dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--COVID-19-related unemployment ranges from 5.1% to 6.9% in Chicago, suburbs

Heidi Vienup went to bed March 19 with a job .
By the next day , the Hoffman Estates retail worker was navigating the state 's unemployment website .
`` It was so sudden , '' she said .
`` They just sent everyone an email . ''
Vienup was one of the 397,137 workers across the state who were laid off or furloughed in March in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak .
That amounts to 6.3 % of the state 's workforce and represents a 10-fold increase over first-time unemployment claims from the month before , when 37,561 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County alone , 6.9 % of those with jobs in February filed for unemployment benefits in March , well above the state average .
According to Illinois Department of Employment Security reports , 176,953 Cook County workers filed for unemployment last month , which represents nearly 45 % of all the laid off workers in the state .
In the collar counties , March unemployment filings ranged from 5.1 % of the workforce in Lake County to 6.8 % in McHenry and Will counties .
`` You 're always going to see these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job losses are coming from , '' said Jeremy Groves , an associate professor of economics at Northern Illinois University .
`` This is attacking the service base of our economy , and some counties have more of that than others . ''
Jeffrey Poynter , director of the McHenry County Workforce Network Board , said claims are only going to increase for April .
`` I think it 's going to be worse across the board , '' Poynter said .
`` McHenry County has a very large tourism economy , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ halt . ''
Experts believe some counties fared better than others because they had diverse employment opportunities or a lot of workers employed in what the government has determined to be `` essential '' businesses , which include airports , food production plants and manufacturers of critical supplies , among others .
DuPage County saw 5.7 % of its workforce file first-time unemployment claims in March .
`` We had a fundamentally strong , diversified economy going into this , and the flip just got switched in March , '' said Tim Elliott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's economic development committee .
`` I do think we 're suffering , but we 're rising to the challenge . ''
In Kane County , 5.9 % of the workforce filed for unemployment in March .
Only 16 of Illinois ' 102 counties had a higher percentage of workers file unemployment claims than Cook County 's 6.9 % .
In Boone , Clay and Marion counties , the rate was more than 10 % , while elsewhere -- like Brown and Henderson counties -- less than 2 % of the workforce filed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been trying to help those who are looking for new jobs .
Some just hope to wait it out .
`` I 'm not looking for anything else right now because I 'd like to go back to the job I had , since I know what I 'm doing there , '' Vienup said .
`` Also , I 'm making more off unemployment now than I would be working . ''
That 's thanks to the additional $ 600 a week former workers are receiving because their businesses were shuttered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the federal government 's $ 2.2 trillion CARES Act .
The extra bump is set to expire in July .
`` It 's too early to tell the effect of this on the overall employment landscape , '' said Karin Norington-Reaves , CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership .
Nearly 250,000 new first-time unemployment claims were made in the last two weeks , according to the IDES data portal .
But there were about 50,000 fewer filings last week than the week before .
And with Gov .
J.B. Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow delivery and curbside pickup starting May 1 , many hope there will be an uptick in employment next month .
`` We were getting multiple ( mass layoff ) notices from the state almost every day there for a while , '' Norington-Reaves said .
`` But they 've started to slow down , and I do n't think I 've seen a new one since last Wednesday . ''
Pritzker took some heat initially because the state 's unemployment processing system was not able to handle the massive flow of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state is upgrading systems and adding personnel to handle those claims more quickly and efficiently .
Those who are unemployed because of the coronavirus outbreak and still have n't filed a claim can start online at the IDES website , www2.illinois.gov/ides .

COVID-19-related unemployment ranges from 5.1% to 6.9% in Chicago, suburbs
About 6.3% of the state's workers filed for unemployment in March, but the percent of the workforce out of jobs ranged from 5.1% to 6.9% across Chicago-area counties. Associated Press File Photo/April 17, 2020
Heidi Vienup went to bed March 19 with a job.
By the next day, the Hoffman Estates retail worker was navigating the state's unemployment website.
"It was so sudden," she said. "They just sent everyone an email."
Vienup was one of the 397,137 workers across the state who were laid off or furloughed in March in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. That amounts to 6.3% of the state's workforce and represents a 10-fold increase over first-time unemployment claims from the month before, when 37,561 first-time claims were filed.
In Cook County alone, 6.9% of those with jobs in February filed for unemployment benefits in March, well above the state average. According to Illinois Department of Employment Security reports, 176,953 Cook County workers filed for unemployment last month, which represents nearly 45% of all the laid off workers in the state.
In the collar counties, March unemployment filings ranged from 5.1% of the workforce in Lake County to 6.8% in McHenry and Will counties.
"You're always going to see these kinds of disparities because of where the job losses are coming from," said Jeremy Groves, an associate professor of economics at Northern Illinois University. "This is attacking the service base of our economy, and some counties have more of that than others."
Jeffrey Poynter, director of the McHenry County Workforce Network Board, said claims are only going to increase for April.
"I think it's going to be worse across the board," Poynter said. "McHenry County has a very large tourism economy, and that has pretty much come to a halt."
Experts believe some counties fared better than others because they had diverse employment opportunities or a lot of workers employed in what the government has determined to be "essential" businesses, which include airports, food production plants and manufacturers of critical supplies, among others.
DuPage County saw 5.7% of its workforce file first-time unemployment claims in March.
"We had a fundamentally strong, diversified economy going into this, and the flip just got switched in March," said Tim Elliott, chairman of the DuPage County Board's economic development committee. "I do think we're suffering, but we're rising to the challenge."
In Kane County, 5.9% of the workforce filed for unemployment in March.
Only 16 of Illinois' 102 counties had a higher percentage of workers file unemployment claims than Cook County's 6.9%.
In Boone, Clay and Marion counties, the rate was more than 10%, while elsewhere -- like Brown and Henderson counties -- less than 2% of the workforce filed claims.
Employment centers throughout the state have been trying to help those who are looking for new jobs. Some just hope to wait it out.
"I'm not looking for anything else right now because I'd like to go back to the job I had, since I know what I'm doing there," Vienup said. "Also, I'm making more off unemployment now than I would be working."
That's thanks to the additional $600 a week former workers are receiving because their businesses were shuttered by the pandemic. That money is part of the federal government's $2.2 trillion CARES Act. The extra bump is set to expire in July.
"It's too early to tell the effect of this on the overall employment landscape," said Karin Norington-Reaves, CEO of the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership.
Nearly 250,000 new first-time unemployment claims were made in the last two weeks, according to the IDES data portal.
But there were about 50,000 fewer filings last week than the week before. And with Gov. J.B. Pritzker loosening some of the restrictions on retailers to allow delivery and curbside pickup starting May 1, many hope there will be an uptick in employment next month.
"We were getting multiple (mass layoff) notices from the state almost every day there for a while," Norington-Reaves said. "But they've started to slow down, and I don't think I've seen a new one since last Wednesday."
Pritzker took some heat initially because the state's unemployment processing system was not able to handle the massive flow of requests. The governor said recently the state is upgrading systems and adding personnel to handle those claims more quickly and efficiently. Those who are unemployed because of the coronavirus outbreak and still haven't filed a claim can start online at the IDES website, www2.illinois.gov/ides.
Got a tip?
Contact Jake at jgriffin@dailyherald.com or (847) 427-4602.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--Police searching for missing Woodridge resident

The Illinois State Police activated an endangered missing person advisory Saturday for Anthony J. Wellwerts , 69 , of Woodridge @ @ @ @ @ that places him in danger .
Any person with information should contact the Woodridge Police @ @ @ @ @ 719-4732 , or call 911 .
Wellwerts is 5-feet-7 and weighs 300 pounds .
The @ @ @ @ @ was in the area of 4227 W. 43rd St. in Chicago at 8:52 a.m. Friday @ @ @ @ @ silver 2011 Chevrolet Impala with Illinois license plate R741409 .
The vehicle has heavy front @ @ @ @ @ is heavily dented .

Police searching for missing Woodridge resident
The Illinois State Police activated an endangered missing person advisory Saturday for Anthony J. Wellwerts, 69, of Woodridge, who has a condition that places him in danger.
Any person with information should contact the Woodridge Police Department at (630) 719-4732, or call 911.
Wellwerts is 5-feet-7 and weighs 300 pounds. The last location of his cellphone was in the area of 4227 W. 43rd St. in Chicago at 8:52 a.m. Friday.
Wellwerts was driving a silver 2011 Chevrolet Impala with Illinois license plate R741409. The vehicle has heavy front end damage and the hood is heavily dented.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--Smithfield Foods in St. Charles ordered to temporarily close due to COVID-19

Smithfield Foods Inc. in St. Charles was ordered to temporarily close by the Kane County Health Department due to concerns about COVID-19 , officials said .
The move will allow the health department to `` work with the company in mitigation efforts as well as providing education relative to social distancing and employee safety relative to personal protective equipment , '' according to a news release Saturday morning .
Susan R. Stack , communications coordinator for the health department , said she had no additional information to share Saturday , including whether any employees tested positive for the new coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right now , '' she said .
Smithfield Foods said Saturday it is `` fully cooperating '' with the health department .
The company already had started suspending `` out of an abundance of caution '' its operations in St. Charles on a rolling basis beginning last Sunday .
The facility employs about 325 people who are being paid during the temporary closure , the company said .
The health department 's closure order comes three days after Barb Jeffers , the health department 's executive director , issued a warning to local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her power to act if they failed to take precautions against the spread of the virus .
The office was seeing outbreaks at nursing homes and manufacturing businesses , and receiving complaints from employees of local businesses , Jeffers said .
Smithfield Foods , Inc. announced Friday that it will suspend operations at its Monmouth , Illinois , plant beginning next week and until further notice after `` a small portion '' of its 1,700 employees tested positive for COVID-19 .
A Smithfield Foods location in Sioux Falls , South Dakota , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notice after more than 800 plant workers tested positive for COVID-19 , ABC News reported .
Members of a rural workers ' rights group and an anonymous employee have sued the company regarding work conditions during the pandemic .

