dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-11--Bicyclist in critical condition after being struck by vehicle near Green Oaks

A bicyclist was in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle Friday afternoon in unincorporated Lake County near Green @ @ @ @ @ 's office said deputies responded to the area of Buckley Road and St. Mary 's @ @ @ @ @ preliminary investigation revealed a 48-year-old man from Round Lake Beach was driving west on Buckley @ @ @ @ @ the bicyclist , a 48-year-old man from Lincolnshire , who was riding west along the @ @ @ @ @ news release .
Deputies said the bicyclist was wearing a helmet .
The bicyclist was @ @ @ @ @ Center in Libertyville .
The driver of the vehicle is cooperating with investigators , the @ @ @ @ @ crash remains under investigation by sheriff 's Technical Crash Investigations Team .

Bicyclist in critical condition after being struck by vehicle near Green Oaks
A bicyclist was in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle Friday afternoon in unincorporated Lake County near Green Oaks.
Lake County sheriff's office said deputies responded to the area of Buckley Road and St. Mary's Road at 1:07 p.m.
A preliminary investigation revealed a 48-year-old man from Round Lake Beach was driving west on Buckley Road when his vehicle struck the bicyclist, a 48-year-old man from Lincolnshire, who was riding west along the curb, according to a news release.
Deputies said the bicyclist was wearing a helmet.
The bicyclist was taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. The driver of the vehicle is cooperating with investigators, the news release said.
The crash remains under investigation by sheriff's Technical Crash Investigations Team.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Constable: Maple Park rescue brings in Wheeling horse whisperer to tame Prince the Bully

The stallion formerly known as Prince the Bully poses peacefully in a large arena as horse whisperer Mitch Bornstein of Wheeling gently unfolds a plastic tarp across the horse 's back .
`` That 's amazing , '' gasps Sue Balla , founder of Casey 's Safe Haven , a holistic horse rescue and sanctuary in Maple Park where Prince arrived on Jan. 31 .
`` I 've been with horses for 45 years , '' says Balla , who has worked with fiery stallions .
`` But I never had to deal with a vicious horse .
And he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , had heard stories of how the horse hated both humans and other horses , and she watched the video of Prince violently attacking a woman .
But she still agreed to house the horse temporarily at her stables .
`` He had an hour to live , '' Balla says .
`` They were putting him down . ''
Prince was in his new stall with the door open just a bit and the stall guard in place as Balla calmly told the horse he was in a safe place .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at me , bit me in the chest and flipped me over backward , '' says Balla , who got a huge lump and nasty bruise that would have been worse if not for her two sweatshirts and thick down coat .
`` Had I not been able to roll over and get the door shut , I do n't think I 'd be standing here . ''
Too dangerous to pass along to new owners , Prince was given a second chance at Casey 's , as Balla did n't blame the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had no reason to like people .
He lived in a box for 10 years , '' Balla says .
She figures Prince , a beautiful , 10-year-old Andalusian-cross stallion with three white socks and a black coat , was taken out of his stall only to breed and never learned how to interact with other horses or humans .
`` The first time he saw his shadow in the sunshine , he freaked out .
He 'd never been outside , '' remembers Nancy Young , treasurer for the horse charity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Balla says .
`` He had no muscle , no coordination . ''
With his potential new owners abandoning him , Prince 's fate was in Balla 's hands .
She decided to bring in Bornstein , a legendary horse trainer who wrote the book `` Last Chance Mustang , '' about his successful and lasting relationship with a wild horse from Nevada that ended up in McHenry County .
Bornstein , who grew up in Highland Park but rode horses in the Northwest suburbs whenever he could , is a legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a livelihood training horses .
Bornstein started working with Prince in May and has made remarkable progress in more than five dozen sessions .
But Prince did attack him three times in the beginning .
`` It 's literally like a train hits you , '' Bornstein says of the first attack when Prince bit him .
`` He gets you and pulls you back so you whiplash . ''
Bornstein waited until his shoulder healed considerably before posting a photo of the bite and bruising on Facebook .
`` The attack was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but with work , '' Bornstein says , explaining how the horse did n't know any other way to respond .
`` His first inclination was violence , '' says Bornstein , who dodged Prince 's most dangerous attack .
`` He kicked at my face .
He plays for keeps . ''
A fit 5 feet , 10 inches and 175 pounds , the 50-year-old trainer now works the 1,200-pound Prince with relative grace .
`` I think we get each other , '' Bornstein says , while gently petting Prince 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not fear .
It 's respect . ''
The trainer can leave Prince `` ground tied , '' meaning the 30-foot rope attached to the horse 's halter is n't attached to a post but just lying in the dirt of the stable .
In his previous life , Prince often had his feet chained together so he could n't flee .
Now , Prince and Bornstein have an agreement .
`` He knows he can walk away , '' Bornstein says .
`` But he also knows I want him to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ backward with a simple movement of his hand .
Prince is a smart horse and often gets bored with the tedious nature of training , so Bornstein can focus on several skills in a single session , all working toward the goal of making the horse a peaceful companion .
`` The amount of times I 've had my heart in my throat , '' Balla says , as Bornstein gently lifts and cleans each hoof .
`` What this man has done is flipping amazing . ''
Of the 25 horses currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for new owners to step forward , but some are permanent sanctuary residents , such as Poppy the horse and Ginger the pony , who are both blind .
Candy , a 41-year-old pony , has outlived all expectations and is still healthy .
Rio , Balla 's 28-year-old gelding , has the stall next to Prince , who was gelded in December , and Balla is hoping her old horse 's mellow personality rubs off on Prince .
On Saturday , Sept. 26 , Casey 's is opening its doors for tours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Borstein .
Tickets , which must be purchased by Sept. 22 , are $ 30 and include a `` goody bag , '' but only 40 people will be allowed in each time slot of 9:30-11 , noon-1:30 p.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. Visit caseyssafehaven.org to make reservations and buy tickets .
As much as she has grown to love Prince , Balla says her hope is that Prince will one day be so well-behaved that he can find a `` forever home . ''
Is he just about ready ?
`` No , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an apple before letting him roam freely in a nearby corral .
`` But he 's trying super hard . ''

Constable: Maple Park rescue brings in Wheeling horse whisperer to tame Prince the Bully
Having already healed considerably from the day Prince the horse attacked him, horse trainer Mitch Bornstein of Wheeling posted this photo of the resulting bruising. Courtesy of Mitch Bornstein
Prince, right, once was so violent that he was scheduled to be euthanized. But the horse has made such great progress with a trainer at Casey's Safe Haven in Maple Park that he can share a quiet moment with Rio, the horse owned by Casey's founder Sue Balla. Courtesy of Casey's Safe Haven
Prince was such a "gorgeous" horse that everybody wanted to buy him, says Sue Balla, founder and owner of Casey's Safe Haven in Maple Park. But the horse attacked people and was about to be euthanized before Balla hooked him up with trainer Mitch Bornstein of Wheeling. Courtesy of Casey's Safe Haven
The stallion formerly known as Prince the Bully poses peacefully in a large arena as horse whisperer Mitch Bornstein of Wheeling gently unfolds a plastic tarp across the horse's back.
"That's amazing," gasps Sue Balla, founder of Casey's Safe Haven, a holistic horse rescue and sanctuary in Maple Park where Prince arrived on Jan. 31.
"I've been with horses for 45 years," says Balla, who has worked with fiery stallions. "But I never had to deal with a vicious horse. And he was vicious."
Balla, 63, had heard stories of how the horse hated both humans and other horses, and she watched the video of Prince violently attacking a woman. But she still agreed to house the horse temporarily at her stables.
"He had an hour to live," Balla says. "They were putting him down."
Prince was in his new stall with the door open just a bit and the stall guard in place as Balla calmly told the horse he was in a safe place. There was no warning.
"He dove at me, bit me in the chest and flipped me over backward," says Balla, who got a huge lump and nasty bruise that would have been worse if not for her two sweatshirts and thick down coat. "Had I not been able to roll over and get the door shut, I don't think I'd be standing here."
Too dangerous to pass along to new owners, Prince was given a second chance at Casey's, as Balla didn't blame the horse for his aggression.
"He had no reason to like people. He lived in a box for 10 years," Balla says. She figures Prince, a beautiful, 10-year-old Andalusian-cross stallion with three white socks and a black coat, was taken out of his stall only to breed and never learned how to interact with other horses or humans.
"The first time he saw his shadow in the sunshine, he freaked out. He'd never been outside," remembers Nancy Young, treasurer for the horse charity.
"He walked like a drunk," Balla says. "He had no muscle, no coordination."
With his potential new owners abandoning him, Prince's fate was in Balla's hands. She decided to bring in Bornstein, a legendary horse trainer who wrote the book "Last Chance Mustang," about his successful and lasting relationship with a wild horse from Nevada that ended up in McHenry County.
Bornstein, who grew up in Highland Park but rode horses in the Northwest suburbs whenever he could, is a legal consultant who passed the bar but developed a livelihood training horses.
Bornstein started working with Prince in May and has made remarkable progress in more than five dozen sessions. But Prince did attack him three times in the beginning.
"It's literally like a train hits you," Bornstein says of the first attack when Prince bit him. "He gets you and pulls you back so you whiplash."
Bornstein waited until his shoulder healed considerably before posting a photo of the bite and bruising on Facebook. "The attack was immediately addressed -- not with violence, but with work," Bornstein says, explaining how the horse didn't know any other way to respond.
"His first inclination was violence," says Bornstein, who dodged Prince's most dangerous attack.
"He kicked at my face. He plays for keeps."
A fit 5 feet, 10 inches and 175 pounds, the 50-year-old trainer now works the 1,200-pound Prince with relative grace. "I think we get each other," Bornstein says, while gently petting Prince's nose and face. "It's not fear. It's respect."
The trainer can leave Prince "ground tied," meaning the 30-foot rope attached to the horse's halter isn't attached to a post but just lying in the dirt of the stable. In his previous life, Prince often had his feet chained together so he couldn't flee. Now, Prince and Bornstein have an agreement.
"He knows he can walk away," Bornstein says. "But he also knows I want him to stay."
He can make Prince walk backward with a simple movement of his hand. Prince is a smart horse and often gets bored with the tedious nature of training, so Bornstein can focus on several skills in a single session, all working toward the goal of making the horse a peaceful companion.
"The amount of times I've had my heart in my throat," Balla says, as Bornstein gently lifts and cleans each hoof. "What this man has done is flipping amazing."
Of the 25 horses currently at Casey's, most are waiting for new owners to step forward, but some are permanent sanctuary residents, such as Poppy the horse and Ginger the pony, who are both blind. Candy, a 41-year-old pony, has outlived all expectations and is still healthy. Rio, Balla's 28-year-old gelding, has the stall next to Prince, who was gelded in December, and Balla is hoping her old horse's mellow personality rubs off on Prince.
On Saturday, Sept. 26, Casey's is opening its doors for tours and the chance to meet Prince and Borstein. Tickets, which must be purchased by Sept. 22, are $30 and include a "goody bag," but only 40 people will be allowed in each time slot of 9:30-11, noon-1:30 p.m. and 2:30-4 p.m. Visit caseyssafehaven.org to make reservations and buy tickets.
As much as she has grown to love Prince, Balla says her hope is that Prince will one day be so well-behaved that he can find a "forever home." Is he just about ready?
"No," says Bornstein, who rewards Prince with an apple before letting him roam freely in a nearby corral. "But he's trying super hard."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--State reports 2,121 new cases of COVID-19, 22 more deaths

