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Author: Kim Kalliber
It’s not gender of parents, but quality of care, researchers say
Research into the effects of same-sex parenting shows that the sexual orientation of parents is not a major determinant in how well children fare. What matters more, researchers found, is the quality of parenting and the family’s economic well-being.
By Sandhya Somashekhar, The Washington Post
WASHINGTON — Amid the legal arguments at Tuesday’s Supreme Court hearing on same-sex marriage, there loomed a social-science question: How well do children turn out when they are raised by gay parents?
Justice Anthony Kennedy, who is widely considered the swing vote, called the topic “uncharted waters.” Conservative Justice Samuel Alito Jr. wryly asked, “You want us to step in and render a decision based on an assessment of the effects of this institution which is newer than cellphones or the Internet?”
Indeed, gay marriage is a relatively new phenomenon in the United States. It has only been legal since 2004, when Massachusetts began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Eight more states and Washington have legalized same-sex nuptials since then, but they have been banned in 35 states.
Researchers have been delving into the effects of same-sex parenting only since the 1980s and 1990s. Most of the studies involve relatively small samples because of the rarity of such families.
Still, there is a growing consensus among experts that the sexual orientation of parents is not a major determinant in how well children fare in school, on cognitive tests and in terms of their emotional development.
What matters more, researchers found, is the quality of parenting and the family’s economic well-being.
“I can tell you we’re never going to get the perfect science, but what you have right now is good-enough science,” said Benjamin Siegel, a professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine. “The data we have right now are good enough to know what’s good for kids.”
Siegel co-authored a report issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics last week when it came out in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. The group looked at dozens of studies conducted over 30 years and concluded that legalizing same-sex marriage would strengthen families and benefit children.
The best study, Siegel said, is the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study, which began in 1986 with 154 lesbian mothers who conceived children through artificial insemination. A recent look at 78 offspring found that the children did fine — better, even, than children in a similar study involving more diverse families.
Many opponents of same-sex marriage argue that the academy’s conclusions are premature. They point to some recent studies, including one from Mark Regnerus, a sociology professor from the University of Texas at Austin.
Regnerus, who could not be reached for this article, found that adults who reported being raised by a person who had a homosexual experience were more likely to be on welfare or experience sexual abuse.
Regnerus has been the subject of intense criticism from mainstream researchers and pro-gay marriage activists. But opponents of same-sex marriage say his work should provide a note of caution on an issue that has yet to be studied in adequate depth.
“What the social science makes clear, and it has for several decades, is that children tend to do best when they’re raised by their married biological parents,” said Jennifer Marshall, director of domestic policy studies for the conservative Heritage Institute. “In the case of same-sex households, there is not yet evidence that (children) are going to be the same. There’s every reason to believe that different family structures will have different outcomes.”
Susan Brown, a professor of sociology at Bowling Green State University in Ohio who studies family structures, said it is true that decades of research show that children turn out slightly better when they are raised by their biological parents compared with those reared by single parents or in “step” households.
But children raised in committed same-sex couple-led households do not appear to do statistically worse, she said.
“One thing we’re finding that’s very important for children is stability in their family life,” Brown said.
“To the extent that marriage is a vehicle through which children can achieve stability,” she said, “It only follows that marriage is something that would be beneficial to children.”
Eagles on the mend after scavenging euthanized horses
Seven eagles poisoned nearly to death after feeding on carcasses of euthanized horses in Lewis County should be well enough for release from wildlife shelters this week.
By Lynda V. Mapes, The Seattle Times
Seven eagles poisoned nearly to death after feeding on euthanized horse carcasses are expected to be released this week.
The eagles are alert, getting feisty and are being moved to outdoor cages, said Mike Pratt, wildlife director at the West Sound Wildlife Shelter on Bainbridge Island, which cared for six of the eagles. The shelter, funded by donations, takes in wild animals of all sorts that have been injured or orphaned.
The shelter started getting calls over the weekend about first one eagle, then a second found nearly dead on private property in Winlock, Lewis County. By the time shelter staffers arrived to pick up the birds on Sunday, four more had become sick, Pratt said. The six birds — five juveniles and an adult — were so ill they were convulsing, vomiting, and could not stand. Two were comatose.
