The Newark Advocate from Newark, Ohio • 7

STATE 7A The Advocate Tuesday, September 4, 2001 Seniors try bus trips to save on prescriptions Canadian drugstores offer lower prices for medicine EUCLID (AP) It's not exactly a vacation pleasure trip, but for people struggling with the high price of medicine, Harold Brewer's flier offers this appeal: "Let's go to Canada!" With a $40 round-trip ticket, his customers can climb aboard Brewer's rented bus and head to a Windsor, pharmacy to buy prescription drugs for a fraction of the cost in Ohio. Next Saturday morning, the bus leaves from Euclid City Hall, near Cleveland. In July, the bus picked up passengers near Parmatown Mall, in Parma, also a Cleveland suburb. Brewer, a Euclid retiree, is one of According to one federal study, seniors take about one-third of the prescription drugs used in the United States. President Bush that it could be months, and even years, before Congress adds drug coverage to Medicare, the government's health-insurance program for nearly 40 million older Americans.

But his proposed discount-drug card, which could be available early next year, promises a 25 percent price break. In the meantime, some seniors who can't deal with bus trips are looking into filling prescriptions in Canada through the mail. a growing number of people in northeast Ohio organizing bus trips to Canada for seniors who have trouble paying for medicine. "I face the same thing everyone else faces," said Brewer, who's organizing the Euclid bus. "I'm 71 and I know what medicines cost." Several cities are also considering renting their own buses to make the trip, and charter-bus companies report an increased interest in heading north.

Many of the bus organizers say they got the idea from U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. The Lorain Democrat began offering free trips to Windsor last year. "The more, the better, because people are saving money and because I hope, over time, it will put pressure on the president and Congress to change the laws on prescription drugs," Brown said.

"We call them drug runs," said James Seaman, at Revere Travel, a bus charter in Cleveland. But there's nothing illegal about bringing prescription drugs for personal use into the United States from a foreign country. And it's easy to understand why more seniors think a six-hour trip is worthwhile: Canadian drugstores offer as much as a 90 percent price break on some drugs, because of government-negotiated price controls. The subject also came up at this week's meeting of the Cuyahoga County Municipal Offices on Aging Association. Usually the 46 senior-services directors are organizing entertainment, exercise or other programs, but now they're talking about how to get seniors some prescription price relief.

Workers feeling slumping economy Layoffs hit Central Ohio businesses 4 the slowdown and say that if steps aren't taken to protect U.S. manufacturing jobs, the entire economy will suffer. "If we do not manufacture products, something of value to sell, our standard of living is going to continue to slip and slip," said Bill Burga, president of the Ohio AFL-CIO. There are good-paying jobs in other sectors that are still growing including engineering and architectural services jobs that average $828.80 in weekly pay, compared with $638.58 for manufacturing. But that doesn't help the worker with limited education who could earn as much as $20 an hour at the Lucent plant.

"What happens to these people who don't have technical skills? The answer is they get left behind," said Bill LaFayette, manager of economic analysis for the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce. The news may not be all bad for manufacturing, however. Tax cuts and interest-rate reductions will begin to boost investment and consumer spending, helping stabilize manufacturing by the end of the year and allowing growth in 2002, according to a forecast by the National Association of Manufacturers. "The recent data has been somewhat favorable and suggests that we are near a turning point," said Jerry Jasinowski, the association's president. COLUMBUS (AP) The holiday created to celebrate the American worker may not have been such a joyous day this year for nearly 27,000 Ohioans.

That's the number of manufacturing jobs lost statewide since last Labor Day, mostly as the result of a nationwide economic downturn. More than 3,000 of those jobs have been lost in central Ohio, where businesses including Lucent and Columbus Coated Fabrics in Columbus, Owens Corning in Newark and Kenworth Truck in Chillicothe have announced either layoffs, job cuts or plant closings. "I've been trying to find other work, but there's nothing for us that is as well paying," said Cecilia Mikla, who had worked 22 years at Lucent Technologies' Columbus Works before being laid off in April. More than 1,000 workers have lost jobs in recent months at the plant, which has been sold. State employment information shows that the slump has affected most sectors of the economy.

Although job growth has slowed in other sectors, manufacturing is-the only one to suffer a loss of jobs. The downturn isn't a complete surprise, considering that manufacturing is more sensitive to economic slowdowns than are other areas of the economy. Some labor leaders believe federal free-trade policies have helped fuel Washington County vies for 91 1 system MARIETTA (AP) Everyone in Washington County will be getting an address with a number and street name for the first time by fall. The change comes as the county tries to get a 911 emergency system installed. Thousands of people in the county have been using rural route addresses.

Letters assigning the new addresses began arriving last week to people in the western part of the southeast Ohio county. After the numbers are assigned, people have one year to post them on their mailboxes. Postal regulations require the number be visible to approaching vehicles. After that, they can start using their address to get mail. "We are glad to see the house numbering because we need that 911 system," said Wesley Township Trustee Lucy King.

