Forming, WPIAL Swimming & Diving Alumni Group -- accepting founding members

Candidate Thompson quote

THOMPSON: Oh, let me just say briefly on the environment, our rivers are uninhabitable, and basically we're putting tons and tons of raw sewage in the river. Other cities, Cleveland and Columbus, they've decided that they want to live in a world with clean water, and we've decided to countersue the government because we want to live in a world of filth and feces. So we need to stop putting feces into our rivers.

#BANG!

UPMC and Covid-19

At UPMC, we are committed to protecting our communities from COVID-19 in every way possible. To date, we have provided more than 300,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to health care workers, residents of long-term care facilities, and community members who are 65 and older or at high risk of severe illness and complications from COVID-19. We are eager to continue expanding our vaccine effort as more supplies become available. Another promising breakthrough in COVID-19 care is monoclonal antibody treatment. The treatment, given soon after testing positive for COVID-19, has dramatically reduced the risk of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 in our patients. To date, UPMC has provided the therapy to more than 1,000 patients across our communities. For more information on this promising treatment for COVID-19, visit UPMC.com/AntibodyTreatment. In a press conference last week, UPMC doctors provided an update on our COVID-19 vaccination and monoclonal antibody efforts. To watch a replay of the press conference, visit UPMC.com/COVID19.

New CDC School Guidelines: What to Know

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its guidelines on preventing COVID-19 spread in schools. The new recommendations apply specifically to K-12 schools. They include updated guidelines on physical distancing between students, as well as the importance of ventilation. For more on how students, teachers, and staff can stay safe in school, visit our HealthBeat blog.

Should Pregnant Women Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Pregnant women are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine under Pennsylvania's Phase 1a. In the coming weeks, we will be offering vaccination clinics for pregnant women at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital. These clinics are for pregnant women only. If you are pregnant and wish to sign up to receive a vaccine at UPMC Magee, call 833-653-0519. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), pregnant and lactating women who are eligible should be free to get the COVID-19 vaccine if they choose. Women who are pregnant are at greater risk for severe illness from COVID-19 than women who aren’t pregnant. Pregnant women also are at greater risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preterm birth. The authorized COVID-19 vaccines were not tested on pregnant women during clinical trials. However, all available data since vaccination distribution began suggests the vaccines are safe for both pregnant women and their unborn babies. The risk of COVID-19 is greater than the risk of vaccination. If you are pregnant and wish to learn more about receiving the vaccine, we encourage you to talk to your doctor. For more about the COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy, visit our HealthBeat blog.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

UPMC Information on COVID-19 Centers for Disease Control Coronavirus Update World Health Organization Pennsylvania Department of Health

Fire in a local, historical building on East Carson Street in Pittsburgh's South Side

Wow.

Fire on the South Side

Wear your shoes as there is glass everywhere. Message from the leader at The Ellis School!

Friday note from Macon - November 13, 2020

by Macon Finley

 

US Community Homeroom 11/11/20

Good morning students. I want to take a moment to

acknowledge and celebrate a remarkable moment in our

nation’s history - the naming of Kamala Harris this past

weekend as our country’s Vice President-elect.

Regardless of our political affiliations, I hope we can all

pause to recognize the significance of this moment for

women in our country, and especially for women of color.

We are witnessing some firsts that will go down in the

history books, as Kamala Harris is the first woman to be

elected to this office, the first Black person, and the first

South Asian person.

The sense of possibility Vice President-elect Harris’s

election represents is enormous. I want to be sure each of

you feels that same sense of possibility for yourselves - I

hope you hear it from your families, from your teachers,

from your friends and classmates. And I especially want

to be sure you hear it from me. Each of you is a gift to this

school community and to the world. Each of you is going

to make a real difference in your life, each in your own

unique way. Some of those will be highly visible, publicly

recognized contributions, like serving in public office or

leading a startup or doing groundbreaking research.

Others will be quieter, more locally impactful contributions,

like healing patients in a hospital, or creating exhibits in a

museum, or managing a team in an organization, or

writing for a local newspaper. You don’t need to know yet

how you will make your mark. But I want you to know that

you can, and you should, and that our goal at Ellis is to be

a community where each of you knows and feels that

about yourself and your future, in which we lift each other

up and work together to create only more possibilities for

all girls and women. My favorite social media quote this

weekend referenced the glass ceiling that has been

shattered by Kamala Harris, and goes like this: “For all the

girls coming behind us. Be sure to wear shoes...there's

glass everywhere.” You all are those girls. I want you to

hear me say “Go for it. When it’s your time, I hope you’ll

get out there and shake the world!" 

