Parents can do a lot to help their children prepare for and respond to disasters.

WHAT IS A DISASTER? It’s any sudden event that brings destruction and results in a lot of damage and loss.

Children look to adults to learn what to do in new situations. The way you react to a disaster can affect how children will react. If a parent talks about his or her concerns, then a child may feel it’s OK to talk about their own feelings.

• Keeping a child home or from playing with friends for fear of “what may happen” can leave a child feeling disconnected and afraid.
• Daily school routines can provide a sense of security for children. Keeping routines after a disaster can help children feel calm and safe.

Consider how you might react to a disaster. Understanding how your reaction can affect children is the first step toward learning how to help children cope. What are some ways you could change your behavior to have a more positive impact?

Certain “built-in” factors can help children recover more quickly.

• A supportive family
• A strong support system beyond family (may include contacts at school, healthcare, and the religious community)
• Stable, positive peer relations
• Not having money worries

 For more information contact Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health, 355-1540.

• 23.6 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes
• Nearly one-quarter of those do not know they have diabetes
• One in five Americans is at risk for developing type 2 diabetes

For many, diagnosis may come seven to ten years after the onset of the disease. Therefore, early diagnosis is critical to successful treatment and delaying or preventing some of its complications such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease, stroke, amputation and death.

Everyone should be aware of the risk factors for type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight, under active (living a sedentary lifestyle), and over the age of 45 should consider themselves at risk for the disease. 

On Diabetes Alert Day, Tuesday, March 24, 2009, the American Diabetes Association will “Sound the Alert” about the dangers of diabetes. Take the Diabetes Risk Test @ www.diabetes.org/risk-test.jsp to evaluate your risk for diabetes. If you are at high risk you are encouraged to schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider.

Blood glucose screening is available at Bismarck Burleigh Public Health for $6.

 High blood pressure means that you are at an increased risk for stroke and heart disease as well as kidney failure and blindness.  Nearly one in three adults has high blood pressure, but because there are no symptoms, nearly one-third of these people don’t know they have it.

High blood cholesterol also signals a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.  Knowing your cholesterol numbers helps to assess your risk of heart disease.  As with blood pressure, you don’t have signs or symptoms of high cholesterol.

Adults should have their blood pressure checked every 1 – 2 years based on risk factors.  They should also have their cholesterol checked periodically, as directed by their physician

You can have your blood pressure checked anytime at Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health at no charge.  Cholesterol screenings ($25) are held twice each month.  You will receive your  cholesterol and blood sugar report as well as a consultation with the dietitian.  Call 355-1540 to make an appointment.

Know Your Numbers

Blood Pressure…….120 or under (top number)

                                                                                                            80 or under (bottom number)

Total Cholesterol….200 or lower

National Nutrition Month^® is an awareness campaign supported by the American    Dietetic Association (ADA). The goal is to support informed food choices and sound eating and physical activity habits for citizens. 

 Registered Dietitian Day is celebrated March 11 allowing ADA to advocate for its professional members. Registered dietitians are the recognized leaders in providing food and nutrition services. There are more than 68,000 ADA members, nationally.

North Dakota requires practicing “nutritionists” to be licensed. Dietitians meet the licensure requirements and are always credible sources of nutrition information and use the LRD credentials. For some it is easy to talk food and intertwine science.  The law does not stop money hungry “snake oil” sales people from promoting nutrition fiction as facts. In our unhealthy society, marketing of supplements and half-truths tend to confuse people about healthful food choices and it is difficult to know what is “truth” and what is “fiction bringing consequences”. If you have nutrition questions or hear questionable nutrition advice, ask “are you a registered dietitian and are you  licensed to practice nutrition promotion in ND?”

Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health (BBPH)  has become a recognized leader in the area of community nutrition education. BBPH dietitian, Wanda Agnew, LRD, wagnew@nd.gov promotes healthful food choices for the prevention of chronic disease, reduction of food inaccessibility/hunger, and creation of partnerships with others who work toward a common goal. In 2009, BBPH is training future dietitians by hosting five dietetic interns this spring.

