dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Palatine store gets backlash for pro-police rally despite it not being involved

An initial announcement that an upcoming pro-police rally would meet in the parking lot of a Palatine business prompted some backlash on social media , but the owners of the business and its shopping center were not involved in the plans , village officials said .
The `` Back the Blue Palatine '' rally will take place Oct. 4 .
The announcement on social media Monday asked people to meet in the parking lot of Mutual Ace Hardware , but that was later updated to say the meeting point is Rita L. Mullins Volunteer Plaza at Northwest Highway and North @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came after mixed reaction on social media , with supporters rejoicing at the rally and detractors saying they would organize a counterprotest .
Several people said they contacted the hardware store to express their disappointment and that they would boycott the store .
A flier for the event did not list an organizer but gave an email address .
There was no response to a request for comment .
Kyle Sheahen , owner of Mutual Ace Hardware , said the store is not associated with the Oct. 4 event , which does not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a local business in the Palatine community , we respect individuals ' rights to have varying viewpoints and believe all people should be treated with respect and civility , '' Sheahen said in a statement .
The owner of the Palatine Plaza shopping center also was not involved in the rally , Village Manager Reid Ottesen said Tuesday .
`` They ( the organizers ) never had permission from the property owner .
In fact the owner contacted us yesterday saying he had never been contacted about this , '' Ottesen said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they can not be on shopping center property .
The Palatine Township Republican Organization , which shared the event 's information on its Facebook page , supports the rally 's mission , committeeman Aaron Del Mar said .
`` There is a strong undercurrent of people that want to show support for the men and woman that serve .
There 's been so many public displays through Black Lives Matter ... this is something to show that we are supportive and trying to add morale to the police force . ''
It 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and penalize the store , particularly when businesses are suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic , Del Mar said .
Others are organizing a counterprotest Oct. 4 , including resident Alex Ritner of Palatine .
`` I feel that having a Blue Lives Matter protest ...
I do n't like the idea , because I do n't feel as if it 's that big of an issue , '' Ritner said .
`` Anybody can quit being a cop , they sign up for that job .
I do n't think 'blue lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone 's rights to speech and expression , Ottesen said .
`` All we are trying to do with any of these gatherings is make sure those attending and those that would be passing by are safe , '' he said .

Palatine store gets backlash for pro-police rally despite it not being involved
An initial announcement that an upcoming pro-police rally would meet in the parking lot of a Palatine business prompted some backlash on social media, but the owners of the business and its shopping center were not involved in the plans, village officials said.
The "Back the Blue Palatine" rally will take place Oct. 4. The announcement on social media Monday asked people to meet in the parking lot of Mutual Ace Hardware, but that was later updated to say the meeting point is Rita L. Mullins Volunteer Plaza at Northwest Highway and North Hicks Road.
The change in location came after mixed reaction on social media, with supporters rejoicing at the rally and detractors saying they would organize a counterprotest. Several people said they contacted the hardware store to express their disappointment and that they would boycott the store.
A flier for the event did not list an organizer but gave an email address. There was no response to a request for comment.
Kyle Sheahen, owner of Mutual Ace Hardware, said the store is not associated with the Oct. 4 event, which does not require a village permit.
"As a local business in the Palatine community, we respect individuals' rights to have varying viewpoints and believe all people should be treated with respect and civility," Sheahen said in a statement.
The owner of the Palatine Plaza shopping center also was not involved in the rally, Village Manager Reid Ottesen said Tuesday.
"They (the organizers) never had permission from the property owner. In fact the owner contacted us yesterday saying he had never been contacted about this," Ottesen said, adding the rally's organizers were told they cannot be on shopping center property.
The Palatine Township Republican Organization, which shared the event's information on its Facebook page, supports the rally's mission, committeeman Aaron Del Mar said. "There is a strong undercurrent of people that want to show support for the men and woman that serve. There's been so many public displays through Black Lives Matter ... this is something to show that we are supportive and trying to add morale to the police force."
It's unfortunate that people would jump to conclusions and penalize the store, particularly when businesses are suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Del Mar said.
Others are organizing a counterprotest Oct. 4.
"I feel that having a Blue Lives Matter protest ... I don't like the idea, because I don't feel as if it's that big of an issue," one of the organizers said. "Anybody can quit being a cop, they sign up for that job. I don't think 'blue lives' exist."
The village respects everyone's rights to speech and expression, Ottesen said. "All we are trying to do with any of these gatherings is make sure those attending and those that would be passing by are safe," he said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Illinois COVID-19 case counts per county, ZIP code as of Sept. 22