Fwd: The First Friday | American Chestnut Trees • New Blooms • A Note from Your Gardener

Face plant. And I am not talking about summer bulb planting. 

Talk about a total lack of nuts, except chestnuts. 

These people take $20M of city taxpayers money each year. 

Hello!

PS: My gardener do not write this crap. What about "your gardener?"

Mark R

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy <awenk@pittsburghparks.org>
Date: Fri, Jun 5, 2020 at 7:19 AM
Subject: The First Friday | American Chestnut Trees • New Blooms • A Note from Your Gardener

THE AMERICAN CHESTNUT TREE The American chestnut was once considered the largest, tallest and fastest-growing trees. The wood was rot-resistant, straight-grained, and suitable for furniture, fencing, and building. The nuts fed billions of wildlife, people, and their livestock. It was almost a perfect tree. That is, until a blight fungus killed it nearly a century ago. The chestnut blight has been called the greatest ecological disaster to strike the world's forests in all of history. Pittsburgh serves as the home to 30 American chestnuts, residing in Frick and Highland Park. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy continues planting this rare species for research and experimentation.  "I am replicating breeding work that the American Chestnut Foundation is embracing by taking advanced genetic hybrids and planting them out with surviving chestnuts trees and letting open pollination occur," Phil Gruszka, Parks Conservancy director of horticulture and forestry said. "I will never see the benefits of this, but my grandchildren might."  Parks Conservancy advocate and supporter, Kitty Brunkhorst, took a particular interest in this project.  "I learned that Phil was working with (Parks Maintenance Manager) Dick Wilford to plant American chestnut tree seeds about two years ago. It was somewhat funny to me to think of these two men finding a secret place to plant and tend these seeds, planning to see what did and didn't work," Kitty said.  "I've been concerned about trees in Frick Park for a long time, as I live nearby and spend many hours in the park. The fact that they were attempting to revive a native species seemed worthwhile," Kitty explained. To learn more about the American Chestnut and how genetic engineering can potentially revive these trees, click here. If you'd like to explore the work that the American Chestnut Foundation is doing to restore this species, click here.  "So you do a lot of planting?"  This is a question I receive often when people realize I'm a professional park gardener. Fun fact – we spend most of our time pulling weeds!  Yes, we plant trees, bulbs, and annual flowers, but this is a small fraction of what we spend our time doing within Pittsburgh's parks. The types of vegetation we plant in the parks have very specific windows in which they can be planted.  Planting trees takes approximately five days in the spring and five days in the fall. We also spend approximately two days in the fall planting bulbs and spend four-to-six days in May planting annuals. However, we spend days - actually, weeks - pullings weeds! The flower beds in the parks are planted with perennial plants that bloom year after year, so they don't require planting, but they do require regular weeding. We even pull weeds during the winter months. In the park woodlands, pulling vines from trees and removing woody invasive shrubs is a form of weeding and this is how we spend our winter months in the parks. We don't use herbicides to control weeds, so it's up to our team of park gardeners and volunteers to remove them.  Your Gardener, Angela Yuele  A compilation of the Parks Conservancy's Horticulture and Forestry team's (also known as the 'Sassies') favorite plants.  Let's talk about summer flowering bulbs! Plant these underground structures in the spring and enjoy colorful blooms through the summer! Learn about some of our favorite plants below. Jaci Bruschi, Gardener | CANNA  This cultivar is a 'South Pacific Scarlet.' It's a great cultivar of Canna from the South Pacific series; it will grow to about four-to-five feet it can be planted in a container and in a garden bed. Though it is not hardy to our zone, you can dig the bulbs up at the end of the season and save for next year's planting.   Angela Yuele, Horticulturist | GLADIOLUS  Gladiolus are an old-time favorite. I fondly remember my grandpa being very proud of his Gladiolus!  These are a tender summer bulb, which means they need to be dug up, or purchased, every year and replanted. The bloom time is brief on theses beauties. To prolong the bloom time you can stagger plantings in two-week intervals. This is a popular plant for flower arrangements as well!  Robin Eng, Restoration Gardener | GRAPE-LEAF ANEMONE Grape-leaf or Japanese anemone produce great mounding heaps of lush dark green foliage year-round. Then as the major blooms of summer appear to be dying back, they put out great cloud-like plumes of blossoms, raised above to foliage on graceful flower stalks. Although not native to the United States, these great perennials are well worth a spot in any sunny garden. Colors vary from white to shades of pink, and blooms can last for weeks on mature plants. If you're looking for a perennial addition to prolong the flowering season of your garden, this one comes highly recommended!  Maggie Herrick, Restoration Gardener | MONTEBRETIA  A member of the iris family, Montebretia (Crocosmia spp.) is a late summer bloomer that will give your garden interest into the fall. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and birds will be especially happy with the flowers and the seedpods that follow and provide a food source. The strappy, sword-like foliage demonstrates the relation to irises and provide a texture contrast to other plants. These flowering corms come in a range of heights up to five feet and a variety of striking colors. They are salt and drought tolerant, prefer full sun, but can tolerate some shade and make great cut flowers. Mulch these plants heavily or bring them inside during the winter to help them survive.  P.S. Remember, parks and greenspaces have never been more vital. The time you spend outdoors during rejuvenates your body and mind. Honor that time and the essential role nature plays in your daily life by choosing to make a donation today to support the parks you know and love.  Every little bit counts. You received this email because you are subscribed to General Parks News from Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. { 45 South 23rd Street Pittsburgh, PA 15203 © 2020 Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. All rights reserved.

                                                           

Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics: U.S. Obesity Trends | DNPAO | CDC

Pass the chips and check out the cool animated map on this page.

Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics: U.S. Obesity Trends | DNPAO | CDC

• http://templatelab.com/us-obesity-trends/

Updated with better link. Thanks.

Now just a point above the norm, not 25-times too high

Citiparks Swim Meet

A day at the pool -- three days ago. (copied from a FACEBOOK posting)

Story of a day at the pool. See below.

+ + + 

Maribeth Leeson is with Kristin Moon.

July 23 at 10:25 AM

My son drowned 3 days ago. His limp, gray, lifeless body was pulled from the pool and it was every mother's worst nightmare. He was dead. I heard screaming, and after a minute realized the screaming was coming from me. I watched in slow motion as people rushed to him, as he was laid on the concrete, as CPR was started.

A million thoughts were flying through my head as I stumbled around, not knowing what I was doing, screaming. I saw my dead baby on the ground. I thought about his twin brother and how could his life go on without his twin. I saw my 10-year-old son, hysterically sobbing, in his bright blue swim trunks, his beautiful tan skin glistening with pool water still. His life ruined because he just watched his brother die, drowned in the same pool where he was playing. I saw my sassy little 3-year-old daughter, in her pink unicorn and rainbow suit, just watching me, confused. And how was I going to tell my husband that I let our perfect 5-year-old son drown?? It was exactly like I've read other people say in emergency situations: I thought this must be a dream, one of those dreams that you wake up sweating from, short of breath, because it was so real. Wake up! Wake up! But no, I was already awake. Then the screaming was worse. This is happening. My funny, silly, sweet, handsome, artistic, thoughtful little blondie was dead.

I finally was able to force myself to stop screaming, I ran over to where CPR continued on my precious baby. I have no idea how long it was. 10 seconds? 3 minutes? I don't know. But I ran to him and watched and cried and talked to him as my friend tirelessly and relentlessly continued CPR. He looked awful and perfect still at the same time. I watched as water and vomit poured out of his mouth, eyes swollen and rubbery looking. Then a miracle happened! I don't remember what it was first, but he showed some sign of life because several people at the same time exclaimed "there he is!" and encouraged me to keep talking to him. My friend kept working, I kept talking. He started to try to open his eyes and another round of exclamation occured. My friend said she could feel a pulse, they decided to move him off the concrete to the pool house. A million thoughts continued racing through my mind. I was sure even if he was saved, it was too late. I was sure machines were going to be doing his living for him. I was sure it had taken too long.

Everything that happened next seemed like an eternity. The ambulance took forever to get there. They tried to get an IV on the scene but couldn't. The ride to the hospital was painfully long. But my baby started coming around! He jerked his arm back with the IV needle stick! He cried! He was coughing! Somehow, my baby was still with me!

We have now been in ICU at Peyton Manning for the last 3 days. He is sitting beside me in bed right now playing with a stuffed puppy a friend brought to him and watching Captain Underpants for the 70th time. He's off all oxygen. He will very likely come home with me today. Home with me 3 days after drowning, home to live happily with his family instead of us burying him today.

The reason I'm sharing? This happened in a pool full of people. A pool full of ADULTS. I've read so many stories about kids slipping away from their parents and getting into a pool, to be found drowned shortly later. I've never considered the possibility that my child could drown right in front of people who were watching him bob up and down from the bottom of the pool to just below the surface, but didn't think he was struggling because he looked like he was PLAYING. When I found him myself, 2 feet from adults who were in the pool, my first thought was that it wasn't him, that it was someone else's kid who was seeing how long they could hold their breath. I can 100% understand why the adults who were RIGHT THERE didn't recognize that he was drowning because when I saw him, I too thought he was just a kid who was playing. What tipped me off was the kid I saw was wearing a shirt: Adam had gotten in the pool in his shirt. He doesn't know how to hold his breath. GET HIM OUT!!!! THAT'S ADAM!!!!

