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This Week's Facts:
LG
Encourages Hoosiers to Send Holiday Cheer to Troops
October is
Month to Raise Awareness of Domestic Violence
Monthly
Commerce Publications Highlights Economy
USA.gov
Offers Cash Prizes for Top FAQ Videos
Dept.
of Labor Offers Up Retirement Planning Tips
Do your patrons need
access to information about retirement, Social Security, and
Medicare?
The U.S. Department
of Labor website features an online publication, “Top
10 Ways to Make Your Health Benefits Work for You,”
also available in
PDF.
The Social Security website
provides planning resources like the
retirement estimator
and
benefits calculators.
USA.gov
announced this month that “Medicare’s
open season
starts and ends earlier
this year. People will have seven weeks, from October 15 to
December 7, to check out new drug and health plan choices,
compare options and pick the ones that work best for them. The
earlier enrollment period ensures that recipients will receive
their plan materials and membership cards by January 1, 2012,
when new coverage starts. Plans can change from year to year, so
make your choices carefully. You can find help:
-----------------------------
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 information
 The Indiana SDC/BIDC
Network
is on Facebook |
LG Encourages Hoosiers to Send Holiday Cheer to Troops
 It
seems like only yesterday there was sunlight at 9:00 and the
high temps were in the 90s! Now it’s time to think about the
holidays and our troops.
The Lt. Governor is
sponsoring the sixth-annual
Hoosier Cheer for our Heroes
card and letter campaign. The cards and letters are a way of
brightening a soldier’s day and a way for us to show our
support. This year, shipping costs will be offset with the
support of the Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric
Cooperatives and
enGreet,
an Indianapolis-based online greeting card company. Anyone can
use enGreet’s website to personalize and send a card to offer
Hoosier Cheer. Cards ordered online will be printed and mailed
for free and can include personalized messages and photos. You
can also mail a card or letter directly to Lt. Governor
Skillman’s office by Friday November 18th : Office of
Lt. Governor Becky Skillman, c/o Hoosier Cheer for Our Heroes,
200 West Washington Street, Suite 333, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Please visit the website for specific information on what can be
sent and suggestions to get you started. Let’s remember the
thousands of men and women overseas this holiday.
October is
Month to Raise Awareness of Domestic Violence
 The
Indiana Criminal Justice Institute
recognizes October as National Domestic Violence Awareness
Month. Many people are unsure if they or their friends could be
a victim of domestic violence. The
National Coalition against Domestic
Violence
(NCADV) defines domestic violence as intimidation,
physical/sexual assault, or any other abusive behavior by an
intimate partner or family member against another. Domestic
violence occurs as a decision to control another person.
Domestic violence can result in physical injury, psychological
trauma, and sometimes death. Domestic Violence victims can not
only escape, but can become
success stories
and an inspiration to others. ICJI’s first victimization survey
revealed that 1.8 percent of respondents (2500 surveyed) or 1 in
55 were victims of domestic violence during 2010. The 2010
National Census of Domestic Violence Services reported that
70,648 victims were served one day, September 15, 2010. In
Indiana, 92 percent of shelters reported serving 2,001 adults
and children. Domestic violence no longer has to be a silent
issue. There are many programs and services to help men, women,
and children who are victims of domestic violence.
The Indiana Coalition Against Domestic
Violence (ICADV)
has resources and information for domestic violence victims,
family members, and community members who would like to help.
Monthly Commerce Publication Highlights Economy
 The
U.S. Department of Commerce’s
Bureau of Economic Analysis
(BEA) has released a monthly publication, the
Survey of Current Business,
every year for almost a century. Each issue provides articles
about updated economic estimates, methods used to produce the
estimates, and a message from the Bureau’s Director. In the
October 2011 issue,
you’ll find “Gross Domestic Product by Metropolitan Area,” which
shows economic growth during 2010. Current news for Indiana:
“The effects of the growth in durable-goods manufacturing was
most pronounced in the Great Lakes region, where the industry
added to growth in 52 of the 56 wholly contained metropolitan
areas. Elkhart-Goshen, IN, and Columbus, IN, two small
metropolitan areas in the region, had double-digit growth in
real GDP primarily due to growth in durable-goods manufacturing.
. . The Great Lakes region experienced the largest upturn in
durable-goods manufacturing of all the regions; the industry
grew 12.0 percent after declining 19.2 percent in 2009.”
Find charts and tables displaying data at national, regional,
state, and local levels using the “Charts, Tables, More” menu on
the left sidebar. You can use this
PDF
as a guide for more economic data resources offered by the BEA.
USA.gov
Offers Cash Prizes for Top FAQ Videos
 Being
able to wiggle your ears or recite the alphabet backwards are
noteworthy hidden talents, but they probably won’t do much to
beef up your bank account or educate anybody. Being handy with a
camera however, just might. Put your skills and creativity to
use in the
USA.gov Frequently Asked Questions video
contest.
Uncle Sam is looking to spread the word about how people can use
USA.gov—the
official web portal of the U.S. government—to make their lives
easier and find all the government benefits and services they
need.
-
Create a short how-to video explaining the answers to
people’s most common questions as featured on
Answers.USA.gov:
-
How do I check the status of my tax refund?
-
How can I apply for a government grant or loan?
-
How can I find a job?
-
How do I get a Social Security card?
-
How can I change my address with various government agencies
when I move?
One $1,000 prizewinner will be selected for each question and
all winning entries will be featured on
USA.gov.
You can find a full listing of details and rules at
faq.challenge.gov.
The contest ends October 28, 2011.
Have some fun making a video—and
potentially some money—with your family, friends or students. A
hidden talent today could be featured on the
U.S. government’s flagship
website
tomorrow. No ear wiggling required. This
article is brought to you by the U.S. General Services
Administration.
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