New treatments ease pain for arthritis sufferers
Pamela Appea
New York Resident
If you feel wrist pain while typing or you’ve noticed lately that your joints feel stiff and achy when you get up in the morning, the symptoms may signal rheumatoid arthritis, which afflicts 2.1 million Americans annually.
Doctors warn the arthritis should be diagnosed early before it permanently damages the cartilage, bone tendons and ligaments of the joints. If the autoimmune disease is left untreated, it can attack the lungs, eyes and other vital organs, taking away a person’s mobility and ultimately increasing the risk of premature death.
In the past, doctors treated rheumatoid arthritis with drugs that reduced pain, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents and corticosteroids, but which did not prevent the joints from further deterioration.
Today, New Yorkers and others can take advantage of cytokine-based research that stops the destructive autoimmune process in its tracks, says Dr. Charles Dinarello, a University of Colorado School of Medicine expert in cytokine research.
Cytokines are messengers between cells that work against infection.
When a person has rheumatoid arthritis, the body produces too many cytokines, which causes unwanted inflammation and cell damage. Research shows that by blocking the body’s two main cytokines—IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)— arthritis sufferers can reduce bone erosion and pain. The new FDA-approved therapeutic approach is “extremely” important to young people who are just being diagnosed, Dinarello says.
Aside from medication and combination-agent therapies, doctors may tell patients to combine rest, exercise, joint protection and occupational or physical therapy.
Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers should also note the importance of maintaining flexibility, which means exercising the wrist, hip or other parts of the body.
Originally published the week of December 31, 2001.
Sunday, December 31, 2000
Pittsfield Township residents buying park land for preservation, The Ann Arbor News
Pittsfield Township residents buying park land for preservation
By Pamela Appea
The Ann Arbor News
Non-profit group has raised $300,00 so far, aiming for $50,000 by year’s end
Several concerned residents of Pittsfield Township are banding together to buy and preserve parkland.
Targeting the area roughly bounded between Ellsworth Road, Platt Road, Michigan Avenue and State Road, members of the Fund for Pittsfield group said developers have expressed an interest in purchasing remaining vacant land in the township.
With 1,000 acres of open space left in the center of Pittsfield Township, it is still undetermined what land owners are going to do with the land.
But members of the Fund for Pittsfield say they hope to raise—and buy—as much land as possible while it’s still open space.
But actually buying the park land, which the group will name the “Heritage Park” is the challenge for the non-profit group.
Christina Lirones, fund-raising coordinator, said Fund for Pittsfield is aiming to raise $50,000 through private donations by the end of this year.
Lirones said the group has raised $30,000.
“Buy that is by no means nearly enough,” Lirones said.
She hopes to raise at least $1 million for Pittsfield Township land, if not more.
“It’s a lot of money we need to raise,” she said.
The effort is overseen by Washtenaw Potawatomi Land Trust, a land conservancy organization of southeastern Michigan.
“In order to adequately preserve land, we have to offer landowners viable opportunities. People are interested in selling land. It’s important to have money available to offer to landowners,” said Barry Lonik, executive director of the land trust.
Lirones said Fund for Pittsfield has approached several landowners and the group may buy a parcel of land within the next month or two.
“There’s nothing definite. It depends on the amount of money we raise,” she said.
Jeffrey Marine, a Pittsfield Township resident, said there is “no question” that hundreds of township residents would like to preserve the rural feel of the community.
At the very least, Marine said, others want to be involved in what parts of the township will be preserved as park land.
“We certainly want to preserve as much land as possible,” Lonik said.
The Fund for Pittsfield is a licenses non-profit organization. For information, call (734) 944-1239 or (734) 944-0639.
Originally published for The Ann Arbor News
Copyright 2000.
By Pamela Appea
The Ann Arbor News
Non-profit group has raised $300,00 so far, aiming for $50,000 by year’s end
Several concerned residents of Pittsfield Township are banding together to buy and preserve parkland.
Targeting the area roughly bounded between Ellsworth Road, Platt Road, Michigan Avenue and State Road, members of the Fund for Pittsfield group said developers have expressed an interest in purchasing remaining vacant land in the township.
With 1,000 acres of open space left in the center of Pittsfield Township, it is still undetermined what land owners are going to do with the land.
But members of the Fund for Pittsfield say they hope to raise—and buy—as much land as possible while it’s still open space.
But actually buying the park land, which the group will name the “Heritage Park” is the challenge for the non-profit group.
Christina Lirones, fund-raising coordinator, said Fund for Pittsfield is aiming to raise $50,000 through private donations by the end of this year.
Lirones said the group has raised $30,000.
“Buy that is by no means nearly enough,” Lirones said.
She hopes to raise at least $1 million for Pittsfield Township land, if not more.
“It’s a lot of money we need to raise,” she said.
The effort is overseen by Washtenaw Potawatomi Land Trust, a land conservancy organization of southeastern Michigan.
“In order to adequately preserve land, we have to offer landowners viable opportunities. People are interested in selling land. It’s important to have money available to offer to landowners,” said Barry Lonik, executive director of the land trust.
Lirones said Fund for Pittsfield has approached several landowners and the group may buy a parcel of land within the next month or two.
“There’s nothing definite. It depends on the amount of money we raise,” she said.
Jeffrey Marine, a Pittsfield Township resident, said there is “no question” that hundreds of township residents would like to preserve the rural feel of the community.
At the very least, Marine said, others want to be involved in what parts of the township will be preserved as park land.
“We certainly want to preserve as much land as possible,” Lonik said.
The Fund for Pittsfield is a licenses non-profit organization. For information, call (734) 944-1239 or (734) 944-0639.
Originally published for The Ann Arbor News
Copyright 2000.
Monday, December 11, 2000
Taking Cardiovascular Health to Heart
Taking Cardiovascular Health to Heart
Africana.com
Pamela Appea
Originally published December 2000
Robert Tools who lived 151 days with a fully implanted artificial heart before dying November 30, became America’s most famous cardiovascular patient. While the five months he survived with the implant provided hope that modern medicine may yet conquer heart disease, his death was a reminder that the illness is still the number-one killer in the United States. More than just a test case for new medical technologies, Tools could also serve as an example of the importance of preventing heart disease, especially for African Americans.
No one enjoys thinking they could be at risk for heart disease but we all are—especially those of us who smoke, maintain a high-fat diet or consistently have high blood pressure readings. While heart disease is the leading cause of death for all Americans, the mortality rate for African Americans is much higher than for other groups, health experts say. And, as has been recently publicized, some heart medications may work less well in people of African descent. All the more important then, for African Americans to work on preventing heart disease, many of whose risk factors can be controlled by making lifestyle choices.
The black community, however, has not gotten the message. According to the Atlanta-based American Association of Black Cardiologists’ 2000 annual report: “Most African American men and women are more afraid of cancer, AIDS, and violence than CVD (cardiovascular disease, which includes disease of the heart and blood vessels), even though CVD is responsible for more deaths in the black community than all other diseases combined.”
Heart disease is often a “silent killer,” said Dr. De Vaughan Belton, a Washington, DC cardiologist. Belton noted that it can take years before heart disease causes life-threatening events such as heart attacks or strokes. In his practice, Belton said that when his patients—who are typically in their 50s and 60s—come in for appointments, he sometimes finds their 30-something children may be at significant risk for heart disease themselves.
“They feel perfectly healthy,” Belton said. “When you’re in your 30s, you’re invincible.” Younger people, cardiologists say, need to understand that the smoking, eating and exercise habits they practice now will have an enormous impact on their chances of developing heart disease later in life.
Heart Disease takes a social as well as individual toll. According to Dr. Lance Becker, director of the Emergency Resuscitation Center at the University of Chicago, cardiac arrest causes 1,000 deaths a day. “That’s the equivalent of two jumbo jets crashing every day in the US,” Becker said at an American Medical Association talk. According to the American Heart Association, if you add deaths by stroke, congestive heart failure and other associated cardiovascular ailments, the daily death toll is more than 2,600.
Why are so many people dying of a largely preventable disease? And why are so many African Americans at increased risk for both getting it and dying of it?
One reason is that most people, of all backgrounds, fail to report their symptoms and get help. Cardiologists say that many ignore symptoms because they don’t seem significant, and many don’t educate themselves.
“We need to educate, educate, educate,” said Dr. Hilton Hudson II a cardiac surgeon and the vice-chairman and vice-chairman of cardiothoracic surgery at Rockford Health Systems in Rockford, Illinois.
A strong advocate of education and living a healthy lifestyle, Hudson says African Americans owe it to themselves to learn more about heart disease. “We choose to know what the latest CD is; we know about black history,” he said. “Now, we need to know about heart disease and other issues that affect us.”
In The Heart of the Matter: The African American’s Guide to Heart Disease, Heart Treatment and Heart Wellness, Hudson tells the story of Reverent Asa Johnson, a 69-year-old Midwestern community leader who dropped dead of a heart attack during a church meeting.
Johnson, who had never been a drinker or a smoker, had ignored clear symptoms of heart disease for months, if not years. By not asking for help and ignoring shortness of breath and frequent heaviness in the middle of his chest, Johnson missed the chance to have his heart disease diagnosed and treated, possibly adding years to his life.
Hudson said that only 33 percent of African Americans who suffer signs of cardiovascular disease will connect the symptoms to heart disease, whereas 50 percent of the white population will make that connection. “ A lot of this is how we take care and don’t take care of ourselves,” Hudson said. “We must take control of our lives. Every day hundreds of African Americans die because they ignore these signs.”
According to Dr. Belton, many black patients, once diagnosed, discontinue their medication against medical advice. “They go home, they feel better they stop taking the drugs,” Belton said. One reason is financial—heart medications are expensive. But continuing the medication regime is essential, Belton said. Also, he said, black patients must make a point of talking to their doctors if they feel their medication is not effective—but let go of the fear that the medication won’t work for them.
Instead, advocacy groups like the Association of Black Cardiologists urge blacks to get involved in clinical research trials. Many times the sample of African Americans in test
groups is so small that researchers can’t determine the effectiveness of medications for African Americans as a group.
Hudson agrees that more black participation is needed in research trials, but says he understands why many African Americans are wary of studies. “Blacks have Tuskegee [the notorious syphilis experiment] on their minds. They don’t want to be guinea pigs,” he said. To combat this image, Hudson said doctors must break down the medical language barrier. He urges doctors to stress the advantages of research to their patients, but to be very truthful if they know of any possible side effects.
Belton, also a member of the Association of Black Cardiologists, added that it’s important for patients to write down all their questions and bring them to the doctor’s office. If patients and doctors can openly discuss symptoms, medications and options for healthier living, Belton says, there’s no reason why black people can’t live into their 80s—cardiovascular disease, he says, should not cut anyone’s life short.
It’s a theme echoed by the website of the Association of Black Cardiologists, where their motto reads: Children should know their grandparents.”
Sidebar
Are you at Risk?
According to the American Heart Association, the following factors can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease:
Smoking
High Cholesterol
High Blood Pressure
Physical Inactivity
Diabetes
Stress
Obesity
The best gift you can give yourself and your loved ones this holiday season is to visit your doctor to have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked and to talk about ways to increase your cardiovascular health.
Africana.com
Pamela Appea
Originally published December 2000
Robert Tools who lived 151 days with a fully implanted artificial heart before dying November 30, became America’s most famous cardiovascular patient. While the five months he survived with the implant provided hope that modern medicine may yet conquer heart disease, his death was a reminder that the illness is still the number-one killer in the United States. More than just a test case for new medical technologies, Tools could also serve as an example of the importance of preventing heart disease, especially for African Americans.
No one enjoys thinking they could be at risk for heart disease but we all are—especially those of us who smoke, maintain a high-fat diet or consistently have high blood pressure readings. While heart disease is the leading cause of death for all Americans, the mortality rate for African Americans is much higher than for other groups, health experts say. And, as has been recently publicized, some heart medications may work less well in people of African descent. All the more important then, for African Americans to work on preventing heart disease, many of whose risk factors can be controlled by making lifestyle choices.
The black community, however, has not gotten the message. According to the Atlanta-based American Association of Black Cardiologists’ 2000 annual report: “Most African American men and women are more afraid of cancer, AIDS, and violence than CVD (cardiovascular disease, which includes disease of the heart and blood vessels), even though CVD is responsible for more deaths in the black community than all other diseases combined.”
Heart disease is often a “silent killer,” said Dr. De Vaughan Belton, a Washington, DC cardiologist. Belton noted that it can take years before heart disease causes life-threatening events such as heart attacks or strokes. In his practice, Belton said that when his patients—who are typically in their 50s and 60s—come in for appointments, he sometimes finds their 30-something children may be at significant risk for heart disease themselves.
“They feel perfectly healthy,” Belton said. “When you’re in your 30s, you’re invincible.” Younger people, cardiologists say, need to understand that the smoking, eating and exercise habits they practice now will have an enormous impact on their chances of developing heart disease later in life.
Heart Disease takes a social as well as individual toll. According to Dr. Lance Becker, director of the Emergency Resuscitation Center at the University of Chicago, cardiac arrest causes 1,000 deaths a day. “That’s the equivalent of two jumbo jets crashing every day in the US,” Becker said at an American Medical Association talk. According to the American Heart Association, if you add deaths by stroke, congestive heart failure and other associated cardiovascular ailments, the daily death toll is more than 2,600.
Why are so many people dying of a largely preventable disease? And why are so many African Americans at increased risk for both getting it and dying of it?
One reason is that most people, of all backgrounds, fail to report their symptoms and get help. Cardiologists say that many ignore symptoms because they don’t seem significant, and many don’t educate themselves.
“We need to educate, educate, educate,” said Dr. Hilton Hudson II a cardiac surgeon and the vice-chairman and vice-chairman of cardiothoracic surgery at Rockford Health Systems in Rockford, Illinois.
A strong advocate of education and living a healthy lifestyle, Hudson says African Americans owe it to themselves to learn more about heart disease. “We choose to know what the latest CD is; we know about black history,” he said. “Now, we need to know about heart disease and other issues that affect us.”
In The Heart of the Matter: The African American’s Guide to Heart Disease, Heart Treatment and Heart Wellness, Hudson tells the story of Reverent Asa Johnson, a 69-year-old Midwestern community leader who dropped dead of a heart attack during a church meeting.
Johnson, who had never been a drinker or a smoker, had ignored clear symptoms of heart disease for months, if not years. By not asking for help and ignoring shortness of breath and frequent heaviness in the middle of his chest, Johnson missed the chance to have his heart disease diagnosed and treated, possibly adding years to his life.
Hudson said that only 33 percent of African Americans who suffer signs of cardiovascular disease will connect the symptoms to heart disease, whereas 50 percent of the white population will make that connection. “ A lot of this is how we take care and don’t take care of ourselves,” Hudson said. “We must take control of our lives. Every day hundreds of African Americans die because they ignore these signs.”
According to Dr. Belton, many black patients, once diagnosed, discontinue their medication against medical advice. “They go home, they feel better they stop taking the drugs,” Belton said. One reason is financial—heart medications are expensive. But continuing the medication regime is essential, Belton said. Also, he said, black patients must make a point of talking to their doctors if they feel their medication is not effective—but let go of the fear that the medication won’t work for them.
Instead, advocacy groups like the Association of Black Cardiologists urge blacks to get involved in clinical research trials. Many times the sample of African Americans in test
groups is so small that researchers can’t determine the effectiveness of medications for African Americans as a group.
Hudson agrees that more black participation is needed in research trials, but says he understands why many African Americans are wary of studies. “Blacks have Tuskegee [the notorious syphilis experiment] on their minds. They don’t want to be guinea pigs,” he said. To combat this image, Hudson said doctors must break down the medical language barrier. He urges doctors to stress the advantages of research to their patients, but to be very truthful if they know of any possible side effects.
Belton, also a member of the Association of Black Cardiologists, added that it’s important for patients to write down all their questions and bring them to the doctor’s office. If patients and doctors can openly discuss symptoms, medications and options for healthier living, Belton says, there’s no reason why black people can’t live into their 80s—cardiovascular disease, he says, should not cut anyone’s life short.
It’s a theme echoed by the website of the Association of Black Cardiologists, where their motto reads: Children should know their grandparents.”
Sidebar
Are you at Risk?
According to the American Heart Association, the following factors can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease:
Smoking
High Cholesterol
High Blood Pressure
Physical Inactivity
Diabetes
Stress
Obesity
The best gift you can give yourself and your loved ones this holiday season is to visit your doctor to have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked and to talk about ways to increase your cardiovascular health.
Tuesday, November 28, 2000
Harvard U. Study Shows Large Increase for Both Binge Drinkers and Teetotalers, Substance Abuse Funding News
Harvard U. Study Shows Large Increase for Both Binge Drinkers and Teetotalers
By Pamela Appea
Substance Abuse Funding News, Alcohol
November 28, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
The incidence of student alcohol abuse on college campuses has gotten worse—not better—nationwide. A team of Harvard School of Public Health researchers find the number of students who report binge drinking, along with the number of those who abstain from drinking alcohol, has increased.
The study found two out of five students say there were binge drinkers.
Binge drinking, a term coined by Henry Wechsler, a Harvard U. alcohol abuse expert, is the consumption of five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more for women.
Around 19% of students in the survey said they abstain from drinking alcohol altogether, while 23% of students say they are frequent binge drinkers.
Wechsler says many college campuses have previously discussed ways to decrease college drinking, yet most are unable effectively to decrease the incidence of binge drinking.
The team say there are no “magic solutions” when considering the implementation of prevention programs for college students. But they encourage college administrations to highlight education and prevention campaigns so problems on college campuses associated with alcohol abuse, including date rape and harassment; property damage; self-injury; and verbal harassment, can be minimized.
Prevention recommendations include:
Examining alcohol marketing at college campuses
Drinking history of college students
Providing alcohol-free social and recreational events on campus
Enacting control policies and making sure to enforce them
Heavy binge drinkers will not change unless “forced” to do so, the report says. Students who do not believe they have a drinking problem may respond to a “three strikes and you’re out” punishment approach, it says.
Info: Wechsler, Department of Health & Social Behavior, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, http://www.hsph.harvard.edu
By Pamela Appea
Substance Abuse Funding News, Alcohol
November 28, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
The incidence of student alcohol abuse on college campuses has gotten worse—not better—nationwide. A team of Harvard School of Public Health researchers find the number of students who report binge drinking, along with the number of those who abstain from drinking alcohol, has increased.
The study found two out of five students say there were binge drinkers.
Binge drinking, a term coined by Henry Wechsler, a Harvard U. alcohol abuse expert, is the consumption of five or more drinks in a row for men and four or more for women.
Around 19% of students in the survey said they abstain from drinking alcohol altogether, while 23% of students say they are frequent binge drinkers.
Wechsler says many college campuses have previously discussed ways to decrease college drinking, yet most are unable effectively to decrease the incidence of binge drinking.
