From May 1st through the 12th, the Judges of the Montgomery County Municipal court has authorized an Amnesty event. All persons with outstanding fines and court costs can pay 1/2 of those costs to the Clerk of the Courts and request the other 50% of costs to be waived during this period in May.
Montgomery County
Expanded Eligibility For Small Business Grants In Montgomery County
Montgomery County has expanded the eligibility criteria for small businesses looking for COVID-19 relief, increasing the maximum number of employees and maximum annual revenue requirements to allow more local businesses to qualify for grants of up to $10,000. Montgomery County has set aside $40 million to help small businesses recover from COVID-19 losses.
Below are the expanded eligibility requirements (updates in red):
Must be locally owned and located in Montgomery County
Must have fewer than 50 employees
Must have gross annual receipts of less than $5 million
Must not have already received federal assistance (SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan, Paycheck Protection Program, or other programs funded by the federal CARES Act)
Must have a physical storefront and/or an allowable home office as reported in most recently filed tax return
Must be current on all state, federal, and local taxes
Must be in compliance with State of Ohio small business requirements
Must retain at least one-full-time employee for at least three months after the grant award
Please note that you will need to submit supporting documents to apply.
The 2017 Vote for Dayton’s Best Chili is …
Dayton’s biggest chili cookoff was Friday night and we have the loving spoonfuls. A charity that helps disabled Miami Valley residents was given an annual budget boost from the 31st annual event.
There were 17 restaurants and amateur cooks vying for the title of BEST CHILI at the AMBUCS Chili Cookoff this weekend, and the results are in. For the first time ever, the people’s choice top 3 matched The Food Adventures top 3 picks. THE WINNERS ARE…..
#1 CHRISTOPHER’S RESTAURANT’S BUFFALO CHICKEN CHILI:
Delicious, melt in your mouth flavors of simmered chicken and the heat of a buffalo sauce, all in a creamy chili. We topped our bowl with a light sprinkle of shredded mozzarella. This recipe was a risk going off the beaten path of traditional chili’s but in this case, it paid off. Chef John always takes time to talk to the Food Adventures Crew, and we congratulate him and Christopher’s on the big win.
#2 THE BRUNCH CLUB’S SWEET CHILI:
Big Ragu was loving the cute servers in Bengal’s attire, but the chili stole Hungry Jax’s stomach. An interesting twist on a traditional chili, this one was sweet and thinner than most chilis. The result was a chili that really grows on you with each bite. We found ourselves with raised eyebrows craving more of this sweet stuff. A definite stand out in our book, and second place in the competition.
#3 MEADOWLARK’S CHILI with PITA CHIPS:
A traditional chili served with pita chips made in house, and a dab of sour cream. We also sprinkled a bit of shredded provolone cheese on top. This was fantastic. The flavor was so good and it was obvious this was a top contender. Perfectly seasoned and simmering, the chili was one of the best we tasted. In the end, we put them in 3rd place in this tough field of amazing chili.
Other contenders:
The Food Adventure crew wanted to give and Honorable Mention to a couple of restaurants that we feel, rounded out the top 5. They were #4 LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE and #5 SLYDER’s who were close to the top 3. Both versions were meaty chili’s with beans and the traditional Tex-Mex type hearty chili that Americans have grown to love.
Please understand, every single booth had some good chili. The trick was to have your chili be absolutely incredible to stand out in a field of good cooks. The competition was intense, the meat, sauce and beans were flying. Hot sauces, cheeses, jalapenos, crackers, draft beer and more made for a filling night.
Other Restaurants and Amateur Cooks that participated were in alphabetical order:
BILL’S AMAZING CHILI:
A hearty chili with slices of beef. This was a dark and flavorful chili and our first taste of the day.
BRIXX ICE CO:
Always a contender, they had a delicious shredded chicken chili, that was almost like a soup.
BUCKIN DONKEY GRILL:
We are so excited this awesome restaurant is back. Their chili entry was a tomato based chili with lots of huge sausage chunks.
