Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan NATION/WORLD DIGEST Move...
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Ernest Reelfs VERMILLION — Ernest Arthur Reelfs, 89, of Vermilion, SD, died Friday, May 21 at the Sanford Vermillion Hospital. Ernie was born August 31, 1920, in Wagner, SD, to George and Johanna (Ahlfs) Reelfs the youngest of seven girls and three boys. They farmed in the Wagner area until 1936 when they moved to a farm in Clay County north of Vermillion. He married Barbara Jean Ericson on June 7, 1953 in Alcester, SD, and they farmed until 1975 when they bought the Dalesburg School House and made it into their home until 1998 when they moved into Vermillion. He is survived by his wife Barbara of Vermillion, and nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 26 at the Dalesburg Lutheran Church rural Vermillion with burial in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday, May 25 from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 all at the Hansen Funeral Home in Vermillion. For online condolences and obituary please visit hansenfu- neralhome.com. Yankton Press & Dakotan May 24, 2010 Mary Hendrickson ARMOUR — Mary J. Hendrickson, 82, died at Douglas County Memorial Hospital in Armour on Saturday, May 22, 2010. Funeral service will be Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church near Armour, with burial follow- ing in Pleaseant Ridge Cemetery in Armour. Rev. Donald H. Mohr will be officiating. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 26, 2010, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church near Armour. Funeral arrangements by Koehn Bros. Funeral Home in Armour. Casket-bearers are John Coler, Steve Stluka, Todd Biederstadt, Evan Biederstadt and Dick Gantenbein. Honorary casket-bearers are Jason Fejfar, Tabitha Stluka, Hayden Stluka, Seth Stluka, Chloe Stluka and Sutton Stluka. Mary J. Hendrickson was born on June 8, 1927, to Ludwig and Anna (Mikolash) Fejfar in Utica, SD. She attended school in Utica, Lesterville, then graduated from Yankton High School. She mar- ried Joh Hendrickson on February 16, 1946. She worked at Birdeyes Division of General Foods and Tastes of the Sea. She was a member of St. Peter Lutheran Church near Armour, SD. Mary died at Douglas County Memorial Hospital in Armour on May 22, 2010, at the age of 82. She is survived by 2 nieces, Deb Coler and husband, Lee, of Armour, SD, and Marilyn Norris and husband, David, of Maine, a nephew, Dan Fejfar and wife, Pat of Spearfish, SD, and several great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister and a broth- er. Yankton Press & Dakotan May 24, 2010 Eleanor Gilday Eleanor “Bunny” Gilday, 93, of Yankton, died early Sunday morn- ing (May 23, 2010) at Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May 26, at St. Benedict Catholic Church, Yankton, with Rev. Paul Josten officiating. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, Yankton. Visitations will be 5-8 p.m., Tuesday, May 25, at the Opsahl- Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, with a rosary at 7 p.m., followed by a scripture service at 7:30 p.m. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Bonnaline ‘Bonnie’ Meirose HARTINGTON, Neb. — Bonnaline “Bonnie” Meirose, age 88, of Hartington, Neb., died on Saturday (May 22, 2010) at the Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 27, at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hartington, with Rev. Jeffery Loseke officiating. Burial will be in St. Michael’s Cemetery in Hartington. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 4-8 p.m., with a vigil service at 7 p.m. at the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington. Visitation will begin one hour prior to services on Thursday at the church. To send online condolences, please visit www.wintzrayfuneral- home.com. Beulah Crowley Beulah Crowley, age 93, of Yankton, passed away Sunday (May 23, 2010) at Avera Yankton Care Center, Yankton. Services are being handled with care by Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton. NATION/WORLD DIGEST WH Official Says U.S. Hunting Cleric WASHINGTON (AP) — White House press secretary Robert Gibbs says the U.S. is actively hunting American-born Yemeni cler- ic Anwar al-Awlaki. The radical cleric is calling for the killing of American civilians, in a new video released Sunday by Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot, al-Qaida