U.S. Representative Rush Introduces Congressional Gold Medal Award for the Development of COVID-19 Vaccines |
U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.), along with Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) introduced bipartisan legislation that would award a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the contributions and efforts of those in the scientific community who contributed to the successful development of the COVID-19 vaccines.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Gold Medal Act would honor the researchers, scientists, doctors, epidemiologists, and others around the world who worked diligently and collectively to create safe and effective
vaccines.
“To honor the incredible feat of medicine and science that the vaccines represent, and in recognition of the tireless efforts to deliver these vaccines to the public, I am proud to introduce legislation to dedicate a Congressional Gold Medal to those involved in the production and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. A Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor that Congress can bestow, and the massive effort across the government and private sector that brought us these lifesaving vaccines is certainly worthy of this distinction."
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Vendor Fair and Member Appreciation Dinner: Thank You!
SSMMA would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of the associate members, elected officials, community organizations, partners and friends who attended the annual Vendor Fair and Member Appreciation Dinner last Thursday.
A special thank you to our hosts, the Villages of Glenwood and Thornton, and our sponsors Comcast and Com Ed.
As SSMMA’s first dinner meeting in 18 months, we very much enjoyed our time together with all of you!
Upcoming Meetings and Events
SSMMA Transportation Committee Meeting - Thursday, October 5th at 2:00pm
SSMMA Business Meeting- Thursday, October 21st at 6:00pm
Stay tuned for news on our December 2nd Holiday Dinner Gala!
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As vaccination efforts across south suburban Cook continue, the percentage of vaccinated south suburban residents is progressing slowly. SSMMA's COVID Vaccine Tracker shows that the current regional vaccination rate is 45.0%, compared to 61.8% statewide.
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As of September 24th, the seven-day average positivity rate for the SSMMA region is 3.3%, versus 3.0% for Suburban Cook County.
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Find regional vaccination rates and vaccine clinics directly at ssmmacovid.org.
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State and Local COVID-19 Information |
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Resources & Assistance
• Find a list of federal and DCEO grant opportunities here.
• ComEd is offering residents payment assistance options for their electric bills under the CARE program.
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Community Vaccination Information |
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September News from Our Community Partners |
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• T-Mobile has partnered with Smart Growth America and Main Street America to invest in small towns and rural communities through the Hometown Grants program.
• Communities with 50,000 or fewer residents can apply for up to $50,000. The application is open on quarterly basis. |
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• The program will be funded into FY 2023 at the $7 million funding level.
• Applications must be submitted by October 15th.
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• UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial-Harvey is asking for input from organizations and community members to understand the social, behavioral, and environmental factors that influence health in our community.
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International Walk to School Day |
• International Walk to School Day is on October 6th. Help share the news with your local schools and community.
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• PCs for People is a local nonprofit organization in Oak Forest that helps to bridge the digital divide by making low-cost hardware and internet service available to individuals in need. They provide corporations, government entities, and other organizations with no-charge secure, industry-standard, data destruction and e-waste recycling services for “retired” computers and other electronics. Learn more.
• Take the Fair Transit South Cook Survey to share how you're currently using transit and how the pilot can best serve your needs. Fair Transit South Cook is a three-year pilot project that offers up to 50% reduced fares on the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines and enhances service on Pace Route 352 Halsted for residents of the south side of Chicago, south suburban Cook and north Will counties. Learn more.
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SPC News
Join Homewood, Evanston, Glenview, Lincolnshire, and Wilmette at the NWMC Fall
Auction!
The NWMC fall auction will be held on Tuesday, October 19 at noon at America's Auto Auction, 14001 S. Karlov Avenue in Crestwood. Thank you to Evanston, Glenview, Homewood, Lincolnshire, and Wilmette for sending vehicles to the last live auction of the year as we encourage members to turn old inventory into revenue! America's AA offers a wide variety of convenient services to prep your vehicles and garners the highest possible price.
- Please note that vehicles and equipment can be listed for disposal at the NWMC auction right up to the morning of the auction day. Sell them now to get a fresh start and please keep in mind that a portion of the proceeds helps support the operations of the organization.
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If you can't make the October auction, America's Auto Auction hosts online sales on par with other government surplus Internet auctions. For questions or additional information, please contact staff or Berry Ellis, berry.ellis@americasautoauction.com or 312-371-5993.
SPC 2022 Vehicle Forecast is Challenging
While we don't have a crystal ball, the Suburban Purchasing Cooperative (SPC) has been advised by our vehicle program vendors that the production of new vehicles is a major challenge for
automakers and may result in inventory shortages and higher prices. The widely reported chip shortage is just one of several supply-chain issues.
- Hurricane Ida destroyed hundreds of thousands of vehicles, rising steel prices (up 30.1% in the last 12 months) and other market pressures are likely to negatively affect vehicle production, availability, and costs. Automakers worldwide have been forced to curtail production due to the chip shortfall, with General Motors saying that it expects the situation to worsen this year before improving in 2022.
- In addition, Ford and GM plant closures will directly impact SPC vehicle offerings. As previously reported, General Motors has canceled the 2022 production of the Chevy Tahoe (SPC Contract #185) and Chevy Silverado (Contract #186).
- Ford will not produce the Transit Full Size Van (Contract #150) until at least summer, 2022. Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, shut down its Ram truck assembly plant and their small-SUV and minivan plants are also temporarily closed, affecting production of the Dodge Durango (Contract #201) and Dodge Ram 1500 SSV Crew Cab (Contract #202).
- It is likely that many vehicle contracts that normally would have been approved for routine contract extensions will need to be rebid. Staff will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.
Click here for the weekly Directors briefing.
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Have something you'd like included in our next newsletter? Email it to news@ssmma.org.
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