Fireworks and Noise Complaints Over the Fourth?
Call 311
One of the most common
complaints over the Fourth
of July weekend is about
noise from fireworks. While
it would be nice if
neighbors would be more
considerate and refrain from
late-night blasts, if it
happens and the noise is
extended and excessive,
please call 311 -- not 911 --
with those reports.
Directing these issues to
311 still receives police
response but keeps 911 lines
free for real
emergencies.
The CMPD has added staffing
throughout the divisions for
the Fourth of July and with
your help, we can keep it a
safe and enjoyable holiday
for all
Red Rocks, Whitewater, and Bluegrass
US National Whitewater
Center
TIMES: Fri, July 4
4th of July Celebration at
the US National Whitewater
Center.
US National Whitewater
Center
820 Hawfield Road
Charlotte, NC 28214
704-391-3900
4th of July Rooftop Party
Holiday Inn Charlotte
Center City
TIMES: Fri, July 4 7:00
PM
COST: $5 at door
Independence Day Celebration
on the Rooftop at Holiday
Inn Center City. 7-11 PM.
Complimentary Appetizers 7-
8:30 PM. Great Music, Drink
Specials & the Best Location
in Uptown to Watch Fireworks!
Holiday Inn Charlotte Center
City
230 North College Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
704-335-5400
WATCH JULY 4 FIREWORKS AT MEMORIAL STADIUM, AND FROLIC AT THE FAMILY FUN FEST
Come to Memorial Stadium,
310 North Kings Drive, July
4 to watch the "Red, White
and Boom!" fireworks.
Admission is FREE. Gates
open 6pm. Park for $5 in
stadium lots 6, 7, and 8
along East Seventh Street.
Fireworks start about
9:30pm. Activities include
Moon Bounce (inflatables for
children), watermelon eating
contest, tug-of-war, sack
races, etc. Food and drink
concessions available. No
alcohol or coolers allowed.
Canned food will be
collected for Second Harvest
Food Bank.
Sales Tax Holiday
Sales Tax Holiday,
G.S. 105-164.13C provides an
exemption for certain items
of tangible personal
property sold between 12:01
A.M. on the first Friday in
August and 11:59 P.M. the
following Sunday. For 2008,
the dates are Friday, August
1st through Sunday, August
3rd. Clothing, footwear, and
school supplies of $100 or
less per item; school
instructional materials of
$300 or less per item;
sports and recreation
equipment of $50 or less per
item, computers of $3,500 or
less per item; and computer
supplies of $250 or less per
item will be exempt.
Clothing accessories,
jewelry, cosmetics,
protective equipment,
wallets, furniture, items
used in a trade or business,
and rentals are not covered
by the exemption and will be
subject to the applicable
tax.
N.C. Public Health tips for beating the heat
Hot, humid weather can be
more than just uncomfortable
it can pose a threat to
peoples health or even
their lives, say experts at
the North Carolina Division
of Public Health. On Friday,
two toddlers died in Dare
County after climbing
unnoticed into a neighbors
parked car in the 90-degree
heat. In 2007, at least 12
North Carolinians died from
the effects of hot weather,
and heat-related illness
sent many more to emergency
rooms or doctors offices.
Heat exhaustion can occur at
temperatures above 90
degrees, and heat stroke can
occur when temperatures rise
above 105 degrees. If not
treated immediately, heat
exhaustion can lead to heat
stroke and possibly to
death.
During the summer months,
the temperature inside a
parked car can reach more
than 120 degrees in as
little as 10 minutes. Direct
sunlight and a dark-colored
car further speed the
process. Children should
never be left in a parked
car, even for a few minutes
and even with the windows
open. Lock parked cars to
prevent children from
playing in them.
Heat can be dangerous to
people of any age, indoors
or out. To stay safe and
healthy during hot weather,
know the signs of heat
stress and the simple things
people can dolike drinking
plenty of waterthat can
prevent heat-related illness
and death.
Children, the elderly,
people with chronic
illnesses and people on
certain medications like
tranquilizers or diuretics
are especially at risk from
high summer temperatures. So
are older people who live in
homes or apartments without
air conditioning or good air
flow and people who dont
drink enough water. Hot
weather also adds to ozone
levels, making those with
respiratory illness more
vulnerable.
Being exposed to high
temperatures for too long
can cause muscle cramps,
swelling in feet or ankles,
or dizziness, progressing to
heat exhaustion or heat
stroke. Heat exhaustion, if
not treated, can progress to
heat stroke. Heat stroke is
an emergency and requires
immediate medical helpit
can be fatal.
Heat exhaustion may make you
feel dizzy, weak,
uncoordinated, nauseated,
and perhaps thirsty, and you
may sweat a lot. Your skin
may feel cold and clammy,
although your body
temperature may be normal.
What to do: rest in a
cool place, out of the sun;
drink plenty of water or
fluids (but not alcohol or
caffeine); wash off with
cool water if possible; and
get medical care. If not
treated, heat exhaustion can
turn into life-threatening
heat stroke.
