dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--Actor Sean Connery, the 'original' James Bond, dies at 90

LONDON -- Sean Connery , the charismatic Scottish actor who rose to international superstardom as the suave secret agent James Bond and then abandoned the role to carve out an Oscar-winning career in other rugged roles , has died .
He was 90 .
Connery 's wife and two sons said he `` died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family '' in the Bahamas , where he lived .
Son Jason Connery said his father had been `` unwell for some time . ''
Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were `` devastated '' by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent '' was largely responsible for the success of the film series .
`` He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words -- 'The name 's Bond ... James Bond , ' '' they said in a statement .
Daniel Craig , the current Bond , said Connery `` defined an era and a style '' and that the `` wit and charm he portrayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watts . ''
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the country was mourning `` one of her best loved sons . ''
Connery , was a commanding screen presence for some 40 years .
He was in his early 30s -- and little known -- when he starred in the first Bond thriller , 1962 's `` Dr. No , '' based on the Ian Fleming novel .
Condemned as immoral by the Vatican and the Kremlin , but screened at the White House for Bond fan John F. Kennedy , `` Dr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and launched a franchise that long outlasted its Cold War origins .
United Artists could n't wait to make more films about the British secret agent , with ever more elaborate stunts and gadgets , along with more exotic locales and more prominent co-stars , among them Lotte Lenya and Jill St. John .
For decades , with actors from Connery to Craig in the leading role , filmgoers have loved the outrageous stunts , vicious villains and likable , roguish hero who enjoyed a life of carousing , fast cars , gadgety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( always shaken , not stirred ) .
Connery continued as Bond in `` From Russia With Love , '' `` Goldfinger , '' `` Thunderball , '' `` You Only Live Twice '' and `` Diamonds Are Forever , '' often performing his own stunts .
`` Diamonds Are Forever '' came out in 1971 and by then Connery had grown weary of playing 007 and feared he was n't being taken seriously despite his dramatic performances in Alfred Hitchcock 's `` Marnie '' and Sidney Lumet 's `` The Hill .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ since I was 25 , but the image the press put out was that I just fell into this tuxedo and started mixing vodka martinis , '' he once complained .
When he walked away at age 41 , Hollywood insiders predicted Connery would soon be washed up .
Who would hire a balding , middle-aged actor with a funny accent ?
Connery fooled them all , playing a wide range of characters and proving equally adept at comedy , adventure or drama .
And age only heightened the appeal of his dark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a celebrity record of sorts when at age 59 he was named People magazine 's `` Sexiest Man Alive . ''
He won the affection of fans of the `` Indiana Jones '' franchise when he played Indy 's father opposite Harrison Ford in the third picture , 1989′s `` Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade . ''
He turned in a poignant portrayal of an aging Robin Hood opposite Audrey Hepburn in `` Robin and Marian '' in 1976 and , 15 years later , was King Richard to Kevin Costner 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prince of Thieves . ''
He was the lovable English con man who joined Michael Caine in swindling people in a distant land in `` The Man Who Would Be King '' and the bold Russian submarine commander in `` The Hunt for Red October . ''
Connery delivered a charming performance as a reclusive writer who mentors a teenage prodigy in 2000′s `` Finding Forrester . ''
He won his Oscar for supporting actor in 1987 for his portrayal of a tough Chicago cop who joins Elliot Ness ' crime-fighters in `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was at peace with James Bond , and when he arrived onstage at the Oscars ceremony he declared , `` The name 's Connery .
Sean Connery . ''
He kept his promise not to play Bond again until 1983 , when he was lured back by an offbeat script about a middle-aged 007 .
Based on the only Fleming story that had n't been nailed down by the film empire Broccoli and Saltzman created , Connery took the role and helped produce the film .
The result was `` Never Say Never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his wife , Micheline Roquebrune .
Even as the 007 films made him a millionaire , Connery tried often to separate his own personality from that of Bond .
`` I 'm obviously not Bond , '' he once said .
`` And Bond is obviously not a human being .
Fleming invented him after the war , when people were hungry for luxury , gourmet touches , exotic settings .
Those were the things the English loved to read about following the privations of the war . ''
The `` real '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a history of comments justifying domestic violence .
In 1962 , he married Diane Cilento , an actress best known for her role as Molly in `` Tom Jones . ''
They had a son , Jason , who also became an actor , but the union proved tempestuous and ended in 1974 .
Its impact lasted long after .
Cilento would allege that he had physically abused her and Connery defended his behavior in interviews .
In 1965 , he told Playboy magazine that he did not find `` anything particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't recommend doing it in the same way that you 'd hit a man .
An openhanded slap is justified -- if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning . ''
When Barbara Walters brought up those remarks in a 1987 interview , he said his opinion had n't changed because `` sometimes women just wo n't leave things alone . ''
Connery was widely criticized , but still received numerous honors , including being chosen as commander ( the same rank as Bond ) of France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Kennedy Center honoree in 1999 .
The following year Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed him a British knight , for services to film drama .
In 2005 he was chosen for a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute .
Thomas Sean Connery was born Aug. 25 , 1930 , in Edinburgh , Scotland , the first of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a domestic worker .
He left school at age 13 during World War II to help support his family .
`` I was a milkman , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- virtually anything , '' he once said .
Weary of day labor , he joined the British navy and was medically discharged after three years .
The ailment : stomach ulcers .
Back in Edinburgh , he lifted weights to build his body and compete in the Mr. Universe contest .
He came in third , and briefly considered becoming a professional soccer player , but chose acting because he reasoned his career would last longer .
He got his first big break singing and dancing to `` There is Nothing Like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' on the London stage and in a road production before going on to act in repertory , television and B movies .
He went to Hollywood for two early films , Disney 's `` Darby O'Gill and the Little People '' and `` Tarzan 's Greatest Adventure . ''
When he decided to become an actor , he was told that Thomas Sean Connery would n't fit on a theater marquee so he dropped his first name .
Then came the audition that changed his life .
American producers Albert `` Cubby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the film rights to a string of post-World War II spy adventure novels by Fleming .
Connery was not their first choice for `` Dr .
No . ''
The producers had looked to Cary Grant , but decided they wanted an actor who would commit to a series .
The producers also realized they could n't afford a big-name star because United Artists had limited their film budget to $ 1 million a picture , so they started interviewing more obscure British performers .
Among them was the 6-foot-2 Connery .
Without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chose the actor , citing his `` dark , cruel good looks , '' a perfect match for the way Fleming described Bond .
When Connery started earning big money , he established his base at a villa in Marbella on the Spanish coast .
He described it as `` my sanitarium , where I recover from the madness of the film world . ''
It also helped him avoid the overwhelming income tax he would have paid had he remained a resident of Britain .
As his acting roles diminished when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his time at his tax-free home at Lynford Cay in the Bahamas .
He played golf almost every morning , often with his wife .
He announced in 2007 that he had retired when he turned down the chance to appear in another `` Indiana Jones '' movie .
`` I thought long and hard about it , and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an 'Indiana Jones ' film , '' he said .
`` But in the end , retirement is just too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived abroad for many years , Connery was a passionate supporter of Scottish independence , a donor to the Scottish National Party and had the words `` Scotland Forever '' tattooed on his arm .
Sturgeon , the SNP leader and Scotland 's first minister , said `` Sean was a global legend but , first and foremost , he was a patriotic and proud Scot . ''
`` He was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and those of us who share that belief owe him a great debt of gratitude @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose latest Bond film `` No Time To Die '' has been delayed into next year because of the coronavirus pandemic said Connery will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come .
`` Wherever he is , I hope there is a golf course , '' Craig said .
Connery is survived by his wife , brother Neil and sons Jason and Stefan .
His publicist , Nancy Seltzer , said there would be a private ceremony followed by a memorial service once the coronavirus pandemic has ended .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles helped compile this report before his death in 2014 .
Hillel Italie also contributed from New York .