By Nancy M. Laughlin, Detroit Free Press

DETROIT — Loretta Velliky of Dearborn, Mich., started learning to use a computer after her husband died in September 2005.

“My husband had a computer, and after he passed, my daughter said, ‘Mom, get on it!’” Velliky said. “She showed me a few basics and said, ‘Don’t be afraid of it! Learn it!’”

Today, 80-year-old Velliky e-mails her five children, shops and exchanges funny or interesting stories with family and friends.

“My kids encourage me,” she said. “When I send them something, they say: ‘Oh, look: Mom found this.’”

Velliky is part of a growing number of senior Americans online. As recently as 2000, fewer than 20 percent of Americans older than 64 were wired — meaning they could access the Internet.

But that’s changing as Americans live longer, healthier lives and adapt to electronic devices. Today, 37 percent of U.S. adults older than 64 are online — up 85 percent in just eight years.

Tech experts expect the numbers to keep rising, and they see seniors as a largely untapped market — for equipment sales, new sites tapered to their interests and technology customized to their needs.

January’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas offered a full day of Silvers Summit seminars on topics from online dating to sites for caregivers. And companies — from Microsoft to start-up Myine Electronics in Ferndale, Mich. — are developing simpler, faster devices to bring seniors (and baby boomers) into the computer age.

“We don’t say ‘easy.’ We say ‘fast,’ with fewer steps,” Myine Chief Executive Officer Jake Sigal said of the products his firm creates.

More senior centers, schools and colleges are offering courses for wired-wannabes.

“Our courses are pretty popular,” Dearborn, Mich.’s senior services coordinator Marsha Koet said. “Many students know the basics, but we get beginners, too.”

Surveys show the top reason seniors want to get online is to connect with family and friends. They also are fans of sites offering news, games, shopping and information on health, investments, hobbies, travel and caregiving.

“Our seniors are interested in everything,” Koet said. “A lot like e-mail so they can stay in touch with grandchildren. Another big thing is exchanging photos with family.”

If you’re a senior who wants to get wired, or a child or friend helping someone learn, experts offer these tips:

TIPS FOR SENIORS

–If you’re buying a computer, keep it simple! A decent one with essential software costs a few hundred dollars. As your skills improve, add options.

–Many experts recommend older users learn on PCs; they’re most often used in classrooms and libraries.

–For inexpensive training, call your senior center or check with continuing education programs. (Or have someone go online and Google your town and “computer training.”)

TIPS FOR TRAINERS

–Again, keep it simple. Teach them how to do things; don’t give them complex details.

–Many seniors, especially women, don’t speak up when you’ve lost them. Be patient. Let them ask questions.

–Let them sit at the keyboard. It lets them learn at their own pace, not yours.

–Online games like solitaire are a great way for seniors to learn mousing skills.

CUSTOMIZING FOR SENIORS

Robin Raskin, Silvers Summit founder, recommends customizing a senior’s computer.

–Accessibility settings on Windows’ control panel lets you adjust font and cursor sizes, enable audio and change screen colors for seniors with sight or hearing impairments.

–Remove unneeded icons. “For seniors, less is more,” she said.

–Enter their registration information and tell the site to “remember me” the next time they log on. (She advises keeping a list of passwords for them.)

–Make sure virus protection, pop-up blockers, firewall and other safe computing features are installed and up to date.

–Larger-letter keyboard stick-ons make it easier to hunt and peck.

–Enter the e-mail names of favorite contacts, so they can just pick from the list.

–Consider hiring a tech support service.

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INTO THE FUTURE

With more seniors expected to be on computers, high-tech companies, including Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, have developed or are working on a variety of products for them, including:

–Easier programs with commonsense icons.

–Soft-touch keyboards for arthritic hands.

–Larger labels on keys for people with failing eyesight.

–Screen magnifiers that enlarge not just type, but also videos and photos.

–Programs aimed specifically at elderly people, such as daily prescription trackers, medical record trackers and memory-skill games.