Back at the shelter, volunteers and two veterinarians were waiting. They administered a charcoal purgative around the clock and, by Tuesday morning, even the sickest birds had revived. They may be released by the end of the week, right back where they came from, Pratt said.
A seventh poisoned eagle had been taken to the wildlife shelter at the Audubon Society of Portland on Friday. That eagle, a first-year male, looks excellent and will be released Wednesday, said Lacy Campbell, operations manager at the wildlife center.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating the incident, said spokeswoman Joan Jewett. It is a federal offense to poison an eagle, even accidentally.
It all started with horses, euthanized and left by their owner in a field, said Jewett, who added that the carcasses have since been buried.
Stephanie Estrella, director and wildlife rehabilitator of Raindancer Wild Bird Rescue in Olympia, which cared for the birds before the larger Bainbridge shelter could come collect them, said this was the first time she had encountered raptors poisoned by tainted carcasses.
Most of the raptors she has cared for were victims of car strikes, or torn up in fights with other raptors.
She got the first call from Sharon Thomas, a Winlock resident who saw an eagle acting strangely in a field in front of her house.
“It flopped and flew, and flopped and flew. It crashed several times,” Thomas said. “Then it came right to me, it sat right at my feet as if it had come for help.”
Thomas took the eagle to her house, put it in a kennel, took photos of it, and put them on Facebook asking for help. Ultimately, it was Estrella from Raindancer who came to collect the eagle.
Little did Thomas know she was in for a long weekend of more of the same, as she and her neighbors walked and drove the area, on the alert for more animals in distress. “It was heart-wrenching,” Thomas said. “Seeing a large, majestic bird falling over on its head is very sad. Picking them up, seeing them unresponsive and lethargic. Picking up the two others that seemed dead, their eyes were not open, they were barely breathing.”
Eventually, she and the neighbors walking the field and thickets found two horse carcasses, with eagles feeding on them. “I picked an adult off one of the horses. He was covered in rotten meat and blood and so was I,” Thomas said.
She and other neighbors collected six sick eagles, and drove off others trying to feed on the carcasses. “It was very hard to drive away from the work Monday morning,” Thomas said. “I don’t know what other wildlife may have been affected.”
The Longview Daily News reported Monday that the horses’ owner, Debra Dwelly, said she had no idea she had created a hazard until federal wildlife agents, alerted by the animal-shelter operators to the eagles’ plight, showed up at her home on Sunday, after cruising the area in a small plane and spotting the carcasses.
Dwelly told the Daily News the poisoning was an honest mistake that occurred because a friend’s backhoe had broken down, delaying burial of the horses she had put down earlier last week.
Washington state law requires the owners of animals or owners of land on which animal carcasses are found to bury or incinerate carcasses within 72 hours so they do not become a hazard.
Attempts by The Seattle Times to reach Dwelly were unsuccessful Tuesday.
Meanwhile, all seven eagles were getting stronger by the hour. Thomas said she is eager to seeing them released.
“I look forward to them returning and behaving as an eagle should,” Thomas said. “They should be aggressive. You shouldn’t be holding them in your arms.”
Underwater robot will assist with rescue and recovery
By Rikki King, The Herald
EVERETT — In the water, the robot looked like a curious critter.
It glided through the pool, poking its nose up to the surface to nudge at obstacles.
The robot is construction-equipment yellow, about the size of a small dog.
Nearby, specially trained deputies watched its movements on a computer screen, scanning the water through its “eyes.”
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office recently acquired an underwater robot, a JW Fishers SeaLion-2, through a federal grant.
They call it “Batman.”
Batman went for a test drive last week at a community pool in south Everett. It splashed around and posed for pictures.
Its true missions are more somber.
The sheriff’s office got Batman in January, Lt. Rodney Rochon said.
Later that month, Batman helped them gather underwater visuals as they pulled a car from the Snohomish River. The bodies of two missing people were inside.
On March 16, Batman found the body of a fisherman who drowned in Silver Lake the day before.
