dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-04--Lake County ecologist stumbles upon an endangered bumblebee at last

A routine weeding session in a Lake County forest preserve revealed an uncommon discovery for one ecologist and a reward for everyone working to improve the natural landscape .
In her travels as a stewardship ecologist for the Lake County Forest Preserve District , Kelly Schultz has been keeping watch among the wildflowers for a fuzzy little visitor .
`` When I see a nice big patch of bergamot , I think , 'Would n't it be nice to find one today ? '
And there it was , '' Schultz said of the rusty patched bumble bee she recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Chicago .
`` We were texting and emailing photographs right away .
Everybody was excited , '' Schultz said .
And with good reason .
It was the first documented sighting of the rusty patched bumble bee in the 31,000-acre forest preserve system and second in Lake County , according to Schultz .
Once common from the Dakotas to Maine , its population has shrunk in recent years and its survival is considered threatened .
In 2017 , the rusty patched bumble bee became the first pollinator protected under the federal Endangered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collapsed to a small proportion of what it used to be , '' said Mike Redmer , habitat restoration coordinator for the U.S .
Fish and Wildlife Service in the Chicago area .
`` There are a still a few active bands from Chicago to the Twin Cities , but not a whole lot else . ''
Redmer said he used to see six or seven rusty patched bumble bees each month in his backyard in Kane County , which is stocked with pollinator-friendly purple milkweed .
`` Since then , it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one last year and one this year .
It 's certainly not a common bee , '' he said .
There is no single reason for the bee 's decline , Redmer said .
But , like other pollinators , loss of habitat , reduced nesting sites , pesticide use , disease and extreme weather have played a role .
Why are bumblebees important ?
According to the forest preserve district , they are a `` keystone species '' in functioning ecosystems .
Their work is necessary for wildflowers to reproduce and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and humans .
`` From native wildflowers to vital crops , I make sure that pollen drops ! ''
reads a description of the rusty patched bumble bee by Chicago Wilderness , a regional alliance of more than 200 public , private , and corporate organizations .
The rusty patched bumble bee population has declined 95 % in recent decades and is on the alliance 's priority species focus list .
Scientists at the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Museum are working to assist this essential pollinator and coordinate with the Lake County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In Lake County , that work includes habitat restoration to provide healthy woodlands , grasslands and tallgrass prairies essential to the rusty patched bumble bee 's survival .
`` To me , it says that our restorations are working , '' Schultz said of her find .
`` We 're putting the right plants in .
We 're creating the right structures . ''
That 's rewarding for everyone , she said .
`` It 's nice to have something exciting and hopeful in such a challenging year . ''
Area residents can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildflowers and plants , avoid or limit the use of insecticides , pesticides and chemical fertilizers , and contribute to a citizen science tracking program like BeeSpotter or Bumble Bee Watch , the forest preserve district says .

Lake County ecologist stumbles upon an endangered bumblebee at last
A routine weeding session in a Lake County forest preserve revealed an uncommon discovery for one ecologist and a reward for everyone working to improve the natural landscape.
In her travels as a stewardship ecologist for the Lake County Forest Preserve District, Kelly Schultz has been keeping watch among the wildflowers for a fuzzy little visitor.
"When I see a nice big patch of bergamot, I think, 'Wouldn't it be nice to find one today?' And there it was," Schultz said of the rusty patched bumble bee she recently spotted at the Greenbelt Forest Preserve in North Chicago.
"We were texting and emailing photographs right away. Everybody was excited," Schultz said.
And with good reason. It was the first documented sighting of the rusty patched bumble bee in the 31,000-acre forest preserve system and second in Lake County, according to Schultz.
Once common from the Dakotas to Maine, its population has shrunk in recent years and its survival is considered threatened. In 2017, the rusty patched bumble bee became the first pollinator protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.
"Its range has collapsed to a small proportion of what it used to be," said Mike Redmer, habitat restoration coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Chicago area.
This photo rusty patched bumble bee atop a mountain mint appeared on the cover of the Lake County Forest Preserve District's Horizons magazine last summer. - Courtesy of Dan Mullen
"There are a still a few active bands from Chicago to the Twin Cities, but not a whole lot else."
Redmer said he used to see six or seven rusty patched bumble bees each month in his backyard in Kane County, which is stocked with pollinator-friendly purple milkweed.
"Since then, it hasn't been that easy. I saw one last year and one this year. It's certainly not a common bee," he said.
There is no single reason for the bee's decline, Redmer said. But, like other pollinators, loss of habitat, reduced nesting sites, pesticide use, disease and extreme weather have played a role.
- Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer Lake County Forest Preserve stewardship ecologist Kelly Schultz shows the size of the rusty patched bumble bee she discovered recently in a forest preserve in North Chicago. The find was the first documented sighting of the endangered species in the 31,000-acre forest preserve system.
Why are bumblebees important? According to the forest preserve district, they are a "keystone species" in functioning ecosystems. Their work is necessary for wildflowers to reproduce and to create seeds and fruits that feed wildlife and humans.
"From native wildflowers to vital crops, I make sure that pollen drops!" reads a description of the rusty patched bumble bee by Chicago Wilderness, a regional alliance of more than 200 public, private, and corporate organizations.
The rusty patched bumble bee population has declined 95% in recent decades and is on the alliance's priority species focus list.
Scientists at the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Museum are working to assist this essential pollinator and coordinate with the Lake County Forest Preserve District and other organizations.
- Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer Kelly Schultz, a stewardship ecologist with the Lake County Forest Preserve District, holds a bee-attracting bergamot Tuesday at the Grassy Lake Forest Preserve near Barrington. She recently discovered an endangered rusty patched bumble bee on that type of flower at another preserve in North Chicago.
In Lake County, that work includes habitat restoration to provide healthy woodlands, grasslands and tallgrass prairies essential to the rusty patched bumble bee's survival.
"To me, it says that our restorations are working," Schultz said of her find. "We're putting the right plants in. We're creating the right structures."
That's rewarding for everyone, she said.
"It's nice to have something exciting and hopeful in such a challenging year."
Area residents can assist the effort by planting bee-friendly native wildflowers and plants, avoid or limit the use of insecticides, pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and contribute to a citizen science tracking program like BeeSpotter or Bumble Bee Watch, the forest preserve district says.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-04--District 220 explains remote learning decision to concerned parents

Barrington Area Unit District 220 Superintendent Brian Harris went into great detail about why distance learning will be used to start the 2020-21 school year , but parents and students voiced their concerns at a meeting Tuesday night .
Like a growing number of suburban school systems , District 220 last week reversed course on its plan to let parents choose between in-person and online classes .
Harris said the remote learning will go to at least Oct. 16 .
`` As I said , my head and my heart are at constant struggle with each other , because in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to get kids and staff back in school , '' Harris said .
A maximum 50 people were allowed to attend Tuesday night 's meeting in the Barrington Middle School-Station Campus cafeteria .
Some parents held signs outside the school entrance showing their displeasure with the decision to start 2020-21 with the distance learning .
District 220 officials said two significant problems emerged as they planned to bring back students last month : the inability to maintain social distancing and meeting staffing needs .
Harris said that while a survey showed 70 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school , about 50 % of the district 's staff had concerns about returning to work .
He said a longtime contract clause states teachers can not be forced to work in unsafe conditions .
With about 9,000 students and 1,200 employees , Harris said there would be many challenges to starting school in person in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising positivity rates in the suburbs .
`` We will have positive cases , '' he said .
`` In fact , we have active positive cases right now of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of right now , today .
We 're aware of them and we know they exist . ''
During public comment time , District 220 parent Kathy Quinn cited pediatricians and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as wanting children physically back in school .
She said the schools are needed to provide vital in-person services to children of at-risk families .
`` Six pages ( of CDC information ) on why we should be returning to schools , '' Quinn said while holding the documents .
Barrington High School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing '' in his distance classes to close the 2019-20 academic year .
He called on the district to provide five days of live classes online .
North Barrington Village President Eleanor Sweet McDonnell , a mother of a Barrington High junior , also criticized the remote learning that was offered after Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ordered schools closed to in-person classes in March .
She said parents were led to believe an in-person option would be available to begin this year .
Barrington Education Association leader Melissa Atteberry also spoke .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strike or refuse to work if the academic year did not start online .
Atteberry said many teachers were disappointed in the decision to start remotely .
District 220 was among the first school systems in the suburbs to announce a reopening plan last month .
At the time , school leaders said they believed they could have students back on campus safely , while also offering an opt-out option for parents who were not comfortable sending their children back .
However , Harris warned then that the situation was `` extremely fluid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pivot if circumstances warranted it .

