Re: Need to relocate, which states are better?? (w/TOXMAP link)

[Guest guest]

In response to the request for comments on WA state:

1) Great, Great docs!

2) Great team of Biomed support parents!

3) Support services depends on the company you work for/ins plan.

Mine has been virtually non-existent (mine has been speach therapy

@ 30visits a year till age 7 - no ABA, no respite). Our biomed

recovery has made the biggest difference, thank goodness for #1 & 2!

For those fortunate enough to have Microsoft insurance, they got a

TON of extra services so have good recommendations (thankful #2)

4) See maps for toxins.

If you stay out of the industrial areas (I'm in the thick of...that's where

our work is....) you'll be better off. The area's outside the Seattle/Tacoma

area are much better overall on the toxin maps.

Here's some links that I like from my " Favorites " spreadsheet:

--------------

Toxins/Pollution Locator:

http://www.epa.gov/tri/

TRI and Superfund Maps/EPA TOXMAP:

http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/main/index.jsp

EPA TOXMAP-Mercury: http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/combo/navigate.do

Also:

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/

(map) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/us-map.tcl

(map by WA county)

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/ranking/rank-counties.tcl?fips_state_code=53 & type\

=mass & category=total_env & modifier=na & how_many=100

(US map of Lead) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/lead/

(US map of Mercury)

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/chemical-profiles/rank-states.tcl?edf_substance_i\

d=7439%2d97%2d6 & edf_chem_name=MERCURY & type=mass & category=total_env & modifier=na & h\

ow_many=100

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/general/tri/tri_gen.html

-------------

5) Schools:

Very much depends on district, teacher & child's needs.

Both myself & others in my immediate group have had the school battles (again

greatful for #1 & 2 above!!!). is in LRC (Learning Resource Center-smaller

more individualized class he is in for extra help w/math & reading...all his

other classes are GenEd. They also have adjustment classes for those needing

even more support.

Overall we've had a pretty good experience public school experience.

WA state has GREAT homeschooling laws...several of us have taken advantage of

this. Starting in Middle school (for our district that is 6,7,8th grades) I

started homeschool 1 class (Social Studies) and intend on moving to more...the

other 5 classes (LRC math & reading + GenEd Science, Language Arts & 1 elective

which has been PE or Art) are public schooling.

I know of a couple of good private schooling options as well, some based around

our kids (mainly in the Seattle area) if you are further interested just let me

know.

6) Puget Sound is a Beautiful Area!!....lots of rain is #1 issue(if you can make

it through the winter rain...this week we FINALLY broke through to sun!). I'm

proactive w/mold issues...

If your flexible head to the other side of the mountains...just over the

mountains in Eastern WA & Eastern OR it is more desert.

Additional comments:

Taxes: OR has an income tax, WA state just voted it down again last year.

I've had several in our original WA group from this area move to either mid OR

(e-mail me off-list if your flexible & interested in a more rural areas...I'll

let you know where). We've also had some move to mid state...again more rural

but still close enough/like a 2 hour drive...to still visit our docs & have park

meet ups.

If I got to pick anywhere w/in a 6 hour drive of our docs...warm, friendly,

rural but w/a Fred Meyer w/a Health Food section (though no Trader Joes...I'd

totally miss that...even more than Target ) it would be Redmond, or Bend

OR...Love that place. For a couple of years we got to stay at Eagle Crest at a

friends condo...they had GREAT well water w/out floride or

chlorine...yummmm!...our skin & hair looked GREAT after just 1 week )! We ran

into several that had moved into the homes there w/their kids & LOVED IT!

Blessings,

Rita

[Guest guest]

Rita, thank you so much for such a detailed response. It is very helpful. Just

have one question for you. What is the situation of mold in Seattle as it rains

all the time and I was wondering if more moisture leads to more mold issues and

toxicity?

Thanks

is

>

> In response to the request for comments on WA state:

>

> 1) Great, Great docs!

> 2) Great team of Biomed support parents!

> 3) Support services depends on the company you work for/ins plan.

> Mine has been virtually non-existent (mine has been speach therapy

> @ 30visits a year till age 7 - no ABA, no respite). Our biomed

> recovery has made the biggest difference, thank goodness for #1 & 2!

> For those fortunate enough to have Microsoft insurance, they got a

> TON of extra services so have good recommendations (thankful #2)

> 4) See maps for toxins.

> If you stay out of the industrial areas (I'm in the thick of...that's where

our work is....) you'll be better off. The area's outside the Seattle/Tacoma

area are much better overall on the toxin maps.

> Here's some links that I like from my " Favorites " spreadsheet:

> --------------

> Toxins/Pollution Locator:

> http://www.epa.gov/tri/

> TRI and Superfund Maps/EPA TOXMAP:

http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/main/index.jsp

> EPA TOXMAP-Mercury: http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/combo/navigate.do

> Also:

> http://scorecard.goodguide.com/

> (map) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/us-map.tcl

> (map by WA county)

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/ranking/rank-counties.tcl?fips_state_code=53 & type\

=mass & category=total_env & modifier=na & how_many=100

> (US map of Lead) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/lead/

> (US map of Mercury)

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/chemical-profiles/rank-states.tcl?edf_substance_i\

d=7439%2d97%2d6 & edf_chem_name=MERCURY & type=mass & category=total_env & modifier=na & h\

ow_many=100

>

> http://scorecard.goodguide.com/general/tri/tri_gen.html

> -------------

>

> 5) Schools:

> Very much depends on district, teacher & child's needs.