–Bluetooth headsets for people with hearing aids.

–And, one of the most incredible, an edible computer chip made of vegetable matter that could be swallowed and allow a computer to monitor a variety of health conditions, like heart rate and blood pressure.

Sources: AARP; Myine Electronics; Microsoft

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OLDER AMERICANS ONLINE

37: Percentage of Americans 65 or older who are online. In 2000, it was less than 20 percent. (By comparison, 75 percent of those age 50-64 are online.)

43: Percentage of seniors who expect to purchase electronic products this year (compared with 66 percent among those age 18-34).

42: Percentage of seniors using online news sites who say they check the Internet several times a day for breaking news. (Compared with just 18 percent for people younger than 20.)

46: Percentage of wired seniors who say the Web is crucial for maintaining social relationships. (The number held true even for people older than 70!)

58: Percentage of users older than 50 who say they sign on to an online community site at least once daily. (Compared with 47 percent for people younger than 20.)

Sources: Pew Internet & American Life Project; SeniorJournal.com; WiredSeniors.com

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(c) 2009, Detroit Free Press.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

By SARA KINCAID, Bismarck Tribune

A rack, a desk and a pair of bookshelves define Peggy Erickson’s classroom.

Erickson, who teaches special education, shares the room in Tappen Public Schools with a second-grade teacher.

Sharing the room is better than the lunchroom, she said. There is a drawback, though, to the room: no storage.

The teachers use shelves, racks, plastic totes and file cabinets to store supplies and papers.

“There’s no actual space for teaching,” she said. “We have a lot of good materials. If we could get it out of the way, we could interact better.”

She might get her wish. She’s a finalist in the Expo/Office Depot Classroom Makeover Contest. The grand prize is a $25,000 makeover. She won $2,000 for being a finalist.

Entering contests is old hat for Erickson.

“I enter contests all the time,” she said.

She’s won small stuff here and there, and used to enter radio contests a lot. Now she’s entering a contest to win a computer lab for the school.

“Somebody’s got to win,” she said.

For her to win the classroom makeover contest, she needs the most online votes. Voting continues through March 9. People can only vote once, or the vote is disqualified. Erickson has sent an e-mail requesting people to vote. For more information, visit www.expoclassroommakeover.com/officedepot/main.taf?p2.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)

By Kim Hone-Mcmahan, Akron Beacon Journal

AKRON, Ohio — Kristen Thompson grinned when chatting about how her parents sometimes reminisce about their school days, flipping through the pages of the yearbook.

For those of us who bought the annuals, the headshot of the class clown can thrust us back to the time when he and some of his mischievous pals lifted the principal’s Volkswagen Beetle and carried it into the school’s gymnasium. Or maybe the photo of the pimple-faced kid makes you quiver, recalling the boogers he stuck beneath the desk in biology class. And how about that heartthrob with the sky-blue eyes and dimpled chin? The one who used to tell all of the girls that he worked for Ohio Bell, and it was his job to gather their numbers for the telephone book?

Whether good or gross, the yearbook is filled with memories of the times that shaped many of our lives. But in some parts of the country, it has been done away with, or is at risk of demise.

“It’s the only thing from high school that you’ll probably have 20 years from now,” said Thompson, a staff member of the Tallmadge High School yearbook who wasn’t pleased to learn that in some schools, including at least one in the Houston area, the annual is no more.

Some say it’s the economy, others say it’s because of the popularity of social networks like Facebook. And then there are the teens who simply don’t have a loyalty to their school — usually no fault of their own.

About 275 students at Akron, Ohio’s Garfield High School are expected to get this year’s annuals. The cost of the book is included in senior dues. Yearbook adviser Jeffrey Davis said he expects about 245 Garfield pupils to pay those dues, meaning just 30 underclassmen will have ordered the books.

In addition to students not having an extra $55 to pay for the books, he believes the issue of transience has an impact on sales. As of the first of February, five months after school began, the teacher had already experienced a 20 percent turnover in his student roster.