Signs of heat stroke include
fainting;
a body temperature of over
104o; a change in behavior
such as confusion,
grouchiness, staggering or
acting strangely; dry
flushed skin and a strong
rapid pulse or a slow weak
pulse; not sweating in spite
of the heat; acting
delirious; slipping into a
coma.
What to do:
call 911; get the person out
of the sun and heat and have
them lie down; give them
plenty of water or juice to
drink if they are conscious;
cool their body down with a
cool shower or bath or by
sponging with cool water.
Prompt medical attention is
criticalpeople can die of
heat stroke.
To avoid heat-related
illness on hot days:
* Drink plenty of
water or fruit and vegetable
juices. Avoid caffeine or
alcohol.
* Limit your time
outdoors, especially in the
afternoon when the day is
hottest.
* Be careful about
exercising or doing a lot of
activities when it is hot.
Stay out of the sun, take
frequent breaks, drink water
or juice often, and watch
for signs of heat exhaustion
or heat stroke.
* Dress for the
weather. Loose-fitting,
light-colored cotton clothes
are cooler than dark colors
or some synthetics.
* If you live in a
home without fans or air
conditioning, open windows
to allow air flow, and keep
shades, blinds or curtains
drawn in the hottest part of
the day or when the windows
are in direct sunlight. Try
to spend at least part of
the day in an air
conditioned place like a
shopping mall, a store, the
library, a friends house,
or the movies. Cool showers
can help, too. Do not use a
fan when the air temperature
is above 95o it will blow
hot air, which can add to
heat stress.
* Never leave a child
or a disabled or elderly
person or a pet in an
unattended car, even with
the windows down. A closed
vehicle can heat up to
dangerous levels in as
little as ten minutes.
For more information about
avoiding heat-related
illness, see the National
Institutes of Health heat
illness web page at
health.nih.gov/result.asp/317
.
PLAN AHEAD NOW FOR REEDY CREEK NATURE CENTER'S HUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL, A GREAT FREE FAMILY ACTIVITY, AUGUST 23
Most hummingbirds in the
Carolinas make a remarkable
journey to get here. After
wintering in Central
America, most fly about 500
miles, nonstop, across the
Gulf of Mexico to return to
North America for spring and
summer. Park and Recreation
hosts its second annual day-
long festival celebrating
ruby throated hummingbirds
Sat, Aug 23 at the Nature
Center in Reedy Creek Park
and Nature Preserve, 2900
Rocky River Road. The
festival is FREE, 10am
4:30pm. It features
hummingbird banding, fun
games, crafts, vendors of
hummingbird products, face-
painting and storytelling
about hummingbirds for the
entire family. Donations
accepted for nature
programs. For more
information contact 311 or
Lenny Lampel at 704-598-8857
or
lenny.lampel@mecklenburgcount
ync.gov
BIKE HELMET SAFETY CAMPAIGN UNDER WAY FOR PARKS AND GREENWAYS IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY
Carolinas HealthCare System
and Mecklenburg Park and
Recreation encourage
youngsters and teens to wear
bike helmets for safety this
summer when riding in parks
and on greenways. Selected
Park Watch personnel will
distribute special
certificates for a free bike
helmet to children younger
than 16 who don't have a
helmet. Youngsters with
helmets will be "rewarded"
with a ticket for Charlotte
Knights baseball.
MECKLENBURG DOG PARKS NOW FREE FOR DOGS AND PEOPLE; POOCH PASSES NO LONGER REQUIRED
Mecklenburg County's dog
parks are FREE as of July 1.
The system of "pooch passes"
($35/yr for County
residents) was phased-out
over the past year. Dog
parks are now available for
all users without charge or
membership requirements. All
dogs must have rabies
vaccinations as required by
law. Dog owners are still
responsible for their pets.
Raleigh, Ft. Myers,
Richmond, New York City,
Seattle, and Portland, OR
and other cities
successfully run FREE dog
parks without controlled
entry. Mecklenburg dog parks
are open 7amsunset every
day at McAlpine Creek Park,
Reedy Creek Park, Ramsey
Creek Park and William R.
Davie Park. A new dog park
will open in uptown's
Frazier Park, in a few
weeks.
Kids and water: Drowning is preventable
RALEIGH The warm days of
summer are here, and more
and more people are cooling
off in pools, ponds lakes
and the ocean, or enjoying
other water sports like
boating. But along with the
fun comes a tragic rise in
the number of drowning
deaths of children,
including several in North
Carolina over the last week.
A 5-year-old boy drowned in
a Hoke County pond last
Friday, and a 2-year-old boy
died in an above-ground pool
in Chatham County on
Saturday. And on Tuesday, an
11-month-old baby drowned in
his home bathtub in Robeson
County, underscoring how
quickly a tragedy can occur
when children are in or
around water.
More than one in four fatal
drowning victims are
children 14 and younger,
according to the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention. Boys are much
more likely than girls to
drown, and racial and ethnic
minority children are at
significantly higher risk of
drowning than white children
are.
