Latest news with #Tobin
Edinburgh Live
3 days ago
- Edinburgh Live
Top detective to reveal how serial killer Peter Tobin was led to Edinburgh prison
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A former police chief who helped bring serial killer Peter Tobin to justice is set to tell the story behind some of his most chilling cases. David Swindle was in charge of the investigation into the rape and murder of Polish student Angelika Kluk in 2006. Her body was found under the floorboards of a Glasgow church, and handyman Tobin was identified as a suspect. Swindle then set up the UK wide Operation Anagram - linking Tobin to the murders of two other young women, Vicky Hamilton and Dinah Nicol, dating back to 1991. The twisted killer died in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in October 2022, at the age of 76. At the time, he was serving a whole life term for all three murders including Angelika. Swindle who retired from Strathclyde Police at the rank of Detective Superintendent, will take to the stage later this year in Irvine, Ayrshire, for his new true crime show Murder – A Search for the Truth. Other dates across Scotland are also being planned. Swindle, who worked on hundreds of homicides in his distinguished 34-year career, has recently completed a nationwide UK tour seen by almost 170,000 people, his new live show will be at Irvine Harbour Arts Centre on November 15. The audience will be given an insight into the policing techniques deployed in a major murder investigation including the arrest of Tobin. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Swindle will also look at the psychology of killers and try and answer the question - are they born or made? He said: 'I'm excited to bring this show to Irvine. "It's the perfect setting for a face-to-face with the truth behind some of the UK's darkest crimes No drama. Just facts, cases and real consequences. "Sometimes there is too much focus on the killer and we should never ever forget the victims. For every one of these murders there's at least one victim – someone's daughter or son. It's all about the victims." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Operation Anagram used every police force across the UK to investigate Peter Tobin who was originally from Johnstone in Renfrewshire. It looked at more than 1000 leads, tracked down more than 40 places he lived and investigated any unsolved murders or missing women in those areas. Detectives narrowed the list to nine unsolved murders and missing person cases with possible links to Tobin. Operation Anagram also looked at the unsolved murders from 1968 and 1969 of young Glasgow mothers Patricia Docker, 25, Helen Puttock, 29, and Jemima MacDonald, 32, by a man dubbed Bible John by newspapers. However it found no link to Tobin. Since his retiral Mr Swindle has also helped the parents of Livingston woman Kirsty Maxwell investigate the mystery death of their daughter who fell from a balcony while holidaying in Benidorm, Spain, with friends in 2017. Tickets on sale now via
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Iconic Bahamas Resort Is Hosting Wellness Weekends Throughout the Summer—Here's How You Can Join
There's arguably no better destination for rest and relaxation than the sandy shores and turquoise waters of the Bahamas, and The Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, is ready to add a little extra wellness to your R&R routine. Nora Tobin—integrated health coach and founder of Nora's Naturals, a sustainable nutrition line—has created three weekend-long retreats throughout the summer in partnership with the luxury resort. The retreats are built around Tobin's four signature pillars: Restore, Perform, Nourish, and Glow, which she's designed to integrate personal wellbeing into each trip without sacrificing indulgence. Taking into consideration that guests are, of course, on vacation, the extent of their participation is entirely up to them. They can throw themselves into an immersive three-day retreat (which still includes plenty of beach and dining time), or they can cherry-pick activities in an a la carte format. The weekends will be filled with small group classes, individual sessions, and seminars. 