970 students call in sick, closing school :: Beacon News :: Local News

St. Charles East High School will be closed for the rest of the week because of widespread illness among the students.

Nearly half of St. Charles East students were out sick by the end of classes Tuesday, prompting district officials to shutter the school and cancel several upcoming activities.

No other schools in the district saw absence rates higher than 10 or 11 percent, Schlomann said, but officials continue to monitor attendance patterns — especially as it relates to siblings of East students.

970 students call in sick, closing school :: Beacon News :: Local News

Kish Hospital sees increase of patients with flu-like symptoms | Daily Chronicle

The tent is part of the hospital’s influenza response plan,

At one point, up to 20 people were in the waiting room with symptoms, she added

Kishwaukee Com-munity Hospital set up an alternative receiving site Tuesday outside of its emergency department to deal with an influx of patients reporting flu-like symptoms.

Kish Hospital sees increase of patients with flu-like symptoms | Daily Chronicle

Northwest Herald | Have job, will travel

This number is unbelievable—the trend for even larger commuters over time may mean that Boone County will also have a larger % of workers travel outside the our county in the future.  One of the story’s comments says it all:  Cost of living is less expensive in McHenry County, but the limited number of jobs in the county don't pay enough to support our families. Therefore we have to commute.

two-thirds of residents [McHenry County] traveled outside the county for work – which might explain why residents’ commutes are so long. That number had increased from 2004, when only about half of the local population traveled beyond county lines for work.

Click on the following for more details:  Northwest Herald | Have job, will travel

Most flu cases likely to be H1N1 variety

the [Winnebago] Health Department is able to track the number of flu cases by individual schools, but he doesn’t want to identify which schools may have the higher numbers.

Rockford Fire Department personnel were among those receiving the vaccine

“that we can get to all 193 day cares and schools within our purview in roughly three to four weeks’ time. Those less than 10 years of age are going to need two doses four weeks apart, and so we’ll go back to those day cares and elementary schools a second time around. We hope that can be completed within about seven weeks’ time if we get an adequate supply of vaccine.”

expect to receive its H1N1 vaccine in weekly increments.
He said about 65,000 to 70,000 total doses of H1N1 vaccine are expected by the end of November “and, in December, it should pick up a little and, eventually, there should be enough vaccine for everyone who wants it to be vaccinated.”

Click on the following to read the rest of the story:  Most flu cases likely to be H1N1 variety - - HealthyRockford.com

U.S. Supreme Court: Ref. 71 names to remain sealed for now

Interesting case in Seattle—Signatures cannot be reviewed and thereby challenged for reasons of the First Amendment (Free Speech vs. open/transparency of election process)

In a rare move, the U.S. Supreme Court has ordered that signatures collected to get Referendum 71 on the November ballot should continue to be sealed until the court decides whether it will hear an appeal in the case — a process that could take up to a year.

Click on the following for more details:  Local News | U.S. Supreme Court: Ref. 71 names to remain sealed for now | Seattle Times Newspaper

Non-violent prisoners giving back to McHenry County

 

The county employs four prisoners at a time on the McHenry County Sheriff Department's Road Crew Program - this year, 14 men from the county prison went through the program.

"They are low risk, sentenced inmates and you can trust them not to make a run for it

doing all sorts of work in 16 townships and for five governmental agencies.

In exchange for all that work, they're paid in free haircuts, an extra day of visitation and $1 a day.

Click on the following for more details:  Daily Herald | Non-violent prisoners giving back to McHenry County

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