Timothy Vayder, DO joins Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital

(Stevens Point, WI) – Ministry Health Care is pleased to welcome Timothy Vayder, DO to Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital Emergency Department at 900 Illinois Ave in Stevens Point.

Dr. Vayder completed his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa and is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine by the American Osteopathic Board of Emergency Medicine.

Dr. Vayder enjoys biking, camping, and cross-country skiing with his family.

For more information please call 715-346-5000.

Ministry Health Care is a values-driven health care delivery network of aligned hospitals, clinics and other health care providers based in Wisconsin and Minnesota. Founded in 1984 by the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, Ministry’s mission is to further the healing ministry of Jesus by continually improving the health and well-being of all people, especially the poor, in the communities it serves. This location is an outpatient department of Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital.

Ministry Health Care Annual Flu Clinic

Stevens Point– Ministry Medical Group and Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital, will offer their annual flu clinic at Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital,900 Illinois Ave, on the following dates:

• Saturdays: October 1, 8, 15
• Sundays: October 2, 9, 16

Clinic hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No appointments necessary, walk-ins welcome. Flu Vaccines will be offered for $25.

Credit cards, cash, and checks are accepted. For insurance billing, please bring your insurance card with you. For more information, call 715-342-7544 or visit ministryhealth.org/fluseason

Krug Sets Office Hours for October

Wisconsin Rapids – State Assemblyman Scott Krug is announcing the following schedule for district office hours in October. Times and locations are listed below:

• Wednesday, October 5th from 5 pm to 7 pm. McMillian Library, 490 East Grand Avenue
• Tuesday, October 11th from 5 pm to 7 pm. Adams Super 8, 2188 Hwy 13
• Thursday, October 13th from 5 pm to 7 pm. Westfield Library, 117 East 3rd Street

These office hours allow constituents to meet individually with Representative Krug regarding any concerns, opinions or questions.
Representative Krug is in the district every Monday and Friday unless circumstances arise in Madison or floor sessions/committee meetings are being held. The phone number for Madison is (608) 266 0215 and the district phone number is (715) 459-2267.

Two Lassa Jobs Bills Advance in Legislature

Job training bill passes in committee; Community investment measure gets public hearing

Madison — Two jobs bills authored by State Senator Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) made progress in the State Senate today.

One measure, which expands the Advanced Manufacturing Training Grants Program at Wisconsin technical colleges, passed the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Higher Education unanimously. A second bill, designed to stimulate private investment in Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFI), received a public hearing in the Committee on Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs.

Created in 2009, the Advanced Manufacturing Training Grants program supports partnerships between private businesses and technical colleges to provide customized manufacturing skills training to employees. The grants funded more than 200 such partnerships statewide, including one between Ocean Spray and Mid-State Technical College that helped the cranberry company expand its operations in Wisconsin Rapids.

“With Mid-State’s help, Ocean Spray was able to fully realize the benefits of $75 million in capital improvements for production expansion, the largest capital investment the company has ever made in a manufacturing facility. That new capacity allowed the plant to expand from 50 to 168 full-time employees.” Lassa said. “This program is a great example of the link between workforce development and economic growth.”

Senator Lassa introduced the CDFI proposal in the last legislative session, it passed the Senate but time ran out before it came to a full floor vote in the Assembly. Wisconsin currently has 21 federally-certified CDFIs that work closely with rural and urban communities to spur development, add quality affordable housing and grow small businesses through micro-financing. The bill creates a 10% tax credit for investments in CDFIs.

“These incentives will encourage investment in distressed rural and urban communities around the state and bring much needed capital to small businesses. The credit environment is still tight in the marketplace so anything we can do to encourage private sector investment is important to the growth of our economy and the creation and retention of jobs,” Lassa said.

“These are both strong programs with proven track records that have received broad bipartisan support in the past, and I’m glad to see them moving through the committee process,” Lassa said. “These are the kinds of bills we should be working on to help rebuild Wisconsin’s economy and help people find good paying, family-supporting jobs.”

