Directory of Burlington Vermont
area Web Sites and Information
SURFING OPTIONS: | Recommend URL | Recommend record changes | Search | What's Cool |
Administrative Options: Add link| Modify link | Delete link | List All | View link | Validate user recommended links | Re-Build Pages (sw) |
|
|
Directory of Burlington Vermont
|
|
Do you see this message near the top of your browser, when you click on the links?
When you click on a link in my directories, the web site you are requesting will be opened in a separate window or tab. This worked great until version six. Unfortunately, many web sites will open windows with advertisements and junk that you don't want. So Internet Explorer is asking you if you really requested that information or web site -- or is this web site just trying to force feed it to you? This web site does NOT open up pop-ups with ads or porn, here. I open up the web sites you request in a separate window or tab as a convenience. For best results, I recommend clicking on the
If you do this I will be able to open the web pages as you request them.
| If a link is no longer clickable, it is probably a temporary link that has expired or whose content has changed. Red Links have been found to be unavailable. The web site might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. To be a featured web site, you must be a most 10 requested web site of your category -- or, be cross-linked to this web site. Both incoming and outgoing traffic is measured on all web sites. Web sites are listed in the following order, 1. web sites added within the last 7 days in alphabetical order, 2. The top-ten (featured or popular) web sites in alphabetical order, and 3. remaining web site in alphabetical order. |
|
Home :
Health and Safety :
health and safety
Health and Safety
There are 238 Health and Safety links for you to choose from!
One year has passed since the UVM community mourned the loss
of one of its own. Senior Michelle Gardner Quinn was kidnapped as she walked back to campus from a downtown bar, raped and murdered. The campus was stunned; its sense of security, shattered.
One year later, has anything changed?
Late last Friday night, several women could be seen walking toward campus alone.
The sense among students who spoke to WCAX News is that the crimes against Michelle Gardner Quinn were an aberration. And the statistics show they're right. The Women's Rape Crisis Center estimates only 1% of all sexual assaults in Vermont are by strangers. Advice such as walk in groups and stay in well-lit areas fails to keep women safe when the attacker is someone she knows.
new
Click here to read more.
Appearances Salon and Spa
is a cosmetic therapy salon for image and well-being for men, women & children.
Appearances has been providing image and well-being services and products to men, women and children throughout New England and upstate New York since 1986. Peg Allen, owner and certified Cosmetic Therapist, is dedicated to helping her clients regain or maintain their self-esteem and self-confidence by looking and feeling their best.
... We believe that a harmony exists between physical appearance and internal wellness. We are dedicated to helping every client discover and maintain his or her own personal balance. We believe that true success comes from love and understanding and we will do our very best to provide you with the ultimate in salon and spa service.
popular
Click here to read more.
Curves for Women
is an organization built on a solid foundation of values. The Curves franchise family attracts solid and diverse people, many of faith, who are passionate in their concern for the welfare of people.
Local franchises include 95 St Paul St, Suite 100 in Burlington, VT and 340 Dorset St, Suite B in
South Burlington, VT
popular
Click here to read more.
David Chase, M.D. provides all the services needed
by people with vision problems. Chase's continuing commitment to total family eye-care has helped his practice, Vermont Associates in Ophthalmology, and its Pine Street office grow into one of Chittenden County's largest practices. It is the only practice offering the three "o's" ophthalmology, optometry and optical services at one location, but what makes the practice really unusual is an added "o" for operating room, the only in-house surgical room for eye operations in the state.
A team of specialists and a fully fitted surgical room have their advantages. Patients can expect quick, thorough and expedient service without scheduling multiple visits to multiple places.
Chase and a staff of 13 deliver a complete range of eye-care services under their roof, from administering eye exams, dispensing eyeglasses and fitting contact lenses to prescribing medication for diabetic patients, treating cataracts and glaucoma. They also perform LASEK surgery. Surgery is Chase's passion.
popular
Click here to read more.
Doctor David Chase was ordered to stop seeing patients
Monday. The emergency action was taken against Doctor David Chase by the Vermont Medical Practice Board. The state claims Dr. Chase was fixing eye exams so patients would have unnecessary cataract surgery, targeting patients over 35 years of age who had no prior cataract troubles.
"And he would have a certain speech for these patients in the target group. And the technician observed the speech was almost verbatim for every patient in this target group and it was a script that was supposed to be followed by a scribe, a person in the room taking down what Dr. Chase was saying," said Assistant Attorney General Joseph Winn.
Much of the state's case is based on a complaint from a former technician in Dr. Chase's office. In her complaint to the state, Amy Landry told investigators that she believed Dr. Chase "crafted records to force patients into cataract surgery". ... After deliberating for about ten minutes in seclusion, the medical practice board voted unanimously to suspend....
popular
Click here to read more.
Dr. David S. Chase gets suspended medical license.
Greater Burlington YMCA
has a long history of serving our community. Founded in 1866 as a men's prayer group that met above a storefront on College Street, the Y grew to meet the needs of young men coming to the bustling city of Burlington by providing rooms, physical education and cultural programs. By the early 1900's, the Y began serving women and children, and by the end of the century became Vermont's largest provider of child care programs.
Our downtown facility houses two indoor pools, as well as an air-conditioned Nautilus/Cardiovascular Center, Racquetball Court/Spinning Room, and Gymnasium for members. Adult members may also choose to join our Men's or Women's Wellness Centers, which contain a whirlpool, sauna, steamroom, additional equipment, towel service and free racquetball.
There are numerous exercise and sports programs, including step, pre/post natal exercise, yoga, kickboxing, dance classes, water fitness classes, swim lessons and basketball leagues.
popular
Click here to read more.
Human Resources Institute, Inc
has assisted over 1,000 business and community organizations in their efforts to create healthier and more productive cultures. An overview of our culture change framework is described in the free Culture Change Planner.
Their web site explains key concepts and tools that have been useful in bringing about lasting and positive culture change. Here you can purchase surveys, training, videos, software, books and journal article reprints developed by the Human Resources Institute with the support of its clients and marketing partners. You can also read about 2002 initiatives.
popular
Click here to read more.
It's a typical morning at Curves, and everyone is on
a strict schedule. For thirty minutes, women of all sizes, ages and fitness levels make their way around the Curves circuit.
The concept behind the womens-only gym is simple: Every thirty seconds exercisers move to the next hydraulic resistance machine, alternating with a low platform for aerobic work.
... No men, but also no daunting weight machines, or juice bars at this health-club. Here it's just the basics, and women are seeing results.
... And this no-frills, no pressure program seems to be working. Curves is the fastest growing franchise in the country, with more than a million and a half members.
Cathy Michaels owns four Curves in Vermont with her business partner. The two former healthcare workers saw an opportunity to open a gym for those who might feel intimidated by the typical exercise environment.
popular
Click here to read more.
Pearle Vision
Pearle Vision was a one-of-a-kind shopping experience that completely revolutionized the way we bought our prescription eyeglasses. Now, 40 years later, we're still providing the full-service experience our customers know and expect.
Dr. Stanley C. Pearle had a vision to create a store that combined complete eye exams, an extensive selection of frames and corrective lenses and convenient store hours.
popular
Click here to read more.
Timberlane Dental Group
was formed to provide a more comprehensive, comfortable and caring dental experience for you & your family. In addition to the relationship you'll have with your personal dentist, the quality of your care is enhanced by the depth & diversity of our team of dental specialists practicing in virtually all areas of dentistry. Along with our skilled and caring staff, we're able to provide for essentially all of your family's dental health needs.
Our focus is to address potential dental problems before they occur, using the most comfortable & effective approaches available. Our approach is to bring you to the highest level of dental health & maintain it for a lifetime. For you, it's the most comfortable, convenient & economical approach to dental health.
popular
Click here to read more.
Yoga Vermont
offers yoga classes and workshops with an emphasis on the Astanga Yoga system. Our store features favorite yoga books, videos, music, yoga clothing and supplies.
popular
Click here to read more.
'Tis the season to be eating.
Many people love their holiday treats, and it appears that not everyone worries about the effects, at least not right away. Traffic at Health Clubs like Bodyworks Fitness Center in Williston is slow this time of year, but it promises to pick up after the fattening effects of the holidays kick in. ... But there are ways to avoid the usual weight gain, and still enjoy the treats. Dieticians say the secret is not in avoiding sweets altogether, but in prioritizing, and moderation. ... It's also a good idea to plan your holiday eating schedule in advance. That means planning ahead, and eating sensibly, days before the big party. ... Tran says it's important to eat foods that are high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables before snacking. That way, you'll be able to fill yourself up with healthy foods, before hitting the holiday treats.
A ,000 federal grant will allow Fletcher Allen Health Care
and the University of Vermont to install and test a video camera in an ambulance.