BULLWINKLES:
A meaty chili with good flavor, this restaurant knows what they are doing. This one is great too, like all of their menu soups.
CLASHMORE MIKE’S:
A Tex-Mex classic chili with beans and the traditional sauce. Good stuff and one of the “prettiest” chilis in the bowl.
DARK HORSE TAVERN:
A good traditional chili with beans, meat and great flavor. We are so glad this restaurant is back again on Byers Rd.
EATON KENNEDY’S CHILI:
Another chili with beans in the traditional sense. They served it with tortila chips,and it was good stuff, from a local cook.
EL RANCHO GRANDE:
A Mexican twist, this chili had a swirl design in it from lots of cheddar cheese. The meat was grind down a lot and the chili had a yellow tin to it. We think it was from spices and cheeses.
FLANNIGAN’S:
A different dark and meaty chili. This was a gamble as the chili had a a very rich deep flavor. Points for uniqueness on this one.
GEORGE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT:
A solid traditional looking chili, with beans. It had some Greek seasoning that made the chili taste unique. The entry was good and ingenious that they passed out their restaurant menus to the tables beforehand.
HARRIGAN’S:
This was a thinner chili and almost like a soup. The flavor was good and the meat was ground down very well. Many of you know that Harrigan’s is know fro their beefy burgers.. so you know the beef chili tasted good.
LOS REYES MEXICAN RESTAURANT:
Almost like a “Dayton dip” this thick chorizo chili was very very cheese filled. The result was a yellow colored chili with chunks of meat. It was mild tasting and very different than other entries.
The decision to pick the best entries was a daunting one. All of the chilis were tasty, and went for a great cause. Please visit these fine restaurants that give back to the community. It was a great time and benefited handicapped kids in this area.
Casino games and other fun contests filled the Colosseum.
The night also was filled with BEER, WINE and SOFT DRINKS. Did we mention HOT DOGS? Oh boy the AMBUCS charity hot dog booth was serving up some good ones. We indulged in all the drinks and food we could until we were stuffed.
The event benefits AMBUCS of Dayton. It is a charity that helps handicapped residents of the Miami Valley lead a more mobile life. Special walkers. bikes and mobile devices are donated to the families of those children and adults in need. The effect is a priceless improvement for their quality of life.
Next year’s chili cookoff will be FRIDAY NOVEMBER 16th, 2018:
Do you want to enter your chili? We are also looking for blackjack dealers and volunteers for next year. To get involved, go to BESTCHILI.ORG or call Paul Jankovich at 937-438-0345
Luminaries of Dayton: Noah Tyler Bish
Mr. Bish was born near Carroll County, Maryland and hails from one of the old families of that state, founded in America by his great grand-father. Noah decided after his early school years to move to the Montgomery County area where he was employed on a farm for three seasons. He married Sarah C. Clemmer on November 11, 1869 and had three children: George William, Susan Adie and Ray Clemmer.
A year following his marriage, Mr. Bish purchased forty acres of land in Perry Township, there carrying on general farming from 1870 until 1884. He then went to Dayton and invested in a stock of groceries, opening a store. From the beginning he prospered in his commercial pursuits and developed a successful store with a large patronage. Admitting his son to a partnership, the business was continued under the name N.T. Bish & Son.
Noah T. Bish died on October 5, 1922 at the age of 79. He is located in Section 101 Lot 2533.
Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.
There’s Something About Fair Food!
Dayton Most Metro has the updated Food Vendor list for the 2017 Montgomery County Fair.
Hey Hungry Foodies – calling all concession nuts!
Bring us your thirsty and hungry
Bring them to 1043 South Main Street Dayton, Ohio 45409
COME TO THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR !!
OPEN this week thru Saturday open every day until 10pm and you can get into the fair for free for lunch from 11am -1pm through Friday.
We’ve even got a $2 off coupon you can use to save on admission for Thursday!
Turn the Fair into a Food Adventure!
Here is the list of food vendors you can hit up at the fair in 2017
Montgomery County Fair Starts Wed- Ticket Giveaway!