This was 100% preventable. The fault was MINE. He's a big 5-year-old. He has a very needy twin who makes it easy for me to forget that Adam is still 5 too and has needs that other 5-year-olds need. He's not self-sufficient even though sometimes I feel like he is because he's so capable. I didn't tell him to get in the pool without his Puddle-jumper on, but I was aware that he had. I simply told him to stay in the shallow end while I got his sister's swimsuit on, then I would be over. I thought it was fine for 5 minutes, as he could touch just fine in the shallow end, he wasn't alone because there were multiple adults IN the pool, and I'd be right next to the pool getting her suit on. Wrong. I have never ever been so wrong. He remembers what happened. He said he slipped off the edge. Based on where he was in the shallow end, and where we found him, he means the ledge from the shallow to the deep end. He said he kept going to the bottom then to the top and tried to yell "Mommy!" It kills me to hear that. It kills me to know that his last thoughts were that mommy didn't come for him. But God decided to give me another chance to do better. He gave my baby back to me. Now he knows I DID come for him.

Who knows what we'll face from here? Physically, it is beyond comprehension that he is suffering no consequences. He is asking to go back to my friend's to swim and says "this time, I'll wait for Mommy" before getting in the pool. But he yells for me every single time I'm out of his sight. He clearly has some anxiety that he didn't have before. I pray that some counseling and lots of reassurance will fix that.

I'm sharing this because I want to prevent this from happening to anyone else. Before going to any pool, first make sure your kids know not to get in until the adult who is responsible for them is ready to watch them. That sounds like common sense, but I was thinking because so many adults were present, he was fine, but those adults didn't know his swimming ability so they didn't question when he was under water. Second, KNOW THE SIGNS OF STRUGGLE! Adam didn't look like he was struggling! He wasn't splashing, thrashing, or screaming. He was simply underwater and couldn't get his head above water. Third, know CPR. I do know CPR. Could I have performed it in that moment? I like to believe I could have if I hadn't seen someone else taking charge. I like to think if I had been alone, my survival skills would have kicked in. Luckily, I don't know, because my amazing friend was busy saving him, but I do know that if I didn't know CPR, my helping him if we'd been alone wouldn't have even been a possiblity.

I said I wasn't going to share what happened. I feel so responsible (I am responsible!) because I let him get in without any sort of safety device on, and he was in before I personally was ready to watch him. But I decided to share because I see parents at pools doing these same things every single day! And I'm sharing to hopefully spread drowning awareness.

I'm also sharing to thank my friend for saving him, to thank her over and over and over. I am eternally grateful to her and will never ever be able to repay her. Ironically, I was there for her as her nurse when her son took his first breath after he was born, and now she was here for me as my son took his first breath after he died.

Please take water safety seriously. I never thought this would be me. It was me, but thanks to God and my dear friend Kristin, my son is still safely here. Learn from my mistakes so it's not you.

Adam Jeffrey Leeson, born 3/15/14
Adam Jeffrey Leeson, saved 7/20/19

I have no pictures of what he looked like when he drowned. Unfortunately I only have the image forever tattooed on my brain. I've shared a few images of him in the hospital and the most important one, the one with his guardian angel, Kristin Moon.

Please please please share this. I'm a nervous wreck to share what happened, sick to my stomach to hit "share" actually. But I feel this happened to save others. In my heart of hearts, I know other parents need to read this.

Angel Eye devices and system that helps in swim pools.

------ Forwarded message ---------

From: AngelEye

Thank You For Visiting NDPA 2019 Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Technology in the Service of Aquatic Safety We at AngelEye Technologies would like to thank the organizers, participants, and sponsors of the NDPA 2019 Conference for an excellent event! The goal of safety and service, particularly when it comes to aquatic facilities, was exemplified in the professionalism of every member of NDPA.  AngelEye Technologies is proud to have modestly helped sponsor the conference and to have had the opportunity to showcase our drowning detection system and the technology that is reshaping lifeguard science.  We look forward to participating again and to help NDPA increase layers of safety where it is needed most. We may not have been able to speak to everyone at the conference, but AngelEye Technologies is here to answer your questions and to mobilize a lasting partnership with aquatic facilities dedicated to increasing public safety. Reach out to us out us and let us bring a presentation to you! Kind Regards, Bob Thurmond US Marketing and Sales Manager robert.thurmond@angeleye.tech In The News:  AngelEye Technologies is one of the Best of California Award Winners for 2018! Best of California Awards recognize public-sector professionals and innovative companies for their use of emerging technologies to improve citizen services.