Underage Drinking a Concern as Local High Schools’ Spring Break Underway, Prom on its Way

With spring break underway and prom on its way, many teens here in Bay County will face an overwhelming amount of peer pressure to drink alcohol.

Bryan Russell, with the Bay County Health Department has a mission to combat underage drinking.

On Monday Russell along with a few other members of the Health Dept. and Freedom 180 Abstinence Program had a hard day at work—They were out on the beach at Pineapple Willy’s giving away lots of freebies and spreading knowledge about the consequences of underage drinking.

 “We’re hoping to educate,” said Russell. “We can’t make anybody do anything; it’s just a matter of educating teens and letting them know the stats and dangers of underage drinking. That’s all we can do and hopefully they’ll make the right decisions.”

Russell says his main goal right now is getting the message out effectively.

“Recent statistics show 40% of Bay County teens drink every weekend and 42% of Bay County Parents approve of underage drinking,” said Russell.

The month of April is Alcohol Awareness month. According to the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco, during Alcohol Awareness Month, the public is encouraged to understand the issues of underage drinking and the devastating effects it can have on youth.

“It’s so important to be aware that underage drinking leads to other things such as: sexual assaults, rape, DUI crashes and deaths,” said Russell.

Rain or shine, Russell will be out on the beach again on Friday. For more information you can call the Bay County Health Dept. at: 872-4455.

Statistics from the Bay County Health Department :
• 42% of Bay County parents approve of underage drinking
• 88% of parents and teens know of parents who host teen alcohol parties
• 63% of Bay County students believe drinking one or more drinks daily is NOT harmful

Signs of Alcohol Abuse :

• Missing bottles of alcohol
• Withdrawal from peers and others
• Excuses for late hours and missed curfew
• Irrational desire for parents to go out for the evening
• Sneaking alcohol or drugs
• Sudden or unexplained drop in grades

Two Church Shooting Victims Were Former Texans

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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According to a report Monday in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, two church shooting victims were former Texans.

Family and friends say Linda Kraeger was an author, scholar and retired professor of English at Grayson County College in North Texas.

Her niece Debi Campbell of Oak Ridge told a Tennessee newspaper Monday that her aunt will be remembered for her beautiful smile.

Kraeger was wounded in the Sunday morning shooting at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville and died Sunday night at the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

The newspaper reported that Kraeger and her husband Duane moved to Tennessee from Denton 18 months ago with another couple from Texas, Joe and Mary Ann Barnhart.

Joe Barnhart, 76, also a former author and professor at the University of North Texas in Denton, was wounded in the shooting.

Reports indicate that Barnhart’s brother and sister-in-law were also injured.

Betty Barnhart was treated and later released, where as Jack Barnhart, 69, was in critical condition Monday, the paper reported.

Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen, IV said Monday the man accused in the attack that killed two and left five seriously wounded evidently selected the congregation because of its liberal social stance.

Owen said police found a letter in the vehicle of Jim Adkisson, who was tackled and held by members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church after the Sunday morning attack.

Owen said Adkisson expressed frustration over being out of work and had a “stated hatred of the liberal movement.”

The church is known for advocating women’s and gay rights and founding an American Civil Liberties Union chapter.

Owen said the letter indicated Adkisson did not expect to leave the church alive and had 76 rounds of ammunition for his 12-gauge semiautomatic shotgun.

He managed to fire only three rounds before he was tackled.
He had carried the shotgun, which he bought a month ago at a pawnshop, in a guitar case.

The church’s congregation was watching the performance of a children’s musical when Adkisson opened fire around 10:15 a.m. Sunday.

Cancer Expert Warns of Cellphone Risks

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued a warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday to limit cellphone use because of the possible risk of cancer.

The warning from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies that do not find a link between cancer and cellphone use, and a public lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Although Herberman is basing his concerns on early unpublished data, he says it takes too long to get answers from science and believes people should take action now – especially when it comes to children.

“Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn’t wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later,” Herberman said.

No other major academic cancer research institutions have sounded such an alarm about cellphone use. But Herberman’s advice should raise concern among the many cellphone users and especially parents around the nation.

In the memo he sent Wednesday to 3,000 faculty and staff, he says children should use cellphones only for emergencies because their brains are still developing.

