Syracuse — Heidi Blake, program director for the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition came before the Syracuse Town Council to ask about a Tobacco Free Air ordinance during the council’s regular meeting Tuesday night, Oct. 15. As part of her presentation, she showed the council two zip lock bags with approximately 600 cigarette butts she …read more.

SYRACUSE — The Syracuse Town Council held a public hearing regarding the 2020 budget at the start of its meeting Tuesday night, Sept. 17. There were no comments from the public. The 2020 budget, if adopted at the October council meeting will be for $4,173,220. The council approved spending $12,350 to install a seawall at …read more.

WARSAW — Kosciusko County’s Fairgrounds is officially smoke-free, but officials hope to enforce the policy more so during the upcoming annual 4-H Fair. Heidi Blake, director of the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, attended Monday’s meeting of the county fair board and sought to see if there was more that could be done to enforce …read more.

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Mindy Wise, Kosciusko County 4-H youth development educator, is working with the Tobacco Free Coalition to teach students techniques used in point of sale marketing campaigns and how to use these techniques to create a positive campaign message.

WARSAW — Kosciusko County 4-H, in collaboration with the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, will be hosting Campaign for Positivity program for youth grades 7-12 in September. Beginning Sept. 20, youth will learn about how they are consumers of marketing, the definition of point of sale marketing and how to develop a positive marketing campaign. …read more.

KOSCIUSKO — Although research has proven that smoking is harmful to a baby’s health, both before and after birth, in Kosciusko County 14.3 percent of pregnant women continue to smoke during their pregnancies. Studies have shown smoking increases the risk of preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). In an …read more.

KOSCIUSKO — Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition has a new director. Heidi Blake has been named the new director effective April 2 to replace Dan Gray, who has announced his retirement from the organization. Gray began his tenure in the position in 2011. Blake joined the coalition Jan. 15, 2015, as the program coordinator. She …read more.

KOSCIUSKO — Kosciusko County’s two-year grant from Indiana State Health Department, Tobacco, Prevention and Cessation Commission was renewed for another two years (2017-2019). Dan Gray, director of the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition, expresses gratitude for the support that comes from the County. Without everyone working together, we would not be able to be successful …read more.

KOSCIUSKO – The Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition is excited to announce a new, evidenced-based program that will be introduced this summer to assist pregnant women to quit smoking.  Baby & Me™ – Tobacco Free is a smoking cessation program created to reduce the burden of tobacco use on the pregnant and postpartum population.  The results of …read more.

SYRACUSE — Syracuse Parks & Recreation Department is hosting Touch-A-Truck from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 6, at the Syracuse Community Center, North Long Drive. This hands-on event will provide kids with the opportunity to see, touch and explore their favorite big trucks, heavy equipment and emergency vehicles as well as interact with community support leaders who operate them.

Dan Gray Director Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — As the New Year begins, decide to make 2017 the year that you quit smoking or chewing tobacco.  Resources are available to help you quit for good this year. Quitting is among the most common New Year’s resolutions. The New Year is a symbol …read more.

WARSAW — Let your teens know about the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition and the VOICE Maximum Velocity Youth Engagement Tour. Various events are coming up soon for teens in Kosciusko County. Help keep cigarette butts off our streets and get rewarded with prizes and giveaways. The first event is at Baker Youth Club. To …read more.

By JACLYN “JACKIE” FRANKS, MPH HHS Extension Educator, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Kosciusko County WARSAW — Individually they are small, but collectively they are deadly. Tobacco waste, including cigarette butts, makes up 38 percent of litter us U.S. roadways, which is equivalent to 1.6 billion pounds of toxic waste worldwide per year. When tobacco waste …read more.

WARSAW — Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition is seeking local youth to assist with its upcoming “Poison by the Pound Cigarette Butt Cleanup” event. Those wishing to assist are asked to meet at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21, in the Shrine building at the Kosciusko County fairgrounds. Participants will receive clear plastic collection bags, disposable gloves in small, …read more.

By JACLYN ‘JACKIE’ FRANKS, MPH HHS Extension Educator, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Kosciusko County KOSCIUSKO — Kosciusko County is kicking butts. Cigarette butts, that is. Thursday March 17, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids is celebrating their 20th anniversary of the Kick Butt’s Day campaign. Kick Butts Day is a national day of activism …read more.

By DANIEL GRAY Director, Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition The American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout is Thursday, Nov. 19, which encourages smokers across the country to quit smoking in order to lead a healthier life. Now more than ever, focus should be placed on helping women quit smoking. In the last 50 years, a …read more.

By DANIEL GRAY Director, Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in Indiana, and the 2014 Surgeon General Report on Smoking found that cigarette smoking is a cause of type 2 diabetes, also known as adult-onset diabetes. Smoking increases the risk for diabetes by up …read more.

By DAN GRAY Director, Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate moms for who they are and all of the wonderful things they do. It is also a great time for moms to remember the important role they play in influencing the choices their kids make regarding tobacco use. Unfortunately, …read more.

National, State and local leaders met June 17 to discuss tobacco control and cessation efforts in Indiana and across the United States. Hosted by the Indiana State Department of Health’s Tobacco Prevention and Cessation division and State tobacco control partners, the “2014 Partner Information X-Change: Not Another 50 Years,” took place at the Marriott East …read more.

At the May meeting of the Winona Lake Town Council a smoking ordinance was discussed. During the course of the discussion electronic cigarettes were brought into the discussion. What became clear, as the discussion went on, was that the council and the citizens in attendance didn’t know much about these devices, ultimately the reason the …read more.

In previous Winona Lake Town Council meetings, recommendations for ordinances regarding skateboards and smoking have been raised. Both ordinances were discussed at length at the council’s May 20 meeting. The skateboard ordinance was originally recommended by Winona Lake Police Chief of Police Paul Schmitt at the April town council meeting, citing concern for the safety …read more.

By DAN GRAY Director Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition April 7-13 is National Public Health Week and the Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition is reminding everyone of the need to be more conscious of a healthy lifestyle that will give ourselves the quality of life we want to live during the span of life on …read more.

Feb. 14 is Valentine’s Day —a day to celebrate love in its many forms. But did you know that nearly 50 years ago, February was designated as American Heart Month? During this month, we raise awareness about the risks for heart disease as well as healthy lifestyle changes that can reduce cardiovascular risks and promote …read more.

Kosciusko County received a two-year grant from Indiana State Health Department, Tobacco, Prevention and Cessation Commission to establish a new work in Kosciusko County. Dan Gray, from the Wabash County Tobacco Free Coalition, worked in Kosciusko County the last two years to consider the need for the grant in the county and to determine the …read more.

Mother’s Day is a day to celebrate moms for who they are and all of the wonderful things they do. It is also a great time for moms to remember the important role they play in influencing the choices their kids make regarding tobacco use. Unfortunately, tobacco use among women remains a serious problem: more …read more.

Kosciusko County Health Department Clinical Services Division has partnered with Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition to help Kosciusko Hoosiers be more aware of the dangers of tobacco use, secondhand smoke, and to provide prevention resources to the youth of the county. The Kosciusko County Tobacco Free Coalition is housed with the health department at 1515 …read more.