“A couple of my kids are in their third school this year,” he explained. “That makes it very tough for many inner-city students to develop an allegiance to their high school. Why would a student buy a Garfield yearbook if there’s a chance he will be at East by the end of the year?”

Davis noted that most of the turnover is the result of parent or guardian relocations, but there are other factors such as open enrollment, which allows students to transfer to other schools in the district.

There are, of course, some exceptions, but depending on the school, sales are generally down as little as 5 percent in some areas to as much as 50 percent in others.

There was a significant drop in sales during the 1980s, when enrollment at some schools declined. A concentrated effort was put in place to market the books differently. Companies that produced them took over, helping with promotions and sales. By the late ’90s, their efforts were paying off.

Today, as Davis mentioned, the lack of cash is one factor that’s keeping sales down at some schools.

“I’m not getting a yearbook because they are just too darn expensive,” explained Sammy Parks, a 15-year-old who attends Revere High School.

It’s a sentiment that was repeated by others, particularly underclassmen. But for many seniors in our area, particularly those in suburban districts where switching schools is less frequent, having a flashback to their teenage years neatly bound together in a handsome package remains important.

“I want to be able to remember my classmates in the future,” explained Green senior Todd Starkey. “The yearbook crew always makes them great.”

That’s what Eric Poston, student editor of the yearbook staff at Green, likes to hear. About half of the high school student body has bought yearbooks, a number that has stayed consistent the past few years.

“I am grateful that students think so highly of the yearbook staff,” a proud Poston said. “The entire staff puts a lot of hard work in the book each day.”

SOCIAL NETWORKING

If hawking the memory tomes isn’t difficult enough during a struggling economy, the popularity of social-networking sites like Facebook can complicate the matter.

The computer site allows anyone to post photos and create albums. It’s free and accessible with just a click of a button. But those types of sites might be gone, or at the very least remarkably different, when today’s high school seniors are grandparents.

“When I’m 50 years old, I’m not going to have a Facebook,” explained Natalie Walker, Tallmadge High School senior and member of the yearbook staff.

“And those sites aren’t capturing enough of what’s happening inside the schools,” added classmate Mercedes Slider.

A list is posted on the wall inside Julie Headrick’s classroom at Tallmadge High where her yearbook staff keeps track of the school’s students in an attempt to get everyone’s photo in the book at least once. It’s a good marketing strategy.

To get kids to buy the yearbooks, said Jim Barbour of Herff Jones, which produces yearbooks in our area, printers must help schools develop more viable marketing approaches.

Kids are relying less on e-mails and more on text messages to get information, so a teen might receive a text from a pal on the yearbook staff reminding him that it’s time to order.

It takes much more these days to hawk the book than a couple of kids sitting in the cafeteria at lunch. Those who are true to their school need to hear why the annuals are something they will want someday.

“I wouldn’t say the yearbook is dying, but I think we need to tell people why it’s alive,” Barbour said.

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(c) 2009, Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio).

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

By MEGAN K. SCOTT, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Summer may be months away, but for teens hoping to find jobs, the time to start looking is now.

Seasonal employers are seeing a larger influx of applicants this year, especially from laid-off workers who are overqualified but willing to take entry-level positions.

That said, there are jobs out there, say career experts. Here are some suggestions on where to look:

AMUSEMENT PARKS

U.S. theme parks will hire close to 500,000 employees for the summer, according to David Mandt, spokesman for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. That’s about the same number as last year, but there has been a dramatic increase in the number of applications, particularly from older workers.

Mandt advises students to be flexible and consider opportunities in less visible departments, such as merchandise, the call center and landscaping and security. He said job seekers need to be friendly and outgoing.

Find opportunities at the parks’ Web sites.

BABY SITTERS

The demand for part-time baby sitters will probably increase this summer because parents are cutting back on full-time caregivers and summer camps, says Genevieve Thiers, CEO of Sittercity.com, which connects parents and caregivers.

Thiers said baby sitters should have experience working with children, good references and a clean record.

