Smoking ban in autos mulled; 'Pokemon Go' pub crawl; harder driving tests
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Odd and interesting news from the West.
- By KEVIN SIMPSON Denver Post
DENVER (AP) — After collapsing in the street across from her Kansas City, Missouri, home, 43-year-old Hallie Smith showed up at a hospital emergency room bleeding badly from a gash above her eye. But she heard a more dire diagnosis when the attending physician examined her gaunt physique: You're going to die within 30 days if you don't get help.
At that point, she was an emaciated 5-foot-7, growing weaker and missing work to the point she lost her job as an exercise instructor. People warned her she had gotten dangerously thin. She looked in the mirror and saw a fat person, reported the Denver Post (http://dpo.st/29L4aIV).
The trip to the ER provided a wake-up call to Smith, who had never been treated for anorexia nervosa, the psychiatric disorder she traces to the trauma of watching her mother, tall and beautiful, gain considerable weight after going on medication for bipolar disorder and eventually commit suicide.
When nearby eating disorder treatment centers balked at accepting Smith in such precarious condition — or voiced concerns about insurance coverage — she was pointed to Colorado for specialized medical stabilization she regards as life-saving.
"I was dying, and I didn't know it," Smith says. "I was caught between a rock and a hard place — but really, between a rock and death."
She spent about three weeks occupying one of the 15 beds at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health Medical Center, the first and only facility in the country that offers medical stabilization for people with eating disorders. Like others in the unit, she aimed to transition to an inpatient or residential program that treats the psychiatric roots of her illness once the physical problems were resolved.
Anorexia, which has the highest mortality rate — up to 30 percent — among psychiatric disorders, as well as bulimia and other malnutrition-related eating disorders, can trigger a unique set of life-threatening physical complications. Malnourished patients also remain at high risk from "refeeding syndrome," which can wreak havoc on metabolism with sometimes fatal consequences once they begin eating again.
"You can be a robustly healthy schizophrenic," says Dr. Philip Mehler, founder and executive medical director of ACUTE. "But you can't be a severe anorexic or bulimic and not have a litany of medical complications. I was struck by the paucity of medical resources for people with eating disorders."
As eating disorders became more prevalent in the 1980s and '90s, Mehler began seeing more and more patients show up at Denver Health close to death. In 2008, he launched the ACUTE Center with two beds to deal with those cases, ultimately forming a multi-disciplinary team that includes dieticians, psychologists and psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and physical and occupational therapists.
Patients live on the same floor, but their care remains very individualized, in part because people with eating disorders tend to compare and compete. Doctors might discuss calorie intake or trends of weight gain or loss, but they avoid talking in terms of specific weights.
"A typical doctor might see one or two cases like this in 30 years," Mehler says. "Ours see hundreds every year. To do this well, you have to see a lot of it. It's clear that in certain things, volume does equal quality. There are very few people who understand this from the medical side."
The ACUTE Center took off, growing from two beds to four to its current 15, with plans to expand to possibly 20 to 30 beds in the next two years.
Dr. Margherita Mascolo, ACUTE's medical director, calls the fifth-floor facility "an ICU for the medical complications of eating disorders." Because it's attached to Denver Health, patients can have quick access to expertise and equipment to deal with a broad range of medical complications.
"We're a 500-bed safety-net hospital," she says. "Anything is available."
Still, the center faces barriers to serving patients. Mehler says some medical facilities insist on treating eating disorder patients themselves rather than referring them to a specialized center. Education and outreach have become a key part of ACUTE's mission.
More than 90 percent of patients come from outside Colorado and some other candidates may be constricted by travel. Insurance plans may also have travel restrictions, though ACUTE more recently has cultivated strong relationships with major health care providers. The center's services generally fall under an insurer's medical benefits, leaving mental health coverage to pick up the more traditional inpatient or residential treatment once a patient has been stabilized.
"There are treatment centers all over the country, but once patients hit a certain threshold, they're too sick for behavioral health or psychiatric programs," says Rachael Harriman, ACUTE's administrative director. "When they need to be medically hospitalized to deal with the effects of malnutrition or starvation, that's where we step in."
Criteria for admission vary on a case-by-case basis, but generally low weight — below 70 percent of ideal body weight — can be a strong indicator, and the center has seen patients as low as 45 percent. Extreme behaviors, such as purging or abusing laxatives, also can trigger medical complications even if low weight isn't a factor.
"The biggest barrier," Harriman says, "is to get people to know we're here."
Three weeks into treatment, Smith busied herself with books, her computer and practicing her French language skills. She doesn't remember her first week in the unit — something she attributes to "starvation brain" that affected her short-term memory. She adjusted to the strict rules, including the initial round-the-clock presence of a certified nursing assistant to guard against some patients' tendency to purge.
The physical weakness from her anorexia scared her the most, she says. When she taught her exercise classes, she had plenty of energy. But that dissipated, and along with it her core strength and concentration. With so much lost muscle mass, patients often are at risk of falling and breaking bones weakened by conditions like osteoporosis.
"It's this force inside of you that is stronger than you are," Smith says, describing her eating disorder. "It starts out with trauma, and it's how you cope with anxiety and it becomes like your best friend. It makes you feel powerful and strong, even though you're getting weaker. It's a total paradoxical disease.
"I'm still not cured, but I'm getting healthier."
Recently, she progressed to another inpatient program.
ACUTE treats patients 17 and older, with nearly one-third of those admitted being over 35, reinforcing the truth that eating disorders can be chronic conditions and not just a young girl's disease. About 15 percent of patients are men, who tend not to seek treatment as early but develop serious complications more quickly.
Just down the hall from Smith, 20-year-old Dante Rana, who arrived about a week earlier from North Carolina, battled the debilitating effects of another eating disorder that falls under a new classification called ARFID — Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Rana, who worked part-time at a movie theater, wasn't intentionally rejecting food. But he would forget to eat, or simply skip meals. He didn't realize he had a problem until last September, when he and his doctor realized the medication he took for depression wasn't working and he had dropped a concerning amount of weight in just a few months.
After stops at two different eating disorder clinics couldn't halt the decline, the second one referred him to ACUTE.
"I was a very different case," he says. "I didn't have anxiety based around food. I'm just indifferent about it. That can change with structure and with a program about getting into the habit of eating, getting a meal plan. I know I can reach a place where I'll be able to eat on my own."
When he arrived in Denver, his heart was laboring because it had been weakened by malnutrition. Resting, it pounded at 100 beats per minute, well above the normal rate of between 60 and 90. Just walking to the restroom would cause it to spike to 140.
He wears a monitor that relays his heart rate to the nurses' station. Three times a day he can walk two laps around the fifth-floor hallway. Twice during the week and three times on weekends he can be wheeled outside for some fresh air.
"I don't know how long I'll be here," Rana says. "I'm in no rush to leave. I'm here to get better."
On average, patients stay from two to three weeks, though each case is different. Generally, the medical staff looks at criteria like calorie intake of at least 2,000 per day, minimum weight requirements, stable lab results, an absence of cardiac issues and evidence that the gastrointestinal tract has recovered. Additionally, patients must be physically strong enough to participate in normal life activities.
"This is the necessary first step so they can engage at treatment and hit the ground running," medical director Mascolo says.
Betty Lyttle, 46, traveled from Orange County, California, in 2014 to find help at ACUTE that eventually helped her continue the recovery in other programs both in Denver and back home. Her obsession with weight loss happened gradually from the time she was in college, starting with diet and exercise as a coping mechanism and escalating to include severe laxative abuse.
Her eating disorder, a type of anorexia nervosa that includes purging, became like a voice in her head that drowned out everything.
Over time, her behaviors worsened — she added alcohol abuse to the list — until her husband, Billy, led an intervention to get his wife into treatment. He called all over the country, but was told Betty was too much of a risk in traditional programs because of her dwindling body mass index and her laxative abuse. Finally, one of those programs directed him to ACUTE.
During her 17-day stay, Betty says, "something clicked." She overcame multiple challenges, including refeeding syndrome, gastrointestinal blockages and osteoporosis, and after further treatment at traditional eating disorder facilities her life has gotten back on track. She still believes her time in Denver saved her life.
"It sounds corny," she says, "but as soon as the doors closed behind me, the voice in my head was gone."
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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
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POULSBO, Wash. (AP) — A 34-year-old man skateboarding down a street was killed after being struck by a pickup in Poulsbo.
The Kitsap Sun reports (http://goo.gl/PTDmQe ) Poulsbo Fire crews were called to the 3600 block of Lincoln Road near Big Rock Lane Thursday night.
The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office says Bradley Seelye of North Kitsap died before they arrived. The Kitsap County Coroner's Office says Seelye died of blunt force injuries and the manner of death was accidental.
A 26-year-old North Kitsap man in the pickup and the skateboarder were both heading east on Lincoln. The driver came over the crest of a hill and struck the skateboarder, who was riding in the roadway.
Police say they are investigating and there's no indication that the driver was impaired or speeding.
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An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Seelye's age as 35. It has been corrected to show he was 34.
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Information from: Kitsap Sun, http://www.kitsapsun.com/
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PHOENIX (AP) — Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell has asked the Board of Supervisors to postpone approval of polling places for next month's primary election.
Originally an agenda item on the July 20 board meeting, Purcell has asked that it be moved to the Aug. 3 meeting to accommodate more input from the public.
The county cut the number of polling places from 200 in 2012 to just 60 for the March 22 presidential primary to save money.
Some people waited as long as five hours to cast their vote for the Democratic and Republican nominees for president.
That led to lawsuits saying the reduction in polling places violated voters' rights under the Arizona Constitution.
Purcell is asking for public input regarding the 724 planned polling places for the Aug. 30 primary.
- By STEVEN DUBOIS Associated Press
- Updated
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man accused of groping a 13-year-old girl during an American Airlines flight has been indicted on a charge of abusive sexual contact.
Chad Camp, 26, of Gresham pleaded not guilty at a brief hearing Friday afternoon. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman scheduled Camp's two-day trial to start Sept. 6 at the federal courthouse in Portland.
Camp's lawyer, Steve Lindsey, told the judge he plans to seek his client's pre-trial release at a later date.
Camp has been in jail since FBI agents arrested him following a June 16 flight from Dallas to Portland International Airport.
The criminal complaint said the unaccompanied minor was sitting in the window seat and Camp took a middle seat. Because the plane wasn't full, a flight attendant suggested Camp move to an empty aisle seat. He declined.
Authorities said a flight attendant later noticed the man's hand in the victim's crotch area, and a tear running down the girl's cheek. The attendant separated the two, sending Camp to the 30th row and the girl to row 8.
A witness told investigators that Camp consumed four mixed drinks in one hour at an airport bar before the flight, and it was revealed in court last month that Camp has a record of substance abuse.
Besides the criminal charge, Camp has been hit with a civil lawsuit. A lawyer representing the girl's family seeks $10 million from Camp and American Airlines, alleging the incident caused the girl extreme fear and psychological trauma.
American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said after the lawsuit was filed that the airline continues to cooperate with the FBI investigation.
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Follow Steven DuBois at twitter.com/pdxdub
- By BRANDON BAILEY AP Technology Writer
- Updated
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If you thought it was bad dodging phone-fixated "Pokemon Go" players on the sidewalk, just wait: Legions of tipsy people could soon be chasing cartoon monsters from one tavern to the next in a series of pub crawls planned for cities across the U.S.
The monsters are invisible unless you're playing the addictive smartphone game that's swept the U.S. and a few other nations so far. The same can't be said for the hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of pub crawlers who have RSVP'd on Facebook for these impromptu events.
Organizers in San Francisco, Brooklyn and other cities are encouraging people to dress in costumes and form teams to compete in capturing the virtual Pokemon critters. (Players use an app to scan for them in the real world.)
STARTING SMALL, GETTING BIGGER
While it isn't clear how many people will participate, the first big test should come this weekend. More than 900 people have signaled their intentions on Facebook to attend a "Pokemon Go" pub crawl in Cincinnati on Saturday, while 800 have said they'll turn out in Pittsburgh.
"We have a lot of customers who are into it. Our entire staff plays it," said Jeff Smith, a manager at the 16-Bit Bar and Arcade, the first stop on Saturday's "Pokemon Go" stroll through Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.
Almost 6,000 people have RSVP'd on Facebook to participate in a Pokemon pub crawl in San Francisco on Wednesday night, organized by 21-year-old Sara Witsch, who says she's still devising the route. Police say they're unsure how many people to expect, but appear to be taking the prospect in stride.
"Obviously we expect them to obey traffic laws and not run out into the middle of the street," said Grace Gatpandan, public information officer for the San Francisco police department.
Another 3,500 people clicked a Facebook button to attend a similar event in Brooklyn on July 23, while 1,200 said they'd turn out the same night in St. Petersburg, Florida.
DRATINI, PLEASE, VERY DRY
In the week since the game's release, "Pokemon Go" fans have flocked to parks, piers and other public spots in search of creatures with names like Pikachu, Dratini and Jigglypuff. One small park in Sydney, Australia has drawn crowds of 1,000 or more players — sparking complaints from nearby residents about noise and trash, according to news reports
Witsch said she's been surprised by the response to her announcement in San Francisco, since she expected "maybe 50 people." She's still contacting bars to let them know about the event.
The response hasn't surprised Karen North, a psychologist and University of Southern California professor who studies social media.
"People are social animals, and they're always looking for something new and exciting to do," North said. "This is much more fun than just going to a pub crawl, because it gives everybody a common activity and something to talk about."
GETTING JIGGLYPUFF WITH IT
About 1,700 people have RSVP'd on Facebook for a July 23 Pokemon pub crawl in Sacramento. Despite reports that players have been injured and others robbed after becoming distracted by the game, City Councilman Steve Hansen said he's hoping for a positive vibe during the crawl, which two of his constituents are organizing.
"There's been this real anxiety around the country in the last couple of weeks. I think we need things that bring the community together," Hansen said, referring to recent racial and political tensions. He said the event offers the promise of "a little bit of harmless fun, especially if you make sure you don't walk into the street while chasing Pokemon."
New Yorker Justin Carlino voiced a simpler goal.
"Most kids who grew up with Pokemon are people our age now," said Carlino, 24, who decided to organize a Brooklyn event with his friend, Michael Ackermann, 26, after a recent night spent imbibing and playing the game. "They love Pokemon and they love drinking, so this is a perfect combination of both."
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OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Getting a driver's license in Washington state is set to get a little more challenging next month when new written tests are introduced.
KING-TV reports (http://kng5.tv/2agcQ8b ) that the new knowledge tests will be 40 questions long and will feature story problems and questions on distracted driving and marijuana impairment. The current test consists of 25 questions.
Department of Licensing Director Pat Kohler says the current test's passage rate ranges from 60 to 70 percent. She says the new test will likely lower that number.
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Information from: KING-TV, http://www.king5.com/
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PHOENIX (AP) — The Havasupai Tribal Council has temporarily halted guided trips to the popular turquoise-colored waterfalls on its land. The tribe says it will review its permitting process and the use of pack animals to carry supplies into the canyon.
The Arizona Republic reports (http://bit.ly/29I0fIJ ) that the decision will only impact third-party providers who offer guided trips. Hikers who have acquired their own permit will still be able to make the trip.
The tribe says it will look into increased complaints about pack-animal abuse witnessed on the trail and might revise permit regulations.
The northern Arizona destination is near the southern boundary of the Grand Canyon National Park. It's grown so popular that permits can be difficult to obtain, and some people rely on the third-party tours to visit.
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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com
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BAKER CITY, Ore. (AP) — Police arrested a Baker City man accused of falsely reporting he was robbed at gunpoint.
The Baker City Herald reports (http://bit.ly/29VgWDM) Farhad Radmanish told a 9-1-1 dispatcher on Tuesday that a pair of masked men carrying pistols stole his wallet, cash and cellphone after forcing him to stop his car at an intersection near the Quail Ridge Golf Course.
The police department said it found numerous inconsistencies in the 25-year-old man's story while investigating the case over the next two days.
After a follow-up interview Thursday, he was booked into the Baker County Jail on a charge of initiating a false report.
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Information from: Baker City Herald, http://www.bakercityherald.com/
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LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) — Kauai County officials have approved a measure aimed at tackling secondhand smoke that would make it illegal for adults to smoke in their vehicles while minors are inside.
The Garden Island reports (http://bit.ly/29UEPLN ) that a county committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend passing a bill that would implement the change.
County Council members were divided on the issue Wednesday. Those who voiced their support for the proposal praised it as a step toward "protecting our youth" and said it could spark more dialogue about the dangers of smoking.
However, council members against it said efforts to reduce smoking should focus more on education and outreach, not legal enforcement.
The proposal will go before the full County Council July 29.
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Information from: The Garden Island, http://thegardenisland.com/
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BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) — The first group of enlisted women to serve on board a Navy submarine is preparing to sail on the USS Michigan.
The Kitsap Sun says (http://goo.gl/BjKirV) the guided-missile sub, whose homeport is Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, was recently reconfigured to include living quarters for up to three female chief petty officers and 36 female crew members.
Shipyard and ship crews enlarged the forward washroom, added four showers and created a new bunkroom. The Navy estimates the reconfiguration cost about $6 million.
The Michigan arrived at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton for maintenance last August. On Friday it left dry dock and tied up at a nearby pier.
Seven Ohio-class subs will add about 550 enlisted women by 2020, comprising 20 percent of crews. Female officers have served aboard some submarines since 2011.
