Emily F. Keller: Journalist

Amputee Organizations Mobilize for Haitians

    National and international organizations that work with amputees are extending their efforts to people in Haiti who were injured in the devastating January earthquake.

    The nonprofit Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) in Tennessee developed a Haiti Relief Action Center (HRAC) to provide information on the relief effort to people who want to help amputees. The organization is raising funds with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to translate limb-loss information such as wound care advice into Creole.

    This article was published in Able News. Click here to read the full article.

State Budget Alters Services for People with Disabilities

    President Barack Obama and Governor David Patterson recently announced their budgets for the next fiscal year, which include spending adjustments to programs for people with disabilities.

    Paterson's fiscal year 2011 budget seeks to close a $7.4 billion deficit with measures such as limiting personal home care to 12 hours a day.

    The $80 billion budget also proposes charging fees to families with disabled or delayed infants and toddlers who enroll in early intervention service programs that are provided by New York State. Those charges are part of a $1 billion set of new and increased taxes and fees contained in the budget.

    This article was published in Able News. Click here to read the full article.

Senate Passes Health Care Reform Bill

    On December 24, the U.S. Senate passed a landmark health care reform bill, which combined with its companion bill in the House of Representatives will expand medical care options for more than 30 million Americans. The bill was passed with a vote of 60-39.

    The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or H.R. 3590, includes a requirement for the Access Board to develop accessibility standards for medical equipment like exam tables, authorizes funding for long-term care workers to receive additional training and prohibits discrimination in coverage decisions on the basis of disability.

Advocates See Improvements With House Bill

    The U.S. House of Representatives passed a landmark bill Nov. 7 that promises more choices and greater access to services for people with disabilities.

    The Affordable Health Care for America Act, or H.R. 3962, is expected to expand health care coverage to an additional 5 percent of Americans - or 40 million people - and to improve existing coverage, for a cost of $891 billion. The House passed the bill with a vote of 220-215.

    Published in Able News. Click here to read the article.

Menu Labeling Will Take Effect Soon

    A new menu labeling law passed by the King County Board of Health has had minimal impact on some fast food restaurants in Sammamish since it took effect August 1. The law applies to chain restaurants with 15 or more locations nationwide that have gross annual revenues of $1 million or more, standardized menus and recipes and operating permits with Seattle and King County’s public health boards.

    The legislation requires chain restaurants to label the calories, sodium, saturated fat and carbohydrate content of items that are on the menu for more than 90 days. They must post the calorie information on the menu board next to the items, on signs next to the menu board or on a sign within eye level of the board.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

City Council Gives Itself Dental, Vision Benefits

    The Sammamish City Council voted unanimously to offer themselves vision and dental coverage at their July 1 meeting. The coverage could begin in August or September if enough council members elect to purchase it, said Director of Finance Lyman Howard.

    Council members will have the option of buying dental coverage from the Washington Dental Service at a cost of $57 per month as an individual, or $198.90 per month for an individual and two dependents. The vision plan costs $17.82 per month and covers the whole family.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

Sammamish Girl’s Art Gives Back to Children’s Hospital

    Nine-year-old Nicki Wehrs likes to paint rabbits and rainbows, play soccer and go swimming, like many children her age. But Nicki, who lives in Sahelee, has to endure more than most children to stay healthy enough to do those things.

    Since she was diagnosed with a chronic bleeding disorder in 2002 called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Nicki has become a patient at the Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, where she travels for intravenous therapy treatments every 6-8 weeks.

    Although her family is well insured, Nicki and her father, Ray Wehrs, are working to raise money for uninsured children who also need the hospital’s services.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

Global Rice Shortage Felt in Sammamish

  

  "Global Rice Shortage Felt in Sammamish" is about the impact that higher rice costs in the summer of 2008 had on local restaurants.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Please request attachment or check back soon for an updated posting.

New York Under Water

    New York Under Water is a series of self-published videos and audio slideshows about flooding impacts on New York City's transit system, harbor water, low-income residents and low-lying neighborhoods.

    The project includes videos about the August 8, 2007 storm that flooded the subways, sewage treatment in the South Bronx, chronic flooding in Jamaica, Queens, sewer overflow in Newtown Creek and the possibility of storm surge in the city.

    It contains audio slideshows about city government's sustainability efforts and residential water reuse in Battery Park City.

View the interactive series.

Merck Increases Earnings with Vaccines and Partnerships

    Strong sales of a vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer, successful joint ventures and cost reductions from an ongoing global restructuring pushed third quarter net income for drug-maker Merck (MRK) to $1,525.5 million, compared with $940.6 million one year before.

    Earnings per share rose to .70 cents, or .75 cents excluding restructuring charges, the Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based pharmaceutical company announced Monday.  Merck also raised its 2007 earnings per share projections to $2.87 to $2.93, including restructuring.  Stocks reacted by rising 1.53 points, or 2.88% by the close of trading.

    Gardasil, the vaccine against the human papillomavirus that causes cervical cancer, accounted for $418 million of the company’s total revenue, which rose 12% for the quarter ending September 30 and was also driven by sales of the respiratory drug Singulair, the chicken pox vaccine Varivax and diabetes medication Januvia.