The Illinois seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October is 11.0 percent, up 0.5 percent from the previous month and its highest level since August 1983, according to figures released today by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. The three-month moving average is 10.5 percent, its highest level since November 1983.

“While the slowing pace of job loss and other leading economic indicators bring with it cautious optimism, they are of little comfort to those seeking meaningful employment during this national recession,” IDES Director Maureen O’Donnell said. “Past economic recoveries suggest the nation will begin to benefit from a growing economy before unemployment rates in Illinois begin to retreat.”

Job loss continues in Illinois, but at a much slower pace. Non-farm payroll employment recorded -3,200 fewer jobs in October, the 21st consecutive monthly loss. October payroll employment in Illinois reached 5,635,600, its lowest jobs level since September 1995. Job losses were reported in several industry sectors, but the loss fell below recent monthly averages. Employment in the Trade and Transportation sector dipped by -1,400 positions and the Manufacturing sector lost -800 jobs. Some job sectors reported gains. The Educational and Health Services, Professional and Business Services, and Construction sectors each reported slight gains over the previous month, adding 3,600, 1,300 and 1,000 jobs respectively.

Nationally, the October unemployment rate increased by 0.4 percent to reach 10.2 percent, the highest rate since April 1983. Total non-farm payroll fell for the 22nd consecutive month (-190,000), bringing total national job loss to -7.3 million since the onset of the recession in December 2007. National employment declines have been led by the Manufacturing, Trade and Transportation, Construction, and Professional and Business Services sectors, dropping by -2.1 million, -1.7 million, -1.6 million, and -1.5 million jobs respectively since December 2007. Illinois has lost -359,700 jobs since the onset of the recession: -95,200 in Manufacturing, -88,500 in Professional and Business Services, -76,900 in Trade and Transportation and -47,400 in Construction.

The unemployment rate is not the same measurement as those collecting unemployment benefits. The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment, regardless if they are eligible for unemployment insurance. Workers collecting benefits are counted separately. Therefore, a person who exhausts or is ineligible for unemployment insurance would still be reflected in the unemployment rate if they are seeking employment.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security administers federally funded employment services and unemployment insurance through its nearly 60 offices, including the Illinois workNet Centers. IDES also receives federal grants to provide and analyze labor market statistics and information.

(Taylorville) Myrna & Joe Hauser, innkeepers at the Market Street Inn Bed & Breakfast, 220 East Market Street, Taylorville, IL have just returned from a 3 day Fall Conference in Petosky, Michigan for members of Select Registry of Distinguished Inns of North America. Select Registry is comprised of about 400 inns in the US and Canada who have passed a rigorous admission process including surprise inspections and evaluations.

This conference involved two primary speakers: Jodie R. Bissonette, Vice President of Gas Light Media, designers of websites for tourism organizations, spoke about effective website design and promotion and Don Farrell, a recognized expert in hotel room and meeting space sales, gave advice on new sources of guests.

The Market Street Inn Bed and Breakfast is one of only four Select Registry member inns in the state of Illinois. This B & B is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year and offers Taylorville and Christian County unique lodging. “We offer clean, quality and well appointed rooms with a variety of amenities for our guests, including breakfast.” said Myrna Hauser, co-owner of the inn. “All of our guest rooms have private baths, most with double whirlpool tubs with shower above. Many of our rooms have either a gas or electric fireplace to add ambiance. Our linens are of top quality, 600 thread count and our mattresses are of top quality as well. Our guests are invited to an innkeepers’ reception in the early evening and are gifted with a copy of the Select Registry guidebook."

Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation this week that should help both health care providers and the state with Medicaid bills.

The state is tapping into a temporary increase in how much the federal government pays Illinois for treating low-income patients. Senator Jeff Schoenberg of Evanston says they hope to bring in more than one billion dollars over two years.

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With the influx of funds, the state will be able to pay hospital, nursing homes, pharmacists and other providers who care for Medicaid clients more quickly.

