“The TEAL Pumpkin Project”

Back in 2012, a Tennessee mom named Becky Basalone had an idea: What if Halloween could be made a little less tricky for kids with food allergies? Her idea became what is now the Teal Pumpkin Project, a nationwide effort to encourage families — whether their own kids have food restrictions or not —  to offer up some non-food treats on Oct. 31. Participation is simple: Paint or buy a teal pumpkin and put it where trick-or-treaters can see it.  Then as trick-or-treaters come to your door on Halloween night offer them non-food goodies such as glow sticks; whistles, kazoos and noisemakers; bubbles; vampire fangs; playing cards and bookmarks. Of course offering traditional candies is encouraged as well, just offer them in a separate bowl.  “Our goal is to have a home on every block in America with a teal pumpkin. We hope that it becomes a new Halloween tradition.” An estimated 1 in 13 children has food allergies. And keep in mind that it’s not just kids with allergies who benefit when food-free treats are available. So do kids with diabetes and those with gluten sensitivity and other food intolerances.

In Other News The Houston Astros won a wild 11-inning see-saw battle beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 in Game 2 of the World Series. Astros center-fielder George Springer smacked a two-run homer in the top of the 11th inning silencing fans at Dodgers Stadium after their team had tied the game in the bottom of the 10th inning at 5-5. The Astros' victory ties the series at one game a piece with the action moving to Houston on Friday. The Astros have not lost a game at home in this post-season. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has banded together with five conservation groups to offer a $15,500 reward for information about the killing of a federally protected gray wolf. The four-year-old male, known as OR-33, was found dead in late April in southwestern Oregon. The wolf died of gunshot wounds. Gray wolves are listed as endangered in the western part of Oregon. "The federal offense is punishable by up to a $100,000 fine, a year in jail, or both. The maximum state penalty is a fine of $6,250 and a year in jail.” Glass-bottom pool will freak you out http://www.cnn.com/videos/travel/2017/04/10/glass-bottom-pool-will-freak-you-out-orig-tc.cnn