Trick-or-Treat Times in Hampton Roads

All cities in Hampton Roads follow the same basic guidelines on trick-or-treating, except on starting times.  Some specify a star time of 6pm, while others allow trick-or-treating to begin at dusk.  Across the region, Halloween trick-or-treating is open to children aged 12 and under.  Below are the times by city.

• Chesapeake: 6pm to 8 p.m. 
• Hampton:  dusk to 8 p.m.
• Newport News:  until 8 p.m.
• James City County: 6pm to 8 p.m.
• Norfolk: until 8 p.m. 
• Portsmouth: dusk to 8 p.m. 
• Suffolk:  until 8 p.m.
• Virginia Beach:  dusk to 8 p.m. 

For those wondering when dusk is...with the sun setting a little bit after 6pm today, dusk will hit at about 6:30pm.

Cancer Patient has Medical Records Stolen

A Chesapeake woman who is beginning treatments for cancer is pleading for the person who stole her medical records to return them as soon as possible.  Jessica Diehl says the records were in a laptop computer bag that was taken from her car at Portsmouth City Park Sunday afternoon sometime between 3pm and 6pm.

Diehl, a military veteran, says her papers are vital to her cancer treatment and are irreplaceable.  Not having them could affect her benefits from the Veterans Administration, she says.

Diehl has filed a report with the Portsmouth Police Department but says she would willing to forgo charges if the person who has the records returns them.

If you have any information, contact Portsmouth Police at 757-393-8536.

WTKR-TV is also covering this story

Look...Up in the Sky

There are some great advantages to working morning radio.  Having my workday done before noon gives me the rest of the afternoon for reading, shopping, exercising, cleaning, helping the kids with homework or playing video games. 

There are also plenty of disadvantages.  There's the 3:40am alarm buzz, for starters.  Also, I can't watch the NFL or NBA in primetime because sports get me too keyed up to sleep.  I can't stay out late because, frankly, I'm falling asleep by 9pm.  And I can't stay up and skywatch.  It's this last point that leaves me disappointed today.

Tuesday morning found the news wire and social networks lit up with reports of the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, being seen in half of the United States, as far south as Georgia.  A reddish sky was reported as nearby as Richmond.

Scientists say a coronal mass ejection, or a huge release of energy from the Sun, hit the Earth's magnetic field Monday at around 2pm EDT, creating a specular aurora.  I, of course, didn't see it, having checked out at my customary 8:30pm. 

Scientists say the storm that created the lights is subsiding but add that its effects could linger for another day.
Tonight, I think I'll peek out the backdoor after 7pm and take a look for myself, just in case.

Links:
www.Spaceweather.com -- includes news and photos from Monday's aurora
Animation showing how the aurora grew over the North Pole during the magnetic storm.

Time for the Flu Shot

Today I rolled up my sleeve for my annual flu shot.  It's a precaution I didn't used to take.

With a wife and two kids in school, I always assumed there was nothing I hadn't been exposed to.  But now that I am (sigh) middle-aged, and presumably more at risk of flu-related illness, I forced myself to go and get immunized at my local Rite Aid today.  It was during my ten minute wait before the shot that a thought occurred to me:  how many strains of flu are there?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are three types:  A, B, and C.  Type A is the most common, most varied, and most virulent of all of the flu viruses.  There are at least 27 different sub types and strains of the Type A virus, each designated by the type of HA and NA proteins present on the virus's surface.  The H1N1 virus, better known as the Swine Flu virus, made headlines in 2009.

There are also Type B and Type C flu viruses.  Both are less common and somewhat less dangerous than the viruses in the Type A family.

Helping protect us against the flu is the influenza vaccine.  Each dose contains three influenza viruses:  two Type A and one Type B, based on the World Health Organization's flu forecast.  According to Wikipedia, the 2011-2012 flu shot is composed of vaccines against...

• an A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus;
• an A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus;
• a B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus

It's the same formula as last year.