The Illinois Department of Public Health Saturday announced 2,121 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 22 additional confirmed deaths .
@ @ @ @ @ were in Cook County , with 11 of those 60 and older .
There was @ @ @ @ @ and Lake counties and the rest were downstate .
In total , the state is @ @ @ @ @ 8,295 deaths .
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total @ @ @ @ @ % .
Within the past 24 hours , laboratories have reported 56,594 specimens for a @ @ @ @ @ number of new cases and the number of specimens taken were on par with numbers @ @ @ @ @ Friday night , 1,509 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with @ @ @ @ @ the day before .
Of those , 344 patients were in the ICU and 170 @ @ @ @ @

State reports 2,121 new cases of COVID-19, 22 more deaths
The Illinois Department of Public Health Saturday announced 2,121 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 22 additional confirmed deaths.
Of the deaths, 15 were in Cook County, with 11 of those 60 and older. There was one death each in Kane and Lake counties and the rest were downstate.
In total, the state is reporting 259,909 cases, including 8,295 deaths. The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests Sept. 5-12 is 3.7%.
Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 56,594 specimens for a total of 4,688,976. The number of new cases and the number of specimens taken were on par with numbers reported Friday.
As of Friday night, 1,509 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19, down 110 from the day before. Of those, 344 patients were in the ICU and 170 patients were on ventilators.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--How Illinois' income tax compares nationwide, and how a graduated tax could change it

Illinois residents making $ 1.5 million a year pay less in income taxes than their counterparts in all but eight of the 41 states with such a tax .
But for people making $ 60,000 a year , it 's a different story .
In 24 of the states , those taxpayers pay less than in Illinois .
The ratios would shift if voters approve a graduated income tax in November 2020 .
A graduated tax formula being discussed in Springfield is intended to increase taxes on the rich , reduce taxes on lower- and middle-income taxpayers , and generate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proposed graduated income tax rates can be easily absorbed by those who will be hit hardest .
The top tax rate , 7.99 % , is reserved for single filers who claim more than $ 750,000 of income and couples claiming more than $ 1 million .
`` It 's being done in a very rational way , '' said Ralph Martire , executive director of the bipartisan Center for Tax and Budget Accountability .
`` That top rate kicks in at a much higher level than almost everywhere else in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , under the graduated tax proposal : • Illinois filers with incomes over $ 1.5 million would move from the ninth lowest income taxes among the 41 states to the 35th lowest , meaning their income taxes would become among the highest .
• Those with incomes of $ 500,000 would move from 11th lowest to 26th lowest .
• Residents with incomes of $ 150,000 would move in the other direction , from 15th lowest to 13th lowest .
• And those with incomes of $ 60,000 would move from 24th lowest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritzker , a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel chain , ran his campaign on the promise to change the state constitution to allow a graduated income tax .
Both the Senate and House approved putting the constitutional amendment on the 2020 ballot , where it would need approval by more than 60 % of the voters to pass .
Illinois is one of nine states with a flat income tax rate .
Seven states have no income tax , while New Hampshire and Tennessee tax only certain investment income .
Opponents of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates for different levels of income is unfair and will push people to leave the state , which has seen a steady population decline over the past five years .
`` A flat tax percentage applied to any taxpayer already hits higher earners harder and produces more revenue from higher earners than lower earners , '' said Edward Tiesenga , a village trustee in Oak Brook , one of the few towns in Illinois where the average taxpayer will pay more under the graduated tax plan .
Under the graduated income tax plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax rates rise in steps , with the first $ 10,000 in income taxed at 4.75 % , the next $ 90,000 taxed at 4.90 % , and the next $ 150,000 taxed at 4.95 %  -- the current rate under the flat tax .
Any income over $ 250,000 triggers a tax rate of 7.75 % .
The rate climbs to 7.85 % for income over $ 350,000 for single filers and $ 500,000 for couples .
The biggest tax increase would come to single filers with income over $ 750,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million .
Their tax rate would be 7.99 % , and unlike people in lower income brackets , they would pay that flat rate on all of their income .
If approved , only six states would have a higher effective income tax rate on a $ 1.5 million tax return than Illinois .
Supporters and Pritzker administration officials note that 97 % of taxpayers will pay the same or less in income taxes under the graduated plan .
And , they say , the rates will actually have a bearing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states with a graduated rate formula .
That includes states like Alabama , Georgia , Idaho , Mississippi , Missouri , New Mexico , Oklahoma , South Carolina and Virginia where the maximum rate is applied to income over $ 20,000 -- in some cases over $ 3,000 .
`` Our plan is simpler and it is a true graduated tax , '' said Dan Hynes , Illinois 's former comptroller and current deputy governor .
`` And it 's designed to be fair statewide . ''
The additional revenue is intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well close a gap in the state 's operating budget .
Some do n't believe the state is doing enough to reduce spending , including pension costs .
`` In the abstract , the graduated tax might seem more fair , but the motivation behind the graduated tax is to tax a minority for the benefit of the majority , and it may have unintended consequences , '' said Laurence Msall , president of the nonpartisan government research organization the Civic Federation .
`` There needs to be a more significant structural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and services . ''

How Illinois' income tax compares nationwide, and how a graduated tax could change it
Editor’s note: This story originally ran May 29, 2019.
Illinois residents making $1.5 million a year pay less in income taxes than their counterparts in all but eight of the 41 states with such a tax.
But for people making $60,000 a year, it's a different story. In 24 of the states, those taxpayers pay less than in Illinois.
The ratios would shift if voters approve a graduated income tax in November 2020. A graduated tax formula being discussed in Springfield is intended to increase taxes on the rich, reduce taxes on lower- and middle-income taxpayers, and generate billions in new revenue.
Supporters believe the proposed graduated income tax rates can be easily absorbed by those who will be hit hardest. The top tax rate, 7.99%, is reserved for single filers who claim more than $750,000 of income and couples claiming more than $1 million.
"It's being done in a very rational way," said Ralph Martire, executive director of the bipartisan Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. "That top rate kicks in at a much higher level than almost everywhere else in the country."
In the state rankings, under the graduated tax proposal:
• Illinois filers with incomes over $1.5 million would move from the ninth lowest income taxes among the 41 states to the 35th lowest, meaning their income taxes would become among the highest.
• Those with incomes of $500,000 would move from 11th lowest to 26th lowest.
• Residents with incomes of $150,000 would move in the other direction, from 15th lowest to 13th lowest.
• And those with incomes of $60,000 would move from 24th lowest to 21st lowest.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire heir to the Hyatt Hotel chain, ran his campaign on the promise to change the state constitution to allow a graduated income tax. Both the Senate and House approved putting the constitutional amendment on the 2020 ballot, where it would need approval by more than 60% of the voters to pass.
Illinois is one of nine states with a flat income tax rate. Seven states have no income tax, while New Hampshire and Tennessee tax only certain investment income.
Opponents of the graduated tax argue that creating different rates for different levels of income is unfair and will push people to leave the state, which has seen a steady population decline over the past five years.
"A flat tax percentage applied to any taxpayer already hits higher earners harder and produces more revenue from higher earners than lower earners," said Edward Tiesenga, a village trustee in Oak Brook, one of the few towns in Illinois where the average taxpayer will pay more under the graduated tax plan.
Under the graduated income tax plan that passed the House Revenue Committee, tax rates rise in steps, with the first $10,000 in income taxed at 4.75%, the next $90,000 taxed at 4.90%, and the next $150,000 taxed at 4.95% -- the current rate under the flat tax. Any income over $250,000 triggers a tax rate of 7.75%. The rate climbs to 7.85% for income over $350,000 for single filers and $500,000 for couples.
The biggest tax increase would come to single filers with income over $750,000 and married couples with incomes over $1 million. Their tax rate would be 7.99%, and unlike people in lower income brackets, they would pay that flat rate on all of their income.
If approved, only six states would have a higher effective income tax rate on a $1.5 million tax return than Illinois.
Supporters and Pritzker administration officials note that 97% of taxpayers will pay the same or less in income taxes under the graduated plan. And, they say, the rates will actually have a bearing on the middle class, unlike many other states with a graduated rate formula. That includes states like Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia where the maximum rate is applied to income over $20,000 -- in some cases over $3,000.
"Our plan is simpler and it is a true graduated tax," said Dan Hynes, Illinois's former comptroller and current deputy governor. "And it's designed to be fair statewide."
The additional revenue is intended to help pay down a backlog of bills as well close a gap in the state's operating budget.
Some don't believe the state is doing enough to reduce spending, including pension costs.
"In the abstract, the graduated tax might seem more fair, but the motivation behind the graduated tax is to tax a minority for the benefit of the majority, and it may have unintended consequences," said Laurence Msall, president of the nonpartisan government research organization the Civic Federation. "There needs to be a more significant structural change in expenditures and consolidation of government and services."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Underwood bashes federal response to COVID-19; Oberweis review mixed