Smithfield Foods in St. Charles ordered to temporarily close due to COVID-19
Smithfield Foods Inc. in St. Charles was ordered to temporarily close by the Kane County Health Department due to concerns about COVID-19, officials said.
The move will allow the health department to "work with the company in mitigation efforts as well as providing education relative to social distancing and employee safety relative to personal protective equipment," according to a news release Saturday morning.
Susan R. Stack, communications coordinator for the health department, said she had no additional information to share Saturday, including whether any employees tested positive for the new coronavirus. "It's an ongoing investigation right now," she said.
Smithfield Foods said Saturday it is "fully cooperating" with the health department. The company already had started suspending "out of an abundance of caution" its operations in St. Charles on a rolling basis beginning last Sunday. The facility employs about 325 people who are being paid during the temporary closure, the company said.
The health department's closure order comes three days after Barb Jeffers, the health department's executive director, issued a warning to local business owners, schools and residents of her power to act if they failed to take precautions against the spread of the virus.
The office was seeing outbreaks at nursing homes and manufacturing businesses, and receiving complaints from employees of local businesses, Jeffers said.
Smithfield Foods, Inc. announced Friday that it will suspend operations at its Monmouth, Illinois, plant beginning next week and until further notice after "a small portion" of its 1,700 employees tested positive for COVID-19.
A Smithfield Foods location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was shut down earlier this month until further notice after more than 800 plant workers tested positive for COVID-19, ABC News reported. Members of a rural workers' rights group and an anonymous employee have sued the company regarding work conditions during the pandemic.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--CMX Cinemas files for Chapter 11

CMX Cinemas files for Chapter 11

CMX Cinemas , which includes three local movie theaters , filed Friday for bankruptcy protection and reorganization under Chapter 11 @ @ @ @ @ .
The theaters include locations in downtown Arington Heights , a new one that had @ @ @ @ @ Old Orchard in Skokie .
In a news release , Cinemex said the decision was @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , which has resulted in the total suspension of the company 's business .
@ @ @ @ @ ensure the long-term viability of our business , including our ability to protect our employees @ @ @ @ @ state of complete uncertainty as to when we can reopen our theaters and when our @ @ @ @ @ secure in returning to them .
We can not forecast when -- if ever -- @ @ @ @ @ pre-crisis levels . ''

CMX Cinemas files for Chapter 11
CMX Cinemas, which includes this location in Arlington Town Square in Arlington Heights, filed for bankruptcy protection Friday. Courtesy of CMX Cinemas
CMX Cinemas, which includes three local movie theaters, filed Friday for bankruptcy protection and reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code.
The theaters include locations in downtown Arlington Heights, a new one that had just opened in Wheeling and Old Orchard in Skokie.
In a news release, CMX said the decision was made because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the total suspension of the company's business.
The statement read in part:
"This filing will help ensure the long-term viability of our business, including our ability to protect our employees. We are in a state of complete uncertainty as to when we can reopen our theaters and when our customers will feel safe and secure in returning to them. We cannot forecast when -- if ever -- customer numbers will return to pre-crisis levels."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--Grammar Moses: When all you have is leftovers

If you 're like me , you 've actually found the end of Netflix .
And you 're blazing through `` The Office '' at a clip of six episodes a night , thoroughly enjoying all of them with the exception of the Ed Helms period .
So comfortable reruns are your friend , right ?
With that in mind -- and because my brain feels like a bowl of unset Jell-O late this Friday afternoon -- I am going to serve you up a couple of my favorite leftovers from last year .
Hey , it 's better than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first aired two months before my birth , `` To Serve Man '' remains my favorite episode of `` The Twilight Zone . ''
It 's likely because of the satisfying ironic ending that even as a youngster I foresaw .
You remember the one : Seven-foot-2 Richard Kiel , who would go on to play the heavy in a couple of James Bond films , plays a Kanamit , a race of alien giants .
He visits Earth during a time of great upheaval here -- famine , energy shortages and nuclear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways to ease strife with the Kanamits ' advanced technology .
He leaves behind a book in his native language that earthly cryptographers set to work deciphering .
We soon learn that the title is `` To Serve Man . ''
Great , everyone thinks , they 're here to help .
The humans try the technology , and it works .
The Kanamits start arranging visits to their home planet so we can learn more about them .
As our lead character -- the cryptographer -- starts to board the spaceship , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Mr .
Chambers , do n't get on that ship !
The rest of the book 'To Serve Man , ' it 's ... it 's a cookbook ! ''
Huzzah !
There is more than one definition of `` to serve . ''
In this case , the assumption was that the Kanamits wanted to perform duties for Earthlings .
In reality , the book was filled with recipes for how to prepare them for brunch .
Three years ago I wrote about the lifesaving qualities of commas .
Consider the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eat , Grandma '' if you were to remove the comma .
Or `` Have you eaten , my child ? ''
Both of these are cases of cannibalism .
The `` Twilight Zone '' episode , however , is not .
Cannibalism is specifically intraspecies snacking , and the Kanamits were not Homo sapiens .
I have had it Last month I wrote about when you might string together `` had '' more than once in a sentence .
That inspired reader Keith Evans to nine-up me .
`` Someone gave me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Super-Intelligent , ' '' he told me .
`` The challenge was to punctuate the following to make sense : '' James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher . ''
This book is not in my personal library , and I doubt whether any self-respecting librarian would allow me to check it out .
That 's my explanation for not checking Keith 's work .
He says he memorized the solution , which his hippocampus has tucked away for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this , based on the scenario that James and John were being tested on the use of `` had '' or `` had had '' and James correctly used `` had had '' : James , while John had had `` had '' had had `` had had . ''
`` Had had '' had had a better effect on the teacher .
In the spirit of one-upsmanship , once I was able to make sense of Keith 's answer , I said , `` Oh , oh , oh , oh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , oh , oh , oh , oh ! ''
If this is what Keith does for fun , I imagine he willingly watched last Sunday 's ENTIRE Bears/Saints football game and that his choice of gridiron snacks was a bowl of unsalted plantain chips washed down with cucumber water .
• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald .
Write him at jbaumann @ dailyherald.com .
Put Grammar Moses in the subject line .
You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim .

Grammar Moses: When all you have is leftovers
If you're like me, you've actually found the end of Netflix. And you're blazing through "The Office" at a clip of six episodes a night, thoroughly enjoying all of them with the exception of the Ed Helms period.
So comfortable reruns are your friend, right?
With that in mind -- and because my brain feels like a bowl of unset Jell-O late this Friday afternoon -- I am going to serve you up a couple of my favorite leftovers from last year.
Hey, it's better than nothing, right?
To serve man
Though it was first aired two months before my birth, "To Serve Man" remains my favorite episode of "The Twilight Zone."
It's likely because of the satisfying ironic ending that even as a youngster I foresaw.
You remember the one: Seven-foot-2 Richard Kiel, who would go on to play the heavy in a couple of James Bond films, plays a Kanamit, a race of alien giants. He visits Earth during a time of great upheaval here -- famine, energy shortages and nuclear proliferation -- and offers the United Nations ways to ease strife with the Kanamits' advanced technology.
He leaves behind a book in his native language that earthly cryptographers set to work deciphering.
We soon learn that the title is "To Serve Man."
Great, everyone thinks, they're here to help.
The humans try the technology, and it works. The Kanamits start arranging visits to their home planet so we can learn more about them.
As our lead character -- the cryptographer -- starts to board the spaceship, one of the code breakers shouts: "Mr. Chambers, don't get on that ship! The rest of the book 'To Serve Man,' it's ... it's a cookbook!"
Huzzah! There is more than one definition of "to serve." In this case, the assumption was that the Kanamits wanted to perform duties for Earthlings. In reality, the book was filled with recipes for how to prepare them for brunch.
Three years ago I wrote about the lifesaving qualities of commas. Consider the change in meaning of "Let's eat, Grandma" if you were to remove the comma. Or "Have you eaten, my child?"
Both of these are cases of cannibalism. The "Twilight Zone" episode, however, is not. Cannibalism is specifically intraspecies snacking, and the Kanamits were not Homo sapiens.
I have had it
Last month I wrote about when you might string together "had" more than once in a sentence.
That inspired reader Keith Evans to nine-up me.
"Someone gave me a book years ago called 'Games for the Super-Intelligent,'" he told me. "The challenge was to punctuate the following to make sense:
"James while John had had had had had had had had had had had a better effect on the teacher."
This book is not in my personal library, and I doubt whether any self-respecting librarian would allow me to check it out.
That's my explanation for not checking Keith's work. He says he memorized the solution, which his hippocampus has tucked away for 40 years.
Wrap your brain around this, based on the scenario that James and John were being tested on the use of "had" or "had had" and James correctly used "had had":
James, while John had had "had" had had "had had." "Had had" had had a better effect on the teacher.
That's 11 hads in a row.
In the spirit of one-upsmanship, once I was able to make sense of Keith's answer, I said, "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!"
If this is what Keith does for fun, I imagine he willingly watched last Sunday's ENTIRE Bears/Saints football game and that his choice of gridiron snacks was a bowl of unsalted plantain chips washed down with cucumber water.
Write carefully!
• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--Facts Matter: Scam text warns of possible COVID-19 infection