'My goal with our upcoming retreat series is to provide approachable tools to gently transform wellbeing and accelerate performance in a playful environment," Tobin said. "The retreats are not only an opportunity to revitalize, but also create exceptional social connections. One of the most thrilling aspects for me is the ability to bring amazing people together who may become dear friends, or at the very least, enjoy passion fruit martinis by the sea." (I highly recommend said martini.)"One of the most thrilling aspects for me is the ability to bring amazing people together who may become dear friends, or at the very least, enjoy passionfruit martinis by the sea."I had the chance to get an early taste of some of the amazing things Tobin and Four Seasons have to offer, and what I loved most was that I was able to enjoy all my favorite parts of a vacation while working on my wellbeing. We would practice beachside yoga, listening to the sounds of the crashing waves, and then follow that up with a crisp glass of Champagne—which, in my opinion, is the perfect way to end a yoga class. Experiencing a sample from each of the upcoming weekends, I learned new wellness techniques that are easy to integrate into not only my everyday personal life, but my professional life as well. When classes are not in session, guests can explore and enjoy the 35 acres of lush tropical resort, including three pools (keep an eye out for the Versailles pool, featured in the James Bond film "Casino Royale"), a fitness center, tennis and golf courts, and a Balinese-style spa. Visit The Ocean Club website to sign up for the following weekends: Restore and Renew, June 6-8: Focus on restoring and renewing reparative sleep, stress reset, and biological age optimization. Fitness and Performance, July 18-20: Target metabolic transformation, performance nutrition, and athletic recovery. Nourish and Glow, Aug. 3-5: Learn about natural fat burning, anti-aging nutrition, and detoxing your system. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Peter Tobin detective to reveal how cops finally caught serial killer
Retired detective David Swindle will take to the stage to talk about his biggest cases including the capture of a notorious serial killer. The former police chief who brought serial killer Peter Tobin to justice is to take the public behind the scenes of his most chilling cases. David Swindle was in charge of the investigation into the 2006 rape and murder of Polish student Angelika Kluk - whose body was found hidden under the floorboards of a Glasgow church - and quickly identified handyman Tobin as the prime suspect. He then set up the UK wide Operation Anagram which linked Tobin to the unsolved murders and disappearances in 1991 of two other young women Vicky Hamilton and Dinah Nicol. At the time of his death in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary in October, 2022, Tobin, then 76, was serving a whole life term for all three murders including Angelika. Swindle who retired from Strathclyde Police at the rank of Detective Superintendent, will take to the stage later this year in Irvine, Ayrshire for his new true crime show Murder – A Search for the Truth. Other dates across Scotland are also being planned. Swindle, who worked on hundreds of homicides in his distinguished 34 year career, has recently completed a nationwide UK tour seen by almost 170,000 people, His new live show will be at Irvine Harbour Arts Centre on November 15. The audience will be given an insight into the policing techniques deployed in a major murder investigation including the arrest of Tobin. Swindle will also look at the psychology of killers and try and answer the question - are they born or made? He said: 'I'm excited to bring this show to Irvine."It's the perfect setting for a face-to-face with the truth behind some of the UK's darkest crimes "No drama. Just facts, cases and real consequences. 'Sometimes there is too much focus on the killer and we should never ever forget the victims. "For every one of these murders there's at least one victim – someone's daughter or son. It's all about the victims.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Operation Anagram used every police force across the UK to investigate Peter Tobin who was originally from Johnstone in Renfrewshire .It looked at more than 1000 leads, tracked down more than 40 places he lived and investigated any unsolved murders or missing women in those areas. Detectives narrowed the list to nine unsolved murders and missing person cases with possible links to Tobin. Operation Anagram also looked at the unsolved murders from 1968 and 1969 of young Glasgow mothers Patricia Docker, 25, Helen Puttock, 29, and Jemima MacDonald, 32, by a man dubbed Bible John by newspapers. However it found no link to Tobin. Since his retiral Mr Swindle has also helped the parents of Livingston woman Kirsty Maxwell investigate the mystery death of their daughter who fell from a balcony while holidaying in Benidorm, Spain, with friends in 2017.
