ORLANDO, FL — Facing a budget shortfall and needing to make some drastic cuts, one Central Florida school decided to nix paper products, according to WTVY-TV.
Orange County Middle School is not going the usual route of outsourcing custodial services or not ordering new textbooks; rather, they are cutting costs by no longer supplying toilet paper and paper towels in restrooms, the story stated.
After the news reached the greater Orlando area, compassion took a hold and the community came to the rescue, the story noted.
Several surrounding schools have pooled their resources together to provide the much needed supplies, the story added.
According to the story, local churches are also taking the initiative and providing the school with much-needed donations.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Ecolab pays $118,000 to Army veteran
ST. PAUL, MN — JanSan chemical manufacturer Ecolab Inc. has agreed to pay $118,000 to an Army veteran they did not rehire after he returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, according to the St. Paul Business Journal.
Ecolab violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 by not rehiring Stephen Alasin when he returned from a three-year tour of duty in 2006, the story stated.
Alasin was a senior service specialist at Ecolab when he enlisted in the Army in 2003, the story noted.
Ecolab and Alasin engaged in a consent agreement to settle the complaint, the story added.
The USERRA requires that civilian employers of people who leave their jobs to serve in the military be rehired in the same or comparable position when they return.
According to the story, Ecolab considers this “an isolated and regrettable incident” and changes have been made to ensure such incidents won’t happen in the future.
Ecolab violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 by not rehiring Stephen Alasin when he returned from a three-year tour of duty in 2006, the story stated.
Alasin was a senior service specialist at Ecolab when he enlisted in the Army in 2003, the story noted.
Ecolab and Alasin engaged in a consent agreement to settle the complaint, the story added.
The USERRA requires that civilian employers of people who leave their jobs to serve in the military be rehired in the same or comparable position when they return.
According to the story, Ecolab considers this “an isolated and regrettable incident” and changes have been made to ensure such incidents won’t happen in the future.
Norovirus outbreak at Idaho prison
BOISE, ID — Visitors and volunteers are being kept away from the Idaho State Correctional Institution due to an outbreak of norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal infection whose eradication requires extensive cleaning of surfaces, according to KTRV-TV.
There have been four confirmed cases of norovirus and several more suspected cases, the story stated.
In an effort to curb any further spread of the virus, workers have been using bleach to clean high-touch surfaces around the prison, the story noted.
The visitation and volunteer ban could extend as far as next week, depending on whether or not cleaning efforts effectively stop the spread of the virus, the story added.
Symptoms of norovirus include nausea, vomiting, head and stomach ache and fatigue.
There have been four confirmed cases of norovirus and several more suspected cases, the story stated.
In an effort to curb any further spread of the virus, workers have been using bleach to clean high-touch surfaces around the prison, the story noted.
The visitation and volunteer ban could extend as far as next week, depending on whether or not cleaning efforts effectively stop the spread of the virus, the story added.
Symptoms of norovirus include nausea, vomiting, head and stomach ache and fatigue.
Janitorial services could be outsourced to inmates
MARYVILLE, MO — Plans are in the works to have janitorial services in Nodaway County outsourced to inmates, according to the Maryville Daily Forum.
Last week, Sheriff Darren White revealed plans to use inmates to perform janitorial, lawn care and other cleaning and maintenance services inside and out of county buildings, the story stated.
Sheriff White said: "If I went in the jail and asked if those guys wanted to go outside and work, they'd all be for that just for the opportunity to go outside. Obviously, there are some inmates we wouldn't offer this to, but a lot of them could."
Aside from the opportunity to go outside, inmates will be offered other perks like sodas and smoke time; the Sheriff is also looking into using the program to help inmates pay off court fees, the story noted.
According to the story, Sheriff White believes inmates could help make county buildings look nicer, especially after last year when a few county residents complained about weeds growing and the courthouse lawn not being maintained.
Plans for the program are not finalized, but the Sheriff hopes to have inmates working outside and in county buildings by this spring, the story added.
Last week, Sheriff Darren White revealed plans to use inmates to perform janitorial, lawn care and other cleaning and maintenance services inside and out of county buildings, the story stated.
Sheriff White said: "If I went in the jail and asked if those guys wanted to go outside and work, they'd all be for that just for the opportunity to go outside. Obviously, there are some inmates we wouldn't offer this to, but a lot of them could."
