Category Archives: Progress

Dr. Meika Neblett, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Academic Officer, Community Medical Center presented a Press Ganey session on March 15, Ending Racism Together: The Strategy and Tactics of Progress. Dr. Nebletts presentation included a discussion on her leadership of Goal #1 of Ending Racism Together, the system-wide effort to address health equity and end systemic racism throughout the RWJBarnabas Health enterprise, with a review of the Systems organizational goals and major milestones achieved. She also shared insights on sequencing cultural change, the primary elements of Ending Racism Together, transparency, implicit bias training, initial feedback and outcomes and lessons learned. The session allowed participants to understand that efforts in the areas of diversity, health equity, inclusion, and antiracism requires strategic, intentional efforts and tactical actions to achieve success.

Learn more about Ending Racism Together at RWJBarnabas Health.

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Mar 16, 2022 Ending Racism Together: The Strategy and Tactics of Progress Presented at Press Ganey Conference - RWJBarnabas Health

CHICAGO The city on Tuesday marked the two-year anniversary of its first known COVID-19 loss: Patricia Frieson, a 61-year-old woman from Auburn Gresham.

Frieson was the first known Chicagoan to die from COVID-19 on March 16, 2020; days later, her sister also died from the virus. Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Dr. Allison Arwady, head of the Chicago Department of Public Health, honored the women during a news conference Tuesday and noted that while Chicago has made strides in fighting COVID-19 in the past two years, there is still a ways to go.

In particular, more needs to be done to ensure all Chicagoans have equitable access to health care and are getting vaccinated against COVID-19, officials said.

Arwady and Lightfoot said officials feared what impact the pandemic would have on Chicagos communities of color even during the early days of COVID-19, as they knew those communities struggled more with issues like unequal access to healthy foods and health care.

Their fears were realized when data about the virus began to pour in, showing Black and Latino Chicagoans were seeing disproportionately high numbers of cases and deaths, Lightfoot said.

That gap has lessened with time, but concerns remain namely, that vaccinations continue to lag among Black Chicagoans, especially those living on the South Side.

About 71 percent of white Chicagoans are fully vaccinated, but that number dips to 67.3 percent among Latino Chicagoans and 55.4 percent for Black Chicagoans.

We cannot stop working until vaccination percentages for every demographic in our city are as close to 100 percent as possible, Lightfoot said. At another point, she said, We do have more work to be done. The pandemic is not over.

The city partnered with community organizations who shared accurate information about COVID-19 residents and recruited ambassadors who went door to door in some neighborhoods to talk to people about getting vaccinated. The earliest vaccines were also prioritized for communities of color hit hard by the virus.

But some residents have hesitated to get the shots, citing concerns about misinformation or needing more time to think about and research the vaccines.

Lightfoot said the city is now looking at other strategies it can use to build trust and vaccinate more Chicagoans.

We have literally tried every kind of strategy, from working with our partners in communities, offering various financial incentives, using national influencers, using local influencers, going door to door, vaccinating at home , Lightfoot said. So, were looking at other ways in which we can really focus on those ZIP codes, in particular, that are under-vaccinated .

Officials will work with stakeholders in less-vaccinated communities to drive home the realities of the virus and how it disproportionately killed and sickened Black Chicagoans, especially during the recent Omicron wave.

I dont believe scare tactics work, but I do believe youve gotta tell people the truth and equip them with the data so you can make educated choices, Lightfoot said.

But data shows many people arent saying theyll never get vaccinated most of them are still just saying they want to think about the shots and get educated, Lightfoot said.

Arwady said the city will also keep up its at-home vaccination program and is working on how it can ensure every resident is connected to a trusted health care provider who can provide them with accurate information about getting vaccinated.

You start getting into those conversations, building some of those relationships. I do think thats going to be a place to then sort of bring vaccinations into that conversation, Arwady said. We are not done.

Similarly, the city isnt done with its work to make all of health care more equitable in Chicago, the officials said.

Even before the pandemic, Black Chicagoans live nine years less than white residents, on average, Arwady said.

With that in mind, officials worked to create more equitable health care programs and strategies that targeted COVID-19 but will last beyond the pandemic, so they can be used to target other aspects of residents care.

Vaccinations:

In Illinois, about 8.1 million people or 64.1 percent of the states 12.7 million people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to state data.

Across the state, 8,554 vaccine doses are being administered per day, based on a seven-day rolling average.

Illinois and Chicago have administered at least 21,248,434 vaccine doses of the 25,620,845 provided to them.

