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SAGINAW, MI — There are 19 candidates running for four open seats on the Saginaw City Council in November, including two incumbents.
The following is one of 19 profiles compiled from candidates' responses to a questionnaire mailed in early September. Visit this page to view all the candidate profiles.
Name: Demond L. Tibbs
Age: 39
Address: 2217
Court, Saginaw
Occupation: Assistant prosecuting attorney for Saginaw County prosecutor's office
Political experience: None
Education: Bachelor's degree, Western Michigan University; juris doctorate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School; master's in administrative science from Saginaw Valley State University (some coursework)
Community service and civic involvement: Director of Saginaw County Bar Assocation, Center for Civil Justice, 20 Books Inc., Fisherman of One. Also involved in Law Day, Ask a Lawyer, Rotary Club, Urban Youth Tennis Foundation
Family: Wife, Kasydra; three children, Khristian, Dominik and Khloee
How important is the city government's role in economic development and what would you change about how the city approaches development efforts?
The city government's role in economic development is very important. I believe short term, medium range, and long term goals should be in place.
For the short term, I believe the city government should do everything it can to change the city's perception that it is difficult to do business within the Saginaw. Two recent examples would be the Bancroft Project and the New E.R.A. Community Group Project.
Bancroft Project is multi-million dollar investment for the city and the project was jeopardized over $10,000 for a parking lot. By proven developers, the Bancroft Building was considered the number one impediment to development in the Downtown area. This project is critical considering there are a number of other similar properties and the proposed demolition. The Bancroft Project should serve as an example that building and renovation projects are welcomed and development won't be hindered by the proverbial "red tape".
The New E.R.A. Community Group Project, another multi-million investment, was unnecessarily delayed because it used a term that some the councilmembers were unfamiliar with. The project is being headed by someone who grew up in Saginaw and owns a construction company in Maryland. The project was supported by well-known and highly respected businesspersons in the community. Yet the some members of the council were haggling over the term used to describe a process that involved community activism that was successfully used in other cities. This approach is short-sighted and gives the impression that it's difficult to do business with Saginaw. At this point, this isn't the impression we want to portray.
I also believed that Saginaw is in a position to take advantage of another booming industry.
I believe if we give our Neighborhood Associations better tools to maintain or increase the standard of living in their communities, public safety wouldn't be as big of issue as it is today. Who is in the better position to develop Neighbor for Families than Neighborhood Associations?
We need stronger ordinances in place to raise the standard of living that currently exist in the city.
In the short to medium term, I believe Saginaw's next booming industry is developing right now and we need to take advantage. In the 19th century, Saginaw took advantage of a national demand for lumber and abundance of white pine trees. In the 20th century, Saginaw took advantage of its proximity to Flint and Detroit and prospered in the manufacturing industry. Now, Saginaw has an opportunity to do the same in the Healthcare Industry.
I believe Central Michigan University, who is establishing its School of Medicine in Saginaw, recognizes Saginaw's location and current assets as positive. CMU is establishing a medical school to respond to an anticipated demand for physicians and other medically related occupations for the state and nation.
It makes sense. Saginaw already has the assets in place — Veterans Medical Center, Covenant Medical Center, St. Mary's, and the Michigan Cardiovascular Institute. The Saginaw-area also has Delta College, Saginaw Valley State University, and Davenport. These are respected educational institutions who have credible programs in the medical field.
Along with a medical school that will serve 480 students by 2018, CMU is bringing to Saginaw relationships with other well recognized hospitals across the state. Isn't reasonable to believe, that Saginaw can be a leader Healthcare field for the State of Michigan? Just like in the 19th century and 20th century, the assets are already here and developing. Currently, Saginaw Township is experiencing similar growth through Saginaw Valley State University with its growth. It can be done.
For the long term, we need to prepare our kids for this emerging field. As a county prosecutor, I see countless requests for plea reductions from individuals who either work in the medical field or who are studying to prepare themselves for the medical field. These individuals know that certain criminal convictions are fatal to their career.
We should work closely the Saginaw Public System to educate our kids about this developing industry and it would be required to participate. Hopefully, this could also serve as deterrent to commit crime and serve as an incentive to stay in the area once they graduate with employable skills.
Admittedly, it's flowery. However, we should not give up and do what we can re-brand Saginaw. We see it all the time. How many times has the State of Michigan re-branded itself over the last twenty years? Overtime, we can re-brand Saginaw from a city with a reputation for at city with a crime problem to a city that is a leader in the Healthcare Industry.
What is your vision for the future of public safety service in Saginaw, and what practical steps would you advocate in making that vision a reality?
I believe I have been to every Neighbor Association meeting, except two, since I became a candidate. I only missed those two because of familial commitments. But, what I learned is that you would be hard press to find individuals who care more about their neighborhoods than members of neighbor associations. Who know s best how to protect their neighborhoods than those who live in the neighborhood?
Neighborhood Associations are leading the fight against crime in their neighborhoods with creative and innovative ideas such their Crime Free Lease Addendum. I believe we should communicate more the Neighborhood Associations and give them stronger ordinances to assist them in their fight against crime and blight.
When speaking with members, they're telling me it's the only a few homes on their block that causes problems. I believe the neighborhood associations can benefit from stronger ordinances similar to Bay City. In Bay City, the city can charge residents or business owners who have at least four nuisance calls to their property a year. Nuisance calls include loud music, barking dog and drunk and disorderly.
As a county prosecutor, I can vouch for what they are saying. When reviewing request for criminal charges, you begin to recognize names and addresses. Often, it is the occupants of the home itself that is making the call. Why should the homes and businesses that are doing the right thing have to pay for the few homes and business that are not? These few homes and businesses are using the police to serve as "bouncers" or "family-dispute mediators". This isn't the proper use for a police force and the majority of homes and business who are doing the right thing shouldn't have to pay for these types of calls.
I believe we should do more to have a more diverse police force. This problem has been address by our leaders before and it was determine that there few candidates available and those candidates are choosing other cities to work.
We can build from the current work and go further. The police department's contract with the city will expire soon. This gives the city an opportunity to be creative in actively recruiting a competent and diverse police force.
Some neighborhoods, like the Covenant Neighborhood, have a high vacancy rate. Maybe we should consider making some of these vacant homes available to entry level police officers who are looking for a place to live. (I believe Covenant Hospital have a similar program with their employees.) This is an opportunity to fill two demands — the city gets a more diverse police force and the neighborhood gets a community police officer. I shared this idea with some current officer and they believe it could help recruit you competent officers to the city.
In short term, outsourcing to the Saginaw County shouldn't be eliminated. Again, I have spoken to several city officers and their not against it. We should keep all options open and keep lines of communication open. It is critical. We don't know how long the Michigan State Police Department will remain in the city and to what degree. We should not become dependent on the Michigan State Police. They are basically on loan and can be withdrawn at any time.
How would you address Saginaw's chronic budget deficits? Please identify specific areas where expenses can be reduced and/or ideas for revenue enhancement.
Since 1980, Saginaw lost about 34 percent of its population. City employees have gone from 1100 to 400. Over this time, there have been significant cuts in public safety and an elimination of a popular Parks and Recreation Department. The city has outsourced its attorney office and accounting functions. We no longer have a rainy day fund. It's tight. We are the only city along I-75 that doesn't have a financial emergency manager.
It important the city put together a "blue ribbon" like panel, which represent a cross section of the city, to select an experience and competent city manager. Politics and any appearance of "the good ole boy" system should be avoided.
It's imperative that we be creative and can find ways to
increase revenue. One way to increase
revenue is to eliminate some of the red tape that currently exist that impede
residents from buying neighboring vacant lots.
While visiting neighborhood association meeting, I am being told that
the process could take months when it should only take days.
We should help our citizens by communicating with the County Land Bank to eliminate such impediments. We should consider selling interested citizens who living next to vacant lot and wants to buy it for a $1. This eliminates any potential upkeep cost and the city would be able to collect property tax from the property.
It's critical that the city be strategic with using the recently awarded grant money when demolishing these homes. I believe it's good that they city created a point system before demolishing blighted property. From what I am being told during my campaign, some of the home that are being torn down should because it wouldn't take much to make them viable. However, the city should also consider contacting residence who would be interested in buying the soon-to-be vacant lot. The city could better utilize $750 that being set aside for upkeep if the neighbor buys the lot and assumes that responsibility.
We also need to put pressure on the government at federal and state level. I believe Michigan ranks close to bottom in receiving funds from the federal level. The $20 million reconstruction project of I-675 has been largest expenditure in this area for quite some time. I don't think Saginaw is getting its fair share compared to other municipalities.
Would you support an amendment to Saginaw's city charter to remove one or both of the caps on property tax collection? Why or why not?
Personally, I would support an amendment to Saginaw's city charter to remove both of the caps on property collect. It may not be a popular considering any attempts since to amend the measure since it has been implemented failed. I understand that most Saginaw citizens don't want to pay a dime to live in the city because they feel it isn't worth it.
However, this is when the city leaders have to roll up their sleeves and lead. I believe if we are able to better explain to Saginaw why the tax cap isn't viable, than it has an opportunity to be amended or eliminated. We are the only municipality in the country that has such a cap. The tax cap alone could lead Saginaw being managed by an emergency financial manager and that manager could possibly eliminated the tax cap by him or herself.
I believed Mayor Branch, in his State of City Address this past January, explained it appropriately. It was an idea that generated out of California that found roots her in Saginaw. The tax cap took into consideration conditions that no longer exist today. Specifically, a real estate market that assumes property value would always increase and revenue sharing from higher levels of government would also exist. Not just Saginaw, but all levels of government learned the hard way that those conditions won't always exist.