The goal is to increase the survival rate of critical patients coming from rural areas.
The technology allows a doctor at the hospital in Burlington to watch what's going on inside the ambulance via full-motion video and to converse with the ambulance crew via two-way audio equipment.
The grant was announced Friday by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.
Crews will test the equipment in one ambulance in simulated cases starting in December before using it with patients.
Another ,994 grant from the Health Resource and Services Administration will allow Fletcher Allen to expand similar styles of telecommunications links with rural hospitals. The program will add more hospitals in Vermont and New York and put telecommunications units in two doctors' homes.
A Burlington eye doctor has agreed to see female patients
only with a chaperone present, after a patient told state regulators that he had touched her sexually during office visits.
The patient charged that in late 2001 and early 2002 Dr. Phil Aitken "touched or attempted to touch her in the area of the breasts, did so for other than medical purposes, and on one occasion attempted to kiss her," according to state documents.
Aitken, who practices in South Burlington, denied "any inappropriate touching or inappropriate statements" involving the patient in an agreement he signed Wednesday with the Medical Practice Board.
The agreement also said Aitken "now admits" that "he violated professional boundaries on one or more occasions."
The board did not file charges nor did Aitken provide a further response to the allegations, the agreement document said. The agreement was "intended at this time to arrange for the orderly continuation of his medical practice activities," it stated.
A downtown Burlington restaurant is waging a legal battle
to preserve patrons' right to smoke.
The owners of Sweetwaters bar and restaurant on Church Street are challenging the way Vermont Department of Liquor Control regulators decide whether an establishment may allow smoking.
The challenge comes as Sweetwaters tries to persuade regulators to renew the establishment's cabaret liquor license, which permits the business to allow smoking.
"All the other bars in the area are allowed to permit their customers to smoke, and if we're not allowed to do that we're at a competitive disadvantage. So that's why we're doing this," said Christopher Ellis, vice president of Hospitality Well Done, the company that owns Sweetwaters.
Sweetwaters is one of about 385 bars and eateries statewide that hold a cabaret license. This license exempts holders from the smoking ban that applies to most indoor public spaces, including restaurants, under the Vermont Clean Indoor Air Act.
A fitness fracas is unfolding in South Burlington.
Twin Oaks, the Olympiad and other privately owned health clubs are huffing and puffing about a proposed .5 million public community center in South Burlington they say could put them out of business.
The 64,567-square-foot building would house two indoor pools, including one with a slide and water sprays, a gym, walking track, exercise machines and space for a senior center and teen center. It would be constructed at Dorset Park as the latest addition to a recreation hub that already includes two hockey rinks, tennis courts, a playground and playing fields. ... The Edge is a local fitness empire that owns five clubs: Twin Oaks in South Burlington, Racquet's Edge in Essex Junction, Body Works in Williston, Sports and Fitness Edge of Williston, and Bristol Health and Fitness. ... Jim Condos, South Burlington city councilor and Democratic state senator, said most of the opposition is coming from one firm that holds "almost a monopoly" over the private club market. The South Burlington community center would not compete with private clubs "that are expensive and getting more expensive," Condos added.
A paperwork glitch that occurred when IBM Corp. switched
its prescription drug processing company has created a logistical problem for some local pharmacies and a cash-flow problem for their IBM customers.
Wednesday, IBM changed its third-party pharmaceutical processing company from MVP Health Care to Merck-Medco. Friday, not all the IBM employees had been filed into the new system. It was not clear how many families had been affected.
Kinney Drugs in Essex estimated it had had more than 100 of its 1,000 IBM customers Thursday and Friday trying to fill prescriptions.
... Instead, customers are taking only the necessary medication, paying in cash and hoping their receipt will get them a reimbursement.
Brooks Pharmacy in Essex Junction had about 40 or 50 IBMers on Thursday and Friday with problems, said Carl Kempinski, Brooks pharmacy manager.
A runner in this year's Vermont City Marathon is in
critical condition after collapsing during the first leg of the race.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was whisked to Fletcher Allen Health Care shortly after collapsing. EMS teams tried to recussitate him on the road, but he did not respond.
Sunday afternoon, he was in critical condition, surrounded by his family in the intensive care unit. Other runners and race officials said he may have had a prior health condition that caused the accident.
Meanwhile, medical personnel on the scene tended to hundreds of sick and injured runners. The head medical coordinator, Denise Alosa, said that the most common injuries included "muscle cramps, dehydration, blisters and feet issues."
More than 80 medical care givers manned the full-service tent and more than 400 water stations helped runners along the 26-mile route.
"Most of it is fatigue," Alosa said. "When you stop, your muscles cramp up and you just can't keep moving."
Click here to read more.
A spate of recent injuries has renewed concerns
about people jumping off cliffs at South Burlington's Red Rocks Park into Lake Champlain.
Twenty-two-year-old Chris West was one of those hurt when he made the 76-foot leap recently.
He broke a vertebra in his back, is out of his construction job, faces 20-thousand-dollars in medical bills and has no insurance.
West says the emergency room doctor told him he was the third Red Rocks jumper the doctor had treated in two days.
South Burlington Fire Captain Ken Dattillo says his department is called four or five times a summer to Red Rocks to rescue
injured jumpers.
West now says he doesn't recommend making the leap.
Monday, 9/23/02
A survey of Burlington-area pharmacies
has found vast differences in the prices they charge for 11 prescription drugs.
The Vermont Attorney General's Office asked 11 pharmacies to disclose their retail prices -- before insurance and discounts kick in -- for generic drugs prescribed for high cholesterol, depression and other medical problems. Prices differed by up to nearly 650 percent, according to the survey done in August and released Thursday.
McGregor's Pharmacies in Winooski has some of the lowest prices in the area surveyed, while some chain drug stores are consistently more expensive. Prices for drugs can vary widely within each pharmacy.
Assistant Attorney General Julie Brill said her office was surprised at the large variations. Consumers should check prices before buying drugs and ask about discounts or price-matching programs that might apply, she said.
A warning has been announced for parents and pet owners
headed to parts of Lake Champlain.
University of Vermont researchers have found a toxic form of algae blooming in Missisquoi Bay and St. Albans Bay. Now Vermont health officials are warning people, especially kids, to stay out of the water until the algae goes away. They also advise pet owners to keep their animals away from the algae, which looks like greenish-blue scum on the water or shoreline.
In 1999, three dogs died after ingesting the algae.
-- end --
A Winooski man is recovering from internal injuries
after falling off a dangerous railroad bridge -- a bridge that has taken lives before.
At the foot of the Blue Bridge on a warm July night two years ago, Christina Bailey died after falling eighty feet. She had been walking home, taking this familiar but deadly short cut between Burlington and Winooski. Now the same bridge has come close to claiming a life. 37-year old Paul Wilk is recovering from multiple injuries. He was walking home across the Blue Bridge Thursday evening. Miraculously, he survived the same fall. ... Lots of people take the shortcut up the railroad tracks, including Matt Montgomery and his partner Andrea Pearce. They and others know that using the Blue Bridge saves a much longer walk. But the bridge is unforgiving of mistakes. At least two people have fallen to their deaths.
This latest incident not only underscores the danger to all who cross the Blue Bridge.
ALS Association Northern New England Chapter
The Northern New England Chapter was founded on August 20, 1999 to serve the needs of those living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and their caregivers.
The ALS Association is the only national not-for-profit health organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS. ALSA covers all the bases — research, patient and community services, public education, and advocacy — in providing help and hope to those facing the disease.
Just what is ALS? Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a motor neuron disease, first described in 1869 by the noted French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot. Although the cause of ALS is not completely understood, the last decade has brought a wealth of new scientific understanding about the disease that provides hope for the future.
Click here to read more.
American Red Cross Blood Services
is part of the most recognized not-for-profit humanitarian organizations in the world. Our goal is to provide a safe, available blood supply for patients in need.
Did you know that:
The American Red Cross Blood Services-New England Region has been serving the blood needs of patients in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont for over 50 years.
The American Red Cross Blood Services-New England Region provides 170 hospitals in our four states with a full array of blood products and services, 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
The American Red Cross Blood Service-New England Region has an exemplary regulatory and safety record.
Blood donated through the American Red Cross Blood Services-New England Region can be made available to anyone, anywhere it is needed. The New England Region sent 600 units of blood to New York City in the wake of 9/11. Red Cross blood donors are truly a part of "Blood Without Borders."
Click here to read more.
An 18-year-old man was injured Saturday afternoon after leaping
into Lake Champlain from a cliff more than 75 feet above the water at Red Rocks Park in South Burlington.
The incident was the second time in just more than a week that a teenager was hurt after plunging into the lake from the cliffs; which are popular with youths wanting to jump into the water, Capt. Matt Vinci of the South Burlington Fire Department said.