Some people have received scam text messages warning they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 The fake text , most likely an attempt by scammers to get personal data , instructs the recipient to click on a link for more information , according to KTLA-TV in Los Angeles .
The message also recommends the person self-quarantine and get tested .
The Thomaston Police Department , in Thomaston , Maine , warned against responding to the fake text .
`` DO NOT click on the link ! ''
the police posted on Facebook .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ official agency .
It is however a gateway for bad actors to find their way into your world . ''
Many responding to the department 's post said they knew it was a scam .
A video shared on Twitter shows New York police using a water cannon with the false claim officers are dousing mourners during a funeral because the group had violated social-distancing rules .
The post claimed people attending the funeral protested when police tried to stop the event .
`` NYPD brought in a Firetruck , '' the post @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with water are protesters , not mourners , it happened in Jerusalem , not New York City , and the event had nothing to do with the coronavirus or social distancing , according to The Associated Press .
The video is from a 2017 event in which Israeli police drenched a group of ultraorthodox Jews blocking a road while protesting against compulsory military service , the AP said .
Police used a `` skunk '' spray , a mix of water and a foul-smelling chemical , to clear the road .
The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hasidic wedding taking place during the recent limitation on social gatherings , the AP said .
A satirical story about the Pentagon saying an accident caused the coronavirus to be sprayed from planes was shared by some on social media who believed it was true , according to LeadStories.com .
The fake story originated in Aviation Daily , a satirical website for aviation buffs , LeadStories said .
The article claims the military has ordered `` all military air wings and airlines to immediately stop spraying chemtrails until it can be determined how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chemtrail fluid supply , '' and that `` the entire chemtrail program is on hold until we can figure out who coughed onto a batch of chemicals . ''
Chemtrails are debunked claims that the white trails left in the sky by aircraft are full of chemicals planted by the government , according to Scientific American .
Aviation Daily publishes satire , according to its site .
But the webpage with the coronavirus story was n't labeled satire , and hundreds of people shared it on Facebook , LeadStories said .
Country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from complications related to the coronavirus .
But recent Facebook posts claim the cause of death was falsified to inflate COVID-19 numbers , according to PolitiFact.com .
In a post that Facebook flagged in an effort to combat fake news and misinformation , a user , purporting to be a friend of a friend of Diffie , said the singer 's cause of death was falsely reported because higher numbers of coronavirus deaths will bring in more funding for the hospital .
But on March 27 , Diffie wrote on his Facebook page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Two days later , a photo of Diffie was posted on the page , along with the statement , `` Joe Diffie passed away today , Sunday , March 29 , from complications of coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) , '' PolitiFact said .
In response to false reports Diffie died from lung cancer , his wife , Tara Diffie , took to Instagram .
`` My husband @ officialjoediffie did NOT HAVE LUNG CANCER , '' she wrote .
`` STOP STARTING FAKE NEWS .
I 've seen multiple posts , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News .
Contact him at boboswald33 @ gmail.com .

Facts Matter: Scam text warns of possible COVID-19 infection
Some people have received scam text messages warning they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
The fake text, most likely an attempt by scammers to get personal data, instructs the recipient to click on a link for more information, according to KTLA-TV in Los Angeles. The message also recommends the person self-quarantine and get tested.
The Thomaston Police Department, in Thomaston, Maine, warned against responding to the fake text.
"DO NOT click on the link!" the police posted on Facebook. "It is not a message from any official agency. It is however a gateway for bad actors to find their way into your world."
Many responding to the department's post said they knew it was a scam.
Protest video not from pandemic
A video shared on Twitter shows New York police using a water cannon with the false claim officers are dousing mourners during a funeral because the group had violated social-distancing rules.
The post claimed people attending the funeral protested when police tried to stop the event. "NYPD brought in a Firetruck," the post said.
But the people getting blasted with water are protesters, not mourners, it happened in Jerusalem, not New York City, and the event had nothing to do with the coronavirus or social distancing, according to The Associated Press.
The video is from a 2017 event in which Israeli police drenched a group of ultraorthodox Jews blocking a road while protesting against compulsory military service, the AP said. Police used a "skunk" spray, a mix of water and a foul-smelling chemical, to clear the road.
The New York fire department did break up a Hasidic wedding taking place during the recent limitation on social gatherings, the AP said.
Coronavirus story not labeled satire
A satirical story about the Pentagon saying an accident caused the coronavirus to be sprayed from planes was shared by some on social media who believed it was true, according to LeadStories.com.
The fake story originated in Aviation Daily, a satirical website for aviation buffs, LeadStories said.
The article claims the military has ordered "all military air wings and airlines to immediately stop spraying chemtrails until it can be determined how the COVID-19 virus found its way into the chemtrail fluid supply," and that "the entire chemtrail program is on hold until we can figure out who coughed onto a batch of chemicals."
Chemtrails are debunked claims that the white trails left in the sky by aircraft are full of chemicals planted by the government, according to Scientific American.
Aviation Daily publishes satire, according to its site. But the webpage with the coronavirus story wasn't labeled satire, and hundreds of people shared it on Facebook, LeadStories said.
COVID-19 caused singer's death
Country music singer Joe Diffie died last month from complications related to the coronavirus. But recent Facebook posts claim the cause of death was falsified to inflate COVID-19 numbers, according to PolitiFact.com.
In a post that Facebook flagged in an effort to combat fake news and misinformation, a user, purporting to be a friend of a friend of Diffie, said the singer's cause of death was falsely reported because higher numbers of coronavirus deaths will bring in more funding for the hospital.
But on March 27, Diffie wrote on his Facebook page that he had tested positive for coronavirus. Two days later, a photo of Diffie was posted on the page, along with the statement, "Joe Diffie passed away today, Sunday, March 29, from complications of coronavirus (COVID-19)," PolitiFact said.
In response to false reports Diffie died from lung cancer, his wife, Tara Diffie, took to Instagram.
"My husband @officialjoediffie did NOT HAVE LUNG CANCER," she wrote. "STOP STARTING FAKE NEWS. I've seen multiple posts, and it's upsetting to all of us."
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--Grumpy Goat Tavern closes permanently in Elgin

The Grumpy Goat Tavern in Elgin has permanently closed due to financial strain during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Owner Greg Shannon announced Friday on Facebook that he and his wife Lou Gramm made `` with a very heavy heart '' the decision to close the restaurant at 875 Sports Way , in the clubhouse of the Highlands of Elgin golf course owned by the city .
Grumpy Goat Tavern opened five years ago with a menu of Cajun and Creole fare plus tavern standards like burgers .
The couple also own the Elgin Public House , a mainstay in downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wonderful run .
Working with the city of Elgin was an absolute pleasure .
In these difficult times we decide that it was most important to keep Elgin Public House going , '' Shannon wrote , thanking his employees and customers .
The Grumpy Goat always reduced its operations during winter , when the golf course closes .
It closed in March because it would have been difficult to provide curbside pickup for customers during the pandemic , Shannon said .
The decision to close permanently came after the state extended the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 30 , he said .
Under the lease expiring Dec. 31 , Shannon paid the city $ 4,500 in monthly rent and 2 % of gross annual sales over $ 1.5 million , which he nearly hit two years ago , he said .
Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said the city will be lenient with the lease wrap-up .
`` It was a nice amenity , '' he said .
`` It 's just part of the situation we 're going through and hopefully we do n't see a lot more .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ are working to keep the Elgin Public House running , though they had to lay off 62 people , including 25 who worked at Grumpy Goat , he said .
The Elgin Public House offers curbside pickup of food and alcohol , `` cook at home '' steaks and burger packages , and `` mix at home '' kits for cocktails .
`` We are doing everything we possibly can to keep it exciting , '' Shannon said .
People have been asking if the Grumpy Goat 's signature dishes will appear on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Shannon said , but that 's not entirely possible because the two kitchens are set up differently .
`` We have had the jambalaya on the menu for 12 years , though , '' he said .

Grumpy Goat Tavern closes permanently in Elgin
A waitress serves customers at the Grumpy Goat Tavern shortly after it opened at 875 Sports Way in Elgin. Daily Herald/2015
The Grumpy Goat Tavern in Elgin has permanently closed due to financial strain during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Owner Greg Shannon announced Friday on Facebook that he and his wife Lou Gramm made "with a very heavy heart" the decision to close the restaurant at 875 Sports Way, in the clubhouse of the Highlands of Elgin golf course owned by the city.
Grumpy Goat Tavern opened five years ago with a menu of Cajun and Creole fare plus tavern standards like burgers. The couple also own the Elgin Public House, a mainstay in downtown Elgin since 2007.
"It was a wonderful run. Working with the city of Elgin was an absolute pleasure. In these difficult times we decide that it was most important to keep Elgin Public House going," Shannon wrote, thanking his employees and customers.
The Grumpy Goat always reduced its operations during winter, when the golf course closes. It closed in March because it would have been difficult to provide curbside pickup for customers during the pandemic, Shannon said.
The decision to close permanently came after the state extended the "stay at home" order to May 30, he said.
Under the lease expiring Dec. 31, Shannon paid the city $4,500 in monthly rent and 2% of gross annual sales over $1.5 million, which he nearly hit two years ago, he said.
Elgin Mayor David Kaptain said the city will be lenient with the lease wrap-up. "It was a nice amenity," he said. "It's just part of the situation we're going through and hopefully we don't see a lot more."
Meanwhile, Shannon and his wife are working to keep the Elgin Public House running, though they had to lay off 62 people, including 25 who worked at Grumpy Goat, he said.
The Elgin Public House offers curbside pickup of food and alcohol, "cook at home" steaks and burger packages, and "mix at home" kits for cocktails. "We are doing everything we possibly can to keep it exciting," Shannon said.
People have been asking if the Grumpy Goat's signature dishes will appear on the menu at the Elgin Public House, Shannon said, but that's not entirely possible because the two kitchens are set up differently. "We have had the jambalaya on the menu for 12 years, though," he said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-24--A song to make you smile: 'Danke Schoen' by Wayne Newton

We 're trying to inject a little positivity in the paper ( and on dailyherald.com ) with a daily `` @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It 's designed to help lift you out of your coronavirus funk .
@ @ @ @ @ Danke Schoen '' by Mr. Las Vegas himself , Wayne Newton , released in 1963 @