City data shows more than 1.8 million Chicagoans or 69.7 percent of all residents are fully vaccinated, and 77 percent of all Chicagoans have gotten at least one shot.

Everyone 5 and older is eligible to get vaccinated in Chicago.

COVID-19 vaccinations are free and do not require insurance. Anyone can call the citys coronavirus hotline at 312-746-4835 to get more information on how and where to get vaccinated in their community.

The numbers:

Since Monday, 32 Illinoisans were reported dead from COVID-19.

At least 33,139 people have died from COVID-19 in Illinois, and another 4,253 deaths are probably related to the virus, according to the state.

The state reported 1,574 cases since Monday. That brings the total number of confirmed cases in Illinois up to 3,049,616.

Since Monday, 56,744 tests were reported statewide. In all, 56,009,446 tests have been reported in Illinois.

Illinois seven-day case positivity rate was at 1.4 percent. The figure represents the percentage of people testing positive among recent tests. It was at 1.3 percent Monday.

Illinois seven-day test positivity rate, which measures the percentage of tests that were positive, was at 1.4 percent. It was at 1.4 percent Monday.

As of Monday night, 94 people with COVID-19 were in the ICU and 47 people with COVID-19 were using ventilators in Illinois.

In Chicago, nine deaths were reported since Monday. There have been at least 7,312 deaths from COVID-19 in Chicago. The city is seeing an average of more than one person dying per day, down 50 percent from a week ago.

Chicago has had 321 confirmed cases reported since Monday. Its had a total of 561,992 confirmed cases. An average of 132 confirmed cases are being reported per day, down 15 percent from a week ago.

Testing in Chicago is down 8 percent from a week ago.

Chicagos positivity rate was at .7 percent, down from .8 percent a week ago.

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Chicago's First COVID Victim Died 2 Years Ago. The City's Made Progress Since Then, But 'We Are Not Done,' Officials Say - Block Club Chicago

The need to do something impactful about the climate crisis is well known and widely discussed. At COP26 last year, businesses and governments came together to pledge their commitment to net-zero and most organizations recognize that having sustainability policies in place is almost non-negotiable. Increasingly, customers, suppliers and investors are focusing on green targets and plans, so not only are these policies important morally, but also commercially. However, without considerable intervention net-zero policies could fail.

Unfortunately, exaggerated climate claims and fears of greenwashing breed mistrust, but as we charge towards the complete climate crisis threshold, it should be expected that those in power are doing everything they can to mitigate the impending disaster.

Unfortunately, a report published by Carbon Market Watch and NewClimate Institute, a German science think tank, has revealed that this is far from the case among some of the worlds most polluting companies. Many of these businesses do not have realistic sustainability goals and policies, which is a clear indicator that net-zero policies need to change if theres any chance of preventing climate disaster.

It is important to emphasize here that the lack of a realistic net-zero plan is not always a result of laziness or lack of care. Decarbonizing a world that has been built on burning fossil fuels is not easy and unrealistic goals are often the result of the complex nature of the task.

We have seen this as a city council currently modelling its citys net-zero roadmap using IESs Digital Twin software mapped the national climate action plan, set out by central government across their city using the Digital Twin technology. By using the Digital Twin to assess the impact of the interventions to be taken as set out by the national guidelines, it was revealed that the city would be falling short of its targets by 20%, indicating that those savings had to be made elsewhere and the actions needed to be more dramatic than the guidance set out by the government.

Climate change poses an urgent threat demanding decisive action. Communities around the world are already experiencing increased climate impacts, from droughts to floods to rising seas. The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report continues to rank these environmental threats at the top of the list.

To limit global temperature rise to well below 2C and as close as possible to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, it is essential that businesses, policy-makers, and civil society advance comprehensive near- and long-term climate actions in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The World Economic Forum's Climate Initiative supports the scaling and acceleration of global climate action through public and private-sector collaboration. The Initiative works across several workstreams to develop and implement inclusive and ambitious solutions.

This includes the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, a global network of business leaders from various industries developing cost-effective solutions to transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy. CEOs use their position and influence with policy-makers and corporate partners to accelerate the transition and realize the economic benefits of delivering a safer climate.

Contact us to get involved.

Net-zero plans cannot be dates, strategies and numbers pulled from thin air; it is far too late for vague promises now. It is a problem rooted in science, and therefore solutions must also be science-led. The good news is, technology is rapidly evolving in response to the issue, and there are tools available now that can ensure net-zero plans are realistic and impactful, rather than a box-check exercise to keep customers and stakeholders pacified.