Politico
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Seton Hall defies cardinal's order in sexual abuse investigation
Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark promised a thorough investigation into clergy abuse at Seton Hall University, but the school blocked a key witness from participating. | Gregorio Borgia)/AP Cardinal Joseph Tobin of New Jersey left for Vatican City earlier this month to help select the next pope — a rare moment on the global stage for one of the most powerful Catholic leaders in the United States. Back home, Seton Hall University — the oldest Catholic diocesan university in America, where Tobin personally oversees both governing boards — was preparing to defy him. A day after the new pontiff was chosen on May 8, attorneys for the university blocked a key witness from participating in a clergy abuse investigation Tobin had ordered, according to a court filing. That inquiry centers on whether Seton Hall's new president, Monsignor Joseph Reilly, was installed despite past mishandling of abuse allegations. Now Tobin's own archdiocese is trying to regain control. The moves expose a conflict at the highest levels of Catholic education — pitting Tobin against the university he oversees — and threatens to unravel his public promises of transparency with the school's ' full cooperation.' Joseph Nyre, the university's former president, had been scheduled to speak with investigators until Seton Hall intervened. In his first public comments since leaving the presidency, Nyre said in a statement: 'Either the Cardinal has been overruled by his own board, including the bishops who sit on it, or the openness he promised is being applied only when convenient. The public deserves to know which it is.' Seton Hall did not respond to a message seeking comment. Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, ordered a comprehensive investigation into clergy abuse in February, several weeks after POLITICO reported that Reilly was found in a 2019 inquiry to have not properly reported abuse allegations years prior as a seminary leader. That earlier investigation came in response to sexual abuse claims against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the longtime archbishop of Newark and Washington, D.C. It found decades of sexual harassment and a 'culture of fear and intimidation' under McCarrick, according to a summary published by the university. McCarrick died last month at age 94. Reilly, who once served as a secretary to McCarrick, was not accused of abuse himself. But an action plan adopted by the university recommended he be removed from school boards and not hold leadership positions there. He took a year-long sabbatical and, after Nyre's departure, became university president last year with unanimous support of the school's Board of Regents and Tobin, who called Reilly 'the right person at the right time for Seton Hall.' 'Mind-boggling and outrageous' In February, Tobin hired the law firm Ropes & Gray to essentially investigate the investigation, and to review the action plan the university adopted as a result. Tobin said his inquiry would examine how the findings related to Reilly and 'whether they were communicated to any and all appropriate personnel at the Archdiocese and Seton Hall University.' Nyre was president of the university when the 2019 investigation by lawyers at Latham & Watkins concluded and its findings were delivered to university leaders through another law firm, Gibbons P.C. Nyre left the presidency in 2023 and filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the university last year, claiming a series of retaliatory measures against him. In a statement after filing an amended complaint this month in state Superior Court, an attorney said Nyre 'formally and confidentially disclosed to University officials that Monsignor Reilly had previously been found ineligible due to serious Title IX failures — yet Seton Hall retaliated instead of investigating,' referring to the federal law against sex-based discrimination and harassment. Nyre had been scheduled to speak with Ropes & Gray on May 9. But a lawyer for Seton Hall, Tom Scrivo, said in a letter to Nyre's attorneys that 'contractual obligations' blocked Nyre from sharing any confidential information he may have as a result of his employment as president. 'There is no exception to that broad prohibition that would permit Dr. Nyre to answer any questions at an interview regarding any matter within the scope of the Ropes review,' Scrivo wrote. He added that an April 4 court order in the ongoing litigation between Nyre and Seton Hall was 'unambiguous' that Nyre cannot share confidential information with Ropes & Gray. That still defies the intent of the investigation to one lawmaker who has publicly pressured Seton Hall for more accountability. 'Cardinal Tobin said when announcing this investigation that it would be thorough and transparent,' said New Jersey state Sen. Andrew Zwicker, a Democrat who serves as vice-chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee. 'And it is clear that they are doing the opposite in trying to stop former president Nyre from providing his input into the ongoing investigation. It is just mind-boggling and outrageous.' One of Nyre's attorneys said Seton Hall is 'clearly attempting to weaponize' that court order to 'muzzle' his client. 