The man, a Champlain College student, suffered possible injuries to his head, neck, back and legs, rescue officials said. The man, whose name was not released, was taken to Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington.
Saturday's incident took place at about 3:45 p.m., Vinci said. Rescuers from the U.S. Coast Guard in Burlington and the South Burlington Fire Department responded and found the man conscious, leaning against the rocks at the cliff's base, said Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate Second Class David Bourbeau.
As the new legislative session rolls into existence
the debate over second-hand smoke has wafted back into the minds of lawmakers and advocates who are hoping for a cleaner Vermont.
Anti-Tobacco groups and some businesses owners want to stop smoking in most establishments.
On the frontline is a group called Coalition For A Tobacco-Free Vermont.
It's a statewide alliance with more than 200 members.
They say it's time people faced the facts that second hand-smoke is bad for business.
But not everyone is sure a heavy-hand by the government is the right thing to do.
... But a push to snuff-out smoking in local establishments is gaining momentum.
This time the focus turning to people who to work in them.
Click here to read more.
Bernie Sanders is criticizing the pharmaceutical industry,
which he says gouges Americans.
Sanders says the long-term solution to the issue is not everyone running across the border to buy medicine in Canada.
He wants to see pharmaceutical companies lower the cost of prescription drugs so Americans don't pay more than people living
in other countries.
Sanders also says Congress needs to pass strong prescription drug benefit under Medicare.
But he says in the meantime, Americans shouldn't be denied the opportunity to purchase safe and affordable medicine in Canada.
Sanders addressed the issue at a news conference today in Burlington.
Monday, 5/5/03
Bio-Tek Laboratory Instruments
was founded in 1968 by Dr. Norman Alpert and has emerged as a worldwide leader, serving customers in both the biomedical and laboratory marketplaces. Bio-Tek can be your solutions partner as a provider of instrumentation to accelerate and enhance your life science research processes or to provide quality assurance instruments for the ultimate equipment safety in patient care.
Click here to read more.
Brooks Pharmacy
is a chain of more than 330 pharmacies located throughout New England and New York and has been a well-recognized name in the New England pharmacy industry for more than 65 years. Today, BROOKS Pharmacy remains a subsidiary of Maxi Drug, Inc. BROOKS Pharmacy President and CEO Michel Coutu has made a commitment to significantly increase the size of the chain in New England by the year 2004. This expansion will be accomplished through pharmacy acquisitions and the opening of new stores through an aggressive real estate development plan. New prototype stores are planned to feature generous patient counseling space and state-of-the-art pharmacy services. Modernized store designs are also planned for existing corporate outlets. The store is located at Ethan Allen Shopping Center and 158 Cherry St. in Burlington, 39 Hinesburg Road in South Burlington, and 321 Main Street in Winooski.
Click here to read more.
Burlington firefighters have pushed for years to be allowed
to train beyond their EMT intermediate level and become paramedics. The answer has always been "no."
Burlington is where paramedics make the least sense, said Dr. Ruth Uphold, who is director of the Emergency Department at Fletcher Allen and was the district medical advisor for a decade. The transport times from the city are so short that paramedics could actually impede emergency care by delaying the time it takes a patient to get to the hospital she said.
Basic and intermediate EMTs are allowed to perform the most crucial emergency skills, like defibrillate a heart patient, that give the most benefit she said.
Burlington fire Battalion Chief Mike Richard sees a role for paramedics in Burlington performing advanced heart procedures. He oversees emergency medicine services for the fire department.
Burlington is Taking the Lead on Fire Safety.
It's well-known that smoke detectors save lives, but several close calls -- within the last month alone, when lives were nearly lost -- have propelled Burlington into the lead on fire prevention measures that will prove expensive, but probably destined for the entire state. The City of Burlington last month enacted a new ordinance based on existing state fire and life safety codes that are on the books but not enforced. Starting on Monday the city will require hard-wired smoke detectors in all rental apartments -- powered by household current as well as batteries, and inter-connected so that when one goes off, they all go off. The installation will be costly in older buildings. Some of those issues were raised In Burlington Thursday night when two-hundred landlords packed city hall to get their questions answered. They know the upgrade will cost a lot -- anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. But without it they also know they'll be legally liable.
Center for Cosmetic and Medical Dermatology
is a full service dermatology practice located in South Burlington, VT. The Dermatology team is lead by Robert D. Gordon, M.D., a board certified dermatologist with over 30 years experience in both cosmetic and medical dermatology. Medical spa and other services at the Center include Botox®, Restylane®, tumescent liposuction, GentleLASE® hair removal, chemical peels, spider leg veins, facial capillaries, SmoothBeamTM laser for acne, photorejuvenation, acne scarring, advanced skin care products, massage, Guinot facials, cellulite and detoxification with Ionithermie and body treatments. Dr. Gordon and Richard Q. Callahan, PA-C provide the latest medical treatments for acne, warts, psoriasis, eczema, hives, skin cancer, and rashes. We strive for excellence everyday.
Click here to read more.
Child Lures, Limited
mission is (1) to raise public awareness concerning the prevalence of childhood sexual exploitation & related crimes against children and (2) to make prevention of these crimes a national priority.
Our staff works closely with schools and community leaders to provide the tools necessary to prevent crimes against children, including sexual exploitation, abduction, Internet crime, and school violence. We take great pride in the exceptional quality of the educational materials we've researched and developed in our quest to safeguard children and youth.
Child Lures Prevention is a family-run, self-sustaining entity. Revenue generated from sale of its educational materials covers operating expenses and allows us to carry on our advocacy and prevention efforts, i.e. over twenty appearances before the U.S. Congress and state legislatures. Our headquarters in Shelburne, Vermont is sole source for all Child Lures Prevention materials.
Click here to read more.
Coalition for a Tobacco Free Vermont
promotes and assists in the implementation of policies and programs at the state, local, and national levels to reduce tobacco use and its impact on the health and economic well being of Vermonters. The Coalition operates under these guiding principles:
Cops in South Burlington head out on Halloween armed
with candy. Bags of the sweet stuff fill boxes at the police station.
"They're kind of surprised when we stop to talk to them, that they're getting candy from a police officer," said Lavallee.
In addition to the Halloween treats, police officers will also be handing out advice. "Safety is our number one concern. We want kids to have a good time," Lavallee added.
Here are some tips to keep trick-or-treaters safe:
Critics' reviews of the new Fletcher Allen Health Care
board are mixed. Some say the trustees are tough and independent, likely to question management and guide the hospital well. Others say the trustees lack diversity and should better represent the community the hospital serves.
... The exchanges might signal a new era at the hospital. Critics targeted Fletcher Allen's former board of trustees for failing to catch mismanagement at the hospital before it was too late.
Now, with 15 new members, hospital trustees must steer the medical center through shaky finances, a massive and controversial expansion project, and turnover in the ranks of its most senior executives.
Trustees say they are ready for the task. Critics' reviews of the new board are mixed. Some say the trustees are tough and independent, likely to question management and guide the hospital well. Others say the trustees lack diversity and should better represent the community the hospital serves.
Disabled smoke detectors endangered lives in Burlington
this month in two fires just four days apart. In both cases, the life saving devices were disconnected on purpose, raising concern that other people may do the same.
It was late at night August 24th when a kitchen fire broke out on Archibald street after a stove burner was left on under hot cooking oil. All of the smoke detectors in Scott McSweeney's apartment had been intentionally disconnected. Later, McSweeney escaped with his life by jumping out a window, wishing he and his friends had just put up with the smoke from the french fries they were cooking. and left the smoke detectors alone.
"The grease kept smoking and made the detector go off. There wasn't a fire or nothing, but just the grease coming off the pan. So we ended up taking the battery out until we were done cooking, and forgot to put the battery back in."
The kitchen was a wall of fire when firefighters arrived and the damage at the Archibald street apartment house was estimated at ten-thousand dollars.
Click here to read more.
Dr. Hyman Muss at the University of Vermont hopes
letrozole will save lives. He co-authored an international study testing the drug letrozole, also known as Femara. The study, released by the New England Journal of Medicine, found the drug reduced the risk of recurrence by 43%. The early results were significant enough that an independent panel chose to stop the study and share the drug with patients taking the placebo.
And Dr. Muss says the study also shows letrozole may reduce the risk that breast cancer will spread to other parts of the body by 6%.
... The study tested letrozole in women who have already completed the standard five year regimen of tamoxifen. That drug has already proven to help prevent breast cancer recurrence. Though Letrozole is already FDA approved, the agency will have to approve the drug for this specific use.
Click here to read more.
