| EMS comes to the rescue Why my parents still live in Weston
When we are visiting my parents, we often get around to discussing why they still live in Weston. Because of the many fond memories my sister and I have, we want them to stay here. We are both K-12ers of the Weston public schools and fondly recall participating in youth church groups, marching in Memorial Day Parades, and acting in countless school plays.
As we were growing up, my parents were both very active as volunteers, whether it was as fund-raisers for St. Francis Church, president of the Weston Young Womens Club or chairman of the Board of Education. My father is still active as a Kiwanian and a member of the Board of Ethics.
Because of their busy work schedules, it is difficult for them to find time to stay connected with Weston friends as they might have wanted to.
State workers gain with benefits changes
State workers will see several changes in their health benefits this year but, unlike some previous years, program director Leslie Johnstone said most will like the changes.
The biggest change by the Public Employee Benefits Program will be in handling claims by retirees who also qualify for Medicare. The state has been following the "integration method" of coordinating benefits, which means the state plan reimburses 80 percent of what Medicare doesn't pay.
On major medical claims, that can leave the insured with a substantial bill.
Johnstone said this year, PEBP will change to what is called the "standard method."
"That means the plan will pay substantially everything Medicare does not after the retiree has met their deductible," she said.
Rugby homepage
North Harbour are considering a plan to add a roof to their stadium design - an option that could beef up their chances of hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup final. The roof plan could steal the scene in a week that will see two key Eden Park milestones reached in the ongoing search for a stadium to host the final. Eden Park officials expect the resource consent decision in the middle of this week, while the Ministry of Economic Development (MED) draft report into the stadium issue is due soon after. The draft report authors have been investigating major issues around the $385 million proposed Eden Park redevelopment, most notably governance, funding and design. The Herald on Sunday understands there is a 'second' plan for the Albany-based stadium which includes a retractable roof, much like that of Cardiff's state-of-the-art Millennium Stadium.
The Revolution in Radiation
Innovations in radiation therapy are reducing "collateral damage" and saving lives
In early 2005, Phil Ogden noticed he was having trouble swallowing food and went to a doctor, thinking he might have acid reflux. The news was far worse. The 66-year-old retired cop from Modesto, Calif., had esophageal cancer, and it had already spread to nearby lymph nodes. Dr. Albert Koong, a radiation oncologist with Stanford University's Comprehensive Cancer Center, asked if Ogden would mind being the first person to undergo a new type of radiation treatment. "The doctor said: 'For the first time in history, we can bomb the equivalent of an outhouse from 30,000 feet with no collateral damage,'" Ogden recalls. .
|