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Information from: Kitsap Sun, http://www.kitsapsun.com/
- By KEVIN SIMPSON Denver Post
DENVER (AP) — After collapsing in the street across from her Kansas City, Missouri, home, 43-year-old Hallie Smith showed up at a hospital emergency room bleeding badly from a gash above her eye. But she heard a more dire diagnosis when the attending physician examined her gaunt physique: You're going to die within 30 days if you don't get help.
At that point, she was an emaciated 5-foot-7, growing weaker and missing work to the point she lost her job as an exercise instructor. People warned her she had gotten dangerously thin. She looked in the mirror and saw a fat person, reported the Denver Post (http://dpo.st/29L4aIV).
The trip to the ER provided a wake-up call to Smith, who had never been treated for anorexia nervosa, the psychiatric disorder she traces to the trauma of watching her mother, tall and beautiful, gain considerable weight after going on medication for bipolar disorder and eventually commit suicide.
When nearby eating disorder treatment centers balked at accepting Smith in such precarious condition — or voiced concerns about insurance coverage — she was pointed to Colorado for specialized medical stabilization she regards as life-saving.
"I was dying, and I didn't know it," Smith says. "I was caught between a rock and a hard place — but really, between a rock and death."
She spent about three weeks occupying one of the 15 beds at the ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders at Denver Health Medical Center, the first and only facility in the country that offers medical stabilization for people with eating disorders. Like others in the unit, she aimed to transition to an inpatient or residential program that treats the psychiatric roots of her illness once the physical problems were resolved.
Anorexia, which has the highest mortality rate — up to 30 percent — among psychiatric disorders, as well as bulimia and other malnutrition-related eating disorders, can trigger a unique set of life-threatening physical complications. Malnourished patients also remain at high risk from "refeeding syndrome," which can wreak havoc on metabolism with sometimes fatal consequences once they begin eating again.
"You can be a robustly healthy schizophrenic," says Dr. Philip Mehler, founder and executive medical director of ACUTE. "But you can't be a severe anorexic or bulimic and not have a litany of medical complications. I was struck by the paucity of medical resources for people with eating disorders."
As eating disorders became more prevalent in the 1980s and '90s, Mehler began seeing more and more patients show up at Denver Health close to death. In 2008, he launched the ACUTE Center with two beds to deal with those cases, ultimately forming a multi-disciplinary team that includes dieticians, psychologists and psychiatrists, nurses, social workers and physical and occupational therapists.
Patients live on the same floor, but their care remains very individualized, in part because people with eating disorders tend to compare and compete. Doctors might discuss calorie intake or trends of weight gain or loss, but they avoid talking in terms of specific weights.
"A typical doctor might see one or two cases like this in 30 years," Mehler says. "Ours see hundreds every year. To do this well, you have to see a lot of it. It's clear that in certain things, volume does equal quality. There are very few people who understand this from the medical side."
The ACUTE Center took off, growing from two beds to four to its current 15, with plans to expand to possibly 20 to 30 beds in the next two years.
Dr. Margherita Mascolo, ACUTE's medical director, calls the fifth-floor facility "an ICU for the medical complications of eating disorders." Because it's attached to Denver Health, patients can have quick access to expertise and equipment to deal with a broad range of medical complications.
"We're a 500-bed safety-net hospital," she says. "Anything is available."
Still, the center faces barriers to serving patients. Mehler says some medical facilities insist on treating eating disorder patients themselves rather than referring them to a specialized center. Education and outreach have become a key part of ACUTE's mission.
More than 90 percent of patients come from outside Colorado and some other candidates may be constricted by travel. Insurance plans may also have travel restrictions, though ACUTE more recently has cultivated strong relationships with major health care providers. The center's services generally fall under an insurer's medical benefits, leaving mental health coverage to pick up the more traditional inpatient or residential treatment once a patient has been stabilized.
"There are treatment centers all over the country, but once patients hit a certain threshold, they're too sick for behavioral health or psychiatric programs," says Rachael Harriman, ACUTE's administrative director. "When they need to be medically hospitalized to deal with the effects of malnutrition or starvation, that's where we step in."
Criteria for admission vary on a case-by-case basis, but generally low weight — below 70 percent of ideal body weight — can be a strong indicator, and the center has seen patients as low as 45 percent. Extreme behaviors, such as purging or abusing laxatives, also can trigger medical complications even if low weight isn't a factor.
"The biggest barrier," Harriman says, "is to get people to know we're here."