A song to make you smile: 'Danke Schoen' by Wayne Newton
We're trying to inject a little positivity in the paper (and on dailyherald.com) with a daily "Song to Make You Smile."
It's designed to help lift you out of your coronavirus funk.
Today's selection is "Danke Schoen" by Mr. Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton, released in 1963.
Send your ideas to suggestions@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-26--Aurora event to inspire young Latinas goes global

With public gatherings banned , an Aurora event aimed at inspiring young Latinas earlier this month went virtual -- drawing its largest audience in four years .
Aurora 's annual Young Latina Day attracted 30,000 people and garnered nearly 13,000 Facebook views in six hours from 13 countries .
Fifty Latina speakers shared their stories to help empower the next generation of Hispanic girls and women and celebrate their achievements .
`` It was historic , '' said Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz of North Aurora , creator of the nonprofit Fig Factor Foundation , which launched the event in 2017 .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognized globally by the United Nations in 2021 .
It 's a big aspirational goal . ''
The foundation 's mission is to provide educational leadership platforms , mentorship and empowering activities to Latinas ages 12 to 25 .
Some of its initiatives have shifted to the virtual realm , including a self-care Zoom video conference on Sundays for its 157 graduates , board members and mentors .
`` We are also getting some grants so we can provide them financial support during this difficult time , '' Camacho-Ruiz said .
Naperville Unit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after anecdotal reports of incidents targeting Asian American students , school board member Janet Yang said .
Yang said her 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son , as well as Chinese American community members , have reported students calling the COVID-19 pandemic a `` Chinese virus '' before schools closed due to the stay-at-home order .
With students spending more time online , Yang is concerned about such harassment shifting to those platforms .
District 203 teachers have been emphasizing `` how to be a good online citizen '' as part of the social-emotional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a high Asian American population -- 18 percent -- including people of Chinese and Korean descent and from other East Asian countries .
`` This is a good chance to reflect on what true diversity and inclusion means ... to have our students truly understand what it means to have someone who looks different and have that sense of empathy for them , '' Yang said .
Naperville city leaders could create a commission to improve race relations after reports of recent racist attacks against Asian Americans .
Resident Nancy Chen introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaders to establish such a commission .
It was motivated by the reported March 21 attack of a 60-year-old Chinese American man jogging on a Naperville trail and offensive remarks made by a speaker during the April 7 virtual council meeting .
Bill Liu , chairman of Chinese community outreach appointed by the late Mayor George Pradel , also asked the council to denounce actions that unfairly stereotype and single out Asian Americans .
`` Derogatory and insulting comments should not be part of the public discourse , '' Liu said .
City @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roll out a broader diversity and inclusion plan in the works since two high-profile incidents last fall -- a multiracial group of 18 was asked to move at Buffalo Wild Wings because two white customers did not want to sit nearby and a 14-year-old white student posted an ad online showing a photo of a black classmate with the words `` Slave for Sale ( NAPERVILLE ) . ''
`` We want this to be broader than simply just a proclamation , '' Krieger said .
He expects to present the plan before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suburban mosques are closed , many are finding ways to help community members in need during the COVID-19 lockdown .
The Mecca Center in Willowbrook will be cooking food in its communal kitchen for pickup twice weekly during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan , which began Friday .
For information about pickup times visit meccacenter.org .
The center 's Faith in Action initiative also will be delivering food baskets during Ramadan to community members irrespective of faith , said Imam Hassan Aly .
`` Our goal is to distribute 2,000 food baskets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Hinsdale Community Service board member .
Aly is inviting clients of the food pantry at nearby Anne Jeans Elementary School to drop by the center on Sundays for food pickup .
`` We will continue to do that for the month of Ramadan and maybe even after as long as there is need , '' Aly said .
• Share stories , news and happenings from the suburban mosaic with Madhu Krishnamurthy at mkrishnamurthy @ dailyherald.com .

Aurora event to inspire young Latinas goes global
The Mecca Center in Willowbrook has launched a Faith in Action initiative to deliver 2,000 food baskets during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan to community members irrespective of faith. Courtesy of The Mecca Center
The Mecca Center in Willowbrook has launched a Faith in Action initiative to deliver food baskets during Ramadan to community members irrespective of faith, said Imam Hassan Aly. "Our goal is to distribute 2,000 food baskets to our neighbors," said Aly, a Hinsdale Community Service board member. Courtesy of The Mecca Center
Jackie Camacho-Ruiz converted her North Aurora home into a state-of-the-art TV studio for the first Young Latina Day global webcast. Courtesy of Jackie Camacho-Ruiz
With public gatherings banned, an Aurora event aimed at inspiring young Latinas earlier this month went virtual -- drawing its largest audience in four years.
Aurora's annual Young Latina Day attracted 30,000 people and garnered nearly 13,000 Facebook views in six hours from 13 countries. Fifty Latina speakers shared their stories to help empower the next generation of Hispanic girls and women and celebrate their achievements.
"It was historic," said Jacqueline Camacho-Ruiz of North Aurora, creator of the nonprofit Fig Factor Foundation, which launched the event in 2017. "We are trying to make this day recognized globally by the United Nations in 2021. It's a big aspirational goal."
The foundation's mission is to provide educational leadership platforms, mentorship and empowering activities to Latinas ages 12 to 25. Some of its initiatives have shifted to the virtual realm, including a self-care Zoom video conference on Sundays for its 157 graduates, board members and mentors.
"We are also getting some grants so we can provide them financial support during this difficult time," Camacho-Ruiz said.
Addressing bullying
Naperville Unit District 203 is working on addressing cyberbullying after anecdotal reports of incidents targeting Asian American students, school board member Janet Yang said.
Yang said her 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, as well as Chinese American community members, have reported students calling the COVID-19 pandemic a "Chinese virus" before schools closed due to the stay-at-home order.
With students spending more time online, Yang is concerned about such harassment shifting to those platforms. District 203 teachers have been emphasizing "how to be a good online citizen" as part of the social-emotional learning curriculum, she added.
Naperville has a high Asian American population -- 18 percent -- including people of Chinese and Korean descent and from other East Asian countries.
"This is a good chance to reflect on what true diversity and inclusion means ... to have our students truly understand what it means to have someone who looks different and have that sense of empathy for them," Yang said.
Naperville race relations
Naperville city leaders could create a commission to improve race relations after reports of recent racist attacks against Asian Americans.
Resident Nancy Chen introduced a resolution before the council Wednesday urging leaders to establish such a commission. It was motivated by the reported March 21 attack of a 60-year-old Chinese American man jogging on a Naperville trail and offensive remarks made by a speaker during the April 7 virtual council meeting.
Bill Liu, chairman of Chinese community outreach appointed by the late Mayor George Pradel, also asked the council to denounce actions that unfairly stereotype and single out Asian Americans. "Derogatory and insulting comments should not be part of the public discourse," Liu said.
City Manager Doug Krieger said officials plan to roll out a broader diversity and inclusion plan in the works since two high-profile incidents last fall -- a multiracial group of 18 was asked to move at Buffalo Wild Wings because two white customers did not want to sit nearby and a 14-year-old white student posted an ad online showing a photo of a black classmate with the words "Slave for Sale (NAPERVILLE)."
"We want this to be broader than simply just a proclamation," Krieger said.
He expects to present the plan before the city council in May.
Ramadan food baskets
While suburban mosques are closed, many are finding ways to help community members in need during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The Mecca Center in Willowbrook will be cooking food in its communal kitchen for pickup twice weekly during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which began Friday. For information about pickup times visit meccacenter.org.
The center's Faith in Action initiative also will be delivering food baskets during Ramadan to community members irrespective of faith, said Imam Hassan Aly.
"Our goal is to distribute 2,000 food baskets to our neighbors," said Aly, a Hinsdale Community Service board member.
Aly is inviting clients of the food pantry at nearby Anne Jeans Elementary School to drop by the center on Sundays for food pickup.
"We will continue to do that for the month of Ramadan and maybe even after as long as there is need," Aly said.
• Share stories, news and happenings from the suburban mosaic with Madhu Krishnamurthy at mkrishnamurthy@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--Watch: Hometown neighborhood throws parade for latest Bears draft pick Kmet

We 're not sure who 's more excited about the last 24 hours -- Cole Kmet or the community .
Residents threw the Bears draft pick a parade Saturday morning , driving by his Arlington Heights home honking , cheering and even handing out flowers to the Kmet family .
It went on for about 45 minutes .
The Bears made the Lake Barrington native their first pick in the second round on Friday night .
He was a standout two-sport athlete at St. Viator High School and went on to play tight end at Notre Dame where he capped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 515 yards ( 12.0 avg . )
and 6 touchdowns .
St. Viator athletic director Jason Kuffel participated in the parade , showing up dressed as the school 's mascot and wearing a Bears jersey .
Kuffel waved a St. Viator flag from the bed of a pickup truck to help celebrate a great day for the school and one of its own .
`` We 're super happy for him and his family , '' Kuffel said .
`` It 's a memory that will be with them forever .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of us to watch this play out . ''
Kmet is considered to be an NFL-ready `` Y '' tight end who should thrive in Matt Nagy 's offense -- with good size and athletic ability -- to develop into an all-around solid blocking/receiving tight end .
He ran an unofficial 4.7 40 at the scouting combine .

