July 2013


www.hamptonroadsmessenger.com


How to Keep Mosquitoes and Ticks From Bugging You This Summer


Summer allows more time for


children to play outdoors, but when kids are covered with bug bites after spending time outside, parents may start to worry about disease spread by ticks, such as Lyme disease, or by mosquitoes, such as West Nile virus.


Luckily, parents can take simple


steps to prevent bites and diseases spread by bugs.


Use an effective insect repellent Parents may feel overwhelmed


by the many bug protection products in the grocery aisle, wondering which ones are best. CDC recommends a variety of effective products. Check the label for one of the following active ingredients:


- DEET - Picaridin - IR 3535


- Oil of lemon eucalyptus Most pediatricians recommend


Obamacare FROM PAGE 1


administration’s backpedaling is more evidence that Obamacare is struggling to launch.


“Today’s announcement that


officials are delaying implementation of a key aspect of the president’s unprecedented federal government intrusion into our health care system is further proof that the law rushed through the legislative process is fundamentally flawed,” the attorney general said.


In Oregon, critics said the delay


proves what many already saw as obvious problems with Obamacare.


“Overall, it just again points at the


fact that this bill is a disaster and that it is incapable of being executed in a timely effective manner because it’s such a disaster as a health care bill,” said Jan Meekcoms, state director for the National Federation of Independent Business in Oregon. “The delay just puts off the inevitable.”


Meekcoms said Oregon businesses


are worried about the impact of the insurance mandate and its potential costs. She said adding to that is the uncertainty of the complex health care law. She said businesses that might have thought they would be unscathed because they have fewer than 50 employees might find themselves having to deal with the mandate.


“It certainly isn’t making our small businesses happy,” she said.


In Oklahoma, where critics were


shocked by Republican Gov. Mary Fallin’s willingness to proceed with establishment of a state-managed health insurance exchange, the delay was met with something approaching jubilation.


“For Oklahoma, this is a victory


for small business and the economy,” said Matt Ball of Americans for Pros- perity-Oklahoma. “It’s another reason for the state not to rush into anything. There is no need to expand Medicaid in this situation. It would be asking the taxpayers to trust the same federal government that is now realizing its own plans are fundamentally flawed.”


“From a Pennsylvania perspective,


I think the decision by the federal government to delay the implementation of Obamacare should give pause to any state official that is looking to enact any piece of the law, like Medicaid expansion,” said Kevin Shivers, executive director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses in Pennsylvania. “It absolutely makes no sense for Pennsylvania to adopt any portion of the federal health care law until the federal government gets its act together.”


Some critics wondered about


possible motives behind the delay. If the announcement suggests chaos in the White House, it may also undercut Republicans’ chief campaign argument in the 2014 mid-terms elections — that the Affordable Care Act is anything but affordable and its regulatory burdens will threaten U.S. employers, pundits said.


“I wouldn’t have thought that


earlier of this administration, but now I think everything it does is politically calculated,” said Jeff Zriny, president and CEO of Wisconsin‘s Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce,


“One cannot assume that politics


is not a part of this. When you postpone implementation sometimes what you’re saying is, ‘Great, now we don’t have to talk about this,’” said Minda McGonagle of the National Federation of Independent Business in New Mexico.


“This thing is so huge and so


encompassing it’s no surprise they’re running into problems,” McGonagle said. “We’ve been worried that this was an overreach. The delay seems to give us some breathing room but what will be the guidelines going forward? We don’t have much faith that the delay means there will be less of a burden on small businesses. We’re not little mini- bureaucracies designed to implement what the government wants.”


Watchdog staffers Melissa Daniels


(PA Independent), Matt Kittle (Wisconsin Reporter), Patrick McGuigan (Oklahoma), Rob Nikolewski (New Mexico) Shelby Sebens (Northwest), Kenric Ward (Virginia) and Deena Winter (Nebraska) contributed to this report.


Oh, Thank Heaven.


You can pick up a copy of the Hampton Roads Messenger at participating 7-Eleven Stores in Hampton Roads!


