting cards. (Sources: Hallmark research and
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html)

11,938
The number of cosmetics, beauty supplies and perfume stores nationwide in 2003. Perfume is one of the top gifts given on Mother's Day.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html

28,527
Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2003 the place to go to purchase necklaces, earrings and other timeless pieces for mom.
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/cbptotal.html


Moms Who've Recently Given Birth

About 4 million
Number of women who have babies each year in the United States. Of this number, about 415,000 are teens ages 15 to 19, and more than 100,000 new moms are age 40 or older.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

13.3 percent
Percentage of Arkansas women with a birth in the last year who were teens. This percentage is among the highest in the country.

238,000
Number of cohabiting women who, as of 2004, had given birth in the last year. There were 1.2 million nonmarital births overall.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/fertility.html

25.2
Average age of women when they give birth for the first time a record high.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

40 percent
Percentage of births that are the mother's first. Another 32 percent are the second-born; 17 percent, third; and 11 percent, fourth or more.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

35,723
Number of births in 2003 that did not occur in hospitals.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

1-in-32
The odds of a woman delivering twins. Her odds of delivering multiple births of three or more babies was approximately 1-in-534.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

July
The most popular month in which to have a baby, with 364,226 births taking place that month in 2003.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

Tuesday
The most popular day of the week in which to have a baby, with an average of about 13,000 births taking place on Tuesdays during 2003.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr54/nvsr54_02.pdf

Jacob & Emily
The most popular baby names for boys and girls, respectively, in 2004. (Source: Social Security Administration, at http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/baby-names2004-pr.htm)


Working Moms

5.6 million
Number of stay-at-home moms in 2004.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hh-fam.html

55 percent
Among mothers with infant children in 2004, the percentage in the labor force, down from a record high of 59 percent in 1998.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/fertility.html

80 percent
The percentage of mothers ages 15 to 44 whose last birth was 12 or more years ago and are in the labor force.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/fertility.html

51 percent
The percentage of women who gave birth to their first child and returned to work within four months.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p70-103.pdf

$92
Average weekly child-care payments for the more than 9 million mothers who reported they made such payments for at least one of their children.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/p70-101.pdf


Single Moms

10 million
The number of single mothers living with children under 18 years old, up from 3 million in 1970.
http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/hh-fam/tabFM-2.pdf

(Source: U.S. Census Bureau media release)

15 Great Films about Mom for Mother's Day

By Assoc. Professor Susan Walker
Dept. of Family Life
University of Maryland

Films have been a part of lives for nearly a century and they have become a key form of entertainment for many. We go to the movies, we rent and buy DVDs, and we watch films on television and even on our computers. Beyond their entertainment value, we can see ourselves in films as they offer stories and images that reflect our social worlds, including our families.

Film families may serve as a guide for our behavior or help us understand how families unlike our own are structured and operate. We become 'armchair historians' by watching how films represent or mirror society's views on families through the decades. At the same time we can be critics - commenting on the realism of film representations of family life and the perspectives of its members.

A significant figure in film representations of families is of course, the mother. Whether married, divorced, single or pregnant, whether the center of the story or unseen yet felt, mothers are key to our understanding of how individuals and entire families function in the story. Film representations of mothers allow us to understand how women fulfill their roles and responsibilities as parent: to protect, to nurture, to guide, and to promote their children. At the same time we see them struggle for balance - to fulfill their parenting responsibilities while meeting competing needs in their personal relationships (with husbands, parents, friends), at the workplace, and to retain their personal identity and what they value the most about themselves.

The films that follow are merely fifteen, selected representations of mothers from various points in the last century, and from slightly different perspectives. Each of these films present life stories of conflict - whether conflict with a child or the entire family; conflict with a system on behalf of a child or the family; conflict with a disease; even conflict with her self. In the films we see a woman's strength and resolve and willingness to make sacrifices to accomplish a goal and to overcome the conflict. We explore the resources that the women need and use to overcome adversity - even if it doesn't succeed.

In most cases, the representations of mothers are positive ones. Certainly film history includes mother as weakling, a negative influence, even at times evil (see for example, countless depictions of stepmothers, or a personal favorite, Agnes Cooper in Now, Voyager.). And most of these representations are biological, heterosexual mothers. For a richer display of films about mother types and perspectives, you can explore film books and catalogues such as Movie Mom's Guide to Movies by Nell Minnow and Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide, Internet sites (e.g., the Internet Movie Data Base) - or just start asking friends and relatives for suggestions.

Prof. Walker's "15 Great Movies About Mom"

(comments available online)

• Terms of Endearment (1983, PG)
• Thirteen (2003, R)
• Whale Rider (2002, PG-13)
• To Each His Own (1946, NR)
• All About My Mother ( Todo sobre mi madre ) (1999, R)
• Mildred Pierce (1945, NR)
• Mask (1985, PG)
• Sounder (1972, G)
• Losing Isaiah (1995, R)Gypsy (1962, NR)
• Secrets and Lies (1996, PG-13)
• Off the Map (2003, PG-13)
• One True Thing (1998, PG)
• My Left Foot (1989, R)
• Ordinary People (1980, PG-13)

(Source: University of Maryland news release)

For This Mother's Day Spoil the Mom and Spare the Child?

