Texting while driving is labeled the worst 21st-century driving hazard thus far. However, a new study conducted by researchers from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute suggests that drowsy driving is just as dangerous. The drowsy driving study The study involved the analysis of 100 different vehicles traversing within the Northern Virginia / Washington D.C. area. The study revealed some interesting information--approximately 20 percent of vehicle accidents were caused by fatigued drivers. Researchers conducting the study equipped each vehicle with inconspicuous ...

A recently proposed legislative bill would change the way that the State of New York views dogs that bite. State Senator Terry Gipson (D-Rhinebeck) introduced a bill in early April 2013 named for young Frankie Flora, a child from Hopewell Junction who was bitten and seriously injured by a dog several years ago. Gipson and other supporters of the proposal want to amend the current law that only allows a dog bite victim to recover damages if the animal has previously either bitten someone, been show to have "vicious propensities" or been labeled as "dangerous." ...

With recent projections putting consumer debt in the U.S. well over two trillion dollars, it is no surprise that many Americans struggle paying off debt. Those who struggle to make payments may begin to receive phone calls from creditors or debt collection agencies in attempts to receive payment. Although calls and other attempts to contact people to receive payment are allowed, some creditors and agencies cross the line, violating the law and using methods that qualify as illegal creditor harassment. Types of creditor harassment Federal and New York state laws ...

Many of us take for granted the ability to perform simple tasks until illness or injury takes away our capacity to things that were once routine. For example, hand function - the ability to grasp objects with the proper amount of pressure - is something that we all depend on every day. The loss of this ability can have a devastating effect on a person's independence and quality of daily life. According to a 2004 survey of tetraplegics all over the world, improvement of hand function was rated as one of the most important quality of life factors among those with spinal cord ...

With the attention the media has paid recently, the dangers of texting while driving should be well known. According to government statistics, engaging in this activity makes the driver 23 times more likely that he or she will be in a car accident. To add another poignant statistic on the heap, a new study, published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention found that texting while driving is just as dangerous as driving drunk with a blood alcohol level of twice the legal limit. In the study, researchers from universities across the nation used driving simulators to ...

Over the last several years, traffic safety officials in Minnesota have been working hard to reduce the number of fatal accidents on the state's roads. Generally speaking, these officials have done well -- over the last 10 years, the number of traffic accident deaths in Minnesota has declined significantly. Unfortunately, this years-long downward trend came to an end in 2012. For the first time in five years, the number of traffic deaths in Minnesota was higher in 2012 than it was the year before. All told, 378 people were killed in Minnesota car accidents and motorcycle ...

In a trend that is gaining momentum throughout the country, a growing number of communities are establishing tiny parks in an effort to drive registered sex offenders out of town. The tactic takes advantage of laws that place residency restrictions on people convicted of certain sexual offenses, often barring offenders from living near schools, playgrounds and other places where children are likely to congregate. Strategy may be detrimental to public safety According to a recent article in the New York Times, some of these new playgrounds -- nicknamed "pocket ...

Eleven-year-old son Jacob Wetterling made national headlines after he was abducted at gunpoint in 1989 and never seen again. In the years following the abduction, Jacob's mother, Patty Wetterling, was instrumental in the widespread enactment of sex offender registration laws in the United States. In a recent interview, however, Wetterling explained her growing concerns about how these laws have evolved and the negative impact they may be having on public safety -- as well as on many of the individuals required to register as sex offenders. Given Wetterling's personal history, ...

Voters in Massachusetts voted in November 2012 to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes, but lawmakers are still working out the details of how to incorporate the reform into the state's existing regulatory structure. One issue that is likely to grow increasingly relevant for medical marijuana users in Massachusetts is the issue of drugged driving and how such charges are prosecuted in the Commonwealth. Massachusetts drugged driving law Massachusetts law provides that a driver can be charged with OUI for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence ...

For the third consecutive year, Houston attorney Brant Stogner of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Friend has been selected to the Texas Rising Stars listing as published by Super Lawyers magazine. No more than 2.5 percent of Texas lawyers under 40 or who have been in practice for 10 years or less are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive the honor of being named to the Rising Stars listing. A native Texan, Mr. Stogner is originally from El Campo, just south of Houston. He is a decorated academic and athlete, having played football ...

On April 1, 2013, Governor Cuomo signed legislation that will increase New York State's minimum wage (currently $7.25) over a three year period. The increases are as follows: - $8.00 on and after December 31, 2013; - $8.75 on and after December 31, 2014; and, - $9.00 on and after December 31, 2015. Employers should also be aware that when a state has a different minimum wage rate than under federal law, employers are obligated to pay the higher of the two rates. Since the Fair Labor Standards Act currently mandates a minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour, employers ...

Legislation has been proposed in New Jersey that would make the installation of an ignition interlock device a mandatory penalty for all drivers convicted of drunk driving or refusing to take a breathalyzer. These devices are essentially breathalyzer machines integrated with a car's ignition system, which prevent drivers from starting the car if their blood alcohol concentration is higher than 0.05%. New Jersey's DUI laws already require the installation of ignition interlock devices for repeat offenders and first-time drunk drivers with a blood alcohol content of at ...

Hampton Inn & Suites Scottsboro Hotel offers nearby lodging to golfers and fans attending the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Men's Golf National Championship. The tournament will take place at Goose Pond Colony Golf Course in Scottsboro, AL from May 21-24, 2013. It will feature some of the best young golfers from across the country. Goose Pond Colony is a municipally owned resort located on the banks of the Tennessee River at Lake Guntersville, Alabama's largest lake. The Colony Course was rated 4 stars by Golf Digest in 2008-09. ...

