ANOTHER NBC Nightly News Story on Artificial Turf

A followup story on NBC Nightly News tonight concerning artificial turf. High School Changes Plans for Artificial Turf Field

The school’s change of heart came after an NBC News investigation featuring University of Washington soccer coach Amy Griffin, who has compiled a list of 38 American soccer players -- 34 of them goalies -– who have been diagnosed with cancer, most commonly blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia.

Both parents and players were concerned. Just like they are here. I received a note from a high school student today asking about the negative effects the artificial turf may have on the community.

I am going to include my response to the student here, which may help parents understand how we got to this point in Mt. Lebanon.

Hi XXXXXXXX,

Thank you for contacting me. I am delighted that you are taking an interest in this topic. I know that high school students appreciate the truth and are willing to listen. I also know that high school students understand abuse of power.

What I would like to share with you are links to various resources and let you draw your own conclusions.

Since you emailed me, you must be know about my blog, lebocitizens.blogspot.com. I have linked documents and reports that illustrate the negative effects on the community.
CBS News: School replaces artificial turf over cancer concerns
Groups Giving Second Thoughts To Those Little Black Crumbs On Playing Fields

http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/10/nightly-news-on-nbc-at-630-pm.html

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/how-safe-artificial-turf-your-child-plays-n220166

http://www.today.com/video/today/56202605 

Morning Joe on MSNBC

Forbes Magazine: Buyers Remorse Surfacing Over Artificial Turf Fields
VOTERS REJECT ARTIFICIAL TURF IN THREE STATES

http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/09/commissioners-and-school-board-members.html

http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/02/artificial-turf-fields-troubling.html

These are just some of the negative effects on the community. There is the lack of transparency on behalf of the municipality discussing these potentially harmful effects.

http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/10/no-leboalert-because-it-is-political.html

http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/10/kids-health-safety-fair-is-not-correct.html

The use of excess tax dollars to fund the project, without a referendum, and the abuse of power when commissioners email constituents saying that they have three votes and that it will pass. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9r_1biKte_bLUp0dHU0bTE5eUk/view?usp=sharing

Where a commissioner lied about the ESB's stand on artificial turf. http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/03/mother-of-all-rtks.html

http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/02/audio-montage-of-nov-25-and-feb-11.html

In the audio montage above, Recreation Director David Donnellan is heard saying that there is a representative from the Parks Advisory Board on the Sports Advisory Board. Dave Franklin, Parks Advisory Board liaison, shares his perspective here. http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/03/appeasing-select-few.htmlIt wasn't until Mr. Franklin was absent from a meeting, when we learned about the Parks Advisory Board push back here. http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/05/finally-board-pushes-back.html

Then there is the post which shows flooding on Cedar Blvd. http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/04/i-dont-know-where-to-begin.html

and the video clip of the same from August. http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/08/cedar-blvd-closed-due-to-flooding.html Notice how the first comment accuses me of lying.

Sadly, the school board directors will be putting in artificial turf on the high school's Rock Pile." http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/02/more-artificial-turf-coming-to-high.html and http://www.thealmanac.net/article/20141021/NEWS/141029978

Finally, XXXXXXX, there will be a rally on Sunday morning at 11:00 AM down at the fields. http://lebocitizens.blogspot.com/2014/10/rally-for-lebo-kids-health_22.html  I would like to invite some students to SPEAK at the rally against the turf project, if they are interested in representing the student point of view. Someone will be. There is nothing more powerful than hearing from your point of view. I hope you can make it on Sunday. If you do, please introduce yourself to me. I would love to meet another citizen exercising his First Amendment rights.

Thank you for contacting me...

Elaine Gillen.

What Mt. Lebanon residents don't know is what the DEP shared with a concerned resident.  The new storm water plan will be more expensive. A lot more more expensive. Our commissioners have not disclosed that to us. Perhaps they never thought to ask. Or Gateway engineering forgot to tell them. 

Don't forget: 

"Rally for Lebo Kids' Health"
Sunday, October 26, 2014 11:00 AM
Middle and Wildcat Fields on Cedar Blvd.

Worried about the safety of artificial turf?

My post, Nightly News on NBC at 6:30 PM proved to be a very popular story on Lebo Citizens. We're all concerned about the eerie coincidence which University of Washington women's soccer coach Amy Griffin noticed with young people who play on artificial turf and the increase of cancer.

