Thank You to "He Who Shall Not be Named".......

 

Deborah's been SOOO busy that despite her man's persistence,

she hasn't had the time to go Truck Shopping with him.

UNTIL TODAY

After being reported to Facebook by "He who shall not be named",

Deborah not ONLY went Truck Shopping,

but seems her guy's awfully happy driving around in his

Chevy Silverado Pick Up Truck

 this afternoon!!!

 

SO happy, in fact,

that after a homemade meal,

he's snoozing like a

BABY

in his New Recliner!!

 

There's ALWAYS something to be Thankful for!!!

 

 

YUP, we're SO miserable not being able to post on Facebook!!

Can't Keep a Good Woman Down. A day at the Isinglass River in Rochester.

November 20, 2015

Even though it's a bit more difficult, Deborah still has the ability to post on the blog page and then Sandy can share the blog and post it to Facebook.

So I'll go back to showing you what a LOVELY time my Gary and I had today over on the Gonic Trails on the Waste Management property in Rochester.

Deborah and Gary at Isinglass Falls in Rochester, NH.

 

The Isinglass Falls were beautiful today!!

A perfect day for walking!!

 

The Isinglass River was beautiful today!! Swift and Cold!

 

Everywhere we looked was Beauty!!

 

While there are roots and rocks underfoot, the trails are well kept and easy to walk.

 

We went off the trail a bit and climbed to the top of a ledge.

There in the woods, we found a simple little cemetery.

The name on the headstone read, RUCA.

We're assuming by the size of the grave RUCA may have been a dog.

 

We saw lots of squirrel stashes everywhere, but never did see any squirrels!

 

There were the remnants of an old foundation,

there were lots of old metal items within.

We find them pretty, do you??

 

Just another brick in the wall!!

The red brick was eyecatching next to the large stones!

 

Bittersweet vine was everywhere lending LOTS of fall color!

 

LOTS of moss and fungus!

 

The trails are well marked.

All you have to do is look for the metal markers on the trees.

 

The moon began rising in a crystal blue sky.

Time to head home and care for the animals.

 

 

 

 

Maine Unemployment Rate 4.3 Percent in October

State Labor Commissioner Jeanne Paquette released October workforce estimates for Maine. Seasonally Adjusted Statewide Data Household Survey Estimates – The preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.3 percent for October was little changed from 4.4 percent in September and down from 5.6 percent one year ago. The unemployment rate was the lowest since 2002. The number of unemployed declined 9,600 over the year to 29,100. The U.S. preliminary unemployment rate of 5.0 percent was little changed from 5.1 percent in September and down from 5.7 percent one year ago. The estimate of the employment to population ratio (age 16 and over) in Maine of 59.6 percent was the lowest in four years. In the years ahead, the share of employed population is likely to gradually trend lower as large numbers of baby boomers retire. The U.S. average was 59.3 percent. The New England unemployment rate averaged 4.6 percent. Rates for other states were 3.3 percent in New Hampshire, 3.7 percent in Vermont, 4.6 percent in Massachusetts, 5.3 percent in Rhode Island, and 5.1 percent in Connecticut. Labor force and unemployment data is available here. Payroll Survey Estimates – The preliminary nonfarm payroll jobs estimate of 611,300 for October was up 5,500 from one year ago. The gain was entirely in the private sector, primarily in the professional and business services, hospitality, and healthcare sectors. The estimate for government was unchanged from one year ago. Nonfarm payroll jobs data is available here. Not Seasonally Adjusted Substate Data The not seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate estimate of 3.6 percent in October was down from 4.9 percent one year ago. Not seasonally adjusted rates were down over the year in all 16 counties, with the largest decline in Franklin County (-1.8 points). Rates ranged from 2.8 percent in Sagadahoc County to 5.4 percent in Somerset County. The unemployment rate was below the statewide average in the Portland-South Portland metro (2.9 percent) and close to the average in Lewiston-Auburn (3.5 percent) and Bangor (3.5 percent). This release is available here. November workforce estimates will be released Friday, December 18 (Data Release Schedule). NOTES: 1. Preliminary labor force estimates, including unemployment and employment to population ratios for Maine, tend to move in a direction for several months and then reverse course. Those directional trends are largely driven by a smoothing procedure and may not indicate a change in underlying workforce conditions. Annual revisions (to be published in March 2016) will moderate or eliminate those directional patterns. In addition, the 90 percent confidence interval for statewide unemployment rates in 2015 has been 0.5 to 0.7 percentage points above or below the published estimate each month. 2. Nonfarm payroll jobs estimates tend to be volatile from month to month because there is variability in the sample of reporting employers and their representativeness for the universe of all employers. Additionally, seasonal adjustment is imperfect because weather, the beginning and ending of school semesters and holidays, and other events do not always occur with the same timing, which can exacerbate monthly volatility. Users should look to the trend over multiple months rather than the change from one specific month to another. Estimates for the period from October 2014 to September 2015 will be replaced with actual payroll data in March 2016. Those benchmark revisions are likely to show less volatility than preliminary estimates.

