Winter Sports Safety Tips

Submitted by JTullos on Wednesday, December 14th, 9:20 am

ICE SKATING:

Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces. Ice skating should be done at regulated rinks and not on ponds, rivers or other bodies of water that might be only partially frozen. Check for signs posted by local police or recreation departments to find out which areas are approved.

-Advise your child to skate in the same direction as the crowd. Avoid darting across the ice.

-Never skate alone.

-Do not chew gum or hard candy when skating.

-Wear appropriate clothing and safety equipment.

SLEDDING:

-Keep sledders away from motor vehicles and bodies of water.

-Children should be supervised. Keep young children separated from older children. Avoid sledding in overcrowded areas.

-Sledding feet first or sitting up, instead of lying down head-first, may prevent head injuries.

-Sleds should be structurally sound and free of sharp edges and splinters, and the steering mechanism should be well lubricated.

-Sled slopes should be free of obstructions like trees or fences, be covered in snow not ice, not be too steep (slope of less than 30 degrees) and end with a flat runoff.

- Sledding injuries can be very serious, resulting in head trauma, neck trauma, and broken bones.

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The best tech gifts and gadgets for under $200

Submitted by A.Hake, Web Producer

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011, 7:00am

The best tech gifts and gadgets for under $200

By Amir Iliaifar

We know that the holidays can be stressful. Nobody likes dealing with the long lines or the sudden void of awesome gift ideas, especially if you're on a tight budget. While techie gifts make it easy to burrow yourself deep into January debt with just one purchase, we've rounded up some of our favorites from the other side of the price spectrum with our guide to the best tech gifts under $200.

PlugBug, $35

Looking for a nifty charging solution for your favorite Apple devices this holiday season? Look no further than the PlugBug from Twelve South. It integrates with your existing Macbook charger to add a 10-watt USB port, so you can simultaneously charge portable devices (like an iPhone, iPod, or iPad) alongside your Macbook, with one outlet and one charger.

Zeo Sleep Manager, $99

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to get a better night's sleep, the Zeo Sleep Manager might be just the tool to get you there. Combining both a headband sensor and app for either iOS or Android, the Zeo Sleep Manager tracks your sleeping patterns via the comfortable headband and sends sleep reports wirelessly to your smartphone.

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Northeast Ohio gas prices increase over a nickel

Submitted by tpatterson on Tuesday, December 13th, 6:58 pm

The average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline in Northeast Ohio is $3.274. This current price is 5.2 cents less than the previous week.

According to AAA’s Fuel Gauge, the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil finished down at $97.77 at the close of formal trading on the NYMEX Monday. The drop was attributed to the ongoing dismal outlook for the global economy, particularly in the euro zone where sovereign debt concerns remain front of mind. This sentiment resulted in global equities markets turning lower, while the U.S. dollar strengthened relative to foreign currencies.

The same factors that have impacted crude prices for the last several months continued to exert pressure on prices last week, as global economic malaise and demand destruction remained the primary focus of traders. Early-week warnings that the sovereign debt of all 17 euro zone countries—including Germany and France—could have their ratings downgraded, along with Thursday’s news that the European Central Bank would halt bond purchases, were seen as bearish news and sent crude prices tumbling. While reports later in the week showed improving U.S. consumer sentiment and reduced domestic jobless claims, as well as euro zone nations pledging to accept tighter fiscal policies, it was not enough to recover from the worrying news earlier in the week.

The current national retail average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline is $3.27 — Today’s price is fractions of a penny less than one week ago and 16 cents less than one month ago. Today’s price marks a 30-cent year-over-year premium.

This week’s average prices: Northeast Ohio Average $ 3.274

Average price during the week of December 6, 2011 $ 3.222

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Cuyahoga County's top dogs to be named Wednesday

Submitted by tpatterson on Tuesday, December 13th, 6:47 pm

Cuyahoga County will issue its first five dog licenses for 2012 at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 as part of a kids essay contest designed to choose Cuyahoga County’s Top Dog.

The first five dog licenses – literally numbered 1 through 5 – will be issued to essay award winners at the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter, 9500 Sweet Valley Drive, in Valley View. The kids, their dogs and the award-winning essays will all be on hand.

In the essay contest, kids in grades 1-5 were asked to explain, in 50 words or less, why their favorite dog is Cuyahoga County’s Top Dog. Members of the Cuyahoga County Council led by Sunny Simon of South Euclid judged from among more than 100 entries.

