Health Department's Dana Herazo recognized for successful diabetes education program

Dana Herazo, second from the right, was one of two state nutrition advocates

who received Diabetes and Cardiovascular Prevention and Self-Management

awards from the Alabama Diabetes Network on May 15, 2013, in Montgomery.

MOBILE, Alabama -- Dana Herazo, a registered dietitian who works in nutrition services for the Mobile County Health Depatrment, was one of two state leaders recognized by the Alabama Diabetes Network with the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Prevention and Self-Management Award during a ceremony on May 15, 2013, in Montgomery. 

Herazo is a senior nutritionist with Nutrition Services at the Health Department's Diabetes Today site. She was honored for teaching patients referred from health care providers in the self-management of their diabetes which can prevent future health complications that include hypertension, heart disease, stroke, blindness, neurological problems, kidney disease and lower extremities amputation. Herazo also serves as the president of the Alabama Dietetic Association and was named Employee of the Year in 2011 by the Mobile County Health Department.

The certificate of appreciation she was given acknowledges her work with the following message: "The selflessness, sacrifice and leadership displayed enables patients to climb the stairs of health care self-management one step at a time."

Lilly B. Hall, a registered nurse in Tuskegee, also was honored for starting a diabetes support group in 2011 that includes 26 churches in her area, according to "Alabama's Health," an official publication of the Alabama Department of Public Health in Montgomery.

Welcome to the neighborhood: Groundbreaking held for Renaissance Plaza on Broad Street

Michael E. Pierce, executive director of the MLK Avenue Redevelopment Corp., stands beside an artist's rendering of Renaissance Plaza immediately following a ground breaking at the site off Broad Street July 22, 2013. Pierce said residents should be pleased when the anchor store for the development is finally announced.

MOBILE, Alabama -- As murky gray clouds gathered above downtown Mobile, city and business leaders converged on a patch of grass off Broad Street Monday, July 22, 2013, to officially break ground on a retail development complex that will be named Renaissance Plaza, organizers said.

A bit of mystery surrounded the mid-morning event, as city planners wouldn't reveal the name of an anchor store for the new business. "I think everybody is going to be pleasantly surprised," said Michael E. Pierce, who serves as executive director of the MLK Avenue Redevelopment Corp.

The Broad Street retail center, located at 350 Broad St., will be a $2.5 million, 13,750 square foot retail space with 10 bays, serving as a focal point for residents of the MLK Avenue and downtown Mobile, city officials said.

In addition to providing basic conveniences common to most urban neighborhoods, the center is expected to enhance the Broad Street corridor, create employment opportunities for area residents, be a catalyst for future commercial development and generate a continuous stream of sales and property tax revenues. An estimated 60 jobs should be created when all the business are up and running, Pierce said.

Participating in the groundbreaking were Ann Bedsole with the Sybil H. Smith Charitable Trust, Christopher L. Lee with the J.L. Bedsole Foundation, City of Mobile Mayor Sam Jones and Pierce, among others. 

Construction of the retail center is expected to begin in early August, Pierce said, noting that it is expected to take about six months for the project to be completed.

Martha Peek, superintendent for the 62,000-student Mobile County Public School System, was among those who braved the rain to celebrate the new business: "This will be good for the community."

Drumroll please ...

Immunization clinic staff prepares for back-to-school blue card rush





Mobile County Health Department staff member Barbara Gibbs, who works

in the Immunization Clinic, shows off some of the literature she has prepared

for those who visit the downtown health center this summer. 



MOBILE, Alabama -- With a little more than a month before Mobile County public schools are back in session, immunization clinic staff members are preparing for the annual last-minte rush of parents trying to make sure their children's immunization records, also known as blue cards, are up-to-date.

Appointments are now being accepted by the Mobile County Health Department's Immunization Clinic in downtown Mobile for school-age children who need to receive vaccines to update their immunization certificate. Previously, clients were seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. The Mobile County Public School System starts classes on August 19.

Immunization appointments may be made by calling 251-690-8908. Because of high volumes, among other factors, it typically takes 48 hours to process and create a new immunization certificate, health officials said.

Children in Alabama who will attend day cares, Head Start programs, or public or private schools must have an immunization certificate showing that required vaccines are up-to-date before they can be enrolled. Children who are not changing schools this year and don't have an expired blue card should already have an immunization certificate on file at the school, health officials said.

Immunzations are available on weekdays from 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the MCHD on North Bayou Street.

Here's what to bring when coming in for school immunization and an Immunization Certificate: Parent's or caregiver's photo ID; Child's social security number; Child's immunization record; Insurance card.

Mobile County Health Department retirees recognized for their service

Harry Bolt, who has cared for the grounds of the Mobile County Health

Department for 19 years, is officially retiring from the agency Aug. 1. He is 

pictured above with Health Officer Dr. Bernard Eichold, who presented him

with a special brick used in the original structure circa 1800.

MOBILE, Alabama -- Two longtime Mobile County Health Department employees who are retiring later this month were honored for their service to the agency on Wednesday, July 17. Health officer Dr. Bernard Eichold presented plaques to Labaron Laster, a custodial worker, and Harry Bolt, a public service worker, during a management council meeting. Both men also recieved special citations from the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Mayor's Office of the City of Mobile.