(Shelbyville) The US Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville is reporting rising lake levels due to recent rainfall. The pool elevation on Thursday, November 19 is 609.60 feet above sea level. The normal pool level is 599.70. The discharge rate is 560 cubic feet per second (cfs) as of Thursday morning. Lake Shelbyville is expected to reach a pool elevation of less than 612.00 feet above sea level on or around November 22, 2009.

The high water has impacted some sites around the lake. All high water boat ramps are open at this time. High water boat ramps are located in Bo Wood, Dam West, Lithia Springs, Lone Point, Opossum Creek, Wilborn Creek, Eagle Creek State Park, and Wolf Creek State Park. Coon Creek and Whitley Creek are the only primary recreation areas with all boat ramps closed due to high water.
All secondary boat ramps are closed. This includes Coal Shaft Bridge, Sand Cove Road, Johnson’s Bluff and Bruce West.

The Illini Backpacking Trail, which runs from Lone Point Recreation Area to Eagle Creek State Park, Coon Creek Trail, and Okaw Bluff Trail are all closed. Hikers can still use the Camp Camfield Trail and the General Dacey Trail.
If you are out boating on the lake you are strongly cautioned to watch for floating debris and submerged hazards on the lake.

As the water at Lake Shelbyville continues to remain above normal levels, visitors should be aware that more areas might be temporarily impacted. Call ahead for information before coming to the lake. Information will be available on the Lake Shelbyville Information Line at 217-774-2020 or contact the Lake Shelbyville Project Office at 217-774-3951. Revised news releases will be issued as lake conditions change.

Four people charged with burglary and drug related crimes were indicted by a Christian County Grand Jury this week. Indictments were returned for 28 year old Dwain Sarver of Pana for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. The charges stem from a December 21st 2008 arrest, in which police allege Sarver had a syringe full of the prescription pain medication in his possession.

Twenty Two year old Adam Brachear of Taylorville was indicted on one count each of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of stolen property and theft all stemming from an October 8th arrest. Brachear is alleged to have stolen assorted bottles of alcoholic beverages from One East Market Restaurant. Police say they later found him in possession of the booze, along with six tablets of Xanax, a controlled substance.

Seventeen year old Jonathon D’Introno and 19 year old James Powell of Edinburg were indicted on one count each of Residential Burglary, stemming from an October 19th arrest in which they allegedly attempted to burglarized a rural Edinburg home.

All suspect are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

An Edinburg Man is dead after a one vehicle accident in Taylorville Thursday evening. According to a report from the Christian County Sheriff's Department, 55 year old Steven Mitchell was left the roadway near the intersection of South Houston and Finch Streets, and struck a small tree. Mitchell was transported to Taylorville Memorial Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Deputies describe the damage caused to the vehicle during the crash as minor, and it is unclear whether the death was caused by injuries suffered during the crash or a separate medical condition. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday. There were no passengers in the car at the time of the crash.

The de facto leader of a group formed to stop the City of Taylorville’s attempt to annex their subdivision is speaking out against what he perceives to be mixed messages from city leaders. Earlier this week, Taylorville Mayor Greg Brotherton told the city council he wants to temporarily table Bertinetti Annexation talks to allow the city to focus on more pressing need. A day later, Alderman Earl Walters went on record say the city will inevitably annex the 259 Bertinetti households at some point. Now, Ed Salisbury says he and other Bertinetti residents are getting frustrated.

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Mayor Brotherton indicated an ad hoc committee made up of members of the city council and Bertinetti residents would be formed to continue discussions to reach an amicable resolution to the issue. Salisbury says he wants no part of it unless city leaders show they are all on the same page.

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Ultimately, Salisbury says he believes discussion can resume between the two sides as long he residents get the impressions that city leaders come to the table with an open mind. The issue, first brought up earlier this summer, would have meant a tax hike for Bertinetti residents, but no guarantee of city services. Bertinetti residents did however sign agreements when they purchased their property allowing the city to annex at their discretion in exchange for city water service, which they currently receive.

Eighty Seventh District State Representative Bill Mitchell is leading the charge to allow concealed carry in the State of Illinois, and to overturn a hand gun ban in the city of Chicago. Mitchell has signed onto a brief being presented to the United States Supreme Court in support of the view that the 2nd Amendment is a fundamental right for all Americans, regardless of the state in which they live. During a series of stops throughout his district including one in Taylorville Thursday, Mitchell says it is time Illinois gets on board with 48 other states that allow concealed carry.

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As far his attempt to overturn the gun ban in Chicago, Mitchell says even though is issue concerns a district 100’s of miles away from his own, he says it is every American’s right to own a gun.

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Mitchell blames democratic leadership in the Illinois House, namely House Speaker Mike Madigan, for not allowing a debate on the House on the issue of concealed carry.

As the firearm deer season kicks off, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding hunters to stay safe.

The number one accident among hunters is falling out of tree stands says DNR Deer Project Manager Tom Micetisch. He says hunters must use a safety harness…and a haul line to hoist their firearm or bow up to the stand. He also says hunters need to wear bright orange clothing so they don’t become a target themselves.

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Last year in illinois there were 38 reported hunting accidents…30 were the result of tree stand falls. Five of those hunters died.

A new website aims to help Illinoisans make better decisions about where they get medical care.
State Public Health Spokesperson Melaney Arnold says the online hospital report card lets patients compare what different hospitals and surgical centers have to offer.

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You can also find out how many patients a certain facility handles…and the mortality rate there. The website is health care report card dot Illinois dot gov.

The Lincoln Land Community College Board of Trustees last night approved bids submitted by O’Shea Builders of Springfield to construct a new classroom facility at LLCC-Taylorville. The base bid and alternate bids totaled $2.56-million for the 12,000 square foot building.

A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for noon, Wednesday, Dec. 2 at the site of the new facility, which will replace two modular structures. The building will provide instructional space for programs including nursing, criminal justice/law enforcement, teacher education and business, along with a student lounge and conference area. The LLCC-Taylorville classroom building is the college’s second major construction project to begin this year. The Connecting Link Student Center project began last month on the main campus, and contract documents are being prepared for a new Workforce Careers Center to be constructed on campus in early 2010.

Officials from Consolidated Communications have confirmed customers in an area spanning from Pana to the East, Litchfield to the west and Taylorville to the north are experiencing long distance phone service outages. The outages are caused by what officials describe as an 'equipment malfunction.' There is no timetable for when service is expected to be fully restored.

During this ‘Illinois Weather Preparedness Week’, which wraps up November 21st, the Christian County Emergency Management Agency has a few tips to help people survive any severe weather that winter may throw at us this year. CCEMA Director Mike Crews says the most important thing people can do is to personally be prepared should a severe weather event become imminent.

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There are several agencies and organizations that will spring into action should a severe weather event occur. Crews says the Christian County Health Department will assume the lead during a declared emergency.
Again, officials encourage families to have an emergency kit prepared that includes extra water and non-perishable foods, prescription medications, emergency heating equipment and fuel, a cell phone, radio and flashlight with extra batteries.
A Winter Storm Warning: means severe winter weather conditions are imminent.
A Winter Weather Advisory: is for weather that causes a significant inconvenience, especially to motorists.
A Winter Storm Watch: means severe winter weather is possible in the next 24-48 hours.
Wind Chill Advisories: will be issued for wind chills of 15 to 24 degrees below zero.
Wind Chill Warnings: will be issued for wind chills of 25 degrees below zero or colder.

For more information on severe winter storm preparedness, visit the website state dot I-l dot u-s slash I-e-m-a.

The Christian County YMCA held its biggest fundraiser of the year- The Annual ‘Y’ Auction- last Friday night at the Stonington American Legion Hall. For new ‘Y’ Executive Director Chris Wiettenhiller, it was his first experience with the event. Although final numbers are not in yet, Wiettenhiller says the amount of funds raised is expected to be comparable to last year’s figure of $70 thousand dollars, which he considers a success.
Looking back on his first go round with the auction, Wiettenhiller says he was impressed by the turnout and the amount of support put forth by the citizens of Christian County
The winner of the raffle for the scooter provided by ‘Cheap Gas Scooters was Tom Bellegante; Joe and Myrna Hauser of Taylorville took home the prize package which included $850 dollars in gas.