Democratic U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Naperville bashed the federal government 's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as an `` extraordinary failure , '' especially criticizing the shortages in personal protective equipment that have plagued the nation .
In contrast , Republican challenger Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove praised President Donald Trump for imposing travel restrictions on China in late January as the pandemic spread globally .
But Oberweis also said Trump was late to advocate wearing masks to prevent spreading the disease .
Trump did n't do that until July .
`` I certainly do n't give him an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a state senator and dairy owner .
Underwood and Oberweis discussed the pandemic and other issues during a joint , online meeting with editors and reporters from the Daily Herald and Shaw Media .
More than 6.4 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the U.S. , and more than 192,000 Americans have died from the virus , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
Underwood , who is seeking a second term in Congress , blamed the federal government 's response to the virus .
`` We continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and front-line health care workers , '' said Underwood , a registered nurse who helped communities prepare for public health emergencies as a senior adviser at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
`` The American people are seeking COVID tests and are still experiencing delays -- seven ( or ) 10 days without getting results back . ''
Underwood also decried how the federal government has forced states to compete for essential medical supplies .
`` I think that this lack of leadership coming out of the White House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan to help our country recover from COVID-19 has been ... an extraordinary failure and has really hurt the American people , '' she said .
Underwood said she was enthusiastic about the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act relief package , which the House approved in May .
After the Senate last week failed to pass a Republican alternative , analysts said it appeared unlikely any bill will be enacted before the Nov. 3 election .
`` I have been so extremely dismayed at the partisanship that we 've seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she said .
Conversely , Oberweis said he 's distressed by `` extreme partisanship '' in the Democrat-led House .
`` They have taken this situation and tried to capture federal dollars for all kinds of pet projects that have nothing to do with this pandemic , and I think that 's just fundamentally wrong , '' Oberweis said .
He did n't cite examples .
Oberweis credited Trump for being `` very early '' in recognizing the COVID-19 virus was a problem and for restricting air travel from China .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was criticized by ( House Speaker ) Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats as overreacting to the situation , '' Oberweis said .
`` Hindsight shows that he was absolutely right in doing that and probably saved many American lives . ''
However , a report by the voter advocacy website factcheck.org showed tweets Pelosi made on Jan. 31 that were critical of president-ordered travel bans were unrelated to the then-new Chinese restrictions .
The report was prompted by a viral video released in March by a conservative commentator who slammed those tweets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the pandemic .
Although he credited Trump for the Chinese travel restrictions , Oberweis said the president was `` way too late '' to recognize the importance of wearing masks .
`` That 's something that we have required at Oberweis Dairy , '' he said .
`` That 's something that I 've tried to follow indoors , ( but ) not necessarily outdoors . ''
Oberweis suggested masks should be worn only when people are indoors and in close contact with other people .
The CDC recommends people wear masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do n't live in their households .
The agency makes no distinction between indoor and outdoor activity .
When asked about her thoughts on masks , Underwood said people should follow those recommendations .
`` The science and the evidence and most importantly the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations are very clear , '' Underwood said .
The 14th District includes parts of DuPage , Kane , Lake , McHenry , Will , DeKalb and Kendall counties .
• The Associated Press contributed to this report .

Underwood bashes federal response to COVID-19; Oberweis review mixed
Democratic U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood of Naperville bashed the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as an "extraordinary failure," especially criticizing the shortages in personal protective equipment that have plagued the nation.
In contrast, Republican challenger Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove praised President Donald Trump for imposing travel restrictions on China in late January as the pandemic spread globally.
But Oberweis also said Trump was late to advocate wearing masks to prevent spreading the disease. Trump didn't do that until July.
"I certainly don't give him an A on this," said Oberweis, a state senator and dairy owner.
Underwood and Oberweis discussed the pandemic and other issues during a joint, online meeting with editors and reporters from the Daily Herald and Shaw Media.
More than 6.4 million COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the U.S., and more than 192,000 Americans have died from the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Underwood, who is seeking a second term in Congress, blamed the federal government's response to the virus.
"We continue to lack personal protective equipment for essential and front-line health care workers," said Underwood, a registered nurse who helped communities prepare for public health emergencies as a senior adviser at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "The American people are seeking COVID tests and are still experiencing delays -- seven (or) 10 days without getting results back."
Underwood also decried how the federal government has forced states to compete for essential medical supplies.
"I think that this lack of leadership coming out of the White House, their unwillingness to put forward a national plan to help our country recover from COVID-19 has been ... an extraordinary failure and has really hurt the American people," she said.
Underwood said she was enthusiastic about the Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act relief package, which the House approved in May. After the Senate last week failed to pass a Republican alternative, analysts said it appeared unlikely any bill will be enacted before the Nov. 3 election.
"I have been so extremely dismayed at the partisanship that we've seen come out of the United States Senate," she said.
Conversely, Oberweis said he's distressed by "extreme partisanship" in the Democrat-led House.
"They have taken this situation and tried to capture federal dollars for all kinds of pet projects that have nothing to do with this pandemic, and I think that's just fundamentally wrong," Oberweis said. He didn't cite examples.
Oberweis credited Trump for being "very early" in recognizing the COVID-19 virus was a problem and for restricting air travel from China.
"And when he did that, he was criticized by (House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats as overreacting to the situation," Oberweis said. "Hindsight shows that he was absolutely right in doing that and probably saved many American lives."
However, a report by the voter advocacy website factcheck.org showed tweets Pelosi made on Jan. 31 that were critical of president-ordered travel bans were unrelated to the then-new Chinese restrictions. The report was prompted by a viral video released in March by a conservative commentator who slammed those tweets and claimed Pelosi said Trump had overreacted to the pandemic.
Although he credited Trump for the Chinese travel restrictions, Oberweis said the president was "way too late" to recognize the importance of wearing masks.
"That's something that we have required at Oberweis Dairy," he said. "That's something that I've tried to follow indoors, (but) not necessarily outdoors."
Oberweis suggested masks should be worn only when people are indoors and in close contact with other people.
The CDC recommends people wear masks in public and when around people who don't live in their households. The agency makes no distinction between indoor and outdoor activity.
When asked about her thoughts on masks, Underwood said people should follow those recommendations.
"The science and the evidence and most importantly the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations are very clear," Underwood said.
The 14th District includes parts of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, DeKalb and Kendall counties.
• The Associated Press contributed to this report.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Facts Matter: Video clips edited to make Trump, Biden look bad

Approaching the Nov. 3 election , social media users are posting manipulated segments and selective edits of videos of President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden designed to show the candidates in an unflattering light .
A 12-second segment of a video of Trump meandering on the White House lawn is being shared on social media with claims the president is disoriented or showing signs of dementia , according to PolitiFact.com .
But the clip was `` deceptively edited '' to make it look like the president is aimlessly wandering , PolitiFact said .
The full video , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aug. 7 , 2019 , when Trump stopped to answer reporters ' questions before boarding Marine One to begin a trip to Ohio and Texas to meet with victims and first responders in the wake of fatal shootings in those states .
Following the news conference , the president stepped away from the reporters .
As the first lady approached , he pointed to a puddle , apparently warning her not to step in it .
Then they turn and walk toward the helicopter .
The edited video only showed Trump walking away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video making the rounds on social media purportedly shows Biden falling asleep during a live TV event .
But this clip is fake , made up of video from different broadcasts with added snoring sounds , according to The Associated Press .
The video uses a clip from a 2011 Bakersfield , California , station KBAK-TV interview with singer Harry Belafonte .
The side-by-side images on the screen show local anchor Layla Santiago and Belafonte , however , the singer appears to be asleep .
`` Wake up , wake up .
OK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Santiago said .
Shortly after the broadcast , Belafonte 's publicist Ken Sunshine said the singer was meditating , not asleep .
`` His earpiece was n't working , so he decided to take the time to mediate before the rest of his Day-O , '' Sunshine said .
In the doctored video , the clip of Belafonte is replaced by a clip of Biden as he lowered his gaze for about 15 seconds while Hillary Clinton discussed COVID-19 during an April town hall meeting .
The clip and audio of Santiago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
The bottom of the screen reads , `` Live : On air : Joe Biden : The importance of this election . ''
The altered video has been viewed more than 121,000 times , the AP said .
The fake video was retweeted by White House media director Dan Scavino .
When questioned about the retweet , a Trump campaign spokesman said it was `` obviously a parody , '' according to The Washington Post .
A viral Instagram post shows a flyer hanging in a bathroom stall with rules for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Due to the rise of COVID-19 , all residents must wear a CDC approved mask while taking a shower or in the restroom , '' the flyer reads .
And to make sure students follow the rules , resident assistants , or RAs , will conduct `` random shower inspections . ''
But the flyers are fake and the college is n't requiring shower masks or authorizing RAs to check on residents in the bathroom , according to USA Today .
The image was posted by Barstool Indiana , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The flyer includes a QR code that leads to the university 's Residential Programs and Services page .
That site lists precautions IU is taking in its community bathrooms , including plexiglass dividers between sinks , soap dispensers at each sink and more frequent cleanings with `` hospital grade '' disinfectants .
But there 's nothing about face masks or RA inspections .
A doctored photo circulating on social media shows a truck wedged beneath a bridge .
Writing on the side of the truck reads , `` All aboard the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the truck stuck under an overpass is authentic , according to Snopes.com .
But the words on the side of the vehicle have been digitally altered .
In a case in which truth is `` even stranger than fiction , '' Snopes said , the actual words on the side of the truck read , `` On the road to success , there are no shortcuts . ''
The original photo of the crash was taken in May 2015 in Mamaroneck Village , New York .
The Loop , a local new organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News .
Contact him at boboswald33 @ gmail.com .

Facts Matter: Video clips edited to make Trump, Biden look bad
A passerby stops to take a selfie with foam sculpture depictions of President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden along Dixie Highway in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020. South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP
Approaching the Nov. 3 election, social media users are posting manipulated segments and selective edits of videos of President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden designed to show the candidates in an unflattering light.
A 12-second segment of a video of Trump meandering on the White House lawn is being shared on social media with claims the president is disoriented or showing signs of dementia, according to PolitiFact.com.
But the clip was "deceptively edited" to make it look like the president is aimlessly wandering, PolitiFact said.
The full video, which runs nearly 13 minutes, was shot Aug. 7, 2019, when Trump stopped to answer reporters' questions before boarding Marine One to begin a trip to Ohio and Texas to meet with victims and first responders in the wake of fatal shootings in those states.
Following the news conference, the president stepped away from the reporters. As the first lady approached, he pointed to a puddle, apparently warning her not to step in it. Then they turn and walk toward the helicopter.
The edited video only showed Trump walking away and pointing to the puddle.
Another video making the rounds on social media purportedly shows Biden falling asleep during a live TV event.
But this clip is fake, made up of video from different broadcasts with added snoring sounds, according to The Associated Press.
The video uses a clip from a 2011 Bakersfield, California, station KBAK-TV interview with singer Harry Belafonte. The side-by-side images on the screen show local anchor Layla Santiago and Belafonte, however, the singer appears to be asleep.
"Wake up, wake up. OK, this is your wake-up call," Santiago said.
Shortly after the broadcast, Belafonte's publicist Ken Sunshine said the singer was meditating, not asleep.
"His earpiece wasn't working, so he decided to take the time to mediate before the rest of his Day-O," Sunshine said.
In the doctored video, the clip of Belafonte is replaced by a clip of Biden as he lowered his gaze for about 15 seconds while Hillary Clinton discussed COVID-19 during an April town hall meeting.
The clip and audio of Santiago remained and the sound of snoring was added. The bottom of the screen reads, "Live: On air: Joe Biden: The importance of this election."
The altered video has been viewed more than 121,000 times, the AP said.
The fake video was retweeted by White House media director Dan Scavino.
When questioned about the retweet, a Trump campaign spokesman said it was "obviously a parody," according to The Washington Post.
Shower masks not required
A viral Instagram post shows a flyer hanging in a bathroom stall with rules for Indiana University students navigating the coronavirus pandemic.
"Due to the rise of COVID-19, all residents must wear a CDC approved mask while taking a shower or in the restroom," the flyer reads. And to make sure students follow the rules, resident assistants, or RAs, will conduct "random shower inspections."
But the flyers are fake and the college isn't requiring shower masks or authorizing RAs to check on residents in the bathroom, according to USA Today.
The post is "completely untrue," Indiana University spokesman Chuck Carney told USA Today.
The image was posted by Barstool Indiana, which is not affiliated with IU, USA Today said. The flyer includes a QR code that leads to the university's Residential Programs and Services page.
That site lists precautions IU is taking in its community bathrooms, including plexiglass dividers between sinks, soap dispensers at each sink and more frequent cleanings with "hospital grade" disinfectants. But there's nothing about face masks or RA inspections.
Trump crash photo is fake
A doctored photo circulating on social media shows a truck wedged beneath a bridge. Writing on the side of the truck reads, "All aboard the Trump train."
The photo of the truck stuck under an overpass is authentic, according to Snopes.com. But the words on the side of the vehicle have been digitally altered.
In a case in which truth is "even stranger than fiction," Snopes said, the actual words on the side of the truck read, "On the road to success, there are no shortcuts."
The original photo of the crash was taken in May 2015 in Mamaroneck Village, New York. The Loop, a local new organization, published several photos of the incident.
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Holocaust Museum fundraiser to focus on rising hate, racism

Growing up in Skokie among a community of Jewish elders who had witnessed genocide , Mally Zoberman-Rutkoff always felt the weight and responsibility of being a child of two Holocaust survivors .
The now 67-year-old Highland Park resident was motivated by the concern her parents and others in the survivor community had about the horrors of the Holocaust being forgotten .
`` My parents cared very deeply , '' Zoberman-Rutkoff said .
`` They worried a great deal that no one would care about their stories ... what they had endured .
They always worried would their experiences have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her parents died , Zoberman-Rutkoff dedicated her time to volunteering for the U.S .
Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington , D.C. -- created to preserve , study , and learn the lessons of the Holocaust .
She will be honored Tuesday with the museum 's National Leadership Award during its annual fundraiser .
The Risa K. Lambert `` What You Do Matters '' Virtual Chicago Event will feature Hollywood celebrities , including `` Wonder Woman '' Gal Gadot , `` Seinfeld '' actor and comedian Jason Alexander and veteran actress Jamie Lee Curtis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former heir-apparent to the Ku Klux Klan -- will discuss hate , racism and anti-Semitism .
Black was raised in a prominent white supremacist family and spent his teenage years helping his father expand the world 's first online racial hate community , Stormfront .
He will share why he renounced the white supremacist movement and philosophy .
`` The pandemic is adding fuel to existing hatred , '' Black said in a statement .
`` Educational responses to counter hate , teaching critical lessons of Holocaust history and the importance of human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' The museum 's Chicago fundraiser typically draws more than 2,000 in-person attendees , including several high school classes .
More than 1,500 people are registered for the free virtual program , which will be available for viewing later online .
`` It 's the largest event for the museum anywhere in the country , '' said Jill Weinberg , the museum 's Midwest regional director .
Weinberg said Black 's transformation from a neo-Nazi to an advocate for the museum , promoting understanding of Holocaust history and racial injustice , is why @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Black is working on a doctorate from the University of Chicago , exploring the medieval and early modern origins of race , racist ideologies , and anti-Semitic beliefs .
`` It 's entire focus is on learning the lessons from the past and learning the lessons from the Holocaust , '' Weinberg said .
She equated the current global rise in ultranationalistic fervor and far right-wing groups with the rise of Nazism in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s .
The museum 's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide monitors worldwide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as Cambodia , Rwanda and Darfur , and regions showing early warning signs of genocide , including the devolving situation with Myanmar 's Rohingya Muslim minority and ethnic Uighur Muslims in China .
A resurgence of white supremacist sentiments in the United States also worries officials .
`` We look at the challenges this country faces .
Nobody is a better spokesperson than ( Black ) who has been on both sides of this issue , '' Weinberg said .
`` No other community should ever suffer the way the victims of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the event will read excerpts from Holocaust victims ' diaries that are part of the museum 's collection .
`` The museum is preserving these diaries and making them available to scholars , educators , researchers , '' Weinberg said .
`` The next generation will not have the opportunity to hear survivors firsthand .
The museum can make sure these stories are not forgotten . ''
For more information or to view the event , go to tinyurl.com/yxshfp7c .

Holocaust Museum fundraiser to focus on rising hate, racism
Mally Zoberman-Rutkoff of Highland Park, right, and her daughter Jordana Rutkoff Greenberg attend the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's annual fundraiser in Chicago. Zoberman-Rutkoff will be honored Tuesday for her volunteer work during this year's virtual fundraiser. Courtesy of the U.S. Holocaust Museum
Growing up in Skokie among a community of Jewish elders who had witnessed genocide, Mally Zoberman-Rutkoff always felt the weight and responsibility of being a child of two Holocaust survivors.
The now 67-year-old Highland Park resident was motivated by the concern her parents and others in the survivor community had about the horrors of the Holocaust being forgotten.
"My parents cared very deeply," Zoberman-Rutkoff said. "They worried a great deal that no one would care about their stories ... what they had endured. They always worried, would their experiences have any meaning in the future."
Once her parents died, Zoberman-Rutkoff dedicated her time to volunteering for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington -- created to preserve, study and learn the lessons of the Holocaust. She will be honored Tuesday with the museum's National Leadership Award during its annual fundraiser.
The Risa K. Lambert "What You Do Matters" Virtual Chicago Event will feature Hollywood celebrities, including "Wonder Woman" Gal Gadot, "Seinfeld" actor and comedian Jason Alexander and veteran actress Jamie Lee Curtis.
Keynote speaker R. Derek Black -- former heir-apparent to the Ku Klux Klan -- will discuss hate, racism and anti-Semitism. Black was raised in a prominent white supremacist family and spent his teenage years helping his father expand the world's first online racial hate community, Stormfront. He will share why he renounced the white supremacist movement and philosophy.
"The pandemic is adding fuel to existing hatred," Black said in a statement. "Educational responses to counter hate, teaching critical lessons of Holocaust history and the importance of human solidarity is so important right now."
The museum's Chicago fundraiser typically draws more than 2,000 in-person attendees, including several high school classes. More than 1,500 people are registered for the free virtual program, which will be available for viewing later online.
"It's the largest event for the museum anywhere in the country," said Jill Weinberg, the museum's Midwest regional director.
Weinberg said Black's transformation from a neo-Nazi to an advocate for the museum, promoting understanding of Holocaust history and racial injustice, is why he was chosen to keynote the event. Black is working on a doctorate from the University of Chicago, exploring the medieval and early modern origins of race, racist ideologies and anti-Semitic beliefs.
"Its entire focus is on learning the lessons from the past and learning the lessons from the Holocaust," Weinberg said.
She equated the current global rise in ultranationalistic fervor and far right-wing groups with the rise of Nazism in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s.
The museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide monitors worldwide hot spots where genocides have occurred, such as Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur, and regions showing early warning signs of genocide, including the devolving situation with Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority and ethnic Uighur Muslims in China. A resurgence of white supremacist sentiments in the United States also worries officials.
"We look at the challenges this country faces. Nobody is a better spokesperson than (Black) who has been on both sides of this issue," Weinberg said. "No other community should ever suffer the way the victims of the Holocaust suffered."
Celebrities participating in the event will read excerpts from Holocaust victims' diaries that are part of the museum's collection.
"The museum is preserving these diaries and making them available to scholars, educators, researchers," Weinberg said. "The next generation will not have the opportunity to hear survivors firsthand. The museum can make sure these stories are not forgotten."
For more information or to view the event, go to tinyurl.com/yxshfp7c.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Wildlife populations plummeted 68% since 1970, monitoring shows

Humanity 's expansion , consumption and transformation of land and sea have caused wildlife populations to plunge over five decades , signaling a `` broken '' relationship with nature that helped trigger the global coronavirus pandemic , a report says .
Average populations of nearly 4,400 mammals , amphibians , birds , fish and reptiles dropped by 68 % since 1970 , according to the World Wildlife Fund report , which is based on vertebrate monitoring projects around the world .
The losses have been driven primarily by habitat loss , it says , along with pollution , invasive species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , climate change .
The result is dysfunctional ecosystems -- bereft of important pollinators , predators and scavengers -- less able to support human or animal health , said Rebecca Shaw , the fund 's chief scientist .
The `` Living Planet Report , '' published every two years , is the latest to describe stunning declines in biodiversity resulting from human activity .
The United Nations warned last year that 1 million plant and animal species are on the verge of extinction .
Also in 2019 , ornithologists and government agencies reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birds over 50 years .
But World Wildlife Fund officials emphasized one catastrophic consequence of the declines is now before our eyes .
The coronavirus pandemic , caused by the sort of `` spillover '' of a zoonotic virus that is becoming more common as humans expand their footprint , should be viewed as `` an SOS signal for the human enterprise , '' the report says .
The report `` provides unequivocal evidence that nature is unraveling and that our planet is flashing red warning signs , '' wrote Marco Lambertini , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 is a clear manifestation of our broken relationship with nature and highlights the deep interconnection between the health of both people and the planet . ''
More than two-thirds of emerging infectious diseases in humans have origins in animals , and scientists say the virus that causes COVID-19 probably originated in a horseshoe bat , though the virus 's precise path to people remains unknown .
What 's clear is that animal viruses have more chances to hop to humans as we develop formerly wild spaces , fly around the globe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If you start deforesting and are grabbing those animals out of the forest and putting them on trains and putting them on trucks and boats , alive , with domestic animals and humans , you have all this viral mixing , '' Shaw said .
`` We 're disrupting nature and creating the opportunity for these spillover events . ''
Wildlife losses were particularly precipitous for freshwater species , which saw an average decline of 84 % , in part because of the near disappearance of most wetlands that existed 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The average drop in species monitored in Central and South America was an astonishing 94 % , it said .
Populations of animals large and small are dwindling , and are changing differently in different regions , according to the report .
While tigers are on the rise in Nepal , the big cats ' numbers have fallen by more than 20 % in Russia 's Far East , where habitat loss , a decline in prey and poaching pose threats .
Agriculture has caused gray partridges in the United Kingdom to plummet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ driven down the Grauer 's gorilla population in the Congo by 87 % .
Several species of vibrantly speckled harlequin frogs in Colombia , Ecuador and Venezuela have faced `` catastrophic '' losses and extinctions , mostly attributable to a fungal disease that may have originated in East Asia in the 20th century and then shot around the planet with the boom in global trade and the exotic pet market .
Despite the declines , Shaw said urgent changes could blunt or even reverse some of the damage .
Modeling carried out by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as part of a two-year-old initiative called `` Bending The Curve '' found recovery will require a combination of increasing land conservation efforts and , crucially , overhauling food production to make it more sustainable and efficient and less wasteful .
Those findings were described Thursday in the journal Nature .
The `` Living Planet Report '' describes wildlife population declines not only because they act as a barometer for ecosystem health but also because they contain glimmers of hope , Shaw said .
`` If you only measure threatened and endangered species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the conservation community for many , many years , '' Shaw said , `` you 're way too late . ''

Wildlife populations plummeted 68% since 1970, monitoring shows
An endangered Amur tiger roams in his cage at the Wild Animals Rehabilitation Center in Sikhote-Alin, a mountain range in the Russian Far East. Only a few hundred remain in the world. Associated Press
Ornithologists and government agencies reported in 2019 that North America has lost nearly 3 billion birds over 50 years. Associated Press
Humanity's expansion, consumption and transformation of land and sea have caused wildlife populations to plunge over five decades, signaling a "broken" relationship with nature that helped trigger the global coronavirus pandemic, a report says.
Average populations of nearly 4,400 mammals, amphibians, birds, fish and reptiles dropped by 68% since 1970, according to the World Wildlife Fund report, which is based on vertebrate monitoring projects around the world. The losses have been driven primarily by habitat loss, it says, along with pollution, invasive species, overhunting and overfishing, and increasingly, climate change.
The result is dysfunctional ecosystems -- bereft of important pollinators, predators and scavengers -- less able to support human or animal health, said Rebecca Shaw, the fund's chief scientist.
The "Living Planet Report," published every two years, is the latest to describe stunning declines in biodiversity resulting from human activity. The United Nations warned last year that 1 million plant and animal species are on the verge of extinction. Also in 2019, ornithologists and government agencies reported North America had lost nearly 3 billion birds over 50 years.
But World Wildlife Fund officials emphasized one catastrophic consequence of the declines is now before our eyes. The coronavirus pandemic, caused by the sort of "spillover" of a zoonotic virus that is becoming more common as humans expand their footprint, should be viewed as "an SOS signal for the human enterprise," the report says.
The report "provides unequivocal evidence that nature is unraveling and that our planet is flashing red warning signs," wrote Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International. "COVID-19 is a clear manifestation of our broken relationship with nature and highlights the deep interconnection between the health of both people and the planet."
More than two-thirds of emerging infectious diseases in humans have origins in animals, and scientists say the virus that causes COVID-19 probably originated in a horseshoe bat, though the virus's precise path to people remains unknown. What's clear is that animal viruses have more chances to hop to humans as we develop formerly wild spaces, fly around the globe, trade in wildlife and intensify livestock production.
"If you start deforesting and are grabbing those animals out of the forest and putting them on trains and putting them on trucks and boats, alive, with domestic animals and humans, you have all this viral mixing," Shaw said. "We're disrupting nature and creating the opportunity for these spillover events."
Wildlife losses were particularly precipitous for freshwater species, which saw an average decline of 84%, in part because of the near disappearance of most wetlands that existed 500 years ago, the report said. The average drop in species monitored in Central and South America was an astonishing 94%, it said.
Populations of animals large and small are dwindling, and are changing differently in different regions, according to the report.
While tigers are on the rise in Nepal, the big cats' numbers have fallen by more than 20% in Russia's Far East, where habitat loss, a decline in prey and poaching pose threats. Agriculture has caused gray partridges in the United Kingdom to plummet, while illegal hunting and mining have driven down the Grauer's gorilla population in the Congo by 87%.
Several species of vibrantly speckled harlequin frogs in Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela have faced "catastrophic" losses and extinctions, mostly attributable to a fungal disease that may have originated in East Asia in the 20th century and then shot around the planet with the boom in global trade and the exotic pet market.
Despite the declines, Shaw said urgent changes could blunt or even reverse some of the damage. Modeling carried out by the World Wildlife Fund and 50 partners as part of a two-year-old initiative called "Bending The Curve" found recovery will require a combination of increasing land conservation efforts and, crucially, overhauling food production to make it more sustainable and efficient and less wasteful. Those findings were described Thursday in the journal Nature.
The "Living Planet Report" describes wildlife population declines not only because they act as a barometer for ecosystem health but also because they contain glimmers of hope, Shaw said.
"If you only measure threatened and endangered species, which has really been the focus for the conservation community for many, many years," Shaw said, "you're way too late."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Lions elevate Wiggins, Williams from practice squad

DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions have elevated guard Kenny Wiggins and running back Jonathan Williams from the practice squad .
@ @ @ @ @ Saturday .
Detroit opens the season Sunday at home against Chicago .
The Lions are @ @ @ @ @ foot ) , safety C.J .
Moore ( hamstring ) and tight end Hunter Bryant @ @ @ @ @ of whom have been ruled out for Sunday 's game .
Wide receiver Kenny Golladay @ @ @ @ @ .

Lions elevate Wiggins, Williams from practice squad
DETROIT -- The Detroit Lions have elevated guard Kenny Wiggins and running back Jonathan Williams from the practice squad.
The Lions announced the moves Saturday. Detroit opens the season Sunday at home against Chicago.
The Lions are without tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai (foot), safety C.J. Moore (hamstring) and tight end Hunter Bryant (hamstring), all of whom have been ruled out for Sunday's game. Wide receiver Kenny Golladay (hamstring) is doubtful.
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Boat capsizes on Fox River near St. Charles

Fire crews responded to a capsized boat on the Fox River near St. Charles Saturday afternoon , officials said .
@ @ @ @ @ dispatched about 3:59 p.m. to the Fox River north of Pottawatomie Park after receiving calls @ @ @ @ @ , according to a fire department news release .
Firefighters arrived on the scene about @ @ @ @ @ -- who was the only person in the boat -- was able to get himself @ @ @ @ @ located behind a house at 966 N. Second Street , according to the release .
@ @ @ @ @ the shoreline , authorities confirmed .
He received a medical evaluation at the scene but @ @ @ @ @ , according to the release .
No firefighters were injured .
A St. Charles boat @ @ @ @ @ boat back to the Boy Scout Island boat launch , according to the release .
@ @ @ @ @ fire departments also assisted , officials said .

Boat capsizes on Fox River near St. Charles
Fire crews responded to a capsized boat on the Fox River near St. Charles Saturday afternoon, officials said.
The St. Charles firefighters were dispatched about 3:59 p.m. to the Fox River north of Pottawatomie Park after receiving calls that a boat had capsized, according to a fire department news release.
Firefighters arrived on the scene about 4:01 p.m. and the victim -- who was the only person in the boat -- was able to get himself to the shoreline and was located behind a house at 966 N. Second Street, according to the release. The boat was also at the shoreline, authorities confirmed.
He received a medical evaluation at the scene but refused additional treatment or transport, according to the release. No firefighters were injured. A St. Charles boat got the victim and his boat back to the Boy Scout Island boat launch, according to the release.
The Geneva and South Elgin fire departments also assisted, officials said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Harris scores 4 TDs, UTSA holds off Texas St. 51-48 in 2OT

SAN MARCOS , Texas -- Hunter Duplessis kicked a 29-yard field goal in the second overtime , Frank Harris accounted for four touchdowns , and UTSA won its season opener , beating Texas State 51-48 in a wild finish on Saturday .
Texas State 's Alan Orona missed a 20-yard field goal attempt in the second overtime and a potential game-winning extra point with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter .
Sincere McCormick ran for a program-record 197 yards on 29 carries and had a 5-yard touchdown run for UTSA .
Harris was 23-of-31 passing for 169 yards and threw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who made a spectacular one-handed catch in the first overtime .
Harris had scoring runs from 17 , 19 and 13 yards and finished with 52 yards rushing .
Texas State ( 1-1 ) , which scratched starting quarterback Brady McBride earlier in the day due to COVID-19 protocol , was down 41-28 with 3:24 remaining after UTSA 's Rashad Wisdom scored on an 81-yard interception return .
The Roadrunners wore sticker helmets in honor of Wisdom 's brother Bryce , who died at age 17 in July from kidney cancer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's game due to COVID-19 protocol , rebounded from his pick-6 to Wisdom with a 20-yard TD pass to Marcell Barbee six plays later .
On the next series , Texas State forced a three-and-out and Jeremiah Haydel scored on a 91-yard punt return , but Orona hooked the extra point attempt that eventually forced overtime tied at 41 .
Vitt was 26-of-39 passing for 346 yards and threw four touchdown passes and two interceptions .
UTSA coach Jeff Traylor won in his debut with the Roadrunners , who have won all four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rivalry was renewed in 2017 .
Seating was limited to 7,500 at 30,000-seat Bobcat Stadium .
Masks were mandated upon entry and encouraged while seated but not required .
There was no general-admission seating .

