SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS JANUARY 13, 2012 PAGE 2 Over 40 & Looking for Walking Often a Battle Work? Be Prepared to of Obstacles in Texas
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SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS JANUARY 13, 2012 PAGE 2 Over 40 & Looking for Walking often a battle Work? Be Prepared to of obstacles in Texas Run the Gauntlet! By Tim Morstad by Dr. Stephen A. Laser practiced my profession for this includes being unprepared The ultimate goal is to pass a "Complete over 30 years, I’d like to offer for testing and interviewing Walking is good for the heart, but in many Streets" law in Texas that encourages trans - some helpful and practical ad - techniques which, with a little Texas communities, it can be hazardous to your portation planners and decision makers to think If you’re looking for work and vice without trying to teach you groundwork, allows you to give health and safety. in terms of access and safety when planning unacquainted with the new real - ways to “game” the system. a good account of your qualifi - communities or renovating streets. This ity of proving your mettle, With unemployment still lurk - cations. As many of us make New Year's resolutions to forward-thinking legislation wouldn't cost the you’re in for a big surprise. If ing near 9% and little likeli - shed excess holiday pounds and get healthier, state additional money. It merely requires cities landing a job isn’t hard enough hood of going much lower, job On-Line Testing: we often find the deck stacked against us even and counties to plan with the needs of mo - for today’s unemployed worker, seekers can use all the friendly as we take our first step... right in our own torists, public transit users, cyclists and pedes - companies have added a layer advice they can get. Remember, What are em - neighborhoods. That's too bad because walking trians in mind. of difficulty to the process nothing is gained from distort - ployers looking is a wonderful form of exercise. In fact, some which makes getting hired that ing your answers to test ques - studies suggest walking 10,000 steps per day Last year, the measure was adopted by commit - much harder. Specifically, you tions or lying during a job Using on-line tests to for? can yield considerable health and weight reduc - tees of both House and Senate but not by the will probably be asked to take interview. In the event you do screen job applicants before tion benefits. full Texas Legislature. The coalition will try an on-line test just to be consid - manage to fool a prospective meeting them face-to-face has again when the Legislature convenes in 2013. ered for an interview. And once employer, the chances of suc - become commonplace among The fact remains that while many of us truly In the meantime, we'll continue to educate you do earn the opportunity to ceeding on the job are small, employers. The explosion of el - enjoy walking, most of our communities simply Texans about the problem and work with cities be interviewed, you will likely and you will be back at square igible job applicants, especially aren't "walker friendly." They were built in - and towns on resolutions supporting such goals. face another challenge in the one while suffering another em - during the past several years stead for motorists, resulting in unsafe intersec - form of behaviorally-based barrassing loss of employment. during the recent recession, has tions, streets without sidewalks, and a lack of AARP and partner organizations are talking to methods of questioning your On the other hand, many people made the practice of on-line benches for resting or waiting for public trans - local officials and doing pedestrian safety au - qualifications for the job. As a are totally uninformed about testing even more advisable... portation. These and other factors prevent many dits in places like Houston, San Antonio, Dal - business psychologist who has the gauntlet they must run, and Continues on page 4 of us from walking regularly and using this las, El Paso, Austin and San Angelo. Older easy, cheap, physically and environmentally Texans are among those who depend most on healthy mode of transportation. a variety of transportation options and, ironi - cally, some of the worst intersections are in Unfortunately, Texas' largest population centers right in front of senior centers. fall in the "worst offender" category for pedes - trian safety. A recent Transportation for The solutions are often simple, and they can America study identified Houston, Dallas-Fort save lives. For example, older pedestrians or Worth, Austin and San Antonio among the 25 people using walkers and wheelchairs could most dangerous places for pedestrians in the benefit from curb cuts and walk lights that tell country. According to the report, more than them how much time they have to cross the 4,200 pedestrians were killed in Texas over the road. past decade, including more than 500 over age 65. There is no good reason why crossing a street in Texas should turn into a near-death experi - This is why AARP is engaging volunteers in a ence. Any one of us can help make things better statewide effort to make more transportation and safer for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists options available -- such as bus and rail service and transit riders across Texas. To -- and to design safer roadways and sidewalks. learn more, visit www.safestreetstexas.org The initiative is supported by a coalition in - cluding businesses, cycling enthusiasts and Tim Morstad coordinates AARP Texas' mobility aging groups. The premise behind the effort is initiative. simple: Streets are not just for drivers but for everyone who uses them. SPOTLIGHT EP NEWS JANUARY 13, 2012 PAGE 3 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Is Juarez experiencing a new-found Holiday Schedule for peace? By Joe Olvera ©, 2012 War on Drugs, but, that there one doubting Tomas. “The Par - just a lull.” is attrition among the gangs in El Paso Parks were no more people worth tido Accion Nacional (PAN) is Juarez,” he writes in an Internet killing in Mexico. currently in power and it wants To put things in per - article. “In what might be a and Recreation Removing con - to maintain that power,” the spective, the murders in Juarez sign of the shifting dynamics in The theories on what’s happen - man who did not want to be have dropped to150 last month. the regional underworld, two January 16, 2012 crete barriers from busy city ing in Mexico are long and identified, said. “The party is This figure is down from a year larger gangs that operate in Schedule streets, tearing down fences confusing. Some people do be - worried that it might not win earlier. In October 2010, 350 Chihuahua – the Zetas and La that had provided protection in lieve that the violence has been the next election, thus, perhaps people were killed in that one Linea – recently announced an tough neighborhoods, undertak - The Administrative Offices curtailed, but, not totally some sort of deal has been month. Since then, however, alliance in the city of Hidalgo ers upset because the murders stopped. Although there seems made with the cartels to stop the violence has slowly de - del Parral, a few miles south of for the Parks and Recre - in Juarez have dissipated some - ation Department at City to be a drop in the violence that the killings so that the popula - clined to 183 murders in March Juarez.” what, Mexican President Felipe has permeated the city and has tion will think that it’s their and 168 in April. This contrasts Hall will be closed. Calderon prancing about pro - resulted in more than 9,000 doing. The fact is that the Mex - to the 150 killed only recently. What many experts agree on, claiming that his war on the deaths, the murders continue, ican military is no longer being The fact is the killings have however, is that there does Senior Centers and Day - drug cartels is taking fruit be - albeit, in smaller numbers. used in the war, thus, the mur - dropped and one cannot dis - seem to be some sort of dy - care Operations will be cause the violence is slowly With Juarez city officials tear - ders have gone down. Just to count the fact that some people namic happening that has seen closed. ebbing and coming to a halt. ing down protective barriers – give you an example, eight do feel safer, but, perhaps not a drop in the Juarez murders. Sports Centers will be But, is it true? Has the violence barriers that gave the people a people were murdered just yes - because of Calderon’s claims However, one element on in Mexico been moderated to open. false sense of security – it now terday. So, have the killings that it’s his strategy that has which most experts don’t agree, the extent that Juarenses feel seems as if it’s a new day in stopped? I would say no. Also, worked. is whether the lull will last, or Aquatic Centers will be safer? While Calderon was open. Juarez. Or not! the media has been asked to not whether the violence will pick claiming credit for the drop in report on any new violence that Analyst Patrick Corcoran at - up once again after the Mexi - killings, however, one woman “Just wait until after might occur. I don’t think any - tributes the drop in murders to can elections in July. Much re - All Recreation Centers will held up a sign indicating not the presidential elections,” says thing has changed at all. It’s other factors. “One likely factor mains to be seen. be closed with the excep - that he had won his so-called tion of Armijo 1:00 p.m.