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Spotlight on Students’ Mental Health

New Law Seeks to Lower Number of Baker Act Incidents by MARY TOOTHMAN When state Rep. David Silvers heard about one child’s horrific experience as she was taken into custody under Florida’s Baker Act, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. A news story about the circumstances haunted him. The Baker Act is a Florida law…
Pop Quiz: Are Your Protecting Your Eyes From Digital Eye Strain?

For the majority of Americans, screen time is all the time. We utilize computers, tablets, and smart phones constantly, whether at work or for leisure. While the advantages of such technology can’t be denied, all of that time spent looking at a screen is not good for your eyes! Digital eye strain is a very…
Skintelligence

Most Skin Cancer Is Preventable; Early Precautions Pay Off Later by TIM CRAIG Tom and Ariana Glennon know about the sun. From being stationed out in the South Pacific to making a life in Winter Haven, the pair’s experience with the sun’s rays has evolved. “When we were younger, there was no thought about sunscreen,”…

Healthy Cook: Food safety for the outdoor cookouts

Food Safety for the Outdoor Cookouts The sun is shining and the kids are playing and the picnic lunch is waiting to be eaten. It’s a perfect day in Florida. But tomorrow could be a bummer if the cook and helpers don’t know how to keep the food from spoiling. Food safety is a…
Editor’s Dose: My tips if you plan to do a ‘staycation’

In my opinion, there’s nothing better than summer in Florida. You have the beaches, the theme parks, and of course, the sunshine to beckon you outdoors. For residents planning their vacations this season, there are just as many reasons to stay close to home as there are to get away. So how do you…
Get healthy STAT!

Weighing in on National Statistics Take a Shot 13 percentage of parents not vaccinating children on the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended schedule. Source: U.S. CDC The rates in Polk County of parents not completing immunizations on time is 1.6 percent for kindergarten and 1.3 percent for seventh grade, but they…