The Effingham County Board has unanimously accepted a proposal by Board Chairman Jim Niemann for establishing voting districts that will be in place for 10 years.
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Josef Michael Carr’s mother was an assistant principal at a Catholic school in Chicago until she was dismissed in 1991.
Her offense?
She was a lesbian with HIV.
That was 30 years ago, yes. And society’s fear and loathing of people with HIV/AIDS, especially those who are gay, is by no means as extreme as it once was. But there is fear and loathing still, even written into Illinois law.
“My wife and I still have close friends who will not disclose their HIV status because they are fearful of mistreatment, discrimination and possible assault in this toxic cultural climate,” Carr, who is state chair of IVI-IPO, the good-government group, told us. “We need to protect HIV/AIDS citizens from criminalization.”
By Bill Knight
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and health-care officials last week launched a program to dispel myths surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. The $60 million state program – in partnership with OSF Healthcare System, the Illinois Primary Health Care Association, and the Illinois Public Health Association – will build “confidence among our unvaccinated residents,” Pritzker said.
“This program is about one-on-one connections involving established, trusted members of the community,” he said. “Misinformation packaged as truth-telling on social media makes the decision to get vaccinated nerve-racking.”
There’s some confusion about getting COVID-19 vaccinations, which has led to reluctance to get protected and protect others, so concerned health, community and church leaders are appealing to people to get vaccinated since it’s morally acceptable AND an act of charity.
Advocacy Groups Say HIV Criminalization Law Hurts Public Health wglt.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wglt.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.