Shutdown impact: Tourists, homebuyers hit quickly

WASHINGTON — A government shutdown would have far-reaching consequences for some, but minimal impact on others.

Mail would be delivered. Social Security and Medicare benefits would continue to flow.

But vacationers would be turned away from national parks and Smithsonian museums. Low-to-moderate income borrowers and first-time homebuyers seeking government-backed mortgages could face delays.

A look at how services would or would not be affected if Congress fails to reach an agreement averting a government shutdown at midnight Monday.

AIR TRAVEL

Federal air traffic controllers would remain on the job and airport screeners would keep funneling passengers through security checkpoints. Federal inspectors would continue enforcing safety rules.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL

The State Department would continue processing foreign applications for visas and U.S. applications for passports, since fees are collected to finance those services. Embassies and consulates overseas would continue to provide services to American citizens.

BENEFIT PAYMENTS

Social Security and Medicare benefits would keep coming, but there could be delays in processing new disability applications. Unemployment benefits would still go out.

FEDERAL COURTS

Federal courts would continue operating normally for about 10 business days after the start of a shutdown, roughly until the middle of October. If the shutdown continues, the judiciary would have to begin furloughs of employees whose work is not considered essential. But cases would continue to be heard.

MAIL

Deliveries would continue as usual because the U.S. Postal Service receives no tax dollars for day-to-day operations. It relies on income from stamps and other postal fees to keep running.

RECREATION

All national parks would be closed, as would the Smithsonian museums, including the National Zoo in Washington. Visitors using overnight campgrounds or other park facilities would be given 48 hours to make alternate arrangements and leave the park. Among the visitor centers that would be closed: the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York, Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Alcatraz Island near San Francisco and the Washington Monument.

HEALTH

New patients would not be accepted into clinical research at the National Institutes of Health, but current patients would continue to receive care. Medical research at the NIH would be disrupted and some studies would be delayed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be severely limited in spotting or investigating disease outbreaks, from flu to that mysterious MERS virus from the Middle East.

FOOD SAFETY

The Food and Drug Administration would handle high-risk recalls suspend most routine safety inspections. Federal meat inspections would be expected to proceed as usual.

HEAD START

A small number of Head Start programs, about 20 out of 1,600 nationally, would feel the impact right away. The federal Administration for Children and Families says grants expiring about Oct. 1 would not be renewed. Over time more programs would be affected. Several of the Head Start programs that would immediately feel the pinch are in Florida. It's unclear if they would continue serving children.

FOOD ASSISTANCE

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, could shut down. The program provides supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition education for pregnant women, mothers and their children.

School lunches and breakfasts would continue to be served, and food stamps, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, would continue to be distributed. But several smaller feeding programs would not have the money to operate.

TAXES

Americans would still have to pay their taxes and file federal tax returns, but the Internal Revenue Service says it would suspend all audits. Got questions? Sorry, the IRS says taxpayer services, including toll-free help lines, would be shut as well.

LOANS

Many low-to-moderate incomes borrowers and first-time homebuyers seeking government-backed mortgages could face delays during the shutdown. The Federal Housing Administration, which guarantees about 30 percent of home mortgages, wouldn't underwrite or approve any new loans during the shutdown. Action on government-backed loans to small businesses would be suspended.

SCIENCE

NASA will continue to keep workers at Mission Control in Houston and elsewhere to support the International Space station, where two Americans and four others are deployed. The National Weather Service would keep forecasting weather and issuing warnings and the National Hurricane Center would continue to track storms. The scientific work of the U.S. Geological Survey would be halted.

HOMELAND SECURITY

The majority of the Department of Homeland Security's employees are expected to stay on the job, including uniformed agents and officers at the country's borders and ports of entry, members of the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration officers, Secret Service personnel and other law enforcement agents and officers. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services employees would continue to process green card applications.

MILITARY

The military's 1.4 million active duty personnel would stay on duty, but their paychecks would be delayed. About half of the Defense Department's civilian employees would be furloughed.

PRISONS

All 116 federal prisons would remain open, and criminal litigation would proceed.