Harris scores 4 TDs, UTSA holds off Texas St. 51-48 in 2OT
SAN MARCOS, Texas -- Hunter Duplessis kicked a 29-yard field goal in the second overtime, Frank Harris accounted for four touchdowns, and UTSA won its season opener, beating Texas State 51-48 in a wild finish on Saturday.
Texas State's Alan Orona missed a 20-yard field goal attempt in the second overtime and a potential game-winning extra point with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter.
Sincere McCormick ran for a program-record 197 yards on 29 carries and had a 5-yard touchdown run for UTSA. Harris was 23-of-31 passing for 169 yards and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Cephus, who made a spectacular one-handed catch in the first overtime. Harris had scoring runs from 17, 19 and 13 yards and finished with 52 yards rushing.
Texas State (1-1), which scratched starting quarterback Brady McBride earlier in the day due to COVID-19 protocol, was down 41-28 with 3:24 remaining after UTSA's Rashad Wisdom scored on an 81-yard interception return. The Roadrunners wore sticker helmets in honor of Wisdom's brother Bryce, who died at age 17 in July from kidney cancer.
Tyler Vitt, who missed last week's game due to COVID-19 protocol, rebounded from his pick-6 to Wisdom with a 20-yard TD pass to Marcell Barbee six plays later.
On the next series, Texas State forced a three-and-out and Jeremiah Haydel scored on a 91-yard punt return, but Orona hooked the extra point attempt that eventually forced overtime tied at 41.
Vitt was 26-of-39 passing for 346 yards and threw four touchdown passes and two interceptions.
UTSA coach Jeff Traylor won in his debut with the Roadrunners, who have won all four meetings against the Bobcats since the I-35 rivalry was renewed in 2017.
Seating was limited to 7,500 at 30,000-seat Bobcat Stadium. Masks were mandated upon entry and encouraged while seated but not required. There was no general-admission seating.
__
More AP college football: http://apnews.com/tag/Collegefootball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-12--Heyward's clutch home run turns Cubs goose egg into victory

Cubs manager David Ross did n't come out and actually say it , but he suggested the ninth inning might have been one to consider pinch-hitting for Jason Heyward .
It was a tough lefty vs. lefty matchup against Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader .
Over his career , Heyward was 1 for 8 against Hader with 3 strikeouts , according to mlb.com .
And since the Brewers started left-hander Brent Suter , most of their right-handed hitters were already in the lineup , while Cameron Maybin was feeling under the weather .
`` Really tough matchup for JayHey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Ross said after the game .
But hey , sometimes things just work out .
The Cubs were trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning at Milwaukee on Saturday , on the verge of being shut out for the third time in four games .
With two runners on , Heyward got ahold of a 1-2 pitch and sent a blast over the fence in center field .
Ildemaro Vargas followed with his first home run as a Cub and the tide had turned .
Craig Kimbrel gave up 2 hits in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recovered to save the 4-2 victory .
`` That 's one thing I love about this group in general , '' Ross said .
`` They do n't ever give up .
That 's a really nice win right there . ''
Besides the home runs , the table was set by two key members of the slump club .
With one out , Javy Baez got things started with a single to right .
Then Anthony Rizzo , sitting against the lefty , came off the bench and delivered a pinch-hit single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Heyward looked at a strike , swung and missed , and appeared to be at Hader 's mercy .
`` He had options , '' Heyward said .
`` He could have made whatever pitch he wanted right there , honestly .
It was just nice to get rewarded taking a nice , short swing .
`` I wanted to try and get a pitch up enough and that one kind of found me .
He made a really good pitch , it changed my eye level .
Started me off with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ swing through a fastball up . ''
Heyward also appreciated being able to deliver a gift to one of his former Atlanta Braves teammates .
`` Freddie Freeman 's birthday is today , '' Heyward said .
`` He told me he was going to hit a home run on my birthday .
He hit a homer .
I was thinking that .
I did n't tell him I was going to hit a homer , but it 's nice to hit one and return the favor . ''
The Cubs salvaged a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threw 7 2/3 innings , giving up a 2-run homer to Ryan Braun , 6 hits and 7 strikeouts .
Hendricks fell one out shy of getting the victory , which went to Jason Adam .
`` That was just huge for us as a group .
It was unbelievable , '' Hendricks said .
`` We were putting together good at bats .
You 've got to give them credit .
They were pitching really well .
We stuck with the plan .
They were saying it on the bench the whole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
On Friday , the Cubs got a strong start from Jon Lester , but lost 1-0 on a walk off sacrifice fly in the ninth .
`` I would say this is a huge win .
It 's a tough win , '' Heyward said .
`` Last night Jonny Lester was looking like Jonny Lester .
He had it in his eye , his stuff was sharp .
We wanted to come with a win for him .
Tonight Hendricks went out and pitched his butt off . ''

Heyward's clutch home run turns Cubs goose egg into victory
Chicago Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas tags out Milwaukee Brewers' Keston Hiura at third during the ninth inning in Milwaukee.
Cubs manager David Ross didn't come out and actually say it, but he suggested the ninth inning might have been one to consider pinch-hitting for Jason Heyward.
It was a tough lefty vs. lefty matchup against Milwaukee Brewers closer Josh Hader. Over his career, Heyward was 1 for 8 against Hader with 3 strikeouts, according to mlb.com.
And since the Brewers started left-hander Brent Suter, most of their right-handed hitters were already in the lineup, while Cameron Maybin was feeling under the weather.
"Really tough matchup for JayHey, but we're running thin on players," Ross said after the game.
But hey, sometimes things just work out. The Cubs were trailing 2-0 in the ninth inning at Milwaukee on Saturday, on the verge of being shut out for the third time in four games.
With two runners on, Heyward got ahold of a 1-2 pitch and sent a blast over the fence in center field. Ildemaro Vargas followed with his first home run as a Cub and the tide had turned. Craig Kimbrel gave up 2 hits in the bottom of the ninth, but recovered to save the 4-2 victory.
"That's one thing I love about this group in general," Ross said. "They don't ever give up. That's a really nice win right there."
Besides the home runs, the table was set by two key members of the slump club. With one out, Javy Baez got things started with a single to right. Then Anthony Rizzo, sitting against the lefty, came off the bench and delivered a pinch-hit single to put runners on first and third. Heyward looked at a strike, swung and missed, and appeared to be at Hader's mercy.
"He had options," Heyward said. "He could have made whatever pitch he wanted right there, honestly. It was just nice to get rewarded taking a nice, short swing.
"I wanted to try and get a pitch up enough and that one kind of found me. He made a really good pitch, it changed my eye level. Started me off with a strike slider, got me to swing through a fastball up."
Heyward also appreciated being able to deliver a gift to one of his former Atlanta Braves teammates.
"Freddie Freeman's birthday is today," Heyward said. "He told me he was going to hit a home run on my birthday. He hit a homer. I was thinking that. I didn't tell him I was going to hit a homer, but it's nice to hit one and return the favor."
The Cubs salvaged a strong performance from Kyle Hendricks, who threw 7 2/3 innings, giving up a 2-run homer to Ryan Braun, 6 hits and 7 strikeouts. Hendricks fell one out shy of getting the victory, which went to Jason Adam.
"That was just huge for us as a group. It was unbelievable," Hendricks said. "We were putting together good at bats. You've got to give them credit. They were pitching really well. We stuck with the plan. They were saying it on the bench the whole game. Keep competing for nine innings."
On Friday, the Cubs got a strong start from Jon Lester, but lost 1-0 on a walk off sacrifice fly in the ninth.
"I would say this is a huge win. It's a tough win," Heyward said. "Last night Jonny Lester was looking like Jonny Lester. He had it in his eye, his stuff was sharp. We wanted to come with a win for him. Tonight Hendricks went out and pitched his butt off."
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-11--Where to soak in fall colors at Illinois State Parks not far from home

