‘The value of an idea lies in the using of it.’ — Thomas A. Edison
Good Wednesday Morning!
Health and Education are our typical Wednesday focus. Today, in this article by Jake Zuckerman, it’s ignorance in health — a can’t-turn-away-kind of story about the dangerous nonsense [“Vaccine makes you magnetized”] that gets propagated in Columbus when gerrymandering leads to loony supermajority fringe wing-nuts.
For some science-based health reporting of special importance to black folk, check out this piece on a longitudinal story that looks at the relationship between lye-based relaxers and breast cancer.
And in case you missed it, there’s this report on chemicals in Cleveland’s drinking waters.
In non-health news — or is it?: after all, racism has been declared a public health crisis by both Cleveland City Council and the Cuyahoga County Council — we've been writing about the forced resignation of Case Western Reserve University law professor Ayesha Bell Hardaway as deputy monitor overseeing the reform of the Cleveland Police as mandated by the Consent Decree of 2015. The decree followed an investigation by the US Department of Justice into disturbing and illegal police practices highlighted by the Tamir Rice and 137 bullet chase cases.
Hardaway’s resignation ignited surprisingly strong protest from a broad cross-section of the black community. Court-appointed monitor Hassan Aden has asked Hardaway to return. She seems to be weighing the request, and her decision could be revealed tonight at the monthly community conversation on the consent decree co-sponsored by United Way of Greater Cleveland and the Cleveland NAACP. It will be live-streamed and the public is invited.
Also noted today: the funeral service for well-known restauranteur and longtime Regional Transit board chair George F. Dixon III will be live-streamed starting at 10:30 today.
Finally, check this space tomorrow to read our endorsement in the 11th District Congressional Democratic primary. The election is August 3 and early voting started last week.
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Thank you for reading The Real Deal.
Richard
Richard T. Andrews
Editor & Publisher
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