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT STOCK MARKET VOLATILITY

By Joel Sullivan, Partner, Buena Vista Investment Management

At this point you are probably suffering from whiplash from the stock market’s roller coaster ride since the first of August. Volatility has been quite high this summer. Since the first of August till today, there have been 37 trading days. Of those 37 days, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has had 18 intraday moves of 300+ points. That is a lot of volatility. And high volatility usually results in high anxiety for investors, or maybe high anxiety results in high market volatility.

In either case, the question is… what is the best way to respond to the volatility we are experiencing? It is important to realize that we are bombarded with information on the economy and the stock market on a minute by minute basis. I consistently tell my clients not to overreact to short term market fluctuation. The best approach is to step back and look at the market over a longer time frame than day by day. Secondly it is helpful to look at things from a historical context.

We all know that markets go up and markets go down. However sometimes, when you are in the middle of a down period it feels like markets only go down. If we look back over the last 41 years, the S&P 500 was down an average of 119 times a year, or 47% of the trading days. That’s all fine, but some may say that is ancient history, things are different now….right? Wrong! Things really haven’t changed much over the years. As a matter of fact, from 1990 to 2010, the market closed down 47% of all trading days; less than one half of the time, and right in line with the historical average. The one thing that is probably different is the amount of media attention every piece of economic and market news receives. This can make us feel worse than we should about our investments.

The frequency of down days doesn’t dictate annual performance. So even though the market finishes lower almost 50% of the days, the annual performance has trended up over the years. From 1970 through 2010, the S&P 500 had positive returns 31 of 41 years. Given that ratio, it would not be wise to bet against the long term trend of a rising market.

We only have to go back to 2010 to get an example of the up and down nature of the stock market. From May to July of last year, the Dow Jones average fell 13%, only to rebound in the 4th quarter and finish the year up 11%. Now, from May of 2011 thru today, the market has fallen 16%, very similar to last year. Of course we don’t know how the year will finish, but we only have to look to last year to see how quickly markets can turn around.

Remember, investing isn’t always going to be a smooth or pain-free ride. But history shows us the next wave of down days has little to do with what the market does the rest of the year.

Balancing Act: Fall Prevention Resource Open House Event Oct 1

Did you know that falls are the leading cause of injury deaths among persons over 65 and are preventable?

This FREE fall prevention event is open to the public and will include presentations, information, interactive displays and screening for increasing independence and reducing falls in adults of all ages.

Interactive Presentations

• Physician Comments (9 – 9:30 a.m., and repeated 10:30 – 11 a.m.)
• The Importance of Exercise (9:30 – 10:30 a.m., and repeated 11 a.m. – Noon) Staying active every day improves balance, flexibility and strength.
• I Spy the Fall Risk – Areas in your community can place you at risk for falls in a number of ways. Find out if your home and community are free from fall hazards and obtain tips to make these areas safer.

Screenings

• Medication Review – When you are taking more than three medications, your risk of falling increase significantly. Talk one-on-one with a registered pharmacist about your current medications. Please bring a list of the medications you currently take.
• Fall/Balance Screening

Interactive Displays

• Medication Drop Off – Bring your unwanted, unneeded, or outdated prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines—please leave in original container. (Sponsored by the Marshfield Police Department)
• Wood County Fall Prevention Coalition
• Aging And Disability Resource Center
• Ministry Home Health
• Marshfield Parks and Recreation

Saturday, October 1
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
(Come and go anytime)

Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital
Conference Center
611 Saint Joseph Avenue, Marshfield
(Parking is available in Lot E, across the street from the conference center. Refreshments will be served.)

All are welcome to attend this FREE event. To register, call 888.667.9465

Free Introductory Session to Creighton Model of FertilityCare

Most women do not know or understand their menstrual and fertility cycle. By using the Creighton Model FertilityCare System™, a woman can finally “unlock the mysteries.” This method of family planning is taught at Ministry Health Care locations in Plover and Marshfield.

