WILMINGTON –Surrounded by state officials and advocates, Governor Jack Markell proclaimed October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Delaware.

 “This proclamation hopefully draws awareness to an issue that merits our attention year-round,” said Governor Jack Markell. “We must be vigilant and supportive every day of those around us to ensure they are safe and free from abuse.”  

 Delaware created the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council to improve the state’s response to domestic violence.  The council brings together domestic violence service providers and policy level officials to identify and implement improvements in system response through legislation, education and policies.

 “Domestic violence has impacts that ripple throughout society,” said Senate Majority Leader Patricia Blevins, D-Elsmere, who has been at the forefront of efforts to protect victims of domestic violence and is the chair of the DVCC. “While combating domestic violence is a year round job, this month gives us an opportunity to put a spotlight on it and to remind people, dealing with this threat to their safety and the safety of their families, that there are laws to protect them and help available to them so they can break the grip domestic violence has on their lives.

 Added Carol Post, the executive director of the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence: “Domestic Violence Awareness Month gives us the opportunity to highlight all the great work being done in Delaware by both government agencies and nonprofit organizations to protect victims of domestic violence and their children, hold abusive partners responsible for the violence and engage in prevention efforts aimed at ending the violence once and for all.”

 Attorney General Beau Biden, whose office has worked with Sen. Blevins and other legislators on several bills that increased protections for victims of domestic violence, noted that work of the DVCC and other groups have ‘shone a bright light’ on the problem of domestic violence.

 “Domestic Violence Awareness Month sends a clear message that this country does not tolerate violence against women,” Biden said. “Incidents of domestic violence have dropped more than 50 percent nationally since Congress first passed the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, but we still have a lot of work to do. Every day, three women are killed abusive husbands or partners. Congress should reauthorize VAWA as soon as possible so that the bright light keeps shining for the millions of women and families still in the darkness.”

 Last year the state’s Department of Correction created a Victim Services Unit to assist victims and survivors in becoming both informed and involved so that they may experience less frustration and trauma with prison and probation personnel and be better prepared to participate in the corrections process if they choose. The DOC’s Victim Services Unit phone number, which is staffed during regular business hours Monday through Friday, is (302) 857-5440.

 “Proclaiming October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to raise the issue of domestic violence to the forefront of discussion and provide much-needed support to victims of a crime that affects people regardless of their age, ethnicity or economic status,” said DOC Commissioner Carl Danberg, who is also the vice-chair of the DVCC. “The fact that one in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime is a staggering indicator of how widespread this crime is within our communities. May we use this month’s opportunity of increased awareness to educate and then start working toward ending this violence.”

 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotlines 
New Castle County 302.762-6110
Kent and Sussex Counties 302.422.8058
Bilingual Kent and Sussex 302.745-9874

Photos from this event are available on Flickr.

DOVER – In his weekly message, taped at the Kent County Economic Summit, the Governor talks about growing Delaware’s economy and Delaware’s small businesses.

“Businesspeople that are here know, as I do, that every job matters.  With public input, we are taking a statewide look at regulations that might be standing in the way of our success,”  said Governor Jack Markell.  “We want to keep our progress going, and we want to keep our state’s economy growing. We still have a long way to go and much work ahead of us but we are headed in the right direction. Here in Delaware, to achieve our goal of being the number one state for small business, we must continue to work together to keep Delaware moving forward.”

At noon every Friday, the Governor’s office releases a new Weekly Message in video, audio, and transcript form.  The message is available on:

YouTube: http://youtu.be/qGlFrbKOg_o
Delaware.Gov: http://governor.delaware.gov/information/podcast_video.shtml
By email: Please contact our press team to subscribe to our press list
Facebook: www.facebook.com/governormarkell
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Transcript of the Governor’s Weekly Message: Moving our economy forward.

This week and every week we focus on our economy and our future.   Here in Delaware and across the country we’re still dealing with the effects of the economic freefall of 2008 and 2009.  We lost tens of thousands of jobs, faced the largest single budget shortfall in state history.  Our economy was headed in very much the wrong direction and we needed to turn things around.  And with your help, we have.  We still have a long way to go and much work ahead of us but we are headed in the right direction.

At this Kent County Economic Summit, we were able to talk about some of the successes we’ve seen, like bringing down municipal electric rates, and making our incorporated towns more appealing to existing and future employers.  We want to keep our progress going, and we want to keep our state’s economy growing.  Businesspeople that are here know, as I do, that every job matters.  They know that in Delaware, we are small enough to be personal, big enough to be bold and wise enough to know that we can’t do it alone.

With public input,  we are taking a statewide look at regulations that might be standing in the way of our success.  If you see one that might be in your way, we want you to tell us.   A national business group was nice enough to say recently that our administration is “great for small business” but we need to live up to that every single day and we need to get better.  The challenges we face and the choices we make are in some ways very similar to those facing millions of Americans.     When faced with obstacles, generation after generation embraced new technology across the country.  They’ve seized new opportunities and they challenged themselves and the world.   Here in Delaware, to achieve our goal of being the number one state for small business, we must continue to work together to keep Delaware moving forward.