Elizabeth Eikenberry has pleaded guilty to stealing painkillers
meant for her elderly patient. Surveillance cameras caught Elizabeth Eikenberry, 57, on the job at the Ethan Allen Residence in Burlington. The video shows Eikenberry drinking oxycodone meant for her 87-year old patient.
Eikenberry was sentenced to six months in jail. She can not practice nursing until her probation is complete.
Click here to read more.
Fire Departments are offering Holiday Fire Safety Tips
Fire departments are urging people to be careful over the holidays. According to one estimate, fires are eight times more likely to happen between now and New Year's.
That's because there's more to catch fire -- Christmas trees, faulty lights -- and especially candles. Lieutenant Trevor Poor of the South Burlington Fire Dept. advises, "As far as the candle use goes -- Never left unattended. Keep it away from flammable materials. Your trees -- limit the time that your tree's inside the house, as well as keeping it watered. Always having operating smoke detectors. Your furnace should be checked and cleaned, if needed."
To be extra safe, pay attention to fire safety throughout the holidays. And don't forget those smoke and CO detectors. Double check the batteries.
Andy Potter - WCAX News
Click here to read more.
Fitness Center Downtown
is located on Cherry Street, below Borders bookstore. The facility has a fully equipped weight room with free weights and Cybex machines. The cardio room has treadmills, upright bikes, recumbent bikes, elliptical trainers, rowing machines, steppers and an occasional spin bike to use. The Fitness Center Downtown provides a great variety of classes seven days a week including spinning, yoga, pilates, kickboxing, strength and conditioning classes. The club provides a clean, fun, safe, supportive and healthy atmosphere that supports the clients’ fitness goals and needs regardless of their age, experience, or background.
29 Church Street TEL: 802.651.8773
andi8773.net | WWW
Click here to read more.
Five occupants of an apartment at 65 Bradley Street
in Burlington, escaped from an early-morning fire Monday after newly installed interconnected smoke detectors alerted them to a fire in a rear bedroom.
Assistant Fire Marshal Thomas Middleton said firefighters were able to confine damage to a single bedroom after they were called to the fire at 7:45 a.m. Monday.
A lighted candle that caught bed linen on fire was the apparent cause, he said.
Fiona MacMullan, the occupant of the room, said she was awakened by fire at the foot of her bed.
"I was having a nightmare," she said. "I woke up and saw my bed light up in front of my eyes."
Middleton said because the alarms in the house were interconnected, as required by a new city ordinance, all the occupants were alerted to the fire.
Middleton said that because MacMullan closed the door to her room, the fire was confined there. He estimated damage to the house at ,000.
MacMullan was treated for smoke inhalation at Fletcher Allen Health Care and released.
Fluorescent lamp makers who lost their fight
against Vermont's first-in-the nation mercury labeling law are in the process of labeling an estimated 600 million lamps that contain the toxic metal.
Many companies are labeling all the mercury-containing fluorescent lamps they make annually because it's too difficult to sort out Vermont-bound products ... One of the goals of the Vermont law is to increase recycling of mercury-containing products that are banned from state landfills. Whether anyone understands the new labels might depend on how closely they paid attention in chemistry class. The word mercury won't appear on the lamps. Instead, manufacturers successfully lobbied for rules that allow them to label lamps with the scientific symbol for mercury, "Hg."
The labels on lamps or their packaging will also include a directive to properly dispose of lamps and a Web site and toll free number that helps consumers do so.
Science slackers who haven't the foggiest what "Hg" means need not despair. Tutoring is coming.
Food shopping these days can be daunting,
especially if you're eating healthy. But now when you check the food labels for fat or calories, you may want to check for a certain ingredient. Many popular items contain High Fructose Corn Syrup. A sweetener made from corn starch. It's sweeter, cheaper and easier to blend than sugar. An attractive product for the food industry, as we found out.
Strolling down the isle of a local supermarket we picked some everyday items off the shelves and looked for High Fructose Corn Syrup. BBQ sauce, high fructose corn syrup is the number one ingredient. Bread and Butter Pickles have it. Lemonade does too. But while the syrup is sweet, it may not be so innocent.
Recent research shows the sweetener acts more like fat and raises the bad cholesterol in our blood and fat stores. The experts say high fructose corn syrup is most dangerous in soft drinks.
(Most people don't watch for calaries in their drinks)
Click here to read more.
Global Works Systems
is a national healthcare
information systems firm with professional consultants
and technical experts located throughout the United
States. We’ve worked closely with healthcare
organizations since 1992. Our expertise spans practice management systems, managed care, patient services, hospital-ambulatory integration, and clinical systems
Click here to read more.
Green Mountain Care
includes existing programs such as Dr. Dynasaur, Vermont Health Access Plan (VHAP), Medicaid, and Prescription Assistance, as well as the new Catamount Health program.
More than 65,000 of our friends and neighbors are uninsured in Vermont. When you are uninsured, you can’t always afford to go to the doctor when you need to and minor health issues can turn into major problems.
The state of Vermont believes every Vermonter should have access to the coverage they need to stay healthy. Through Green Mountain Care, we’re working to make sure uninsured Vermonters are aware of their health coverage options.
Click here to read more.
Health Advocates are Pushing for a Vermont Cigarette Tax.
The current 44-cent tax is lowest in New England, but the proposal would increase that amount to .13 per pack.
Supporters said that the increase would simultaneously cover the rising cost of health care and discourage people from smoking.
The proposal would create an estimated million in new revenue, meaning that the state would not have to cut health-care programs. The cuts proposed by Gov. Howard Dean last week equaled nearly that same amount.
Opponents to the hike said the health argument is disingenuous. They argued that it is fiscal policy disguised as social policy.
Click here to read more.
Health Care for the Homeless
is a federal program that covers the very neediest through the Community Health Center. It's one of 140 similar programs around the country and has the backing of the Bush administration. Here, the outreach is coordinated with several local agencies, including the Committee on Temporary Shelter and Howard mental health services. ... Two weeks ago we reported on a group of homeless people who choose to live outdoors instead of taking advantage of a homeless shelter, even through the long, hard winter. But no one can live totally alone. Social service agencies offer a range of help to anyone who needs it -- even some who don't want it.
As winter settles in, the disadvantaged face a growing challenge just to stay warm and healthy. A small minority of the homeless make it harder on themselves by choosing to live outdoors year-round.
Click here to read more.
Heroin claims woman after 10-year slide into drug abuse.
Five days after Rebekka Dreibelbis died at the age of 24, her parents began cleaning out her apartment. In the bedroom, Rebekka's mother found her daughter's silver baby bracelet in the top of her jewelry box.
Her parents found it almost unbelievable that Rebekka had kept the bracelet through her decadelong struggle with drugs. She kept the jewelry when she could have hocked it for heroin. She never let go of this small reminder of the comfortable life and loving family she left behind.
Rebekka lost her battle with alcohol, marijuana, LSD, prescription medication and heroin. She died of a suspected heroin overdose March 15 in her apartment on North Winooski Avenue in Burlington.
Howard Center for Human Services manages streetworker
program, which provides an outreach advocate during weekdays downtown. Matt Young, the lone streetworker, trolls downtown sidewalks intervening when pedestrians appear to be confused, sick or bothering shoppers or businesses. Intervention can mean a brief conversation or a long-term project that guides individuals into treatment, medical care or safe shelter, Young said.
Young has patrolled Church Street for two years. He said he frequently is needed in several places at the same time.
A ,000 gift from Fletcher Allen Community Health Foundation will pay for two more full-time and one part-time outreach workers. The additional staff will extend hours of coverage into the evening and weekends. ... Church Street's image as a congregating place for drug dealers, troublemakers and the mentally ill prompted businesses to band together to make the marketplace more appealing.
IDX Systems Corporation
offers a broad range of complementary, functionally rich, and highly integrated products that function across patient care settings and organizational models.
Our customers span the full continuum of care and include leading integrated delivery networks, large group practices, small to mid-sized group practices, academic medical centers, radiology centers and hospitals worldwide. IDX is the company of choice at more than 3,200 customer sites, with systems deployed to serve over 134,000 physicians.
Click here to read more.
If you dial 911 in Chittenden County
with a medical emergency, don't expect paramedics to come to your aid. Paramedics aren't allowed on emergency rescue squads in the medical district that includes the county.
Ambulances are staffed with Emergency Medical Technicians with basic- and intermediate-level skills.
Those who support the use of paramedics argue that lives are potentially in jeopardy because the EMTs are not able to perform a full range of life-saving techniques or administer certain medications that a paramedic can.
Opponents argue that paramedics cost more to train and pay, with only questionable benefits. In a state served largely by volunteer rescue services, paramedics are impractical, they say.
... As Chittenden County rescue squads work without paramedics, others in the state have decided to add them.