Actor Sean Connery, the 'original' James Bond, dies at 90
FILE -- This Oct. 16, 1985 file photo shows actor Sean Connery on the set of "The Name of the Rose" in Rome, Italy. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this file photo dated July 29, 1966, actor Sean Connery is shown during filming the James Bond movie "You Only Live Twice," on location in Tokyo, Japan. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this 1964 file photo shows actor Sean Connery, born in Edinburgh, Scotland. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this file photo dated Saturday, April 6, 2002, Scottish actor Sean Connery, center, leads a procession up New York's Sixth Avenue as part of a bagpipe band of about 10,000, billed as the world's largest pipe and drum parade. The parade was to benefit cancer victims through the Marie Curie Cancer Care organization, and the New York-based Gilda's Club Worldwide, a support network named after the late actress Gilda Radner. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this file photo dated Sept. 26, 1966, British actor Sean Connery, being given a Japanese bath, during filming of a scene in the James Bond film, You Only Live Twice, at Pinewood Studios near London. The actresses shown are Yasuko Nagazuni, at left and Yee Wah Yang at right. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this file photo dated April 11, 1971, renowned British actor Sean Connery, famous for his role as secret agent James Bond 007, relaxes at the River Room of the Savoy Hotel in London, after coming back from "The Grave" to take his famous Bond role in the United Artists film version of the James Bond story "Diamonds Are Forever." Connery, 40, later left for Las Vegas where filming for the picture is in progress. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this file photo dated April 11, 1988, Sean Connery holds up his best supporting actor Oscar for "The Untouchables" at the 60th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Ca., USA. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this undated file photo, Sean Connery, as James Bond, poses in an event for the movie 'Thunderball'. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
FILE -- In this file photo dated April 20, 1964, James Bond, alias, Sean Connery, finds himself in a sticky situation with actress Shirley Eaton at Pinewood Studios, near London. Miss Eaton was given a liberal coating of gold paint for a scene in the latest Bond thriller "Goldfinger," with unidentified woman at top. Scottish actor Sean Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family.
Actor Sean Connery holds a rose in his hand as he talks about his new movie "The Name of the Rose" at a news conference in London. Connery, considered by many to have been the best James Bond, has died aged 90, according to an announcement from his family. Associated Press/Jan. 23, 1987
LONDON -- Sean Connery, the charismatic Scottish actor who rose to international superstardom as the suave secret agent James Bond and then abandoned the role to carve out an Oscar-winning career in other rugged roles, has died. He was 90.
Connery's wife and two sons said he "died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family" in the Bahamas, where he lived. Son Jason Connery said his father had been "unwell for some time."
Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were "devastated" by the news. They said Connery's "gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent" was largely responsible for the success of the film series.
"He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words -- 'The name's Bond... James Bond,'" they said in a statement.
Daniel Craig, the current Bond, said Connery "defined an era and a style" and that the "wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in mega watts."
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the country was mourning "one of her best loved sons."
Connery, was a commanding screen presence for some 40 years. He was in his early 30s -- and little known -- when he starred in the first Bond thriller, 1962's "Dr. No," based on the Ian Fleming novel.
Condemned as immoral by the Vatican and the Kremlin, but screened at the White House for Bond fan John F. Kennedy, "Dr. No" was a box office hit and launched a franchise that long outlasted its Cold War origins.
United Artists couldn't wait to make more films about the British secret agent, with ever more elaborate stunts and gadgets, along with more exotic locales and more prominent co-stars, among them Lotte Lenya and Jill St. John.
For decades, with actors from Connery to Craig in the leading role, filmgoers have loved the outrageous stunts, vicious villains and likable, roguish hero who enjoyed a life of carousing, fast cars, gadgety weapons, elegant clothes and vodka martinis (always shaken, not stirred).
Connery continued as Bond in "From Russia With Love," "Goldfinger," "Thunderball," "You Only Live Twice" and "Diamonds Are Forever," often performing his own stunts.
"Diamonds Are Forever" came out in 1971 and by then Connery had grown weary of playing 007 and feared he wasn't being taken seriously despite his dramatic performances in Alfred Hitchcock's "Marnie" and Sidney Lumet's "The Hill."
"I'd been an actor since I was 25, but the image the press put out was that I just fell into this tuxedo and started mixing vodka martinis," he once complained.
When he walked away at age 41, Hollywood insiders predicted Connery would soon be washed up. Who would hire a balding, middle-aged actor with a funny accent?
Connery fooled them all, playing a wide range of characters and proving equally adept at comedy, adventure or drama. And age only heightened the appeal of his dark stare and rugged brogue; he set a celebrity record of sorts when at age 59 he was named People magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive."
He won the affection of fans of the "Indiana Jones" franchise when he played Indy's father opposite Harrison Ford in the third picture, 1989′s "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." He turned in a poignant portrayal of an aging Robin Hood opposite Audrey Hepburn in "Robin and Marian" in 1976 and, 15 years later, was King Richard to Kevin Costner's Robin Hood in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves."
He was the lovable English con man who joined Michael Caine in swindling people in a distant land in "The Man Who Would Be King" and the bold Russian submarine commander in "The Hunt for Red October."
Connery delivered a charming performance as a reclusive writer who mentors a teenage prodigy in 2000′s "Finding Forrester."
He won his Oscar for supporting actor in 1987 for his portrayal of a tough Chicago cop who joins Elliot Ness' crime-fighters in "The Untouchables."
By then he was at peace with James Bond, and when he arrived onstage at the Oscars ceremony he declared, "The name's Connery. Sean Connery."
He kept his promise not to play Bond again until 1983, when he was lured back by an offbeat script about a middle-aged 007. Based on the only Fleming story that hadn't been nailed down by the film empire Broccoli and Saltzman created, Connery took the role and helped produce the film. The result was "Never Say Never Again," a title suggested by his wife, Micheline Roquebrune.
Even as the 007 films made him a millionaire, Connery tried often to separate his own personality from that of Bond.
"I'm obviously not Bond," he once said. "And Bond is obviously not a human being. Fleming invented him after the war, when people were hungry for luxury, gourmet touches, exotic settings. Those were the things the English loved to read about following the privations of the war."
The "real" Sean Connery had a troubled first marriage and a history of comments justifying domestic violence. In 1962, he married Diane Cilento, an actress best known for her role as Molly in "Tom Jones." They had a son, Jason, who also became an actor, but the union proved tempestuous and ended in 1974.
Its impact lasted long after. Cilento would allege that he had physically abused her and Connery defended his behavior in interviews. In 1965, he told Playboy magazine that he did not find "anything particularly wrong about hitting a woman -- although I don't recommend doing it in the same way that you'd hit a man. An openhanded slap is justified -- if all other alternatives fail and there has been plenty of warning."
When Barbara Walters brought up those remarks in a 1987 interview, he said his opinion hadn't changed because "sometimes women just won't leave things alone."
Connery was widely criticized, but still received numerous honors, including being chosen as commander (the same rank as Bond) of France's Order of Arts and Literature and a Kennedy Center honoree in 1999. The following year Queen Elizabeth II proclaimed him a British knight, for services to film drama.
In 2005 he was chosen for a lifetime achievement award by the American Film Institute. Thomas Sean Connery was born Aug. 25, 1930, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a domestic worker.
He left school at age 13 during World War II to help support his family.
"I was a milkman, laborer, steel bender, cement mixer-- virtually anything," he once said.
Weary of day labor, he joined the British navy and was medically discharged after three years. The ailment: stomach ulcers.
Back in Edinburgh, he lifted weights to build his body and compete in the Mr. Universe contest. He came in third, and briefly considered becoming a professional soccer player, but chose acting because he reasoned his career would last longer.
He got his first big break singing and dancing to "There is Nothing Like a Dame" in "South Pacific" on the London stage and in a road production before going on to act in repertory, television and B movies. He went to Hollywood for two early films, Disney's "Darby O'Gill and the Little People" and "Tarzan's Greatest Adventure."
When he decided to become an actor, he was told that Thomas Sean Connery wouldn't fit on a theater marquee so he dropped his first name.
Then came the audition that changed his life. American producers Albert "Cubby" Broccoli and Harry Saltzman had bought the film rights to a string of post-World War II spy adventure novels by Fleming. Connery was not their first choice for "Dr. No."
The producers had looked to Cary Grant, but decided they wanted an actor who would commit to a series. The producers also realized they couldn't afford a big-name star because United Artists had limited their film budget to $1 million a picture, so they started interviewing more obscure British performers.
Among them was the 6-foot-2 Connery. Without a screen test, Broccoli and Saltzman chose the actor, citing his "dark, cruel good looks," a perfect match for the way Fleming described Bond. When Connery started earning big money, he established his base at a villa in Marbella on the Spanish coast.
He described it as "my sanitarium, where I recover from the madness of the film world." It also helped him avoid the overwhelming income tax he would have paid had he remained a resident of Britain.
As his acting roles diminished when he reached his 70s, Connery spent much of his time at his tax-free home at Lynford Cay in the Bahamas. He played golf almost every morning, often with his wife. He announced in 2007 that he had retired when he turned down the chance to appear in another "Indiana Jones" movie.
"I thought long and hard about it, and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an 'Indiana Jones' film," he said.
"But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun."
Though he lived abroad for many years, Connery was a passionate supporter of Scottish independence, a donor to the Scottish National Party and had the words "Scotland Forever" tattooed on his arm.
Sturgeon, the SNP leader and Scotland's first minister, said "Sean was a global legend but, first and foremost, he was a patriotic and proud Scot."
"He was a lifelong advocate of an independent Scotland and those of us who share that belief owe him a great debt of gratitude," she said.
Craig, whose latest Bond film "No Time To Die" has been delayed into next year because of the coronavirus pandemic said Connery will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come.
"Wherever he is, I hope there is a golf course," Craig said.
Connery is survived by his wife, brother Neil and sons Jason and Stefan. His publicist, Nancy Seltzer, said there would be a private ceremony followed by a memorial service once the coronavirus pandemic has ended.
Former AP Entertainment Writer Bob Thomas in Los Angeles helped compile this report before his death in 2014. Hillel Italie also contributed from New York.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--Letter from the Editor: Be patient with this year's election results