Batman’s worth about $40,000, Rochon said. As part of the federal grant that paid for the acquisition, the dive team and the robot can be called to help with rescue and recovery operations throughout the region.
At least two children and two adults drowned in Snohomish County in 2012.
Rescues are the team’s top priority, Rochon said. In the cases when they can’t rescue someone, they try to find the body.
“We need to recover the victim so the family can get closure,” Rochon said. “It’s not just about the investigation.”
The robot also can be used to gather intelligence and limit the time human divers spend in the water, he said. It can weather harsher conditions and dive deeper — up to 1,000 feet — and for longer than people can. Deputies only can dive 100 feet for safety reasons.
The SeaLion-2 design is most popular with law enforcement, said Chris Combs, a spokesman for JW Fishers, the Massachusetts-based manufacturer. It weighs about 40 pounds. It has high-resolution color cameras in front and back and four motors to propel it forward, backward, up and down. Some models have sonar technology.
“The SeaLion-2 is really a pretty neat little machine,” Combs said.
The sheriff’s office also got to lease a SWAT robot for free for a while last year. On one mission, it helped dissolve a standoff in Marysville.
The lease ended a while back, and that robot went back home.
Prep Roundup
Source: North County Outlook, March 26, 2013
Baseball:
Marysville-Pilchuck: Thanks to last week’s crazy weather, Marysville-Pilchuck baseball started off the year playing three games in as many days. The Tommies lost 5-4 against Meadowdale to kick off the season, but won their next two games thanks to strong pitching performances from Cody Anderson and Jake Luton.
M-P’s first win came Friday over Shoreline, 4-0. Jake Luton struck out nine and walked two through five innings. Kacey Walker was 1-3 with two RBI, and Jake Merrick was 2-2 with an RBI.
The Tommies defeated Lake Stevens 4-1 in a non-league game on Saturday, pushing their record this year to 2-1. Cody Anderson pitched 4 innings of scoreless ball, and Kacey Walker went 2-3 with a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
Marysville Getchell: Marysville Getchell started the season off on the proper foot with a victory over Mariner 5-1, but then dropped two straight. Rylan Fausett pitched a complete game, striking out six and giving up just 6 hits in the Charger’s win. Mariner’s only run came in the top of the seventh inning. Jake Lund was 2-3 for MG with a double and three RBI.
On Wednesday MG gave up 11 hits and committed two errors against Shoreline. The game was called after the fifth inning, and Shoreline won 12-2. MG’s John Clark was 2-3 with a triple.
Getchell lost 14-1 on Friday against the Meadowdale Mavericks. Scoring was not reported for that game.
Arlington: The Eagles are 2-1 on the year after splitting a pair of games this week. Arlington lost on Monday 12-3 at Oak Harbor.
The Eagles were down by just a run heading into the bottom of the sixth, but Oak Harbor put up a pair of big innings, scoring four in the sixth inning and four more in the seventh to put the game out of reach.
On Saturday Ryan Walker picked up his second win of the year and scored the winning run. The Eagles relied on some late inning heroics, tying the game in the fifth, and winning in the bottom of the seventh. Walker was 2-4 with two doubles. Bryce Human drove in the winning run, and Isaiah Vaughn was 2-4.
Lakewood: The Lakewood Boys split a pair of games this week, and their record now sits at 3-1.
The Cougars started the week off with a big 13-2 win over South Whidbey. The five-inning contest saw Lakewood notch nine hits while South Whidbey committed 11 errors in the field. Bradley Keen was credited with the win.
Softball:
Arlington: The Eagles picked up two wins this week to push their record to 3-0. In the three games the Eagles have outscored their opponents 40-1.
On Tuesday Arlington defeated Stanwood in a five inning contest 16-1. Hayley Fields struck out nine, giving up just two hits and one run. Marisa Rathert was 4-4 with three stolen bases, Katelynn McDonald had two doubles, and Lynsey Amundson finished with a double and a triple. The Eagles amassed 21 hits in all.