VETERANS SERVICES

Most services offered through the Department of Veterans Affairs will continue because lawmakers approve money one year in advance for the VA's health programs. Veterans would still be able to visit hospitals for inpatient care, get mental health counseling at vet centers or get prescriptions filled at VA health clinics. Operators would still staff the crisis hotline and claims workers would still process payments to cover disability and pension benefits. But those veterans appealing the denial of disability benefits to the Board of Veterans Appeals will have to wait longer for a decision because the board would not issue any decisions during a shutdown.

WORK SAFETY

Federal occupational safety and health inspectors would stop workplace inspections except in cases of imminent danger.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Daly, Frederic J. Frommer, Kevin Freking, Andrew Miga, Deb Riechmann, Lauran Neergaard, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Mark Sherman, Stephen Ohlemacher, Lolita Baldor, Jesse Holland, Seth Borenstein, Mary Clare Jalonick and Alicia Caldwell contributed to this report.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mass. trying to mesh state health law with federal

BOSTON — Massachusetts finds itself in a unique position as states gear up to launch new insurance marketplaces under President Barack Obama's health care law.

It was Massachusetts that created the blueprint for the marketplaces when it passed its landmark 2006 health care law, making it the first state to create the kind of exchanges envisioned under the federal Affordable Care Act.

But the state and federal laws aren't mirror images, and that means plenty of work trying to mesh the two.

Many of those changes are being welcomed by state officials who say Massachusetts could reap hundreds of millions in additional federal dollars under the law.

"There is no question that the Affordable Care Act benefits Massachusetts in very concrete and significant ways," said Glen Shor, Massachusetts secretary of administration and finance.

But the federal law could also mean some smaller employers and individuals could end up paying more for coverage, and reconciling the laws could spark disruption with some individuals forced to shift from one health program to another.

The federal law could also cause headaches for those deemed able to afford health care but who opt not to. Both the state and federal laws have individual mandates that levy tax penalties to those who refuse to get insurance.

Since the inception of the state mandate, Massachusetts taxpayers have paid more than $115 million in penalties. For 2013, the state penalty is as much as $106 per month or $1,272 per year for an individual. Those who earn up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level don't face penalties.

The federal penalty kicks in next year, meaning uninsured individuals could face federal tax penalties when they file in early 2015. The new federal penalty doesn't mean the state mandate goes away, however, though that won't trigger a double penalty.

Officials say the higher penalty will act as a cap. If an individual owes a $95 federal penalty and a $200 state penalty, they will pay the federal penalty and that amount will be deducted from the state penalty.

Businesses are also keeping a close eye on the federal law, which will affect insurance costs for smaller businesses and individuals who pay out-of-pocket for insurance.

Changes in what factors can be taken into account when determining insurance rates means about 14,000 individuals and small businesses that employ 377,000 workers could see their costs rise, while about 69,000 individuals and businesses employing 256,000 workers could see costs drop.

The increases could be as high as 10 percent, but a federal waiver will let that increase be phased in over three years.

Merging the two laws will also require many people already receiving insurance coverage to re-enroll or be shifted to new programs.

The biggest change will be for those insured through the state's subsidized Commonwealth Care program. Under the federal law, about 150,000 will have to re-enroll in health care plans beginning Tuesday.

They're not alone.

Aligning the federal and state laws means an additional 100,000 individuals will be shifted from Commonwealth Care into the state's Medicaid program, known as MassHealth, and 45,000 uninsured people will become eligible for MassHealth.

The ACA allows states to offer Medicaid coverage to low-income adults making less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $15,000 a year for an individual.

As a result of the change, state officials expect the total number of individuals in MassHealth to hit about 325,000 next year.

State health officials say they're working aggressively to make sure the enrollment efforts go as smoothly as possible so no one falls off insurance during the transition. They say they want to protect Massachusetts' status as the state with the highest percentage of insured residents.

"We are doing everything we can not to backslide," said John Polanowicz, secretary of health and human services.

On balance, Massachusetts officials say that, despite any disruption, the federal law will help the state strengthen health care services.

They say the state will also reap an additional $200 million in higher federal reimbursements during the current fiscal year and $400 million in the fiscal year that begins next July.

The state has taken other steps to help smooth the transition.

Lawmakers repealed a mandate requiring employers provide health insurance to workers or pay a penalty — in part because the federal law included its own mandate. Under the federal law, firms with 50 or more employees face a mandate to offer insurance or risk fines from the government starting in 2015.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Billionaire's daughter in NJ court in will dispute

HACKENSACK, N.J. — A bitter dispute pitting a billionaire's daughter against her late grandfather's estate is playing out in a New Jersey courtroom.

