Red Cross Worker Shares Tales from Thailand

It's been nearly three years since a devastating tsunami struck the southeast Asian country of Thailand, but recovery is still ongoing--at least according to American Red Cross Senior Field Representative for the Tsunami Recovery Program David Strobel. The tsunami, which has an estimated death toll exceeding 230,000 has left some communities still without basic amenities. David Strobel says the recovery effort is well underway, but that there are still improvements to be made. Some current programs in Thailand include a Water, Sanitation, and Health Promotion Project, Community-Based Health Project, and a Disaster Preparedness Project.

Strobel also saw action in response to the May Cyclone Nargis disaster in Myanmar/Burma whose devastation has left an estimated 140,000 dead. He helped organization deployment of disaster response volunteers amidst Myanmar moratorium on visas. The Pittsburgh native will spend some time in the city over the course of August and then return to Thailand where he spends 11 months out of the year.

Port Authority Says You Can Save Money By Riding The Bus

The Port Authority of Allegheny County has produced a report that documents the savings an average Pittsburgher can make by using public transit as opposed to regular car use. A report like this will be released every month because of changing gas prices. Currently, public transit riders can save more than $7,000 a year, or $666 a month. The report uses data from AAA.

Ramaley ends Campaign

Saying it is impossible for him to run a focused campaign, State Representative Sean Ramaley has filed papers to end his State Senate campaign. Ramaley is alleged to have held a do-nothing job in state representative Mike Veon’s office when Ramaley was campaigning for the house seat four years ago. Ramaley says he is innocent but the he fears the race will focus on the photograph of him being arrested rather than the issues important to the district. Ramaley says he will serve out the rest of his term as a state representative. The party has until august 15th to name a new candidate. Ramaley’s lawyer says the timing of the charges was politically motivated. The charges were filed has part of the “bonusgate” investigation.

Work To Start On Parkway North Inbound On Sunday

PennDot District 11 will be closing the inbound (southbound) lane of the parkway north starting on Sunday August 3rd, 2008. The work that is being done is preventative maintenance because no significant repairs have been made on the roadway since it's opening in 1989. The project will preserve the roadway and bridges to prevent future more costly maintenance. Traffic will shift to the HOV lanes. The project is expected to be completed by mid-September.

Attorney General appalled...sex offenders using MySpace

The State Attorney General is upset with sex offenders that have MySpace accounts. A court order recently gave the Attorney General's office information on 185 sex offenders who have profiles.

Attorney General spokesperson Nils Frederiksen says it is innappropriate for these people to use MySpace. Online predators could use it like an online shopping network to lure their prey, he remarks.

Frederiksen says none of these offenders have violated court orders with their accounts so far, but investigators need to look at each case individually. He suspects other sex offenders use an alias, and the Attorney General hopes MySpace and law enforcement will cooperate with further investigation in finding those people.

University Of Pittsburgh Students Study Historical Building

Architectural Studies students from the University of Pittsburgh have investigated the history of the Henry J. Lynch building in the Bloomfield neighborhood of the city. They uncovered much of the history of what is now the Waldorf school. The building is a designated historic landmark but little was known about its history. The students found three architects who worked on additions to the building but were unable to find the original architect. They were also able to chronicle the buildings owners and inhabitants which before had been incomplete.

One Hill Calls Off Protest Action

The One Hill Coalition has called off plans to try to stop construction at the arena site tomorrow. One Hill Chairman Carl Redwood says group members have been frustrated by a delay in signing a community benefits agreement for their neighborhood.

One Hill, which represents residents in the Hill District, agreed to sign the CBA on May 10th. Since then, Redwood says the other parties involved have been dragging their feet. Both Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato say they intend to sign the agreement but there may have been some delays due to conflicting summer schedules.

The agreement includes a master plan for development in the Hill, a career center, and funding for a grocery store and community center.

Malta Temple One Step Away From Historic Designation

Pittsburgh City Council has preliminarily approved a historic designation for the Malta Temple in the North Side. The Salvation Army owns the building and objects to the designation. The Salvation Army wants to demolish the building and replace it with one that the organization says would be better suited for its efforts in the community. The historic designation nomination was made by the Mexican War Streets Society. Councilman Ricky Burgess cast the only no vote. He says the building should be protected as a place of worship. The Salvation Army is a Christian organization. A final vote is expected Tuesday.

City Council Gives Preliminary Approval To Bond Refinancing

The Pittsburgh City Council has preliminarily approved a refinancing of $77 million in bonds from 1998. The refinancing would result in a savings of $3 million. A final vote is set for Tuesday. If passed, the City Council must decide what to do with the savings. Possible options include continuing to pay down the city's debt, putting the money into the next budget, or to using it in the current budget for capital investments or infrastructure repair.

Ferlo Rallies for Health Care

State Senator Jim Ferlo took part in a rally and anniversary party today as part of his ongoing effort to establish a single-payer health care program. Today is the 43rd anniversary of the passage of the federal Medicare program. The event at the Teamster’s Local 249 in Lawrenceville marked the anniversary and rallied in support of House Resolution 676. That resolution calls for the creation of a single-payer health care system. Ferlo says the Medicare program should be expanded to cover all Americans. He admits everyone would have to pay higher taxes, but he says we are already paying for coverage and through hidden societal costs, such as lost work time and bankruptcies. He says everyone would have to pay in, but everyone would be covered. Ferlo says problems with Medicare, like the Part D prescription drug program, need to be fixed before it is expanded. Ferlo says simply allowing the federal government to negotiate for the best rate possible for medications would bring huge savings.