BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY RECALLS POWER STRIPS DUE TO FIRE HAZARD
July 21, 2012 (Washington, D.C.) — The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, has announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name of Product: Lush Life® power strips Units: About 6,000 Importer: Lush Life, of LaJolla, Calif. Distributor: Burlington Coat Factory, of Burlington, N.J. Hazard: The power strips have undersized wiring which poses a risk of shock to consumers. In addition, the wiring and plastic strip fail to meet fire resistance safety standards, posing a fire hazard to consumers. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: This recall involves four designs of power strips. The vibrantly designed power strips come in four prints including, leopard, rose, skull and zebra. Model numbers 12256, 12257, 22563 and 22575 can be found on the six-outlet power strip. Sold at: Burlington Coat Factory, The Container Store and other retail stores nationwide from July 2011 through March 2012 for about $10. Manufactured in: China Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the power strips and return them to the place of purchase for a full refund or store credit. Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact the firm toll-free at (888) 223-2628 between 8:30 a.m. through 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on SaferProducts.gov
UNITED TAXI WORKERS JOINS SAN DIEGO LABOR COUNCIL
United Taxi Workers is Labor Council’s first non-union affiliate July 21, 2012 (San Diego) — The San Diego Labor Council announces the affiliation of United Taxi Workers of San Diego as the council’s first non-union affiliate. Under current California law, taxi drivers are termed “independent contractors,” which means they are technically not employees and don’t have the right to collectively bargain. As a result, drivers do not benefit from labor laws protecting mandatory lunch periods, breaks, minimum wage and limited shifts. They often face 12 hour shifts and uncapped lease fees, lack health insurance, and face retaliation in their efforts to improve safety conditions. But today, for the first time in San Diego, taxi workers have formed a Worker Center and successfully affiliated with the AFL-CIO and San Diego Labor Council. It provides taxi workers with needed support as they work with elected officials on policies that support drivers and helps continue to shine a light on the many industry and owner-specific abuses afflicting the San Diego taxi industry. "As the economy evolves, labor will continue to adapt to meet the needs of all workers," said Lorena Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego Labor Council. "We’re excited to welcome taxi workers as the Labor Council’s first non-union workers and the latest advocates for more jobs, better jobs, and better lives for all workers, both union and non-union." The San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO represents more than 192,000 union workers in the region and advocates for an economy with more jobs, better jobs and better lives for all workers in the region – union and non-union. For more information see www.unionyes.org
FROM THE CHIEFS CORNER: WATER SAFETY
By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna, East County Magazine “In-House” Fire Chief July 21, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)–The hot weather is among us and many of us will (or already have) head for the water… Pools, lakes, ponds, and beaches mean summer fun and cool relief from hot weather. But water also can be dangerous for kids if you don’t take the proper precautions. Nearly 1,000 kids die each year by drowning. And most drownings occur in home swimming pools. It is the second leading cause of accidental death for people between the ages of 5 and 24. The good news is there are many ways to keep your kids safe in the water, and make sure that they take the right precautions when they’re on their own. Keeping Kids Safe Kids need constant supervision around water — whether the water is in a bathtub, a wading pool, an ornamental fish pond, a swimming pool, a spa, the beach, or a lake. Young children are especially vulnerable — they can drown in less than 2 inches (6 centimeters) of water. That means drowning can happen where you’d least expect it — the sink, the toilet bowl, fountains, buckets, inflatable pools, or small bodies of standing water around your home, such as ditches filled with rainwater. Always watch children closely when they’re in or near any water. If you don’t already, it’s a good idea to learn how to swim, and kids older than 4 years should learn, too (check the local recreation center for classes taught by qualified instructors). Kids who are younger (but older than age 1) also might benefit from swimming lessons, but check with your doctor first. Don’t assume that a child who knows how to swim isn’t at risk for drowning. All kids need to be supervised in the water, no matter what their swimming skill levels. And infants, toddlers, and weak swimmers should have an adult swimmer within arm’s reach to provide "touch supervision." Invest in proper-fitting, Coast Guard-approved flotation devices (life vests) and use them whenever a child is near water. Check the weight and size recommendations on the label, then have your child try it on to make sure it fits snugly. For kids younger than 5 years old, choose a vest with a strap between the legs and head support — the collar will keep the child’s head up and face out