In 2006, 23 North Carolina
children ages 0-17 drowned,
and many more suffered water-
related injuries (2007 data
is not yet available). Near-
drowning can cause brain
damage that may result in
lasting disabilities ranging
from memory problems to
leaving a child in a
permanent vegetative
state.
We can help prevent future
deaths by making sure we
take the right lessons from
these tragedies, said Leah
Devlin, State Health
Director.
The more we study these
deaths, the more we realize
that drowning is very
preventable, Devlin
said. Over and again, we
have found that children who
died by drowning were not
being supervised. Whether
the children who died were
toddlers who fell into
swimming pools, teenagers
having fun in a lake, or
babies in bathtubs, adults
were not around or were not
paying close attention to
make sure the children were
safe. Also, in nearly all
N.C. drowning deaths, the
children were not wearing
life jackets, or approved
personal flotation
devices.
Drowning is quick and
quiet. If you have watch
over a child around water,
the most important thing to
remember is supervision,
supervision, and
supervision, Devlin
said.
She offered the following
CDC tips for preventing
drowning and other water-
related injuries:
" Designate a
responsible adult to watch
young children while in the
bath and all children
swimming or playing in or
around water. Adults should
not be involved in any other
distracting activity (such
as reading, playing cards,
talking on the phone, or
mowing the lawn) while
supervising children.
" Use U.S. Coast Guard
approved personal flotation
devices for children who are
fishing, wading, swimming,
or simply playing near
water.
" Do not use air-
filled or foam toys, such
as water wings, noodles,
or inner-tubes, in place of
life jackets (personal
flotation devices). These
toys are not designed to
keep swimmers safe.
" Always swim with a
buddy. Select swimming sites
that have lifeguards
whenever possible.
" Avoid drinking
alcohol before or during
swimming, boating, or water
skiing. Do not drink alcohol
while supervising
children.
" Learn to swim and
teach children to swim. Be
aware that the American
Academy of Pediatrics does
not recommend swimming
classes as the primary means
of drowning prevention for
children younger than 4.
Constant, careful
supervision and barriers
such as pool fencing are
necessary even when children
have completed swimming
classes.
" Learn
cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR). In the
time it might take for
paramedics to arrive, your
CPR skills could make a
difference in someones
life. CPR performed by
bystanders has been shown to
improve outcomes in drowning
victims.
" If you have a home
pool, install a four-sided
fence that completely
separates the house and play
area of the yard from the
pool area. The fence should
be at least 4 feet high. Use
self-closing and self-
latching gates that open
outward with latches that
are out of reach of
children. Also, consider
additional barriers such as
automatic door locks or
alarms to prevent access or
to notify you if someone
enters the pool area.
" Remove floats, balls
and other toys from the pool
and surrounding area
immediately after use. The
presence of these toys may
encourage children to enter
the pool area or lean over
the pool and potentially
fall in.
" Know the local
weather conditions and
weather forecast before
swimming or boating. Strong
winds and thunderstorms with
lightning strikes are
dangerous.
" Use U.S. Coast Guard
approved life jackets when
boating, regardless of
distance to be traveled,
size of boat, or swimming
ability of boaters.
" At the beach, know
the meaning of colored beach
flags and obey those
warnings.
" At the beach, watch
for dangerous waves and
signs of rip currents (water
that is discolored and
choppy, foamy, or filled
with debris and moving in a
channel away from shore). If
you are caught in a rip
current, swim parallel to
shore; once free of the
current, swim toward shore.
Begin Pasture Renovation with Soil Testing
RALEIGH Throughout North
Carolina, many pastures are
still in decline due to last
years drought. Now that
weve had some rain, its
time to start turning that
situation around.
Agriculture Commissioner
Steve Troxler urges anyone
planning to renovate cool-
season pasture grasses in
the fall to begin that
process by submitting soil
samples now.
At the N.C. Department of
Agriculture and Consumer
Services soil testing lab,
sample turn-around time is
shortest during summer
months. From the time
samples arrive at the lab,
analysis takes two weeks or
less. Soil reports are
immediately posted online at
www.ncagr.com/agronomi.
The primary reason for soil
testing now is to get the
lime recommendation. If lime
is applied in June, then
there will be sufficient
time for it to raise soil pH
before pasture renovation in
the fall. Proper soil
preparation now will help
ensure the success of re-
seeding efforts in
September.
To collect a representative
soil sample, follow these
basic guidelines: For each
sample, collect 15 to 20
cores from random locations
within a uniform 5- to 15-
acre field. Collect cores to
a depth of 4 inches. Mix
these cores well in a
plastic bucket, and then use
this mixture to fill the
soil sample box. For
additional instructions,
contact an NCDA&CS regional
agronomist or visit
www.ncagr.com/agronomi/uyrst.
htm#info.
The best way to apply lime
will depend on the amount
recommended in the soil
report. For 1.5 tons or
less, surface application is
acceptable. If the report
recommends more than 1.5
tons and the pasture cannot
be tilled, then surface-
apply 1 ton of lime and
apply the rest the following
year. However, if tillage is
an option, the best approach
is to mix the entire amount
of lime thoroughly into the
soil. Incorporation of lime
into the soil will give the
new stand of grass a better
chance of withstanding dry
conditions.