Each immunization should provide a lifetime of immunity against the strains of flu in each shot, assuming the viruses don't mutate.  And influenza is one of the those pesky viruses, like the cold virus, which is always remaking itself, forcing our immune systems to adapt and forcing us to get a new flu shot every year.

The CDC recommends flu shots for the very young, senior citizens, and those with compromised immune systems.  But experts say that everyone can benefit from having a flu shot.  Studies have shown immunizations greatly reduce hospitalization rates due to flu.

The flu is more than just a fever and chills, doctors say.  The National Institutes of Health has estimated more than 200,000 Americans are hospitalized every year due to the flu; more than 40,000 Americans die from it.

The U.S. should have a solid supply of flu vaccine this year.  The CDC estimates more than 160 million doses will be available.  Flu shots are available at your doctor's office, local health departments, most pharmacies and even some grocery stores.

Links:
CDC report on flu strains
CDC report on flu shot supply
Wikipedia article on flu shots

Update: Orphaned Bear Cub Dies

Officials at the Wildlife Center of Virginia are working to find the cause of death of one of the two bear cubs that were rescued in Suffolk this week.  The cub described as the quieter of the two was found dead in its enclosure Thursday morning. Veterinarians who did the initial examinations Tuesday said both animals were a bit underweight but otherwise appeared healthy.

The second cub, which fell 40 feet from a tree after being hit with a tranquilizer dart, was still in good condition Thursday.  Officials will continue to monitor its health with the goal of releasing into the wild at a later date.

The cubs were orphaned when their mother was hit by a car on Route 58 in Suffolk. 

On the web:
www.wildlifecenter.org

The Channel 13-DIRECTV Conflict

WVEC-TV 13 has launched a public relations campaign explaining their side of their negotiations with DIRECTV over retransmission rights.  The current agreement between WVEC and DIRECTV expires October 31st.  DIRECTV subscribers could lose the ABC affiliate if a new agreement isn't reached.  WVEC's campaign involves the spot below, which is in fairly heavy rotation on the station.



The controversy is similar to one earlier this year between between LIN Media, NBC affiliate WAVY's parent company, and Dish Network.  That issue wasn't resolved until after Dish Network blacked out WAVY's programming for several days.  WAVY was also blacked out in Eastern North Carolina for a time in September due to a disagreement between LIN and Mediacom.


Such disputes grow out of the 1994 Cable Television and Protection Act.  The law banned cable companies from charging local TV stations to carry their signals, but it also gave local TV the right to negotiate with the cable companies over retransmission rights.  The agreement could involve cash paid by the cable company to the TV station, or there could be other considerations.  WVEC's now defunct local news channel LNC 5 was a byproduct of a retransmission agreement between the station and Cox Communications in the 1990's.


Links:
WVEC's side of the story
Retransmission consent explained on Wikipedia

Ophaned Bear Cubs now at Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility

The two bear cubs who became orphans when their mother was struck and killed by a car this week in Suffolk are being cared for at the Wildlife Center of Virginia in Waynesboro.  Veterinarians said both cubs appeared healthy, despite a 40 foot fall from a tree suffered by one after it was tranquilized by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

Officials determined both cubs were males.  At about 20 lbs each, they are considered somewhat small for their age.  The cubs will be fattened up and monitored before they are released into the wild.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia also cared for more wildlife from Hampton Roads earlier this year.  Three eaglets were removed from their nest at Norfolk Botanical Gardens in April when their mother was struck by a passenger jet.  The eaglets were raised at the Wildlife Center and released into the wild over the summer.

One of the center's resident bald eagles is a Norfolk native.  "Buddy" was rescued from his nest at Norfolk Botanical Gardens in 2008 when a bout with avian pox left him with a deformed beak.  It's believed Buddy would have difficulty surviving in the wild, so he lives at the center.  Officials there say they hope to use buddy in educational programs.

Link:
The Wildlife Center of Virginia

Cell Phone Companies Pledge to Warn Before they Charge You

Cell phone companies pledged Monday that they will soon warn customers who were getting close to their monthly usage limits.  The warnings will help customers avoid costly over-usage fees. 

Some cellular companies like AT&T and Verizon already have warning systems for their data plans.  But wireless association CTIA is now promising that a formal advisory system for all carriers for data, calling and text is in the works.


For the time being, cellular customers should keep track of their own monthly usage.  It's expected to take up to two years to fully implement the warning system.

In Monday's announcement, the FCC and CTIA credited the publishers of Consumer Reports for raising awareness of the issue.  A Consumer Reports article on avoiding cell phone overage charges is available here.

My Bin Overfloweth

If you were to do a Google search of this blog for the word, "recycling," you would find at least a half dozen posts I've written on the subject.  Recycling was one of the reasons I started this blog.  I've stopped assuming that everyone knows what can be recycled and where.  My neighbors regularly provide evidence to the contrary...many of them fill their curbside recycling bins with garbage.

One of the recycling problems I run into is that my curbside bin is sometimes full before the collection day.  In such a case, I have four options:  let the recycling pile up in the house until the bin is emptied (messy), dump it in my neighbor's bin (sneaky), throw it in the garbage (wasteful), or haul it away myself.  I'm lucky to live close enough to one of the four recycling drop-off centers in Virginia Beach that hauling it away myself is practical.

1. First Landing State Park -- near the Shore Drive entrance.
2. The Virginia Beach Landfill -- 1989 Jake Sears Road
3. Princess Anne High School -- 4400 Virginia Beach Boulevard, behind the portable classrooms
4. Municipal Center Parking Lot -- George Mason Drive at James Madison Boulevard

View Virginia Beach Recycling Drop-Off Centers in a larger map

For information on what can and cannot be recycled in Virginia Beach, visit the city's recycling info page.

E-Cycling Event Rounds Up 28 Tons of Electronic Waste

Well done, Hampton Roads.  Officials with the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center have announced that 28 tons of old computers, TVs, and other electronic waste was collected at the aquarium's recent e-cycling event.  Three dozen volunteers, including many from the Navy, GEICO, and the Shadowlawn Civic League, filled four trailers with old electronics, which will be diverted from landfills back into the economy.

The aquarium has been holding these events since 2009.  In that time, more than 120 tons of e-waste have been spared from the garbage dump.

Remember, e-cycling is available all year round at your local Best Buy or Goodwill store.

Shred Documents for Free in Virginia Beach this Saturday

On Saturday, October 15th, Virginia Beach Police and Cintas Document Management company will be shredding documents for free at two locations. 

• 9am-11am:  Marian Manor, 5345 Marian Lane MAP
• 11am-1pm:  Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 4560 Princess Anne Road MAP

The program is designed to keep documents containing personal information out of the hands of identity thieves. 

The event is free, but participants are encouraged to donate non-perishable foods for a food drive.

Drug Take-Back Event October 29th

Do you have outdated prescription or over-the-counter medications cluttering your medicine cabinet?  You can dispose of them properly and for free on Saturday, October 29th during the 3rd National Drug Take-Back Day.

The first Drug Take-Back Day occurred in September of 2010; the second, last April.  The round-up keeps drugs out of the hands of people who might abuse them.  It also prevents people from flushing their old medicines down the toilet, thus reducing the amount of drug residue that gets into the public water supply, which is a growing concern in the U.S.  Nationwide, more than 188 tons of drugs were disposed of in the April drug take-back.

There will be a number of drug collection sites across Hampton Roads between 10am and 2pm on October 29th.  Visit the Drug Take-Back Day website to find a collection point in your area.

From the archive:  a post from April on how to properly dispose of medicines when it's not drug take-back day.

Bank Fees from Federal Regulation D

I spotted something interesting in the monthly newsletter from my credit union that has helped explain a series of pesky transfer fees I incurred several years ago.  It has to do with Federal Regulation D.

Federal Regulation D, as it's name so clearly indicates, is a banking rule.  It limits the number of withdrawals from a savings or money market account to only six per month.  If you regularly transfer funds from your savings to your checking account, you could get charged a fee if you make the transfer more than six times in a month.  

