dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--Constable: Suburban teacher on ballot as third-party VP candidate

In the 2016 presidential election , Amar Patel of Lombard was so turned off by the prospect of choosing between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton that he voted for himself as a write-in candidate .
`` Little did I know , four years later… , '' says Patel , who also will be voting for himself in the 2020 presidential election .
This time though , his name is on the ballot in Illinois as the vice presidential candidate running on the American Solidarity Party ticket with 70-year-old retired California teacher and evangelical Christian Brian Carroll .
Patel understands if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I do n't talk about it at school , '' says Patel , 47 , a math teacher at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates .
`` Just recently , when the ballots came out , did my co-workers find out . ''
Patel , who says he pulled a Republican ballot in the 2016 primary race and voted for Marco Rubio for president , did n't become a member of the American Solidarity Party until 2018 .
He says he was lured by a platform that would ban abortion , calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the environment , supports an economic restructuring to stop wealth inequality , defines marriage as between a man and a woman , supports a ranked choice voting system , favors `` a generous policy of asylum for refugees , '' and wants to combat racial injustice and work for peace .
Patel quickly moved up the ladder of the party , which was incorporated in 2016 .
He was party chairman until June , when presidential nominee Carroll asked him to be his vice presidential candidate .
Patel and his wife , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Township High School , have a daughter who is a freshman at the University of Illinois and a son who is a junior at Glenbard East High School .
Patel graduated from Glenbard West High School in 1991 and graduated four years later from the University of Illinois with bachelor 's degrees in math , chemistry and psychology .
`` I got three degrees .
I was never satisfied with one thing , '' says Patel , who got his master 's degree in education from the university in 1997 .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that generally boils down to a Republican vs a Democrat .
`` I usually took the Republican ballot because I voted on life issues , '' says Patel , who is an anti-abortion Roman Catholic and a strong union member .
`` But when President Donald Trump was the new way , I said , 'This ca n't be right . '
'' Patel says he is `` pro-life from womb to tomb . ''
His party opposes medical-assisted deaths for the terminally ill and would abolish the death penalty .
The party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports paid parental leave , affordable child care , an increased investment in higher education , more money for public defenders and teachers , and laws that `` ensure that all people have access to everything they need to thrive . ''
The party identifies as a Christian Democracy , which grew out of Catholic social teachings .
Patel recently retweeted an encyclical from Pope Francis about the need to care for all people , and kiddingly thanked the pope for his endorsement .
He also has fun away from politics .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which mostly consists of educators playing for fundraising events .
He wrote a religious novel under his pen name Mark Andrews titled `` The Joy of the Lord . ''
And he pitches and packs some power as a hitter for his 12-inch softball team .
Patel says people who could fall into the American Solidarity Party voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and voted for Trump in 2016 .
His party was on the ballot only in Colorado in 2016 and captured just 6,000 votes .
`` If we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years later do 10 times more , that would be something , '' says Patel , whose name will be on ballots in eight states and available for write-in votes in another 32 states .
`` There has to be a starting point .
We 're building momentum . ''
He says his campaign hopes to rebuild the `` moral capital '' of the United States .
The son of immigrants from India , Patel says his father , Manilal Patel , and mother , Kanta Patel , came to the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is n't the standard American dream fantasy about coming with nothing and building successful lives , their son says .
`` His story is not about rugged individualism , '' Patel says of his father .
His father 's small village raised money to support him , and their families also offered support .
That spirit is reflected in the # FamilyFriendsFaith hashtag for Patel 's campaign .
Patel says that `` solidarity '' of coming together for a common interest is something our nation needs today .
But he has no illusions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win a state was the American Independent Party of 1968 , when the team of George Wallace and Curtis LeMay won five southern states and 46 Electoral College votes .
Because of his party 's mix of conservative and liberal positions , Patel says he does n't know if his votes will come from people who have soured on Donald Trump or from people uninspired by Joe Biden .
But he says those candidates ' debate performances seem to turn off voters .
`` A couple more of those things , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what could happen ? ''

Constable: Suburban teacher on ballot as third-party VP candidate
He isn't as well known as Kamala Harris or Mike Pence, but Amar Patel of Lombard is on the Illinois ballot on Nov. 3 as the vice presidential candidate of the American Solidarity Party Courtesy of Amar Patel
Enjoying a deep dish pizza, Amar Patel, left, of Lombard and Brian Carroll, of California are on the Illinois ballot. Carroll, a 70-year-old retired teacher and evangelical Christian, is the presidential candidate and Patel is the vice presidential candidate of the American Solidarity Party Courtesy of Amar Patel
American Solidarity Party vice presidential candidate Amar Patel of Lombard says his party might draw votes from Democrats and Republicans. The party wants to ban abortions and advance religious freedoms, and it supports more care for the poor and needy as well as protecting the environment. Courtesy of Amar Patel
Armed with campaign signs and refrigerator magnets, Amar Patel of Lombard is on the Illinois ballot on Nov. 3 as the vice presidential candidate of the American Solidarity Party. Courtesy of Amar Patel
In the 2016 presidential election, Amar Patel of Lombard was so turned off by the prospect of choosing between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton that he voted for himself as a write-in candidate.
"Little did I know, four years later…," says Patel, who also will be voting for himself in the 2020 presidential election. This time though, his name is on the ballot in Illinois as the vice presidential candidate running on the American Solidarity Party ticket with 70-year-old retired California teacher and evangelical Christian Brian Carroll.
Patel understands if you aren't aware of that.
"I don't talk about it at school," says Patel, 47, a math teacher at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates. "Just recently, when the ballots came out, did my co-workers find out."
Patel, who says he pulled a Republican ballot in the 2016 primary race and voted for Marco Rubio for president, didn't become a member of the American Solidarity Party until 2018.
He says he was lured by a platform that would ban abortion, calls universal health care a right, advocates for the environment, supports an economic restructuring to stop wealth inequality, defines marriage as between a man and a woman, supports a ranked choice voting system, favors "a generous policy of asylum for refugees," and wants to combat racial injustice and work for peace.
Patel quickly moved up the ladder of the party, which was incorporated in 2016. He was party chairman until June, when presidential nominee Carroll asked him to be his vice presidential candidate.
Patel and his wife, Angie, who teaches biology at Lyons Township High School, have a daughter who is a freshman at the University of Illinois and a son who is a junior at Glenbard East High School. Patel graduated from Glenbard West High School in 1991 and graduated four years later from the University of Illinois with bachelor's degrees in math, chemistry and psychology.
"I got three degrees. I was never satisfied with one thing," says Patel, who got his master's degree in education from the university in 1997.
He also isn't satisfied with an election process that generally boils down to a Republican vs a Democrat.
"I usually took the Republican ballot because I voted on life issues," says Patel, who is an anti-abortion Roman Catholic and a strong union member. "But when President Donald Trump was the new way, I said, 'This can't be right.'"
Patel says he is "pro-life from womb to tomb." His party opposes medical-assisted deaths for the terminally ill and would abolish the death penalty. The party's "whole life" platform also supports paid parental leave, affordable child care, an increased investment in higher education, more money for public defenders and teachers, and laws that "ensure that all people have access to everything they need to thrive."
The party identifies as a Christian Democracy, which grew out of Catholic social teachings. Patel recently retweeted an encyclical from Pope Francis about the need to care for all people, and kiddingly thanked the pope for his endorsement.
He also has fun away from politics. He sings for the band, Hard Lockdown, which mostly consists of educators playing for fundraising events. He wrote a religious novel under his pen name Mark Andrews titled "The Joy of the Lord." And he pitches and packs some power as a hitter for his 12-inch softball team.
Patel says people who could fall into the American Solidarity Party voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012 and voted for Trump in 2016. His party was on the ballot only in Colorado in 2016 and captured just 6,000 votes.
"If we could do 10 times that, and four years later do 10 times more, that would be something," says Patel, whose name will be on ballots in eight states and available for write-in votes in another 32 states. "There has to be a starting point. We're building momentum."
He says his campaign hopes to rebuild the "moral capital" of the United States.
The son of immigrants from India, Patel says his father, Manilal Patel, and mother, Kanta Patel, came to the U.S. for college educations. But their story isn't the standard American dream fantasy about coming with nothing and building successful lives, their son says.
"His story is not about rugged individualism," Patel says of his father. His father's small village raised money to support him, and their families also offered support. That spirit is reflected in the #FamilyFriendsFaith hashtag for Patel's campaign.
Patel says that "solidarity" of coming together for a common interest is something our nation needs today. But he has no illusions of winning. The last third-party ticket to win a state was the American Independent Party of 1968, when the team of George Wallace and Curtis LeMay won five southern states and 46 Electoral College votes.
Because of his party's mix of conservative and liberal positions, Patel says he doesn't know if his votes will come from people who have soured on Donald Trump or from people uninspired by Joe Biden. But he says those candidates' debate performances seem to turn off voters.
"A couple more of those things," Patel says, "and who knows what could happen?"


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--Three injured in Waukegan shooting

Three injured in Waukegan shooting

Waukegan police are investigating a Saturday night shooting that sent two teens and a 22-year-old man to a hospital with @ @ @ @ @ Sunday .
Officers responding at about 9:50 p.m. to the shooting on the 300 block @ @ @ @ @ found an unoccupied sedan with bullet holes , police said .
Officers later located a @ @ @ @ @ , both from Waukegan , with gunshot wounds .
A third victim , a 22-year-old @ @ @ @ @ later discovered with a leg injury , police said .
Police recovered a semi-automatic pistol @ @ @ @ @ are still investigating the shooting .
Officials said a motive is unknown and there are @ @ @ @ @

Three injured in Waukegan shooting
Waukegan police are investigating a Saturday night shooting that sent two teens and a 22-year-old man to a hospital with nonlife-threatening injuries, officials said Sunday.
Officers responding at about 9:50 p.m. to the shooting on the 300 block of South Genesee Street initially found an unoccupied sedan with bullet holes, police said. Officers later located a 16-year-old male and 18-year-old male, both from Waukegan, with gunshot wounds.
A third victim, a 22-year-old North Chicago man, was later discovered with a leg injury, police said.
Police recovered a semi-automatic pistol from the area, but are still investigating the shooting. Officials said a motive is unknown and there are no suspects in custody.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--Police: Missing Des Plaines man could be endangered

Police are seeking the public 's help in locating a missing and endangered man last seen leaving his home in @ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
Marc Wallace , 51 , has an unspecified condition that places him in @ @ @ @ @ alert issued by Illinois State Police .
He is described as a Black man , @ @ @ @ @ and weighing 140 pounds .
He has black hair , brown eyes and a Chinese @ @ @ @ @ He was last seen wearing a blue plaid shirt , dark jeans and gray shoes @ @ @ @ @ with information about Wallace 's whereabouts should contact the Des Plaines Police Department at ( @ @ @ @ @ 911 .

