Anniston Housing

Healthcare Organizations Across the U.S. Switch to OpenDNS, Get Safer, More Reliable Internet and Save Thousands Per Year

San Francisco (PRWEB) March 18, 2009

OpenDNS, provider of the award-winning service that makes the Internet safer, faster, smarter and more reliable, today announced healthcare organizations across the country are switching to OpenDNS in masses for all Web content filtering and DNS infrastructure needs. The OpenDNS customer adoption momentum in the healthcare industry is largely attributed to OpenDNS’s superior performance and affordability – OpenDNS is completely free — and the need for a Web content filter on Wi-Fi networks used by patients to access the Internet. Particularly in these trying economic times, network administrators at healthcare organizations, like all enterprises, seek to cut costs by switching to a Web content filtering solution that doesn’t consume thousands of dollars of closely-guarded IT budget. OpenDNS customers in this space include health insurance provider Blue Cross and Blue Shield and hospitals across the United States, including some of the country’s largest teaching hospitals.

“In the process of evaluating Web content filters, we received price quotes ranging from $ 8,000 to as high as $ 18,000 — and that was just the fee for the initial start-up. We would also be incurring monthly charges,” said Dennis Boisclair, Senior Network Administrator for Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, the teaching hospital of Brown University Medical School. “It was a no-brainer to go with OpenDNS. The transition to OpenDNS was pleasant and well worth it, and I’d absolutely recommend it to others.”

Memorial Hospital today uses OpenDNS to protect some 1,600 users from inappropriate and malicious Web content, such as phishing sites and certain types of malware.

The experiences of Women’s Hospital in Indianapolis, Lake Martin Community Hospital in Alabama and Good Shepherd Medical Center in Texas were no different. When Good Shepherd network administrators explored solutions to filter inappropriate content on the wireless network used by patients, network administrators experienced sticker shock. Ultimately they opted for OpenDNS because of the cost savings, ease-of-use and performance.

“OpenDNS is an easy-to-use filtering system that just works. It’s wonderful,” said Jeremy Blankenship, Network Technician for Good Shepherd Medical Center. “Most other solutions we looked at were between $ 15,000 and $ 30,000 upfront, and that doesn’t include maintenance costs. As a not-for-profit hospital, it’s very difficult to find the money for something like that. OpenDNS has saved us from having to buy a filtering solution.”

“The ease of use, price, and functionality of OpenDNS made the decision to use the service easy,” said Jonas Bowersock, Network Administrator at Lake Martin Community Hospital. “We’re very happy with OpenDNS, as both Web filtering and anti-phishing rank high on our priorities list.”

Miami, Florida-based Larkin Community Hospital, which employs a full-time staff of more than 500 practitioners, ranks Web content filtering among its top technology priorities. Having used a pricey appliance, and at a point where a new model would cost thousands of dollars, in addition to an annual subscription fee, Larkin IT staff were drawn to OpenDNS’s free solution.

“OpenDNS is fantastic and I recommend it to everyone,” said Elias Diek, Network Administrator for Larkin Community Hospital. “It’s more responsive than our previous DNS service, it saves us thousand per year and helps us to control all of our computers with ease using the Web content filtering dashboard.”

In addition to the cost savings OpenDNS provides, the service is a scalable security solution for large healthcare organizations with multiple locations. Before making the switch to OpenDNS, Regence BlueCross and BlueShield network administrators sought a Web content filtering tool to deploy throughout the not-for-profit health care company, which serves 3 million members in Idaho, Oregon, Utah and Washington. Like lots of other large organizations seeking to increase network security, Regence BlueCross and BlueShield previously used a pricey Blue Coat appliance as its sole filtering solution, but it was lacking services that OpenDNS provides for free.

“OpenDNS gives us more layered protection for services that Blue Coat doesn’t proxy for,” says Charles Koenig, network administrator for Regence Blue Cross and Blue Shield. “Anti-Phishing is a big concern for us and since switching to OpenDNS our number of security related incidents has decreased.”

