| RX, ELECTRONICALLY: |
| Are medical professionals in your area using new technology that can cut down on prescription errors? The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Physician Assistants announced their participation June 9 in the "Get Connected," program, designed to help more of the nation's Rx-writing medical staff begin to send Rx to pharmacies electronically. The program aims to help thousands of prescribers comply with new Medicare rules that take effect Jan. 1, 2009. So far, more than 1,700 medical practices representing 13,000 prescribers have used the site. |
| Website www.GetRxConnected.com allows prescribers to transition from paper-based prescribing to e-prescribing. |
| HOME SALES: |
| In today's tough housing market, it's important for sellers to know how to set their home apart from the others. How are your local real-estate agents doing that? This City Desk editor, accompanying a home-shopping friend, saw one homeowner had de-cluttered and spotlessly cleaned the home, and left flyers out listing the home's assets including newly refinished floors, cherry-wood kitchen cabinetry, etc. Meanwhile, real-estate firm ZipRealty has just created the nation's first certified pre-owned home program, where qualifying homes pass a 24-point inspection by an independent, separately licensed company and include a one-year home warranty for the buyer. |
| Check with local realtors or do a weekend open-house tour, to see which houses have an extra degree of appeal. |
| LOCAL MEMORIES: |
| Adults often carry with them lasting memories of their formative-year's summer-vacation experiences. |
| Get resident and frequent visitors to share favorite childhood memories of summer vacations spent in your area -- from that special fishing trip with Dad to that first kiss with a summer love. |
| SUMMER SOLSTICE: |
| Everyone's favorite season begins on June 20. |
| Have camera crew get pictures showing locals at various typical summer activities -- enjoying backyard barbeques, swimmers splashing at local pools, fun seekers at amusement park, out-of-school kids at play. |
| FREELOADING: |
| A reporter sent out on a freeloading assignment might discover that it is still possible to get some things for nothing. Reporter can get free samples of food at many supermarkets and delis, free water and air at many gas stations, free gifts at the opening of new stores, and more. |
| Send a reporter out on assignment to see how many free things they can obtain. Will make for a humorous weekend feature. |
| SCHOOL VANDALISM: |
| The vandalism of school facilities is a year-round problem that becomes especially difficult during the summer months when schools are empty. Contact police and school officials for story about the extent of vandalism suffered by your school districts during the average summer. |
| Get figures on everything from windows broken to classrooms trashed. Also take a look at district theft rates during the summer, particularly of expensive high-tech items. |
| SANDALS: |
| Every form of sandal -- from the venerable flip-flop to expensive hiking sandals -- have become standard for certain everyday wear, even in some offices. With the hot months at hand, many of those who can get away with it will be wearing sandals for every occasion. For a fashion feature, do a rundown of the types of sandals that appear on your local streets, at parties, and in the office. |
| Give a cost breakdown of the range of local sandal fashion. |
| KIDS AT WORK: |
| Summer vacation means kids are out of school -- how does your employer react if you have to take your kid to work because of a scheduling problem or in the event of an emergency? Twenty-nine percent of companies allow workers to bring their child to work in an emergency, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. Poll local firms on their kids-at-work policies. |
| For more info: www.shrm.org. |
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| Web Site of the Week |
| WWW.SAFELAWNS.ORG |
 Working to educate society about the benefits of environmentally responsible lawn care and gardening, SafeLawns.org's goal is to have 1 million acres of U.S. lawn (there are 40 million acres of lawn in the U.S.!) organically cared for by the year 2010. Has your government passed laws against, or at least considered any proposals against, using non-organic fertilizers/pesticides? Get thoughts from area residents on this topic -- for and against. |
| http://www.safelawns.org/ |
| The Date Book |
| June 15, |
| Father's Day; |
| June 17, 1882 |
| (126 years ago), composer Igor Stravinsky born in Russia; |
| June 17, 1972 |
| (36 years ago), Watergate break-in; |
| June 20, 1975 |
| (33 years ago), shark-attack classic "Jaws" premiered; |
| June 18, 1815 |
| (193 years ago), troops led by France's Napoleon defeated near Waterloo, Belgium; |
| June 21, 1945 |
| (63 years ago), the Battle of Okinawa ended; |
| June 21, |
| summer begins with the solstice at 7:59 UTC (UTC: Coordinated Universal Time, formerly known as Greenwich Mean Time); |
| June 25, 1950 |
| (58 years ago), Korean War ended; |
| June 23, 1865 |
| (143 years ago), last formal surrender of Confederate troops; |
| June 26, 1876 |
| (132 years ago), Battle of Little Bighorn, a.k.a., Custer's Last Stand. |
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