District 220 explains remote learning decision to concerned parents
Barrington Area Unit District 220 Superintendent Brian Harris went into great detail about why distance learning will be used to start the 2020-21 school year, but parents and students voiced their concerns at a meeting Tuesday night.
Like a growing number of suburban school systems, District 220 last week reversed course on its plan to let parents choose between in-person and online classes. Harris said the remote learning will go to at least Oct. 16.
"As I said, my head and my heart are at constant struggle with each other, because in my heart, I hope, we need to get kids and staff back in school," Harris said.
A maximum 50 people were allowed to attend Tuesday night's meeting in the Barrington Middle School-Station Campus cafeteria. Some parents held signs outside the school entrance showing their displeasure with the decision to start 2020-21 with the distance learning.
District 220 officials said two significant problems emerged as they planned to bring back students last month: the inability to maintain social distancing and meeting staffing needs.
Harris said that while a survey showed 70% of parents wanted their children in school, about 50% of the district's staff had concerns about returning to work. He said a longtime contract clause states teachers cannot be forced to work in unsafe conditions.
With about 9,000 students and 1,200 employees, Harris said there would be many challenges to starting school in person in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising positivity rates in the suburbs.
"We will have positive cases," he said. "In fact, we have active positive cases right now of staff members and students that we're aware of right now, today. We're aware of them and we know they exist."
During public comment time, District 220 parent Kathy Quinn cited pediatricians and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as wanting children physically back in school. She said the schools are needed to provide vital in-person services to children of at-risk families.
"Six pages (of CDC information) on why we should be returning to schools," Quinn said while holding the documents.
Barrington High School senior Cameron Marchese said he "learned nothing" in his distance classes to close the 2019-20 academic year. He called on the district to provide five days of live classes online.
North Barrington Village President Eleanor Sweet McDonnell, a mother of a Barrington High junior, also criticized the remote learning that was offered after Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered schools closed to in-person classes in March. She said parents were led to believe an in-person option would be available to begin this year.
Barrington Education Association leader Melissa Atteberry also spoke. She said the teachers union never threatened to strike or refuse to work if the academic year did not start online.
Atteberry said many teachers were disappointed in the decision to start remotely.
District 220 was among the first school systems in the suburbs to announce a reopening plan last month.
At the time, school leaders said they believed they could have students back on campus safely, while also offering an opt-out option for parents who were not comfortable sending their children back.
However, Harris warned then that the situation was "extremely fluid" and the district would be ready to pivot if circumstances warranted it.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-04--Rozner: Finding PGA pick not easy this time around

Some major championship weeks are as clear as can be .
Among those that felt relatively easy to forecast in recent years were Jason Day at Whistling Straits , Dustin Johnson at Oakmont , Brooks Koepka at Erin Hills , Justin Thomas at Quail Hollow , Koepka again at Bethpage and Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach .
And there are weeks like this one , where the Sunday leaderboard seems today as foggy as the weather at Harding Park , searching for a needle in a stack of needles , in a year when everything about our existence is upside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sits across Lake Merced from Olympic Club and a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean , Harding Park hosting the PGA Championship could at times this week play like an Open Championship , cool and damp , a U.S. Open , with thick rough and fast greens , and the Masters , where ball position on the greens is essential .
With no fans on the course and no Tiger Woods roars to intimidate opponents , you might want to look down the card to find a winner .
Normally in a major , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Top 15 in the world , but this week is more complicated and there 's probably 40 players in the mix .
Let 's start with Woods , the defending Masters champ who looked very good in the charity match with Phil Mickelson , but not sharp at all in his only outing since the restart , that at the Memorial .
The cold weather is going to be a problem for his balky back , but the good news is Woods got the early-late draw , which gives him a chance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not worked out well because he struggles to bounce back and get loose .
If he can stay in the race Thursday , he 's got a great chance at 30-1 given his 14 wins in California , many rounds in the Lake Merced area , his WGC win in 2005 at Harding , and his spectacular 5-0 record at the 2009 Presidents Cup , also at Harding .
Yardage in the heavy San Francisco fog is different from distance in the afternoon sun and Woods knows this better than anyone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday he will be very , very dangerous .
Co-favorites at 12-1 are two-time defending PGA champ Koepka and Thomas ( 2017 PGA champ ) , who held off Koepka Sunday in Memphis when Koepka hit his tee shot on 18 into the water -- with a fairway metal .
Koepka 's left knee might be enough to scare you away .
The fact that he had three coaches on property Tuesday morning only adds to the concern .
He 's 146th in strokes-gained putting and is fighting the double-cross , almost certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult to get to his left side .
But this is a major championship and Koepka has owned the major season the last three years .
He did have that icy look in his eyes Tuesday morning .
Thomas is back to No .
1 in the world with his third win of the season Sunday , despite hitting it all over the park .
At 27 , Thomas is the third-youngest ever to 13 victories behind only Woods ( 23 ) and Jack Nicklaus ( 25 ) .
But he also blew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Muirfield the week before the Memorial and had a chance to give away a 2-shot lead with 2 to play Sunday .
A superb iron player , down the stretch he has n't been able to hit a fairway under pressure , and at Harding Park fairways will be critical .
Rory McIlroy is 15-1 and won Match Play at Harding Park beating Woodland in the final in 2015 , but he has n't won a major since 2014 , has bemoaned the energy without fans , is 98th with the flat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 5 starts since the break , without a Top 10 finish .
If he could putt , this would n't be a contest .
Bryson DeChambeau ( 16-1 ) is all the rage , looking like Mark McGwire , hitting it miles and putting lights out .
The mad scientist will not have a problem on this track if he hits fairways , but his wedge game has not caught up to the rest of his bag .
When it does , he will be a major championship force .
Guys like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cantlay ( 25-1 ) have majors in their future , and Schauffele could win if he puts four rounds together .
He 's been giving away tournaments this year with one bad day , as he did at Memorial when he handed 9 shots to Jon Rahm on Thursday and finished 10 behind the winner .
But if you 're looking for a price , think in terms of defending Open champ Shane Lowry ( 70-1 ) , who hits it straight and will be comfortable in the weather conditions .
He was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berger ( 40-1 ) has his career back after surviving injuries and is a real threat , as is Abraham Ancer ( 70-1 ) , who was outstanding in the Presidents Cup .
There are no holes in his game .
This is a draw course and these two players have every shot in the bag .
Europeans Matt Fitzpatrick ( 60-1 ) and Tyrell Hatton ( 60-1 ) have been extraordinary on the greens this year and if they get off to solid starts , a live play is good idea .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is 300-1 .
He won a U.S. Open at Pebble ( 2010 ) and could have won across the water at Olympic Club ( 2012 ) .
He finished T-2 with Michael Thompson ( 200-1 ) , who won two weeks ago in Minnesota .
Finishing fourth at Olympic in 2012 was Jim Furyk , who had it in the bag until he snapped a drive into the woods late on Sunday .
Furyk ( 350-1 ) won Sunday in his first Champions Tour start .
That 2012 U.S. Open a few hundred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Webb Simpson , who has been brilliant since the restart , winning at Hilton Head and currently ranked first in birdie and putting average , fourth in scoring average , sixth in proximity , seventh in approach , 14th in greens and 19th in fairways .
On a course that does not reward length , where the rough will be sticky in the morning , trees are jail and fairways are tight , Simpson ( 30-1 ) was very close to being the pick here .
But his veteran caddie is off the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an uncomfortable way to enter a major .
So the selection for 102nd PGA Championship is the 25-year-old Rahm ( 16-1 ) , who won the biggest tournament of the last 11 months when he captured the Memorial three weeks ago and moved to No .
1 in the world for two weeks .
That was a major championship course in every sense with only nine players finishing under par , and Rahm dissected Muirfield with precision and patience , which will be necessary this week .
It is the most difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Open Championship 13 months ago .
He has already won twice in California , including at Torrey Pines with its marine layer .
He 's won the Spanish Open and twice the Irish Open , which offer many similarities in terms of weather .
He said Tuesday morning that Harding Park -- and its conditions -- reminds him very much of the courses he grew up playing .
He gets a very comfortable group the first two days with fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia and good friend Mickelson , whose brother Tim caddies now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first agent and his college coach at ASU .
You can bank on Rahm winning multiple majors .
This week is as good a time as any for his first .