Bottom line, we have to do a better in earning the trust of the constituents. We have to be more accessible and more accountable for decisions being made. We can't be scared to sit next to any tax paying citizen and answer tough questions. Maybe then, we can earn their trust.
Why should city residents choose you over the other 18 candidates on the ballot?
I was told by someone who I respect, and someone who is greatly respected in this community, that I should run my campaign just like I would lead. Since, I announced my candidacy, I have attend many city events, neighbor association meetings, had lunch or coffee with concerned citizens, spoke with business leaders, community leaders, small business leaders and neighbors who just want to live in the city because they love the city. I honestly don't know if most of the candidates can say that, because I was there. The charter says that council represents the whole city and not just a specific precinct, ward, or neighborhood. If elected that is what I intend to do.
I am married with three kids. My wife has worked in the Saginaw Public School System for 15 years. What my kids like to do most in ride their bike along Adams Blvd and shoot baskets in the backyard. Just most citizens in Saginaw, I just want a neighbor where I can raise my family.
What is the most important issue facing Saginaw and what solution or solutions to address that issue would you pursue, if elected?
According to the 2010 Census, Saginaw rental population is 26%. Some community leaders and business leaders believe the rental population can be as much as 60% in some areas. Most landlord and most tenants are doing the right things. However, there is good percentage that isn't.
I believe that there needs to be an honest conversation between landlords, tenants, and city leaders to see if enough is being done to legislate a growing segment of the city's population. If not, I believe the city should consider adopting ordinances similar to East Lansing. Some East Lansing neighborhoods were turning into college campus rather than neighborhoods for families. In response, East Lansing put in place ordinances that if there are so many complaints coming rental property, the landlord could lose their license to rent property in the city. If something isn't done about the growing population of our community, we could continue to lose citizens.


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Bar none best fridge for the money
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Comments about Liebherr Counter Depth Stainless Steel 30" Bottom-Freezer Refrigerator:
Love this fridge, I am a designer and recommend appliances all the time. This is by far the MFG of fridges I love the most. Efficient on space and high on style. Worth the investment, and still less than a sub zero.
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"Black & Gunmetal Slinkybeads"
Description from Harriet aka BeadVizChick: All black and gunmetal beads give this pick a sophisticated look - great with that slinky black sequined dress!
- "There was an old with": on
"Beautiful pick and poem for your Grandbaby! She would always remember Grandma for this.…" read »
- "Black Cat's Prowl": on
"Nice pick for Halloween! The black cat adds cute charm.…" read »
- "Halloween Colors": on
"This whole pick is a classy Halloween pick! I for one am not a person…" read »
- "Time to Trick or.....": on
"I love your title, your story, and most important the pick inspired by it! Great…" read »
- "Sauron, Eye of Mordor": on
"Great symbolic elements used here…" read »
- "Halloween Colors": on
"Love the antique gold in this mix, gives it a classy feel…" read »
- "Mystic Sea Monster": on
"Congrats!…" read »
- "Mystic Sea Monster": on
"Definitely a favorite!! Congratulations on your POD!!…" read »
- "The Goblin King": on
"Ooh, great movie and representation!…" read »
- "Cold as the Grave": on
"Gave me the shivers! Lovely pick.…" read »
- "the bat": on
"Thank you for looking! If you like it, would you please flag it? Do you know…" read »
- "Mystic Sea Monster": on
"Great pick! Congratulations!…" read »
- "Mystic Sea Monster": on
"Gorgeous-congrats on POD!…" read »
- "Mystic Sea Monster": on
"Perfectly lovely. Congrats on POD.…" read »
- "The Killing House": on
"Yes, this is purely fiction! I took an miniscule idea to a movie I was…" read »
- "Sauron, Eye of Mordor": on
"Great pick for Tolkien!…" read »
- "The Great Pumpkin": on
"Beautiful pick to go with The Great Pumpkin program. That is such a cute program.…" read »
- "November Night": on
"Lovely November night!…" read »
- "The moon": on
"Wonderful pick to create a night to go with Stevenson's poem. I really like the…" read »
- "The Killing House": on
"Call me Chicken Two and I am with Moogie - you just made all of that…" read »
- "Mystic Sea Monster": on
"Missed this the first time around! Congrats, Pam! I have those rainbow metallic beads and have…" read »
- "the bat": on
"Breanna, this is a wonderful pick! I agree bats are helpful to help reduce our…" read »
- "whooooo is there?": on
"A wonderful collection of magnificent owls.…" read »
- "Cold as the Grave": on
"OOO! That little touch of blue, really gives this that icy COLD feel. Chillingly beautiful!…" read »
- "Cold as the Grave": on
"Yeeks!…" read »
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"I love it! Can't go wrong with LOTR!…" read »
- "The moon": on
"Excellent pick and the poem is perfect!…" read »
- "The moon": on
"I did not make this poem. It is by Robert Louis Stevenson. I hope you like…" read »
- "Blue Jeans, Oxblood Boots.": on
"Oh, Yum! Love your picks...gave me an immediate idea for a necklace Fav for sure!…" read »
- "Shades of Green": on
"I could take this puppy home and adopt it. It's really beautiful, and would be so…" read »
- "scattered wishes": on
"I love peach moonstone, and this really brings out its beauty. HFAPOD!…" read »
- "sunshine and shadow": on
"I love the softness here. I especially like the sky eye jasper!…" read »
- "Midnight and starlight": on
"Great selection for a dark piece with flashes of mysterious metals!…" read »
- "The Killing House": on
"Perfect pick for your spooky tale! Call me chicken, but I'll pass on taking the dare.…" read »
- "Mystic Sea Monster": on
"Nom nom nom! Great luscious POD❤…" read »
- "Cold as the Grave": on
"This is a pick that looks cold as a grave must feel. It is pretty…" read »
- "The Killing House": on
"Oh baby, that's a great story. Make believe, right? Just pretend? All your imagination? Heh heh…" read »
|15" strand
|½ strand (loose)
|2.5" tube
Measurements: 1.4mm hole/15 gauge
|25 beads
|16" strand
|½ strand (loose)
|16" strand
|50 beads
Read the comments (or add your own)
Love this black combo!
Lovely Pick!
I really like this collection of beads here, Harriet! It would make a great bracelet/necklace.
Nice one!
Very elegant pick!
I agree this is so elegant! It would look great with that little red or pink dress too!
Great combination!!
very unique!
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Pic Special: Blackburn v Newcastle
The scoreline may have been 0-0, but that doesn't tell the full story of Newcastle's game against Blackburn at Ewood Park.
The Magpies dominated possession and controlled the game, carving out a number of half-chances and seeing Peter Lovenkrands hit the bar in the first half and Fabricio Coloccini denied by Paul Robinson in the second.
A picture tells a thousand words, they say, so take a look through Ian Horrocks' photographs from an afternoon where Newcastle were supported by amost 5,000 travelling members of the Toon Army.


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Municipality didnŌĆÖt even tell its board representatives
The executive director of the Cumberland Regioanl Development Authority said she was surprised to learn of a letter from the county asking for her and the board to be suspended while a forensic audit is completed.
AMHERST ŌĆō The executive director of the Cumberland Regional Development Authority said she was surprised to learn of a letter from the Municipality of Cumberland seeking her suspension and that of the board.
ŌĆ£The CRDA was not aware of the letter forwarded from the municipality to the minister of economic and rural development and tourism,ŌĆØ Rhonda Kelly said in a statement on Friday. ŌĆ£This is somewhat disconcerting given that each of the municipal units in Cumberland County has appointed representatives to the CRDA board of directors. It is our understanding that the representatives from the Municipality of the County of Cumberland were also not contacted respecting this correspondence.ŌĆØ
KellyŌĆÖs comments came a day after the county released a letter it sent the minister in August asking him to suspend Kelly and the board and to secure the CRDA office and any documents located offsite.
The CRDA board held its annual meeting last Wednesday and stressed itŌĆÖs pleased with its accomplishments over the past year and the independent audit that was conducted by Jorgensen and Bickerton Inc.
ŌĆ£That audit included all projects dating back to 2007-08 as well as the 2011-12 core activities and it clearly indicated no evidence of missing funds,ŌĆØ Kelly said in the statement. ŌĆ£The audit report is issued to all core funding partners of the CRDA, including the Municipality of the County of Cumberland and is intended to address any outstanding questions.ŌĆØ
New CRDA board chair Irene Albertson said the authority has long been a leader in economic development in the province.
ŌĆ£We believe, along with our federal, provincial and municipal partners that the board and citizen engagement is paramount to successful regional growth and development and has been demonstrated during the past 17 years of CRDAŌĆÖs operation,ŌĆØ Albertson said. ŌĆ£This has been possible through the leadership of the CEO along with CRDA staff. The board supports this leadership.ŌĆØ
CRDA vice-chair and Springhill Mayor Allen Dill reaffirmed the need for community volunteer involvement and full municipal collaboration.
ŌĆ£Municipal appointments to the CRDA board enable a strong municipal voice and we believe in their role in representing municipal perspective,ŌĆØ Dill said. He said the board is comprised of representatives from each of the countyŌĆÖs five municipalities ŌĆō one elected and two community members at large.
ŌĆ£The CRDA is committed to good governance and public transparency as evidenced in the ongoing implementation of the human resources strategic plan which includes the recent hiring of Leigh Ann Hyndman as director of corporate services,ŌĆØ Albertson said.
Kelly said the organization intends to continue to follow the dictates of its legislation and will work collaboratively with the province through the examination process. She said CRDA has consistently exceeded expectations through the performance-based funding criteria of regional development authorities. CRDA, she said, is proud of its accomplishments and track record.


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Central New York musician Michael Weiss sends along word of a benefit show May 15 at McNamara's in Camillus.
It'll be a special night for the members of southern rock band Full Tilt, which will reunite to headline, as well as Joanne Perry and the Unstoppables, which will play an acoustic set, and Joe Henson's three-piece honky-tonk country swing band, Jodogs. Also on the lineup are Hank Smith and the Camillus Riffraff and acoustic rocker Weiss.
The event will raise money for a friends of the musicians, Gretta Schermerhorn-Jengo. Smith, Mark Balestra and Camillus Riffraff were classmates of Schermerhorn-Jengo in the West Genesee High class of 1984.
"She used to sing quite often with all of us at open mikes and gigs around the area," Weiss says. "Strong voice, fond of covering 'Bobby McGee.' ''
Schermerhorn-Jengo is a single mother of three who was injured in December in a car accident. She's on the long road to recovery from life-threatening head injuries.
The event runs from noon to 7 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the pub, 5600 Newport Road, Camillus.
The event, which is named the Jengo Jam Benefit, includes a buffet dinner. Organizers are lining up a great list of prizes for a silent raffle, including an HP laptop, a guided-tour fishing trip on Oneida Lake and lots more goods and services.
Admission is $20. There will be a 50-50 raffle, and T-shirts marking the occasion will be $10. Cash donations would be gladly accepted. Admission tickets and 50-50 tickets are available in advance at the Village Tavern in Marcellus, the Enchanted Bazaar off Clinton Square in Syracuse and Steve's on Tipp Hill.
It's a 21 and over event.
Here's a clip of Full Tilt at its 30th anniversary show in 2009.


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With the special Birmingham mayor's election coming up on Tuesday, The editorial board of The Birmingham News weighs in on Sunday with a recommendation. You may agree with our reasoning, and you may not. That's OK. We're not telling you who to vote for; we're telling you who we support, who we believe is best qualified to be the next mayor.
We don't pick a candidate because we think the candidate will win. We pick the candidate we believe has the personality, talent, intelligence and desire to be the best mayor. But it is our opinion, and we know people will disagree with us, and they will have their own good reasons.
That's OK, too. What's important before voters head to the polls on Tuesday is that they study the candidates, decide who they like and why, then make sure no matter what, they cast their ballot. The voter turnout in recent city elections has been terrible. The best way to get the strong, progressive leadership Birmingham needs is for the voter turnout to be substantial.
Check Sunday's paper to see who we recommend, but don't stop there. Check out the candidates yourself. Do a bit of research on your own. And get out there and vote on Tuesday.
What do you think?


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GREENFIELD – It will be at least another 10 days until Doug Wight bites into a piece of toast or a stalk of celery, but all in all he says he's doing fine.
Wight, 70, was originally scheduled to wrap up his 30-day hunger strike on Greenfield Common Tuesday, but now he wants to keep going until Aug. 9. That's 10 more days of juice, water, coffee and broth.
"I definitely feel weaker," he said Tuesday, as he sat behind a table that supported a cell phone, his reading glasses, envelopes addressed to local legislators and a container of now-cold coffee. "I've lost 25 pounds."
Wight is doing all this to raise consciousness about global warming, an issue he feels is crucial to the planet's survival. With ice at the north and south poles melting fast, he said, there is no time to waste.
"America needs to wake up now and stop global warming," Wight insisted.
His fast has lasted through frightening thunder storms and 100-degree heat. Wight is at his spot near the corner of Main and Federal streets at 6 a.m. and stays usually until 8 at night.
Behind him is another table with a stack of cardboard pieces on which he plans to put messages about global warming people that have given him to convey.
If all goes according to plan, Wight will hold a "culminating event" on Aug. 25 with signs and fellow activists that he predicts will be the biggest global warming demonstration in the history of Western Massachusetts.
"This is drawing momentum in leaps and bounds," he said.
A New Jersey native, Wight is a self-styled "Viking" who has traveled with his dog to 48 states. Sometimes, he said, he would stop and take a job teaching or coaching. Wight has competed in three marathons and claims to have logged enough miles running to circumvent the Earth.
Wight's pickup truck is often parked at a meter in front of the common. Painted across it is www.ethicalwarrioractivists.org. The website has a photo of Wight in front of the White House under the label "26 year international fraud" and above the sentence, "I'm a legend in my own mind!" There are links to several blog posts, the most recent from February.
The pickup also sports a John Lennon "Give Peace a Chance" bumper sticker.
He said the meter readers give him a break on the truck, but police have come down on him for his display. Wight has been fined $200 for littering and another $25 for wrapping a banner around his truck without a permit, he said.
Despite his fast, Wight looks fit, though his face is splotchy and he habitually tugs at his mustache. Passers-by often stop to chat or encourage him or impart advice. One woman warned, "When you end your fast, you're not to eat too much."
Wight figures he has talked to more than 500 people during the fast.
"We need to make this thing go national," he said.


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More than 250 cars from around the country are at Talladega Short Track with more expected for this weekend's 21st annual Ice Bowl.
The two days of racing starting today at the one-third mile dirt track near Talladega Superspeedway are one of the biggest dirt track events of the year in Alabama.
Last year's winner of the super late model main event, World of Outlaws veteran Shane Clanton, isn't expected to compete this weekend but 49 other super late model teams were at the track on Friday with more expected today when qualifying begins.
Last year's runner-up, Dillon Crim of Eastaboga, will be competing.
The Ice Bowl features qualifying, heat races, consys and feature events over today and Sunday.
Gates opened at 7 a.m. today with racing starting at 9:30 a.m. Today's schedule includes super late model qualifying, heat and consy races and feature races in bomber, mini stock and street stock divisions. Racing begins at 11 a.m.
On Sunday gates open at 8 a.m. with a church service at 9:45 and a driver autograph session at 10:30. racing starts at noon with the super late model main event, followed by open-wheel modified, crate late models and limited late models.
Pit passes are $25 for today and $30 for Sunday. Grandstand admission is $20 each day. Children nine and under are admitted free.


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BELMAR — The pristine new boardwalk that runs along Ocean Avenue in Belmar was dotted with joggers and beach cruisers this afternoon, despite the chilly air and gray skies.
Lifeguards wrapped in hoodies and sweatpants sat watch on their stand, though the only people foolhardy enough to go near the water were surfers in wetsuits. The beach was otherwise empty, save for the occasional green tractor cruising through the sand, still preparing for the summer season most hoped would begin today.
Across the street, customers filed in and out of 3 Brothers, holding tight to their enormous pizza slices as winds gusted strongly enough to shake the cars parked out front.
"This is one of our biggest weekends. People are still out, as you can see," manager Jeremy Hunt said as he peered outside at the miserable holiday conditions. "Unfortunately, this is what happens when your business depends on the weather."
Still, by 3 p.m. a line of prospective partiers trailed out the front entrance of D'Jais — a landmark bar along the same stretch of Ocean Avenue — and snaked its way down the block. The sign outside read: "IT RAINS, WE POUR. HAPPY HOUR TIL 8."
"People are just finding out in the past week or so that we're open," Hunt said, crediting that to Gov. Chris Christie's high-profile ribbon cutting ceremony here Wednesday to celebrate the completion of the $8 million, 1.3-mile boardwalk, which replaced the one destroyed during Hurricane Sandy.
"Our plan is to have fun, have the music going, keep everyone happy," Hunt said. "What better place can you work than here at the Shore?
A family riding by on longboards stopped at the corner of 17th Avenue and Ocean Avenue, pausing for a moment outside Mike's Pizza.
"Hey, Mike's is open," a boy said.
"Hey, the sun is coming out!" a young girl responded excitedly, as light pierced the clouds for the first time all day.


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A month ago Dr. Greg Barsh spit into a tube and shipped it to a company to test his DNA.
Barsh, a genetics investigator at the HudsonAlpha Institute in Huntsville, doesn't think he'll learn much that will significantly alter his risk of developing or contracting one of the many diseases the company says it checks for. In fact, Barsh said, such broad-in-scope genetics tests aren't much better at predicting risk for disease than knowing a good medical history of your family.
But it was interest in family that led Barsh to order a DNA test kit online. "I'm curious about my ancestry," he said.
Getting your DNA tested has increasingly become popular for fun and health since a project to map the entire DNA makeup of the body was completed in 2003. But it comes with potential pitfalls if you don't know how to interpret and use those results, genetics experts said.
Dozens of online companies now offer DNA test kits that can be mailed back to labs with a swab or some spit.
Companies advertise that their tests look for ancestry or the probability of developing certain traits -- including earwax type, the probability of male pattern baldness or whether you're prone to get flushed when you drink alcohol.
Some ancestry DNA tests allow you to compare results to find relatives or find out where -- such as southern Europe or western Africa -- your ancestors came from.
"Some people refer to it as cocktail genetics," something you talk to others about over cocktails at a party, said Lynn Holt, director and assistant professor at the UAB School of Healthy Professions' genetic counseling program.
On a more serious level, the companies say the tests can look at the risk for disease, including heart attacks, cancers and kidney disease; whether your body would likely respond to certain drugs, or whether you are a carrier of certain diseases you could pass on to your child.
In recent months, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun moving to better regulate the labs offering at-home tests after questions arose over testing accuracy and lack of oversight.
In May, Walgreens abandoned its plans to offer one company's DNA test kits after the FDA said the kit the testing company was offering should be considered a medical device and needed the agency's approval. Last month the FDA also held a two-day public hearing to look at proposals for regulating the tests developed by the labs.