For advice on soil testing
and pasture nutrient needs,
visit
www.ncagr.com/agronomi/rahome
.htm and contact the NCDA&CS
regional agronomist serving
your county.
NCDA&CS Public Affairs
Division, Brian Long,
Director
Mailing Address:
1001 Mail Service
Center, Raleigh NC 27699-
1001
Physical Address:
2 West Edenton Street,
Raleigh NC 27601
Phone: (919) 733-4216;
FAX: (919) 733-5047
The Number of People with Diabetes in North Carolina is Increasing
The North Carolina Diabetes
Prevention and Control
branch released information
today concerning the rising
rates of diabetes in North
Carolina. In the last
decade, the number of people
with diabetes has increased
by 102 percent. Now, more
than 9 percent of North
Carolinians have
diabetes. Our state is
facing a crisis&we need to
help North Carolinians take
steps to prevent diabetes or
we risk being overwhelmed by
the health and economic
consequences of an ever-
growing diabetes epidemic,
said Dr. Marcus Plesica,
Chronic Disease and Injury
Section chief in the N.C.
Division of Public Health.
The new data show that
diabetes is becoming more
common among middle-income
adults, adults between the
ages of 35 and 44 and those
age 65 and older, males and
whites. It continues to
ravage the African-American,
Hispanic and American Indian
populations; their rates of
death and disability from
diabetes and related
problems like heart attacks,
stroke, blindness,
amputations and kidney
failure exceed those of
other groups.
According to Dr. Plescia,
the good news is that Type 2
diabetes, which is more
common, can be prevented and
that people with diabetes
can prevent the
complications. The report
profiles several programs to
prevent and control this
disease. These programs
include Project DIRECT, a
community-based diabetes
prevention and control
program in Wake County;
Diabetes Today, a curriculum
designed by the Centers for
Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) to provide
health professionals and
community leaders with
skills needed to mobilize
communities and develop
appropriate interventions
for responding to the burden
of diabetes and improving
the quality of diabetes
care; and the Hugh Young
Memorial Diabetes
Scholarship, which benefits
professionals who attend
diabetes training at the
East Carolina University
Brody School of Medicine.
Dr. Joseph Konen, chair of
the N.C. Diabetes Advisory
Council, said that the new
diabetes data should serve
as a call to action for the
people of North
Carolina. We all need to do
our parts with self-
responsibility, and
assisting others to lift the
load, remove obstacles, make
a difference, and not only
stop the epidemic, but
reduce the burden, he said.
For a copy of the report,
please visit the diabetes
website at
www.ncdiabetes.org or call
their toll-free number at 1-
877-362-2678.
It COULD Happen to You
Don't carelessly endanger
your life - stay off the
railroad tracks! People seem
to think, "It could never
happen to me, I can hear the
train coming - I can get out
of the way in time." Well,
it can happen to you. There
have been many injuries and
deaths that could have
easily been prevented if
people avoided railroad
tracks.
Walking on the railroad
tracks is not only against
the law, it is also
dangerous. What if your foot
got caught in the tracks, or
you are walking across a
trestle and a train is
bearing down on you? Would
it be worth it?
Train engineers are
mortified at the number of
people they see walking on
the railroad tracks and
especially the number of
people who walk or jog with
their headphones on. There
have been too many close
calls to count, and numerous
deaths. See more videos.
Think of how it would feel
if you were doing everything
you can to stop an 8,000 ton
train to keep killing
someone? Your heart is
racing as you continuously
blast the horn, the train is
sliding towards them and you
are praying that they will
realize you are there and
get out of the way in time.
Many people have said to
themselves, "I thought I had
the music turned low enough
to hear a train coming."
Being mistaken could cost
you your life. Do you really
want to take that chance?
Please remember:
Stay away from Railroad
tracks, trestles, yards and
equipment. They are private
property and trespassers are
subject to arrest and
fine.
Cross tracks ONLY at
designated pedestrian or
roadway crossings (either a
crossbuck, flashing red
lights or a gate). If you
cross at any other place,
you are trespassing and can
be ticketed or fined.
It can take a mile or more
to stop a train. A
locomotive engineer who
suddenly spots you ahead has
little chance to miss you.
Trains overhang the tracks
by at least three feet in
both directions and loose
straps hanging from rail
cars may extend even
further. If you are in the
right-of-way next to the
tracks, you can be hit by
the train.
The only safe place to cross
is at a designated public
crossing with either a
crossbuck, flashing red
lights or a gate. If you
cross at any other place,
you are trespassing and can
be ticketed or fined.
Do not cross the tracks
immediately after a train
passes. A second train might
be blocked by the first.
Trains can come from either
direction. Wait until you
can see clearly around the
first train in both
directions.
DO NOT cross the tracks
until the lights have
stopped flashing and it is
safe to do so. Flashing red
lights signal that a train
is approaching from either
direction. You can be fined
for failure to obey these
signals. Never walk around
or behind lowered gates at a
crossing.