Smell the funnel cakes? Hear the kids on the ferris wheel? It can only mean one thing. It is that time of year again for the Montgomery County Fair. And oh yes, this is one heck of a place for a Food Adventure. For 164 years, Daytonians have been packing the fair for food and fun. The event will be held in the same place as always, although local level talks about moving the fairgrounds in a couple of years continue to swirl.
So… Corn Dog lovers unite, this is your type of festival. Farmers, carnival rides and special events will fill an action packed week at the corner of Main Street, at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.
HERE’S THE SKINNY on THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR:
— WHERE: 1043 South Main Street, Dayton, Ohio 45409 (It is on South Main between Stewart and Apple Streets).
— WHEN: Wednesday August 31st – Monday September 5th (8am- 10pm, except Monday ends 8pm)
— COST: $8 per person, ages 6 and under are free
— WHAT: There will be swine, and horse races. There are pie and cake auctions. The fair even has live music, sheep judging and goat judging! Rabbits, poultry, kiddie tractor pulls, a demolition derby, garden club and the list goes on an on.
— FULL SCHEDULE: For a list of EVERYTHING going on and to find what tickles your fancy, click on the link below.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
MostMetro.com Ticket GiveAway:
A VIP PRIZE PACKAGE For 4 (value $236)
4 $20 Ride Vouchers
4 $10 Food Vouchers
4 Cotton Candy Vouchers ($16 value)
4 Weekly Passes ($100 value)
For a chance to win you must like this story, leave us a comment below about what you like best about the fair and share this story on your Facebook page (tagging MostMetro.com so we can see it!) We’ll name our winner Wed night 8/31/16.
But this is a Food Adventure, so we will concentrate on the eats you gotta try. Take it from us and our patented “Must Eats.”
MUST EATS at the MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIR:
— THE ASIAN CHICKEN WINGS at DAVE’S CONCESSIONS: You can’t miss the huge “Broasted Chicken and Broasted Potatoes” sign that drapes this amazing booth. Also, a huge grill teases the crowd with incredible aromas of chicken cooking. But the thing to get here is the Chicken Wings. Deep fried, served whole and drenched in any sauce you can’t go wrong. Our suggestion is get the Asian Sauce.
— THE DONUT GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH at THE GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE BOOTH: A glazed donut with cheese, pan grilled and with pickles and tomatoes. It is sweet and a tad salty, but surprisingly good! This kind of stuff is what Food
Adventures are made of ….
— THE BLACKBERRY COBBLER from JEAN’S HOME COOKING: Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this literally made our day. It was like being transported to your grandma’s house and the cobbler had just come out of the oven. Get lost in this dish, and take in the taste. The warm cobbler and the sun, melt the ice cream slowly for a creamy experience. We promise you will be impressed.
Just Announced:
Free admission for lunch 11am to 1pm Wed thru Friday
— THE HUGE SWEET TEA’S: It is gonna be warm and humid, and nothing zaps that like an ice cold sweet tea. They have a 99 cent size and a huge ass mega size. Get the biggest one they have … you will kneel with thanks for this day saving item.
Follow the food related antics of The Food Adventure Crew: Chef House, Big Ragu and Hungry Jax as they open and explore every nook and cranny of Dayton related foodstuffs. Are you a foodie? Our Facebook site is your Graceland! – CLICK HERE TO “LIKE OUR PAGE”
Montgomery County Solid Waste District Offers Grant Program to Encourage Businesses to Recycle More
For the first time ever, the Montgomery County Solid Waste District will offer $200,000 in grant funding to promote recycling at local businesses.The district is now accepting applications for the 2014 Business Recycling Incentive Grant Program. The deadline to apply is April 25, 2014.
“I’m proud of our business leaders,” said Dan Foley, president of the Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners. “They’re an innovative group and they understand that recycling offers a good return on investment. These grants will provide them an extra incentive to do even more.”