Interactive mapFind an interactive map where you can search counts by ZIP code at dailyherald.com .
Suburbs ' portion There have been 126,464 COVID-19 cases in the suburbs as of Tuesday .
That 's 45.6 % of the state 's total , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
There have been 4,090 deaths in the suburbs , representing 48 % of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois .
Cook County • As of Tuesday , suburban Cook County had 62,391 cases and 2,237 deaths , according to the state .
In Chicago : 77,687 cases and 2,935 fatalities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Tuesday from Cook County 's health department and the medical examiner 's office : 2,389 cases and 106 deaths in Des Plaines , 1,312 cases and 19 deaths in Palatine , 1,143 cases and 74 deaths in Wheeling , 1,119 cases and 21 deaths in Schaumburg , 1,101 cases and 37 deaths in Arlington Heights , 1,092 cases and 25 deaths in Streamwood , 1,014 cases and 11 deaths in Mount Prospect , 949 cases and 51 deaths in Glenview , 832 cases and 29 deaths in Hoffman Estates , 736 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cook County portion ) , 586 cases and 40 deaths in Elk Grove Village , 564 cases and 42 deaths in Northbrook , 548 cases and 14 deaths in Rolling Meadows , 376 cases and 9 deaths in Prospect Heights , and 213 cases and 20 deaths in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) .
DuPage County • The county reported 16,865 cases and 550 deaths as of Tuesday .
• Top counts : 1,246 cases and 39 deaths in Naperville ( DuPage County portion ) , 1,213 cases and 10 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in West Chicago , 999 cases and 13 deaths in Glendale Heights , 895 cases and 29 deaths in Carol Stream , 817 cases and 29 deaths in Lombard , 814 cases and 46 deaths in Elmhurst , 721 cases and 15 deaths in Bensenville , 722 cases and 24 deaths in Wheaton , 712 cases and 12 deaths in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 530 cases and 3 deaths in Glen Ellyn , 479 cases and 6 deaths in Villa Park , and 422 cases and 3 deaths in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Most recent top counts : 3,895 to 3,899 in Waukegan , 1,045 to 1,049 in Round Lake Beach , 630 to 634 in Mundelein , 540 to 544 in Gurnee , 415 to 419 in Round Lake , 310 to 314 in Lake Zurich , 310 to 314 in Vernon Hills , 300 to 304 in Buffalo Grove ( Lake County portion ) , 265 to 269 in Libertyville , 250 to 254 in Grayslake , 245 to 249 in Wauconda .
Kane County • The county confirmed 12,776 cases with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Top counts : 4,635 cases in Aurora ( Kane County portion ) , 2,902 in Elgin ( Kane County portion ) , 1,189 in Carpentersville , 982 in St. Charles , 603 in South Elgin , 456 in Geneva , 343 in Batavia , 338 in North Aurora , 149 in Hampshire , 131 in Gilberts and 126 in Algonquin ( Kane County portion ) .
McHenry County • 4,445 cases and 118 deaths , according to the health department Tuesday .
Will County • 13,539 cases and 373 deaths listed on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ town include 1,017 in Naperville ( Will County portion ) and 186 in Aurora ( Will County portion ) .

Illinois COVID-19 case counts per county, ZIP code as of Sept. 22
This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, depicts the coronavirus as viewed through a microscope. Courtesy of the CDC
Interactive mapFind an interactive map where you can search counts by ZIP code at dailyherald.com.
Suburbs' portion There have been 126,464 COVID-19 cases in the suburbs as of Tuesday. That's 45.6% of the state's total, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
There have been 4,090 deaths in the suburbs, representing 48% of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois.
Cook County• As of Tuesday, suburban Cook County had 62,391 cases and 2,237 deaths, according to the state. In Chicago: 77,687 cases and 2,935 fatalities.
• Top suburb case counts as of Tuesday from Cook County's health department and the medical examiner's office: 2,389 cases and 106 deaths in Des Plaines, 1,312 cases and 19 deaths in Palatine, 1,143 cases and 74 deaths in Wheeling, 1,119 cases and 21 deaths in Schaumburg, 1,101 cases and 37 deaths in Arlington Heights, 1,092 cases and 25 deaths in Streamwood, 1,014 cases and 11 deaths in Mount Prospect, 949 cases and 51 deaths in Glenview, 832 cases and 29 deaths in Hoffman Estates, 736 cases and 11 deaths in Hanover Park (Cook County portion), 586 cases and 40 deaths in Elk Grove Village, 564 cases and 42 deaths in Northbrook, 548 cases and 14 deaths in Rolling Meadows, 376 cases and 9 deaths in Prospect Heights, and 213 cases and 20 deaths in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion).
DuPage County• The county reported 16,865 cases and 550 deaths as of Tuesday.
• Top counts: 1,246 cases and 39 deaths in Naperville (DuPage County portion), 1,213 cases and 10 deaths in Addison, 1,135 cases and 13 deaths in West Chicago, 999 cases and 13 deaths in Glendale Heights, 895 cases and 29 deaths in Carol Stream, 817 cases and 29 deaths in Lombard, 814 cases and 46 deaths in Elmhurst, 721 cases and 15 deaths in Bensenville, 722 cases and 24 deaths in Wheaton, 712 cases and 12 deaths in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 530 cases and 3 deaths in Glen Ellyn, 479 cases and 6 deaths in Villa Park, and 422 cases and 3 deaths in Hanover Park (DuPage County portion).
Lake County • The county listed 16,488 cases and 463 deaths Tuesday.
• Most recent top counts: 3,895 to 3,899 in Waukegan, 1,045 to 1,049 in Round Lake Beach, 630 to 634 in Mundelein, 540 to 544 in Gurnee, 415 to 419 in Round Lake, 310 to 314 in Lake Zurich, 310 to 314 in Vernon Hills, 300 to 304 in Buffalo Grove (Lake County portion), 265 to 269 in Libertyville, 250 to 254 in Grayslake, 245 to 249 in Wauconda.
Kane County• The county confirmed 12,776 cases with 327 deaths on its website Tuesday.
• Top counts: 4,635 cases in Aurora (Kane County portion), 2,902 in Elgin (Kane County portion), 1,189 in Carpentersville, 982 in St. Charles, 603 in South Elgin, 456 in Geneva, 343 in Batavia, 338 in North Aurora, 149 in Hampshire, 131 in Gilberts and 126 in Algonquin (Kane County portion).
McHenry County• 4,445 cases and 118 deaths, according to the health department Tuesday.
Will County• 13,539 cases and 373 deaths listed on its website Tuesday.
• Cases per town include 1,017 in Naperville (Will County portion) and 186 in Aurora (Will County portion).