The team say there are no “magic solutions” when considering the implementation of prevention programs for college students. But they encourage college administrations to highlight education and prevention campaigns so problems on college campuses associated with alcohol abuse, including date rape and harassment; property damage; self-injury; and verbal harassment, can be minimized.
Prevention recommendations include:
Examining alcohol marketing at college campuses
Drinking history of college students
Providing alcohol-free social and recreational events on campus
Enacting control policies and making sure to enforce them
Heavy binge drinkers will not change unless “forced” to do so, the report says. Students who do not believe they have a drinking problem may respond to a “three strikes and you’re out” punishment approach, it says.
Info: Wechsler, Department of Health & Social Behavior, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, http://www.hsph.harvard.edu
Monday, November 20, 2000
Report: Record 71,000 Schools Now Serve Low-Income Children Breakfast, Aid for Education Report
Report: Record 71,000 Schools Now Serve Low-Income Children Breakfast
By Pamela Appea
Aid for Education Report, Early Childhood Education
November 20, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
The Food Research & Action Center’s annual school breakfast scorecard said the average number of low-income children served daily by the School Breakfast Program rose to 6.3 million students in 2000—almost double the 3.4 million participating kids in 1990.
But the group says a “service gap” leaves over 2 million children without a chance to eat school breakfasts nationwide. In some cases, millions of federal dollars allocated for each state does not get used for school breakfast programs, the group says.
The Food Research & Action Center charges 32 states for “falling behind” by undeserving at least 10,000 eligible children, with California and New York leading the pack—more than 292, 000 and 229,000 children respectively, are not getting school breakfast each day. In the analysis, the study categorizes free and reduced-price breakfasts together.
Congress temporarily established the School Breakfast Program in 1966 nationwide, giving it permanent authorization in 1975.
Info: Food Research & Action Center, 202/986-2200. ww.frac.org.
By Pamela Appea
Aid for Education Report, Early Childhood Education
November 20, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
The Food Research & Action Center’s annual school breakfast scorecard said the average number of low-income children served daily by the School Breakfast Program rose to 6.3 million students in 2000—almost double the 3.4 million participating kids in 1990.
But the group says a “service gap” leaves over 2 million children without a chance to eat school breakfasts nationwide. In some cases, millions of federal dollars allocated for each state does not get used for school breakfast programs, the group says.
The Food Research & Action Center charges 32 states for “falling behind” by undeserving at least 10,000 eligible children, with California and New York leading the pack—more than 292, 000 and 229,000 children respectively, are not getting school breakfast each day. In the analysis, the study categorizes free and reduced-price breakfasts together.
Congress temporarily established the School Breakfast Program in 1966 nationwide, giving it permanent authorization in 1975.
Info: Food Research & Action Center, 202/986-2200. ww.frac.org.
Tuesday, November 14, 2000
Research Findings Hold Key to Treatment, Prevention for Women Addicts, Substance Abuse Funding News
Research Findings Hold Key to Treatment, Prevention for Women Addicts
By Pamela Appea
Substance Abuse Funding News, Treatment
November 14, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Researchers agree, in the future, gender-specific drug and tobacco prevention programs can be implemented to better impact abuse and addiction problems.
Gender matters in drug abuse, says Cora Lee Wetherington, chair of the National Institute of Drug Abuse’s Women and Gender Research group at a Society for Women’s Health Research Conference.
Scott Lukas, with Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, studied chronic cocain addicts and found doing a woman’s luteal phase they may experience “very few” cocaine effects when the drug is sniffed.
The luteal phase is a stage of the menstrual cycle, lasting about two weeks, from ovulation to the beginning of the next menstrual flow.
Gender differences disappear when cocaine is administered intravenously, Lukas says. This and similar research could have profound effects for cocaine abuse dependence and eventual treatment, Lukas says.
The treatment approach has to be vastly different than the one currently in place, says Alan Leshner of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
It’s a myth women don’t abuse drugs, Leshner says. While the prevalence of drug use and addiction has “historically” been lower for women, Leshner says if someone offers drugs to a woman they are just as likely to use them and just as likely to become addicted.
Leshner cites a study on cocaine abusers, stating women are more likely to relapse because of negative events in their lives, while men are more likely to relapse due to a positive event or happening.
He adds typical drug treatment programs stress “confrontational” techniques and sequestering the patient from their family, sometimes for months at a time.
Women addicts often fear losing custody of their children, Leshner says. Further Leshner suggests a “non-punitive” drug treatment program that (on a case-by-case basis) aims to facilitate the “maternal” role, helping mothers keep frequent contact with their children.
“This is not rocket science,” Leshner says.
“This focus on the maternal role is a critical part of drug treatment.”
Info: Society for Women’s Health Research, 202/955-6922; http://www.womens-health.org/.
By Pamela Appea
Substance Abuse Funding News, Treatment
November 14, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Researchers agree, in the future, gender-specific drug and tobacco prevention programs can be implemented to better impact abuse and addiction problems.
Gender matters in drug abuse, says Cora Lee Wetherington, chair of the National Institute of Drug Abuse’s Women and Gender Research group at a Society for Women’s Health Research Conference.
Scott Lukas, with Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital, studied chronic cocain addicts and found doing a woman’s luteal phase they may experience “very few” cocaine effects when the drug is sniffed.
The luteal phase is a stage of the menstrual cycle, lasting about two weeks, from ovulation to the beginning of the next menstrual flow.
Gender differences disappear when cocaine is administered intravenously, Lukas says. This and similar research could have profound effects for cocaine abuse dependence and eventual treatment, Lukas says.
The treatment approach has to be vastly different than the one currently in place, says Alan Leshner of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
It’s a myth women don’t abuse drugs, Leshner says. While the prevalence of drug use and addiction has “historically” been lower for women, Leshner says if someone offers drugs to a woman they are just as likely to use them and just as likely to become addicted.
Leshner cites a study on cocaine abusers, stating women are more likely to relapse because of negative events in their lives, while men are more likely to relapse due to a positive event or happening.
He adds typical drug treatment programs stress “confrontational” techniques and sequestering the patient from their family, sometimes for months at a time.
Women addicts often fear losing custody of their children, Leshner says. Further Leshner suggests a “non-punitive” drug treatment program that (on a case-by-case basis) aims to facilitate the “maternal” role, helping mothers keep frequent contact with their children.
“This is not rocket science,” Leshner says.
“This focus on the maternal role is a critical part of drug treatment.”
Info: Society for Women’s Health Research, 202/955-6922; http://www.womens-health.org/.
Friday, November 10, 2000
Teens Unlikely to be Tested for HIV, Mothers’ Transmission Rate Drops, Community Health Funding Report
Teens Unlikely to be Tested for HIV, Mothers’ Transmission Rate Drops
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report
HIV/AIDS
Mother-to-child HIV transmission drops from 25% to 3% in the United States, but pregnant teens are more likely than other expectant mothers to forgo prenatal care and consequently are unlikely to test for HIV, says a prominent researcher.
During pregnancy, AZT drug treatment significantly reduces the risk the mother will pass on the virus to her child before, during or after childbirth, says Dr. Lynne Mofenson of the Nat’l Institute of Child Health & Human Development. She drafted the Nat’l Institute of Health guidelines for AZT.
Among adolescents newly diagnosed with HIV, 64% are girls and most [of] them acquire the infection heterosexually, Mofenson said. The rate of infection is slightly higher among black teens, she adds.
Among slightly older females, the risks also are significant. By ages 20-24, women are 44% of the “newly infected.”
Studies show drug treatment can help even women who receive treatment in the last stages of pregnancy. Mofenson says a new study suggests a month of prenatal AZT, followed by taking the drug during labor, cuts the chance the infant will develop HIV/AIDS.
Info: http://www.nichd.nih.gov
Originally Published September November 10, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report
HIV/AIDS
Mother-to-child HIV transmission drops from 25% to 3% in the United States, but pregnant teens are more likely than other expectant mothers to forgo prenatal care and consequently are unlikely to test for HIV, says a prominent researcher.
During pregnancy, AZT drug treatment significantly reduces the risk the mother will pass on the virus to her child before, during or after childbirth, says Dr. Lynne Mofenson of the Nat’l Institute of Child Health & Human Development. She drafted the Nat’l Institute of Health guidelines for AZT.
Among adolescents newly diagnosed with HIV, 64% are girls and most [of] them acquire the infection heterosexually, Mofenson said. The rate of infection is slightly higher among black teens, she adds.
Among slightly older females, the risks also are significant. By ages 20-24, women are 44% of the “newly infected.”
Studies show drug treatment can help even women who receive treatment in the last stages of pregnancy. Mofenson says a new study suggests a month of prenatal AZT, followed by taking the drug during labor, cuts the chance the infant will develop HIV/AIDS.
Info: http://www.nichd.nih.gov
Originally Published September November 10, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
CDC Says Using Nonoxynol-9 Unsafe, Community Health Funding report
CDC Says Using Nonoxynol-9 Unsafe
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report
HIV/AIDS
Condoms with Nonoxynol-9 are not an “effective means of HIV prevention,” as the scientific community previously had believed, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention warns health workers.
In a strongly worded, “Dear Colleague” letter, Dr. Helene Gayle, a CDC official writes:
“Anyone using N-9 as a microbicide to protect themselves from HIV transmission during anal intercourse should be informed of the ineffectiveness of this agent and warned of the potential of this practice.”
Lubricated condoms and sexual lubricants containing Nonoxynol-9 “might not” result in a 50% higher rate of HIV infection—as suggested by a study of black women completed earlier this year—but CDC officials were uncertain the deterrent was effective.
Info: CDC, http://www.cdc.gov
Originally Published September November 10, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report
HIV/AIDS
Condoms with Nonoxynol-9 are not an “effective means of HIV prevention,” as the scientific community previously had believed, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention warns health workers.
In a strongly worded, “Dear Colleague” letter, Dr. Helene Gayle, a CDC official writes:
“Anyone using N-9 as a microbicide to protect themselves from HIV transmission during anal intercourse should be informed of the ineffectiveness of this agent and warned of the potential of this practice.”
Lubricated condoms and sexual lubricants containing Nonoxynol-9 “might not” result in a 50% higher rate of HIV infection—as suggested by a study of black women completed earlier this year—but CDC officials were uncertain the deterrent was effective.
Info: CDC, http://www.cdc.gov
Originally Published September November 10, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Monday, November 06, 2000
Nonprofit Group Aims to Give Children A Better Chance: Choice for Schools, Aid for Education Report
Nonprofit Group Aims to Give Children A Better Chance: Choice for Schools
By Pamela Appea
Aid for Education Report, Nonprofit News
November 6, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
The Campaign for America’s Children wants to put parents in charge of their children’s education and reform the U.S. school system by breaking the school monopoly.
Competition will help improve the U.S. school system, says Theodore Forstmann, the group’s chairman and CEO.
The group argues federal, state and local governments control almost 90% of American education, making it “one of the largest and most successful monopolies in our history.” And the campaign links the school monopoly with poor test scores and academic achievement in grades K-12.
As part of a recent “freedom and choice” campaign, one of the campaign’s full-page newspaper ads says, “Eighty years of rising spending. Eighty years of disappointing results. The problem isn’t our kids, our teachers, or parents. It’s the system.”
The campaign for America’s Children plans to fund studies where learning education scholars will host seminars and debates on education issues with the goal of raising awareness on school-choice issues.
Demand for an alternative to poor schooling is staggering, the group says. Roughly 1.25 million children applied for 40,000 Children’s Scholarship Fund—a private New York City-based foundation—partial scholarships in 1999.
Further, Forstmann, who runs the foundation, awarded $160 million in scholarships through the Children’s Scholarship Fund to 40,000 children in 48 states.
Private schools are not “necessarily” more expensive, the campaign says. While the public schools spend an average of $7,000 per student, per year, the average private school spends almost 40% less per student, or $4,700 per year.
The organization has no specific agenda, a spokesman for the group tells AFE. The goal is to awaken people to the issue of school choice and to have them look at choice with a more open mind, he says.
Info: Campaign for America’s Children, 767 Fifth Ave. N.Y. N.Y. 10153; 212/752-3310.
By Pamela Appea
Aid for Education Report, Nonprofit News
November 6, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
The Campaign for America’s Children wants to put parents in charge of their children’s education and reform the U.S. school system by breaking the school monopoly.
Competition will help improve the U.S. school system, says Theodore Forstmann, the group’s chairman and CEO.
The group argues federal, state and local governments control almost 90% of American education, making it “one of the largest and most successful monopolies in our history.” And the campaign links the school monopoly with poor test scores and academic achievement in grades K-12.
As part of a recent “freedom and choice” campaign, one of the campaign’s full-page newspaper ads says, “Eighty years of rising spending. Eighty years of disappointing results. The problem isn’t our kids, our teachers, or parents. It’s the system.”
The campaign for America’s Children plans to fund studies where learning education scholars will host seminars and debates on education issues with the goal of raising awareness on school-choice issues.
Demand for an alternative to poor schooling is staggering, the group says. Roughly 1.25 million children applied for 40,000 Children’s Scholarship Fund—a private New York City-based foundation—partial scholarships in 1999.
Further, Forstmann, who runs the foundation, awarded $160 million in scholarships through the Children’s Scholarship Fund to 40,000 children in 48 states.
Private schools are not “necessarily” more expensive, the campaign says. While the public schools spend an average of $7,000 per student, per year, the average private school spends almost 40% less per student, or $4,700 per year.
The organization has no specific agenda, a spokesman for the group tells AFE. The goal is to awaken people to the issue of school choice and to have them look at choice with a more open mind, he says.
Info: Campaign for America’s Children, 767 Fifth Ave. N.Y. N.Y. 10153; 212/752-3310.
Wednesday, November 01, 2000
Public Housing Assisted-Living Facility Provides Elderly With Care, Homes
Public Housing Assisted-Living Facility Provides Elderly With Care, Homes
Housing the Elderly Report
Community Development News
By Pamela Appea
The Miami-Dade Housing Agency says it has saved money and helped meet a community need with the nation’s first assisted-living facility in public housing.
The Helen Sawyer Plaza opened its doors in August and has won two national awards. The 104-unit facility runs with state-sponsored Medicaid waivers to provide a continuum of care for facility residents.
Public-housing groups are eligible for rent subsidies to defray the cost of providing high-quality facilities to low-income frail seniors, MDHA says.
Agency director Rene Rodriguez says the Miami-Dade community has a tremendous need to meet the “deteriorating” mental and physical condition of seniors who live in public housing.
That need is rapidly growing, particularly in urban areas across the United States. A 1995 HUD report found 1 million very low-income elderly renters lived in either substandard housing or paid more than half their income in rent. Florida has 13% of seniors who live below the poverty line and more than half of elderly renters pay 30% of their income for housing.
Miami-Dade has the nation’s sixth-largest public-housing authority, with more than 5,000 seniors. Providing assisted living is cost-effective, since federal and state governments spend four times as much to care for an elderly nursing-home resident than for an assisted-living facility resident, Rodriguez says.
To qualify, residents need to be Medicaid-eligible and have access to case management. They should also require minimum assistance to live independently.
Formerly known as Highland Park, the Helen Sawyer Plaza was built originally to house frail elderly and the handicapped in the mid-’70s. The Miami-Dade Housing Agency started conversion of the Helen Sawyer Plaza in 1997 as a joint project with HUD and the state of Florida.
HUD programs currently do not cater to the elderly, the Miami-Date Housing Agency report says, leaving low-income seniors with few options to live independently.
Info: Miami-Dade Housing Agency, 1401 NW 7th Street, Miami, FL 33125.
Originally published November 2000
Housing the Elderly Report
Community Development News
By Pamela Appea
The Miami-Dade Housing Agency says it has saved money and helped meet a community need with the nation’s first assisted-living facility in public housing.
The Helen Sawyer Plaza opened its doors in August and has won two national awards. The 104-unit facility runs with state-sponsored Medicaid waivers to provide a continuum of care for facility residents.
Public-housing groups are eligible for rent subsidies to defray the cost of providing high-quality facilities to low-income frail seniors, MDHA says.
Agency director Rene Rodriguez says the Miami-Dade community has a tremendous need to meet the “deteriorating” mental and physical condition of seniors who live in public housing.
That need is rapidly growing, particularly in urban areas across the United States. A 1995 HUD report found 1 million very low-income elderly renters lived in either substandard housing or paid more than half their income in rent. Florida has 13% of seniors who live below the poverty line and more than half of elderly renters pay 30% of their income for housing.
Miami-Dade has the nation’s sixth-largest public-housing authority, with more than 5,000 seniors. Providing assisted living is cost-effective, since federal and state governments spend four times as much to care for an elderly nursing-home resident than for an assisted-living facility resident, Rodriguez says.
To qualify, residents need to be Medicaid-eligible and have access to case management. They should also require minimum assistance to live independently.
Formerly known as Highland Park, the Helen Sawyer Plaza was built originally to house frail elderly and the handicapped in the mid-’70s. The Miami-Dade Housing Agency started conversion of the Helen Sawyer Plaza in 1997 as a joint project with HUD and the state of Florida.
HUD programs currently do not cater to the elderly, the Miami-Date Housing Agency report says, leaving low-income seniors with few options to live independently.
Info: Miami-Dade Housing Agency, 1401 NW 7th Street, Miami, FL 33125.
Originally published November 2000
Friday, October 27, 2000
Rural Poor, Uninsured Are Half the Visitors to Health Centers, Community Health Funding Report
Rural Poor, Uninsured Are Half the Visitors to Health Centers
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report, Rural Health
October 27, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Expanding community-health centers to make it easier for patients to visit their doctors would strengthen the U.S. health-care safety network and enhance continuity of health care for medically underserved individuals and families, a new study indicates.
Primary-care visits by uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients accounted for 65% of visits to community health centers and 43% to hospital outpatient departments, says the study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. In 1998, about 33 million adults in the United States ages 18 to 64 lacked health insurance and benefits.
The study also shows most patients using HHS-supported health centers are racial and ethnic minorities, people with Medicaid or no health insurance and people living in rural areas, says Dr. Claude Earle Fox, HRSA administrator.
HRSA invests $4.6 billion annually as the main HHS agency in charge of improving health care access for uninsured individuals and families in the United States.
Uninsured adults say they cannot see a doctor when necessary because of the cost and [the fact they are] less likely to get routine physicals.
The report shows long-term uninsured adults often were unable to see a health-care practitioner for cancer screenings, cardiovascular risk-reduction and diabetes care, though they may be at a higher risk of developing chronic disease or other health problems.
“Continuity of care is the heart and soul of wellness for patients, particularly with chronic conditions. Continuous and timely treatment can curb complicated costly procedures down the road,” says Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston, HRSA associate administrator for primary care and assistant surgeon general.
Christopher Forrest and Ellen-Marie-Whelan are the lead authors of the study, Primary Care Safety-Net Providers in the United States: a Comparison of Community Health Centers, Hospital Outpatient Departments and Physician Offices.
Info: HRSA, http://www.hrsa.gov; http:jama.ama-assn.org.