If you are in a rail yard
uninvited, you are
trespassing and subject to
criminal prosecution. The
worst penalty is death.
DO NOT hunt, fish or bungee
jump from railroad trestles.
There is only enough
clearance on the tracks for
a train to pass. Trestles
are not meant to be
sidewalks or pedestrian
bridges!
DO NOT attempt to hop aboard
railroad equipment at any
time. A slip of the foot can
cost you a limb or your
life.
Be aware trains do not
follow set schedules. Any
time is train time!
Do not walk, run, cycle or
operate all terrain vehicles
(ATVs) on railroad tracks or
rights-of-way or through
tunnels.
"North Carolina is,
unfortunately, sixth in the
nation with trains and
trespassing injuries, said
Vivian Speight-Bridges, the
state director of Operation
Lifesaver. "People need to
know the potential hazards
presented to trespassers.
Trains cant swerve or stop
to miss you. Although trains
are huge machines,
environmental conditions can
muffle sounds and they can
approach you without your
knowledge. Flying debris,
banding and tie-down devices
that have become unsecured
can strike anyone within the
right-of-way."
For more information on
railroad safety and North
Carolinas Operation
Lifesaver, visit
www.ncol.org or call (919)
831-3006.
National Influenza Vaccination Week Focuses
RALEIGH, NC The Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) has
designated the week after
Thanksgiving (November 26
December 2) as National
Influenza Vaccination Week.
The goal of this week is to
raise awareness of the
importance of continuing
influenza (flu) vaccination,
and to promote greater use
of flu vaccine through the
months of December, January
and beyond.
The North Carolina
Immunization Branch is
recommending that people
take this opportunity to get
vaccinated. We would like
to encourage everyone who
has not already done so to
be immunized against the
flu, said Beth Rowe-West,
Head of the NC Immunization
Branch. "Getting vaccinated
is the single best way for
people to protect not only
themselves against flu, but
their loved ones as well."
"People tend to lose
interest in getting a flu
vaccination after
Thanksgiving. However, in
North Carolina, flu activity
typically does not peak
until February or later, so
people still have plenty of
time to get their vaccine,
said Dr. Leah Devlin, NC
State Health
Director. National
Influenza Vaccination Week
is an excellent opportunity
for us to remind the public
of the importance of
influenza vaccination."
At the start of National
Influenza Vaccination Week,
103 million flu vaccine
doses have already been
distributed nationwide. Flu
vaccine manufacturers have
reported they anticipate 132
million doses of flu vaccine
to be distributed this year
an all-time record!
Vaccinations are recommended
for anyone who wants to
decrease the risk of
influenza. While anyone can
get influenza, many groups,
including people aged 50
years or older, children
aged 6 months to 59 months,
those with chronic illnesses
(heart disease, lung
disease, kidney disease,
diabetes), and pregnant
women, are at highest risk
for complications. In
addition, those in close
contact with these high risk
persons, such as health care
personnel, and healthy
household contacts and
caregivers of high risk
persons, are also at
increased risk and should
get vaccinated.
Each year in the United
States, between 5 and 20
percent of the population is
infected with influenza.
Approximately 36,000 people
die and more than 200,000
people are hospitalized
because of influenza
complications. Since
influenza is unpredictable,
and different types and
strains of influenza
circulate throughout the flu
season, the CDC's Advisory
Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP) recommends
that influenza vaccine be
offered throughout the
influenza season-- even
after influenza has begun to
appear in a community.
To find a flu clinic in your
area visit
www.thecarolinascenter.org/fc
f/. For more information
about influenza and
influenza vaccine visit
www.immunizenc.com or
www.cdc.gov/flu.
National Influenza
Vaccination Week is a
collaborative effort of the
U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services,
including the CDC, and the
National Influenza Vaccine
Summit. (For more
information about the
Summit, please go to
http://www.ama-
assn.org/ama/pub/category/137
32.html.)
Recall Alert: Digitek® (digoxin tablets, USP, all strengths)
Morristown, NJ -- April 25,
2008 -- Actavis Totowa LLC,
a United States
manufacturing division of
the international generic
pharmaceutical company
Actavis Group, is initiating
a Class I nationwide recall
of Digitek® (digoxin
tablets, USP, all strengths)
for oral use. The products
are distributed by Mylan
Pharmaceuticals Inc., under
a "Bertek" label and by UDL
Laboratories, Inc. under
a "UDL" label.
The voluntary all lot recall
is due to the possibility
that tablets with double the
appropriate thickness may
have been commercially
released. These tablets may
contain twice the approved
level of active ingredient
than is appropriate.
Digitek® is used to treat
heart failure and abnormal
heart rhythms. The existence
of double strength tablets
poses a risk of digitalis
toxicity in patients with
renal failure. Digitalis
toxicity can cause nausea,
vomiting, dizziness, low
blood pressure, cardiac
instability and bradycardia.
Death can also result from
excessive Digitalis intake.
Several reports of illnesses
and injuries have been
received.
Actavis manufactures the
products for Mylan and the
products are distributed by
Mylan and UDL under the
Bertek and UDL labels.