The Business Recycling Incentive Grant funds are available on a competitive basis to all Montgomery County businesses. A total of $200,000 in funding will be available for the program, including $125,000 to fund capital equipment purchases and $75,000 for new recycling service contracts.
Funding can be used for any of the following projects:
capital equipment purchases to initiate or expand recycling;
new or expanded contracts for on-site recycling service;
composting service;
equipment, materials, and software purchases to increase or expand operations for recycling processors.
Interested applicants must attend a mandatory briefing session at 9 a.m. on March 26, 2014. The session will be held at 2550 Sandridge Dr., Dayton, Ohio 45439. Awards winners will be announced in June 2014. For an application, visit www.mcswd.org or call (937) 225-4999.
About the Montgomery County Solid Waste District
The Montgomery County Solid Waste District is an innovative collaboration between all of the jurisdictions in Montgomery County, who came together to manage solid waste and recycling for their citizens in a responsible and environmentally-sound manner. The District members include: Butler Township, City of Brookville, City of Centerville, City of Clayton, City of Dayton, City of Englewood, City of Huber Heights, City of Kettering, City of Miamisburg, City of Moraine, City of Oakwood, City of Riverside, City of Trotwood, City of Union, City of Vandalia, City of West Carrolton, Clay Township, German Township, Harrison Township,
Jackson Township, Jefferson Township, Miami Township, Perry Township, Village ofFarmersville, Village of Germantown, Village of New Lebanon, Village of Phillipsburg andWashington Township.
Food for Thought: Charitable Food Adventures
As the holidays approach, many charity functions are in full swing. Food Adventures is honored to participate in and support over 40 local charities, all of them are close to our hearts. Three of these special events are coming up in November, and we would like to share them, because they need your help and support. So please if you can, take some time to attend these functions for people in need.
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 8th – RENT FOUNDATION’s “NITE AT THE RACES” at the IUE HALL at 1675 WOODMAN DR.
—What is this charity? Helping families in crisis since 1995, the GDAA Rent Foundation pays rent for needy families who are facing temporary hardships. Whether an illness, death in the family or some other tragedy, this charity helps prevent homelessness by helping real people locally who are living in apartments. This charity is administrated through the Greater Dayton Apartment Association and could use your support.
Event Website click HERE Charity Website click HERE
—What is this event? Event features 10 horse races on the big screen, endless beer, soft drinks and food for $15. Bring extra money to bet cash and win cash on the races, also raffle drawings, pull tabs and more. Dayton Most Metro’s own Big Ragu is the emcee for this event! Lots of good eats and drink for a Food Adventure !
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17th – MIAMI VALLEY ADAPTED SPORTS WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL EXHIBITION at the NUTTER CENTER:
—What is this charity? Miami Valley Adapted Sports provides recreational and competitive sporting opportunities for individuals with physical disabilities. MVAS has programs that promote physical fitness, character building and friendship. One of the goals is equal opportunities for disabled individuals through education, training and networking.
—What is this event? A wheel chair basketball game where the Miami Valley Adapted Sports kids take on the staff of Children’s Medical Center
Event Website click HERE Charity Website click HERE
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22nd – AMBUCS CHILI COOKOFF at the MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS COLESIUM:
—What is this charity? The South Dayton chapter of AMBUCS is a charitable service club, and one of 4 chapters in the Dayton area. They provide free-of-charge, specially built tricycles called AmTrykes to facilitate therapy of disabled children and adults. AMBUCS also provides ramps for families in need of mobility help and pays scholarships for physical therapy students.
—What is this event? Various local restaurants put their chili to the test and you vote for the winner! Price includes all the beer, soft drinks, wine, hot dogs and chili you want! Also try you luck at casino games located around the fairgrounds coliseum. You want a Food Adventure for a good cause? This charity event is just the ticket.
Event Website HERE Charity Website: HERE
We love calling Dayton our hometown and we are grateful to be a part of these worthy charities. The people involved and the organizations are first class. Remember, life is an adventure (sometimes a Food Adventure), so please give back to the community and support these noble causes.
