Mayor and Township Board of CommissionersAnnounce Senior Adult Health Workshop

“How to Care for Your Aging Parents”
Will Help Inform Caregivers in Our Community

NUTLEY – The Township of Nutley’s Board of Commissioners recently announced that they plan to co-sponsor a senior adult health workshop, “How to Care for Your Aging Parents”, planned for Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Nutley Adult Social Activity Center, 65 Bloomfield Ave., Nutley. The program, targeted to baby-boomers and all others who are caring for elderly adults, is intended to educate caregivers on the number of support services and resources that are available on both a local and county level.
This event will kick off with a brief panel discussion to include Elder Law Attorney Jeffrey R. Bascelli, CELA, Michelle Carter from the Alzheimer’s Association and Dr. James Morgan, Family Practice Physician who will represent Mountainside Hospital – a co-sponsor of the event. “This event will showcase all the beneficial programs that our Township has to offer to our seniors. This collaborative effort will focus on some really unique programs that help so many of our seniors in our community today,” commented Mayor Joanne Cocchiola.
Following the brief discussion, guests will be free to visit different resource tables from organizations such as NJ Shares, Food Stamps, the Nutley Family Service Bureau, the local Red Cross Chapter, Medicaid, Adult Day Cares and more. Representatives will be on-hand to answer questions and explain their programs. Additionally, each of the Township Departments will also showcase all the programs available to the seniors in the community, such as Shovel Out Seniors – or S.O.S., adult transportation and a senior tax freeze. Light refreshments will be served.
Contact the Department of Public Affairs at 973-284-4976, or check the township’s official website at www.nutleynj.org for additional information about this educational event. Information about existing senior programs can be found on the township website under each of the township department’s.

Swine flu news from NA

NORTH ARLINGTON – Mayor Peter Massa and Councilman Richard Hughes, the liaison to the Health Department announced today that the borough has received the following health advisory from the Centers for Disease Control regarding the outbreak of swine influenza.
Regina Gan of the Borough Health Department reports that the emphasis is on prevention and that there are no reported outbreaks of the swine flu in New Jersey at this time.
Residents are reminded to avoid contact with people showing flu systems and to thoroughly wash their hands frequently, especially after contact with others, and to cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing. Residents showing flu symptoms such as fevers above 100 degrees, body aches, fatigue and sore throat should consult a physician immediately. Children showing flu like symptoms should be kept home from school.
For More information call the borough health department at 201-955-5695.