Police: Missing Des Plaines man located
Police have located a missing and endangered man last seen leaving his home in Des Plaines about 5 p.m. Saturday.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--Senate debate dives into racism, political corruption, lake levels and COVID-19

Illinois ' five candidates for U.S. senator in the Nov. 3 election laid out their positions on a variety of hot-button issues at a Sunday debate on NBC 5 .
The Green Party 's David Black , Republican Mark Curran , Libertarian Danny Malouf and independent Willie Wilson are challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin .
Moderator Carol Marin asked Durbin if powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan should step down as the state 's Democratic Party chairman .
In July , ComEd admitted to bribery to get laws passed in exchange for patronage deals with cronies of Madigan , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Madigan is entitled to a presumption of innocence , '' said Durbin , of Springfield .
`` Let 's wait and see if he is charged with a crime -- that is a serious matter and I would consider at that moment he should step aside as party chair . ''
Curran , former Lake County sheriff , was asked by Marin if he regretted saying Black Lives Matter is an `` evil entity . ''
The question came a day after local Black Lives Matter members rallied in Waukegan following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the wounding of his girlfriend by a police officer Tuesday .
Both are Black .
`` Black Lives Matter is essentially a Marxist organization , two of the three founders were avowed Marxists , '' Curran said , adding BLM `` has stood for defunding the police . ''
`` I have a lot of support in the Black community , '' Curran added .
`` There 's no Black support for Sen. Durbin .
My former jail chief was the head of the NAACP .
I 've supported Blacks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to virtually every crackpot conspiracy theory that comes down the road . ''
Wilson , a Chicago resident who recently recovered from COVID-19 , said the pandemic has `` been handled the wrong way , '' by President Donald Trump .
`` When it first came out , people were saying you do n't have to wear face masks .
After it got going , they said , you have to have face masks .
The problem was , there was a shortage of face masks in the United States , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warned about rising lake levels .
`` I believe it is due to mostly to climate change .
The lake has gone up and down over the years but it is much , much too high .
If we do n't take action ... we 're going to be in a real crisis , '' he said .
When asked if preexisting conditions need to be part of a national health plan , Malouf disagreed .
`` I do n't think we need a national health plan , that 's why health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We need to get the federal government out of health insurance . ''

Senate debate dives into racism, political corruption, lake levels and COVID-19
Republican Mark Curran, left, and Democrat Dick Durbin are candidates for the U.S. Senate.
Illinois' five candidates for U.S. senator in the Nov. 3 election laid out their positions on a variety of hot-button issues at a Sunday debate on NBC 5.
The Green Party's David Black, Republican Mark Curran, Libertarian Danny Malouf and independent Willie Wilson are challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin.
Moderator Carol Marin asked Durbin if powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan should step down as the state's Democratic Party chairman. In July, ComEd admitted to bribery to get laws passed in exchange for patronage deals with cronies of Madigan, who denies any wrongdoing.
"Even Mike Madigan is entitled to a presumption of innocence," said Durbin, of Springfield. "Let's wait and see if he is charged with a crime -- that is a serious matter and I would consider at that moment he should step aside as party chair."
Curran, former Lake County sheriff, was asked by Marin if he regretted saying Black Lives Matter is an "evil entity." The question came a day after local Black Lives Matter members rallied in Waukegan following the fatal shooting of Marcellis Stinnette, 19, and the wounding of his girlfriend by a police officer Tuesday. Both are Black.
"Black Lives Matter is essentially a Marxist organization, two of the three founders were avowed Marxists," Curran said, adding BLM "has stood for defunding the police."
"I have a lot of support in the Black community," Curran added. "There's no Black support for Sen. Durbin. My former jail chief was the head of the NAACP. I've supported Blacks."
Durbin retorted "Mr. Curran subscribes to virtually every crackpot conspiracy theory that comes down the road."
Wilson, a Chicago resident who recently recovered from COVID-19, said the pandemic has "been handled the wrong way," by President Donald Trump.
"When it first came out, people were saying you don't have to wear face masks. After it got going, they said, you have to have face masks. The problem was, there was a shortage of face masks in the United States," he said.
Black, of Rockford, warned about rising lake levels. "I believe it is due to mostly to climate change. The lake has gone up and down over the years but it is much, much too high. If we don't take action ... we're going to be in a real crisis," he said.
When asked if preexisting conditions need to be part of a national health plan, Malouf disagreed.
"I don't think we need a national health plan, that's why health care is so unaffordable," he said. "We need to get the federal government out of health insurance."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--No injuries reported in Hoffman Estates house fire

Fire broke out Saturday night in the chimney of a Hoffman Estates home , causing an estimated $ 50,000 damage @ @ @ @ @ said .
No residents or firefighters were injured in the fire , which was reported @ @ @ @ @ 500 block of Illinois Boulevard , fire officials said .
According to the Hoffman Estates @ @ @ @ @ to the two-story , single-family home arrived to find fire on the exterior chimney , @ @ @ @ @ While some firefighters attacked the fire from the outside , crews also searched the home @ @ @ @ @ left inside .
Damage was confined mainly to the exterior of the house , with @ @ @ @ @ , officials said .
The Hoffman Estates Fire Department responded with 23 firefighters , and @ @ @ @ @ the scene by the Schaumburg and Streamwood fire departments .
The Elk Grove , Bartlett @ @ @ @ @ fire departments assisted providing station coverage .
Further assistance was provided by Hoffman Estates Police @ @ @ @ @ .

No injuries reported in Hoffman Estates house fire
Fire broke out Saturday night in the chimney of a Hoffman Estates home, causing an estimated $50,000 damage to the residence, authorities said.
No residents or firefighters were injured in the fire, which was reported at 8:53 p.m. in the 500 block of Illinois Boulevard, fire officials said.
According to the Hoffman Estates Fire Department, firefighters called to the two-story, single-family home arrived to find fire on the exterior chimney, extending into the soffit. While some firefighters attacked the fire from the outside, crews also searched the home to ensure no one was left inside.
Damage was confined mainly to the exterior of the house, with minor damage to the interior, officials said.
The Hoffman Estates Fire Department responded with 23 firefighters, and mutual aid was provided at the scene by the Schaumburg and Streamwood fire departments. The Elk Grove, Bartlett, Barrington Countryside and Elgin fire departments assisted providing station coverage. Further assistance was provided by Hoffman Estates Police Department, ComEd and NICOR.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--Steelers survive Titans rally after missed FG, move to 6-0

Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to Diontae Johnson , and the Pittsburgh Steelers remained perfect by holding off Tennessee for a 27-24 victory Sunday in a game originally postponed when the Titans came down with the NFL 's first COVID-19 outbreak of the season .
In a matchup of the AFC 's two remaining undefeated teams , the Titans rallied from 17 down .
They failed to complete the comeback when Stephen Gostkowski , who made a 51-yarder earlier , missed from 45 yards wide right with 14 seconds left .
That sent the Steelers running around the field @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) stunned .
The Steelers improved to 6-0 for their best start since 1978 , when Pittsburgh won its first seven on the way to the Super Bowl .
This was just the fifth time undefeated teams had met in Week 7 or later , and the winner of the previous four all made the Super Bowl .
Benny Snell Jr. added a 1-yard TD run and Ray-Ray McCloud set up a touchdown with a 57-yard punt return .
Pittsburgh outgained Tennessee 362-292 and held the NFL 's second-best scoring offense under 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opening week of the season .
But the Titans had won four of their first five by rallying in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime , and they scored 17 straight to pull within 27-24 .
Ryan Tannehill hit A.J .
Brown on a short pass that the receiver took to the end zone for a 73-yard TD .
Jayon Brown picked off a batted pass , setting up Gostkowski 's field goal .
Derrick Henry capped a 12-play drive with a 1-yard TD with 10:13 left .
The Titans had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roethlisberger in the back of the end zone with 2:35 left .
It was Roethlisberger 's third of the game , which Tennessee turned into only a field goal .
ATLANTA -- Detroit let Atlanta score a touchdown .
It worked - and the Falcons found another stunning way to lose .
Matthew Stafford connected with T.J. Hockenson on an 11-yard touchdown pass as time expired and Matt Prater booted a 48-yard extra point to give Detroit the improbable victory .
The Lions ( 3-3 ) won their second in a row - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2019 season .
Trailing 16-14 , the Falcons ( 1-6 ) were positioned to run down the clock and kick a chip-shot field goal for the win when they picked up a first down at the Lions 10 with just over a minute remaining .
Detroit had used up all its timeouts on the drive , so there was no further way to stop the clock .
Knowing their only chance was to allow a quick TD , the Lions made no attempt to stop Todd Gurley after he took a handoff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lions were doing - but too late .
He started to fall but landed on the goal line with 1:04 remaining .
The Falcons converted a 2-point conversion to make it 22-16 , but the Lions still had a chance against a team that had already become the first in NFL history to lose two straight games when leading by at least 15 points in the fourth quarter .
Stafford drove his team 75 yards in eight plays .
Detroit spiked the ball with 2 seconds to go , setting up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pocket , rolled to his left and spotted Hockenson breaking free across the end zone .
CINCINNATI -- Baker Mayfield overcame a terrible start to throw for five touchdowns , including a 24-yard go-ahead score to Donovan Peoples-Jones with 15 seconds left , and Cleveland outdueled Cincinnati .
Nursing sore ribs , Mayfield started 0 for 5 - including an interception on his first attempt of the game .
He then completed 22 of his next 23 passes .
The last was the leaping grab by People-Jones to win it for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Burrow played another terrific game , but again it was n't enough .
He hit 35 of 47 passes for a season-high 406 yards and three touchdowns , including a 3-yard scoring pass to Giovani Bernard on fourth-and-1 to give the Bengals a 34-31 lead with 1:06 left .
But the Bengals could n't stop Mayfield , who was roundly criticized after a poor performance in Cleveland 's loss to Pittsburgh last week , and Browns receivers who made some great catches as they worked down the field .
Mayfield was 22 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Higgins had six catches for 110 yards , and tight end Harrison Bryant had two touchdown catches .
Tyler Boyd had 11 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals ( 1-5-1 ) .
NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns without two top receivers and rushed for another score to lead New Orleans past Carolina .
The Panthers had driven across midfield in the final minutes when Marcus Davenport 's sack of Teddy Bridgewater led coach Matt Rhule to send out kicker Joey Slye for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The kick fell just short of the crossbar and the Saints ( 4-2 ) ran out the final 1:55 to send the Panthers ( 3-4 ) to their second straight loss .
Brees completed 29 of 36 passes to eight targets despite not having receivers Michael Thomas ( hamstring ) and Emmanuel Sanders ( COVID-19 ) in the lineup .
His decision-making and accuracy also helped New Orleans convert 12 of 14 third downs .
On their only two third-down failures , Wil Lutz came through with field goals of 41 and 43 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for 4 yards to Jared Cook and 4 yards to Deonte Harris 2 seconds before halftime .
Alvin Kamara gained 148 yards from scrimmage , with 83 coming on 14 rushes .
That was just enough to overcome a strong showing by Bridgewater in his first game against the Saints since serving as Brees ' backup in New Orleans the past two seasons .
Bridgewater was 23 of 28 for 254 yards and two touchdowns , including a 74-yarder to DJ Moore , who also had a 7-yard catch-and run around the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aaron Rodgers threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns Green Bay rebounded from its first loss , beating Houston .
Rodgers played a near-flawless game and tied his season high for TD passes .
The performance came after he threw two interceptions , including one that was returned for a touchdown , with no TDs in a 38-10 loss to Tampa Bay last week .
Despite being without leading rusher Aaron Jones and left tackle David Bakhtiari , Green Bay ( 5-1 ) had no trouble handling the woeful Texans ( 1-6 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by halftime .
Green Bay 's strong day on offense was aided by a career-high 196 yards receiving by Davante Adams , who had touchdown receptions of 3 and 45 yards .
Green Bay made it 35-13 when Jamaal Williams scored on a 1-yard run with about four minutes to go .
Deshaun Watson threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller with about 90 seconds left before the Texans recovered an onside kick .
But David Johnson fumbled after a reception on the next play and the Packers ran out the clock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two touchdowns and former Green Bay receiver Randall Cobb had 95 yards receiving .
LANDOVER , Md .
-- Washington 's defense finally clamped down on a struggling opponent , piling up six sacks , an interception and a forced fumble that became a safety in a 25-3 blowout of Dallas on Sunday that snapped a five-game skid .
Montez Sweat led Washington ( 2-5 ) with 2 1/2 sacks , Cole Holcomb had one to go along with a red zone interception and Landon Collins knocked the ball out of Andy Dalton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaving with an ankle injury .
Dalton was under siege all day behind a patchwork offensive line before being knocked out of the game in the third quarter on a shoulder-to-head hit from Jon Bostic , who was ejected .
Dalton was 9 of 19 for 75 yards before being injured and walking off under his own power to undergo concussion evaluation .
Washington allowed 142 total yards to win a game by double digits for the first time since November 2018 .
Dallas ( 2-5 ) lost back-to-back games after Washington held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 carries and rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb dropped a handful of passes thrown his way .
A dominant defensive performance combined with rookie Antonio Gibson 's first 100-yard rushing game and a touchdown and a well-managed game by Kyle Allen were enough to put Washington back in the thick of the race in the dreadful NFC East .
Allen was 15 of 25 for 194 yards with TD passes to Terry McLaurin and Logan Thomas in his third consecutive start since taking over as starting quarterback .
EAST RUTHERFORD , N.J. -- Josh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the end zone for the first time this season , but Tyler Bass tied a franchise record with six field goals and Buffalo ended a two-game skid by beating winless New York .
It was the third game in 13 days for the Bills ( 5-2 ) , who lost to Tennessee and Kansas City before their ugly win against the league-worst Jets ( 0-7 ) .
The Bills fell behind 10-0 early and looked sluggish for most of the game , and the victory marked their first without getting a touchdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on five field goals by Rian Lindell and a safety .
It was also the first time the Jets lost without giving up a touchdown since a 9-6 loss to the Rams in 2016 .
Bass kicked a 40-yarder with 1:56 left after also making kicks of 53 , 48 , 46 , 37 and 29 yards .
He also missed from 45 and 37 yards , but made enough to tie Steve Christie 's team mark set against New York in 1996 .
New York had a chance late after Micah Hyde @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breshad Perriman , who appeared unconscious for a few moments .
But Sam Darnold was intercepted by Jerry Hughes on a tipped pass to seal it .

