I’m always trying to eat healthily, some days I fail, and on others, I succeed. Eating healthy food also implies cooking healthy food. And that’s not always the easiest task. Especially since unhealthy food is just so damn accessible and yummy! It’s simply easier to opt for some junk for lunch. In an attempt to encourage a healthier diet, and help you eat better, we’ve curated a collection of kitchen appliances that makes healthy cooking easy and simple! From an electric bamboo food steamer to a smart fridge that helps you achieve portion control – these super cool kitchen appliances will help you achieve the health regime you’ve been dreaming of!

1. The Panasonic HomeCHEF 7-in-1 Compact Oven

The Panasonic HomeCHEF 7-in-1 Compact Oven has functions such as Steam and Steam Convection. These two promise healthier dishes since they’re able to preserve more nutrients compared to other cooking methods. That brings the number of functions to seven (hence the name), including Air Fry, Convection Bake, Slow Cook, Sanitize, and Ferment.

Why is it noteworthy?

The Panasonic HomeCHEF 7-in-1 Compact Oven is expanding its size and its features in order to also expand the number of healthy dishes one can prepare at home. Although it doesn’t completely remove the work that needs to be done to prepare these meals (not to mention the cleanup afterward), it tries to reduce the number of cooking appliances you have to juggle. It’s easy enough to downplay these conveniences, but ease-of-use and reducing the friction to get started go a long way in setting people on the right track to healthier living.

What we like

• The Steam and Steam Convection functions preserve more nutrients compared to other cooking methods

What we dislike

• Calling the HomeCHEF 7-in-1 “compact” might be a bit of a stretch, at least when compared to its siblings. This newest addition to the lineup is larger to accommodate the more spacious 20L capacity and bigger 800ml water tank

2. The Bamboo Food Steamer

Compared to traditional bamboo steamers, this product is cleaner, more portable, and easily accessible for consumers who are less familiar with Chinese culture and cooking techniques. The steamer seems very-user friendly, as it only has one control: a circular LED timer. Simply plug in the device, set your timer- no extra on/off switch needed. These small touches make the Bamboo Food Steamer the easiest purchase you could make in order to support healthy and environmentally-sustainable choices.

Why is it noteworthy?

But what is the advantage of using the Bamboo Food Steamer? First off, bamboo steamers have been a staple in Chinese cuisine for over 5,000 years. They consist of stackable layers with slatted bottoms, making it possible to cook multiple items simultaneously. The bamboo also absorbs excess steam, which keeps vegetables from becoming too soggy. As a bonus: the Bamboo Food Steamer promotes environmentally-friendly practices in addition to healthy eating because, unlike trees, bamboo stalks grow back after being cut and require minimal effort from their farmers.

What we like

Encourages steaming of food – one of the healthiest methods of cooking

Promotes eco-friendly practices as its made from bamboo

What we dislike

No complaints!

3. The Fresh Fridge

Ditching trendy diets for mindful eating, the Fresh Fridge designed by Tati Feruccio is paired with an array of technical features that encourage a health-conscious lifestyle. The Fresh Fridge is a sort of smart refrigerator that analyzes each user’s distinct eating and health habits to portion out nutritious meals throughout the day. The main technical detail that stands out is the Fresh Fridge’s digital interface that’s located just above the small refrigerator.

Why is it noteworthy?

Broadcasting mindful facts and cooking recipes from its screen, the digital interface is like your own personal cooking show for various meals throughout the day. Just below the interface, allocated space for meal preparation feels intuitive and makes following along with recipes while chopping up produce items easier than ever before.

What we like

• Encourages mindful eating over trendy short-term diets
• An integrated digital interface

What we dislike

• We don’t know how well would the fridge’s analyzed portions work for everyone

4. STEAMIE

STEAMIE, designed and developed by award-winning Mindsailors Design Studio, reintroduces steam into mainstream cooking. Steam has a way of cooking food without diluting its flavor, giving you healthy food that’s rich in nutrients as well as packed with great taste. The tabletop appliance uses this power to help prepare food that’s both nutritious and tasty. The layered appliance houses a water bath below, and food (be it veggies or meat) is placed in perforated trays above.

Why is it noteworthy?

STEAMIE was created by Mindsailors, a Europe-based holistic design studio that designed and engineered the appliance around the technology developed by STEAMIE Ltd. The appliance comes with its own in-built scale that helps you measure your food before you cook it, and even has a bamboo-wood lid that doubles up as a cutting board for food prep. A frosted-acrylic food bowl helps you watch your meal be prepared, while an intuitive display on the front allows you to input and check preparation times, giving you unprecedented control over your food prep.

What we like

•  Uses a unique turbo convection method to rapidly steam-cook the food

What we dislike

5. On2Cook

The idea behind On2Cook sounds so simple that you’d probably be left wondering why no one has thought of it before. It basically combines two of the most common methods of cooking, namely stove or induction stove, and microwave, to cut down on the time that food needs to cook. It offers the best of both worlds with almost no drawbacks, or at least that’s the premise.

Why is it noteworthy?