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--St. Charles bar owners plead with city officials to stay open after midnight

With a brutal six months behind them and a long winter ahead , struggling St. Charles bar owners are pleading for help from city officials .
In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19 , St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina issued an executive order in late August requiring the city 's 24 bars and restaurants with late-night permits to close at midnight instead of 2 a.m. , an order reinforced by the City Council at its Sept. 8 meeting .
But as financial losses mount , St. Charles bar owners appeared at Monday 's city council meeting to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Owners said they are missing out on two hours of revenue each night , as well as losing business to neighboring towns .
`` I 've been here seven or eight weeks and it 's been very tough times , '' said Ed Simbol , owner of Ed 's Basement in St. Charles , which opened in mid-August .
`` We rely heavily on our late-night crowd . ''
Gina Pearson , manager of Mark 's Second Street Tavern , questioned the effectiveness of the order if the rest of the region does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started shutting down at midnight , '' Pearson said , `` that 's when those bars in the quick vicinity of maybe a mile or a mile-and-a-half are really getting bombarded with all of the people leaving St .
Charles . ''
While Rogina sympathized with the bar owners , he said he remains concerned about a regression from Phase 4 to Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan .
Rogina mentioned how Kane County recently appeared on the state 's warning list because of increasing COVID-19 numbers .
`` I 'm appreciative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ try your best to follow social distancing rules , etcetera , '' Rogina said .
`` But make no mistake , I think it 's very difficult after midnight in a bar situation to demand people put ( a mask ) on because they 're having a cocktail or two with their friends . ''
Ward 2 Alderman Rita Payleitner , who announced at the Sept. 8 city council meeting that she had recently recovered from COVID-19 , backed Rogina 's stance .
`` This was not a broad-brush action by the mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a surgical strike and it was thoughtful and , in my opinion , necessary for the greater good . ''
Ward 4 Alderman David Pietryla asked the board to address the issue again this fall .
Peter Milligan , owner of the The Filling Station , said he fears patrons are overcrowding late-night bars in other towns and present a risk of spreading the virus when they return to St. Charles .
`` A lot of times when governments meddle in the forces of the free-market economy , what is intended and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Milligan said .
`` In this case , it might be the opposite . ''
Rogina said that argument simply backs his position to keep earlier hours in place .
`` Wherever it is , midnight to two o'clock is this zone where people 's inhibitions start floating , '' Rogina said .
`` We 'll keep a careful eye on this thing . ''

St. Charles bar owners plead with city officials to stay open after midnight
The owner of the Filling Station in downtown St. Charles pleaded with city officials on Monday to reconsider its emergency order that forces bars to close at midnight instead of 2 a.m. to help limit the spread of COVID-19. Daily Herald file photo
With a brutal six months behind them and a long winter ahead, struggling St. Charles bar owners are pleading for help from city officials.
In an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19, St. Charles Mayor Ray Rogina issued an executive order in late August requiring the city's 24 bars and restaurants with late-night permits to close at midnight instead of 2 a.m., an order reinforced by the City Council at its Sept. 8 meeting.
But as financial losses mount, St. Charles bar owners appeared at Monday's city council meeting to ask the mayor and aldermen to reconsider. Owners said they are missing out on two hours of revenue each night, as well as losing business to neighboring towns.
"I've been here seven or eight weeks and it's been very tough times," said Ed Simbol, owner of Ed's Basement in St. Charles, which opened in mid-August. "We rely heavily on our late-night crowd."
Gina Pearson, manager of Mark's Second Street Tavern, questioned the effectiveness of the order if the rest of the region doesn't follow suit.
"When we started shutting down at midnight," Pearson said, "that's when those bars in the quick vicinity of maybe a mile or a mile-and-a-half are really getting bombarded with all of the people leaving St. Charles."
While Rogina sympathized with the bar owners, he said he remains concerned about a regression from Phase 4 to Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan. Rogina mentioned how Kane County recently appeared on the state's warning list because of increasing COVID-19 numbers.
"I'm appreciative of all the efforts you make to try your best to follow social distancing rules, etcetera," Rogina said. "But make no mistake, I think it's very difficult after midnight in a bar situation to demand people put (a mask) on because they're having a cocktail or two with their friends."
Ward 2 Alderman Rita Payleitner, who announced at the Sept. 8 city council meeting that she had recently recovered from COVID-19, backed Rogina's stance.
"This was not a broad-brush action by the mayor," Payleitner said. "It was a surgical strike and it was thoughtful and, in my opinion, necessary for the greater good."
Ward 4 Alderman David Pietryla asked the board to address the issue again this fall.
Peter Milligan, owner of the The Filling Station, said he fears patrons are overcrowding late-night bars in other towns and present a risk of spreading the virus when they return to St. Charles.
"A lot of times when governments meddle in the forces of the free-market economy, what is intended and what actually happens is not the same," Milligan said. "In this case, it might be the opposite."
Rogina said that argument simply backs his position to keep earlier hours in place.
"Wherever it is, midnight to two o'clock is this zone where people's inhibitions start floating," Rogina said. "We'll keep a careful eye on this thing."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--'That's not who I am': Wheaton Republican lawmaker apologizes for disparaging remarks

State Rep. Amy Grant attempted to defend her character a day after the release of audio recordings in which the Wheaton Republican can be heard referencing the race and sexual orientation of her Democratic opponent , Ken Mejia-Beal .
The disparaging comments , released Monday by Democratic state lawmakers , were taken from a recorded phone conversation with an unknown caller that Grant says likely occurred Aug. 31 .
The full recording has not been released .
A visibly shaken Grant had trouble recollecting details of the call during a meeting with the Daily Herald Editorial Board on Tuesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were taken out of context and are a mischaracterization of her views .
`` I made a very clumsy and insensitive statement that does not reflect how I feel about my colleagues and any candidates , '' Grant said in a prepared statement at the start of the meeting .
`` My faith is part of my daily life , and hearing those words calling me 'racist ' rocks me to my core because that 's not who I am . ''
Mejia-Beal is trying to unseat Grant in House District 42 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Winfield , Carol Stream , Warrenville , Lisle , West Chicago , and Naperville .
In one of the recordings , Grant is heard saying Mejia-Beal , a gay , Black man from Lisle , is afraid to travel to the heart of her district , `` not because he 's Black but because of the way he talks , he 's all LGBTQ . ''
In another , Grant says Mejia-Beal is `` just another one of the Cook County people ... another Black Caucus . ''
The Democratic state representatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wo n't release the full conversation , citing privacy concerns .
Repeated attempts by the Daily Herald to reach House Majority Leader Greg Harris were unsuccessful Tuesday .
Grant said she left a voicemail apologizing to Mejia-Beal but has not spoken to him directly .
She reiterated her sentiment to the Daily Herald , at times stumbling over her words as she expressed a commitment to reaching across the aisle .
`` I just do n't have the type of personality that would look at another person and say , 'Oh , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I 'm going to disparage you , ' '' Grant said .
`` If I hurt his feelings , I am very sorry . ''
On Tuesday , Mejia-Beal could not be reached for comment .
But he acknowledged Grant 's voicemail in a statement posted to his Facebook page Monday afternoon , saying the recordings were a `` grievous insult to every member of our community . ''
`` In her hurtful , degrading and wholly unacceptable comments which have now come to light , Rep. Grant makes it clear that she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and my sexual orientation -- and that in her mind disqualifies me as a leader and even disqualifies me as a member of our community , '' his statement says .
Grant told the Daily Herald her comment regarding the Black Caucus was meant to suggest the General Assembly already is heavily represented by Democrats .
And she said she would never intend to imply that the `` LGBT community is something that would hamper a person 's ability to run for state ( representative ) .
It 's actually a ludicrous suggestion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she was being recorded at the time and does n't recall her specific wording .
The caller claimed to back U.S. House candidate Jeanne Ives -- Grant 's predecessor in the 42nd State House District -- and told Grant he was interested in supporting her , too , she said .
About halfway through the conversation , which lasted five to 10 minutes , Grant said , she realized `` there 's something wrong here . ''
Grant asked for the caller 's name , wrote it down and `` promptly lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also is unsure what phone number was used .
Democratic lawmakers have shared a different account , saying Grant had initiated the call as part of her fundraising efforts and knew the conversation was being recorded .
Grant says she believes the conversation would be interpreted differently if the full call was released .
`` They 're accusing me of being racist , '' she said , `` and I 'm not racist . ''