Steelers survive Titans rally after missed FG, move to 6-0
Tennessee Titans kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) attempts a 45-yard field goal against the Pittsburgh Steelers as Brett Kern (6) holds in the final seconds of the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. Gostkowski missed the kick and the Steelers won 27-24. Associated Press
Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebackers T.J. Watt (90) and Bud Dupree (48) celebrate after a 45-yard field goal attempt by Tennessee Titans kicker Stephen Gostkowski was no good in the final seconds of the fourth quarter in an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. The Steelers won 27-24. Associated Press
Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes to Diontae Johnson, and the Pittsburgh Steelers remained perfect by holding off Tennessee for a 27-24 victory Sunday in a game originally postponed when the Titans came down with the NFL's first COVID-19 outbreak of the season.
In a matchup of the AFC's two remaining undefeated teams, the Titans rallied from 17 down. They failed to complete the comeback when Stephen Gostkowski, who made a 51-yarder earlier, missed from 45 yards wide right with 14 seconds left. That sent the Steelers running around the field in celebration and the Titans (5-1) stunned.
The Steelers improved to 6-0 for their best start since 1978, when Pittsburgh won its first seven on the way to the Super Bowl. This was just the fifth time undefeated teams had met in Week 7 or later, and the winner of the previous four all made the Super Bowl.
Benny Snell Jr. added a 1-yard TD run and Ray-Ray McCloud set up a touchdown with a 57-yard punt return.
Pittsburgh outgained Tennessee 362-292 and held the NFL's second-best scoring offense under 31 points for the first time since the opening week of the season.
But the Titans had won four of their first five by rallying in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime, and they scored 17 straight to pull within 27-24.
Ryan Tannehill hit A.J. Brown on a short pass that the receiver took to the end zone for a 73-yard TD. Jayon Brown picked off a batted pass, setting up Gostkowski's field goal. Derrick Henry capped a 12-play drive with a 1-yard TD with 10:13 left.
The Titans had their final chance after Amani Hooker intercepted Roethlisberger in the back of the end zone with 2:35 left. It was Roethlisberger's third of the game, which Tennessee turned into only a field goal.
LIONS 23, FALCONS 22
ATLANTA -- Detroit let Atlanta score a touchdown. It worked - and the Falcons found another stunning way to lose.
Matthew Stafford connected with T.J. Hockenson on an 11-yard touchdown pass as time expired and Matt Prater booted a 48-yard extra point to give Detroit the improbable victory. The Lions (3-3) won their second in a row - their first winning streak since early in the 2019 season.
Trailing 16-14, the Falcons (1-6) were positioned to run down the clock and kick a chip-shot field goal for the win when they picked up a first down at the Lions 10 with just over a minute remaining.
Detroit had used up all its timeouts on the drive, so there was no further way to stop the clock. Knowing their only chance was to allow a quick TD, the Lions made no attempt to stop Todd Gurley after he took a handoff from Matt Ryan.
Gurley realized what the Lions were doing - but too late. He started to fall but landed on the goal line with 1:04 remaining.
The Falcons converted a 2-point conversion to make it 22-16, but the Lions still had a chance against a team that had already become the first in NFL history to lose two straight games when leading by at least 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Stafford drove his team 75 yards in eight plays. Detroit spiked the ball with 2 seconds to go, setting up the final play. Stafford was pressured in the pocket, rolled to his left and spotted Hockenson breaking free across the end zone.
BUCCANEERS 45, RAIDERS 20
LAS VEGAS -- Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes to move past Drew Brees for the most in NFL history and ran for another to lead Tampa Bay past Las Vegas.
Brady connected with Rob Gronkowski in the second quarter and on a perfectly placed 33-yarder to Scotty Miller later in the first half. He then helped seal the game with the throw to Chris Godwin that put the Bucs (5-2) up 31-20 midway through the fourth quarter.
Brady added a fourth to rookie Tyler Johnson with 3:08 to play to give him 559 in his career, passing Brees for the most ever. Brees threw two earlier in the day for New Orleans.
The 4-yard pass to Godwin was part of a key stretch when it appeared the Raiders were in position for a comeback after cutting the deficit to 24-17 on Derek Carr's second TD pass of the game.
The Raiders (3-3) were driving for the potential tying score before coming up 1 yard short of a first down on a third-and-4 pass to Darren Waller. Coach Jon Gruden opted for a field goal to make it 24-20.
Brady then engineered another TD drive and the Bucs put it away when Carr threw an interception on Las Vegas' next play to set up Ronald Jones' 1-yard run.
Brady finished 33 for 45 for 369 yards. Carr went 24 for 36 for 284 yards, two TDs and one interception.
BROWNS 37, BENGALS 34
CINCINNATI -- Baker Mayfield overcame a terrible start to throw for five touchdowns, including a 24-yard go-ahead score to Donovan Peoples-Jones with 15 seconds left, and Cleveland outdueled Cincinnati.
Nursing sore ribs, Mayfield started 0 for 5 - including an interception on his first attempt of the game. He then completed 22 of his next 23 passes. The last was the leaping grab by People-Jones to win it for the Browns (5-2).
Cincinnati rookie Joe Burrow played another terrific game, but again it wasn't enough. He hit 35 of 47 passes for a season-high 406 yards and three touchdowns, including a 3-yard scoring pass to Giovani Bernard on fourth-and-1 to give the Bengals a 34-31 lead with 1:06 left.
But the Bengals couldn't stop Mayfield, who was roundly criticized after a poor performance in Cleveland's loss to Pittsburgh last week, and Browns receivers who made some great catches as they worked down the field.
Mayfield was 22 for 28 for 297 yards. Rashard Higgins had six catches for 110 yards, and tight end Harrison Bryant had two touchdown catches.
Tyler Boyd had 11 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals (1-5-1).
SAINTS 27, PANTHERS 24
NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns without two top receivers and rushed for another score to lead New Orleans past Carolina.
The Panthers had driven across midfield in the final minutes when Marcus Davenport's sack of Teddy Bridgewater led coach Matt Rhule to send out kicker Joey Slye for a 65-yard field goal on fourth-and-19. The kick fell just short of the crossbar and the Saints (4-2) ran out the final 1:55 to send the Panthers (3-4) to their second straight loss.
Brees completed 29 of 36 passes to eight targets despite not having receivers Michael Thomas (hamstring) and Emmanuel Sanders (COVID-19) in the lineup. His decision-making and accuracy also helped New Orleans convert 12 of 14 third downs.
On their only two third-down failures, Wil Lutz came through with field goals of 41 and 43 yards.
Brees' touchdown passes went for 4 yards to Jared Cook and 4 yards to Deonte Harris 2 seconds before halftime.
Alvin Kamara gained 148 yards from scrimmage, with 83 coming on 14 rushes.
That was just enough to overcome a strong showing by Bridgewater in his first game against the Saints since serving as Brees' backup in New Orleans the past two seasons.
Bridgewater was 23 of 28 for 254 yards and two touchdowns, including a 74-yarder to DJ Moore, who also had a 7-yard catch-and run around the right end for a score.
CHIEFS 43, BRONCOS 16
DENVER -- Kansas City didn't need the usual heroics from Patrick Mahomes to rout Denver for its 10th straight win over its AFC West rival.
The Chiefs (6-1) found other ways to dominate Denver (2-4) on a snowy afternoon that began with a temperature of 14 degrees at kickoff.
Kansas City took a 24-9 halftime lead even though Mahomes completed just one pass in the second quarter, a 5-yarder, and had just 99 yards through the air in the first half.
Mahomes finally extended his NFL-leading streak to 17 consecutive games with a touchdown throw when he hit Tyreek Hill from 10 yards with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. That made it 37-9.
Mahomes' TD throw to Hill followed the Chiefs' fourth takeaway, an interception by Tyrann Mathieu when rookie KJ Hamler let Drew Lock's pass bounce off him and right into the arms of the Chiefs' star safety.
Mahomes finished a methodical 15 of 23 for 200 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions and four sacks.
In the first half, the Chiefs scored touchdowns on Byron Pringle's 102-yard kickoff return and Daniel Sorensen's 50-yard interception return to go with Clyde Edwards-Helaire's 11-yard run in which he broke five tackles.
49ERS 33, PATRIOTS 6
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Jeff Wilson Jr. rushed for a career-high three touchdowns and 112 yards before leaving with an ankle injury and San Francisco dominated New England.
Jimmy Garoppolo finished 20 of 25 for 277 yards with two interceptions in his first game against his former team. San Francisco (4-3) has followed back-to-back losses with two wins and is 3-0 on the road.
The Patriots' 27-point loss was their largest at home under Bill Belichick. They had gone 286 games without a three-game losing streak, the longest span between three-game slides in NFL history. New England fell to 2-4 for the first since Belichick's first season in 2000, when the Patriots went 5-11.
New England was outgained 467-241 in total yards.
San Francisco's Brandon Aiyuk had six catches for 115 yards and Deebo Samuel had five catches for 65 yards before leaving the game with a hamstring injury.
Cam Newton struggled throughout for the Patriots, completing 9 of 15 passes for 98 yards and three interceptions before being replaced by Jarrett Stidham in the fourth quarter. Stidham was 6 of 10 for 64 yards and an interception.
San Francisco dominated the first half, taking a 23-3 lead, holding the ball for 22:30, and racking up a 301-59 advantage in total yards. The Patriots also managed just four first downs to the 49ers' 18.
CHARGERS 39, JAGUARS 29
LOS ANGELES -- Justin Herbert got his first NFL win, throwing for 347 yards and three touchdowns as well as running for a score as Los Angeles beat Jacksonville to snap a four-game skid.
Herbert, the sixth overall pick in April's draft, completed 27 of 43 passes. He also rushed for 66 yards, a single-game high for a Chargers QB.
Herbert joined Cincinnati's Joe Burrow as the only rookie quarterbacks in NFL history with 300 yards, at least three passing TDs, and one rushing in a game. Burrow did that earlier Sunday in the Bengals' 37-34 loss to the Cleveland Browns.
More important for Herbert was that first win, despite Los Angeles blowing another large lead.
Jacksonville (1-6) tied an NFL record by allowing 30 or more points in six consecutive games.
The Chargers (2-4) jumped to a 16-0 second-quarter lead but squandered a double-digit advantage for the fourth time in five games. Jacksonville scored 21 straight points to go up by five early in the third quarter.
Jacksonville was ahead 29-22 late in the third quarter when Los Angeles regained control. Herbert connected with Jalen Guyton for a 70-yard touchdown up the right sideline to tie it. The Jaguars fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Herbert scrambled around right end from 5 yards to put the Chargers in front 36-29.
PACKERS 35, TEXANS 20
HOUSTON -- Aaron Rodgers threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns Green Bay rebounded from its first loss, beating Houston.
Rodgers played a near-flawless game and tied his season high for TD passes. The performance came after he threw two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown, with no TDs in a 38-10 loss to Tampa Bay last week.
Despite being without leading rusher Aaron Jones and left tackle David Bakhtiari, Green Bay (5-1) had no trouble handling the woeful Texans (1-6). The Packers built a 21-0 lead by halftime.
Green Bay's strong day on offense was aided by a career-high 196 yards receiving by Davante Adams, who had touchdown receptions of 3 and 45 yards.
Green Bay made it 35-13 when Jamaal Williams scored on a 1-yard run with about four minutes to go.
Deshaun Watson threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller with about 90 seconds left before the Texans recovered an onside kick. But David Johnson fumbled after a reception on the next play and the Packers ran out the clock.
Watson threw for 309 yards with two touchdowns and former Green Bay receiver Randall Cobb had 95 yards receiving.
WASHINGTON 25, COWBOYS 3
LANDOVER, Md. -- Washington's defense finally clamped down on a struggling opponent, piling up six sacks, an interception and a forced fumble that became a safety in a 25-3 blowout of Dallas on Sunday that snapped a five-game skid.
Montez Sweat had two sacks for Washington (2-5), Cole Holcomb had one to go along with a red zone interception and Landon Collins knocked the ball out of Andy Dalton's hands for an early safety before leaving with an ankle injury. Dalton was under siege all day behind a patchwork offensive line before being knocked out of the game in the third quarter on a shoulder-to-head hit from Jon Bostic, who was ejected.
Dalton was 9 of 19 for 75 yards before being injured and walking off under his own power to undergo concussion evaluation.
Washington allowed 142 total yards to win a game by double digits for the first time since November 2018.
Dallas (2-5) lost back-to-back games after Washington held Ezekiel Elliott to 45 yards rushing on 12 carries and rookie receiver CeeDee Lamb dropped a handful of passes thrown his way.
A dominant defensive performance combined with rookie Antonio Gibson's first 100-yard rushing game and a touchdown and a well-managed game by Kyle Allen were enough to put Washington back in the thick of the race in the dreadful NFC East.
Allen was 15 of 25 for 194 yards with TD passes to Terry McLaurin and Logan Thomas in his third consecutive start since taking over as starting quarterback.
BILLS 18, JETS 10
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Josh Allen and the Bills were held out of the end zone for the first time this season, but Tyler Bass tied a franchise record with six field goals and Buffalo ended a two-game skid by beating winless New York.
It was the third game in 13 days for the Bills (5-2), who lost to Tennessee and Kansas City before their ugly win against the league-worst Jets (0-7).
The Bills fell behind 10-0 early and looked sluggish for most of the game, and the victory marked their first without getting a touchdown since they beat Washington 17-16 in 2007 on five field goals by Rian Lindell and a safety.
It was also the first time the Jets lost without giving up a touchdown since a 9-6 loss to the Rams in 2016.
Bass kicked a 40-yarder with 1:56 left after also making kicks of 53, 48, 46, 37 and 29 yards. He also missed from 45 and 37 yards, but made enough to tie Steve Christie's team mark set against New York in 1996.
New York had a chance late after Micah Hyde was called for an unnecessary hit on Breshad Perriman, who appeared unconscious for a few moments. But Sam Darnold was intercepted by Jerry Hughes on a tipped pass to seal it.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-26--How suburban homeowners are getting crafty to keep trick-or-treaters happy