Conventional flame or induction cooking cooks the food from the bottom and outside, which leads to the familiar brown color that stove-cooked foods have. The microwave part, on the other hand, cooks from the top and starts from the inside, yielding in a more evenly cooked and often moist dish. This “Combination Cooking” technology also manages to retain the juices and nutrients better than either cooking method in isolation.

What we like

• Reduces power consumption
• Combines two common methods of cooking
• Promotes healthy eating

What we dislike

• Large bulky appliance
• Unsuitable for homes with space constraints
• Unsuitable for cooking certain dishes

6. Balance

Balance, a plant cultivator designed by Designer Dot, is designed for those of us who’d like access to a personal supply of fresh produce at home without the hassle of tending to a garden day-in, day-out.

Why is it noteworthy?

The pandemic proved that having access to your source of produce should be as commonplace as having access to clean drinking water. Still, the majority of us rely on grocery stores and delivery apps to get our produce and fresh greenery. While keeping our eyes peeled for buzz words like organic and local harvest is a personal choice, there’s no way of knowing exactly under what conditions and where our produce is harvested. When creating Balance, the team at Designer Dot sought to conceptualize an at-home plant cultivator that’s compact enough to fit into any modern kitchen and inconspicuous in its minimalist design to adapt to any interior design scheme.

What we like

• The drawers can be removed to allow ceiling height for taller plants to grow
•  Gives access to a personal supply of fresh produce at home

What we dislike

• Bulky form
• Cleaning all the different drawers could be a task

7. The Kefirko fermentation station

The Kefirko makes pickling easy, with a glass bottle that holds your veggies and brine, a weight to keep the veggies completely submerged, and an auto-burping mechanism that allows carbon dioxide to pass through a one-way-valve to release pressure. What’s more, the pickling jar even comes with a daytimer on the top that counts down the number of days you’ve kept your veggies to pickle. The one-of-a-kind fermentation station makes it ridiculously easy to pickle practically anything, from veggies to kimchi, or even some sauerkraut!

Why is it noteworthy?

The Kefirko fermentation station comes in two sizes, and with an easy-to-use setup that allows even the most amateur pickers to master the art of fermentation. The glass jar acts as an inert container, allowing the brine and veggies to ferment without reacting with the walls of the jar. To make sure the veggies are completely submerged in the brine (any air contact can ruin the pickling process), a spring-loaded glass weight helps press them down, creating a volume of air on the top that can easily be pumped out by pushing a button on the top of the lid. As CO2 builds up into the jar (a natural by-product of the fermentation process), one-way air-valves help ‘burp’ the jar too, by letting any extra air out to prevent too much pressure from building up inside.

What we like

• The features make pickling veggies extremely easy
• Each pickling jar even comes with its own handbook with over 25 recipes

What we dislike

No complaints!

8. Yumme

Designed to function primarily as an IoT household product, Yumme is a smart food tray that analyzes the nutrition facts and calories of each food item that makes up your meal.

Why is it noteworthy?

Conceptualized in three different forms, Yumme’s plate options vary depending on the user’s diet. The first tray comes with five different food compartments for users who’d like to explore the full spectrum of a balanced meal. Embedded sensors are located inside the food tray to analyze each meal’s contents. Split into two parts, Yumme’s top lid is made from Tritan, an eco-friendly and heat-resistant material, while its bottom module is coated in silicone to avoid slipping. Another food tray features only three compartments for users with a more limited diet. Finally, a third food tray split into two layers hosts compartments for four different food items and keeps a portable size to bring lunch with you on the go.

What we like

• Comes with an accompanying app that tracks and analyzes your every meal so you can always stay on top of your health
• You can connect with other Yumme users through the integrated social aspect of Yumme’s application

What we dislike

9. The AAVI

Street food is of course famous for its “cuisine” and culture but not so much for its hygiene. Having a small cart or place on the street doesn’t really give much space for cleaning and disinfecting as thoroughly as we would expect from an actual restaurant. The AAVI is a design concept that aims to make it easier for street food vendors to disinfect their plates and maybe even other utensils by utilizing the power of steam.

Why is it noteworthy?

At first glance, it actually looks like a lamp or a decorative device. But the design and functionality of the AAVI are actually based on the steamers that are used in dumplings and rice cakes. In fact, the designer says since it’s based on that, it can also be used in preparing dishes that need to be steamed.

What we like

• Makes street food more hygienic

What we dislike

• It’s a disinfecting and a cooking device, and we’re not sure if people would be comfortable seeing a device that does both

10. Nutrio

Designed by Germany-based Aurora Life Science, Nutrio takes the guesswork out of your diet. Sure, outwardly it looks like a cross between a cutting board and a cashier’s billing desk at the supermarket, but the Nutrio is in fact a comprehensive nutrition calculator that lets you measure your food in an absolutely new way. The chopping board comes with an entire host of sensors that can detect your food, weigh the food, and display all its nutritional information. Whether you’re using raw ingredients or even packaged products, Nutrio lets you scan your food, calculate your caloric and nutritional intake, and absolutely crush your diet because you’re much more aware of what you cook and eat.

