By JONATHAN PAYE-LAYLEH Associated Press

MONROVIA, Liberia (AP) - Even as Liberians fall ill and die of Ebola, many beds in treatment centers are empty because of the government's order that the bodies of all suspected Ebola victims in the capital be cremated, authorities have determined.

Cremation violates values and cultural practices in the western African country. The order has so disturbed people that the sick are often kept at home and, if they die, are being secretly buried, increasing the risk of more infections.

President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia decreed in August that the bodies of Ebola victims in the Monrovia area be cremated. The government brought in a crematorium and hired experts. The order came after people in neighborhoods of the capital resisted burials of hundreds of Ebola victims near their homes.

A recent analysis of bed space at Ebola treatment units concluded that out of 742 spaces, 351 were occupied and 391 were vacant, said Assistant Health Minister Tolbert Nyenswah, who heads the government's Ebola response.

"For fear of cremation, do not stay home to die," Nyenswah urged Liberians at a news conference.

In her statement declaring the state of emergency and the cremation order, Sirleaf said: "Ebola has attacked our way of life."

That way of life includes honoring deceased ancestors.

In March, the second Wednesday of the month is National Decoration Day, a public holiday during which people flock to cemeteries to clear brush from the graves of relatives, and scrub and decorate headstones.

Cremations in the capital, and burials of Ebola victims in body bags outside Monrovia without relatives present, means there won't be a place to honor deceased relatives. Decoration days will come with many people not knowing where the remains of their loved ones are, or knowing they were cremated and that their ashes were not recovered.

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Beds at Ebola treatment units empty in Liberia

Lawn signs an eyesore

Editor of the Reformer:

When we moved to Vermont, one of the most attractive things about our new home state was the ban on billboards and other large signs. Nonetheless, year after year we see hundreds of those hideous lawn signs that clutter our town. When people wrote complaining about the theft of their lawn signs, I wanted to hug the thief or thieves.

For the life of me, I cannot understand their purpose. Ive said it before and Ill say it again: If anyone can prove to me that someone changed their vote based on a lawn sign, I will not only no longer complain, but will welcome anyone to place them on my lawn at my home or my office. Any takers? If not, please remove those damnable eyesores.

Bob Fagelson,

Brattleboro, Oct. 20

We expect better

Editor of the Reformer:

When veteran state legislators join selectboards, they bring experience of higher levels of power, responsibility and decorum. Serving on legislative committees, legislators summon and question officials, also contacting them personally on constituents behalfs, as do members of selectboards. All walk the line between equal and special treatment in our small-town world, where constituents may also be colleagues, friends or relations. Decorum, however, is never optional.

Citizens and journalists rightly challenge any actual or apparent crossing of this line, when public acknowledgment of and apology for their concerns is an option.

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Letter Box

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) - Twenty-one Asian nations have signed on to a China-driven initiative to create a new development bank for Asia that's aimed at boosting infrastructure investment of all kinds. Beijing sees that as a way to raise its international standing, but Washington opposes the move as an unnecessary and potentially damaging rival to established institutions such as the World Bank.

- WHO'S IN THE GROUP?

Members are overwhelmingly developing nations, with Singapore the only advanced economy. The others range from economic powerhouses India and China to smaller but economically dynamic nations such as Singapore, Vietnam, the Philippines and Mongolia. A few are drawn from among the poorest nations including Laos, Cambodia and Oman.

Others taking part are Uzbekistan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Qatar, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia and Myanmar.

Just as important is who's not in the group: Solid American allies Japan, South Korea and Australia, although they, along with the U.S. may enter at a later date if the venture proves to be a success. Although Singapore is a close U.S. ally, its officials say entering now will give them a chance to make a positive impact on the way the bank plans to do business.

- SO WHAT'S WASHINGTON'S VIEW?

The U.S. is concerned that the new bank will introduce laxer standards for lending when it comes to environmental and labor protection, transparency of the project bidding process, and human rights. Washington worries that could undercut existing institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Asian Development Bank that have sought to impose standards to promote good governance, fair labor practices and a clean environment.

Naturally, Washington is also concerned about any move by China to shift attention away from institutions that it and its allies dominate. The world's first and second biggest economies deeply distrust each other and are locked in a ceaseless competition for pre-eminence in Asia, where the U.S. is the dominant military power but China's massive economy carries enormous heft.

- HOW MUCH CAN IT LEND?

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China, 20 other countries initiate new Asian bank

By DAVID A. LIEB and JIM SALTER Associated Press

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) - Missouri police have been brushing up on constitutional rights and stocking up on riot gear to prepare for a grand jury's decision about whether to charge a white police officer who fatally shot a black 18-year-old in suburban St. Louis.

The preparations are aimed at avoiding a renewed outbreak of violence during the potentially large demonstrations that could follow an announcement of whether Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will face a criminal trial for the Aug. 9 death of Michael Brown.

Police and protesters have repeatedly clashed since the shooting, which prompted a national conversation about race and police tactics. Images of officers in riot gear and armored vehicles confronting protesters have drawn widespread criticism.