of the water. Inflatable vests and arm devices such as water wings are not effective protection against drowning. Don’t forget the sunscreen and reapply frequently, especially if the kids are getting wet. UV sunglasses, hats, and protective clothing can also help provide sun protection. Kids should drink plenty of fluids, particularly water, to prevent dehydration. It’s easy to get dehydrated in the sun, especially when kids are active and sweating. Dizziness, feeling lightheaded, or nausea are just some of the signs of dehydration and overheating. The temperature of the water is important, too. Enter the water slowly and make sure it feels comfortable for you and your child. A temperature below 70ºF (20ºC) is cold to most swimmers. Recommended water temperatures vary depending on the activity, swimmer’s age, and whether or not they are pregnant. In general, 82º-86ºF (28º-30ºC) is comfortable for recreational swimming for children (babies are more comfortable when the water is on the warmer side of this temperature range). Body temperature drops more quickly in water than on land, and it does not take long for hypothermia to set in. If a child is shivering or experiencing muscle cramps, get him or her out of the water immediately. At Home and at the Pool Water safety precautions start in the home. The bathroom is full of dangers for youngsters. Never leave a young child unattended in the bathroom, especially while bathing — even if the child appears to be well propped in a safety tub or bath ring. Put away all hair dryers and other electrical appliances to avoid the risk of electrocution. Hot water can also be dangerous, particularly for kids younger than 5, who have thinner skin than older kids and adults, which means they burn more easily. Just 3 seconds of exposure to hot tap water that’s 140ºF (60ºC) can give a child a third-degree burn. You can reduce the risk of scalding by turning the water heater thermostat in your home down to 120ºF (49ºC) and by always testing the water with your wrist or elbow before placing your child in the bath. Outside the home, being aware can help prevent accidents. Find out where the water hazards in your neighborhood are. Who has a pool or water spa? Where are the retaining ponds or creeks that may attract kids? Tell neighbors who have pools that you have a young child and ask them to keep their gates locked. Having a Pool at Home Having a pool, pond, spa, or hot tub on your property is a tremendous responsibility when it comes to safety. Hot tubs may feel great to adults, but kids can become dangerously overheated in them and can even drown — so it’s best not to let them use them at all. Having a fence (one that goes directly around the pool or spa) between the water and your house is the best safety investment you can make and will help prevent pool-related drownings. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), fences should meet these standards: Fences should stand at least 4 feet (130 centimeters) high with no foot or handrails for kids to climb on. The slats should be less than 4 inches (110 millimeters) apart so a child can’t get through, or if chain link, should have no opening larger than 13/4 inches (50 millimeters). Gates should be self-closing and self-latching, and the latch should be out of kids’ reach. You can buy other devices, such as pool covers and alarms, but these haven’t been proved effective against drowning for very young children, so fencing remains
VIP FUNDING NOW AVAILABLE FOR DIESEL TRUCK UPGRADES
July 21, 2012 (San Diego) — The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District announced the availability of funds from the Carl Moyer Voucher Incentive Program (VIP). The VIP provides a streamlined approach to reduce emissions by installing a Verified Diesel Emission Control Strategy (VDECS or “retrofit”) or by replacing existing, high-polluting vehicles with newer, lower-emission vehicles. Approximately $350,000 from Program Year 14 is currently available for eligible on-road heavy-duty diesel retrofit or replacement projects. Fleets that have 10 or fewer on-road heavy-duty diesel fueled vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 14,000 pounds are eligible to participate in the VIP. Truck replacement grants range from $10,000 to $45,000. Exhaust retrofit grants range from $5,000 to $10,000. Grant funding for potential projects including: New Replacement Vehicle Purchase – The purchase of a new 2007 model year or later vehicle with an engine certified to a Family Emissions Limit (FEL) or Standard (STD) level of 0.50 g/bhp-hr Oxides of Nitrogen (NOX) and 0.01 g/bhp-hr Particulate Matter (PM) or cleaner to replace the existing vehicle to be scrapped. Used Replacement Vehicle Purchase – The purchase of a used 2007 model year or later vehicle with an engine certified to a FEL or STD level of 1.20 g/bhp-hr NOx and 0.01g/bhp-hr PM or cleaner to replace the existing vehicle to be scrapped. Retrofit Purchase and Installation – The purchase and installation of a qualifying retrofit device that is verified by ARB for the specific engine family in the existing vehicle. Please visit: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/moyer/voucher/voucher.htm for more information on the VIP. To participate in the program visit http://www.sdapcd.org/homepage/grants/grants.html for a list of participating dealerships and retrofit installers as well as application forms and instructions. Eligible applications will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.