A free introductory session to learn more about the method is scheduled at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital Thursday September 29, 6-8 p.m., in the Saint Joseph’s Conference Room.

The Creighton Model is a natural method of fertility regulation, enabling a woman, through recording daily observations, to better understand and maintain her reproductive health. The system also provides an opportunity to learn more about:

• Pregnancy avoidance and pregnancy achievement
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Hormonal abnormalities and treatment of infertility
• Irregular or abnormal bleeding and other health problems.
• The method is beneficial for women of all ages, from puberty through menopause. It has a 96.8 percent user effectiveness rating in avoiding a pregnancy. It is also highly effective in achieving pregnancy. For couples with infertility concerns, 20-40 percent are able to achieve pregnancy without medical intervention.

To register or for more information, call 715.387.9499 or email

SJHfertilitycare@ministryhealth.org or annette.firkus@ministryhealth.org.

The Creighton Model FertilityCare™ related expenses are offered as a benefit for employees of Ministry Health Care.

AAA ADVISES PARENTS TO AVOID MOST COMMON CAR SEAT MISTAKES

Four out of five children age 6 to 8 who were killed in automobile crashes in 2009 were either improperly restrained or not belted at all, according to a secondary analysis of Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) crash data conducted by AAA.

“Automobile crashes remain a leading cause of death for children and it’s important that parents consistently and correctly use the appropriate car seat to keep their child passengers safe,” said Pam Moen, spokesperson for AAA Wisconsin. “One lapse in judgment can lead to a lifetime of regret and heartache.”

National Child Passenger Safety Week is September 18-24 and AAA reminds parents to properly restrain their children on every trip and avoid common errors made out of convenience or carelessness. As children head back to school and family schedules become hectic with after school activities, busy parents might unknowingly risk their children’s safety when on the road.

AAA identifies several common hazardous shortcuts and provides the following tips to ensure safer rides for child passengers:

“I’m only driving a mile from home, so my son doesn’t need to be secured in his car seat since it’s a short trip.” You should buckle up properly on every trip – no matter the distance – since most crashes occur close to home.

“I’m picking up several kids after soccer practice and I’m going to put my 8-year-old daughter in the front seat so all of the children can fit into the car.” All children under age 13 are safest when riding in the back seat and restrained in the appropriate child restraint system.

“We will be driving more people in our car than we have seatbelts. Since it’s a short trip, it’s not a big deal for someone to ride on another person’s lap.” It’s never safe to ride on a person’s lap. Each passenger should be properly restrained on every trip.

“My son is 10 years old and 4’6” tall. It’s safe for him to stop using his booster seat and only use a seat belt now.” The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends children continue to use belt-positioning booster seats until they are 4’9” and the seat belt fits properly.

With three out of four child safety seats not properly installed, consulting an expert can be critical to ensure that children are secured in the safest manner possible. Experts are available to help parents with their car seat installation by visiting http://www.seatcheck.org or calling 866-SEATCHECK (866-732-8243). For additional information on AAA’s child passenger safety resources for parents and caregivers, visit AAA.com/carseat.

Frac Sand editorial from Representative Krug

This week I attended a meeting in Wood County regarding Frac Sand Mining in our area. My staff was also present at a meeting in Madison to discuss Frac Sand. It is a hot topic in our area because of the quality of our sand. We are in demand; businesses in Texas and other areas love Wisconsin Frac Sand and want to mine it and transport it to various natural gas deposit areas across North America.

What does it mean for our area? Jobs!!! It involves trucking, rails and the construction industry. If they are allowed to mine in our area, it is possible that will gain 600 jobs within the first year of mining.

The difference between this and the last 600 job promise from legislators past is that our sand will go towards an established industry with amazingly high demand for our product.

While I know there is concern that after they mine, they will take their jobs elsewhere, and leave a big hole for the local government to take care of it is simply not true.

Frac Sand Mining is not a fly-by-night business. Once they start mining, they are here for 8 to 15 years. They have a vested interest in keeping our roads in top shape to move their product and there is permitting involved in non metallic mining that focuses on reclamations. In layman’s terms they can’t just leave a big hole behind; they have to beautify the area when they have completed their work.