If you're yawning nonstop during that midafternoon slump
while trying to concentrate on your work, you're not alone.
The go-go mentality that has created a 24-seven world where the average workday is no longer confined to eight hours has also created a nation of zombies. The average person gets less than the recommended eight to nine hours of shut-eye each night, sometimes much less, experts say.
The result is a largely sleep-deprived work force, which, according to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders, is causing decreased productivity and accidents at work to the cost of billion a year.
Napping, once thought to be a luxury of the wealthy or slothful, is now catching on in the corporate world.
... Catnaps of 15 to 30 minutes can do a lot to refresh someone who is ready to nod off, Dyken said. While it won't replace a good night's rest, a brief snooze can help people focus better on their work, he said.
In a small, bright room at the back of a South Burlington strip
mall five women were pumping fitness machines and moving to disco music.
Little about the room suggested that this was a gym. There were no mirrors, no juice bar, no loud music, no grunts, groans or clanging of weight plates. This place was no-frills and low key. ... In South Burlington, the one-room operation consists of a reception counter and eight hydraulic weight machines arranged in a circle. The music, played softly enough to carry on a conversation, comes from a boom box on the floor.
For a month, the women's only "fitness and weight loss center" promises both in 30 minutes a day, three days a week. The idea is catching on.
In a year and a half, 11 Curves for Women have opened in the state. In Chittenden County, Curves have popped up in South Burlington, Williston, Essex Junction and Colchester.
It's no fun to be fat, and Karen Garbarino
...knows first-hand how unpleasant it can be. As a child, Garbarino was teased about her weight. ... Three years ago, Garbarino found her answer through the Behavioral Weight Management Research Program at the University of Vermont. At 5 feet 6 inches and 228 pounds, Garbarino enrolled in a study conducted by Dr. Jean Harvey-Berino, associate professor of nutrition and food science and interim department chair at the University of Vermont.
... Behavioral weight management is not a diet. It is based on the fundamental principles of weight control -- eat less, move more and create an environment that sets you up to succeed. More specifically, as part of Harvey-Berino's program, participants are asked to keep a food journal, track exercise calories, record their emotions related to eating and exercise, and develop a support network that "keeps you honest."
Behavior change is difficult, and many people give up because their success is not linear.
It's no secret that trips to the pharmacy are costing
American consumers an arm and a leg. ... Prescriptions North of the Border run between 40 and 60 percent less than at U.S. pharmacies. And thanks to the Internet and mail-orders, more people are accessing those prices. Now, the city of Burlington is considering a plan to buy prescription drugs for its 600 city employees from Canada. It's an idea that's worked so well for Springfield Massachusetts that the Queen City and a handful of states are looking to take advantage of the bargains over the border. "We're spending in this small city about three-quarters of a million dollars a year on prescription drugs and I think those prices could be lowered," said Mayor Peter Clavelle.
But it may not be as simple as it sounds. The Food and Drug Administration says the practice is illegal, and questions the safety of the prescriptions. "There's just no assurance of strength, quality and purity when medications are coming in from outside the United States,"
Click here to read more.
Keene Medical Products
makes recovery at home,the preferred choice of both the patient and the caregiver, as convenient as possible. Our complete line of home care products and equipment may be purchased or rented depending on individual requirements.
Click here to read more.
Low Cost Dental Care now available in Burlington.
Low-income residents in and around Chittenden County now have a place to go to receive dental care. The Community Health Center of Burlington recently opened a new dental clinic at its headquarters on Riverside Avenue. The clinic provides dental care on a sliding scale, helping people who previously could not afford the services. The new clinic replaces a similar service that recently shut down at University Health Center.
"We look like we'll do somewhere between 12-18-thousand visits a year, we'll probably be seeing about 6-thousand patients in a year. We just added, as part of the program we received some additional federal funding as a qualified health center and starting this year we were able to add two new dentists," says Joe Arioli of CHC.
In all, the center raised .3 million for the dental clinic and to pay for a total technology upgrade.
Click here to read more.
Many people have a fire extinguisher in their home,
but don't know how to use it correctly, or don't have one that works. It's a problem firefighters often see. On Monday at a fire in a South Burlington home, the owner tried to put it out but his fire extinguisher did not work.
... Captain Ken Dattilio says extinguishers need to be handy, with at least one in the kitchen and one in the workshop.
"They should be mounted anywhere from 3.5 feet to 5 feet from the floor for easy access and put next to an exit."
One problem firefighters say is that often times when homeowners go to use the fire extinguisher to put out a fire, it's been sitting around too long and doesn't work.
The gauge on the extinguisher needs to be checked every month to make sure it is full and then reserviced every 6 years. Metal head fire extinguishers are recommended, instead of plastic ones, because they are more reliable and last longer.
Click here to read more.
New Heroin Treatment Center has been created for Teens.
The innocence is lost too soon for many young Vermonters hooked on heroin. The addiction leads more and more teens into court -- because they commit crimes to support their habit. Most treatment programs target adults but now there's help for teens too.
The treatment clinic at UVM is opening its doors to anyone 13 to 18 years old thanks to a federal grant. ... Teens will get medication and counseling -- DURING the month long program -- as well as AFTER the program. Until now -- the research clinic could only help adults -- and had to turn away teens. Just 6 months into the study -- Lisa Marsch is already learning about teens addicted to heroin.
"We're also interestingly learning that the majority of adolescents that we see are female in Vermont. 90 to 95 percent thus far. Additionally I think very surprising -- thus far all of the adolescents have come to treatment on their own.
No smoking will be allowed in Burlington bars,
beginning May 1, 2004.
The Burlington City Council, sitting as the Local Control Commission, voted unanimously Monday to make the no-smoking ban a condition of all cabaret liquor licenses in the city for the next license year, which runs from May 1 to April 30, 2005.
The vote was taken with no discussion.
Twelve councilors sponsored a resolution in early February that directed the License Committee to find a way to outlaw smoking in bars.
South Burlington is moving toward a similar ban.
A 1993 state law that forbade smoking in most indoor workplaces contained a "cabaret exemption" for bars that take in more money from alcohol and entertainment than from food.
A bill that would have ended that exemption has been stalled in committee this legislative session.
No-Name Savings
"There's been an 83 percent increase in the pharmacy costs for state programs over the last 3 years," according to Vermont's Social Services Commissioner Eileen Elliott. So the state's medicaid administrator is joining forces with senior advocacy groups and the Vermont medical society to get consumers on board in the fight to lower prescription drug prices. Their number one tactic is promoting generic and not name-brand drugs. .... Generic drugs oftentimes have the exact same ingredients as name-brand medications, but don't have a patent, so the cost can be 30-75 percent less. A new state law requires doctors to prescribe generics when possible, but the Vermont medical society says they're battling the barrage of advertisements by pharmaceutical companies that advocate name brands. ...
The groups are going to be distributing to doctors' offices with tips for consumers. They suggest asking your doctor or healthcare provider if a generic or over-the-counter drug will work for you.
Click here to read more.
Nutrition promoted at school lunch time
In her 30 years behind the lunch counter at Central School in South Burlington, Shirley Menard has seen big changes. ... South Burlington Schools held a nutritional awareness day Wednesday as part of National Nutrition Month. The goal was to get children to eat healthful meals, cut down on sugar and fat, and maintain better eating habits, such as eating more fruits and drinking more milk.
Each school in the district focused on a different aspect of nutrition, food-service director Mark Podgwaite said. ... This year the Chamberlin School focused on produce and had a display with four types of apples the children could try, Podgwaite said. He said the Orchard School focused on the entree selection, and had a poultry farmer on hand to give a presentation.
At Central School, milk was the issue at hand, and New England Dairy Council nutrition specialist Kathy Backes was handing out samples in various flavors, such as cherry, strawberry and vanilla.
On Track Health Club
is a fully equipped fitness facility. We offer professional fitness consulting, acupuncture, massage and physical therapy services.
We have a full line of Cybex strength machines, free weights and cardiovascular equipment and we are located right on the Burlington Bike Path.
Our staff are professionals, licensed or certified in fitness training, massage or physical therapy and they are always available to assist you with your training or your health.
Please visit our facility and see how we can get you ON TRACK to achieving your health and fitness goals in a friendly and supportive atmosphere.
Click here to read more.
Optical Center
is a locally owned optical store specializing in quality prescription eyewear and brand name non-prescription sunglasses. We are an Oakley Premium Sunglass Dealer and an Authorized Oakley Prescription Eyewear Center. Non-Prescription Sunglasses by Maui Jim, Revo, Ray-Ban, Bolle’, Serengeti, and more!