With countless celebrations curtailed by COVID-19 , a resourceful Buffalo Grove woman was determined not to let the pandemic undo another tradition .
To that end , Debbie Gross crafted a coronavirus-inspired contraption to safely deliver goodies to Halloween trick-or-treaters and spread a little joy in the process .
She bought PVC pipe from the hardware store that she wrapped in black and orange tape and threaded through a cardboard box decorated with a skeleton and Halloween stickers .
She and her husband even attached a spare doorbell so -- come Saturday -- her $ 22 gadget will allow them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We are so excited to have a safe candy distribution system , '' Gross said .
`` We are even going to ladle the candy into the tube so it 's not touched . ''
Gross is n't the only homeowner planning to spread Halloween cheer in spite of a recent spike in new COVID-19 cases and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warnings about trick-or treating .
And she 's not the only homeowner repurposing PVC pipe to do it .
Vicki Bousson of Lindenhurst bought two , 6-foot pieces with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chute extending from her porch to a small table where the treats will be deposited .
Bousson says she 'll decorate the contraption with glow-in-the-dark paint .
`` I may go all out and put glitter on it , '' she laughed .
Bousson plans to wear a face mask and gloves .
She 's also considering using chalk to draw monster footprints on the sidewalk to keep youngsters 6 feet apart .
`` I want the kids to have fun , '' she said .
`` You feel bad for them because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stick ...
Kids need to get out there and be kids . ''
A zip line inspired the candy delivery system debuts Oct. 31 at Amy Bachmann 's Palatine house .
Designed by her son Gage , an engineering student at the University of Southern California , it has a decorated bucket that deposits candy into waiting hands .
In fact , Bachmann thinks her fifth-grade daughter may be more excited to run the line than collect her own candy Saturday .
`` We have a handful of younger kids on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We wanted to create a socially distant way kids on our block could be out in costumes and visit a handful of houses safely . ''
Halloween 2020 will look different , but Bachmann says that 's OK. `` We need to re-imagine the things that bring us joy , '' she said .
When it comes to handing out candy , Sara Murdock has a less elaborate system in mind .
She 'll place goodies in sealed plastic bags and leave them outside her home .
But Halloween candy delivered through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it will make retrieving treats easier for her oldest daughter who uses a wheelchair .
Murdock 's children -- ages 15 , 8 and 2 -- will wear face coverings while trick-or-treating and maintain their distance from other groups .
`` We 're going to be careful but we 're still going to try to have some fun , '' she said .
Having a child with special needs means her family always takes precautions .
`` We make the best of every situation , '' Murdock said .
`` There is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an infection detrimental to her , so we roll with it . ''
Erin Chapa 's 5-year-old son has been planning his Mario Brothers costume since June and she would n't think of denying him the chance to show it off .
But with twin newborns and a pending visit from in-laws , she and her husband have narrowed his typical trick-or-treating route to include several neighbors and nearby relatives .
`` I do n't want to expose grandma , '' said the Westchester woman .
`` We 'll get even more strict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the honor system , Chapa intends to leave treats on a table on her front lawn .
Frances Fennessy will also monitor the costume parade from afar .
`` I love Halloween , '' said the Schaumburg woman .
`` I 'll be on the driveway , the treats will be in baskets and the kids can take what they want . ''
Fennessy is all for taking precautions , using face coverings and physically distancing , but she does n't want kids to miss out on doing things that might bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says she does n't plan to take special precautions .
The Rolling Meadows mother of 14-year-old twins plans to hand out treats on her front porch .
Because it 's outdoors and does n't involve close interaction , Allain said she is n't worried about coronavirus transmission during trick-or-treating .
`` I do n't think we need to be overcautious , '' she said .
While other parents may disagree , many say they want to give pint-size revelers a Halloween to remember .
`` The most important thing , '' Gross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normalcy to the lives of our kids . ''

How suburban homeowners are getting crafty to keep trick-or-treaters happy
With countless celebrations curtailed by COVID-19, a resourceful Buffalo Grove woman was determined not to let the pandemic undo another tradition. To that end, Debbie Gross crafted a coronavirus-inspired contraption to safely deliver goodies to Halloween trick-or-treaters and spread a little joy in the process.
She bought PVC pipe from the hardware store that she wrapped in black and orange tape and threaded through a cardboard box decorated with a skeleton and Halloween stickers. She and her husband even attached a spare doorbell so -- come Saturday -- her $22 gadget will allow them to dispense candy at a distance.
"We are so excited to have a safe candy distribution system," Gross said. "We are even going to ladle the candy into the tube so it's not touched."
Gross isn't the only homeowner planning to spread Halloween cheer in spite of a recent spike in new COVID-19 cases and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warnings about trick-or treating. And she's not the only homeowner repurposing PVC pipe to do it.
Vicki Bousson of Lindenhurst bought two, 6-foot pieces with connectors that she'll fashion into a chute extending from her porch to a small table where the treats will be deposited.
Bousson says she'll decorate the contraption with glow-in-the-dark paint.
"I may go all out and put glitter on it," she laughed.
Bousson plans to wear a face mask and gloves. She's also considering using chalk to draw monster footprints on the sidewalk to keep youngsters 6 feet apart.
"I want the kids to have fun," she said. "You feel bad for them because they've received the short end of the stick ... Kids need to get out there and be kids."
A zip line inspired the candy delivery system debuts Oct. 31 at Amy Bachmann's Palatine house. Designed by her son Gage, an engineering student at the University of Southern California, it has a decorated bucket that deposits candy into waiting hands. In fact, Bachmann thinks her fifth-grade daughter may be more excited to run the line than collect her own candy Saturday.
"We have a handful of younger kids on the block," Bachmann said. "We wanted to create a socially distant way kids on our block could be out in costumes and visit a handful of houses safely."
Halloween 2020 will look different, but Bachmann says that's OK. "We need to re-imagine the things that bring us joy," she said. When it comes to handing out candy, Sara Murdock has a less elaborate system in mind. She'll place goodies in sealed plastic bags and leave them outside her home. But Halloween candy delivered through a chute appeals to the Carpentersville mom who says it will make retrieving treats easier for her oldest daughter who uses a wheelchair.
Murdock's children -- ages 15, 8 and 2 -- will wear face coverings while trick-or-treating and maintain their distance from other groups.
"We're going to be careful but we're still going to try to have some fun," she said.
Having a child with special needs means her family always takes precautions.
"We make the best of every situation," Murdock said. "There is always a chance my daughter could get an infection detrimental to her, so we roll with it."
Erin Chapa's 5-year-old son has been planning his Mario Brothers costume since June and she wouldn't think of denying him the chance to show it off. But with twin newborns and a pending visit from in-laws, she and her husband have narrowed his typical trick-or-treating route to include several neighbors and nearby relatives.
"I don't want to expose grandma," said the Westchester woman. "We'll get even more strict than we have been."
Relying on the honor system, Chapa intends to leave treats on a table on her front lawn.
Frances Fennessy will also monitor the costume parade from afar.
"I love Halloween," said the Schaumburg woman. "I'll be on the driveway, the treats will be in baskets and the kids can take what they want."
Fennessy is all for taking precautions, using face coverings and physically distancing, but she doesn't want kids to miss out on doing things that might bring them happiness.
Carol Allain, meanwhile, says she doesn't plan to take special precautions. The Rolling Meadows mother of 14-year-old twins plans to hand out treats on her front porch. Because it's outdoors and doesn't involve close interaction, Allain said she isn't worried about coronavirus transmission during trick-or-treating.
"I don't think we need to be overcautious," she said.
While other parents may disagree, many say they want to give pint-size revelers a Halloween to remember.
"The most important thing," Gross said, "is to bring some normalcy to the lives of our kids."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-26--Medical professionals push back after Trump says COVID-19 cases are inflated to 'get more money'

Medical professionals are on the defensive after President Donald Trump accused `` doctors and hospitals '' of inflating COVID-19 patient counts to `` get more money '' during a campaign rally Saturday in Wisconsin .
`` I 'm trying to be very politically neutral , but it makes me very sad to think that people would believe we are benefiting by this , '' said Denise Chamberlain , chief financial officer at DuPage County-based Edward-Elmhurst Health .
Illinois hospitals continue to see caseloads rapidly growing .
Hospitals statewide reported 2,605 COVID-19 patients while Trump was making his speech .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in intensive care .
Just two weeks ago , there were nearly 1,000 fewer patients hospitalized and roughly 200 fewer COVID-19 patients in an ICU .
State health officials Sunday reported 24 more residents have died from COVID-19 and another 4,062 new cases were diagnosed .
The state 's death toll from the respiratory disease has climbed to 9,505 , and 374,256 Illinois residents have been infected since the outbreak began .
At Saturday night 's rally in Waukesha , Trump told supporters , `` If somebody 's terminally ill with cancer and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And you know doctors get more money and hospitals get more money , think of this incentive . ''
Critics noted Trump 's comments were made in a state that has seen exponential growth of the virus over the past month and where health officials have erected a field hospital at the county fairgrounds in Milwaukee to treat any overflow of COVID-19 patients .
Chamberlain said hospitals do receive a 20 % add-on from Medicare for treating COVID-19 patients , which was part of the federal CARES Act package .
But those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rarely cover all the extra costs needed to safely treat those infected with the virus , she added .
And that stipend only covers patients who are 65 years old or older , which represents somewhere between 25 % and 33 % of a hospital 's COVID-19 patientload on average , health care officials said .
Hospital administrators and doctors would jeopardize their careers and face federal felony fraud charges if they attempted to claim a Medicare patient was treated for COVID-19 who was not infected .
`` Just like any payer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support that the patient was a COVID patient , and if they die the cause of death was COVID , '' Chamberlain said .
From the outset of the pandemic , state and federal health officials have explained how the virus exacerbates comorbidity ailments -- including cancers , heart problems and other chronic diseases -- significantly increasing the likelihood of an expedited death .
At the rally Saturday , Trump vowed to `` start looking into things '' because `` their reporting systems are really not doing it right . ''
`` This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths how they occur , '' Dr .
Rob Davidson , a Michigan-based emergency room doctor and executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare , tweeted at the president .
`` If you did your damn job we would n't be reporting so many COVID-19 deaths . ''
Research also has indicated that COVID-19 deaths across the globe may be significantly undercounted rather than inflated .
Several studies show that the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S. are much less than the total number of `` excess deaths '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to prior years .
The confirmed COVID-19 deaths only account for two-thirds of the country 's excess deaths , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
`` The only real difference between this year and the others is COVID , '' Chamberlain said .
The American College of Emergency Physicians released a pointed statement Sunday night saying the organization was `` appalled '' by the president 's comments .
`` To imply that emergency physicians would inflate the number of deaths from this pandemic to gain financially is offensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unprecedented financial strain as they continue to bear the brunt of COVID-19 , '' the statement read .
`` These baseless claims not only do a disservice to our health care heroes but promulgate the dangerous wave of misinformation which continues to hinder our nation 's efforts to get the pandemic under control and allow our nation to return to normalcy . ''