of the Arabian Peninsula. The White House spokesman says President Barack Obama will continue to take action directly against terrorists like al-Awlaki, and keep the U.S. safe from what Gibbs calls “murderous thugs.” Senior administration officials say al-Awlaki is on a list of terror- ists U.S. forces are authorized to capture, or kill. His Internet ser- mons are believed to have helped inspire attacks on the U.S. Gibbs appeared Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” Thai PM: New Elections When Protests End BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s leader said Sunday that new elec- tions can be considered only after violence and protests by anti- government activists end completely, after two months of turmoil left at least 85 people dead and deeply divided the country. The comments by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva indicate he will continue to take a tough line against the Red Shirt pro- testers and will not make a grand gesture of announcing imme- diate elections to heal the rift, as some had expected. Under Thai law, Abhisit is not obligated to hold new polls until December 2011. “It is now entirely up to me to see when is the most appropriate time to hold the election,” Abhisit said in his weekly television talk show. “At the moment, no one can tell when is the best time. We don’t know what will happen next. There are some people still talking about continuing their fight and to hold a protest in June. We will have to see what happens first” before thinking of elections, he said. The Thai capital was gripped with its worst political violence in decades during the Red Shirt occupation of downtown Bangkok, culminating in the military crackdown that sparked a rampage by supporters who launched grenade attacks and set fire to landmark buildings, including the country’s stock exchange and biggest shopping mall, the CentralWorld. Jamaica: Gunfire, Bombs In Barricaded Slum KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Masked men and security forces are trading gunfire in a barricaded slum in Jamaica’s capital. A police station is burning after gunmen lobbed fire bombs at it, sending black smoke spiraling into the sky. The government has declared a state of emergency. Defiant supporters of alleged drug kingpin Christopher “Dudus” Coke have transformed a part of West Kingston into a virtual fortress cut off by trashed cars and barbed wire. Local media say least two people have been wounded in Sunday’s violence, including one police officer. ■ Get Updates At Yankton Online (www.yankton.net) www.yankton.net PAGE 3 Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ NATION/WORLD ■ Monday, May 24, 2010 9 2 6 8 6 1 7 3 3 9 7 2 8 7 6 3 3 4 9 2 7 6 7 1 3 8 2 9 3 8 8 9 7 1 4 7 6 5 6 5 8 4 2 7 9 7 8 3 1 4 5 3 2 4 7 9 6 8 7 1 9 2 4 6 2 4 5 7 1 4 5 6 8 7 3 8 3 7 9 6 1 5 4 6 8 1 3 7 9 1 6 3 5 2 4 1 9 3 6 2 5 1 8 3 5 6 3 8 9 9 1 2 2 4 5 2 9 7 8 su do ku Fill the puzzle so that every row, every column, and every section contain the numbers 1-9 without repeating a number. © 2008 KrazyDad.com Check tomorrow’s paper for the solution to today’s puzzle. Yesterday’s Solution EASY CH BOOK 7 #2 EA BOOK 7 #3 Memorial Day Open House Join us for rolls & juice in the Hospitality Center on the grounds of Wintz & Ray Funeral Home Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Country Cupboard have arranged a balloon release at 10:00AM in honor of all veterans buried here. We will be reading all of their names at that time. 10:00 AM ~ Memorial Service by Ernest Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard and Auxiliary Monday, May 31st ~ 8:30am-11:30am 2901 Douglas Ave.,Yankton • 605-665-3644 www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com W INTZ & R AY FUNERAL HOME and Cremation Service, Inc. Garden of Memories Cemetery Our care and concern does not end with the funeral service. This week we remember with family and friends the anniversary of the deaths of: Our Thoughts And Prayers Are With Them This remembrance is brought to you free of charge. If you have a loved one you would like remembered, contact us at Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory. Guiding and serving families with compassion and trust. Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton Memorial Resource Center, Tyndall Memorial Chapels, Tyndall, Tabor & Menno 665-9679 • 1-800-495-9679 www.opsahlkostelfuneralhome.com Albina Vitek who passed away on May 22, 2004 Ronald Kleinschmit who passed away on May 26, 2003 Howard and Lucille (Kribell) O’Connor have celebrated their 65 th wedding anniversary. They were married May 12, 1945 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Garryowen. They have 11 children, 25 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. They are members of the St. Agnes Catholic Church, Vermillion. Cards may be sent to 222 South Norbeck St., Vermillion, SD 57069. Mr. & Mrs. Howard O’Connor 65th Wedding Anniversary OBITUARIES BY GREG BLUESTEIN AND MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press Writers BARATARIA BAY, La. — As offi- cials approached to survey the damage the Gulf oil spill caused in coastal marshes, some brown peli- cans couldn’t fly away Sunday. All they could do was hobble. Several pelicans were coated in oil on Barataria Bay off Louisiana, their usually brown and white feathers now jet black. Pelican eggs were glazed with rust-colored gunk, and new hatchlings and nests were also coated with crude. It is unclear if the area can even be cleaned. It is also unknown how much of the Gulf Coast will end up looking the same way because of a well that has spewed untold millions of gallons of oil since an offshore rig explod- ed more than a month ago. A mile-long tube operating for about a week has siphoned off more than half a million gallons in the past week, but it began suck- ing up oil at a slower rate over the weekend. Even at its best the effort did not capture all the oil leaking, and the next attempt to stanch the flow won’t be put into action until at least Tuesday. With oil pushing at least 12 miles into Louisiana’s marshes and two major pelican rookeries now coated in crude, state offi- cials said they are taking part of the response to the Gulf of Mexico spill into their own hands. Gov. Bobby Jindal, standing on a boat at the edge of one of the nesting grounds, said Louisiana is no longer waiting for the federal government to sign off on a plan for a makeshift chain of sand berms that would skirt the state’s coastline. Jindal and officials from sev- eral coastal parishes say the berms would close the door on oil still pouring from a mile-deep gusher about 50 miles out in the Gulf. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is studying the envi- ronmental impact of the propos- al and has yet to give its approval. “We are not waiting for them. We are going to build it,” Jindal said. Jindal said the state has already identified and started ini- tial work on 40 sites for the berms, but will keep pushing for federal approval, which would free up Corps-controlled dredges for the operation. A single state- owned dredge was activated for the effort Friday. At least 6 million gallons of crude have spewed into the Gulf, though some scientists have said they believe the spill already surpasses the 11 million- gallon 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska as the worst in U.S. history. Move Afoot To Ban Dropside Cribs BY JENNIFER C. KERR Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON — The baby crib, usually a safe haven for little ones, became a death trap for 6- month-old Bobby Cirigliano. The side rail on his drop-side crib slid off the tracks and trapped his head and neck between the mattress and the malfunctioning side rail. His face pressed against the mattress, the boy suffocated. “I just don’t feel complete any- more,” says his mother, Susan Cirigliano of North Bellmore on New York’s Long Island. Bobby was one of at least 32 infants and toddlers since 2000 who suffocated or were strangled in a drop-side crib, which has a side that moves up and down to allow parents to lift children from the cribs more easily than cribs with fixed sides. Drop-sides, around for decades and probably slept in by many of today’s par- ents, are suspected in an addition- al 14 infant fatalities during that time. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which regulates cribs, has warned about the prob- lem. Its chairman, Inez Tenenbaum, has pledged to ban the manufacture and sale of cribs by the end of the year with a new performance standard that would make fixed-side cribs mandatory. It could be several months into 2011 before becoming effective. The industry has already started phasing out drop-sides and big retailers such as Babies R Us and Wal-Mart have taken them off sale floors. Yet there are still plenty for sale on the Internet, and that’s part of the reason Congress is getting involved. “There’s a great urgency here. We have to make sure that no par- ent is unaware that drop-side cribs could kill their children,” Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said in an Associated Press interview. She plans to introduce legisla- tion this week to outlaw the manufacture, sale and resale of all drop-side cribs and ban them from day-care centers and hotels. Gillibrand wants to accel- erate efforts for a ban, from Congress or the CPSC, and high- light concerns about the cribs to parents who are using them. “There still are thousands and thousands of children who are sleeping every night in drop-side cribs and we need to protect them,” said Gillibrand. She outlined her bill at a news conference in New York on Sunday, joined by Bobby Cirigliano’s parents and the family of 10-month-old Tyler Witte, who died in a drop-side crib in 1997. More than 7 million of these cribs have been recalled in the past five years, often because screws, safety pegs or plastic tracking for the rail can come loose or break. The industry insists that babies are safe in drop-sides that haven’t been recalled. “We believe firmly that when these products are assembled and used properly, they are the safest place to put your child,” said Mike Dwyer, executive director of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, which represents over 90 per- cent of the crib industry. But when the hardware mal- functions, the drop-side rail can detach partially from the crib. That creates a dangerous “V”- like gap between the mattress and side rail where a baby can get caught and suffocate or strangle. Dwyer says manufacturers have seen cases where parents installed the drop-side improper- ly, sometimes upside down, or they have reassembled a crib for a second or third child with some of the screws or other hardware missing. In addition to the CPSC’s pledge to vote on a ban by year’s end, two New York counties — Nassau and Suffolk, on Long Island — have banned the sale of drop-sides. Oil Spill Spreads, Soaks Marshes, Birds
Transcript of Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan NATION/WORLD DIGEST Move...
Ernest ReelfsVERMILLION — Ernest Arthur
Reelfs, 89, of Vermilion, SD, diedFriday, May 21 at the SanfordVermillion Hospital.
Ernie was born August 31,1920, in Wagner, SD, to Georgeand Johanna (Ahlfs) Reelfs theyoungest of seven girls and threeboys.
They farmed in the Wagnerarea until 1936 when they movedto a farm in Clay County north ofVermillion.
He married Barbara JeanEricson on June 7, 1953 inAlcester, SD, and they farmeduntil 1975 when they bought theDalesburg School House andmade it into their home until 1998when they moved into Vermillion.
He is survived by his wifeBarbara of Vermillion, and niecesand nephews.
Funeral services will be 10:30a.m. Wednesday, May 26 at theDalesburg Lutheran Church ruralVermillion with burial in thechurch cemetery. Visitation willbe Tuesday, May 25 from 5-7 p.m.with a prayer service at 7 all atthe Hansen Funeral Home inVermillion.
For online condolences andobituary please visit hansenfu-neralhome.com.
Yankton Press & DakotanMay 24, 2010
Mary HendricksonARMOUR — Mary J.
Hendrickson, 82, died at DouglasCounty Memorial Hospital inArmour on Saturday, May 22,2010.
Funeral service will beWednesday, May 26, 2010 at 10:30
a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Churchnear Armour, with burial follow-ing in Pleaseant Ridge Cemeteryin Armour. Rev. Donald H. Mohrwill be officiating.
Visitation will be Wednesday,May 26, 2010, from 9:30-10:30 a.m.at St. Peter Lutheran Church nearArmour.
Funeral arrangements byKoehn Bros. Funeral Home inArmour.
Casket-bearers are John Coler,Steve Stluka, Todd Biederstadt,Evan Biederstadt and DickGantenbein.
Honorary casket-bearers areJason Fejfar, Tabitha Stluka,Hayden Stluka, Seth Stluka, ChloeStluka and Sutton Stluka.
Mary J. Hendrickson was bornon June 8, 1927, to Ludwig andAnna (Mikolash) Fejfar in Utica,SD. She attended school in Utica,Lesterville, then graduated fromYankton High School. She mar-ried Joh Hendrickson onFebruary 16, 1946. She worked atBirdeyes Division of GeneralFoods and Tastes of the Sea. Shewas a member of St. PeterLutheran Church near Armour,SD. Mary died at Douglas CountyMemorial Hospital in Armour onMay 22, 2010, at the age of 82.