Bolt grew up in Pennsylvania, serving in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and then later working in steel mills and construction before heading south. Beginning in the early 1990s, he spent nearly two decades maintaining the flower beds and hedges hugging the historic brick fence that surrounds the Health Department's downtown campus, among his other duties. Most recently, he's worked the better part of four months creating new brick flower beds for several areas behind the Keeler building.

So far, the job has required about 1,000 burgundy-colored bricks, he said. For the next two weeks, Bolt said he plans to finish the project as he painstakingly cuts each brick by hand, using a chisel and hammer.
"If I hurry up, I'll probably lay 30 bricks a day," Bolt said. "A lot of them are half circles with angles."

Dr. Eichold presented Bolt with one of the bricks used in the original military hospital that now houses the Health Department and dates back to the early 1800s. A small plaque on the brick includes Bolt's name and the beginning and end date of his employment. Dr. Eichold said he wanted to give Bolt the memento because of his work to restore and maintain the historic structure. Bolt said the brick will have a place of honor on a special cabinet in his home.



Labaron Laster accepts a special citation from Dr. Bernard Eichold in

recognition of 25 years of service to the Mobile County Health Department.

The keys to the building

Laster, a Mobile resident, began his career with the MCHD in 1988 after working at the Mobile County Sheriff's Office. He also plans to retire August 1 after 25 years with the health agency. He said he spent about 18 years of his career as a supervisor.

 "They gave me the keys to the building," he said, smiling. "That made me feel good." He will retire as a Custodial Worker II and plans to enter the workforce again as soon as he finds another job.

Laster said he enjoyed his duties with the Health Department and came to see many of his coworkers as friends. "I got to like the people," he said. "I had to interact and talk to a lot of people everywhere." Through the years, Laster has helped dozens of other MCHD staff members with moving equipment and offices to clinics across Mobile County.

As for Bolt, he said he knows exactly what he's going to do come August 1. "I'll have a new job," he said, chuckling. "It's called honey do's. My wife already has a list."

Fit kids: Summer nutrition program aims to teach children how to eat smarter every day

Mobile County Health Department registered dietitians Margaret McCulloch

and Rachel Myers talked with two girls and their caregivers about

the importance of reading nutrition labels during an event July 16, 2013.

Mobile, Alabama -- Just because a food package label claims that what's inside is heart healthy or low in sugar doesn't mean it's necessarily true. That's why a group of registered dietitans and other staff at the Mobile County Health Department created a free summer program to help children and teenagers make healthier meal and snack choices each day.

On Tuesday, July 16, tweens and teens were invited to have smart snacks on the third floor of the Health Department's downtown headquarters, which included kiwi fruit, celery and hummus, among other foods that are typically low in fat and calories. Registered dietitians Margaret McCulloch and Rachel Myers talked with some of the girls who visited the event about the importance of reading food labels before deciding what to eat. Stacy Parrish, who also is a personal trainer, offered an exercise demonstration during the event.

Visitors also saw displays on "Iron Chef" meal planning and fun ways to incorporate exercise into daily activities. Plans call for presenting two more of the nutrition focused events this month. On Tuesday, July 23, children between the ages of 5 and 10 will be encouraged to attend. The next week, on July 30, those between the ages of 11 and 17 are invited to explore heathly food choices available to them.

Future summer time, "Me Time" events are free of charge and will be held in room 300 of the Keeler Building at 251 N. Bayou  Street in downtown Mobile. For more information, call 251-690-8828.   

One station at the Fit Kids "Me Time" summer event featured fun stamps

that children could use to mark passports as they navigated the room. 

Blood drive success: More than 50 Mobile County Health Department staff gave blood



Mark Bryant, a new employee in Primary Care, holds up the T-shirt he
received for donating blood at the Mobile County Health Department.



More than 50 Mobile County Health Department staff members took part in a blood drive Friday, July 12, with LIFESouth Community Blood Center, according to event organizer Sheila St. Onge. Besides getting cool T-shirts, full-time employees who made successful donations will also receive four hours of compensatory time.

Full time employees may still donate blood at the LIFESouth Donor Center at 967 Hillcrest Road. Business hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. The center is closed on Sundays. Call the center at 251-706-1470 to make appointments for donations and for directions. You may also use LIFESouth’s Daphne Donor Center (621-9644).

To receive compensatory time, full-time employees making successful donations on the LIFESouth bus must sign out after making their donation. Employees making successful donations at the Hillcrest Road or Daphne Donor Centers must do so by July 20, 2013 and must obtain a proof of donation slip from the donor center.  The proof of donation slip should be sent to Sheila St. Onge in Community Education Programs (Keeler Building, Room 324.) Employees must submit proof of donation slip no later than Friday, July 26, 2013 to receive compensatory time. 

TEEN Center staff represent Health Department at Teen Town Hall event



Mobile County Health Department staff members Jillian Ransom and
Anitra Belle-Henderson, of the TEEN Center, took part in the
 Teen Town Hall meeting July 1 held at Leflore High School in Mobile. 