Diagnostic DNA tests are playing a bigger role for doctors and patients in deciding how to manage disease, the FDA wrote. "As a result, LDTs (laboratory developed tests) that have not been properly validated for their intended use put patients at risk. Risks include risk of missed diagnosis, wrong diagnosis and failure to receive appropriate treatment."
[More on family medical history research.]
"It's kind of buyer beware," said Dr. Nathaniel H. Robin, professor of genetics and pediatrics at UAB.
Robin said the biggest concern he has is when there is a negative result on a test for a health risk that might give the person a false sense of security. That's because the at-home tests don't screen for all possibilities, he said.
According to the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control, at-home genetic tests aren't a suitable substitute for a traditional health care evaluation. Medical exams that include conventional laboratory tests like blood chemistry and lipid profiles are a more appropriate starting point for diagnosing diseases and assessing preventive measures.
But if you are considering using an at-home genetic test:
>> Talk to your doctor or health care practitioner about whether it might provide useful information about your health, and if so, which test would be best. Make sure you understand the benefits and limits of any test before you buy it -- or take it.
>> Ask your doctor or a genetic counselor to help you understand your test results. Most companies that sell at-home genetic tests do not interpret the results.
>> Discuss the results of your test with your doctor or health care practitioner before making dietary or other health-related decisions. Genetic test results can be complex and serious. You don't want to make any decisions based on incomplete, inaccurate or misunderstood information.
>> Protect your privacy. At-home test companies may post patient test results online. If the website is not secure, your information may be seen by others. Before you do business with any company online, check the privacy policy to see how they may use your personal information and whether they share customer information with marketers.
>> While most other home-use medical tests undergo FDA review to provide a reasonable assurance of their safety and effectiveness, no at-home genetic tests have been reviewed by the FDA, and the FDA has not evaluated the accuracy of their claims.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
For example, if you are looking at the risk for cystic fibrosis, most at-home tests look for 32 common mutations, Robin said. But there are about 1,500 markers or potential mutations for that disease, he said.
Among the concerns geneticists have with personal DNA testing for health conditions is the ability of patients to understand the results and how to use them. They're also concerned that when people get a result that scares them or they don't understand, their own physicians might not be able to communicate the meaning of the results.
Holt said the program's four genetics counselors meet with patients who, working with their doctors, get DNA testing for specific treatments. Those four are the only ones who do that in Alabama and are among 3,000 throughout the nation, Holt said.
Many home testing companies offer counseling over the phone or Internet. But it's not the same as being able to spend a long time with a person who can clearly see whether you understand, Holt and Robin said.
UAB is beginning a master's degree program in genetics counseling this fall.
Holt said she has concerns about privacy with online DNA testing. If you order a DNA test through a health professional, then federal health privacy laws apply and the DNA information could not be shared, but with online companies that may not be the case, she said.
Barsh said researchers at the institute are enthusiastic about the potential of current and future advances in genetics research to inform people about their health, health risks and what can be done. He said he believes in five to 10 years the public at large will be able to get DNA tests not only for the most common diseases but also rare diseases. It will be cheap, accessible and widely used, and more of a partnership with health care providers, Barsh said.
"I don't see any gross ethical problems with providing a service that allows people to learn a lot about what's in their DNA. ... It has the potential to educate and empower the public," he said.
DNA tests ordered online and not through your doctor can be costly -- from around $300 to $1,000.
"It's not something you can file on your insurance," Holt said.
Not until one of the companies -- promoted as reputable in the media -- ran a $100 special did Barsh break down and order a test kit to check his ancestry. "I'm interested in my ancestry because I've spent an entire career studying how genes work and how genes are inherited," he said.
Join the conversation by clicking to comment or e-mail Faulk at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- With A-Day just one day away, the following offensive capsules ran in Friday's editions of The Birmingham News, The Huntsville Times and the (Mobile) Press-Register.
The vet: Having evolved from a caretaker to a playmaker, AJ McCarron comes into the season as a third-year starter and a Heisman Trophy candidate. He led the nation in passing efficiency last season as he completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 2,933 yards and a school-record 30 touchdowns, and he had only three passes intercepted. But his most impressive stat: Two consecutive national championships. Since the 1950s, only three others have done that: Nebraska's Jerry Tagge (1970-71), Oklahoma's Steve Davis (1974-75) and Nebraska's Tommie Frazier (1994-95). No quarterback has won three national titles.
Call for backup: Blake Sims and Phillip Ely backed up McCarron in 2012, and they're back, but redshirt freshman Alec Morris is in the thick of competition. Sims might have the edge now, and he gives the offense a different dimension with his running ability, but Morris is the one to watch.
Who's out, who's in: Nobody departed. Three freshmen arrived as early enrollees: heralded Cooper Bateman, unheralded Parker McLeod and walk-on Luke Del Rio. The competition for 2014 starter has begun.
Notable: A true freshman quarterback has never played during coach Nick Saban's tenure at Alabama.
Running back
The vet: T.J. Yeldon dazzled as a freshman and will give the Crimson Tide two Heisman Trophy candidates this fall. Showing a rare blend of power and elusiveness, he set an Alabama freshman record with 1,108 yards rushing last season. He combined with junior Eddie Lacy to give the Tide two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season for the first time. Yeldon became the first true freshman to run for 100 or more yards in his debut when he gained 111 yards rushing in a 41-14 victory over Michigan. He scored 12 touchdowns rushing and one receiving. That one was a game-winning 28-yarder on a screen pass in the last minute at LSU. His season highs were 25 carries and 153 yards in a 32-28 victory over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.
Call for backup: Jalston Fowler and Dee Hart are coming off knee injuries but should contribute in the fall. Kenyan Drake averaged 6.7 yards per carry – better than Lacy (6.5) and Yeldon (6.3) – on 42 carries and scored five touchdowns. But four freshmen will compete for playing time.
Who's out, who's in: Lacy (1,322 yards) is skipping his senior season and might be a first-round pick next week in the NFL draft. Heralded early enrollee Derrick Henry broke a leg and tore ankle ligaments in the Tide's second spring scrimmage but is expected to recover in time for preseason camp. Three other prized freshmen will enter the competition in August: Tyren Jones, Alvin Kamara and Altee Tenpenny.
Notable: Alabama's running backs combined to lose only 77 yards in 2012. That's an average of 5.5 per game.
Wide receiver
The vet: Maybe there should be three Heisman Trophy candidates at Alabama. As a freshman last season, Amari Cooper set Alabama freshman records with 59 catches, 1,000 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches. In two scrimmages this spring, he compiled nine catches for 228 yards and five touchdowns. Cooper broke records that Julio Jones set in 2008. Their skill sets differ, but Cooper should elicit just as much attention from opposing defenses in 2013. It's worth noting that Jones and Georgia's A.J. Green saw their numbers dip as sophomores after breakout freshman seasons. Alabama's opponents have the entire offseason to study Cooper's moves. It's up to him to stay a step ahead.
Call for backup: Four Alabama receivers are coming off injuries. Kevin Norwood (toe) has been out all spring. Kenny Bell missed the last two games with a broken leg. DeAndrew White is recovering from knee surgery. Chris Black missed his freshman season with a shoulder injury. The first three are proven talents who will be valuable in the fall, but Black could surge ahead of them. He was highly touted coming out of high school and shined as an early enrollee last spring. He might be the reason why Cyrus Jones has been moved from slot receiver to cornerback and Christion Jones has split time this spring between those two positions.
Who's out, who's in: All of Alabama's 2012 wide receivers were expected to return this season, but two players who were redshirt freshmen last season are gone. Marvin Shinn is looking to transfer; Danny Woodson Jr. is suspended. Two freshmen will join the mix in August: highly touted Robert Foster and ArDarius Stewart, an "athlete" who is likely to start out as a slot receiver.
Notable: Even if you exclude the six touchdown passes AJ McCarron threw to running backs and tight ends in 2012, he still would have broken Alabama's single-season record with the 24 he threw to his wide receivers.
Tight end/H-back
The vet: Brian Vogler leads this unit in experience, but that isn't saying much. He had two catches for 21 yards last season as a backup for the departed Michael Williams, a three-year starter. Vogler seems more out of the mold of Colin Peek, the Tide's starting tight end in 2009, than Williams, who essentially was a pass-eligible offensive tackle. Peek could block and catch. Vogler's blocking earned him a spot in goal-line situations last season.
Call for backup: Like Vogler, Harrison Jones has been around since 2010 waiting for an opportunity. He's a contender for playing time both at tight end and H-back. Malcolm Faciane didn't play much last season as a redshirt freshman but seems to be making a move in spring practice. Kurt Freitag was redshirted as a freshman last season and could be a backup this fall.
Who's out, who's in: Williams caught 24 passes for 183 yards and four touchdowns last season but, as noted, was more valuable as a solid blocker. Walk-on Kelly Johnson was a surprise starter as a senior H-back last season. The newcomer might have been the biggest name in Alabama's blockbuster 2013 signing class. O.J. Howard is an early enrollee with five-star credentials. His ability as a receiver could transform the tight end position at Alabama, but the 6-foot6, 237-pound product of Autauga Academy in Prattville might start his college career at H-back.
Notable: Three of Williams' four touchdown catches in 2012 came from 2 yards or less.
Offensive line
The vet: Anthony Steen was overshadowed by some pretty good teammates last season. Two will be first-round NFL draft choices next week; the third seemed to win every big award except the Heisman Trophy. And yet nobody on Alabama's stout offensive line except Steen could claim that they gave up no sacks and/or committed no penalties in 2012. Now it's Steen's time to shine as a third-year starter. The fifth-year senior remains at right guard. His teammates call him "Steen Roller." Left tackle Cyrus Kouandjio is the only other returning starter. Steen is the strong, silent type, but he seems to understand that more is expected out of him this season as a leader. He still might be overshadowed. At this time next year, Kouandjio could be billed as one of the NFL's top first-round prospects if he chooses to skip his senior year.
