Karla Drenner Featured Content

Avian flu threat not high now, but could be

Linda Smith linda@improvementinitiatives.com — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 21:04:12 PST

It’s premature to begin wearing surgical masks, but news reports from Asia have shown how destructive the so-called avian flu (H5N1 virus) can be.

Millions of domesticated birds have been destroyed throughout Asia and just more than 100 humans have died from it. These people, however, died because of their close contact with birds, homegrown poultry.

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the State of Georgia, a pandemic–a disease outbreak that spans wide areas, perhaps the globe–of avian flu would make the death toll from violent geological or weather-related disasters such as the 2005 tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew look microscopic. The good news so far is that the H5N1 virus is not spread human to human. Epidemiologists, however, are concerned what would happen if the H5N1 virus re-arranges its DNA, making it transferable human-to-human. Some estimates put the potential death toll as higher than the 1918 flu outbreak that killed millions.

Migratory wild birds are the culprits that are causing this flu to spread from bird to bird. The good news is that birds carrying the disease do not travel the same routes as birds that migrate through Georgia.

That’s why the State of Georgia in concert with the CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) are working every day to create a vaccine along with the means to get it to the general population. The phased plan is already active as Federal, state and local officials become more familiar with the virus itself as well as putting mechanisms into place that address even the worst case scenario.

The Federal government has banned the import of birds and bird products from certain areas of the world to ensure that H5N1 does cross the United States’ shores or borders.

For now, Americans should monitor the situation closely but not panic. CDC and WHO will provide regular information to the press for broadcast that will describe the scope of the problem and what people should do if the threat elevates to a crisis, including what to do if there’s a chance to get the avian flu from your neighbor. In either case, CDC and the Georgia Department of Human Resources continues to urge people–the elderly and those with suppressed immune systems–to continue getting the “normal” flu shot to ensure that they are safe from the flu we know spreads human to human.

Small changes add up fast in gas game

Linda Smith linda@improvementinitiatives.com — Fri, 30 Jun 2006 20:48:59 PST

Gasoline prices are at an all-time high, and the outlook for dropping prices is not good. All over metro Atlanta people are asking the same question: What can I do to cut my spending on gasoline?

The Clean Air Campaign offers these ways to keep your dollars in your pocket, not at a gas pump:

Telework. The benefits of teleworking go beyond freedom from traffic; teleworking can make you more productive, reduce stress and save you time and money.

Carpool. Carpooling saves money, reduces stress and saves you time by helping you share the driving duties.

Transit. Many of metro Atlanta’s major locations can be reached by transit. Use transit for your trips when possible. Transit can be more convenient, save wear and tear on your car and eliminate hassles in finding parking and fighting traffic to your place of work everyday.

Vanpool. What is a vanpool? Simply put, it’s a group of 7-15 people who ride to and from work together. Vendors in the region provide the vehicle, insurance and the maintenance. If you are a volunteer driver, you may get to ride for free and have personal use of the van.

Bike and Walk. Biking and walking are great sources of exercise. Discover sources for paths, safety tips and more. MARTA provides bike racks on each of its buses to make bicycling as an alternative to cars even more attractive.

Flexible Schedules. Changing how you get to work is one way to free yourself from traffic. Changing when you work can also help solve your traffic hassles.

Guaranteed Ride Home. Hesitant to carpool, vanpool, use transit, bike or walk to work for fear of being stranded in the event of an emergency? The Guarantee Ride Program will get you home.

Assistance for Seniors

Linda Smith linda@improvementinitiatives.com — Tue, 30 May 2006 08:38:15 PST

The Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) has issued a grant to assist seniors who are still struggling to pay last winter’s gas bills. A “senior” is a consumer 65 years old or older whose annual household income is $14,355 or less AND is receiving the Atlanta Gas Light Company discount. Seniors who have already qualified for the discount receive a credit of up to $14 per month on their gas bills.

The deadline for this direct assistance through the marketers is May 31. After that, the PSC will likely ask The Salvation Army to administer the remaining funds or a portion thereof.