FRONT AND CENTER: SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS
By Rick Rogers July 21, 2012 ( San Diego) — With numbing regularity the Defense Department rolls out another report on heartbreakingly high rates of troop suicides. Lately the numbers grow worse just when you think they should turn better. The military counted 154 suicides in the first 155 days of the year. News from the Department of Veterans Affairs is no better. Eighteen veterans a day kill themselves. Yes, you read that correctly, 18 veterans kill themselves each and every day. That is one every 80 minutes, almost 6,600 a year. Veterans and service members make up 9 percent of the population, yet account for nearly 25 percent of the country’s suicides. After these reports are published, panels of military leaders with more stars on their collars than twinkle in the night sky assemble before Congress. And as predictably as Saturday morning cartoons, these leaders gnash their teeth over the carnage that despite their Herculean efforts goes unchecked. If only they knew the reason. If only… By now these snivel sessions are as ritualized as Kabuki Theater and just as staged. The Pentagon knows perfectly well why the suicide numbers are so high. The reason, as incredible as it sounds, is no one ever bothered to find the answer to the single most basic question: Do these programs work? The Defense Department loathes to admit – and I doubt Congress pushes the point since it failed to provide meaningful oversight – but it’s been perpetrating a kind of fraud for a decade. Not until the spring of 2011 did the Pentagon disclose that it had no idea whether any of its anti-suicide programs —- by some accounts 900 of them —- worked. And only then because a Rand Corp. study titled, “The War Within, Preventing Suicide in the U.S. Military,” ferreted out the extreme negligence. It’s no stretch to say that if the Pentagon didn’t know than neither did the VA. So, after a decade of horrible suicide numbers, the Defense Department will finally learn what it should all ready known. In roughly two years – that’s about 12,000 suicides from now — the Pentagon and the VA might actually have data that supports what they’re doing. But suicide isn’t the only hugely important medical issue where the VA and Pentagon are informationally challenged. The first thorough assessment on treating Post Traumatic Stress came out last week. Guess what was found? The VA and Pentagon are again as lost on Post Traumatic Stress as they were on suicide prevention. No data exists showing whether any of their Post Traumatic Stress programs work. The report by the Institute of Medicine also found that just 40 percent of troops and veterans testing positive for PTS were referred for care. I don’t know the legal definitions of medical fraud or criminal negligence, but these festering omissions must violate moral or ethical cannons and surely the unwritten obligation one man owes another. Rick Rogers has covered defense and veterans issues for nearly 30 years. He hosts Front & Center: Military Talk Radio Sundays, 11 to noon, Pacific Time, on KCBQ AM 1170 (www.kcbq.com). Podcasts at www.DefenseTracker.com. Contact him at (760) 445-3882 or Rick.Rogers@defensetracker.com
“WHISPERS IN THE WIND” STORYTELLING JULY 22
July 21, 2012 (San Diego) – Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation presents the 2nd Annual “Whispers in the Wind” storytelling event on July 22 at 3:00 p.m. in the Visitor Center Theater, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego. The stories are a collection of time-honored Native American folklore and animal tales. Two of San Diego County’s best storytellers; Mary Holma and Cynthia Griffin, will spin tales to create a sense of appreciation for nature and a people’s oral traditions celebrating it. Visit www.mtrp.org for more information.
