Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/82177
FEATURES ter. I didn't realize I was causing undue hardship, and I immediately apologized and moved my bike into another spot. I will never again park in those striped areas. I appre- ciated being put in my place. — Found a New Spot To Park Dear Found: Thank you for taking responsibility for doing the wrong thing and then correcting it. We hope other readers will make the same effort. Read on for more: From Chicago: I appreciated all the information in that letter. I never knew what those striped Dear Annie: I had to respond to the letter from ''Seeing Red About Blue,'' whose son is in a wheel- chair. She often finds the striped area next to the handicapped parking spot occupied, blocking safe passage back into her van. I have a motorcycle. I used to park in those blue- striped areas because they were a perfect fit for my bike. I had a feeling they might not be OK to park in, but I had no idea what they were for and didn't see any harm in leav- ing my bike there. One day a woman approached me and actually explained that parking my motorcycle in the striped spot made it difficult for someone in a wheelchair to safely access their car, because I was blocking the route. Annie, I should have known bet- Annie's Mailbox by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar areas in parking lots were for. I honestly thought they were for emergency vehi- cles. I never thought they were there to help with ramps, walkers, wheel- chairs, etc. I am very glad that your writer explained the purpose. Education is power. Thank you. I am now enlightened. Los Angeles: I believe there is an easy solution for drivers who park in the striped lane between handi- capped parking spots, preventing a side exit for handicapped passen- gers. These lanes should also have a posted sign that says, ''No Park- ing, Handicapped Access Lane,'' complete with corresponding fines. Usually, those signs are only placed in front of the actual park- ing spot and not the striped area next to it. Wisconsin: I am handicapped and often see people parked in handicapped spaces when they have neither a handicapped license plate or placard. I have begun to leave notes on those people's cars saying, ''You are not handicapped. You should not be in this space.'' It also might help to back into the space so that the striped area next to the ramp cannot be blocked by another car. Michigan: I, too, have a side- loading wheelchair van and have also been ''parked in'' by people choosing to use the striped area. Saturday, September 8, 2012 – Daily News 5A Readers discuss handicapped parking I've also seen small cars with handicapped placards parked in van-designated areas. And it's exceptionally common for people to leave their shopping carts in those striped areas. My husband purchased a small orange cone and printed RAMP on it in large black letters. He attached a 6-foot rope to it and tied the other end to the front passenger seat of the van. When we park, we pull the cone out and place it in the adjoining space. And do call the police next time there is a car parked in the striped area. When I did this, they didn't tow the car, but they did write a ticket. If we make this an issue, the police will enforce the law. Baton Rouge: How about uti- lizing two plastic pylons (easily purchased at an athletic equipment outlet)? Affix long pieces of bright tape to each pylon, and attach the other end to a magnet. Attach the magnets to your vehicle, and leave the pylons (with the tape attached) to the amount of space needed for your ramp. The entire package can be rolled up and placed inside the car for reuse when you're done. Annie's Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column. Please email your questions to anniesmailboxcomcast.net, or write to: Annie's Mailbox, c/o Creators Syndicate, 737 3rd Street, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. DFG launches climate college The California Department of Fish and Game's (DFG) Climate Science program is launching a Cli- mateCollege to increase climate literacy. The 10-month training course is open to DFG employees and the general public and will increase participants' understanding of climate change and its impacts on natural resources in California. "The DFG Climate College is a new and innov- Town Hall at the Natural Resources Agency Build- ing in Sacramento. The town hall is expected to build enthusiasm ative approach to training that will provide a foun- dation of climate change knowledge for our staff, and not just our scientific staff. It is designed for the entire DFG family," said DFG Director Charl- ton H. Bonham. "This kind of approach is an oppor- tunity for true institutional change." The college is another initiative that keeps Cal- ifornia at the forefront of climate-related planning and action. "Through this course, DFG's Climate Science program will provide tools and resources to empower staff to become emerging climate leaders in the Department," said DFG Climate Change Advisor Amber Pairis. "The course will support staff efforts to integrate climate change into their professional responsibilities – the very work that safeguards our natural resources." The DFG Climate College will include lectures, presentations, online discussions, reading assign- ments and a final project. The lectures and presentations will take place in Sacramento. They will be broadcast via WebEx and archived online. The course will begin Sept. 18 with a Climate for work toward climate solutions and include a broader discussion about what a changing climate means for natural resources in the state. Director Bonham will deliver the keynote address, and Ken Alex and Cliff Rechtschaffen from the Governor's Office will follow with a dis- cussion on the Governor's vision for a state-wide response. receive a certificate of completion from DFG and the opportunity to show their final project to DFG leadership. The Wildlife Society is offering participants contact hours in its Certified Wildlife Biologist Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Pro- gram for participating in the DFG Climate College. In addition, DFG is working with the U.S. Fish Upon completion of the course, participants will and Wildlife Service National Conservation Train- ing Center to coordinate training activities and materials between the National Climate Academy and the California-focused DFG Climate College. For more information please visit www.dfg.ca.gov/Climate_and_Energy/Climate_Ch ange/Climate_College/ . To learn how to register for the course, email cli- matechange@dfg.ca.gov or DFG Climate Change Associate Whitney Albright at walbright@dfg.ca.gov. Boomers turning 65 Medicare workshop Passages Health Insur- ance Counseling & Advo- cacy Program (HICAP) is presenting