Medical professionals push back after Trump says COVID-19 cases are inflated to 'get more money'
Sarah Schroeder, a registered nurse in the critical care unit, gears up to treat COVID-19 patients at Edward Hospital in Naperville this summer when cases and hospitalizations had declined. But cases and hospitalizations are growing again throughout the state. Courtesy of Edward Hospital
Medical professionals are on the defensive after President Donald Trump accused "doctors and hospitals" of inflating COVID-19 patient counts to "get more money" during a campaign rally Saturday in Wisconsin.
"I'm trying to be very politically neutral, but it makes me very sad to think that people would believe we are benefiting by this," said Denise Chamberlain, chief financial officer at DuPage County-based Edward-Elmhurst Health.
Illinois hospitals continue to see caseloads rapidly growing. Hospitals statewide reported 2,605 COVID-19 patients while Trump was making his speech. Of those hospitalized, 565 were being treated in intensive care.
Just two weeks ago, there were nearly 1,000 fewer patients hospitalized and roughly 200 fewer COVID-19 patients in an ICU.
State health officials Sunday reported 24 more residents have died from COVID-19 and another 4,062 new cases were diagnosed. The state's death toll from the respiratory disease has climbed to 9,505, and 374,256 Illinois residents have been infected since the outbreak began.
The state's seven-day average infection rate held steady at 6.1%.
At Saturday night's rally in Waukesha, Trump told supporters, "If somebody's terminally ill with cancer and they have COVID, we report them. And you know doctors get more money and hospitals get more money, think of this incentive."
Critics noted Trump's comments were made in a state that has seen exponential growth of the virus over the past month and where health officials have erected a field hospital at the county fairgrounds in Milwaukee to treat any overflow of COVID-19 patients.
Chamberlain said hospitals do receive a 20% add-on from Medicare for treating COVID-19 patients, which was part of the federal CARES Act package. But those additional funds are set to expire soon and rarely cover all the extra costs needed to safely treat those infected with the virus, she added.
And that stipend only covers patients who are 65 years old or older, which represents somewhere between 25% and 33% of a hospital's COVID-19 patientload on average, health care officials said.
Hospital administrators and doctors would jeopardize their careers and face federal felony fraud charges if they attempted to claim a Medicare patient was treated for COVID-19 who was not infected.
"Just like any payer, there has to be documentation to support that the patient was a COVID patient, and if they die the cause of death was COVID," Chamberlain said. From the outset of the pandemic, state and federal health officials have explained how the virus exacerbates comorbidity ailments -- including cancers, heart problems and other chronic diseases -- significantly increasing the likelihood of an expedited death.
At the rally Saturday, Trump vowed to "start looking into things" because "their reporting systems are really not doing it right."
"This is such an insult. We report deaths how they occur," Dr. Rob Davidson, a Michigan-based emergency room doctor and executive director of the Committee to Protect Medicare, tweeted at the president. "If you did your damn job we wouldn't be reporting so many COVID-19 deaths."
Research also has indicated that COVID-19 deaths across the globe may be significantly undercounted rather than inflated.
Several studies show that the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S. are much less than the total number of "excess deaths" the country has experienced this year compared to prior years. The confirmed COVID-19 deaths only account for two-thirds of the country's excess deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The only real difference between this year and the others is COVID," Chamberlain said.
The American College of Emergency Physicians released a pointed statement Sunday night saying the organization was "appalled" by the president's comments.
"To imply that emergency physicians would inflate the number of deaths from this pandemic to gain financially is offensive, especially as many are actually under unprecedented financial strain as they continue to bear the brunt of COVID-19," the statement read. "These baseless claims not only do a disservice to our health care heroes but promulgate the dangerous wave of misinformation which continues to hinder our nation's efforts to get the pandemic under control and allow our nation to return to normalcy."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--Waukegan mayor, Stinnette family preach patience at prayer vigil

Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham and a spokesperson for the family of Marcellis Stinnette urged people gathered for a prayer vigil Sunday in memory of the Black teen killed by a police officer to let the process of justice take its due course .
A large crowd flocked to the corner of South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Helmholz Avenue for the vigil , one of several events held in the wake of Tuesday 's fatal shooting of Stinnette , 19 , by an officer who 's since been fired .
Speakers included Cunningham , police Chief Wayne Walles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who was wounded in the shooting -- and family members of Jacob Blake and George Floyd .
Also present was Lake County State 's Attorney Mike Nerheim , who last week asked the U.S. Department of Justice to review the case .
Williams ' sister , Sasha Williams , said her sister is working to recover her strength so she can return to caring for her children .
`` We should n't have to say , 'Do n't shoot us , ' '' Williams said .
`` We should n't have to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We should n't be afraid of the police . ''
Walles offered his condolences to the families of Stinnette and Williams .
`` There is power in prayer , and the more of us that are together and praying , and praying for each other and everybody involved in this terrible incident , will help us heal and move forward , '' he said .
Cunningham urged the community to `` respect the process '' and `` if you do n't like it , then we go to work . ''
But his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Edwards , who was critical of the city 's initial response to the shooting .
`` We needed you to do that for three days .
We have been watching for three days .
We have been fighting for three days , '' he said .
Cunningham said the city intends to publicly release the bodycam and dashcam video recordings of the shooting , but only after the Stinnette family sees it first .
`` Let 's be clear , this situation requires their approval before we move on , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Satrese Stallworth , were more appreciative of the city 's response .
`` ( Stinnette 's ) life was stolen on Tuesday .
On Friday , an officer was ( fired ) , '' Stallworth said .
`` That speaks volumes . ''
But she said the fight is just beginning .
`` We 're asking that you be patient , '' she said .
`` Do n't tear up .
Do n't burn down .
Do n't destroy . ''
`` I do n't want ( anybody ) to think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Edwards added .
`` We 're not .
What we want is what we have been asking for , and that is justice . ''
Police said Stinnette and Williams were in a vehicle that fled a traffic stop late Tuesday .
It was spotted a short time later by an officer on patrol .
While the officer was approaching the vehicle , it began moving in reverse , leading the officer to open fire , police said .
City officials released a statement Friday night saying they had fired the officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy and procedure violations .

Waukegan mayor, Stinnette family preach patience at prayer vigil
Kay'lyn Bates, 7, of Waukegan, works to get her candle illuminated Sunday during a prayer vigil in memory of Marcellis Stinnette, a Black teen shot to death by a Waukegan police officer Tuesday. Karie Angell Luc for the Daily Herald
LaDena Chisum of Waukegan was among the city residents who gathered Sunday for a prayer vigil in memory of Marcellis Stinnette, a Black teen shot to death by a Waukegan police officer Tuesday. Karie Angell Luc for the Daily Herald
Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham, center in baseball cap, listens as musicians, from right to left, Shelby Obleton of Waukegan, Faith Johnson of Waukegan and Kita Edwards of Gurnee, perform Sunday during a prayer vigil in memory of Marcellis Stinnette, Karie Angell Luc for the Daily Herald
Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham urged residents to be patient while awaiting the results of an investigation into the police killing of a Black teen in the city last week. Karie Angell Luc for the Daily Herald
Roderick Stinnette of Waukegan, in gray and denim blue coat, comforts his mother, Sherrellis Stinnette, the grandmother of Marcellis Stinnette, during a prayer vigil Sunday in memory of the Waukegan teen. Marcellis Stinnette was killed Tuesday in a police-involved shooting. Karie Angell Luc for the Daily Herald
Kay'lyn Bates, 7, of Waukegan, holds a candle Sunday during a prayer vigil in memory of Marcellis Stinnette, a Black teen shot to death by a Waukegan police officer Tuesday. Karie Angell Luc for the Daily Herald
Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham and a spokesperson for the family of Marcellis Stinnette urged people gathered for a prayer vigil Sunday in memory of the Black teen killed by a police officer to let the process of justice take its due course.
A large crowd flocked to the corner of South Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and Helmholz Avenue for the vigil, one of several events held in the wake of Tuesday's fatal shooting of Stinnette, 19, by an officer who's since been fired.
Speakers included Cunningham, police Chief Wayne Walles, relatives of Stinnette and Tafara Williams -- who was wounded in the shooting -- and family members of Jacob Blake and George Floyd.
Also present was Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim, who last week asked the U.S. Department of Justice to review the case.
Williams' sister, Sasha Williams, said her sister is working to recover her strength so she can return to caring for her children.
"We shouldn't have to say, 'Don't shoot us,'" Williams said. "We shouldn't have to come outside and fear for our lives. We shouldn't be afraid of the police."
Walles offered his condolences to the families of Stinnette and Williams.
"There is power in prayer, and the more of us that are together and praying, and praying for each other and everybody involved in this terrible incident, will help us heal and move forward," he said.
Cunningham urged the community to "respect the process" and "if you don't like it, then we go to work."
But his comments were interrupted by Waukegan resident Rayon Edwards, who was critical of the city's initial response to the shooting.
"We needed you to do that for three days. We have been watching for three days. We have been fighting for three days," he said.
Cunningham said the city intends to publicly release the bodycam and dashcam video recordings of the shooting, but only after the Stinnette family sees it first.
"Let's be clear, this situation requires their approval before we move on," he said.
Others, including Stinnette's cousin, Satrese Stallworth, were more appreciative of the city's response.
"(Stinnette's) life was stolen on Tuesday. On Friday, an officer was (fired)," Stallworth said. "That speaks volumes."
But she said the fight is just beginning.
"We're asking that you be patient," she said. "Don't tear up. Don't burn down. Don't destroy."
"I don't want (anybody) to think that we are trying to be rowdy," Edwards added. "We're not. What we want is what we have been asking for, and that is justice."
Police said Stinnette and Williams were in a vehicle that fled a traffic stop late Tuesday. It was spotted a short time later by an officer on patrol. While the officer was approaching the vehicle, it began moving in reverse, leading the officer to open fire, police said.
City officials released a statement Friday night saying they had fired the officer, a five-year veteran, for multiple policy and procedure violations.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--Pace navigating pandemic and 'hardest' budget ever