Debating how best to treat mom this Mother’s Day? Try something that helps her relax. New research from the Douglas Hospital Research Centre (DHRC) in Montreal, Canada, suggests mothers who are not stressed make better parents and consequently that their daughters make more attentive mothers. These findings, from both human and animal studies, highlight the importance of a positive environment not only for the child, but for the mother as well.

“There is an old adage that applies to our research - the best a father can do for his children, is to love their mother,” says Associate Director of Research at the DHRC and lead researcher, Michael Meaney, PhD. “We have shown that stressed mothers are distracted, unresponsive to their infants and frequently a bit harsh. In addition our newest findings show that this effect can be transmitted across generations. Keeping moms happy should be a priority.”

Meaney’s newest study, published in a recent issue of Biological Psychiatry, looked at the maternal behaviour of rats. His findings demonstrated that when attentive mothers were stressed during their pregnancy, they became less caring. This effect was measured by the licking and grooming frequency of their pups and was mirrored by changes in the proteins in their brains. The outstanding finding was that this behavior and biology was present in their off-spring and their off-spring’s progeny – i.e. this effect was intergenerational.

“Our adage goes one step further,” adds Meaney. “The best a grandfather can do for his grandchildren is to love their grandmother.”

Meaney, a James McGill Professor in the McGill Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology and Neurosurgery, and his colleagues are also involved in a three-year project studying children who are born with a vulnerability to mental health problems. Their goal is to determine if these children are more vulnerable because their mothers have experienced stresses such as poor nutrition, depression, smoking or lack of support.

“Through this large countrywide effort, we may provide parents with insight into how they can help their children adapt to their environment and better prepare them to deal with stress,” concludes Meaney.

(Source: Douglas Hospital at McGill University media release)

Local Citizen Group Plans Anti-Strike Rally On Tuesday

According to Jay Mootz, a local activist attempting to keep Carlisle's students in class instead of sitting home due to a teacher's strike, there's still time for both sides to negotiate, but both the teachers union and the school board need to know that parents and the community expect both sides to go to the table and work things out.

And, late Thursday night he learned that there will be a bargaining session between the teachers and the board on TUESDAY, MAY 16 at the Swartz Building.

The session reportedly was called by the state mediator. This is the last chance to avert a strike and to have the parties pursue good faith negotiations leading to a contract that is fair and responsible.

"If either party fails to come to the table ready to negotiate in good faith and to change its past positions in search of agreement, that party will have violated our public trust. Both sides must give, so that the community does not lose," says Jay!

Asa result, a rally will be held on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the CASD offices to encourage both sides to find compromise.

Jay adds, "Be creative and come to demonstrate your demand on behalf of the community that the contract be reached through negotiations rather than through posturing, hardball tactics, and a series of strikes."

He encourages rally participants to bring a sign and be ready to make clear to the print and video media that residents want the parties to work on the basis of hard facts to reach a negotiated settlement.

Pennsylvania Medical Society Launches Family Health and Wellness Program

Offers Resources on Aging, Asthma, Obesity, Mental Health, and More

The Pennsylvania Medical Society has launched the Family Health and Wellness program to provide guidance on medical issues for residents of the Commonwealth. Drawing on the knowledge and experience of Medical Society member physicians, the program offers a consumer-friendly Web site, a patient survey, and a community outreach program focusing on topics of primary importance to Pennsylvania residents. In 2006, issues identified as major health concerns for Pennsylvanians are aging, asthma, obesity, and mental health.

"Our intent with this campaign is to enhance the relationship between doctors and patients that is so vital to the overall healing process," says Dr. Mark A. Piasio, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. "The Family Health and Wellness program intends to increase the flow of health information and resources from the Medical Society to all residents of Pennsylvania. We hope that the information we distribute through the Family Health and Wellness program will serve as a starting point for people looking for medical help."

The new Family Health and Wellness Web site (www.myfamilywellness.org) is a source of consumer-friendly medical information developed, collected, and edited by the Pennsylvania Medical Society. Visitors to the site will find valuable information relating to a featured health topic, general medical resources, and a "Find-A-Physician" section. The site also features interactive self-assessments and calculators to help visitors monitor their health and better prepare for doctors’ visits.

Six self-assessments and 14 health calculators are available:

Assessments

• General Health – Analyzes key health information and lifestyle issues
• Health Risk – Suggests how to modify lifestyle habits to lower chances of illness
• Cardiac Risk – Helps determine the potential for heart disease and stroke
• Diabetes Risk – Assesses the risk for diabetes
• General Well Being – Determines the impact of stress and depression
• Fitness – Measures overall fitness level

Calculators

• Blood Alcohol
• Body Fat
• Body Mass Index
• Calories Burned by Activity
• Daily Energy Expenditure
• Frame Size
• Ideal Weight
• Lean Body Weight
• Lose One Pound
• Pregnancy Due Date
• Ovulation
• Smoking Cost
• Target Heart Rate
• Waist-to-Hip Ratio

"We encourage patients to take a more active role in their health and well being," advises Dr. Piasio. "The Web-based self-assessments and calculators are not intended to be medical diagnoses or replacements for doctors’ visits. Rather, when properly used, they serve as guidelines that can make doctors’ visits more meaningful."

As part of the Family Health and Wellness program, the Medical Society will seek ongoing input and feedback from patients in order to tailor its outreach to the needs of the public. "The program is designed from the ground up to use our doctors’ knowledge to help Pennsylvania patients," says Dr. Piasio. "We’re committed to keeping the content of the program relevant to our patients."

