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The Observer
News from the League of Women Voters
of Cook County
March 2021
Happy Women's History Month!
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LWVCC Annual Meeting on May 18
The League of Women Voters of Cook County will hold its 2021 Annual Meeting on Tuesday, May 18, from 10-12 noon, via Zoom. During the business meeting, officers and directors will be elected, and the 2021-22 program and budget will be approved.
After business is concluded, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle (at right) will speak, followed by a question-and-answer session.
As the top executive in Cook County, President Preckwinkle oversees one of the nation’s largest public health and hospitals systems and criminal justice systems. She has worked to improve health care access, bring increased fairness to the criminal justice system, and expand employment training opportunities for some of the County’s most disadvantaged youth. She is a member of the League of Women Voters Chicago.
There is no charge to attend the meeting; however, the number of participants is limited. If you are interested in being a delegate, contact your local League president. Registration information for non-delegates will soon be available. Materials for the meeting will be posted on the LWVCC website.
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Election Day Tuesday, April 6
2021 Suburban Cook County Election Update
Suburban Cook County local Leagues continue to hold candidate forums for the 2021 Consolidated Municipal Elections. School Board Members, Village Officials, Township Officials, and others will be on the ballot.
Election Day - Tuesday, April 6
Vote in person at your local precinct.
Vote By Mail ballots available now through April 1.
Early Voting will take place at various locations from March 16 - April 5.
For information on dates and locations, click here.
For information on your ballot and your polling place on Election Day, click here.
Remember to Vote - Elections Matter
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Cook County Health and Hospital System
Vaccine Update Provided at Public Hearing
At a public hearing on Feb. 24, updates on the COVID-19 vaccine program were presented by Israel Rocha, new CEO of Cook County Health and Hospital System, and Dr. Rachel Rubin, Senior Medical Officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.
There are 11 large and 145 small vaccine locations in Cook County. The major sites are located in Tinley Park, Triton College and newly-opened New Trier High School. There is also a partnership with Walgreens, Osco Drug, and Mariano’s Grocery/pharmacy.
The call center receives about 12,000 calls per day. In the last month alone, about 105,000 residents were vaccinated with at least one dose.
At the hearing, Cook County Commissioners’ questions and concerns were addressed. Regarding Chicago residents using Cook County locations: This is a reciprocal arrangement designed to quickly vaccinate as many people as possible; about 30% of Chicagoans and 30% of suburban residents have been vaccinated by the other entity.
Numerous programs and extensive outreach have been used to encourage minorities and other hesitant residents to take the vaccine. Some vaccines are being distributed to vulnerable communities. There is no charge to anyone for the COVID vaccines and tests.
To read the complete Observer report about this hearing, click here.
-Karin Hribar
Mercy Hospital May Stay Open: What It Means for CCHS
That could be good news for Cook County Health's Provident and Stroger hospitals. If Mercy does close, more charity care patients (those without Medicaid or Medicare) could seek care at CCH’s hospitals putting an even greater burden on a system that is already handling 50% of the entire county's charity care.
The situation will be monitored by LWVCC going forward and updated as major decisions are made.
-Diane Edmundsen
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Women’s History Month
Joanne Alter First Woman Elected to Countywide Office
Younger League members may not remember Joanne H. Alter (1927 – 2008), pictured, but she was a force to be reckoned with in Cook County politics. Active in the Democratic party, she confronted the then-head of the Cook County Democratic Party, Mayor Richard J. Daley, about the failure of the party to slate women candidates. His response? He got the party to slate her for a board seat on the Metropolitan Water and Reclamation District.
In November 1972, she easily won the election as a Metropolitan Sanitary District Commissioner, becoming the first woman to win a countywide seat. Commissioner Alter went on to be re-elected for two more terms.
She was known for her environmental activism and for fighting corruption. She was also one of the founding members of the Friends of the Chicago River, which is still going strong. A plaque on the Chicago Riverwalk commemorates her environmental activism.
The Chicago Humanities Festival annual “Women in Government” lecture series was named in Ms. Alter’s honor in recognition of her many civic accomplishments.
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Looking Back in Herstory
The Chicago History Museum has mounted a beautiful and moving on-line exhibition “Democracy Limited: Chicago Women and the Vote” which highlights the role Chicago women played in securing the right to vote and igniting a mass movement for women’s suffrage.
Find out what the vote accomplished as well as its shortcomings. While injustice and inequality persist, so do activist women! Visit the exhibition here.
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Upcoming Events
Friday, March 19, 2021, 7 p.m.
“Tea for Three” One-woman Play
League of Women Voters of Oak Park/River Forest will stream the off-Broadway hit, “Tea for Three” on Friday, March 19 at 7:00 pm. This one-woman play stars actress Elaine Bromka, who channels former first ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and Betty Ford. Tickets are $25 each and available here.
Sunday, March 21, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Ida B. Wells Great-granddaughter Guest Speaker
Michelle Duster, a professor, public historian and author of “Ida B. the Queen,” will speak about the work and legacy of her great-grandmother Ida B. Wells, a notable Chicago resident and leader in the suffragist and civil rights movements. Free and open to the public. Delivered via Zoom. The event is co-sponsored by the Leagues of Winnetka-Northfield-Kenilworth, Glenview/Glencoe and Wilmette For more information, send an email to Susan Swaringen at Swaringens@comcast.net.
ERA Message from Deborah Ann Turner, MD, JD
President, LWVUS
“There is a critical reason our Constitution’s framers made the amendment process a difficult threshold to overcome: the Constitution and its amendments are supreme and absolute. An amendment to the Constitution is superior to any law that is passed. It becomes a part of the bedrock of our democracy.
The ERA fulfills the promise that the Constitution originally proclaimed. It has stood up to rigorous social and legal scrutiny. It is the result of almost a century’s worth of work (and) decades of women who have done the heavy lifting.
This Women’s History Month, let’s make history by establishing gender equality in our Constitution, once and for all.”
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2020-2021 Cook County League Board Members
OFFICERS: President: Cynthia Schilsky, LaGrange Area; Vice-presidents: Jan Goldberg, LaGrange Area; Karin Hribar Arlington Heights; Secretary: Betty Hayford, Evanston; Treasurer: Nancy Clark, Oak Park/River Forest.
Board members: Carolyn Cosentino, Homewood/Flossmoor; Laura Davis, Palatine; Diane Edmundson, Park Ridge; Kathi Graffam, LaGrange Area; Peggy Kell, Oak Park/River Forest; Nancy Marcus, Winnetka/Northfield/Kenilworth; Priscilla Mims, Chicago; Chris Ruys, Chicago.
Local League Representatives (LLR): Mary Anne Benden, Arlington Heights; Ann Bolan, Oak-Park/River Forest; Georgia Gebhardt, Wilmette; Kim Inman, Palatine; Melanie King, Homewood/Flossmoor; Michele Niccolai, LaGrange Area; Dianne Schmidt, Glenview/Glencoe; Chris Slokwik, Palos/Orland.
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League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, political organization whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government; to increase understanding of major policy issues, and to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Membership in the League is open to anyone regardless of gender, race, or ethnic group.
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF COOK COUNTY
332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 634
Chicago, IL 60604
312/939-5935 x 4
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