Pace ridership is down by 50 % , the 2021 budget anticipates a $ 53.6 million shortfall and 73 bus routes are temporarily canceled .
It could be worse , Pace Executive Director Rocky Donahue said .
Like Metra and the CTA , the suburban bus service was ambushed by the COVID-19 virus this spring .
`` At the height of the pandemic , ridership was down 70 % , '' Donahue said .
`` Over the summer , we clawed it back to 50 % and now it 's plateaued . ''
Federal aid from the CARES Act will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hole in 2021 , but projections show a $ 60 million deficit in 2022 if farebox and sales tax revenues do n't revive .
What 's also hurting is parking 73 bus routes in 2021 until the economy improves and the pandemic 's grip loosens .
The agency first halted the routes in March .
Many suspended routes had connected to Metra trains currently canceled or schools with remote learning .
They include : Route 183 Southwest Naperville Evening Service ; Route 608 Roselle/Schaumburg ; and Route 631 Shuttle Bug 1 between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Incidentally , with Metra ridership tanking to 25,710 daily as white-collar workers telecommute , Pace has eclipsed the railroad for the first time ever , boarding about 55,000 passengers a day .
`` Those who rely on Pace do n't have other options , '' Donahue said .
`` It 's a truly essential service for many of our riders -- workers at essential jobs like UPS or seniors trying to get their prescriptions filled . ''
One trend transit planners want to fathom is when major employers will start transitioning employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have indicated that wo n't happen until the spring but it 's a moving target .
`` In my 38 years , this is the hardest year to develop a budget , '' Donahue said , even when compared to 2007 and 2008 when `` doomsday '' shortfalls were projected .
Pace 's proposed suburban bus budget is $ 239 million and virtual hearings are scheduled Monday through Friday this week .
For information , go to pacebus.com .
No fare increases are anticipated in 2021 but it 's possible in 2022 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless Congress passes another COVID-19 stimulus package .
The agency 's paratransit service for disabled riders is stable with a dedicated stream of state revenues .
And , the capital budget is benefiting from a state capital plan buoyed by a gas tax increase .
Next year , a study of an express bus service on the Central Tri-State Tollway ( I-294 ) will be completed , allowing Pace to coordinate detailed plans with the Illinois tollway , which is widening the corridor .
Ultimately , the project will allow Pace buses to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the shoulder lanes , in rush-hour traffic jams .
Pace intends to build new bus stations on the corridor with the ultimate goal of providing south suburban workers with a fast trip to job centers in DuPage and Cook counties .
Gib VanDine of West Chicago has the following suggestions to collect Metra fares and reduce contact between riders and conductors during the pandemic : `` Charge one price for use of the train , independent of distance traveled , '' he wrote .
`` Make ATMs that issue tickets instead of cash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the track area `` via a turnstile that scans , verifies and gobbles up your ticket . ''
Got a transportation question or comment ?
Drop an email to mpyke @ dailyherald.com .
Drivers cruising on Butterfield Road under the Tri-State Tollway in Berkley and Hillside can expect delays from lane closures in both directions starting this week .
The change is intended to protect workers and drivers as the tollway starts reconstructing the interchange between I-290/I-88 and I-294 .
The project continues through 2022 .
Metra has extended its All-Day unlimited rides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it in October .
The pass debuted in June to serve commuters with changing schedules due to COVID-19 and is used by one-third of riders .
The cost is $ 10 .

Pace navigating pandemic and 'hardest' budget ever
Pace ridership is down by 50%, the 2021 budget anticipates a $53.6 million shortfall and 73 bus routes are temporarily canceled.
It could be worse, Pace Executive Director Rocky Donahue said.
Like Metra and the CTA, the suburban bus service was ambushed by the COVID-19 virus this spring.
"At the height of the pandemic, ridership was down 70%," Donahue said. "Over the summer, we clawed it back to 50% and now it's plateaued."
Federal aid from the CARES Act will plug Pace's $53.6 million budget hole in 2021, but projections show a $60 million deficit in 2022 if farebox and sales tax revenues don't revive.
What's also hurting is parking 73 bus routes in 2021 until the economy improves and the pandemic's grip loosens. The agency first halted the routes in March. Many suspended routes had connected to Metra trains currently canceled or schools with remote learning. They include: Route 183 Southwest Naperville Evening Service; Route 608 Roselle/Schaumburg; and Route 631 Shuttle Bug 1 between the Deerfield Metra station and Lake-Cook Road workplaces.
Incidentally, with Metra ridership tanking to 25,710 daily as white-collar workers telecommute, Pace has eclipsed the railroad for the first time ever, boarding about 55,000 passengers a day.
"Those who rely on Pace don't have other options," Donahue said. "It's a truly essential service for many of our riders -- workers at essential jobs like UPS or seniors trying to get their prescriptions filled."
One trend transit planners want to fathom is when major employers will start transitioning employees to attend in-person. Some business leaders have indicated that won't happen until the spring but it's a moving target.
"In my 38 years, this is the hardest year to develop a budget," Donahue said, even when compared to 2007 and 2008 when "doomsday" shortfalls were projected.
Pace's proposed suburban bus budget is $239 million and virtual hearings are scheduled Monday through Friday this week. For information, go to pacebus.com.
No fare increases are anticipated in 2021 but it's possible in 2022, with a $60 million deficit projected unless Congress passes another COVID-19 stimulus package.
However, "raising fares won't cover $60 million," Donahue said.
The agency's paratransit service for disabled riders is stable with a dedicated stream of state revenues. And, the capital budget is benefiting from a state capital plan buoyed by a gas tax increase.
One more thing
Next year, a study of an express bus service on the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) will be completed, allowing Pace to coordinate detailed plans with the Illinois tollway, which is widening the corridor.
Ultimately, the project will allow Pace buses to hop on Flex Lanes, located on the shoulder lanes, in rush-hour traffic jams. Pace intends to build new bus stations on the corridor with the ultimate goal of providing south suburban workers with a fast trip to job centers in DuPage and Cook counties.
Your voice
Gib VanDine of West Chicago has the following suggestions to collect Metra fares and reduce contact between riders and conductors during the pandemic: "Charge one price for use of the train, independent of distance traveled," he wrote. "Make ATMs that issue tickets instead of cash." And allow riders to enter the track area "via a turnstile that scans, verifies and gobbles up your ticket."
Got a transportation question or comment? Drop an email to mpyke@dailyherald.com.
Gridlock alert
Drivers cruising on Butterfield Road under the Tri-State Tollway in Berkley and Hillside can expect delays from lane closures in both directions starting this week. The change is intended to protect workers and drivers as the tollway starts reconstructing the interchange between I-290/I-88 and I-294. The project continues through 2022.
All-Day pass prolonged
Metra has extended its All-Day unlimited rides pass through Dec. 31 instead of ending it in October. The pass debuted in June to serve commuters with changing schedules due to COVID-19 and is used by one-third of riders. The cost is $10.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--The debate over granting landmark status to David C Cook property in Elgin

Behind a well-manicured lawn and mature trees , the David C Cook building on North Grove Avenue is a stately presence in its northeast-side Elgin historic neighborhood .
Nearly a block long with a brick facade and columned entrance , the 119-year-old building looks more like a museum than vacant office and little-used warehouse space -- from the outside .
To passersby , it may even look like a landmark .
The Elgin Heritage Commission said the property meets nine of the 11 historical criteria for that designation and recommended the city council vote to bestow that status .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Nov. 4 meeting .
If council members vote to landmark the building , it will be the first time they 've done so against a property owner 's wishes .
David C Cook CEO Cris Doornbos understands why people would be sentimental about the neoclassical office building .
He is , too .
But he also knows what 's inside that the public does n't get to see .
Falling ceilings .
Moldy walls .
Dangling ducts and wires .
An office building that has n't been occupied in more than 25 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and safety issue for my workers , and if it goes on , it 's potentially a health and safety issue for the neighborhood , '' he said .
Doornbos would n't say what the company will do with the property if it is n't landmarked , reiterating consistently that it wants to keep its options open .
`` In 15 years , we 've had numerous conversations with developers about how they would go about taking a property like this and repurpose it , and we can not find a single developer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the neighborhood association would accept , '' he said .
`` I still think there are possibilities , but the one thing that would take a lot of the options away is to landmark it . ''
The Northeast Neighborhood Association is a group of about 2,000 households in the historic district , where the Cook property is located .
The association 's president , Eric Larson , said he sympathizes with the company 's situation .
`` I honestly understand DC Cook 's perspective .
But we do n't agree with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have worked with us fairly to give us a decent window of opportunity to bring in perspective developers , but the problems are n't solved yet so that 's a big part of the motivation ( to landmark ) . ''
Larson said an immediate reason to grant landmark status `` is to do anything we can to save the building from being torn down , or to delay that so that there 's a chance to come up with some plan that might actually save the building in a way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up early last year when the company said it wanted to tear down the office building .
`` I think when we started talking demolition is when I think they started talking preservation , '' Doornbos said .
Impassioned neighbors turned to the city council .
Some council members said the building should be preserved because it is a valuable part of the city 's history ; others said they do n't want to force landmark designation on a private property owner .
Council members Corey Dixon , Baldemar Lopez , Tish Powell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Mayor David Kaptain voted `` yes . ''
Council members Toby Shaw , Terry Gavin and Rose Martinez voted `` no . ''
The issue then went to the Elgin Heritage Commission .
After an expert testified the complex -- office building and adjacent warehouse space -- met most of the city 's landmark criteria , the commission voted 11-0 this month to recommend that status .
Doornbos , who came to the nonprofit Christian publishing company as CEO in 2005 , said the property has been an issue for him since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relocated to Colorado in the mid-1990s and much of the warehouse space is unused , it still serves as a distribution site .
The situation became more urgent two years ago with a water main break in the vacant front office building , followed by a large flood .
`` There 's mold in that building , '' Doornbos said .
`` It 's not life threatening , but it could be soon . ''
The front office building that faces Grove is 24,000 square feet and represents about 10 % of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most of the 200,000 square feet of warehouse on the property dates to the 1950s .
`` We have all this space we do n't need , and all we want to do is find a reuse for the property , '' Doornbos said .
Tens of thousands of square feet of the property is n't original , he said , and questioned how it qualifies for landmark status .
`` I 'm not trying to say this glibly , but I 've never really heard of a historical warehouse . ''