Optical Center
is a locally owned optical store specializing in quality prescription eyewear and brand name non-prescription sunglasses. We are an Oakley Premium Sunglass Dealer and an authorized Oakley Prescription Eyewear Center. Non-Prescription Sunglasses by Maui Jim, Revo, Ray-Ban, Bollé, Serengeti, and more! 107 Church Street TEL: 802.864.7146
opticalcenter.net | WWW
Parents' lives are becoming more and more stressful.
They're trying to make a living in an increasingly materialistic world. The economy isn't good. Their children are exposed to an onslaught of cultural messages and are experimenting with drugs earlier and earlier.
... Quintiliani has advice for parents, which he will teach at a series of workshops this month. The goal of the workshops is to help parents learn skills to deal with children at risk of drug, alcohol or emotional problems.
Parents should learn to accept their own strengths and weaknesses, he said. They should try to live balanced lives and learn not to overreact. Strong communication skills will help.
Quintiliani will base the classes on a workbook he wrote. He has taught similar classes to professionals, such as school guidance counselors. So many professionals wanted to take the class, he decided to offer it to parents, too. The Lintilhac Foundation in Shelburne is funding the free workshops.
Paul Wilk of Winooski was bending down
to pick up his wallet when he lost his balance. Suddenly, he was in free fall, headed for the rocky Winooski River some 80 feet below. The "Blue Bridge" that Wilk was crossing is a train trestle used by New England Central Railroad. It is a well-traveled, but illegal, pedestrian shortcut between Winooski and Burlington. Under state law, it is trespassing to walk across the bridge, but police say enforcing the law is nearly impossible. ... The potential danger of crossing the bridge has surfaced before. In July 2000, 23-year-old Christine Bailey fell to her death from the bridge at night.
Her death spawned talk of constructing a pedestrian bridge, but that has yet to happen, and pedestrians take the treacherous route.
The bridge has no handrails, and gaps between the railroad ties make each step precarious. Wilk said he is usually careful to stay to the center of the bridge where the gaps
are not as wide.
Planet Fitness
Click here to read more.
Rehab Clinics Concern Police Chief.
It's a drug that just makes you not care about anything at all,especially yourself," says Brandi Mitchell. The drug is heroin, and Mitchell should know. ... Authorities say teenagers are just part of Vermont's growing heroin epidemic. Seventy people died of heroin overdoses in Vermont over the last decade, nearly half of them over the last three years alone. In response, state lawmakers finally cleared the way for methadone treatment at hospitals across the state.
Pratt says a (that was open for a while in St. Johnsbury) clinic had financial problems at first because there were not enough local addicts. But that all changed after the clinic opened its doors to out-of-staters. "They came from the inner cities with their heroin problem and they brought their trade with 'em," says Pratt. "We found out almost immediately that heroin started showing up.I think they saw an increase in burglaries and property crimes as a direct result of people trying to support their habit.
Ronald McDonald House
of Burlington Vermont is a home away from home for families with seriously ill children who seek treatment at the Fletcher Allen Health Care Facility. It is our aim to be a refuge for these families during the stress and pain of their loved one's illness. We try to offer a warm, caring atmosphere with staff and volunteers ready to listen, to relieve some concerns, and be supportive. ... In the beginning.... a group of concerned parents gathered to form the Ronald McDonald House of Burlington which opened February 14, 1984. The First Congregational Church graciously offered their unoccupied parsonage to the founding committee for a 20 year lease at .00 a year. With community support in the way of furniture, wallpaper, paint, and volunteers to do the labor, we created what is known as "The House That Love Built". Our House has nine bedrooms and six bathrooms. Our common areas include a sitting room, TV room, dining room, kitchen, playroom, and basement with a nintendo.... (housing)
Click here to read more.
Runners in the Vermont City Marathon will be downing lots
of water to stay hydrated for the race. But there is a risk of drinking too much water. Water intoxication results when sodium levels in our bodies drop too far. That can happen when athletes take in too much water and sweat too much. The condition is rare, but serious, sometimes causing coma and death.
Carlie Geer, a registered dietician and athlete herself, says runners should make sure they have sodium drinks during the race.
"The people who are at risk are gonna be those who are overzealous about drinking starting several days beforehand. Those who are mostly drinking water instead of drinking sports beverages that have the electrolytes, sodium in it. And those who know themselves as being a heavy sweater," says Geer of Fletcher Allen Health Care.
How much water is the right amount depends on the person. Slower and smaller runners are more at risk. Symptoms to look for are bloating, nausea, vomiting, headache or confusion.
Click here to read more.
Seniors Citizens are preparin to rally for universal health
care. After a 50-year career in nursing, Lynn Rothwell of Burlington is using her retirement to advocate for changes in our health-care system. She is coordinating transportation in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties for "Prescription for Change," a rally at noon Sept. 28 at the Statehouse.
Rita Martel, 70, an advocate for seniors in Winooski, is encouraging her friends to attend the rally.
"I deal with people who need help every day. They must choose between food and medication," she says. "We're going to fill a bus and take vans and cars. We are going to make this a fun trip."
The rally is part of a campaign to create a universal health-care system in Vermont. It is sponsored by Vermont Health Care for All (VtHCA), a nonpartisan advocacy group, including physicians and other health-care professionals.
Several cities around the country have either enacted
or proposed strict anti-smoking laws. Vermont struck a compromise that's been in effect for seven years now, although one case could revive the battle over smoking.
In 1993 governor Howard Dean signed Vermont's tobacco law banning smoking in publicly-accessible buildings. Bars and restaurants could permit smoking only if they obtained a special cabaret license. Some that did not meet the requirements for a cabaret license lost customers, although Kathleen Sweeten of the Vermont Lodging and Restaurant Association says those that got cabaret licenses tended to gain customers.
... Sweeten explains the definition of what kind of establishment qualifies as a cabaret: "Fifty-one percent or more of your sales needs to come from the sale of alcoholic beverages, rather than food," she said.
It's not clear whether Sweetwaters meets the legal standard for a cabaret license, but the case could test the extent to which Vermont will try to limit smoking
Click here to read more.
Smoking Ban is driving smokers outdoors.
Warm weather the past few weeks hasn't been the only thing driving people outdoors. Burlington's new ban on smoking in bars is sending people to the sidewalks.
The city's no-smoking law, which took effect May 1, means people who used to smoke while downing drinks at a bar need to step outside to light up. Bartenders and patrons said Sunday that the cigarette-fueled exodus has spawned a number of problems, such as an increase in noise complaints and litter. Two city councilors who worked on the ban said people are just going through a period of adjustment to an effective, health-conscious law.
Daniel Rivera of Burlington took a break Sunday afternoon from his drink at downtown bar Esox to have a smoke out front. He said he doesn't really mind smoking outside, and he'll respect the smoking ban, even though he disagrees with it.
... Smoking is a social activity, so now groups of patrons step outside together, said James Tierney,
Smoking could be banned from 385 bars and eateries in Vermont
under a bill to be introduced in the Legislature next month.
Smoking is already banned in Vermont restaurants. The tightened regulations would apply to those establishments that hold cabaret licenses. By Vermont law, a cabaret is a business that brings in more money with alcohol sales and entertainment than with food sales.
California and Delaware have already banned smoking in bars; as have cities as large as New York and Boston. The Coalition for a Tobacco Free Vermont hopes to convince lawmakers to close a loophole in the 1993 Vermont Clean Indoor Air Act that permits smoking in bars.
The coalition, made up of 40 member organizations including Fletcher Allen Health Care and the American Lung Association of Vermont, has been lobbying in Montpelier and expects to see the bill introduced after the Legislature returns Jan. 8.
Soap and water might be all washed up.
Many hospitals are switching to quick-drying alcohol gels to keep hands clean as evidence builds they stop dangerous germs faster and better.
The spread of microbes in hospitals is a huge health problem, making sick people sicker and resulting in an estimated 20,000 deaths in the United States each year. One of the chief ways germs spread is on the hands of nurses, doctors, technicians and others who move from patient to patient.
While hospital workers are routinely urged to wash up between patients, a thorough job can take a full minute, results in dry skin and is often skipped to save time, especially in hectic intensive care wards where the risk can be greatest.
The latest research, presented Saturday at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, suggests the alcohol-based rinses are surprisingly effective at cutting hospital germs, since they are much quicker, require no water or sink and kill more microbes.
South Burlington city council is Divided Over Community
Center. Sharp disagreements at Monday night's South Burlington city council meeting triggered yet another delay in the city's proposed community center. At issue, is a plan to build an .5 million community center in the city following four years of study and planning. The city council hoped to take the issue to the voters in November, but changed their minds after the heated debate at the meeting.
... "If we all have to live with this tax increase, and you build it and nobody comes, and it just bleeds, what then?!" asks South Burlington resident Mary Jo Reale.
... The city council decided the issue would need more study by another committee, one that will be appointed in two weeks.