She is survived by 2 nieces,Deb Coler and husband, Lee, ofArmour, SD, and Marilyn Norris
and husband, David, of Maine, anephew, Dan Fejfar and wife, Patof Spearfish, SD, and severalgreat nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death byher parents, a sister and a broth-er.
Yankton Press & DakotanMay 24, 2010
Eleanor GildayEleanor “Bunny” Gilday, 93, of
Yankton, died early Sunday morn-ing (May 23, 2010) at Avera SisterJames Care Center, Yankton.
Mass of Christian Burial willbe 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, May26, at St. Benedict Catholic
Church, Yankton, with Rev. PaulJosten officiating.
Burial will be in Sacred HeartCemetery, Yankton.
Visitations will be 5-8 p.m.,Tuesday, May 25, at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home &Crematory, Yankton, with arosary at 7 p.m., followed by ascripture service at 7:30 p.m.Visitations will resume one hourprior to the service at the church.
Bonnaline ‘Bonnie’Meirose
HARTINGTON, Neb. —Bonnaline “Bonnie” Meirose, age
88, of Hartington, Neb., died onSaturday (May 22, 2010) at theAvera Sacred Heart Hospital inYankton.
Mass of Christian Burial will beat 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 27,at the Holy Trinity CatholicChurch in Hartington, with Rev.Jeffery Loseke officiating.
Burial will be in St. Michael’sCemetery in Hartington.
Visitation will be onWednesday from 4-8 p.m., with avigil service at 7 p.m. at the WintzFuneral Home in Hartington.Visitation will begin one hour
prior to services on Thursday atthe church.
To send online condolences,please visit www.wintzrayfuneral-home.com.
Beulah CrowleyBeulah Crowley, age 93, of
Yankton, passed away Sunday(May 23, 2010) at Avera YanktonCare Center, Yankton.
Services are being handledwith care by Opsahl-KostelFuneral Home & Crematory,Yankton.
NATION/WORLD DIGESTWH Official Says U.S. Hunting Cleric
WASHINGTON (AP) — White House press secretary RobertGibbs says the U.S. is actively hunting American-born Yemeni cler-ic Anwar al-Awlaki.
The radical cleric is calling for the killing of American civilians,in a new video released Sunday by Yemen-based al-Qaida offshoot,al-Qaida of the Arabian Peninsula.
The White House spokesman says President Barack Obama willcontinue to take action directly against terrorists like al-Awlaki,and keep the U.S. safe from what Gibbs calls “murderous thugs.”
Senior administration officials say al-Awlaki is on a list of terror-ists U.S. forces are authorized to capture, or kill. His Internet ser-mons are believed to have helped inspire attacks on the U.S.
Gibbs appeared Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Thai PM: New Elections When Protests EndBANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s leader said Sunday that new elec-
tions can be considered only after violence and protests by anti-government activists end completely, after two months of turmoilleft at least 85 people dead and deeply divided the country.
The comments by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva indicatehe will continue to take a tough line against the Red Shirt pro-testers and will not make a grand gesture of announcing imme-diate elections to heal the rift, as some had expected. UnderThai law, Abhisit is not obligated to hold new polls untilDecember 2011.
“It is now entirely up to me to see when is the most appropriatetime to hold the election,” Abhisit said in his weekly television talkshow.
“At the moment, no one can tell when is the best time. We don’tknow what will happen next. There are some people still talkingabout continuing their fight and to hold a protest in June. We willhave to see what happens first” before thinking of elections, hesaid.
The Thai capital was gripped with its worst political violence indecades during the Red Shirt occupation of downtown Bangkok,culminating in the military crackdown that sparked a rampage bysupporters who launched grenade attacks and set fire to landmarkbuildings, including the country’s stock exchange and biggestshopping mall, the CentralWorld.