Call for backup: Center Ryan Kelly, right tackle Austin Shepherd and left guard Arie Kouandjio were backups last season, and they are winning battles to start this spring. Junior college transfer Leon Brown is pushing Shepherd. Kellen Williams is a fifth-year senior who could be the backup at center and guard, if he doesn't beat out Cyrus Kouandjio's older brother. Chad Lindsay, a fourth-year junior, probably will see action when the second-team line relieves the starters. Other spots are up for grabs.
Who's out, who's in: Left guard Chance Warmack, right tackle D.J. Fluker and center Barrett Jones were three of the "Five Horses" on what was considered the best offensive line in school history and the best line in college football last season. Alabama's loss is the NFL's gain. Warmack and Fluker are projected to go in the first round. Jones won the Outland Trophy two years ago and the Rimington Trophy as the nation's best center last season. Newcomers, besides Brown include early enrollee Brandon Hill, a 385-pound tackle. Blue-chip guard Grant Hill will arrive this summer and might be too good to redshirt.
Notable: The most recent time Alabama replaced three starters in its offensive line was 2009. It went undefeated and won the national championship.


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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A Holland man is accused in a $1.5 million Internet scheme that targeted family, friends and others, federal authorities said.
Jeff Curtis Folkert is named in a 13-count mail-fraud incident filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.
He ran a small business, iStorm Solutions in Hamilton, and falsely represented that he was earning substantial revenue from Google Inc. when Internet users clicked on advertisements, the government said.
He allegedly reported significant dividends for investors, but actually put investors' money into his own bank account. He also transferred investors' money to an account outside of the U.S., bought vehicles and covered withdrawals by investors, the government said.
Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and $250,000 in fines.
"Financial fraud occurs in many forms, including 'Ponzi' and pyramid schemes, investment fraud, theft of government property and assets, identity theft, and mortgage fraud," U.S. Attorney Donald Davis said in a statement.
"Our prosecutors work tirelessly with federal, state, tribal and local enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute those fraudulent schemes, and recover proceeds of those crimes for victims."
He said anyone who has been victimized can call his office at 616-456-2404, or go to the U.S. Attorney's website.
The indictment said Folkert leased an office in Hamilton, and in 2005, "began touting a new idea for making money for Internet advertising in conjunction with the creation of Internet websites. Folkert's idea was to place Google advertisements on websites controlled by iStorm that would generate regular revenue for iStorm," Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher O'Connor wrote in the indictment.
He said that Folkert earned little from his idea, so he "executed a scheme to defraud investors" through Google advertisements. He called it a "no-risk" investment, the government said.
"Folkert used the vast majority of investors' funds to pay for his personal expenses and a personal assistant, to transfer money to foreign accounts located outside the United States, to purchase new vehicles, make bogus 'dividend' payments to investors, and to cover withdrawals requested by investors," O'Connor wrote.
He said Folkert spent most of the money, but continued to mail monthly account statements to show investors' money was growing, he said.
In 2007, he told investors they would not receive their April dividend. After stringing investors along for months, he told them the investments were lost, and his company would shut down, the government said.
State police and the FBI investigated the case.
E-mail John Agar: firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/grpressagar


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Soundgarden Book Club Dates, TV Shows to Support 'King Animal'
Share the post "Soundgarden Book Club Dates, TV Shows to Support 'King Animal'"
Soundgarden have booked three North American tour dates in support of the release of 'King Animal'
Soundgarden's first album in 15 years, "King Animal," drops in less than two weeks, and to prep for the big showing, the grunge guys have booked three intimate North American shows later this month. Chris Cornell and company will play Irving Plaza in New York City on Nov. 13, The Phoenix in Toronto on Nov. 16 and The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on Nov. 27. Chances are these are warm-up dates for a much bigger trek next year in support of the album.
Takers who pre-order King Animal before 11:59 p.m. PT on Nov. 7 will have a chance to purchase tickets to the show with a password that allows access to a ticket pre-sale for the gigs that will happens starting Nov. 8 at 12 p.m. local venue time. The general public will be able to purchase tickets starting at 10 a.m. local venue time on Nov. 9.
For those who aren't ready to trek out to those cities to see Soundgarden are in luck, as the band has also booked some TV and web appearances. Soundgarden will participate in the CBS Interactive webcast series Live on Letterman, which is scheduled to stream live on Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.com and VEVO.com. The band's new album, "King Animal," drops the next day. The band will also bring their musical talents to the "Late Show with David Letterman" that night. Finally, look for the guys to perform a set on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Nov. 26.
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Clinical course and outcome of patients enrolled in US and non-US centres in MADIT-CRT
Aims We aimed to evaluate within the MADIT-CRT database whether different enrollment characteristics between US and non-US centres affected the clinical course of study patients.
Methods and results We evaluated differences in baseline characteristics, procedure-associated complications, clinical as well as echocardiographic response to cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT-D), between patients enrolled in 87 US centres (n = 1271) and 23 non-US centres (n = 549) in MADIT-CRT. Non-US patients displayed significant differences in baseline characteristics from US patients, including a higher frequency of left bundle branch block, a more advanced heart failure (HF) functional class >3 months prior to enrolment, and larger baseline cardiac volumes. Procedure-related complications occurred at a significantly higher frequency among patients enrolled in non-US centres (17%) than among those enrolled in US centres (10%; P < 0.001). During follow-up, CRT-D was associated with 42% (P = 0.003) and 38% (P < 0.001) reductions in the risk of HF or death in the two respective groups (P for the difference = 0.80), and with similar reductions in cardiac volumes (all P > 0.10). Subgroup analysis showed a more pronounced effect of CRT-D among women in the US group, including a significant 71% (P = 0.02) reduction in the risk of death, whereas CRT-D therapy was associated with a significant clinical benefit in men only in the non-US group.
Conclusion Patients enrolled in US and non-US centres in MADIT-CRT displayed significant differences in baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics and in the frequency of procedure-related complications, but experienced an overall similar clinical and echocardiographic response to CRT-D.
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy
- Heart failure
- Death
- Complications
Randomized clinical trials have shown significant morbidity and mortality benefits with cardiac resynchronization therapy with or without a defibrillator (CRT-D/CRT) in patients with advanced heart failure (HF), leading to a class I indication for implantation in both American and European guidelines.1,2 Subsequently, the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (MADIT-CRT) was carried out to explore the possible clinical implication of prior observations, suggesting that CRT might delay disease progression in HF patients with less severe symptoms, supposedly via the left ventricular reverse remodelling process.3–6 The study showed a significant 34% reduction in the risk of HF or death with CRT-D as compared with ICD-only therapy during a mean follow-up of 2.4 years.7 The MADIT-CRT population comprised 1820 patients, of whom 1271 were enrolled in the USA (70%) and 549 outside the USA (30%). In the present study, we aimed to evaluate within the MADIT-CRT database whether clinical differences between the US and non-US countries at the time of enrollment affected the clinical and echocardiographic outcome of the MADIT-CRT population.
The design and primary results of MADIT-CRT were recently published.7 Briefly, the study patients were randomly assigned in a 3:2 ratio to either CRT-D or ICD-only. Patients of either sex aged at least 21 years were enrolled if they had ischaemic (NYHA class I or II) or non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NYHA class II only), sinus rhythm, a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≤30%, and a QRS duration of >130 ms. From 22 December 2004 to 23 April 2008, a total of 1820 patients were enrolled, 1271 in the USA and 549 outside the USA (non-US centres). After an average follow-up of 2.4 years, CRT-D was associated with a significant 34% (P < 0.001) reduction in the risk of the primary endpoint of the study, comprising death or a non-fatal HF event.
The present study comprises all 1820 MADIT-CRT participants who were followed up through 31 December 2009.
The protocol was approved by the institutional review board at each participating organization, and each patient provided written informed consent before enrollment.
Echocardiographic studies
Echocardiograms were obtained prior to device implantation (n = 1809), and at 1 year (n = 626 in the ICD-only group; n = 752 in the CRT-D group). Paired echocardiograms from baseline and at 12 months with the CRT-D device turned on were evaluated in 1372 patients.
Echocardiograms were sent to a core laboratory at Brigham and Women's Hospital where they were screened for quality and for left ventricular, right ventricular, and left atrial measurements. Echocardiographic parameters were measured according to established American Society of Echocardiography protocols.8 Reproducibility of the primary volumetric measures was assessed by having the primary observer re-analyse 101 random studies. The coefficient of variation for end-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, and ejection fraction were 5.2, 6.2, and 5.5%, respectively.
Centre location
From the 110 participating hospital centres, 1271 patients were enrolled in the USA, 527 in Europe and Israel, and 22 in Canada. For the primary analyses in the present study, centre location was categorized as US centres [comprising all 87 enrolling centres in the USA (n = 1271)] and non-US centres [comprising the 21 European/ Israel, and two Canadian enrolling centres (n = 549)]. It should be noted that the number US and non-US centres reported in the present study is different from the original publication (88 and 22, respectively)7 due to an error in the latter report. For sensitivity analyses that compared the outcome of patients enrolled in US vs. European/Israel centres, the 22 patients who were enrolled in Canada were omitted.
Procedure-related complications
Complications related to implantation were assessed from standardized detailed questionnaires. Complications were defined as procedure-related if they occurred within 90 days of implantation. These events were further categorized by: (i) the type of device that was implanted (CRT-D or ICD-only) and (ii) the severity of complications, which was pre-specified as major or minor complications.
