Speaking of fiddling while Rome burns...

"The rate of gonorrhea cases in Peoria County is 2.7 times higher than the statewide rate, and the rate for chlamydia is 1.7 times higher."

"Teenage women between the ages of 15-19 in Peoria County accounted for 43 percent (441) of all reported cases of chlamydia among women (1023) and 40 percent (179) of all reported cases of gonorrhea among women (453) in 2008."

Go read the report from the

IDPH

Read it. And weep. Then, get mad. Then, for gawd's sake Peoria County parents...teach your children about safe sex. Teach them to respect themselves and their bodies.

More and more Peoria County babies are being born with conditions like chlamydia of the eye, which can cause blindness if not treated promptly, and chlamydial pneumonia, which can cause death.

And did you know that it's not routine for physicians to test for these STD's when a woman first comes in for prenatal care? I'd like for one Peoria County OB/GYN to tell me why.

I suspect I know the reason. I just hope I'm wrong.

And then there's this little gem.
PEORIA —

"Even as the amount of toxic chemicals reported to the federal government by industries dropped nationwide, the amount reported in Peoria County rose — a lot.

Nationally, industries reported 5 percent less to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory for 2007, which was unveiled recently. In Peoria County, local industries reported 13 percent more.

We now rank 14th among the TRI’s top 100 counties, up four spots from 2006."

Here's the

rest

You can read it and bask in the knowledge that it's better here.

Meanwhile, Peoria County voters chose to spend their tax dollars is on building a big, shiny, sparkly, multi-million dollar museum.

Something to be proud of.