Decarbonizing the built environment would be a true game changer in the climate change battle, although its enormous carbon footprint, which accounts for up to 42% of UK carbon emissions, is frequently overlooked. Technology is the key to unlocking this as the worlds building stock is far too vast for a human brain and spreadsheet to realistically work through.

While the digital twin has been instrumental in helping the city council see that national guidance will not get them where they need to be to achieve their net-zero target, this same digital twin model, which reflects the real-life energy use of the city, can now be used to test solutions that will recoup those shortfalls.

For example, what if their retrofitting programme for public buildings was brought forward by half a decade, or if investment in renewable installations, such as solar PV, was accelerated? Using technology in this way means that a roadmap informed by science and evidence can be crafted, rather than relying on guesswork and assumptions. If all cities in the world were to use this technology to see where they truly are on their decarbonization journey, and how they can accelerate and improve current net-zero plans, hope for future generations would be much higher.

Digital twin technology allows for clusters of buildings to be grouped together, tested and optimized to minimize carbon emissions.

Digital twin technology allows for clusters of buildings to be grouped together, tested and optimized to minimize carbon emissions before connecting up with other clusters to ensure they are interacting efficiently. This can start with one street of houses and then be scaled up to entire neighbourhoods, cities, counties, countries and continents.

On smaller scales, corporations can map out their building premises and supply chains to ensure they are running as efficiently as possible. This brings the secondary benefit of keeping energy costs down, something that is desirable as the price of energy continues to skyrocket. They can also use the technology to assess other socioeconomic factors alongside energy, carbon and cost metrics for example, the comfort, health and wellbeing of their building occupants and employees to deliver on a broad range of ESG KPIs.

Without science and tech-led solutions which give definitive data, net-zero is little more than a vanity statement.

When the shortcomings of the worlds largest carbon emitters are revealed and just three out of 25 carbon-hungry corporations display legitimate decarbonization dedication, it can be easy to feel pessimistic about the possibility of a net-zero future.

The challenge now is to bring to light that it is possible, but it needs to start with well thought out, data-driven net-zero policies, or else we will reach the point of irreversible damage, gifting future generations the existential problems runaway climate change will bring.

Written by

Don McLean, Founder & CEO, Integrated Environmental Solutions

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Could cities hold the key to accelerating net-zero progress? - World Economic Forum

Traffic changes have started on U.S. 54 in Liberal as part of a four-lane expansion project, according to the Kansas Department of Transportation.

U.S. 54 traffic will be carried through the work zones with two-way traffic along U.S. 54 between U.S. 83 and the Meade County line. Motorists should expect minor delays. During the first phase, traffic will be carried on the two lanes with construction activities alongside the existing roadway.

This project is a four-lane expansion of the roadway and will include four phases.

Koss Construction of Topeka is the contractor on this $23.3 million project, which is expected to be completed by the end of August, weather permitting.

For more information on this project, contact Larry Meyer, Area Construction Manager, at (620) 384-7821, or Yazmin Moreno, KDOT District 6 Public Affairs Manager, at (620) 260-6397. KDOT urges all motorists to be alert and obeys the warning signs when approaching and driving through a highway work zone.

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Road Construction Work is in Progress on US 54 - KSCB News.net

WASHINGTON, DC MARCH 15: U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an event with members of the U.S Womens National Soccer Team at the White House complex March 15, 2022 in Washington, DC. Harris spoke with members of the team to highlight the Biden administrations efforts to champion equal pay for equal work. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Editors note:The following article is an op-ed.The viewsexpressedare the authors own. Read moreopinionson theGrio.

The White House Equal Pay Day Summit, hosted Tuesday by Vice President Kamala Harris, highlighted the unequal pay and job opportunities women receive especially Black women and other women of color.

While the average woman working full-time earned 83 cents for every dollar earned by the average man in 2020, the average Black woman earned just 64 cents for every dollar made by a White man.

Over a 40-year career, a woman will lose out on about $400,000 because of the pay gap, Vice President Harris said at the summit. For Black women, Latina women, Native American women, that loss in wages is closer to $1 million.

According to a U.S. Labor Department report, Black women as a whole lost $39.3 billion and Latinas lost $46.7 billion due to this wage gap in 2019 alone.

When women are denied equal pay, it robs us of our ability to support our families. Combined with the wage gap faced by Black men and less inherited family wealth, this accounts for the huge gap in net worth between Black and White families.