'That's not who I am': Wheaton Republican lawmaker apologizes for disparaging remarks
State Rep. Amy Grant attempted to defend her character a day after the release of audio recordings in which the Wheaton Republican can be heard referencing the race and sexual orientation of her Democratic opponent, Ken Mejia-Beal.
The disparaging comments, released Monday by Democratic state lawmakers, were taken from a recorded phone conversation with an unknown caller that Grant says likely occurred Aug. 31. The full recording has not been released.
A visibly shaken Grant had trouble recollecting details of the call during a meeting with the Daily Herald Editorial Board on Tuesday, but said she believes the short clips were taken out of context and are a mischaracterization of her views.
"I made a very clumsy and insensitive statement that does not reflect how I feel about my colleagues and any candidates," Grant said in a prepared statement at the start of the meeting. "My faith is part of my daily life, and hearing those words calling me 'racist' rocks me to my core because that's not who I am."
Mejia-Beal is trying to unseat Grant in House District 42, which includes all or parts of Wheaton, Winfield, Carol Stream, Warrenville, Lisle, West Chicago, and Naperville.
In one of the recordings, Grant is heard saying Mejia-Beal, a gay, Black man from Lisle, is afraid to travel to the heart of her district, "not because he's Black but because of the way he talks, he's all LGBTQ." In another, Grant says Mejia-Beal is "just another one of the Cook County people ... another Black Caucus."
The Democratic state representatives who presented the clips have said they won't release the full conversation, citing privacy concerns. Repeated attempts by the Daily Herald to reach House Majority Leader Greg Harris were unsuccessful Tuesday.
Grant said she left a voicemail apologizing to Mejia-Beal but has not spoken to him directly. She reiterated her sentiment to the Daily Herald, at times stumbling over her words as she expressed a commitment to reaching across the aisle.
"I just don't have the type of personality that would look at another person and say, 'Oh, you're not just perfectly right, so I'm going to disparage you,'" Grant said. "If I hurt his feelings, I am very sorry."
Reached by phone Tuesday night, Mejia-Beal said Grant's message to him was a "word-for-word" reiteration of a public statement she issued Monday morning, which said, "I deeply regret the comments I made about Ken Mejia-Beal, and reached out to apologize to him this morning. These comments do not reflect my heart or my faith."
Mejia-Beal acknowledged the voicemail in a statement posted to his Facebook page, saying the recordings were a "grievous insult to every member of our community."
"In her hurtful, degrading and wholly unacceptable comments which have now come to light, Rep. Grant makes it clear that she only sees the color of my skin and my sexual orientation -- and that in her mind disqualifies me as a leader and even disqualifies me as a member of our community," his statement says.
Grant told the Daily Herald her comment regarding the Black Caucus was meant to suggest the General Assembly already is heavily represented by Democrats. And she said she would never intend to imply that the "LGBT community is something that would hamper a person's ability to run for state (representative). It's actually a ludicrous suggestion."
Grant said she was unaware that she was being recorded at the time and doesn't recall her specific wording.
The caller claimed to back U.S. House candidate Jeanne Ives -- Grant's predecessor in the 42nd State House District -- and told Grant he was interested in supporting her, too, she said. About halfway through the conversation, which lasted five to 10 minutes, Grant said, she realized "there's something wrong here."
Grant asked for the caller's name, wrote it down and "promptly lost it," she said. She also is unsure what phone number was used.
Democratic lawmakers have shared a different account, saying Grant had initiated the call as part of her fundraising efforts and knew the conversation was being recorded.
Grant says she believes the conversation would be interpreted differently if the full call was released.
"They're accusing me of being racist," she said, "and I'm not racist."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Death of 10-month-old infant investigated in Geneva

The Geneva Police Department and the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the death of a 10-month-old boy @ @ @ @ @ 5 a.m. on Tuesday , Geneva police and paramedics responded to a report of an @ @ @ @ @ 1100 block of East State Street .
A staff member at the BRIA of Geneva @ @ @ @ @ a woman brought the boy inside the facility seeking assistance .
According to a statement @ @ @ @ @ paramedics attempted to resuscitate the infant before transporting him to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in @ @ @ @ @ pronounced dead at the hospital .
Although the preliminary investigation focused on the death being @ @ @ @ @ have been filed .
Police said the family of the infant is cooperating with the @ @ @ @ @ coroner 's office will conduct an autopsy on Wednesday .

Death of 10-week-old infant investigated in Geneva
The Geneva Police Department and the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the death of a 10-week-old boy on Tuesday.
Just before 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Geneva police and paramedics responded to a report of an infant not breathing in the 1100 block of East State Street. A staff member at the BRIA of Geneva nursing home called 911 after a woman brought the boy inside the facility seeking assistance.
According to a statement from the Geneva police, paramedics attempted to resuscitate the infant before transporting him to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital in Geneva. The infant was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Although the preliminary investigation focused on the death being an accident and no charges have been filed. Police said the family of the infant is cooperating with the investigation.
The Kane County coroner's office will conduct an autopsy on Wednesday.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Waukegan resident fatally shoots two men he says tried to break into his house

A Waukegan resident fatally shot two men he said were trying to break into his house , authorities said Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ the scene in the 100 Block of Frolic Avenue at about 10 a.m. , they @ @ @ @ @ wounds dead in the front yard , according to a news release from the Waukegan @ @ @ @ @ resident told police at least one of the men was armed , the release said @ @ @ @ @ has n't released the names of the dead men .
Waukegan Police Commander Joe Florip @ @ @ @ @ of the suspects , nor details about the altercation that led to the shooting .
@ @ @ @ @ block of a Motel 6 that 's been the site of two murders last month @ @ @ @ @ , of Waukegan was shot fatally shot Sept. 8 , authorities said .
On Aug. @ @ @ @ @ shot to death at the same motel .
No arrests have been announced in either @ @

Waukegan resident fatally shoots two men he says tried to break into his house
A Waukegan resident fatally shot two men he said were trying to break into his house, authorities said Tuesday.
When officers arrived at the scene in the 100 Block of Frolic Avenue at about 10 a.m., they found two men with gunshot wounds dead in the front yard, according to a news release from the Waukegan Police Department.
The Waukegan resident told police at least one of the men was armed, the release said.
The Lake County coroner hasn't released the names of the dead men. Waukegan Police Commander Joe Florip didn't give the ages of the suspects, nor details about the altercation that led to the shooting.
The shooting occurred within a block of a Motel 6 that's been the site of two murders last month. John Cannon, 24, of Waukegan was shot fatally shot Sept. 8, authorities said. On Aug. 26, another man was shot to death at the same motel. No arrests have been announced in either shooting.
• Daily Herald news services contributed to this report.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Rick Rockets 'fuel center' could be coming to Buffalo Grove