The patient-doctor relationship has been the priority of the Pennsylvania Medical Society since its founding in 1848. The Medical Society listens to concerns of both patients and doctors to improve the delivery of health care services. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Medical Society Family Health and Wellness campaign, visit its Web site at www.myfamilywellness.org .

(Source: Pennsylvania Medical Society media release)

Burn Ban Lifted

According to the North Middleton Township Website, the burning ban was listed as of yesterday.

Click here for the North Middleton Township Website.

Where To Recycle Your Household's Hazardous Waste

2006 Household Hazardous Waste Program

May 20

9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cumberland Valley Education Park

Items that can be dropped off ...

Paint Products
Oil Based Paints
Oil Based Varnishes
Oil Based Stains
Paint Thinners
Mineral Spirits
Turpentine
Wood Preservatives
Furniture Stripper
Denatured Alcohol

Household Products
Solvents & Disinfectants
Rug, Drain & Oven Cleaners
Spot Remover & Dry Cleaning Fluid
Floor & Furniture Polish
Photographic Chemicals
Mercury Containing Materials*
Dyes, Lighter Fluid
Rechargeable Batteries / Cell Phones**
Fluorescent Light Bulbs***

Outdoor Products
Weed Killer
Pesticides
Herbicides
Fungicides
Pool Chemicals
Asphalt & Driveway Sealants

Automotive Products
Used Motor Oil
Used Oil Filters
Transmission Fluid
Gasoline, Kerosene & Diesel Fuel
Antifreeze
Automotive Batteries

For more information, click here.

Don't Panic Because of ABC's Bird Flu Movie

ABC will air "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America" on Tuesday, May 9. Throughout the country health care organizations are gearing up for the potential scare that the movie will create. Below are facts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website on the bird flu ...

Viewer's Guide

• The ABC Movie "Fatal Contact: Bird Flu in America" is a movie, not a documentary. It is a work of fiction designed to entertain and not a factual accounting of a real world event.

• There is no influenza pandemic in the world at this time.

• Also, it is important to remember that H5N1 avian influenza is almost exclusively a disease of birds. The H5N1 virus has not yet appeared in the U.S.

• Should the H5N1 virus appear in the U.S., it does not mean the start of a pandemic.

• An additional point to remember is that the next influenza pandemic could be substantially less severe than what the movie depicts or that occurred in 1918. For example, the influenza pandemics of 1957/58 and 1968/69 caused so much less illness and death than did the 1918/19 pandemic that many Americans at that time did not distinguish them from seasonal influenza and were unaware that a pandemic was underway.

• While the movie does serve to raise awareness about avian and pandemic flu, we hope it will inspire preparation - not panic. There are steps individuals, families and communities can take to prepare. You can keep a supply of food and medicines on hand in case you have to stay home, you can practice good public health measures like frequent hand washing and staying home when sick. There is good information available on www.pandemicflu.gov.

• The film does depict scenarios that could unfold should a severe pandemic ever develop, including limited availability of antivirals and vaccines as well as the potential for disruption of supplies, medicines and other essential services.

• The film also illustrates the expected months-long delay in developing an effective vaccine against a pandemic strain of influenza once it emerges. This is why, at the President's request, the Congress approved funding for the Department of Health and Human Services to make significant financial investments to improve the technology for vaccine development and to build up our domestic vaccine production capacity, to ensure more rapid availability of vaccine for the population in a pandemic.

• The film highlights an important aspect of planning - individual and community planning and cooperation that will be so vital to sustaining communities and neighborhoods during an extended wave of an influenza pandemic. HHS has developed an extensive set of planning documents, including planning checklists for businesses, schools, health care providers, community organizations and states as well as an individual and family planning guide. All of these materials are available at www.pandemicflu.gov.

• While the H5N1 virus has not yet appeared in the U.S., and there is no influenza pandemic in the world at this time, it is important for all Americans to be informed about this potential public health threat and some of the steps individual Americans can take to protect themselves and their families in the event of a pandemic.

For more information about this show, visit the CDC's website.

Is Your Backyard Party Friendly?

Safety tips from the International Code Council

As summer (and wiffleball season) approaches, the International Code Council is urging homeowners to take the time to check their outdoor areas for potential safety hazards. Proper inspections now can help to keep your family and friends safe in the future. The International Code Council, a membership organization dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.

Porches, Decks and Balconies
Porches can be at risk of collapsing if they are not properly constructed or if they are old. A common safety hazard occurs when porches are nailed to buildings rather than being attached with the proper anchors or bolts. Nails are a poor method for attaching porches to buildings because they work their way loose over time. Other safety hazards to look for are:

• Split or rotting wood
• Wobbly handrails or guardrails
• Loose, missing or rusting anchors, nails or screws
• Missing, damaged or loose support beams and planking
• Poor end support of the porch deck, joists or girders
• Excessive movement of the porch when walked on
• Swaying or unstable porches

Building or repairing to code, which requires a building permit and an inspection, will help ensure that the porch is safe. The International Codes specify the amount of weight a porch is required to support. However, be careful not to allow the porch to become overcrowded. If the people on the structure have difficulty moving about, the porch could be exceeding its capacity.