There is a Commission Meeting tonight at the Municipal Building (across from Sesame Inn) at 8:00 PM in the Commission Chamber.  President Kristen Linfante will not be attending tonight's meeting, so if you would like to take five minutes and express your concerns to the remaining commissioners, manager, and solicitor, you should not be harassed, insulted, or interrupted.

I have sent emails to the commissioners and school board members about the report on NBC, as well as the original article published a month before the NBC report, and only heard from Commissioner Fraasch. I did not get any response from the remaining commissioners, school board members, solicitors, manager or superintendent.

Please make time to either write to the commission (commission@mtlebanon.org) or come to tonight's meeting and voice your concerns about artificial turf. Please.

Nightly News on NBC at 6:30 PM

Watch the Nightly News at 6:30 tonight for a story about the dangers of synthetic turf.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/how-safe-artificial-turf-your-child-plays-n220166

I sent this to the commissioners and school board directors this evening:

Fwd: Artificial turf project 

From	egillen476 egillen476@aol.comhide details
To	commission commission@mtlebanon.org, schoolboard schoolboard@mtlsd.net
Cc	sfeller sfeller@mtlebanon.org, TSteinhauer TSteinhauer@mtlsd.net, philip.weis philip.weis@bipc.com

  Wed, Oct 8, 2014 6:23 pm

I had sent this email to you folks, previously. I heard back from NONE of you. It will be on NBC Nightly News tonight at 6:30 PM. Please watch it and UNVOTE the turf project on Wildcat and Middle Fields. Please nix turfing the Rock Pile. What does it take to get your attention concerning toxic turf?

Elaine Gillen

-----Original Message-----

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>

To: commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>; schoolboard <schoolboard@mtlsd.net>

Sent: Tue, Sep 16, 2014 6:50 pm

Subject: Artificial turf project

Dear Mt. Lebanon Commissioners and School Board members,

Please "unvote" the ill-fated Wildcat Field artificial turf project. I received the following press release, CONSUMER GROUP WARNS SCHOOLS AND TOWNS OF NEW QUESTIONS SURROUNDING ARTIFICIAL TURF SAFETY

The Artificial Turf Project, or as you like to call it, "Field Enhancement Project" has been a problem since Day 1. Lack of transparency concerning funds, the secret Turf Project Task Force meetings, intimidation tactics used at the Not For The General Public public meeting, the official statements from the Parks Advisory Board and the Environmental Sustainability Board who are in opposition to the project, an "unbiased" presentation at Mellon Middle School with Dr. McNitt - who has his private consulting business and partnership with FieldTurf, the deficiencies identified by the PA Department of Environmental Protection and Allegheny County Conservation District, the fabrication that personal donations are at risk while knowing that contracts clearly state that the donations are nonrefundable and will be used for future field improvements, the Commission President's "misrepresentation" of the ESB's position, the Commission's tunnel vision in regard to the health, safety, and environmental issues as presented by residents, and the use of municipal staff for raising non-municipal funds.

PLEASE take the time to read the 09.15.14 Press Release linked in the first paragraph. PLEASE consider the new questions surrounding the safety of artificial turf. PLEASE unvote the Wildcat and Middle Artificial Turf Project.

Elaine Gillen

Update after the broadcast: Here is the report from NBC's Nightly News:

 How Safe is the Artificial Turf on Your Child's Sports Field?

NBC is inviting viewers to share our synthetic turf stories with them.

I started crying while watching the segment on turf and am angrier than ever with the four commissioners who ignore those of us who have been trying to warn them about the dangers of artificial turf. I am angry with the Sports Advisory Board and its subgroup, the Turf Project Task Force. No doubt, Dave Franklin is crafting another letter saying that artificial turf is safe. As Coach Griffin said, "I would love to be proved wrong."

For those of you who follow Andrew McNitt on Twitter, tonight was not a good night for him, thanks to the NBC Nightly News report on artificial turf.

Update October 9, 2014 9:22 AM

Debate grows: Is artificial turf bad for kids’ health?

In communities across the U.S., natural grass has been replaced with turf, which millions of children play on. Some are concerned the turf could be making people sick. NBC’s Stephanie Gosk reports.

http://www.today.com/video/today/56202605

Morning Joe on MSNBC