Three weeks into treatment, Smith busied herself with books, her computer and practicing her French language skills. She doesn't remember her first week in the unit — something she attributes to "starvation brain" that affected her short-term memory. She adjusted to the strict rules, including the initial round-the-clock presence of a certified nursing assistant to guard against some patients' tendency to purge.
The physical weakness from her anorexia scared her the most, she says. When she taught her exercise classes, she had plenty of energy. But that dissipated, and along with it her core strength and concentration. With so much lost muscle mass, patients often are at risk of falling and breaking bones weakened by conditions like osteoporosis.
"It's this force inside of you that is stronger than you are," Smith says, describing her eating disorder. "It starts out with trauma, and it's how you cope with anxiety and it becomes like your best friend. It makes you feel powerful and strong, even though you're getting weaker. It's a total paradoxical disease.
"I'm still not cured, but I'm getting healthier."
Recently, she progressed to another inpatient program.
ACUTE treats patients 17 and older, with nearly one-third of those admitted being over 35, reinforcing the truth that eating disorders can be chronic conditions and not just a young girl's disease. About 15 percent of patients are men, who tend not to seek treatment as early but develop serious complications more quickly.
Just down the hall from Smith, 20-year-old Dante Rana, who arrived about a week earlier from North Carolina, battled the debilitating effects of another eating disorder that falls under a new classification called ARFID — Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder.
Rana, who worked part-time at a movie theater, wasn't intentionally rejecting food. But he would forget to eat, or simply skip meals. He didn't realize he had a problem until last September, when he and his doctor realized the medication he took for depression wasn't working and he had dropped a concerning amount of weight in just a few months.
After stops at two different eating disorder clinics couldn't halt the decline, the second one referred him to ACUTE.
"I was a very different case," he says. "I didn't have anxiety based around food. I'm just indifferent about it. That can change with structure and with a program about getting into the habit of eating, getting a meal plan. I know I can reach a place where I'll be able to eat on my own."
When he arrived in Denver, his heart was laboring because it had been weakened by malnutrition. Resting, it pounded at 100 beats per minute, well above the normal rate of between 60 and 90. Just walking to the restroom would cause it to spike to 140.
He wears a monitor that relays his heart rate to the nurses' station. Three times a day he can walk two laps around the fifth-floor hallway. Twice during the week and three times on weekends he can be wheeled outside for some fresh air.
"I don't know how long I'll be here," Rana says. "I'm in no rush to leave. I'm here to get better."
On average, patients stay from two to three weeks, though each case is different. Generally, the medical staff looks at criteria like calorie intake of at least 2,000 per day, minimum weight requirements, stable lab results, an absence of cardiac issues and evidence that the gastrointestinal tract has recovered. Additionally, patients must be physically strong enough to participate in normal life activities.
"This is the necessary first step so they can engage at treatment and hit the ground running," medical director Mascolo says.
Betty Lyttle, 46, traveled from Orange County, California, in 2014 to find help at ACUTE that eventually helped her continue the recovery in other programs both in Denver and back home. Her obsession with weight loss happened gradually from the time she was in college, starting with diet and exercise as a coping mechanism and escalating to include severe laxative abuse.
Her eating disorder, a type of anorexia nervosa that includes purging, became like a voice in her head that drowned out everything.
Over time, her behaviors worsened — she added alcohol abuse to the list — until her husband, Billy, led an intervention to get his wife into treatment. He called all over the country, but was told Betty was too much of a risk in traditional programs because of her dwindling body mass index and her laxative abuse. Finally, one of those programs directed him to ACUTE.
During her 17-day stay, Betty says, "something clicked." She overcame multiple challenges, including refeeding syndrome, gastrointestinal blockages and osteoporosis, and after further treatment at traditional eating disorder facilities her life has gotten back on track. She still believes her time in Denver saved her life.
"It sounds corny," she says, "but as soon as the doors closed behind me, the voice in my head was gone."
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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
POULSBO, Wash. (AP) — A 34-year-old man skateboarding down a street was killed after being struck by a pickup in Poulsbo.
The Kitsap Sun reports (http://goo.gl/PTDmQe ) Poulsbo Fire crews were called to the 3600 block of Lincoln Road near Big Rock Lane Thursday night.
The Kitsap County Sheriff's Office says Bradley Seelye of North Kitsap died before they arrived. The Kitsap County Coroner's Office says Seelye died of blunt force injuries and the manner of death was accidental.
A 26-year-old North Kitsap man in the pickup and the skateboarder were both heading east on Lincoln. The driver came over the crest of a hill and struck the skateboarder, who was riding in the roadway.