Two years ago , 3 % of the vote in suburban Cook County was counted after Election Day -- provisional ballots or mailed ballots that were postmarked in time but arrived later .
The thing is , in Illinois this is not unusual .
Two years ago , the numbers were 4 % in DuPage County and 2 % in Kane , Lake and Will counties .
McHenry County , well , that was an outlier because computer problems on election night pushed a lot of the tabulation to the next day .
Most of the time , the late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what appears on election night to be the outcome of the race .
But it does happen .
In 2018 , state Rep. Helene Miller Walsh of the Mundelein area led her challenger , Mary Edly-Allen of Libertyville , by one vote when the first-day results were posted , but by the time the late votes came in Edly-Allen rode the Blue Wave to a 373-vote victory .
With the volume of mail-in voting this year , uncertainty on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning is likely to be greater than normal -- including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the referendum about the graduated income tax amendment .
We respect the system and we appreciate our obligation to you to get it right , so we will be cautious about proclaiming apparent winners .
Please be patient with us .
More importantly , please be patient with the democracy -- and skeptical of premature declarations of victory .
Thank you for reading .

Letter from the Editor: Be patient with this year's election results
Two years ago, 3% of the vote in suburban Cook County was counted after Election Day -- provisional ballots or mailed ballots that were postmarked in time but arrived later.
The thing is, in Illinois this is not unusual. Two years ago, the numbers were 4% in DuPage County and 2% in Kane, Lake and Will counties. McHenry County, well, that was an outlier because computer problems on election night pushed a lot of the tabulation to the next day.
Most of the time, the late votes aren't significant enough to alter what appears on election night to be the outcome of the race. But it does happen.
In 2018, state Rep. Helene Miller Walsh of the Mundelein area led her challenger, Mary Edly-Allen of Libertyville, by one vote when the first-day results were posted, but by the time the late votes came in Edly-Allen rode the Blue Wave to a 373-vote victory.
With the volume of mail-in voting this year, uncertainty on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning is likely to be greater than normal -- including perhaps in the presidential race and likely on the referendum about the graduated income tax amendment.
We respect the system and we appreciate our obligation to you to get it right, so we will be cautious about proclaiming apparent winners.
Please be patient with us.
More importantly, please be patient with the democracy -- and skeptical of premature declarations of victory.
Thank you for reading.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--Round Lake Park cop says fighting for abuse victims "is satisfying"

Jason Baldowsky has spent his 22-year policing career investigating physical and sexual abuse cases involving children and adults .
It 's a tough job , as sexual abuse cases are among the hardest to prosecute , but getting justice for the victims -- mostly children or adults with development delays -- is what motivates Baldowsky to keep fighting for them .
`` When you make the case , when you get the charges on the suspect , that 's probably the best feeling ... you brought somebody to justice who victimized an innocent person , '' said Baldowsky , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department .
Baldowsky , 46 , of the McHenry area , recently received the Round Lake Area Exchange Club 's Above and Beyond Award for advocating for abuse victims .
`` I 'm humbled and honored , but it was teamwork , '' he said .
`` It 's nice when we can come together and get justice for our victims .
It really is satisfying . ''
In the last year , Baldowsky has cleared more than a dozen cases involving the physical and sexual abuse of children as an investigator and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Major Crime Task Force .
`` It takes a special individual to work these cases , '' Round Lake Park Police Chief George Filenko said .
Some investigations can take a few hours while others can take weeks before a case is ready for prosecution .
Baldowsky 's job includes interviewing children who have been taken into protective custody and adult victims of sexual abuse .
`` I can never guarantee results , but I can guarantee efforts , '' he said of how he reassures victims .
`` It 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One-quarter of girls and 1 in 13 boys nationwide experience sexual abuse before they turn 18 , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
`` Those are only the ones that are reported , '' Baldowsky said .
He works with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to help victims access needed social services .
`` At the end of the day , it 's just making a difference for the victims .
That 's who you fight for , '' he said .
`` Even in today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is out there toward police , I ca n't tell you how many people walk up to me and say , 'thank you for your service . '
It 's really a surprise .
That 's a good feeling . ''

Round Lake Park cop says fighting for abuse victims 'is satisfying'
Round Lake Park police detective Jason Baldowsky, center, recently received the Round Lake Area Exchange Club's Above and Beyond Award for his work advocating for abuse victims. Courtesy of George Filenko
Round Lake Park police detective Jason Baldowsky, 46, of the McHenry area, recently received the Round Lake Area Exchange Club's Above and Beyond Award for advocating for abuse victims. Courtesy of George Filenko
Jason Baldowsky has spent his 22-year policing career investigating physical and sexual abuse cases involving children and adults.
It's a tough job, as sexual abuse cases are among the hardest to prosecute, but getting justice for the victims -- mostly children or adults with development delays -- is what motivates Baldowsky to keep fighting for them.
"When you make the case, when you get the charges on the suspect, that's probably the best feeling ... you brought somebody to justice who victimized an innocent person," said Baldowsky, a detective with the Round Lake Park Police Department.
Baldowsky, 46, of the McHenry area, recently received the Round Lake Area Exchange Club's Above and Beyond Award for advocating for abuse victims.
"I'm humbled and honored, but it was teamwork," he said. "It's nice when we can come together and get justice for our victims. It really is satisfying."
In the last year, Baldowsky has cleared more than a dozen cases involving the physical and sexual abuse of children as an investigator and in a supervisory capacity with the Lake County Major Crime Task Force.
"It takes a special individual to work these cases," Round Lake Park Police Chief George Filenko said.
Some investigations can take a few hours while others can take weeks before a case is ready for prosecution. Baldowsky's job includes interviewing children who have been taken into protective custody and adult victims of sexual abuse.
"I can never guarantee results, but I can guarantee efforts," he said of how he reassures victims. "It's a difficult task for everybody involved."
One-quarter of girls and 1 in 13 boys nationwide experience sexual abuse before they turn 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Those are only the ones that are reported," Baldowsky said.
He works with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to help victims access needed social services.
"At the end of the day, it's just making a difference for the victims. That's who you fight for," he said. "Even in today's climate, as hostile as it is out there toward police, I can't tell you how many people walk up to me and say, 'thank you for your service.' It's really a surprise. That's a good feeling."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--DuPage jail X-ray finds heroin inside woman

DuPage County sheriff 's deputies found 14 bags of heroin inside a woman thanks to an X-ray machine purchased last year to reduce the need for strip searches , officials said .
Victoria L. Cooper , 39 , of the 4000 block of North Washington Street in Westmont , was arrested Friday on a warrant on charges of manufacturing or delivery of heroin and possession of a controlled substance , according to a news release from the DuPage County Sheriff 's office .
Cooper was booked in DuPage County jail , whose X-ray machine images showed bags containing a total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region , the release said .
After the heroin bags were found , prosecutors added a charge for Cooper of aggravated possession of a controlled substance , the release said .
`` This machine , which we installed just more than a year ago , gives us a passive , and extremely accurate , methodology to identify and locate contraband , '' Sheriff James Mendrick said .
`` The scanner , along with the watchful eyes of our deputies , kept dangerous narcotics from entering our correctional center population . ''
All prisoners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 150,000 X-ray machine that does a four-second , full body scan , DuPage County Sheriff 's director of communications Justin Kmitch said .
If prisoners refuse , they go through traditional body search procedures .
The scanner is manned by deputies of the same gender as the prisoner , Kmitch said .
If objects show up in the images , prisoners are asked to remove them or are taken to a hospital for removal , he said .
Also arrested Friday was Michael J .
Young , 42 , also of the 4000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , on an outstanding warrant for charges of criminal drug conspiracy with intent to manufacture or distribute heroin and possession of a controlled substance , the release said .
The warrants against Young and Cooper were obtained in May during an investigation stemming from neighbors ' complaints about drugs being dealt from the residence , the release said .
Cooper 's bail was set at $ 35,000 and her next court date Nov. 16 .
Young 's bail was set at $ 100,000 bail and his next court date is Nov. 2 .