ADVOCATES TO UNVEIL PLANS FOR LEGAL MEDICAL MARIJUANA DEFENSE
County’s sole legal medical marijuana dispensary to challenge U.S. Attorney for straight legal test of state law; El Cajon business to announce plans for defense of "legitimate medical marijuana operations" July 20, 2012 (El Cajon) – Advocates, patients, and concerned citizens in support of the only state and county approved legal medical marijuana dispensary in California’s four-county southern border region announced plans to unveil strategy to defend one of the model medical marijuana dispensaries in the nation. Representatives of Mother Earth’s Alternative Healing Cooperative said they would announce the plans and a specific challenge to U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy at the press conference on the steps of the U.S. federal court house in San Diego on Monday, July 23 at 11:00 a.m. The medical marijuana cooperative facility located in an industrial area near Gillespie Field in El Cajon is facing imminent eviction which would effectively shut down the operation despite the lack of a direct legal challenge by the federal government. “The lack of a straight legal challenge by the U.S. Government to California state law or even San Diego County’s licensing of the cooperative is a slap in the face of California voters and the right of states to regulate medical marijuana,” said Robert Reidel, spokesperson for the cooperative. “We intend to announce a challenge to the U.S. Attorney and take whatever steps are necessary to continue to provide medical marijuana to the 70,000 plus patients in need in San Diego County.” Attorney General Eric Holder and his U.S. Attorneys have indicated they are not targeting medical marijuana establishments in compliance with state law. However, this and other federal actions indicate otherwise. Just days after Attorney General Holder testified before Congress in June that his Justice Department would only undertake enforcement action against medical marijuana organizations operating "out of conformity with state law," armed federal agents raided El Camino Wellness, a respected — and fully permitted medical cannabis dispensary in Sacramento and asset forfeiture proceedings were filed against the longest standing permitted dispensary in Oakland, Harborside Health Center. The U.S. Attorney’s office in San Diego is using the same tactics to attempt closure of Mother Earth’s Alternative Healing Cooperative, said Reidel. This comes despite full compliance with California state law and certification by the County of San Diego. The San Diego County’s Sheriff’s Department has inspected and certified the facility as legal and in compliance. “California state law is clear. San Diego County regulations are clear. We have complied with both,” said Reidel. “This is a conflict between states and the federal government and needs to be resolved in a manner which ends this insane waste of federal tax money and resources. Pursuit of legitimate and legal medical marijuana facilities is the ultimate example a futile federal drug policy. This federal folly must end.” The advocate’s press conference will take place at 11:00 a.m. in front of the U.S. Attorney’s Southern District Office of California at the Federal Office Building located at 880 Front Street in downtown San Diego.
COLORADO THEATER MASSACRE DRAWS INTENSE LOCAL REACTIONS
Did a violent film trailer trigger shootings by San Diego man? Preview depicted an attack on a movie theater By Miriam Raftery July 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Friends and neighbors reacted with shock at news that former San Diegan James “Jimmy” Eagan Holmes, 24, is under arrest for the mass shooting earlyl this morning of 71 people in a Colorado movie theater. A night of fantasy turned deadly when Holmes allegedly burst into an Aurora, Colorado movie theater where a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises,” a Batman movie was playing. Wearing a mask and riot gear, Holmes announced himself as “the Joker” before hurling smoke or gas bombs at the audience, then opening fire, according to eyewitness accounts. The deadly spree killed 12 people and wounded 58 more; 11 are in serious condition. “It was just chaos. You started hearing screaming. You looked up and people were falling,” Jamie Rohrs, a father who escaped with his infant son and fiancée, told the New York Times. Police later found Holmes’ apartment to be booby-trapped with explosives and trip-wires, resulting in evacuation of the complex and adjacent buildings. The tragedy is one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history, excluding warfare. Holmes graduated from Westview High School in the Poway Unified School District in 2006, where he played soccer and ran on the cross country team. He later became an honor student at the University of California, Riverside, earning a degree in neuroscience. Most recently, he had been a PhD student at the University of Colorado, but reportedly dropped out last month due to academic problems. “On behalf of the