Why is it noteworthy?

Nutrio comes with interchangeable wooden cutting boards that sit on its proprietary smart platform with a display. Sensors within the platform help Nutrio detect food, both unpackaged as well as packaged, and even through containers. Once a food item is scanned, just select it and let Nutrio know which meal it’s a part of. Then just use the large 43cm x 28 cm cutting board to prepare your food, whether it’s chopping, peeling, carving, de-boning, or portioning. The board’s waterproof design ensures the sensors don’t get affected by water, juices, gravies, or anything that may spill on it… and to keep your food prep clean and simple, interchangeable wooden boards let you easily snap off a dirty board and replace it with a cleaner one.WHat we like

What we like

• The board’s waterproof design ensures the sensors don’t get affected by water
• A 4mm thick anodized aluminum platform increases the longevity of the electronics within the Nutrio

What we dislike

• There’s a risk of becoming too calorie conscious

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The hemodialysis setting presents a challenge for environmental cleaning and disinfection because of the demand for rapid turnover of stations.

There are more than 700,000 individuals in the United States with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and the prevalence is estimated to be increasing by 20,000 cases a year.1 The treatment of choice for ESKD is kidney transplant but, because of a lack of available organs, most patients will rely on dialysis as a life-sustaining measure. Dialysis replaces many functions of the kidney by removing wastes and excess fluid through natural (peritoneum) or artificial (hemodialyzer) membranes. Most patients in the United States currently receive treatments using hemodialysis (HD) that is performed in outpatient clinics 3 days per week, but use of alternate sites such as long-term care facilities or the patient’s own home is growing in popularity. Regardless of setting, the process of dialysis poses unique challenges to infection prevention and control. Some of the most impactful practices for preventing infection are discussed below.

Bloodstream Infection

Infection is a leading cause of hospitalization and the second-leading cause of death in patients on dialysis. The process of HD puts patients at risk because the normally sterile bloodstream must be accessed several times per week. The risk varies with the type of device used to access the bloodstream, with a central venous catheter (CVC) carrying a risk 7 times higher than that of a native vessel called arteriovenous fistula (AVF).2 Reducing risk requires optimal care of the access site, such as using chlorhexidine gluconate for skin antisepsis, disinfecting CVC hubs before access, and keeping the exit site clean and dry. The CDC has published a set of evidence-based practices called Core Interventions for Dialysis Bloodstream Infection Prevention that have been shown to reduce risk of bloodstream infection in patients on dialysis by about 50%.3 Dialysis facilities should ensure that these interventions are incorporated into their policies and practices.

Despite a focus on decreasing catheter use and increasing use of AVFs, many patients receive dialysis through a CVC, which increases their chances of catheter-related bloodstream infection and potential need for antibiotic therapy. Annually, it can be expected that intravenous antibiotics will be administered to approximately 1 in 3 patients receiving maintenance HD. Frequent antibiotic administration may increase the likelihood that the patient becomes colonized or infected with a multidrug-resistant organism and faces challenges of antibiotic resistance. Inappropriate use and overuse of antibiotics are also associated with Clostridioides difficile infections.

Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions

The proximity of patients on dialysis to one another and to health care workers can increase transmission of infection. Standard precautions can reduce risk of transmission of many common germs when used for every patient encounter across the continuum of care. The practices included in standard precautions are hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, respiratory hygiene, appropriate patient placement, careful handling of textiles and laundry, and safe injection practices.4 Chief among these is hand hygiene, which has long been a cornerstone of infection prevention and control. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is more convenient and efficient than handwashing with soap and water and is the preferred hand-sanitizing product for these types of care settings.

Transmission-based precautions are used to prevent spread of certain germs through direct or indirect contact, respiratory droplets, or airborne particles. Respiratory illnesses such as influenza or COVID-19 can rapidly spread in congregate settings such as a dialysis clinic. Identifying infected patients and quickly implementing droplet respiratory precautions can prevent transmission of respiratory viruses between patients. Infections requiring airborne isolation (such as tuberculosis) are not as easy to manage in dialysis because the use of negative pressure and respirators is not routinely available in the outpatient setting.

Contact transmission is known to play a major role in the spread of bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B (HBV). HBV can survive for long periods on surfaces outside the body, and it is through this mechanism that chronically infected patients can infect others. Patients with HBV and the equipment used to treat them are isolated from susceptible patients on dialysis. Hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV are not as easily transmitted as HBV, and these patients and their equipment do not have to be isolated. Contact precautions are not routinely recommended for patients on dialysis who are infected or colonized with multidrug-resistant bacteria. This is mostly because contact transmission is not well documented in HD centers; it occurs less frequently in these settings than in hospitals, and environmental contamination is also less likely in dialysis facilities than in acute care settings because the patient is in the facility for a relatively brief period.