DuPage jail X-ray finds heroin inside woman
This $150,000 X-ray machine at DuPage County jail does a four-second, full body scan that showed 14 bags of heroin inside a woman Friday, officials said. Photo courtesy DuPage County Sheriff's office
Michael J. Young, 42, of Westmont, was arrested Friday on an outstanding warrant for charges of criminal drug conspiracy with intent to manufacture or distribute heroin and possession of a controlled substance, officials said.
Victoria L. Cooper, 39, of Westmont, was arrested Friday, and X-ray machine images at DuPage County Jail showed bags containing a total 12 grams of heroin inside her genital region, officials said.
DuPage County sheriff's deputies found 14 bags of heroin inside a woman thanks to an X-ray machine purchased last year to reduce the need for strip searches, officials said.
Victoria L. Cooper, 39, of the 4000 block of North Washington Street in Westmont, was arrested Friday on a warrant on charges of manufacturing or delivery of heroin and possession of a controlled substance, according to a news release from the DuPage County Sheriff's office. Cooper was booked in DuPage County jail, whose X-ray machine images showed bags containing a total 12 grams of heroin inside her genital region, the release said.
After the heroin bags were found, prosecutors added a charge for Cooper of aggravated possession of a controlled substance, the release said.
"This machine, which we installed just more than a year ago, gives us a passive, and extremely accurate, methodology to identify and locate contraband," Sheriff James Mendrick said. "The scanner, along with the watchful eyes of our deputies, kept dangerous narcotics from entering our correctional center population."
All prisoners are asked to go through the $150,000 X-ray machine that does a four-second, full body scan, DuPage County Sheriff's director of communications Justin Kmitch said. If prisoners refuse, they go through traditional body search procedures.
The scanner is manned by deputies of the same gender as the prisoner, Kmitch said. If objects show up in the images, prisoners are asked to remove them or are taken to a hospital for removal, he said.
Also arrested Friday was Michael J. Young, 42, also of the 4000 block of North Washington Street in Westmont, on an outstanding warrant for charges of criminal drug conspiracy with intent to manufacture or distribute heroin and possession of a controlled substance, the release said.
The warrants against Young and Cooper were obtained in May during an investigation stemming from neighbors' complaints about drugs being dealt from the residence, the release said.
Cooper's bail was set at $35,000 and her next court date Nov. 16.
Young's bail was set at $100,000 bail and his next court date is Nov. 2.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--COVID-19 case counts per county, ZIP code as of Oct. 30

Interactive mapFind an interactive map where you can search counts by ZIP code at dailyherald.com.Suburbs ' portion176,897 COVID-19 cases in the suburbs as of Friday .
That 's 44 % of the state 's total , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
4,449 deaths in the suburbs , which is 45.8 % of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois.Cook County • As of Friday , suburban Cook County had 85,453 cases and 2,401 deaths , according to the state .
In Chicago : 100,952 cases and 3,068 fatalities .
• Top suburb case counts as of Friday from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medical examiner 's office : 2,978 cases and 110 deaths in Des Plaines , 1,864 cases and 21 deaths in Palatine , 1,596 cases and 23 deaths in Schaumburg , 1,544 cases and 46 deaths in Arlington Heights , 1,469 cases and 28 deaths in Streamwood , 1,378 cases and 79 deaths in Wheeling , 1,328 cases and 12 deaths in Mount Prospect , 1,250 cases and 52 deaths in Glenview , 1,125 cases and 30 deaths in Hoffman Estates , 947 cases and 16 deaths in Hanover Park ( Cook County portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Elk Grove Village , 780 cases and 20 deaths in Rolling Meadows , 771 cases and 43 deaths in Northbrook , 493 cases and 10 deaths in Prospect Heights , 296 cases and 23 deaths in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) .
DuPage County • The county reported 23,324 cases and 609 deaths as of Friday .
• Top counts : 1,792 cases and 42 deaths in Naperville ( DuPage County portion ) , 1,667 cases and 14 deaths in Addison , 1,437 cases and 14 deaths in West Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glendale Heights , 1,261 cases and 31 deaths in Carol Stream , 1,199 cases and 46 deaths in Elmhurst , 1,152 cases and 32 deaths in Lombard , 1,029 cases and 27 deaths in Wheaton , 991 cases and 14 deaths in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 912 cases and 17 deaths in Bensenville , 818 cases and 5 deaths in Glen Ellyn , 687 cases and 6 deaths in Villa Park , and 575 cases and 6 deaths in Hanover Park ( DuPage County portion ) .
Lake County • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths as of Friday .
• Most recent top counts : 4,515 to 4,519 in Waukegan , 1,230 to 1,234 in Round Lake Beach , 750 to 754 in Mundelein , 730 to 734 in Gurnee , 500 to 504 in Round Lake , 400 to 404 in Vernon Hills , 395 to 399 in Lake Zurich , 370 to 374 in Buffalo Grove ( Lake County portion ) , 330 to 334 in Grayslake , 320 to 324 in Libertyville , 295 to 299 in Wauconda .
Kane County • 16,606 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county 's website .
• Top counts : 5,585 cases in Aurora ( Kane County portion ) , 3,628 in Elgin ( Kane County portion ) , 1,490 in Carpentersville , 1,402 in St. Charles , 806 in South Elgin , 666 in Geneva , 539 in Batavia , 449 in North Aurora , 227 in Hampshire , 213 in Gilberts , 202 in Sugar Grove , 173 in Algonquin ( Kane County portion ) .
McHenry County • 6,906 cases and 120 deaths as of Friday , according to the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 439 deaths reported on its website as of Friday .

COVID-19 case counts per county, ZIP code as of Oct. 30
This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. NIAID-RML via AP
Interactive mapFind an interactive map where you can search counts by ZIP code at dailyherald.com.Suburbs' portion176,897 COVID-19 cases in the suburbs as of Friday. That's 44% of the state's total, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. 4,449 deaths in the suburbs, which is 45.8% of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois.Cook County• As of Friday, suburban Cook County had 85,453 cases and 2,401 deaths, according to the state. In Chicago: 100,952 cases and 3,068 fatalities. • Top suburb case counts as of Friday from Cook County's health department and the medical examiner's office: 2,978 cases and 110 deaths in Des Plaines, 1,864 cases and 21 deaths in Palatine, 1,596 cases and 23 deaths in Schaumburg, 1,544 cases and 46 deaths in Arlington Heights, 1,469 cases and 28 deaths in Streamwood, 1,378 cases and 79 deaths in Wheeling, 1,328 cases and 12 deaths in Mount Prospect, 1,250 cases and 52 deaths in Glenview, 1,125 cases and 30 deaths in Hoffman Estates, 947 cases and 16 deaths in Hanover Park (Cook County portion), 795 cases and 42 deaths in Elk Grove Village, 780 cases and 20 deaths in Rolling Meadows, 771 cases and 43 deaths in Northbrook, 493 cases and 10 deaths in Prospect Heights, 296 cases and 23 deaths in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion).
DuPage County• The county reported 23,324 cases and 609 deaths as of Friday.• Top counts: 1,792 cases and 42 deaths in Naperville (DuPage County portion), 1,667 cases and 14 deaths in Addison, 1,437 cases and 14 deaths in West Chicago, 1,292 cases and 15 deaths in Glendale Heights, 1,261 cases and 31 deaths in Carol Stream, 1,199 cases and 46 deaths in Elmhurst, 1,152 cases and 32 deaths in Lombard, 1,029 cases and 27 deaths in Wheaton, 991 cases and 14 deaths in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 912 cases and 17 deaths in Bensenville, 818 cases and 5 deaths in Glen Ellyn, 687 cases and 6 deaths in Villa Park, and 575 cases and 6 deaths in Hanover Park (DuPage County portion).
Lake County• The county listed 21,024 cases and 517 deaths as of Friday. • Most recent top counts: 4,515 to 4,519 in Waukegan, 1,230 to 1,234 in Round Lake Beach, 750 to 754 in Mundelein, 730 to 734 in Gurnee, 500 to 504 in Round Lake, 400 to 404 in Vernon Hills, 395 to 399 in Lake Zurich, 370 to 374 in Buffalo Grove (Lake County portion), 330 to 334 in Grayslake, 320 to 324 in Libertyville, 295 to 299 in Wauconda.
Kane County• 16,606 cases with 346 deaths as of Friday on the county's website. • Top counts: 5,585 cases in Aurora (Kane County portion), 3,628 in Elgin (Kane County portion), 1,490 in Carpentersville, 1,402 in St. Charles, 806 in South Elgin, 666 in Geneva, 539 in Batavia, 449 in North Aurora, 227 in Hampshire, 213 in Gilberts, 202 in Sugar Grove, 173 in Algonquin (Kane County portion).
McHenry County• 6,906 cases and 120 deaths as of Friday , according to the health department. Will County• 19,946 cases and 439 deaths reported on its website as of Friday.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--Four Chicago men charged in Carol Stream truck-trailer burglary

Four Chicago men have been accused of breaking into and stealing merchandise from a semi-truck trailer parked outside a Carol Stream business , DuPage County State 's Attorney Robert Berlin and Carol Stream police officials said Saturday in a news release .
Sean Gayles , 38 , of the 5700 block of Princeton Avenue , Donald Harris , 30 , of the 1400 block of East Marquette Road , Rodney Buckley , 28 , of the 9200 block of South Wentworth Avenue and Patrick Mitchell , 34 , of the 100 block of East 71st Street each have been charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ count of possession of burglary tools .
About 3:20 a.m. Friday , Carol Stream police Department received a call about a van parking next to a shipping trailer in the parking lot of Demar Logistics Inc. , 376 Lies Road .
It appears the men used bolt cutters to open the trailer , then removed merchandise , the news release said .
Police took the driver of the van , later identified as Gayles , into custody , and detained the others as they attempted to flee , according to the release .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ bond at $ 20,000 for each of the men .
They have to post 10 % to be released .
Their next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 23 .
`` These men are believed to be part of a crew which has been victimizing businesses in Carol Stream and other communities , '' Carol Stream Police Chief Bill Holmer said in the release .

