I have to believe this story will play out in some way across the country. This piece is from Fairfax, Va., and involves do-gooders and churches that cook meals for the homeless. They will have to stop unless they have health certificates and a commercial kitchen.
The story says:From now on, feeding the homeless in Fairfax County will require more than just a big heart. You'll also need a commercial-grade refrigerator, a three-compartment sink and county certification.
Officials said this week that a new campaign to enforce the county food code at shelters is aimed at preventing food poisoning among the homeless. But operators of shelters said forcing them to reject donations of sandwiches or casseroles prepared at home or in church kitchens is not in the best interest of their clients because it will make it harder to provide them with healthy, hot meals.
"We're very aware that a number of homeless people eat out of Dumpsters, and Mom's pot roast has got to be healthier than that," said Jim Brigl, chief executive of Fairfax Area Christian Emergency & Transitional Services. "But that doesn't meet the code."
Officials estimate that about 2,000 people are homeless in Fairfax County, and the number of shelters swells to more than three dozen during the winter months.
The Health Department said it began taking a closer look at the issue after receiving a complaint last year about food being served to the homeless in churches.
Under state and county code, food served to the public must be prepared in a kitchen that has been certified by the county Health Department. Among other things, certification requires a commercial-grade refrigerator, a three-compartment sink to wash, rinse and sanitize dishes and a separate hand-washing sink.
Health officials said they had not been aware that food from unapproved kitchens was being served in homeless shelters.
Cash for the Blind
A federal judge raised a question that seems to me is long overdue. Why in the heck can't we create paper money that blind people can recognize by touch? Spend a lunch hour or a short shopping adventure with a person who is blind and you will see how reliant they have to be on the kindness of others to be sure they are not getting ripped off. Other countries use different sizes of paper money with each denomination. The Associated Press points out:
Electronic devices are available to help blind people differentiate between bills, but many complain that they are slow, expensive and unreliable. Visually impaired shoppers frequently rely on store clerks to help them.
"It's just frankly unfair that blind people should have to rely on the good faith of people they have never met in knowing whether they've been given the correct change," said Jeffrey A. Lovitky, attorney for the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
The Treasury Department had no comment on the ruling Tuesday. The government has 10 days to decide whether to appeal.
In court documents, government attorneys said changing the way money feels would be expensive. Cost estimates ranged from $75 million in equipment upgrades and $9 million annual expenses for punching holes in bills to $178 million in one-time charges and $50 million annual expenses for printing bills of varying sizes.
The Treasury Department spent $4.2 billion on printing over the past decade, [U.S. District Judge James] Robertson said. Adding a raised number to the bills would have increased costs less than 5 percent over that period, he said.
The Des Moines (Iowa) Register followed up on the ruling by telling the story of the director of the Iowa Department for the Blind, who says visually challenged people have found ways to work around the problem. He folds each denomination differently. Others use tabs to separate their money.
Others are turning to electronic scanners that can read bills and other documents.
Ah, the things we sighted folks take for granted.
Shutter Complaints RiseAs the official hurricane season comes to an end, Florida Today reports that complaints against hurricane-shutter companies have risen dramatically this year. Lots of homeowners, fearful after the 2005 hurricane season, rushed to buy shutters, and unscrupulous contractors moved in.
YouTube Lock-Picking Videos
The rest of the world is just now catching up to you Al's Morning Meeting readers on this one. The Master Locksmiths Association in Great Britain is warning people about online sites that I shared with you some time back that teach people about lock picking and lock "bumping."
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Dallas faced this same issue about 10 years ago but...