Poway Unified School District, Superintendent Collins joins the rest of the nation in offering our deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” a press release issued by the district today stated. Former classmates and neighbors in the family’s Rancho Penasquitos community described Holmes as a quiet, nice kid, if somewhat of a loner. Jessica Cade, who lived in the same honors dorm at U.C. Riverside, recalled Holmes as “a very nice guy. He was very, very smart; a little weird,” the Los Angeles Times reports. Keith Goodwin, who took a history class at Westview High, called Holmes “a generally pleasant guy.” “They live so close, it’s a shock,” neighbor Dorothy Templeton told Daily Beast reporter Jamie Reno. “This could have happened here, it could have happened on this street or at his high school or at a movie theater here.” Some theaters have responded to the tragedy by announcing plans to ban theater-goers from wearing masks or carrying fake weaons. The Holmes family issued a statement which read, “Our hearts go out to those who were involved in this tragedy and to the families and friends of those involved. We ask that the media respect our privacy during this difficult time. Our family is cooperating with authorities in both San Diego, California and Aurora, Colorado.” The family also asked for privacy. A search of court records locally finds no record of any prior arrest for Holmes, who used legally purchased weapons including an assault rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun during the assault. The shooting is one of the worst massacres in U.S. history. San Diego has a grisly history of mass shootings, including the 2001 Santana High School and Granite Hills High School shootings in East County, the 1979 shooting at Cleveland High School, and the 1984 massacre at a McDonald’s Restaurant in San Ysidro. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders was the SWAT commander for San Diego Police Department who ordered police snipers to open fire on the suspect, who killed 21 people and injured 19 others. Today, he told the UT San Diego that his heart goes out to the families of the victims in Colorado. Sanders said he planned to call Aurora’s mayor, noting that the tragedy “will really cause some tremendous problems in that community for a while until they come to grips with it.” In Colorado, which has open-carry gun laws, Holmes was legally allowed to carry the weapons that he used in the slaughter. The killings have rekindled debate nationally over gun laws, with some arguing that access to assault weapons should be banned, while others argue that concealed carry permits might have enabled theater patrons to defend themselves. Still others have pointed out that in a darkened theater with smoke bombs clouding the air, more shots may have led to even wider chaos and possibly a well-meaning defender being mistaken for a second shooter and harmed. Some have questioned whether mental illness, drugs, or violent video games may have played a role in Holmes’ brutal actions. Or, perhaps, a preview that bore an eery similarity to Holmes’ violent actions. Warner Bros. swiftly cancelled showings of a trailer for the film "Gangster Squad," which had been running before viewings of "The Dark Knight Rises," the Los Angeles Times reports. The “Gangster Squad” trailer depicted men armed with automatic weapons attacking a movie theater. “While we pray for those who have died, their families, and indeed the perpetrator and his family, we should pause to question the culture of violence that is pervasive in our country,” Rev. James R. Mathes, Bishop at the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego, said in a press release. “Guns, violent films and video games did not commit murder,” he acknowledged, “a very disturbed individual did.” But he added that “the lethal combination of available guns and the relentless presentation of violent acts” make violence seem inconsequential. “We can go a long way as a society by having sensible gun control and by saying no to entertainment through violence,” the Bishop concluded.
TEMPS WILL BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL THIS WEEKEND
1,500 ACRE FIRE IN MEXICO
July 20, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A 1,500 fire burning in Mexico is putting up a lot of smoke visible across East County, but poses no current threat to the U.S., Cal-Fire spokesman Mike Mohler told ECM. The fire is currently burning southwest of Otay Mountain. It did cross briefly into the U.S. late today, burning approximately one acre in a creek bed. “We have one engine out there keeping an eye on it,” Mohler added. Sign up to receive free Viejas Wildfire and Emergency Alerts via email on the top right side of our homepage and also receive a free weekly copy of East County Magazine. You can also follow ViejasAlerts on Twitter for brief text alerts on your mobile device. We recommend all of the above, since you can’t be sure what form of communication will be working best in a major regional emergency.