Aside from the opportunity to go outside, inmates will be offered other perks like sodas and smoke time; the Sheriff is also looking into using the program to help inmates pay off court fees, the story noted.
According to the story, Sheriff White believes inmates could help make county buildings look nicer, especially after last year when a few county residents complained about weeds growing and the courthouse lawn not being maintained.
Plans for the program are not finalized, but the Sheriff hopes to have inmates working outside and in county buildings by this spring, the story added.
Restroom's price tag: More than $300,000
YORK, PA — The 750-acre Rocky Ridge County Park is slated to receive a $334,994 restroom, according to the York Daily Record.
The project, which was approved in January, and whose cost was factored into the county's 2009 budget, received more than 25 bids from local businesses, the story stated.
According to county President Commissioner Steve Chronister, the project could serve as a local economic stimulus move that will preserve jobs in the county.
County commissioners see the project as a wise investment because the park generated over $170,000 for the county last year, the story noted.
The new restroom facility, which measures 26 feet by 37 feet and will be open year-round, will replace two outdated seasonal restrooms that have stood since they were built in the late 1960s, the story added.
The project, which was approved in January, and whose cost was factored into the county's 2009 budget, received more than 25 bids from local businesses, the story stated.
According to county President Commissioner Steve Chronister, the project could serve as a local economic stimulus move that will preserve jobs in the county.
County commissioners see the project as a wise investment because the park generated over $170,000 for the county last year, the story noted.
The new restroom facility, which measures 26 feet by 37 feet and will be open year-round, will replace two outdated seasonal restrooms that have stood since they were built in the late 1960s, the story added.
Cleaning chemicals cause car explosion
MEMPHIS, TN — A cleaning supervisor is recovering from injuries sustained when her car exploded after fumes from cleaning chemicals in her trunk ignited when she attempted to light a cigarette, according to WLMT-TV.
Monique Hicks, who suffered first and second degree burns on her face and arms, was able to walk out of the hospital hours after being treated, the story stated.
Hicks was attempting to leave an office park to go clean another office building but was having problems starting her car. That is when she tried lighting a cigarette, triggering the explosion that eyewitnesses say "sounded like a bomb going off," the story noted.
According to the story, police initially did not know what had caused the explosion so they called in the bomb squad with its special robot to check out the car. After evacuating the nearby office building, the FBI questioned employees in the parking lot who helped in determining the cleaning chemical connection to the explosion.
Monique is a workaholic and is planning to be back on the job in a couple of days, the story added.
Janice Hicks, Monique's mother-in-law, said: "We can always replace a car, and that's no problem. We won't be hauling chemicals in cars anymore."
Monique Hicks, who suffered first and second degree burns on her face and arms, was able to walk out of the hospital hours after being treated, the story stated.
Hicks was attempting to leave an office park to go clean another office building but was having problems starting her car. That is when she tried lighting a cigarette, triggering the explosion that eyewitnesses say "sounded like a bomb going off," the story noted.
According to the story, police initially did not know what had caused the explosion so they called in the bomb squad with its special robot to check out the car. After evacuating the nearby office building, the FBI questioned employees in the parking lot who helped in determining the cleaning chemical connection to the explosion.
Monique is a workaholic and is planning to be back on the job in a couple of days, the story added.
Janice Hicks, Monique's mother-in-law, said: "We can always replace a car, and that's no problem. We won't be hauling chemicals in cars anymore."
Ecolab donates $500,000 to food charities
ST. PAUL, MN — Ecolab Inc. is one of three Twin Cities-area business that have pledged donations to food charities, according to the St. Paul Business Journal.
Ecolab plans to raise $500,000 through a matching program with employees and retirees, the story stated.
Second Harvest Heartland, Neighborhood House and The Dorothy Day Center are the recipients of the donations exceeding $1 million from Ecolab Inc., Medtronic Inc. and Target Corporation, the story noted.
The generosity of these companies will provide more than 1.8 million meals for needy and hungry Minnesota families in 2009, the story added.
Ecolab plans to raise $500,000 through a matching program with employees and retirees, the story stated.
Second Harvest Heartland, Neighborhood House and The Dorothy Day Center are the recipients of the donations exceeding $1 million from Ecolab Inc., Medtronic Inc. and Target Corporation, the story noted.
The generosity of these companies will provide more than 1.8 million meals for needy and hungry Minnesota families in 2009, the story added.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)