| Conflict in Iraq blamed for Vernon population loss
New U.S. Census estimates indicate Vernon Parish — home to the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk — has lost nearly 9 percent of its population, or 4,430 people, since the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Even more residents than that actually left the area during that period, but the loss was countered by a birth rate nearly three times the death rate. Residents of this central Louisiana parish that touches the Texas border have a hard time believing their numbers are dwindling. There’s a Lowe’s and Walgreens under construction. A new modular building manufacturer with 170 workers has set up shop in the industrial park. Byrd Regional Hospital in Leesville just finished a $9 million expansion. New homes are in demand. National chain restaurants are scouting locations.
A Healthier Planet, a Healthier You
FRIDAY, April 20 (HealthDay News) - Those of you who think you can't help stop global warming need to think again, say experts who stress that even small changes in lifestyle make a big difference. With this Sunday being Earth Day, there's no better time to take a few minutes to figure out your "carbon footprint" - the impact your everyday behaviors and consumption has on the planet. To measure your "footprint," head to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Web site (www.epa.gov) for their online "Personal Emissions Calculator" tool. The calculator shows just how much you contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions - and what you can do to reduce that burden. "We focus on greenhouse gases that everyday people release as a result of driving or using electricity to light or heat their homes," explained Reid Harvey, chief of the Program Integration Branch at the EPA, which oversees the agency's climate change Web site and calculates the United States' "global emissions inventory." The Personal Emissions Calculator takes about 10 minutes to complete and asks for information on a range of items, including type of home heating, annual miles driven each year, monthly expenditure on gas and electric, and recycling levels.
Innovative CCTV system expands across Leeds to increase resident ...
East North East Homes Leeds and Innovation Leeds have announced plans to expand a world-leading CCTV system to cover some of the most deprived areas of Leeds, says Leeds City Council.
The system will cover 53 residential tower blocks and sheltered housing schemes in the east of Leeds, stretching from the Burmantofts area close to the city centre out to the ring road at Seacroft, in an effort to tackle anti-social behaviour and improve the quality of life for residents. This is the first phase of a system which is eventually hoped will cover the whole of the East North East Homes Leeds area, comprising about one third of the city. Initially made up of around 500 remotely controlled cameras, the system is driven using an innovative wireless network and will be monitored from a purpose built control room which will be linked into community safety wardens, council workers and the Police and other emergency services.
Today’s Overview of Leading News & Views – 26 March 2007
1. A number of foreign embassies in Teheran are reassessing and updating their emergency evacuation plans in the event of a sudden U.S. or Israeli attack on Iran. Foreign sources describe the general atmosphere in Iran as one of heightened preparedness. Increased UN sanctions against Iran have been agreed upon over the weekend, and the hope is for diplomatic efforts aimed at stopping Iran's nuclear drive to have the best possible chance to succeed. These sources agree, however, should the West or Israel feel the time needed for diplomatic measures to become effective take longer than the time it would take for Iran to obtain nuclear independence, there is likelihood of a strike that would be orchestrated at the nation's main nuclear facility before the damage done by such an attack would cause serious radiation fallout.
Families struggle to keep their homes
Barry Cameron, his wife, Lisa, and their 8-year-old son, Clay, walk past their former home on Solar Drive Dover Township. The house slipped into foreclosure after the Camerons could not keep up with the monthly mortgage payments. The couple sold the property in March through a deal that netted the Camerons enough money to buy a mobil home less than 1 mile from Solar Drive.<br />· <a href="http://w2.ydr.com/forms/sendPhoto.php?photo=25598">E-mail photo</a><br />· <a href="http://ydr.mycapture.com/mycapture/lookup.asp?originalname=041007-BIL-WALKPAST.jpg">Order photo reprint</a><br /> .
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