About OpenDNS

OpenDNS is the leading provider of free security and infrastructure services that make the Internet safer through integrated Web content filtering, anti-phishing and DNS. OpenDNS services enable consumers and network administrators to secure their networks from online threats, reduce costs and enforce Internet-use policies. OpenDNS is used today by millions of users and organizations around the world. For more information about OpenDNS, please visit: http://www.opendns.com

About Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island

Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island serves the Blackstone Valley of Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. The hospital is a teaching affiliate of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and the chief site for the medical school’s primary care academic program housed in the Center for Primary Care. Its main campus is in Pawtucket, RI, with affiliates provide primary and ambulatory care services in Pawtucket and Central Falls and in Plainville, MA. Memorial Hospital also has a state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility in Pawtucket.

About Regence BlueCross and BlueShield

Regence is a not-for-profit health care company. It offers individual and group medical, dental, vision and life insurance, Medicare and other government programs, and pharmacy benefit management. It is the largest health insurer in the Northwest/Intermountain Region, serving members as Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (in Washington). Regence BlueCross and BlueShield is 3 million members strong and stewards more than $ 8.3 billion in member premiums annually and maintains reserves of more than $ 1 billion.

About Good Shepherd Medical Center

Good Shepherd Medical Center is a not-for-profit community hospital dedicated to creating a healthier future for the residents of Longview and the East Texas area. To ensure the continued well-being of our community, the Medical Center strives to provide quality, compassionate and comprehensive health related services to the whole person: body, mind and spirit. With a sensitivity to education and development of its medical staff, employees, volunteers and friends, the Medical Center will create a harmonious environment reflective of our caring and healing purpose.

About The Women’s Hospital

The Women’s Hospital is a full services hospital in Indiana, offering high-quality care and advanced security measures. The hospital continues to grow and enhance its services, often partnering with other top-level providers such as University Pediatric Association from Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis and Midwest Reproductive Medicine and High Pointe Rehab in Newburgh.

About Lake Martin Community Hospital

Lake Martin Community Hospital is located in Alabama. Dedicated to becoming one of the most effective rural community health care facilities in the state by treating the illness and maintaining the wellness of our patients and the community in the most cost effective manner, the Hospital is dedicated to providing support, education and development for a healthy community environment.

About Larkin Community Hospital

Larkin Community Hospital is located in Florida and has been serving the health care needs of South Miami and the surrounding communities for more than 35 years. The mission of Larkin Community Hospital is to provide the highest quality primary care, to serve the medical needs of its community, to honor the patient bill of rights and to ensure patient safety.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

More Alabama House Press Releases

Americas Watchdog Offers Advice For All U.S. Homeowners Who Might Have Toxic Chinese Drywall In Their Homes

Washington, DC (PRWEB) April 7, 2009

For three months Americas Watchdog’s Homeowners Consumer Center has been leading in a national & state by state investigation of toxic Chinese drywall in the US. The symptoms of having the toxic Chinese drywall in a post 2000 new, or remodeled home include nose bleeds, upper respiratory issues, sinus problems, combined with copper or silver discoloring, refrigerator, or stove top failures, or air conditioning failures. If a homeowner or their children have the medical symptoms, combined with the AC failures, copper or silver discoloring, electronic failures they can call the Homeowners Consumer Center at 866-714-6466, or contact the group via their web site at http://HomeownersConsumerCenter.com.

When was the product first introduced to the US? Late 2000 or 2001.

Is the toxic Chinese drywall limited to just Florida? No. The Homeowners Consumer Center has identified toxic Chinese drywall in significant quantities in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Colorado, Virginia, Maryland, Arizona, Oregon, California, British Columbia and other US States, or Canadian Provinces. The group expects to find toxic Chinese drywall in every US State. Florida alone may have well over 100,000 new homes, with the toxic Chinese drywall. This mentions nothing of the potentially 100,000′s of post 2000 remodeled homes in the US.