Jamaica: Gunfire, Bombs In Barricaded SlumKINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Masked men and security forces
are trading gunfire in a barricaded slum in Jamaica’s capital.A police station is burning after gunmen lobbed fire bombs at
it, sending black smoke spiraling into the sky.The government has declared a state of emergency.Defiant supporters of alleged drug kingpin Christopher “Dudus”
Coke have transformed a part of West Kingston into a virtualfortress cut off by trashed cars and barbed wire.
Local media say least two people have been wounded inSunday’s violence, including one police officer.
■ Get Updates At Yankton Online (www.yankton.net)
www.yankton.net PAGE 3Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan ■ NATION/WORLD ■ Monday, May 24, 2010
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1 6 3 5 2 4
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9 1 2
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su do ku
Fill the puzzle so that every row, every column, and every
section contain the numbers 1-9 without repeating a number.
© 2008 KrazyDad.com
Check tomorrow’s paper for thesolution to today’s puzzle.
Yesterday’s Solution
EASY
CH BOOK 7 #2
EA BOOK 7 #3
Memorial Day Open HouseJoin us for rolls & juice in the Hospitality Center on the grounds of Wintz & Ray Funeral Home
Wintz & Ray Funeral Home and Country Cupboard have arrangeda balloon release at 10:00AM in honor of all veterans buried here.
We will be reading all of their names at that time.
10:00 AM ~ Memorial Service by Ernest Bowyer VFW Post #791
Honor Guard and Auxiliary
Monday, May 31st ~ 8:30am-11:30am
2901 Douglas Ave.,Yankton • 605-665-3644
www.wintzrayfuneralhome.com
W INTZ & RAYFUNERAL HOMEand Cremation Service, Inc.
Garden of Memories Cemetery
Our care and concern does not end with the funeral service. This week we remember with family and friends the anniversary of the deaths of:
Our Thoughts And Prayers Are With The m
This remembrance is brought to you free
of charge. If you have a loved one you
would like remembered, contact us at
Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory.
Guiding and serving families with compassion and trust.
Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton
Memorial Resource Center, Tyndall
Memorial Chapels, Tyndall, Tabor & Menno
665-9679 • 1-800-495-9679
www.opsahlkostelfuneralhome.com
Albina Vitekwho passed away on
May 22, 2004
Ronald Kleinschmitwho passed away on
May 26, 2003
Howard and Lucille (Kribell) O’Connor have celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. They were married May 12, 1945 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Garryowen.
They have 11 children, 25 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. They are members of the St. Agnes Catholic Church, Vermillion.
Cards may be sent to 222 South Norbeck St., Vermillion, SD 57069.Mr. & Mrs. Howard O’Connor
65th Wedding Anniversary
O B I T U A R I E S
BY GREG BLUESTEIN ANDMATTHEW BROWN
Associated Press Writers
BARATARIA BAY, La. — As offi-cials approached to survey thedamage the Gulf oil spill caused incoastal marshes, some brown peli-cans couldn’t fly away Sunday. Allthey could do was hobble.
Several pelicans were coated inoil on Barataria Bay off Louisiana,their usually brown and whitefeathers now jet black. Pelicaneggs were glazed with rust-coloredgunk, and new hatchlings andnests were also coated with crude.
It is unclear if the area caneven be cleaned. It is alsounknown how much of the Gulf
Coast will end up looking the sameway because of a well that hasspewed untold millions of gallonsof oil since an offshore rig explod-ed more than a month ago.
A mile-long tube operating forabout a week has siphoned offmore than half a million gallons inthe past week, but it began suck-ing up oil at a slower rate overthe weekend. Even at its best theeffort did not capture all the oilleaking, and the next attempt tostanch the flow won’t be put intoaction until at least Tuesday.
With oil pushing at least 12miles into Louisiana’s marshesand two major pelican rookeriesnow coated in crude, state offi-cials said they are taking part of
the response to the Gulf ofMexico spill into their own hands.