For our foodie friends who were expecting a typical Food Adventure article with succulent pics this week, we are throwing you a bone below with a photo of our waiter Julio bringing us a “Thurman Burger from the Thurman’ Cafe in Columbus.” Make sure you check out the gallery below for various photos from the 3 charity events featured in this article.
Want more from Dayton Dining’s serious eaters? Then “like”Food Adventures on Facebook by clicking HERE
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Volunteers for Dayton! Opportunities: September 11-18
Welcome to our new column for urban volunteer opportunities! I’ll be posting all kinds of ways to get involved in city neighborhoods – from hand-on service to crowdfunding to fun community-building events – so if you have items for submission e-mail me or add them to our Facebook group!
Spotlight on: Garden Station
Have you driven on Wayne Avenue downtown and wondered what that raucous splash of color was by the railroad tracks? Or maybe you’re a regular at the many frequent events occurring at this two-acre community art park, such as the weekly Sunday Market or ‘Free Music First Friday.’ Launched in 2008 as an initiative of the Dayton Circus Creative Collective, Garden Station is now a stand-alone organization led by Lisa Helm with a small crew of volunteers. It is an “urban hub where the Dayton community can come together to enjoy art, campfires, festivals, movies, concerts and community gardens.” They always need help on Saturday work days throughout the growing season, and this week, they are holding Wine and Weeding Wednesday to get spruced up for Urban Nights. The garden’s current fiscal sponsorship agreement expires on September 14 and its estimated monthly costs are $300, so they’d love if you made a tax-deductible donation before Friday! Or if you don’t fancy yourself a philanthropist, you can still give by eating at Blind Bob’s on the first Monday of the month and mentioning Garden Station Night. For more information, follow their page or e-mail Lisa.
Get Involved!
- Guide our county’s future: Montgomery County is asking citizens to give input through a series of public forums. The topic for Tuesday, Sep. 11th is “Where Do We Stand vs. Other Communities?” Seen any great ideas in other areas that you’d like to bring back here? Chime in!
- Show your art on downtown streets: Activated Spaces, the Downtown Dayton Plan’s joint project of Generation Dayton and updayton, is conducting a final call for submissions for art to fill downtown storefronts. Artists will appreciate that they’re printing the art on vinyl window clings this time, making installation much easier! Click here for more information and to apply by the September 14th deadline.
- The November library levy (Issue 70) includes an “upgraded main library that will be a regional information, reading and cultural attraction for downtown Dayton.” Their online volunteer form asks for help with phonecalls, going door-to-door, endorsers, poll greeters, and public speakers.
- Bike sharing for downtown was recently a hot topic of discussion in our group, and we learned that Bike Miami Valley is exploring the idea. Fill out their brief online survey to share your thoughts on a ‘smart bike’ system!
- Which urban neighborhoods are on Facebook? Several years ago, DMM publisher Bill Pote and I led a training at City Hall to get more neighborhoods on social media. Let us know how far we’ve come by adding to my running list.
- Urban Nights: Still a few more slots availablefor volunteers!
- Clean up North Main Street: Volunteer help is needed for cleaning up litter and overgrown vegetation; supplies such as gloves, brooms and bags are provided. Saturday, Sep. 15, 8:30am-1pm, 2141 N. Main St. For more information, contact FROC Priority Board Coordinator Verletta Jackson at 333-3288 or e-mail her.
- Demo Day at the Fifth Street Brewpub: Meet at the community-owned brewpub (1600 E Fifth) at 10 am, Saturday, Sep 15 to demo the interior of the brewhouse. Email them if you can make it so they can plan accordingly (e.g: buy enough beer)
- Community-Police Action Planning: Learn about community-police relations, give feedback, and sign up for volunteer opportunities at the Dayton Community Police Council’s Community Day Party. Saturday, Sep. 15 11am-3pm, Convention Center.
- Help make peace in Dayton neighborhoods: The Dayton Mediation Center is looking for volunteer mediators to attend upcoming trainings and commit to helping with conflict resolution. More details can be found here.
