News you can use

BACK IN TIME

March 6, 1902

Lott Barksdale is lying at Lamar Hospital with his throat cut as the result of a fight with another man named Charles Hammond.

Barksdale is in serious condition and may die. As yet, despite great activity on the part of the police department, Hammond is still at large, but police are leaving no stone unturned to apprehend him.

The cutting occurred yesterday in Barksdale's house on Wall Street. Hammond, who was drinking, went to the house to collect a debt of 30 cents owed him by Barksdale.

(For a look at history through the pages of The Augusta Chronicle, subscribe to augustaarchives.com.)

SMOKED OUT

Left unchecked, tobacco products will cause up to one billion deaths by the end of the 21st century, a Penn State science historian predicts.

The prediction is based on current smoking patterns and the estimation of one lung cancer death for every three million cigarettes consumed.

Cigarettes are pretty uniform worldwide and consumption rates are carefully recorded for taxation purposes. These factors make it easy to predict long-term consequences of smoking.

Lung cancer was an extraordinarily rare disease before the 20th century.

KEEP THOSE PACKED LUNCHES SAFE

The American Dietetic Association gives the following advice on avoiding "lunch box bug" otherwise known as food poisoning:

Wash hands and preparation surfaces with soap and water before assembling kids' lunches. Teach children to wash their hands before digging into lunch.

Invest in an insulated lunch box or bag or use double layers of paper bags to increase insulation.

If sending perishables such as hard cooked eggs, or a sandwich with meat or poultry, include a frozen ice pack. A frozen juice box can serve the same purpose.

If packing a sandwich the night before, keep it in the refrigerator below 40 degrees until just before everyone heads out the door.

Instruct your child to throw away any leftover food that could spoil after lunch.

WINDOW WASHING

Avoid streaks when washing windows. Don't use cleaners with vinegar and ammonia. Use cheap paper towels that don't contain additives and when they are saturated and dirty pitch them and start again new.

PET CARE TIPS

If your pet lives outside, provide hay, straw or old blankets for it to cuddle up on to keep warm. Hang something over the opening of the doghouse like a towel or burlap sack to keep the wind out.

- Put the pet in the garage, if possible.

- Keep the pet dry and out of the wind.

- If your pet has short hair, consider buying it a sweater.

- Limit the pet's time outdoors, especially during walks.

- Make sure your outdoor pet has a water supply that doesn't freeze.

- Increase food to give your pet extra calories to guard against colder temperatures.

- Dogs with furry paws might need to be clipped to keep ice balls from forming around pads. Be alert to the condition of your pet's feet.

- Other pets, such as birds and fish, also need extra attention. Keep birds away from drafts. And make sure heaters on fish tanks are plugged in and at the right temperature. It's also important to make sure heat rocks for reptiles don't suddenly stop working during these colder days.

TEEN DRIVER TIPS

Here are some tips for putting your teen-ager behind the wheel of an automobile: