[Inter-Korea] :
Incheon’s Ganghwa County, near the inter-Korean border, has designated itself a “danger zone” effective Friday and issued an administrative order banning the dissemination of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets north of the border. According to county officials on Thursday, the decision stems from ...

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Small earthquake recorded under Powys town  Powys County Times

Facemasks remain worn as firefighter paramedic Jorge Miranda, holding syringe, speaks with Eduardo Vasquez, who has lived homeless on the streets of Los Angeles since 1992, before administering the one-shot Johnson and Johnson' Janssen Covid-19 vaccine as part of outreach to the homeless by members of the Los Angeles Fire Department's Covid Outreach unit on June 14, 2021 in Los Angeles.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

In our continuing series looking at the latest medical research and news on COVID-19, Larry Mantle speaks with UCSF’s Dr. Peter Chin-Hong. 

Topics today include:

• Two weeks after reopening, LA County’s new COVID-19 cases have doubled

• CDC: Infected vaccinated people carry less COVID-19 virus

• Delta variant is now detected in all 50 states

• J&J: “At present, there is no evidence to suggest need for a booster dose to be administered”

• Novavax claims vaccine’s overall efficacy is 89.7%

• Another respiratory virus is spreading in the U.S.

• Curevac’s final trial show shot is far less effective than other vaccines

• Can we now live with the coronavirus?

• Israel scrambles to curb rising COVID-19 infection rates

• Is it time to rethink “one-size-fits-all” approach for masking?

Guest:

Peter Chin-Hong, M.D., infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine at the UCSF Medical Center; he tweets @PCH_SF

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A homeless encampment is pictured at Venice Beach, on June 30, 2021 in Venice, California, where an initiative began this week offering people in homeless encampments a voluntary path to permanent housing.; Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

The majority of unhoused women across the nation — 57% according to recent data — say domestic violence is the direct cause of losing their permanent home. 

In L.A, almost 40% of women who are homeless say they’ve experienced abuse in the last 12 months.

The choice they’ve been forced to make: Stay in danger with their abusers — or escape, with nowhere to go.

“It’s like jumping from a burning building but there’s no net to catch you,” said Nikki Brown, a survivor and advocate.

There are many, complex reasons why survivors become homeless. Shame is one of them. Yet studies show that one in three women experience some form of intimate partner abuse in their lives. So why don’t we talk about it more?

“It's the greatest secret that's super common and nobody wants to admit it,” said Brown. “There are so many complicated circumstances that make it really hard to leave. And when you can't leave, that element of shame and blame is the thing that makes it so hard to talk about.”

Today on AirTalk, we’re learning more about reporter Julia Paskin’s series Pushed Out, on domestic violence and homelessness in Los Angeles. Do you have an experience you want to share? Give us a call at 866-893-5722.

Guests:

Julia Paskin, KPCC producer and reporter who created the “Pushed Out” series; she tweets @JuliaPaskinInc

Amy Turk, CEO of Downtown Women’s Center, which advocates and offers services for women experiencing homelessness and formerly homeless women; she tweets @AmyFTurk

Nikki Brown, staff attorney at Community Legal Aid SoCal, where she has clients that are domestic violence survivors

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Over the last few years Catawba County has implemented many different ways for citizens to receive information and  interact with us.  I titled this Social Media because that term is recognized by everyone on the web.  It would be more appropriate to title it “Citizen Interaction with Catawba County” or just “Communicating” . And note [...]

People come to Catawba County’s web site for many reasons. One is for the information and data that they find there.  The site has always been rich in information about the county and services that are provided. In recent years, as more and more people wanted data in digital format, many datasets were moved to [...]

The Challenge is part of Small Steps to Health and Wealth�, a national Cooperative Extension program developed to motivate Americans to take action to simultaneously improve their health and personal finances. SSHW was built around a framework of 25 research-based behavior change strategies. The Challenge was originally developed in a �paper and pencil� format with printed worksheets and is now available online.

As of January 2, 2010 restaurants, bars and other businesses that serve food and drink in Catawba County became smoke-free. Many health advocates and local residents are pleased that they can now enjoy a healthier dining experience. The ban is a result of a new law that prohibits smoking in all restaurants and bars across North Carolina.

Louise Ackerman serves as the Chairwoman for Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention (A.S.A.P.) of Catawba County. A.S.A.P. is a volunteer coalition made up of Catawba County residents with members from all segments of the community, including education, law enforcement, the criminal justice system, the faith community, mental health, social services, public health, local business, parents and youth that work together to combat underage drinking and substance abuse.