Links:
Wikipedia's easy to read entry on Federal Regulation D
The government's not so easy to read entry on Federal Regulation D

DMV Disruptions this Weekend.

If you need something from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles before Tuesday, October 11th, do it today or Friday.  The DMV will be partially offline this weekend.

Due to system maintainence by the Social Security Administration, DMV officials say certain transactions, like applying for a first time driver's license, will be unavailable this Saturday, October 8th.  In addition, the DMV and most other state offices will be closed Monday, October 10th in observance of Columus Day. 

More information is available here.

Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday this Weekend

Friday, October 7th through Monday, October 10th, Virginia will mark its annual Sales Tax Holiday for energy saving appliances.  Certain Energy Star and WaterSense rated appliances costing less than $2,500 are exempt of Virginia's 5% sales tax during the holiday.

The 2007 General Assembly created the sales tax holidays.  Virginia has three.  In addition to the Energy Star weekend, there's the Hurricane and Emergency Preparedness Equipment Sales Tax Holiday in May that offers savings on emergency supplies.  The Back to School Sales Tax Holiday in August discounts school supplies.

As I detailed in August, the tax holidays are not big money savers in themselves.  Shoppers will save $5.00 for every hundred they spend; a person would have to spend to $1,000 to save $50.00.  But items that qualify for the sales tax holiday are often discounted by retailers hoping to lure sales tax holiday shoppers their way.  Plus, swapping an older appliance for one that's more energy efficient will save a little on the utility bills every month.

Links:
Tax Holiday details from the State Department of Taxation
2007 article announcing the inaugural Energy Star Sales Tax Holiday.

Drivers: "Do As I Say, Not As I Do"

Almost everyone agrees it's wrong, but more than a third of people surveyed by the AAA have admitted to reading or sending text messages while driving.  And that was just in the past month.

These are some of the results from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's Annual Traffic Safety Culture Index survey.

•  95 -- Percentage of drivers who viewed reading or sending texts by other drivers as a serious safety threat.
• 35 -- Percentage of drivers who admitted to reading or sending texts while driving in the previous month.
• 88 -- Percentage of drivers who viewed talking on a cell phone while driving as a serious safety hazard. 
• 67 -- Percentage of drivers who admitted to using a cell phone while driving.

The survey results were released as part of the AAA's "Heads Up Driving Week."  The auto club is encouraging drivers to pledge not to text while driving for a week.

Texting while operating a motor vehicle is illegal in Virginia.  And drivers under age 18 are banned from any use of a cell phone.  Both offenses are secondary, meaning an officer must observe a primary infraction, like speeding, to issue a ticket for texting.

Links:
AAA's Distracting Driving Report
Texting while driving laws by state

Changes at Virginia Beach Town Center

Some changes are on the way for the area around Virginia Beach Town Center.  Employees of Fuddrucker's restaurant on Virginia Beach Boulevard arrived at work Tuesday to find the restaurant closed and the sign removed.  Company officials said the building would have required too much work to overhaul.  They're looking to relocate elsewhere in Virginia Beach.

Meanwhile, the Shell gas station at the corner of Virginia Beach Boulevard and Constitution will close for good this weekend to make way for a new drug store.  The gas station, known for its festive Christmas decorations and weekly high school car washes, has been at that location for 42 years.

Voter Registration Deadline: October 17th

Monday, October 17th is the deadline to register to vote in the November 8th elections.  This year's elections will focus on seats in the House of Delegates, the Virginia Senate, and local city councils.  Those wanting to become a registered voter can do so at the Virginia DMV.  From their media release...

"Customers may apply to register to vote at any of the 74 Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customer service centers or 57 DMV Select locations throughout the state, or at their local registrar’s office. For information on DMV locations, hours and schedules, visit www.dmvNOW.com.

Citizens are urged to check their voting status before the October 17 application deadline. If you need to find out if you are registered to vote or where your polling precinct is located, visit the Virginia State Board of Elections website at www.sbe.virginia.gov, call 1-800-552-9745 or contact your local voter registrar."