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report, Rural Health
October 27, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Expanding community-health centers to make it easier for patients to visit their doctors would strengthen the U.S. health-care safety network and enhance continuity of health care for medically underserved individuals and families, a new study indicates.
Primary-care visits by uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients accounted for 65% of visits to community health centers and 43% to hospital outpatient departments, says the study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. In 1998, about 33 million adults in the United States ages 18 to 64 lacked health insurance and benefits.
The study also shows most patients using HHS-supported health centers are racial and ethnic minorities, people with Medicaid or no health insurance and people living in rural areas, says Dr. Claude Earle Fox, HRSA administrator.
HRSA invests $4.6 billion annually as the main HHS agency in charge of improving health care access for uninsured individuals and families in the United States.
Uninsured adults say they cannot see a doctor when necessary because of the cost and [the fact they are] less likely to get routine physicals.
The report shows long-term uninsured adults often were unable to see a health-care practitioner for cancer screenings, cardiovascular risk-reduction and diabetes care, though they may be at a higher risk of developing chronic disease or other health problems.
“Continuity of care is the heart and soul of wellness for patients, particularly with chronic conditions. Continuous and timely treatment can curb complicated costly procedures down the road,” says Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston, HRSA associate administrator for primary care and assistant surgeon general.
Christopher Forrest and Ellen-Marie-Whelan are the lead authors of the study, Primary Care Safety-Net Providers in the United States: a Comparison of Community Health Centers, Hospital Outpatient Departments and Physician Offices.
Info: HRSA, http://www.hrsa.gov; http:jama.ama-assn.org.
Tuesday, October 24, 2000
Clinton to Sign Bill for Reimportation of Cheaper Prescription Drugs in U.S., Aging News Alert
Clinton to Sign Bill for Reimportation of Cheaper Prescription Drugs in U.S.
By Pamela Appea
Aging News Alert, Congress
October 24, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
President Clinton is expected to sign a measure allowing FDA-approved pharmaceuticals to be re-imported to the United States.
The re-importation measure is part of the Agricultural Appropriations Conference Report (HR 4461; S2536) approved by the House and Senate, but U.S. pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists continue to lobby against the bill, saying it could permit counterfeit and possibly substandard or dangerous drugs to reach U.S. consumers.
A spokesperson for the bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-Vt.) says the only drugs that will be re-imported were made in the U.S. or in some cases produced in FDA-approved facilities abroad.
Info: Jeffords, 202/224-6770.
By Pamela Appea
Aging News Alert, Congress
October 24, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
President Clinton is expected to sign a measure allowing FDA-approved pharmaceuticals to be re-imported to the United States.
The re-importation measure is part of the Agricultural Appropriations Conference Report (HR 4461; S2536) approved by the House and Senate, but U.S. pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists continue to lobby against the bill, saying it could permit counterfeit and possibly substandard or dangerous drugs to reach U.S. consumers.
A spokesperson for the bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-Vt.) says the only drugs that will be re-imported were made in the U.S. or in some cases produced in FDA-approved facilities abroad.
Info: Jeffords, 202/224-6770.
Clinton to Sign Bill for Reimportation of Cheaper Prescription Drugs in U.S., Aging News Alert
Clinton to Sign Bill for Reimportation of Cheaper Prescription Drugs in U.S.
By Pamela Appea
Aging News Alert, Congress
October 24, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
President Clinton is expected to sign a measure allowing FDA-approved pharmaceuticals to be re-imported to the United States.
The re-importation measure is part of the Agricultural Appropriations Conference Report (HR 4461; S2536) approved by the House and Senate, but U.S. pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists continue to lobby against the bill, saying it could permit counterfeit and possibly substandard or dangerous drugs to reach U.S. consumers.
A spokesperson for the bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-Vt.) says the only drugs that will be re-imported were made in the U.S. or in some cases produced in FDA-approved facilities abroad.
Info: Jeffords, 202/224-6770.
By Pamela Appea
Aging News Alert, Congress
October 24, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
President Clinton is expected to sign a measure allowing FDA-approved pharmaceuticals to be re-imported to the United States.
The re-importation measure is part of the Agricultural Appropriations Conference Report (HR 4461; S2536) approved by the House and Senate, but U.S. pharmaceutical companies and lobbyists continue to lobby against the bill, saying it could permit counterfeit and possibly substandard or dangerous drugs to reach U.S. consumers.
A spokesperson for the bill’s Senate sponsor, Sen. Jim Jeffords (R-Vt.) says the only drugs that will be re-imported were made in the U.S. or in some cases produced in FDA-approved facilities abroad.
Info: Jeffords, 202/224-6770.
Friday, October 13, 2000
Poor Diet Likely a Factor in Cancer, Other Chronic Diseases, Research Says, Community Health Funding Report
Poor Diet Likely a Factor in Cancer, Other Chronic Diseases, Research Says
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report, Women’s Health
October 13, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Researchers say finding a definite correlation between chronic disease like breast cancer and a proper diet in older women can be difficult because of a lack of funding and other research-oriented limitations.
Ross Prentice, senior vice president and director of public health sciences at the Fred Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle, tells a Society for Women’s Health Research conference preliminary research shows a “strong positive association” between breast cancer in post-menopausal women and poor diet, but other studies do not.
The continuing study monitors postmenopausal women at 40 clinics, ages 50-74, for the benefits and risks of low-fat eating patterns, hormone replacement therapy, and calcium and vitamin D. Older women tend more to suffer poor health including cancer, diabetes, hypertension and myriad other chronic diseases that could be prevented or reduced by better nutrition, conference researchers say.
As principal investigator of the clinical coordinator center for the NIH-sponsored Women’s Health Initiative, Prentice says the research group has not been able to get additional funding through NIH for broader research.
Complete research results will not be available for several more years, Prentice tells CHF.
A cohort study includes a large percentage of women from various minority groups. Prentice tells CHF much can be learned about nutrition, chronic disease and prevention by studying migrant and immigrant women who moved to the United States. He cited a 1996 study focusing on a group of Asian women and observed the women’s chances for breast cancer increased by 60% after several years of acclimating to the United States.
In separate studies, researchers say women who take calcium supplements “fell better” and gain less weight during middle age. The less weight women gain, the less likely they will develop chronic health diseases.
“Women have a bigger problem with obesity,” says Blackburn, Harvard U. associate professor in surgery and nutrition and an expert in nutrition medicine.
Info: Society for Women’s Health Research 202/223-8224; http://www.womens-health.org
By Pamela Appea
Community Health Funding Report, Women’s Health
October 13, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Researchers say finding a definite correlation between chronic disease like breast cancer and a proper diet in older women can be difficult because of a lack of funding and other research-oriented limitations.
Ross Prentice, senior vice president and director of public health sciences at the Fred Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle, tells a Society for Women’s Health Research conference preliminary research shows a “strong positive association” between breast cancer in post-menopausal women and poor diet, but other studies do not.
The continuing study monitors postmenopausal women at 40 clinics, ages 50-74, for the benefits and risks of low-fat eating patterns, hormone replacement therapy, and calcium and vitamin D. Older women tend more to suffer poor health including cancer, diabetes, hypertension and myriad other chronic diseases that could be prevented or reduced by better nutrition, conference researchers say.
As principal investigator of the clinical coordinator center for the NIH-sponsored Women’s Health Initiative, Prentice says the research group has not been able to get additional funding through NIH for broader research.
Complete research results will not be available for several more years, Prentice tells CHF.
A cohort study includes a large percentage of women from various minority groups. Prentice tells CHF much can be learned about nutrition, chronic disease and prevention by studying migrant and immigrant women who moved to the United States. He cited a 1996 study focusing on a group of Asian women and observed the women’s chances for breast cancer increased by 60% after several years of acclimating to the United States.
In separate studies, researchers say women who take calcium supplements “fell better” and gain less weight during middle age. The less weight women gain, the less likely they will develop chronic health diseases.
“Women have a bigger problem with obesity,” says Blackburn, Harvard U. associate professor in surgery and nutrition and an expert in nutrition medicine.
Info: Society for Women’s Health Research 202/223-8224; http://www.womens-health.org
Monday, September 25, 2000
Experts Outline Ways to Boost Seniors’ Participation in a Global Workforce
Experts Outline Ways to Boost Seniors’ Participation in a Global Workforce
Community Development Publications
Aging News Alert
Senior Employment
By Pamela Appea
An international panel of analysts tell an aging conference in Washington technological training, recruitment of women, phased retirement, flextime workplaces and strong health insurance are key to recruiting senior citizens as workers.
The panelists predict in 20-30 years many countries won’t have enough employees to fill available jobs.
They offered this bleak outlook at a conference jointly sponsored by the Committee for Economic Development and the Center for Strategy and International Studies.
Seven of the world’s largest economies—the United States, Germany, Spain, Australia, Japan and Sweden—have significantly underestimated the growth of their aging populations, which may precipitate even greater social security crises than are forecast, researchers tell conferees.
In the United States, people are living longer and retiring earlier.
The average retirement age has dropped to 62 today from 65 in the late 1960s.
In 2030, nearly 1 in 4 adults in the developed nations will be age 65 or older.
Although seniors are needed to help ease the predicted employee shortage, many countries avoid hiring older workers or penalize those who want to re-enter the workforce by taking away pension benefits, the experts note. They urge these countries to raise the retirement age and actively recruit seniors, many of whom want to continue to work.
In Australia, says Veronica Sheen, deputy director of the Australian Council for the Aging, most companies discriminate against qualified senior workers.
They tend to make decisions about the hiring and firing of older workers more on the basis of stereotypical attitudes than on productivity measures, Sheen says.
Mie Teno, managing director of the Deltapoint International, a management consulting firm in Japan, says companies try to lower costs by hiring younger, temporary employees.
Job-seeking senior citizens typically have higher salary expectations and lower technological skills than younger workers, Teno says.
But experts from several nations say policies are changing, often to encourage flextime or temporary positions to allow phased retirements. Increased training, especially in technology, is also gaining ground.
But it is unclear how many countries, including the United States, will continue to provide pensions and other retirement benefits, especially for middle and lower-income seniors’ who are less likely to have personal savings.
In Germany and other European countries, policy experts say the time for generous government plans is coming to and end.
By 2030, it does not seem unrealistic that one employee will have to finance one retiree,” says Rolf Kroker, Director of the Economic and Social Policy Dept. at the Institute for German Economy.
Kroker says it makes sense to encourage middle-aged people to save money now for retirement.
Some conference participants point to complementary ways to address the projected job/worker shortage by increasing immigration quotas and finding ways to increase fertility rates in their countries.
Info: CSIS, 202/775-3242, http://www.csis.org; CED, 202/296-5960, http://www.ced.org.
Originally published September 25, 2000
Community Development Publications
Aging News Alert
Senior Employment
By Pamela Appea
An international panel of analysts tell an aging conference in Washington technological training, recruitment of women, phased retirement, flextime workplaces and strong health insurance are key to recruiting senior citizens as workers.
The panelists predict in 20-30 years many countries won’t have enough employees to fill available jobs.
They offered this bleak outlook at a conference jointly sponsored by the Committee for Economic Development and the Center for Strategy and International Studies.
Seven of the world’s largest economies—the United States, Germany, Spain, Australia, Japan and Sweden—have significantly underestimated the growth of their aging populations, which may precipitate even greater social security crises than are forecast, researchers tell conferees.
In the United States, people are living longer and retiring earlier.
The average retirement age has dropped to 62 today from 65 in the late 1960s.
In 2030, nearly 1 in 4 adults in the developed nations will be age 65 or older.
Although seniors are needed to help ease the predicted employee shortage, many countries avoid hiring older workers or penalize those who want to re-enter the workforce by taking away pension benefits, the experts note. They urge these countries to raise the retirement age and actively recruit seniors, many of whom want to continue to work.
In Australia, says Veronica Sheen, deputy director of the Australian Council for the Aging, most companies discriminate against qualified senior workers.
They tend to make decisions about the hiring and firing of older workers more on the basis of stereotypical attitudes than on productivity measures, Sheen says.
Mie Teno, managing director of the Deltapoint International, a management consulting firm in Japan, says companies try to lower costs by hiring younger, temporary employees.
Job-seeking senior citizens typically have higher salary expectations and lower technological skills than younger workers, Teno says.
But experts from several nations say policies are changing, often to encourage flextime or temporary positions to allow phased retirements. Increased training, especially in technology, is also gaining ground.
But it is unclear how many countries, including the United States, will continue to provide pensions and other retirement benefits, especially for middle and lower-income seniors’ who are less likely to have personal savings.
In Germany and other European countries, policy experts say the time for generous government plans is coming to and end.
By 2030, it does not seem unrealistic that one employee will have to finance one retiree,” says Rolf Kroker, Director of the Economic and Social Policy Dept. at the Institute for German Economy.
Kroker says it makes sense to encourage middle-aged people to save money now for retirement.
Some conference participants point to complementary ways to address the projected job/worker shortage by increasing immigration quotas and finding ways to increase fertility rates in their countries.
Info: CSIS, 202/775-3242, http://www.csis.org; CED, 202/296-5960, http://www.ced.org.
Originally published September 25, 2000
Sunday, September 24, 2000
Pollsters: Social Security Wins Votes for Gore But Does Not Decide Race, Aging News Alert
Pollsters: Social Security Wins Votes for Gore But Does Not Decide Race
By Pamela Appea
Aging News Alert, Social Security
September 14, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Al Gore won votes after emphasizing Social Security in the campaign’s last few weeks, but the issue did not decide the election, says Bill McInturff, a Republican pollster with Public Opinion Strategies, an Alexandria, Va.-based research firm.
In a joint forum sponsored by the Health Insurance Assn. of America, McInturff and Mellman, a Washington-based Democratic pollster, presented results from an October telephone survey among 800 likely voters and a second Election Day voter survey with another group of 800.
When asked to “put aside character or other personal issues,” 24% of people in the November sample said Social Security was the most important issue, up 9 percentage points from the October survey.
Medicare ranked as the most important issue for 7% of the November group and 6% in the October survey. Prescription-drug coverage garnered 5% in November and 4% in October.
“Voters tells us while health-care related issues are important, they are not the most important issue in the election,” says McInturff.
Mellmann says Gore finished strong. But Democrats overall became more timid, a little “shy-er” to promote their health-care plans, after Republicans attacked the plans.
McInturff says he doesn’t think Social Security, or Gore’s prescription drug plan was a decisive issue for voters.
But health care’s importance has grown. Eight years ago, 6% of voters thought health care was a critical issue, Mellman says. That rose to 21% by this year.
About 62% of voters in the 2000 post-election sample credit Gore for proposing an effective prescription-drug plan, while 51% of people say [President] George [W.] Bush had an effective prescription-drug plan.
Info: (202) 824-1614, www.hiaa.org.
By Pamela Appea
Aging News Alert, Social Security
September 14, 2000
Copyright 2000 by Community Development Publications
Al Gore won votes after emphasizing Social Security in the campaign’s last few weeks, but the issue did not decide the election, says Bill McInturff, a Republican pollster with Public Opinion Strategies, an Alexandria, Va.-based research firm.
In a joint forum sponsored by the Health Insurance Assn. of America, McInturff and Mellman, a Washington-based Democratic pollster, presented results from an October telephone survey among 800 likely voters and a second Election Day voter survey with another group of 800.
When asked to “put aside character or other personal issues,” 24% of people in the November sample said Social Security was the most important issue, up 9 percentage points from the October survey.
Medicare ranked as the most important issue for 7% of the November group and 6% in the October survey. Prescription-drug coverage garnered 5% in November and 4% in October.
“Voters tells us while health-care related issues are important, they are not the most important issue in the election,” says McInturff.
Mellmann says Gore finished strong. But Democrats overall became more timid, a little “shy-er” to promote their health-care plans, after Republicans attacked the plans.
McInturff says he doesn’t think Social Security, or Gore’s prescription drug plan was a decisive issue for voters.
But health care’s importance has grown. Eight years ago, 6% of voters thought health care was a critical issue, Mellman says. That rose to 21% by this year.
About 62% of voters in the 2000 post-election sample credit Gore for proposing an effective prescription-drug plan, while 51% of people say [President] George [W.] Bush had an effective prescription-drug plan.
Info: (202) 824-1614, www.hiaa.org.
Wednesday, September 06, 2000
Program Opens Doors For Uninsured, Community & Youth Funding Report
Program Opens Doors For Uninsured
By Pamela Appea
Community & Youth Funding Report
Model Programs
El Paso, Texas. (CDP)—Border Vision Fronteriza, a federally subsidized health initiative in states bordering Mexico—Ariz., Calif., N.M. and Texas—has been helping poor children and families get health insurance since 1995.
In the past three years, Border Fronteriza has enrolled thousands of uninsured kids in the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid.
Between April-Sept. 1999, the program sought to enroll 4,500 children in CHIP and Medicaid, and enrolled 10, 325.
For 1998-1999, the program counts 14, 3000 “secure” enrollments: children who now are covered by either Medicaid or CHIP in all of the target states. As of June 30, the initiative has added 6,447 more children.
About 90 percent of the children and families that Border Fronteriza serves are Latino, many of whom are recent immigrants unfamiliar with the health insurance system.
“There is probably no other project in the country doing what Border Fronteriza is doing,” says Eva Moya, senior project coordinator for the initiative.
The initiative trains community health workers to talk with people about health care, encourage them to enroll their children in CHIP and Medicaid and provide step-by-step support services like Spanish-to-English translation.
:They reach people where they are—at their homes, their schools. They meet at the laundry shop and the community centers … to help the families navigate the complexities of the CHIP and Medicaid systems,” Moya says.
Community health workers follow up with their families so their children will continue to re-enroll. This is crucial to the long-term success of the program, she says.
“You can sign up all the people you want, but that’s not going to guarantee that they are going to use the service, that they know how to use the service,” Moya says.
Securing funding to sustain Border Fronteriza is the initiative’s biggest challenge, Moya says. Funding from the federal Health Resources & Services Admin—$410,00 this year—goes to Oct. 2001. All four states combined give $200,000. Private foundations help as well.
Moya adds more outreach and training of community workers is needed to inform “harder-to-reach” uninsured groups, such as migrant workers and the homeless.
“We live in four border states that have among the highest uninsured rates largely due to socioeconomic poverty,” Moya says. “We still have a long way to go.”
Info: Moya, 915/585-7612,
Originally Published September 6, 2000
Copyright 2000 for Community Development Publications
By Pamela Appea
Community & Youth Funding Report
Model Programs
El Paso, Texas. (CDP)—Border Vision Fronteriza, a federally subsidized health initiative in states bordering Mexico—Ariz., Calif., N.M. and Texas—has been helping poor children and families get health insurance since 1995.
In the past three years, Border Fronteriza has enrolled thousands of uninsured kids in the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicaid.
Between April-Sept. 1999, the program sought to enroll 4,500 children in CHIP and Medicaid, and enrolled 10, 325.
For 1998-1999, the program counts 14, 3000 “secure” enrollments: children who now are covered by either Medicaid or CHIP in all of the target states. As of June 30, the initiative has added 6,447 more children.