According to a 2020 report by the Brookings Institution, the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family $171,000 for a White family vs. $17,150 for a Black family in 2016.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris are helping close the wage and opportunity gap, but recognize that more must be done. Thats why they announced steps Tuesday to combat pay disparities based on gender, race and ethnicity in the federal workforce and among federal contractors. Thats also why theyve already raised the minimum wage for federal workers and contractors to $15 an hour and have asked Congress to raise the federal minimum wage for other workers to the same level.

Additional actions by the Biden-Harris administration and Congress have also made important steps forward. These include the American Rescue Plan that kept child care centers open and provided millions of families with tax relief to help parents afford child care, along with the bipartisan infrastructure law, presidential executive orders and much more.

Progress on other fronts has been stalled by the failure of the Senate to approve the Build Back Better Act advanced by the administration.

The president has also recognized the talents of women and people of color with his appointments. The Biden-Harris administration is the most diverse in American history, with women making up 60% of the White House staff (including 56% of the senior staff), and with 44% of White House staffers coming from racially or ethnically diverse communities. Women make up 45% of the administrations Cabinet, while 55% of Cabinet appointees are people of color.

And, of course, President Biden selected Harris to become the first female, Black and Asian American vice president, and has nominated the extraordinarily qualified U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to become the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

As a Black woman, Ive understood job discrimination against people who look like me all my life.

My mother, who was born in 1936, finished high school and attended college for two and a half years. Yet, she couldnt find sustainable work and earned low wages as a maid and nanny working for wealthy White families.

Racism, sexism, and growing up in poverty combined limit how far and high these hardworking and intelligent women could rise. Its sad to think about how much they could have accomplished and how America could have benefitted if not for these discriminatory barriers.

Black women in my generation had new opportunities, and many became teachers, nurses, bookkeepers or accountants, and entered other professions as well, although we usually got paid less than our White male counterparts.

I was blessed with the opportunity to get a college education, but in my own career in Democratic politics, I often earned less than men doing the same jobs and was treated with less respect.

The older I got, the more I demanded equal pay and treatment. But early on, I never expected to become the first Black woman to manage a major party presidential campaign a position I achieved with Vice President Al Gore in 2000.

I can identify with the sentiments of the late Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968 and the first Black candidate for a major party presidential nomination in 1972, when she said: I have certainly met much more discrimination in terms of being a woman than being Black, in the field of politics.

The number of women in the U.S. House and Senate has risen dramatically in my lifetime, going from only 19 in 1959 (none Black) to 149 today, among them 28 Black women serving in the House (two as non-voting delegates), but none in the Senate since Harris resigned her seat to ascend to the vice presidency. Still, only 27% of Congress is female a far cry from equal representation for each gender.

Young women of all races have an easier time today climbing the career ladder than I had, and a much easier time than the generation that came before me. Yet Black women continue to have extra barriers to overcome.

But we shall overcome, thanks to the civil rights and womens rights pioneers who sacrificed so much and on whose shoulders we stand, and thanks to President Biden, Vice President Harris and many other women and men of all backgrounds working for our continued progress.

Donna Brazile is an ABC News Contributor, veteran political strategist, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, and the King Endowed Chair in Public Policy at Howard University. She previously served as interim Chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and of the DNCs Voting Rights Institute. She managed the Gore campaign in 2000 and has lectured at more than 225 colleges and universities on race, diversity, women, leadership and restoring civility in politics. Brazile is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House. @DonnaBrazile

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Equal pay remains elusive for Black women, but theres progress thanks to the Biden-Harris administration - TheGrio

In her first "State of the City" address Monday morning, Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati said the city has moved "from chaos to calm" and opportunities have improved for people who live and work in the city.

With the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress," Rayapati said the city is in a strong position as it strives to be a leader in the Quad-City region.

"Careful planning and judicious use of resources are essential to providing what the community needs," Rayapati said. "Recently these efforts have resulted in a bold strategic plan, detailed action plans and an expansive three-year budget, all of which are essential tools for delivering public services and moving the city forward.

"These efforts taken together are helping the city chart a path more toward a flourishing future; one marked by efficiency, community engagement and improved opportunities for those (who) live in, work in or visit Moline."

Rayapati addressed the crowd oflocal city officials, staff, Rock Island county board members, business leaders and residents gathered insideSpotlight Theatre, 1800 7th Ave., Moline, assunlight poured in through towering stained glass windows still in place from when the building was a church.

