Emily F. Keller

Federal Communications Commission Releases 911 Accessibility Report

    The Emergency Access Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released the results of a national survey about 911 technology for people with disabilities.

    The survey was conducted in April in May. That data was based on more than 3,000 completed surveys and 9,000 partially fill out questionnaires.

Brain Scan Shows Activity in Injured Man

    A British research lab has discovered that people with severe brain injuries may be able to provide "yes" and "no" answers to scientists using their thoughts.

    "We were astonished when we saw the results of the patient's scan and that he was able to correctly answer the questions that were asked by simply changing his thoughts," said Adrian Owen, co-author of the research study that generated the findings.

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

Cell Phones Could Offer Travel Instructions to People with Cognitive Disabilities

  The same technology that drivers use to find their destinations could help people with learning or cognitive disabilities to exit a bus at the right stop.

    For people with developmental disabilities like Down syndrome and Asperger’s syndrome, learning when to get off the bus can be one of the most challenging parts of using mass transit. Researchers in Florida are working on a technological innovation to try to ease the process using cell phone location technology similar to Global Positioning Systems that provide directions to automobile drivers.

    Published on Transportation Access. Read the story.

Runoff Rumble

    Homeowners on 209th Avenue Northeast agree that storm water is not properly draining from their street, leaving a large puddle up to 10 inches high in the way of traffic for parts of the winter. However, when it comes to the cause and solution to the problem, opinions vary.

    The avenue is in an area that is vulnerable to landslides and erosion hazards because of its hills, city officials said. An increase in real estate development in the past four years has also reduced the number of trees around to soak up water, increasing flooding. Resident Fran Hogan (pictured) has dealt with the problem by installing a $500 pump to carry water out during the rainy season.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

City to Revive Stalled Pine Lake Study

    A draft study about water quality in Pine Lake that has been sitting dormant for two years could be reviewed soon. The city’s former drainage engineer, Eric LaFrance, will return to work for the city again as the Senior Stormwater Program Engineer beginning Aug. 18. One of his first projects will be to review the study.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

Planners Propose Municipal, Critical Areas Code Changes

    City planners are proposing a series of changes to development and drainage requirements in Sammamish that they say will reduce bureaucracy and protect the environment.

    But some environmentalists say those two goals are inconsistent. At a June 19 meeting, the city’s Planning Commission heard recommendations about some of the less controversial proposals to amend portions of the municipal building code. Proposed changes to the critical areas code that came up at another recent meeting have generated more controversy.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

Planners Propose Low Impact Development Ordinance

    Sammamish planners want to encourage developers to minimize their impact on the environment by offering them benefits. City planners are proposing a low impact development ordinance that would reward developers of commercial and large residential projects for using a host of storm water methods favored by environmentalists. Low impact development is a storm water management and land development strategy that aims to minimize soil disturbance and impervious surfaces, protect natural features and add vegetation.

    Published in the Sammamish Review. Read the story.

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.