MOBILE, Alabama -- A Teen Town Hall Meeting with the theme “It Takes a Village …To Reconstruct Our Community” was held July 1, 2013 at John L. Le Flore High School Auditorium. Dozens of young people attended the event that addressed teen issues in Mobile County, organizers said.

The Mobile County Health Department was represented by several of the agency’s departments, including TEEN Center staff members as well as Infectious Disease Division employees. The event was sponsored by Concerned Citizens of Mobile County, Cumulus Broadcasting and the Elite Chapter of the Mobile Kappa League.

Health Department awarded nearly $300,000 grant to help uninsured find affordable health insurance

The Women's Center is among the Mobile County Health Department's
Family Oriented Primary Health Care Clinics located on Cox Street in Mobile.



Mobile, Alabama -- The Mobile County Health Department's Family Oriented Primary Health Care Clinics were awarded nearly 300,000 this week through a federal grant that will be used to hire new employees on educating those without health insurance on new options expected to become available as changes in health care laws take effect in coming months.

"We will use the outreach to and enrollment funding to hire several new staff members to perform enrollment and outreach services to thousands of uninsured residents of Mobile County," said Frank Mitchell, a burea director of primary care with the health agency.

The new outreach and enrollment staff are expected to assist thousands of uninsured health department patients as well as thousands of other uninsured residents throughout Mobile County into insurance marketplace options, as well as Medicaid and Children's Healthcare Insurance Programs. The agency's newly hired staff members will be strategically placed at health care centers in Mobile County serving the greatest number of uninsured patients, agency officials said.

Black bird visits Health Department

Photo by James Currie

This image of a black-beaked crow was captured by Mobile County Health Department graphic artist and photographer James Currie, through the office window of colleague Sheila St. Onge. They said the animal appeared to be resting its wings for a moment on the historic balcony in downtown Mobile. 

After the crow surveyed the courtyard and the aging wrought iron, Sheila and James said the bird sailed away as quickly as it arrived.  One can only imagine, James said, that it flew back to join Nic Cage on the set of the movie Tokarev that has been filming in and around downtown Mobile.

Just Breathe: Satsuma City Council enacts new no smoking ordinance July 2



Members of the Friends of Satsuma Schools look on as Satsuma's Mayor signs
the new smoke free ordinance on Tuesday, July 2.



Satsuma, Alabama – The Satsuma City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Tuesday night, July 2,  banning smoking in public and work places – including restaurants, bars, ballparks and playgrounds -- that is set to take effect 30 days from the passage of the new law.

With the passage of Tuesday’s ordinance, Satsuma joined Creola, Saraland, Citronelle and Bayou La Batre in creating comprehensive local smoking ordinances which prohibit smoking in all public and work places.

The City of Satsuma has included a copy of the new ordinance on its website that outlines fines that will be levied against those who smoke where it’s prohibited. Those who want to smoke outdoors in public places must stand at least 15 feet from entrances to businesses or workplaces, including outdoor bleachers and playground equipment at parks and other recreation facilities, according to the ordinance.

Also included in the ordinance is language regarding the operation of hotels and motels with a provision that states no such business shall have more than 20 percent of its rooms designated as smoking. Located in north Mobile County, Satsuma is home to about 6,200 residents, according to U.S. census population estimates.

No one spoke out against the ordinance during Tuesday night’s council meeting in Satsuma. The measure was first introduced during a public meeting on June 18, officials said.

“I’m more than pleased that Satsuma’s leaders are making the health and safety of their residents a top priority,” said Dr. Bernard Eichold, Health Officer for the Mobile County Health Department. “We know second hand smoke contains a deadly mix of chemicals. Satsuma officials should be congratulated for their proactive approach.”

What's the most dangerous kind of fireworks? Here's a hint: They get hot enough to melt gold

MOBILE, Alabama -- Despite what you might think, fireworks that pack the biggest boom don’t always cause the most damage to people. In a study of fireworks injuries conducted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2011, officials found that more people reported being harmed by sparklers than any other type of popular fireworks sold legally in America.

Dr. Bernard Eichold, the Mobile County Health Department’s Health Officer, urges residents to use extreme caution during the July 4^th holiday weekend whether driving in traffic, enjoying an outside gathering where food is served or watching a public or private fireworks display.

“Please remember that children should never play with fireworks,” Eichold said. “Firecrackers, rockets and sparklers are extremely dangerous. If you do give your child a sparkler, make sure they keep it outside and away from their face, clothing and hair.”

Sparklers can reach 1,800 degrees, Eichold said, which is hot enough to melt gold.

 Here are some other facts compiled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission during a month-long study of fireworks injuries:

·         200 people on average go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the month around the July 4th holiday.

·         65% of these fireworks injuries in 2011 occurred during the month surrounding July 4th.

·         Illegal and homemade fireworks were involved in all 4 fireworks-related deaths reported to CPSC in 2011

Fireworks Safety Tips

·         Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks.

·         Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.

·         Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.

·         Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying our using them.

·         Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.