East St. Louis, Ill. may lose only hospital

By Sandra Jordan
St. Louis American

Updated Jan 24, 2008, 11:55 am

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (NNPA) - The decision on whether this predominately Black city will lose Kenneth Hall Regional as its only hospital was tentatively postponed until after the first of the year.

Kimberly Parker, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Dept. of Public Health, said the Health Facilities Planning Board moved the decision off the table for its December meeting in Chicago because more information was needed.

Meanwhile, the grassroots effort to keep Kenneth Hall as a medical facility has included a rally and a planned journey to the upcoming board meeting to speak out against the proposed change.

“How can you declare us dead when there are still vital signs?” asked the Rev. Kelvin McNeil to rally participants. Rev. McNeil is pastor of the Body of Christ Worship Center. Read more.