Success!
- Adding color to Xenia Avenue: Over 170 volunteers participated in the year-and-a-half long mosaic mural project led by K12 Gallery for Young People in partnership with East End Community Services Corporation. The finished project can now be seen at 504 Xenia Ave. Like K12’s page to get involved in future projects! The new mosaics decorate the facade of the future location of the Corner Cupboard Charities thrift store, a volunteer-run organization that raises money for other local nonprofits. Check them out!
- DDR volunteers rocked it!: Over 200 volunteers came out to support the Downtown Dayton Revival Music Fest this past weekend and a good time was had by all.
- Invest in the city through real estate! Theresa Gasper of Full Circle Development, LLC recently shared some amazing before-and-after pictures of the homes she and partners have transformed in the Historic South Park neighborhood, an area which saw a 23% value increase in the last reappraisal. There are plenty of great urban realtors who would love to get you started!
- First Friday Park Planters: A dozen volunteers organized through our Facebook group planted about 40 shrubs and perennials at a little downtown park on Friday night before exploring First Friday together. This was made possible by a grant that volunteer Brian Ressler obtained from Keep Montgomery County Beautiful. Thanks everyone!
Armageddon Flu
Preparedness Or The Incubation Of Fear?
“All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.”
~ Leviticus 13:46
November 2007 – Overseas, increasing numbers of people are hospitalized with flu-like symptoms. Some of the cases are confirmed as H5N1, the avian flu, with some of the health care workers contacting the illness, thereby indicating that the virus has attained the ability to spread from human to human. By mid-December, 2007, it becomes apparent that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) containment zone is ineffective and that the anti-virals that have been developed are unsuccessful. In February of 2008, the virus has spread unhindered throughout China, Indonesia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East…and now cases begin appearing in California with an estimated four weeks until it is spread across the country.
Thankfully, none of this has actually occurred…yet. It is a scenario from a functional exercise titled Armageddon Flu: West Central Ohio Region Pandemic Influenza Exercise which was conducted in February of 2008 by over a hundred and sixty-six agencies spanning eight counties in West Central Ohio. This was the second year that this type of exercise was held. Even the local video news agencies did their part, recording “live” news updates updating the “players” about local and national situations (see videos here)
During a recent interview, Larry Cleek, Medical Reserve Corp (MRC) County Coordinator, gave me an abridged version of what the first year’s scenario consisted of.
“In 2007,” he said, “we did a build up where the first ‘play’ date, we had the initial ‘cases’ in the region and then each subsequent week, it got heavier and heavier until all the hospitals were inundated and had to provide a medical surge and they couldn’t handle the influx of what was coming in.”
The focus of the 2008 exercise changed from being in the middle of an ongoing situation to giving the agencies time to plan, prepare and stockpile provisions and then to see if they had the clarity of foresight that they thought they did.
“Pretty much, we took feedback we received in 2007 and we got a lot of answers from some people saying, ‘Well, if I would have had more time because I knew that it was coming, I would have done this, this and this.’” Mr. Cleek detailed. “In 2008, we kind of went in a different route where the first day was, ‘It’s a month away (the pandemic outbreak). It’s starting to spread over Asia and parts of Europe and it’s going to be here in less than a month. What are you going to do in preparation of its arrival?’ The second ‘play’ day, we had, ‘It’s hit West Central Ohio. Did you prepare up to what you wanted to?’ On the third ‘play’ day, we did a whole recovery phase where the wave has gone through and, ‘How are you recovering from this in preparation for the second wave of this that might come?’”
With the public being recently inundated with disturbingly sinister sounding radio and television commercials that detail the pandemics that have been occurred in the past, ending with the tag line of “it will happen again” leaves some feeling slightly uneasy. In recent press releases, Bret Atkins, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Health, stated that the ads were stark and edgy to get people’s attention and that, with federal money quickly drying up, preparation for a pandemic flu outbreak will fade. With the tenor and the frequency of the advertisements, it seems to walk the fine line between inoculation and indoctrination.
