Press Releases

WINDSOR, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 26, 2012) - Vern Andrus, a Cobourg resident for nearly three decades, was elected to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario executive board at the union's convention, which wrapped up in Windsor today.

More than 1,100 CUPE members and staff from across the province attended the 49th annual convention from May 23 to 26, voted to re-elect Andrus to represent them as one of six members-at-large on the board.

A member of CUPE 5555, Andrus works as head custodian in an elementary school for the Kawartha Pine Ridge School Board, ensuring students learn in a clean and safe environment. He also serves as secretary-treasurer of his Local.

"I have been a union activist for over 30 years. I believe now more than ever, we need to continue the fight to protect and save all jobs, especially with the austerity measures of the Ontario Liberals and the trade agreements that are being secretly negotiated by the Harper government," said Andrus.

CUPE Ontario is the province's largest union. It represents more than 230,000 workers in five main sectors: health care, school boards, municipalities, social services and universities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
        CUPE Communications
        Craig Saunders
        416-576-7316

Source: Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) - Ontario

WINDSOR, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 26, 2012) - Windsor's own Andrea Madden was acclaimed third vice-president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario executive board at the union's annual Convention, which ends today.

More than 1100 CUPE members and staff from across Ontario returned Madden to the position she was first elected to in 2010.

Madden has been secretary-treasurer of CUPE Local 2286, Windsor-Essex Children's Aid Society since 2003, and president of the Windsor and District CUPE Council since 2008. An activist for many years, Madden holds the position of Chief Steward (2004 to present), is a member of the CUPE provincial Health and Safety Committee and is well known as an organizer and guest speaker at rallies, conferences and conventions.

CUPE Ontario is the province's largest union. It represents more than 230,000 workers in five main sectors: health care, school boards, municipalities, social services and universities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
        CUPE Communications
        Craig Saunders
        416-576-7316

Source: Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) - Ontario

PHOENIX, AZ -- (Marketwire) -- 05/26/12 -- KJZZ's Fronteras: the Changing America Desk has won its first national award for reporting. The National Headliner Awards are among the oldest awards of journalistic merit in the United States.

The story by KJZZ Senior Field Correspondent Michel Marizco, "The Drug War and Cartels Lead to an Exodus in Northern Mexico," was broadcast in June 2011 and can be found online at fronterasdesk.org.

KJZZ's Marizco traveled to the Mexican state of Sonora to report on the towns that are emptying out due to drug-related violence. The town of Tubutama, in particular, has been affected by a narco-trafficker known as "El Gilo." Marizco spent time with the remaining residents of Tubutama, a 300-year-old mission town, and even found himself face-to-face with El Gilo.

"Any time a local drug lord shows up and talks to you on a piece, you know it's going to be a great story," said Fronteras Senior Editor Alisa Barba, who edited the story and shares in the award.

"Marizco has a habit of showing up at the right place and the right time," Barba said. "He really got to the essence of the fear and the violence in the hills of Sonora."

The Tucson-based reporter said he wanted to do a story about the places affected by the drug war that aren't making headlines.

"This town had always interested me because a year prior El Gilo had successfully killed cartel members. He left 21 people dead and destroyed their vehicles in an ambush," Marizco said. Photos of those shot-up vehicles are part of the online version of the story.

"Nobody else is telling these stories," Barba said. "This is our territory with Fronteras."

The story was awarded second place in the Feature and Human Interest Story category for broadcast radio networks and syndicates.

Founded in 1934 by the Press Club of Atlantic City, the National Headliner Awards program is one of the oldest and largest annual contests recognizing journalistic merit in the communications industry.

KJZZ's Fronteras: Changing America Desk is a collaboration of seven public radio stations, in partnership between KJZZ and KPBS in San Diego and funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Fronteras serves nearly one million public radio listeners in the Southwest. To learn more about the KJZZ's Fronteras: Changing America Desk, visit fronterasdesk.org. KJZZ is a listener-supported public radio station that is licensed to the Maricopa Community College District. It is as a community service of Rio Salado College's Division of Public Service, which also includes KBAQ 89.5 and Sun Sounds of Arizona. KJZZ features a mix of local and NPR news, entertainment, jazz and blues -- serving more than 306,000 weekly listeners.

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Contact:
Annette Flores
Public Relations Coordinator
aflores@rioradio.org
480.774.8459

Source: Rio Salado College

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- An integrated wellness team approach to diabetes care is helping patients lower their prescription costs and improve their condition, according to research presented today at the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ (AACE) 21st Annual Scientific & Clinical Congress in Philadelphia.

Researchers John Gary Evans, MD, et al noted that by participating in this program, patients were able to decrease their doses of insulin and oral medication, on average, by 46 percent and 12 percent, respectively. In addition, on average, patients were able to reduce their 30-day prescription costs by nearly $143 per month. Participants also decreased their body mass index (BMI) by 3.07 and hemoglobin A1c (HgA1c) by 0.7 percent. HgA1c was reduced by an average of 1.3 percent for patients with a baseline HgA1c of 8 percent or more.

“These results demonstrate that engagement leads to a greater understanding of a healthier lifestyle,” said Dr. Evans, lead author on the study.

The program, developed by Dr. Evans’ Jacksonville-based endocrinology group, enrolled adult patients with type 2 diabetes in an intensive wellness program that addressed multiple aspects of diabetes care. Patients were counseled in nutritional, fitness, and behavioral elements of diabetes management in a customized 16-week curriculum while their doctors monitored BMI, weight, HgA1c levels and diabetes medication dependence. Medications were reduced as needed to reduce the risk of low blood sugars. The group strived to improve diabetes outcomes and reduce complications and expenditures by tailoring the approach to each patient.

“The multi-disciplinary program creates a timeframe that gives patients time to absorb the information, revisit strategies for management and engrave the behaviors into their minds,” explains Dr. Evans. “Covering those key elements is what it takes for patients to grasp and embrace the strategies to be successful and improve their condition.”

In November 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) ruled that intensive behavioral therapy for obesity is covered as a benefit under some Medicare plans. Dr. Evans says that he hopes the success of this program will illustrate the need for lifestyle intervention and wellness training as part of comprehensive care plans for all diabetes patients.

“It is our hope that the success of this curriculum will create a pathway for intensive wellness programs to be recognized as medical benefits for diabetes patients by insurance companies,” said Dr. Evans. “The only way to be successful with long-term goals is to affect a lifestyle change.”

To read additional press releases about the AACE 21st Annual Scientific & Clinical Congress in Philadelphia, please visit media.aace.com or follow the Twitter hashtag #AACE2012.

For a brief bio and photo of Dr. Evans, please click here.

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)

The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) represents more than 6,500 endocrinologists in the United States and abroad. AACE is the largest association of clinical endocrinologists in the world. The majority of AACE members are certified in Endocrinology and Metabolism and concentrate on the treatment of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders including diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, growth hormone deficiency, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity. For more information about AACE, visit the AACE website at www.aace.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/theaace or follow AACE on Twitter at www.twitter.com/theaace.

AACE Public & Media RelationsKaren Pan, 904-885-2741kpan@aace.com

Source: American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists