Latest news with #KirstenJohnson
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Two Chicago area residents infected with measles, the latest in a growing measles resurgence
Two Chicago area residents have been diagnosed with measles, the first cases of the highly contagious disease identified in Cook County this year, according to health authorities. The new cases add to a growing resurgence of measles nationally, which has infected more than 880 people — mostly children — in 29 states since January, according to the latest counts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most of the cases have been concentrated in West Texas, where a months-long outbreak has spread to nearby states and even neighboring Mexico. No cases of measles have been reported in Wisconsin this year, though some state health officials consider it only a matter of time before a resident becomes infected. The Chicago-area cases represent the closest identified cases to the Milwaukee-area this year. One of the two new cases is a suburban Cook County adult of unknown vaccination status who sought care at a hospital on April 28, according to a news release issued April 30 by the Chicago Department of Public Health and Cook County Department of Public Health. Another is an adult Chicago resident who developed a rash on April 25. That person previously received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine and had traveled internationally through O'Hare Airport in early April. Health officials recommend that international travelers ensure they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine at least two weeks before traveling. Measles, which is caused by a virus, is spread through the air and is highly contagious. It is characterized by a rash that spreads over the face and body, though other symptoms, such as fever, a cough and a runny nose, typically precede the rash by a few days, according to the Mayo Clinic. In the release, Chicago and Cook County health officials did not say how or where the two residents are believed to have contracted measles. The Chicago-area health departments are working to identify people who may have been exposed and they released a list of public locations where exposure may have occurred: Fittingly Delicious, 3939 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago, on April 21 O'Hare Airport, especially Terminal 1, between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on April 22 and 23 Aldi, 7235 39th St., Lyons, Illinois, between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on April 25 Shell, 3901 S. Harlem Ave., Stickney, Illinois, between 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on April 27 Mobil, 2945 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn, Illinois, between 10:20 a.m. and 1 p.m. on April 28 Health officials in Wisconsin have warned that Wisconsin is at risk of a measles outbreak similar to the one spreading in Texas, given that parts of the state have very low vaccination rates. "If and when — I think it's more of a 'when' — when measles is introduced into the state, we do have pockets of our population that are at extremely high risk," said Kirsten Johnson, secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, during a Q&A in early April. Last school year, less than 85% of Wisconsin kindergartners were up-to-date on the measles vaccine, compared to nearly 93% of kindergartners nationwide, according to a CDC report. Only Idaho and Alaska reported having lower vaccination rates against measles, though some other states did not submit complete data. Measles can cause serious illness in young children. In severe cases, the disease can cause life-threatening complications, such as brain swelling and pneumonia. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Two Chicago area adults infected with measles, amid resurgence of disease
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
2 West Virginia communities continue battle with Corridor H
WARDENSVILLE, (WBOY) — While residents in Tucker County, West Virginia have fought to have the four-lane Corridor H highways bypass their towns and tourism hubs, a small town in Hardy County is worried that the new highway will turn it into a ghost town. On April 22, the West Virginia Division of Highways held a public hearing in Hardy County on the Wardensville to Virginia section of the project. Most of Corridor H, which will be 132 miles of highway connecting Interstate 79 in Weston, West Virginia to Interstate 81 in Strasburg, Virginia, is already complete, but the sections in Tucker County and Hardy County are still in the planning stages, largely due to pushback from the communities. About 80 people attended Tuesday's meeting, in-person and virtually, and most of them spoke against the current proposal for the 6.8-mile section of highway, according to a press release from the environmental group, Friends of Blackwater. Smoke from Virginia fire seen in West Virginia The proposed Corridor H route bypasses Wardensville, going south of the current Main Street. Residents are concerned that traffic going around the town instead of through it will turn the community they have worked hard to revitalize into a 'ghost town.' 'This road to nowhere is bypassing somewhere—the town of Wardensville,' said Kirsten Johnson, who works at Macks Bingo restaurant on Main Street. Other residents are concerned about the loss of land containing fishing streams, recreational trails and family farms that have been around for generations. Several environmental groups also spoke, emphasizing that the highway will cut into protected land in the George Washington National Forest and that construction could negatively impact wellhead protected areas. Those in favor of the four-lane voiced their support for creating a safer road than the current two-lane Route 55, which has some dangerous curves and steep grades. The timeline on the WVDOH's website estimates that construction will begin this summer. Public comments are still being accepted by the WVDOH online here until June 1. A full video of the April 22 meeting is available here. Additional details about the Corridor H Wardensville to Virginia project are available here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Preserving history highlighted in new film screening
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) – The Sioux Falls State Theatre will host a documentary film screening and Q&A tomorrow about why saving the past is essential for the future. 'Lost and Found: Preserving the Past in a Disappearing World' will feature 'Arc of Oblivion,' a 2023 production that follows a filmmaker's globe-trotting journey into our past that illuminates the world of archives, memory, and the ways we fight against forgetting. The film explores humankind's desire to leave it's mark in a universe that erases its tracks, and how nature inspires the human drive behind filmmaking. It's part of The State's Science on Screen film series, a nationwide program that pairs film screenings with expert-led presentations. The film itself interviews experts in the fields of science, culture and art — including documentarians Werner Herzog and Kirsten Johnson. A message on kindness from middle school students Following the screening, Augustana University professor Dr. David O'Hara will hold a discussion and Q&A, sharing his insights from his recent expedition to Guatemala, where he worked alongside a Mayan community to preserve their language, culture, and archeology before they are lost to time. Dr. O'Hara will explore the challenges of preserving these ancient sites, the scientific and ethical questions surrounding conservation, and what these ruins reveal about a civilization that continues to shape our understanding of history. At Augustana, he teaches ancient and American philosophy, environmental ethics and law, classical Chinese philosophy and the philosophy of religion. He teaches and conducts research worldwide, and currently teaches environmental humanities courses in Greece, Spain and Morocco. The screening begins 6:30 p.m. at the State Theatre on Tuesday, March 25th. Tickets can be bought online or in person. The State Theatre hosts three Science on Screen events each year and will host its next in May. Next month, the state will host the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, which features seven outdoor adventure films, sponsored by The Great Outdoor Store. It takes place on Earth Day, April 22. SD's petition signature bill 'most extreme in the country' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
