CARVER COUNTY NEWS
Winter 2011-2012
January 4
Give Kids a Smile! Feb. 3rd & Feb. 4th, 2012
Thousands of volunteers are now preparing to celebrate 10 years of the Minnesota Dental Association’s (MDA) annual charitable program, Give Kids a Smile! On Friday, Feb. 3, and Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, they will offer free dental care to children whose families face barriers to dental care. A variety of services will be available in about 200 locations throughout the state.
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SAVE THE DATE: Town Hall on Bullying
February 4th, 2012, Chaska Community Center
Excerpt taken from Chaska Police 4-1-1, Issue #399: January 4, 2012
The Chaska Police Department “Public Safety Focus Group” will host its second Town Hall “Examining Bullying in the Community”, on Saturday February 4th, 2012, at the Chaska Community Center, from 9 AM – 2:30 PM. Last year’s event drew in over 200 people who rated the Town Hall as excellent, told us that the topic was important, and strongly wanted us to continue this conversation. Our work was recognized with an invitation to the White House, and a “Civil Rights” award presented by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
We will again offer a keynote presentation, followed by breakout sessions dealing with “Bullying in our Schools”, “Cyber Bullying,” “Bullying of GLBT Persons,” “Youth and Social Media,” and “Suicide Awareness.”
This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments and lunch will be served. Call CPD Administrative Assistant Sona Schneck, at 952.227.7430 for more information and to RSVP.
New Conversations® Dialogues
Excerpt taken from Chaska Police 4-1-1, Issue #396: December 21, 2011
We haven’t quite learned how to bridge the racial divide in our community — but together we can! Talking about race and racism can be the first step. Join us for the following free dialogues at the Chaska Community Center:
- Thursday, February 9th: 6:30—8:30 PM
New Conversations® About White Privilege
- Thursday, March 8th: 6:30—9:00 PM
New Conversations® Uncovering the Five Myths that Support Racism
Reserve your space for the New Conversations Dialogues by contacting the Chaska Human Rights Commission at (952) 448-9200, extension 7103. Space is limited.
The New Conversations tools and facilitaion are provided by The Saint Paul Foundation’s Facing Race initiative. For more information visit www.FacingRace.org. Brought to you by the Chaska Human Rights Commission in partnership with Chaska Dunn Bros Coffe, Chaska Police Department, Carver County Sheriff’s Department, Carver County Library and the Beacon Council.
Sign Up For Chaska Police Nixle Alerts
You need to know about emerging public safety threats, major police deployments, important road closings, major accidents, etc. The Chaska Police Department utilizes "Nixle," a text and email notification system, to notify community members of important public safety alerts. Nixle is a free service that is safe and secure and you will never receive any advertisements. The alerts are sent as text messages and emails. Register for Nixle at local.nixle.com/register
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2011-12 Influenza Season News
Winter 2011-2012
The MN Department of Health website allows you to search by your zip code to find a flu shot clinic near you.
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Minnesota Weekly Influenza and Respiratory Activity: Statistics
Includes influenza hospitalizations, deaths, lab data, doctor's visits, and school and long-term care influenza-like illness outbreaks.
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FluView: A Weekly Influenza Report
Visit this CDC site to see a weekly influenza surveillance report prepared by the Influenza Division.
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January 7
Officials on alert for new flu strains
The flu season hasn't kicked in yet, but infectious disease experts are on the alert for new strains of the virus, including another swine flu that's popped up in parts of the United States and a drug-resistant flu circulating in the Southern Hemisphere. Since the 2009 swine-flu pandemic, public health and infectious disease experts have upped their surveillance of new flu strains, and they're paying close attention to what's happening worldwide in hopes of being better prepared for the type of flu season that will hit here.
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Food-Related Illnesses
Winter 2011-2012
January 25
Dispute over drug in feed limiting US meat exports
A drug used to keep pigs lean and boost their growth is jeopardizing the nation’s exports of what once was known as “the other white meat.” The drug, ractopamine hydrochloride, is fed to pigs and other animals right up until slaughter and minute traces have been found in meat. The European Union, China, Taiwan and many others have banned its use, citing concerns about its effect on human health, limiting U.S. meat exports to key markets.
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January 20
USDA: Poultry inspection shift will boost safety, save money
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a plan today to spend less time visually inspecting poultry carcasses and more time checking other safety variables, saying this will simultaneously improve food safety and save money for taxpayers and poultry companies. The agency estimates that the new approach will prevent up to 5,200 illnesses annually while saving the government more than $90 million over 3 years and reduce poultry production costs by at least $256 million per year.
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January 10
Coca-Cola says it told gov't about fungicide in OJ
Coca-Cola Co. acknowledged Thursday it was the company that alerted federal regulators about low levels of fungicide in its own orange juice and in competitors' juice, prompting juice prices to rise and increasing government testing for the residue. The Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency have said orange juice is safe to drink and the levels found are below levels of concern.