Four Chicago men charged in Carol Stream truck-trailer burglary
Four Chicago men have been accused of breaking into and stealing merchandise from a semi-truck trailer parked outside a Carol Stream business, DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Carol Stream police officials said Saturday in a news release.
Sean Gayles, 38, of the 5700 block of Princeton Avenue, Donald Harris, 30, of the 1400 block of East Marquette Road, Rodney Buckley, 28, of the 9200 block of South Wentworth Avenue and Patrick Mitchell, 34, of the 100 block of East 71st Street each have been charged with one count of burglary and one count of possession of burglary tools.
About 3:20 a.m. Friday, Carol Stream police Department received a call about a van parking next to a shipping trailer in the parking lot of Demar Logistics Inc., 376 Lies Road. It appears the men used bolt cutters to open the trailer, then removed merchandise, the news release said.
Police took the driver of the van, later identified as Gayles, into custody, and detained the others as they attempted to flee, according to the release.
On Saturday, Judge Maureen Dunsing set bond at $20,000 for each of the men. They have to post 10% to be released. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 23.
"These men are believed to be part of a crew which has been victimizing businesses in Carol Stream and other communities," Carol Stream Police Chief Bill Holmer said in the release.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--Foul play suspected after body found in home in Aurora Township

Foul play is suspected , officials said after the body of a 51-year-old man was found Saturday morning inside a @ @ @ @ @ Aurora .
Kane County Sheriff 's deputies responded at about 9:20 a.m. to the 1500 @ @ @ @ @ Aurora Township after a report of a body , according to a news release from @ @ @ @ @ afternoon .
Foul play is suspected and detectives continue to investigate .
`` We believe @ @ @ @ @ to the public at this time , '' the release said .

Foul play suspected after body found in home in Aurora Township
Foul play is suspected, officials said after the body of a 51-year-old man was found Saturday morning inside a home under renovation east of Aurora.
Kane County Sheriff's deputies responded at about 9:20 a.m. to the 1500 block of Solfisburg Avenue in Aurora Township after a report of a body, according to a news release from the sheriff's office Saturday afternoon.
Foul play is suspected and detectives continue to investigate. "We believe there is no immediate threat to the public at this time," the release said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--As new data reveals inequities, few school districts take steps to give poor students more

Second of two parts .
Nationwide , few school districts have made changes to deal with the inequities laid bare by new data on per-school spending that a federal law required them to release this year .
But Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville , Maryland , is well on its way -- and it 's paying close attention to how spending is tied to student outcomes .
For many who advocated for this financial reporting requirement in the first place , making the connection between resources and results is the whole point of teasing out per-student spending by school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ districts across the United States that spent a statistically significant amount less state and local money on high-poverty schools than on lower-poverty schools .
Elgin Area School District U-46 and West Aurora School District 129 both fall into that category .
The analysis found another 263 districts where spending on each school had little to no connection to the number of students in poverty .
Hechinger examined state and local spending by school in nearly 700 districts ( those with 15 or more schools ) from 40 states that made the data available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this opportunity to leverage our dollars to get the greatest outcome for our students , '' said Marguerite Roza , the economist at Georgetown University .
Montgomery County Public Schools hired an educational consulting firm to do a financial audit in advance of the federal reporting deadline .
The firm found the district spends more on its higher-poverty schools , but it also identified inequities : Overall , Montgomery County 's high-poverty schools perform worse , and Black and Latino students from low-income homes perform particularly poorly .
In exploring what might contribute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among other things , that it concentrates its novice teachers and principals in higher-needs schools .
Diego Uriburu , executive director of Identity , a nonprofit in Montgomery County that serves Latino youths and families and that has teamed up with the NAACP of Montgomery County to lead the newly formed Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence , said the findings were not necessarily surprising , but that it was striking to see the data so clearly .
`` We as Black and Brown folks have always felt it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points because we could only speak about our experience and anecdotes , but then suddenly there was the data that was clearly saying what we have been experiencing , '' he said .
Jack Smith , the superintendent , came to the district with the explicit goal of improving educational equity .
He knew Montgomery County had a long history of high performance for most students , but not all of them .
The work he has overseen to root out inequities has caused some angst among families for whom the status quo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a belief somehow , always , that if someone gets something , I must be losing something , '' Smith said .
He has worked to dispel that notion and win more support for the idea that improving performance for all students is in the best interests of the entire community .
Budgetary uncertainty thanks to the coronavirus pandemic will leave Montgomery County Public Schools with fewer resources to do things like create new incentives to get more experienced teachers into high-needs schools .
But Smith said there 's no reason to `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` We 're not in a position to do a major incentive program across all 135 elementary schools , but we can start , '' he said .
In some districts that have tried to shift their spending , keeping up the momentum can be difficult .
Rochester , New York , offers a lesson in how hard it can be not only to make major changes but to make them permanent .
Jean-Claude Brizard took over as superintendent of the Rochester City Schools in 2008 .
( He is now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , one of the many funders of The Hechinger Report . )
Soon after he started , he hired a consulting firm to follow the dollars in his district and identify inequities , which , it turns out , were striking .
`` We saw schools of similar size , similar demographics , but one school got 50 percent more per pupil , '' Brizard said .
The budgeting system in Rochester until that point was one in which well-connected principals could advocate for more money for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that .
He started out by sharing the data internally and then held community meetings where he aimed to spur enough demand for change that the district would be able to justify going against the wishes of the small but vocal populations that had gotten more than their fair share of district spending .
Brizard orchestrated a three-year transition to a student-based funding formula that clearly laid out how much money schools would get for students with different needs .
But when Brizard left the district in 2011 , just after the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said a group of affluent , mostly white parents succeeded in lobbying the school board to dismantle the new system .
`` The board is often elected by a handful of people , and they will respond to that pressure , '' Brizard said .
His current work focuses on coalition-building across communities , which he says can help overcome pushback .
`` When you have a community that is galvanized around these equity issues , it brings the stakes beyond a single protagonist . ''
In some cases funding decisions have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school districts .
A lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Southern California forced the Los Angeles Unified School District to revise its methods of allocating spending among schools .
California distributes $ 61 billion through its Local Control Funding Formula , a portion of which is set aside for foster youths , English learners and students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches .
The ACLU argued the money was n't being directed to the right students , and LAUSD settled , giving $ 151 million to a group of schools that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving forward .
While the equity battles in Montgomery County , Rochester and Los Angeles have all played out differently , they share one common thread : clear data .
In Montgomery County and Rochester , district leaders produced their own analyses and shared the data with the public .
In California , outside researchers tracked the state dollars to the school level and gave advocacy groups a smoking gun .
U-46 instituted a flurry of equity-minded initiatives last school year , but according to the latest state data , released Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local dollars on its higher-poverty schools .
`` With this second year of data in mind , we will work to be more deliberate about addressing school funding decisions as we develop our Fiscal Year 2022 budget , '' Superintendent Tony Sanders said in a written statement .
In West Aurora District 129 , the funding disparities have gone largely unremarked upon .
Angie Smith , assistant superintendent for operations , said there are no plans to redistribute funds because district leaders believe the spending differences are justified .
She pointed to some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staffing in smaller schools and the costs of specialized programs as reasons for the district 's spending patterns .
But in Montgomery County , Uriburu believes this latest push for equity might truly result in long-term changes for the district and its students .
District administrators are committed , as is the school board , and even the county government has embarked on an equity mission for the broader community .
And , of course , there is the coalition .
Uriburu said this is the first time the Black and Latino communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools , and they are very clear about their right to make demands .
`` By bringing the Black and Brown communities together , we make up 54 percent of the student body of Montgomery County Public Schools , '' Uriburu said .
`` It 's a different ballgame . ''
• This story about school funding disparities was produced by The Hechinger Report , a nonprofit , independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education .
Sign up for Hechinger 's newsletter at hechingerreport.org .