It 's a fuel center , Rick Heidner of Heidner Properties , Inc. told the Buffalo Grove village board Monday , as he showed preliminary plans for a proposed Ricky Rockets development on the eastern edge of the village 's Lake-Cook Corridor .
`` We 're giving you everything we can for the day , '' Heidner said of the plan for the 7.6-acre parcel at 700 E. Lake-Cook Road .
The land currently is home to a 100,000 square-foot office building formerly occupied by a BMO Harris Bank .
The company decided not to renew its lease .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its place would be an 8,720-square-foot complex that includes the fuel center , convenience store and car wash , as well as an 8,550-square-foot retail building , a fast-food restaurant and a self-storage facility .
`` The big huge industrial building that is there is pretty much a dinosaur , '' Heidner said .
It would be the fifth Ricky Rockets in the suburbs and sixth in the country .
Two are in Hoffman Estates , and others are in South Elgin , Midlothian and Garland , Texas .
Heidner described the stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` rocket '' ride for the children .
He also expects a Dunkin ' Donuts on the site , since the store has either occupied or applied for space at the other Ricky Rockets .
Buffalo Grove trustees Monday referred Heidner 's proposal to the village 's planning and zoning commission for further consideration , including of a needed zoning change for the property .
However , they are hopeful the development could add some additional sales tax dollars to village coffers .
`` We 're going from a corner that did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tax-revenue-generating corner , '' Trustee Joanne Johnson said ,

Rick Rockets 'fuel center' could be coming to Buffalo Grove
Buffalo Grove village trustees got their first look Monday at a planned Ricky Rockets fuel center that will be the centerpiece of proposed redevelopment of 7.6 acres at 700 E. Lake-Cook Road. Courtesy of Village of Buffalo Grove
Don't call it a gas station.
It's a fuel center, Rick Heidner of Heidner Properties, Inc. told the Buffalo Grove village board Monday, as he showed preliminary plans for a proposed Ricky Rockets development on the eastern edge of the village's Lake-Cook Corridor.
"We're giving you everything we can for the day," Heidner said of the plan for the 7.6-acre parcel at 700 E. Lake-Cook Road.
The land currently is home to a 100,000 square-foot office building formerly occupied by a BMO Harris Bank. The company decided not to renew its lease.
That building would be demolished, and in its place would be an 8,720-square-foot complex that includes the fuel center, convenience store and car wash, as well as an 8,550-square-foot retail building, a fast-food restaurant and a self-storage facility.
"The big huge industrial building that is there is pretty much a dinosaur," Heidner said.
It would be the fifth Ricky Rockets in the suburbs and sixth in the country. Two are in Hoffman Estates, and others are in South Elgin, Midlothian and Garland, Texas.
Heidner described the stores as customer friendly, with a free "rocket" ride for the children. He also expects a Dunkin' Donuts on the site, since the store has either occupied or applied for space at the other Ricky Rockets.
Buffalo Grove trustees Monday referred Heidner's proposal to the village's planning and zoning commission for further consideration, including of a needed zoning change for the property.
However, they are hopeful the development could add some additional sales tax dollars to village coffers.
"We're going from a corner that did not generate any tax revenue now to a tax-revenue-generating corner," Trustee Joanne Johnson said,


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Round Lake Beach store among few Family Video locations in suburbs to survive the pandemic

Salena Albert knows her customers ' tastes and what to recommend for movie night , whether they have a penchant for shark movies , horror , action or chick flicks , children 's and family-friendly features , or binge-worthy TV shows .
`` We have a lot of regulars .
We know families by name , '' said Albert , manager of Family Video in Round Lake Beach .
That personal touch , she said , is one reason the store is among the last movie/game rental places left in the suburbs .
The nationwide chain headquartered in Glenview is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suburban Chicago market , due to declining demand and the coronavirus pandemic hurting business .
Its Lisle store was among the first to close amid the pandemic .
Stores in Antioch , Arlington Heights , Bolingbrook , Cary , Downers Grove , Glenview , Grayslake , Mundelein , Plainfield , Schaumburg and Wheeling will close by the end of October .
Stores in Belvidere , Homewood , Loves Park and Zion will remain open for now .
A remnant of a bygone era before online streaming services transformed the movie-rental experience and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open after giants like Blockbuster Video and Hollywood Video folded in 2010 .
Owned by the Hoogland family of Glenview , the chain has operated since 1978 , with many stores a part of those communities for years .
The focus is serving blue-collar customers who `` maybe did n't have tons of money , '' said Ryan Leaf , a Chicago-area district manager .
Stores are strategically placed near schools and community centers rather than strip malls and shopping centers .
Pandemic-related business shutdown hurt foot traffic -- down 40 % to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stores now targeted to close .
Stores in major metropolitan regions were hardest hit , while those in rural areas are hanging on .
`` People could n't come and rent from us so they got their entertainment from somewhere else , '' Leaf said .
`` We operate in 19 states , primarily in the Midwest .
After this closure , we will be down to 300 stores .
This is not a decision that was made lightly . ''
The company will now focus energy on its other brands that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Video 's parent company , Highland Ventures , operates more than 930 retail sites in the United States and Canada .
Its businesses include Hoogland Foods ( aka Marco 's Pizza ) , Stay Fit 24 , Highland Pure Water and Ice , and Legacy Commercial Properties .
What sets Family Video apart from its now-defunct competitors is patrons do n't need a credit card to open an account since there is no membership requirement , and its customer service -- something Redbox , Netflix or Hulu ca n't provide .
Its stores @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family-friendly events , such as free movie/pizza nights and ice cream and root beer float socials .
`` We do grass-roots events where we do things for the community every so often , '' said Albert , of Round Lake Beach .
`` We give away free movies for kids ' grades .
On Christmas and Easter , we give away hams and turkeys .
We do canned food drives ( and ) people who bring in canned foods get free movie rentals .
We did a coat drive last year .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
For a year , the Round Lake Beach store has been selling CBD ( cannabidiol ) products -- oil , bath bombs , water and herbal supplements -- free of THC , the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a high .
Albert said evolving to meet customers ' needs , such as offering older movies and TV shows that online services have stopped streaming , and low rental costs ( $ 2.99 for five nights ) , is what will keep the business alive .
`` As a company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ give customers choices and more options , '' Albert said .
`` If you stay stagnant and you do n't ever try to grow , there 's only so much you can do as a company to keep customers coming back .
There 's so many people who come in here that grew up with Family Video and now they bring their kids . ''

