Contractor in Guam can no longer clean restrooms for free

HAGATNA, Guam — Public restrooms in parks around the island of Guam will go uncleaned if the government does not settle its outstanding debt, according to KTGM-TV.

Advanced Management Inc., the company contracted to provide cleaning services in park restrooms on the island, allegedly has not been paid in months and owner Monte Mcdowell can no longer afford to clean the 16 restrooms for free, the story stated.

According to the story, Mcdowell claims he has not been paid since July and that his company is owed $132,000 for services rendered.

The Guam Department of Administration says the only invoices pending in their system total $3,645, the story noted.

Mcdowell, who says if he gets paid in the next couple of days he will continue to honor his contract, notes that Advanced Management Inc. cannot afford to pay its employees without getting paid by the government for the work they've performed, the story added.

According to the article, Mcdowell has yet to bill the Guam Department of Parks and Recreation for the month of December, which he claims will add another $30,000 to the outstanding total.

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Study: Bacteria becoming immune to disinfectants

GALWAY, Ireland — A new study by the National University of Ireland at Galway that was published in the journal Microbiology suggests that certain bacteria have adapted to survive not only common antibiotics, but also the disinfectants used to clean surfaces, according to LiveScience.

According to the story, researchers, who focused on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium responsible for a range of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), found that the bacteria — when exposed to disinfectants — were able to efficiently pump out antimicrobial agents, causing a genetic mutation that allowed them to resist various antibiotics, specifically ciprofloxacin.

Though more research is needed, the new study suggests disinfectants may be part of the problem of resistant bacteria, the story stated.

Dr. Gerard Fleming of the National University of Ireland in Galway and lead researcher said: "In principle, this means that residue from incorrectly diluted disinfectants left on hospital surfaces could promote the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. What is more worrying is that bacteria seem to be able to adapt to resist antibiotics without even being exposed to them. We need to investigate the effects of using more than one type of disinfectant on promoting antibiotic-resistant strains. This will increase the effectiveness of both our first and second lines of defense against HAIs."

Studying the environmental factors that might promote resistant bacteria is very important as superbugs like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have become a deadly and growing problem in hospitals in recent years, the story noted.

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Rodent infestation closes Pennsylvania State Capitol cafeteria

HARRISBURG, PA — The cafeteria at the Pennsylvania State Capitol, which is operated by the ARAMARK Corporation, was closed last week while crews performed deep cleaning after Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture inspectors found evidence of a rodent infestation, according to the Patriot-News.

The cafeteria, which previously had not been inspected for several years, is expected to remain closed until after the new year, the story stated.

Justin Fleming, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, said: "There were mouse droppings around the facility too numerous to mention."

The droppings, which indicate the presence of live mice, are considered an imminent health risk and have been known to potentially carry hantavirus, the story noted.

Although employees spent the weekend cleaning the entire cafeteria and fixing other health-related problems, ARAMARK is waiting to have the facility reinspected to ensure complete compliance with the health inspection requirements, the story added.

Sarah Jarvis, an ARAMARK Spokeswoman, said: "Our priority is to ensure that the food served at the Capitol building is of the highest quality and prepared [in] the safest environment possible. We take all violations and suggestions very seriously."

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Swiffer becomes the official cleaner of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis

CINCINNATI — The Procter & Gamble Company's Swiffer brand recently became the official cleaner of the world's largest children's museum, according to a press release.

Swiffer products will now be used throughout the 479,000-square-foot Children's Museum of Indianapolis to trap and lock dust and dirt in every exhibit it houses, the release stated.

As the official cleaner, Swiffer Dusters will be tasked to clean the museum's 43-foot-tall Fireworks of Glass exhibit, the release noted.

Jeff Patchen, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, said: "Dale Chihuly's artwork (Fireworks of Glass) is one of the centerpieces of our museum, and the preferred dusting solution to help keep it clean and dust-free is Swiffer. After seeing how well it works on such a delicate piece of art as Chihuly's piece, we wanted to deepen our partnership with Swiffer to help keep our exhibits clean and dust-free for our young visitors to enjoy."

Swiffer Dusters use thousands of fluffy fibers that gently change shape to fit anywhere to trap and lock dust and dirt better than traditional feather dusters, the release added.

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MBCR adopts steam vapor to clean their passenger coaches

BOSTON — To ensure the cleanest possible riding environment for its customers, the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company (MBCR) recently announced the introduction of a new vapor sanitizing system to clean passenger coaches, according to a press release.

The steam vapor system from Advanced Vapor Technologies LLC safely removes grease, grime and stains in a cost-effective manner without harming the environment, the release stated.

Richard A. Davey, general manager of MBCR, said: "A sanitary, comfortable passenger coach is an essential part of a commuter's experience. The introduction of Advanced Vapor Technologies' proprietary steam vapor cleaning equipment into service will help us provide cleaner, fresher coaches for passengers during travel."

The system works on a wide range of materials, including vinyl, stainless steel and plastic-type surfaces, making it ideal for cleaning environments like that of MBCR's passenger coaches, the release noted.

Steam vapor cleaning technology, which eradicates a wide range of bacteria and pathogens while reducing potential indoor hazards due to reduced chemical use — all with tap water — will help improve the indoor environmental quality of MBCR's passenger coaches, the release added.

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Austin, MN Public Schools approve $12 million bond to improve IAQ

AUSTIN, MN — Six Austin Public Schools will soon have better indoor air quality thanks to the approval of a $12 million bond, according to KIMT-TV.

According to the story, the entire project will be financed by a private national lending house on Wall Street and taxpayers will not see an increase from the project.

Upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, including dehumidification improvements, will be performed this summer at Banfield Elementary School, Ellis Middle School, Southgate Elementary School, the Woodson Kindergarten Center, Neveln Elementary School and Sumner Elementary School, the story stated.

Director of the Austin Public Schools' Finance and Operations Mark Stotts said: "Indoor air quality is kind of the new buzz word when it comes to facilities. And it is important, you know, as kids and staff have allergies and those types of things."

The Austin Public Schools have 16 years to pay back the bond with an interest rate between 1 and 1½ percent, the story noted.

The Austin Public Schools School Board will begin accepting bids from contractors in the next few weeks — with the project going to the lowest bidder — and will finalize the bid January 11, 2010, the story added.

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Police catch janitor dealing prescription drugs

BOSTON — A janitor working for the Boston Housing Authority was recently caught by police with Oxycontin pills and a suspicious amount of cash, according to the Boston Herald.

Gregory Horne, who performed janitorial and groundskeeping duties at the Mary Ellen McCormack housing development, was fired after his arrest for felony drug charges, the story stated.

Horne faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the charges of possession with intent to distribute, the story noted.

According to a city of Boston Police Department report, undercover officers were monitoring the area Horne was working in as it is considered an area of "high drug activity" when they noticed a man hop out of a car and exchange money for unknown goods with Horne.

When officers searched Horne, they found 18 Oxycontin pills and $873 cash in his pockets, the story added.

According to the story, the man who exchanged money for unknown goods with Horne was stopped by police and later admitted that Horne is his regular supplier of Oxycontin and Suboxone, a drug used in opiate addiction therapy.

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