Is exposure to toxic Chinese drywall hazardous to your health? “If exposure to toxic Chinese drywall is causing severe respiratory issues, nose bleeds, headaches, its obviously not good for your body, we are super worried about the long term affects, but as of yet there has been zero from the US EPA or US CDC. It’s like Hurricane Katrina on steroids-no federal response.”

Should a homeowner accept a homebuilders offer to re-drywall their house? “We do not think home owner should accept a builders offer to re-drywall a home, until there is better science on the extent of the damage, caused to the house, by exposure to the toxic Chinese drywall. As an example, have the nail plates, the truss hangers, the wood, the furniture, been damaged by exposure? What if the house is still a sick house after the old Chinese drywall has been replaced, because the wood has absorbed the toxic gasses from the drywall? There needs to be better science on this.” Homeowners with concerns or questions can call the Homeowners Consumer Center anytime at 866-714-6466, or contact the group via their web site at http://HomeownersConsumerCenter.com.

Note: “If a homeowner is foolish enough to take a homebuilders re-drywall offer, make sure an attorney carefully reviews the release. Do not sign away your rights. Aside from properly restoring these homes & condo’s with a certificate that says its clean & safe, we think all homeowners or family members exposed to the toxic Chinese drywall are going to have to be involved in some sort of thorough health screening, for at least five years.”

Very Important Note: “Not all houses with toxic Chinese drywall smell like rotten eggs, or sulphur, and we cannot explain this. Some homes with no smell, have the toxic Chinese drywall. Further, this a nationwide disaster-not limited to Florida.”

“This is literally the worst homeowner environmental disaster in US history, and its high time the US Federal Government do something substantial. Substantial includes, what are the exposure health risks, testing protocols, health screening, information for certified home inspectors, so they know exactly what they are looking for, etc.” So far the Homeowners Consumer Center is saying, “look at your AC for black coils, pull your electrical face plates off & see of your copper ground wires have turned black, or appear to be charred, in combination with the homeowner, or their family having upper respiratory issues, nose bleeds, severe headaches that physicians cannot explain.”

If a homeowner in any state is displaying any of these symptoms, or if they have questions they are welcome the Homeowners Consumer Center anytime at 866-714-6466, or contact the group via their web site at http://HomeownersConsumerCenter.com.

Americas Watchdog’s Homeowners Consumer Center is devoted to homeowner protection & corporate responsibility.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Alabama House Press Releases

U.S. Autism Prevalence Rises to 1 in 110

Bethesda, MD (Vocus) December 19, 2009

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released their national autism prevalence report today, confirming that the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders in the United States is 1 percent of the population, or one in 110 of children 8 years of age in 2006.

The long-awaited report was conducted by the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network in 11 sites in 2006 and tracks prevalence in children 8 years of age. The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is a group of programs funded by CDC to determine the number of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in the United States. The ADDM sites all collect data using the same surveillance methods, which are modeled after CDC’s Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program (MADDSP).

“This report confirms what we at the Autism Society have been saying for years about the prevalence of autism in America and the critical importance of early identification and interventions. For the first time, we are hearing our government acknowledge the real increase in autism and validating the impact this condition has on individuals, families and their communities,” said Lee Grossman, Autism Society President and CEO. “The question still remains: How bad does it have to get before families receive appropriate lifespan services?”

This report presents a number of other important details, including:

    The study suggests that while better diagnosis accounts for some of the prevalence, a true increase cannot be ruled out. The report also underscores that “efforts are needed to understand how complex genetic and environmental factors interact to result in symptoms which make up the autism spectrum.”
    The report again highlights that delays in identification still persist. Children in 2006 were being diagnosed only five months earlier on average than those in 2002, thus still missing the critical years of early intervention. (In 2002, children were diagnosed at an average age of 53 – 66 months, and in 2006, the average age was 50 – 60 months.) The report laudably notes that the continued lag in identification needs to be addressed as a public health concern so that this nation “can ensure that children in the U.S. receive optimal early intervention services.”
    Increases in prevalence among minority population were significant, with a 91 percent increase in Hispanic children (with 144 percent increase in Arizona contributing to this) and 41 percent in black non-Hispanic. There was a 55 percent increase in White non-Hispanic.
    Prevalence in boys was found to be 4.5 times higher in males than females. The report states one in 70 boys and one in 315 females have autism.
    This study gathered data on prevalence and cognitive impairment, showing a 90 percent increase in children with borderline intellectual functioning and a 72 percent increase among children with average to above average intelligence. As intelligence testing is unstable in the autism community, further analysis needs to be done to understand this change.
    Overall prevalence was lower among the sites with access to health evaluations alone, so sites that did not include educational evaluations likely underestimated ASD prevalence for that site. The lack of educational data would have impacted the cognitive functioning analysis as well.

It is important to note the ADDM study does not cover adult prevalence or those children who receive diagnoses later than 8, which can be common in the Asperger’s community, where the average age of diagnosis is 11 years old.

The ADDM report, which was conducted in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wisconsin, is consistent with the Department of Health and Human Services National Survey of Children’s Health, published last October.

The increasing numbers have long-term economic costs to the country, as autism is a chronic medical condition affecting people across the lifespan. The Autism Society calls on the U.S. government to address the pressing need for community-based services to ensure a better quality of life for people with autism and their families and to increase funding for research into what factors put people at risk and treatments that will mitigate the severest medical symptoms affecting people with this chronic medical condition.

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Autism Society expert, contact Media Specialist Carin Yavorcik at cyavorcik (at) autism-society (dot) org or 301-657-0881 x9015.

About Autism

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that typically appears during the first two years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Autism is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a “spectrum disorder” that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause for autism, but increased awareness and funding can help families today.

About the Autism Society

The Autism Society, the nation’s leading grassroots autism organization, exists to improve the lives of all affected by autism. We do this by increasing public awareness about the day-to-day issues faced by people on the spectrum, advocating for appropriate services for individuals across the lifespan, and providing the latest information regarding treatment, education, research and advocacy. For more information, visit http://www.autism-society.org.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

More Alabama Real State Press Releases

NVF & U.S. VETS Lead Los Angeles Based Relief Effort for Victims of Hurricane Katrina

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 9, 2005

The National Veterans Foundation (NVF) and U.S. VETS, in collaboration with numerous non-profits, private companies, and community leaders, has organized a relief effort that will deliver more than 90 Palates of Food, Water, Clothing, Diapers, and Hygiene supplies to Gulf Coast residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina. These supplies will be delivered to Houston and distributed next week to evacuees at the Houston Convention Center, and at U.S. VETS – Houston.

The relief effort is a collaboration made possible by generous donations from New Directions, C.U.R.E, San Bernardino Inland Job Corps, Low & Sweet Off Price Clothing Company, Avalon Natural Products, Veterans Initiative, LAS Management, and Thunderbird Express.

“As veterans, we understand the tremendous hardship that our brothers and sisters in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama have been through,” commented NVF President Shad Meshad. “From the images we have all seen, the Gulf Coast looks like a war zone. As with war veterans, it is our duty to help those affected by this disaster get back on their feet in any way that we can.”

The Relief Palates will be delivered in two trucks that have been leased by the National Veterans Foundation—the first will depart Los Angeles on Friday, September 9th, with an arrival anticipated on Monday morning. The Second, will depart on Tuesday, September 13th, with arrival anticipated for Friday. The trucks will be loaded at Thunderbird Trucking in Whittier, CA, and the supplies will be delivered to the U.S. VETS – Houston facility at 4640 Main Street in Houston.

U.S. VETS – Houston is already housing a significant number of veterans from Louisiana, who are now homeless as a result of the storm. U.S. VETS also has opened its doors to any veteran displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and has made arrangements at U.S. VETS – Houston for housing New Orleans VA Medical Center staff.