“If you drive that’s good too. If you do other things like light housework, dog sitting, cooking, that will definitely get you a little more attention,” she said.

She recommends that teens find ways to safely display their baby-sitting information, either via online communities, free posting sites, or baby-sitting chat boards, and include information about their skills and experience.

GOLF CADDIES

Golf is holding strong even with the bad economy, says Dennis Cone, founder and CEO of the Professional Caddies Association.

“The baby boomers are now starting to play and they said, ‘We want to walk,’” he said. “So I see a bigger future for the caddie comeback … as long as the resorts can attract folks with great deals.”

Danny Cline, general manager and chief operating officer for Gaillardia Country Club in Oklahoma City, Okla., said his club is looking for caddies and people to work in the golf shop, maintain the grounds and organize tournaments and events.

Check out www.PCAhq.com to find out more.

CAMPS

There is more competition for camp counseling positions this summer, say camp directors.

YMCA of Greater New York started recruiting in November, says Wheaton Griffin, executive director of New York YMCA Camp, which runs a day camp and three sleepaway camps. He’s planning to hire 200 counselors for the summer and has seen more applications early on.

Griffin said he is looking for young adults who have leadership skills and experience working with children, whether through coaching or Big Brothers Big Sisters. Students must be able to pass a background check and provide three non-relative references.

Tony Oyenarte, director of the residential Camp Crystal Lake in Starke, Fla., recommends students become certified in life guarding, CPR and First Aid. He said a special skill like sailing or water skiing is also a plus.

Find opportunities at www.campjobs.com or www.acacamps.org

FAST FOOD

Americans may be eating out less, but business is flourishing at McDonald’s. The fast food chain said its same-store sales in January rose 7.1 percent worldwide and 5.4 percent in the U.S.

Tough economic times means people are more value-conscious, says Paul Facella, author of “Everything I Know About Business I Learned at McDonald’s.” Families who were eating at a place like T.G.I. Friday’s may take it down a notch to a fast food restaurant, he said.

Facella said fast food positions are generally entry level, which make them ideal for teens. There is also turnover, so opportunities are available, he said.

Russ Bendel, president and CEO of The Habit Burger Grill in California said locations near the beach will increase staff 10 percent for the summer.

“We’re looking for people that have an upbeat kind of personality,” he said. “They’re somewhat outgoing and assertive. They understand what hospitality is. They like to function in a team environment.”

HEALTH CARE

You don’t need medical training as a doctor or nurse to work in health care, says Boyer.

Places such as Walgreens hire pharmacy technicians to assist licensed pharmacists, with many providing on-the-job training, he said.

He said some home health care companies are looking for people to run errands, do light housekeeping and provide companionship to sick people.

Students can also work as valet parking attendants at health care facilities or in hospital gift shops, he said.

ICE CREAM SHOPS

Ice cream shop owners don’t think the cheap treat to beat the heat will take a hit.

“I think people treat themselves a little more because they may not be doing some of the bigger things they normally do,” said Bob Turner, owner of Dairy Corner in Urbana, Ohio, who is anticipating a busier summer than last.

Vince Giordano, owner of Sno Top in Manlius, N.Y., is hiring close to the same number of seasonal employees this year. His shop opens on weekends in mid-March and daily in April.

Giordano says he is looking for teens who are pleasant, enthusiastic and involved in school activities, whether athletics or the National Honor Society. He said involved students generally make better employees than ones who are non-active.

LIFEGUARDS

There is always a need for lifeguards, says Michelle Jantz of the American Red Cross, adding that she hasn’t heard of any aquatic centers not opening because of funding.

Many cities are pushing to have their staff hired, trained and ready to go for the big Memorial Day weekend, she said.

Jantz recommends teens (ages 15 and older) contact their local Red Cross to find out about lifeguard training programs in their area. (Lifeguards must pass a swim test before training). The 28-hour course includes CPR/AED and First Aid, water rescue and surveillance skills.