Rozner: Finding PGA pick not easy this time around
Tiger Woods takes in the scenery during putting practice for the PGA Championship Tuesday at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Associated Press
Jon Rahm blasts off from the first tee during practice for the PGA Championship Tuesday at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. Associated Press
Some major championship weeks are as clear as can be.
Among those that felt relatively easy to forecast in recent years were Jason Day at Whistling Straits, Dustin Johnson at Oakmont, Brooks Koepka at Erin Hills, Justin Thomas at Quail Hollow, Koepka again at Bethpage and Gary Woodland at Pebble Beach.
And there are weeks like this one, where the Sunday leaderboard seems today as foggy as the weather at Harding Park, searching for a needle in a stack of needles, in a year when everything about our existence is upside down.
A brilliant public course that sits across Lake Merced from Olympic Club and a half-mile from the Pacific Ocean, Harding Park hosting the PGA Championship could at times this week play like an Open Championship, cool and damp, a U.S. Open, with thick rough and fast greens, and the Masters, where ball position on the greens is essential.
With no fans on the course and no Tiger Woods roars to intimidate opponents, you might want to look down the card to find a winner. Normally in a major, there's little need to glance past the Top 15 in the world, but this week is more complicated and there's probably 40 players in the mix.
Let's start with Woods, the defending Masters champ who looked very good in the charity match with Phil Mickelson, but not sharp at all in his only outing since the restart, that at the Memorial.
The cold weather is going to be a problem for his balky back, but the good news is Woods got the early-late draw, which gives him a chance. The late-Thursday, early-Friday tee time has not worked out well because he struggles to bounce back and get loose.
If he can stay in the race Thursday, he's got a great chance at 30-1 given his 14 wins in California, many rounds in the Lake Merced area, his WGC win in 2005 at Harding, and his spectacular 5-0 record at the 2009 Presidents Cup, also at Harding.
Yardage in the heavy San Francisco fog is different from distance in the afternoon sun and Woods knows this better than anyone, so if he's in it on Sunday he will be very, very dangerous.
Co-favorites at 12-1 are two-time defending PGA champ Koepka and Thomas (2017 PGA champ), who held off Koepka Sunday in Memphis when Koepka hit his tee shot on 18 into the water -- with a fairway metal.
Koepka's left knee might be enough to scare you away. The fact that he had three coaches on property Tuesday morning only adds to the concern. He's 146th in strokes-gained putting and is fighting the double-cross, almost certainly because of a knee that makes it difficult to get to his left side.
But this is a major championship and Koepka has owned the major season the last three years. He did have that icy look in his eyes Tuesday morning.
Thomas is back to No. 1 in the world with his third win of the season Sunday, despite hitting it all over the park. At 27, Thomas is the third-youngest ever to 13 victories behind only Woods (23) and Jack Nicklaus (25).
He deserves his current favored status.
But he also blew a 3-shot lead with 3 to play at Muirfield the week before the Memorial and had a chance to give away a 2-shot lead with 2 to play Sunday. A superb iron player, down the stretch he hasn't been able to hit a fairway under pressure, and at Harding Park fairways will be critical.
Rory McIlroy is 15-1 and won Match Play at Harding Park beating Woodland in the final in 2015, but he hasn't won a major since 2014, has bemoaned the energy without fans, is 98th with the flat stick and has changed putters numerous times in 5 starts since the break, without a Top 10 finish.
If he could putt, this wouldn't be a contest.
Bryson DeChambeau (16-1) is all the rage, looking like Mark McGwire, hitting it miles and putting lights out. The mad scientist will not have a problem on this track if he hits fairways, but his wedge game has not caught up to the rest of his bag. When it does, he will be a major championship force.
Guys like Xander Schauffele (16-1) and Patrick Cantlay (25-1) have majors in their future, and Schauffele could win if he puts four rounds together. He's been giving away tournaments this year with one bad day, as he did at Memorial when he handed 9 shots to Jon Rahm on Thursday and finished 10 behind the winner.
But if you're looking for a price, think in terms of defending Open champ Shane Lowry (70-1), who hits it straight and will be comfortable in the weather conditions. He was eighth last year at Bethpage.
Daniel Berger (40-1) has his career back after surviving injuries and is a real threat, as is Abraham Ancer (70-1), who was outstanding in the Presidents Cup. There are no holes in his game. This is a draw course and these two players have every shot in the bag.
Europeans Matt Fitzpatrick (60-1) and Tyrell Hatton (60-1) have been extraordinary on the greens this year and if they get off to solid starts, a live play is good idea.
You want a bomb? Graeme McDowell is 300-1. He won a U.S. Open at Pebble (2010) and could have won across the water at Olympic Club (2012). He finished T-2 with Michael Thompson (200-1), who won two weeks ago in Minnesota.
Finishing fourth at Olympic in 2012 was Jim Furyk, who had it in the bag until he snapped a drive into the woods late on Sunday. Furyk (350-1) won Sunday in his first Champions Tour start.
That 2012 U.S. Open a few hundred yards from Harding Park was captured by Webb Simpson, who has been brilliant since the restart, winning at Hilton Head and currently ranked first in birdie and putting average, fourth in scoring average, sixth in proximity, seventh in approach, 14th in greens and 19th in fairways.
On a course that does not reward length, where the rough will be sticky in the morning, trees are jail and fairways are tight, Simpson (30-1) was very close to being the pick here. But his veteran caddie is off the bag with a back injury and that is an uncomfortable way to enter a major.
So the selection for 102nd PGA Championship is the 25-year-old Rahm (16-1), who won the biggest tournament of the last 11 months when he captured the Memorial three weeks ago and moved to No. 1 in the world for two weeks.
That was a major championship course in every sense with only nine players finishing under par, and Rahm dissected Muirfield with precision and patience, which will be necessary this week. It is the most difficult course the Tour has played since the Open Championship 13 months ago.
He has already won twice in California, including at Torrey Pines with its marine layer. He's won the Spanish Open and twice the Irish Open, which offer many similarities in terms of weather.
He said Tuesday morning that Harding Park -- and its conditions -- reminds him very much of the courses he grew up playing. He gets a very comfortable group the first two days with fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia and good friend Mickelson, whose brother Tim caddies now for Phil after being both Rahm's first agent and his college coach at ASU.
You can bank on Rahm winning multiple majors. This week is as good a time as any for his first.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--New restaurant planned for vacant Geneva building won't get economic incentives

A proposal to assist with the revitalization of a vacant downtown building was narrowly shot down by Geneva aldermen , some of whom expressed concerns over offering economic incentives to a new business amid the coronavirus crisis .
The city council voted 5-4 Monday to deny the agreement with Cody and Chanel Renkosik , operating as Industry House LLC , who had planned to buy and transform the property at 124 W. State St. into a second location of their Ottawa restaurant , Burger and Sushi House .
Mayor Kevin Burns now plans to bring the proposal back to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to have a more `` robust discussion '' and correct some misunderstandings regarding the potential sales tax rebate .
`` I think we could take some time to reconsider some of the comments made by folks who , I believe , may have done a disservice to the overall economic well-being of the downtown , '' Burns said .
The Renkosiks intend to invest more than $ 3 million into the site , which has been empty or underused for the past few years , Economic Development Director Cathleen Tymoszenko said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the high costs associated with acquiring and improving the property , she said , but a new sales contract was later negotiated , contingent upon a public gap financing option .
Under the proposed economic incentive agreement , the city would rebate 75 % of the 1 % municipal sales tax generated at the site over the next decade , capped at $ 365,200 .
The deal also includes the deferral of a parking fee of up to $ 150,000 , reimbursed by sales taxes after the property owners are rebated .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ whole last month backed the proposed incentives in a 6-2 vote .
The decision was difficult for Fourth Ward Alderman Gabriel Kaven , who initially supported the measure but changed his vote Monday .
Though he 'd love to see a State Street vacancy filled , he said , he struggled with the size and scope of the incentive deal .
First Ward Alderman Tara Burghart , who opposed the proposal at both meetings , said she would welcome the restaurant to the community with its `` great concept '' and impassioned owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's the right time for the city to offer financial assistance for such a project .
`` It 's hard for me to support these kinds of incentives for a new restaurant when we have so many restaurants struggling in the current pandemic , '' she said .
As a non-home rule community , Geneva is limited in how it can give incentives for redevelopment , First Ward Alderman Mike Bruno said .
He and Fifth Ward Alderman Craig Maladra said they believe assisting an interested investor would n't threaten other businesses but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic along a crucial downtown corridor .
B.A.S.H.
, which opened in Ottawa seven years ago , pairs sushi with burgers and other gourmet American food , the Renkosiks said .
They planned to renovate the Geneva restaurant space -- formerly occupied by Bicycle Heaven and H4 Training -- to accommodate 242 people inside , with a patio and a private event space on the top level Burns said a majority of the downtown restaurant community seemed to favor the plans and understand the proposed incentives .
`` The city of Geneva is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` In fact , it 's a matter of , if the restaurant does well , then Geneva does well . ''

New restaurant planned for vacant Geneva building won't get economic incentives
A proposal to assist with the revitalization of a vacant downtown building was narrowly shot down by Geneva aldermen, some of whom expressed concerns over offering economic incentives to a new business amid the coronavirus crisis.
The city council voted 5-4 Monday to deny the agreement with Cody and Chanel Renkosik, operating as Industry House LLC, who had planned to buy and transform the property at 124 W. State St. into a second location of their Ottawa restaurant, Burger and Sushi House.
Mayor Kevin Burns now plans to bring the proposal back to the city council Aug. 17, saying he wants to have a more "robust discussion" and correct some misunderstandings regarding the potential sales tax rebate.
"I think we could take some time to reconsider some of the comments made by folks who, I believe, may have done a disservice to the overall economic well-being of the downtown," Burns said.
The Renkosiks intend to invest more than $3 million into the site, which has been empty or underused for the past few years, Economic Development Director Cathleen Tymoszenko said. The couple initially had backed away because of the high costs associated with acquiring and improving the property, she said, but a new sales contract was later negotiated, contingent upon a public gap financing option.
Under the proposed economic incentive agreement, the city would rebate 75% of the 1% municipal sales tax generated at the site over the next decade, capped at $365,200. The deal also includes the deferral of a parking fee of up to $150,000, reimbursed by sales taxes after the property owners are rebated.
Aldermen acting as a committee of the whole last month backed the proposed incentives in a 6-2 vote.
The decision was difficult for Fourth Ward Alderman Gabriel Kaven, who initially supported the measure but changed his vote Monday. Though he'd love to see a State Street vacancy filled, he said, he struggled with the size and scope of the incentive deal.
First Ward Alderman Tara Burghart, who opposed the proposal at both meetings, said she would welcome the restaurant to the community with its "great concept" and impassioned owners. But she doesn't believe it's the right time for the city to offer financial assistance for such a project.
"It's hard for me to support these kinds of incentives for a new restaurant when we have so many restaurants struggling in the current pandemic," she said.
Aldermen Robert Swanson, Dean Kilburg and Becky Hruby also cast dissenting votes.
As a non-home rule community, Geneva is limited in how it can give incentives for redevelopment, First Ward Alderman Mike Bruno said. He and Fifth Ward Alderman Craig Maladra said they believe assisting an interested investor wouldn't threaten other businesses but would rather enable change and drive foot traffic along a crucial downtown corridor.
B.A.S.H., which opened in Ottawa seven years ago, pairs sushi with burgers and other gourmet American food, the Renkosiks said. They planned to renovate the Geneva restaurant space -- formerly occupied by Bicycle Heaven and H4 Training -- to accommodate 242 people inside, with a patio and a private event space on the top level
Burns said a majority of the downtown restaurant community seemed to favor the plans and understand the proposed incentives.
"The city of Geneva is not investing a dime," he said. "In fact, it's a matter of, if the restaurant does well, then Geneva does well."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Feder: Legendary Sun-Times reporter Fran Spielman takes tough break in stride

It takes more than a nasty fall and a fractured pelvis to slow down Chicago 's hardest-working City Hall reporter , Robert Feder writes .
Fran Spielman , the Chicago Journalism Hall of Famer who 's been covering City Hall for the Sun-Times for more than 35 years , is on the mend from a recent injury that would have laid up most people for weeks or longer .
`` I was picking up after my Golden Retriever named Theo [ for Cubs general manager Theo Epstein ] when she lunged at a jogger across the street and bounced me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 66 , told me from her Highland Park home Tuesday .
`` I have a fractured pelvis that is incredibly painful , but will heal with time and physical therapy , I 'm assured .
It 'll take longer than this impatient and driven reporter wants it to .
But , I 've already pretty much graduated from a walker to a cane and have n't taken a day off for injury yet .
Ca n't keep an intense City Hall reporter down , I guess . ''
Get the full report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robertfeder.com .