“U.S. VETS is prepared to take in any veteran who is or has become homeless because of Hurricane Katrina,” said Stephani Hardy, Executive Director of the organization. “All of our 10 sites around the country are ready to provide housing and assistance to the degree that we are able and for as long as the veteran needs it.”

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, well over 200,000 U.S. Veterans reside in the regions affected by Hurricane Katrina. Many have lost their homes, jobs, and have been displaced by the storm and its aftermath.

The NVF is encouraging veterans who need assistance with benefits issues, housing, or who just need a friendly voice to listen and understand, to contact its National Toll-Free Helpline at 1-888-777-4443 (vetsupport@nvf.org). Veterans who have been displaced by the storm and need housing or other assistance can also call U.S. VETS at 877-527-8387 or visit http://www.usvetsinc.org.

The National Veterans Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit human service organization. The NVF operates the Nation’s only Toll-Free Helpline (1-888-777-4443; vetsupport@nvf.org) offering live crisis management, information, and referral services for all veterans and their families. Since 1985, the NVF has served more than 275,000 veterans and their families–including more than 15,000 last year.

U.S. VETS, a collaboration between the non-profit United States Veterans Initiative and Cloudbreak Development, LLC, a special needs housing developer, is the largest provider of services to homeless veterans in the country with 10 sites across the United States.

Contact:    

Todd A. Stenhouse

National Veterans Foundation

(916) 455-6640

toddstenhouse@comcast.net

Geri Wilson

U.S. VETS

(626) 676-4933

gerij9@yahoo.com

# # #

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Alabama House Press Releases

While Most Businesses are Laying-Off Their Employees, The Logo Loft Continues to Hire U.S. Graphic Designers

Montgomery, Alabama (PRWEB) November 15, 2009

The Logo Loft Inc. was founded in 2003 by Aaron Carr. The Logo Loft established itself as an industry leader in identity development and company logo design. Today “The Logo Loft Inc” has had over 30,000 clients that span the entire globe and have included fortune 500 companies. The mission of the company is to create effective, compelling, and usable logo designs. To this end, they have developed processes focused on usability while maintaining a strong commitment to their clients’ goals, schedules, and budgets.

Due to the recession, many companies are actively laying-off or “farming out” their graphic design work to overseas designers; instead, “The Logo Loft Inc.” has focused on retaining the highest caliber graphic artists in house. Putting company’s ideas/concepts into a logo or brand can be challenging even for the most skilled of graphic designers. Two of the biggest problems with using logo companies that contract their design work out to foreign graphic designers are the language barriers and the cultural differences which intern can create delays in design work and excessive revisions. The Logo Loft’s staff of 21 graphic designers allows for quicker turnaround of designs and revisions.

Located in Montgomery, Alabama “The Logo Loft Inc.” serves clients across the country and around the world. The Logo Loft, Inc. is one of the industry leaders in corporate identity development. “The Logo Loft Inc.” has a large portfolio of products for companies which include: Logo Design, Brand Development, Web Design, Graphic Design, Printing Services, and E-Commerce Solutions. The Logo Loft Inc. tel: 866.683.5646, web: http://www.logoloft.com

# # #

Attachments

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

More Alabama House Press Releases

U.S. African Chamber Of Commerce Congratulates U.S. on New Surgeon General, May Improve Health Care for Middle Income Families

Washington, DC (Vocus) July 15, 2009

    U.S. African Chamber Of Commerce congratulates Dr. Regina Benjamin as President Obama’s pick for surgeon general. The Alabama family physician has been an advocate for universal care, and is expected to have a role “at the table” in health reform, which would be an unusual degree of influence over policy for a surgeon general. Obama said Benjamin “represents what’s best about health care in America.”

CBS/Associated Press reports: “Having lost most of her family members to preventable diseases, such as HIV, diabetes, and lung cancer, Benjamin said she feels a personal connection to public health issues.” Benjamin “is most famous for the role she played in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when she was determined to rebuild her rural health clinic in Bayou La Batre, Ala., despite hurricane and fire destruction.” She received a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” last September for her clinic, which serves 4,400 patients. CBS also notes: “Benjamin became President of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama in 2002, becoming the first black woman to head a state medical society and received the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights. She is the Immediate Past-Chair of the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States, and previously served as Associate Dean for Rural Health at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.”