Screening and Immunization

Screening is an important tool for detecting disease early and preventing transmission, especially when cases of infection have been epidemiologically linked to transmission in dialysis facilities. It is recommended that all new patients on dialysis be screened for HBV, HCV, and tuberculosis. This allows patients to be treated or isolated before there is opportunity to transmit the infection to others. After initial screening, it is recommended to continue screening for HCV every 6 months. Any newly identified HCV in a dialysis population should be reported to the local health department and investigated for potential transmission within the dialysis facility.

Immunization is an effective way to provide protection to susceptible patients. Patients on dialysis have a high incidence of respiratory infection with mortality rates significantly higher than the general population, and it is recommended that they be vaccinated against pneumococcal disease, influenza, and COVID-19. Additionally, if found to be nonimmune to HBV during screening, the HBV vaccine series is recommended. Immune response to vaccines in patients with ESKD is less robust than in healthy individuals because of changes in the immune system. Vaccine dose and administration schedules are different for patients with ESKD than for others, and it is important to review dosage and vaccine schedule for this population.

Cleaning and Disinfection

The HD setting presents a challenge for environmental cleaning and disinfection because of the demand for rapid turnover of stations. Dialysis center staff often feel rushed to complete tasks, especially when transitioning patients on or off machines. Under these pressures, personnel may eliminate or take shortcuts in steps essential for preventing infection transmission. If contaminated surfaces that are turned over quickly are not adequately cleaned and disinfected, bloodborne and other pathogens may remain alive and infectious for days. Dialysis centers should allow adequate time between patients for thorough cleaning and disinfection.

All surfaces of the dialysis station, including the machine and patient chair, should be cleaned and disinfected using a United States Environmental Protection Agency–registered hospital disinfectant. Cleaning and disinfection should commence once the patient has left the station to prevent cross-contamination. Internal surfaces of the dialysis machine should be regularly disinfected following the manufacturer instructions for use. Written protocols outlining the steps should be in place, and the use of a log can help to document and keep track of cleaning and disinfection. Elsewhere in the facility, clean and contaminated areas should be separated, with clean supplies and medication preparation areas having adequate spatial separation from contaminated equipment storage.

Water Safety

Water safety is extremely important in the dialysis setting. Potable water from municipal systems often contains a small amount of bacteria harmless when ingested because of the inhospitable environment of our stomachs. However, even a minute number of normally harmless bacteria in the water poses a great risk of infection to the patient on dialysis because the bacteria bypass the normal protection of skin and stomach acid and are directly introduced to the bloodstream during dialysis. An additional consideration is that, in HD, patients’ bloodstreams are exposed to 300 to 600 L of water per week during treatments; a small number of bacteria normally allowed per liter of water is quickly magnified given the volume of water exposure.

These are a few reasons why water quality is strictly monitored in the dialysis setting. Water systems are specially engineered to further soften and filter the municipal supply to ensure that toxins like chlorine and endotoxin, and hazards like bacteria and sediment, are removed. Alternatively, reverse osmosis portable water systems may be used in some settings, but the objective is the same: to have the purest water possible. Chemical and biological standards established by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation give allowable and action levels for each hazard. Routine monitoring of bacteria and endotoxins in product water, along with periodic disinfection of the water system, is recommended.

Practice Audits

Effectiveness of infection prevention and control techniques requires that interventions be consistently applied and reliably followed. Staff should be well trained on hire and competency routinely assessed. Whether staff receive education through a formal trade school or college or on-the-job training, it is important to provide annual training to ensure competency is maintained. Provide training on an ongoing basis for new products and policies. Hand hygiene observations should be performed to monitor for adherence, and the monitoring results should be shared with staff. Discussion of the results and reinforcement of best practices are extremely important.

The facility’s competency program should cover the Core Interventions for Dialysis Bloodstream Infection Prevention identified by the CDC as proven methods for improving care and reducing bloodstream infections. Adherence is more likely if the order in which steps are to be performed is standardized. A checklist of steps can help to ensure adherence and can be used to assess and provide feedback on performance. The CDC has a series of checklists and audit tools that may be used in dialysis centers for this purpose.4

Conclusion

Dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment for individuals with ESKD; however, infection continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Several agencies and work groups have published guidelines to help reduce the risk of infection in the dialysis setting. However, research has shown that these recommendations are not uniformly implemented nor followed in some facilities. Each member of the dialysis team has a responsibility to ensure that prevention practices are in place and followed, and the role of the infection preventionist is often delegated rather than dedicated. Because of this, dialysis facility leaders should ensure that there is training on hire and annually and that competency is periodically assessed to protect patients from avoidable harm.

References

1. Saran R, Robinson B, Abbott KC, et al. US Renal Data System 2016 annual data report: epidemiology of kidney disease in the United States. Am J Kidney Dis. 2017;69(3 suppl 1):A7-A8. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2016.12.004
2. Hoen B, Paul-Dauphin A, Hestin D, Kessler M. EPIBACDIAL: a multicenter prospective study of risk factors for bacteremia in chronic hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol. 1998;9(5):869-876. doi:10.1681/ASN.V95869
3. Dialysis safety: core interventions. CDC. Updated June 15, 2016. Accessed February 11, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/dialysis/prevention-tools/core-interventions.html
4. Dialysis safety: audit tools and checklists. CDC. Updated September 25, 2017. Accessed February 11, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/dialysis/prevention-tools/audit-tools.html

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Originally Appeared Here

Cola might be some people’s favourite drink, it can actually be used in the garden for a multitude of purposes. From pest control to compost, there are plenty of uses for the fizzy drink in the garden.