Echocardiographic response
The primary outcome for the assessment of echocardiographic response was defined as per cent reduction in chamber volumes (including left ventricular end-diastolic and -systolic volumes and left atrial volume) and percent increase in LVEF 1 year after enrollment compared with baseline values.
Clinical response
The primary outcome measure for the assessment of clinical response was defined as a first occurrence of a non-fatal HF event or death, whichever came first, during follow-up. The separate occurrences of non-fatal HF events and all-cause mortality were also assessed as secondary endpoints.
Statistical analysis
The chi-square test was used for the comparison of categorical variables, and the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous variables [assessed as mean (±SD) after identifying a normal distribution for each continuous measure]. Best subset logistic regression analysis was used to identify candidate variables (listed in Table 1) associated with risk for procedure-related complications. Kaplan–Meier estimates for HF or all-cause mortality in each treatment group, stratified according to centre location, were determined and statistically compared with the log-rank test. The Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to evaluate the independent contribution of baseline clinical factors to the development of the endpoint. All models included the following pre-specified covariates: treatment arm, age >65 years, gender, ischaemic status, QRS >150 ms, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) >25 mg/dL, LVEF <25%, left bundle branch block (LBBB), the presence of advanced HF class (NYHA class III/IV) >3 months prior to enrollment, the occurrence of procedure-related complications, low centre enrollment (categorized as centres who enrolled <14 patients [lower-quartile] during the study period), and medical therapy with diuretics. The benefit of CRT-D compared with ICD-only therapy in reducing the endpoints by centre location was assessed by including a treatment-by-US/non-US centre interaction-term in the multivariate models. Interaction-term analysis was also used to evaluate the benefit of CRT-D therapy in patient subsets within separate models that comprised US and non-US patients. Pre-specified interactions were categorized by gender, QRS morphology, QRS duration, and the aetiology of cardiomyopathy (i.e. ischaemic/non-ischaemic). All P values were two sided, and a P value <0.05 was considered significant. Analyses were performed with the use of SAS software (version 9.20).
|US centres (n = 1271)
|Non-US centres (n = 549)
|Age, years (mean ± SD)
|65 ± 11
|63 ± 10
|Female (%)
|White race (%)a
|Ischaemic: NYHA class I (%)
|Ischaemic: NYHA class II (%)
|Non-ischaemic: NYHA class II (%)
|NYHA class III/IV >3 months before enrollment (%)
|Hypertension (%)
|Diabetes mellitus
|Atrial tachyarrhythmias >1 month prior to enrollment (%)
|Prior PCI (%)
|Prior CABG (%)
|Heart rate, bpm (mean ± SD)
|67 ± 10
|68 ± 11
|QRS duration ≥150 ms (%)
|BUN > 25 mg/dL (%)
|Creatinine (mg/dL) (mean ± SD)
|1.1 ± 0.4
|1.1 ± 0.3
|BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 (%)
|Implanting physicians per centre, (mean ± SD)
|5.6 ± 3.7
|5.3 ± 2.0
|Low enrollment centres (%)b
|Allocation to CRT-D (%)
|Apical position of left ventricular lead (%)
|Follow up (years), (mean ± SD)
|2.4 ± 1
|2.4 ± 0.9
|Baseline medications
|Amiodarone (%)
|ACE inhibitors (%)
|Angiotensin receptor blockers (%)
|Beta blockers (%)
|Digoxin (%)
|Aldosterone antagonists (%)
Data are shown as percentage or mean ± SD.
BMI, body mass index; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; CABG, coronary artery bypass grafting; CRT-D, cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; IQ, interquartile; LBBB, left bundle branch block; LVEDV, left ventricular end-diastolic volume; LVESV, left ventricular end-systolic volume; NYHA, New York Heart Association; PCI, percutaneous coronary intervention.
aRace was self-reported.
bLow-volume enrollment centre was defined if <14 patients were recruited.
Baseline characteristics
The baseline clinical characteristics of study patients by centre location are presented in Table 1. Patients who were enrolled in non-US centres showed increased frequency of high-risk clinical characteristics, including more advanced HF functional class (NYHA III/IV) >3 months prior to enrollment, a higher burden of atrial tachyarrhythmias prior to recruitment (possibly leading to a greater frequency of treatment with amiodarone also observed in this group), a more prolonged QRS, and a higher frequency of LBBB. Patients enrolled in US centres were older, were more frequently women, and had an increased body mass index. The frequency of lower enrollment centres (defined as centres who enrolled <14 patients, which was the median number of patients enrolled at each centre for the entire study group) was higher in the USA than outside of the USA. However, the average number of implanting physicians per centre was not significantly different between the two groups (Table 1). Baseline characteristics by treatment arm were similar in both the US and non-US groups (see Supplementary material online, Appendix Tables A and B).
Procedure-related complications in US and non-US patients
The occurrences of pre-specified major and minor procedure-related complications are listed in Table 2. Altogether, procedure-related complications for CRT-D as well as for ICD implantation occurred significantly more often in non-US centres (17%) compared with US centres (10%; P < 0.001).
|Type of event
|US centres (n = 1271)
|Non-US centres (n = 549)
|127 (10)
|91 (17)
|By device
|Related to a CRT-D implantation, n (%)
|96 (8)
|68 (12)
|Related to a ICD implantation, n (%)
|31 (2)
|23 (4)
|By typeb
|Major complications, n (%)
|94 (7)
|69 (13)
|Lead dislodgement, n (%)
|56 (4)
|39 (7)
|RA lead
|20 (2)
|22 (4)
|RV lead
|7 (0.6)
|5 (0.9)
|LV lead
|35 (3)
|16 (3)
|Transient AV block at the time of implantation, n (%)
|5 (0.4)
|1 (0.2)
|Pneumothorax, n (%)
|6 (0.5)
|14 (3)
|Tamponade, n (%)
|2 (0.2)
|2 (0.4)
|Respiratory failure, n (%)
|4 (0.3)
|0 (0)
|Thrombo-embolic event, n (%)
|11 (1)
|1 (0.2)
|Wound infection requiring IV antibiotics, n (%)
|5 (0.4)
|5 (0.9)
|Pocket hematoma requiring evacuation, n (%)
|13 (1)
|9 (2)
|Other majorc
|6 (0.5)
|2 (0.4)
|Minor complications, n (%)
|43 (3)
|39 (7)
|Transient increase of Creatinine, n (%)
|2 (0.2)
|2 (0.4)
|Failure to convert during defibrillation
|4 (0.3)
|2 (0.4)
|Inadvertent tachyarrhythmia
|5 (0.4)
|4 (0.7)
|Extracardiac stimulation, n (%)
|9 (0.7)
|2 (0.4)
|Other minord
|25 (2)
|23 (4)
ICD, implantable cardioverter defibrillator; IV, intravenous, other abbreviations as defined in previous tables.
aDevice-related complications were reported as adverse events within 90 days of device implantation.
bThe total number of individual events may be larger than the overall major and minor complication rates; due to small numbers individual complication rates were not compared statistically.
cIncludes coronary vein dissection, HF exacerbation associated with device implantation, arterial perforation, permanent AV block, and systemic infection within 30 days of implantation.
dIncludes transient lead malfunctions, post-surgical wound discomfort, pocket seroma, venous erosion, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion (without tamponade), and venous occlusion.
The most common complication for both groups was lead dislodgement: 4 and 7% of US and non-US patients, respectively. Pneumothorax (0.5 vs. 3%), pericardial tamponade (0.2 vs. 0.4%) and device infection (0.4 vs. 0.9%) also occurred more frequently in non-US centres, whereas thrombo-embolic events occurred more often in US centres (1 vs. 0.2%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of minor complications between the two groups (Table 2).
Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that independent predictors of the occurrence of procedure-related complications included enrollment in a non-US centre [odds ratio (OR) = 1.67 (95% CI 1.23–2.27); P = 0.001]; implantation of a CRT-D device [OR = 2.29 (95% CI 1.56–2.99); P < 0.001]; a history of advanced HF symptoms >3 months prior to enrollment [OR = 1.74 (95% CI 1.16–2.61); P = 0.008]; and a history of atrial tachyarrhythmias requiring therapy >1 month prior to enrollment [OR = 1.89 (95% CI 1.09–3.23); P = 0.02]. In contrast, recruitment in a low-volume enrolling centre was not shown to be a significant risk factor for this endpoint [OR = 1.22 (95% CI 0.80–1.66); P = 0.46].
Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that the occurrence of procedure-related complications was not a significant risk factor for the development of subsequent HF or death [HR = 1.18 (95% CI 0.86–1.62); P = 0.30], but was independently associated with a significant increase in the risk of all-cause mortality [HR = 1.84 (95% CI 1.14–2.96); P = 0.01].
Echocardiographic response to cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator in US and non-US patients
Consistent with the higher frequency of baseline clinical risk factors among patients enrolled in non-US centres, echocardiographic assessment at enrollment showed significantly greater left ventricular- and atrial-volume in this group (Figure 1A). Despite this, echocardiographic evaluation at 1 year showed pronounced and similar reductions in cardiac volumes with CRT-D therapy among patients enrolled in both groups (Figure. 1B), whereas LVEF improved to a somewhat greater extent with CRT-D therapy among patients enrolled in US centres (39 vs. 36% increase, respectively; P = 0.04).
Clinical response to cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator -in US and non-US patients
Kaplan−Meier survival analysis showed that CRT-D was associated with a significant reduction in the rate of HF or death among patients in both groups (Figure 2A and B, respectively). However, among non-US patients separation in the rates of HF or death between the two treatment arms was evident only after 1 year of enrollment (Figure 2B), whereas this separation occurred much earlier (2–3 months after enrollment) in US centre patients (Figure 2A).
