FREE NACA Parenting Class

Native American parents/caretakers will learn about:

• Teen Communication Strategies
• Behavior Management
• Decision-Making Coaching
• Resistance Strategies
• Teen Brain Development

Native Americans for Community Action
2717 N. Steve’s Blvd
Feb. 22, 2011 – April 26, 2011
6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M (Tuesday evenings)

To Reserve Your FREE Seat Contact:

Catherine Esquivel
NACA
2717 N. Steves Blvd, #11
(928) 526-2968 x 17
cesquivel@nacainc.org

Call about availability of day time classes!

Prop 203: Arizona Medical Marijuana Act

Greetings:

To help ensure an effective implementation of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, it will be imperative that a strong Administrative Code is developed. To achieve this, we’re hoping that you please check out the new website, review the informal draft rules, and provide us with input so that good decisions can be made.

Here are a few tips for people who would like to provide input:

• Use our comment website so that you can submit electronic comments.

• Tell us what you like about the informal draft rule as well as what you don’t like.

• Encourage constructive comments and pragmatic alternative. It is even better if you are able to submit alternate Rule language.

Remember that the provisions of the Act limit ADHS’ ability to regulate in many ways. For example, the Act gives ADHS broad authority to regulate dispensaries but little authority to regulate caregivers or employer employee relations. Make sure that the Act provides the ADHS with the regulatory authority to act before spending a lot of time submitting comments.

Also, please know that if you aren’t able to comment on this informal draft Rule between now and January 7, there will be additional time to comment in February and March. Note: Governor Brewer signed the Proclamation that makes Proposition 203 law on Tuesday, and so the 120 day implementation period will end on April 13.

Thank you.

Wayne Tormala, Chief
Arizona Department of Health Services
Bureau of Tobacco & Chronic Disease

Healthy Living Workshops: Learn How to Take Control

Do you have diabetes, heart disease, COPD, arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, or other ongoing health condition?

The Healthy Living workshop can teach you the skills you need to manage your condition and get your life back.

Workshop meets once a week for 6 weeks. Enjoy the company and support of others living with chronic conditions.

Workshop is free!
Space is limited, call to register.

Next workshop will be offered:
Beginning January 19, 2011

Where: Coconino County Health Department
2625 N. King Street, Flagstaff

For more information contact:
Carol Sullivan
928-679-7266
csullivan@coconino.az.gov

Running my heart out for Girls on the Run!

From Stephanie Ludwig:

Dear Friends, Family, and Supporters of Girls on the Run of Northern Arizona,

Last week I got a bunch of emails from parents expressing gratitude that their girls had the opportunity to participate in the fall season of Girls on the Run and our 5K in Flagstaff on November 20. I am often moved to tears, and humbled, to have the opportunity to be a part of Girls on the Run myself, to get to see the powerful difference it makes in the lives of girls we touch, and to feel the transformative effect it has had on my own life as a woman.

Those emails inspired me to hurry up and get this email out to you! Since September, I have been training with Girls on the Run SoleMates, our national charity running program, to complete PF Chang's Rock 'n 'Roll Marathon on January 16, 2011. My goal is to finish my first marathon in years at a pace that is comfortable, and, dare I say, FUN, for me - very much in the spirit of Girls on the Run! :)

Please consider making a $26 tax-deductible donation to my SoleMates fundraising effort today, to help me raise $2620 to bring Girls on the Run to more girls next fall. If you make a donation of $100 or more, as a special incentive, I will personally bake and deliver a batch of holiday cookies to your door between December 22-24!

Thank you for being a part of my life, and the life of Girls on the Run of Northern Arizona, this year!

With Gratitude,
Stephanie Ludwig

============================================
Please donate through my fund raising page today:

http://www.active.com/donate/SoleMates2011/SLudwig9

12/7 Flagstaff City Council meeting on Alcohol in the Parks

The Flagstaff City Council is meeting Tuesday December 7th at 5:30pm for the second reading of the Alcohol in the Parks issue. Our initial hope was to ban alcohol in ALL parks without a permit. Council watered down the original proposal to include just Ponderosa and Bushmaster parks. The passing of this amended ordinance is now in question.

We need your support!

As most of you know we have been working on this for over a year. Our beautiful parks have at times become unsafe, unsightly and littered with broken glass. PLEASE pass this information on and plan to attend Tuesday’s meeting.

If you are unable to attend, PLEASE send written email correspondence to the council at the below link.

http://www.flagstaff.az.gov/Directory.aspx?did=79

The White House Needs to Hear From You!

Congress is back at work and may decide on critical funding for child care and Head Start by the end of the week. Congress heard how important it is to not cut child care and Head Start funding, and now it’s time to tell the White House.

Today, Tuesday, November 30, advocates from across the country are contacting the White House to ask them to remind Congress not to drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start, and to support the Early Learning Challenge Fund. The President and his important staff are key players in these funding decisions and we need to remind them that young children and families need more help now than ever.

Please contact the White House TODAY! There are two ways you can take action:

1. Leave a message for President Obama on the White House comments line in support of early childhood education programs:

• To call the comments line dial 202-456-1111. (You may need to call more than once if you get a busy signal.)
• Leave a message in the voicemail.

Sample Script: My name is ________ and I’m from (Insert Organization) in (City), (State). Please urge Congress not to drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included. Thank you.

2. Send President Obama an e-mail in support of early childhood education programs.

• Email the President at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact.
• You will be directed to use the web form to send the White House an email.

Sample Message: Dear President Obama, please urge Congress not to drop 300,000 children from child care and Head Start. Make sure that continued funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start is NOT REDUCED in the FY 2011 appropriations bill and that the Early Learning Challenge Fund is included. These programs help children learn and develop skills they need to succeed in school and in life. They also give parents the support they need to be productive at work. Thank you.

Please tell your networks and friends to take action today, November 30. The more people who take action, the more our voices will be heard in this very important time.

Passive Smoking Causes 1% Of All Global Premature Deaths, 600,000 Per Year

Secondhand smoke, also known as passive smoking causes 603,000 deaths per year worldwide, of which 165,000 are children, Dr Annette Prüss-Ustün and team of the World Health Organization wrote in the medical journal The Lancet. The authors state that this is the first study to determine secondhand smoking's impact worldwide.

The last time comprehensive data on 192 countries was gathered was 2004, the year used for this analysis, the author explained. The death toll as well as life-years lost were calculated.

Below are some highlighted data from the study - globally in 2004:

• 40% of the world's children are exposed to secondhand smoke

• 33% of males who don't smoke are exposed to secondhand smoke

• 35% of females who don't smoke are exposed to secondhand smoke

• Secondhand smoke is thought to have caused 165,000 lower respiratory infection deaths, 379,000 ischemic stroke deaths, 36,900 asthma deaths, and 21,400 lung cancer deaths.

• 603,000 premature deaths were caused by passive smoking, approximately 1% of all premature deaths

To read the full article, please click here.