Watch: Hometown neighborhood throws parade for latest Bears draft pick Kmet
A long line of cars waits outside Cole Kmet's house in Arlington Heights on Saturday morning. Residents threw the Bears draft pick a parade, driving by in their vehicles honking, cheering and even handing out flowers to the Kmet family. It went on for about 45 minutes. Courtesy of St. Viator Athletics
St. Viator athletic director Jason Kuffel, dressed as the school mascot, waves a St. Viator flag from the bed of a pickup driving by the Kmet house on Saturday morning. Courtesy of St. Viator Athletics
Cole Kmet, center wearing Bears cap, waves to a crowd of well-wishers on Saturday outside his house in Arlington Heights. Kmet was drafted by the Bears on Friday night. Courtesy of St. Viator Athletics
We're not sure who's more excited about the last 24 hours -- Cole Kmet or the community.
Residents threw the Bears draft pick a parade Saturday morning, driving by his Arlington Heights home honking, cheering and even handing out flowers to the Kmet family. It went on for about 45 minutes.
This video is insane.
So much love from the community for former #NotreDame and now Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet.
45 minutes straight with cars driving by to congratulate him.
Story: https://t.co/QkK9aQTYq5 #IrishIllustrated @247Sports pic.twitter.com/IXvXf9OuAR — Tom Loy (@TomLoy247) April 25, 2020
The Bears made the Lake Barrington native their first pick in the second round on Friday night. He was a standout two-sport athlete at St. Viator High School and went on to play tight end at Notre Dame where he capped a breakout junior year with 43 receptions for 515 yards (12.0 avg.) and 6 touchdowns.
St. Viator athletic director Jason Kuffel participated in the parade, showing up dressed as the school's mascot and wearing a Bears jersey. Kuffel waved a St. Viator flag from the bed of a pickup truck to help celebrate a great day for the school and one of its own.
"We're super happy for him and his family," Kuffel said. "It's a memory that will be with them forever. It's going to be tremendous for all of us to watch this play out."
Kmet is considered to be an NFL-ready "Y" tight end who should thrive in Matt Nagy's offense -- with good size and athletic ability -- to develop into an all-around solid blocking/receiving tight end. He ran an unofficial 4.7 40 at the scouting combine.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--April 25 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code

• Not all the suburbs with cases are listed below .
• As of Saturday , suburban Cook County had 11,949 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 559 deaths , according to the IDPH 's coronavirus website ( visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19 ) .
In Chicago : 17,109 cases and 708 fatalities .
• The Cook County Department of Public Health listed 580 cases of COVID-19 in Des Plaines , 242 cases in Glenview , 187 in Mount Prospect , 169 in Wheeling , 144 in Streamwood , 142 in Palatine , 135 in Schaumburg , 132 in Park Ridge , 119 in Arlington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 78 in Elk Grove Village , 67 in Rolling Meadows , 56 in Prospect Heights , and 47 in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) .
• The Lake County Health Department lists 2,901 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 112 deaths on its coronavirus website as of Saturday .
• Cases in some Lake County towns : 830 to 834 in Waukegan and 25 to 29 in unincorporated areas near Waukegan ; 95 to 99 in Gurnee and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Gurnee ; 85 to 89 in Mundelein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near Mundelein ; 60 to 64 in Round Lake and 35 to 39 in unincorporated areas near Round Lake ; 55 to 59 in Vernon Hills and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Vernon Hills ; 40 to 44 in Wauconda and five to nine in unincorporated areas near Wauconda ; 35 to 39 in Libertyville and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Libertyville ; 35 to 39 in Buffalo Grove and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Buffalo Grove ( Lake County portion ) ; 30 to 34 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unincorporated area near Lake Zurich ; 25 to 29 in Grayslake and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Grayslake ; and 15 to 19 in Lake Villa and 15 to 19 in unincorporated near Lake Villa .
• The DuPage County Health Department reports 2,350 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 127 deaths on its coronavirus website Saturday .
• Cases per suburb include 188 in Addison , 163 in Naperville ( DuPage portion ) , 162 in Bensenville , 154 in Carol Stream , 137 in Glendale Heights , 119 in West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Lombard , 86 in Willowbrook , 81 in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 80 in Wheaton , 78 in Downers Grove , and 44 in Glen Ellyn .
• The Kane County Health Department confirms 986 cases of COVID-19 with 39 deaths on its website Saturday at kanehealth.com .
• Cases per town include 458 in Aurora ( Kane County portion ) , 205 in Elgin ( Kane portion ) , 61 in St. Charles , 40 in Geneva , 38 in South Elgin , 31 each in Batavia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gilberts , and 10 in Sugar Grove .
• There are 502 cases of COVID-19 and 28 deaths in McHenry County , according to the health department 's website Saturday .
• There have been 2,009 cases of COVID-19 and 127 deaths , according to the Will County Health Department 's website Friday .
• Cases per town include 138 in Naperville ( Will County portion ) , and 16 in Aurora ( Will County portion ) .

April 25 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code
Cook County's Department of Public Health has a website, shown here at the end of March, that breaks down cases of COVID-19 suburb by suburb.
Interactive map
• Not all the suburbs with cases are listed below.
Cook County
• As of Saturday, suburban Cook County had 11,949 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 559 deaths, according to the IDPH's coronavirus website (visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19). In Chicago: 17,109 cases and 708 fatalities.
• The Cook County Department of Public Health listed 580 cases of COVID-19 in Des Plaines, 242 cases in Glenview, 187 in Mount Prospect, 169 in Wheeling, 144 in Streamwood, 142 in Palatine, 135 in Schaumburg, 132 in Park Ridge, 119 in Arlington Heights, 111 in Hoffman Estates, 78 in Elk Grove Village, 67 in Rolling Meadows, 56 in Prospect Heights, and 47 in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion).
Lake County
• The Lake County Health Department lists 2,901 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 112 deaths on its coronavirus website as of Saturday.
• Cases in some Lake County towns: 830 to 834 in Waukegan and 25 to 29 in unincorporated areas near Waukegan; 95 to 99 in Gurnee and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Gurnee; 85 to 89 in Mundelein and 10 to 14 in unincorporated areas near Mundelein; 60 to 64 in Round Lake and 35 to 39 in unincorporated areas near Round Lake; 55 to 59 in Vernon Hills and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Vernon Hills; 40 to 44 in Wauconda and five to nine in unincorporated areas near Wauconda; 35 to 39 in Libertyville and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Libertyville; 35 to 39 in Buffalo Grove and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Buffalo Grove (Lake County portion); 30 to 34 in Lake Zurich and fewer than five in unincorporated area near Lake Zurich; 25 to 29 in Grayslake and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Grayslake; and 15 to 19 in Lake Villa and 15 to 19 in unincorporated near Lake Villa.
DuPage County
• The DuPage County Health Department reports 2,350 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 127 deaths on its coronavirus website Saturday.
• Cases per suburb include 188 in Addison, 163 in Naperville (DuPage portion), 162 in Bensenville, 154 in Carol Stream, 137 in Glendale Heights, 119 in West Chicago, 115 in Elmhurst, 114 in Lombard, 86 in Willowbrook, 81 in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 80 in Wheaton, 78 in Downers Grove, and 44 in Glen Ellyn.
Kane County
• The Kane County Health Department confirms 986 cases of COVID-19 with 39 deaths on its website Saturday at kanehealth.com.
• Cases per town include 458 in Aurora (Kane County portion), 205 in Elgin (Kane portion), 61 in St. Charles, 40 in Geneva, 38 in South Elgin, 31 each in Batavia, 25 in North Aurora, 15 in Gilberts, and 10 in Sugar Grove.
McHenry County
• There are 502 cases of COVID-19 and 28 deaths in McHenry County, according to the health department's website Saturday.
Will County
• There have been 2,009 cases of COVID-19 and 127 deaths, according to the Will County Health Department's website Friday.
• Cases per town include 138 in Naperville (Will County portion), and 16 in Aurora (Will County portion).


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--State trooper hit by car on I-290 near Elmhurst

An Illinois State Police trooper was injured Saturday while helping drivers on westbound I-290 east of York Road in DuPage @ @ @ @ @ statement by the Illinois State Police .
The trooper suffered injuries that do not appear @ @ @ @ @ was taken to a hospital for treatment and released .
The District 2 Illinois State @ @ @ @ @ two-vehicle crash at about 4:40 p.m. Saturday .
He put his car behind a disabled @ @ @ @ @ truck , activated his emergency lights , placed road flares on the pavement and re-entered @ @ @ @ @ a gray Nissan struck the trooper 's squad car and spun it clockwise into traffic @ @ @ @ @ involved .
The driver of the Nissan , Willie E. Burr , 50 , of @ @ @ @ @ cited for violating Scott 's Law and Driving Too Fast for Conditions , police said @ @ @ @ @ traffic on I-290 were closed due to an overturned semitrailer , according police .
No @ @ @ @ @ crash .

State trooper hit by car on I-290 near Elmhurst
An Illinois State Police trooper was injured on Saturday when the vehicle he was sitting in was struck by another vehicle. Courtesy of Illinois State Police
An Illinois State Police trooper was injured Saturday while helping drivers on westbound I-290 east of York Road in DuPage County, according to a statement by the Illinois State Police. The trooper suffered injuries that do not appear to be life-threatening; he was taken to a hospital for treatment and released.
The District 2 Illinois State Police trooper was investigating a two-vehicle crash at about 4:40 p.m. Saturday. He put his car behind a disabled vehicle and an IDOT Minuteman truck, activated his emergency lights, placed road flares on the pavement and re-entered his vehicle.
Police say a gray Nissan struck the trooper's squad car and spun it clockwise into traffic. No other vehicles were involved. The driver of the Nissan, Willie E. Burr, 50, of Broadview, was uninjured and cited for violating Scott's Law and Driving Too Fast for Conditions, police said.
Four lanes of westbound traffic on I-290 were closed due to an overturned semitrailer, according police. No injuries were reported in the crash.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--One dead after single-vehicle crash in Wadsworth

A man was killed Saturday in a crash at the intersection of Wadsworth Road and Delany Road in Wadsworth , @ @ @ @ @ said the crash occurred at about 7 a.m. when the man 's 2003 Pontiac Grand @ @ @ @ @ Wadsworth Road approaching Delany Road .
The driver of the Pontiac lost control of the @ @ @ @ @ to the north .
The car likely rolled before striking a traffic signal pole at @ @ @ @ @ the speed , the Pontiac wrapped around the traffic signal , police said .
Lake @ @ @ @ @ vehicle was occupied by only the male driver , who was pronounced dead at the @ @ @ @ @ scheduled for Monday .
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff 's @ @ @ @ @ .