Bertek and UDL are
affiliates of Mylan.
Any customer inquiries
related to this action
should be addressed to
Stericycle customer service
at 1-888-276-6166 with
representatives available
Monday through Friday, 8 am
to 5 pm EST. Additional
information about the
voluntary recall can also be
found at www.actavis.us.
Retailers who have this
product are urged to return
the product to their place
of purchase. If consumers
have medical questions, they
should contact their health
care providers.
This recall is being
conducted with the knowledge
of the Food and Drug
Administration.
Any adverse reactions
experienced with the use of
this product, and/or quality
problems should also be
reported to the FDA's
MedWatch Program by phone at
1-800-FDA-1088, by Fax at 1-
800-FDA-0178, by mail at
MedWatch, FDA, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-
9787, or on the MedWatch
website at
www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Public Health Officials: Hot Cars and Kids are a Deadly Combination
RALEIGH Warm weather is
here, and with that comes
more time outdoors, lots of
opportunity for exercise and
health benefits&and
increased risks for children
that unfortunately go hand-
in-hand with the best of the
season. With these risks in
mind, state public health
officials are urging parents
and other caregivers to not
leave children in cars.
"The death of a child in a
hot car is a tragedy that
doesnt have to happen,
said State Health Director
Dr. Leah Devlin. "The
temperature inside a car can
heat up very quickly, and a
child left in a car is at
great risk for heat-related
death. No one should ever
leave a child in a parked
car not even for a few
minutes."
On a warm, sunny day, even
at temperatures as mild as
60 degrees, a closed vehicle
can heat up to dangerous
levels in a matter of
minutes. During the summer
months, the temperature
inside a parked car can
reach more than 120 degrees
in as little as 10 minutes.
Direct sunlight and a dark-
colored car further speed
the process.
Heat exhaustion can occur at
temperatures above 90
degrees, and heat stroke can
occur when temperatures rise
above 105 degrees. If not
treated immediately, heat
exhaustion can lead to heat
stroke.
Since 1999, 13 North
Carolina children have died
of hyperthermia after being
left by parents or
caregivers in hot cars.
All caregivers should follow
these tips concerning
children, cars and heat:
Never leave your child in an
unattended car, even with
the windows down.
Check to make sure all
children leave the vehicle
when you reach your
destination, particularly
when loading and unloading.
Dont overlook sleeping
infants.
Make sure you check the
temperature of the child
safety seat surface and
safety belt buckles before
restraining your children in
the car.
Make sure that unoccupied
cars are locked, so that
children dont accidentally
become trapped.
Ceiling Fans: Cool Breezes and Saving Money
As the weather gets warmer,
we look for economical ways
to cool our homes. Ceiling
fans not only provide relief
from the heat, but can also
help save money and energy.
To get the most from your
ceiling fan:
Make sure it has been
properly installed. The UL-
listed metal box in the
ceiling should be
marked For use with ceiling
fans.
Ensure that the blades are
properly balanced. (A
balancing kit may have been
included in the original
packaging or may be
available from the
manufacturer without
charge.)
Use the fan to move cool air
in the summer (blades rotate
counter-clockwise) and warm
air in the winter (reverse
the motor so the blades
rotate clockwise). In the
summer the fan doesnt cool
the room but creates a wind
chill effect, making you
feel cooler. Thats why it
is recommended to turn off
the fan when not in a room.
In the winter, the rotation
of the blades create a
slight updraft, which moves
the warmer air at the
ceiling downward to warm the
room.
Adjust the household
thermostat to account for
the ceiling fans cooling or
heating effect.
Of all the various types of
fans on the market, the
ceiling fans are considered
the most effective for
changing the room
temperature because they
create a draft throughout
the entire room. When using
a ceiling fan, a homes
thermostat setting can be
raised by about 4º F with no
change in comfort.
Six Months Later: Revisiting Commitments to Eat Smart, Move More
RALEIGH Last January, on
the heels of the successful
Eat Smart, Move More&
Maintain, dont gain!
Holiday Challenge, thousands
of North Carolinians made
New Years resolutions to
eat better, be more
physically active, and
achieve a healthy weight.
But, most of those
resolutions were abandoned
by mid-February. Now, six
months later, the summer is
a great time to get back on
track towards accomplishing
those goals.
During the month of July,
local health departments and
cooperative extension agents
will be encouraging people
to revisit their resolutions
or make new mid-year
resolutions through
the Revisit Your
Resolutions campaign. This
campaign is part of the Eat
Smart, Move More NC movement
and was developed by the
N.C. Division of Public
Health.
This is a way to remind
people of their resolutions,
get them back on track, and
re-establish their
commitment to these goals,
said Marie Shelton, healthy
weight communications
specialist at the N.C.
Division of Public
Health. Oftentimes, we
dont realize that making a
change in our lives is a
process that takes time. It
is not uncommon to fail the
first time we try. The
important thing is to try
again. We had great success
with helping people to
maintain their weight over
the holidays last year and
are hoping that this
campaign will give them a
little push to stay or get
back on track.