Hayley Fields was at it again on Friday. She struck out 13, gave no runs, and pushed her record to 3-0 on the year. Fields also went 2-4 with a double. Lynsey Amundson and Marissa Rathert each hit a triple.
Lakewood: Lakewood split a pair of games this week, pushing their overall record to 3-1 on the year.
The Cougars took a tough loss against Cedarcrest 10-9 on Tuesday. Mikalya Holmes and Terah Barrio were both 3-4, and Hailey Malakowski added a dobule. Lakewood mounted a sixth inning rally, and out-hit the Redwolves 14-9, but the Cougars couldn’t claim the victory.
On Thursday Lakewood squeaked out a win against Archbishop Murphy, 3-2. Maddie Holmes collected three hits again, and Hailey Malakowski was credited with the win.
Marysville-Pilchuck: M-P went 1-2 this week in three tough non-conference games. They are 2-3 on the year without a conference game yet.
The Tomahawks first loss this week came against Monroe. Monroe scored 12 runs on 14 hits and the Tomahawks committed four errors. Hayley Fritz was 2-3 with two doubles and Rachael Delamare added two doubles for the Tomahawks in the losing effort.
It was more of the same when the Tomahawks hosted the Snohomish Panthers on Thursday. The Panthers scored 13 runs on 17 hits, and M-P again registered four errors. Abigail Otto doubled for the Tomahawks who scored three runs on four hits. Jordan Willard took the loss.
It was a different story in Sammamish when the Tomahawks traveled to play Skyline on Friday. The girls won 5-4, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh. Haley Fritz was the winning pitcher, and M-P moved to 3-2
Marysville Getchell: M-G split two games this week, picking up their first win of the year, and moving to 1-4 in the overall standings.
The Chargers dropped the first game of the week to Cascade in six innings of play on Monday. Aubrey Peterson three-hit the Chargers, and the Bruins scored 11 runs on 11 hits. Savannah Duce doubled in the loss.
MG turned the tables on Tuesday, when they beat Mariner 10-0 in six innings. Kymber Devlin allowed one hit in six innings, and she recorded a double at the plate. Ashlynne Hood was 2-3 with a HR.
Girls Tennis:
Marysville-Getchell: The Getchell girls lost 7-0 at Shorecrest on Monday and 4-3 at Oak Harbor on Tuesday. Marina Ciferry, Savaddy Lee, and Sammy Wallace all easily won their matches, but Oak Harbor dominated in the doubles. Thursday’s matchup against Marysville-Pilchuck was postponed until Friday, March 29.
Marysville-Pilchuck: M-P lost 5-2 at Monroe on Friday. Savannah Pearce won in three sets, and the doubles team of Sarah Cronin-Kailee Esser won in two sets.
Arlington: The Eagles dropped Tuesday’s match at Monroe 4-3, and then fell 7-0 to Stanwood on Saturday. Macy Mackey and Chloe Erickson easily won their singles matches in Monroe, and Maya Manzano and Sally Hatfield won their doubles match in three sets.
Lakewood: The Lakewood girls lost to Coupeville 4-1 on Monday, and had Thursday’s match at Granite Falls rescheduled for Friday, only to have that match postponed again. Match results for Coupeville were not reported.
Track:
Lakewood: The Cougars hosted Archbishop Murphy on Thursday, and both the boys and girls teams bested their Wildcat foes. The boys won 99-42, and the girls won 87-61.
Arlington: The Eagles track team was at the Lake Stevens event on Thursday. The boys scored 11 points to Glacier Peak’s 75, and 70 to Lake Stevens’ 75. The girls scored 82-67 vs. Glacier Peak and 96-53 vs. Lake Stevens.
Marysville Getchell: The Chargers didn’t fare well in Stanwood, where Jackson took the top honors 95-44 against the boys and 110-46 against the girls. Alfredo Diaz scored the only victory for the Chargers boys by winning the shot-put event. The girls fared better, winning the 400 relay (Weikel, Terrell, Cannal, Jarvis), 800 (Rachel Lefstad), the 1,600 relay (Lefstad, Jarvis, Weikel, Terrell) and the high jump (Kaitlyn McCormick).