Pests

Slugs are a major problem for gardeners as they eat the foliage of crops and flowers.

They can also make their way into homes, leaving silvery trails across windows, pathways and patios.

For those who are looking for a simple, cheap way to oust slugs and snails, cola might be the answer.

Similar to beer traps, gardeners need to get shallow bowls and pour cola into them, according to Gardening Know How.com.

READ MORE: Baking soda cleaning hacks: How to clean oven trays with baking soda

Weeds

Similar to vinegar, cola has a high acid content which means it can be used as a weed killer.

Cola can be poured into cracks on driveways or patios to remove weeds.

However, some plants won’t survive the high acidity of cola so be careful where it is poured as the plants will likely die.

Plants

Cola is acidic which means it’s a surprisingly good cleaner.

But it can also be used for acid-loving plants too that need a low soil pH, according to Get Green Be Well.com.

Pour a little cola around the base of plants such as azaleas, hydrangeas, bergenias astilbe and foxgloves.

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Originally Appeared Here

Okay, we need to have a little talk. It’s time to focus on the roads. Maine’s weather is something that we just can’t complain too much about anymore because Mama Nature’s favorite child is Florida, we’re like the step-child that needs to be snowed on constantly because we didn’t put the toilet seat down.

Now, even though winter is hopefully wrapping up soon, we are still getting storms. We just recently got his with an icy rain that fell from the sky and made are roads slippery.

So when it snows, rains, sleets, in this state what happens? The plow trucks come out. You end up behind one, going zero miles an hour when you made sure to leave early for work and you show up late anyway.

A remix of, “Who Let The Dogs Out,” should be written called, “Who Let The Plows Out,” because their everywhere when we get hit!

However, this article is not a letter to rain on a plows parade, it’s to thank them. To thank all of the men and woman who help to keep us all safe.

According to Family Handyman, there are things that you should be aware of when the plows come out.

We all should be thankful and aware of a few things when plow people are doing their jobs.

Dear Plow People,

Thank you for being out in the storms for very long and tiring hours and we respect the sacrifice you give.

We also know that it is probably very annoying when you get passed by cars, but we will do our very best to never pass you on the right side because of the, “wings”, that sometimes can extend 6 feet from your plows.

We will be more understanding with the fact that you can’t see as well as we can and that you drive slow. The article states that most plows only drive 45 MPH or under.

We will be more patient with you and have compassion for the fact that even though you plow the road, their will still be slippery spots and we will drive with caution.

Lastly, we know that mistakes happen. You drive these humungous vehicles and you can’t always be perfect, but we appreciate you anyway.

Thank you for doing your jobs and helping us to always stay safe.

For more information on what to expect with plows, I found these awesome tips at Handyman.com.

My Top-Secret Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Dirty Maine Home

My Top-Secret Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Dirty Maine Home

Spring is here and so the time has come when we can no longer ignore the smell in our fridge and the dust on our ceilings. Here are my not-so-secret tips and tricks on cleaning your Maine home this season!

Mainer’s Art Inspiration While Getting Sober Lead to Life-Changing Journey

Mainer’s Art Inspiration While Getting Sober Lead to Life-Changing Journey

One Maine artist who suffered from addiction found his love through healing and now is producing incredible art from his pain.

 

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Originally Appeared Here

Coronado Unified School District annually recognizes five outstanding Classified employees representing the four school sites and the District Office. The 2022 awardees were nominated by their colleagues and recognized at the March 10 Board meeting.

“It is an honor to recognize the contributions of our Classified employees. These award winners truly demonstrate hard work, and service with compassion, empathy, and humility,” said Director of Human Resources Armando Farias.

CUSD’s Five Honorees:

Laura Orozco, Coronado High School (CHS): CHS Health Technician Orozco has been named the 2022 CHS Classified Employee of the Year. Orozco has worked in the district since 2006 as a PE aide and became the full time Health Technician at CHS since 2009. The pandemic put an extra burden on the district health care team and Orozco responded by going above and beyond, stepping up to the challenge with grace and energy.

Orozco’s extra work during the pandemic inspired her colleagues. “She has worked from home making calls during the evenings and weekends. She has been the frontline for our 1100 students,” said Joy Howard. “Laura, makes sure every student who comes through her health office feels special and heard. She is always willing to go above and beyond to call a parent, get a counselor involved or speak with admin to make sure the needs of her students are met,” added Rhonda Gearhart.