> Both myself & others in my immediate group have had the school battles (again

greatful for #1 & 2 above!!!). is in LRC (Learning Resource Center-smaller

more individualized class he is in for extra help w/math & reading...all his

other classes are GenEd. They also have adjustment classes for those needing

even more support.

> Overall we've had a pretty good experience public school experience.

>

> WA state has GREAT homeschooling laws...several of us have taken advantage of

this. Starting in Middle school (for our district that is 6,7,8th grades) I

started homeschool 1 class (Social Studies) and intend on moving to more...the

other 5 classes (LRC math & reading + GenEd Science, Language Arts & 1 elective

which has been PE or Art) are public schooling.

> I know of a couple of good private schooling options as well, some based

around our kids (mainly in the Seattle area) if you are further interested just

let me know.

>

> 6) Puget Sound is a Beautiful Area!!....lots of rain is #1 issue(if you can

make it through the winter rain...this week we FINALLY broke through to sun!).

I'm proactive w/mold issues...

> If your flexible head to the other side of the mountains...just over the

mountains in Eastern WA & Eastern OR it is more desert.

>

> Additional comments:

> Taxes: OR has an income tax, WA state just voted it down again last year.

> I've had several in our original WA group from this area move to either mid OR

(e-mail me off-list if your flexible & interested in a more rural areas...I'll

let you know where). We've also had some move to mid state...again more rural

but still close enough/like a 2 hour drive...to still visit our docs & have park

meet ups.

>

> If I got to pick anywhere w/in a 6 hour drive of our docs...warm, friendly,

rural but w/a Fred Meyer w/a Health Food section (though no Trader Joes...I'd

totally miss that...even more than Target ) it would be Redmond, or Bend

OR...Love that place. For a couple of years we got to stay at Eagle Crest at a

friends condo...they had GREAT well water w/out floride or

chlorine...yummmm!...our skin & hair looked GREAT after just 1 week )! We ran

into several that had moved into the homes there w/their kids & LOVED IT!

> Blessings,

> Rita

>

[Guest guest]

Wow Rita,this is wonderful !!

Tammy F.

In response to the request for comments on WA state:

1) Great, Great docs!

2) Great team of Biomed support parents!

3) Support services depends on the company you work

for/ins plan.

Mine has been virtually non-existent (mine has been speach

therapy

@ 30visits a year till age 7 - no ABA, no respite). Our

biomed

recovery has made the biggest difference, thank goodness

for #1 & 2!

For those fortunate enough to have Microsoft insurance,

they got a

TON of extra services so have good recommendations

(thankful #2)

4) See maps for toxins.

If you stay out of the industrial areas (I'm in the thick

of...that's where our work is....) you'll be better off.

The area's outside the Seattle/Tacoma area are much better

overall on the toxin maps.

Here's some links that I like from my "Favorites"

spreadsheet:

--------------

Toxins/Pollution Locator:

http://www.epa.gov/tri/

TRI and Superfund Maps/EPA TOXMAP: http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/main/index.jsp

EPA TOXMAP-Mercury: http://toxmap.nlm.nih.gov/toxmap/combo/navigate.do

Also:

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/

(map) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/us-map.tcl

(map by WA county) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/ranking/rank-counties.tcl?fips_state_code=53 & type=mass & category=total_env & modifier=na & how_many=100

(US map of Lead) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/env-releases/lead/

(US map of Mercury) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/chemical-profiles/rank-states.tcl?edf_substance_id=7439%2d97%2d6 & edf_chem_name=MERCURY & type=mass & category=total_env & modifier=na & how_many=100

http://scorecard.goodguide.com/general/tri/tri_gen.html

-------------

5) Schools:

Very much depends on district, teacher & child's

needs.

Both myself & others in my immediate group have had

the school battles (again greatful for #1 & 2 above!!!).

is in LRC (Learning Resource Center-smaller more

individualized class he is in for extra help w/math &

reading...all his other classes are GenEd. They also have

adjustment classes for those needing even more support.

Overall we've had a pretty good experience public school

experience.

WA state has GREAT homeschooling laws...several of us have

taken advantage of this. Starting in Middle school (for

our district that is 6,7,8th grades) I started homeschool

1 class (Social Studies) and intend on moving to

more...the other 5 classes (LRC math & reading + GenEd

Science, Language Arts & 1 elective which has been PE

or Art) are public schooling.

I know of a couple of good private schooling options as

well, some based around our kids (mainly in the Seattle

area) if you are further interested just let me know.

6) Puget Sound is a Beautiful Area!!....lots of rain is #1

issue(if you can make it through the winter rain...this

week we FINALLY broke through to sun!). I'm proactive

w/mold issues...

If your flexible head to the other side of the

mountains...just over the mountains in Eastern WA &

Eastern OR it is more desert.

Additional comments:

Taxes: OR has an income tax, WA state just voted it down

again last year.

I've had several in our original WA group from this area

move to either mid OR (e-mail me off-list if your flexible

& interested in a more rural areas...I'll let you know

where). We've also had some move to mid state...again more

rural but still close enough/like a 2 hour drive...to

still visit our docs & have park meet ups.

If I got to pick anywhere w/in a 6 hour drive of our

docs...warm, friendly, rural but w/a Fred Meyer w/a Health

Food section (though no Trader Joes...I'd totally miss

that...even more than Target ) it would be Redmond, or

Bend OR...Love that place. For a couple of years we got to

stay at Eagle Crest at a friends condo...they had GREAT

well water w/out floride or chlorine...yummmm!...our skin

& hair looked GREAT after just 1 week )! We ran into

several that had moved into the homes there w/their kids

& LOVED IT!

Blessings,

Rita