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January 10
USDA to trim food safety offices in economy move
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) plans to close five of its 15 district Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) offices to save money and boost efficiency, a move that officials said will not impair meat and poultry plant inspections.
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NEWS
January 26
Mexico ups swine flu screening as cases increase
Mexico's newspapers are warning of an alarming increase in swine flu for the first time since a pandemic shut down much of the country three years ago, while the government insists there's no need for another international scare. Federal and state health officials agree there is an increase, but they say the number of cases is within the range of a normal flu season.
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NEWS
January 26
Study linking PFCs to impaired immunity in kids draws MDH attention
A study released this week suggesting a link between exposure to chemicals known as perfluorinated compounds and an impaired immune system in kids should prompt more research, Minnesota health officials said. The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association measured the effectiveness of vaccines among children living on the Faroe Islands between Scotland and Iceland. It found that children with elevated levels of perfluorinated compounds — or PFCs — were less likely to have a good immune response to vaccines.
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NEWS
January 26
Infections Strike Kids in ICUs: Report
Parents whose children are ill enough to spend time in an intensive care unit may have something else to worry about on top of that serious medical condition, according to new research published in Consumer Reports. The risk of a serious bloodstream infection contracted in hospitals, the report says, is 20 percent higher in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) than in adult intensive care units.
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NEWS
January 25
Bird flu created in Wisconsin is not fatal, says team leader
He said his team's virus was treatable, pointing out its differences from a lethal form created by Dutch scientists
A Wisconsin virology team that created a more contagious form of bird flu did not produce a highly lethal superflu, as a Dutch team controversially did last year, said the leader of the Wisconsin team.
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NEWS
January 20
Bird flu researchers suspend study of deadlier mutations
Researchers studying a potentially deadlier, airborne version of the bird flu virus have voluntarily suspended their studies for 60 days because of concerns it could be used as a devastating form of bioterrorism, according to a letter published in the journals Nature and Science on Friday.
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NEWS
January 19
Mobile Medical Unit in Duluth
The Minnesota Mobile Medical Unit is now in Duluth at the DECC, as part of the Arrowhead EMS Conference and Expo. Local doctors are being trained by the state on how to use this portable hospital. It's equipped with 8 beds, a pharmacy area, and a lab. The unit is actually a semi-tractor, that can be folded out to a 1000 square foot working space.
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NEWS
January 19
Wrong surgery cases hit a high
An annual report shows Minnesota hospitals, while disclosing more, still struggle with preventable mistakes.
Minnesota hospitals reported 26 incidents last year in which doctors performed the wrong procedures on patients — including 10 cases involving the wrong replacement joints, breast implants or cataract lenses.
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NEWS
January 19
Vietnam, Cambodia report bird flu deaths as H5N1 virus continues to spread
Vietnam on Thursday confirmed its first human death from bird flu in nearly two years, a day after neighboring Cambodia also logged its first fatality this year as new cases of the H5N1 virus are reported in Asia and the Middle East.
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NEWS
January 5
Gov. Dayton proclaims January as Radon Action Month
Minnesota homes need to be tested for radon; winter is best time to test
Gov. Mark Dayton has proclaimed January "Radon Action Month" in Minnesota, urging residents to take simple and affordable steps to test their homes for harmful levels of radon gas. Radon, a colorless, odorless gas, is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon can seep into a home from underground and, if left to accumulate, high levels of radon can cause lung cancer.
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NEWS
December 22
It’s The First Day Of Winter! So, What’s Your Winter? Show Us!
Enter The Minnesota “What’s Your Winter?” Photo Contest On Facebook
Snow or no snow, winter is here — a time of beauty, activity and fun for adults and kids in Minnesota. So we’d like you to show everyone how you see and enjoy the season! The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) annually sponsors the “What’s Your Winter?” Photo Contest to feature the best digital images of Minnesotans enjoying winter. Entries in Adult and Youth (15 and under) divisions are judged in four categories: Mother Nature, Kids in Winter, Holidays and Outdoor Sports.
Grand prizes will be awarded in each age division along with first-, second- and third-place prizes in each topical category.
This year, for the first time, the “What’s Your Winter?” Photo Contest is hosted on the HSEM Facebook page. You don’t need to join Facebook to enter; just go to www.Facebook.com/MnHSEM and click “What’s Your Winter?” in the left menu.
Participants may upload as many as six of their own digital photos, and Facebook members can vote for their favorites. Prizes will be awarded to the top vote-getters at the end of the contest in March.
So along with your hats, gloves and boots, always remember your camera this year — and proudly show Minnesota “What’s Your Winter?”
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