In the fall of 2009, as a part of the Catawba Aging Leadership Planning Project, Catawba County, along with aging service providers, volunteers and local municipalities developed a �Livable & Senior Friendly Community Survey�. This survey was widely distributed throughout Catawba County and targeted the County�s Senior Community, their caregivers and professionals in the aging field. The purpose of the survey was to obtain current and relevant information on the quality of life of seniors. Obtaining this information is important when looking toward the future of Catawba County.

A partnership of all fourteen fire departments and all five rescue squads in the county with Catawba County Emergency Services has resulted in a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will fund a large amount of the costs to purchase new radios to significantly improve communications by and between the fire and rescue agencies and the County�s 911 Communications Center.

Proper dental care and routine trips to the dentist help to guarantee that children and adults not only have a healthy smile, but a healthy body as well. To help ensure that every child in Catawba County has access to dental care, Catawba County Public Health Dental Practice serves as a resource for children ages 4 to 17.

Bryan Blanton, who has steadily risen in positions of responsibility from paramedic to Training Officer to Manager of Emergency Medical Services, will now permanently supervise all of Catawba County's Emergency Services.

Cynthia Eades, a long-time resident of Catawba County who is currently serving as Human Resources Director in Iredell County and has ten years of experience in local government human resources, has been named Catawba County�s new Human Resources Director. She will begin her new duties with Catawba County on July 1, 2010.

Jeff Carpenter, who will begin new duties as Cooperative Extension Director on September 1, 2010, will oversee delivery of services to meet the Extension mission of sustaining agriculture and forestry, protecting the environment, maintaining viable communities, developing responsible youth and developing strong, healthy and safe families.

The final stages of the 2011 property revaluation process in Catawba County have begun with the presentation of the proposed 2011 Schedule of Values to the Board of Commissioners, and will continue into November, when property owners will receive notice of the new value of their property, and into December and early 2011 when the appeal process begins.

Commissioner Barger was recognized as �a leader with insight and determination� and a person of �trust, integrity, responsibility, and concern for fellow citizens� in a Distinguished Public Service Award presented to him during the meeting.

Brian Drum, one of the supervisors of the Catawba County 911 Communications Center, who has been called upon to increase his supervising duties over the past year and has a record of dedication to 911 dispatch that spans more than ten years, has been recognized by his peers in the North Carolina Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association (NC NENA) as Supervisor of the Year.

Catawba County has upgraded a feed from its 911 Center of the information on calls regarding traffic incidents. The feed shows the type of incident reported, such as a vehicle accident, stranded motorist or vehicle fire, and gives the location of the incident. Only traffic related incidents are reported through this feed.

Lindsey Smith was recognized by the North Carolina Society for Public Health Education as a new health educator in North Carolina who has made outstanding contributions to the profession.

Catawba County has been awarded one of only two grants presented across the nation, by Motorola and the National Association of Counties (NACo), to local governments that suggested innovative solutions to improve operations within their respective counties. The $30,000 grant will fund the wireless broadband internet capacity needed at Catawba County�s EcoComplex to allow for real-time monitoring between EcoComplex laboratories, universities and businesses.

Residents and businesses affected by severe storms and tornado on Oct. 26 in Catawba County can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills announced today. Mills made the loans available in response to a letter from North Carolina Gov. Beverly E. Perdue on Nov. 12, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers Lincoln County and the adjacent counties of Burke, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell and Mecklenburg in North Carolina.

Between February 16 and 24, 2011, more than 2,500 students in Catawba County�s three public school systems received the 2010-11 flu vaccine due to a successful partnership between the schools and Catawba County Public Health. School nurses collected permission forms from parents and coordinated flu vaccine mini-clinics at 43 schools.

Family Builders, the adoption service of Catawba County Social Services, can now help adult adoptees, birth parents and their close relatives find each other. Not all counties in North Carolina offer this service, which is called Confidential Intermediary Services. Until recently all adoption records were sealed under North Carolina state law. In 2008, a new law took effect that allowed the release of certain records to adult adoptees and birth parents, if both parties agreed.

The agenda for the next meeting of the Catawba County Board of Commissioners, 9:30 a.m., Monday, April 4, 2011, 1924 Courthouse, Newton, is now available.

Three area mayors and several other local officials recently participated in Mayors for Meals in Catawba County. This event was sponsored by Catawba County Social Services� Senior Nutrition Programs, which operates Meals on Wheels, Seniors Morning Out and other senior nutrition programs serving more than 1,000 people.

At the spring North Carolina City & County Communicators Conference, held March 30-April 1, in Fayetteville, NC, Dave Hardin, Public Information Officer for Catawba County, received the prestigious Chris Coulson Memorial Award. The award is presented to a person whose character, career and service represents the highest standards and who excels in the practice of local government communications.