A little push was all people
needed last November when
the Eat Smart, Move More&
Maintain, dont gain!
Holiday Challenge enrolled
over 3,500 people from
across the state, country
and world. Ninety-seven of
North Carolinas 100
counties were represented,
along with 23 other states
and two other countries. Of
those participants, 84
percent maintained their
weight during the holidays&
and more than half of the
other participants reported
actually losing weight.
The Revisit You
Resolutions campaign will
provide tips for getting
enough sleep, eating more
fruits and vegetables,
getting more physical
activity, choosing better
drinks, and eating smart and
moving more while on
vacation.
Eat Smart, Move More NC is a
statewide initiative that
seeks to reverse the rising
tide of obesity and chronic
disease among North
Carolinians by helping them
to eat smart, move more and
achieve a healthy weight.
More information is on the
Web at
www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com.
Does a Password Protect You Enough?
Passwords are a common form
of protecting information,
but passwords alone may not
provide adequate security.
For the best protection,
look for sites that have
additional ways to verify
your identity.
Why aren't passwords
sufficient?
Passwords are beneficial as
a first layer of protection,
but they are susceptible to
being guessed or intercepted
by attackers. You can
increase the effectiveness
of your passwords by using
tactics such as avoiding
passwords that are based on
personal information or
words found in the
dictionary; using a
combination of numbers,
special characters, and
lowercase and capital
letters; and not sharing
your passwords with anyone
else. However, despite your
best attempts, an attacker
may be able to obtain your
password. If there are no
additional security measures
in place, the attacker may
be able to access your
personal, financial, or
medical information.
What additional levels of
security are being used?
Many organizations are
beginning to use other forms
of verification in addition
to passwords. The following
practices are becoming more
and more common:
two-factor authentication -
With two-factor
authentication, you use your
password in conjunction with
an additional piece of
information. An attacker who
has managed to obtain your
password can't do anything
without the second
component. The theory is
similar to requiring two
forms of identification or
two keys to open a safe
deposit box. However, in
this case, the second
component is commonly a "one
use" password that is voided
as soon as you use it. Even
if an attacker is able to
intercept the exchange, he
or she will still not be
able to gain access because
that specific combination
will not be valid again.
personal web certificates -
Unlike the certificates
used to identify web sites,
personal web certificates
are used to identify
individual users. A web site
that uses personal web
certificates relies on these
certificates and the
authentication process of
the corresponding
public/private keys to
verify that you are who you
claim to be. Because
information identifying you
is embedded within the
certificate, an additional
password is unnecessary.
However, you should have a
password to protect your
private key so that
attackers can't gain access
to your key and represent
themselves as you. This
process is similar to two-
factor authentication, but
it differs because the
password protecting your
private key is used to
decrypt the information on
your computer and is never
sent over the network.
What if you lose your
password or certificate?
You may find yourself in a
situation where you've
forgotten your password or
you've reformatted your
computer and lost your
personal web certificate.
Most organizations have
specific procedures for
giving you access to your
information in these
situations. In the case of
certificates, you may need
to request that the
organization issue you a new
one. In the case of
passwords, you may just need
a reminder. No matter what
happened, the organization
needs a way to verify your
identity. To do this, many
organizations rely
on "secret questions."
When you open a new account
(email, credit card, etc.),
some organizations will
prompt you to provide them
with the answer to a
question. They may ask you
this question if you contact
them about forgetting your
password or you request
information about your
account over the phone. If
your answer matches the
answer they have on file,
they will assume that they
are actually communicating
with you. While the theory
behind the secret question
has merit, the questions
commonly used ask for
personal information such as
mother's maiden name, social
security number, date of
birth, or pet's name.
Because so much personal
information is now available
online or through other
public sources, attackers
may be able to discover the
answers to these questions
without much effort.
Realize that the secret
question is really just an
additional password--when
setting it up, you don't
have to supply the actual
information as your answer.
In fact, when you are asked
in advance to provide an
answer to this type of
question that will be used
to confirm your identity,
dishonesty may be the best
policy. Choose your answer
as you would choose any
other good password, store
it in a secure location, and
don't share it with other
people.
While the additional
security practices do offer
you more protection than a
password alone, there is no
guarantee that they are
completely effective.
Attackers may still be able
to access your information,
but increasing the level of
security does make it more
difficult. Be aware of these
practices when choosing a
bank, credit card company,
or other organization that
will have access to your
personal information. Don't
be afraid to ask what kind
of security practices the
organization uses.
Authors: Mindi McDowell,
Chad Dougherty, Jason
Rafail
Produced 2005 by US-CERT, a
government organization.
RECYCLING OF MERCURY THERMOSTATS CONTINUES TO INCREASE
RALEIGH - The N.C. Division
of Pollution Prevention and
Environmental Assistance is
continuing its efforts to
prevent mercury wall
thermostats from ending up
in the state's landfills
with a recovery and
recycling program.
The mercury switch recycling
program, which began in
January 2007, aims to reduce
the amount of mercury that
is released into the
environment.