About 90 percent of the children and families that Border Fronteriza serves are Latino, many of whom are recent immigrants unfamiliar with the health insurance system.
“There is probably no other project in the country doing what Border Fronteriza is doing,” says Eva Moya, senior project coordinator for the initiative.
The initiative trains community health workers to talk with people about health care, encourage them to enroll their children in CHIP and Medicaid and provide step-by-step support services like Spanish-to-English translation.
:They reach people where they are—at their homes, their schools. They meet at the laundry shop and the community centers … to help the families navigate the complexities of the CHIP and Medicaid systems,” Moya says.
Community health workers follow up with their families so their children will continue to re-enroll. This is crucial to the long-term success of the program, she says.
“You can sign up all the people you want, but that’s not going to guarantee that they are going to use the service, that they know how to use the service,” Moya says.
Securing funding to sustain Border Fronteriza is the initiative’s biggest challenge, Moya says. Funding from the federal Health Resources & Services Admin—$410,00 this year—goes to Oct. 2001. All four states combined give $200,000. Private foundations help as well.
Moya adds more outreach and training of community workers is needed to inform “harder-to-reach” uninsured groups, such as migrant workers and the homeless.
“We live in four border states that have among the highest uninsured rates largely due to socioeconomic poverty,” Moya says. “We still have a long way to go.”
Info: Moya, 915/585-7612,
Originally Published September 6, 2000
Copyright 2000 for Community Development Publications
Sunday, August 13, 2000
Thriving in their animal existence
Thriving in their animal existence
Tecumseh veterinarians successfully team up in a business of love
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
The work of rural veterinarians isn’t easy, Edward and Lorrie Tritt say, because they’re always on call.
The husband -and-wife team said they did a late night emergency Cesarean section for a Dundee-area cow three years ago--miles away from the convenience of their Maumee Street clinic.
With the only light coming from their’s car’s headlights and the three Tritt children half asleep in the back seat, they say they’re not eager to go through that experience again.
The calf and the cow pulled through.
When Edward Tritt worked in an Ann Arbor clinic in the early ‘90s, animal owners had the option of calling the city’s 24-hour animal clinic. But in Tecumseh, with only a handful of vets in town, pet owners and farmers don’t have that option.
An average day at the Tecumseh Veterinary Hospital consists of 35-40 animals coming in for routine vaccinations and checkups, the clinic’s records show.
Edward Tritt said he typically workers with smaller animals, dogs and cats, while Lorrie Tritt works with larger animals such as cows, horses and sheep.
While the hospital doesn’t specialize in any particular sort of animal medicine, Edward Tritt said he enjoyed animal orthopedics, and Lorie Tritt said she does a lot of TB testing for farm animals beginning around this time of year.
Edward Tritt’s path to veterinary s school was decided, in part, when his boyhood Irish setter was hit by a car. After staying up with the dog all night, Tritt knew he wanted to do something with animals when he grew up.
Lorrie Tritt, a self-described cow person, grew up in Utica, N.Y., observing the rhythm of rural life. One of her first jobs was milking cows and working as a farmhand at a dairy farm in her hometown.
The Tritts met in veterinary school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, one of seven couples in their class who got married. Edward Tritt said working together--which they have done for the past few years--has been a good decision.
“You just don’t know everything. It’s nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of sometimes,” Edward Tritt said.
One recent day, Lorrie Tritt was away in Webberville--62 miles away--tending to a horse for an owner’s pre-purchase checkup, and Edward Tritt started the day’s morning rounds in Tecumseh.
Janie, a 6-month-old black dog, got spayed; Jake an arthritic older dog, came in with his owners for a checkup; and one of the Tritt assistants wrapped up Milo, the black cat, in a white towel after Tritt did a routine operation.
Jake came at 10 a.m., and his owners said they were concerned about the 12-year-old hips. Jake shuffles and doesn’t walk as much as he did before, the owners said.
“How’s the kid doing?” Tritt said by way of greeting.
“He isn’t eating very good,”” one of the owners said. “He’s lost six pounds.”
Tritt explained to the couple that they might want to consider a wellness profile to make sure the dog’s liver, kidney and pancreas are functioning as they should.
Jake has been coming to the clinic for 12 years, and Tritt has been treating the dog for nearly six years, Tritt said.
Later, Tritt said he sees a lot of older dogs, like Jake, coming to his hospital. Tritt said he is a strong advocate of preventative medical care. Tritt said the sooner their owners bring in the pets for these tests, the sooner he or his wife can detect a serious health concern like feline leukemia virus or heartworm.
If a client has more than three small animals or more or more large animals, the Tritts do house calls at no extra charge. Aside fom regular house pets, the clinic sees everything from llamas to ferrets.
But Edward Tritt emphasized that their practice does not accept reptiles or birds as patients.
“We’re busy enough with what we have. We like snakes, and all of those other critics, but treating those kinds of animals takes some special blood machinery,” Lorrie Tritt said.
Clients come from Ann Arbor to Dearborn, but most come from the Tecumseh area, Edward Tritt said.
He estimated that the animal hospital sees 40-50 new clients a month, and the hospital’s active client data base boasts over 2,5000 animals that come in for treatment.
Back from her house call, a little after 2 p.m., Lorrie Tritt wrapped a dark, gray bunny in a small white blanket-quilt, walked into her kitchen and held the rabbit until it came up from the anesthesia. The kids were back from school ad milling about the house, wanting something to eat.
Lorrie Tritt said she didn’t have any more house calls--for the next few hours at least. One of the best things about having he clinic next door is that there’s no commute, she said.
In the next year or to, they’re hoping to make a move to a larger facility so they can see more patients, she said.
Edward Tritt said Tecumseh has been good to them and the animal hospital. Although both Edward and Lorrie Tritt feel they are maxed out with school and community activities, being part of the community is an important priority.
“We not only are a vet- and animal hospital-- for the community but we’re a part of the community, Edward Tritt said. “We feel we should pay back to the community as much as they pay back to us.”
About the Vets
Edward W. Tritt
Education
U.S. Army 1979-1983
B.S. University of Wisconsin-Platteville 1986
D.V.M. University of Wisconsin-Madison 1990
Activities
President of Tecumseh school board
Member of Kiwanis
Leader for the Veterinary Explorer’s post 667 Boy Scouts of America
Instructor for Vo-tech in Adrian
Lorrie A. Tritt
Education
B.S. Cornell University 1983
D.V.M. University of Wisconsin-Madison 1990
Activities
Secretary for the Parent Teacher’s Organization at Tecumseh Acres
4-H Goat Barn Veterinarian
President of the Optimist’s Club
Recording Secretary for the Herrick Memorial Hospital Auxiliary
Secretary for the Fellowship Board at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Britton
Originally published April 13, 2000
Photo Caption: Edward Tritt, and his wife, Lorrie Tritt, perform surgery on a rabbit at the Tecumseh Veterinary Hospital. On an average day there, 35-40 animals are brought in for routine vaccinations and checkups.
Photo Credit: Alan Warren
Tecumseh veterinarians successfully team up in a business of love
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
The work of rural veterinarians isn’t easy, Edward and Lorrie Tritt say, because they’re always on call.
The husband -and-wife team said they did a late night emergency Cesarean section for a Dundee-area cow three years ago--miles away from the convenience of their Maumee Street clinic.
With the only light coming from their’s car’s headlights and the three Tritt children half asleep in the back seat, they say they’re not eager to go through that experience again.
The calf and the cow pulled through.
When Edward Tritt worked in an Ann Arbor clinic in the early ‘90s, animal owners had the option of calling the city’s 24-hour animal clinic. But in Tecumseh, with only a handful of vets in town, pet owners and farmers don’t have that option.
An average day at the Tecumseh Veterinary Hospital consists of 35-40 animals coming in for routine vaccinations and checkups, the clinic’s records show.
Edward Tritt said he typically workers with smaller animals, dogs and cats, while Lorrie Tritt works with larger animals such as cows, horses and sheep.
While the hospital doesn’t specialize in any particular sort of animal medicine, Edward Tritt said he enjoyed animal orthopedics, and Lorie Tritt said she does a lot of TB testing for farm animals beginning around this time of year.
Edward Tritt’s path to veterinary s school was decided, in part, when his boyhood Irish setter was hit by a car. After staying up with the dog all night, Tritt knew he wanted to do something with animals when he grew up.
Lorrie Tritt, a self-described cow person, grew up in Utica, N.Y., observing the rhythm of rural life. One of her first jobs was milking cows and working as a farmhand at a dairy farm in her hometown.
The Tritts met in veterinary school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, one of seven couples in their class who got married. Edward Tritt said working together--which they have done for the past few years--has been a good decision.
“You just don’t know everything. It’s nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of sometimes,” Edward Tritt said.
One recent day, Lorrie Tritt was away in Webberville--62 miles away--tending to a horse for an owner’s pre-purchase checkup, and Edward Tritt started the day’s morning rounds in Tecumseh.
Janie, a 6-month-old black dog, got spayed; Jake an arthritic older dog, came in with his owners for a checkup; and one of the Tritt assistants wrapped up Milo, the black cat, in a white towel after Tritt did a routine operation.
Jake came at 10 a.m., and his owners said they were concerned about the 12-year-old hips. Jake shuffles and doesn’t walk as much as he did before, the owners said.
“How’s the kid doing?” Tritt said by way of greeting.
“He isn’t eating very good,”” one of the owners said. “He’s lost six pounds.”
Tritt explained to the couple that they might want to consider a wellness profile to make sure the dog’s liver, kidney and pancreas are functioning as they should.
Jake has been coming to the clinic for 12 years, and Tritt has been treating the dog for nearly six years, Tritt said.
Later, Tritt said he sees a lot of older dogs, like Jake, coming to his hospital. Tritt said he is a strong advocate of preventative medical care. Tritt said the sooner their owners bring in the pets for these tests, the sooner he or his wife can detect a serious health concern like feline leukemia virus or heartworm.
If a client has more than three small animals or more or more large animals, the Tritts do house calls at no extra charge. Aside fom regular house pets, the clinic sees everything from llamas to ferrets.
But Edward Tritt emphasized that their practice does not accept reptiles or birds as patients.
“We’re busy enough with what we have. We like snakes, and all of those other critics, but treating those kinds of animals takes some special blood machinery,” Lorrie Tritt said.
Clients come from Ann Arbor to Dearborn, but most come from the Tecumseh area, Edward Tritt said.
He estimated that the animal hospital sees 40-50 new clients a month, and the hospital’s active client data base boasts over 2,5000 animals that come in for treatment.
Back from her house call, a little after 2 p.m., Lorrie Tritt wrapped a dark, gray bunny in a small white blanket-quilt, walked into her kitchen and held the rabbit until it came up from the anesthesia. The kids were back from school ad milling about the house, wanting something to eat.
Lorrie Tritt said she didn’t have any more house calls--for the next few hours at least. One of the best things about having he clinic next door is that there’s no commute, she said.
In the next year or to, they’re hoping to make a move to a larger facility so they can see more patients, she said.
Edward Tritt said Tecumseh has been good to them and the animal hospital. Although both Edward and Lorrie Tritt feel they are maxed out with school and community activities, being part of the community is an important priority.
“We not only are a vet- and animal hospital-- for the community but we’re a part of the community, Edward Tritt said. “We feel we should pay back to the community as much as they pay back to us.”
About the Vets
Edward W. Tritt
Education
U.S. Army 1979-1983
B.S. University of Wisconsin-Platteville 1986
D.V.M. University of Wisconsin-Madison 1990
Activities
President of Tecumseh school board
Member of Kiwanis
Leader for the Veterinary Explorer’s post 667 Boy Scouts of America
Instructor for Vo-tech in Adrian
Lorrie A. Tritt
Education
B.S. Cornell University 1983
D.V.M. University of Wisconsin-Madison 1990
Activities
Secretary for the Parent Teacher’s Organization at Tecumseh Acres
4-H Goat Barn Veterinarian
President of the Optimist’s Club
Recording Secretary for the Herrick Memorial Hospital Auxiliary
Secretary for the Fellowship Board at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Britton
Originally published April 13, 2000
Photo Caption: Edward Tritt, and his wife, Lorrie Tritt, perform surgery on a rabbit at the Tecumseh Veterinary Hospital. On an average day there, 35-40 animals are brought in for routine vaccinations and checkups.
Photo Credit: Alan Warren
Sunday, July 30, 2000
Vet makes farm call
Vet makes farm call
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Every time James Romine, the owner and head veterinarian at Saline Veterinary Service, goes to do a house call, he changes to his navy-blue jump suit and puts on his black rubber slip-ins.
Before leaving the Keveling Street clinic, Romine packs up his vet bag and animal medications, gloves, an electric dehorner, a laptop and a portable printer, a cell phone and a bottle of water (for him to drink) into one of the hospital’s red Sonomas.
“Every time I leave here, I feel like I’m moving,” Romine jokes on a recent day.
The morning Romine is visiting a Milan client he has seen for several years. Romine said he anticipates spending several hours at the farm, doing both routine checkups and minor surgery on two horses, two dogs, two cats and two goats.
But since Romine has treated creatures from geckos to falcons, he isn’t worried. He is used to the challenge all vets--particularly general practitioners--face.
“You’re always trying to figure out what’s wrong--and the animal isn’t telling you,” Romine said.
“A veterinarian since the early 1980s, Romine has owned the Saline clinic for the past 11 ½ years. With Meatloaf, Romine’s first horse client in Milan, the vet checks the horse’s eyes, listens to its heart and gives it a quick shot.
The horse doesn’t even flinch. Romine then checks its teeth. After he finishes the checkup, he and owner Ron Johnston walk into the barn to give one of the goats its pre-operation anesthesia.
While Romine waits for the goats anesthesia to kick in, he checks up on the cats and dogs one by one.
Merlin, a cat, runs away after a shot but is coax back out from under the bushes by some food.
Growing up in the Whitmore Lake area near his grandfather’s farm, Romine enjoyed being around farm animal at an early age.
After two years at the University of Michigan studying business, he decided to switch to veterinary science.
Saline Veterinary Service has 4,500 clients from Tecumseh to Dexter to Ann Arbor, Romine said. Although he has been in the business for decades, the vet said he still gets a lot of satisfaction from taking take of animals.
He describes a pet dog that was brought into the Saline Veterinary Service clinic on a recent weekend night. The dog had swallowed a tube sock, was vomiting and barely breathing. The surgery went smoothly, and Romine expects the dog to make a full recovery.
“It makes you feel good when you can solve the problem,” Romine said.
“You feel like you’ve accomplished something.”
Originally published July 30, 2000
Photo Caption One: James Romine, right, of the Saline Veterinary Service, prepared to examine one of Ron Johnston’s horses during a routine visit to Johnson’s home.
Photo Caption Two: Merlin, one of Johnson’s cats, submits to his annual examination.
Photo Caption Three: Smoke fills the air as Romine dehorns a goat for Johnson.
Photo Caption Four: Romine checks the eyes of one of Johnston’s horses.
Photo Caption Five: Above: Romine prepares a vaccination Photo Caption Six: Above: Johnson, left, chats with Romine after his annual visit to the rural Milan farm.
Photo Credit: Elli Gurkinkel
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Every time James Romine, the owner and head veterinarian at Saline Veterinary Service, goes to do a house call, he changes to his navy-blue jump suit and puts on his black rubber slip-ins.
Before leaving the Keveling Street clinic, Romine packs up his vet bag and animal medications, gloves, an electric dehorner, a laptop and a portable printer, a cell phone and a bottle of water (for him to drink) into one of the hospital’s red Sonomas.
“Every time I leave here, I feel like I’m moving,” Romine jokes on a recent day.
The morning Romine is visiting a Milan client he has seen for several years. Romine said he anticipates spending several hours at the farm, doing both routine checkups and minor surgery on two horses, two dogs, two cats and two goats.
But since Romine has treated creatures from geckos to falcons, he isn’t worried. He is used to the challenge all vets--particularly general practitioners--face.
“You’re always trying to figure out what’s wrong--and the animal isn’t telling you,” Romine said.
“A veterinarian since the early 1980s, Romine has owned the Saline clinic for the past 11 ½ years. With Meatloaf, Romine’s first horse client in Milan, the vet checks the horse’s eyes, listens to its heart and gives it a quick shot.
The horse doesn’t even flinch. Romine then checks its teeth. After he finishes the checkup, he and owner Ron Johnston walk into the barn to give one of the goats its pre-operation anesthesia.
While Romine waits for the goats anesthesia to kick in, he checks up on the cats and dogs one by one.
Merlin, a cat, runs away after a shot but is coax back out from under the bushes by some food.
Growing up in the Whitmore Lake area near his grandfather’s farm, Romine enjoyed being around farm animal at an early age.
After two years at the University of Michigan studying business, he decided to switch to veterinary science.
Saline Veterinary Service has 4,500 clients from Tecumseh to Dexter to Ann Arbor, Romine said. Although he has been in the business for decades, the vet said he still gets a lot of satisfaction from taking take of animals.
He describes a pet dog that was brought into the Saline Veterinary Service clinic on a recent weekend night. The dog had swallowed a tube sock, was vomiting and barely breathing. The surgery went smoothly, and Romine expects the dog to make a full recovery.
“It makes you feel good when you can solve the problem,” Romine said.
“You feel like you’ve accomplished something.”
Originally published July 30, 2000
Photo Caption One: James Romine, right, of the Saline Veterinary Service, prepared to examine one of Ron Johnston’s horses during a routine visit to Johnson’s home.
Photo Caption Two: Merlin, one of Johnson’s cats, submits to his annual examination.
Photo Caption Three: Smoke fills the air as Romine dehorns a goat for Johnson.
Photo Caption Four: Romine checks the eyes of one of Johnston’s horses.
Photo Caption Five: Above: Romine prepares a vaccination Photo Caption Six: Above: Johnson, left, chats with Romine after his annual visit to the rural Milan farm.
Photo Credit: Elli Gurkinkel
Thursday, July 27, 2000
State funding increase will help eliminate deficit
State funding increase will help eliminate deficit
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Tecumseh, Michigan—A state funding increase and other cost-saving measures got the Tecumseh school district a few steps closer to eliminating a potential deficit of up to $215,000 for the 2000-2001 school year.
“We’re $248,000 better off this week than last week,” said Tom Emery, business manager for the district.
The state recently allocated additional money per each K-12 student per for the 2000-2001 school year to school districts including Tecumseh.
Tecumseh schools will get an increase of $63 per student, Emery said at Monday’s school board meeting. Including the increase, the state will now provide $6,098 per student in the Tecumseh school district, he said.
Although the state money is clearly beneficial for the district, it will not immediately change any of Tecumseh’s plans for programs in the 2000-2001 school year. Previously, Tecumseh administrators said despite the looming deficit they still hoped to provide their full slate of new and continuing educational and athletic programs, including the introduction of a “T-1” transitional grade between kindergarten and first grade.
