Little shops of happiness
SHAWN GUST/Press
Little shops of happiness
Brett and Susan Sommer own and operate three unique specialty shops in Coeur dAlene.
SHAWN GUST/Press
Little shops of happiness
Brett and Susan Sommer own and operate three unique specialty shops in Coeur dAlene.
FLORENCE — FLORENCE (WPDE) — As the weather gets warmer, Florence County animal control officers want to remind you your pets need more care.
They say some animals are left in the heat with no water and in many cases they die from heat exhaustion.
Herbie Christmas is the director of Florence County Environmental Services, which includes animal control.
He says a dog was neglected by its owner two weeks ago.
The dog was left outside without water and a halter used to contain the puppy grew into its skin.
Just imagine as a if you were to take a child and put a rubber band around its neck and allow the child to grow up and that rubber band just physically grows into the childs neck and flesh. Thats the equivalency of what we have here. Across the board this was just a bad case of owner neglect and animal cruelty, said Christmas.
The dog has been treated by a veterinarian and is doing fine. He has been placed in a rescue home and is expected to be adopted to a family in a matter of days.
The dogs owner, Walter Washington, was found guilty of animal cruelty and fined $565.
Christmas says last summer, they investigated about 10 to 15 cases of animal neglect a day. In a few of the cases, the dogs actually died because they were left in the heat with no water.
Christmas said, Thats two that we know of. I cant imagine the number of animals that perished last summer that went unreported.
He reminds pet owners that outdoor pets need fresh water at least twice a day and shade to keep cool.
Christmas says you also need to make sure your pets water is also in the shade so it stays as cool as possible.
A lot of peoples going, Its just a dog, its just a cat or horse or whatever the case may be. They dont take into consideration its a living creature, said Christmas.
(This story courtesy WPDE and CarolinaLive.com)
A savings of about 5 percent of the combined municipal budgets of the Princetons could be saved if there is a full implementation of all recommendations of the Joint Shared Services/Consolidation Commission (JSSCC) should consolidation take place.
Savings amount to 3.3 million on a combined 60 million budget.
This means there will be direct property tax impacts, or savings, for homeowners if consolidation happens. All calculations are from a draft of a summary of residential tax savings presented to the JSSCC Tuesday night.
Savings with will full implementation of consolidation recommendations could be 217 for the average borough property and 273 for the average township property. The average borough homeowner pays 3,222 in municipal taxes on the average property value of 747,665. A township resident pays an average of 3,596 in municipal taxes on an average property values of 826,636. These vales are calculated using current asses values under the 2010 revaluation.
The tax levy, or amount raised from taxpayers, used in the formula was 9,457,716 for the borough and 20,070,600 for the township. The taxable assesses value for the borough is 2,196,649,214 and the township is 4,617,801,381. The tax rates are .431 for the borough and .435 for the township.
A report on South Carolinas pilot project on privatizing school bus maintenance shows the contracted bus shop cost the state more money and required more direct state supervision than shops operated by the education agency.
The report comes as Gov. Nikki Haley seeks input on how to privatize the states school bus fleet.
Maintenance for buses serviced in Mount Pleasant has been handled by General Diesel since March 2008. The pilot project was the result of former Gov. Mark Sanfords push to privatize the fleet.
Company president Ron Hallman says it was a learning process and changes have been made. He said the age of the buses presented challenges. The report by TransPar shows the state spent about $1,500 more per bus at the contracted shop than at shops statewide.
COLUMBIA
Legislature overrides its first Haley veto
The SC legislatures first override Thursday of a veto by Gov. Nikki Haley will allow two public agencies to join the state health insurance plan.
The House voted 96-12 to override Haleys veto, a day after the Senate voted 27-6 to do the same. The measure has become law.
State Rep. Garry Smith, R-Simpsonville, said the bill was designed to allow Piedmont Municipal Power and the Greater Greenville Sanitation District join the state health plan, by adding sanitation services and joint agencies to groups that can participate.
Haley opposed the bill, saying it would expand the health plan to non-state agencies and increase the states liabilities. She wrote that too many special groups already have been added to the plan over the last three decades, threatening its financial soundness.
Supporters said the bill has no bearing on state pensions.
ESTILL
Nine hospitalized after prison fight
Authorities say nine inmates at a federal prison in Hampton County have been taken to the hospital after a fight in the prisons recreation yard.
Federal officials said in a press release that the disturbance happened about 8 pm Thursday at the prison in Estill.
Authorities say the prison was placed on lockdown after the fight, and there was no danger to the public. Officials didnt immediately respond to a phone call asking how many inmates were involved or what caused the fight.