One dead after single-vehicle crash in Wadsworth
A man was killed Saturday in a crash at the intersection of Wadsworth Road and Delany Road in Wadsworth, police said Saturday.
A man was killed Saturday in a crash at the intersection of Wadsworth Road and Delany Road in Wadsworth, police said Saturday.
Police said the crash occurred at about 7 a.m. when the man's 2003 Pontiac Grand Am was speeding westbound on Wadsworth Road approaching Delany Road.
The driver of the Pontiac lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway to the north. The car likely rolled before striking a traffic signal pole at the intersection. Due to the speed, the Pontiac wrapped around the traffic signal, police said.
Lake County sheriff deputies determined the vehicle was occupied by only the male driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday.
The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff's Office Technical Crash Investigations Unit.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-26--Lab medical director explains how COVID-19 testing works

Lab technologists are working around the clock in the Edward-Elmhurst Health system , which is one of 12 sites across the state running tests for the COVID‐19 virus .
The labs have ramped up capabilities since testing began March 22 and now can run a total of 650 tests each day , said Dr. Alvaro Candel , chairman and medical director of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Elmhurst Hospital .
The Daily Herald talked with Candel to better understand molecular testing , as the process of detecting the virus is called , and how it works for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the conversation .
Q : Who can be tested now through Edward‐Elmhurst Health ?
A : Only individuals who are symptomatic , meaning those who have a fever , cough or shortness of breath , and have a doctor 's order for the test .
Doctors in the emergency departments at both hospitals determine whether patients need to be tested .
Drive-through testing at the Edward‐Elmhurst Health corporate center is conducted by appointment only .
A : A specimen is collected with either a nasal swab or a nasopharyngeal swab .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inserted into both sides of the nose .
You have to twirl the swab at least five times in each side of the nose .
A nasopharyngeal swab is a long thin swab that collects specimen from the back of the nasal passage .
It takes around 20 seconds to get a good specimen .
It is critical to get a good specimen because if not , that increases the false‐negative rate on these tests .
A : The labs use three different testing platforms -- one that takes roughly five hours to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a time , and two designed to analyze one specimen at a time and provide results within 15 to 45 minutes .
Once a specimen is collected , lab technologists mix it with test reagents and place it into one of the testing instruments .
When the reagents interact with the specimen , technologists are able to determine whether the sample has viral RNA that indicates the presence of the COVID‐19 virus .
Q : How are patients notified of test results ?
A : Patients who drive up to the corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their results through our call center , typically within 24 to 48 hours .
Patients tested in the emergency department typically are notified within one hour of providing the specimen .
The quicker testing platforms are used when clinical need requires an immediate determination of whether a patient has the virus , such as in the emergency department , so medical professionals know if the patient needs to be admitted into the hospital and/or placed in isolation .
A : One reason for testing being limited is there are not enough nasopharyngeal swabs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the nasal passage , near the throat .
There are also limitations on viral transport media , a liquid that is used to contain specimens collected by nasopharyngeal swabs and deactivate the COVID‐19 virus without destroying the viral RNA .
But specifically for Edward‐Elmhurst Health , the main limiting factor is test reagents , which are the materials used to conduct the test .
Once the lab gets a swab with a specimen , a lab technologist mixes it with reagents and loads it into a testing instrument .
The availability of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 650 tests a day .
Q : What is antibody testing and when will it begin at Edward‐Elmhurst Health ?
A : Antibody testing , also referred to as serological testing , is used to detect antibodies against the COVID‐19 virus in a patient 's blood .
Antibodies are developed in response to an infection , so you test for them to see if the patient has been exposed to the virus .
The presence of antibodies means that the patient has developed an immune response to the virus .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't yet know if this immune response will protect against re-infection .

Lab medical director explains how COVID-19 testing works
Lab technologists are working around the clock in the Edward-Elmhurst Health system, which is one of 12 sites across the state running tests for the COVID‐19 virus.
The labs have ramped up capabilities since testing began March 22 and now can run a total of 650 tests each day, said Dr. Alvaro Candel, chairman and medical director of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Elmhurst Hospital.
The Daily Herald talked with Candel to better understand molecular testing, as the process of detecting the virus is called, and how it works for patients. Here is an edited version of the conversation.
Q: Who can be tested now through Edward‐Elmhurst Health?
A: Only individuals who are symptomatic, meaning those who have a fever, cough or shortness of breath, and have a doctor's order for the test. Doctors in the emergency departments at both hospitals determine whether patients need to be tested. Drive-through testing at the Edward‐Elmhurst Health corporate center is conducted by appointment only.
Q: How are tests performed?
A: A specimen is collected with either a nasal swab or a nasopharyngeal swab. A nasal swab similar to a Q‐tip is inserted into both sides of the nose. You have to twirl the swab at least five times in each side of the nose. A nasopharyngeal swab is a long thin swab that collects specimen from the back of the nasal passage. It takes around 20 seconds to get a good specimen. It is critical to get a good specimen because if not, that increases the false‐negative rate on these tests.
Q: How are specimens analyzed?
A: The labs use three different testing platforms -- one that takes roughly five hours to run batches of up to 94 specimens at a time, and two designed to analyze one specimen at a time and provide results within 15 to 45 minutes. Once a specimen is collected, lab technologists mix it with test reagents and place it into one of the testing instruments. When the reagents interact with the specimen, technologists are able to determine whether the sample has viral RNA that indicates the presence of the COVID‐19 virus.
Q: How are patients notified of test results?
A: Patients who drive up to the corporate center testing facility are notified directly of their results through our call center, typically within 24 to 48 hours. Patients tested in the emergency department typically are notified within one hour of providing the specimen. The quicker testing platforms are used when clinical need requires an immediate determination of whether a patient has the virus, such as in the emergency department, so medical professionals know if the patient needs to be admitted into the hospital and/or placed in isolation.
Q: Why is testing capability limited?
A: One reason for testing being limited is there are not enough nasopharyngeal swabs, which gather specimens from the back of the nasal passage, near the throat. There are also limitations on viral transport media, a liquid that is used to contain specimens collected by nasopharyngeal swabs and deactivate the COVID‐19 virus without destroying the viral RNA. But specifically for Edward‐Elmhurst Health, the main limiting factor is test reagents, which are the materials used to conduct the test. Once the lab gets a swab with a specimen, a lab technologist mixes it with reagents and loads it into a testing instrument. The availability of test reagents is what's limiting us to 650 tests a day.
Q: What is antibody testing and when will it begin at Edward‐Elmhurst Health?
A: Antibody testing, also referred to as serological testing, is used to detect antibodies against the COVID‐19 virus in a patient's blood. Antibodies are developed in response to an infection, so you test for them to see if the patient has been exposed to the virus. The presence of antibodies means that the patient has developed an immune response to the virus. In the case of the COVID-19 virus, we don't yet know if this immune response will protect against re-infection.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-25--Good News Sunday: Geneva family turns nightly dinners into themed occasion

This is Good News Sunday , a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published by the Daily Herald during the previous week : Stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic , the McCall family of Geneva has made the most of its time together by dressing up as a different cast of characters every night , including those from `` The Breakfast Club '' and `` Scooby-Doo '' as well as superheroes and iconic rockers .
Then , after capturing their ensembles in a family photo , they sit down to a carefully planned meal based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , band T-shirts and heavy eyeliner were integral in the McCall family 's punk-themed dinner one night this month .
The elaborate dinners began March 30 when 6-year-old Lyla asked if she could wear her fancy white dress to dinner .
Already in the midst of preparing an Italian meal , Lyla 's mom , Lindsey , dug out her mother 's old wedding gown while the rest of the family got dressed up for a mock Italian wedding reception , complete with an after-dinner dance party .
The next morning , Lyla @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked what their dinner plans would entail .
So the McCalls brought out their animal prints and built their night around watching the buzzworthy Netflix documentary `` Tiger King . ''
For the full story , click here .
Spider Walls and Flying Squirrels might sound like something out of a childhood nightmare , but it 's just another day on the course for Owen Pham .
The 10-year-old from Arlington Heights not only challenges those obstacles , but he also takes on a Crazy Cliffhanger and Little Dipper as part of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see Owen put his skills on display when he appears on an episode of `` American Ninja Warrior Junior '' on the Universal Kids network at 5 p.m. May 1 .
`` I thought I 'd try it out and I was pretty good at it , '' said Owen , who attends Olive-Mary Stitt Elementary School .
`` My mom signed me up for a competition in Wisconsin and I finished first .
That 's how I got into Ninja . ''
For the full story , click here .
A 33-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15,000 to support the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry during the coronavirus pandemic -- and he has the hairstyle of `` Seinfeld '' character George Costanza to show for it .
Having sported the same professional do for the past decade , Nick Ninedorf noticed his full head of hair was getting a little shaggy .
Rather than ask his wife , Karly , to give him a trim , the Campton Hills resident saw an opportunity to simultaneously do something charitable and make people smile .
He launched a Facebook fundraiser seeking donations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wife cut his hair live on Facebook .
The catch was this : The amount of money raised would determined how his hair would be styled .
For the full story , click here .
The cards and letters are coming in .
After a plea went out last month from a Wheaton-based organization for families staying at home to write letters to the military , the idea is gaining traction .
Last week , organization officials estimated they had received nearly 200 letters so far , and they are accepting letters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carl Voda and Matt Porter , DoodleBug Workshop Executive Director Sarah Starke and her son Alex collect letters for the military at DoodleBug Workshop in Wheaton .
For the full story , click here .
Blood drive a chance to do 'something good' Mike Aukerman , CEO of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen , started making plans for a blood drive at his Vernon Hills business back in December .
At the time , he just wanted to do something `` nice and good '' for the community .
But because of the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be far more crucial than Aukerman could have imagined .
Forty-four donors gave blood , and DreamMaker employees were ready to step in for no-shows .
Each donor received bottles of hand sanitizer , bottled water and various coupons , including from the event co-sponsor , Sport Clips Haircuts of Libertyville .
`` What I get out of this is knowing I did something good , '' he said .
`` Helping some people that I will never know in my life , that does n't matter if I know them , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helping people . ''
For the full story , click here .
• Good News Sunday will run each weekend .
Visit dailyherald.com/newsletters to sign up for our Good News Sunday newsletter .