a Welcome to Medicare workshop geared for those who will be new to Medicare. It will be held at the Red Bluff Community Center on 2-4 p.m.Wednesday, Sept. 26. This free inter-active sem- inar will help you under- stand how your Medicare benefits work. Registration is required in order to ensure all attendees will receive the necessary workshop materials. You may regis- ter by calling 898-6716 or 1-800-434-0222. Important questions that will be answered include what is Medicare, do I really need a Medicare Part D prescrip- tion plan, what is a Medi- Gap policy, can I coordi- nate health care plan ben- efits and what happens if I miss my initial Medicare enrollment period? gram manager for Pas- sages HICAP warns sign- ing up with the wrong plan, or not doing any- thing may cost new recip- ients thousands of dollars, and they may not be able to make changes if enroll- ment deadlines are missed. HICAP does not sell or endorse any insurance products. People who are new to Medicare will be deluged with information from different insurance companies marketing their products. Tatiana Fassieux, pro- agency would like a workshop, contact Natasha Coulter-LaTorre, If your group or about Passages services, go to www.passagescen- ter.org. Membership Specials Student 3 Month $89 Couple $199 Family of 3 $249 Family of 4 $269 Family of 5 $299 Specials for new members only 3 months specials must be paid in full Children must be under 18 to be included to family memberships Tehama Family Fitness Center www.tehamafamilyfitness.com 2498 South Main St Red Bluff 528-8656 Calendulas, Pansies, Violas Flowering Cabbage & Kale, Asters Chrysanthemums and Snap Dragons BEAUTIFUL FALL COLOR PLANT Coming Soon ANNUAL FALL SALE Sept. 21st - Sept. 30th 40% Off All 1-gal. Size & Larger! "Start your Shopping List Now!" 8026 Airport Road, Redding I-5 North, Exit #637, Rt. on Knighton, Rt on Airport Located 1 mile south of the Airport WYNTOUR GARDENS 365-2256 (Next to Kents Mkt) Open Mon-Sat 8-5 & Sunday's 10-4 wyntourgardens.com Facebook Community Outreach Coordinator at 530-898- 6715. Passages helps older adults and family care- givers with important ser- vices to empower them to remain confident in their ability to sustain and enjoy independent lives. For more information Both soluble and insoluble fiber good TOR K: Can you explain the differ- ence between sol- uble and insoluble fiber? Are both good for your health? DEAR DOC- DEAR READ- ER: Dietary fiber consists of the indigestible parts of plant foods. As you note, there are two kinds. Soluble fiber dis- solves in water; insoluble does not. Both are impor- tant for healthy digestion, and both can help prevent heart disease, obesity, dia- betes, diverticulitis (an intestinal malady) and constipation. Dr. K by Anthony L. Komaroff, M.D. My colleague, Dr. Celeste Robb-Nicholson, recently discussed fiber in the Harvard Women's Health Watch, and part of what I report here I learned from reading her commentary. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the stomach and intestine. It forms a gel that slows digestion. This causes you to feel full and may help with weight loss. Soluble fiber also slows the digestion and absorption of glucose, which is important for controlling diabetes. Finally, it decreases LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood, which helps lower the risk of heart disease. Good sources of solu- ble fiber include nuts, seeds, legumes (lentils, beans and peas), oat cere- als, fruit pectin (found in citrus fruits, apples, pears, apricots and peaches), and some vegetables, such as carrots. who have started fiber and experience bloating to stick with it for at least two weeks. Not everyone takes my advice, but many who do tell me that the bloating does tend to go away over time. Some people find it hard to get all the fiber they need in their diets, so they take a fiber supple- ment. The amount and type of fiber in a supple- ment varies by product. When possible, I prefer to get most of my fiber from whole foods, which pro- vide many other healthful substances as well. to your diet gradually. If one source of fiber upsets your digestion, try a differ- ent one in smaller amounts. It may also help to drink more water. Also, I tell my patients Insoluble fiber passes through the small intestine without breaking down. It's important for intesti- nal health because it adds bulk and draws water to the stool. This aids its pas- sage through the large intestine. uble fiber include whole grains, wheat and corn bran, popcorn, seeds, nuts, broccoli, cabbage, root vegetables, onions, green leafy vegetables, and fruit and vegetable skins. Good sources of insol- benefits from diets that are high in the fiber-rich foods mentioned above. Those foods contain antioxidants, "good fats" and "good carbs," as well as fiber, and provide a healthy source of protein. So I strongly recom- mend using foods rather than supplement powders that you can get over-the- counter at drugstores as the primary source of fiber. The supplement powders seem to help many patients with their constipation when added to fiber-rich diets, but I never recommend just the supplements alone. There are other health Dr. Komaroff is a physician and professor at Harvard Medical School. To send questions, go to AskDoctorK.com, or write: Ask Doctor K, 10 Shattuck St., Second Floor, Boston, MA 02115. Advance health care directive class offered Making health care decisions can be a complex process. It is important that families and health care providers are aware of a person's wishes if they are unable to speak for themselves. An upcoming class offers valuable tools to help a person express their future health care wishes and assign an agent to be a decision maker. The class will discuss the process for creating an Advance Health Care Directive that allows a person to record their care and treatment preferences in a legal document that can be shared with key health care professionals. The course will be offered 6-8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10 at Mercy Medical Center Redding, Lower Level Auditorium A. To register for the class, call 530 225-7779 or go online to redding.mercy.org. Sharon Hawver Employee of Honor at is the Red Bluff Healthcare Center Our patients and residents have been like family to her for the last 7 years. She knows all about family. Sharon and her husband Roy enjoy their children, grandchildren and great-grand children. We appreciate the outstanding dedication and quality care that Sharon provides. 530-527-6232 555 Luther Road. Red Bluff experience consti- pation or increased intestinal gas when they increase their fiber intake. That's true regardless of whether it's solu- ble or insoluble. The best way to avoid that is to start with low doses and add fiber Many people