The Hampton Inn & Suites Atlanta Airport Hotel (North, I-85) offers nearby lodging to guests attending Scott Antique Market shows. The shows are held at Atlanta Expo Center the second weekend of every month. Providing over 3300 exhibit booths, it is the world's largest monthly indoor antique show. For over 25 years, Scott Antique Markets has been "America's Favorite Treasure Hunt". Visitors will find anything from furniture, paintings, jewelry, watches, instruments, and much more. Upcoming 2013 Atlanta show dates include: - May 9-12, 2013 - June 6-9, 2013 - ...

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Atlanta N-Perimeter Mall Hotel in Sandy Springs, GA offers nearby lodging to cyclists and guests attending the 6th Annual Global Imports Sandy Springs Cycling Challenge. Part of the USA Southeast Crit Series' Speed Week, the race will take place May 5, 2013 in Sandy Springs, GA. This race is the final leg of the USA Southeast Crit Series Speed Week, with 7 races in 9 days. The series pays $150,000 in prize money to professional racers. Riders will be trying to qualify for the USA Crits Finals. Races will run from 8:45am-6pm. The ...

The Hilton Garden Inn Columbia South Carolina hotel (Northeast) announces their 1st Annual Mother's Day Buffet. Taking place on May 12, 2013 at the hotel's Great American Grill restaurant, the buffet will include: - Pasta and salad bar - Entrees, such as sauteed chicken in a smoked gouda cheese sauce - Carving station of Jack Daniels Glazed Ham - Scrumptious sides - Decadent desserts and more The Mother's Day Buffet is available from 11:00am-2:30pm; reservations are required. Costs, per person, are: $30.95 for adults, $27.95 for military, $25.95 for seniors, and ...

The 5th Annual Best App Ever Awards are now open for voting for Android applications in several categories including, Most Useful App, Best Business App and our category, Books and Reference. To vote for Spoon and the Moon go to: http://www.bestappever.com/android/v/book. Voting is open until May 15th, 2013. Full details and rules are available at http://www.bestappever.com/about/. Spoon and the Moon is a whimsical, adult fairytale. Once again, Wickedly Sisters created a wildly imaginative story full of humor, a twinge of tenderness and a heaping of unexpected turns. ...

Aphronze Architectural Design UK Ltd. (www.Aphronze.com) has been selected by the Jiachuang Group to design the Wanbo underground commercial development project. The project is located in the Panyu urban district of the southern end of Guangzhou in China, known as the Pearl River Delta. The Location Guangzhou (www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangzhou) is one of the five central cities in China, which has an international commercial trading center, foreign affairs center, transportation center, as well as, Southern international shipping center. Wanbo Central Business ...

Bob Carter presented the 2013 Bob Carter Companies/William R. Simms Awards for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy to Marli Overgard and to Olivia and Carter Ries at the Association of Fundraising Professional's 50th International Conference in San Diego, California (www.afpnet.org). The awards, named in honor of AFP co-founder William R. Simms and sponsored by Bob Carter Companies LLC (www.bobcarterco.com), recognize outstanding service and commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering and leadership in ...

NationaLease will hold its 2013 Spring Maintenance Managers Meeting in Schaumburg, IL, May 15 - 17. This mandatory meeting will bring together maintenance professionals from all of the NationaLease member companies to network, share ideas and experiences, and attend sessions devoted to finding ways to provide the best service possible. The Reciprocal Service Rally, which refers to the on-road assistance NationaLease member companies afford one another, has been going on for a number of months; and the terminology and decor of the 2013 meeting reflects that campaign. ...

Service USA, a leading worldwide provider of licensed service contract & field customer fulfillment services, announced today that it has signed a strategic agreement to provide licensed service contract programs to McCusker & Company, a leading worldwide provider of consumer and commercial warranty services. "We are very proud to become a strategic service partner of McCusker & Company and expect to see significant growth for both companies along with improved underwriting, products and services for our clients," said Service USA General Manager ...

Local resident Kelly Craig has brought the joy of TapSnap phototainment to the Toledo region. Launched this April at various locations across North America, TapSnap is the special event photo booth reinvented as an open-concept, high-tech phototainment system that is instantly connected to social media. "The technology is so amazing -- what you can do! I love TapSnap's ability to upload instantly to Facebook and other social media at an event. People are so into social media right now, TapSnap almost sells itself. And to be able to see photos from an event as they ...

AgilQuest Corporation released a native mobile app giving Android phones access to OnBoard, AgilQuest's hoteling and conference room management technology, from any covered wireless or WiFi location. OnBoard for Android joins AgilQuest's apps for iPhone and Blackberry to complete their support for all mobile workers using the most popular company-supplied or BYOD mobile devices. "Users demand the convenience of native apps on their phones. When you make it this simple to find a desk from anywhere or to check in to a reservation with just a tap on your phone, user ...

WHAT: The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, a founding resident company of The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, presents its 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award Gala honoring one of the most-awarded and successful composers for six decades, Burt Bacharach. This black tie event will begin with a mini concert, featuring cellist Adrian Daurov, pianist Hanchien Lee, the Tom Adams Trio, and the Chamber Orchestra string section led by Music Director Dirk Brosse, followed by the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Mr. Bacharach. Afterwards is cocktail hour with ...

On Mother's Day, May 12, 2013, the first operatic singer to ever perform at the Garcia Opera House will headline a benefit concert in the historic building. Nick Palance, a masterful talent who has been called "America's Bocelli" will lend his remarkable singing voice to help raise funds to benefit Cielito Lindo Ranch, a New Mexico non-profit dedicated to sustainable living and learning, and Habitat For Humanity's ReStore in Albuquerque. In honor of this historic event, Susana Martinez, the Governor of New Mexico, has issued a proclamation declaring May 12th ...