This Week's Facts:
-
Students Invited to MLK, Jr.
Youth Summit
-
Use Antibiotics Properly When
Treating Winter Ailments
-
State Courts Advise on What
to Know Before You Go
-
EPA Offers Tips to Save on
Winter Heating Bills
Indiana
General Assembly Opens 2011 Session
It’s January; do you know where your Legislator is?
The Indiana General Assembly
reconvenes on Wednesday, January 5, 2011. The Indiana General
Assembly’s website provides information such as session
information,
bills introduced by the
House and Senate, tools for
identifying your Legislator,
publications and more. If you would like to see the General
Assembly in action, you can
watch live video from the
comfort of your home or office to stay informed on the laws and
topics important to Indiana citizens. Using the tools and
resources provided on this website can help citizens in Indiana
stay informed and in the know about Indiana politics.
-------------------------------
Friday Facts Editorial Team:
Katharine Springer
State Data
Center Coordinator
Elisabeth
O’Donnell
Federal Documents Librarian
&
Kim Brown-Harden
State
Documents Coordinator
 
-------------------------------------
Join the
FDLP-IN
listserv
for the latest
government info |
Students
Invited to MLK, Jr. Youth Summit
.jpg) Indiana
middle and high-school students are invited to keep the dream
alive!
The Indiana Civil Rights Commission
and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Indiana Holiday Commission
are hosting the 20th annual statewide Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. Educational Youth Summit. The summit will be
held on Thursday, January 13, 2011 at the
Indiana State Museum. Schools interested in
attending the summit should fill out the
registration form and fax
it to the State Museum Call Center at 317-234-2489. If you’re
interested in more information about the summit, click
here .
Use Antibiotics Properly When Treating
Winter Ailments
 Winter
is officially here and with that often comes the unfortunate
side-effect of getting sick. For many people, that means
grabbing an antibiotic to help them get back on their feet as
soon as possible. However, it’s important to remember that
antibiotics only work on bacterial infections. That means that
if you’re sick with a cold (even a bad one) or the flu, you
should not take an antibiotic. In fact, according
Medline Plus, taking
antibiotics for a virus can actually do harm. Taking an unneeded
antibiotic increases the chance that bacteria in your body will
be able to resist them – you start to build an immunity to the
drug. Later on, you might get an illness that that same
antibiotic can no longer cure!
Another possible consequence to antibiotic misuse comes from not
taking enough of a prescribed drug. According to the
Mayo Clinic, it is
important to take all of the antibiotic prescribed to you. If
you only take a partial dose, it may kill some of the bacteria,
but not all of it. This can lead to bacteria that is resistant
to drugs. Unfortunately, that antibiotic-resistant bacteria can
still be spread to other people.
There are many symptoms that can be caused by both viruses and
bacterial infections. Therefore, it’s important to go to a
doctor if you suspect a bacterial infection. For more safety
tips, be sure to also check out this
site from the Food and Drug
Administration.
State Courts
Advise on What to Know Before You Go
 Many
Indiana residents find themselves in unfamiliar territory in the
courtroom. The
Indiana Courts website has
tools and resources to help make the interactions with Indiana
courts a little easier. The page has resources such as the
child support calculator for parents, self-representation
in court and
obtaining legal assistance.
In cases where an attorney is needed, you can research his or
her
status with the Bar
Association in Indiana. With the tools, resources and
information contained on this website, Indiana Courts can be
navigated with confidence. Those interested in history can also
find various
histories of Indiana courts.
EPA Offers Tips to
Save on Winter Heating Bills
 Last
weekend’s warm-up aside, it’s a cold time of year! We have two
more months of winter and if you’re not careful, that could mean
two more months of high energy bills. However, there are things
you can do to keep your expenses in check. The Environmental
Protection Agency has a great
list of things you can do
this winter. First, they recommend that you assess your home at
Energystar.gov. You can use their Home Energy Yardstick to
compare your energy usage to similar homes across the country.
Their Home Energy Advisor can give you tips on energy-saving
home improvements. Other important things to do to keep your
house heated and your bills down is to seal air leaks, maintain
your heating equipment and to use a programmable thermostat. For
more tips, be sure check out the EPA’s
Top 10 Tips for Renters and
this
video geared for
homeowners.
|
