High Death Rate Of Black Mothers In Illinois Rings Warning Bells
The rate of pregnancy-related deaths among Black women in Illinois is nearly 3 times higher than that of white women. Meanwhile, a West Texas city votes to ban abortion, and Caitlyn Jenner enters the debate about banning trans girls from sports.
Crain's Chicago Business:
New Black Mothers In Illinois Are Dying At Alarming Rates
Black women in Illinois are nearly three times as likely as white women to die of a pregnancy-related condition, according to a new report from the Illinois Department of Public Health, which analyzed 129 deaths that occurred in 2016 and 2017. During that period, 83% of deaths among women who were pregnant or within one year of pregnancy were "potentially preventable." While Black women were more likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions, including chronic disease, white women were more likely to die from pregnancy-related mental health conditions, such as suicide or drug overdose, the report says. (Goldberg, 4/30)
AP:
Lubbock Votes To Ban Abortion, Setting Up Likely Legal Fight
Lubbock voters have approved a measure aimed at outlawing abortion in the West Texas city, a move likely to prompt legal action from opponents who call it an unconstitutional ban on the procedure. Residents voted Saturday to declare Lubbock a “sanctuary city for the unborn,” bypassing the City Council’s rejection of the proposal last year over concerns that it would be unenforceable and tie the city up in costly litigation. (5/2)
The Washington Post:
Caitlyn Jenner Says She Opposes Transgender Girls Competing In Girls’ Sports
Caitlyn Jenner, a former Olympic decathlon champion who is among the country’s most prominent transgender women, said Saturday she is opposed to transgender girls competing in girls’ sports. Jenner, 71, described it as a “question of fairness” and declared that girls’ sports require protection. She was making her first public comments on the issue since announcing her candidacy to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) in a potential recall election. (Bieler, 5/2)
Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Real Water Technician Testifies As Hepatitis Lawsuits Continue
Las Vegas-based Real Water, the focus of an ongoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigation into liver illnesses, hired a man with almost no experience in the business to oversee testing at one of its Southern Nevada bottling plants. When the pandemic struck and businesses closed across the valley, Casey Aiken lost his job as a strip club promoter and was forced to look for new work. In June, he landed a job at Real Water’s since-closed plant on Desert Inn Road that paid $10 an hour, loading bottled water onto pallets to be shipped out for home deliveries. (Ferrara, 5/1)
AP:
Maine Foundation Provides $1M In Food, Shelter Grants
A foundation in Maine has provided $1 million in grants for essential services such as food and shelter to dozens of groups around the state. The John T. Gorman Foundation said it increased funding to its annual Direct Services Grant Program this year because of increased need caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The grants are mostly in the $10,000 to $20,000 range. (5/2)