'This position is not only at odds with the plain language of the April 4 Order,' the lawyer, Austin Tobin, said in a letter to the judge seeking a status conference on the matter. '... but also very odd considering the fact that the Archdiocese of Newark is conducting the interview at issue on behalf of the University.' Now the archdiocese is 'working diligently' with the university to ensure investigators have 'access to all relevant information as soon as possible,' a spokesperson for the cardinal said. When Cardinal Tobin announced the investigation, 'he fully expected that Ropes & Gray would have the full cooperation of the Board of Regents and Seton Hall University on matters relating solely to Monsignor Reilly,' the spokesperson, Maria Margiotta, said in a statement Tuesday. 'Unfortunately, ongoing litigation involving Seton Hall, to which the Archdiocese is not a party, has created impediments to this review,' Margiotta said. 'Cardinal Tobin stands by his earlier statement that there should be no restrictions on Ropes & Gray's effort to access all relevant information and witnesses,' she added. Ignored calls to release past investigation New Jersey's political leaders have been pushing for more transparency from Seton Hall for months. Three state lawmakers, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democratic candidate for governor whose congressional district includes Seton Hall, have called for the university to release the 2019 report. The university has ignored those calls, citing attorney-client privilege. But a judge in a separate clergy abuse case has ordered the university to provide the report. The university fought that, too. But the judge, Avion Benjamin, found in March that Seton Hall violated a past court order for discovery by not disclosing the 2019 report, and said the school had to turn it over to her. Blocking Nyre from speaking with investigators fits a pattern of trying to keep clergy abuse from public view, said Mark Crawford, New Jersey director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. 'It's not surprising but it's outrageous,' Crawford said. 'They don't want the truth to come out. It's abundantly clear or you wouldn't be suppressing the former president who was there, who would know, from speaking his truth.'
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘I question it myself': South Dakota vaccination rates fall amid mistrust and misinformation
A nurse readies an MMR vaccine at Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) Grant Vander Vorst is at the epicenter of vaccine hesitancy in South Dakota: Just 56% of incoming kindergartners in Faulk County, where he lives, were up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella vaccination during the 2023-24 school year, which was the lowest rate of any county in the state with available data. Vander Vorst is the superintendent of Faulkton Area Schools. He said some parents are skeptical about the safety of administering multiple childhood vaccinations in a short window of time, 'and justifiably so.' 'I question it myself, and a lot of others do as well,' he said. Vander Vorst said his views are influenced by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic whose statements about vaccines have been called false and misleading by medical professionals. 'I haven't looked into the research, but he obviously has,' Vander Vorst said. Faulk County is not alone. Across South Dakota, vaccine hesitancy that took hold during the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded beyond skepticism of new vaccines to doubts about long-established ones, said Erin Tobin, a nurse practitioner and Republican former state senator from Winner. Tobin said a growing number of parents are trusting web posts and social media influencers over local health care professionals. 'It used to be that I could start a discussion with a patient with the words 'the CDC recommends,'' Tobin said, referencing the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 'and now I'm cautious to use that because people don't trust the CDC.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX During the 2018-19 school year, before the COVID-19 pandemic, 96% of kindergarteners in South Dakota received all their required vaccinations. That number fell to 91% during the 2023-24 school year, the most recent year of available statewide data. Public health advocates are sounding the alarm about declining vaccination rates as the United States experiences its most severe measles outbreak since 2000, with over 1,000 confirmed cases across 31 states, including 12 confirmed cases in North Dakota. South Dakota has not had a confirmed case of measles so far this year, but last July, it reported its first measles case in nine years. According to the CDC, a measles vaccination rate of 95% is needed to achieve herd immunity and prevent outbreaks, given the highly contagious nature of the virus. Ten years ago, only six South Dakota counties had MMR rates below 95%, with the lowest being 80%. Now, more than 40 counties in the state are below 95%, with 12 below 80% and five below 70%. The rates could be even lower than the numbers indicate, because kindergarten-age students being homeschooled or attending other forms of alternative instruction are not required to report their vaccination status. There were 431 alternative-instruction kindergarten students statewide last fall. The MMR vaccine is a key indicator for public health, said Dr. Amy Winter, an epidemiologist at the University of Georgia College of Public Health. When MMR vaccination rates fall, it signals broader vulnerabilities. 