CLEVELAND, Oh – My vibrant, active 84-year-old father started having seizures this week. He’s otherwise very healthy, so seizures came as a surprise. An MRI in the local ER determined that he has brain tumors. We won’t know until later this week if they’re benign or malignant. This is a tough situation for our family.

My question is who do we tell? Do we keep the information to our immediate family until we know more? Do I tell close friends now or later? What and when do I tell anyone at work? Who do I tell at work? Will people think I’m dramatic if I tell them? Will they think I’m rude if I don’t?

I just don’t know what to do.

ANSWER: First off, wishing you and your family the very best. Health issues are always difficult, but they’re especially tough during the holidays. It’s shocking to go to the hospital for one issue and discover something unexpected.

As for who to tell, that completely depends on how close your family is, how they handle this type of news and how supportive they will be. I am glad that you have immediate family around who can be there with you during this time. If you don’t have a close relationship with your immediate family members, it’s okay to lean on trusted friends outside the family if needed for personal support.

It is OK for you to keep the news within your immediate family until you know more. If you feel that they do need to know, perhaps you have one person assigned to be the “contact” person. Most families have one person who’s good at sharing news. You can let them know and assign them to share the news with everyone else.

The last thing that you need while sitting with your father is a barrage of questions and texts that you just can’t answer right now. Once you get the diagnosis that may be the time to share all of the information.

You can also ask your father what he would prefer, if he is up to it. He may not want anyone else to know yet. Or he may say, tell them all. Give him the option to decide, if he is able to communicate his wishes. This may alleviate some of your stress, which is the last thing you need.

As for work, don’t worry about being dramatic. Do what’s comfortable for you. You can speak specifically to HR if you aren’t comfortable sharing with your boss. If you are close to specific co-workers share with them what you are comfortable with.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has officially signed into a law a bill that would seek to limit immigration enforcement at colleges, daycares, courthouses and more.

Under provisions of HB 1312, which was signed into law Tuesday, enhanced protections are expected to be put into place on those institutions, as well as at hospitals and other entities.

Pritzker signed the bill after “Operation: Midway Blitz” resulted in more than 3,000 arrests around the Chicago area this year, with more immigration enforcement expected as the Trump administration continues to step up its efforts.

“Dropping your kid off at day care, going to the doctor, or attending your classes should not be a life-altering task,” Pritzker said at the bill signing ceremony. “Illinois, in the face of cruelty and intimidation, has chosen solidarity and support.”

One piece of the bill prohibits schools from threatening to disclose the citizenship or immigration status of any employee, student or contractor without consent.

Schools will also be required to provide information on their websites about who employees and students should speak to if an immigration enforcement agent attempts to enter a school campus or engages in “nonconsensual interactions with members of the school community,” according to the text of the bill.

“Education allows our communities to progress and build a better life – an essential part of the American dream. Pursing an education is a right that should not be threatened by armed, masked federal agents on our college campuses,” said State Sen. Karina Villa in a statement. “Many immigrant parents dream of the day their child graduates from college. That goal is what makes all of their sacrifices and labor worth it. In Illinois, we will defend that dream.”

Campus communities will also be notified when immigration enforcement activity occurs on campus, according to Sen. Villa’s office.

The bill also creates a “Court Access, Safety and Participation Act,” which aims to protect residents from civil arrest if they are attending a state court proceeding, or if they are going to or returning from such a proceeding. That includes if a party is a plaintiff or defendant in a case, or if they are a witness or accompanying a participant in the proceeding.

The bill permits individuals to seek civil damages against anyone violating that provision of the law.

Hospitals under the act will be required to adopt and implement policies regarding interactions between law enforcement agents and patients, and will be required to post those policies on their websites.

Immigration enforcement agents will also be required to present valid identification and signed judicial warrants to access licensed daycare centers under provisions of the act, according to officials.

Finally, the bill allows residents to file lawsuits against immigration enforcement agents who violate the state or U.S. Constitutions, according to the text of the legislation.

The bill takes immediate effect in the state of Illinois.

NORTHEAST INDIANA (WPTA) – The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) has announced the list of cities and counties selected to receive funds through its Community Crossings Matching Grant Program.

The Community Crossings program, created in 2016, gives funding to towns, cities, and counties in the Hoosier State that are used for infrastructure improvement projects.

Projects eligible for funding through the program include road and bridge preservation projects that comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, along with chip sealing and crack-filling operations.

On Tuesday, the following recipients were announced:

Allen County, Bluffton, DeKalb County, and LaGrange County were among those that received the largest grants, at $1 million.

You can view the full list of recipients here.

INDOT says the next call for project submissions will open in July. For more information about the program, visit INDOT’s website.

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