The facility is a medium security prison with around 1,200 inmates about 90 miles south of Columbia.
PICKENS
Racial remark leads to chiefs resignation
The police chief in Pickens has resigned after a controversy over what city officials called racially insensitive and derogatory remarks.
Pickens Mayor David Owens says Tommy Ellenburg resigned during an executive session of the city council meeting Thursday night.
Ellenburg quit one day after returning to work following a 15-day suspension.
Local National Association of the Advancement of Colored People officials had called for the chief to be removed from his job permanently. During a public meeting that preceded the closed executive session Thursday, chapter president Shelia Crawford says Ellenburg admitted he used a racial slur more than a year ago in reference to two city council members.
State police have said theyre investigating and will give their results to the US Department of Justice.
Assistant Chief Rodney Gregory will take over as acting chief.
CLOVER
Man kills teen during home break-in
York County sheriffs deputies say two men have been arrested in connection with a home invasion that ended with a 17-year-old girl being shot to death by a homeowner in Clover.
Deputies said the man said he shot at several people who tried to break into his home Thursday morning. The mans name was not released.
Coroner Sabrina Gast says Christina Sayers of Lake Wylie died in the shooting.
Sheriffs Lt. Mike Baker said 20-year-old Justin Lamarr and 17-year-old Jeffery Gillespie were arrested Friday and charged with first-degree burglary. Baker says deputies continue to investigate the shooting.
A school across the street from the home was on lockdown for nearly two hours Thursday morning because of the shooting.
North Carolina
CHARLOTTE
Davidson picks first woman president
Davidson College has chosen its first female president for the once all-male school.
The Charlotte Observer reported that 51-year-old Carol Quillen has been a vice president at Rice University in Houston.
She replaces Tom Ross, who left the liberal arts college in December to become president of the University of North Carolina system.
Quillen has been a teacher, researcher and administrator at Rice. She was appointed last October as Rices vice president for international and interdisciplinary initiatives.
Quillen told about 600 students, graduates, faculty, staff and town residents she feels grateful for the opportunity to lead Davidson.
She has a bachelors degree in American history from the University of Chicago and a doctorate in European history from Princeton University.
Bing: Pension savings mean museums shouldnt be cut
Some on council not sure deal will solve city budget problems
Leonard N. Fleming/ The Detroit News
Detroit Touting it as a victory to help ease the citys budget gap, Mayor Dave Bing announced Thursday that the citys two pension systems will provide more than $60 million in savings.
He said the deal will make the proposed City Council cuts to cultural institutions and public safety unnecessary. But some council members arent so sure.
During two news conferences Thursday, Bing trumpeted the deals with the General Retirement System and Police and Fire pension boards that he says eliminate his request to withhold a payment to the pension system for one year.
The mayor said budget negotiations can be tough but hoped council members wouldnt continue with cuts.
The councils proposal to cut the police budget 4.9 percent would lay off 300 of the citys 3,000 police officers, the mayor said.
That is the last thing we should be doing at this point, Bing said. Let me be clear: Our fiscal stability cannot be another political point-scoring contest.
The council is proposing cutting $65 million from Bings $3.1 billion budget, which already includes $200 million in cuts. Council members are set to consider the plan Tuesday that also slashes subsidies for museums by some 75 percent and cuts funding for buses.
The pension deal may have saved money, but Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins said Bings budget still relies on $20 million in savings from increasing taxes on casinos that hasnt received support from Lansing lawmakers.
Council felt it was the most responsible thing to do to not count revenue we dont have yet, Jenkins said. If we get revenue in, we can always make the changes. A budget is a plan. And it is our position that we should plan more conservatively.
On Wednesday, the retirement board voted unanimously to give back nearly $14 million in pension obligations over seven years; Thursday, the police and fire board agreed to $48 million.
The deals essentially spread out the period the pension systems have to pay for losses from five to seven years. They came after Bing met with both boards about two weeks ago to ask for concessions.
The two pension systems lost nearly $2 billion in assets between 2008 and 2009, according to the mayors speech, which prompted the city to make an annual loss recovery payment of $65 million for this fiscal year.
In his budget address to the City Council last month, Bing said this fiscal year alone pension costs totaled $200 million and that pension reform is not new but our sense of urgency has never been stronger.
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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – With extra animals on the street, the risk of rabies is a concern and as part of Rabies Awareness Week, the State Department of Health has tips to prevent the spread of the disease.
All owners should make sure their pets have up to date rabies vaccinations.
Avoid petting or picking up stray animals, even if they appear to be injured and if you see a stray dog or cat call animal control.
Theyre better equipped to deal with them, so you can avoid an injury.
The health department investigates thousands of bites every year.