‘Magnificent Mansions’ is the theme of the 19th Taylorville Holiday Home Tour scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday December 4th and 5th. The six locations festooned for the season include the largest private resident in Christian County, a home owned by Tom and Kathy Fergin.
Other homes on display include an 1883 Victorian showplace and the dramatic makeover of a bridal salon into a family home.
Also scheduled to take place on December 5th is The tour’s “Taking Tea with Mrs. Lincoln” event, an opulent British style-tea, set for 11 am at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Auditorium.
Tour tickets are $8 dollars in advance for the Taylorville Home Tour and admission for the Tea is $20 dollars.
Tickets can be purchased for either or both of the events at the Cottage Rose Gift Shoppe, the Top Drawer in Springfield, News Palladium and Junction Garden Center in Pana and Ishmael Insurance Services in Nokomis. Children under the age of 12 will admit free if accompanied by an adult.

The Christian County Board tackled a light agenda during their monthly meeting Tuesday night. With revenues declining in the Solid Waste Department, the Environmental Committee recently discussed ways that the popular recycling program at an annual cost of 92,000 dollars, could be continued but at a lesser cost. The board addressed the matter, unanimously agreeing on a plan to decrease the cost of the program. Christian County Board Chairman John Curtin told the board if they could cut down on the number of pulls, they could lower the overall cost.

The new plan states that the recycling company ‘Midstate’ will pull from smaller communities only when called, instead of pulling once every month like they used to. Also, magazines and newspapers will be combined, increasing the space for plastic in the recycling bins. The plan should extend the pulls by a couple of weeks at each location, and reduce the charges during the year.

(Taylorville)—Local businessman Mike McClure was today’s (Tuesday’s) guest speaker at the weekly meeting of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Auditorium.

McClure and his wife Jan were part of a local group that visited 4 counties in Africa this past July.

McClure gave a presentation on the trip, accompanied by photographs he took on the trip.

McClure told the Kiwanis members that the trip included 2 safari’s a day—one at 6am and one at 3pm each day, where attendees would be put into Jeeps and travel the African backlands. The group saw a host of animals including monkeys, baboons, water buffalos, crocodiles, lions, hippos, and impalas, just to name a few.

McClure said daytime temperatures were in the 70’s, as it was the winter season in Africa during their stay.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at Taylorville Memorial Hospital Auditorium.

Ninety-Eighth District House Candidate Wayne Rosenthal accompanied 87th District State Representative Bill Mitchell on a media tour Monday to speak out against Governor Pat Quinn’s proposal to house Guantanamo detainees at a nearly vacant prison in Illinois. The Obama administration is looking at the Thomson Correctional Center in northwestern Illinois to use as a federal prison, and possibly to keep terrorism suspects. Rosenthal says holding terrorists at Thomson puts a big target on the state of Illinois.

Governor Quinn says having the prison running at full capacity would create thousands of jobs for the economically depressed area in Carroll County. Rosenthal agrees that job creation is important, but believes prisoners from overcrowded state prisons should be sent to Thomson.

US Senator Dick Durbin is in favor of the Governor’s proposal. Durbin says Thomson would be the most secure prison in the country.

Federal officials toured the prison on Monday. Harley Lappin, head of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, downplayed potential risks to the local community. He said the facility is well constructed, well designed and has security enhancements his department would require. The 16-hundred-bed facility, built in 2001, would house about 100 terror suspects.

Governor Pat Quinn signed a new law Tuesday in hopes of making school buses safer for Illinois children.

The measure was heartily supported by Secretary of State Jesse White, who says it requires drivers to do an inspection of the bus after each trip, to make sure no kids are left behind.

Governor Quinn says the law sends a strong message to bus drivers about making sure the bus is empty at days end.

In addition, the law requires school buses to be equipped with two way radios so drivers can receive important messages, such as if a student is missing.

