Jobs recovery slows in February

 

The number of people working in Boone and Winnebago counties declined for the second straight month since December — a typical occurrence after the holiday shopping season ends.

Still, the total employed figure for the Rock River Valley increased year over year  for the 10th straight month. Before that streak, local employment had declined for 27 straight months.

Below are charts on how this jobs recovery stacks up with the prior three recessions.

 

 

 

Click on the following for more of Alex’s Blog:  http://data.e-rockford.com/upload/files/1/Jobs%20Great%20Recession1.jpg

Vatican says sex abuser bishop leaves Belgium | Reuters

Former Bruges Bishop Roger Vangheluwe, 74, went into hiding after shocking the Belgian Church with his public confession in April 2010. He first stayed at a Belgian monastery but later left it, and his exact whereabouts were not made public.

Archbishop Giacinto Berloco, the papal nuncio or ambassador to Belgium, said in a statement the Vatican's doctrinal department had investigated his case and decided he needed to go abroad for treatment. He did not say where the bishop went.

Bruges prosecutor Jean-Marie Berkvens told Reuters last week that Vangheluwe's abuse cases were beyond the statute of limitations. But he left open the possibility of prosecuting him on other charges and said he would say more in late April.

His departure recalled the 2002 case of Boston Cardinal Francis Law, who quietly slipped out of the United States amid allegations he had actively covered up cases of child molestation by priests in his archdiocese.

Belgian Church. A Church commission received 475 complaints within a few weeks and reported that 13 people had committed suicide in the past after their complaints to Church officials fell on deaf ears.

Brussels Archbishop Andre-Joseph Leonard has caused controversy by saying it was vengeful to prosecute retired predator priests and the Church had no obligation to compensate abuse victims.

Click on the following for more details:  Vatican says sex abuser bishop leaves Belgium | Reuters

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker appointee called into question resigns from administration | Appleton Post Crescent | postcrescent.com

Brian Deschane’s father is “Jerry Deschane,
executive vice president and longtime lobbyist for the Madison-based Wisconsin Builders Association.  See  Picture

the job – overseeing environmental and regulatory matters – entirely on his own merits, although  “put in good words for every one of my children in their jobs.” Additionally, he “might have reminded” Walker’s campaign manager / chief of staff, Keith Gilkes, that his son “was out there and available.”

The younger Deschane’s plum job is also drawing attention due to the fact that he does not have a college degree nor much experience with management, but does have two convictions for drunk driving.

:

MADISON — A 27-year-old son of a lobbyist whose appointment to an $81,500 job in Gov. Scott Walker’s administration drew accusations of cronyism has resigned.
Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie confirmed Thursday that Brian Deschane resigned Wednesday.
That is the day after Walker demoted him from his higher paying job back to the post he was originally appointed to that pays $65,000 a year with the Department of Regulation and Licensing.

Scott Dillman, head organizer of the committee to recall Sen. Randy Hopper, submitted approximately 22,500 signatures to the state Government Accountability Board to recall the Fond du Lac Republican. If the board finds at least 15,269 signatures are valid, officials would call a recall election six weeks from the date of certification.

Click on the following for more details:  Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker appointee called into question resigns from administration | Appleton Post Crescent | postcrescent.com

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation

SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
announced today that the Acting Director of Professional Regulation, Donald W. Seasock; and
the Directors of Financial Institutions, Robert Meza; and Banking, Jorge A. Solis signed the
following disciplinary orders in the month of February, 2011.

The following are actions to  residents and businesses from communities in and near Boone County.

.

Professional Regulation

BARBER, COSMETOLOGY, ESTHETICS AND NAIL TECHNOLOGY

Elizabeth Rodriguez, Woodstock – cosmetologist license (011-292598) issued and
placed on probation for two years due to criminal convictions and unprofessional conduct.

Pretty Nails, Rockford – salon license (189-013286) issued with reprimand and fined
$1,000 due to unlicensed practice by salon and violation of regulations (prohibited razors found in sanitation container).

