Johnson travels to DC
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson traveled to Washington D.C. Thursday to ask for help with the city’s migrant crisis. Thousands of migrants are awaiting shelter and city officials said they are overwhelmed.
Last week, five mayors sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing the need for more federal dollars to manage the crisis. Some Chicago aldermen are calling for a referendum to allow voters to decide if Chicago should remain a sanctuary city.
OSHA fines Illinois manufacturer
For the third time in five years, federal investigators have found an Illinois manufacturer and nationwide provider of ready-made pasta and sauces failed to follow workplace safety requirements to prevent workers from coming into contact with moving machine parts.
Inspectors with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated a report by Rana Meal Solutions that an employee suffered a finger amputation at the company’s Bartlett manufacturing facility. OSHA cited the company for two repeat and 12 serious violations and assessed nearly $273,000 in proposed penalties.
Syphilis tests urged
In response to a sharp increase in congenital syphilis cases among newborns, the Illinois Department of Public Health is urging healthcare providers to conduct more testing for the sexually transmitted infection in advance of birth.
The agency is also launching a new phone line to provide clinical consultation for providers who treat pregnant patients and newborns. National data shows for pregnant people and their infants, syphilis has increased about 200% since 2017.