The debate over granting landmark status to David C Cook property in Elgin
Behind a well-manicured lawn and mature trees, the David C Cook building on North Grove Avenue is a stately presence in its northeast-side Elgin historic neighborhood.
Nearly a block long with a brick facade and columned entrance, the 119-year-old building looks more like a museum than vacant office and little-used warehouse space -- from the outside.
To passersby, it may even look like a landmark.
The Elgin Heritage Commission said the property meets nine of the 11 historical criteria for that designation and recommended the city council vote to bestow that status. The issue will go before the council at its Nov. 4 meeting.
If council members vote to landmark the building, it will be the first time they've done so against a property owner's wishes.
David C Cook CEO Cris Doornbos understands why people would be sentimental about the neoclassical office building. He is, too. But he also knows what's inside that the public doesn't get to see.
Falling ceilings. Moldy walls. Dangling ducts and wires. An office building that hasn't been occupied in more than 25 years and "is a potential health and safety issue for my workers, and if it goes on, it's potentially a health and safety issue for the neighborhood," he said.
Doornbos wouldn't say what the company will do with the property if it isn't landmarked, reiterating consistently that it wants to keep its options open.
"In 15 years, we've had numerous conversations with developers about how they would go about taking a property like this and repurpose it, and we cannot find a single developer with an idea that is commercially viable that the neighborhood association would accept," he said. "I still think there are possibilities, but the one thing that would take a lot of the options away is to landmark it."
The Northeast Neighborhood Association is a group of about 2,000 households in the historic district, where the Cook property is located. The association's president, Eric Larson, said he sympathizes with the company's situation.
"I honestly understand DC Cook's perspective. But we don't agree with it," Larson said. "They have worked with us fairly to give us a decent window of opportunity to bring in perspective developers, but the problems aren't solved yet so that's a big part of the motivation (to landmark)."
Larson said an immediate reason to grant landmark status "is to do anything we can to save the building from being torn down, or to delay that so that there's a chance to come up with some plan that might actually save the building in a way that is paid for."
Things heated up early last year when the company said it wanted to tear down the office building. "I think when we started talking demolition is when I think they started talking preservation," Doornbos said.
Impassioned neighbors turned to the city council. Some council members said the building should be preserved because it is a valuable part of the city's history; others said they don't want to force landmark designation on a private property owner.
Council members Corey Dixon, Baldemar Lopez, Tish Powell, Carol Rauschenberger and John Steffen, and Mayor David Kaptain voted "yes." Council members Toby Shaw, Terry Gavin and Rose Martinez voted "no."
The issue then went to the Elgin Heritage Commission. After an expert testified the complex -- office building and adjacent warehouse space -- met most of the city's landmark criteria, the commission voted 11-0 this month to recommend that status.
Doornbos, who came to the nonprofit Christian publishing company as CEO in 2005, said the property has been an issue for him since he started. While the company headquarters relocated to Colorado in the mid-1990s and much of the warehouse space is unused, it still serves as a distribution site.
The situation became more urgent two years ago with a water main break in the vacant front office building, followed by a large flood.
"There's mold in that building," Doornbos said. "It's not life threatening, but it could be soon."
The front office building that faces Grove is 24,000 square feet and represents about 10% of the overall square footage on the 8-acre site. Most of the 200,000 square feet of warehouse on the property dates to the 1950s.
"We have all this space we don't need, and all we want to do is find a reuse for the property," Doornbos said.
Tens of thousands of square feet of the property isn't original, he said, and questioned how it qualifies for landmark status.
"I'm not trying to say this glibly, but I've never really heard of a historical warehouse."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-25--No tree lighting ceremony in Rolling Meadows, but new decorations planned

Rolling Meadows wo n't have its public holiday tree lighting ceremony this year , but city public works crews will still quietly flip the switch on a whole host of new decorations for people to enjoy .
City officials canceled the ceremony , originally set for Dec. 3 outside the historical museum at Central Road and Barker Avenue , due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic .
Still , the museum campus will be decked out with new lights and decorations after crews spent the fall wiring additional electricity through light poles .
The city moved its annual tree lighting ceremony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old spot , in front of the McDonald 's on Kirchoff Road , was becoming more crowded and construction distorted the large evergreen .
There 's since been calls to move the tree lighting back to Kirchoff -- long considered the city 's traditional downtown corridor .
But a plan to do that proved too costly and rushed to implement .
Alderman Mike Cannon initially proposed that a 20-foot artificial tree donated to the city last year be installed on vacant city-owned property across the street from city hall at Kirchoff Road and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told city officials he could prep the vacant site for power at a cost of $ 10,500 , in a condensed time frame .
ComEd would charge another $ 1,200 to finish the connection , provided its crews were n't diverted to an emergency weather situation , officials said .
Those factors led the city council this week to table the Kirchoff tree lighting idea , for now .
`` I think going forward , I guess I would like to see something done on Kirchoff , if we 're going to consider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Cannon said .
He said he 's grown increasingly concerned with recent business closures on Kirchoff , including Great American Bagel , Dunkin ' Donuts and Taco Bell .
`` I think maybe as a city we better start looking and figure out ways to make that area more attractive to get more people downtown , or what we call downtown anyhow , '' Cannon said .
Alderman Lara Sanoica suggested city staff develop a more comprehensive , long-range approach to holiday decorations at various locations and thoroughfares in the city .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sense of place and give us consistency and predictability going forward , '' Sanoica said .
Officials said they would be able to report back to the council in January or February .

No tree lighting ceremony in Rolling Meadows, but new decorations planned
Rolling Meadows won't have its public holiday tree lighting ceremony this year, but city public works crews will still quietly flip the switch on a whole host of new decorations for people to enjoy.
City officials canceled the ceremony, originally set for Dec. 3 outside the historical museum at Central Road and Barker Avenue, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Still, the museum campus will be decked out with new lights and decorations after crews spent the fall wiring additional electricity through light poles.
The city moved its annual tree lighting ceremony to the museum last year as the old spot, in front of the McDonald's on Kirchoff Road, was becoming more crowded and construction distorted the large evergreen.
There's since been calls to move the tree lighting back to Kirchoff -- long considered the city's traditional downtown corridor. But a plan to do that proved too costly and rushed to implement.
Alderman Mike Cannon initially proposed that a 20-foot artificial tree donated to the city last year be installed on vacant city-owned property across the street from city hall at Kirchoff Road and Owl Lane.
One electrical contractor recently told city officials he could prep the vacant site for power at a cost of $10,500, in a condensed time frame. ComEd would charge another $1,200 to finish the connection, provided its crews weren't diverted to an emergency weather situation, officials said.
Those factors led the city council this week to table the Kirchoff tree lighting idea, for now.
"I think going forward, I guess I would like to see something done on Kirchoff, if we're going to consider this still our main shopping/business district," Cannon said.
He said he's grown increasingly concerned with recent business closures on Kirchoff, including Great American Bagel, Dunkin' Donuts and Taco Bell.
"I think maybe as a city we better start looking and figure out ways to make that area more attractive to get more people downtown, or what we call downtown anyhow," Cannon said.
Alderman Lara Sanoica suggested city staff develop a more comprehensive, long-range approach to holiday decorations at various locations and thoroughfares in the city.
Such a plan would help "promote a sense of place and give us consistency and predictability going forward," Sanoica said.
Officials said they would be able to report back to the council in January or February.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-26--Feder: Radio legend Ron Britain dies

Feder: Radio legend Ron Britain dies

Ron Britain , a gifted radio performer with a brilliantly creative mind and a sensitive soul , left a legacy @ @ @ @ @ Chicago listeners .
`` King B , '' as he was known to fans around @ @ @ @ @ at home in Louisville , Kentucky , according to his son , Mark Magel .
@ @ @ @ @ a radio career that spanned more than 50 years , Britain worked at 21 stations @ @ @ @ @ he found his greatest success and most lasting fame in Chicago , where he first @ @ @ @ @ 1965 .
Get the full report , and more Chicago media news , at robertfeder.com @

Feder: Radio legend Ron Britain dies
Ron Britain, a gifted radio performer with a brilliantly creative mind and a sensitive soul, left a legacy of laughter for generations of Chicago listeners.
"King B," as he was known to fans around the world, died Sunday at home in Louisville, Kentucky, according to his son, Mark Magel. He was 86.
Over a radio career that spanned more than 50 years, Britain worked at 21 stations in 11 cities.
But he found his greatest success and most lasting fame in Chicago, where he first joined the former WCFL in 1965.
Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com.