One of the aspects that may go against such an awareness push seems to lie in the sheer number of avian flu related deaths. The Center For Disease Control’s (CDC) website states that as of June 19th, 2008, there have only been 385 cases of avian flu confirmed in the world over a five year period. Deaths related to Multidrug Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) were estimated at 18,650 for 2005 in the United States alone, thus possibly surpassing the number of deaths from AIDS. Why then is the focus of the Ohio Pandemic Flu website (www.ohiopandemicflu.gov) as well as the national PandemicFlu.gov (with its mirror site, AvianFlu.gov) specifically about avian flu (H5N1) to the exclusion of any other potential pandemic pathogens? I consulted with Sara Morman, another spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Health, and received this answer; an answer which was extremely similar to the answer I received from Larry Cleek a week earlier.
“Well, I believe that’s because the greatest threat at the moment is from the H5N1 virus circulating overseas and they have had human cases.” Sara said from her Columbus office. “It has not yet achieved the ability to be transmitted easily from person to person. The H5N1 virus is the one that scientists are keeping their eye on of the next potential pandemic flu strain.”
While the avian flu carries a high mortality rate (around 53%), the infinitesimal amount of currently confirmed cases cannot be construed by the average person as being an immediate threat. After the echo from the Public Service Announcement’s warning of an imminent pandemic begin to fade and the number of visitors to the pandemic websites wane, could the state and national health organizations find that they have made a error in judgment? By presenting to the people a specific scenario that, for all intents and purposes, is negligible and distant to most Americans, after the initial curiosity and fear passes, the thought of a pandemic will go the way of the infamous “terrorist threat levels.” Again: Why specifically avian flu? What if the avian flu pandemic that is envisioned by the scientists and health officials doesn’t occur? Will all this training and preparation be transferable to battle another threat that has as yet to be seen?
“Yes, and you’re looking at a pandemic of any type, so that’s the main premise; you’re preparing for a pandemic.” Larry Cleek asserted. “It doesn’t have to be influenza. It could be something else that popped up. The other thing is that it ties in with other biological related things. You’ve seen Outbreak with Ebola and that type of thing, so if something like that did happen, all of this planning is going to cover those biological areas.” As an aside, he went on, “Let me bring up something else really quickly; in regards to smallpox or anthrax or those types of things, at least we’ve got a vaccine for those. The biggest thing with a Pan-Flu or a flu related item is that it will take six to eight months for us to get a vaccine to fight that specific item, so that’s probably the biggest difference. Because you can’t make a vaccine for it until it’s here and you know what you’re dealing with.”
Sara Morman, who stated that she was not that familiar with the logisitcs of the pandemic exercises held around the state, replied with an answer pertaining to the website and subsequent materials produced and/or distributed by the Ohio Department of Health.
“Well, that is one of the things that we stress in our printed material to remind people that preparing for a pandemic, whether for a strain of H5N1 or another strain, will help them be prepared for any emergency.” Sara Morman said. “So, it is something that we stress more in our printed material, but is probably stressed a little less on the website.”
“Avian Flu: is it a pandemic? No. Basically, in the last century, you’ve had three pandemics; in 1918, in 1957 and 1968. 1918 was really the only severe one. There were milder forms of it in ’57 and ’68 and in the eighteen hundreds, there are three other pandemics that are registered, or historically identified. Basically, the big influx is, they say we’re due for one.”
Perhaps I’m being obtuse with regards to the number of cases of avian flu and its potential severity. Perhaps there are things about mutations with regards to influenza that I can’t even begin to understand, yet I know that, as is common in human nature, if one keeps repeatedly hearing the cries of “Fire!” and yet no flames are ever seen, people tend to turn a deaf ear to the warnings. Yet, maybe the answer to my question is held within the responses that were already given to me.
“And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.”
~ Numbers 16:48
For the complete West Central Ohio Region Pandemic Flu Excercise 2008 scenarios, go to http://www.schlorman.com/aflu/