Four Christian County retailers were found allegedly sold alcohol to minors during a sting operation last week. According to the Illinois State Police, Investigators observed minors buying beer from the Routemart in Taylorville; Kroger in Taylorville; Phillips 66 in Kincaid and Casey’s in Morrisonville. The checks were done as part of ‘Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement surveys funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation. ISP officials were unavailable for further comment, and it is unclear what sanctions the businesses may face. Routemart and Krogers will go before Taylorville Mayor Greg Brotherton, who also serves as the city’s liquor commissioner at a later date, but may also be prosecuted by the state’s liquor commission. Sixteen other establishments in Taylorville, Pana and Assumption were found in compliance during the checks.

In what will be the only time the Taylorville City Council meets in the month of November, Mayor Greg Brotherton advised aldermen that he wishes to ‘temporarily table’ the issue of the Lake Bertinetti annexation, allowing the city to focus on more pressing needs. The controversial issue of bringing 259 Bertinetti households into the city was first introduced earlier this year. Aldermen met the prospect with varied levels of support, while most Bertinetti residents expressed disapproval of the idea, which would have included a tax increase. Brotherton says he hopes to allow a committee made up of city officials and Bertinetti residents to continue to examine the pros and cons of an annexation, and possibly re-introduce it for further consideration from the full council at a later date.

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In other business, the council approved the ‘Tommy Tornado’ logo to be painted on the new water tower currently under construction near the Taylorville High School, upon it’s completion. The project is expected to cost between 12 and 14 thousand dollars, and will be funded through private donations. During the meeting, Alderman Bruce Jones offered a $100 dollar donation of his own money to the cause, and challenged other city officials to do the same. The water tower is expected to be completed by next fall.

The city council meeting that was scheduled to be held November 2nd was canceled due to the passing of Randy France, a community leader and husband of city treasurer Terri France. All payable bill scheduled to be approved during that meeting were approved by alderman (Monday night).
Pictured: Alderman Bruce Jones (Left) presents a check to THS Booster Club Member Marcia Neal. Neal is spearheading the effort to raise funds to have 'Tommy the Tornado' painted on a new water tower currently under construction.

While Governor Pat Quinn is defending a proposal to house Guantanamo detainees at a nearly vacant prison in Illinois, local lawmakers are speaking out against the plan.

The Obama administration is looking at the Thomson Correctional Center in northwestern Illinois to use as a federal prison, and possibly to keep terrorism suspects.

Governor Quinn says Thomson was designed as a super maximum-security facility, and dismisses critics who say this would put Illinoisans at risk. He says the feds will make sure public safety is a priority.

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Meanwhile, 87th District Republican State Rep Bill Mitchell says housing the terror suspects in Illinois could compromise the security of the homeland. He fears the decision could ultimately lead the detainees to be tried locally for their crimes, which could lead to dire consequences.

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Governor Quinn says having the prison running at full capacity would create thousands of jobs for the economically depressed area in Carroll County. Mitchell dismisses that notion by saying other prisons around the state are overcrowded, and moving them to the empty Thomson prison would create jobs, without having to bring in Guantanamo detainees.

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98th District House Candidate Wayne Rosenthal accompanies Mitchell Monday on a media tour speaking out against the plan. U-S Senator Dick Durbin has spoken publicly in favor of exploring the idea of housing the detainees at the empty Thomson prison.

The Central Illinois Community Blood Center is hosting a blood drive in Pana tomorrow (Wednesday). The Drive takes place inside First United Methodist Church at 619 Kitchell Street, from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Manager of Donor Relations Jessica Becker says the blood collected on Wednesday will stay right there in the community.

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For those who have never given blood before, Becker has a checklist of do’s and don’ts to keep in mind before and after the needle hits your arm.

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As always, walk-ins are welcome. To sign up call Becker at 1-866-GIVE-BLD, extension 118. You can also schedule an appointment online at cicbc.org.

