The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network recently recognized Fairfield Memorial Hospital
for its ongoing commitment to exceptional quality of care, during a ceremony held November
10th during ICAHN’s Annual Conference at the I-Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign,
Illinois. As part of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Medicare Beneficiary Quality
Improvement Program, Fairfield Memorial Hospital and other critical access hospitals were
asked to voluntarily participate in four defined domains of quality outcomes. These four
domains include: Patient Safety/Inpatient; Patient Engagement; Care Transitions; and
Outpatient Measures. Fairfield Memorial Hospital was honored for being a top performer in
all four domains. Fairfield Memorial Hospital was recognized for being in the top 10% of all
critical access hospitals in the country for outpatient quality measures.
The City of Albion is due to lose their local grocery store. In an announcement to all
associates, Trevor Borowiak (Bu-Ro-Vee-Ack) has confirmed that the Albion Borowiak IGA has
been sold. According to the announcement the store will remain open until existing inventory
has been sold; the estimated date for closing is said to be late January 2023. Borowiak cited
rising utilities, taxes, and minimum wage, along with a decreasing population as some of the
reasons for the closure. There has yet to be any word on what the new business will be, but
it is expected the new owners will take some time to remodel the store prior to opening.
Borowiak have operated the IGA in Albion since 1979.
Illinois officials and law enforcement are reminding motorists to drive sober this holiday
season. The annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign will run through January 2nd.
In addition to impaired driving and seat belt offenders, law enforcement also will show zero
tolerance for speeding, distracted driving and other traffic violations. Last year, a total of 275
people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in Illinois, an increase of 50 deaths from 2020.
Illinois’ population appears to be down for a ninth year in a row. New estimates from the
U.S. Census Bureau show the state lost more than 104-thousand residents this year as
compared to last year. Illinois has just over 12-point-five-million residents. Illinois was one
of only 18 states that lost population this year.
Illinois’ Smoke Detector Act will be updated with the start of the new year. Beginning
January 1st, the measure will require Illinois homeowners to replace their old smoke
detectors with new alarms that use a 10-year sealed battery. Homeowners who don’t
replace their old alarms with a new model will have 90 days to make the change, or face a
fine.
A self-imposed deadline put in place by a Kankakee County Circuit Court judge to make a
ruling on the constitutionality of the SAFE-T Act arrived Wednesday, but an official ruling has
yet to be made. Thomas Cunnington of the 21st Judicial Circuit Court said he wanted to make
his decision before the SAFE-T Act’s provision eliminating cash bail takes effect on New Year’s
Day, saying as such last week that he wanted to make a decision by Dec. 28. The plaintiffs —
prosecutors and sheriffs from across Illinois —allege the landmark legislation violates the
separation of powers and improperly amends the state constitution. State’s attorneys from
all around Illinois combined to file 64 different lawsuits contesting the constitutionality of the
SAFE-T Act, which were all later consolidate