Ruben Sanchez, Coronado Middle School (CMS): CMS custodian Sanchez was selected as the 2022 CMS Classified Employee of the Year. Sanchez has worked in the district since 2019. The pandemic added an extra burden on the district’s custodial crew, with disinfecting and sanitizing measures required multiple times during the day. His colleagues at CMS note that besides keeping the campus clean and safe, Sanchez sets the tone on campus with his positive attitude, greeting staff and students every morning. “Ruben has a great attitude, is reliable, and is an integral part of the CMS family. We realized right when he started what a gem he was, and we are so grateful to have him at CMS. He is an outstanding example to our students and staff and embodies the Triton Three; taking ownership, acting with integrity, and showing respect in everything he does,” said Principal Brooke Falar. Colleague Allyson Heyen added that in addition to Sanchez’s tireless work ethic and contagious smile he always “goes above and beyond, asking if there are any extra projects he can help with in the classrooms.”

Kathy Wood, Village Elementary: Village Elementary School Health Technician Wood was selected as the 2022 VES Classified Employee of the Year. She has worked in the district since 2014 and she uniquely connects with both students and colleagues on a personal and professional level.

“Nurse Kathy reads continuously, keeping up with our ever-changing health news, sharing critical information with admin and faculty. These past two years have been particularly challenging for her and the health team, and her leadership has been a beacon of light for all of us at Village,” shared Kathleen Spane. “This award is so well-deserved, ‘Nurse Kathy’ is always there for her students, showing kindness and compassion,” added Principal Heidi Bergener.

Kimberley Junk, Silver Strand Elementary: Silver Strand Elementary School (SSES) Administrative Assistant/Registrar Kimberley Junk was named the 2022 SSES Classified Employee of the Year. Kimberley has worked in the district for 18 years in many different capacities including in the front office at CMS and as a well-loved substitute at all school sites. Her gracious welcome is a hallmark of anyone entering the Silver Strand school office.

SSES Principal Jenny Moore said, “She gives personalized tours to all new students and their families, new freshly hired crew members, volunteers, and substitutes… to make everyone on campus feel welcome.” Colleague Erica DeGroat added that Junk “helps by providing support to all the staff and jumps up to help when needed! She truly wears so many hats and Strand would be lost without her!”

Terri Freepartner, District Office and CUSD: Human Resources Administrative Assistant Freepartner has been named the District Office 2022 Employee of the Year as well as the Classified Employee of the Year for CUSD. Freepartner has worked in the district since 2015. She is a steady and knowledgeable hand in helping employees, colleagues, families, and administrators navigate all aspects of Human Resources from employment to benefits. Human Resources Director Armando Farias said of Freepartner, “I have witnessed how she supports everyone who calls or comes into her office. Especially during the past two years during Covid, many times employees are worried or overwhelmed when they come in. People can cry in her office, and Terri is always calm and compassionate. She is a true listener. Terry leads from the heart. This recognition is a celebration of Terri and a thank you for giving so much to all of us.”

“On behalf of the district and the Governing Board I would like to thank all of our Classified team members. They are the glue of our district, the faces of our school sites, they keep us clean, safe and healthy, and create the conditions for our students to succeed,” said Superintendent Mueller.

VOL. 112, NO. 12 – Mar. 23, 2022

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Originally Appeared Here

From top left, clockwise: Apis fund manager Allen Nieman, MC Jolene Anderson, and Karios CEO Gregory Grover. (Apis Image)

Houston-based Karios Technologies won the inaugural Apis Health Angel Conference, launched in Seattle to connect investors and health-related startups.

The program is modeled after the Seattle Angel Conference, which has educated investors and funded companies for more than ten years through its startup competition.

More than 50 companies started with the Apis cohort late last year, and six made it to the final competition Thursday evening. They presented pitches to more than 25 participating angel investors.

The Apis conference is virtual and accepted applicants from all over the country. The investors each contributed $5,000 to the winner’s pool. Karios took home $145,000.

RELATED: Seattle Angel Conference launches new health startup competition to help educate angel investors. 

Karios is developing a way to help prevent tissue adhesions after surgery, using hydrogel technology spun out of the University of California Los Angeles and UC San Diego. The startup is focused on children with congenital heart defects.

“Our passion is to bring this product into clinic to improve the quality of life of these young patients and then transition in other high impact areas of surgery,” said CEO Gregory Grover in a statement. Grover was previously a bioengineering postdoctoral fellow at UCSD and has held senior positions at biotech and medical device companies.

The five runners-up are:

— BodiGuide, a Bellevue-Wash.-based startup developing an ankle bracelet to detect fluid retention in patients with heart failure.

— Violett, which is based in Seattle and has built a device to disinfect air using ultraviolet light.

— Estrigenix Therapeutics, a Milwaukee-based biotech company developing a therapy to boost mental health in menopausal women.

— NanoPharmaSolutions, which offers technology to help formulate biopharmaceuticals and is based in San Diego.

— Remedium Bio, a Needham, Mass.-based biotech company developing gene therapies for a broad range of conditions.

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Originally Appeared Here

If you’re a genealogist, it’s time for you to write down your personal pandemic experiences for those relatives who will follow you.

