| Bicycle Helmets Recalled by Specialized Due to Failing Helmet Standard
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. (To access color photos of the following recalled products, see CPSC's Web site at http://www.cpsc.gov.) Name of Product: Specialized Bicycle Helmets Units: About 3,000 Manufacturer: Specialized Bicycles, of Morgan Hill, Calif. Hazard: The helmets fail testing required under CPSC's safety standard for bicycle helmets. This can pose a head injury hazard to riders in a fall.
Black-legged adult tick infection at 60 percent
More than half -- 60 percent -- of the adult black-legged ticks in Fairfield County may be infected with Lyme disease bacteria -- a much higher rate than customarily thought, a new study has found. This does not necessarily foretell an increase in human cases in the region. People can see and remove adult ticks more readily than tiny nymphal ticks -- which are most responsible for the spread of Lyme disease to humans. But it does add another reason for people to be on the alert against tick bites in spring, summer and fall. "It may be that just as people wear sunscreen and wear bicycle safety helmets, they'll have to make preventive steps against ticks part of their daily routine,'' Jennifer Reid, of the Ridgefield Lyme Disease Task Force, said Monday. The study is part of the ongoing work of the Fairfield County Municipal Deer Management Alliance -- a 14-town organization dedicated to controlling the number of white-tailed deer in the region.
Vancouver city council enacts helmet law
Beginning in 30 days, all cyclists and skaters in Vancouver will have to strap on helmets or risk receiving a $50 ticket. The city council, by a 5-1 vote Monday, decided to require both juveniles and adults to wear helmets when riding bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, roller blades, scooters and unicycles on public streets, sidewalks and trails. Once the law takes effect, Vancouver will become the first city in Clark County to require helmets. Safety was the prime reason for the law. Councilwoman Jeanne Harris recounted how, more than 25 years ago, a bicyclist wearing a helmet smacked into her car and walked away. "I can’t tell you how it affected me that I could have hurt somebody," Harris said. "You can’t plan not to have an accident, and that is what’s this is about.
In our view: Common sense is the best reason to applaud helmet law
If you have wheels under you, better have a helmet over you. That’s the message from the Vancouver City Council, which on Monday passed a law requiring helmets on riders of bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, roller blades, scooters and unicycles on public streets, sidewalks and trails. The helmet law is the first in Clark County but is similar to regulations in Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma. We hope Clark County commissioners and other cities in the county follow suit. Both supporters and opponents of the helmet law are able to debate this topic ad infinitum, and anecdotal references often cloud their arguments, but our preference is to rely on basic common sense. It just stands to reason that riders of these wheeled implements should be required to wear helmets in public places for reasons of public safety.
Putting her big foot down
Car: 2006 Toyota Matrix. Mileage: 7.8 litres per 100 kilometres Average kilometres driven each week: 30 (except in summer, when it goes up to 250 with trips to the cottage). Average kilometres driven each year: 12,000 Commute to work: Around 9 kilometres on subway or bike. Hours spent on public transit in the past week: 12 Hours spent on a plane in the past month: 0 In the past year: 8 Percentage of food in kitchen that is local and organic: About 50, including all milk products, chicken, breads; most fresh fruit and vegetables are organic, but from as far away as New Zealand. Number of takeout meals wolfed down last week: 4 Catherine's ecological footprint 6.6 hectaresFood 2.4 hectaresMobility 0.8 hectaresShelter 1.6 hectaresGoods/Services 1.8 hectares .
Ithaca not safe for pedestrians, bicyclists
The Journal reported a Jeep-Fed-Ex truck accident that occurred on Friday afternoon, Oct. 19, at the intersection of Court and Washington Streets. The dramatic photo showed the overturned truck and told the story of a bicycle rider pinned and killed under the truck. He had been riding an adult tricycle. My immediate thought was that Ed Coil rides an adult tricycle. Ed is a long time consumer at Challenge and a great guy. His most recent employment has been as a dishwasher at the Holiday Inn. He has always been proud of his work history and he is more than happy to stop and converse. He will give you a warm greeting and he is just a pleasure to deal with. .
Govt urged to take up turban ban issue with France
Dubbing the clamping of ban on headgear of Sikhs in France by the French Government as a grave and unjustified attack on the religious freedom of Sikhs, the Shiromani Akali Dal today urged the UPA-led Central Government to take up the case of Sikhs with the French government and ensure that the law banning the wearing of headgear in France should be revoked at the earliest. Meanwhile, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the SAD has authorised the party chief Mr Parkash Singh Badal to take decision on holding talks with partys alliance partner BJP on the issue of forthcoming byelection for Kapurthala and Garhshankar Assembly seats, selection of candidates and for the these elections and for selection of candidates for election of SGPC president and office-bearers. A resolution of the PAC, the meeting of which was held under the chairmanship of Mr Badal here today, said Sikhs all over the world had been hurt by the ban on wearing of turban in France.
School District Braces For Big Budget Cuts
A shortage of state money is forcing some school district leaders in Duval County to make some tough decisions about looming budget cuts. Officials said they expect to have to trim as much as $18 million from their budget for the remaining school year. School district spokeswoman Jill Johnson told Channel 4 the district might have to cut $6 million to $7 million when state lawmakers meet next month. .
|