It 's a crisp fall morning , tree colors are starting to pop and Mother Nature is reminding you to break free from a coronavirus-era habit .
Cut back on doomscrolling through social media feeds and make time for a healthier distraction : an autumn adventure in Illinois State Parks .
About a 90-minute drive from the Chicago area , Starved Rock State Park near Utica is the undisputed star .
Above-average crowds are descending on the park during the pandemic , bringing traffic congestion and temporary park closures when Starved Rock reaches capacity .
Before you make the trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Natural Resources operates more than 250 state parks , natural areas and recreational sites .
Some hidden gems showcase fall beauty closer to home .
Here 's a guide to soaking in the seasonal splendor at these IDNR properties : To stay ahead of the crowds , plan to visit during the week for a mental release and an oasis of 18 sandstone canyons , waterfalls , forests and trails .
A wooden staircase leads up the park 's namesake , a 125-foot butte with panoramic views of the Illinois River .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for guided tours with limits on group sizes .
Visitors also must wear masks when passing hikers on trails if physical distancing is difficult to maintain .
While parking areas can fill up by 11 a.m. on weekends , guests of the Starved Rock Lodge can use a private lot to the west of the 1930s-era campus .
The lodge is promoting midweek stays , but it also has offered guided hikes Saturdays and Sundays , departing at 11 a.m. and heading to Wildcat Canyon , Eagle Cliff and Lover 's Leap .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ best experience seeing fall colors , book a getaway to Starved Rock Lodge , '' CEO Amy Trimble said in a statement .
`` Parking is included , you 're surrounded by fall color , seasonal waterfalls and sandstone canyons , plus we have on-site dining with comfortable rooms and cabins . ''
Nearby Matthiessen and Buffalo state parks are smaller hiking spots but have their own fall color palette .
Visitors can check the status of closures and parking restrictions at Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks on IDNR Facebook and Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floating mat of green sphagnum moss surrounds an open pool in the center of the bog , turning its waters acidic .
Tamarack trees form one of the outer rings of the bog .
The deciduous pines turn golden in the fall before the Tamaracks lose their needles .
The red hue of poison sumac and the year-round green of sphagnum moss add to the colorful flourish .
`` The bog itself is really gorgeous in the fall .
It 's like no other place in Illinois , '' said Stacy Iwanicki , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see the Tamaracks in their full golden glory varies from year to year , but it 's generally around Halloween , that last week in October or first week in November .
The rest of the site near Ingleside features oak hickory woodlands , prairie restoration areas and some marshland .
`` Even the prairie lends itself beautiful color hues , purples , especially of asters , goldenrod yellows in the fall , late summer into fall , '' Iwanicki said .
A half-mile , interpretive boardwalk that takes visitors into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to disrepair and while a replacement project awaits funding .
But Iwanicki has permission to allow access into the boardwalk with a guide .
She 's organizing interpretive walk group tours by appointment , limiting the size to no more than 14 people , plus the leader .
Groups can make arrangements by calling the site at ( 815 ) 344-1294 .
`` We 'll have some set times for the general public as drop-in tours , '' Iwanicki said .
About 15 minutes from Volo Bog is Moraine Hills , a 2,200-acre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prairie restoration areas , wetlands and lakes near McHenry .
Both Moraine Hills and Volo Bog will offer at least one fall color walk .
Iwanicki also has scheduled a series of talks called `` Walks with a Naturalist . ''
Those ecological tours are tentatively set to leave from the Northern Woods parking area at 10 a.m. Thursday , Sept. 24 ; the Whitetail Prairie parking area on Oct. 1 ; and the McHenry Dam parking lot on Oct. 8 .
`` State parks and natural areas do a really good job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the people of Illinois as well as people from all over the world , '' Iwanicki said .
To register , contact dnr.volobog @ illinois.gov or call ( 815 ) 344-1294 .
Walks are limited to 15 people , including the leader .
Walk-ins are welcome if space allows .
Visitors should bring a mask and sunscreen , a hat , water , comfy shoes and bug spray .

Where to soak in fall colors at Illinois State Parks not far from home
Trees and bushes change their fall colors in Volo Bog State Natural Area in western Lake County. Daily Herald file photo
"When the crisp fall mornings snap those colors and that palate of fall colors comes into view what was already beautiful becomes spectacular," says Kathy Casstevens, marketing director of Starved Rock Lodge. Courtesy of Kathy Casstevens
Plan a midweek visit to avoid crowds at Starved Rock State Park near Utica, a popular hiking destination during the pandemic. Courtesy of Heritage Corridor CVB
It's a crisp fall morning, tree colors are starting to pop and Mother Nature is reminding you to break free from a coronavirus-era habit.
Cut back on doomscrolling through social media feeds and make time for a healthier distraction: an autumn adventure in Illinois State Parks.
About a 90-minute drive from the Chicago area, Starved Rock State Park near Utica is the undisputed star. Above-average crowds are descending on the park during the pandemic, bringing traffic congestion and temporary park closures when Starved Rock reaches capacity.
Before you make the trip, consider alternatives. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources operates more than 250 state parks, natural areas and recreational sites. Some hidden gems showcase fall beauty closer to home.
Here's a guide to soaking in the seasonal splendor at these IDNR properties:
Starved Rock
To stay ahead of the crowds, plan to visit during the week for a mental release and an oasis of 18 sandstone canyons, waterfalls, forests and trails. A wooden staircase leads up the park's namesake, a 125-foot butte with panoramic views of the Illinois River.
The park is requiring advance online registration for guided tours with limits on group sizes. Visitors also must wear masks when passing hikers on trails if physical distancing is difficult to maintain.
While parking areas can fill up by 11 a.m. on weekends, guests of the Starved Rock Lodge can use a private lot to the west of the 1930s-era campus.
Starved Rock Lodge has offered guided hiking tours into Starved Rock State Park. - Courtesy of Matthew Klein
The lodge is promoting midweek stays, but it also has offered guided hikes Saturdays and Sundays, departing at 11 a.m. and heading to Wildcat Canyon, Eagle Cliff and Lover's Leap.
"If you want to have the best experience seeing fall colors, book a getaway to Starved Rock Lodge," CEO Amy Trimble said in a statement. "Parking is included, you're surrounded by fall color, seasonal waterfalls and sandstone canyons, plus we have on-site dining with comfortable rooms and cabins."
Nearby Matthiessen and Buffalo state parks are smaller hiking spots but have their own fall color palette.
Visitors can check the status of closures and parking restrictions at Starved Rock and Matthiessen state parks on IDNR Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Volo Bog State Natural Area
A unique ecosystem, a floating mat of green sphagnum moss surrounds an open pool in the center of the bog, turning its waters acidic. Tamarack trees form one of the outer rings of the bog.
The deciduous pines turn golden in the fall before the Tamaracks lose their needles. The red hue of poison sumac and the year-round green of sphagnum moss add to the colorful flourish.
"The bog itself is really gorgeous in the fall. It's like no other place in Illinois," said Stacy Iwanicki, natural resources coordinator.
The best time to see the Tamaracks in their full golden glory varies from year to year, but it's generally around Halloween, that last week in October or first week in November.
The rest of the site near Ingleside features oak hickory woodlands, prairie restoration areas and some marshland.
"Even the prairie lends itself beautiful color hues, purples, especially of asters, goldenrod yellows in the fall, late summer into fall," Iwanicki said.
A half-mile, interpretive boardwalk that takes visitors into the heart of the bog remains closed due to disrepair and while a replacement project awaits funding.
But Iwanicki has permission to allow access into the boardwalk with a guide. She's organizing interpretive walk group tours by appointment, limiting the size to no more than 14 people, plus the leader. Groups can make arrangements by calling the site at (815) 344-1294.
"We'll have some set times for the general public as drop-in tours," Iwanicki said.
Moraine Hills State Park
About 15 minutes from Volo Bog is Moraine Hills, a 2,200-acre site containing oak woodlands, hickories, prairie restoration areas, wetlands and lakes near McHenry.
Moraine Hills State Park near McHenry features beautiful marshes and oak woodlands. - Courtesy of Butch Law
Both Moraine Hills and Volo Bog will offer at least one fall color walk.
Iwanicki also has scheduled a series of talks called "Walks with a Naturalist." Those ecological tours are tentatively set to leave from the Northern Woods parking area at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24; the Whitetail Prairie parking area on Oct. 1; and the McHenry Dam parking lot on Oct. 8.
"State parks and natural areas do a really good job of providing access to those natural areas for the people of Illinois as well as people from all over the world," Iwanicki said.
To register, contact dnr.volobog@illinois.gov or call (815) 344-1294. Walks are limited to 15 people, including the leader. Walk-ins are welcome if space allows. Visitors should bring a mask and sunscreen, a hat, water, comfy shoes and bug spray.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-13--No run-of-the-Mills day: Cubs' hurler throws no-hitter

Three outs from throwing the 16th no-hitter in Cubs history , Alec Mills ' nerves started getting the best of him at Miller Park on Sunday .
Heart racing , the 28-year-old right-hander left the bench and retreated to the locker room trying to catch his breath .
Moments later , he then took the breath away from everyone who was watching by putting the finishing touches on an absolute masterpiece .
`` I do n't really know what to say , '' Mills said after the 12-0 victory .
`` It 's kind of hitting me now .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of thing .
I 'll always remember it and look back and be thankful . ''
Mills , who walked three , struck out five and threw 114 pitches , realized he had n't allowed any hits after getting Avisail Garcia to ground out to end the sixth inning .
The nerves started hitting after the seventh , and by the time the eighth was over , he needed a little quiet time by himself .
`` Kind of had to take a seat and calm myself down , '' Mills said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough .
I had to take a lot of deep breaths and calm myself down and get into a good mindset to go out and attack . ''
Which is exactly what he did in the ninth , getting the light-hitting Jacob Nottingham to pop out to first and striking out pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor .
With history on the line , Mills fell behind Jace Peterson 3-0 , threw a strike and then induced Peterson to hit a grounder up the middle ... right to Javier Baez .
Baez scooped it up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ball was headed to first baseman Anthony Rizzo .
A second later , Mills was mobbed on the mound .
`` This is something that we 're going to be a part of for life , '' said Baez , who was 1-for-5 and scored a pair of runs .
`` It 's like a championship kind of thing .
No one can take it away from you . ''
Said manager David Ross : `` I go back to the family dynamic a lot .
When you see a young man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having that kind of success , you just feel really good that they 're in a good space .
`` Happy for them , their family .
I know how much goes with that .
That 's history .
And when you get to make history , that 's a special day . ''
Mills joins Carlos Zambrano ( 2008 ) and Jake Arrieta ( 2015 , 2016 ) as the only Cubs pitchers to throw no-hitters this century -- and he did it in just the 28th appearance and 15th start of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game with a 4.74 ERA , having struggled in 5 straight starts from mid-August to early September .
Then something clicked against the Reds on September 8 , with Mills allowing 4 hits and 3 walks in 6 shutout innings .
`` I fixed some things a couple starts ago and I 'm really feeling good and starting to the rewards lately , '' said Mills , who improved to 5-3 and saw his ERA drop to 3.93 .
`` So I 'll take it . ''
Mills has overcome myriad obstacles over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He 's the ultimate underdog -- a walk-on at the University of Tennessee-Martin who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013 and persevered through some tough times in the minors .
Now -- against all odds -- he 's helping the Cubs ' push toward a division title .
Asked what kind of advice he 'd give to kids who might be dealing with tough times or doubting their abilities , Mills said : `` Never give up .
That 's the biggest thing .
Some people are gon na tell you you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not good enough .
But that 's just one person .
... '' Never let people tell you what you can and ca n't do .
Just keep persevering and be the best person you can be . ''