Lifeguards need to be professionals (it’s not all fun in the sun, she said) with good communication and customer service skills, she said.

Find your local Red Cross at www.redcross.org. For beach lifeguards, check the bulletin board on www.usla.org.

MOVIE THEATERS

So far, 2009 is off to a strong start. Overall revenues for movie ticket sales nationally stand at a $1.5 billion for the year and are running 22.4 percent ahead of 2008 figures, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.

Steve Mason, box office analyst and theater owner, predicts summer sequels and franchises, such as “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” ”Terminator Salvation” and “Star Trek” will bolster sales.

“We will absolutely be hiring,” said Mason, president of Flagship Theatre Corp in California. “There is always high turnover in service industry jobs, so we are always looking for the right people, but this summer movie theaters will be jammed and that means a lot of opportunities for high school- and college-aged kids.”

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Cordelia has become quite the climber. One day I found her on top of the table. Another day on the computer desk. When we have supper I have to fix her a plate and put her in her high chair before I put anything else on the table. Tonight my husband made the mistake of putting his plate out first. While he was in the kitchen getting the boys’ plates, Cordelia had placed herself in my husband’s chair and had started eating. The other day Torii wanted to set the table and Cordelia promptly undid all his work by putting all the plates in a stack again. The boys are also learning to be careful with what they leave out. One of the boys left a half eaten cookie on the table recently, only to find it had gone missing soon after.

Now I have discoverd my little climber can scale the higher chairs in the kitchen. She thinks she’s pretty big stuff up on that chair. Usually I am pretty calm about things concerning the kids, but I was a little nervous when I walked into the kitchen and saw Cordelia standing on one of the red chairs. She has already knocked out one tooth. (She did that when she was just learning to pull up on furniture and a kid’s chair tipped and got her in the mouth). I got her down, but let her climb up one more time so I could get some pictures. Then I told her ”no” the next few times she tried. Bad mommy! Confusing the poor kid.

DELTONA, Fla. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a possible child abuse case involving a Florida family featured on the reality television show “Supernanny,” the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies and the state Department of Children & Families were alerted to the family by a concerned citizen about a week after the Feb. 13 episode aired. The segment featured the Davis family of Deltona.

In the show, Phil Davis, the father, is seen repeatedly cursing at the family’s five children, ages 2 to 14. DCF said they are concerned about two instances in which he is shown slapping a young child in the face. It’s unclear if the complaint it based solely on what was shown on the TV program.

“It’s just not appropriate,” spokesman John Harrell said. “We want to confirm that this behavior is not continuing.”

Davis’ father said the children are healthy and well cared for.

“It’s all blown out of proportion,” Phil Davis Sr. said. “Those kids love him to death and he loves them to death.”

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office sent a deputy to the family’s home last week and spoke with one of the children, who said she didn’t think her stepfather was abusing them, according to an incident report.

The report did not name the child or the family because of the nature of the investigation.

The children’s mother told the deputy that there were upward of 30 people in her home around the clock during the filming and that if any abuse had occurred it would have already been reported, the report states.

The deputy also contacted the show’s producer, who confirmed that what was aired on the show had occurred, and said no further behavior had taken place which he believed to be abusive.

Neighbors told investigators the family appeared to be normal and that they hadn’t seen any signs of abuse.

No criminal charges have been filed, but the investigation is ongoing.

Gary Davidson, a public information officer with the sheriff’s office, called the video an “important piece of evidence” but said it was not the only thing investigators are looking at.

“We are investigating a case of possible child abuse,” Davidson said Tuesday. “We’re not going to make a judgment call until we can determine all the facts and circumstances.”

“Supernanny” features Jo Frost, described by ABC as a “modern-day Mary Poppins” who visits struggling families around the nation and offers them stern but compassionate parenting advise.

Davis Sr. said his son coaches three little league baseball teams and that the show doesn’t tell the whole story.

“They’re healthy, happy and you won’t find no bruises on them,” he said of the children.

ABC, which produces the show, did not immediately return a request for comment.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.