Mercury-containing
thermostats are a safety
hazard and improper handling
of these devices can
contaminate surface water
and endanger peoples'
health. Children are
especially susceptible to
mercury's toxic effects.
In 2005, only 340 mercury
thermostats were collected
for recycling. In 2006, a
total of 1,852 mercury
thermostats were collected,
making an increase in
collection of 444.7 percent.
Additionally, collection
centers saw an increase of
61.6 percent for a total of
2,994 thermostats in 2007.
The number of mercury
thermostat collection bins
jumped from 49 in 2005 to 76
in 2007.
The program is urging
heating, ventilating and air
conditioning wholesalers to
recycle thermostats that
contain mercury. The
Thermostat Recycling
Corporation facilitates
collection by heating,
ventilating and air
conditioning wholesalers
from contractors of all
brands of used, wall-mounted
mercury switch thermostats.
HVAC contractors will be
able to make a positive
impact on the environment by
recycling these
thermostats.
Participating wholesalers in
the Thermostat Recycling
Corporation in North
Carolina are: R.E. Michael
Company, statewide;
Johnstone Supply in
Fayetteville and
Jacksonville and C.C.
Dickson in New Bern and
Hickory.
The Thermostat Recycling
Corporation is a not-for-
profit corporation started
by three National Electrical
Manufacturers Association
member companies.
The thermostat collection
service is free, and mercury
from recycled thermostats
can be reprocessed for safer
applications.
For more information,
contact the Division of
Pollution Prevention and
Environmental Assistance at
(919) 715-6500 or check out
the Web page,
http://www.p2pays.org/mercury
/. You may also visit the
Web site for the National
Electrical Manufacturers
Association at:
http://www.nema.org/gov/ehs/t
rc/.
How to Effectively Erase Files from Your Computer
Before selling or discarding
an old computer, or throwing
away a disk or CD, you
naturally make sure that
you've copied all of the
files you need. You've
probably also attempted to
delete your personal files
so that other people aren't
able to access them.
However, unless you have
taken the proper steps to
make sure the hard drive,
disk, or CD is erased,
people may still be able to
resurrect those files.
Where do deleted files go?
When you delete a file,
depending on your operating
system and your settings, it
may be transferred to your
trash or recycle bin.
This "holding area"
essentially protects you
from yourself--if you
accidentally delete a file,
you can easily restore it.
However, you may have
experienced the panic that
results from emptying the
trash bin prematurely or
having a file seem to
disappear on its own. The
good news is that even
though it may be difficult
to locate, the file is
probably still somewhere on
your machine. The bad news
is that even though you
think you've deleted a file,
an attacker or other
unauthorized person may be
able to retrieve it.
What are the risks?
Think of the information you
have saved on your computer.
Is there banking or credit
card account information?
Tax returns? Passwords?
Medical or other personal
data? Personal photos?
Sensitive corporate
information? How much would
someone be able to find out
about you or your company by
looking through your
computer files?
Depending on what kind of
information an attacker can
find, he or she may be able
to use it maliciously. You
may become a victim of
identity theft. Another
possibility is that the
information could be used in
a social engineering attack.
Attackers may use
information they find about
you or an organization
you're affiliated with to
appear to be legitimate and
gain access to sensitive
data (see Avoiding Social
Engineering and Phishing
Attacks for more
information).
Can you erase files by
reformatting?
Reformatting your hard drive
or CD may superficially
delete the files, but the
information is still buried
somewhere. Unless those
areas of the disk are
effectively overwritten with
new content, it is still
possible that knowledgeable
attackers may be able to
access the information.
How can you be sure that
your information is
completely erased?
Some people use extreme
measures to make sure their
information is destroyed,
but these measures can be
dangerous and may not be
completely successful. Your
best option is to
investigate software
programs and hardware
devices that claim to erase
your hard drive or CD. Even
so, these programs and
devices have varying levels
of effectiveness. When
choosing a software program
to perform this task,
look for the following
characteristics:
data is written multiple
times - It is important to
make sure that not only is
the information erased, but
new data is written over it.
By adding multiple layers of
data, the program makes it
difficult for an attacker
to "peel away" the new
layer. Three to seven passes
is fairly standard and
should be sufficient.
use of random data - Using
random data instead of
easily identifiable patterns
makes it harder for
attackers to determine the
pattern and discover the
original information
underneath.
use of zeros in the final
layer - Regardless of how
many times the program
overwrites the data, look
for programs that use all
zeros in the last layer.
This adds an additional
level of security.
While many of these programs
assume that you want to
erase an entire disk, there
are programs that give you
the option to erase and
overwrite individual
files.
An effective way to ruin a
CD or DVD is to wrap it in a
paper towel and shatter it.
However, there are also
hardware devices that erase
CDs or DVDs by destroying
their surface. Some of these
devices actually shred the
media itself, while others
puncture the writable
surface with a pattern of
holes. If you decide to use
one of these devices,
compare the various features
and prices to determine
which option best suits your
needs.
Authors: Mindi McDowell,
Matt Lytle
Produced 2005 by US-CERT, a
government organization.
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