Feder: Legendary Sun-Times reporter Fran Spielman takes tough break in stride
It takes more than a nasty fall and a fractured pelvis to slow down Chicago's hardest-working City Hall reporter, Robert Feder writes.
Fran Spielman, the Chicago Journalism Hall of Famer who's been covering City Hall for the Sun-Times for more than 35 years, is on the mend from a recent injury that would have laid up most people for weeks or longer.
"I was picking up after my Golden Retriever named Theo [for Cubs general manager Theo Epstein] when she lunged at a jogger across the street and bounced me off the pavement," Spielman, 66, told me from her Highland Park home Tuesday.
"I have a fractured pelvis that is incredibly painful, but will heal with time and physical therapy, I'm assured. It'll take longer than this impatient and driven reporter wants it to. But, I've already pretty much graduated from a walker to a cane and haven't taken a day off for injury yet. Can't keep an intense City Hall reporter down, I guess."
Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Virgin Atlantic airline files for US bankruptcy protection

NEW YORK -- Virgin Atlantic , the airline founded by British businessman Richard Branson , filed Tuesday for protection in U.S. bankruptcy court as it tries to survive the virus pandemic that is hammering the airline industry .
The airline made the Chapter 15 filing in U.S. federal bankruptcy court in New York after a proceeding in the United Kingdom .
A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said the bankruptcy filing is part of a court process in the United Kingdom to carry out a restructuring plan that the airline announced last month .
The process is supported by a majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company hopes to emerge from the process in September , she said .
A Virgin Atlantic lawyer said in a court filing that the company needs an order from a U.S. court to make terms of the restructuring apply in the U.S .
The airline is primarily a long-haul operator , including flights between the U.K. and the U.S .
It stopped flying in April due to the pandemic and only resumed flights in July .
It closed a base at London 's Gatwick Airport and cut about 3,500 jobs .
Branson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help earlier this year - even saying that he would pledge his Caribbean island resort as collateral for a loan - but was rebuffed .
Last month , Virgin Atlantic announced that it had put together a deal to raise 1.2 billion pounds ( nearly $ 1.6 billion at current exchange rates ) from private sources , including 200 million pounds from Branson 's Virgin Group .
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines , which owns 49 % of the airline , agreed to defer payments it was owed , and hedge fund Davidson Kempner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pounds .
Virgin Atlantic also delayed deliveries of Airbus jets .
Virgin Atlantic 's court moves follow bankruptcy filings in the U.S. by Latin America 's two biggest airlines , Latam and Avianca , and by Mexico 's Aeromexico since the start of the pandemic .
Virgin 's sister airline Virgin Australia filed for protection from creditors in its home country in April .
Airlines have been slammed by the coronavirus outbreak that has led to travel restrictions and left many people afraid to fly .
The International Air Transport Association , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the industry will lose $ 84 billion this year and revenue will drop by half from 2019 levels .

Virgin Atlantic airline files for US bankruptcy protection
FILE - In this June 16. 2011, file photo, Richard Branson, president of Virgin Atlantic Airways, attends a news conference in Miami Beach, Fla. Branson announced that Virgin was starting flights between London and Cancun, Mexico. Virgin Atlantic, the airline founded by British businessman Branson, filed Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020, for relief from creditors as the virus pandemic hammers the airline industry. The airline made the filing in U.S. federal bankruptcy court in New York after a proceeding in the United Kingdom. Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Virgin Atlantic, the airline founded by British businessman Richard Branson, filed Tuesday for protection in U.S. bankruptcy court as it tries to survive the virus pandemic that is hammering the airline industry.
The airline made the Chapter 15 filing in U.S. federal bankruptcy court in New York after a proceeding in the United Kingdom.
A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic said the bankruptcy filing is part of a court process in the United Kingdom to carry out a restructuring plan that the airline announced last month. The process is supported by a majority of the airline's creditors, and the company hopes to emerge from the process in September, she said.
A Virgin Atlantic lawyer said in a court filing that the company needs an order from a U.S. court to make terms of the restructuring apply in the U.S.
The airline is primarily a long-haul operator, including flights between the U.K. and the U.S. It stopped flying in April due to the pandemic and only resumed flights in July. It closed a base at London's Gatwick Airport and cut about 3,500 jobs.
Branson appealed to the British government for financial help earlier this year - even saying that he would pledge his Caribbean island resort as collateral for a loan - but was rebuffed.
Last month, Virgin Atlantic announced that it had put together a deal to raise 1.2 billion pounds (nearly $1.6 billion at current exchange rates) from private sources, including 200 million pounds from Branson's Virgin Group.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, which owns 49% of the airline, agreed to defer payments it was owed, and hedge fund Davidson Kempner agreed to lend Virgin Atlantic 170 million pounds. Virgin Atlantic also delayed deliveries of Airbus jets.
Virgin Atlantic's court moves follow bankruptcy filings in the U.S. by Latin America's two biggest airlines, Latam and Avianca, and by Mexico's Aeromexico since the start of the pandemic. Virgin's sister airline Virgin Australia filed for protection from creditors in its home country in April.
Airlines have been slammed by the coronavirus outbreak that has led to travel restrictions and left many people afraid to fly. The International Air Transport Association, a trade group for global airlines, estimates the industry will lose $84 billion this year and revenue will drop by half from 2019 levels.
Branson founded and still holds a 10% stake in Virgin Australia, which has announced plans to shed a third of its workforce as it scales back operations as part of its restructuring.
The airline, Australia's second-largest carrier, sought bankruptcy protection and its administrator Deloitte's has entered into a binding agreement to sell the airline to Boston-based investment firm Bain Capital. The deal will go within weeks for final approval to a meeting of Virgin creditors who are owed 7 billion Australian dollars ($5 billion).


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--In change of plans, District 214 will begin school year remotely

Northwest Suburban High School District 214 will begin the school year with remote learning , officials announced Wednesday , marking a shift from a draft plan announced a few weeks ago that included in-person instruction .
What 's changed , they say , is new guidance released late last week by Cook County health officials , other public health information , and data that shows an increase of COVID-19 cases in the state and region .
The revelations led Superintendent David Schuler to scale back his July 16 draft plan -- it gave families the option between in-person and remote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and steady '' reopening model .
Eventually , that could allow for in-person groups of as many as 15 students per class .
Schuler unveiled the latest plan during a school board meeting Wednesday morning , where a majority of board members expressed support -- although some of it was tepid , and a few on the elected panel expressed a desire for a move to in-person learning soon .
One board member , Todd Younger , called the change from the original plan a `` mistake . ''
He suggested there 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just as much at risk to die in a car accident or by suicide , or get sick from other viruses and diseases .
`` I 'm just really afraid that we 're undermining what we serve to do , and that 's to educate kids and to give them a better life , '' Younger said .
Board President Dan Petro and Vice President Bill Dussling were among those to endorse the new plan , arguing the school district has a greater responsibility to the community at large .
`` How do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still provide a quality education to our students ? ''
Petro said .
`` Our students are our first concern , but not our only concern .
We have to have an ability to work together not only with the District 214 community but the general population . ''
The board is set to take a final vote on the plan Thursday , Aug. 13 -- the night before virtual freshman orientation .
The first day of classes is Monday , Aug. 17 .
Schuler said the `` game-changer '' that prompted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in guidance from the Cook County Department of Public Health .
Initial suggestions were that anyone who had been in contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19 for 15 consecutive minutes over a two-day period would need to quarantine .
That was changed to 15 cumulative minutes , Schuler said .
`` With three 5-minute passing periods each day , every student in attendance would hit that 15-minute cumulative timetable , meaning we 'd basically need to shut down the school whenever a positive case would occur , '' he said .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its 99 athletic camps after positive cases of COVID-19 were discovered and 191 people were then quarantined .
That experience gave officials pause on in-person learning to start the school year , Schuler said .
What 's more , he said , 2,000 incoming freshmen still have not had physical examinations required by the district to attend school .
Schuler also cited three new studies that suggest high schoolers can spread the virus at higher rates than previously believed .
By the end of this week and at the prompting of board members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ timeline that would include a possible date for the return of in-person learning .
Under a preliminary schedule , the district 's most vulnerable students , including the homeless and those with significant special education needs , would be first to return to school buildings as soon as Aug. 24 .
That would be followed the next week by vocational students and others taking lab-based dual credit classes .
After Labor Day , District 214 would start to bring back students in `` pods '' of 10 to 15 -- the maximum number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing between desks .
Among those first to be allowed in buildings would be students who need reliable internet access or additional support , Schuler said , while others might eventually be able to return to classes in person on a rotating basis .
Students would be able to come to campus at the end of each school day for certain athletics and extracurricular activities , he said .