Grills
Grilling on or near combustible areas can be a fire hazard. It not only puts your family and visitors at risk, but, especially in condos and apartment buildings, can put your neighbors in danger as well. The most common grilling hazards are open flames and heat generated in the grill base that can be transferred to the wood of a porch or the home's siding, causing a fire. When grilling, follow these safety tips:

• Place the grill away from siding, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches
• Periodically remove grease or fat buildup
• Use only proper starter fluid and store the can away from heat sources
• Check propane cylinder hoses for leaks before use
• Do not move hot grills
• Dispose of charcoal properly, keeping ash containers outside and away from combustible construction

The 2003 International Fire Code prohibits the use of charcoal and gas grills and other open burning devices on combustible porches or within 10 feet of combustible construction. There are exceptions for certain homes and where buildings and porches are protected by an automatic sprinkler system.

Swimming Pools
Because they can be attractive — and dangerous — to young children, in-ground and above-ground pools should be surrounded by a fence or other barrier. Small, inflatable pools must also be protected. The International Building Code states that any pool with more than 24 inches of water has to have a four-foot fence or other barrier around it. Any gates in the fence must be self-closing and self-latching. Other things to consider when installing a pool:

• Building permit requirements
• Zoning requirements
• Electrical clearances and utility easements
• Insurance policies

The International Codes provide minimum standards to help communities protect lives and property. Before conducting any type of work on your home, contact your local building department to determine what permits are needed and what codes must be followed.

(Source: International Code Council media release)

National Scrapbooking Day!

Believe it or not, today is National Scrapbooking Day ... a day to cut, glue, and design pages in a memory book that you'll cherish forever.

After surviving Cinco de Mayo Day yesterday, who will be able to handle the excitement of National Scrapbooking Day?

Wanna learn more about National Scrapbooking Day, check out these sites ...

National Scrapbooking Day Official Website

National Scrapbooking Association

Celebration of Scrapbooking

Creating Keepsakes

Cinco de Mayo Day

May 5, 1862, marks the Mexican army’s victory over the French invaders at the Battle of Puebla. In the United States, the celebration of this victoryhas come to be known simply as “Cinco de Mayo.” Along with Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16, Cinco de Mayo has become a time to celebrate Mexican heritage and culture.

25.9 million
Number of U.S. residents of Mexican origin in 2004. These residents constituted 9 percent of the nation’s total population.

16.6 million
Number of people of Mexican origin who reside either in California (10.1 million) or Texas (6.5 million). People of Mexican origin make up nearly one-third of the residents of these two states.

15.7 million
Number of people of Mexican descent born in the United States.

10.3 million
Number of foreign-born residents from Mexico. About 3-in-10 foreign-bornpeople are from Mexico.

25.3
Median age of people of Mexican descent. This compares with 36.2 years for the population as a whole.

622,000
Number of Mexican-Americans who are military veterans.

1.1 million
Number of people of Mexican descent age 25 or higher with a bachelor’s degree or more.

37%
Percentage of households with a householder of Mexican origin consisting of a married-couple family with children. For all households, the corresponding percentage is 22 percent.

4.1
Average number of people in families with a householder of Mexican origin. This compares to an average of 3.2 people in all families.

15%
Percentage of people of Mexican heritage who work in managerial, professional or related occupations.

$35,185 and 23.6%
Median household income and poverty rate in 2004, respectively, for those of Mexican heritage.

69%
Percentage of people of Mexican origin in the labor force.

49%
Percentage of householders of Mexican origin who own the home in which they live.

Source for statements in this section: American FactFinder. Figures do not include people living in group quarters.

Trade With Mexico

$290.2 billion
The value of goods traded between the United States and Mexico in 2005. Mexico is our nation’s second-leading trading partner, after Canada. <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Businesses

698,314
Number of firms owned by people of Mexican descent in 2002. Among these firms, 275,055 were in California and 234,732 in Texas.

$96.5 billion
Sales and receipts for firms owned by people of Mexican origin in 2002.

Source for statements in this section:<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/006577.html>

Mexican Food

$100.4 million
Value of product shipments by the nation’s manufacturers of Mexican food specialities in 2002.<http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/INDRPT31.HTM>

(Source: U.S. Census Bureau media release)

Best Kept Secret In North Middleton Available For Public Use

The new pavilion at North Middleton's Waggoners UM Church at 1271 Longs Gap Road is available for celebrations and gatherings this summer.

For members of the church, there is no charge, though a donation is appreciated. Community groups and other not associated with the church can rent the pavilion for $25 for half, and $45 for whole (holds about 200 people).

Recently, the church purchased many acres surrounding the church. Last year, member of the church built the pavilion. This year they are adding a baseball field. Other fields purchased will be developed for recreation purposes.

If planning an event, and you're interested using the Waggoners UM Church pavilion, please contact Jim Simon, Pavilion Events Coordinator, at (717) 245-2487.

Latest Keystone Poll Has Rendell Ahead; Santorum Gaining On Casey

The latest poll by Franklin & Marshall's Keystone Poll shows Ed Rendell regaining a lead against challenger Lynn Swann for the Pennsylvania Governor's Mansion. The poll, headed by G. Terry Madonna, has Rendell ahead 49 percent to 35 percent. Some media outlets speculate that recent advertising by Rendell can be credited for the lead.

Also, the poll shows incumbent US Senator Rick Santorum gaining on challenger Bob Casey. Casey currently leads 47 percent to 41 percent. Previously, Casey had a double diget lead.

To read the poll, click here.