No run-of-the-Mills day: Cubs' hurler throws no-hitter
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Alec Mills throws during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Milwaukee. Associated Press
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Alec Mills throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Milwaukee. Associated Press
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Alec Mills is swarmed by teammates after throwing a no hitter at a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020, in Milwaukee. The Cubs won 12-0. Associated Press
Three outs from throwing the 16th no-hitter in Cubs history, Alec Mills' nerves started getting the best of him at Miller Park on Sunday.
Heart racing, the 28-year-old right-hander left the bench and retreated to the locker room trying to catch his breath.
Moments later, he then took the breath away from everyone who was watching by putting the finishing touches on an absolute masterpiece.
"I don't really know what to say," Mills said after the 12-0 victory. "It's kind of hitting me now. Just very overwhelming.
"Obviously a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing. I'll always remember it and look back and be thankful."
Mills, who walked three, struck out five and threw 114 pitches, realized he hadn't allowed any hits after getting Avisail Garcia to ground out to end the sixth inning.
The nerves started hitting after the seventh, and by the time the eighth was over, he needed a little quiet time by himself.
"Kind of had to take a seat and calm myself down," Mills said. "Told several guys it was tough. I had to take a lot of deep breaths and calm myself down and get into a good mindset to go out and attack."
Which is exactly what he did in the ninth, getting the light-hitting Jacob Nottingham to pop out to first and striking out pinch-hitter Tyrone Taylor.
With history on the line, Mills fell behind Jace Peterson 3-0, threw a strike and then induced Peterson to hit a grounder up the middle ... right to Javier Baez.
Baez scooped it up, threw and let out a howl as the ball was headed to first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
A second later, Mills was mobbed on the mound.
"This is something that we're going to be a part of for life," said Baez, who was 1-for-5 and scored a pair of runs. "It's like a championship kind of thing. No one can take it away from you."
Said manager David Ross: "I go back to the family dynamic a lot. When you see a young man going out there and proving himself and having that kind of success, you just feel really good that they're in a good space.
"Happy for them, their family. I know how much goes with that. That's history. And when you get to make history, that's a special day."
Mills joins Carlos Zambrano (2008) and Jake Arrieta (2015, 2016) as the only Cubs pitchers to throw no-hitters this century -- and he did it in just the 28th appearance and 15th start of his major-league career.
Mills entered the game with a 4.74 ERA, having struggled in 5 straight starts from mid-August to early September. Then something clicked against the Reds on September 8, with Mills allowing 4 hits and 3 walks in 6 shutout innings.
"I fixed some things a couple starts ago and I'm really feeling good and starting to the rewards lately," said Mills, who improved to 5-3 and saw his ERA drop to 3.93. "So I'll take it."
Mills has overcome myriad obstacles over the years to get to this point. He's the ultimate underdog -- a walk-on at the University of Tennessee-Martin who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013 and persevered through some tough times in the minors.
Now -- against all odds -- he's helping the Cubs' push toward a division title.
Asked what kind of advice he'd give to kids who might be dealing with tough times or doubting their abilities, Mills said: "Never give up. That's the biggest thing. Some people are gonna tell you you can't do it or you're not good enough. But that's just one person. ...
"Never let people tell you what you can and can't do. Just keep persevering and be the best person you can be."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-13--Trubisky throws 3 TDs in 4th, Bears beat Lions 27-23

DETROIT -- Mitchell Trubisky perfectly lofted a 27-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Anthony Miller with 1:54 remaining and the Chicago Bears held on to beat the Detroit Lions 27-23 Sunday .
Detroit drove to the Chicago 16 with a chance to win , and rookie running back D'Andre Swift dropped a pass in the end zone .
Matthew Stafford threw another incomplete pass as time expired to complete the collapse .
Trubisky threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to help Chicago come back from a 17-point deficit .
It looked familiar to Lions fans : Detroit opened last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arizona and settling for a tie .
That began a trend that saw the team fail to stay ahead during a season that ended with just wins .
Trubisky , who held off Nick Foles to keep his job , shook off a shaky start to complete 20 of 36 attempts for 242 yards with three touchdowns , including short passes for scores to Jimmy Graham and Javon Wims .
Stafford was 24 of 42 for 297 yards with a TD pass to T.J. Hockenson in the third quarter -- and an interception @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take its only lead of the game .
Adrian Peterson ran for 93 yards on 14 carries in his Detroit debut , just four days after signing with the team .
The Lions are not allowing fans to attend their first two home games due to state restrictions on the size of crowds during the pandemic .
To fill some seats at fan-free Ford Field and raise money for charities , cutouts were sold for $ 150 and about 500 of them filled some seats beyond an end zone .
Sound was piped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was much more dull than a roar because t he NFL is limiting how loud decibels can be for games .
And when a player was injured and evaluated on the field , the sounds were cut off ; the only thing heard was the venue 's air conditioning system .
If there were fans in the stands , they would n't have had much to cheer about early in the game .
Both teams looked rusty without exhibition games to help them prepare for the season .
Late in the game , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility with a chorus of boos .
The teams took turns kicking field goals , with Matt Prater giving Detroit the lead twice before Swift scored on a 1-yard run to put the Lions ahead 13-6 late in the half .
Stafford was 4 of 4 for 49 yards with the 4-yard TD pass to Hockenson on the opening drive of the second half .
He led a drive later in the third quarter that gave Detroit a 17-point cushion .
That was n't enough of a lead .
Chicago cut into its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graham early in the fourth period and 1-yard throw to Wims to pull within three points with about three minutes left .
Stafford gave the Bears the ball back , trying to force a pass over the middle to Marvin Jones that was deflected to Kyle Fuller .
YOU 'RE OUT OF HERE Lions linebacker Jamie Collins was ejected in the first half when he made contact with an official , pressing his helmet against Alex Kemp 's chest .
Bears : host the New York Giants on Sunday .

Trubisky throws 3 TDs in 4th, Bears beat Lions 27-23
Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky throws against the Detroit Lions in the first half of an NFL football game in Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. Associated Press
DETROIT -- Mitchell Trubisky perfectly lofted a 27-yard go-ahead touchdown pass to Anthony Miller with 1:54 remaining and the Chicago Bears held on to beat the Detroit Lions 27-23 Sunday.
Detroit drove to the Chicago 16 with a chance to win, and rookie running back D'Andre Swift dropped a pass in the end zone. Matthew Stafford threw another incomplete pass as time expired to complete the collapse.
Trubisky threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to help Chicago come back from a 17-point deficit. It looked familiar to Lions fans: Detroit opened last season by blowing an 18-point lead at Arizona and settling for a tie. That began a trend that saw the team fail to stay ahead during a season that ended with just wins.
Trubisky, who held off Nick Foles to keep his job, shook off a shaky start to complete 20 of 36 attempts for 242 yards with three touchdowns, including short passes for scores to Jimmy Graham and Javon Wims.
Stafford was 24 of 42 for 297 yards with a TD pass to T.J. Hockenson in the third quarter -- and an interception that gave Chicago a great chance to take its only lead of the game.
Adrian Peterson ran for 93 yards on 14 carries in his Detroit debut, just four days after signing with the team.
The Lions are not allowing fans to attend their first two home games due to state restrictions on the size of crowds during the pandemic. To fill some seats at fan-free Ford Field and raise money for charities, cutouts were sold for $150 and about 500 of them filled some seats beyond an end zone.
Sound was piped into the indoor stadium, but it was much more dull than a roar because t he NFL is limiting how loud decibels can be for games. And when a player was injured and evaluated on the field, the sounds were cut off; the only thing heard was the venue's air conditioning system.
If there were fans in the stands, they wouldn't have had much to cheer about early in the game. Both teams looked rusty without exhibition games to help them prepare for the season. Late in the game, Lions fans likely would've filled the facility with a chorus of boos.
SCORING
The teams took turns kicking field goals, with Matt Prater giving Detroit the lead twice before Swift scored on a 1-yard run to put the Lions ahead 13-6 late in the half.
Stafford was 4 of 4 for 49 yards with the 4-yard TD pass to Hockenson on the opening drive of the second half. He led a drive later in the third quarter that gave Detroit a 17-point cushion.
That wasn't enough of a lead.
Chicago cut into its deficit with Trubisky's 2-yard pass to Graham early in the fourth period and 1-yard throw to Wims to pull within three points with about three minutes left.
Stafford gave the Bears the ball back, trying to force a pass over the middle to Marvin Jones that was deflected to Kyle Fuller.
YOU'RE OUT OF HERE
Lions linebacker Jamie Collins was ejected in the first half when he made contact with an official, pressing his helmet against Alex Kemp's chest.
UP NEXT
Bears: host the New York Giants on Sunday.
Lions: play at Green Bay on Sunday.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-13--State reports 1,462 more COVID-19 cases Sunday, 14 deaths

State health officials on Sunday announced an additional 1,462 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois , along with 14 more @ @ @ @ @ The new cases brings Illinois ' total to 261,371 since the outbreak began .
The @ @ @ @ @ stands at 8,309 , officials said .
The deaths reported Sunday were concentrated in the @ @ @ @ @ in Cook County , three in Lake County , two in DuPage County and one @ @ @ @ @ counties .
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate for Sept. 6 to Sept. 12 is @ @ @ @ @ as was reported Saturday .
Within the previous 24 hours , laboratories reported 46,890 tests @ @ @ @ @ , 1,422 people in Illinois were hospitalized with the coronavirus , down from 1,509 Friday @ @ @ @ @ the hospital Saturday , 328 were in an intensive-care unit and 136 patients were on @ @

State reports 1,462 more COVID-19 cases Sunday, 14 deaths
State health officials on Sunday announced an additional 1,462 new cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, along with 14 more deaths from the virus.
The new cases brings Illinois' total to 261,371 since the outbreak began. The state's death toll now stands at 8,309, officials said.
The deaths reported Sunday were concentrated in the Chicago area, with five in Cook County, three in Lake County, two in DuPage County and one apiece in Kane and McHenry counties.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity rate for Sept. 6 to Sept. 12 is 3.7%, the same as was reported Saturday. Within the previous 24 hours, laboratories reported 46,890 tests.
As of Saturday night, 1,422 people in Illinois were hospitalized with the coronavirus, down from 1,509 Friday night. Of those in the hospital Saturday, 328 were in an intensive-care unit and 136 patients were on ventilators.