Health

NC House bill draws fire over contraception rules

Wednesday, May 15th, 2013, 1:50pm

NC House bill draws fire over contraception rules

A bill broadening so-called conscience protections and the number of employers who can refuse to provide contraception services in health insurance coverage has been approved by a North Carolina House committee.

The bill approved Wednesday allows any medical professional to refuse to participate in an abortion and allows any business to refuse to provide contraception coverage on religious or moral grounds.

The bill expands so-called conscience protections beyond doctors and nurses to include people such as pharmacists and technicians.

The contraception provision expands existing law that exempts religious organizations to any private or nonprofit company.

The bill also outlaws health care plans that include abortion services from future online marketplaces of private plans offered under the federal Affordable Care Act.

Opponents say the bill tramples women's rights.

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Second Harvest Food Bank needs your vote!

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Monday, April 29th, 2013, 2:16pm

Second Harvest Food Bank needs your vote!

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina is hoping the public can help them click their way to a grant from Walmart by voting for them in the "Fighting Hunger Together" initiative.

This initiative is a national campaign where money is awarded to programs that get the most votes for their innovative and effective programs that help alleviate child hunger. The public will decide what organization will receive the grants through a voting campaign at www.facebook.com/walmart that includes more than 300 different hunger relief organizations from across the country.

The more votes a Feeding America food bank or partner agency gets, the better chances they have of winning the money.

The campaign kicked off April 1, and ends 11:59 pm ET on April 30.

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NC Operation Medicine Drop a success

Submitted by WBTV Web Staff

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2013, 2:06pm

Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin asked North Carolina to clean out its medicine cabinets, and people throughout the state answered the call. From March 17 to 23, more than 250 Operation Medicine Drop events were held in 74 counties across North Carolina to provide people with a way to safely dispose of expired and unneeded prescription and over-the-counter medications.

As a result, more than 12 million doses of medications were safely collected and destroyed.

“The only way we could have had success like this, and ultimately protect our children, is when North Carolinians come together and responsibly dispose of their medications,” said Goodwin.

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AG announces student contest to fight prescription drug abuse

Submitted by John Cominsky on Tuesday, March 19th, 1:50 pm

North Carolina high school students can help fight prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths by entering a video contest sponsored by Attorney General Roy Cooper and the NC Department of Justice.

To educate young people about the dangers of prescription drug abuse, Cooper is partnering with the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, the North Carolina Parent Resource Center, and the Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse to sponsor a student video competition.

Cooper is asking students to create public service announcement videos on the topic of teen prescription drug abuse. All students enrolled in grades nine through 12 in North Carolina are eligible to enter.

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Butt out! Smoking gone from grandstands at Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway, and Dirt Track

Submitted by David Whisenant

Thursday, February 21st, 2013, 5:00pm

Butt out! Smoking gone from grandstands at Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway, and Dirt Track

CONCORD - Two of North Carolina's biggest industries closely linked together, but in changing times they are getting farther apart. Charlotte Motor Speedway has just announced that smoking would no longer be allowed in the grandstands or concourses areas on any of its property.

"Smoking is still allowed at CMS, but for 2013 the grandstands and concourses will be smoke free," Speedway Vice President Tim Schuldt told WBTV.

Butt out, unless it's on the track or in a designated smoking lounge, race engines will be the only kind of firing up you'll see at Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMAX Dragway, or the Dirt Track.

This is an artist's rendering of how the smoking lounges will look

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Free program for those raising special needs children

Submitted by Joe Hester, Community News Producer

Thursday, February 14th, 2013, 2:24pm

Free program for those raising special needs children

The Cabarrus County Public Library is presenting a program for those raising kids with special needs.

Adrienne Ehlert Bashista is set to speak about topics from her new book, "Easy to Love But Hard to Raise: Real Parents, Challenging Kids, True Stories".

The book is an anthology of personal essays written by parents of children with ADD, ADHD, OCD, PDD, ASDs, SPD, PBD and other alphabet soup diagnoses that add to the already difficult job of parenting.

Interested parents/guardians should meet at the Concord Branch of the Cabarrus County Public Library, located at 27 Union Street North in Concord, Saturday February 16, at 2 p.m.

The cost is free, and the program is open to the public.

For more information, call the Library at 704-920-2058.

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College admissions professionals offer free tips to parents

Submitted by Joe Hester, Community News Producer

Wednesday, February 13th, 2013, 4:55pm

College admissions professionals offer free tips to parents

Cannon School is helping parents prepare their children for college this week.

Parents of Charlotte-area high school students in grades 9-11 are invited to learn how they can help their child find the college that best fits their child's goals.

Participants can benefit from a panel discussion with Jennifer Hantho from Carleton College and Janice Finney from Florida State University who are presenting an overview of admission trends.

The discussion also addresses the evaluation process for college applicants.

Interested parents should meet in Taylor Hall at Cannon School, located at 5801 Poplar Tent Road in Concord, Wednesday February 13, from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

Admission is free and open to the public.

For more information on the seminar, call 704-721-7199.

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