The trial in Hackensack is the latest chapter in a fight between Revlon Chairman Ron Perlman's 23-year-old daughter, Samantha, and her uncle James Cohen. He runs Hudson News, which operates newsstands in train stations and airports nationwide.

Samantha Perelman's late mother, Claudia Cohen, was James Cohen's sister. Their father, Robert Cohen, took over his family's newspaper distribution company in the 1940s, and it developed into Hudson News, which was sold in 2008 for about $800 million.

Robert Cohen suffered from a Parkinson's-like disease and died in 2012. Samantha Perelman claims James Cohen illegally pressured his ailing father into taking her out of portions of his will. Cohen denies it.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Regulators in New England cap river herring catch

NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — Regional fishery managers have adopted limits on how much river herring can be caught by huge trawlers working New England waters.

Populations of alewives and blueback herring, referred to collectively as river herring, are in historically bad shape, as are stocks of shad. These fish once supported a large commercial fishery, and they also have cultural importance up and down the coast because of the "herring runs" that occur when the fish return upriver to spawn.

The caps proposed Thursday by the New England Fishery Management Council during their meeting on Cape Cod target so-called mid-water trawlers, which catch herring by pulling a large net between them. The caps limit the trawlers to a total of 500,000 pounds of river herring in three areas off New England.

The caps must be approved by federal regulators.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Workers urged to protect hearing from farm clatter

INDIANAPOLIS — Far from the clatter of cities, the nation's farmers are assaulted every day by the earsplitting squeals of hundreds of hogs, the roar of tractors and the incessant whine of grain dryers during the fall harvest.

An estimated one-third of the nation's three million farmers have some level of hearing loss caused by their inner ears' daily bombardment from sounds that can rival a rock concert's sonic impact. Even farmers still in their 20s can end up with the muffled hearing of someone in middle age if they fail to protect their hearing.

"You just can't get away from the machinery. We're driving those tractors and they're so goddamn loud," said Tom Duerst, a 55-year-old Wisconsin dairy farmer with partial hearing loss he attributes to farm noises he was exposed to in his youth.

Many farmers are on their own when recognizing their elevated risk of hearing loss, because only the largest U.S. farms operate under federal workplace safety regulations. Though the risks have been known for decades, only more recently have nonprofits, university researchers and federal agencies focused on trying to educate farmers and their children how to avoid hearing loss by wearing sound-cutting earmuffs or ear plugs.

Design changes in farm machinery, such as tractors, has made some equipment run quieter, but many still use older, noisier models. And livestock — such as hogs and chickens — packed into barns still produce the same cacophony of noises; a squealing hog, for example, can be as loud as a running snowmobile.

To nudge farmers to protect themselves, farm extension service educators often highlight sobering noise-impact facts at trade shows or conventions. And 4-H programs and some Future Farmers of America chapters use online resources to urge the next generation to wear earmuffs or ear plugs to ward off noises such as operating a tractor without a cab — which can damage hearing in only 15 minutes without protection.

Duerst recalls spending hours as a youth around rumbling tractor engines and loud milking machines on the 500-acre dairy farm he now co-owns near Madison, Wis.

"That was just normal when you were a kid. That was just life," he said. He is certain now those noises are the cause of his partial hearing loss.

In his late 20s, Duerst began using earmuffs during clay pigeon shoots. He realized the same equipment could protect his hearing when he operated an open-cab tractor. Now, all of the farm's tractors are equipped with headphones that are permanently attached by cords for convenience — and as a constant reminder to use them.

Grain farmer Charles Schmitt, a 63-year-old who farms more than 2,000 acres of corn and soybeans near the southwestern Indiana town of Haubstadt, said he also suffered hearing loss in his youth from exposure to tractors and other noises. He's worn protection for about five years, as does his son.

Schmitt said most of the machinery he uses these days isn't as loud as earlier models.

"Sometimes you'll get a piece of equipment that's louder than it ought to be. It's a blast compared to what most people are used to," he said. "When it's loud we either stay a little farther away, or add to our hearing protection."