Multivariate analysis (Table 3) showed that, after adjustment for baseline clinical factors and the occurrence of procedure-related complications, CRT-D was associated with similar reductions in the risk of HF or death among patients enrolled in US centres (38% risk-reduction; P < 0.001) and in non-US centres (42%; risk reduction; P = 0.003).
|US centres
|Non-US centres
|P for interaction
|Hazard ratio (95% CI)
|Hazard ratio (95% CI)
|Heart failure or death
|0.62 (0.48–0.80)
|0.58 (0.41–0.84)
|Heart failure only
|0.55 (0.41–0.72)
|0.56 (0.38–0.81)
|0.69 (0.44–1.07)
|1.25 (0.63–2.50)
*Further adjusted for age >65, gender, ischaemic status, QRS > 150, BUN > 25 mg/dL, EF < 25%, LBBB, presence of NYHA class III/IV >3 months prior to enrollment, the occurrence of implantation-related adverse events, centre size, and therapy with diuretics; the CRT-D vs. ICD risk by centre location was assessed by including a location-by-treatment interaction-term in the multivariate models; results were consistent when the comparison with US centres was confined to patients who were enrolled only European centres.
Subgroup analyses showed a significant difference in the benefit of CRT-D for the reduction of HF or death between men and women only among patients enrolled in US centres (Figure 3A). A similar difference existed between LBBB and non-LBBB patients, also more pronounced among patients enrolled in US centres (Figure 3B). When the separate occurrence of all-cause mortality was assessed, treatment with CRT-D was shown to be associated with 71% (P = 0.02) and 51% (P = 0.01) respective risk reductions among patients with LBBB and women from US centres, whereas no such effects were found in patient who were enrolled in non-US centres (Figure 3B).
We have shown that despite identical enrollment criteria in MADIT CRT, patients enrolled in non-US centres displayed clinical and echocardiographic characteristics consistent with more advanced HF prior to enrollment, a fact that may have contributed to the longer time that was required for the separation in event rates between the two treatment arms and the higher complication rate in this group. These differences, however, did not affect the overall significant clinical and echocardiographic response to CRT-D in all the study patients.
Effect of centre location on patient characteristics and response to cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator
Similar to MADIT-CRT, the Resynchronization Reverses Remodeling in Systolic Left Ventricular Dysfunction (REVERSE)6 trial comprised asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic patients with left ventricular dysfunction who were enrolled in European (n = 262) and North American (n = 348) centres. Only the European cohort was prospectively randomized for 24 months, and its long-term follow-up results showed a statistically significant reduction in the primary endpoint.9 The Kaplan−Meier curves for the endpoint of HF or death in the REVERSE follow-up were similar to the curves observed among US patients in the present study, possibly due to younger age, lower frequency of ischaemic cardiomyopathy, and higher frequency of treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers as compared with the non-US group in MADIT-CRT. European patients from both studies derived a similar magnitude of reverse chamber remodelling and improvement in LVEF with CRT-D therapy, but did not show a significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality, most likely due to the relatively short follow-up time of the two trials. This is supported by the recently published data from the RAFT trial,10 which showed a significantly lower mortality after a mean follow-up time of 40 months.
We showed that despite the existence of differences in important baseline characteristics, similar reverse structural remodelling and prevention of HF progression were achieved. Thus, the increased frequency of factors previously shown to be associated with an unfavourable response to CRT, including higher levels of BUN,11,12 prior atrial tachyarrhythmias,13–15 and of ischaemic cardiomyopathy16–18 did not appear to attenuate the clinical and echocardiographic benefit of CRT-D therapy.
Centre location and the risk of procedure-related complications
Complications associated with the device implantation procedure, and with the CRT-D device in particular, occurred more frequently in non-US centres. These differences could be attributed to higher-risk clinical characteristics among non-US patients, including larger cardiac volumes, a higher proportion of patients who were at NYHA classes III/IV at >3 months prior to enrollment, and a higher frequency of atrial tachyarrhytmias at >1 month prior to enrollment (the two latter factors were identified as independently associated with the risk of procedure-related complications in this study). Evidently, lack of device handling experience did not cause more complications, as a lower number of enrolled patients per centre were not associated with increase in the risk of complications and the average number of implanting physicians per centre was not significantly different between the US and the non-US groups. The reported complication rates at MADIT-CRT are similar to those reported at both the REVERSE (overall 16% complication rate and 21% for the European cohort6,9) and RAFT (overall 19.9% in CRT and ICD arms together10) trials. The reason for the relatively high incidence of right atrial lead dislodgement in the non-US centres of MADIT-CRT (4 vs. 2% in US patients, Table 2) could be attributed to the significantly higher ventricular and atrial volumes in this group and higher frequency of prior atrial fibrillation, making them possibly more prone for advanced remodelling of the right atrium.
Benefit of cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator in risk subsets
The original MADIT-CRT publication7 and a recent substudy l19 suggest that CRT-D is more effective in women.7 The reason for this difference is unclear. It is possible that among patients with heart disease, the risk of HF is greater for women,20 resulting in a greater benefit from preventive CRT-D therapy. Furthermore, a recent sub-analysis of the trial has shown that CRT-D was associated with a pronounced reduction in the risk of HF or death among patients with LBBB, possibly due to more left ventricular dyssynchrony in LBBB than in non-LBBB patients.21 The results of the present study extend these observations and show a significant difference in the clinical benefit of CRT-D therapy by gender and QRS morphology among patients who were enrolled in US centres. In contrast, among non-US patients, who had a higher risk profile at enrollment, the subgroup differences in CRT-D efficacy were attenuated. Notably, prior studies among patients with more advanced HF symptoms did not demonstrate a significant difference in the benefit of CRT-D between LBBB and non-LBBB patients,22,23 suggesting that previously observed subgroup differences in MADIT-CRT pertain mostly to lower-risk patients.
Study limitations
Centre location was not a randomization factor in MADIT-CRT-D. Thus, differences between the baseline characteristics of the patients who were enrolled in US and non-US patients could have affected the response to therapy in the two groups. Nevertheless, the favourable effects of CRT-D persisted after multivariate adjustment for baseline clinical factors and medical therapies, suggesting that these parameters did not affect the overall response to device therapy in the two groups.
The present study shows a higher rate of procedure-related complications in non-US centres. These findings may be due to the higher-risk characteristics of non-US patients. However, we cannot rule additional explanations, including centre-specific operational procedures with CRT. Specifically, despite the fact that the multivariate models were adjusted for the size of enrollment per centre, we did not collect data regarding the total or absolute CRT-D implantation volume per participating centre (not related to specific enrollment) and regarding the type and location of the implantation in each centre (i.e. EP lab vs. operating theatre). Furthermore, despite the fact that the average number of implantation physicians was similar between US and non-US centres in MADIT-CRT, more specific information regarding the composition of the implanting teams were not consistently collected in the study.
It should also be noted that the overall procedure-related complication rate in the non-US group of MADIT-CRT is well in the range of the reports in all other CRT studies and that the higher rate of procedure-related complications among non-US patients in MADIT-CRT did not have a significant impact on the overall clinical and echocardiographic benefit of CRT-D in this group.
Large randomized trials that enroll patients from worldwide regions with different healthcare systems and clinical settings, as well as potentially different patient behaviour, often contain differing baseline characteristics of enrolled patients mandating specific evaluation in order to assess potential independently contributing factors of baseline characteristics. The present evaluation of the two major groups of US and non-US enrollment centres of the MADIT-CRT study indicates that different baseline characteristics in the context of well-defined trial inclusion criteria do not change the results of CRT-D in patients with no or mild HF symptoms.
Supplementary material
Supplementary material is available at European Heart Journal online.
MADIT-CRT was supported by an unrestricted research grant from Boston Scientific Corp., St. Paul, Minnesota, to the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. The present study was not funded by Boston Scientific Corp.
Conflict of interest: none declared.
↵† Contributed equally to original concept and to authorship of this investigation.
- Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2011. For permissions please email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Valentine's Dinner with Your Sweetheart: An Evening Among the Stars
Saturday, February 13 and Sunday, February 14
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Visitor Center
Members, $120.00 per couple; Non-members, $150.00 per couple
Reservation and payment deadline, Monday, February 8: (502) 955-8512
Plan now for a romantic dinner with your special someone and enjoy a magical evening in Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest's enchanting Visitor Center.
LOUISVILLE - The McConnell Training and Technology Center (MTTC) will host a Wired65 Entrepreneurial Networking Seminar next month. The seminar will take place at 1:00 pm on February 11 at MTTC's Industry Road location. All 50 seats are available first-come first-serve at no cost. Those interested must register for the event at .
SHEPHERDSVILLE – During the recession how many Bullitt Countians remain one hardship away from homelessness?
The Shepherd's Shelter provides services to assist with such hardships, though the needs continue to grow for both the organization and its clients.
Formed in 2001, Shepherd's Shelter supplies homeless and those near homelessness with food, shelter and supportive services while helping to plan and maintain renewed self-sufficiency. Shepherd's Shelter is a faith-based non-profit organization.
MOUNT WASHINGTON ee" Kindra Clark says she's just a small-town girl who enjoys being in local pageants because they are fun opportunities to build self confidence.
But the Miss Kentucky USA judges recently saw a special magic in 19-year-old Clark and named her Miss Kentucky 2010 Nov. 29 at the Norton Center for the Arts in Danville.
"It was a remarkable feeling. Words cannot describe how excited and nervous I was," she said.
