Illinois Governor works reach under-served communities with the vaccine

Earlier this month the state launched a new program with federally qualified health centers.

45 and older can get a shot.

Illinois governor... "j-b pritzker"... says they're working to reach... under-served communities... with the vaccine.

Earliier this month... the state launched a new program with federally qualified health centers.

It focuses on "rural" communities in illinois.

The state is sending 6-thousand... extra doses of vaccine.... to "critical access hospitals."

"no community is truly out of this pandemic until every community is.

We use data in order to determine where in the state we ought to be focusing our efforts in order to get greater equity."

Governor pritzker announced the start... of another initiative.... this week.

It expands vaccine access... to rural communities... through one-shot... single-stop... "johnson and johnson clinics."

The terre haute chamber of commerce held a forum to educate the public about the vaccine.

Local health officals discussed the benefits of being fully vaccinated.

Vigo county health commissioner dr. darren brucken explained some of the advantages the shot can bring.

"somebody who has been fully vaccinated and they've gotten there second dose plus the two week period.

If they are exposed to a known positive, they do not need to quarantine.

So if a family member for instance a wife gets it at home then the husband does not have to quarantine " to stay up to date with the latest cdc guidelines - visit wthi tv dot com.

Starting monday... some may have change... in location.... for your covid-19 vaccine.

If you're scheduled at the "sears location"... in terre haute... it's been moved to "terre haute regional hospital".

That's at the "old health south building".

This comes after some structural issues with the sears location.

Here's one pandemic-related change you probably never expected -- an increase in exorcism calls.

More people are calling catholic priests to expel demons from their friends and loved ones.

That's according to one priest who does thousands of exorcisms a year.

"the true cases of demonic possessions, maybe one a year.

I've seen - whether it's levitation, eyes rolled to the back of the head, foaming at the mouth, people fall on the floor and slither like a snake across the ground."

Fr.

Lampert has served as the archdiocese exorcist for half of that time.

Some are voicing their concerns... and questions... to the "merit commission" of the terre haute police department.

10 community members asked about the commission itself, and what it's able to do.

As news 10's tucker white explains... it's partly about an officer... and his controversial posts... on social media.

Community memebers who came to the merit commission meeting today wanted to know more about what the commission does.

"ive learned a ton about the merit commission these past few weeks.

But still have some questions" one resident asked if they were involved in the hiring of police officers, another asked if they were able to dicipline officers.

The majority of questions wanted to know what effect the commission was able to have on the police department.

"mark hassler is the atterney, he said its not the commissions job to micromanage the department.

I think that's a false characterization of what the public is suggesting they do."

The merit commission is able to dicipline officers.

Residents at the meeting were calling for the commission to get involved in the diciplinary actions that were taken against sergeant brad newman.

Newman was suspended for six days in january after posts on facebook called for the united states to bomb china.

"with regards to sergeant newman, what we heard tonight was very interesting.

His name wasnt spoken, but he was very much in the room."

Terre haute police chief shawn keen says he understands that people are frustrated.

He asks that they understand that there are certain steps that have to be followed, when it comes to disciplining an officer.

"when i hear people talk about contacting these merit commissioners and telling them, directing them to direct a verdict before hearing, that's what frustrates me because were throwing the constitution