After all, wouldn’t we as genealogists gain valuable insights about our ancestors if we could read – in their words – what it was like to live through historical eras of plague, yellow fever, influenza and other diseases that have struck our world down through the ages?

Wouldn’t you like to know how they responded to knowledge that disease was among them, that it was spreading, that cures (if any) were off in the future?

There’s lots we wish they could have told us. What changes did they make in life? What fears did they harbor? What losses did they suffer? When did they start to experience a sense of relief?

It’s not too late to get started on your personal and family coronavirus memoir, and you certainly don’t have to be a professional writer. Write it the way you’d write a letter to a relative, which is exactly what you’re doing. Whether you prefer a pen and legal pad or a computer, here are some suggestions for getting the job done. Just sit down and do a few sentences on each of these points.

Alarm: When did you hear or read about the oncoming pandemic? Describe your initial thoughts. How worried were you? Did you begin following pandemic news closely? Did you discuss it with family and friends?

Responses: What were your thoughts when the first national responses such as quarantines and contact tracing were undertaken? When did you begin to experience practices like wearing masks, keeping distant from others and disinfecting hands?

Routines: What changes occurred at your workplace or at stores and other venues you frequented? Were there adjustments in days and hours? Were you angry or disoriented when events and travel you’d looked forward to were no longer allowed?

News: As time went on, did you follow pandemic news avidly, or did you settle into just looking for highlights? Did the onrush of information about progress with vaccines become highly important to you, or did you grow frustrated over the daily reports?

Vaccines: If you sought inoculation, how did you find out about it and where did you go to get your shots? What precautions did you continue to take even after receiving the shots? How nervous were you, and did you suffer any side effects?

Fatigue: As time went on, did you fear that the spread of the coronavirus was unending? Did you follow the daily charts on TV and in the newspapers? Did continued use of masks and distancing and the continued reductions by businesses and social organizations annoy you?

Changes: How did you adjust to working from home (if you were required to do so)? If you had children, was distance learning by the schools a problem in your household?

Illnesses: Did you or any of your family or friends contract the coronavirus? What was their experience? How about yourself?

Well, there is certainly more you could put into your document. Make several copies. Keep it with your genealogical materials, and future family generations will thank you for it.

News Notes: If you’re reading this before March 31, here’s something great. At 6:30 p.m. that day the Luzerne County Historical Society will offer, via Zoom, a genealogy workshop featuring the resources of its own Bishop Library. Amanda Fontenova, director of library and archives, will conduct the session. Questions will be accepted. Go to the society’s Facebook page for registration information.

Tom Mooney is a Times Leader genealogy columnist. Reach him at [email protected]

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A recent survey conducted by Ipsos Research on behalf of the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) found that 78% of Americans spring clean at least once per year, up nearly 10% from just one year ago. For these Americans, a big motivator behind cleaning is having a healthy home.

 

According to the survey, three out of four Americans spring clean every year, with kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms topping the list of spring-cleaning targets.

 

Although fewer Americans reported spring cleaning yearly in 2021 than in 2022, which could have been due to the increased amount of time spent at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans will pull out their spring cleaning supplies this year to help keep their homes healthy and safe. In fact, a majority (71%) of Americans are motivated to clean because they want to have a healthy home environment, emphasizing the intrinsic value cleaning plays in today’s society and its connection to a safe, healthy and robust future.

 

“At ACI, we know that cleaning is caring. For so many Americans, cleaning is no longer viewed as just a chore, but as a means of caring for one another and creating a healthy and safe home,” said Brian Sansoni, ACI senior vice president, communications and outreach. “After being cooped up for long periods at a time, many people are ready to open up their windows and get rid of a winter’s worth of dust, dirt and grime.”

 

Among those who spring clean, survey findings show Americans focus their targeted hygiene practices on the kitchen (64%), bedrooms (61%) and bathrooms (59%). When choosing their cleaning products, Americans who spring clean rank effectiveness (44%) as the most important, followed by multi-purpose (18%) and cost (12%).

 

ACI offers a wide range of resources to make spring cleaning simple, easy and effective such as cleaning basics; room-by-room guide; de-cluttering; and home cleaning problems and solutions.

 

 

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Freezing rain and sleet early Friday morning has led to some slippery roads in Aroostook County and western New Brunswick. Some schools are closed and drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution.

Houlton area schools (MSAD 29) are closed Friday due to the freezing rain and poor road conditions.

Hodgdon area schools (MSAD 70) are closed Friday.

Greater Houlton Christian Academy is closed Friday.

UMPI  will have a two hour delay today. On-site classes will resume at 10 a.m. This includes the Houlton Higher Education Center.

District and Superior Courts in Houlton, Presque Isle, Caribou and Fort Kent are closed today.

Meals on Wheels for Madawaska, Fort Kent, St. Agatha and Frenchville areas is cancelled due to slippery roads.

Aroostook Regional Transportation System will DELAY bus service 1 hour today.

This post will be updated.

If you have a storm-related message you would like included in this listing, email [email protected]

My Top-Secret Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Dirty Maine Home

Spring is here and so the time has come when we can no longer ignore the smell in our fridge and the dust on our ceilings. Here are my not-so-secret tips and tricks on cleaning your Maine home this season!