He encourages adults to keep the cell phone away from the head and if possible use the speakerphone or a wireless headset.

He even warns against using cellphones in public places like a bus because it exposes others to the phone’s electromagnetic fields. Electromagnetic radiation is the main concern from many scientists, especially the potential effects it can have on young children.

A 2008 University of Utah analysis looked at nine studies with thousands of brain tumor patients and the results conclude there was no overall increased risk of brain tumors among cellular phone users. But, the potential elevated risk of brain tumors after long-term cellular phone use awaits confirmation by future studies. Studies conducted last year in France and Norway show the same results.

“If there is a risk from these products – and at this point we do not know that there is – it is probably very small,” the Food and Drug Administration says on an agency web channel.

Still, Herberman cites a “growing body of literature linking long-term cellphone use to possible adverse health effects including cancer.”

“Although the evidence is still controversial, I am convinced that there are sufficient data to warrant issuing an advisory to share some precautionary advice on cell phone use,” he wrote in his memo

Paragon GPS Launches Child Abduction Awareness Campaign

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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Paragon GPS announced Monday the launch of child abduction awareness campaign that plans to educate people about the gravity of child abduction in today’s changing culture.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a child is abducted or missing every 40 seconds. Statistics from law enforcement also indicate that 44 percent of children who are abducted, are murdered within the first hour; 74 percent by the second hour.

“These numbers are grim,” explains John Camenero, Vice President of Paragon. “That’s why we are forming a board of people who will include several child safety experts and other industry experts to launch this awareness campaign and to educate the public. We have to keep our children safe.”

Paragon GPS has been been provided with funding for this two-fold campaign, which is first, to educate and second, to develop products to assist in the aid of child safety.

“Parents need to empower themselves with information that will help to protect their children, and then act on it,” says Camenero.

Paragon GPS reveals that the abduction of children occurs much more often in this country than most people would suspect, but because of a fault in the country’s national crime reporting procedures, no one knows the true number. For example, the FBI does not report on attempted abduction cases.

According to industry experts, motivating factors in child abduction are often complicated and can include an array of disillusioning factors. Research and investigative experience have shown that family abductions, motivated by domestic discord and custody disputes, are the most common.

Short-term, non-family incidents where abductors release or return children, often before anyone knows they are missing constitute another type of child abduction. Short-term cases often involve sexual molestation.

The least common are non-family abductions. These cases are typically reported to police as missing child reports, rarely resulting in a speedy resolution. Motivations for these types of abductions typically include: sexual gratification; retribution; financial gain; desire to kill; and maternal desire.

Sexually motivated abductions represent the most common type of non-family abduction.

Paragon GPS also reports that these types of cases also pose the highest risk of victim mortality. Due to their potentially lethal profile, law enforcement must conduct stealthy and well-managed investigations.

“So, while education is the first step, prevention is the second,” Camenero

Bush To Lift Executive Ban On Offshore Drilling For Oil

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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In an effort to deal with soaring gas prices, President Bush on Monday will lift an executive ban on offshore drilling that his stood since his father was president. But the move, by itself, will do nothing unless Congress acts as well.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said, the president plans to officially lift the ban and explain his actions in a Rose Garden statement.

There are two prohibitions on offshore drilling, one, which is imposed by Congress and another by executive order, signed by former President Bush in 1990.

President George W., trying to ease market tensions and boost supply, called last month for Congress to lift its prohibition before he did so himself.

But Perino said Bush no longer wants to wait. She pinned blame on the leaders of the Democratic Congress for inaction.

“They haven’t even held a single hearing,” said Perino. “So we are going to move forward, and hopefully that will spur action by the Congress.”

When asked if Bush’s action alone will lead to more oil drilling, Perino replied, “In terms of allowing more exploration to go forward? No, it does not.”

In his final months of office, the president has responded to record gas-prices with a series of proposals, including more oil exploration.

According to White House Officials, none would have immediate impact on prices at the pump. They say it will be no quick fix, however, starting action now would help, they say.

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, was upset by the president’s decision. “That doesn’t do anything to the price of gas,” Nelson said. “The price of gas is being driven up by speculators.”

Nelson said it would take years to extract any oil from newly opened areas. He also said oil companies have yet to drill on 68 million acres already available, plus 8 million acres that were opened to drilling under a compromise that Nelson said he helped arrange.

