TRM Weekly: Iowa

Aug. 23, 2022

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LGBTQ Affirming, BIPOC And Women’s News, Culture, Commentary And Events

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NEW THIS WEEK

RAYGUN expands to Davenport

The 2nd St. store in Davenport will be RAYGUN'S eighth location, joining Des Moines, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Chicago, Omaha and Kansas City.

Read About It

DATA BIT: Monkeypox

You've probably seen news about your nearest LGBTQ+ bar or upcoming Pride event offering monkeypox vaccination clinics. That's largely because of a change in the federal government's approach to the outbreak, which is overwhelmingly affecting men having intimate contact with other men. After months of trying to avoid talking about the virus's early connection to the LGBTQ+ community, the Biden administration started in mid-August to provide more vaccine doses, testing kits, resources and direct communication with places and events where large numbers of LGBTQ+ people gather. If you feel you meet the criteria for getting the vaccine (recent close contact with someone infected with the virus or at high risk), but don't have an LGBTQ+ bar or health organization or Pride event coming near you, contact your local health department. Find yours in this nationwide directory of county health departments.

REGION	1ST CASE DIAGNOSED	CONFIRMED CASES	VACCINE DOSES AVAILABLE
Nationwide	May 18	15,433	1,061,913 (1.8 million more doses available as of Aug. 22)
Illinois	June 2	970	54,109 in Chicago 20,618 rest of state
Iowa	July 1	16	2,641

Source: CDC, Health and Human Services, Iowa Dept. of Public Health, Illinois Dept. of Public Health

NEWS BITS

IOWA

DEJEAR: REPLENISH MENTAL HEALTH BEDS WITH IOWA SURPLUS

Pressing to bolster a state mental health system that provides only 600 beds to Iowa's 3 million residents, gubernatorial candidate Deirdre DeJear suggested the state's $1.5 million budget surplus could help, reports Iowa Capital Dispatch.

NONPROFIT: IOWA AGENCY LACKS RECORDS ON PUPPY BREEDER SALES

An activist's public records request reveals that Iowa's state government doesn't monitor records that document where puppy breeders sell animals, reports Iowa Capital Dispatch.

DES MOINES' NEW FREE LIBRARY FOCUSES ON BIPOC AUTHORS

The Harriet Curley Library, named after the first Black schoolteacher in Des Moines public schools, also features murals and artwork by Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color (We Are Iowa).

SIX HISPANIC/LATINO IOWANS HONORED WITH INDUCTION

An Indian Hills Community College teacher, a Des Moines City Council member, a police officer, a service provider to migrant workers, a voting advocate, and a maoyr who's also a pastor will be inducted into the Iowa Latino Hall. of Fame in October (The Des Moines Register).

ILLINOIS

CLEAN BUS PUSH BYPASSES CHICAGO, "BLACK AND BROWN" SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Chicago's public school system can't tap into a federal "Clean Bus Program" that would equip it with electric buses because of "program flaws" that are also limiting access to the program in East St. Louis and Waukegan (Energy News Network).

TRANSGENDER ILLINOISAN FILES CIVIL RIGHTS SUIT AGAINST WALMART

After one Illinois WalMart refused to cash his check because his drivers' license and check name did not match, and another told him he had been "red-flagged," Skyler Hiatt has filed a state civil rights complaint against the massive chain alleging he was discriminated against because of being transgender (The Hill).

WOMEN WIN CASE AGAINST PRISON GUARD TEAM

Four women who sued the state of Illinois over its "Orange Crush" correctional system guard team won a case they filed 11 years ago when a judge declared earlier this month the team's tactics violated the women's constitutional rights. The women said in court documents they'd been forced to stand naked, insulted, and degraded by the guards, whose moniker comes from their orange jumpsuits. Some of the initial grievances had been "purged" because of time limits on filing complaints (Truthout).

NATIONAL

UTAH TRANSGENDER BAN ON HOLD, LEADING TO "CASE-BY-CASE"

An eligibility commission featuring "a sports physiologist, a medical data statistician, a mental health professional, a physician with gender identity health care expertise, an athletic trainer, an athletic association representative and an ad-hoc member for each case who is a coach or official" will now decide "case-by-case" whether Utah transgender athletes can compete in high school sports (KUER 90.1).

WALMART TO COVER ABORTION SERVICES, TRAVEL EXPENSES

The country's largest employer announced last week it will cover abortion “when there is a health risk to the mother, rape or incest, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or lack of fetal viability.” (PBS NewsHour).

CHENEY'S ANTI-TRUMP LEADERSHIP LEADS TO WYOMING TROUNCING

Liz Cheney, an ultra-conservative Republican who won her seat with 70 percent of the vote two years ago, lost 70-29 last week after leading Trump insurrection inquiries for the past year (Observer-Reporter).

$10,000 STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY

President Biden's anticipated announcement would provide relief to an unknown number of borrowers and will also include a four-month extension to a payment hiatus, reports NBC News.

IN CASE YOU MISSED THIS

Wingspan: educational, activist board game fun (Review)

"It fits every situation so far: player counts from one to four (I haven’t tried five yet), and playing with my gamer friends, my mother, and my 8- and 10-year-olds." Read Abby Schwartz's review of Wingspan.