In Delaware, there are over 2,000 restaurants in the state that prepare and serve food to the public. The Delaware Division of Public Health’s (DPH) Office of Food Protection assures through inspections that the food is being handled properly from preparation through serving meeting high standards.

Traditionally, the National Restaurant Association highlights the importance of food safety throughout the month of September. National Food Safety Month was created in 1994 to heighten the awareness about the importance of food safety education. Food safety is much broader than just washing your hands during food preparation.  It is actually a science that requires the proper handling, preparation and storage of food to prevent foodborne illness.  It is regulated by federal, state and local laws.  

New National Restaurant Association research shows that the majority of consumers find food safety important both at restaurants and at home. According to an August 2012 survey of 1,015 American adults, 96 percent say it is important to them to know that the restaurants they visit train employees in food safety. In addition, more than eight out of 10 (81 percent) say they would be more likely to visit a restaurant that trains all its employees in proper food safety practices.

“In Delaware, we are fortunate we have dedicated people in the food services industry who ensure foods being served are safe and enjoyable,” said Governor Jack Markell.  “It takes people working in food establishments and in health, education and safety to protect and promote our well being.”

DPH works to ensure food safety through inspections, regulation and investigating consumer complaints.  DPH’s Community Environmental Health Services inspects approximately 3,500 food service establishments a year.  And, the Office of Food Protection implemented a centralized complaints system 18 months ago as a way to better process, triage and track complaints on food establishments.

“Our goal is to ensure effective compliance and enforcement procedures for food establishments,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH director. “Food safety education and safe food practices are the strongest tools for protecting consumers against foodborne illness.“

When it comes to cooking at home, virtually all consumers say they have at least basic knowledge of food safety. According to the National Restaurant Association, 63 percent of the consumers say they are aware of proper food safety practices and always follow them, while 33 percent say they are familiar with some food safety practices and follow those when they can.

Be safe, don’t cross contaminate! Cross-contamination is the transfer of harmful bacteria to food from other foods, cutting boards, utensils, etc., if they are not handled properly. This is especially true when handling raw meat, poultry, and seafood, so keep these foods and their juices away from already cooked or ready-to-eat foods and fresh produce. When handling foods, it is important to keep foods apart. By following some simple steps, you can prevent cross-contamination and reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

When preparing food is important to observe the following:

• Wash hands, cutting boards, utensils, and counter tops with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before and after handling food, and after using the bathroom, changing diapers; or handling pets.
• Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods by placing them in separate in containers to prevent their juices from dripping onto other foods.
• Store eggs in their original carton and refrigerate as soon as possible.
• Always use a clean cutting board. Replace them once it becomes excessively worn or develop hard-to-clean grooves.
• Sauce that is used to marinate raw meat, poultry, or seafood should not be used on cooked foods, unless it is boiled just before using.
• Always use a clean plate. Never place cooked food back on the same plate or cutting board that previously held raw food.
• Refrigerate or freeze leftovers within 2 hours or sooner in clean, shallow, covered containers to prevent harmful bacteria from multiplying.

Consumers are advised to always use soap and warm water to wash hands, and to thoroughly clean and sanitize the sink, cutting boards, utensils and anything else that comes in contact with raw turkey and its juices. Start with soap and hot water (at least 110 degrees F), scrubbing to remove food debris and oils before rinsing. Then sanitize with a mixture of one teaspoon bleach to one gallon of water.

“The Food Safety Education Week allows us to highlight those in the foodservice industry who go above and beyond to ensure that their food handling practices are superior,” said Carrie Leishman, president of the Delaware Restaurant Association.  “We recognize that responsible food safety is a year-round commitment and elevating those that do it well shows all Delawareans and those who travel to Delaware that our restaurants are safe and open for business.”

Delaware Food Safety Awardees will be announced at a special event this fall.  For further information on food safety visit:  http://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/hsp/foodsafety.html.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

DOVER – In his weekly message, taped at the new Dover Public Library, the Governor talks about libraries as not only learning centers, but job centers.

“With support from state lawmakers, our Delaware libraries are receiving the funding they need to modernize and grow, making them among the best in the country,” said Governor Markell.  “Our libraries  are not only real hubs for information-sharing with e-books and e-magazines, wireless technology and computers, but they are also places that are helping people find jobs.  The best thing about the library is: it’s free.”

At noon every Friday, the Governor’s office releases a new Weekly Message in video, audio, and transcript form.  The message is available on:

YouTube: http://youtu.be/-LA9OzNasJM
Delaware.Gov: http://governor.delaware.gov/information/podcast_video.shtml
By email: Please contact our press team to subscribe to our press list
Facebook: www.facebook.com/governormarkell
Twitter: www.twitter.com/governormarkell

Transcript of the Governor’s Weekly Message: Libraries as Job Centers – and more.