Good News Sunday: Geneva family turns nightly dinners into themed occasion
Owen Pham, a 10-year-old from Arlington Heights, will compete on American Ninja Warrior Junior on May 1. Courtesy of Eddy Chen/UNIVERSAL KIDS
To raise money for charity, Nick Ninedorf, 33 of Campton Hills, had his hair cut and styled to look like "Seinfeld" character George Costanza. His wife, Karly, cut his hair live on Facebook. Here, they pose with their 2-year-old daughter, Emi COURTESY OF THE the Ninedorf family
This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published by the Daily Herald during the previous week:
Twenty-one days. Twenty-one themed dinners. Twenty-one sets of coordinating costumes, props and activities.
Stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, the McCall family of Geneva has made the most of its time together by dressing up as a different cast of characters every night, including those from "The Breakfast Club" and "Scooby-Doo" as well as superheroes and iconic rockers.
Then, after capturing their ensembles in a family photo, they sit down to a carefully planned meal based on their chosen theme.
Hair dye, band T-shirts and heavy eyeliner were integral in the McCall family's punk-themed dinner one night this month.
The elaborate dinners began March 30 when 6-year-old Lyla asked if she could wear her fancy white dress to dinner. Already in the midst of preparing an Italian meal, Lyla's mom, Lindsey, dug out her mother's old wedding gown while the rest of the family got dressed up for a mock Italian wedding reception, complete with an after-dinner dance party.
The next morning, Lyla and her 4-year-old brother, Sidney, asked what their dinner plans would entail. So the McCalls brought out their animal prints and built their night around watching the buzzworthy Netflix documentary "Tiger King."
For the full story, click here.
Arlington Heights 'Ninja' ready for prime time
Spider Walls and Flying Squirrels might sound like something out of a childhood nightmare, but it's just another day on the course for Owen Pham.
The 10-year-old from Arlington Heights not only challenges those obstacles, but he also takes on a Crazy Cliffhanger and Little Dipper as part of his "ninja" training.
You can see Owen put his skills on display when he appears on an episode of "American Ninja Warrior Junior" on the Universal Kids network at 5 p.m. May 1.
"I thought I'd try it out and I was pretty good at it," said Owen, who attends Olive-Mary Stitt Elementary School. "My mom signed me up for a competition in Wisconsin and I finished first. That's how I got into Ninja."
For the full story, click here.
Costanza haircut raises $15K for a food pantry
A 33-year-old financial adviser has raised more than $15,000 to support the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry during the coronavirus pandemic -- and he has the hairstyle of "Seinfeld" character George Costanza to show for it.
Having sported the same professional do for the past decade, Nick Ninedorf noticed his full head of hair was getting a little shaggy.
Rather than ask his wife, Karly, to give him a trim, the Campton Hills resident saw an opportunity to simultaneously do something charitable and make people smile.
He launched a Facebook fundraiser seeking donations In turn, he pledged to let his wife cut his hair live on Facebook.
The catch was this: The amount of money raised would determined how his hair would be styled.
Et voila, a chrome dome.
For the full story, click here.
Workshop sends cards, letters to military
The cards and letters are coming in.
After a plea went out last month from a Wheaton-based organization for families staying at home to write letters to the military, the idea is gaining traction. Last week, organization officials estimated they had received nearly 200 letters so far, and they are accepting letters until May 16.
American Legion members Carl Voda and Matt Porter, DoodleBug Workshop Executive Director Sarah Starke and her son Alex collect letters for the military at DoodleBug Workshop in Wheaton.
For the full story, click here.
Blood drive a chance to do 'something good'
Mike Aukerman, CEO of DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen, started making plans for a blood drive at his Vernon Hills business back in December.
At the time, he just wanted to do something "nice and good" for the community. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tuesday's drive turned out to be far more crucial than Aukerman could have imagined.
Forty-four donors gave blood, and DreamMaker employees were ready to step in for no-shows. Each donor received bottles of hand sanitizer, bottled water and various coupons, including from the event co-sponsor, Sport Clips Haircuts of Libertyville.
"What I get out of this is knowing I did something good," he said. "Helping some people that I will never know in my life, that doesn't matter if I know them, just the idea doing something nice and helping people."
For the full story, click here.
• Good News Sunday will run each weekend. Visit dailyherald.com/newsletters to sign up for our Good News Sunday newsletter.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-26--April 26 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code

• Not all the suburbs with cases are listed below .
• As of Sunday , suburban Cook County had 12,709 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 573 deaths , according to the IDPH 's coronavirus website ( visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19 ) .
In Chicago : 17,865 cases and 740 fatalities .
• The Cook County Department of Public Health listed 613 cases of COVID-19 in Des Plaines , 246 cases in Glenview , 198 in Mount Prospect , 181 in Wheeling , 155 in Streamwood , 148 in Palatine , 142 in Schaumburg , 138 in Park Ridge , 120 in Arlington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 81 in Elk Grove Village , 72 in Rolling Meadows , 62 in Prospect Heights , and 48 in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) .
• The Lake County Health Department lists 2,998 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 112 deaths on its coronavirus website as of Sunday .
• Cases in some Lake County towns : 870 to 874 in Waukegan and 25 to 29 in unincorporated areas near Waukegan ; 100 to 104 in Gurnee and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Gurnee ; 95 to 99 in Mundelein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ near Mundelein ; 65 to 69 in Round Lake and 35 to 39 in unincorporated areas near Round Lake ; 55 to 59 in Vernon Hills and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Vernon Hills ; 40 to 44 in Wauconda and five to nine in unincorporated areas near Wauconda ; 35 to 39 in Libertyville and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Libertyville ; 35 to 39 in Buffalo Grove and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Buffalo Grove ( Lake County portion ) ; 30 to 34 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unincorporated area near Lake Zurich ; 25 to 29 in Grayslake and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Grayslake ; and 15 to 19 in Lake Villa and 20 to 24 in unincorporated areas near Lake Villa .
• The DuPage County Health Department reports 2,447 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 131 deaths on its coronavirus website Sunday .
• Cases per suburb include 201 in Addison , 171 in Naperville ( DuPage portion ) , 172 in Bensenville , 160 in Carol Stream , 148 in Glendale Heights , 132 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 114 in Lombard , 85 in Willowbrook , 83 in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 81 in Downers Grove , 80 in Wheaton , and 44 in Glen Ellyn .
• The Kane County Health Department confirms 1,112 cases of COVID-19 with 39 deaths on its website Sunday at kanehealth.com .
• Cases per town as of Friday include 458 in Aurora ( Kane County portion ) , 205 in Elgin ( Kane portion ) , 61 in St. Charles , 40 in Geneva , 38 in South Elgin , 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aurora , 15 in Gilberts , and 10 in Sugar Grove .
• There are 511 cases of COVID-19 and 28 deaths in McHenry County , according to the health department 's website Sunday .
• There have been 2,127 cases of COVID-19 and 133 deaths , according to the Will County Health Department 's website Sunday .
• Cases per town include 149 in Naperville ( Will County portion ) , and 17 in Aurora ( Will County portion ) .

April 26 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code
Cook County's Department of Public Health has a website, shown here at the end of March, that breaks down cases of COVID-19 suburb by suburb.
Interactive map
• Not all the suburbs with cases are listed below.
Cook County
• As of Sunday, suburban Cook County had 12,709 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 573 deaths, according to the IDPH's coronavirus website (visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19). In Chicago: 17,865 cases and 740 fatalities.
• The Cook County Department of Public Health listed 613 cases of COVID-19 in Des Plaines, 246 cases in Glenview, 198 in Mount Prospect, 181 in Wheeling, 155 in Streamwood, 148 in Palatine, 142 in Schaumburg, 138 in Park Ridge, 120 in Arlington Heights, 116 in Hoffman Estates, 81 in Elk Grove Village, 72 in Rolling Meadows, 62 in Prospect Heights, and 48 in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion).
Lake County
• The Lake County Health Department lists 2,998 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 112 deaths on its coronavirus website as of Sunday.
• Cases in some Lake County towns: 870 to 874 in Waukegan and 25 to 29 in unincorporated areas near Waukegan; 100 to 104 in Gurnee and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Gurnee; 95 to 99 in Mundelein and 10 to 14 in unincorporated areas near Mundelein; 65 to 69 in Round Lake and 35 to 39 in unincorporated areas near Round Lake; 55 to 59 in Vernon Hills and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Vernon Hills; 40 to 44 in Wauconda and five to nine in unincorporated areas near Wauconda; 35 to 39 in Libertyville and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Libertyville; 35 to 39 in Buffalo Grove and fewer than five in unincorporated areas near Buffalo Grove (Lake County portion); 30 to 34 in Lake Zurich and fewer than five in unincorporated area near Lake Zurich; 25 to 29 in Grayslake and 15 to 19 in unincorporated areas near Grayslake; and 15 to 19 in Lake Villa and 20 to 24 in unincorporated areas near Lake Villa.
DuPage County
• The DuPage County Health Department reports 2,447 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 131 deaths on its coronavirus website Sunday.
• Cases per suburb include 201 in Addison, 171 in Naperville (DuPage portion), 172 in Bensenville, 160 in Carol Stream, 148 in Glendale Heights, 132 in West Chicago, 118 in Elmhurst, 114 in Lombard, 85 in Willowbrook, 83 in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 81 in Downers Grove, 80 in Wheaton, and 44 in Glen Ellyn.
Kane County
• The Kane County Health Department confirms 1,112 cases of COVID-19 with 39 deaths on its website Sunday at kanehealth.com.
• Cases per town as of Friday include 458 in Aurora (Kane County portion), 205 in Elgin (Kane portion), 61 in St. Charles, 40 in Geneva, 38 in South Elgin, 31 each in Batavia, 25 in North Aurora, 15 in Gilberts, and 10 in Sugar Grove.
McHenry County
• There are 511 cases of COVID-19 and 28 deaths in McHenry County, according to the health department's website Sunday.
Will County
• There have been 2,127 cases of COVID-19 and 133 deaths, according to the Will County Health Department's website Sunday.
• Cases per town include 149 in Naperville (Will County portion), and 17 in Aurora (Will County portion).


