Across the Nation

WASHINGTON — Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are being added to grocery lists for low-income mothers and children under a federal program that helps feed more than half the babies in the U.S.

The foods will be covered by the Women, Infants and Children program under changes proposed Friday. WIC now pays about $35 monthly for staples such as juice, eggs, cheese and milk, but the program will pay for less of those products to cover the new foods’ cost.

The revisions follow the advice of the federally chartered Institute of Medicine, which said the WIC program needs to reflect changes in science and society since it was created three decades ago. The addition of fruits, vegetables and whole grain products also tracks changes last year to the government’s own dietary guidelines.

"The WIC food package has not been revised or updated since 1980,” said Kate Coler, the Agriculture Department deputy undersecretary who oversees the program. "We thought it was a prudent time to have a scientific review of the package.”

Charges dismissed

against Nevada

officer in muskrat killing

FERNLEY, Nev. — Misdemeanor animal cruelty charges have been dismissed against an animal control officer accused of killing a muskrat by putting it in a freezer.

Municipal Judge Daniel Bauer agreed with Lee Scheerer’s attorney that jurisdiction over a muskrat would fall with wildlife officials.

Bauer said he didn’t believe Scheerer acted maliciously and noted that he’d already lost his job over the April incident.

"Your mistake has cost you your job. You’ve already been punished,” the judge said.

Bauer also questioned whether killing a rodent amounts to animal cruelty.

"Where would we draw the line?” he said, suggesting that such a finding would allow prosecution for using a mouse trap.

The live muskrat was turned over to Fernley animal control by a pet owner who captured it after it bit his dog, prosecutors said in a criminal complaint.

Sheerer reportedly was directed to take the muskrat to the Lyon County Animal Services. Two days later when they asked for the muskrat so it could be tested for rabies, rehabilitated and released into the wild, Sheerer allegedly admitted to freezing it, according to the investigation conducted by Lyon County Animal Services.

A veterinarian who performed a necropsy determined the animal died of hypothermia.

In her report, Dr. Lisa Hayden wrote, "this animal would have suffered less making the trip to Silver Springs from Fernley for humane euthanasia rather than being tortured by freezing.”

Defense lawyer Ken Ward further argued that since the muskrat injured the homeowner’s dog, a person has a right to destroy an animal that is dangerous to people and property.

But Assistant City Attorney Justin Clouser countered that once it was impounded, Scheerer had a duty under Nevada law to care for the animal by providing proper air, food, shelter and water.

"By placing it in a freezer, the animal froze and was deprived those things,” Clouser said.

Misdemeanor first-offense animal cruelty carries a penalty of up to six months in jail.<