In change of plans, District 214 will begin school year remotely
Northwest Suburban High School District 214 will begin the school year with remote learning, officials announced Wednesday, marking a shift from a draft plan announced a few weeks ago that included in-person instruction.
What's changed, they say, is new guidance released late last week by Cook County health officials, other public health information, and data that shows an increase of COVID-19 cases in the state and region.
The revelations led Superintendent David Schuler to scale back his July 16 draft plan -- it gave families the option between in-person and remote classes -- and propose a "slow and steady" reopening model. Eventually, that could allow for in-person groups of as many as 15 students per class.
Schuler unveiled the latest plan during a school board meeting Wednesday morning, where a majority of board members expressed support -- although some of it was tepid, and a few on the elected panel expressed a desire for a move to in-person learning soon.
One board member, Todd Younger, called the change from the original plan a "mistake." He suggested there's plenty of data to suggest youths are just as much at risk to die in a car accident or by suicide, or get sick from other viruses and diseases.
"I'm just really afraid that we're undermining what we serve to do, and that's to educate kids and to give them a better life," Younger said.
Board President Dan Petro and Vice President Bill Dussling were among those to endorse the new plan, arguing the school district has a greater responsibility to the community at large.
"How do we contain the spread of this and still provide a quality education to our students?" Petro said. "Our students are our first concern, but not our only concern. We have to have an ability to work together not only with the District 214 community but the general population."
The board is set to take a final vote on the plan Thursday, Aug. 13 -- the night before virtual freshman orientation. The first day of classes is Monday, Aug. 17.
Schuler said the "game-changer" that prompted a shift to remote learning was a change in guidance from the Cook County Department of Public Health. Initial suggestions were that anyone who had been in contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19 for 15 consecutive minutes over a two-day period would need to quarantine.
That was changed to 15 cumulative minutes, Schuler said.
"With three 5-minute passing periods each day, every student in attendance would hit that 15-minute cumulative timetable, meaning we'd basically need to shut down the school whenever a positive case would occur," he said.
This summer, the district canceled five of its 99 athletic camps after positive cases of COVID-19 were discovered and 191 people were then quarantined. That experience gave officials pause on in-person learning to start the school year, Schuler said.
What's more, he said, 2,000 incoming freshmen still have not had physical examinations required by the district to attend school.
Schuler also cited three new studies that suggest high schoolers can spread the virus at higher rates than previously believed.
By the end of this week and at the prompting of board members, district officials plan to release a timeline that would include a possible date for the return of in-person learning.
Under a preliminary schedule, the district's most vulnerable students, including the homeless and those with significant special education needs, would be first to return to school buildings as soon as Aug. 24. That would be followed the next week by vocational students and others taking lab-based dual credit classes.
After Labor Day, District 214 would start to bring back students in "pods" of 10 to 15 -- the maximum number per classroom that allows for 6-foot social distancing between desks. Among those first to be allowed in buildings would be students who need reliable internet access or additional support, Schuler said, while others might eventually be able to return to classes in person on a rotating basis.
Students would be able to come to campus at the end of each school day for certain athletics and extracurricular activities, he said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--COVID-19 hospitalizations increase to highest level since July 1

More people were hospitalized for COVID-19 infections by the end of the day Tuesday than the state had seen since July 1 .
Illinois Department of Public Health officials said 1,552 patients were hospitalized statewide , with 368 of them in intensive care units .
Statewide , hospitals have seen 205 more patients admitted over the past four days , including an additional 56 patients admitted Tuesday , according to IDPH figures .
`` The number of cases statewide is generally trending upward , and positivity rates have increased throughout the state , '' Dr. Ngozi Ezike , head of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said at a news conference Wednesday .
`` It is true they 're not as high as they were in April or May , but they are increasing .
And if we do n't take further steps to reduce the spread of the virus , our numbers will continue to go up and we will be right back where we were just a few months ago . ''
IDPH reported 30 additional COVID-19 deaths Wednesday , along with 1,759 more people diagnosed with the respiratory disease .
That brings the state 's death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 186,741 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 .
The 30 dead were reported from 15 counties .
Eight of the dead were from Cook County , two from DuPage County , three each from Kane and Lake counties and one from Will County .
The other 13 dead were from 10 downstate counties .
The state 's seven-day average positivity rate remains at 3.9 % while also averaging 1,621 new cases a day over the past week .
The state is reporting 95 % of those who tested positive have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , counties outside the six-county Chicago metropolitan region have collectively seen the average number of new cases per day increase by 179 % .
Wednesday , 38 % of the new cases came from downstate counties , according to IDPH figures .
Ezike cited a number of large gatherings downstate , including an event in East Peoria that drew hundreds of people , few with masks , to a riverfront park .
`` You 're tired of hearing , and I 'm tired of saying it , '' she said .
`` But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , it 's trying to gain momentum .
It 's cunning and it 's elusive . ''
While Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools officials officially announced the school year for Chicago students would begin with remote learning , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said there are no plans to require districts throughout the state to follow suit , but he left the door open for that if infection and hospitalization numbers increase significantly .
`` I do n't want it to happen , but it could happen , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reiterated warnings of a nationwide unemployment scam that is targeting people who did n't apply for unemployment benefits .
If anyone received notifications or a debit card in the mail , Pritzker warned , their personal information may have been compromised .
He urged anyone who received unsolicited unemployment benefits to visit the Illinois Department of Employment Security website , ides.illinois.gov , and click on the tab to report fraud and follow the directions .

COVID-19 hospitalizations increase to highest level since July 1
More people were hospitalized for COVID-19 infections by the end of the day Tuesday than the state had seen since July 1.
Illinois Department of Public Health officials said 1,552 patients were hospitalized statewide, with 368 of them in intensive care units.
Statewide, hospitals have seen 205 more patients admitted over the past four days, including an additional 56 patients admitted Tuesday, according to IDPH figures.
"The number of cases statewide is generally trending upward, and positivity rates have increased throughout the state," Dr. Ngozi Ezike, head of the Illinois Department of Public Health, said at a news conference Wednesday.
"It is true they're not as high as they were in April or May, but they are increasing. And if we don't take further steps to reduce the spread of the virus, our numbers will continue to go up and we will be right back where we were just a few months ago."
IDPH reported 30 additional COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, along with 1,759 more people diagnosed with the respiratory disease.
That brings the state's death toll to 7,573 since the outbreak began, with 186,741 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19.
The 30 dead were reported from 15 counties. Eight of the dead were from Cook County, two from DuPage County, three each from Kane and Lake counties and one from Will County. The other 13 dead were from 10 downstate counties.
The state's seven-day average positivity rate remains at 3.9% while also averaging 1,621 new cases a day over the past week.
The state is reporting 95% of those who tested positive have recovered.
But in the past month, counties outside the six-county Chicago metropolitan region have collectively seen the average number of new cases per day increase by 179%. Wednesday, 38% of the new cases came from downstate counties, according to IDPH figures.
Ezike cited a number of large gatherings downstate, including an event in East Peoria that drew hundreds of people, few with masks, to a riverfront park.
"You're tired of hearing, and I'm tired of saying it," she said. "But this virus is not tired. In fact, it's trying to gain momentum. It's cunning and it's elusive."
While Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools officials officially announced the school year for Chicago students would begin with remote learning, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said there are no plans to require districts throughout the state to follow suit, but he left the door open for that if infection and hospitalization numbers increase significantly.
"I don't want it to happen, but it could happen," he said.
Pritzker on Wednesday also again reiterated warnings of a nationwide unemployment scam that is targeting people who didn't apply for unemployment benefits. If anyone received notifications or a debit card in the mail, Pritzker warned, their personal information may have been compromised. He urged anyone who received unsolicited unemployment benefits to visit the Illinois Department of Employment Security website, ides.illinois.gov, and click on the tab to report fraud and follow the directions.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Pheasant Run property could be divided for potential redevelopment

To facilitate the potential redevelopment of the shuttered Pheasant Run Resort , property owners have proposed dividing the St. Charles site into three parcels , one of which representatives say is under contract to be purchased .
The first lot would incorporate the former Mega Center and adjacent parking area , according to an application from Florida-based Saint Charles Resort LLC .
The second would encompass a cluster of buildings that made up the decades-old resort , and the third includes the mostly undeveloped parcel at the corner of Main Street and Kautz Road .
There have been no specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portion of the campus .
But attorney Rich Guerard , representing the ownership group , told plan commissioners Tuesday that the Mega Center lot is under contract to be sold to a possible developer .
Before the resort shut down March 1 , the convention center brought many conferences and other large events to the city , filling nearby hotels and generating a `` tremendous '' amount of business , said commission member Laura Macklin-Purdy , who also serves as the tourism and sales manager for the St. Charles Business Alliance .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the Mega Center that remains there because it really did support a lot of economic growth within our community , '' she said .
`` It 's a hard pill to swallow . ''
From the ownership 's perspective , however , the operation did n't work economically , Guerard said .
The interested buyer intends to use a portion of the convention center space as part of a greater redevelopment plan , he said , noting officials are `` making great efforts to replace that economic activity on the property .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the site , the city is unaware of the property 's status pertaining to a potential sale , said Russell Colby , assistant community and economic development director .
The ownership group is not required to disclose whether any parcels are under contract as part of its application .
The plan commission unanimously supported the proposed subdivision of the property , contingent upon completed engineering plans for a new publicly owned sanitary lift station necessary to provide sewer services to each lot , Colby said .
Vehicle access , public sidewalks and additional @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to be addressed .
The measure now will advance to the planning and development committee before final consideration by the city council .
The future of the iconic Pheasant Run site at 4051 E. Main St. has been uncertain since months before the resort 's closure , when management announced plans to restructure operations and reduce its staff by 75 % .
The property was listed for sale soon after , and an online auction was held in February , though the final $ 6 million bid did not meet the resort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edward McArdle in 1963 , Pheasant Run served as a suburban entertainment destination for decades , with an indoor/outdoor pool and a historic two-block replica of New Orleans ' Bourbon Street that helped put St. Charles on the map , city stakeholders said .
It also operated 293 hotel rooms , seven restaurants , banquet and meeting space , a comedy club , and an 18-hole golf course that it leased from the adjacent DuPage Airport .