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-26--Suspicious death investigation launched after body found under tree in Round Lake Park

Round Lake Park police are conducting a death investigation after a woman out for a walk Sunday morning discovered a @ @ @ @ @ Police said the woman was walking in the area of Sandy Point and Lake Shore @ @ @ @ @ was found at about 10:40 a.m. Sunday .
The person 's cause of death is @ @ @ @ @ The Round Lake Park Police Department and the Lake County coroner 's office is conducting @ @ @ @ @ `` Until an autopsy is completed and an identification is made , we 're not @ @ @ @ @ to any conclusions about this incident and will continue our investigation , '' Round Lake @ @ @ @ @ said .

Suspicious death investigation launched after body found under tree in Round Lake Park
Round Lake Park police are conducting a death investigation after a woman out for a walk Sunday morning discovered a body under a tree.
Police said the woman was walking in the area of Sandy Point and Lake Shore drives when the unidentified person was found at about 10:40 a.m. Sunday.
The person's cause of death is unknown, police said. The Round Lake Park Police Department and the Lake County coroner's office is conducting a suspicious death investigation.
"Until an autopsy is completed and an identification is made, we're not in a position to come to any conclusions about this incident and will continue our investigation," Round Lake Park Police Chief George Filenko said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-26--Fire damages Streamwood garage, but no injuries reported

A garage fire in Streamwood drew a large response Sunday afternoon but resulted in no injuries to residents or responders @ @ @ @ @ a two-story home in the 600 block of South Park Boulevard at about 3 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ one-car garage on fire .
The home 's occupants evacuated and were outside when firefighters @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
Firefighters had the blaze under control by 4:05 p.m. and contained it @ @ @ @ @ the home was left uninhabitable because of smoke and water damage , according to the @ @ @ @ @ in the garage was heavily damaged , officials said , estimating the total damage from @ @ @ @ @ .
In addition to Streamwood , firefighters from Bartlett , East Dundee , Hanover Park @ @ @ @ @ the call .
Personnel from the Carpentersville and South Elgin fire departments also assisted .
@ @ @ @ @ remains under investigation .

Fire damages Streamwood garage, but no injuries reported
Fire broke out Sunday in a one-car attached garage in Streamwood, causing an estimated $60,000 in damage. The home's occupants evacuated safely and the cause of the fire remains under investigation, officials said. Courtesy of the Streamwood Fire Department
A garage fire in Streamwood drew a large response Sunday afternoon but resulted in no injuries to residents or responders.
Streamwood firefighters called to a two-story home in the 600 block of South Park Boulevard at about 3 p.m. arrived to find an attached one-car garage on fire. The home's occupants evacuated and were outside when firefighters arrived at the scene, officials said.
Firefighters had the blaze under control by 4:05 p.m. and contained it to the garage, but the home was left uninhabitable because of smoke and water damage, according to the fire department. A vehicle in the garage was heavily damaged, officials said, estimating the total damage from the blaze at $60,000.
In addition to Streamwood, firefighters from Bartlett, East Dundee, Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates responded to the call. Personnel from the Carpentersville and South Elgin fire departments also assisted.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-04-26--How churches adapt services, meet new needs during pandemic

While churches might be closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic , in many ways they have never been more important .
From delivering food to those in need to reaching out to members otherwise socially isolated to new ways of worshipping , leaders are finding innovative ideas to meet their congregation and community needs .
At Chapelstreet Church which has three locations in Geneva , Sunday services are streamed live .
Lead pastor Jeff Frazier gives his weekly sermon while a worship team sings in their otherwise empty building .
`` We are literally building the plane as we fly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We are reinventing ways of doing ministry . ''
So far it 's working well .
Before churches were closed , Frazier said Chapelstreet 's attendance averaged about 2,500 at its three locations for all their weekend services .
The number watching online has grown by 50 percent to 80 percent .
While it 's been adjustment going from preaching in front of a crowded sanctuary to an empty room -- `` it 's a complete 180 , that was whiplash and very strange , '' Frazier said -- it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ viewing .
`` You are still preaching to real people who have real needs and the Gospel still has power even if they are not in the room , '' Frazier said .
`` The message of God still needs to go out . ''
Erik Holm , the pastor at Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Grayslake , also is giving his sermons online .
His church is doing their worship service a little differently , as various members of the choir and congregation send in videos of themselves singing hymns .
Those are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Holm 's live message to create a service they broadcast on Facebook live and their YouTube channel .
`` We put that all together to create a service , trying to be creative , '' Holm said .
`` It feels a lot like our late night talk show hosts .
They are live sort of , but now they record different clips .
Feels a little like that . ''
Holm also said the response to the online services has been good , up a little from the 200-225 attendees they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been so long since we 've been together I think for many people it 's a helpful connection that there 's people I see I know , '' Holm said of the online service .
`` The in-person experience that normally is worship in the Christian tradition has vastly changed now . ''
At Willow Creek in South Barrington , communications director Liz Schauer said the approximately 18,000 viewing their service online is almost exactly the number who had been attending in person at their locations .
`` It 's been difficult not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Schauer said .
`` Our programming , production and worship teams have put in a significant amount of work to produce services for our online audience , recording from their homes .
It 's been a unique experience .
We are a large church but we 're trying to make things personal by calling our congregants , having digital small groups available .
There are such unique needs during this time and obviously loneliness is a big factor . ''
Chapelstreet also has staff calling to check in with members .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,000 viewers a week .
Church leaders are seeing good come from these trying times .
`` We are learning some things that will serve us well not just in the present crisis but the future , '' Frazier said .
`` I see so many people in our church family and community who are taking seriously the call to love their neighbor .
I do get a sense there is good things happening . ''
Holm agreed ; his members are holding a food drive , making masks and checking in on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care center is delivering groceries to thousands of families in need -- as is the Shepherd 's Heart Ministry at Chapelstreet .
`` People want to do something meaningful and helpful and that 's encouraging to see , '' Holm said .

How churches adapt services, meet new needs during pandemic
From left to right, Andrew Griffiths, Tom Ward, Becky Chennault and Jeff Frazier during a new Wednesday Night Live midweek family event Chapelstreet Church has started with games, music and devotion. Courtesy of Chapelstreet church
Lead pastor Jeff Frazier prays during Chapelstreet Church's online Sunday service. Like other churches in the area closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chapelstreet is finding new ways to do ministry with their doors closed. Courtesy of Chapelstreet church
While churches might be closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, in many ways they have never been more important.
From delivering food to those in need to reaching out to members otherwise socially isolated to new ways of worshipping, leaders are finding innovative ideas to meet their congregation and community needs.
At Chapelstreet Church which has three locations in Geneva, Sunday services are streamed live. Lead pastor Jeff Frazier gives his weekly sermon while a worship team sings in their otherwise empty building.
"We are literally building the plane as we fly it right now," Frazier said. "We are reinventing ways of doing ministry."
So far it's working well. Before churches were closed, Frazier said Chapelstreet's attendance averaged about 2,500 at its three locations for all their weekend services.
The number watching online has grown by 50 percent to 80 percent.
While it's been adjustment going from preaching in front of a crowded sanctuary to an empty room -- "it's a complete 180, that was whiplash and very strange," Frazier said -- it's encouraging to know so many people are viewing.
"You are still preaching to real people who have real needs and the Gospel still has power even if they are not in the room," Frazier said. "The message of God still needs to go out."
Erik Holm, the pastor at Wildwood Presbyterian Church in Grayslake, also is giving his sermons online.
His church is doing their worship service a little differently, as various members of the choir and congregation send in videos of themselves singing hymns. Those are added with other members reading scripture to Holm's live message to create a service they broadcast on Facebook live and their YouTube channel.
"We put that all together to create a service, trying to be creative," Holm said. "It feels a lot like our late night talk show hosts. They are live sort of, but now they record different clips. Feels a little like that."
Holm also said the response to the online services has been good, up a little from the 200-225 attendees they were averaging in person.
"It's been so long since we've been together I think for many people it's a helpful connection that there's people I see I know," Holm said of the online service. "The in-person experience that normally is worship in the Christian tradition has vastly changed now."
At Willow Creek in South Barrington, communications director Liz Schauer said the approximately 18,000 viewing their service online is almost exactly the number who had been attending in person at their locations.
"It's been difficult not to have the community aspect of church," Schauer said. "Our programming, production and worship teams have put in a significant amount of work to produce services for our online audience, recording from their homes. It's been a unique experience. We are a large church but we're trying to make things personal by calling our congregants, having digital small groups available. There are such unique needs during this time and obviously loneliness is a big factor."
Chapelstreet also has staff calling to check in with members. A Wednesday Night Live program is reaching 1,000 viewers a week.
Church leaders are seeing good come from these trying times.
"We are learning some things that will serve us well not just in the present crisis but the future," Frazier said. "I see so many people in our church family and community who are taking seriously the call to love their neighbor. I do get a sense there is good things happening."
Holm agreed; his members are holding a food drive, making masks and checking in on neighbors. Schauer said Willow Creek's care center is delivering groceries to thousands of families in need -- as is the Shepherd's Heart Ministry at Chapelstreet.
"People want to do something meaningful and helpful and that's encouraging to see," Holm said.