Young children and postal workers are among the people who are often bitten by pets. In an
effort to educate the public about pet vaccination requirements and ways to prevent animal
bites, the Alabama Department of Public Health has designated May 16-21 as Rabies
Awareness and Animal Bite Prevention Week in the state.
As part of this week, many counties will be conducting rabies vaccination clinics available at
reduced fees. Please contact your county rabies officer, a licensed veterinarian appointed by
the ADPH, for additional information about any upcoming rabies clinics in your area.
Alabama law requires all dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated against rabies. Vaccination of
pets not only protects these animals against rabies, but also creates an additional protective
buffer between wildlife rabies and humans.
The rabies virus can infect all mammals, including man, and is always considered to be fatal
unless preventative treatment is given following the bite. Virus transmission generally occurs
through saliva from an infected animal. The primary means of exposure is from a bite or scratch,
but exposure is also possible if infected saliva contacts the mucous membranes of the eye or
mouth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of thousands of
Americans seek medical attention for animal bites each year; many of those bitten are children.
Animals of any breed can bite on occasion, especially if provoked or startled, said State Public
Health Veterinarian, Dr. Dee W. Jones. It is important to always use caution when approaching
strange animals, and never attempt to pet a stray or injured animal.
The Alabama Department of Public Health recommends that if you get an animal bite or scratch,
wash the wound thoroughly under running water, immediately seek medical attention from your
doctor or a hospital, and report the incident to your county health department for follow-up.
Additionally, using the following protective measures can help avoid exposure to the rabies
virus:
– Avoid domestic and wild animals that are acting in a strange or unusual manner.
– Teach children to stay away from animals that are hurt or unknown to them.
– Instruct children to avoid approaching any wild animal, whether or not it is acting
strangely.
– Advise children to tell an adult if they are bitten or scratched by an animal.
Source:
Alabama Department of Public Health
(Rewrites, adds detail in fifth, sixth, 10th and 11th paragraphs)
By Ruth Bender
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
PARIS (Dow Jones)–French media-to-telecoms conglomerate Vivendi SA (VIV.FR) Thursday said first-quarter earnings rose as strong sales of video-games and growth at Brazilian telecoms unit GVT offset weakness at French carrier SFR.
Vivendi said it still expects adjusted profit to grow slightly this year, counting mainly on strong growth at GVT. The Paris-based group also said that it expects adjusted profit to be higher than EUR3 billion this year and its dividend to increase after it takes full control of SFR, a deal which …
Vets warn cheap flea treatments can kill your pets
7:10am Wednesday 18th May 2011
CAT lovers are being urged to be careful when treating their felines for fleas after a spate of cats have been admitted to the vets in need of emergency care.
Drove Veterinary Hospital has reported an increase in pets, particularly cats, being admitted in the past few weeks for life-saving treatment after receiving toxic doses of shop-bought flea
treatment.
The veterinary hospital is urging pet owners to read the label and instructions carefully as permethrin-based products, which are safe for dogs, can be fatal for cats.
Lynne Gaskarth, a partner at Drove Veterinary Hospital, said: “What we are saying is just be very, very careful about what you are buying because we have seen a rise in people buying cheaper
products not realising it is for dogs.
“We are seeing cats coming in and sometimes it’s fatal.
“Read the label very carefully – we have seen some where it is just so subtle.”
A permethrin-based treatment used on a cat can kill straight away or can cost the owner hundreds of pounds in vets’ bills.
Signs that a cat is suffering with a toxic dose can often develop within hours, including muscular tremors, lethargy and in severe cases even seizures, and the animal will need veterinary attention
urgently.
“The message is to take veterinary advice about what to use rather than doing it on your own,” Lynne said.
Under current laws shops and pet stores are not permitted to sell flea preparations listed as prescription only.
A spokeswoman for Drove Veterinary Hospital said that these products can contain chemical preparations which include organophosphates or pyrethroids, more commonly known as crop sprays or the more
commonly seen permethrin, which is particularly lethal to cats.
Giovanna Hartley, the practice manager of Thameswood Veterinary Clinic, agreed that owners need to be careful and if they are in doubt they should contact their vet.
“It is a recognised problem, we have them on a fairly regular basis,” she said.
“Most people realise once they have done it. With any product everyone has to be very careful that they read the small print.
“When you come to the vets the vet has done it for you and will know how much to give.
“A lot of treatments are prescription only and by coming to the vets you get all the advice and are told how to put it on.”
CHARLOTTE, NC — Bass Pro Shops has joined forces with The NASCAR Foundation in support of NASCAR Unites, a campaign designed to raise valuable funds and encourage volunteerism to help children lead happier, healthier lives.