SHEPHERDSVILLE - A common homelessness stereotype includes adult males panhandling on the street.
Groups like Shepherd's Shelter constantly attempt to increase awareness about many different types of victims, including families, single parents, the disabled, the elderly and veterans.
Families and single parents mean there are also homeless children in the community.
Linda Nason, social worker with Bullitt County Public Schools, acts as a liaison for Shepherd's Shelter. She said children were the most difficult homeless victims to identify.
MOUNT WASHINGTON — Before the first marker board has been hung, Kim Sego is already making big plans for when Crossroads Elementary opens its doors next school year.
Sego was recently named principal of the county's newest school. She has served as Pleasant Grove Elementary's Assistant Principal for five years and has worked at the school since it opened in 1997.
Crossroads Elementary is located behind Mount Washington Elementary School in the heart of the city.
LEBANON JUNCTION - Edna Jones is a survivor.
Since 1966, the resident of Church Street in Lebanon Junction has been battling one form of cancer or another.
Currently, the 67-year-old Jones has been diagnosed with five different forms of cancer.
As she has turned her living room into her main place of existence, Jones is serving as a home to her children and grandchildren.
As this Christmas approached, it would be another tough one for Jones.
But it was brightened up just days before the big event.
MOUNT WASHINGTON — Most students can't say that Batman has made a special guest appearance in their classroom to teach a creative writing lesson.
But Mount Washington Middle School sixth graders Lee Hays and Brandon Prater can.
Actually it was MWMS teacher Jeremy Belcher dressed up as Gotham City's hero Tuesday in efforts to engage two of his most unique students in a creative writing process during which he, Hays and Prater wrote a rough draft about a super hero.
SHEPHERDSVILLE - Children within the Bullitt County court system will have a better holiday season thanks to First Federal Savings Bank.
First Federal hosted angel trees at their three Bullitt County locations this season.
Donated items were intended for the families of 45 children being assisted by the Bullitt County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Program.
CASA volunteers represent children in court, representing each child's best interests.
MOUNT WASHINGTON — Local florist Amanda Stephens Heck loves to use her talents to bring joy to others, especially during the holidays.
That is why she happily agreed to participate in the 33rd annual Old Louisville Holiday House Tour's exterior design competition. She said it was a fun project and good exposure for her Mount Washington floral business, Amanda's Creations.
"I knew the talent that was involved and I didn't think I had a chance," Heck said.
SHEPHERDSVILLE - The students and staff at Shepherdsville Elementary are collecting peanut butter for the Haitian earthquake relief efforts.
Shepherdsville Family Resource Center coordinator Traci Gould said high protein and non-perishable food items were suggested by Waves of Mercy, a Kentucky-based ministry that assists Haitian orphanages. The ministry said peanut butter was an ideal choice.
Classrooms will challenge one another in a friendly competition for the most jars collected.
MOUNT WASHINGTON " The Bullitt East Marching Band made history during an uncertain time this year.
The band was the smallest on record with 37 participants and had to adjust to being led by a new director, Jonah Sawyers.
Maybe it was that the students felt like underdogs, or perhaps it was the enthusiasm of a new, young director, but the BEHS Marching Chargers made it to the state semi-final competition Nov. 7 for the first time in Bullitt East's history.
MOUNT WASHINGTON - Old Mill Elementary School third grader Alyson Mason has been named royalty, but instead of a tiara and dress you will more likely find her in boots and blue jeans.
Mason was recently named the 2009-2010 Kentucky Junior Rodeo Association Princess - a goal that the Mount Washington cowgirl has had for more than a year.
As part of the being named princess, Mason had to compete in a contest, be interviewed and her involvement in various KJRA events was also considered.
CLERMONT - Bernheim believes that increasing the amount of time children spend out of doors, year round, will help them learn more effectively, increase social skills, benefit from physical activity and generally have more fun!
Bernheim has created a year-round program especially designed to get your child outside. The ECO Kids (Every Child Outside) initiative is an important component of Bernheim's mission of Connecting People with Nature, with enlightening and entertaining kid-friendly activities every month.
HEBRON ESTATES -- Bullitt County resident Jim Davis has made the difference he had hoped.
The former tractor-trailer driver decided to start a book drive, collecting 100,000 books for libraries in Eastern Kentucky. Davis said the idea came from watching a television special about kids in rural Appalachia dropping out of school.
With half the goal already collected, Davis was officially honored for his efforts by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and First Lady Jane Beshear.
The Hillview Community Christian Church has traditionally hosted a live nativity scene for the Christmas season.
This year, Walk To Bethlehem provided thousands of visitors with various scenes, including the live nativity, surrounding the birth of Jesus.
Despite cold weather, record crowds attended the three-night event.
See more photos from Thomas Barr on-line at www.pioneernews.net.
First grade student Brennan Thomas made sure Santa had the correct information for his Christmas wishes.
Brennan, 6, brought his wish list to Nichols Elementary Saturday morning and thoroughly discussed the items with Santa during the PTA's annual Breakfast with Santa.
By the end of the discussion, Santa said he felt good about the list.
To track Santa's trip, go to www.pioneernews.net all week for our special tracker.
Around 300 meals were served on Christmas Day as part of the second annual Bounty of Hope hosted by St. Aloysius Catholic Church.
Volunteers prepared the meals which were first delivered to around 80 people.
Then, the gym at St. Aloysius was host over 200 people who came in to enjoy a Christmas meal.
The main sponsors of the event were JOM Pharmaceuticals and Jim Beam Brands.
SHEPHERDSVILLE - For years, the Bullitt Central JROTC cadets have collected non-perishable food items for the Shepherdsville food basket program.
But, this year, the efforts were focused toward taking care of families within the Bullitt Central family which needed a little assistance during the holiday season.
Working with the Bullitt Central Youth Services Center, over 60 families will receive assistance this Christmas.
LEBANON JUNCTION - The railroad has been a fixture in the Lebanon Junction community since 1857.
Howard Brinner thought there would be no better way to symbolize that importance than with a rail car in the town square.
When CSX decided to phase out the use of cabooses, Brinner ask for one.
The rail officials granted the wish but Brinner had only a couple of weeks to get it off the company's property.
Then began Brinner's lifetime quest to bring a reminder of the railroad's importance to Lebanon Junction for generations to come.
Copyright © 2016
The Pioneer News Online is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Bullitt County and Shepherdsville, KY, and the surrounding area.


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An eastern New Orleans man suspected of burglarizing several cars parked outside of two popular north shore athletic clubs over the summer has been arrested, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. Investigators on Oct. 27 booked Dung T. Tran, 25, of the 4900 block of Palace Street, with 14 counts of simple burglary of a vehicle and seven counts of unauthorized use of a credit card, records show.
The break-ins were all in the daylight, and they started on May 10 at Cross Gates Athletic Club near the city of Slidell. Burglaries also occurred at Pelican Athletic Club in Mandeville through late July, sheriff's spokesman Capt. George Bonnett said. Targeted vehicles included Ford F-150 pickups, Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators.
Victims lost cash and credit cards from wallets and purses left in their vehicles, which they remembered locking. There were no signs of forced entry in any of the cases, and the interiors were apparently undisturbed, said Bonnett, who could not discuss how Tran is believed to have gotten into the cars because the suspect has declined to speak to detectives.
When the Sheriff's Office in August petitioned the public to hel solve the break-ins, Bonnett at the time said that the crimes did not fit the profile deputies are accustomed to dealing with.
Tran at some point allegedly used the stolen credit cards at various businesses. Bonnett said a joint probe involving the Sheriff's Office, Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Secret Service identified Tran as the person responsible for the burglaries, as did an eyewitness.
After sheriff's detectives obtained an arrest warrant, New Orleans Police Department officers picked up Tran, who was subsequently transported to the St. Tammany Parish jail in Covington.
He remains there in lieu of $105,000 bond, according to jail records. Bonnett said the Sheriff's Office expects to link Tran to other car break-ins as their investigation continues.
Ramon Antonio Vargas can be reached at email@example.com or 985.645.2848.


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PORTAGE, MI – Portage residents have a chance to influence the type of bus service offered in the city by being named to the Central County Transportation Authority Board of Directors.
The city will take applications through Aug. 21 for any resident interested in serving on the CCTA board. The Portage City Council will interview applicants at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 26.
As part of the effort to regionalize public transportation in Kalamazoo County, the Central County Transportation Authority was recently created by the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners. The duties of the CCTA include planning, promoting, financing, acquiring, improving, enlarging, extending, owning, constructing, operating, maintaining, replacing and contracting for fixed-route bus within the boundaries of the authority, which include primarily the urban areas of Kalamazoo County.
Each authority member, including Portage, must designate representation to the CCTA 11-member Board of Directors. Portage will have two representatives on the board, and the Portage City Council has said it is possible that both will be residents, both might be council members depending on residents applying or Portage's representation could be one of each.
The recommended representatives will then be considered by the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 9.
Portage residents who apply must be a registered voter in the city to be considered.
To apply, go online at www.portagemi.gov by Aug. 21. For more information, call Portage City Clerk Jim Hudson at 329-4511.
Tom Haroldson covers Portage, Vicksburg and Schoolcraft for MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact him at email@example.com.


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- Home
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- Irish Creme Cordial Chocolate Balls - 5 Lb. bag
Product Description
Irish Creme Chocolate Ball Cordials
A surprise Irish crème flavored liquid center encased with dark chocolate
Amazing liquid filling of Irish Creme, absolutely delicios!
There are approximately 75 pieces per pound.
Chocolate Cordial Ball Diameter: 1/2".
Bag contains 5 lb. of Irish Creme Cordial Chocolate Balls.