Marysville-Pilchuck: The Tomahawks hosted Meadowdale and Shorecrest on Thursday. Both the boys and the girls scored victories. The boys beat Shorecrest 84-61 and Meadowdale 87-58. The girls beat Shorecrest 74-60 and Meadowdale 81-52.
Golf:
Marysville Getchell: Mikaela Schwartz came away the medalist at Cedarcrest G.C when the MG girls faced off against Shorecrest. Schwartz beat out two Shorecrest golfers, Audrey Penner and Claire Mrozek, by a stroke, 48-49. Shorecrest finished at 269, and MG finished at 274.
Earlier in the week, at Whidbey Golf and Country Club, Jacqueline Martin led the Chargers with a 53 and Schwartz shot a 56. Oak Harbor finished at 268, MG at 293 and Everett at 372.
The boys played Arlington at Cedarcrest on Wednesday, where Gage St. John and Conner Lindgren both shot 44. Arlington finished with 220 and MG finished at 235.
The boys also finished fourth in a five-team tournament in Everett on Thursday. They finished the par 72 at 452. Ryan Clausen shot an 86, 11 strokes back of the leader.
Marysville-Pilchuck: The girls attended the Stanwood tournament on Thursday, and shot a 386 at the par 36. They finished third in the three-team field. Cassie Coate led the Tomahawks with a 54, seven strokes back of the leader. The girls also attended the Whidbey shootout last Tuesday. They finished 13th in a field of 16. Shanna Sterling shot a 104, 23 strokes back of the leader.
The boys finished fifth at the five-team tournament in Everett, shooting a 458 at the par 72. Connor Martinis shot an 81, six strokes behind the leader.
Arlington: The girls attended the Monroe tournament on Thursday and finished fourth in a five team field. They shot 312, and were led by Emmi Modahl, who shot a 58, 12 strokes back of the lead.
The boys played Marysville Getchell at Cedarcrest on Wednesday, where Anthony Allen led the pack with 36. Cody Mclane and Cory Taylor both shot a 44. Arlington finished with 220 and MG finished at 235. The played at Gleneagle on Tuesday, where they shot a 201, 11 back from the leader, Snohomish. The Eagles finished second in a field of five. Anthony Allen led the pack with a 36.
Lakewood: The Cougars girls’ team traveled to South Whidbey for 9 holes on Tuesday where they shot a 43 to South Whidbey’s 72. Hailey Duitsman finished with 13, Nina Forsell 12, and E. Dowell 12.
The Cougar boys went to Cedarcrest to shoot with Sultan on Thursday, scoring a 253 to Sultan’s 235. Christian Case and Brady Camp each shot 44, six strokes back of the leader.
Boys Soccer:
Lakewood: The Cougars defeated Coupeville 1-0 on Friday on the strength of Antino Bellizzi’s first half goal, but dropped a 5-2 match to Archbishop Murphy earlier in the week. Randy Anaya and Antino Bellizzi each scored a goal for the Cougars, who were shut out in the second half of that game.
Arlington: The Eagles dropped two matches this week beginning with a 5-1 contest against Mount Vernon. Mason Herrera scored the Eagles goal off a Danny Herrera assist.
On Friday the Eagles fell 3-0 against Lake Stevens. They open the year 0-3-1 overall.
Marysville-Pilchuck: M-P lost their first game this week at Bothell 4-2. Julio Aguilar scored two goals for the Tomahawks.
Fabian Panduro led the Tomahawks to victory over the Chargers on Friday night scoring the games only goal off a free kick. The Tomahawks are now 2-1-1.
Marysville Getchell: The Chargers lost two conference games this week, first falling to Oak Harbor 4-2, and then to M-P 1-0. Christian Fuerte and Cody Probst recorded the MG goals. Getchell drops to 0-5 overall.
Harlem Crowns vs Tulalip Ballerz, April 1
Youth Services is proud to bring you a fun and exciting night of basketball watching the Harlem Crowns play the Tulalip Ballerz, a team made up of youth and community members. Come join us for dinner, basketball show, raffle and a good time! We look forward to seeing you.