Pheasant Run property could be divided for potential redevelopment
Owners of the shuttered Pheasant Run Resort have proposed dividing the St. Charles property into three parcels to assist with its reuse and redevelopment. Daily Herald file photo
To facilitate the potential redevelopment of the shuttered Pheasant Run Resort, property owners have proposed dividing the St. Charles site into three parcels, one of which representatives say is under contract to be purchased.
The first lot would incorporate the former Mega Center and adjacent parking area, according to an application from Florida-based Saint Charles Resort LLC. The second would encompass a cluster of buildings that made up the decades-old resort, and the third includes the mostly undeveloped parcel at the corner of Main Street and Kautz Road.
There have been no specific development plans presented so far for any portion of the campus. But attorney Rich Guerard, representing the ownership group, told plan commissioners Tuesday that the Mega Center lot is under contract to be sold to a possible developer.
Before the resort shut down March 1, the convention center brought many conferences and other large events to the city, filling nearby hotels and generating a "tremendous" amount of business, said commission member Laura Macklin-Purdy, who also serves as the tourism and sales manager for the St. Charles Business Alliance.
"It's a shame we can't have the Mega Center that remains there because it really did support a lot of economic growth within our community," she said. "It's a hard pill to swallow."
From the ownership's perspective, however, the operation didn't work economically, Guerard said. The interested buyer intends to use a portion of the convention center space as part of a greater redevelopment plan, he said, noting officials are "making great efforts to replace that economic activity on the property."
While there has been interest in the site, the city is unaware of the property's status pertaining to a potential sale, said Russell Colby, assistant community and economic development director. The ownership group is not required to disclose whether any parcels are under contract as part of its application.
The plan commission unanimously supported the proposed subdivision of the property, contingent upon completed engineering plans for a new publicly owned sanitary lift station necessary to provide sewer services to each lot, Colby said. Vehicle access, public sidewalks and additional utility upgrades are among the other details expected to be addressed.
The measure now will advance to the planning and development committee before final consideration by the city council.
The future of the iconic Pheasant Run site at 4051 E. Main St. has been uncertain since months before the resort's closure, when management announced plans to restructure operations and reduce its staff by 75%. The property was listed for sale soon after, and an online auction was held in February, though the final $6 million bid did not meet the resort's undisclosed reserve price.
Founded by Edward McArdle in 1963, Pheasant Run served as a suburban entertainment destination for decades, with an indoor/outdoor pool and a historic two-block replica of New Orleans' Bourbon Street that helped put St. Charles on the map, city stakeholders said.
It also operated 293 hotel rooms, seven restaurants, banquet and meeting space, a comedy club, and an 18-hole golf course that it leased from the adjacent DuPage Airport.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Loss of commuters means the end of Harry's Cafe at Naperville Metra station

A `` Virtual Coffee Fund '' was n't enough to keep a long-standing food truck in business at the Naperville Metra station after the number of commuters dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Harry 's Cafe announced on Facebook it plans to close Friday after 42 years .
The shop operated by Harry and Kathy Buenger is known for selling coffee and breakfast bars to Chicago-bound commuters during the early morning hours .
It secured a deal with the city last fall that could have allowed it to stay in business for the next five years , despite new regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commuter populations since the pandemic began this spring cut down on the customer base , leading Kathy to post the closing notice for the `` end of an era . ''
`` As these uncertain times continue , it is apparent commuters are not returning any time soon , '' the post said .
`` We have given this our best attempt to continue but realize any chance of return to normal is gone . ''
Harry 's Cafe thanked everyone who gave a total of $ 4,115 to a GoFundMe page called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' which sought to help the cafe stay in business .
One donor posted that he had n't made it down to the train station in a couple of weeks .
`` Take care , stay healthy .
See you soon , '' Jeremy Sutton wrote .
Another donor hoped the cafe could remain part of his routine .
`` Once we ever get back to normal , I need you guys there to help start my day ! ''
James Geraci wrote .
Another customer , Jaime Velez , has pitched the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send-off , '' asking well-wishers to form a socially distant line in front of the Metra station to buy one last cup of coffee , then applaud the shop owners as they drive off .
`` We can do this safely and it would mean the world to them , '' Velez wrote .
The Buengers said their business is not so much about coffee and pastries as it is about establishing relationships and being a part of people 's day .
`` This ongoing journey we are all on has opened our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to share kindness in whatever way they can , '' Kathy Buenger wrote in the closing notice .
`` It has truly been a pleasure and an honor to serve each and every person that has come to our truck . ''

Loss of commuters means the end of Harry's Cafe at Naperville Metra station
A "Virtual Coffee Fund" wasn't enough to keep a long-standing food truck in business at the Naperville Metra station after the number of commuters dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harry's Cafe announced on Facebook it plans to close Friday after 42 years.
The shop operated by Harry and Kathy Buenger is known for selling coffee and breakfast bars to Chicago-bound commuters during the early morning hours.
It secured a deal with the city last fall that could have allowed it to stay in business for the next five years, despite new regulations on mobile food vendors. But dwindling commuter populations since the pandemic began this spring cut down on the customer base, leading Kathy to post the closing notice for the "end of an era."
"As these uncertain times continue, it is apparent commuters are not returning any time soon," the post said. "We have given this our best attempt to continue but realize any chance of return to normal is gone."
Harry's Cafe thanked everyone who gave a total of $4,115 to a GoFundMe page called "Harrys Cafe Virtual Coffee Fund," which sought to help the cafe stay in business.
One donor posted that he hadn't made it down to the train station in a couple of weeks. "Take care, stay healthy. See you soon," Jeremy Sutton wrote.
Another donor hoped the cafe could remain part of his routine. "Once we ever get back to normal, I need you guys there to help start my day!" James Geraci wrote.
Another customer, Jaime Velez, has pitched the idea on Facebook of a "proper send-off," asking well-wishers to form a socially distant line in front of the Metra station to buy one last cup of coffee, then applaud the shop owners as they drive off.
"We can do this safely and it would mean the world to them," Velez wrote.
The Buengers said their business is not so much about coffee and pastries as it is about establishing relationships and being a part of people's day.
"This ongoing journey we are all on has opened our eyes to the hearts people still have to share kindness in whatever way they can," Kathy Buenger wrote in the closing notice. "It has truly been a pleasure and an honor to serve each and every person that has come to our truck."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Aug. 5 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code

Suburbs ' portion Since the outbreak began , there have been 91,345 cases in the suburbs as of Wednesday .
That 's 48.9 % of the state 's total , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
There have been 3,825 deaths in the suburbs , representing 50.5 % of all deaths in Illinois .
Cook County • As of Wednesday , suburban Cook County had 45,968 cases and 2,111 deaths , according to the state .
In Chicago : 62,457 cases and 2,798 fatalities .
• Top suburb counts from the county health department and medical examiner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in Des Plaines , 932 cases and 64 deaths in Wheeling , 911 cases and 19 deaths in Palatine , 776 cases and 23 deaths in Streamwood , 769 cases and 10 deaths in Mount Prospect , 758 cases and 20 deaths in Schaumburg , 731 cases and 50 deaths in Glenview , 707 cases and 34 deaths in Arlington Heights , 569 cases and 10 deaths in Hanover Park ( Cook County portion ) , 620 cases and 29 deaths in Hoffman Estates , 432 cases and 13 deaths in Rolling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Northbrook , 415 cases and 39 deaths in Elk Grove Village , 302 cases and 8 deaths in Prospect Heights , and 147 cases and 19 deaths in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) .
DuPage County • The county reported 11,792 cases and 513 deaths as of Wednesday .
• Top counts : 945 cases and 9 deaths in Addison , 893 cases and 12 deaths in West Chicago , 778 cases and 12 deaths in Glendale Heights , 734 cases and 38 deaths in Naperville ( DuPage County portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Carol Stream , 604 cases and 12 deaths in Bensenville , 568 cases and 26 deaths in Lombard , 545 cases and 42 deaths in Elmhurst , 471 cases and 11 deaths in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 437 cases and 22 deaths in Wheaton , 336 cases and 3 deaths in Glen Ellyn , 320 cases and 5 deaths in Villa Park , 310 cases and 3 deaths in Hanover Park ( DuPage County portion ) .
Lake County • The county listed 12,306 cases and 427 deaths on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as of Friday : 3,035 to 3,039 in Waukegan , 700 to 704 in Round Lake Beach , 450 to 454 in Mundelein , 380 to 384 in Gurnee , 310 to 314 in Round Lake , 225 to 229 in Buffalo Grove ( Lake County portion ) , 240 to 244 in Lake Zurich , 215 to 219 in Vernon Hills , 185 to 189 in Wauconda , 180 to 184 in Libertyville , 155 to 159 in Grayslake .
Kane County • The county confirmed 9,502 cases with 301 deaths on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : 3,818 cases in Aurora ( Kane County portion ) , 2,205 in Elgin ( Kane County portion ) , 887 in Carpentersville , 533 in St. Charles , 412 in South Elgin , 274 in Geneva , 266 in North Aurora , 225 in Batavia , and 77 in Algonquin ( Kane County portion ) .
McHenry County • 3,020 cases and 114 deaths , according to the health department Wednesday .
Will County • 8,821 cases and 341 deaths as of Wednesday .
• Cases per town include 605 in Naperville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Aurora ( Will County portion ) .