Community Group Forms To Keep Carlisle Teachers Union, School Board Talking

According to a Harrisburg Patriot-News article, a community group is asking the Carlisle School Board and teachers union to form new negotiating teams in order to reach an agreement over the teachers' contract.

And, an email has been circulating the Carlisle community seeking resident signatures to encourage the two sides to continue talks.

The email reads ...

Friends and members of the Carlisle Community,

What follows is a letter written by Jay Mootz and addressed to the CASD Board of Educators and the Teacher's Association. This letter outlines our community's concerns with the failed contract negotiations and what we, as a community, must do to facilitate the continuance of negotiations and ultimate resolution. Please read the letter, email your name to Jay and Caren by Thursday morning, and they will add your "signature" to the letter. The letter will be delivered to both parties to communicate our concerns and expectations of them as they work toward contract settlement.

Let's gather our resources and offer our support and concern to both parties, so that a strike will be averted and a fair contract, representative of our stated community values, will result.

Forward on to all you know!

Hello:

Thank you for attending tonight's meeting. I have drafted a short letter that I believe captures the spirit of our discussions. Please send me a message indicating that you wish to add your name to the letter. More important, you should try to enlist friends and neighbors to E-mail their name to me (fjmootz@earthlink.net). People may also call me at 240-0402.

I will print the letter with all the names and make sure that it is delivered to the Board and the teacher representative prior to the Thursday meeting.

In addition, you should feel free to communicate directly with Board members and teacher representatives.

The letter will read:

An Open Letter from Concerned Residents to the Members of the Carlisle Area School District School Board and the Teachers of the Carlisle Area School District:

A strike by the teachers will result in no winner. We are writing to urge you to fulfill your public mission by representing community values in your continued negotiations. Anything less will represent a failure to fulfill your obligations to the community you serve.

The Board and the teachers must negotiate in good faith to generate movement toward an equitable and fiscally-responsible resolution. Both parties must hold themselves to the highest standard of transparency, common sense, and reasonableness. The current negotiation teams appear to be deadlocked. It is time to ask the advisors to both parties to step back, and to reconstitute the negotiating committees for both parties to bring a fresh approach, and to use mediation services if necessary. The parties should resolve many of the 26 items that went to fact-finding on a "tentatively agreed" basis.

We, the concerned residents of Carlisle, hereby charge the Board with the duty of finding ways to compensate our teachers in a manner that will attract and retain the best and the brightest, and to respect them and laud their work. We hereby charge the teachers to appreciate the very real financial difficulties facing the District, and to work with the Board creatively to find solutions.

Finally, we expect that the Board and teachers will provide the community with the background facts and projections that inform their negotiating positions, and that each party will explain clearly the support for its position. To facilitate communication among the Board, the teachers, and concerned residents, the residents will hold a second meeting on Friday, May 5 at 7 p.m. at ______________ and invite Board and teacher representatives to report on the progress they have made during their negotiations on Thursday, May 4. We charge the Board and teachers to listen to each other, compromise, and work together to find a resolution that is fair and responsible.

Sincerely, (as of 11:15 p.m.)
Caren and Jay Mootz
Maryann and Jeff Sedlack
Beth Cook
Gregory J. Smith
Joseph and Barrie Ann George
Sue Baldwin-Way
Matt Shomaker

Carlisle Teachers Union, School Board ... What Will Happen!

Rumors being spread around Carlisle seem to point to a potential strike by teachers of the local school district as negotiations to date have failed to bring the school board and the teachers union to agreement.

In Pennsylvania, teacher strikes aren't necessarily unusual. According to the non-profit StopTeacherStrikes Inc., during the last 35 years, Pennsylvania has been home to 25 percent of teacher strikes in the United States. Pennsylvania remains the "teacher strike capital" of the U.S. to this day. In 2004, there were 8 teacher strikes in the other 49 states combined. In Pennsylvania alone, there were 12 strikes. (Source: PSBA) And, in the school year 2005 -2006, so far 33,000 innocent children have been victims of teacher strikes. (Source: PSBA)

StopTeacherStrikes Inc. also says ...

• The average teacher's salary in Pennsylvania, $53,200, is the highest in the country when adjusted for cost of living (#10 in raw dollars). (Source: PSBA and NEA)

• When adjusted for a minimum student participation rate of 48% (national average), Pennsylvania ranked 15th out of 22 states in 2004 for average SAT scores, according to Standard & Poors. When unadjusted, Pennsylvania's average SAT score ranked 43rd out of 50 states. (Source: www.schoolmatters.com)

• 38 other states have already banned teacher strikes or do not allow collective bargaining. (Source: News Report/NEA policy analyst.)

• It is a source of competitive disadvantage when wishing to attract new business, to have public schools that are prone to more strikes than other states.

• Other essential government workers such as our police, firefighters and military, have no right to strike, yet they choose to serve the public anyway.

• The teachers union is one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Pennsylvania with nine registered lobbyists in the Senate alone, being paid around $130,000.

• The teachers union gives millions of dollars in campaign contributions to our elected officials.