A Book for Those Serious About Defeating Diabetes
Defeating Diabetes
Brenda Davis & Tom Banard | Healthy Living Publications
280 pp | $14.95
ISBN 9781570671395
Levi Rickert, Native News Network
It is no secret to any American Indian or Alaska Native that there is a strong preponderance of the possibility of developing diabetes.
The numbers speak for themselves.
American Indians and Alaska Native are 2.2 times more likely to have diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites. The death rate due to diabetes among American Indians and Alaska Natives is three times higher compared with the general US population. American Indians and Alaska Natives are three to four times higher at risk for developing cardiovascular disease with diabetes than Natives without diabetes.
Even with the dismal numbers associated with diabetes among American Indians and Alaska Natives, there is hope.
Earlier this year, hundreds of American Indians participated in the Longest Walk 3 – Reversing Diabetes. The Longest Walk was a walk across America, from the West Coast to Washington, DC, that sought to bring attention to the devastating effect diabetes has had within Native communities. The message of the Longest Walk also was American Indians can reverse diabetes.
American Indians are fighters; American Indians are survivors.
Beyond Native communities, we know diabetes is at epidemic rates among society.
A book called “Defeating Diabetes: A No-Nonsense Approach to Type 2 Diabetes and the Diabesity Epidemic” by a registered dietitian Brenda Davis and medical physician Tom Banard is a great tool for American Indians to pick up to read about how to defeat diabetes. Even the book’s title takes a position of strength.
Published in 2003, “Defeating Diabetes” is about making lifestyle changes about diet and exercise. Most would agree that that is a lot easier said, than done. But, the book is a quick read that provides common sense, backed with medical rationale, to alter lifestyles.
“Defeating Diabetes” contains many tables with information on fat counts, sugar content, and some 50 healthy recipes. Some of the numbers of contained in the book will make one think. For instance, one Mister Misty DQ Slush, 32 oz. contains 28 teaspoons of sugar; an ounce of hard candy has five teaspoons of sugar.
Weight control is paramount to one trying to defeat diabetes. The book’s authors provide “Seven Simple Steps to Lifelong Healthy Weight”:
- Set realistic goals
- Center your diet on whole plant foods
- Use beverages to your advantage
- Limit fat intake to not more than 25 percent of calories
- Build healthy habits
- Make physical activity a priority in your life
- Take care of your inner being
One chapter, “Kitchen Wizardry: Tricks of the Trade” will help the reader to better understand what to buy at the grocery store, with suggestions on where to shop, how to read food labels and food storage guidelines.
“Defeating Diabetes” is a practical guide on how to defeat diabetes. Do not buy this book for your bookshelf, it must be read and used. American Indians and Alaska Natives should have this book at their fingertips if they are truly serious about maintaining a healthy lifestyle and want to defeat diabetes.
Noted writer to read at Everett library event
Source: The Herald
When you team up a Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist with one of the most renowned photographers in Pacific Northwest history, you get an adventure story.
That story turned into the book “The Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis.”
The book is written by Seattle-based journalist Timothy Egan, who will read excerpts at a Friends of the Everett Public Library literary event.
The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. April 6 at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Ave., Everett.
It’s free and open to the public. Donations will be accepted to support the annual children’s Summer Reading Program.
Books and wine will be for sale. There will also be a question-and-answer session with National Public Radio commentator, author and librarian Nancy Pearl, known for her spots on NPR’s “Morning Edition” and her best-selling book “Book Lust.”
Egan follows the story of Curtis, a Seattle resident and portrait photographer of great acclaim (President Theodore Roosevelt paid him to photograph his daughter’s wedding).
Though his renown was well-established, Curtis decided in 1900 to pursue his life’s work: to photograph all the intact Native American tribes left in North America.
After 30 years, Curtis completed the 20-volume set, “The North American Indian,” which left him broke and divorced.
Egan is sympathetic to Curtis’ plight in this journey and with journalistic detail, Egan delivers not just an adventure story but a biography as well.
For more information go to www.epls.org/.