The Hampton Roads Messenger


using products with 30 percent or less of these ingredients on kids. Once you’ve bought an insect repellent, use it whenever you and your children are outdoors. Put a few bottles or packets of repellent anywhere you might need them– in the car, by the door, in your bag.


Make it easy so you’ll remember.


As hard as it may be to think about, any single bug bite has the potential to bring illness, so it’s worth taking a moment for prevention.


Make your backyard a tick-safe zone


While you may think that ticks


only live in the woods, ticks can also lurk in backyards. You can take some simple steps to make your backyard more tick-safe. Keep patios, play areas, and playground equipment away from shrubs, bushes, and other vegetation. Also, tick control chemicals are available for use by homeowners, or can be applied by a professional pest control expert.


Check for ticks After playing outside, don’t make


ticks an uninvited guest in your home. Ticks can ride in on parents, kids, and


Boys & Girls Clubs FROM PAGE 2


these Technology Centers, providing children the tools they need to build a strong foundation for the future."


Boys & Girls Club Technology


Centers include state-of-the-art computers, along with desktops, monitors, laptops, printers, docking stations, wireless routers, wireless cards and proprietary software. Through BGCA's technology program, kids are introduced to basic business software, learn how to stay safe online and move on to advanced hardware and networking skills.


"Cox is excited and proud to


support BGCA's mission to provide kids not only with access to the latest technology, but also help expand their knowledge and equip them with the skills needed to succeed in today's society," said Cox President Pat Esser.


Cox Communications and The


James M. Cox Foundation funded Technology Centers in 12 Boys & Girls Clubs located within Cox service areas. The participating locations are:


• Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Virginia – 9th St. Unit, Roanoke, Va.


• Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence – South Side Clubhouse, Providence, R.I.


• Boys & Girls Clubs of Acadiana – Jackie Boys & Girls Club, Lafayette, La.


• Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix – The Spencer D. and Mary Jane Stewart Branch, Phoenix, Ariz.


• Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson – The Frank & Edith Morton Clubhouse, Tucson, Ariz.


3


even the family pet, so check your gear and pets as soon as you get inside, even if your outdoor adventures were only in the backyard.


Parents should check themselves


and their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist and especially in the hair.


If you find a tick, remove it using


fine-tipped tweezers as soon as you notice it. If a tick is attached to your skin for less than 24 hours, your chance of getting Lyme disease is extremely small.


But to be safe, watch for signs


or symptoms of Lyme disease such as rash or fever, and see a doctor if they develop.


Bathing when you get inside can


also help you find ticks and remove them. Additionally, you can tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill any remaining ticks.


By following simple prevention


steps, parents and kids can keep pests away so they can focus on fun outdoor activities like gardening, camping, hiking and just playing outdoors.


• Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club – Bill Jeffrey Memorial Boys & Girls Club, Fort Smith, Ark.


• Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach, Calif.


• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego – National City Branch, National City, Calif.


• Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County – Rotary Campus & Mentor Center, Gainesville, Fla.


• Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson – Mary & Sam Boyd Unit, Henderson, Nev.


• Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson – Montandon Unit, Henderson, Nev.


• Salvation Army Mabee Red Shield Boys & Girls Club, Tulsa, Okla.


"We are extremely grateful to


Cox Communications for ensuring the young people we serve are as tech-savvy as their peers," said BGCA President and CEO Jim Clark. "Without access and the skills to match, millions of America's children cannot possibly compete in school successfully, much less the future workforce."


Since 2008, Cox has contributed


more than $8 million in cash and in-kind support to BGCA and Technology Centers in Clubs. Cox volunteers have also provided service hours at Clubs from coast-to-coast, painting murals, landscaping, renovating and performing computer installations.


This announcement follows a


nationwide Cox marketing campaign, "Days of Giving," which supported BGCA during the 2012 holiday season. During the campaign, Cox customers were encouraged to donate toys for local children at one of Cox's 133 retail locations across the nation. The toys were donated to local Boys & Girls Clubs in each of Cox's markets.


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