For the twenty-second straight year, Catawba County�s Budget Office has been recognized by its peers for producing a budget document which is easy to read and understand. The Office has won the 2010 Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. This award recognized the County�s fiscal year 2010-2011 budget.

Employees with 25 or more years of service were recognized at the twenty-sixth annual Quarter Century Club lunch at the Catawba Country Club. Many current members of the club celebrated with retired County employees, who also served with the County for 25 or more years. Catawba County formed the Quarter Century Club in 1986.

The Catawba County Finance Department is a winner of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2010. Catawba County has now won the award for 29 consecutive years.

The committee compiled existing information about the status of children in the county. It also held public meetings and surveyed members of the public about their priorities and ideas. The committee found that most children in the county are well-cared for, but that a substantial number are falling through the cracks. A major cause of concern is the large number of children living in poverty.

Anyone accessing My Catawba County will be able to choose from a selection of informational links and County applications. The application was developed for mobile devices with a web browser such as iPad, iPhone, Android phones and tablets.

The North Carolina Veterans Park in Fayetteville includes a visitor�s center, gardens, fountains, sculpture and displays. Five Catawba County residents, including World War II veteran Carmie Cook, had a �hand� in the park�s creation.

You may now access the Catawba County Library System website from your smartphone, thanks to a recent upgrade to the library�s home page. LS2Mobile is accessible with an iPod Touch or iPhone.

The facility is now testing biodiesel fuel being produced by several companies in the region and from the harvest of crops growing around the landfill to test which ones grow best in the local climate while producing the best oils for biodiesel.

What if the August 23 earth tremors had been closer or stronger? Would you know what to do? Here are some tips from Catawba County Emergency Services.

The County was recognized for implementation of a Building Permit QR Codes system, which provides building contractors and inspectors with up-to-the-minute job site and inspection information, at their fingertips, in the field.

Vaccines will be administered on a first-come, first-serve basis, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or until the supply is depleted on September 21, World Rabies Day, thanks to 250 vaccines provided by the World Rabies Organization and Pfizer Animal Health.

During his tenure with Catawba County, Worsley has had a positive impact in many areas, including emergency services, the use of emerging technologies, and mentoring people who are just starting out in local government management.

Work is under way to ready the Conover Branch Library for re-opening on Tuesday, September 20. Staff and volunteers are unpacking boxes of library materials and arranging furniture. The new branch address is 403 Conover Station, SE, in the Warlong Building on the former Broyhill plant property along the railroad tracks downtown.

The Library re-opened for business in newly renovated space on the top floor of Conover Station. Its new address is 403 Conover Station, SE, in a 1918 structure erected for the Warlong Glove Manufacturing Company. Business hours will remain unchanged: 12 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, 9- 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 9 - 2 on Saturday.

Presentations are an example of a traditional 4-H program that dates back to at least the 1950s. They involve giving a 5-12 minute talk on a topic using tabletop visuals and posters to illustrate main points.

A 35 year veteran of the Register of Deeds Office, Beaver was praised by all her co-workers in that office for excellent customer service, for being a patient instructor on the laws involved in her work, and for preserving the County�s history.

The award was presented for the agency's Children and Aging Strategic Planning Projects in the category �Profiles in Community Collaboration�. The entry described the Children�s Agenda Planning Committee and the Aging Leadership Planning Project. In both cases, Social Services took the lead in collaborating with area agencies to develop reports about the needs of children and older adults.

Catawba County Library System has hired a librarian to serve both the Conover and Claremont branches. Siobhan Loendorf will add preschool Ready to Learn sessions, computer classes and adult programming for Conover and Claremont branch libraries.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has released recommendations on widening of Highway 16 South in Catawba County (within the minutes of public meetings). Link to project maps: http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/highway/roadway/hearingmaps_by_county/county/Catawba.html

The United States Environmental Planning Agency (USEPA) has announced that Catawba County will be classified as �attainment� from its current �nonattainment� designation for Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) on December 19, 2011. PM 2.5 (fine particle pollution) refers to tiny particles of droplets in the air that are two and one half microns or less in width. Two and one half microns is about thirty times smaller than the width of a human hair.

Mary Furtado is currently serving as Executive Director of Strategic Operations for Sarasota County, Florida. She will begin her new duties in Catawba County on December 12, 2011.

Colonel Michael W. Gilchrist, Commander of the Highway Patrol, presented the awards to EMT Paramedic and Crew Chief Brad Harris and EMT Paramedic Eric Jones for their role in pulling a person from a burning vehicle.

Internal Systems Analyst Scott Klinger was recognized, in part, for integrating a new billing program that resulted in improved efficiencies across the organization.