The Christian County Health Department has dished out hundreds of H1N1 vaccines over the past couple of weeks, through a number of different clinics around Taylorville. 25% (222 students) of the entire student body attended the recent vaccination clinic at Taylorville High School, and 42% of all junior high students attended last week’s clinic at the Junior High School. Taylorville Schools Superintendent Dr. Gregg Fuerstenau says County Health Director Gerry Grigsby has done a great job of making the vaccine available to the community.

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With the recent H1N1 outbreak in Kincaid, Fuerstenau says the school district has been monitoring the number of absences very closely. As of now, the superintendent says there’s been no heavy spike in student absenteeism.

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The High School held a free H1N1 vaccine clinic last night (Monday). The clinic was open to the public.

Aldermen decided during Thursday night’s Water/Environmental Committee meeting, that a mammoth ‘Tommy the Tornado’ logo should be painted on the new water tower, currently under construction in Taylorville. The decision to incorporate the infamous Taylorville athletics logo into the water tower design was spearheaded by the High School Sports Boosters Club. Alderman Earl Walters says the committee thinks the logo would be good for both the community and its sports programs.

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Getting ‘Tommy the Tornado’ atop the 165 foot water tower would cost upwards of 14,000 dollars. Walters says the Sports Boosters Club plans to organize a citywide fundraising effort to pay for the logo. Given the makeup of the community, Walters believes raising the money won’t be too difficult.

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The City Council must still vote whether or not to move forward with the logo. City officials expect the water tower project, which broke ground in early October, to be completed by next fall.

To ensure a cheerful holiday season, all cooks should follow basic safety precautions when preparing that monster menu for friends and family. Those basic safety measures include keeping food properly heated, and avoiding cross-contamination. University of Illinois Family Nutrition Program Coordinator Nancy Briggs says cross-contamination can be avoided by properly bagging groceries. Briggs also recommends the usage of meat thermometers.

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It may be okay to have your steak a little pink, but Briggs says when it comes to ground beef, make sure its well cooked.

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Briggs says many people make the mistake of leaving soup and chili out after they’re done cooking. Briggs says that’s a big ‘no-no’.

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Food safety informational packets are available at the University of Illinois Extension Christian County, located at 1120 N. Webster St. in Taylorville. More information on preventing foodborne illnesses can be found at fightBAC.org.

A luminescent tradition more than a decade in a making returns to Shelbyville next week, as the annual Festival of Lights kicks off Friday Night. Lighted Displays in Forest Park and Downtown is sure to put people in the holiday spirit, says Tad Mayhall of the Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce.

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In addition to fostering yuletide cheer, Mayhall says the Festival of Lights goes a long way towards stirring up some holiday business for local shops and restaurants.

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Again the Festival of Lights event kicks off Friday night at 5pm in Forest Park in Shelbyville; remaining lit until January 3rd. A soup supper will be held the following day at the Shelbyville Senior Center, Saturday November 21st.

The Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce will rename one of their biggest awards in honor of Randy France. During their meeting last Wednesday, board members decided to add Randy France’s name to the Volunteer of the Year Award. The honor is given out during the Chamber’s annual banquet in May. Chamber President and CEO Fred Ronnow says everyone was ‘on board’ for renaming the award in honor of France.

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France, who was involved in numerous citywide organizations, passed away two weeks ago at the age of 57.

One of the seven men vying for the republican nomination for the 2010 Gubernatorial race toured downstate Illinois late last week. Twenty-Fourth District State Senator Kirk Dillard made stops in Mattoon and Champaign Friday. In an interview on WTIM 97.3 Friday, Dillard said that in a time where all the fingers are being pointed at Chicago politicians, he has strong downstate roots.

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Dillard says Illinoisans are 100% correct in their assessment that Chicago democrats are to blame for the state’s problems.

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Dillard believes Governor Pat Quinn has not been effective at all, since taking over for Rod Blagojevich. Dillard also says Quinn was caught having 10,000 dollar fundraisers during the closing legislative sessions in Springfield last May.