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Since the election of Rayapati and four new aldermen in April 2021, Rayapati said Moline "must be guided by overarching values" to influence decisions.

"The belief in our people, the possibilities that surround us and the progress that can be made in Moline have been the guiding forces for our work."

Focusing on the theme of people, Rayapati revisited a campaign promise of hers to restaff the city after four straight years of turnover and departures that left Moline lacking key department directors. Since the fall, the city has filled positions in all departments and installed interim directors while the city seeks permanent replacements.

"We have invested in the people who work for the city and are tasked with making it the place we believe it can be," Rayapati said. "These steps were crucial in rebuilding and right-sizing the organization and facilitating improved service delivery for our residents. We will continue on this path in a judicious manner."

Rayapati highlighted improved community engagement through monthly listening posts and surveys; the successful use of grant and loan programs offered through the city; reinstatement of the Human Rights Commission; and increased participation in city boards and commissions through the "Mayor's Talent Pool," an online application any resident can fill out to serve the city.

Rayapati credited the parks and recreation department and library staff for their "tireless focus" to improve programming and facilities for residents, including the construction of new pickleball courts and redevelopment of the Aquatic Center. She said expanded broadband internet installation was improving opportunities for many residents.

"We know that place-making like this is crucial for maintaining and growing our city," she said.

Rayapati said although the city continued to advocate for a land transfer from the Illinois Department of Transportation for the Interstate 74 redevelopment zone, the city continued to explore possibilities for development along the Avenue of the Cities corridor, Illinois 92 and SouthPark Mall.

"Visible signs of progress are still emerging, but as you've heard, we are on our way with solid guideposts and capable staff making the moves to get us there," she said. "We look forward to progress on increasing housing options across the city, passenger train and quiet-zone developments, annexation possibilities, and a new comprehensive and downtown master plan that will take us confidently into the middle of this century.

"Moline is strong and in a great position to live up to her potential, but we can't do it alone. While the focus on people, possibilities and progress has been effective, we also need to focus on our partnerships," Rayapati said, naming the Moline-Coal Valley School District, Renew Moline, the Quad Cities Chamber, World Relief, the Rock Island Arsenal and others that have partnered with the city to move it forward.

Rayapati said the city's vision and values had helped when making difficult decisions.

"We have moved from chaos to calm; we are resilient, creative, always learning, always evaluating and always ready to implement new strategies to work most effectively for you," she said.

City Administrator Bob Vitas said the city was in a strong financial position with a balanced budget of $147 million for 2022, which aligns with the city's strategic plan and its three pillars: quality of place, infrastructure and the economy.

"We have a significant amount of investment going on across the board," he said, noting the city hopes to have a full-time community and economic development director in place by May or June.

Vitas credited council members for decreasing property taxes by $500,000 and lowering the tax levy below $2 to $1.93; he commended city staff for their hard work; and he praised Finance Director Carol Barnes and her staff for coming up with a plan to save the city $3 million annually over the next 20 years through pension obligation bonds.

"The city is in excellent financial condition," he said.

Alexandra Elias, president & CEO of Renew Moline, said the organization had had a public-private partnership with the city since 1989. She highlighted the recent adoption of a public art installation and placemaking plan and collaboration with the Urban Land Institute to generate ideas for the I-74 redevelopment zone.

"Redeveloping Moline's front porch in partnership with the city and the community is a great opportunity that comes once in a generation," Elias said. "It is both a blessing and a great responsibility. In this singular opportunity, our focus is to create memorable and beloved spaces and places."

People attending the State of the City address listen to Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati giving her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

People attending the State of the City address listen to Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati giving her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati gives her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

People attending the State of the City address listen to Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati giving her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

People attending the State of the City address listen to Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati giving her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas gives the improvement numbers and statistics for the city of Moline during the State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas gives the improvement numbers and statistics for the city of Moline during the State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Alexandra Elias president and CEO of Renew Moline gives her outlook for the city of Moline during the Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas gives the improvement numbers and statistics for the city of Moline during the State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas gives the improvement numbers and statistics for the city of Moline during the State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas gives the improvement numbers and statistics for the city of Moline during the State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati gives her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati gives her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati gives her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati gives her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater in Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati gives her first State of the City address Monday at the Spotlight Theater Moline with the theme of "People, Possibilities and Progress."

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Moline state of city address focuses on 'People, Possibilities and Progress' - Quad-City Times

The report was delivered by retired Judge Sherrill Ellsworth, the former presiding judge of Riverside County, of Adjudicate Services LLC, who was hired to work with the countys criminal justice partners to develop initiatives to improve the system.