Norovirus hitting younger kids hard
By Sharon Salyer, The Herald
Norovirus, the same viral bug that sickened more than 200 people attending a cheerleading competition at Comcast Arena last year, is now the leading cause of tummy and intestinal illness among children four and under.
The virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhea, is so common and widespread that one in six children age four or younger will be treated in clinics for norovirus, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated one in 14 children in this age group will be treated at an emergency room for the infection.
“The message that norovirus has been increasing, especially among those under age five is disturbing,” said Dr. Gary Goldbaum, health officer for the Snohomish Health District. “Those are the ones that get sick enough to end up in the doctor’s office.”
Although the disease can cause short-term, but very uncomfortable, problems for people of any age, it is of extra concern among the very young, he said. “They don’t tolerate getting dehydrated very well,” he said.
For some of the same reasons, norovirus can be a problem with older adults. Last year, 10 outbreaks of suspected norovirus were reported in facilities that care for the elderly, such as adult family homes and nursing homes, Goldbaum said.
Norovirus is sometimes called cruise ship disease because of outbreaks that move rapidly on such ships, sickening many people.
The virus “hits people really hard and then in a couple days, it gets better,” Goldbaum said.
Each year, noroviruses sickens more than 21 million people in the United Stats and approximately 800 people die, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Patients have been coming to area medical clinics with norovirus symptoms almost continuously for the past several months, said Dr. Yuan-Po Tu, who helps track communicable diseases at The Everett Clinic.
“It’s not an epidemic, but there’s always some level of it going around,” he said.
The virus typically sickens people for two to seven days, he said, often causing only a slight fever of 99 to 100.5 degrees.
Norovirus is extremely contagious. People near a person when they become ill can easily become infected themselves, Goldbaum said.
Those who are sickened by norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill to at least three days and as much as two weeks after they recover, according to federal health officials.
The steps to help stop its spread include careful hand washing and not sharing food or drinks with someone who is ill.
The disease was blamed with sickening 229 teens and adults who were attending a cheerleading competition at Comcast Arena in February last year. Thirty-three people sought medical care for severe vomiting and diarrhea.
Marysville University addresses downtown/waterfront revitalization April 10
Source: The Marysville Globe
A graphic representation of what Marysville’s downtown could look like in the long term.
MARYSVILLE — The city of Marysville invites the public to a special meeting to share ideas for not only revitalizing the downtown and waterfront areas, but also ways to create a more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly downtown.
Marysville University will provide the setting for the public meeting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, in the Marysville City Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, located at 1049 State Ave.
The evening will include a review of the city’s revitalization measures to date, as well as recommendations and interactive “pulse pad” voting that will give attendees a say in how to prioritize long-term and short-term revitalization needs. The pulse pads, on loan from the Association of Washington Cities, provide instant feedback and results, displayed on a large screen.
“How revitalization evolves must come from and belong to all citizens and business owners in our community,” Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring said. “We’re here to listen.”
The City Council committed $150,000 for downtown revitalization efforts and a public engagement process. Some funds were spent to hire a consultant team to work with city leaders. The group met in January with a key city staff team for workshops to define a development strategy for Marysville’s waterfront, to give the City Council confidence to move forward with the next steps. The group recommended creating a complete community downtown, built around multi-story housing and mixed uses, with access to social and recreational opportunities such as:
• Neighborhood dining.
• Outdoor rooms.
• Water features such as fountains, canals and lakes.
• Open space.
• Narrow streets that are pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly.
Some ideas generated thus far have included sidewalk and street improvements for better walkability, gateway improvements and way-finding signage, matching funds for building exterior improvements, a spray park, a kayaking facility, Qwuloolt trail design, and modest traffic and landscaping improvements.
Refreshments will be available. Classes are videotaped, and will be shown on Marysville Cable Access TV 21 on Comcast, and TV 25 on Frontier, at dates to be announced later.
Please call Marysville Community Information Officer Doug Buell at 360-363-8086 by Friday, April 5, to reserve your seat, or email him at dbuell@marysvillewa.gov. Be sure to include your name, phone number, postal address and email address. For more information, contact Buell or log onto http://marysvillewa.gov/marysvilleuniversity.