Henry explains the Red Cross’ texting program, in which the public can text “Haiti” to 90999 in order to donate $10 to relief efforts in Haiti. So far, the Red Cross has raised $24 million in donations through cell phone texts.

Henry also warns of Haiti relief related scams. The Red Cross does not call and solicit funds. If you are unsure if an organization is associated with the Red Cross, call 276-2762 and inquire. Also, be sure to check that any emails you receive in regards to donations originate from a usaredcross.org or redcross.org email address.

For more information about Haiti relief efforts, as well as other projects by the Red Cross, visit www.gardencityredcross.org.

Dave Sjeklocha, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the Haskell County Animal Hospital, discusses the use of antibiotics in feed animals.

“I think the only way to make a resolution or a pledge to yourself for a healthy lifestyle that you’ll be able to keep up with,” Beech said,  “is to make sure you’re designing things that you can live with for a lifetime.”

Linda recommends that you:

• Add fruits and vegetables to your diet.

• Drink a glass of milk a day.

• Eat one meal with fish per week.

• Add breakfast to your diet. Eating breakfast jump starts your metabolism for the day and also gives your brain and body the energy that it needs to make it through until lunch.

• Avoid liquid calories such as sodas which pile on calories but don’t leave you feeling full.

• Understand that exercise doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the gym. Instead, work exercise into various aspects of your daily routine.

Currently, the district receives $4,012 per student from the state, down $421 from earlier projections. USD 457 was in line to receive a $58 per student increase in funding from the state, in what was the third year of a three year plan to properly fund schools following Montoy vs. the State of Kansas in 2006, according to USD457 Superintendent Rick Atha. Statewide, there have been $241 million in cuts to education.

In June 2009, the BOE voted to freeze the salaries of district principals and the top six administrators. Atha’s salary was frozen at $149,095.

On Dec. 7, the USD 457 Board of Education voted 4-3 to join Schools for Fair Funding, joining 67 other districts in ongoing talks with the state legislature to solve the funding issue. Hopkins hopes that, by presenting a united voice, the districts will be able to more capably negotiate with the state legislature and prevent the need to sue the state.

If the lawsuit proceeds, it will cost the $5 per student, or roughly $35,000 for USD 457, Hopkins said.

“It’s certainly not my goal to want to sue the state,” said Atha. “But we’ve got to fight for our kids.”

You can continue the discussion on Schools for Fair Funding on SWKTalk.com.

Kenne Whitson, Hospice Director at St. Catherine Hospice, discusses what hospice is and how it fits into the nation’s health care system. Mr. Whitson explains that patients in hospice care have an improved quality of life as well as a longer life expectancy when compared to terminally ill patients not in hospice care while also reducing Medicare costs for taxpayers.

For more information about hospice, visit the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.

Information regarding some of the statistics cited in today’s podcast c

The National Red Kettle Campaign — a fundraiser started by a Salvation Army captain in San Francisco in 1891 — has grown into one of the most recognizable charitable campaigns, with more than 25,000 volunteers spread throughout the country.

In 2007, the red kettle campaign raised more than $118 million nationwide, a new record for the agency. The funds helped the Salvation Army provide food, clothing, toys and other assistance to nearly 29 million Americans in need.

To learn more about the Salvation Army, or to find out how to help, call 276-4027. To become a friend of the Salvation Army on Facebook, click here.

“In Cold Blood” was the story about the murders of the Clutter family, a prominent farm family in Holcomb. The book detailed events leading up to and directly after the murders, and ended with the hanging of murderers Perry Smith and Richard Hickock.

Clifford Hope was the estate lawyer for the Clutter family. Dolores was a journalist who contributed weekly columns to The Telegram at the time of the murders.The Hopes befriended Capote and Lee after having them over for Christmas dinner in 1959.

Sunday will mark the 50th anniversary of the Clutter murders.