Ellsworth said 14 initiatives were initially developed, but those were whittled down to the nine she said could be done most easily and have the greatest impact on reforming the system.

The initiatives are variously aimed at reducing recidivism, diverting offenders from jail, including getting help for those with mental health problems, as well as reducing jail time and improving the overall speed and efficiency of the system.

Initiatives, listed in priority, are improving access to incarcerated clients, improving the discovery sharing process, developing multidisciplinary teams, a shared alternative sentencing pilot program, pretrial supervised release, creating a data dashboard, practicing holistic defense, providing felony diversion programs and resolving aged cases.

Ellsworth said improving access to incarcerated clients is at the forefront of our minds as the most important of the nine initiatives.

This access is key to being able to work on the overall criminal justice improvements," she said. Without it, we dont have the ability to resolve things early, we dont have the ability to resource people out to what would be better programs for them.

She said the discovery initiative is also highly important and she feels a sea change in the cooperation of the District Attorneys and Public Defenders Office.

At times, we were arm wrestling, she said. Im going to be really honest with you, it wasnt easy.

Through the multidisciplinary team, everyone entering the jail will be evaluated by representatives of the full range of departments involved, Ellsworth said.

She noted the team would be important in peeling back the onion in finding the reasons behind what happened over the weekend in Santa Barbara, when an offender who had been released from jail with an ankle monitor allegedly killed a woman.

She noted the shared alternative sentencing pilot, which she said is the first of its kind in California, will assure that the right individuals are in the right positions.

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Ellsworth called the pretrial supervised release program an unqualified success, growing steadily until 574 clients were enrolled as of March 1.

The data dashboard has been developed, and although its constantly being improved, it is already up on both the Sheriffs Office and Probation Department websites, with other departments to be added in the future.

I would have to say the holistic defense has been a huge success, Ellsworth said, noting that having 94% of offenders appear at their next court date, as well as other percentages she cited, is pretty amazing.

Those percentages included that 75% of clients were connected with mental health services, 73% were connected with substance use treatment, 73% who started out in custody were released with community support services, 57% were connected with housing services and 19% were connected with employment services.

The diversion initiative is focused on two programs community restorative justice and felony diversion. Ellsworth said that in looking at cases that have lingered for more than 365 days, a total of 121 cases have been prioritized for resolution.

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino wanted to peel back the onion right then on the apparent homicide because he needed the details so he could explain how it did or did not relate to the criminal justice improvement effort.

But County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato said its too early to do that, as the investigation is still underway and all the facts are not yet known.

What happened in Santa Barbara is just another day in the North County, 4th District Supervisor Bob Nelson said. To boil it down, all these numbers were looking at are great numbers. At the end of the day, these numbers mean nothing if our recidivism rate doesnt go down.

Nelson added that law enforcement partners are overwhelmed, but the county needs a diversion program that protects the public and the victims.

Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors allocated $4.5 million in the current fiscal year to make improvements to the criminal justice system, which accounts for 23% of the countys operating budget.

County Executive Officer Mona Miyasato said some of that money is for one-time costs and some of it was allocated to ongoing programs.

Partners in the countys criminal justice system are the Sheriffs Office, the District Attorneys Office, the Public Defenders Office and the Probation Department, but other county departments and offices, like the County Executive Office, Behavioral Health Department, Public Health Department and others, are also involved in the process of resolving criminal cases.

American flag removed from its pole, recaptured following Sunday's civil unrest at City Hall

A re burns in the intersection of Cook Street and Broadway Sunday during a demonstration against police brutality and George Floyd's death.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally around a police officer during a demonstration against the death of George Floyd.

American flag removed from its pole, recaptured following Sunday's civil unrest at City Hall

Dozens of fireworks were set off during protests in Santa Maria on Sunday night.

American flag removed from its pole, recaptured following Sunday's civil unrest at City Hall

Doors of Macy's department store were vandalized after a peaceful afternoon protest in Santa Maria Sunday.

