St. Louis Ranks 7th in Dog Attacks on Postal Workers
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), May 16, 2013 - As a prelude to National Dog Bite Prevention Week, the Postal Service has released its dog attack city rankings - St. Louis ranked 7th with 32 bites - and urged pet owners to help reduce the incidence of dog bites to letter carriers.
"If our letter carriers deem your loose dog to be a threat, you'll be asked to pick up your mail at the Post Office until it's safe to deliver," said Ken Snavely, acting postmaster of Los Angeles, where 69 postal employees were attacked last year, placing the City of Angels as the most vicious for dog attacks. Nationwide, 5,879 postal employees were attacked.
Snavely noted that in situations where a dog roams the neighborhood, delivery to the owner's neighbors could be curtailed as well. Additionally, when letter carriers come to a customer's door, pet owners are asked to place dogs in a separate room and close the door, as many canines have been known to jump through screen and glass doors.
Dog attacks are a nationwide issue and not just a postal problem. Nearly 5,900 letter carriers were attacked last year, but that pales in comparison to the 4.7 million Americans annually bitten by dogs - more than half of whom are children - according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . The U.S. Postal Service, the medical community, veterinarians and the insurance industry are working together to educate the public that dog bites are avoidable by declaring May 19-25 as National Dog Bite Prevention Week.
"Many dogs are cherished members of their family and people believe their dog won't bite, but given the right circumstances, any dog can attack," said Snavely. "Dogs do not reason like people do and they will react to their instinct to protect their family and territory. Working with animal behavior experts, the Postal Service has developed tips to avoid dog attacks, and for dog owners, tips for practicing responsible pet ownership."
How to be a Responsible Dog Owner
- Obedience training can teach dogs proper behavior and help owners control their dogs in any situation.
- Dogs can be protective of their territory and may interpret the actions of a letter carrier as a threat. Please take precautions when accepting mail in the presence of your pet.
- When a letter carrier comes to your home, keep your dog inside, away from the door, in another room or on a leash.
- Dogs that haven't been properly socialized, receive little attention or handling, or are left tied up for long periods of time frequently turn into biters.
Top Global Credit-Rating Agencies Reaffirm Missouri's AAA Status
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), May 12, 2013 - Two top global credit-rating agencies, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's have reaffirmed Missouri's AAA credit rating.Gov.
The ratings, which apply to general obligation bonds issued by the state, help keep borrowing rates low for school districts, local governments, and public bodies that borrow money to undertake major projects. Lower interest rates save taxpayers millions of dollars a year. The flexibility provided by Missouri's fully funded budget reserves contributed to the top rating.
In a release, Governor Jay Nixon said, "Our top AAA credit rating saves taxpayers millions in interest and demonstrates to businesses around the world that Missouri is a safe place to grow and invest. These strong ratings are a testament to our strong record of fiscal discipline, and they reinforce the need to continue to manage the state budget in a fiscally responsible way."
In issuing the AAA rating, Fitch Ratings cited the Governor's prudent financial management and his constitutional authority to withhold funds to maintain a balanced budget. Fitch wrote, "The state's financial flexibility and liquidity position remain healthy, supported by strong revenue performance this year and reserves that remained fully funded throughout the recession; and that the rating 'reflects a low debt burden, historically conservative financial operations, and a broad and diverse economy."
The report from Standard & Poor's noted the Governor's rescission authority to cure budget imbalances and also said, "We believe that the strength of the budget management and government framework has allowed the state to maintain reserve and liquidity levels that are consistent with a 'AAA' rating."
Last week, a third top global credit-rating agency, Moody's, said that "executive control over appropriated funds is central to (the) state's strong fiscal management" and also cited Missouri's "history of excellent financial performance and sound reserve levels, strong fiscal management controls, and the state's moderate debt burden." Missouri's general obligation debt also has been rated AAA by Moody's.
National Airline History Museum Launches "Flight of the Connie" Campaign
KANSAS CITY, MO, (SLFP.com), May 12, 2013 - The National Airline History Museum has launched a year-long campaign to raise $3.2 million to fly its Lockheed Constellation on a special flight commemorating the birth of transatlantic and transcontinental passenger service. The museum's Constellation is one of the only three historic aircraft of its kind in flying condition.
Led by a core of Kansas City volunteers including pilots, flight engineers, mechanics and flight attendants, the "Connie" is planned to take flight on April 17, 2014, the 70th anniversary of the 1944 inaugural flight piloted by legendary director and aviator Howard Hughes, and TWA President and co-founder Jack Frye.
The Constellation was a major leap forward in airline technology and became TWA's most famous airliner. As the headquarters for TWA, Constellations become common aircraft at the Downtown Airport, Fairfax Airport and Kansas City International. Many Kansas Citians still fondly remember working on the aircraft and many of those who flew on the Connie visit the museum regularly.
The Lockheed Constellation, Model L-1049H, was one of the last Constellations off Lockheed's assembly lines in 1958. Retired to the desert in Mesa, Ariz., after many years as a cargo plane, the Lockheed Constellation was donated to a group of airline industry veterans in 1986. After nine weeks of preparation, the "Connie" was ferried to the Kansas City Downtown Airport to begin a two-year restoration and converted to a passenger configuration to fly in the Air Show circuit. The aircraft now wears the famous "Super G" livery of TWA.
The "Connie" has starred in motion pictures including "Voyager (1992), Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995) and "The Aviator" (2004), the Martin Scorsese film depicting the life of Hughes starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Beckinsale and Cate Blanchett.
"I see the Connie as an ambassador of Kansas City," said John Roper, museum Vice President of Operations. "The Connie and individuals who built, flew and work to restore her throughout the years represent a pioneering spirit and the drive to accomplish the impossible."
Funds raised through private donations and corporate sponsorships will cover startup expenses ($1.5 million), restoration labor, training, operations, fuel, scheduled maintenance and spare parts.
COCAcabana 2013 Raises More Than $800,000 for COCA Education Programs
ST. LOUIS, MO, (SLFP.com), May 12, 2013 - A sold out crowd of nearly 650 business and community leaders attended COCA's popular spring fundraiser, COCAcabana: After Dark on Friday, April 26, 2013. The event, COCA's only annual fundraiser, raised more than $800,000, exceeding organizers goals by $100,000. All proceeds benefit COCA's education and outreach programs.
In a release, Kelly Pollock, COCA Executive Director, said, "I continue to be amazed by and grateful for the generosity of our donors. It was a wonderful evening, enjoyed by all, and the positive effects will be felt long after Friday night. Thanks to the evening's success, there are students that can now attend COCA classes or have COCA outreach programs brought to their schools that would otherwise not have had those opportunities."
The evening's festivities, held at COCA, included a VIP "Black Carpet" arrival, a cocktail reception featuring hors d'oeuvres from local restaurants, a live auction hosted by Access Hollywood's Billy Bush and auctioneer David Goodman, dinner under a giant outdoor tent and dancing to the spins of St. Louis favorite DJ Reggie. During the auction, COCA's student company The Hip-Hop Crew delighted guests with an original performance choreographed by Anthony "Redd" Williams.
With a core value of accessibility, COCA annually provides more than $800,000 in arts programs at no cost in lowincome schools and more than 400 scholarships for students to participate in COCA on-site programs. Accounting for nearly 20 percent of COCA's annual contributed revenue, COCAcabana is crucial to continuing this outreach.
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