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Dillard, who currently lives in suburban Chicago, was the Chief of Staff for former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar. Dillard announced his candidacy in Decatur, where his wife’s family hails from. The other candidates on the ballot for the GOP nomination include 2002 GOP Gubernatorial nominee Jim Ryan, state Senator Bill Brady, DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom, former Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party Andy McKenna, businessman Adam Andrzejewski, and public relations consultant Dan Proft.

(Springfield) To ensure a cheerful holiday season, the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is encouraging consumers to be extra careful when cooking holiday meals and decorating their homes.

“Cooking fires are more likely to occur on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year,” said Dave DeFraties, Acting State Fire Marshal. “The incidence of home cooking fires is roughly three times the daily average on Thanksgiving.”

Turkey Fryer Dangers
The dangers of home cooking fires are greatly increased due to the relatively recent popularity of turkey deep frying appliances. OSFM joins the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the American Burn Association (ABA) in discouraging the use of turkey fryers to prepare holiday meals because of the risk of injuries and fires associated with these unique devices.

Tests have shown that many of the fryers have a risk of tipping over, overheating, or spilling hot oil, leading to fires and burns. This deep-frying cooking process requires that up to five gallons of oil be heated to high temperatures before lowering the turkey into the device.

If you prefer fried turkey during the holidays, the safest options are to order a pre-cooked bird from a local supermarket or restaurant, or hire a professional caterer.

Holiday Decoration Safety
Christmas trees are among the most popular decorations of yuletide, but they also can be deadly. On average each year, live and artificial Christmas trees are the ignition sources of 300 reported U.S. home fires each year resulting in 14 fatalities, 21 injuries and $16.8 million in property damage, according to NFPA.

In addition, 44 percent of Christmas tree fires are caused by an electrical problem or malfunction. To be safe with trees and decorations, OSFM urges consumers to:
· Regularly check your tree for fresh, green needles. Trees that have dried out over several weeks’ time burn faster than those that are fresh and well-watered. Remember to keep your tree watered at all times.


· Make sure your tree stand holds at least 1 gallon of water. As a general rule, stands should provide 1 quart of water per inch of trunk diameter. The average 6-foot tree has a 4-inch diameter trunk and can consume as much as 4 quarts or 1 gallon of water per day.
· Keep your tree at least 3 feet from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, heating vents and other sources of heat. Don’t place the tree where it blocks an exit.
· Look for the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) mark on light strings, electrical decorations and extension cords. The UL mark means that UL engineers have tested representative samples of the product for foreseeable safety hazards such as fire and electric shock.
· Ensure outside lights, decorations and extension cords are rated for outside use. Lights intended for indoor-only use bear green holographic UL marks. Light strings intended for indoor and outdoor use bear red holographic UL marks.
· Carefully inspect each electrical decoration—new or old—before plugging it in. Cracked sockets, frayed, bare or loose wires can cause a serious electric shock or start a fire. Replace damaged items with new, UL-listed decorations.
· Don't use staples or nails to hang light strings. Instead, purchase plastic hooks or clips designed for hanging light strings.
· Check packaging to determine the maximum number of strings that may be connected or use this rule of thumb: Connect a maximum of three midget (push-in bulbs) light strings or up to 50 bulbs of light strings with the screw-in bulbs (C7s and C9s).
· Don't overload extension cords by plugging in too many decorations.
· Turn off all electrical lights and decorations before leaving home or going to bed.
· Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions for electrical decorations.

For more information, please visit the agency’s Web site at www.state.il.us/osfm or NFPA at http://www.nfpa.org/.

State Representative Bob Flider (D-Mt. Zion) and the Decatur Family YMCA are working with the Attorney General’s Office to present an Internet Safety Seminar as part of the YMCA’s National Family Week on Tuesday, November 17. Flider says although the Internet is a great resource, it can also be a great danger.

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The presentation will be geared towards children and their parents about the dangers of the Internet and ways to keep your family safe while online. It will be held at the Decatur Family YMCA, located at 220 W. McKinley Ave in Decatur at 6:00 pm, and is free and open to the public.

For more information on this, contact Flider’s office at (217) 428-2708.