Emery reported that some of the 2000-2001 budget savings resulted from hiring less experienced—but still qualified—school teachers, in addition to the cutting and adjusting of other district costs.
Administrators expect the budget situation to continue to improve.
The goal to focus on now, Tecumseh officials said, is attracting students to the district.
“I’m looking forward to providing great things for kids,” said Richard D. Fauble, Tecumseh superintendent.
Citing a $28 million September bond issue to reconfigure school buildings—which all school trustees and officials support—Fauble said the plan, if passed, would benefit future generations of children and Tecumseh’s steadily growing community.
If more students come to the Tecumseh schools, the state would increase funding to the district.
The community is definitely growing, with up to 30 new housing developments in the works or recently completed in the last year or two, Fauble said.
But school board members have consistently voiced a concern that schools of choice in the area, as well as parochial schools, are attracting potential Tecumseh public schools to pick alternatives.
The game plan, school administrators said, is to plan ahead for growth, keeping the district abreast of competition.
Citing wealthier school districts in the area, Emery said the Ann Arbor school district—a much larger district—gets a few thousand dollars more per student every year, although some of that money comes from locally levied property taxes.
Emery acknowledges that Tecumseh is nowhere near the size of Ann Arbor.
As Tecumseh grows, school officials said, it make sense for the community and adminstrators to be ambitious about securing additional state funding and other grants for school programs.
The more money the district has per student the more likely it is the district has room to plan for additional programs, particularly support programs like the T-1 class, officials said.
The estimated K-12 student population in the fall is 3.230 students. After a slight dip in Tecumseh’s student population during a mid-year count in February, Tecumseh school officials said the informal June count showed that not only were the district’s numbers “slightly up,” but that the district is primed for a modest—yet steady—student growth in the 2000-2001 school year.
Originally published Tuesday, June 27, 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Tecumseh, Michigan—A state funding increase and other cost-saving measures got the Tecumseh school district a few steps closer to eliminating a potential deficit of up to $215,000 for the 2000-2001 school year.
“We’re $248,000 better off this week than last week,” said Tom Emery, business manager for the district.
The state recently allocated additional money per each K-12 student per for the 2000-2001 school year to school districts including Tecumseh.
Tecumseh schools will get an increase of $63 per student, Emery said at Monday’s school board meeting. Including the increase, the state will now provide $6,098 per student in the Tecumseh school district, he said.
Although the state money is clearly beneficial for the district, it will not immediately change any of Tecumseh’s plans for programs in the 2000-2001 school year. Previously, Tecumseh administrators said despite the looming deficit they still hoped to provide their full slate of new and continuing educational and athletic programs, including the introduction of a “T-1” transitional grade between kindergarten and first grade.
Emery reported that some of the 2000-2001 budget savings resulted from hiring less experienced—but still qualified—school teachers, in addition to the cutting and adjusting of other district costs.
Administrators expect the budget situation to continue to improve.
The goal to focus on now, Tecumseh officials said, is attracting students to the district.
“I’m looking forward to providing great things for kids,” said Richard D. Fauble, Tecumseh superintendent.
Citing a $28 million September bond issue to reconfigure school buildings—which all school trustees and officials support—Fauble said the plan, if passed, would benefit future generations of children and Tecumseh’s steadily growing community.
If more students come to the Tecumseh schools, the state would increase funding to the district.
The community is definitely growing, with up to 30 new housing developments in the works or recently completed in the last year or two, Fauble said.
But school board members have consistently voiced a concern that schools of choice in the area, as well as parochial schools, are attracting potential Tecumseh public schools to pick alternatives.
The game plan, school administrators said, is to plan ahead for growth, keeping the district abreast of competition.
Citing wealthier school districts in the area, Emery said the Ann Arbor school district—a much larger district—gets a few thousand dollars more per student every year, although some of that money comes from locally levied property taxes.
Emery acknowledges that Tecumseh is nowhere near the size of Ann Arbor.
As Tecumseh grows, school officials said, it make sense for the community and adminstrators to be ambitious about securing additional state funding and other grants for school programs.
The more money the district has per student the more likely it is the district has room to plan for additional programs, particularly support programs like the T-1 class, officials said.
The estimated K-12 student population in the fall is 3.230 students. After a slight dip in Tecumseh’s student population during a mid-year count in February, Tecumseh school officials said the informal June count showed that not only were the district’s numbers “slightly up,” but that the district is primed for a modest—yet steady—student growth in the 2000-2001 school year.
Originally published Tuesday, June 27, 2000
Tuesday, June 27, 2000
State funding increase will help eliminate deficit
State funding increase will help eliminate deficit
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Tecumseh, Michigan—A state funding increase and other cost-saving measures got the Tecumseh school district a few steps closer to eliminating a potential deficit of up to $215,000 for the 2000-2001 school year.
“We’re $248,000 better off this week than last week,” said Tom Emery, business manager for the district.
The state recently allocated additional money per each K-12 student per for the 2000-2001 school year to school districts including Tecumseh.
Tecumseh schools will get an increase of $63 per student, Emery said at Monday’s school board meeting. Including the increase, the state will now provide $6,098 per student in the Tecumseh school district, he said.
Although the state money is clearly beneficial for the district, it will not immediately change any of Tecumseh’s plans for programs in the 2000-2001 school year. Previously, Tecumseh administrators said despite the looming deficit they still hoped to provide their full slate of new and continuing educational and athletic programs, including the introduction of a “T-1” transitional grade between kindergarten and first grade.
Emery reported that some of the 2000-2001 budget savings resulted from hiring less experienced—but still qualified—school teachers, in addition to the cutting and adjusting of other district costs.
Administrators expect the budget situation to continue to improve.
The goal to focus on now, Tecumseh officials said, is attracting students to the district.
“I’m looking forward to providing great things for kids,” said Richard D. Fauble, Tecumseh superintendent.
Citing a $28 million September bond issue to reconfigure school buildings—which all school trustees and officials support—Fauble said the plan, if passed, would benefit future generations of children and Tecumseh’s steadily growing community.
If more students come to the Tecumseh schools, the state would increase funding to the district.
The community is definitely growing, with up to 30 new housing developments in the works or recently completed in the last year or two, Fauble said.
But school board members have consistently voiced a concern that schools of choice in the area, as well as parochial schools, are attracting potential Tecumseh public schools to pick alternatives.
The game plan, school administrators said, is to plan ahead for growth, keeping the district abreast of competition.
Citing wealthier school districts in the area, Emery said the Ann Arbor school district—a much larger district—gets a few thousand dollars more per student every year, although some of that money comes from locally levied property taxes.
Emery acknowledges that Tecumseh is nowhere near the size of Ann Arbor.
As Tecumseh grows, school officials said, it make sense for the community and adminstrators to be ambitious about securing additional state funding and other grants for school programs.
The more money the district has per student the more likely it is the district has room to plan for additional programs, particularly support programs like the T-1 class, officials said.
The estimated K-12 student population in the fall is 3.230 students. After a slight dip in Tecumseh’s student population during a mid-year count in February, Tecumseh school officials said the informal June count showed that not only were the district’s numbers “slightly up,” but that the district is primed for a modest—yet steady—student growth in the 2000-2001 school year.
Originally published Tuesday, June 27, 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Tecumseh, Michigan—A state funding increase and other cost-saving measures got the Tecumseh school district a few steps closer to eliminating a potential deficit of up to $215,000 for the 2000-2001 school year.
“We’re $248,000 better off this week than last week,” said Tom Emery, business manager for the district.
The state recently allocated additional money per each K-12 student per for the 2000-2001 school year to school districts including Tecumseh.
Tecumseh schools will get an increase of $63 per student, Emery said at Monday’s school board meeting. Including the increase, the state will now provide $6,098 per student in the Tecumseh school district, he said.
Although the state money is clearly beneficial for the district, it will not immediately change any of Tecumseh’s plans for programs in the 2000-2001 school year. Previously, Tecumseh administrators said despite the looming deficit they still hoped to provide their full slate of new and continuing educational and athletic programs, including the introduction of a “T-1” transitional grade between kindergarten and first grade.
Emery reported that some of the 2000-2001 budget savings resulted from hiring less experienced—but still qualified—school teachers, in addition to the cutting and adjusting of other district costs.
Administrators expect the budget situation to continue to improve.
The goal to focus on now, Tecumseh officials said, is attracting students to the district.
“I’m looking forward to providing great things for kids,” said Richard D. Fauble, Tecumseh superintendent.
Citing a $28 million September bond issue to reconfigure school buildings—which all school trustees and officials support—Fauble said the plan, if passed, would benefit future generations of children and Tecumseh’s steadily growing community.
If more students come to the Tecumseh schools, the state would increase funding to the district.
The community is definitely growing, with up to 30 new housing developments in the works or recently completed in the last year or two, Fauble said.
But school board members have consistently voiced a concern that schools of choice in the area, as well as parochial schools, are attracting potential Tecumseh public schools to pick alternatives.
The game plan, school administrators said, is to plan ahead for growth, keeping the district abreast of competition.
Citing wealthier school districts in the area, Emery said the Ann Arbor school district—a much larger district—gets a few thousand dollars more per student every year, although some of that money comes from locally levied property taxes.
Emery acknowledges that Tecumseh is nowhere near the size of Ann Arbor.
As Tecumseh grows, school officials said, it make sense for the community and adminstrators to be ambitious about securing additional state funding and other grants for school programs.
The more money the district has per student the more likely it is the district has room to plan for additional programs, particularly support programs like the T-1 class, officials said.
The estimated K-12 student population in the fall is 3.230 students. After a slight dip in Tecumseh’s student population during a mid-year count in February, Tecumseh school officials said the informal June count showed that not only were the district’s numbers “slightly up,” but that the district is primed for a modest—yet steady—student growth in the 2000-2001 school year.
Originally published Tuesday, June 27, 2000
Thursday, June 15, 2000
Ohio attracts gas shoppers
Ohio attracts gas shoppers
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Sylvannia, Ohio— Michigan motorists joined their Buckeye counterparts Wednesday, lining up by the half-dozen to fill tanks at a Clark station on West Alexis Road.
Ted Martin, a Clark manager, said he sees a lot of cars with dark-blue plates whose drivers are buying gas just across the state line for about 30 cents per gallon less than in Michigan.
Although he doesn’t track how many Michigan cars fill up, he knows his station was “slammed” by customers Wednesday.
Clark charges $1.73 per gallon for regular, compared to more than $2 per gallon in the Ann Arbor area.
“It doesn’t take a brain surgeon,” said a Temperance, Mich., man who wanted to be known only as Joe, as he filled up nine 2.5 gallon containers and his truck’s tank. “The state of Michigan doesn’t care. They’d like to see it stay at $2 a gallon,” he said.
The difference between the states can’t entirely be explained by taxes, although Michigan’s are about eight cents more. It levies 19 cents a gallon as well as a 6-percent sales tax. In a $2 gallon og gas, that amounts to 48 cents in state and federal taxes.
Ohio levies a 22-cent-per gallon state gas tax on top of the federal tax, for a total of 40 cents.
David Littmann, chief economist for Comerica Bank in Detroit, called Michigan’s gas sales tax unethical.
“It’s taxes on top of taxes, he said, adding that he doesn’t expect it to be repealed since it raised $250 million last year.
A pipeline break in Jackson that disrupted one-third of Michigan’s supply could explain the rest of the difference. But at the Sylvannia Clark, Michigan motorists had their own theories.
“It must be a monopoly,” said Paul Never of Temperance. “I can’t believe prices can jump so much,” said Never, a Ford Motor Co., employee, as he filled up his Ford 4-by 4 pickup.
Farther south in Toledo, Shell and BP stations weren’t as crowded. Nonetheless managers reported an increase in Michigan motorists this week.
“They’re just bitter, they’re just angry,” said Becky Merritt, manager of the Shell at Monroe and Secor.
“
Graphic
Average gas prices
Michigan
Current $2.010
Month ago: $1.520
Year Ago: $1.139
Toledo
Current: $1.680
Month ago: $1.458
Year Ago: $1.086
Originally published Thursday, June 15, 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Sylvannia, Ohio— Michigan motorists joined their Buckeye counterparts Wednesday, lining up by the half-dozen to fill tanks at a Clark station on West Alexis Road.
Ted Martin, a Clark manager, said he sees a lot of cars with dark-blue plates whose drivers are buying gas just across the state line for about 30 cents per gallon less than in Michigan.
Although he doesn’t track how many Michigan cars fill up, he knows his station was “slammed” by customers Wednesday.
Clark charges $1.73 per gallon for regular, compared to more than $2 per gallon in the Ann Arbor area.
“It doesn’t take a brain surgeon,” said a Temperance, Mich., man who wanted to be known only as Joe, as he filled up nine 2.5 gallon containers and his truck’s tank. “The state of Michigan doesn’t care. They’d like to see it stay at $2 a gallon,” he said.
The difference between the states can’t entirely be explained by taxes, although Michigan’s are about eight cents more. It levies 19 cents a gallon as well as a 6-percent sales tax. In a $2 gallon og gas, that amounts to 48 cents in state and federal taxes.
Ohio levies a 22-cent-per gallon state gas tax on top of the federal tax, for a total of 40 cents.
David Littmann, chief economist for Comerica Bank in Detroit, called Michigan’s gas sales tax unethical.
“It’s taxes on top of taxes, he said, adding that he doesn’t expect it to be repealed since it raised $250 million last year.
A pipeline break in Jackson that disrupted one-third of Michigan’s supply could explain the rest of the difference. But at the Sylvannia Clark, Michigan motorists had their own theories.
“It must be a monopoly,” said Paul Never of Temperance. “I can’t believe prices can jump so much,” said Never, a Ford Motor Co., employee, as he filled up his Ford 4-by 4 pickup.
Farther south in Toledo, Shell and BP stations weren’t as crowded. Nonetheless managers reported an increase in Michigan motorists this week.
“They’re just bitter, they’re just angry,” said Becky Merritt, manager of the Shell at Monroe and Secor.
“
Graphic
Average gas prices
Michigan
Current $2.010
Month ago: $1.520
Year Ago: $1.139
Toledo
Current: $1.680
Month ago: $1.458
Year Ago: $1.086
Originally published Thursday, June 15, 2000
Friday, May 26, 2000
They’re an abandoned but well-loved lot
They’re an abandoned but well-loved lot
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Photo Caption: Orphan Car Show
An Arbor resident Bob Elton will drive his 1937 LaSalle, left, and his 1937 Hudson Terraplane to the fourth annual Orphan Car Show in Ypsilanti’s Riverside Park June 4.
The cars to be shown in the upcoming Orphan Car Show share the distinction of having being discontinued by their manufacturers.
The best thing about Ypsilanti’s Orphan Car Show is that you can see cars you never get a chance to see anywhere else, said Bob Elton, a veteran car collector.
Elton, an Ann Arbor resident, has two 1937 antique cars he’s taking—and driving—to the fourth annual show in Riverside Park next week.
Jack Miller, curator of the Ypsilanti automotive museum and an orphan car-show coordinator, said several hundred people will show dozens of car models at the June 4 event. An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 spectators are expected to attend.
The event, the first of its kind in the Midwest, is called the “orphan” car show because automobiles such as Hudsons, Kaisers, Dusenbergs, Ramblers and Tuckers have been “abandoned” by their parent manufacturer, event coordinators said.
Elton bought his 1937 Terraplane, made by Hudson Motor Car Co., in 1979.
“I bought it in pieces and brought it home in pieces,” Elton recalled. It took nearly eight years to repair the cream-colored car to the point it was fully functional, he said.
“You just keep plugging away at it; you can’t rush it,” Elton said. Luckily for him, the only Hudson parts shop in the world is in Ypsilanti.
“I’ve always liked Hudsons. When I was real little, I can remember the new 1949 Hudson. It was a sleek, bullet-shaped car,” he said.
Elton was so fascinated by the Hudson model, he said, that he used to draw picture upon picture of the car.
He brought his first Hudson—a 1950 model—in 1972 and drove it to a Detroit-area car show. “The more I studied up on Hudsons, the more I learned about them,” Elton said. “They were a small company that did big things.”
Eugene M. Silverman, a Superior Township resident, will show his 1956 Citroen at the show. Silverman said it will be his first Ypsilanti orphan car show.
Silverman enjoys collecting French cars, particularly Citroens. Back in the 1960s, he was in the army and stationed in France. An acquaintance drove up one day in a Citroen and Silverman fell in love with the model, he said.
“It’s lived its life in Paris,” Silverman said of the model he currently owns.
In 1976, Silverman, with his wife, returned to France, and instead of renting a modern car, they bought the 1956 black Citroen.
“This is quite a historic car to the French. In its day—the car was basically built from 1934 to 195700 … it was very innovative,” Silverman said.
Citing the Citroen’s unibody and front-wheel construction, the car was built in a modern way, Silverman said. “In a sense it was a forerunner of what modern cars would be like,” Silverman said.
The car, in its prime, was built to go up to 85 miles per hour but Silverman said he does not drive it faster than 65. With four doors, four seats and a very spacious interior, Silverman said it makes for a “very comfortable ride.” In contrast, Silverman’s other Citroen, a 1923 model which he bought in 1973, was made to go about 30 miles per hour but it is not very stable, he said.
“I wouldn’t dare drive it over 25 miles (an hour),” Silverman said.
The 1923 Citroen, which used to go to Greenfield Village’s Henry Ford Museum displays, has one door and seats two people, Silverman said.
The Ypsilanti Orphan Car Show will also feature Cushman, Indian and Henderson motor scooters and motorcycles along with Federal al-Knight, Garford and Gotfredson trucks, event organizers said.
Company executives from DaimerChrysler and other automotive companies will provide a narration of each company’s history.
The Details
The event will take place June 4 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admission for spectators is $3. For more information, call Jack Miller, curator of the Ypsilanti Automative Heritage Collection at (734) 482-5200 or call the Ypsilanti Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau at (734) 482-4444. The bureau’s Website is www.ypsilanti.org
Originally published Friday, May 26. 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Photo Caption: Orphan Car Show
An Arbor resident Bob Elton will drive his 1937 LaSalle, left, and his 1937 Hudson Terraplane to the fourth annual Orphan Car Show in Ypsilanti’s Riverside Park June 4.
The cars to be shown in the upcoming Orphan Car Show share the distinction of having being discontinued by their manufacturers.
The best thing about Ypsilanti’s Orphan Car Show is that you can see cars you never get a chance to see anywhere else, said Bob Elton, a veteran car collector.
Elton, an Ann Arbor resident, has two 1937 antique cars he’s taking—and driving—to the fourth annual show in Riverside Park next week.
Jack Miller, curator of the Ypsilanti automotive museum and an orphan car-show coordinator, said several hundred people will show dozens of car models at the June 4 event. An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 spectators are expected to attend.
The event, the first of its kind in the Midwest, is called the “orphan” car show because automobiles such as Hudsons, Kaisers, Dusenbergs, Ramblers and Tuckers have been “abandoned” by their parent manufacturer, event coordinators said.
