The Commercial Appeal from Memphis, Tennessee • 17

MCMnittTITSnAY NOVEMBER 21 20U0 HIS COMMIJUIAL APPEAL mMMKMIlllUXM Today BULLETIN BOARD iPolice stress scooter safety offer course Stand-up scooters such as this collapsible one at Bike World on Poplar In Collierville are growing In popularity As their popularity rises so does the number of Injuries and proper safety precautions should be taken the Collierville Police Department says COLLIERVILLE proper safety precautions" According to statistics compiled by the Collierville police out of 1675 Collierville elementary and middle school students 1020 said they have ridden a scooter and 912 admit to falling off and sustaining some SCOOTER SAFETY The ColUsrvlUs Police Department wants to remind parents and children ol some scooter-saloty rules: Scooters are not to be ridden by children under age 8 Children should wear helmets knee pads and elbow By Kathrrlne Cromer TTw Commercial Appeal the hottest thing on the market They're fun and fast But the Collierville Police Department has questioned whether the new standing scooters are really safe and it plans to educate children and parents "bout he risks involved with the popular toy The aids have Razors from Sharper Image or Micro-Scooters by Huffy or about 30 other brands of scooters And all the kids seem to have them or want them Whether in the parking lot at a Schilling Farms apartment complex or racing home from school this newly hip mode of transportation nearly inescapable in Collierville But as the popularity of scooters has risen so has the number of scooter-related injuries and trips to the dcntisL According to Lt Mike Al-bonetti with the Collierville Police Department the concern in the traffic department has risen Officers nave compiled a statistical report analyzing the safety of the scooters ana will begin taking their information to local classrooms "Five million of these things sold this year and with Christmas coming up there's going to be a lot more out Al-bonetti said "It does look like a fun toy but you have to take the -v r-: and precautions The first thing they found in their research was that on the Web sites of 37 different scooter manufacturers every one included a warning that the company forfeits liability if children do not wear protective gear The officers who already have a bike safety program in the elementary and middle schools will be combining with that a scooter safety program to specifically target middle-school aged children That'S an idea that Collierville Middle School Principal Ingrid Warren is all for Zoo donors vie to name cuddly baby orangutan Keep the scooter on a smooth dry surface avoid water sand and gravel Don't ride at night Never TStch a ride from a car bus or bicycle It you have to step off the scooter to stop you're going too last any momentum nturn that small stops and the kids get thrown forward over the top Of AltXMietti Said when your accidents "You get ng and and injuries happen' Albonettl said 90 percent of scooter-related injuries are to children under the age of 15 "I don't know that a parent going out and buying their child a scooter knows tnere's this many Albonettl said In response to the lack of safety information about scooters Collierville bike patrol officers Robin Hjort and Jesse Lunsford spent three weeks compiling a safety report complete with a list of safety rules By Alan Spearman Morris Parkway section to open The neweit eeetion of Bill Morris Parkway in Collierville is scheduled to open around noon today About 2 miles of highway from Byhalia Road to US 72 1 will open bringing traffic relief I to several major roads west of US 72 although Collierville traffic engineers say trouble spots may ahift to the east The Tennessee Department of Transportation was unwilling toconflr ild open I ahead of the Dec 1 deadline I rSTCuld I "We have a few minor things to finish up but nothing to prevent us from opening up the road to said TDOT rep- resen tative Deborah Ffehr Monday afternoon Bill Morris Parkway now about 18 miles long is the only nonstop connection between Collierville and downtown Memphis The leg between Bailey Station and Byhalia opened more than a year ago ana Collierville has been awaiting this latest stretch Eventually the road is scheduled to connect with Collier-ville-Arlington Parkway at Poplar The loop will then run north to connect with the completed Paul Barret Parkway The next interchange at Poplar may not be open for another three to five more years Katherine Cromer Love Light Trees Methodist Healthcare hospitals will have Love ht Trees at each hospital fa-to pay tribute to people 1 by cancer Tree-lighting ceremonies are scheduled for 4:30 pm Nov 30 at Methodist North and on Dec 5 at Methodist Central 5 pm Methodist Le BonheurGerm town 5 pm and Methodist ith 5:30 pm Wayne Risher EVENTS I Air Force orientation: Ca-1 dets from the Air Force Acad- emy will join Air Force pilots for an orientation session Local seventh- through 12th-grade students parents teachers and guidance counselors are invited to meet them Wednesday 6-9 pm at the Tennessee Air National Guard base 2815 Democrat Road next to Memphis International Airport The cadets and pilots will discuss academy I education and Air Force service Refreshments will be served and a flight simulator will be available For information or reservations call Major Med Malic at 371-9244 or Major Joe McGrath at 252-5052 Collectors show: Belz Fao-I tory Outlet World in Lakeland will host a collectors show Fri-day-Sunday featuring coins stamps currency sports cards i Babies and more Hours are 10 am-9 pm Friday and Saturday and 1-6 pm Sunday CALL US I Central CKy (38103 38104 38105 38107 38108 38112): Wayne Risher 5282776 Central City 08106 38108 114381163811838126 3811338114 3813138132): Pamela Perkins 5286514 CotUervflto: Katherine Cromer 529-2884 Memphis 08111 38117 38119 west of 1248 38120): Jody Callahan 5298531 Germantown: Clay Bailey 5292393 ShMby (Cordova Lakeland Pfsgah Countrywood StonoMdge Eads FlshervOle): John Lucas 5298524 I Northeast Shelby (Bolton HTOshirs Deerfield Countryside Bartlett Brunswick ArNngton Macedonialtadge): Cindy Wom 5298512 itSIwfey (Wmngton Frayser): Stephen Price 5292786 Shelby Hlcfcoiy I (381153812538141): Ron Maxey 5292544 Tipton Tom Jordan 38122 38118 east of GetweB 38119 Raleigh Kingsbury: TonlLepeska 5292526 I lb order photographs: Order prints of published staff photographs (for noncommercial use) tor $1225 Cal (901)5292700 I type of minor injury Nationwide the Consumer Product Safety Commission has documented 11300 scooter-related injuries That's an increase of 700 percent since May and more than 4000 have haa to be treated in hospital emergency rooms Locally most children are receiving minor head trauma cuts ana scrapes but it's a good sign that Baptist Minor Medical in Collierville hasn't reported a problem and the Baptist Memo- rial Hospital East emergency room has seen very few scooter-related cases However Steve Galclla a den- nuwcci am uaitua iinr tist in Collierville said that since June he has seen 29 cases trauma caused by of facial scooters "The kids will fall and they'll hit the concrete or the scooter or another Galella said "I've seen quite a few fractured teeth cut lips and facial lacerations injuries similar to those sustained in bicycle The wheels on the new scooters are smalL usually a rear friction brake and tne front wheel of most scooters can turn a full 360 degrees GERMANTOWN month During the move to GPAC city officials will evaluate whether to keep the theater at Morgan Woods or permanently move the young troupe to the larger theater "We want to look at the (Morgan Woods) theater and see if it is still the best use of the City Administrator Patrick Lawton said Monday "We may move to GPAC and fj By Thoms Busier Scooters are very popular among her students They are lightweight easy to ride and collapsible much less cumbersome than dealing with a bicycle at school "I think they're great little Warren said "When I was growing up years back that was a great mode of transportation "But any time anything new hits the market child safety is a 1b reach reporter Katherine Cromer call 529-2884 or E-mail cromergomemphiscom MEMPHIS ZOO be used The names pronunciations and English translations: Elok (AY-LOAK) hand some Tblan (TOE-LON) friend Serasi (SAY-RAH-SEE) harmonious Satu (SAH-TOO) one Rabu (RAH-BOO) Wednesday Nov 1 was a Wednesday Orangutans native to the tropics! forests of Indonesia Sumatra and Borneo are great apes That classification also includes gorillas and chimpanzees All great apes are listed as endangered animals The new parents are captive-bom Sumatran orangutans that came to Memphis in 1994 for the opening of Primate Canyon Tbmbak (TOM-BACK) is 18 and Puti (POO-TEE) is 19 Orangutans go through similar stages as human infants during their first two years They live 50 years or longer in captivity and males typically grow to more than 200 pounds Zoo officials sure when the Web Cam would be launched It would be first use of an Internet technology increasingly popular on zoo Web sites such as Panda Cams in San Diego and Atlanta the Minnesota SharkCam and the Toledo Polar Bear Cam Seal Cam and Hippo Cam Call reporter Wayne Risher at 529-2776 or address E-mail to rishei0gomemphiseom to move need for an additional door no emergency backup power for lighting burned out bulbs in exit signs or exit signs covered with black materiaL Lawton said the items of concern are major but it may be spring or the start of a new budget year in July before the problems can be addressed Call reporter Clay Bailey at 529-2393 or address E-mail to bailey0gomemphiseom By Wsyne Usher The Commercial Appeal The Memphis Zoo is celebrating the birth of an orangutan with a fund-raising contest to choose the animal's name The baby boy tipped the scales at 3 pounds cm Nov 1 when he became the first great ape born at the zoo since the 1985 birth of another orangutan Zookeepers are hand-raising the infant after determining that his mother Puti was too inexperienced to give him proper care The father is Tbmbak The infant isn't expected to be displayed to the public until he is reintroduced to his family probably in 6 to 8 months However the zoo is posting photos on the Internet and plans to begin offering pre-recorded video and a live Web Cam feed directly from die nursery The zoo's World Wide Web site is at httprfwwwmemphiszooorg Zookeepers are taking turns giving feedings of formula and every two hours and keeping him dean and warm He must be kept in an incubator or wrapped in a blanket at all times until he is able to regulate his own body temperature said Matt Thompson assistant curator of mamrnnln The name will be determined by donations to the Conservation Action Network by visitors to the zoo and its Web site The voting began Saturday and runs through Sunday Zookeepers came up with a list of five Indonesian-derived names said curator of mammals Kristi Newland The (me that raises the most money will Zookeeper Kathy Fay holds the new baby orangutan at the Memphis Zoo on Monday He Is the first great ape bom at the zoo since the 1985 birth of another orangutan Zookaepers are hand-raising the Intent after determining his mother Is too inexperienced to care for him Safety issues force theater the building emergency lights and general cleanup arose earlier this month leading to the city's concerns A Nov 6 memo from Germantown Fire Marshal Chris Burchfield stated: "The use of this building should immediately cease (T)he building and its current use place lives in rave danger and has both uilding and fire code The key factors from report are access problems for existing doors the say: This js where it should That's a possibility" Morgan Woods Theatre is in the former branch library building at 7771 Poplar Pike next to The Pickering Center The theater which seats about 125 presents seven main stage shows a year drawing child actors from across the city and surrounding counties By most accounts the theater which operates as part of GPAC has used the Poplar Pike building at least 10 years Questions about access from ByCfaqrBaUey The Commercial Appeal Code and safety violations have forced Germantown's theater to move from its home on Poplar Pike to the Germantown Performing Arts Centre Germantown officials made the dedsion late last week dosing Morgan Woods Theatre as young actors rehearse for The Music of Irving Berlin performances scheduled for next.