Our local Wood County officials this week met with local businesses and Frac Mine representatives for several hours. Many issues, questions and concerns were brought up such as fees/taxation and keeping our roads in working condition.

Wood County is asking for a fee/tax from the Frac Sand companies above and beyond what they do other businesses because of the alleged potential harm that can be done to the local roads. I understand their concern, and I applaud their forward thinking in protecting the taxpayers in our area.

In fairness the board are more than willing to accept suggestions, which is great because I have some concerns. For example, is it right to tax a Frac Sand company when we aren’t taxing other companies in our area that haul heavy loads?

My other concern is keeping local control; always has been and always will be. I want the Frac Sand community and the Wood County officials to work towards a compromise so we can bring much-needed jobs to this district and our taxpayers can breathe easier knowing that their roads will be taken care of by all businesses and taxpayers who use them.

If we don’t work together, the possibility is out there that legislators in Madison will want to take control away from local governments so they can mandate how the roads are used and what sand-haulers will have to do to pay for use. I don’t see that turning out as well for the involved parties as working together will.

I would like to see a process in which a sand-hauler can take out a bond at a fraction of the cost of making an upfront deposit guaranteeing that they realize the county’s concern surrounding road damages. We need these jobs, we need this development, and we need a boost.

For this reason, I urge you to talk to your local officials and stay active in this and other issues.

It’s not about coroner rules, cougar issues or novelty lighters right now as one legislator recently wrote (that time will come). It’s about jobs, jobs, jobs.

Scott Krug
State Assemblyman

Safe Kids Wood County supports National Child Passenger Safety Week

Parents are invited to a Seat Check Event during the week of September 18 to 24

Wood County – Each year, Child Passenger Safety Week (CPS) is celebrated across the country to remind parents and caregivers of the need to keep children of all ages properly restrained in the seat that meets their weight and height requirements. Child Passenger Safety Technicians will be present at Saint Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Marshfield on Monday September 19 from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm to ensure that families are using the right restraint whether it is a car seat, booster seat or seat belt.

“All it takes is following a few basic guidelines so parents and caregivers can determine which restraint system is best suited to protect their children in a vehicle.” said Ty Zastava, Safe Kids Wood County.

Unfortunately, car crashes remain the leading cause of death for children ages 3-14, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In efforts to reduce this, Safe Kids USA’s multifaceted child passenger safety program – Safe Kids Buckle Up (SKBU) – has been working diligently for the last 14 years. By inspecting 1.4 million car seats; holding 65,000 car seat checkup events; and donating close to 500,000 car seats to families in need, Safe Kids Buckle Up has reached more than 21 million people through events and community outreach efforts.

This year is particularly significant because Safe Kids USA spent the course of a year collecting research data from 79,000 child safety seat inspections. A key finding in the Safe Kids USA research showed that less than 1/3 of the forward facing child seats arriving at seat check events used a top tether. A top tether is a strap at the top of the car seat that hooks to a tether anchor in the vehicle, and which provides added protection to children by helping reduce the forward movement of child’s head in a crash.

“We must improve child safety in vehicles and one way to do so is by adopting use of the top tethers. These are on virtually all forward-facing car seats and can be attached to anchors in every car made after 1999,” said Heather Krzykowski, child passenger safety instructor and member of Safe Kids Wood County. “Safe Kids is moving quickly to apply the lessons learned from the study.”

On Monday September 19th be sure to come out to Saint Joseph’s Children’s Hospital for a safety seat checkup. It is a great time for you and your family to make sure that your child safety seat is installed correctly and to learn when it is time to transition from one seat to another based on your child’s age, weight and height.

“When in doubt about proper car seat use, parents should take advantage of the many resources that are available through Safe Kids Wood County.” said Zastava. To schedule a car seat check Monday through Friday by appointment, call the Wood County Health Department at 715-421-8911 or 715-387-8646.