Department of Labor Offering Workplace Safety Classes in December

 

11/20/2015 11:14 AM EST

*Space is available for classes in Augusta*

AUGUSTA-The Maine Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Standards is hosting its no-charge safety courses for employers and employees throughout December. Visit the class registration page or call 1-877-SAFE 345 (1-877-723-3345) to register for any class.

"By August 2016, the federal government will significantly increase OSHA fines for the first time in 25 years, some by as much as 80 percent," said Governor Paul R. LePage. "Our consultants at SafetyWorks! can help businesses and workers identify and address hazards around the worksite. I encourage businesses to take advantage of all SafetyWorks! programs and consultations. The return-on-investment in workplace safety, in quality of life as well as financial, is well worth the effort."

Courses are held at no charge to employers and their employees in the SafetyWorks! Training Institute at the Maine Department of Labor, 45 Commerce Drive in Augusta.

10-Hour Construction Standards: December 2 to 3, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This one-and-a-half-day course gives basic information on several of the OSHA standards for construction (29 CFR 1926). Attendees who complete the course will receive an OSHA 10-hour course completion certificate. Class runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on day one and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on day two.

Fire Extinguisher/Emergency Action Plan: December 10, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

In this class, you will learn about Emergency Action Plans as well as various types of fire extinguishers and how to maintain them. This is a hands-on class. Those attending this class should come prepared to discharge a fire extinguisher.

OSHA Recordkeeping: December 11, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This class provides thorough and comprehensive six-hour training for both new and experienced safety and human resources personnel. You will learn the OSHA rule (29 CFR 1904) regarding recording and reporting work-related injuries and illnesses as it applies to your organization. This class includes several hands-on activities on how to correctly fill out the required injury reporting forms.This class will include updates to the OSHA Recordkeeping Standard (29 CFR 1904) which went into effect January 1, 2015.

30-Hour General Industry Standards: December 14 thru 18, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This five-day course introduces attendees new to safety and health to the OSHA standards for general industry (29 CFR 1910). Attendees who complete all five days will receive an OSHA 30-hour general industry course certificate. Class runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., day one through day five.

Interested employers can learn more about the courses and register at http://www.safetyworksmaine.com , click "More Classes" from the homepage. Space is limited so reservations are required.

SafetyWorks! is not OSHA and cannot issue fines or citations to private businesses. While SafetyWorks! helps businesses of any size, priority is given to small businesses. The program trains about 8,000 people and consults at nearly 1,000 worksites in Maine each year. Employers interested in learning more about the consulting and training services offered by SafetyWorks! should call

1-877-SAFE 345  ~~~ (1-877-723-3345)

or visit http://www.safetyworksmaine.com .

The Bureau of Labor Standards is Maine's regulatory agency overseeing labor and employment law and workplace safety; it provides both consultation and enforcement services. The division promotes and achieves compliance with labor standards to protect and enhance the welfare of Maine's workforce.

The State of Maine is an equal opportunity provider. Auxiliary aids and services are available to individuals with disabilities upon request.