As new data reveals inequities, few school districts take steps to give poor students more
Second of two parts.
Nationwide, few school districts have made changes to deal with the inequities laid bare by new data on per-school spending that a federal law required them to release this year. But Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland, is well on its way -- and it's paying close attention to how spending is tied to student outcomes.
For many who advocated for this financial reporting requirement in the first place, making the connection between resources and results is the whole point of teasing out per-student spending by school.
A Hechinger Report analysis found 53 districts across the United States that spent a statistically significant amount less state and local money on high-poverty schools than on lower-poverty schools.
Elgin Area School District U-46 and West Aurora School District 129 both fall into that category.
The analysis found another 263 districts where spending on each school had little to no connection to the number of students in poverty. Hechinger examined state and local spending by school in nearly 700 districts (those with 15 or more schools) from 40 states that made the data available.
"The end goal is taking this opportunity to leverage our dollars to get the greatest outcome for our students," said Marguerite Roza, the economist at Georgetown University.
Montgomery County Public Schools hired an educational consulting firm to do a financial audit in advance of the federal reporting deadline. The firm found the district spends more on its higher-poverty schools, but it also identified inequities: Overall, Montgomery County's high-poverty schools perform worse, and Black and Latino students from low-income homes perform particularly poorly. In exploring what might contribute to these results, the district found, among other things, that it concentrates its novice teachers and principals in higher-needs schools.
Diego Uriburu, executive director of Identity, a nonprofit in Montgomery County that serves Latino youths and families and that has teamed up with the NAACP of Montgomery County to lead the newly formed Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence, said the findings were not necessarily surprising, but that it was striking to see the data so clearly.
"We as Black and Brown folks have always felt it was hard for us to prove our points because we could only speak about our experience and anecdotes, but then suddenly there was the data that was clearly saying what we have been experiencing," he said.
Jack Smith, the superintendent, came to the district with the explicit goal of improving educational equity. He knew Montgomery County had a long history of high performance for most students, but not all of them. The work he has overseen to root out inequities has caused some angst among families for whom the status quo was working well.
"There's a belief somehow, always, that if someone gets something, I must be losing something," Smith said.
He has worked to dispel that notion and win more support for the idea that improving performance for all students is in the best interests of the entire community.
Budgetary uncertainty thanks to the coronavirus pandemic will leave Montgomery County Public Schools with fewer resources to do things like create new incentives to get more experienced teachers into high-needs schools. But Smith said there's no reason to "sit on our hands and do nothing."
"We're not in a position to do a major incentive program across all 135 elementary schools, but we can start," he said.
In some districts that have tried to shift their spending, keeping up the momentum can be difficult. Rochester, New York, offers a lesson in how hard it can be not only to make major changes but to make them permanent. Jean-Claude Brizard took over as superintendent of the Rochester City Schools in 2008. (He is now a senior adviser and deputy director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the many funders of The Hechinger Report.) Soon after he started, he hired a consulting firm to follow the dollars in his district and identify inequities, which, it turns out, were striking.
"We saw schools of similar size, similar demographics, but one school got 50 percent more per pupil," Brizard said.
The budgeting system in Rochester until that point was one in which well-connected principals could advocate for more money for their schools. Brizard wanted to change that. He started out by sharing the data internally and then held community meetings where he aimed to spur enough demand for change that the district would be able to justify going against the wishes of the small but vocal populations that had gotten more than their fair share of district spending.
Brizard orchestrated a three-year transition to a student-based funding formula that clearly laid out how much money schools would get for students with different needs. But when Brizard left the district in 2011, just after the new funding formula was fully in place, he said a group of affluent, mostly white parents succeeded in lobbying the school board to dismantle the new system.
"The board is often elected by a handful of people, and they will respond to that pressure," Brizard said. His current work focuses on coalition-building across communities, which he says can help overcome pushback. "When you have a community that is galvanized around these equity issues, it brings the stakes beyond a single protagonist."
In some cases funding decisions have been taken out of the hands of school districts.
A lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Southern California forced the Los Angeles Unified School District to revise its methods of allocating spending among schools. California distributes $61 billion through its Local Control Funding Formula, a portion of which is set aside for foster youths, English learners and students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. The ACLU argued the money wasn't being directed to the right students, and LAUSD settled, giving $151 million to a group of schools that had been shortchanged and revising its spending patterns moving forward.
While the equity battles in Montgomery County, Rochester and Los Angeles have all played out differently, they share one common thread: clear data. In Montgomery County and Rochester, district leaders produced their own analyses and shared the data with the public. In California, outside researchers tracked the state dollars to the school level and gave advocacy groups a smoking gun.
U-46 instituted a flurry of equity-minded initiatives last school year, but according to the latest state data, released Friday, the district still spends fewer state and local dollars on its higher-poverty schools.
"With this second year of data in mind, we will work to be more deliberate about addressing school funding decisions as we develop our Fiscal Year 2022 budget," Superintendent Tony Sanders said in a written statement.
In West Aurora District 129, the funding disparities have gone largely unremarked upon. Angie Smith, assistant superintendent for operations, said there are no plans to redistribute funds because district leaders believe the spending differences are justified. She pointed to some schools' transportation costs, more expensive staffing in smaller schools and the costs of specialized programs as reasons for the district's spending patterns.
But in Montgomery County, Uriburu believes this latest push for equity might truly result in long-term changes for the district and its students. District administrators are committed, as is the school board, and even the county government has embarked on an equity mission for the broader community. And, of course, there is the coalition. Uriburu said this is the first time the Black and Latino communities have teamed up to advocate for better schools, and they are very clear about their right to make demands.
"By bringing the Black and Brown communities together, we make up 54 percent of the student body of Montgomery County Public Schools," Uriburu said. "It's a different ballgame."
• This story about school funding disparities was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger's newsletter at hechingerreport.org.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--Grammar Moses: You're 20 times less likely to enjoy this column

Or , I should say , Election Month begins today .
This will be a month of math the likes of which we 've never seen .
You might even hear a candidate claim something along the lines of `` My opponent has three times less votes than I do .
There is no way he is going to catch up with early voting and provisional ballots , so let 's just stop counting now . ''
You would be right to screech , `` Hey , Moses , it 's 'fewer than , ' not 'less than . '
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sure , but that is not going to save that nonsensical sentence . ''
You 've probably read me rail before about the problem with advertisers who claim `` My paper towel is three times MORE absorbent than the other guy 's '' more than you care to .
That sentence means mine meets his standard of absorbency PLUS three times more .
And last time I checked , 1+3=4 times as absorbent .
Now for a math problem I have n't talked about : A well-respected daily newspaper this week published a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becoming infected at an outside gathering is 20 times less likely than becoming infected indoors . ''
What your brain tells you is that if someone stands an 80 % chance of becoming infected at an indoor gathering , he or she stands a 4 % chance of becoming infected at an outdoor gathering .
Perhaps that 's because you 've heard this terrible construction so many times that you have been conditioned to make that deduction .
But the sentence is nonsensical .
The correct way to state that thought is `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside gathering is ONE-TWENTIETH AS LIKELY AS becoming infected indoors . ''
Why ?
It 's all about fractions .
`` Times '' suggests a multiplier , and `` smaller than '' suggests subtraction and in some cases fractions .
Here 's an example : `` My mechanic charges $ 10 an hour less than your mechanic . ''
Good for me .
I got a bargain .
`` My mechanic charges half of what your mechanic does . ''
Again , the sentence is logical .
I just hope at that rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reservoir with 5W30 .
But `` My mechanic charges three times less than your mechanic. ''
?
That means if my mechanic charges $ 80 an hour , your mechanic charges three times $ 80 less than my guy .
Or 80 -- 3 ( 80 ) = NEGATIVE $ 160 .
My paying your mechanic NEGATIVE $ 160 an hour in reality means HE PAYS ME $ 160 an hour to work on my car .
I 'm going to be rich while having the best maintained car in the world .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have less than zero of a physical thing .
However , you can add to or multiply that physical thing to your heart 's content .
Just make sure you use `` as much as '' rather than `` more than '' when describing it .
Reader Al Benson emailed me with a question about a book title .
`` 'Occupy Till I Come , the origins of Aurora University in Mendota Illinois 1983-1912 ' is a book being released by Susan L. Palmer of Aurora , a retired Aurora University professor .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' since it 's a contraction of `` until ? ''
I used to think so , Al , and I corrected other writers on it -- till I got curious and researched it .
First , the AP Stylebook says `` till '' or `` until , '' but not `` 'til . ''
Second , `` till '' is defined just as `` until '' is .
It 's not an abbreviation of `` until '' because it 's been in circulation longer than `` until . ''
I did a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I , '' `` Til I '' and `` 'Til I '' to illustrate how those combinations have appeared in books for the last two centuries .
On the resultant graph , `` Till I '' has always been the runaway favorite , while `` Til I '' is almost nonexistent and `` 'Til I '' is a flatline .
Al , if you 're concerned that Professor Palmer will be piqued by your question , you can point out that you managed to get her some ink in a widely distributed newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president/managing editor of the Daily Herald .
Write him at jbaumann @ dailyherald.com .
Put Grammar Moses in the subject line .
You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim .

Grammar Moses: You're 20 times less likely to enjoy this column
People walk by outdoor plastic dining bubbles Oct. 18 on Fulton Market in Chicago. You might have read recently that your odds of being infected with the coronavirus at an outdoor gathering are "20 times less likely than becoming infected indoors" -- but that's a logical impossibility that your mind probably automatically corrects to "one-twentieth as likely." Associated Press
Tuesday is Election Day.
Or, I should say, Election Month begins today.
This will be a month of math the likes of which we've never seen.
You might even hear a candidate claim something along the lines of "My opponent has three times less votes than I do. There is no way he is going to catch up with early voting and provisional ballots, so let's just stop counting now."
You would be right to screech, "Hey, Moses, it's 'fewer than,' not 'less than.'"
And I would respond: "Sure, but that is not going to save that nonsensical sentence."
You've probably read me rail before about the problem with advertisers who claim "My paper towel is three times MORE absorbent than the other guy's" more than you care to. That sentence means mine meets his standard of absorbency PLUS three times more. And last time I checked, 1+3=4 times as absorbent.
Now for a math problem I haven't talked about: A well-respected daily newspaper this week published a story that read "The likelihood of becoming infected at an outside gathering is 20 times less likely than becoming infected indoors."
What your brain tells you is that if someone stands an 80% chance of becoming infected at an indoor gathering, he or she stands a 4% chance of becoming infected at an outdoor gathering.
Perhaps that's because you've heard this terrible construction so many times that you have been conditioned to make that deduction. But the sentence is nonsensical.
The correct way to state that thought is "The likelihood of becoming infected at an outside gathering is ONE-TWENTIETH AS LIKELY AS becoming infected indoors."
Why? It's all about fractions.
"Times" suggests a multiplier, and "smaller than" suggests subtraction and in some cases fractions.
Here's an example: "My mechanic charges $10 an hour less than your mechanic."
Good for me. I got a bargain.
"My mechanic charges half of what your mechanic does."
Again, the sentence is logical. I just hope at that rate he didn't fill my wiper fluid reservoir with 5W30.
But "My mechanic charges three times less than your mechanic."?
That's just goofy.
That means if my mechanic charges $80 an hour, your mechanic charges three times $80 less than my guy. Or 80 -- 3(80) = NEGATIVE $160.
My paying your mechanic NEGATIVE $160 an hour in reality means HE PAYS ME $160 an hour to work on my car. I'm going to be rich while having the best maintained car in the world.
In real life, you can't have less than zero of a physical thing.
However, you can add to or multiply that physical thing to your heart's content.
Just make sure you use "as much as" rather than "more than" when describing it.
Till we meet again
Reader Al Benson emailed me with a question about a book title.
" 'Occupy Till I Come, the origins of Aurora University in Mendota Illinois 1893-1912' is a book being released by Susan L. Palmer of Aurora, a retired Aurora University professor. Shouldn't it be spelled "til" since it's a contraction of "until?"
I used to think so, Al, and I corrected other writers on it -- till I got curious and researched it.
First, the AP Stylebook says "till" or "until," but not "'til."
(Yes, that was an apostrophe before "til.")
Second, "till" is defined just as "until" is. It's not an abbreviation of "until" because it's been in circulation longer than "until."
I did a little Google Ngram comparison of "Till I," "Til I" and "'Til I" to illustrate how those combinations have appeared in books for the last two centuries.
On the resultant graph, "Till I" has always been the runaway favorite, while "Til I" is almost nonexistent and "'Til I" is a flatline.
Al, if you're concerned that Professor Palmer will be piqued by your question, you can point out that you managed to get her some ink in a widely distributed newspaper column.
Write carefully!
• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--'Ballot Box' sign on trash can was ad for exhibit, not voter fraud

An Instagram user recently posted photos of a man in Philadelphia placing `` Ballot Box '' signs on trash cans , supposedly showing an attempt at voter suppression .
`` Stay vigilant , people .
They will try anything .
Make sure you drop off your ballot to a legit ballot box , '' the post read .
An added comment said the `` dude needs to be arrested . ''
But the dude was n't trying to suppress votes or deceive anyone , according to PolitiFact.com .
He was distributing posters to advertise an exhibit on the history of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : America 's Fight for the Vote . ''
The Union League Legacy Foundation , the group behind the exhibit , took to Facebook to clear up any misunderstanding .
`` We understand that there was confusion about the signs installed early this morning on trash receptacles about our exhibit on voting rights .
The signs were removed , '' the Oct. 23 post said .
`` There was no mal-intent -- simply a flubbed execution on marketing , '' said Kira Foley-Tuzman , chief administrative officer .
City sanitation workers sorted through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but none were found , The Philadelphia Inquirer reported .
Not all presidents were Ivy Leaguers Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden recently referred to a claim that he could be the first president in nearly a century who did n't attend an Ivy League school .
`` I read some stories after I got the nomination that quote , 'If Biden gets elected , he 'll be the first non-Ivy League school graduate to get elected in ... it was 80 or 90 years , ' '' he said during an Oct. 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` But folks , since when can someone who went to a state university not be qualified to be president ? ''
Biden , who went to the University of Delaware and Syracuse Law School , is off on the time span , according to FactCheck.org .
Although the last five presidents attended Ivy League schools , it 's been just 32 years since Ronald Reagan , who graduated from Eureka College , was in office .
Eureka College , in Eureka , Illinois , claims to be the smallest college to graduate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were not Ivy League graduates include Richard Nixon , who attended Whittier College and Duke University Law School , and Jimmy Carter , who graduated from the Naval Academy .
Ad takes quote taken out of context A Twitter post last week from President Donald Trump 's reelection campaign makes it appear that challenger Joe Biden is confused .
A six-second video clip has Biden asking , `` Why am I doing this ?
Why ?
What is my real aim ? ''
Biden said that during an Oct. 27 speech in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PolitiFact.com .
But he was n't mixed up , he was quoting Pope Francis from an Oct. 3 encyclical letter in which the Pope said people who want to lead should reflect on their purpose .
During the speech , Biden said Francis is warning against `` phony populism '' that appeals to selfish instincts .
He then said , `` For those who seek to lead , we do well to ask ourselves , 'Why am I doing this ?
Why ?
What is my real aim ? '
'' A recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cyrus , during a 1993 concert , told a 9-year-old girl that anything was possible as long as she believed in God .
That 9-year-old was Judge Amy Coney Barrett , who was recently named to the Supreme Court .
This is false , according to The Associated Press .
Cyrus , who is younger than Barrett , was only a year old in 1993 and was not yet performing concerts .
The claim , shared on the Christian Conservatives for Trump Facebook page , has a quote supposedly from Barrett as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she beleifed in God and was going to be famous by making murdering babbys illegal and that she would stop Obamacares . ''
Cyrus was born in 1992 , when Barrett , who was born in 1972 , was 20 .
The Affordable Care Act , or Obamacare , was n't enacted until 2010 .
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News .
Contact him at boboswald33 @ gmail.com .