Click here to read more.
State authorities are looking into a company that helps
Vermonters get low-cost prescription drugs from Canada.
Burlington Drug Club President Thomas Anderson says state officials have told him the company is not a licensed pharmacy and
is operating illegally.
But Secretary of State Deborah Markowitz says the state Board of Pharmacy can't do anything if the company doesn't hold a
pharmacist's license.
Anderson says a state investigator visited the company's office late last month following a complaint made with the Office of
Professional Regulation.
Markowitz's office oversees the Office of Professional Regulation.
Monday, 6/16/03
Talk About Wellness
is a A Great web site for resources on being well and healthy.
Click here to read more.
The attack on America last year forced emergency officials
to re-double their efforts to prepare for the worst. Vermont's largest hospital is testing its ability to respond to a mass casualty disaster.
The exercise began Saturday morning on the tarmac at Burlington International airport, where fire and rescue units responded to a simulated disaster, a collision of two airplanes resulting in forty deaths and forty injuries. A triage unit was set up at the scene to sort out the victims. Getting the survivors to the hospital is the next task.
One of many ambulances that will arrive delivers the most seriously injured to the emergency department at Fletcher Allen Health Care, where medical staff set up another triage. Each victim arrives with a tag identifying the type of injury. Some are critical. Others are walking wounded. Hospital officials say the exercise went well. About fifty hospital employees were called in to work above and beyond those on their regular weekend duty.
Click here to read more.
The BH&RC Workers in Burlington
are having an informational picket on Monday, May 14 2:30-4PM at the Burlington Health & Rehab, at 300 Pearl Street in Burlington, Vermont. The 120 women and men of UE Local 254, workers at Berlin Health and Rehabilitation Center have been locked in a difficult struggle for a fair first contract for almost 9 months. The for-profit nursing home is part of a multinational chain (CPL-REIT) known for its abusive labor practices. This is the same company that owns Burlington Health and Rehabilitation Center. The contract for the Berlin workers, is being held up by management's demands that workers continue to accept poverty wages and chronic short staffing which results in on the job injuries and declining resident care.
Throughout the organizing drive and the contract talks the company has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on out of state lawyers in its systematic campaign to bully, coerce, intimidate and dissuade workers form exercising their democratic rights.
Click here to read more.
The Community Health Center is teaming up
with the Dental Clinic in the same building to provide affordable dental care. Thanks to a ,000 federal grant, patients who have no dental coverage, or who are homeless, will pay for their visits on a sliding fee scale.
"It's about really hard-working Vermonters who are relegated to only certain types of jobs because of the state of their teeth, it's about refugees that need interpreters during their visits, it's about homeless teens who have never been to a dentist, it's about uninsured Vermonters who visit the emergency room because of dental pain, because they have no other place to go," said Joseph Arioli of the Community Health Center of Burlington.
In addition to the federal grant, many public and private donations helped get this program off the ground. Officials estimate they'll be able to serve 9,000 Vermonters, about one-third of the people who need assistance paying for dental care.
Caroline Allen - Channel 3 News
The federal grant also gives ,000 to aid adolescent
treatment programs in Burlington ... Spectrum Youth and Family Services in Burlington also will receive ,000 to expand its clinical and case management services for teen-agers. ... The federal grant also gives ,000 to Recovery House in Wallingford. The federal money will be used to develop a day treatment program for pregnant women and women with children. The program will include substance abuse counseling.
Funding for these drug treatment services was included in the 2002 Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill.
The Men's Room
Click here to read more.
The number of birds testing positive for West Nile virus
in Vermont increased to 15 this week, a state health official said.
This summer, nine of the birds that tested positive came from Franklin County, six from Chittenden County.
Four of the birds were found in St. Albans, two in Swanton, two in Burlington, and one each in Bakersfield, Colchester, Highgate, Highgate Center, Jericho, Milton and Williston, said Dr. Patsy Tassler, state epidemiologist.
The state has more than 300 birds awaiting testing, Tassler said. People who find dead birds should put them on ice and call the health department at (800) 4-RABIES, making note of when and where the bird was found and in what condition.
-- end --
The state Health Department inspection program rates
restaurants on 44 measures of food handling and housekeeping. The department has put extra emphasis on 13 of the measures....These "critical" items must be corrected during the time of inspection.... Points are subtracted from a score of 100 for each failing noted by the inspector..... A restaurant must score above 70 and have all critical items corrected or the establishment will be asked to close. The Burlington Free Press keeps a running list of the most recent score for all restaurants, listed by town (or for all towns in Vermont).
Click here to read more.
The U.S. Coast Guard at Burlington, using history as a guide,
expects to participate in 15 to 20 ice rescues on Lake Champlain this year, Coast Guard Petty Officer David Bourbeau said.
Sometimes it's an errant snowmobile. Other times a chunk of ice breaks off from shore, sending ice fishing enthusiasts out into open water atop a dwindling ice floe. Too often, Bourbeau said, alcohol contributes to an accident.
... The people who spend time on the ice respect the sometimes deceptive surface they nevertheless trust, often every day.
... The rule of thumb is if the ice is 2 inches thick, hard and clear, it's probably safe for a single person to walk on. Many people wait until the ice is 4 inches thick. If you dare drive out onto the lake, wait until the ice is 8 to 12 inches.
Snow, thaws, currents, pressure cracks, even schools of fish beneath the ice can weaken it.
The Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties
will host an open house Thursdayto reveal its newly refurbished Adult Day Program space. Tours and refreshments will be offered from 7:30 to 9 a.m. and again from 4 to 6 p.m. at the VNA building at 1110 Prim Road.
The VNA Adult Day Program provides enriching activities and help with personal and health care needs for individuals of all ages in a safe, home-like setting six days each week. Adult Day participants are frail elders, individuals with physical disabilities, adults with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, and individuals undergoing rehabilitative care.
Click here to read more.
There is more evidence that obesity can kill.
The New England Journal of Medicine published a study which says obesity causes 90,000 cancer deaths every year.
The study by the American Cancer Society is the largest yet to link obesity with cancer. Researchers conclude that excess weight may account for 14 percent of all cancer deaths in men and 20 percent of those in women.
Americans have heard it over and over again: obesity is not healthy. But with over 60 percent of the American population considered overweight or obese this latest study shows a normal weight is more than just a lifestyle choice.
Click here to read more.
There's more help on the way for Vermont's only methadone
clinic to treat heroin addiction.
Senator Patrick Leahy announced Tuesday that the center will receive 250-thousand dollars in federal funds.
Leahy says the federal funds will be used to continue offering the treatment that helps curb cravings and the symptoms of withdrawal.
State officials are hoping someone will be willing to open Vermont's second methadone clinic, but so far no one has come forward.
The Chittenden Center in Burlington is able to treat up to 100 clients.
It's currently operating at full capacity with a waiting list.
Click here to read more.
TheWest Nile virus has been scaring North Americans
since it was detected on this continent in 1999, but common-sense precautions can reduce the worry.
Although fewer than 1 percent of people infected with West Nile virus will develop severe illness, it can be fatal, especially among the elderly.
West Nile was first seen in Vermont in 2000, and health officials expect tests will show it has spread throughout the state.
Because the virus is transmitted directly to humans by mosquitoes, the goal is to prevent mosquito bites. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to apply insect repellent to clothing and to use it sparingly on exposed skin. Caution must be used, especially when applying repellent to children.
The CDC also suggests wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants outdoors; placing mosquito netting over infant carriers; and staying indoors at dawn and dusk, which are peak mosquito-biting times.
Twin Oaks Sports & Fitness
has the area's most complete fitness facilities with 3 convenient locations in South Burlington. Not only will you find all the latest fitness technology and programs, you'll also be treated to a level of quality and service which is second to none.
Click here to read more.
UVM was one of 12 sites participating in Angiogenic Gene
Therapy (AGENT) trial, the first trial of intracoronary gene therapy.... Promising results from a study of therapeutic angiogenesis - an experimental treatment involving the injection of a gene product designed to produce a protein that promotes blood vessel growth in the heart - may translate into a future treatment option for some of the nearly 7 million people nationwide who suffer from debilitating chest pain caused by coronary artery disease. ... "Coronary artery disease is the number-one cause of death in Vermont, the United States and recently - the world," said Matthew Watkins, M.D., a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine who led the study at the University of Vermont site and is one of the lead authors of the report. Patients with coronary artery disease often experience angina - chest pain that results when the heart muscle doesn't get as much oxygen as it needs due to blockage in the arteries.
Click here to read more.
Vermont and New Hampshire are among the healthiest
states in the nation. That's according to a new study.
The list was compiled by the United Health Foundation.