"The new street signs are really nice, too. They make it a lot easier to remember for people." Man dies of heart attack while skydiving XENIA, Ohio (AP) A 69-year-old man died of a heart attack while skydiving near this southwest Ohio city. Lawrence J. Massillo of Ada opened his parachute after jumping from an airplane Sunday night but was unconscious when he floated to the ground, Greene County Coroner Claude Lyons said. Massillo died of natural causes, not from the jump, Lyons said.

Cedar Point coaster closed for Labor Day SANDUSKY (AP) Labor Day visitors to Cedar Point amusement park missed out on its biggest roller coaster, which was closed Sunday after a cable separated during a test run, stranding 30 employees in cars 275 feet off the ground. Park spokesman Bryan Edwards said Monday that the train stopped while climbing the Millennium Force's 310-foot first hill. It took about an hour to get everyone off the ride. They were brought down in a six-person steel cart that runs parallel to the tracks and is usually used for maintenance. Each ride is inspected and tested daily.

No word yet on when Millennium Force might reopen. Cedar Point's 14 roller coasters and 68 rides make it the biggest amusement park in the world. Airborne skater Josh Burnett, 17, flies in the air with his in-line skates off a ramp in Yoctangee Park, in downtown Chillicothe on Monday. (AP) Ohio men to climb Everest Brothers hope event raises funds for cancer research HOURS Call 345-4053 The Advocate is responsible for errors in the FIRST RUN ONLY. Box Office Opens September 4th "The Butler Did It" performances prVrrJ September mwm Shingle Tear Off Re-roof Excellent References R.L.

Davis-Builder 366-1772 14th thru 16th 20th thru 22nd 27th thru 29th iox Office Hours: Tuesday-Friday pm AM seats are Reserved Phone 349-ACTS (2287) ball-size malignant tumor on his lung. It was Askin's disease, a rare type of sarcoma. This time, doctors gave him only two weeks to live, but after months of radiation and chemotherapy treatments so strong that they often left him semiconscious, Sean beat the disease. He is studying for a master's degree at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, and has taken a break to work on his dream of climbing Mount Everest. "I really think this will affect people more" than finishing a master's right now, Sean said.

The brothers moved to Estes Park, in the middle of July to train for the climb. Since then, they have climbed mountains with heights ranging from 10,400 feet to 14,300 feet. They left recently for Washington to climb Mount Rainier a peak and will travel to Nepal in October for high-altitude training. Garden Items Cast Iron End of Season Clearance Sale 1 Day Only 40 Off Tent Sale Wednesday Sept. 5 10 am -4 pm Under the Apple Tree 1635 W.

Church Newark, Ohio Urns from 8" to 5', fountains, chairs, tables, planters, candlesticks, hundreds of pieces. this one day clearance sale will offer our entire inventory at 40 off our regular low prices of these quality reproDUCTION pieces. DON'T MISS THIS! 740-344-4282. COLUMBUS (AP) Two brothers plan to take fund-raising for cancer research to new heights. Sean and Seth Swarner, who grew up in Willard, 75 miles north of Columbus, plan to begin a climb of Mount Everest in March.

They hope to reach the summit of the world's tallest peak between May 10 and 15. "I decided I wanted to be an inspiration to other cancer patients and survivors," said Sean, who turns 27 this month and has survived cancer twice. "Maybe this will get people to think, 'Wow, this guy summitted Mount Everest. Maybe I shouldn't give up said Seth, 23. The brothers have started a nonprofit organization, CancerClimber Association, to inspire and motivate cancer patients and survivors.

The brothers work full time on the organization, which is based in Hilton Head, S.C., where their parents live. One of their goals is to inject more life into raising money for research. "We want to radically change the way people do cancer fund-raisers. No more black-tie dinners and silent auctions. We're looking at bungee jumping and sky diving," Sean said.

He said the brothers hope to raise at least $200,000 through the climb, which will cost about $100,000. "We want to radically change the way people do cancer fund-raisers. No more black-tie dinners and silent auctions. We're looking at bungee jumping and sky diving." One way the Swarners are raising money is offering to take cancer patients' names to the top of the world. For $30, the name of a cancer patient or survivor will be sewn onto a flag which will be taken to the summit of Everest and left there.

"Everyone on that list will be our motivating factor," Sean said. Sean was given three months to live at age 14 after it was discovered he had the most severe stage of Hodgkin's disease. After more than a year of chemotherapy treatments and checkups, the cancer went into remission. Four months later, after Sean felt a severe pain in his side, X-rays revealed a golf Sunday 6FSI Doors Open At 4PM Man, son die in house fire DAYTON (AP) A man holding his wife and child hostage apparently set fire to his house, killing himself and his son, who died about eight hours later. Austin Shipes, 3, died at Children's Medical Center at 11:45 p.m.

Sunday, said Doug Williams, an investigator at the Montgomery County Coroner's office. The boy's father, Michael Shipes, was found dead in the first floor bathroom with a lighter in his hand, authorities said. The wife, Rebel Shipes, was in critical condition Monday at Miami Valley Hospital, said Lt. Mark Roth of the Dayton fire department. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but District Fire Chief Tom Fleming said he believes the man set it using kerosene.

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