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Kasich visits Alabama, Woman faces dilemma in sending terminally ill son to school

Another Republican Presidential hopeful is coming to Alabama today.

Ohio Governor John Kasich* is meeting supporters during a campaign rally right now at Wintzell’s Oyster Bar in Mobile. The GOP contender earned the endorsement of Alabama Governor Robert Bentley. Still, Kasich is behind in the polls compared to competitors like Donald Trump and Ben Carson.

Bob Omainsky** owns Wintzell’s. He says the Kasich campaign approached him about using the oyster bar as the venue for today’s event…

“They were looking for an iconic restaurant in Mobile as part of their trip down here. And they reached out to us, and we were happy to oblige. And that’s how the whole thing got going.”

Omainsky admits he didn’t know much about Governor Kasich. But, he was impressed with the Governor’s track record which turned Ohio’s state budget deficit into a budget surplus.

An Alabama woman with a terminally ill son says he hasn't returned to school because of a dispute with school officials over how he might die.

Athens native Rene Hoover says she'd like to take 14-year-old Alex back to school but won't because officials won't honor her wish for staff not to resuscitate him after a medical emergency.

Alex has a heart condition and is autistic. Hoover says reviving him is unlikely to improve his prognosis and she doesn't want him to face additional medical procedures.

Hoover says she wants Alex to go back to school to continue social development as his health deteriorates.

The Alabama Health Department has issued advisories this winter concerning an increase in Lyme disease cases. APR student reporter Taylor Swinney tells us how to be prepared…  

Alabama hasn’t historically been known as a high-risk territory for Lyme disease. In 2010, the state only had two confirmed cases for the whole year. But since then, one-hundred and sixty cases have been confirmed including twenty three so far this year.

Seven counties including Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Jefferson Counties have already been recognized as “endemic.”  According to Doctor Dee Jones, the state veterinarian for the Health Department, an endemic occurs when two cases have been confirmed in that area.

Dr. Jones says the disease is most commonly transmitted from tick bites. She recommends people use bug repellent that contains twenty percent or more of DEET. 

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