'Ballot Box' sign on trash can was ad for exhibit, not voter fraud
Mail-in ballots for the 2020 General Election in the United States are seen after being sorted at the Chester County Voter Services office, Friday, Oct. 23, 2020, in West Chester, Pa. Associated Press
An Instagram user recently posted photos of a man in Philadelphia placing "Ballot Box" signs on trash cans, supposedly showing an attempt at voter suppression.
"Stay vigilant, people. They will try anything. Make sure you drop off your ballot to a legit ballot box," the post read. An added comment said the "dude needs to be arrested."
But the dude wasn't trying to suppress votes or deceive anyone, according to PolitiFact.com. He was distributing posters to advertise an exhibit on the history of voting rights titled, "Ballot Box: America's Fight for the Vote."
The Union League Legacy Foundation, the group behind the exhibit, took to Facebook to clear up any misunderstanding.
"We understand that there was confusion about the signs installed early this morning on trash receptacles about our exhibit on voting rights. The signs were removed," the Oct. 23 post said.
"There was no mal-intent -- simply a flubbed execution on marketing," said Kira Foley-Tuzman, chief administrative officer.
City sanitation workers sorted through those trash bins looking for ballots, but none were found, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Not all presidents were Ivy Leaguers
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden recently referred to a claim that he could be the first president in nearly a century who didn't attend an Ivy League school.
"I read some stories after I got the nomination that quote, 'If Biden gets elected, he'll be the first non-Ivy League school graduate to get elected in ... it was 80 or 90 years,'" he said during an Oct. 12 campaign stop in Toledo, Ohio. "But folks, since when can someone who went to a state university not be qualified to be president?"
Biden, who went to the University of Delaware and Syracuse Law School, is off on the time span, according to FactCheck.org. Although the last five presidents attended Ivy League schools, it's been just 32 years since Ronald Reagan, who graduated from Eureka College, was in office.
Eureka College, in Eureka, Illinois, claims to be the smallest college to graduate a U.S. president. Other recent presidents who were not Ivy League graduates include Richard Nixon, who attended Whittier College and Duke University Law School, and Jimmy Carter, who graduated from the Naval Academy.
Ad takes quote taken out of context
A Twitter post last week from President Donald Trump's reelection campaign makes it appear that challenger Joe Biden is confused. A six-second video clip has Biden asking, "Why am I doing this? Why? What is my real aim?"
Biden said that during an Oct. 27 speech in Warm Springs, Georgia, according to PolitiFact.com. But he wasn't mixed up, he was quoting Pope Francis from an Oct. 3 encyclical letter in which the Pope said people who want to lead should reflect on their purpose.
During the speech, Biden said Francis is warning against "phony populism" that appeals to selfish instincts. He then said, "For those who seek to lead, we do well to ask ourselves, 'Why am I doing this? Why? What is my real aim?'"
Miley didn't inspire justice
A recent social media claim falsely claims singer Miley Cyrus, during a 1993 concert, told a 9-year-old girl that anything was possible as long as she believed in God. That 9-year-old was Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who was recently named to the Supreme Court.
This is false, according to The Associated Press. Cyrus, who is younger than Barrett, was only a year old in 1993 and was not yet performing concerts.
The claim, shared on the Christian Conservatives for Trump Facebook page, has a quote supposedly from Barrett as a young girl, that says, "she beleifed in God and was going to be famous by making murdering babbys illegal and that she would stop Obamacares."
Cyrus was born in 1992, when Barrett, who was born in 1972, was 20. The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, wasn't enacted until 2010.
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-10-31--Arlington Heights woman helps energy provider tackle issues about race, equity

Growing up biracial in a predominantly Latino community , Nicole Durham learned the importance of appreciating others ' differences and having tough conversations about race .
Those experiences now help inform her work as vice president of diversity , equity and inclusion at Exelon Corp. , the parent company of ComEd and a Fortune 100 energy provider with nearly 34,000 employees .
Women and people of color make up 43 % of Exelon 's employees .
Durham , of Arlington Heights , helps create more equitable practices from hiring and retention strategies to expanding workforce development programs for diverse communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She now is helping employees grapple with the effects of COVID-19 and racial injustices .
`` We need to be proactive , '' Durham said .
`` We need to make sure we 're creating space for people to have dialogue .
You have the angst of the pandemic and then you have this racial pandemic ...
It does n't just go away when you come into the virtual workplace . ''
The company has held town halls and panel discussions to engage workers in conversations about race .
`` We started a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months , '' Durham said .
`` We have a responsibility as a Fortune 100 company to do everything that we can within our walls and communities to dismantle systemic racism . ''
United Way of Lake County 's Women United for the first time will host a virtual fundraiser , Power of the Purse , on Sunday , Nov. 8 .
The event includes an auction of more than 50 designer bags and more than 20 silent auction purses , baskets , jewelry , sports paraphernalia and other items .
Proceeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ BOOST Learning Program and donate books and toys to preschool learning centers in low-income Lake County communities -- North Chicago , Round Lake , Waukegan and Zion .
Buying and bidding begins at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. For details , visit betterunite.com/uwlc-powerofthepurse2020 .
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle spoke about strides made toward vendor diversity and inclusion during a recent Equity Town Hall .
In fiscal year 2019 , the county spent $ 74 million -- the most ever -- on its Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program , awarding $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 18 million to Latino contractors , $ 15 million to Asian contractors and $ 14 million to women contractors , according to the business diversity report .
Since 2016 , county payments to Black women-owned firms has increased by 75 % , Asian women-owned firms increased by 150 % and Hispanic-owned firms in professional services increased by 95 % .
Elgin Community College will host its fifth Black Lives Matter Series virtual discussion about racism at 2 p.m. Thursday .
Panelists are ECC communications professor Eric Long , community leader Junaid Afeef @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association , ECC wellness professional Coresair Mack and Naja May-Pearson , president of ECC 's Black Student Achievers .
They will help participants acquire tools to have a more constructive conversation about race and racism .
Join on Zoom at bit.ly/ECCmagic or watch the livestream on ECC 's Facebook event page .
Illinois Unidos , a statewide coalition of doctors , elected officials and community leaders , has released a series of fact sheets on common health questions related to COVID-19 in English and Spanish to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at IllinoisUnidos.com , has been curated and verified by medical professionals from the coalition .
Booklets containing the English and Spanish versions of these fact sheets have been printed and distributed at local health centers , senior centers and food pantries .
More than 3 % of Illinois ' Latino population has contracted COVID-19 -- the highest among all racial/ethnic groups and roughly three times that of the state 's white population ( about 1 % ) .
Experts say lack of linguistically and culturally sensitive resources is among the reasons for this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's high representation in essential jobs , low capacity to work from home and living in multigenerational homes .
• Share stories , news and happenings from the suburban mosaic at mkrishnamurthy @ dailyherald.com .

Arlington Heights woman helps energy provider tackle issues about race, equity
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and other county leaders talk about strides made toward vendor diversity and inclusion during a recent Equity Town Hall. Facebook Video Screenshot
Growing up biracial in a predominantly Latino community, Nicole Durham learned the importance of appreciating others' differences and having tough conversations about race.
Those experiences now help inform her work as vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion at Exelon Corp., the parent company of ComEd and a Fortune 100 energy provider with nearly 34,000 employees. Women and people of color make up 43% of Exelon's employees.
Durham, of Arlington Heights, helps create more equitable practices from hiring and retention strategies to expanding workforce development programs for diverse communities and disability inclusion in the workplace. She now is helping employees grapple with the effects of COVID-19 and racial injustices.
"We need to be proactive," Durham said. "We need to make sure we're creating space for people to have dialogue. You have the angst of the pandemic and then you have this racial pandemic ... It doesn't just go away when you come into the virtual workplace."
The company has held town halls and panel discussions to engage workers in conversations about race.
"We started a racial equity task force in the past two months," Durham said. "We have a responsibility as a Fortune 100 company to do everything that we can within our walls and communities to dismantle systemic racism."
Bags for books
United Way of Lake County's Women United for the first time will host a virtual fundraiser, Power of the Purse, on Sunday, Nov. 8.
The event includes an auction of more than 50 designer bags and more than 20 silent auction purses, baskets, jewelry, sports paraphernalia and other items. Proceeds help send underserved children to a Summer BOOST Learning Program and donate books and toys to preschool learning centers in low-income Lake County communities -- North Chicago, Round Lake, Waukegan and Zion.
Buying and bidding begins at 11:30 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. For details, visit betterunite.com/uwlc-powerofthepurse2020.
Vendor diversity
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle spoke about strides made toward vendor diversity and inclusion during a recent Equity Town Hall.
In fiscal year 2019, the county spent $74 million -- the most ever -- on its Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Program, awarding $25.6 million to African American contractors, $18 million to Latino contractors, $15 million to Asian contractors and $14 million to women contractors, according to the business diversity report. Since 2016, county payments to Black women-owned firms has increased by 75%, Asian women-owned firms increased by 150% and Hispanic-owned firms in professional services increased by 95%.
Watch the full town hall at facebook.com/PresidentPreckwinkle.
Racism talk
Elgin Community College will host its fifth Black Lives Matter Series virtual discussion about racism at 2 p.m. Thursday.
Panelists are ECC communications professor Eric Long, community leader Junaid Afeef, Marva Shand-McIntosh of the International Listening Association, ECC wellness professional Coresair Mack and Naja May-Pearson, president of ECC's Black Student Achievers. They will help participants acquire tools to have a more constructive conversation about race and racism.
Join on Zoom at bit.ly/ECCmagic or watch the livestream on ECC's Facebook event page.
Latino COVID-19 resource
Illinois Unidos, a statewide coalition of doctors, elected officials and community leaders, has released a series of fact sheets on common health questions related to COVID-19 in English and Spanish to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Latino communities.
The information, available at IllinoisUnidos.com, has been curated and verified by medical professionals from the coalition. Booklets containing the English and Spanish versions of these fact sheets have been printed and distributed at local health centers, senior centers and food pantries.
More than 3% of Illinois' Latino population has contracted COVID-19 -- the highest among all racial/ethnic groups and roughly three times that of the state's white population (about 1%). Experts say lack of linguistically and culturally sensitive resources is among the reasons for this disparity, along with the Latino community's high representation in essential jobs, low capacity to work from home and living in multigenerational homes.
• Share stories, news and happenings from the suburban mosaic at mkrishnamurthy@dailyherald.com.