Aug. 5 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot wears her mask Wednesday after speaking about Chicago Public Schools' plans for remote learning in the fall. Associated Press
Interactive map
Suburbs' portion Since the outbreak began, there have been 91,345 cases in the suburbs as of Wednesday. That's 48.9% of the state's total, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
There have been 3,825 deaths in the suburbs, representing 50.5% of all deaths in Illinois.
Cook County• As of Wednesday, suburban Cook County had 45,968 cases and 2,111 deaths, according to the state. In Chicago: 62,457 cases and 2,798 fatalities.
• Top suburb counts from the county health department and medical examiner's office: 1,970 cases and 103 deaths in Des Plaines, 932 cases and 64 deaths in Wheeling, 911 cases and 19 deaths in Palatine, 776 cases and 23 deaths in Streamwood, 769 cases and 10 deaths in Mount Prospect, 758 cases and 20 deaths in Schaumburg, 731 cases and 50 deaths in Glenview, 707 cases and 34 deaths in Arlington Heights, 569 cases and 10 deaths in Hanover Park (Cook County portion), 620 cases and 29 deaths in Hoffman Estates, 432 cases and 13 deaths in Rolling Meadows, 427 cases and 42 deaths in Northbrook, 415 cases and 39 deaths in Elk Grove Village, 302 cases and 8 deaths in Prospect Heights, and 147 cases and 19 deaths in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion).
DuPage County• The county reported 11,792 cases and 513 deaths as of Wednesday.
• Top counts: 945 cases and 9 deaths in Addison, 893 cases and 12 deaths in West Chicago, 778 cases and 12 deaths in Glendale Heights, 734 cases and 38 deaths in Naperville (DuPage County portion), 656 cases and 29 deaths in Carol Stream, 604 cases and 12 deaths in Bensenville, 568 cases and 26 deaths in Lombard, 545 cases and 42 deaths in Elmhurst, 471 cases and 11 deaths in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 437 cases and 22 deaths in Wheaton, 336 cases and 3 deaths in Glen Ellyn, 320 cases and 5 deaths in Villa Park, 310 cases and 3 deaths in Hanover Park (DuPage County portion).
Lake County • The county listed 12,306 cases and 427 deaths on its website Wednesday.
• Top counts as of Friday: 3,035 to 3,039 in Waukegan, 700 to 704 in Round Lake Beach, 450 to 454 in Mundelein, 380 to 384 in Gurnee, 310 to 314 in Round Lake, 225 to 229 in Buffalo Grove (Lake County portion), 240 to 244 in Lake Zurich, 215 to 219 in Vernon Hills, 185 to 189 in Wauconda, 180 to 184 in Libertyville, 155 to 159 in Grayslake.
Kane County• The county confirmed 9,502 cases with 301 deaths on its website Wednesday.
• Top counts: 3,818 cases in Aurora (Kane County portion), 2,205 in Elgin (Kane County portion), 887 in Carpentersville, 533 in St. Charles, 412 in South Elgin, 274 in Geneva, 266 in North Aurora, 225 in Batavia, and 77 in Algonquin (Kane County portion).
McHenry County• 3,020 cases and 114 deaths, according to the health department Wednesday.
Will County• 8,821 cases and 341 deaths as of Wednesday.
• Cases per town include 605 in Naperville (Will County portion) and 110 in Aurora (Will County portion).


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Police: Algonquin man tried to kill his ex-girlfriend

An Algonquin man has been charged with attempted murder , accused of hitting , choking and trying to shoot his ex-girlfriend .
Alvin W. Thompson , 40 , was arrested Wednesday , according to an Algonquin police news release .
He faces one count of attempted first-degree murder , one count of aggravated domestic battery , one count of unlawful use of weapons by a felon , one count of possession of ammunition without a firearm owners identification card and two counts of domestic battery .
The attack happened at 3 a.m. Tuesday at Thompson 's home on the 1600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The victim suffered injuries that were not life-threatening , police said .
The news release did not name the victim .
Thompson fled , but was found with the help of the U.S .
Marshal 's Fugitive Apprehension Task Force .
He is being held in the Kane County jail .
Kane County court records indicate Thompson was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery May 8 .
Per the terms of his bail , he was ordered to stay away from the Southridge Trail address , and to avoid the victim , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was charged with violation of the terms of his release .

Police: Algonquin man tried to kill his ex-girlfriend
An Algonquin man has been charged with attempted murder, accused of hitting, choking and trying to shoot his ex-girlfriend.
Alvin W. Thompson, 40, was arrested Wednesday, according to an Algonquin police news release.
He faces one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated domestic battery, one count of unlawful use of weapons by a felon, one count of possession of ammunition without a firearm owners identification card and two counts of domestic battery.
The attack happened at 3 a.m. Tuesday at Thompson's home on the 1600 block of Southridge Trail, police said.
The victim suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, police said. The news release did not name the victim.
Thompson fled, but was found with the help of the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Apprehension Task Force.
He is being held in the Kane County jail.
Kane County court records indicate Thompson was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery May 8. Per the terms of his bail, he was ordered to stay away from the Southridge Trail address, and to avoid the victim, a woman.
On July 15, he was charged with violation of the terms of his release.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--'On nearly every measure, we are failing our African American students'

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Board of Higher Education is preparing a strategic plan to make higher education in the state more equitable , which will be released for public scrutiny sometime between late December and early March of next year .
To inform the process -- which starts in September -- of crafting that plan , the board begins each meeting with presentations on equity .
The first of these presentations was Tuesday , with the topic being ethnic and racial equity in higher education .
`` The story I will lay out today is not an uplifting one , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the start of her presentation .
`` On nearly every measure , we are failing our African American students . ''
Based on data from the 2013 and 2018 American Community Survey , Black and Latino residents lag far behind their white peers in enrollment , retention , progression , placement in developmental education , access to early college , completion , attainment and earnings after college .
While enrollment among all racial groups dropped between 2013 and 2018 , the drop was steeper for Black and Latino residents .
`` As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportion of the student population that is African American has declined every year , '' Ostro said .
In 2013 , non-Hispanic Black residents made up 14.2 % of the Illinois population and 14.9 % of undergraduates .
By 2018 , while they remained a steady proportion of the population , Black students fell to 12.7 % of undergraduates .
For the 2017-2018 school year , Illinois public universities retained 62 % of Black first-year students to the following school year , compared to 82 % of white students .
When looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sophomore status in the 2018-2019 school year , the gap grew even larger .
Only 28.6 % of Black students gained enough credit hours to be considered sophomores , compared to 63 % of white students .
According to Ostro , the disparity starts even earlier , before students even set foot on a college campus .
`` African American students are missing out on opportunities to earn credits or get exposure to college level work .
And research shows that early college experience leads to higher levels of college enrollment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most recent graduating class of Illinois high school seniors was 15.4 % Black , 24.4 % Latino and 51.6 % white .
Yet in high school programs that give students a chance to get college credit early , Black students were heavily underrepresented .
In Advanced Placement courses -- high school classes that give college credits -- white and Latino students were participants proportional to their graduating class , while Black students made up only 9 % of AP students .
In dual enrollment courses -- college courses that high schoolers can take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equivalent institutions -- both Black and Latino students were heavily underrepresented , making up 9.2 % and 17.7 % of participants , respectively .
White students were nearly 65 % .
A number of factors could cause these outcomes , like schools that serve predominantly Black and Latino students not having AP and dual enrollment courses available .
White college graduates on average made almost $ 5,000 more annually one year after graduating with a bachelor 's degree than their Black peers with a similar level of education .
After three years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also exists between white and Latino college graduates , but it 's significantly smaller on average , never reaching more than $ 2,000 .
`` These gaps are well above the national average , '' Kayla Elliott , a senior policy analyst for higher education at the Education Trust said at the meeting .
`` We know that for people of color , for Black Americans in particular , attending college and earning a degree from a public institution might be the most promising pathway towards economic security and upward social mobility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or those that take race and ethnicity into account , can help alleviate equity gaps .
Policies that substitute other demographics such as income and ZIP code for race have not been shown to close gaps in opportunity and outcome for Black and Latino students , she said .
In 2008 , Advance Illinois , an independent public education policy organization , set the `` 60 by 25 '' goal : for 60 % of adults in the state to have a post-secondary education degree or equivalent credential by 2025 .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet that goal , IBHE hopes with its upcoming strategic plan that Illinois will make great strides towards equity and higher-education attainment for all residents by 2025 .
According to Ostro , future presentations at IBHE board meetings will look at gender , income and geographic equity gaps .