FUNERAL DIRECTORS & EMBALMERS

Kara Condon, Harvard – funeral director and embalmer intern license (033-011647)
placed in refuse to renew status after defaulted on an Illinois educational loan.

HOME INSPECTOR

John Griffin, Crystal Lake – home inspector license (450-003496) placed in refuse to
renew status for producing a substandard home inspection report and for producing the report on an expired license.

MEDICAL

Dan Williams, Dixon – physician assistant license (085-000874) reprimanded and fined
$500 after he settled a lawsuit alleging that he failed to admit patient with pancreatitis.

NURSING

Cassandra Truckenbrod, Mendota – registered nurse license (041-116734)
reprimanded for failure to properly dispense medicine to a resident.

Diana Riherd, Rockford – licensed practical nurse license (043-080482) placed in
refuse to renew status for being more than 30 days delinquent in the payment of child support.

Darren Schmitt, Rockford – licensed practical nurse license (043-088758) reprimanded
for using inappropriate language when speaking with residents and when speaking about
residents to other staff members.

NURSING HOME ADMINISTRATOR

Lesley White, McHenry – nursing home administrator license (044-010040)
reprimanded for failure to report an allegation of abuse to the Illinois Department of Public
Health within the required 24 hours.

PHARMACY

Cassandra Kimble, Cary – pharmacy technician license (049-183594) placed on
indefinite probation after defaulted on an Illinois educational loan and has now entered into a
repayment agreement.

PHYSICAL THERAPY
Bernard Yaun, Rockford – physical therapist license (070-010859) reprimanded due to
unprofessional conduct related to a positive drug screen test.

PROFESSIONAL/CLINICAL COUNSELORS
Diana Carter, Elgin – licensed professional counselor license (178-002009)
reprimanded for attempting to engage in private practice without supervision and prior to
obtaining a professional clinical counselor license.

Real Estate

Cedric Horton, Rockford – certified residential real estate appraiser license (556-
002542) revoked and fined $2,500 due to his failure to respond to the Department's request for information.

Randy Boettcher, Poplar Grove – associate real estate trainee appraiser license (557-
005331) placed in refuse to renew status for submitting an appraisal report that did not disclose his significant contribution to the report.

Click on the following for other disciplinary actions for February 2011: http://idfpr.com/Forms/DISCPLN/1102_dis.pdf

Ex-Mexican President: End Bloody Drug War Through Legalization | KPBS.org

SAN DIEGO — Former Mexican President Vicente Fox believes the current strategies employed against Mexico's drug cartels are not working and he is advocating a different approach.

Fox said he's looking at other countries for possible solutions. One is Portugal, which decriminalized all drugs 10 years ago and has since seen a 25 percent decrease in drug consumption .

"We might have an answer there because we have to separate the health problem (caused) by consuming drugs, and the crime and violence associated with it to distribute in the black market," he said.

is losing young lives at an alarming rate as a result of the drug war. The fear and the violence is destroying Mexican society, Fox said. He adds that the U.S. has as much as Mexico at stake in the drug war.

criticizes US officials for disagreeing with his push to legalize drugs and stop the violence.

"If they don't support (legalization), why then they don't (reduce consumption) of it? It's their job, it's their responsibility, and it's not happening," Fox said. "What I read everywhere is growth, growth, growth of consumption - in both sides, in Mexico and in United States."

Ex-Mexican President: End Bloody Drug War Through Legalization | KPBS.org

Thousands in Mexico Take to Streets To Protest Drug War – We Need to Do the Same Here! | Drugs | AlterNet

 

More than 37,000 people have been killed since President Calderon launched his “surge” against cartels in December 2006.

The bloody, unwinnable war is leading more and more elected officials to speak out against drug prohibition. In 2009, the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Drug Policy – co-chaired by three former presidents (Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, Cesar Gaviria of Colombia and Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico) – issued a groundbreaking report declaring the drug war a failure. The report further advocated the decriminalization of marijuana and the need to "break the taboo" on open and honest discussion about international drug prohibition.

Click on the following for more details:  Thousands in Mexico Take to Streets To Protest Drug War – We Need to Do the Same Here! | Drugs | AlterNet