Many protesters want Wilson indicted for murder. Grand jury proceedings are secret, but legal analysts say recently leaked information about Wilson's testimony to investigators may be an attempt to prepare the public for the possibility that he might not be charged.

The decision could be made public within the next month.

In the meantime, law officers have adjusted their tactics to interact more peacefully with protesters while also honing their procedures for quick, widespread arrests. They plan to have a large contingent of officers at the ready, but have been meeting with clergy, community leaders and students in hopes of building relationships that could ease tensions on the streets.

"I know there's a lot of anxiety, there's a lot of fear, anticipation" about that announcement, said Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson, who was put in charge of security in Ferguson in the days after Brown was killed and is now part of a coordinated command with local police. But "I have a lot of hope."

Law enforcement officers expect to receive at least a day's notice before a grand jury announcement. That should provide time for them to execute security plans but may also allow demonstrators to prepare.

"The moment I learn that there is, in fact, a non-indictment, then there's going to be an organized protest," said Eric Vickers, a black St. Louis attorney and civil rights activist.

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Police prepare for grand jury decision in Ferguson

Another man jumped the White House fence Wednesday and made it onto the North Lawn before he was arrested by Secret Service officers, a little more than a month after another man climbed the fence and ran inside the executive mansion, officials said.

Dominic Adesanya, 23, of Bel Air, Md., was tackled and apprehended by security officers about 20 yards past the fence after he entered the lawn at 7:16 p.m., a Secret Service official said. Adesanya was unarmed, and he was taken to a hospital for treatment. Charges are pending.

Two Secret Service dogs were injured in the incident, and they were taken to a veterinarian for treatment, the official said. The White House press corps and photographers were locked inside the White House as a security precaution.

On Sept. 19, Omar Gonzalez, 42, allegedly breached the secure grounds of the White House in an incident that drew criticism to security procedures that led to the resignation of Secret Service Director Julia Pierson. Gonzalez was carrying a knife and had a machete and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his car and made it as far as the East Room of the White House before he was tackled, officials said.

First published October 22 2014, 5:04 PM

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Another Man Jumps White House Fence

Dominic Adesanya/LinkedIn

Dominic Adesanya

A Maryland man hopped the White House fence and assaulted two police dogs Wednesday night before he was apprehended by Secret Service agents on the North Lawn.

Dominic Adesanya, 23, was charged with felonies for making threats and punching and kicking the canine officers, as well as four misdemeanor charges. President Obama was inside the White House when the breach occurred.

Video footage below shows Adesanya jumping the fence around 7:15 p.m., and kicking and punching police dogs on the lawn.

Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary reportedthat Adesanya was unarmed while the dogs, Hurricane and Jordan, were taken to a veterinarian for minor bruising, and were cleared to return to work.

Adesanya was also charged with unlawful entry at the White House complex in a July incident, in which he allegedlytold an officer that hopping the compromised security barrier "was easy and that the next fence to the south grounds of the White House would not be a problem as well."

The former Stevenson University track athlete also told officials that the Rothschilds a prominent banking family were watching him. Adesanya was ordered to attend outpatient mental health treatment and was expected in court on September 9.

Three days after the July arrest, Adesanya was apprehended at the White House complex after he refused to leave the Treasury building and swung his fists at officers. He was given a curfew and ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device. A warrant was issued for Adesanya's arrest after he failed to appear at his September court date.

Wednesday's breach marks the seventh time this year that someone has made it over the White House fence. Just over a month ago, a man with a knife darted over the fence, across the lawn, and into the executive mansion before being captured by Secret Service agents. That incident led to the resignation of former Secret Service director Julia Pierson. Internal and independent reviews of the agency's practices are currently underway.

Excerpt from:
Latest White House fence jumper assaulted two police dogs

A man who jumped over the White House fence was apprehended by Secret Service agents, who were assisted by dogs.

The man went over the fence at 7:16 p.m. and ran 30 yards across the north lawn, where two dogs attacked him, and he was subsequently arrested by Secret Service Agents.

Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan told the Washington Post, An individual jumped the north fence of the White House. He was immediately taken into custody by canine units and Uniformed Division officers. No shots were fired, Donovan said.

The White House was placed on lockdown and members of the media were held inside until it was lifted.

Video of the incident appears to show the man kicking and punching at the dogs as they attack him. The man, whose name has not been released, is reportedly receiving medical treatment for a dog bite.

This is the seventh such incident at the White House this year, and comes only weeks after an incident in which intruder Omar Gonzalez, 42, made it into the executive mansion armed with a knifebefore being apprehended. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned over the breach of security.

CBS White House correspondent Mark Knollerquoted a Secret Service spokesperson as saying dogs got him. Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason tweeted that security at the White House appears to have adopted different tactics in dealing with intruders since the Gonzalez incident.

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White House Fence Jumper: Video Shows Dogs Attacking Intruder

Published: Wednesday, October 22, 2014 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 2:28 p.m.

