Notes & News

Early Bird Winner
Congratulations to Marilyn Powell for being the early bird prize winner for February. You can also be eligible to win this monthly prize if you pay your rent on or before the 1st of the month, or by taking advantage of our convenient draft program!

Air Filters
The following buildings will have their air filters changed and their smoke detectors checked the week of March 1–5: 2720, 2724, 2728, 2730, 2740, 2742, 2744, 2746, 2748, 2750, 2752, 2754, 2756, 2758, 2768, 2770, 2772, 2774, 2776, 2778, 2780, 2782 and 2790. Please let us know if you have recently changed your filter or if you require special filters, so we can take you off the list.

Maintenance Moment
We want to keep our property well-maintained and a place that you continue to love to call home. Help us stay in top-notch shape by promptly reporting all maintenance issues, big or small, to the office. Thanks

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HighLights

New Lease on Life
Please help our Relay for Life team, "A New Lease on Life," and stop by the leasing office on Friday, March 5, to purchase pizza from CHANELLO'S PIZZA! We will also have various bake sale items. ALL proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society and
Relay for Life! Call the office for details - (252) 321-1948.

Seasonal Selections
Turn your plate into an Irish flag this month with these perfect-for-picking March fruits and veggies:
Green. Sugar snap peas, Swiss chard, broccoli and green beans.
White. Watercress, Vidalia onions and white sweet corn.
Orange. Apricots, mangoes, carrots and tangerines.

Facebook Fans!
So you love living at Meridian Park, why not become a fan of Meridian Park on Facebook?!

New Fenced in Dog Run!
Check out our NEW fenced in dog .run for your four-legged friends! This area is located in the grassy area by the recycle center and 2758 building. Coming soon to the area is a "Pet Poop Station" and a bench, so you can have a seat while your pooch has some fun.

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Trivia Whiz

Going Green

In March, all things dormant begin to turn green. And, of course, green rules on St. Paddy’s Day. What else is green?

• Cash. American currency has been green since 1862, when the U.S. Treasury Department created a green ink to discourage counterfeiters.
• Sacred Symbols. In Japan, green is regarded as the color of eternal life. In countries where Islam is the primary religion, the color green is even more significant. The origin of the color’s symbolism to Muslims is obscure, but some say green was the Prophet Muhammad’s favorite color. Others believe it symbolizes vegetation and life.
• Scientific factors. Night-vision goggles offer green views because the human eye is most sensitive to that hue and is more easily able to discern shades of that color.

The One Minute Chef

Loaded Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 8 medium potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds total), peeled and cut into l-inch chunks
• 1c. evaporated milk
• 1/2 c. sour cream
• 1t. salt
• 1/2 t. ground black pepper
• 2 c. (8-ounce package) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
• Sliced green onions (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 1/2- to 3-quart casserole dish. Place potatoes in large saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender; drain.

Return potatoes to saucepan; add evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and pepper. Beat with handheld mixer until smooth. Stir in 1 1/2 c. cheese and half the bacon. Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining 1/2 c. cheese, remaining bacon and green onions. Bake for an additional three minutes or until cheese is melted.

Courtesy of Nestle Carnation Milk. For more tips and recipes, visit www.TheCookingMilk.com.

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Food Facts

One Potato, Two Potato
Potatoes are not only a favorite vegetable of the Irish but also of Americans. According to the U.S.D.A., Americans eat an estimated 140 pounds of potatoes per person each year. Before you bake , boil, roast or fry your portion, learn which spuds are supreme for assorted cooking needs.

Chefs separate potatoes in to two groups: baking and boiling. The distinction depends on starch content, moisture level and skin texture. “Baking” potatoes are the starchiest and include Russet and Idaho potatoes. With 20 to 22 percent starch and less moisture than other types, these rough-skinned potatoes are good for baking, mashing, frying and roasting. Don’t use them for boiling, however. They tend to fall apart easily. “Boiling” potatoes are more firm, waxy and have a high moisture content. With less starch, they hold shape well, making them perfect for salads soups and casseroles. New reds, fingerlings or Butterfingers are good for boiling. An “in-between” category - with moderate starch and moisture – includes Yukon gold, Yellow Finn and many purple varieties.

When buying, choose potatoes with shallow eyes and no sprouts or green patches. Store them in a paper bag, separate from onions (each puts off gas causing the other to decay). Potatoes are loaded with nutrients and are fat-free, sodium-free and low in sugar, not to mention inexpensive and available year-round.

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Health & Fitness

Breathing Leaving You Breathless?

Two universities well-known for their football rivalry strongly agree that the issue of air quality and your health is no game. A study conducted in 2009 by the University of Michigan supported what Ohio State University concluded a year earlier-the air we breathe can increase the risk of having a heart attack.

The study followed more than 80 people from the cities of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Toronto, Canada. When the participants were exposed to air pollution for a little more than two hours, it prompted a significant increase in diastolic blood pressure (the pressure in blood vessels). Further, the research showed that air pollution causes unhealthy changes in blood vessels that last for hours, even days. These changes can lead to heart attack and other heart-related problems. People suffering from hypertension are most at risk.

The biggest culprit causing these health issues? Microscopic particles, which become embedded deep in the lungs and may even enter the bloodstream. Their presence causes the implications researchers saw in increased blood pressure and damage to blood vessels.

Avoid Bad Air Encounters

To help you avoid developing some of the health issues related to air pollution, the University of Michigan study (cited above) suggests that you should:

• Eliminate unnecessary travel or commutes (both by car and on foot).
• Avoid exercising outdoors during rush hour or near busy roads. These are situations in which more dangerous particulates are released into the air.
• Stay indoors on days forecasted to have high levels of air pollution, especially if you have heart or lung disease or diabetes.

Beginning of Baseball Season Brings Economic Benefits for Some States

Even before the first crack of the bat, Arizona and Florida are virtually guaranteed economic home runs for their state budgets thanks to baseball spring training. Preseason games may not count in regular-season standings, but spring training in Major League Baseball sometimes resembles a win-at-all-costs proposition as teams prepare for the upcoming season.

Florida's economy earned $752 million in 2009 from the thousands of visitors who packed ballparks, hotels and restaurants during the weeks of spring training. The numbers are similar in Arizona, where state legislators are playing hardball to lure teams from Florida. Baseball palaces built by towns with open arms can coax a team such as Cincinnati to move from Sarasota, Fla., to Goodyear, Ariz., where the Reds begin spring training this year in a $108-million facility. Arizona has become the trendy hot spot for Major League franchises' spring digs. That includes the Los Angeles Dodgers, anchored in Florida for 60 years until they moved to Glendale, Ariz., in 2009.

To remain on equal footing with Arizona, Florida needs teams such as the Detroit
Tigers to stay put. The Tigers have conducted spring training in Lakeland, Fla., since 1934 - representing the longest continuous association between a team and city. Will Arizona make a pitch? Stay tuned.

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