'On nearly every measure, we are failing our African American students'
Black and Latino residents lag far behind their white peers in enrollment, retention, progression, placement in developmental education, access to early college, completion, attainment and earnings after college. More details are available at www.ibhe.org/Equity.html. Illinois Board of Higher Education
SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Board of Higher Education is preparing a strategic plan to make higher education in the state more equitable, which will be released for public scrutiny sometime between late December and early March of next year.
To inform the process -- which starts in September -- of crafting that plan, the board begins each meeting with presentations on equity. The first of these presentations was Tuesday, with the topic being ethnic and racial equity in higher education.
"The story I will lay out today is not an uplifting one," IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro said at the start of her presentation. "On nearly every measure, we are failing our African American students."
Based on data from the 2013 and 2018 American Community Survey, Black and Latino residents lag far behind their white peers in enrollment, retention, progression, placement in developmental education, access to early college, completion, attainment and earnings after college.
While enrollment among all racial groups dropped between 2013 and 2018, the drop was steeper for Black and Latino residents.
"As we look again over time, the proportion of the student population that is African American has declined every year," Ostro said.
In 2013, non-Hispanic Black residents made up 14.2% of the Illinois population and 14.9% of undergraduates. By 2018, while they remained a steady proportion of the population, Black students fell to 12.7% of undergraduates.
For the 2017-2018 school year, Illinois public universities retained 62% of Black first-year students to the following school year, compared to 82% of white students. When looking at the percentage of students that actually progressed to sophomore status in the 2018-2019 school year, the gap grew even larger. Only 28.6% of Black students gained enough credit hours to be considered sophomores, compared to 63% of white students.
According to Ostro, the disparity starts even earlier, before students even set foot on a college campus.
"African American students are missing out on opportunities to earn credits or get exposure to college level work. And research shows that early college experience leads to higher levels of college enrollment and completion," she said.
The most recent graduating class of Illinois high school seniors was 15.4% Black, 24.4% Latino and 51.6% white. Yet in high school programs that give students a chance to get college credit early, Black students were heavily underrepresented.
In Advanced Placement courses -- high school classes that give college credits -- white and Latino students were participants proportional to their graduating class, while Black students made up only 9% of AP students.
In dual enrollment courses -- college courses that high schoolers can take to receive credit at community colleges or equivalent institutions -- both Black and Latino students were heavily underrepresented, making up 9.2% and 17.7% of participants, respectively. White students were nearly 65%.
A number of factors could cause these outcomes, like schools that serve predominantly Black and Latino students not having AP and dual enrollment courses available.
Equity gaps persist even when students finish school.
White college graduates on average made almost $5,000 more annually one year after graduating with a bachelor's degree than their Black peers with a similar level of education. After three years, the disparity grew larger.
A gap also exists between white and Latino college graduates, but it's significantly smaller on average, never reaching more than $2,000.
"These gaps are well above the national average," Kayla Elliott, a senior policy analyst for higher education at the Education Trust said at the meeting. "We know that for people of color, for Black Americans in particular, attending college and earning a degree from a public institution might be the most promising pathway towards economic security and upward social mobility."
According to Elliott, race-conscious policies, or those that take race and ethnicity into account, can help alleviate equity gaps. Policies that substitute other demographics such as income and ZIP code for race have not been shown to close gaps in opportunity and outcome for Black and Latino students, she said.
In 2008, Advance Illinois, an independent public education policy organization, set the "60 by 25" goal: for 60% of adults in the state to have a post-secondary education degree or equivalent credential by 2025. While the state is not on track to meet that goal, IBHE hopes with its upcoming strategic plan that Illinois will make great strides towards equity and higher-education attainment for all residents by 2025.
According to Ostro, future presentations at IBHE board meetings will look at gender, income and geographic equity gaps.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Longtime police officer from Wheeling remembered for 'grace and determination'

Robert Michael LaMantia , a Wheeling resident whose long law enforcement career included 11 years as Lincolnwood 's police chief , is being remembered as kind , caring and genuine .
LaMantia , a police officer for 37 years , died Saturday surrounded by his family after an 18-month battle with leukemia .
He was 63 .
LaMantia served in the Wilmette Police Department from 1980 to 2006 before being hired by Lincolnwood to serve as police chief from 2006 until his retirement in 2017 .
Mary Liss , who worked as his secretary throughout his tenure in Lincolnwood , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was genuinely concerned for his employees and kept in touch with his former colleagues by phone during the pandemic .
`` The grace and determination and positive mental attitude he left during that time was a great example for everyone , '' Liss said .
`` He fought the fight and did it really well . ''
LaMantia grew up in Elmwood Park and later Mount Prospect , where he graduated from Prospect High School .
LaMantia and his ex-wife , Debra LaMantia raised three girls in Arlington Heights .
Debbie Brazier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ LaMantia was well-suited for a career in law enforcement because he wanted to make a difference in the world .
Brazier said outside of his work he was dedicated to his daughters and five grandchildren .
`` Anything they were involved in , he was involved in too , '' Brazier said .
`` He did n't even mind changing diapers . ''
Brazier said LaMantia enjoyed riding his Harley and was an avid golfer .
She said the two of them would often ride or walk the many bike trails near their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his life will be scheduled at a later date .
In lieu of flowers , the family requests donations to the Leukemia Research Foundation in Northfield at allbloodcancers.org .

Longtime police officer from Wheeling remembered for 'grace and determination'
Robert Michael LaMantia, a Wheeling resident whose long law enforcement career included 11 years as Lincolnwood's police chief, is being remembered as kind, caring and genuine.
LaMantia, a police officer for 37 years, died Saturday surrounded by his family after an 18-month battle with leukemia. He was 63.
LaMantia served in the Wilmette Police Department from 1980 to 2006 before being hired by Lincolnwood to serve as police chief from 2006 until his retirement in 2017.
Mary Liss, who worked as his secretary throughout his tenure in Lincolnwood, described LaMantia as a good man who was genuinely concerned for his employees and kept in touch with his former colleagues by phone during the pandemic.
Liss said LaMantia fought cancer bravely.
"The grace and determination and positive mental attitude he left during that time was a great example for everyone," Liss said. "He fought the fight and did it really well."
LaMantia grew up in Elmwood Park and later Mount Prospect, where he graduated from Prospect High School. LaMantia and his ex-wife, Debra LaMantia raised three girls in Arlington Heights.
Debbie Brazier, his companion of four years, said LaMantia was well-suited for a career in law enforcement because he wanted to make a difference in the world.
Brazier said outside of his work he was dedicated to his daughters and five grandchildren.
"Anything they were involved in, he was involved in too," Brazier said. "He didn't even mind changing diapers."
Brazier said LaMantia enjoyed riding his Harley and was an avid golfer. She said the two of them would often ride or walk the many bike trails near their Wheeling home.
A ceremony in celebration of his life will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Leukemia Research Foundation in Northfield at allbloodcancers.org.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Streamwood man charged in slaying of 10-year-old girl in Chicago

The suspected driver of a car from which a 10-year-old girl was shot and killed as she watched TV in her grandmother 's Chicago home has been charged with first-degree murder , police said Wednesday .
Christopher Lara , 19 , of Streamwood is also charged with nine felony counts of attempted first-degree murder in the June 27 killing of Lena Nunez , who was shot in the head in Logan Square , police said .
Lara is the third suspect to be charged in the killing of children in the city in recent days .
First-degree murder charges have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July 4 slaying of 7-year-old Natalia Wallace and last Friday 's shooting death of 9-year-old Janari Hicks .
Lara , of Streamwood , was arrested Monday and is scheduled to appear in bond court on Thursday .
Police have n't released many details , but previously they said at least one occupant of a car opened fire on gang rivals in Logan Square on the city 's Northwest Side .
One of the bullets went through a window of a second-floor apartment almost a block away and struck Lena , who was watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no other arrests have been made in the case .
Earlier this week , Police Superintendent David Brown said 38 juveniles have been fatally shot in Chicago so far this year .

Streamwood man charged in slaying of 10-year-old girl in Chicago
The suspected driver of a car from which a 10-year-old girl was shot and killed as she watched TV in her grandmother's Chicago home has been charged with first-degree murder, police said Wednesday.
Christopher Lara, 19, of Streamwood is also charged with nine felony counts of attempted first-degree murder in the June 27 killing of Lena Nunez, who was shot in the head in Logan Square, police said.
Lara is the third suspect to be charged in the killing of children in the city in recent days. First-degree murder charges have also been levied against suspects in the July 4 slaying of 7-year-old Natalia Wallace and last Friday's shooting death of 9-year-old Janari Hicks.
Lara, of Streamwood, was arrested Monday and is scheduled to appear in bond court on Thursday.
Police haven't released many details, but previously they said at least one occupant of a car opened fire on gang rivals in Logan Square on the city's Northwest Side. One of the bullets went through a window of a second-floor apartment almost a block away and struck Lena, who was watching TV with her brother.
Police said no other arrests have been made in the case.
Earlier this week, Police Superintendent David Brown said 38 juveniles have been fatally shot in Chicago so far this year.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-05--Police: 28 dead cats, 1 dead squirrel found in Waukegan woman's home

A 54-year-old Waukegan woman faces animal cruelty charges after authorities found 28 dead cats and one dead squirrel inside her home , police said in a news release Wednesday .
Linnea Kohl , of the 300 block of South Elmwood Avenue , was charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal .
Kohl is being held in the Lake County jail and would have to post 10 % of $ 20,000 bond to be released while the case is pending .
In investigating an animal cruelty complaint , Waukegan Police Department 's police animal control and its neighborhood policing unit responded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ animals in and around the residence .
Between June 20 and July 27 , authorities found 28 dead cats and 1 dead squirrel inside the residence , according to the news release .
Three of the dead cats were sent for necropsies .
Based on those results , the case was reviewed with the Lake County state 's attorney 's office .
Authorities recovered 74 cats that were relocated to 12 shelter/rescue organizations , according to the release .
Also found were 11 feral cats that were examined and treated by a veterinarian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ locations .
Kohl will appear in court again Aug. 7 .
If she is released on bail , she is to have no companion animals .

Police: 28 dead cats, 1 dead squirrel found in Waukegan woman's home
A 54-year-old Waukegan woman faces animal cruelty charges after authorities found 28 dead cats and one dead squirrel inside her home, police said in a news release Wednesday.
Linnea Kohl, of the 300 block of South Elmwood Avenue, was charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal. Kohl is being held in the Lake County jail and would have to post 10% of $20,000 bond to be released while the case is pending.
In investigating an animal cruelty complaint, Waukegan Police Department's police animal control and its neighborhood policing unit responded to Kohl's house and found several animals in and around the residence.
Between June 20 and July 27, authorities found 28 dead cats and 1 dead squirrel inside the residence, according to the news release. Three of the dead cats were sent for necropsies. Based on those results, the case was reviewed with the Lake County state's attorney's office.
Authorities recovered 74 cats that were relocated to 12 shelter/rescue organizations, according to the release. Also found were 11 feral cats that were examined and treated by a veterinarian and relocated to three certified feral cat locations.
Kohl will appear in court again Aug. 7. If she is released on bail, she is to have no companion animals.