CDC Health Advisory
Distributed via Health Alert Network
April 25, 2009, 3:00 EST (03:00 PM EDT) CDCHAN-000281-2009-04-25-ALT-N
Investigation and Interim Recommendations:
Swine Influenza (H1N1)
CDC, in collaboration with public health officials in California and Texas, is investigating cases of febrile respiratory illness caused by swine influenza (H1N1) viruses. As of 11 AM (EDT) April 25, 2009, 8 laboratory confirmed cases of Swine Influenza infection have been confirmed in the United States. Four cases have been reported in San Diego County, California. Two cases have been reported in Imperial County California. Two cases have been reported in Guadalupe County, Texas. Of the 8 persons with available data, illness onsets occurred March 28-April 14, 2009. Age range was 7-54 y.o. Cases are 63% male.
The viruses contain a unique combination of gene segments that have not been reported previously among swine or human influenza viruses in the U.S. or elsewhere. At this time, CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment of infection with swine influenza viruses. The H1N1 viruses are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine but not to oseltamivir or zanamivir. It is not anticipated that the seasonal influenza vaccine will provide protection against the swine flu H1N1 viruses.
CDC has also been working closely with public health officials in Mexico, Canada and the World Health Organization (WHO). Mexican public health authorities have reported increased levels of respiratory disease, including reports of severe pneumonia cases and deaths, in recent weeks. CDC is assisting public health authorities in Mexico by testing specimens and providing epidemiological support. As of 11:00 AM (EDT) April 25, 2009, 7 specimens from Mexico at CDC have tested positive for the same strain of swine influenza A (H1N1) as identified in U.S. cases. However, no clear data are available to assess the link between the increased disease reports in Mexico and the confirmation of swine influenza in a small number of specimens. WHO is monitoring international cases. Further information on international cases may be found at: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_24/en/index.html
Clinicians should consider swine influenza infection in the differential diagnosis of patients with febrile respiratory illness and who 1) live in San Diego or Imperial counties, California, or Guadalupe County, Texas, or traveled to these counties or 2) who traveled recently to Mexico or were in contact with persons who had febrile respiratory illness and were in one of the three U.S. counties or Mexico during the 7 days preceding their illness onset.
Patients who meet these criteria should be tested for influenza, and specimens positive for influenza should be sent to public health laboratories for further characterization. Clinicians who suspect swine influenza virus infections in humans should obtain a nasopharyngeal swab from the patient, place the swab in a viral transport medium, refrigerate the specimen, and then contact their state or local health department to facilitate transport and timely diagnosis at a state public health laboratory. CDC requests that state public health laboratories promptly send all influenza A specimens that cannot be subtyped to the CDC, Influenza Division, Virus Surveillance and Diagnostics Branch Laboratory.
Persons with febrile respiratory illness should stay home from work or school to avoid spreading infections (including influenza and other respiratory illnesses) to others in their communities. In addition, frequent hand washing can lessen the spread of respiratory illness.
CDC has not recommended that people avoid travel to affected areas at this time. Recommendations found at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentSwineFluUS.aspx will help travelers reduce risk of infection and stay healthy.
Clinical guidance on laboratory safety, case definitions, infection control and information for the public are available at:http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/investigation.htm.
Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Biosafety Guidelines for Laboratory Workers: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidelines_labworkers.htm
Interim Guidance for Infection Control for Care of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in a Healthcare Setting: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/guidelines_infection_control.htm
Interim Guidance on Case Definitions for Swine Influenza A (H1N1) Human Case Investigations: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/casedef_swineflu.htm

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports Dispatch (April 24) provide detailed information about the initial cases at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm58d0424a1.htm
For more information about swine flu: http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu
Additional information is also available by calling 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)

Stem Cell Registration

On Saturday, May 10 from 1 to 4 p.m., the HLA Registry will test and register potential stem cell donors at the Kip Center, 55 Kip Ave. in Rutherford for Al Alberti, a Lyndhurst resident and father of three, diagnosed with MDS who is waiting for a stem cell transplant. Myleodysplastic Syndrome is a blood related disease and stem cell transplant is the only hope for survival.
HLA testing (Stem Cell) includes a cheek swab and requires you to be 18 to 61 years old and in fairly good health.
If you are found to be a match, additional blood donation is required.
The HLA registry's "Thanks Mom" Campaign is being promoted from May 5 to 19.
During this two-week period the donation fee will be waived. This promotion is being done to encourage people to become part of the nationwide registry to find donors for stem cell transplants.
Besides Alberti, there are many other patients, including local residents, who are waiting for a donor match.
Finding a donor is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Please come out to register!
Call the HLA at 201-705-1600 for more information or Debbie Alberti at 201-647-6292, Denese Cortellino at 973-981-8003, or Maria Pansini.
Are you a match? If so you can save a life.