In defense of PSEA, the teachers union, according to an April 2006 electronic newsletter from the association, its political action committee responds to issues important to public education. Among its top concerns are

• Increasing school funding, with equitable distribution

• Reducing class size

• Preserving the right to strike

• Property tax reform, while preserving districts’ ability to meet needs

• Employment of licensed nurses and certified school nurses by health care facilities and schools

• Preserving the defined-benefit features of the Public School Employees Retirement System for current and future annuitants

• Restoring full retirement with 30 years of service

• Increasing retirees’ medical supplement to $150 per month

• Opposing tuition vouchers for private schools

• Reducing funding for private scholarship tax credits

• Opposing campaign finance laws that would benefit wealthy contributors at the expense of voluntary membership labor political action committees

• 100 percent funding by the state for charter and cyber schools and requiring all professionals to be appropriately certified

• State monitoring and regulating cyber schools

According to School Matters, a service of Standard & Poor's ...

• Carlisle High School and Crestview Elementary School made adequate yearly progress in 2005.

• Carlisle Wilson Middle School did NOT make adequate yearly progress in 2005.

Carlisle School District Facts from School Matters ...

• The average income per person was $38,125 in 2005

• 22.6 percent of district residents had a yearly income between $30,000 and $49,999 in 2005, representing the largest grouping

• The median household income for the district was $70,169 in 2005

• 14,979 houses were located within the district in 2005

• 30.3 percent of adults in the district have a bachelor's degree

Crestview Elementary facts from School Matters ...

• Grade 3 and Grade 5 Reading and Math proficiency was higher than the state average in 2005

• 12.8 percent of students are considered economically disadvantaged in 2004

• 15.7 students per teacher in 2004

• 100 percent of the teachers were considered highly qualified in 2003

Wilson Middle School facts from School Matters ...

• 24.5 percent of students were considered economically disadvantaged in 2004

• There were 13.2 students per teacher in 2004

• 95.7 percent of teachers were considered highly qualified in 2003

• Students underperformed state averages for 8th grade reading proficiency and math proficiency

Carlisle High School facts from School Matters ...

• Students in Grade 11 scored higher the state average in math and reading proficiency tests in 2005

• The graduation rate was 85.3 percent in 2005, lower than the state average

• 15.9 students per teacher in 2004

• 95.8 percent of teachers were considered highly qualified in 2003

No Strong Evidence for Treating Strong Breath

Despite widespread use of mouthwashes, breath mints, sprays, chewing gums and mechanical tongue cleaning, research is inconclusive about which method is most effective at attacking bad breath, investigators conclude in a new review of clinical studies.

“From the results of some low-powered trials, tongue cleaning, scraping and brushing do appear to have some benefit at reducing halitosis, and the effects appear to be short lived,” said co-investigator Zbys Fedorowicz, a periodontist at the Ministry of Health in Bahrain. “But we were unable to find any reliable evidence confirming any benefits of using tongue-scraping over mouthwash, or vice versa, at reducing halitosis."

The review appears in the most recent issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.

The review was conducted by a team from the Bahrain Branch of the UK Cochrane Center based at the Ministry of Health in Bahrain. Dr. Fedorowicz is also the director of the UK Cochrane Center in Bahrain.

Halitosis, a general term used to describe any disagreeable breath odor, usually originates from the gums and from the furrows on the surface of the tongue. Odor is caused by accumulated bacteria created by the decay of food particles and other debris in the mouth. The decay and debris produce volatile sulfur compounds -- or VSC -- that can cause “bad breath.”

“Halitosis is ubiquitous, and in the developed world is considered a very private personal yet very public issue associated with personal hygiene and body image,” said Dr. Fedorowicz. “In parts of the developing world there is an increased awareness of dental hygiene, and attention to oral malodor is also considered an increasingly important part of personal grooming.”

Currently, there are no standard and accepted methods for treating the odor associated with halitosis. Mouthwashes, mints, gums and sprays provide a competing and temporary smell that masks the odor. Some mouth rinses have ingredients that can neutralize the odor or the bacteria that produce it.

Odor-causing bacteria can also be reduced through improving oral hygiene and by tongue cleaning, including brushing or scraping of the tongue to dislodge trapped food, cells and bacteria from the taste buds. A variety of mechanical tongue scrapers and tongue cleaners are commercially available.

Although Fedorowicz said tongue brushing scraping and cleaning "have been in and out of vogue with no apparent clear guidance from the dental profession," the review authors all recommend periodic use of a brush.

The investigators wanted to compare mechanical cleaning versus mouthwashes, but they were not able to find statistically valid studies. However, they did identify two eligible trials comparing different methods of tongue scraping or cleaning involving 40 adults.

Researchers in one trial reported a 42 percent reduction in volatile sulfur compounds with tongue cleaning, 40 percent with tongue scraping and 33 percent with the tooth brushing.

“Reduced VSC levels persisted longer with the tongue cleaner than the toothbrush and could not be detected for more than 30 minutes after the intervention in any of the groups,” the Cochrane review team said.

Researchers in the second trial reported a 75 percent reduction of VSC levels after use of the tongue scraper and 45 percent with the toothbrush.

Wayne T. Wozniak, director of guidelines and standards development at the American Dental Association, said, “The most important finding from this review is that cleaning the tongue with either a tongue scraper or toothbrush is of some benefit in reducing breath odor for a very short time.

However, Wozniak cited the small size of the total study population in the review as a problem. “In addition, effectiveness was measured by reduction in volatile sulfur levels, which would not be sufficient for consideration for the ADA Seal of Acceptance. Therefore, evidence for tongue cleaners being more effective than tooth brushing in treating halitosis is very weak, and further well-controlled clinical trials are needed.”