Elton bought his 1937 Terraplane, made by Hudson Motor Car Co., in 1979.
“I bought it in pieces and brought it home in pieces,” Elton recalled. It took nearly eight years to repair the cream-colored car to the point it was fully functional, he said.
“You just keep plugging away at it; you can’t rush it,” Elton said. Luckily for him, the only Hudson parts shop in the world is in Ypsilanti.
“I’ve always liked Hudsons. When I was real little, I can remember the new 1949 Hudson. It was a sleek, bullet-shaped car,” he said.
Elton was so fascinated by the Hudson model, he said, that he used to draw picture upon picture of the car.
He brought his first Hudson—a 1950 model—in 1972 and drove it to a Detroit-area car show. “The more I studied up on Hudsons, the more I learned about them,” Elton said. “They were a small company that did big things.”
Eugene M. Silverman, a Superior Township resident, will show his 1956 Citroen at the show. Silverman said it will be his first Ypsilanti orphan car show.
Silverman enjoys collecting French cars, particularly Citroens. Back in the 1960s, he was in the army and stationed in France. An acquaintance drove up one day in a Citroen and Silverman fell in love with the model, he said.
“It’s lived its life in Paris,” Silverman said of the model he currently owns.
In 1976, Silverman, with his wife, returned to France, and instead of renting a modern car, they bought the 1956 black Citroen.
“This is quite a historic car to the French. In its day—the car was basically built from 1934 to 195700 … it was very innovative,” Silverman said.
Citing the Citroen’s unibody and front-wheel construction, the car was built in a modern way, Silverman said. “In a sense it was a forerunner of what modern cars would be like,” Silverman said.
The car, in its prime, was built to go up to 85 miles per hour but Silverman said he does not drive it faster than 65. With four doors, four seats and a very spacious interior, Silverman said it makes for a “very comfortable ride.” In contrast, Silverman’s other Citroen, a 1923 model which he bought in 1973, was made to go about 30 miles per hour but it is not very stable, he said.
“I wouldn’t dare drive it over 25 miles (an hour),” Silverman said.
The 1923 Citroen, which used to go to Greenfield Village’s Henry Ford Museum displays, has one door and seats two people, Silverman said.
The Ypsilanti Orphan Car Show will also feature Cushman, Indian and Henderson motor scooters and motorcycles along with Federal al-Knight, Garford and Gotfredson trucks, event organizers said.
Company executives from DaimerChrysler and other automotive companies will provide a narration of each company’s history.
The Details
The event will take place June 4 from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Admission for spectators is $3. For more information, call Jack Miller, curator of the Ypsilanti Automative Heritage Collection at (734) 482-5200 or call the Ypsilanti Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau at (734) 482-4444. The bureau’s Website is www.ypsilanti.org
Originally published Friday, May 26. 2000
Wednesday, May 24, 2000
Marsh’s Office Supply: a lot of memories in store
Marsh’s Office Supply
A lot of memories in store
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Bob Marsh decides to move his long-time family business from downtown Ypsilanti to his home.
Bob Marsh remembers back in the 1950s and 60s when Marsh’s Office Supply was open until 9 p.m. on Friday nights and people lined up to buy everything from typewrite ribbons to pens to office furniture.
Ypsilanti’s downtown was a different place then. The booming downtown district boasted three hardware stores, three men’s clothing stores, two women’s clothing stores, three shoe stores, two househould-furniture stores, three jewelry stores and McClellan’s, a five-and-dime across the stress from the office supply store, Marsh recalled.
Old friends and new friends walked in to talk and to buy products from the family business, Marsh said.
A lot has changed in the office-supply business since Thorvald F. Marsh, Bob Marsh’s father, opened shop in 1946. For one, Bob Marsh doesn’t sell typewriter ribbons or calculators, and not too many paper supplies, anymore. Not as many people, particularly new customers, come by either, Marsh said. Still, he said, the store has done reasonably well in recent years.
But because of health reasons, Marsh, 65, decided to sell the retail space at 22 N. Washington St. last year, and the store will close July 1.
Marsh doesn’t allow himself to get too caught up in nostalgia. The office-supply business--like other businesses--has become more specialized, he said.
“You have to reinvent yourself to survive,” Marsh said. “To make any money you have to have a specialty, because competition is fierce,” Marsh said.
For the past 10 years Marsh has specialized in ergonomic or comfortable high-tech office furniture.
The rise of voice mail, fax, computers and other modern convenience will allow Marsh to continue his business, Marsh’s Inc., on a smaller scale from his home, he said.
Marsh doesn’t deny that superstores such as Office Max have affected businesses. Ann Arbor used to have another Marsh office-supply store for a number of years, Marsh said. Both stores featured different products, from greeting cards to computers, back when computers were bulky and expensive. Marsh said he now gets his edge on superstores by specializing in ergonomic office-work stations and “quality” office furniture.
Photo Caption: The expanded use of computers and other technology will allow Bob Marsh to continue his business, now called Marsh’s Inc. from his home. Marsh has sold the retail space at 22 N. North Washington St. in Ypsilanti last year, and the store will close July 1.
Marsh doesn’t allow himself to get too caught up in memories.
Marsh earned a marketing degree from Michigan State University. Then Marsh returned to work for the family business full-time.
Marsh married Rose Marie Marsh in 1959, the same year he started to work full-time at the office supply store. He credits Rose for putting in countless hours in the store, particularly in the past few years.
On a recent day Marsh looked around the store’s walls, which are rapidly becoming bare. It’s starting to feel empty,” he said quietly.
Everything’s on sale. The white-out, the yellow chalk, the mail labels, even the fixtures left on the walls. The sign on the front window says, “50-75% off. All Reasonable Offers considered. Everything Must go.”
The hours he puts into work now are limited, Marsh said. In the next few weeks, Marsh said he has a lot of cleaning and organizing to do. In his office, papers are everywhere but stacked in an organized way.
“I’ve been shredding and ripping and tearing papers,” Marsh aid. “You don’t realize how much you can accumulate in 50 years.”
Photo Credit: Kirk Speer
Originally published May 24, 2000
A lot of memories in store
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Bob Marsh decides to move his long-time family business from downtown Ypsilanti to his home.
Bob Marsh remembers back in the 1950s and 60s when Marsh’s Office Supply was open until 9 p.m. on Friday nights and people lined up to buy everything from typewrite ribbons to pens to office furniture.
Ypsilanti’s downtown was a different place then. The booming downtown district boasted three hardware stores, three men’s clothing stores, two women’s clothing stores, three shoe stores, two househould-furniture stores, three jewelry stores and McClellan’s, a five-and-dime across the stress from the office supply store, Marsh recalled.
Old friends and new friends walked in to talk and to buy products from the family business, Marsh said.
A lot has changed in the office-supply business since Thorvald F. Marsh, Bob Marsh’s father, opened shop in 1946. For one, Bob Marsh doesn’t sell typewriter ribbons or calculators, and not too many paper supplies, anymore. Not as many people, particularly new customers, come by either, Marsh said. Still, he said, the store has done reasonably well in recent years.
But because of health reasons, Marsh, 65, decided to sell the retail space at 22 N. Washington St. last year, and the store will close July 1.
Marsh doesn’t allow himself to get too caught up in nostalgia. The office-supply business--like other businesses--has become more specialized, he said.
“You have to reinvent yourself to survive,” Marsh said. “To make any money you have to have a specialty, because competition is fierce,” Marsh said.
For the past 10 years Marsh has specialized in ergonomic or comfortable high-tech office furniture.
The rise of voice mail, fax, computers and other modern convenience will allow Marsh to continue his business, Marsh’s Inc., on a smaller scale from his home, he said.
Marsh doesn’t deny that superstores such as Office Max have affected businesses. Ann Arbor used to have another Marsh office-supply store for a number of years, Marsh said. Both stores featured different products, from greeting cards to computers, back when computers were bulky and expensive. Marsh said he now gets his edge on superstores by specializing in ergonomic office-work stations and “quality” office furniture.
Photo Caption: The expanded use of computers and other technology will allow Bob Marsh to continue his business, now called Marsh’s Inc. from his home. Marsh has sold the retail space at 22 N. North Washington St. in Ypsilanti last year, and the store will close July 1.
Marsh doesn’t allow himself to get too caught up in memories.
Marsh earned a marketing degree from Michigan State University. Then Marsh returned to work for the family business full-time.
Marsh married Rose Marie Marsh in 1959, the same year he started to work full-time at the office supply store. He credits Rose for putting in countless hours in the store, particularly in the past few years.
On a recent day Marsh looked around the store’s walls, which are rapidly becoming bare. It’s starting to feel empty,” he said quietly.
Everything’s on sale. The white-out, the yellow chalk, the mail labels, even the fixtures left on the walls. The sign on the front window says, “50-75% off. All Reasonable Offers considered. Everything Must go.”
The hours he puts into work now are limited, Marsh said. In the next few weeks, Marsh said he has a lot of cleaning and organizing to do. In his office, papers are everywhere but stacked in an organized way.
“I’ve been shredding and ripping and tearing papers,” Marsh aid. “You don’t realize how much you can accumulate in 50 years.”
Photo Credit: Kirk Speer
Originally published May 24, 2000
Friday, May 19, 2000
Their activism is only natural
Their activism is only natural
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Corinne Sikorski, general manager at the Ypsilanti Food Co-op doesn’t consider herself an in-your-face kind of activist.
At the same time, you could say that Sikorski—and other members of the co-op—are definitely politically involved citizens. Sikorski said she and others practice a low key but effective kind of activism.
The co-op on North River Street in Depot Town isn’t just a place to get high-quality organic spinach, tofu helper or granola mix. It also serves as a place to learn the buzz about what’s going on in the political work of food and agriculture, said Heather Nobriga, a co-op employee for the past several years.
The Ypsilanti Food Co-op, which is celebrating its 25th birthday this weekend, has come a long way sine a small group of people—many who were Eastern Michigan University student at the time—were allotted a bag of available produce each week for $3 in the mid-1970s.
The community feel of the store and the concern that members have for the community and grassroots organizing has remained the same throughout the years, Sikorski said. For the past 25 years, she has been a volunteer, member and then full-time employee for the co-op.
The co-op has grown and now has nearly 2,000 lifetime members and 600-1,000 customers who frequent the store, Sikorski said. Not only has the co-op expanded but the seven-person board has worked to repair the store’s interior. In recent years, Sikorski said they’ve also added new products including ready-made healthy frozen meals.
Sikorski said she finds that once people learn about the co-op they want to learn more about organic food and laws that regulate food, fruits and vegetables and coffee.
For example, customers who frequent the co-op can learn about fair trade for coffee farmers in Central and South America through brochures in the store. These fair-trade companies and cooperatives deal directly with the farmer cutting out the middleman—known to farmers as ‘coyotes,’ who often take and keep the profit for themselves, Sikorski said.
The Ypsilanti Co-op does it business with cooperatives that believe in fair trade an exchange, maximizing the chance that the farmers will benefit from their crops, Sikorski said.
“It’s this kind of activism—on the grassroots level—that helps people become more aware, Nobriga said.
“By having good food—it doesn’t necessarily sell itself—but people try it and realize it is a better product,” Sikorski said.
At the register, customers usually can find a petition on genetically engineered food or another hot-topic food issue when they ring up their purchases. There’s no pressure to sign or not to sign but many co-op members see first-hand that their signatures and grassroots organizing does make a difference, store employees said.
In a recent national effort, Ypsilanti community co-op members played their part in the U.S. Agricultural Department regulations of organic food, Sikorski said.
In 1997, after 10 years of consideration of what is a proper organic product, the Agricultural Department’s guidelines were still not quite right, Sikorski explained. So around that time, 300,000 critics across the country wrote the federal agency objecting to the department putting the “organic” label on foods grown from genetically modified seeds, treated by disease-killing irradiation and fertilized by sewage sludge.
In 1999, the Agricultural Department reviewed the complaints and revised the original guidelines, sin Sikorski said. Now USDA Organic will really mean organic, she said.
“We have a voice,” Sikorski said of Ypsilanti Food Co-op members and the small but important role they played in that issue.
On a local level, the co-op’s main purpose from its inception remains the same—to provide nutritious and organic food options to people in their community, Sikorski said.
This month as part of the store’s promotional May Membership Madness month purchasing a lifetime membership is half of—only $5. Joining is easy, Sikorski said. A $10 non-refundable fee gives a person a lifetime membership, ownership of the store, shopping discounts and voting privileges for board-member elections.
As for Sikorski co-op work might not be exactly what she set out to do as an EMU student in the 1970s, but now she can’t see herself doing anything else.
Saturday Events
The Ypsilanti Food Co-op will hold a pizza bake-off at noon Saturday. Open to everyone; no entry fee or registration required. Just show up with your pre-made, pre-baked pizza in hand. Bring your recipe(s) to share. Pizza will be judged in the following categories” quickest, most nutritious, dessert, cheapest, alternative and gourmet.
The co-op will also hold a general membership meeting along with a Mystery Theatre. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the farmer’s market (The Freight House.) Everyone is welcome to attend. Bring a vegetarian potluck dish to pass or pay $5 admission at the door. For more information, call (734) 483-1520.
Photo Credit: Elli Gurfinkel
Photo Caption: Ypsilanti Food Cooperative regulars Bonny, left, and Carroll Osborn of Ypsilanti check out the bulk-food section in the Depot Town store. Cooperative employees says its main goal is to provide nutritious food for the community.
Originally published Friday, May 19, 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Corinne Sikorski, general manager at the Ypsilanti Food Co-op doesn’t consider herself an in-your-face kind of activist.
At the same time, you could say that Sikorski—and other members of the co-op—are definitely politically involved citizens. Sikorski said she and others practice a low key but effective kind of activism.
The co-op on North River Street in Depot Town isn’t just a place to get high-quality organic spinach, tofu helper or granola mix. It also serves as a place to learn the buzz about what’s going on in the political work of food and agriculture, said Heather Nobriga, a co-op employee for the past several years.
The Ypsilanti Food Co-op, which is celebrating its 25th birthday this weekend, has come a long way sine a small group of people—many who were Eastern Michigan University student at the time—were allotted a bag of available produce each week for $3 in the mid-1970s.
The community feel of the store and the concern that members have for the community and grassroots organizing has remained the same throughout the years, Sikorski said. For the past 25 years, she has been a volunteer, member and then full-time employee for the co-op.
The co-op has grown and now has nearly 2,000 lifetime members and 600-1,000 customers who frequent the store, Sikorski said. Not only has the co-op expanded but the seven-person board has worked to repair the store’s interior. In recent years, Sikorski said they’ve also added new products including ready-made healthy frozen meals.
Sikorski said she finds that once people learn about the co-op they want to learn more about organic food and laws that regulate food, fruits and vegetables and coffee.
For example, customers who frequent the co-op can learn about fair trade for coffee farmers in Central and South America through brochures in the store. These fair-trade companies and cooperatives deal directly with the farmer cutting out the middleman—known to farmers as ‘coyotes,’ who often take and keep the profit for themselves, Sikorski said.
The Ypsilanti Co-op does it business with cooperatives that believe in fair trade an exchange, maximizing the chance that the farmers will benefit from their crops, Sikorski said.
“It’s this kind of activism—on the grassroots level—that helps people become more aware, Nobriga said.
“By having good food—it doesn’t necessarily sell itself—but people try it and realize it is a better product,” Sikorski said.
At the register, customers usually can find a petition on genetically engineered food or another hot-topic food issue when they ring up their purchases. There’s no pressure to sign or not to sign but many co-op members see first-hand that their signatures and grassroots organizing does make a difference, store employees said.
In a recent national effort, Ypsilanti community co-op members played their part in the U.S. Agricultural Department regulations of organic food, Sikorski said.
In 1997, after 10 years of consideration of what is a proper organic product, the Agricultural Department’s guidelines were still not quite right, Sikorski explained. So around that time, 300,000 critics across the country wrote the federal agency objecting to the department putting the “organic” label on foods grown from genetically modified seeds, treated by disease-killing irradiation and fertilized by sewage sludge.
In 1999, the Agricultural Department reviewed the complaints and revised the original guidelines, sin Sikorski said. Now USDA Organic will really mean organic, she said.
“We have a voice,” Sikorski said of Ypsilanti Food Co-op members and the small but important role they played in that issue.
On a local level, the co-op’s main purpose from its inception remains the same—to provide nutritious and organic food options to people in their community, Sikorski said.
This month as part of the store’s promotional May Membership Madness month purchasing a lifetime membership is half of—only $5. Joining is easy, Sikorski said. A $10 non-refundable fee gives a person a lifetime membership, ownership of the store, shopping discounts and voting privileges for board-member elections.
As for Sikorski co-op work might not be exactly what she set out to do as an EMU student in the 1970s, but now she can’t see herself doing anything else.
Saturday Events
The Ypsilanti Food Co-op will hold a pizza bake-off at noon Saturday. Open to everyone; no entry fee or registration required. Just show up with your pre-made, pre-baked pizza in hand. Bring your recipe(s) to share. Pizza will be judged in the following categories” quickest, most nutritious, dessert, cheapest, alternative and gourmet.
The co-op will also hold a general membership meeting along with a Mystery Theatre. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the farmer’s market (The Freight House.) Everyone is welcome to attend. Bring a vegetarian potluck dish to pass or pay $5 admission at the door. For more information, call (734) 483-1520.
Photo Credit: Elli Gurfinkel
Photo Caption: Ypsilanti Food Cooperative regulars Bonny, left, and Carroll Osborn of Ypsilanti check out the bulk-food section in the Depot Town store. Cooperative employees says its main goal is to provide nutritious food for the community.
Originally published Friday, May 19, 2000
Thursday, May 11, 2000
She sets a strong record of accomplishment
She sets a strong record of accomplishment
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
When Asia Renning was 2 and a newcomer to the United States, she couldn’t walk, stand or crawl.
Renning, now 19, and a member of the Milan High School cross country and track teams, routinely sets school records, in addition to breaking her own personal times.
In recognition of her athletic accomplishments, she recently won a Yes I can! Award—as did 35 other individuals—from an international agency that honors extraordinary people with disabilities.
Born in South Korea, Renning was adopted and brought to the United States by an American couple, Adair and Jerry Renning, in the early ‘80s. Life in a South Korean orphanage hampered some of her early developmental years, since she didn’t receive any individual attention, her parents said.
Although eventually diagnosed with autism, Renning slowly but surely has blossomed.
Adair Renning said some non-traditional medical treatments, including auditory-integration therapy and allergy treatments, helped Asia through the years. She now loves to ask questions when she meets someone she doesn’t know. It’s not long before they’re swapping stories about good restaurants in town (China One), fruits she likes (strawberries and apples) and how she likes to run (but not stretch.)
Asia Renning has loved to run since she was a little girl, Jerry Renning said.
“Even when she was 10 years old, she was as fast as the wind,” he said.
“Her feet would take off first; her legs were ahead of the rest of the body,” Jerry Renning recalled of their father-daughter jogging trips.