On Thursday, hundreds of people will gather on the northern lawn of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to walk in honor of loved ones who have survived or have succumbed to some form of leukemia or lymphoma.

These people walk as a way to cope, to remember those who have fought these cancers, and to raise funds to fight blood diseases. The walk is sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Northern and Central Florida, and I am honored to serve as chairman of the event.

I understand this need to do something to raise funds to fight these debilitating diseases.

In 2005, my father, Les Hromas, PhD, was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). As a faculty member at Purdue University, he is well-known for having taught three of the U.S. astronauts, including Neil Armstrong. He is also known as the "Father of Re-Entry Physics," famous for developing the equation that calculated the re-entry of all space craft (such as the shuttle) in order to prevent them from burning up in the atmosphere.

Such a man does not go down easily. Fortunately, after he was diagnosed with CML, he was started on Imatinib, which was new at the time, and was developed with funds provided by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. My father would not be alive today without it.

Since 1949, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has raised and contributed more than $1 billion to fight blood diseases. As a frontline researcher at UF Health, I am honored to be the recipient of an LLS translational research award. This provides significant funding to develop approaches that can change the standard of care for patients with blood cancers.

Specifically, we are studying a particular protein that may be responsible for causing secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in patients who have received chemotherapy for other types of cancers. The research may help identify those patients who are more likely to develop secondary AML before chemotherapy treatment is administered. Better, it may provide a way to prevent those secondary cancers from happening in the first place.

If you know someone who has fought or is fighting a blood disease, please come out and walk on Thursday evening or support someone who is.

Your time and money will be well spent. It is one way for fighting back against these cancers, of standing strong and never giving in to their onslaught.

Read more from the original source:
Robert Hromas: Fighting back against cancer

The pasture area northwest of Carthage designated for dumping brush and other lawn refuse for residents has been abused again, and the city is ready to close it down permanently.

During the regular meeting of the Carthage City Council on Oct. 14, the street department reported recent trash and household dumping. A couch, mattress, and general bagged trash was found.

The big deal is when people pull up there they usually clean their vehicles out, said street superintendent Dusty Grotts. Once one person dumps it everybody else sees it and thinks its a dump, too. This time of year it always happens.

Grotts has placed new signage around the area dissuading residents from dumping unauthorized trash in the area. The hope is that the new signs will make people aware of the rules, keeping the site open for responsible users and saving city workers from extra and avoidable labor.

When unapproved items are left at the pasture, it falls on the street department crew to clean it up.

Well have to bring a truck out and load it up, said Grotts. Well throw most of the stuff in our dumpster.

The council approved ordinance 2014-10, authorizing the execution of a TIF district redevelopment agreement between the city and Kimberly Drive Company. The terms of the agreement are the same as the WM investment group, where the developer utilizes the money to improve their building around the square. The goal is to encourage business growth and increase assessed values of the properties.

City attorney Stan Tucker reported that attorney Tom Hartzell is investigating the details on the township road. Since the property next to it is annexed, the city may automatically assume repsonsibility for that road. If not, a deed will be created and will need to be signed by both parties.

Tucker suggested the council have a public comment policy. It is suggested that the council limit a disgruntled resident three minutes to voice concerns. A resolution will be prepared addressing the issue and the finance committee will discuss the matter at its next meeting.

Tucker also modified the city of Macombs tree ordinance to better fit the needs of Carthage. Alderman Ed Owen asked the council members to review the ordinance and make alterations as needed before it is finalized. The ordinance is part of the process to become a tree city USA.

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Carthage threatens to close yard waste drop; Nightingale honored with road

By SHAWNE K. WICKHAM New Hampshire Sunday News

They are anonymous no more.

Hundreds gathered on the State House lawn Saturday to celebrate their recovery from substance abuse. Young and old, they stood together to remember those lost, honor those saved and pledge to fight for better treatment and prevention programs.

The state's first We Believe in Recovery Rally had a festive air, with dozens of purple and white balloons and upbeat music blaring form loudspeakers.

Those who have been in recovery for 10 years or more donned purple sashes to form a special "honor guard," and there were plenty of hugs to go around.

But there was also a sense of shared grief when Susan Markievitz of Windham, who introduced herself as "the addict's mom," talked of her son Chad's struggles with addiction and recovery.

She read from his last journal entry: "I'm going in full force this time. I'm going to fight this demon ... I'm going in with a lot of rage, guilt and shame. I hope to come out with a little courage, hope and faith."

Instead, on July 28, four days after her son's 25th birthday, Markievitz called upstairs to awaken him and got no answer. "I walked up those stairs with heavy feet thinking, "Oh my God," and yes, I found my son, gone to heroin."

"He had a lot of hope, he had a lot of courage but not enough courage to kick that habit," she said. "It took just one little dose of heroin to take my son's life."

Donna M., founder of the support group Families Sharing Without Shame, spoke of New Hampshire parents sending their teen-aged children to out-of-state treatment facilities because there are none available here.

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Taking pride in their recovery