(Source: Center for the Advancement of Health news release)

National Day Of Prayer Event Set For Carlisle On May 4

The National Day of Prayer is May 4. For those in Carlisle on that day, groups will be meeting at the old courthouse from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. to pray for our country.

Politically Uncorrected

May 16

The number one reason leaders in the Pennsylvania legislature leave office is retirement. This fact is unremarkable enough, but becomes more interesting if one looks at the number two, three, and four reasons: number two is death; number three is resignation after legal problems; and number four--and last--is defeat at the polls.

In fact, the electoral defeat of a legislative leader is the rarest of political events. Leaders are literally more likely to die or go to jail than be defeated. The last leader toppled in an election was way back in 1964 when long time President pro Tem and party boss Harvey Taylor was beaten in a Republican Party primary.

All of this institutional lore has considerable contemporary relevance as we head toward the May 16th primary election day in Pennsylvania--for in this election not one or even two, but three legislative leaders are in the voters’ crosshairs, confronting challengers who may end their legislative careers prematurely. The three marquee races include: Senate President pro Tem Robert Jubelirer (R); Senate Majority Leader Chip Brightbill (R); and Democratic Whip Mike Veon.

Pennsylvania’s emerging reform movement led by Russ Diamond’s Clean Sweep, Tim Pott’s Democracy Rising, and Gene Stilip’s Energetic Activism are in large part responsible for these challenges. Already the reformers have scored some early triumphs. Spectacularly successful in defeating an incumbent Supreme Court justice last November, they have also generated an impressive agenda of broad based reforms, and produced a horde of challengers willing to take on entrenched incumbents.

But they have been less successful at electoral organization; many of the original 100 challengers have failed to properly file their nominating petitions, and others have not waged vigorous campaigns. At the moment only about 40 primary challengers from Clean Sweep remain active approaching the May 16 primary. Moreover, internal dissent within Clean Sweep has raised questions about its long-term viability.

So May 16th looms as critical for the reformers. They need to defeat a sufficient number of incumbent legislators to sustain their momentum--and success is increasingly defined as bagging some of the legislative leadership seeking re-nomination.

Just why the protest groups have targeted the legislative leadership deserves some brief discussion. Pennsylvania’s legislature is one of the most leadership-dominated in the nation. The party caucus leaders in Pennsylvania run the show. They influence key committees, control the legislative agenda, administer large budgets, and raise and distribute campaign money. And they were the architects of the infamous pay raise. Perhaps most important, the leaders every ten years redraw the legislative district boundaries.

So the legislative leadership symbolizes the legislature itself, indeed, embodies the institution they so thoroughly dominate. Those who would change the legislature must first change the leadership.

But how many leaders--or for that matter, rank and file members--need to lose for the results to have political consequences? How many incumbents have to be causalities to make the election meaningful? Stating it this way is a little callous, but close to the political calculus that will be made after the election. Different people will do the math differently, but the following four scenarios cover the possibilities:

• A BITTER END ELECTION--If no leaders lose and few incumbents are defeated, the game is just about up for the reform movement and its agenda. True, brave words will try to make the best of it, but the great Pennsylvania voter revolution will have died an inglorious early death. If incumbents are overwhelmingly re-nominated, then the reform movement is dead. The legislature will have no incentive to change the current culture if voters show no inclination to change the legislature.

• A CRYPTIC ELECTION--Another possibility is a muddied picture with a few incumbents losing and maybe one leader. If this happens, there will be a tendency to rationalize the losses as local in nature, and unconnected to voter anger or reform movements. That will leave the reform movement in painful uncertainty. Reformers will say the movement lives, but incumbents will view the reform movement as dead.

• A CONDITIONAL ELECTION--A third possibility would occur if either a large number of incumbents lose or if two or more leaders lose; then, reform of some sort becomes likely. Certainly the reform movement would continue. A tipping point toward reform might be reached with as few as 40 new members, and certainly 50 would do so. That is not unreasonable since 30 new members are now guaranteed owing to retirements--27 in the House and three in the Senate.

• A CONCLUSIVE ELECTION--A final scenario has a substantial number of incumbent legislators losing while several of its leaders are beaten; in this case the floodgates may well open for reform. At least some of the reform agenda promulgated by the protesters, from lobbyist registration to campaign finance reform, will have some prospect of being enacted.

At this point it is not possible to forecast which of these electoral scenarios will materialize, but it is abundantly clear that it matters a great deal. The consequences transcend a single election or even the legislature itself. What happens May 16th is going to affect state politics for a long time.

The gubernatorial election will certainly be affected. The erstwhile leader of Clean Sweep, Russ Diamond, is now running for governor and, though he is not likely to win, May 16th might well determine whether he can bring the reform agenda into the gubernatorial election.

If a number of leaders fall, then Diamond will have legitimacy and his agenda, along with the more comprehensive reform agenda of Tim Potts’ Democracy Rising, will inevitably be part of the gubernatorial campaign. However, if neither leaders nor rank and file incumbents fall in impressive numbers, the reform movement will be in tatters--and unlikely to have salience in the gubernatorial election.

The impending election is both high stakes and high drama. It is a crucial fork in the road for Pennsylvania, and no matter which fork is taken, it will be a momentous turn. Down one path is change and reform--down the other is stability and continuity. Historically, Pennsylvanians forced to choose have chosen stability and continuity over change and reform--and they may again. But the real possibility that a different verdict will be rendered this time has made May 16th prospectively one of the most important elections in modern Pennsylvania history.