Asia has been a member of the track and cross country teams in the Milan schools since the seventh grade, with the same group of girls.
“It’s fun. It’s happy. Good exercise, good team,” Asia said at a recent track practice at Milan Middle School’s track.
Steve Porter, the track and cross country coach at the Milan schools, said Asia helps the team not only by being one of the top five runners on the cross country team, but also by teaching the other girls about diversity and people with disabilities.
“Asia never ceases to surprise us, both athletically and on team discussions,” Porter said.
“There are no limits. She comes back and does more – so do all the girls.
Asia has faced a lot of challenges in life from the very beginning, Adair Renning said.
For her first two years, Asia whose birth mother died, lived in an orphanage since other family members couldn’t take care of her. Asia was born with Hirschprung’s disease, a failure of the nerve endings at the lower end of the colon to develop.
Because of a lack of medical supplies at the orphanage in South Korea, Adair Renning said, Asia didn’t receive adequate treatment in her early years.
The South Korean social services didn’t even have Asia on their list of “adoptable” children at first, Adair Renning said.
But after seeing a picture of her in an international adoption magazine, the Rennings petitioned to adopt Asia, whose Korean name at the time was Kyung Hee.
After several months and some community-based fundraising efforts, the couple finally brought Asia to their home in Minnesota. Asia’s older sister, Meghann, also was adopted.
Adair and Jerry Renning named Asia for Ae Ja Choi, a temporary foster mother she lived with in South Korea shortly before coming to the U.S.
It was challenging for everyone in the family in the early years, the couple said. But after coming to Milan 14 years ago, the family developed a supportive network at the Milan schools. Asia has come to enjoy her classes, making new friends and learning how to cook, Adair Renning said.
Asia attends a special education program at Milan High School and will graduate in two years.
She also had a final colostomy performed four year ago and now her only health problems are a few food and environmental allergies, Adair Renning said.
Asia may also move out from her parents’ home in the next few years to a group home or an alternate-roommate situation, her mother said.
Asia said she likes track and cross country equally, but Adair Renning said Asia frequently changes her mind about which team sport she likes better. Jerry Renning and [Coach] Porter said they think she likes cross country more since everyone on the team runs the same distance together.
Plans after high school graduation include some short marathons and other competitive running. Asia’s mother said, “Running has become such a part of her life,” Adair Renning said.
Asia’s Records
· 200 meter dash, 36:06 seconds … May Washtenaw County Special Olympics.
· 400 meter dash, 0: 82 seconds … May Washtenaw County Special Olympics
· 1500 meter event, 6:14 May Washtenaw County Special Olympics
· 800 meter event, 2:55 … May 2000 meet at Saline High School
· 1600 meter event, 6:26 … Spring 2000 record
· 3200 meter event, 13:39 … 1999 record
· Best 3.1 mile Cross Country Time, 22:24 minutes … Fall 1999
Other awards
· 2000 Yes I can award recipient
· 1996 Summer Olympics Torch carrier in Detroit
Photo caption: Asia Renning, 19, who is autistic, is one of the top five runners on the Milan High School cross country team. She also helps teammates by teaching them about diversity and people with disabilities, coach Steve Porter said.
Originally published Thursday, May 11, 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
When Asia Renning was 2 and a newcomer to the United States, she couldn’t walk, stand or crawl.
Renning, now 19, and a member of the Milan High School cross country and track teams, routinely sets school records, in addition to breaking her own personal times.
In recognition of her athletic accomplishments, she recently won a Yes I can! Award—as did 35 other individuals—from an international agency that honors extraordinary people with disabilities.
Born in South Korea, Renning was adopted and brought to the United States by an American couple, Adair and Jerry Renning, in the early ‘80s. Life in a South Korean orphanage hampered some of her early developmental years, since she didn’t receive any individual attention, her parents said.
Although eventually diagnosed with autism, Renning slowly but surely has blossomed.
Adair Renning said some non-traditional medical treatments, including auditory-integration therapy and allergy treatments, helped Asia through the years. She now loves to ask questions when she meets someone she doesn’t know. It’s not long before they’re swapping stories about good restaurants in town (China One), fruits she likes (strawberries and apples) and how she likes to run (but not stretch.)
Asia Renning has loved to run since she was a little girl, Jerry Renning said.
“Even when she was 10 years old, she was as fast as the wind,” he said.
“Her feet would take off first; her legs were ahead of the rest of the body,” Jerry Renning recalled of their father-daughter jogging trips.
Asia has been a member of the track and cross country teams in the Milan schools since the seventh grade, with the same group of girls.
“It’s fun. It’s happy. Good exercise, good team,” Asia said at a recent track practice at Milan Middle School’s track.
Steve Porter, the track and cross country coach at the Milan schools, said Asia helps the team not only by being one of the top five runners on the cross country team, but also by teaching the other girls about diversity and people with disabilities.
“Asia never ceases to surprise us, both athletically and on team discussions,” Porter said.
“There are no limits. She comes back and does more – so do all the girls.
Asia has faced a lot of challenges in life from the very beginning, Adair Renning said.
For her first two years, Asia whose birth mother died, lived in an orphanage since other family members couldn’t take care of her. Asia was born with Hirschprung’s disease, a failure of the nerve endings at the lower end of the colon to develop.
Because of a lack of medical supplies at the orphanage in South Korea, Adair Renning said, Asia didn’t receive adequate treatment in her early years.
The South Korean social services didn’t even have Asia on their list of “adoptable” children at first, Adair Renning said.
But after seeing a picture of her in an international adoption magazine, the Rennings petitioned to adopt Asia, whose Korean name at the time was Kyung Hee.
After several months and some community-based fundraising efforts, the couple finally brought Asia to their home in Minnesota. Asia’s older sister, Meghann, also was adopted.
Adair and Jerry Renning named Asia for Ae Ja Choi, a temporary foster mother she lived with in South Korea shortly before coming to the U.S.
It was challenging for everyone in the family in the early years, the couple said. But after coming to Milan 14 years ago, the family developed a supportive network at the Milan schools. Asia has come to enjoy her classes, making new friends and learning how to cook, Adair Renning said.
Asia attends a special education program at Milan High School and will graduate in two years.
She also had a final colostomy performed four year ago and now her only health problems are a few food and environmental allergies, Adair Renning said.
Asia may also move out from her parents’ home in the next few years to a group home or an alternate-roommate situation, her mother said.
Asia said she likes track and cross country equally, but Adair Renning said Asia frequently changes her mind about which team sport she likes better. Jerry Renning and [Coach] Porter said they think she likes cross country more since everyone on the team runs the same distance together.
Plans after high school graduation include some short marathons and other competitive running. Asia’s mother said, “Running has become such a part of her life,” Adair Renning said.
Asia’s Records
· 200 meter dash, 36:06 seconds … May Washtenaw County Special Olympics.
· 400 meter dash, 0: 82 seconds … May Washtenaw County Special Olympics
· 1500 meter event, 6:14 May Washtenaw County Special Olympics
· 800 meter event, 2:55 … May 2000 meet at Saline High School
· 1600 meter event, 6:26 … Spring 2000 record
· 3200 meter event, 13:39 … 1999 record
· Best 3.1 mile Cross Country Time, 22:24 minutes … Fall 1999
Other awards
· 2000 Yes I can award recipient
· 1996 Summer Olympics Torch carrier in Detroit
Photo caption: Asia Renning, 19, who is autistic, is one of the top five runners on the Milan High School cross country team. She also helps teammates by teaching them about diversity and people with disabilities, coach Steve Porter said.
Originally published Thursday, May 11, 2000
Cabela’s local megastore to open by fall
Cabela’s local megastore to open by fall
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Dundee, Michigan--Cabela’s is coming.
The national hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retailer will open a huge retail facility in Dundee in September.
Cabela’s officials boast the planned store, the seventh retail outfit in the chain, will become the “top tourist attraction” in Michigan, drawing 6 million visitors or more each year.
The Cabela’s showroom in Dundee is expected to feature everything from outdoor sports, including tents, sport-utility vehicles, clothing, and fishing and hunting equipment. The entire store will encompass 220,000 square feet.
Along with merchandise, the store will showcase stuffed animals from all over the world, much like a museum. Cabela’s will also have an aquarium, a display of antique and prize-worthy guns, and conference space for meetings.
Chelsea resident Don Janowiecki said he has been a faithful Cabela’s catalog customer for at least 15 years.
“I think a lot of people from Michigan and Ohio are going to come to this Cabela’s store,” Janowiecki said.
Bob Wolverton, vice president of the Lenawee County Conservation League, said he plans to go to Cabela’s to see what it’s like once the store opens. Like Janowiecki, Wolverton has received Cabela’s catalogs for years.
Cabela’s officials said another draw at the Dundee store will be an “interactive” laser gun shooting practice ranges where adults and children can practice targeting shooting at taped videos of animals.
The compound hall, built on 150 acres, will also house hotels, resteraunts and service stations in the future, similar to other Cabela’s complexes in rural and semi rural pockets of Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
“It’s conceivable that our six million (visitors) estimate could be broken. It’s a conservative estimate,” said Cheyanne West, retail marketing manager for Cabela’s Retail.
In comparison, Ann Arbor’s Briarwood Mall attracts between eight million and 11.5 million people a year, according to Briarwood general manager Marc P. Strich.
West said Dundee was picked as the next site for the Nebraska-based chain, due to a high number of Cabela’s catalogue sales coming in from the Michigan and Ohio areas.
Susy Avery, vice president of Travel Michigan in Lansing, said the agency courted Cabela’s so the company would pock Michigan as its next retail site. Michigan was vying for the store with other states including Pennsylvania and Ohio, Avery said.
Residents of communities near Dundee--including Tecumseh, Saline and Clinton--are preparing for a possible increase in traffic and development as a result of Cabela’s.
Patrick Burtch, the longtime village manager of Dundee, said he’s been contacted by some people who “have a lot of misinformation on Cabela’s”
“A lot of people have problems about the amount of traffic,” Burtch said.
“People get in their mind six-to-eight million Cabela’s visitors means six-to-eight million cars a year,” he said.
But the village manager said most Cabela’s customers and visitors will come in on tour buses or otherwise in groups. Citing a Cabelas’s-sponsored traffic impact study, Burtch said that 3,600 cars--during peak hours--would come off the expressway to Dundee.
“That’s just a small percentage increase,” he said.
Greg Golab, the appointed manager of the Dundee store said the retail outlet hopes to hire between 500 and 500 people. Most employment will come from the local area, Golab said. But several higher-level management positions may be filled with people from outside the state.
When asked whether he anticipates difficulty hiring, Golab said, “It’s definitely going to be an issue.”
The unemployment rate in Dundee, a town of 3,200 is about 2 percent, Burtch said. Nearby Tecumseh, Clinton and Saline have similar low-levels of unemployment, officials said. But Golab said he feels Cabela’s has a lot to offer its employees, citing the company’s compensation and benfits package.
Including Cabela’s catalog staff, the company employs 2,426 people in the United States. According to the Fortune magazine Webs site, Cabela’s revenue in 1998 was $667 million.
Originally published Saturday, March 11, 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Dundee, Michigan--Cabela’s is coming.
The national hunting, fishing and outdoor gear retailer will open a huge retail facility in Dundee in September.
Cabela’s officials boast the planned store, the seventh retail outfit in the chain, will become the “top tourist attraction” in Michigan, drawing 6 million visitors or more each year.
The Cabela’s showroom in Dundee is expected to feature everything from outdoor sports, including tents, sport-utility vehicles, clothing, and fishing and hunting equipment. The entire store will encompass 220,000 square feet.
Along with merchandise, the store will showcase stuffed animals from all over the world, much like a museum. Cabela’s will also have an aquarium, a display of antique and prize-worthy guns, and conference space for meetings.
Chelsea resident Don Janowiecki said he has been a faithful Cabela’s catalog customer for at least 15 years.
“I think a lot of people from Michigan and Ohio are going to come to this Cabela’s store,” Janowiecki said.
Bob Wolverton, vice president of the Lenawee County Conservation League, said he plans to go to Cabela’s to see what it’s like once the store opens. Like Janowiecki, Wolverton has received Cabela’s catalogs for years.
Cabela’s officials said another draw at the Dundee store will be an “interactive” laser gun shooting practice ranges where adults and children can practice targeting shooting at taped videos of animals.
The compound hall, built on 150 acres, will also house hotels, resteraunts and service stations in the future, similar to other Cabela’s complexes in rural and semi rural pockets of Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
“It’s conceivable that our six million (visitors) estimate could be broken. It’s a conservative estimate,” said Cheyanne West, retail marketing manager for Cabela’s Retail.
In comparison, Ann Arbor’s Briarwood Mall attracts between eight million and 11.5 million people a year, according to Briarwood general manager Marc P. Strich.
West said Dundee was picked as the next site for the Nebraska-based chain, due to a high number of Cabela’s catalogue sales coming in from the Michigan and Ohio areas.
Susy Avery, vice president of Travel Michigan in Lansing, said the agency courted Cabela’s so the company would pock Michigan as its next retail site. Michigan was vying for the store with other states including Pennsylvania and Ohio, Avery said.
Residents of communities near Dundee--including Tecumseh, Saline and Clinton--are preparing for a possible increase in traffic and development as a result of Cabela’s.
Patrick Burtch, the longtime village manager of Dundee, said he’s been contacted by some people who “have a lot of misinformation on Cabela’s”
“A lot of people have problems about the amount of traffic,” Burtch said.
“People get in their mind six-to-eight million Cabela’s visitors means six-to-eight million cars a year,” he said.
But the village manager said most Cabela’s customers and visitors will come in on tour buses or otherwise in groups. Citing a Cabelas’s-sponsored traffic impact study, Burtch said that 3,600 cars--during peak hours--would come off the expressway to Dundee.
“That’s just a small percentage increase,” he said.
Greg Golab, the appointed manager of the Dundee store said the retail outlet hopes to hire between 500 and 500 people. Most employment will come from the local area, Golab said. But several higher-level management positions may be filled with people from outside the state.
When asked whether he anticipates difficulty hiring, Golab said, “It’s definitely going to be an issue.”
The unemployment rate in Dundee, a town of 3,200 is about 2 percent, Burtch said. Nearby Tecumseh, Clinton and Saline have similar low-levels of unemployment, officials said. But Golab said he feels Cabela’s has a lot to offer its employees, citing the company’s compensation and benfits package.
Including Cabela’s catalog staff, the company employs 2,426 people in the United States. According to the Fortune magazine Webs site, Cabela’s revenue in 1998 was $667 million.
Originally published Saturday, March 11, 2000
Wednesday, May 03, 2000
Amoco owners bid goodbye to life of service, The Ann Arbor News
Amoco owners bid goodbye to life of service
By Pamela Appea
The Ann Arbor News
Ypsilanti is about to lose a family-business fixture—the Ottos, who are getting out of the service-station business.
Harlan Otto has been in the service-station business for 40 years.
But Otto and his son Dieter Otto, said the time has come for someone else to run the Bob & Otto Amoco Service Station on Washtenaw Avenue. Dieter wants to go to graduate school at Eastern Michigan University. Harlan Otto, who sold the business to his son seven years ago, said he expects the new owner to take over within two to three weeks.
When Harlan Otto first bought the Amoco station in the 1960s, he sold gas for about 33 cents a gallon. Of course, a lot has changed in the Ypsilanti area since then.
Wastenaw Avenue had about six gas stations in the 1960s, he said, spanning from the Amoco gas station to the Eastern Michigan University campus area.
“They’re all extinct now,” Otto said.
“I’ve been here a long time.”
Pittsfield and Ypsilanti Townships have seen an explosion of growth and, with it, more
businesses.
“When we started here, we couldn’t find a sandwich place,” Otto said of his mechanics and other service-station workers.
Now the stack of menus from several different restaurants, several inches think on the station’s counter, tells a different story.
But the people who come in, the jokes, the stories and the friendship have remained the same over the years, Otto said.
Customers such as Ambrose Vyskocil Jr, an Ypsilanti Township resident, who has been coming to the service station for 10 years.
“Me and Otto can trade stories,” Vyskocil said.
But the service at Bob & Otto obviously is also a draw, he said.
“They’ve always treated me good,” Vyskocil said. “Once you find a place that does decent work, you stick with them.
Vyskocil, at the Amoco station for nearly 45 minutes on Friday afternoon, didn’t need any work done on his red 1993 GMC Yukon. He was just one of many customers stopping by to hold court with Otto and other friends.
Others, including Rosemary Markel, now a Manchester resident and formerly a resident of Ypsilanti Township came to say goodbye. Otto said that Markel has been coming to Bob & Otto’s for years.
The service station and repair shop is named for Harlan Otto and Bob Robinson, a former partner several years before. Otto said he kept the name sine it sounded catchy.
The service station is Otto’s third—and longest [job.] As a teen, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, traveling to the Philippines and Japan during WW II.
Otto, 73, also worked though …
Photo Caption: Dieter, left, and Harlan Otto have decided that it is time to make way for a new owner for Bob and & Otto’s Amoco on Washtenaw Avenue in Ypsilanti. Harlan started the business with a partner in 1960.
Originally Published Wednesday, May 3, 2000
By Pamela Appea
The Ann Arbor News
Ypsilanti is about to lose a family-business fixture—the Ottos, who are getting out of the service-station business.
Harlan Otto has been in the service-station business for 40 years.
But Otto and his son Dieter Otto, said the time has come for someone else to run the Bob & Otto Amoco Service Station on Washtenaw Avenue. Dieter wants to go to graduate school at Eastern Michigan University. Harlan Otto, who sold the business to his son seven years ago, said he expects the new owner to take over within two to three weeks.
When Harlan Otto first bought the Amoco station in the 1960s, he sold gas for about 33 cents a gallon. Of course, a lot has changed in the Ypsilanti area since then.
Wastenaw Avenue had about six gas stations in the 1960s, he said, spanning from the Amoco gas station to the Eastern Michigan University campus area.
“They’re all extinct now,” Otto said.
“I’ve been here a long time.”
Pittsfield and Ypsilanti Townships have seen an explosion of growth and, with it, more
businesses.
“When we started here, we couldn’t find a sandwich place,” Otto said of his mechanics and other service-station workers.
Now the stack of menus from several different restaurants, several inches think on the station’s counter, tells a different story.
But the people who come in, the jokes, the stories and the friendship have remained the same over the years, Otto said.
Customers such as Ambrose Vyskocil Jr, an Ypsilanti Township resident, who has been coming to the service station for 10 years.
“Me and Otto can trade stories,” Vyskocil said.
But the service at Bob & Otto obviously is also a draw, he said.
“They’ve always treated me good,” Vyskocil said. “Once you find a place that does decent work, you stick with them.
Vyskocil, at the Amoco station for nearly 45 minutes on Friday afternoon, didn’t need any work done on his red 1993 GMC Yukon. He was just one of many customers stopping by to hold court with Otto and other friends.