Gov. Bobby Jindal, standing ona boat at the edge of one of thenesting grounds, said Louisiana isno longer waiting for the federalgovernment to sign off on a planfor a makeshift chain of sandberms that would skirt the state’scoastline.
Jindal and officials from sev-eral coastal parishes say theberms would close the door onoil still pouring from a mile-deepgusher about 50 miles out in theGulf. The U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers is studying the envi-ronmental impact of the propos-al and has yet to give itsapproval.
“We are not waiting for them.We are going to build it,” Jindalsaid.
Jindal said the state hasalready identified and started ini-tial work on 40 sites for theberms, but will keep pushing forfederal approval, which wouldfree up Corps-controlled dredgesfor the operation. A single state-owned dredge was activated forthe effort Friday.
At least 6 million gallons ofcrude have spewed into the Gulf,though some scientists havesaid they believe the spillalready surpasses the 11 million-gallon 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spilloff Alaska as the worst in U.S.history.
Move Afoot To Ban Dropside CribsBY JENNIFER C. KERRAssociated Press Writer
WASHINGTON — The babycrib, usually a safe haven for littleones, became a death trap for 6-month-old Bobby Cirigliano.
The side rail on his drop-sidecrib slid off the tracks and trappedhis head and neck between themattress and the malfunctioningside rail. His face pressed againstthe mattress, the boy suffocated.
“I just don’t feel complete any-more,” says his mother, SusanCirigliano of North Bellmore onNew York’s Long Island.
Bobby was one of at least 32infants and toddlers since 2000who suffocated or were strangledin a drop-side crib, which has aside that moves up and down toallow parents to lift children fromthe cribs more easily than cribswith fixed sides. Drop-sides,around for decades and probablyslept in by many of today’s par-ents, are suspected in an addition-al 14 infant fatalities during thattime.
The Consumer Product SafetyCommission, which regulatescribs, has warned about the prob-lem. Its chairman, InezTenenbaum, has pledged to banthe manufacture and sale of cribsby the end of the year with a newperformance standard that wouldmake fixed-side cribs mandatory.It could be several months into2011 before becoming effective.
The industry has alreadystarted phasing out drop-sidesand big retailers such as Babies RUs and Wal-Mart have taken themoff sale floors. Yet there are stillplenty for sale on the Internet,and that’s part of the reasonCongress is getting involved.
“There’s a great urgency here.We have to make sure that no par-ent is unaware that drop-side cribscould kill their children,” Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said inan Associated Press interview.
She plans to introduce legisla-tion this week to outlaw themanufacture, sale and resale ofall drop-side cribs and ban them
from day-care centers andhotels. Gillibrand wants to accel-erate efforts for a ban, fromCongress or the CPSC, and high-light concerns about the cribs toparents who are using them.
“There still are thousands andthousands of children who aresleeping every night in drop-sidecribs and we need to protectthem,” said Gillibrand.
She outlined her bill at a newsconference in New York onSunday, joined by BobbyCirigliano’s parents and the familyof 10-month-old Tyler Witte, whodied in a drop-side crib in 1997.
More than 7 million of thesecribs have been recalled in thepast five years, often becausescrews, safety pegs or plastictracking for the rail can comeloose or break. The industryinsists that babies are safe indrop-sides that haven’t beenrecalled.
“We believe firmly that whenthese products are assembledand used properly, they are the
safest place to put your child,”said Mike Dwyer, executivedirector of the Juvenile ProductsManufacturers Association,which represents over 90 per-cent of the crib industry.
But when the hardware mal-functions, the drop-side rail candetach partially from the crib.That creates a dangerous “V”-like gap between the mattressand side rail where a baby canget caught and suffocate orstrangle.
Dwyer says manufacturershave seen cases where parentsinstalled the drop-side improper-ly, sometimes upside down, orthey have reassembled a crib fora second or third child withsome of the screws or otherhardware missing.
In addition to the CPSC’spledge to vote on a ban by year’send, two New York counties —Nassau and Suffolk, on LongIsland — have banned the sale ofdrop-sides.
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