... Vermont is the 6th healthiest state -- based on a low violent crime rate, low risk for heart disease, fewer than normal fatal accidents and a strong high school graduation rate.
Click here to read more.
Vermont consumers need to be smarter about asking
for generic drugs in place of high-cost brand-name medicines.
That was the message today from the Vermont Medical Society, two
groups that advocate for the elderly and the commissioner of the state's welfare agency.
Paul Harrington of the Medical Society says too many patients are being won over by television advertisements telling them to ask
their doctor about new drugs that don't work any better than existing, cheaper medications.
AARP and the Coalition of Vermont Elders have joined the effort to get out the word that consumers need to do their part to
keep drug costs down by asking for generics.
Monday, 11/11/02
Vermont Dental Care
has been located in Winooski for over 20 years. Prior to our current location in the Champlain Mill, we were located on East Spring Street. We are a non-profit corporation with our dentists, hygienists, assistants and business staff committed to providing quality dental care to our patients in a positive environment. Your health and safety is our main concern, therefore we use state-of-the-art technology in providing treatment, as well as the most current recommendations and guidelines regarding disinfection and sterilization. We offer a full range of dental services either in our practice or by referral. We also offer orthodontic treatment from minor tooth movement to full braces.
We offer reduced dental fees for those that are income eligible. We will gladly bill your third-party insurance as well as Medicaid and Dr. Dynosaur.
Vermont Emergency Management is encouraging people to clear the snow off
their roofs.
This week's warm-up will help melt the snow. But rain in the forecast could be bad news for roofs that still have a lot of snow. That's because the moisture will make the snow even heavier, and that could cause a weak roof to collapse.
"A lot of homes have significant snow on their roofs," Vermont Emergency Management spokesman Mark Bosma said. "As it gets warmer, that's actually a good thing-- some of the snow is going to melt. But once it starts to rain, that adds to the snow load and the weight of the snow on homes. We just people to be aware of it and keep an eye on it so the roof doesn't collapse."
Click here to read more.
Vermont is confiscating hundreds of records
from a Burlington eye doctor forbidden to see patients. Doctor David Chase was brought last week before an emergency meeting of the Medical Practice Board. It voted unanimously to shut down his business immediately. Chase is accused of performing hundreds of unnecessary cataract surgeries. The Vermont Attorney General's office seized 1,500 patient files from Chase's office. All of the records related to cataract surgeries performed by Chase in the last three years. If you are a former patient of Doctor Chase, the Vermont Medical Society can help you find a new physician. Just call their toll free number, 1-800-640-8767.
Christine Hinkel - Channel 3 News
Vermont legislators wrapped up five months of heated
debate in May 2000, approving a bill to legalize methadone treatment for heroin addiction.
A year passed, while the state worked out guidelines for dispensing methadone to addicts in Vermont. In October 2001, Vermont Health Commissioner Jan Carney said she wanted a clinic running by Jan. 1, 2002.
Vermont's heroin addicts are still waiting. The Howard Center for Human Services and Fletcher Allen Health Care, which will provide medical supervision, promise the treatment center will open soon.
Howard Center hopes to have the clinic operating within two weeks, Bob Bick, director of adult behavioral health services for the Howard Center, said Wednesday.
Legal hoops, financing arrangements, security systems, and retrofitting a space that once served as administrative and dental offices slowed progress, said Warren Bickel, the University of Vermont's interim chairman of psychiatry and director of the future treatment center.
Vermont provides the nation's second best health care
to Medicare patients, according to a report published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Only New Hampshire scored higher on the study, which was based on whether a sample of Medicare patients received proper treatments for ailments such as heart attack and stroke.
Vermont ranked second in a similar study published in 2000.
... The study reviewed Medicare records across the country, to see whether hospitals gave patients 24 treatments that are broadly accepted as appropriate. Among them:
-- Mammograms every two years for women 52 and older.
-- Prescription of beta blockers for patients leaving the hospital after a heart attack.
-- Antibiotics for pneumonia patients within eight hours of arrival at the hospital.
The portion of patients receiving proper care on the 24 measures improved nationally from 69.5 percent to 73.4 percent, the study said. To retain its ranking, Vermont also improved.
Visiting Nurse Association Health Systems of Vermont
is a network of Vermont's 12 not-for-profit home health agencies and Visiting Nurse Associations. The primary functions of the VNAHS is to develop, implement, and monitor statewide standards of care, measure and monitor quality improvement efforts, and serve as a contracting entity for the member agencies.
They Provide a wide range of high-quality care for people of all ages, with acute and long term illnesses. In addition to skilled nursing services, speciality nurses coordinate high-quality individualized care. Licensed Nursing Assistants assist with personal care and activities of daily living.
... A specially coordinated home-based program that helps childern and adults with a terminal illness, along with their families, cope with death by living life to the fullest. The interdisciplinary team emphasizes care directed toward expert pain and sympton control, maximizing independence and socialization and providing support.
Click here to read more.
Vitamin Connection
is proud to offer items that have been meticulously selected based upon quality raw materials, manufacturer integrity and scientific validity. We constantly strive to provide the best possible nutritional items, at fair and competitive prices. Not the largest selection, not always the lowest price. But we will not compromise quality or purity for any reason.
Products offered by Vitamin Connection are extensively organized by category. We believe this is the most effective way to compare nutrient potencies, quantities and price objectively. Products are also viewable by Manufacturer. Complete product disclosure is accessible when viewing the product selections on line.
Click here to read more.
When Vermont gets a lot of snow, most people are worried about shoveling
the walkway or braving potentially icy roads. But officials are asking people to be aware of another danger, something that can be a silent killer during the winter months.
When people forget to clear vents from a furnace or kerosene heater, carbon monoxide waste can back up into a home. The odorless, tasteless gas can cause suffocation in larger amounts. Symptoms of poisoning include headache and dizziness.
Officials say they've responded to calls in the past where blocked vents resulted in CO contamination, and they're hoping to avoid doing that during this storm.
Click here to read more.
While police were at the lake Tuesday night,
Kadish said he saw several drivers turn off their headlights as they drove onto the lake, apparently thinking they didn't need them.
Petty Officer Randy Genier of the U.S. Coast Guard in Burlington said headlights can be a lifesaver on the lake, as they help drivers see "pressure ridges" -- gaps where sheets of ice form a bump, much like a fault line in the earth. Genier said such a bump could tip a car over, and could indicate a weak area of ice through which a car could fall.
Kadish said state law sets the speed limit in unposted areas at 50 mph. Drunken-driving laws apply on the ice just as they do on the road or in boats on the open water, Kadish said.
Genier said the Coast Guard is bracing for further problems with cars on the lake, especially once the ice starts thinning. "As the weather warms up and people aren't aware of what's going on, I'm sure we'll get more calls on that," he said.
Winooski has banned smoking in bars.
At a city council meeting in Winooski Monday night, a sometimes heated debate pits public health against personal choice. Health care workers and organizations argue the health hazards of second-hand smoke.
... Long-time bar workers call for the ban to be put on the fast track.
... But bar owners worry their profits will be snuffed out.
"We are living by a different set of rules than the clubs are," argues Terry Martell of Trackside Tavern.
Winooski has five bars and four private clubs. Under the ordinance, clubs are exempt from the smoking ban. Bar owners say smoking patrons will go to those places instead.
... Despite reservations, the city council adopts the bar smoking ban, but not unanimously.
It's likely a statewide smoking ban will be considered again next year. And private clubs are not off the hook yet in Winooski. The city may try to add clubs, like the VFW, to the ban as well. The new ordinance in Winooski goes into effect in 30 days.
Click here to read more.
Women enrolled in a new University of Vermont study
will take birth control pills already on the market. What is different is how they will take them. Every single day for one year, as opposed to taking the pill three weeks on and then one week off.
"The main goal of this is to see if we can lessen the amount of bleeding that women have on birth control pill," says Dr. Julia Johnson of the University of Vermont. "So with taking the pill everyday, the women will no longer have routine menstrual periods. They can go as long as a year without having a period."
Dr. Johnson says despite what we've been taught eliminating periods is entirely safe. So women who simply don't want the monthly nuisance can choose not to have them without worry.
Click here to read more.
|
Environment dump:
| (For best results, avoid common words, like "Burlington","Vermont","and","the",etc.) | -- OR -- |
|
A Burlington eye doctor with 35 years' experience lost authorization to see patients and perform surgery Monday, after the state Medical Practice Board determined he presented "a clear danger to public health, safety and welfare."
The board summarily suspended the license of ophthalmologist Dr. David S. Chase, following a Burlington woman's complaint that he scheduled her for cataract surgery she did not need.
The state also based its decision on the affidavit of a former employee of Chase's, who said the doctor "crafted records to force patients into cataracts surgery" until there were nine operations scheduled each week.
....