CBS quotes Benjamin on her vision: “‘My hope, if confirmed as surgeon general, is to be America’s doctor, America’s family physician. … As we work toward a solution to this health care crisis, I promise to communicate directly with the American people to help guide them through whatever changes may come with health care reform.’” (7/13).

Bloomberg reports on Benjamin’s commitment to providing care to the underserved and will likely focus on issues such as doctor shortages, inefficient care, preventative care and better access to care in low-income and rural areas. Bloomberg notes: “Obama, at a White House ceremony yesterday, restated his support for winning passage this year of legislation to cover the estimated 46 million uninsured in the U.S. and rein in medical costs. Benjamin, whose nomination needs Senate approval, will be a crucial voice in the debate, he said.” James Rohack, president of the Chicago-based American Medical Association, said that “in an administration dedicated to revamping health-care, Benjamin will be one of the few physicians in a high-profile position within the Obama administration” (Nussbaum, 7/14).

NPR: “If she is confirmed, Benjamin would direct the operations of the 6,000-member U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a team of health professionals that promotes public health and disease prevention programs. She also would serve as the country’s top educator on health matters ranging from childhood obesity to eliminating health disparities. The office is under the Department of Health and Human Services, which is overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius” (Tedford. 7/13).

The USACC is the Leading Advocacy Organization for U.S. African Relations and promotes Emerging Markets. The USACC is the umbrella organization for African Chambers of Commerce and Professional Trade and Business Associations throughout the United States and abroad.

###

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Find More Alabama House Press Releases

U.S. apologizes for infecting prisoners with syphilis
The U.S. government apologized to Guatemala Friday for a study 60 years ago in which American scientists deliberately infected prisoners with syphilis.

Read more on CTV British Columbia

Grim Outlook for Democrats Puts U.S. House Up for Grabs
WASHINGTON – Disgruntled voters, a sluggish economy and vanishing enthusiasm for President Barack Obama have put 75 seats or more in the House — the vast majority held by Democrats — at risk of changing hands and putting Republicans in charge. The Democrats could become a victim of their own successes during the past two elections, when candidates were swept into power by antipathy for President …

Read more on Flathead Beacon

Unemployment topped 10 percent in 15 states and the District of Columbia last month, according to federal data released Friday. The rate in Michigan surpassed 15 percent, the first time any state hit that mark since 1984.

The Federal Reserve this week projected that the national unemployment rate, currently at a 26-year high of 9.5 percent, will pass 10 percent by the end of the year. Most Fed policymakers said it could take “five or six years” for the economy and the labor market to get back on a path of long-term health. To get there, consumers must return to a regular spending groove and housing prices need to start rising again.

Home to the nation’s struggling auto makers, Michigan has been clobbered by lost factory jobs. Its jobless rate of 15.2 percent in June was the highest in the country. Still, the U.S. Labor Department said it’s the first time in 25 years that any state has suffered an unemployment rate of at least 15 percent. In 1984, it was West Virginia.

The state unemployment report underscores the damage that the longest recession since World War II has inflicted on companies, workers and communities. The other 14 states where unemployment topped 10 percent last month were: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.

In May, the jobless rate topped 10 percent in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Alabama and Georgia joined the list in June. The states with the lowest unemployment rates in June were: North Dakota at 4.2 percent, Nebraska at 5 percent and South Dakota at 5.1 percent. While Michigan’s rate was the highest in the country in June, the record-high for the state was 16.9 percent in November 1982.

Therefore if you’re unemployed and haven’t already done so, by all means – file for unemployment.

Senate Votes to Confirm Elena Kagan for U.S. Supreme Court
The Senate confirmed Elena Kagan by a vote of 63 to 37, giving President Obama his second appointment to the high court in a year and a political victory.

Read more on New York Times