Selfless Bride, Rolling Meth Lab & Swine Flu Death

THUMBS UP TO:

Newlywed who rushed to save others

A Connecticut bride, who was traveling home after her wedding reception, rushed inside a burning house to help save a family, while still wearing her wedding gown.

According to an Associated Press story, Georgette Clemons had left her wedding reception Sunday when she saw smoke coming from a Bridgeport home. She got out of the car she was riding in and ran inside. A woman was yelling about her animals and did not want to leave, so Clemons had to pull the woman out. It’s not clear from various reports if the pets survived. Clemons is being hailed as a hero for saving the human inhabitants.

Her wedding dress had some smoke damage and her shoes were ruined, but Clemons said the effort was well worth it because the family was safe. We laud her selflessness in a moment of danger to help others.

THUMBS DOWN TO:

A rolling meth lab in Damascus

Two people landed in jail last week after a Thursday traffic stop revealed that the two were traveling in a “rolling methamphetamine lab,” according to Damascus Police Chief Bill Nunley.

Officers came across Connie Fay Ross of Mountain City, Tenn., and William Andrew Crowder of Damascus around 8 p.m. when Ross was spotted driving erratically and the vehicle was pulled over. Ross was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of narcotics. When police searched the vehicle, they discovered methamphetamines, heroin, pain patches and other drugs. Both Ross and Crowder were charged with various drug-related crimes for possessing and manufacturing narcotics.

We’re pleased to see that these two were rounded up by police before some tragedy occurred, but equally alarmed that people have the explosive makings for methamphetamine in their cars and are traveling on the same roads as the rest of us.

First swine flu death in Virginia

Virginia reached a sad milestone Tuesday: its first confirmed death associated with the swine flu virus. The death occurred in Chesapeake and was a young woman who also had other health problems. According to The Virginian-Pilot, April Wilson, 34, was a resident of the Southeastern Virginia Training Center, a state-run facility for people with severe mental disabilities. She had been taken to the hospital Friday and died Tuesday, her mother told the paper.

Four other residents were admitted to the hospital last week, three of whom also have confirmed cases of swine flu or the H1N1 virus. Two were discharged and returned to the center where they are being kept in isolation.

Two others are still hospitalized, but are not in critical condition, the Pilot reported.

The center does not believe that additional precautions are needed to protect others from infection.

The biggest way to arm ourselves in this situation is by learning the facts and staying calm. Wilson had other health conditions that are believed to have exacerbated the infection. Our thoughts are with her family, who grieve her loss.

And as always, citizens are reminded to take necessary steps to keep from spreading germs during flu season.

That means washing your hands, covering your nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing, and using alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Anyone with flu-like symptoms should be cautious and take steps to prevent spreading disease. That means calling your doctor, getting rest and staying home from work or school.