Police say they are investigating and there's no indication that the driver was impaired or speeding.
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An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Seelye's age as 35. It has been corrected to show he was 34.
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Information from: Kitsap Sun, http://www.kitsapsun.com/
PHOENIX (AP) — Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell has asked the Board of Supervisors to postpone approval of polling places for next month's primary election.
Originally an agenda item on the July 20 board meeting, Purcell has asked that it be moved to the Aug. 3 meeting to accommodate more input from the public.
The county cut the number of polling places from 200 in 2012 to just 60 for the March 22 presidential primary to save money.
Some people waited as long as five hours to cast their vote for the Democratic and Republican nominees for president.
That led to lawsuits saying the reduction in polling places violated voters' rights under the Arizona Constitution.
Purcell is asking for public input regarding the 724 planned polling places for the Aug. 30 primary.
- By STEVEN DUBOIS Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man accused of groping a 13-year-old girl during an American Airlines flight has been indicted on a charge of abusive sexual contact.
Chad Camp, 26, of Gresham pleaded not guilty at a brief hearing Friday afternoon. U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie Beckerman scheduled Camp's two-day trial to start Sept. 6 at the federal courthouse in Portland.
Camp's lawyer, Steve Lindsey, told the judge he plans to seek his client's pre-trial release at a later date.
Camp has been in jail since FBI agents arrested him following a June 16 flight from Dallas to Portland International Airport.
The criminal complaint said the unaccompanied minor was sitting in the window seat and Camp took a middle seat. Because the plane wasn't full, a flight attendant suggested Camp move to an empty aisle seat. He declined.
Authorities said a flight attendant later noticed the man's hand in the victim's crotch area, and a tear running down the girl's cheek. The attendant separated the two, sending Camp to the 30th row and the girl to row 8.
A witness told investigators that Camp consumed four mixed drinks in one hour at an airport bar before the flight, and it was revealed in court last month that Camp has a record of substance abuse.
Besides the criminal charge, Camp has been hit with a civil lawsuit. A lawyer representing the girl's family seeks $10 million from Camp and American Airlines, alleging the incident caused the girl extreme fear and psychological trauma.
American Airlines spokesman Matt Miller said after the lawsuit was filed that the airline continues to cooperate with the FBI investigation.
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Follow Steven DuBois at twitter.com/pdxdub
- By BRANDON BAILEY AP Technology Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — If you thought it was bad dodging phone-fixated "Pokemon Go" players on the sidewalk, just wait: Legions of tipsy people could soon be chasing cartoon monsters from one tavern to the next in a series of pub crawls planned for cities across the U.S.
The monsters are invisible unless you're playing the addictive smartphone game that's swept the U.S. and a few other nations so far. The same can't be said for the hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of pub crawlers who have RSVP'd on Facebook for these impromptu events.
Organizers in San Francisco, Brooklyn and other cities are encouraging people to dress in costumes and form teams to compete in capturing the virtual Pokemon critters. (Players use an app to scan for them in the real world.)
STARTING SMALL, GETTING BIGGER
While it isn't clear how many people will participate, the first big test should come this weekend. More than 900 people have signaled their intentions on Facebook to attend a "Pokemon Go" pub crawl in Cincinnati on Saturday, while 800 have said they'll turn out in Pittsburgh.
"We have a lot of customers who are into it. Our entire staff plays it," said Jeff Smith, a manager at the 16-Bit Bar and Arcade, the first stop on Saturday's "Pokemon Go" stroll through Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood.
Almost 6,000 people have RSVP'd on Facebook to participate in a Pokemon pub crawl in San Francisco on Wednesday night, organized by 21-year-old Sara Witsch, who says she's still devising the route. Police say they're unsure how many people to expect, but appear to be taking the prospect in stride.
"Obviously we expect them to obey traffic laws and not run out into the middle of the street," said Grace Gatpandan, public information officer for the San Francisco police department.
Another 3,500 people clicked a Facebook button to attend a similar event in Brooklyn on July 23, while 1,200 said they'd turn out the same night in St. Petersburg, Florida.
DRATINI, PLEASE, VERY DRY
In the week since the game's release, "Pokemon Go" fans have flocked to parks, piers and other public spots in search of creatures with names like Pikachu, Dratini and Jigglypuff. One small park in Sydney, Australia has drawn crowds of 1,000 or more players — sparking complaints from nearby residents about noise and trash, according to news reports
Witsch said she's been surprised by the response to her announcement in San Francisco, since she expected "maybe 50 people." She's still contacting bars to let them know about the event.