'Where there is measles, there could be other outbreaks, other infectious diseases, depending on the dearth of vaccination that may be happening,' Winter said. Mark Sternhagen, a retiree who formerly taught at South Dakota State University, knows those risks well. He was born soon after the polio vaccine came out in 1955. He contracted polio before his parents were able to get him vaccinated, and has used a wheelchair ever since. 'There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that if I got the vaccine, I would not have gotten polio,' he said. 'I look at these declining rates and it just makes me sick.' Sternhagen said his mother carried guilt, but he doesn't blame her. He said vaccinations in South Dakota were less accessible, and parents were less informed, but modern parents who do have access to vaccines and valid information don't have those excuses. 'You're putting your children and others' children at risk, and there is no question about that,' he said. The first laws requiring immunization appeared in the 1800s, coinciding with the development and spread of a smallpox vaccine. In 1922, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a local government's vaccination mandate as a prerequisite to attending public school, leading states to implement similar requirements. States began allowing religious exemptions in the mid-20th century following advocacy from religious minorities, like the Christian Scientists. Adherents generally rely on prayer over medical care, and often decline to vaccinate children, according to the Harvard Divinity School. South Dakota's immunization law requires children entering school or early childhood programs to be immunized against poliomyelitis, diphtheria, pertussis, rubeola, rubella, mumps, tetanus, meningitis and varicella. There are two exemptions in South Dakota's law. One is a medical exemption for children with certification from a licensed physician that immunization would threaten their life or health. Those exemptions have remained steady over the past decade at 0.2% of kindergartners or less. There's also a religious exemption, requiring a written statement from a parent or guardian that the child is an adherent of a religious doctrine whose teachings are opposed to immunization. Religious exemptions are growing in South Dakota, where 5.4% of kindergarteners had them last school year, compared to 1.5% a decade ago. In raw numbers, that's a change from 181 kindergarteners to 636. Tobin, the nurse practitioner and former legislator, said the claiming of a religious exemption is probably not religiously motivated in many cases. 'I do think they're using that as this all-encompassing exemption, and so it's probably something they just don't believe in, but not necessarily something that is against the religion,' she said. One factor contributing to South Dakota's declining vaccination trend is falling rates among Hutterite people, members of a communal branch of the Anabaptist faith who have dozens of agricultural-based colonies in the state. During the 2019-20 school year, six of the approximately 50 Hutterite colony elementary schools in the state reported vaccination rates of 0%. Thirty-two of them did so during the 2023-24 school year. There are questions about the validity of the data. A state Department of Health dashboard shows some Hutterite colony schools with 0% of their kindergarten students vaccinated, but also shows some of those same schools with less than 100% of the students claiming a religious or medical exemption. South Dakota Searchlight asked the Department of Health and the Department of Education to explain the discrepancy but did not receive a full explanation from either department. Searchlight followed-up by asking the departments what the state is doing to address the discrepancies. 'If any students are identified as neither vaccinated nor exempted (medical or religious), the accreditation team identifies that as a 'finding, which requires the school district to resolve the deficit,' Department of Education spokeswoman Nancy Van Der Weide said in written statement. 'If the school takes action to correct the situation within the allotted timeframe, the district receives accreditation. If they fail to do so, the school may be placed on probation or ultimately suspended.' As of Friday, Van Der Weide had not identified which schools, if any, are currently on probation or facing suspension over vaccination exemption issues. Upland Colony Elementary near Letcher, within the Sanborn Central School District, is one such school where the data does not add up. Laura Licht is an administrative assistant with the district. She said students at the colony have filed exemptions, and the data may not be getting pulled properly by the state. Vander Vorst said his school district of 36 kindergarteners includes three Hutterite colony schools in its borders, and he said that likely contributes to the county's low vaccination rate. The numbers show that Faulkton Area School's kindergarten vaccination rate for required immunizations was 77% last year, while the rates for the three colony schools in the district ranged from zero to 50%. Josh Oltmanns, CEO and elementary principal of Hanson School District, echoed that. The vaccination rate among kindergarteners at Hanson Elementary last year was 94%. The rates at the district's colony schools were as low as 50%. 