Round Lake Beach store among few Family Video locations in suburbs to survive the pandemic
Salena Albert knows her customers' tastes and what to recommend for movie night, whether they have a penchant for shark movies, horror, action or chick flicks, children's and family-friendly features, or binge-worthy TV shows.
"We have a lot of regulars. We know families by name," said Albert, manager of Family Video in Round Lake Beach. That personal touch, she said, is one reason the store is among the last movie/game rental places left in the suburbs.
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer Salena Albert, manager of the Round Lake Beach Family Video store, returns videos to a rental display Monday. Hers is among a handful of Family Video stores that will remain open in the Chicago area.
The nationwide chain headquartered in Glenview is shuttering 200 stores, including 20 in the suburban Chicago market, due to declining demand and the coronavirus pandemic hurting business. Its Lisle store was among the first to close amid the pandemic. Stores in Antioch, Arlington Heights, Bolingbrook, Cary, Downers Grove, Glenview, Grayslake, Mundelein, Plainfield, Schaumburg and Wheeling will close by the end of October.
Stores in Belvidere, Homewood, Loves Park and Zion will remain open for now.
A remnant of a bygone era before online streaming services transformed the movie-rental experience and viewing landscape, Family Video has stayed open after giants like Blockbuster Video and Hollywood Video folded in 2010.
Owned by the Hoogland family of Glenview, the chain has operated since 1978, with many stores a part of those communities for years. The focus is serving blue-collar customers who "maybe didn't have tons of money," said Ryan Leaf, a Chicago-area district manager.
Stores are strategically placed near schools and community centers rather than strip malls and shopping centers.
Pandemic-related business shutdown hurt foot traffic -- down 40% to 60% from pre-COVID patronage -- at stores now targeted to close. Stores in major metropolitan regions were hardest hit, while those in rural areas are hanging on.
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer The Family Video store on Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach is among a handful of suburban movie rental stores to remain open. The Glenview-based chain is closing 200 stores nationwide, including 20 in the Chicago area.
"People couldn't come and rent from us so they got their entertainment from somewhere else," Leaf said. "We operate in 19 states, primarily in the Midwest. After this closure, we will be down to 300 stores. This is not a decision that was made lightly."
The company will now focus energy on its other brands that are doing well, he said.
Family Video's parent company, Highland Ventures, operates more than 930 retail sites in the United States and Canada. Its businesses include Hoogland Foods (aka Marco's Pizza), Stay Fit 24, Highland Pure Water and Ice, and Legacy Commercial Properties.
What sets Family Video apart from its now-defunct competitors is patrons don't need a credit card to open an account since there is no membership requirement, and its customer service -- something Redbox, Netflix or Hulu can't provide. Its stores offer free children's sections and host family-friendly events, such as free movie/pizza nights and ice cream and root beer float socials.
"We do grass-roots events where we do things for the community every so often," said Albert, of Round Lake Beach. "We give away free movies for kids' grades. On Christmas and Easter, we give away hams and turkeys. We do canned food drives (and) people who bring in canned foods get free movie rentals. We did a coat drive last year. We try to be involved in the community."
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer The Family Video store on Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach will remain open as 20 stores in the Chicago area close by the end of October due to loss of business.
For a year, the Round Lake Beach store has been selling CBD (cannabidiol) products -- oil, bath bombs, water and herbal supplements -- free of THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a high.
Albert said evolving to meet customers' needs, such as offering older movies and TV shows that online services have stopped streaming, and low rental costs ($2.99 for five nights), is what will keep the business alive.
"As a company, Family Video has always tried to give customers choices and more options," Albert said. "If you stay stagnant and you don't ever try to grow, there's only so much you can do as a company to keep customers coming back. There's so many people who come in here that grew up with Family Video and now they bring their kids."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--How a Warren Township grad, undocumented immigrant is fighting to stop term 'illegal aliens'