(Source: Politically Uncorrected is published twice monthly. Dr. G. Terry Madonna is Professor of Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall College and Dr. Michael Young is Managing Partner of Michael Young Strategic Research. The article can be used in whole or in part with appropriate attribution. The views and opinions found in this article represent the authors’ views and opinions, and not those of any institution or organization with which they are affiliated.)

Window Safety Tips To Keep Children, Familes Safer

Nearly 5,000 children in the United States are treated in hospital emergency departments annually for injuries sustained from falling out windows, according to the Safe KidsWorldwide(R) campaign. Many of those falls occur during spring and summer months as families open windows to let fresh air in but fail to take adequate safety precautions which can lead to accidental falls.

To help raise safety awareness, Pella Corporation partnered with the National Safety Council, says there are ways to be safer.

"Take a few minutes now to familiarize yourself with the facts about window safety in the home to help protect your loved ones," said KathyKrafka Harkema, Pella's window safety spokesperson and a member of the Window Safety Task Force. "It is critical for adults to understand that there's no substitute for the role of proper adult supervision when there are young children in the home, especially around open windows or doors. As more windows are opened to let fresh air in, it's essential to understand that window screens are simply intended to keep insects out, not designedto keep children in."

Pella offers these important tips to enhance home safety:

• There is no safety substitute for responsible adult supervision around children. Set and enforce rules about keeping children's play away from windows or patio doors to help prevent an accidental fall or injury.

• For greatest safety, keep your windows closed and locked when children are around. When opening windows for ventilation, open those that a child cannot reach. For example, on double-hung windows which feature two moveable sashes, open the top portion for ventilation and keep the bottom part closed for greater safety.

• Remember that insect screens are simply designed to provide ventilation and to keep insects out. Do not rely on them to keep a child in; they will not prevent a child's fall.

• Keep furniture such as beds and dressers or anything children can climb away from windows to help improve safety in your home. Don't allow children to jump on beds or sofas, which could lead to accidental falls or injury. Furniture placed under a window can create an enticement to climb and the potential to fall, especially for young children. Furniture placed under a window could also slow your escape from a home in the event of an emergency, such as a fire.

• Windows provide a secondary means of escape from a burning home. For greater safety, determine your family's emergency escape plan and practice it regularly. Designate a door as the primary exit and a window as an alternate escape route from each room in your home. Make sure each opens quickly and easily and keep the escape route free from clutter which could present a tripping or falling hazard, especially in dark or smoky conditions. Remember that children may have to rely on a window to escape in a fire. Help them learn to safely use a window under these circumstances.

• When performing seasonal repairs or cleaning, make sure your windows and doors are not jammed, painted or nailed shut. You must be able to open them quickly to escape in an emergency. If they don't, it's time to consider replacement, because windows and doors can be replaced; lives can't.

• Windows which tilt in for cleaning not only provide greater convenience, but greater safety, too. When choosing windows, look for those which can be cleaned from the interior simply by tilting the unit inward, eliminating the need to climb an exterior ladder for window cleaning.

• If you have young children in your home and are considering adding window guards or window fall prevention devices, install guards with a quick-release mechanism, so they can be opened for escape in an emergency. Consult your local fire department or building code official for more information on window guard options and proper placement.

• If you live in an area subject to hurricanes, consider impact-resistant glass for windows and patio doors to help provide year-round protection from winds, rain and flying debris. Impact-resistant glass which cannot be easily penetrated helps protect your home year-round, providing a safe solution.

• If your home features impact-resistant windows or patio doors designed to withstand hurricane-force winds, train your family members to first attempt to open the window to exit through it in an emergency, rather than trying to break the glass. Impact-resistant glass cannot be easily penetrated, so it's important to acquaint everyone in your household with how to open units, or designate other exits if the unit is fixed in place and does not open.

• For added protection, choose blinds and shades with no room-side cords; window treatments with traditional cords can contribute to childhood injuries.

Additional window safety tips are available year-round at:http://www.nsc.org/aware/window/ .

(Source: Pella media release)

Notes from the North Middleton Township Board of Supervisors Meeting

Dogs now allowed in one park; what about the others?

Last year, residents requested that they be allowed to walk dogs in township parks. Specifically, a group representing residents near Village Park asked the township supervisors to be allowed to walk dogs in that community park.

Supervisors sent the request to the township's recreation board, which voted unanimously to recommend dog walking in Village Park.

Although initially not acted upon, township supervisors with the acception of one board member, eventually voted to allow a trial period in Creekview Park.

According to a recent article in the Carlisle Sentinel, the trial was successful and supervisors voted unanamously to allow dogs in Creekview Park.

In addition, the supervisors recommended that the township's recreation board make recommendations to allow dogs in all township parks.

Look for canoes at North Middleton Park

While township residents still wait for permission to take their dogs to North Middleton Park, shortly those who enjoy the park will start seeing canoes there.

With canoeing at Opossum Lake unlikely this summer due to work being done there, the YMCA's New Frontier Day Camp, located near the lake, needed a new place to teach its campers how to canoe.

With easy access to the Conodoguinet Creek through the North Middleton Park, the day camp asked the township for permission to use the creek through the park. Township supervisors approved the request.