Implement manufacturers have started making quieter tractors and machinery. Deere & Co., which makes John Deere tractors, has added sound-dampening panels to the roofs of their tractor cabs and incorporated sound-absorbing laminated glass and other features, company spokesman Ken Golden said.

While the general adult U.S. population has seen improvements in hearing since the 1970s, when federal workplace safety rules began, the threat to farmers really only entered the national spotlight in the past five or so years, said Gordon Hughes, director of clinical programs for the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Hughes said repeated exposure to noises in excess of 85 decibels — comparable to the sound of heavy city traffic — damages tiny nerve endings called hair cells inside the cochlea, the inner ear's pea-sized hearing organ.

"This is all cumulative, not just one day, but the next day adds more, the day after that adds even more. And farm activities tend to be repetitive," he said.

Hughes estimates more than a third of the nation's three million farmers likely have some level of noise-induced hearing loss, but noted it's a conservative figure as some research suggests nearly three-quarters of farmers have some level of hearing loss.

Billy Martin, an audiologist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, said more farmers than ever are aware of the risks, but many others don't seem to recognize the threat or the easy steps they can take to protect their hearing.

"The culture can be sort of like, 'Don't worry about it, it's just part of life and if you get hearing loss, well your grandfather had hearing loss and his father before him did — it's part of the deal,'" Martin said.

Research published in 2006 found that 2,700 male farmers from mostly Illinois, Indiana and Iowa had dramatically higher levels of hearing loss between the ages of 20 and 60 than people who don't work in loud environments.

Most of the data came from hearing tests performed on farmers who attended the annual Farm Progress trade show during a 10-year period ending in the late 1990s.

James Lankford, a now-retired professor of audiology at Northern Illinois University who co-authored the study, said when those farmers' sons watched the tests, they were stunned by the degree of their fathers' hearing loss.

"The younger farmers, the ones who were going to take over the farm, realized how significant a hearing loss they could face by working without ear protections," he said. "... It was really enlightening for them."

___

Online:

"Keeping It Down On the Farm": http://1.usa.gov/pcem5s

Dangerous Decibels: http://www.dangerousdecibels.org

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mazda recalls midsize cars to fix door latches

DETROIT — Mazda is recalling 161,400 midsize cars in the U.S. because the doors can open while they're being driven.

The recall affects Mazda 6 cars from the 2009 through 2013 model years. The company says the door latch mounting screws can loosen. That can stop the doors from latching. If the latches come loose, a door ajar light will warn drivers.

Mazda traced the problem to improper tightening at the factory or uneven door surfaces. The company will notify owners and dealers will put on a thread-locking adhesive and tighten the screws. The recall will start around Oct. 18. Mazda says the problem hasn't caused any crashes or injuries.

Owners with questions can contact Mazda at (800) 222-5500.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Trout habitat being restored in Maine stream

FRENCHTOWN TOWNSHIP, Maine — Maine's wildlife agency is restoring brook trout habitat in a stream in the Moosehead Lake area.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Plum Creek land and timber company have been working together to enhance the habitat on Intervale Brook, an important tributary of First Roach Pond in Frenchtown Township.

Back in the days of log drives, streams like Intervale were straightened, had in-stream boulders and trees removed, and had their banks heightened to make log drives easier. But those things also hurt the habitat for brook trout.

The new restoration initiative involves using what's known as a "chop-and-drop" method to strategically add fallen trees to the stream to provide additional cover for the fish, increase the insect population and create or enhance pools on a four-mile stretch of stream. Plum Creek also has removed berms, restored disconnected stream channels and placed large boulders in the stream.

In one of the final steps in the restoration effort earlier this week, Plum Creek removed an old log-driving dam at the headwaters of the stream.

"Intervale Brook has great water quality, but we need to provide more habitat diversity," said Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist Merry Gallagher, who's overseeing the project. "By adding woody material, we can provide habitat and help diversify the stream substrate, which enhances the food supply and provides protection for fish."

Maine is home to 97 percent of the nation's lake and pond brook trout population.

___

Online:

Restoration project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdrvwXUNaDg

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

White House: GOP bill 'reckless,' 'irresponsible'

WASHINGTON — The White House says a House Republican bill that would delay a major provision of President Barack Obama's health care law is reckless and irresponsible.

Obama spokesman Jay Carney also says any Republican who votes for the bill is "voting for a shutdown." He notes that House Republicans have tried and failed to delay or eliminate the law's funding more than 40 times.