'I'd bet, if you look, a lot of these lower school districts have colonies,' Oltmanns said. 'And that's within those peoples' rights.' It's unclear why Hutterite people would be less supportive of vaccinations now than previously. South Dakota Searchlight made multiple calls to Hutterite colonies and to educators who serve Hutterite students, but most were unwilling to speak about the potential reasons for vaccine hesitancy. An academic who studies the Hutterite faith said he doesn't know why vaccination rates at colonies would be falling. At one colony, a member who declined to provide her name said hesitancy is driven by the number of vaccines now being given to children. 'They've added so many more,' she said. 'It's a risk we don't want to take.' Medical professionals say those fears are unfounded. The CDC says vaccines contain weakened or killed versions of germs that cause a disease. These elements of vaccines, and other molecules and micro-organisms that stimulate the immune system, are called 'antigens.' Dr. Allie Alvine, founder of South Dakota Families for Vaccines, said children encounter more antigen exposure during 'one play session in a sandbox' than during an entire vaccine schedule. 'And the ones we expose a child to via vaccination are proven to be good for them,' Alvine said. 'What we expose them to is targeted and saves lives.' Dr. Ashley Sands, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases with Sanford Health, said parents are more frequently asking questions about the efficacy of vaccinations. She finds herself debunking some of Kennedy's claims, like rumored links between vaccines and autism. The claim that the MMR vaccine causes autism originated from a 1998 study by Andrew Wakefield, which was discredited due to serious methodological flaws, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and ethical violations. Multiple large-scale studies since then have found no credible evidence supporting the claim. Wakefield lost his medical license, and his paper was retracted. 'The medical community can read the research it conducts,' Sands said. 'Is it not far more likely Kennedy, who has never done medical research nor formally studied medicine, is misinterpreting or misrepresenting the data?' Sands emphasized that vaccination recommendations are built on decades of peer-reviewed and replicated research. 'A good doctor is keeping up with the medical journals pertinent to their field and adjusting patient recommendations as our shared science evolves,' Sands said. 'Meanwhile, Kennedy is using his position to push conspiracies.' Sands also hears parents romanticize 'natural immunity' over vaccination. She warns that natural infection with diseases like measles can be deadly. Plus, infants and immunocompromised people rely on those around them to be immune, blocking the disease's spread. If enough people are vaccinated, the disease can't reach those most at risk. 'A child with cancer should have the freedom to go to school without being exposed to illnesses that are easily preventable,' Sands said. Alvine said vaccine misinformation has taken hold in South Dakota politics. She cited recent failed legislation targeting vaccines, including bills promoting 'conscience exemptions' to vaccination mandates and separating blood donations based on COVID-19 vaccination status — all based on misinformation, Alvine said. 'They prey on parents' fears,' Alvine said. 'Once you instill fear, it's hard to fix that.' Republican House Majority Leader Scott Odenbach of Spearfish voted for the conscience exemptions bill. He said 'the 'trust the science' phase of COVID' is why people are more vaccine hesitant. CONTACT US 'I think wisdom is needed to make the distinction between true public health emergencies and those situations, more often, where personal bodily autonomy has to remain inviolate,' Odenbach said. Alvine said she's trying to educate people to accept vaccines, not force them against their will. 'Anytime we can save a child's life, to grow up and live, it's worth it,' she said. 'It's not, 'Most kids will get through it and be fine.' They will be miserable. A portion will get lifelong, deadly diseases stemming from measles, and some will even die.' Nearly every child in the U.S. caught measles before the vaccine became available in 1963. In 2000, health officials declared measles eliminated in the U.S. thanks to nearly universal vaccination. The South Dakota Department of Health declined an interview for this story but provided a statement noting the downward trend in childhood vaccinations is concerning. The department highlighted ongoing marketing efforts, refreshed ad campaigns, and 1,700 more total immunizations – combined among children and adults – administered in 2024 than 2023. 'We can have a positive impact on all health outcomes, including childhood vaccination rates, by addressing access to care, social drivers of health care outcomes, and public awareness campaigns,' the department said. President Donald Trump's federal spending cuts have included $1.7 million in reduced or eliminated grants to the department, including $83,500 labeled as being for immunizations and vaccines for children.