Others, including Rosemary Markel, now a Manchester resident and formerly a resident of Ypsilanti Township came to say goodbye. Otto said that Markel has been coming to Bob & Otto’s for years.
The service station and repair shop is named for Harlan Otto and Bob Robinson, a former partner several years before. Otto said he kept the name sine it sounded catchy.
The service station is Otto’s third—and longest [job.] As a teen, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, traveling to the Philippines and Japan during WW II.
Otto, 73, also worked though …
Photo Caption: Dieter, left, and Harlan Otto have decided that it is time to make way for a new owner for Bob and & Otto’s Amoco on Washtenaw Avenue in Ypsilanti. Harlan started the business with a partner in 1960.
Originally Published Wednesday, May 3, 2000
City Removes limits on trash, items on curb
City Removes limits on trash, items on curb
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Spring cleaning can be a pain. But the city of Ypsilanti is making the change-of-season cleaning a little easier by taking the limit off the number of trash bags and other items residents can put out on their stoop this week.
Normally, city residents are allowed up to three garbage bags and one large household item each week. But this week, city residents can put out their broken couch, that stained, old carpet and that 2-year-old papier-mâché piñata without paying extra for pickup.
Normally, residents would be charged for the extra trash.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” said Carey Weihmiller, municipal marketing representative at Waste Management in Southfield, the company that manages Ypsilanti’s trash pickup. Ypsilanti’s spring cleaning has been going on for five years.
Beth Gulyas-Williams, the city’s public works office manager, said pickup was a little slow this week, but the city expects more residents will be hauling out their discarded goods for pickup this week.
Most people appreciate having the grace period for their pickup, she said.
“I think it’s going to be more household items,” Weihmiller said of most residents’ contribution. In other cities Waste Management services, most residents don’t put out a lot more than their usual limit, even during the spring cleanup weeks, Weihmiller said.
“I personally don’t plan on putting out anything different (than usual)” said Joseph Lawrence, one of the founding members of the Ypsilanti Historic Society and an owner of several apartments and houses.
Lawrence, a longtime Ypsilanti resident, said he and his tenants are all avid recyclers. Typically, Lawrence said he and his tenants put out less than their allotted amount of trash.
However, Lawrence commended the city for doing the extra pickup of trash, citing it as a sacrifice given Ypsilanti’s tight budget.
“I know they’re doing the best they can to maintain the pickup service,” he said.
For more information, call the Department of Public Works at (734) 483-1421.
Originally published Wednesday, May 3, 2000
The Ann Arbor News
By Pamela Appea
Spring cleaning can be a pain. But the city of Ypsilanti is making the change-of-season cleaning a little easier by taking the limit off the number of trash bags and other items residents can put out on their stoop this week.
Normally, city residents are allowed up to three garbage bags and one large household item each week. But this week, city residents can put out their broken couch, that stained, old carpet and that 2-year-old papier-mâché piñata without paying extra for pickup.
Normally, residents would be charged for the extra trash.
“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” said Carey Weihmiller, municipal marketing representative at Waste Management in Southfield, the company that manages Ypsilanti’s trash pickup. Ypsilanti’s spring cleaning has been going on for five years.
Beth Gulyas-Williams, the city’s public works office manager, said pickup was a little slow this week, but the city expects more residents will be hauling out their discarded goods for pickup this week.
Most people appreciate having the grace period for their pickup, she said.
“I think it’s going to be more household items,” Weihmiller said of most residents’ contribution. In other cities Waste Management services, most residents don’t put out a lot more than their usual limit, even during the spring cleanup weeks, Weihmiller said.
“I personally don’t plan on putting out anything different (than usual)” said Joseph Lawrence, one of the founding members of the Ypsilanti Historic Society and an owner of several apartments and houses.
Lawrence, a longtime Ypsilanti resident, said he and his tenants are all avid recyclers. Typically, Lawrence said he and his tenants put out less than their allotted amount of trash.
However, Lawrence commended the city for doing the extra pickup of trash, citing it as a sacrifice given Ypsilanti’s tight budget.
“I know they’re doing the best they can to maintain the pickup service,” he said.
For more information, call the Department of Public Works at (734) 483-1421.
Originally published Wednesday, May 3, 2000
Tuesday, May 02, 2000
Are Black Girls Growing Up Too Fast? Article for Africana.com
When Nicole Turner (not her real name), then an eight-year-old second-grader, got her period, developed breasts and grew pubic hair all in the same year, she was the first in her class to hit puberty.
That was 15 years ago. Now, early puberty is more common than ever; and some are worried about its possible impact on black girls.
The Chicago resident, now 23, remembers being embarrassed at the time because she had to wear a bra to school.
“Starting puberty sooner does make you grow up faster. You’re not a kid anymore,” Turner said. “My mom was shocked when I first got my period. I’ll never forget the look on her face.”
The trend overall for American girls is that they’re reaching puberty sooner and developing at an early age – some feel too early. But research shows the early onset of puberty is particularly salient among black girls, who, according to some studies, start menstruating and developing as much as two to three years sooner than white girls.
On average, black girls get their periods before age nine. White girls typically start their periods a little later, at around 10. Just 10 years ago, researchers measured the average age of menarche, or first menstrual period, at 12.5 years of age.
In a 1997 University of North Carolina study headed by Dr. Marcia Herman-Giddens, more than 17,000 girls ages 3 through 12 were surveyed during routine doctor’s visits for signs of sexual development.
About 27 percent of black girls started developing by age eight, while only seven percent of white girls had started puberty by that age. About ten percent of the girls in the sample were black, while the rest were white.
In the North Carolina survey, the results of which were published in the medical journal Pediatrics in 1997, researchers reported they found 48 percent of black girls and slightly less than 15 percent of white girls had begun breast or “secondary” hair development — pubic and armpit hair — or both, by age nine.
Surprisingly, Herman-Giddens and her research team also found three percent of the 1,700 black girls in the study showed some sexual development by age three, while just one percent of the 15,300 white girls showed the similar development at that age.
Herman-Giddens, who is now an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health, said she and others she worked with noticed five- and six-year-old girls were coming into the clinic with developing breasts or pubic hair when she was working as a physician’s assistant years ago.
Girls who started puberty any time before the average age had previously been considered “abnormal,” and sent to a specialist for evaluation and possible hormone treatment, Herman-Giddens said. But the study’s results saw the incidence of puberty among younger girls as less an anomaly or abnormality than a trend, with the exception of girls under five.
What’s behind this trend? And if it does seem to affect black girls more than whites, why? Although researchers have raised a number of possible causes – from birthweight to diet to stress levels – none has been proven.
Among the general population, and the parents and educators of girls in particular, the riddle of early puberty is especially alarming within the American context of ever-younger exposure to sex in the media. Girls in our society, many fear, are being forced into maturity before they are ready to deal with it.
Turner said that when she first got her period, as the oldest daughter growing up in a rural Illinois community, she didn’t know what was happening at first. Turner’s mother, who was still in her twenties at the time, took her daughter aside and showed her how to make a mini-pad using toilet paper.
But Turner didn’t actually start using sanitary napkins for some time, because she didn’t know about them or where to get them. “I don’t know why my mother didn’t buy pads for me.”
Turner knew the family’s finances were tight at the time — she had several young siblings — but looking back, she still doesn’t think the family’s tight purse strings was the only reason. Her mother may have been embarrassed, and may not have wanted to believe her eight-year-old daughter was menstruating.
“I feel sorry for all these young girls growing up before they have to,” Turner says.
Dina White, a 28-year-old Maryland resident, remembers growing pubic hair around the age of seven or eight, and getting her period at age eight or nine.
“My body was developing much quicker than the other girls in my neighborhood,” White said.
White thinks a high-fat diet may have something to do with the fact that black girls seem to have a tendency to start puberty sooner.
“I think one difference [between us] is our eating habits. We eat more fried foods, we eat larger portions — but not always a balanced diet,” White said.
Growing up in an all-black neighborhood in the Orlando area, White says she and her friends would always eat a lot of junk food. “I was always a thick little girl,” White says.
“My friends and I ate cookies, chips, Hostess cakes and all that. Then in the summers, when I went to the country to visit my grandma, we ate full breakfasts every day with grits, bacon and eggs, biscuits and sometimes even cornbread,” White recalled.
Researchers like Dr. Frank Biro, professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati, have conducted research that backs up White’s hunch.
The pediatrician found that heavier black girls are more likely to get their periods and develop faster than other girls, including skinnier black girls. Black girls who were “early maturing” were 1.61 times more likely to be overweight at age 15, while less overweight black girls started menstruating at 12.2 years, more or less in the “normal” time frame.
According to the three-year-old study, black girls who were late in maturing were 0.71 times, or much less likely, to be overweight at that same age. The study also pointed out that “early maturing” girls are overweight at an early age, and they may be less likely to lose that weight later on.
But overall, researchers and scientists agree that more puberty-oriented research needs to be done not only on blacks, but also on Latina, Native Americans and Asian girls.
Average age figures for puberty were reached by studying exclusive samples of white girls several decades ago. Now researchers aren’t sure why there is a “puberty age gap” between black and white girls. Researchers say it’s possible that black girls have been developing and getting their periods earlier than white girls for decades, or even centuries.
On the other hand, data from some African countries, like Kenya, show the average age of menstruation falling from 14.4 years in the 1970s down to 12.9 in the 1980s, according to the Population Information Center at John Hopkins University in Baltimore.
No matter the cause, the effects of early maturation may be profound.
An Oregon puberty study surveyed a community sample of boys and girls, including blacks, and found early-maturing girls and late-maturing boys were more likely to have adjustment and behavioral problems than other teens. The implications of the Oregon study for blacks, if the results are duplicated in future research, are significant: poor urban black girls, who live more stressful lives, may menstruate sooner than their wealthier, suburban counterparts. If proven, this could have significant implications on social issues such as teen pregnancy.
Irene Johnson, 31, a Virginia resident, works regularly with elementary to middle-school children on a volunteer basis. Johnson says she feels black girls overall are definitely developing earlier than they did a generation ago, when she was growing up in a town 90 minutes away from Cleveland, Ohio.
Johnson said she is “concerned” that girls are developing as early as they do. Johnson credits today’s parents for telling their kids more about puberty than they did a generation ago, but popular culture still gets in the way. Developed kids, she says, act older than they really are.
“I think girls today are developing a little quicker,” Simmons says.
“I was an exception, but today, I see middle-school girls at the bus stop who look like grown women with hips and butt and breasts.”
Although Nicole Turner says people are more open to talking about sex today, she still doesn’t feel black girls get the information they need on puberty as early as they should.
Puberty101.com, an informational Web site for adolescents, posts an open letter to parents: “Do you think your child is too young to view this Web site? According to recent research, one out of six girls start puberty by age eight.”
D. Sands, a 25-year-old Maryland resident and mother of a two-year-old girl, says she plans on talking to her daughter when she thinks the time is right. Sands says she wishes now her mother had told her more about puberty before it actually happened.
Sands said she got her period at age 11, roughly around the same time as most of her peers. But Sands quickly grew into a D-cup by seventh-grade. An aunt who was a nurse at Howard University Hospitals told Sands at age 16 to seriously consider a breast reduction after the teen reached size 42DD. Later, Sands’ mother counseled her daughter “not to worry about the unsolicited advice,” and the issue was dropped.
Sands says that if her daughter develops in the same way in a couple of years, she will try and give her the information she needs.
White, who now has an 11-year-old daughter, said it’s hard to know all the answers.
“The next generation of black girls — and their parents — will not be as prepared for puberty, especially if they’re getting younger and younger.”
She worries that girls will get their information not from parents and professionals but from their friends. “We have unknowledgeable kids teaching our kids about puberty. And that’s a shame.”
Article originally published on Africana.com, May 2, 2000.
That was 15 years ago. Now, early puberty is more common than ever; and some are worried about its possible impact on black girls.
The Chicago resident, now 23, remembers being embarrassed at the time because she had to wear a bra to school.
“Starting puberty sooner does make you grow up faster. You’re not a kid anymore,” Turner said. “My mom was shocked when I first got my period. I’ll never forget the look on her face.”
The trend overall for American girls is that they’re reaching puberty sooner and developing at an early age – some feel too early. But research shows the early onset of puberty is particularly salient among black girls, who, according to some studies, start menstruating and developing as much as two to three years sooner than white girls.
On average, black girls get their periods before age nine. White girls typically start their periods a little later, at around 10. Just 10 years ago, researchers measured the average age of menarche, or first menstrual period, at 12.5 years of age.
In a 1997 University of North Carolina study headed by Dr. Marcia Herman-Giddens, more than 17,000 girls ages 3 through 12 were surveyed during routine doctor’s visits for signs of sexual development.
About 27 percent of black girls started developing by age eight, while only seven percent of white girls had started puberty by that age. About ten percent of the girls in the sample were black, while the rest were white.
In the North Carolina survey, the results of which were published in the medical journal Pediatrics in 1997, researchers reported they found 48 percent of black girls and slightly less than 15 percent of white girls had begun breast or “secondary” hair development — pubic and armpit hair — or both, by age nine.
Surprisingly, Herman-Giddens and her research team also found three percent of the 1,700 black girls in the study showed some sexual development by age three, while just one percent of the 15,300 white girls showed the similar development at that age.
Herman-Giddens, who is now an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health, said she and others she worked with noticed five- and six-year-old girls were coming into the clinic with developing breasts or pubic hair when she was working as a physician’s assistant years ago.
Girls who started puberty any time before the average age had previously been considered “abnormal,” and sent to a specialist for evaluation and possible hormone treatment, Herman-Giddens said. But the study’s results saw the incidence of puberty among younger girls as less an anomaly or abnormality than a trend, with the exception of girls under five.
What’s behind this trend? And if it does seem to affect black girls more than whites, why? Although researchers have raised a number of possible causes – from birthweight to diet to stress levels – none has been proven.
Among the general population, and the parents and educators of girls in particular, the riddle of early puberty is especially alarming within the American context of ever-younger exposure to sex in the media. Girls in our society, many fear, are being forced into maturity before they are ready to deal with it.
Turner said that when she first got her period, as the oldest daughter growing up in a rural Illinois community, she didn’t know what was happening at first. Turner’s mother, who was still in her twenties at the time, took her daughter aside and showed her how to make a mini-pad using toilet paper.
But Turner didn’t actually start using sanitary napkins for some time, because she didn’t know about them or where to get them. “I don’t know why my mother didn’t buy pads for me.”
Turner knew the family’s finances were tight at the time — she had several young siblings — but looking back, she still doesn’t think the family’s tight purse strings was the only reason. Her mother may have been embarrassed, and may not have wanted to believe her eight-year-old daughter was menstruating.
“I feel sorry for all these young girls growing up before they have to,” Turner says.
Dina White, a 28-year-old Maryland resident, remembers growing pubic hair around the age of seven or eight, and getting her period at age eight or nine.
“My body was developing much quicker than the other girls in my neighborhood,” White said.
White thinks a high-fat diet may have something to do with the fact that black girls seem to have a tendency to start puberty sooner.
“I think one difference [between us] is our eating habits. We eat more fried foods, we eat larger portions — but not always a balanced diet,” White said.
Growing up in an all-black neighborhood in the Orlando area, White says she and her friends would always eat a lot of junk food. “I was always a thick little girl,” White says.
“My friends and I ate cookies, chips, Hostess cakes and all that. Then in the summers, when I went to the country to visit my grandma, we ate full breakfasts every day with grits, bacon and eggs, biscuits and sometimes even cornbread,” White recalled.
Researchers like Dr. Frank Biro, professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati, have conducted research that backs up White’s hunch.
The pediatrician found that heavier black girls are more likely to get their periods and develop faster than other girls, including skinnier black girls. Black girls who were “early maturing” were 1.61 times more likely to be overweight at age 15, while less overweight black girls started menstruating at 12.2 years, more or less in the “normal” time frame.
According to the three-year-old study, black girls who were late in maturing were 0.71 times, or much less likely, to be overweight at that same age. The study also pointed out that “early maturing” girls are overweight at an early age, and they may be less likely to lose that weight later on.
But overall, researchers and scientists agree that more puberty-oriented research needs to be done not only on blacks, but also on Latina, Native Americans and Asian girls.
Average age figures for puberty were reached by studying exclusive samples of white girls several decades ago. Now researchers aren’t sure why there is a “puberty age gap” between black and white girls. Researchers say it’s possible that black girls have been developing and getting their periods earlier than white girls for decades, or even centuries.
On the other hand, data from some African countries, like Kenya, show the average age of menstruation falling from 14.4 years in the 1970s down to 12.9 in the 1980s, according to the Population Information Center at John Hopkins University in Baltimore.
No matter the cause, the effects of early maturation may be profound.
An Oregon puberty study surveyed a community sample of boys and girls, including blacks, and found early-maturing girls and late-maturing boys were more likely to have adjustment and behavioral problems than other teens. The implications of the Oregon study for blacks, if the results are duplicated in future research, are significant: poor urban black girls, who live more stressful lives, may menstruate sooner than their wealthier, suburban counterparts. If proven, this could have significant implications on social issues such as teen pregnancy.
Irene Johnson, 31, a Virginia resident, works regularly with elementary to middle-school children on a volunteer basis. Johnson says she feels black girls overall are definitely developing earlier than they did a generation ago, when she was growing up in a town 90 minutes away from Cleveland, Ohio.
Johnson said she is “concerned” that girls are developing as early as they do. Johnson credits today’s parents for telling their kids more about puberty than they did a generation ago, but popular culture still gets in the way. Developed kids, she says, act older than they really are.
“I think girls today are developing a little quicker,” Simmons says.
“I was an exception, but today, I see middle-school girls at the bus stop who look like grown women with hips and butt and breasts.”
Although Nicole Turner says people are more open to talking about sex today, she still doesn’t feel black girls get the information they need on puberty as early as they should.
Puberty101.com, an informational Web site for adolescents, posts an open letter to parents: “Do you think your child is too young to view this Web site? According to recent research, one out of six girls start puberty by age eight.”
D. Sands, a 25-year-old Maryland resident and mother of a two-year-old girl, says she plans on talking to her daughter when she thinks the time is right. Sands says she wishes now her mother had told her more about puberty before it actually happened.
Sands said she got her period at age 11, roughly around the same time as most of her peers. But Sands quickly grew into a D-cup by seventh-grade. An aunt who was a nurse at Howard University Hospitals told Sands at age 16 to seriously consider a breast reduction after the teen reached size 42DD. Later, Sands’ mother counseled her daughter “not to worry about the unsolicited advice,” and the issue was dropped.
Sands says that if her daughter develops in the same way in a couple of years, she will try and give her the information she needs.
White, who now has an 11-year-old daughter, said it’s hard to know all the answers.
“The next generation of black girls — and their parents — will not be as prepared for puberty, especially if they’re getting younger and younger.”
She worries that girls will get their information not from parents and professionals but from their friends. “We have unknowledgeable kids teaching our kids about puberty. And that’s a shame.”
Article originally published on Africana.com, May 2, 2000.
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