The available assistance has several components, depending on the senior’s circumstances:

The basic grant is to pay ½ of the PAST DUE (not TOTAL) balance up to $500.
The PSC will pay up to $1,000 towards half the past due balance, if the marketer is willing to match dollar-for-dollar above the initial $500 grant. In other words, if a consumer has a PAST due balance of $3,000 (and there were some!), half of that is $1,500. The PSC will pay $500 per the basic grant. The PSC will pay an additional $500 if the marketer matches $500.
Seniors who are on budget billing and have a deficit in excess of $1,000 can be treated as “past due” for purposes of this grant.
For a senior who has a TOTAL balance of $1000 or more AND a Dedicated Design Day Capacity (DDDC) factor [this is printed on the bill] of 2.5 or greater, the PSC will again pay $500 and half of the remaining balance if the marketer is wiling to match dollar for dollar above the $500, provided the marketer also refers the senior to the Home and Heartwarming program. A DDDC of 2.5 or higher indicates high gas usage, the average being 1.29. For seniors who have high DDDCs, this usually means their homes are badly in need of weatherization or the furnace needs replacement or repair. The Home and Heartwarming program provides funding for this service.

Seniors need only contact their marketer to obtain this assistance. If the seniors encounter any problems with their marketers, they can call the PSC at 404-656-4501.

Clarkston Lake: Sewage Spills, Fish Kills

Linda Smith linda@improvementinitiatives.com — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 15:31:26 PST

Will it ever be safe to go back into the Clarkston Lake? If things continue on their current path, it won't be. We won't see children splashing about in the summer while parents dip their feet casually into the lake, enjoying an idyllic summer scene.

Clarkston's lake is in a single word, polluted. It's polluted from rising storm water runoff that used to be absorbed by grass, dirt and trees. All that's concrete now, and with the proliferation of concrete comes a river of runoff that significantly changes the natural ecosystem of the lake.

Then, perhaps an even more significant problem is sewer overflow into the lake. This is not just a Clarkston, problem, however, all around DeKalb County residents deal with sewer overflow, recently witnessed, particularly, with the millions of gallons of runoff that inflicted its pain on Snapfinger Creek.

Representative Karla Drenner as well as Clarkston officials, including Mayor Lee Swaney, have been working the past several years with DeKalb County to get the lake dredged so that it can accommodate the added runoff and other factors.

"DeKalb County needs to help us and to be good stewards of what's our responsibility," Representative Drenner says. "We have the storm water runoff utility fees, and we need to get the lake dredged and cleaned up so everyone can enjoy the lake, rather than avoiding it."

Homeowners are the key to keeping the matter in the forefront of county projects. Clarkston Shores neighborhood association has been a partner with the city and Drenner throughout this process. It is the entity that has documented the scope of the problem, keeping records that include photos of the fish kill.

"The city, its residents and I continue doing due diligence," Drenner adds. "And we'll keep doing due diligence until this problem is solved."

On a recent Saturday, interested residents met to hear from Pine Lake Mayor Greg Zarus. Pine Lake has also had to improve its lake, and Zarus, Drenner and Clarkston Mayor Lee Swaney discussed political solutions to the problem with its lake.

$600,000 coming to Clarkston for multi-use trail improvements

Linda Smith linda@improvementinitiatives.com — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 15:30:49 PST

While the Georgia General Assembly was gearing up to hear the nearly 1,000 bills dropped during a given year, State Representative Karla Drenner was also advocating for state Department of Transportation money to pour into the district.

Her work paid off: $600,000 has been earmarked to improve the bike path where it winds through Clarkston on its way from Avondale Estates to Stone Mountain Park and back.

Currently cyclists, pedestrians and rollerbladers experience a break in the wide car-free bike boulevard that runs from the Carter Center to Stone Mountain Park.

This new money Stone Mountain Trail Phase 6 will contract a multi-use trail between Glendale Road and Erskine Road to connect to the existing Stone Mountain Trail.

"The trail is one of the gems of the district," says Rep. Drenner. "I love to run on the trail and to take my children for walks on it, but when we get to Clarkston, there is a different feeling of personal safety in the non-pedestrian friendly environment. This is going to change all that."

Expect the trail linkage to provide the same amenities as the current trail. Says Dr. Drenner: "I'm going to make sure that happens. I figure that if I want it or need it, so do a lot of other people."

The new section of the trail dovetails well with Representative Drenner's concern for physical fitness for everyone.

"From mothers pushing their children in strollers to elderly couples taking a walk in the cool of the evening, every family in Clarkston and throughout the district will have a safer place to keep themselves in shape and to reap the health benefits of consistent exercise," Representative Drenner noted.

"I'm especially concerned for the health of our children. Too many of them are going to the doctor and finding out they are on their way to or already obese. This trend is causing illness in epidemic proportion, especially Type II diabetes. No child should have to experience that."