The overall contest winner will receive the very first license issued for 2012, “Cuyahoga County Dog License No. 1.”

The new contest is an effort to raise awareness about the fact that responsible dog guardians always make sure their pooch has a license, as required by state law. All dogs in Ohio three months of age or older must by licensed each year by Jan. 31 or within 30 days of assuming ownership. Dogs must display a tag showing they have a license at all times.

The licenses are important when lost dogs arrive at the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter, because the tags make identifying owners much easier. Also, revenue from license sales helps fund the shelter.

Licenses for 2012 went on sale Dec. 1. They cost $16 for spayed or neutered dogs and $20 for others. For more information about obtaining a dog license, call the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office at (216) 443-6938 or visit www.fiscalofficer.cuyahogacounty.us.

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U.S. Marshals announce new ability to receive anonymous tips via text message

Submitted by tpatterson on Tuesday, December 13th, 6:38 pm

U.S. Marshal Peter J. Elliott announces the launch of a new ability for the public to assist the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force track down wanted fugitives. The Task Force is now able to receive anonymous tips from the public via text message or web tip. This was previously unavailable and tipsters were limited to calling in tips to the toll free hotline (866) 4WANTED. While that method is still available and very successful, tipsters will now also have the option to text in tips and continue to remain anonymous, if they so desire. The tipster and the tipster’s phone number remain anonymous to law enforcement unless the tipster chooses to identify themselves.

Tipsters are now able to send a tip to the Task Force by texting keyword “WANTED” and your tip to 847411 (tip411). Investigators will be able to view the tip and even send a text back to the tipster to ask follow up information. The tipster can then choose to continue the text conversation or discontinue and terminate the communication. Regular text fees will apply based on the tipsters service plan.

In addition to texting in a tip, tipsters can also submit a web tip. Tipsters can go to www.usmarshals.gov/district/oh-n/fugitives to view pictures of the Task Force’s most wanted “Dangerous Dozen”. On that page, is the ability to click a button which will redirect the user to the website to submit a web tip which works the same way as the text tip.

Cash rewards are available for information that leads to the arrest of a wanted fugitive and these rewards vary based on each case and situation.

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Winter activity ideas to keep kids moving

Submitted by mdynia on Tuesday, December 13th, 11:08 am

The holiday season has arrived! It’s a time for parties, presents and holiday cheer. However, it can also be a season of little activity and over-indulging. As the weather cools down, children are often tempted to stay inside in front of the T.V. or a video game rather than play outside. Holiday specials also can draw your family to the T.V. screen this time of year. Eating healthily can present additional challenges when faced with party buffets, holiday sweets and large family meals.

Don’t let the holidays stop you from staying healthy! Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, through its Strong4Life program, aims to help families tackle the issue of childhood obesity in Georgia. Getting more activity is a great way to balance the extra calories consumed this time of year. Remember that small steps can add up to big changes!

While there’s no harm in relaxing, there are a lot of fun ways you can stay active this winter. Instead of giving gifts like video games or DVDs that promote screen time, try giving gifts that promote physical activity like a Frisbee, jump rope or football. The holidays are a great time to have fun together as a family, so try one of the ideas below to get everyone moving!

Winter Activity Ideas

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Grieving during the holidays

Submitted by mdynia on Tuesday, December 13th, 11:02 am

The holiday season is in full swing with decorations, lights, joyful music and family traditions. But if you’ve recently lost a loved one, or are caring for an ill family member, finding a sense of holiday cheer can be difficult.

- If You Are Grieving: If you're facing grief, it’s important to remember that there’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to handle the holidays. Some families keep the same traditions, while others take trips to new destinations. There are many ways to honor your loved one: light a candle or set a place at the table, make a meal of their favorite foods, or create personal items like scrapbooks or ornaments in their memory.

- If You Know Someone who is Grieving: If you know someone who is grieving, here is some advice on providing support: Offer to help with baking, cleaning, holiday shopping or decorating. Invite your loved one to volunteer with you. Remind your friend you are thinking of them and the person who has passed away through cards, phone calls and visits.

- Caregiver Stress During the Holidays: There are 65 million Americans taking care of an ill loved one. For many, the stress of the holidays can cause them to reach the last straw. It’s a little-known condition called “compassion fatigue” that can leave caregivers feeling depressed, irritable, and unappreciated.

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