Texas Students Push For Gun Rights On Campus

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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07/14 /kbtx.com–College students in Texas are pushing for legislation that grants the right to carry guns on campus in the wake of last year’s massacre at Virginia Tech.

Utah is currently the only state that specifically allows the carrying of concealed weapons at public universities. Colorado State made a similar decision after a 2003 state law allowed schools the ability to create and implement their own policies.

Texans won the right to carry concealed weapons in 1995 after an emotional legislative debate. That debate did not include college campuses.

Now the state is caught up in the new national debate to change that law.

Republican state Representative Joe Driver of Garland, recently held a hearing on this issue. Driver said he plans to introduce a bill to remove college campuses from the list of places where guns are prohibited. He said he is unsure the bill will get enough support.

explained to the panel that the limited amount of training provided to concealed handgun licensees does not prepare them to do the jobof law enforcement officers

Continental Airlines Getting Credit Card Payment

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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It’s payday for Continental Airlines. The Houston based airline company said Thursday it’ll get a 413 million dollar initial payment under it’s co-branded credit card deal with Chase Bank USA.

The payment will add more cushion as the airline prepares to book severance and other charges in the coming months. Continental says the credit card deal with Chase will extend until 2016. Of the initial payment, 235 million dollars will cover the advance purchase of frequent-flyer-mileage credit cards.

Including fuel taxes and hedges, the carrier predicts to spend an average of $3.45 per gallon on fuel this year, and a penny more per gallon during the second quarter.

Continental also says it expects to have between 3.2 billion and 3.3 billion dollars in cash on hand at the end of the second quarter.

Airlines Cashing In On Frequent Fliers

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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07/10 kbtx.com–It was bound to happen. Delta, US Airways, and American are now charging to cash in your frequent flyer miles.

Starting August 15, the Delta SkyMiles Program will add a $25 fee for Award Travel between the 50 states and Canada; a $50 fee for Award Travel to international destinations, including the Caribbean, Latin America, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Pacific.

Delta says the fuel surcharge will not impact existing ticketed award itineraries or award tickets issued prior to Aug. 15, regardless of the date of travel.

Many airline providers are issuing the fees in hopes to offset the rising cost of fuel, and Delta Air Lines isn’t alone.

The first week of August, US Airways will begin implementing a $25 fee for Canada and domestic flights; $35 to Mexico and the Caribbean and a $50 fee to Hawaii and international destinations. In June American Airlines began issuing a flat $5 fee.

“The price of fuel has nearly doubled in the last year, causing considerable financial stress to Delta’s business. As a result, Delta is implementing initiatives across all areas of the business to mitigate the extraordinary run up in fuel expenses,” says Jeff Robertson, managing director of Delta’s SkyMiles Program. “This was a difficult but essential decision in the face of record-high fuel costs. We hope this is temporary, and should fuel prices subside from current levels, we will reevaluate this surcharge.”

Delta Spokesperson Betsy Talton, told News Three, “As you know fuel costs more than twice what it did last year. We hope this surcharge on award tickets is temporary.”

Survey: Energy Concerns Bigger in Texas

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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Contrary to many stereotypes, Texans are more concerned about energy than the rest of the nation.

That’s according to recent survey conducted by Sam Houston State University which polled more than 1,200 Texas residents about energy concerns.

But unlike many other Americans, almost half those surveyed blame government regulations for the problems. When asked how we should reduce reliance on foreign oil, the most common response was developing solar and wind alternatives.

Four Incest Charges Against Warren Jeffs Dropped

Reporter: Nicole Morten
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In a ruling yesterday, an Arizona judge dropped four of the eight charges against polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs.

Mohave County Superior Court Judge, Steven Conn, dismissed four incest charges against Jeffs at the request of the defense. Conn ruled that Arizona’s incest law only applies if both participants in the sexual activity are older than 18. The law does not apply to half cousins.

Jeffs currently faces four charges of sexual conduct from his arranged marriage of two girls who are under 18. He also faces additional charges with the older male
relatives of both girls, one of whom was in his 50s.

Texas authorities continue to investigate the role that the polygamist sect leader had with four girls at a West Texas ranch the state raided in April. Jeffs remains jailed in Kingman, Arizona.