Photos: Santa Maria protest turns destructive Sunday night

Protesters take a knee during a rally against the death of George Floyd, in Santa Maria on Sunday.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

A fire was set in the middle of the intersection of Cook Street and Broadway during a rally against the death of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters lay down in the intersection of Cook Street and Broadway during protests against the death of George Floyd in Santa Maria on Sunday.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters take to the streets during a rally against the death of George Floyd in Santa Maria on Sunday.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters take to the streets during a rally against the death of George Floyd in Santa Maria on Sunday.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters take a knee during a rally against the death of George Floyd in Santa Maria on Sunday.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters take to the streets during a rally against the death of George Floyd in Santa Maria on Sunday.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the death of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally during a demonstration against the death of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the unjust murder of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

053120 GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST 017.jpg

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the death of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the unjust murder of George Floyd.

Santa Maria business owners clean up graffiti, glass after protest turns destructive

Doors of the Town Center East were broken into during a protest that turned destructive Sunday night.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the unjust murder of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the unjust murder of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the unjust murder of George Floyd.

City officials denounce Town Center vandalism, laud peaceful protest

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday.

Photos: Santa Maria protest turns destructive Sunday night

Protesters rally in Santa Maria on Sunday against the death of George Floyd.

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Santa Barbara Countys criminal justice reform making progress, focused on nine initiatives - Santa Maria Times

Illinois State University offers over 400 student organizations to get involved in and hundreds of events every year along with its robust offering of academic programs. Knowing where to begin and which opportunities are best can be a challenge for students.

Launched in fall 2021, Bird Tracks provides students a starting point as they begin their journey at Illinois State, change their major, or begin their search for internships and full-time positions. Bird Tracks is a two-pronged tool, which consists of a skillset assessment and an involvement resource website. The assessment will help students determine where they are with regard to 27 different skillsets; these include things like resourcefulness, critical thinking, leadership, and more. The purpose of the assessment is to give students areas where they can grow, clarification on their strengths, and help determining where they might want to focus their attention and resources moving forward.

Once students complete the skillset assessment, they receive their personalized results within 24 hours. The report notes individual and collective scores in five key areas: relationship building, professional identity and behavior, broadening of perspective, problem solving, and autonomy.

You dont just take it and then youre done, said Dr. Erin Thomas, director of advancement and assessment for the Division of Student Affairs. You actually get something back, and thats really powerful. Bird Tracks helps you better understand who you are.

The second element of Bird Tracks is the involvement resource site. The website allows students to search for campus events, opportunities, and even jobs by filtering their skills, availability, or preferred incentives (i.e. food, certifications, money, etc.). Bird Tracks can assist students in making the best choice possible given the report they receive and the clarity gained through sorting and searching experiences by skill on the Bird Tracks website.

For students are already invested in their majors, they can use their strengths and areas for growth in the interview process for internships and jobs. Thomas said that when students know their strengths and can readily talk about them during an interview, it is something that sets them apart from other applicants.

Bird Tracks was designed for students to answer questions based on their own personal experiences. Thomas was intentional in making sure students could pull from their own authentic backgrounds, allowing them to evaluate what they have gained from previous experiences and determine where they might be headed next. Additionally, students can complete the Bird Tracks skillset assessment up to two times per year, allowing them to track their growth and progress over time.

This is going to provide some clarity and certainty amidst everything else thats going on, Thomas shares. I know for so many students, theyre overwhelmed or managing a lot. Truly anything that we can do to help students reduce some of that is my ultimate goal. To me, its a tool to figure out who you are, have guidance on where to go next, and then feel really good about your decisions.

In addition to completing Bird Tracks, Thomas also encourages students to reach out to their career counselors, academic advisors, supervisors, mentors, and others throughout their time at Illinois State to help them achieve their goals during their studies and beyond.

For more information on Bird Tracks, visit StudentAffairs.IllinoisState.edu.

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Start your journey, and track your progress with Bird Tracks - Illinois State University News

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine is in its 21st day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian demands are becoming more realistic in ongoing negotiations to end the assault. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he sees some hope for a compromise. Zelensky said Tuesday he doesnt expect Ukraine to join NATO anytime soon. Later today, the Ukrainian leader is virtually addressing the U.S. Congress, where he is expected to repeat calls for more military reinforcement and a no-fly zone.

On Tuesday, the prime ministers of Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic held a joint press conference with Zelensky in Kyiv. This is Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala: You are fighting for your lives, for your families, for your country, for freedom. But we know you are fighting also for our lives and for our freedom. We know it. And probably the main goal of our visit or main message of our mission is to say, 'You are not alone. Our countries stand with you. Europe stands with your country.'

Ukraines capital is now under a curfew as Russia continues to bomb residential areas. Earlier today, Russian forces shelled a 12-story apartment building in Kyiv. Ukraines other cities also remain under attack or Russian occupation. On Tuesday, survivors of a Russian airstrike on a residential block in Kharkiv were evacuated by rescue workers.