Corzine signs to help stop lead poisoning

TRENTON – Stressing the need to protect the health of New Jersey’s children and building on a report by the Public Advocate, Governor Jon S. Corzine today signed an Executive Order to significantly strengthen efforts to eliminate lead exposure hazards.
“The Public Advocate’s report is quite compelling,” Governor Corzine said. “Lead poisoning is a public health crisis that has irreversible effects on children and even adults, and we need to do all we can to address this crisis head-on. The Executive Order I am signing will establish a comprehensive program, drawing on coordinated resources from multiple agencies at the State and local level to expand our efforts to prevent lead poisoning, treat lead-poisoned children, assist affected families, and more effectively remediate lead-burdened housing.”
Lead exposure can cause brain damage, developmental delays, reduced IQ, reading and learning disabilities, behavioral problems, hearing impairments, and hyperactivity. Lead exposure can also impair the development and functioning of vital organs and can result in convulsions, coma, and even death.
A field investigation conducted by the Public Advocate’s staff found lead dust levels exceeding the federal standard in 85 of 104, or 82 percent of, homes tested in five of the New Jersey cities with the highest concentration of lead-poisoned children: Trenton, Camden, Newark, East Orange and Irvington. Together, these five cities accounted for 31 percent of all reported lead poisonings in New Jersey in FY 2005.
In addition, most of the addresses tested had already been subject to lead inspections and/or abatements and had been cleared for occupancy. Investigators also found shoddy abatement and clean-up work and interviewed families of children whose blood lead levels were higher after the lead problem in their home had supposedly been cleaned up.
In FY 2005, more than 4,000 New Jersey children were diagnosed with levels of lead in their blood at or above the federal level of concern based on the federal standard of 10 micrograms per deciliter, mostly from ingesting lead-based paint chips or lead dust from deteriorating paint in their homes.
“We can prevent our children from being sickened, suffering brain damage and even dying due to an environmental contamination in their homes,” said Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen. “I commend all of the parties involved, and especially Governor Corzine, for recognizing the seriousness of this problem and for taking these important first steps to solving it – forever.”
The specific problems identified in the Public Advocate’s investigation include:
In FY 2005, of all the children under six years of age screened for lead in New Jersey, 2.4 percent, or 4,048 children, were found to have a level at or above 10 micrograms per deciliter of whole blood, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) level of concern. While this number improves every year, it is still unacceptably high.
New Jersey’s housing stock is old, with more than half built before the sale of lead paint was banned in 1978. While the lead poisoning problem is statewide it is particularly bad in older urban areas.
According to the CDC, New Jersey’s rate of poisoning is not only above the national average, but also above other northeastern states, such as New York and Massachusetts, that have similarly old housing stocks.
It has taken months and even years for a home to be cleaned up, or abated, after a child is first known to be lead poisoned.
A review of all records from the five selected cities over the past ten years revealed that local health inspectors ordered abatements in only about 60 percent of the cases where a child had been poisoned and, of those, about 20 percent never happened.
Abatement contractors have at times in the past been able to get away with shoddy, inferior work because the standards governing their performance are insufficiently precise.
Children are being re-poisoned in homes that should have been lead-safe.
Childhood lead poisoning significantly burdens State resources because it increases health care and educational costs and requires the State to provide long-term services to individuals who suffer from disabilities or behavioral problems due to exposure.
Families are often left without information, financial assistance, and housing alternatives. Although funding is available to relocate families to lead-safe housing, fewer than 100 families have been able to use this funding in the last three years.
“Families, especially in urban areas, have enough to worry about on a daily basis, without wondering if their homes are killing them,” Senator Ronald L. Rice, D-Essex, and Chairman of the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee, said. “Lead poisoning is a silent epidemic in New Jersey’s urban areas. Over the years, I have sponsored legislation to address lead poisoning issues. More needs to be done, and I am eager to work with all the State departments on this issue. I believe that we have an obligation to protect our citizens from lead poisoning and assist those who have been exposed to it.”

Thoughts on Global Warming

The has been a lot of talk about the effects of global warming, if there is global warming and who's going to tell the people warming up or cooling down their cars before work each morning that there may be a problem with the extra exhaust.
Below are a few videos that show radically different points of view on the topic.
We at The Observer like to show both sides of the story as we can, so the reader or viewer can make an informed decision for themselves.

The Great Global Warming Question




The Great Global Warming Swindle



Al Gore before Congress in 2007