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• The laundry symbols printed on the tags of your clothes offer important cleaning information.
• Each symbol tells you all you need to know about the care and upkeep of your garment. 
• The system covers five basic areas: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, and dry-cleaning. 
• Visit Insider’s Home & Kitchen Reference library for more stories.

An easy way to think about laundry symbols is that they are cheat codes for doing laundry. They tell you all you need to know about caring for certain garments to help you get the most out of them. 

According to James Chandler, the CEO and founder of Laundry On Demand, the Federal Trade Commission requires that all clothing have at least one set of care instructions. Those care instructions come as a standard set of  internationally recognized cleaning symbols. 

“It’s important to follow the instructions on the label, so your clothes don’t shrink, burn up, and last as long as possible,” says Chandler. 

In total, there are over 30 laundry symbols, which include specific variations on one of the five main categories:

Once you start recognizing these main symbols, you’ll be able to understand how to properly launder any thing with a quick glance.

Here’s a visual breakdown of what every laundry symbol means and how to use them. 

Laundry symbols for washing clothes 

Washing guidelines are always represented by a washtub.

Alex Ford/Insider

The washing symbol is one of the easiest to identify because it resembles a washtub, with lines indicating the recommended washing cycle and black dots representing the recommended water temperature. 

One line on the bottom of the washing symbol indicates that you should run it on permanent press to minimize wrinkles. Two lines means you should use the gentle or delicate cycle, to prevent damage. An X means not to machine wash at all, and a washing symbol with a hand inside means — you guessed it — hand-wash only. 

Water temperature plays a big role in laundry, and the black dots give you an idea of the recommended temperature for the best results. One dot means cold, two dots means warm, three means hot, and so on. No dots means any temperature is fine. 

Note: The UK has different markings for recommended temperature. A number inside the washthub icon also indicates the temperature (in Celsius) you should wash the item. For example, a 30 means that the garment should be washed in cold water of 86 degrees Farenheit.  

Laundry symbols for bleaching clothes

Bleach guidelines are always represented by a triangle.

Alex Ford/Insider

The triangle symbol on the care instructions tells you if a garment can handle bleach, and if so, what kind. Some fabrics, like cotton or linen, respond well to bleach, while others, including wool and silk, will disintegrate upon contact.

There are two types of bleach: chlorine or oxygen. Chlorine bleach is good for disinfecting and removing stains from white fabric, but will cause colored fabric to fade. Oxygen bleach, or chlorine-free bleach, is color-safe, and an effective stain remover and fabric brightener.

If the triangle symbol you’re looking at is made up of just an outline, you can use either kind of bleach as needed. Use only oxygen bleach if there are two diagonal lines inside of the triangle, and avoid bleach altogether if you see a solid triangle with an X.

Laundry symbols for drying clothes

Drying guidelines are always represented by a square.

Alex Ford/Insider

Drying instructions, indicated by a square symbol with lines or a circle inside, tell you the best way to, well, dry your garment. Improper drying can permanently damage a garment, so it’s important to heed this guidance. 

“The most important thing is don’t dry for too long in high heat,” says Chandler.

A drying symbol with an X should never be machine dried, and is usually accompanied by other drying instructions. Drying symbols with lines give you additional information, like a square with a curved line means you should hang-dry the garment on a clothesline, drying rack, or hanger. One horizontal line means to dry flat by spreading it out on a table or a flat drying rack. 

The last thing to note is the black dots inside a circle, which indicates the recommended drying temperature. 

Quick tip: A crossed-out symbol tells you immediately what not to do with a garment. “Looking at the care label quickly, I first look for the Xs. That tells me what will ruin my clothes,” says Chandler.

Laundry symbols for dry-cleaning clothes 

Dry-cleaning guidelines are always represented by a circle.

Alex Ford/Insider

There are certain fabrics — think wool, silk, suede, or leather — that can’t withstand wet washing. In other words, they need to be professionally dry-cleaned. 

There are many variations on this symbol that give the dry cleaner information about the garment, but the only two that consumers need to know are the circle with an X or without. An X means the fabric won’t respond well to the chemicals used in dry cleaning, and you’re better off washing at home. An item with a plain circle, however, requires dry-cleaning. 

Laundry symbols for ironing clothes 

Ironing guidelines are always represented by an iron.

Alex Ford/Insider

The ironing symbols tell you how a garment handles heat from an iron or steamer. The ironing symbol is perhaps the most obvious to discern; look at the dots to know the appropriate temperature for ironing or steaming.

An ironing symbol with an X means not to iron, such as with nylon clothing. If you see an iron with crossed out lines coming out of the bottom, that item should not be steamed. 

Insider’s takeaway 

There are over 30 laundry symbols that fall into one of five categories: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing, and dry-cleaning. These symbols indicate the best way to care for your clothes to avoid damage and help them last as long as possible. Once you understand the main symbol for each category, it’s easy from there to determine what the variations mean.

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