The House is expected to vote on the bill Saturday night.

The bill would delay for one year the requirement for nearly all uninsured people to buy health insurance or face penalties. It also would repeal a tax on medical devices.

Obama has said he will not delay his signature legislative achievement. The White House also has expressed opposition to repealing the medical devices tax.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

Friendly’s fights slide

Two years after filing for bankruptcy, Friendly's Ice Cream continues to churn away at a tall order: reinvigorating a 78-year-old chain competing against the likes of Applebee's, Panera, IHOP and Chipotle.

While analysts cite progress important to a turnaround — in customer service, and menu and restaurant updates — some question whether the Wilbraham-based chain can survive in the long run.

Customer satisfaction surveys show consumers like the changes, according to Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic, a Chicago food industry consulting and research firm.

"The important element is will they be able to sustain that positive reaction?" he said. "It will take continuous effort. As some of these older brands continue to age, it gets increasingly difficult to turn them around."

Friendly's CEO John Maguire — a Weymouth native and former Panera COO who joined the company in April 2012 — said Friendly's has seen steady progress in three focus areas: the friendliness and retraining of employees; food quality and menu changes; and the cleanliness and energy level of its restaurants.

By year's end, Friendly's expects to have renovated 45 restaurants, with another 50 planned for 2014.

"We have a long ways to go," Maguire said. "We're just starting out, so sales increases will come as we get more consistent and make the improvements we need to make."

Friendly's expects about $500 million in revenue this year — down from 
$700 million in 2011 — from 355 restaurants and ice cream sales at 7,500 supermarkets and other retailers.

"We're going to exceed our profit expectation for 2013," Maguire said. "We grew in 2012, and we'll grow our earnings in 2013."

Friendly's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2011, citing the economic downturn and rising commodity prices. Over time, it had stopped investing in its employees, quality of its food, and the cleanliness and upkeep of its restaurants, according to Maguire. "If we (address those issues), we'll survive," he said.

Friendly's closed about 100 restaurants before emerging from bankruptcy protection in January 2012 as a leaner chain under an affiliate of private investment firm Sun Capital Partners, which acquired Friendly's in 2007.

Maguire disagrees with those who view Friendly's as past its time, noting the chain holds a special place for many customers who visited as children with parents or grandparents.

"There are people who love and always did love and probably always will love Friendly's," agreed Michael Tesler, senior marketing lecturer at Bentley College. "But I don't know if there is enough. Time has sort of passed by Friendly's between Panera and Chipotle and Shake Shack and Tasty Burger."

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More

App’s the way to monitor baby

A Boston-based MassChallenge finalist is taking baby-monitoring beyond devices that record only sight or sound.

The SensibleBaby SmartOne is a onesie with a front pocket containing an embedded sensor that sends a constant signal to a nearby smartphone via an app that alerts parents when a sleeping infant is too hot, too cold or sleeping on his or her stomach.

"We want to be a co-parenting tool that empowers people with information so that they don't have to worry about their child," said SensibleBaby CEO Ben Cooper, who's expecting his first child in December.

Cooper and his three co-founders — Jeff Tagen, Jill Ju and Jack Sivak — met as strangers in March at Start-up Weekend, a 54-hour marathon during which aspiring entrepreneurs form teams, pitch an idea and make it a reality.

The four decided to try to create something better than baby-monitoring audio recorders and video cameras on the market.

"Audio monitors are wonderful, but if you're not listening, they don't help," said Cooper, 29. "We wanted to only alert parents when they need to act."

By the end of the weekend, they had a name for their new company, a logo, a website and a working prototype consisting of a taped-together sensor that dropped into a hand-sewn sock.

"It wasn't very pretty," Cooper recalled with a laugh, "but it worked."

It worked well enough that the four won, and one of their prizes was a waived application fee to MassChallenge, the Boston start-up accelerator and $1 million competition, which wraps up on Oct. 30.

In the meantime, the team won $100,000 through Founder.org and is using the money to refine and test their product for what they hope will be a launch in the first quarter of next year.

SmartOne sets will contain a sensor and three onesies, and will sell for between $100 and $150 in baby boutiques and on the company's website, mysensiblebaby.com.

23.40 | 0 komentar | Read More