Inside:
- Unemployment rate is unchanged at 4.8%
- May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
- Read With Your Child Week
- More news
Unemployment rate is unchanged at 4.8%
The unemployment rate in Illinois stood at 4.8% in March, unchanged from the revised February unemployment rate. That is according to information released by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
Once again, Illinois’ unemployment rate was higher than the national rate, which stands at 4.2%. This most recent monthly report for Illinois showed substantial job losses in manufacturing (down by 5500 jobs since this same time last year), and professional and business services (a loss of 12,900 jobs over 12 months). There was growth in the sectors of government and health care.
Overall, there are 321,500 unemployed Illinoisans according to the report, a slight increase of 0.1% from the month before.
May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month
As the weather turns nicer each day and the trees turn green, most of us want to spend as much time outdoors as we possibly can. But we all need to take a moment to remember a few ways to enjoy the outdoors while staying safe from tick bites and the risk of Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is spread by the black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick. It is present in the majority of the counties of Illinois, including those in our area. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by tick bites, and it has been on the rise in Illinois in recent years. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, joint pain, skin rashes and in very serious cases they can include severe joint and nervous system problems.
In the United States 35,000 to 45,000 new cases are reported each year, but it is estimated that only about one out of every ten cases is reported. Many Lyme disease cases are misdiagnosed because the symptoms are so similar to other, more common illnesses.
There are easy ways to protect yourself and your loved ones. Before going out into wooded areas or spaces with tall grass, treat your clothing with 0.5% Permethrin insecticide, and wear closed-toe shoes, long pants and long sleeves. When you come back inside, check for ticks on people and pets. If you find a tick, remove it with fine-tipped tweezers.
Find out more about ticks, Lyme disease, and how to avoid it by clicking here.
See more about the tools the Department of Public Health uses to identify ticks in Illinois by clicking here. Get a sneak peek of the trail signs and park posters coming soon from the Illinois Lyme Association by clicking here.
Read With Your Child Week
I am sponsoring a resolution this year which will declare next week as Read With Your Child Week throughout Illinois.
The ability to read is fundamental to an individual’s success and their ability to take part in our democracy as a responsible citizen. But one third of Illinois children are reading below their basic grade level according to recent data from the National Assessment of Education Progress.
Third graders who do not read proficiently are four times more likely to drop out of high school, and that number increases to six times more likely for low-income students. Students who cannot read proficiently experience difficulty in every school subject and find it hard to succeed academically, meaning that they are not well prepared for life after school.
Parents have a crucial role to play in helping their child learn to read proficiently. Literacy is one of the greatest gifts you can give to a child because of the number of doors it opens for them for the rest of their life.
This week I encourage every parent (and grandparent!) to take a few moments to get into the habit of reading to a child. You will be glad you did.
Readers make leaders!
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