The response hasn't surprised Karen North, a psychologist and University of Southern California professor who studies social media.
"People are social animals, and they're always looking for something new and exciting to do," North said. "This is much more fun than just going to a pub crawl, because it gives everybody a common activity and something to talk about."
GETTING JIGGLYPUFF WITH IT
About 1,700 people have RSVP'd on Facebook for a July 23 Pokemon pub crawl in Sacramento. Despite reports that players have been injured and others robbed after becoming distracted by the game, City Councilman Steve Hansen said he's hoping for a positive vibe during the crawl, which two of his constituents are organizing.
"There's been this real anxiety around the country in the last couple of weeks. I think we need things that bring the community together," Hansen said, referring to recent racial and political tensions. He said the event offers the promise of "a little bit of harmless fun, especially if you make sure you don't walk into the street while chasing Pokemon."
New Yorker Justin Carlino voiced a simpler goal.
"Most kids who grew up with Pokemon are people our age now," said Carlino, 24, who decided to organize a Brooklyn event with his friend, Michael Ackermann, 26, after a recent night spent imbibing and playing the game. "They love Pokemon and they love drinking, so this is a perfect combination of both."
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Getting a driver's license in Washington state is set to get a little more challenging next month when new written tests are introduced.
KING-TV reports (http://kng5.tv/2agcQ8b ) that the new knowledge tests will be 40 questions long and will feature story problems and questions on distracted driving and marijuana impairment. The current test consists of 25 questions.
Department of Licensing Director Pat Kohler says the current test's passage rate ranges from 60 to 70 percent. She says the new test will likely lower that number.
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Information from: KING-TV, http://www.king5.com/
PHOENIX (AP) — The Havasupai Tribal Council has temporarily halted guided trips to the popular turquoise-colored waterfalls on its land. The tribe says it will review its permitting process and the use of pack animals to carry supplies into the canyon.
The Arizona Republic reports (http://bit.ly/29I0fIJ ) that the decision will only impact third-party providers who offer guided trips. Hikers who have acquired their own permit will still be able to make the trip.
The tribe says it will look into increased complaints about pack-animal abuse witnessed on the trail and might revise permit regulations.
The northern Arizona destination is near the southern boundary of the Grand Canyon National Park. It's grown so popular that permits can be difficult to obtain, and some people rely on the third-party tours to visit.
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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com
BAKER CITY, Ore. (AP) — Police arrested a Baker City man accused of falsely reporting he was robbed at gunpoint.
The Baker City Herald reports (http://bit.ly/29VgWDM) Farhad Radmanish told a 9-1-1 dispatcher on Tuesday that a pair of masked men carrying pistols stole his wallet, cash and cellphone after forcing him to stop his car at an intersection near the Quail Ridge Golf Course.
The police department said it found numerous inconsistencies in the 25-year-old man's story while investigating the case over the next two days.
After a follow-up interview Thursday, he was booked into the Baker County Jail on a charge of initiating a false report.
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Information from: Baker City Herald, http://www.bakercityherald.com/
LIHUE, Hawaii (AP) — Kauai County officials have approved a measure aimed at tackling secondhand smoke that would make it illegal for adults to smoke in their vehicles while minors are inside.
The Garden Island reports (http://bit.ly/29UEPLN ) that a county committee voted unanimously Wednesday to recommend passing a bill that would implement the change.
County Council members were divided on the issue Wednesday. Those who voiced their support for the proposal praised it as a step toward "protecting our youth" and said it could spark more dialogue about the dangers of smoking.
However, council members against it said efforts to reduce smoking should focus more on education and outreach, not legal enforcement.
The proposal will go before the full County Council July 29.
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Information from: The Garden Island, http://thegardenisland.com/
BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) — The first group of enlisted women to serve on board a Navy submarine is preparing to sail on the USS Michigan.
The Kitsap Sun says (http://goo.gl/BjKirV) the guided-missile sub, whose homeport is Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, was recently reconfigured to include living quarters for up to three female chief petty officers and 36 female crew members.
Shipyard and ship crews enlarged the forward washroom, added four showers and created a new bunkroom. The Navy estimates the reconfiguration cost about $6 million.
The Michigan arrived at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility in Bremerton for maintenance last August. On Friday it left dry dock and tied up at a nearby pier.
Seven Ohio-class subs will add about 550 enlisted women by 2020, comprising 20 percent of crews. Female officers have served aboard some submarines since 2011.
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Information from: Kitsap Sun, http://www.kitsapsun.com/
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