Inna: Brotherly nation? My mother comes from Borisov. I have relatives in Kursk. How could this monster oh my god, monster come up with something like this, to destruct everything? People are starving. There is no water, no wood for heating. And he decided to destroy a city, in the 21st century? A beautiful city.

Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. Over 3 million people have now become refugees. On Tuesday, President Zelensky said 100 children have been killed since the start of the invasion. UNICEF says a child war refugee is being created every second in Ukraine.

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Signs of Possible Progress in Talks to End Ukraine War as Casualties and Number of Refugees Mount - Democracy Now!

BY THE NUMBERSIN THE NEWS TODAY

With the invasion now in its third week, the U.S. and its allies prepared to step up their efforts to isolate and sanction Russia. According to media reports, President Joe Biden on Friday, along with the European Union and the G-7, will move to revoke Russia's most favored trading status. (Reuters)

* Senate passes key funding bill that includes nearly $14 billion in Ukraine aid (CNBC)

Friday marks two years since Covid was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Since the novel coronavirus was found in China in 2019, there have been more than 450 million global infections and over 6 million deaths, with more than 15% of each in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University data. (CNBC)

Though the raging wave of omicron cases has subsided and more than 250 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine, according to the CDC, health officials are warning Americans not to get complacent.

* U.S. extends airplane mask mandate even as other Covid measures lifted (CNBC)

Ford (F) will collaborate with Pacific Gas and Electric Co. in California to evaluate the bidirectional charging capabilities of the electric F-150 Lightning to power homes and return energy to the power grid. The move comes days after PG&E announced a pilot program with General Motors (GM). (CNBC)

* Toyota to cut quarterly production to ease strain on beleaguered suppliers (Reuters)

Rivian(RIVN) fell 8.5% in premarket action after the electric vehicle maker reported a wider than expected loss, and said supply chain issues would limit its factory output this year. Rivian said reservations for its vehicles have reached about 83,000 as of March 8, up from 71,000 in December. (CNBC)

Major League Baseball and the players union have reached a labor deal that would pave the way for spring training games to begin, with Opening Day in early April. It also ushers in some changes, including a designated hitter in the National League, nearly 50 years after it was adopted in the American League. (CNBC)

Oracle(ORCL) fell 2.3% in the premarket after its adjusted quarterly profit of $1.13 per share fell 5 cents shy of estimates. Revenue was in line with forecasts. Oracle continues to see progress in shifting its customers to the cloud, with cloud revenue jumping 24% compared with a year ago.

Uber Technologies(UBER) rose 1.6% in premarket action after Deutsche Bank initiated coverage with a "buy" rating and a $50 price target. Deutsche Bank points to Uber's leading position in a fast-growing market as well as an attractive entry point for the stock.

Pearson(PSO) spiked 20% in premarket trading after private equity firm Apollo said it was in the preliminary stages of evaluating a possible cash offer for Pearson. Apollo said there was no certainty an actual offer would be made.

DiDi Global(DIDI) plunged 12.7% in the premarket following a Bloomberg report that the ride-hailing company was suspending plans to list its shares in Hong Kong. People familiar with the matter said Didi failed to meet demands by China regulators that it overhaul its handling of sensitive user data.

Toyota Motor(TM) slipped 1.7% in the premarket after saying it would cut production by up to 20% in April, May and June as it seeks to ease the strain on its suppliers, who are struggling to provide computer chips and other parts.

DocuSign(DOCU) reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 48 cents per share, 1 cent above estimates, with revenue also coming in above Street forecasts. However, the shares tumbled 17.5% in the premarket after DocuSign issued weaker-than-expected guidance for the full year.

Ulta Beauty(ULTA) rose 2.6% in the premarket after reporting better-than-expected profit and revenue for its latest quarter. Comparable-store sales also beat forecasts with a 21.4% increase, and Ulta announced a new $2 billion share buyback.

Blink Charging(BLNK) reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss even as sales beat analyst estimates. The company said it continues to see strong momentum as the business community and government agencies continue to promote the benefits of a reliable EV infrastructure. Blink's shares slid 6.1% in premarket trading.

Zumiez(ZUMZ) plummeted 14.1% in premarket action after its quarterly earnings and revenue fell short of Wall Street forecasts. Current quarter guidance was also shy of estimates.

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What to watch today: Futures jump on hopes of progress in Russia-Ukraine talks - CNBC