He 's lobbied in the halls of Congress on behalf of undocumented immigrants , and briefly won a concession from the Library of Congress , but 25-year-old Oscar Cornejo Casares of Park City never forgets the fear and the dread of being separated from his family .
`` My brother and I went with the smuggler 's wife , '' says Cornejo Casares , who was age 5 when he and his 2-year-old brother crossed the border from their home in Mexico to San Diego 20 years ago with a female driver who had fake paperwork .
`` You have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ human smugglers -- strangers .
I was the one crying , but I told her it was my sibling .
I was scared .
I was afraid . ''
Now working on his doctoral degree at Northwestern University in Evanston after a distinguished undergraduate career at Dartmouth College , Cornejo Casares seems fearless .
But growing up , he told only his closest friends he was undocumented and feared a wrong move could split apart his family .
Sitting next to a laundry rack jutting out from an old car wheel in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he lives with his parents and three siblings , he says there is power in breaking the silence and speaking out about the humanity of undocumented immigrants .
He helped produce an award-winning documentary , recently released on Vermont Public Television , titled , `` Change the Subject , '' about the movement to rid libraries of the `` Illegal Aliens '' subject heading .
`` I 'm a privileged undocumented immigrant , but I want to help others , '' he says .
The specter of being discovered and deported hung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ academic career in Waukegan public schools .
His father , a clinical lab technician in Mexico , worked as a cook in the suburbs , and still does .
His mom , who trained to become a nurse in Mexico , stayed home with the four kids .
At the start of his fourth-grade year , his family moved to a different apartment in Park City that was in the more affluent Woodland Elementary District 50 and Warren Township High School in Gurnee .
`` That 's when I started to realize , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' remembers Cornejo Casares , who balanced his duty as an unofficial `` third parent '' with his school work .
`` I speak Spanish with my parents .
With my siblings , I speak English .
I sort of had to figure out everything when the school called , when the bank called , when the landlord called .
I was the translator for parent-teacher conferences .
I could very much be lying . ''
But the family had a dream .
`` Your job is to focus on academics .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said his father , who worked for a year picking vegetables and fruit in California to make enough money to hire the smugglers for his wife and kids .
`` They wanted me to go to college , but they did n't know how to get there , '' Cornejo Casares says of his parents .
That part of the family 's dream was made possible by the Schuler Scholar Program , a charity founded in 2001 by Jack Schuler and his daughter , Tanya Schuler Sharman , to help motivated students in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program , which graduates 93 % of its students from college and has 1,521 students in the program , accepted Cornejo Casares as one of their scholars at the start of his high school career .
`` We 're really proud of him , '' says Joanne Bertsch , managing director for the 15 partnership high schools in the Schuler Scholar program .
`` He 's driven .
He inspires others .
He 's articulate and someone who recognizes an opportunity to make a change . ''
In summer 2012 , Cornejo Casares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hanover , New Hampshire .
`` I did n't know Dartmouth existed until junior year of high school , '' he says .
While the Schuler group does n't give students money , the organization helped Cornejo Casares earn a full ride just as the Obama administration 's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals gave him protection against deportation .
`` I got my DACA the same week I got into Dartmouth and turned 18 , '' he remembers .
Cornejo Casares learned from Schuler `` how to buy an airplane ticket '' and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he caught a bus for the 3-hour ride to Hanover .
`` My parents never went to Dartmouth -- to drop me off , or graduation , '' he says , explaining how they were too scared they 'd be apprehended during the trip .
`` I started and ended by myself . ''
He started his college career with a bang , by founding a new student group now called CoFIRED , the Coalition for Immigration Reform & Equality at Dartmouth , which works for the rights of immigrants and undocumented students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I realized the empowerment of silence , and the necessity to break that silence , '' he says To make sure their demands for recognition and more services were heard , the group occupied the college president 's office for 2½ days .
`` That was the beginning of my political consciousness , '' Cornejo Casares says .
They not only made progress , they enlisted Dartmouth 's help in a fight to change the college library 's catalog subject heading of `` Illegal Aliens '' to `` Undocumented Immigrants . ''
Since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Library of Congress , Cornejo Casares and a handful of other activists petitioned the Library of Congress to change the subject heading they found pejorative and offensive .
Students went to Washington , D.C. , and met with Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Joaquin Castro of Texas .
The Library of Congress , which initially denied the request , agreed to the change after other colleges and the American Library Association joined the students ' efforts , noting the Library of Congress had abolished terms such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` lunatic '' and `` retarded . ''
But a Republican letter in opposition sent by U.S. Sens .
Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Ted Cruz of Texas and U.S. Reps. Lamar Smith and John A. Culberson of Texas to the Library of Congress in May 2016 kicked off a political firestorm and funding debate that resulted in the Library of Congress keeping `` Illegal Aliens '' as the subject heading , though the fight for change continues .
The documentary , `` Change the Subject , '' created by Cornejo Casares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sawyer Broadley , and librarian Jill Baron , can be viewed for free by visiting vermontpbs.org and searching for `` Change the Subject . ''
Cornejo Casares is in his fourth year at Northwestern University , where he plans to finish his Ph.D. in the `` sociology of law , race and migration '' in 2023 .
He longs for the day when undocumented immigrants have a path to citizenship .
`` I would not have had that fear and terror of possible family separation .
I would n't have had the dread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says , adding that he wants to be a U.S. citizen .
`` It would affirm a lot of what I already believe .
I am a member of this society .
I 've contributed .
I belong here . ''

How a Warren Township grad, undocumented immigrant is fighting to stop term 'illegal aliens'
He's lobbied in the halls of Congress on behalf of undocumented immigrants, and briefly won a concession from the Library of Congress, but 25-year-old Oscar Cornejo Casares of Park City never forgets the fear and the dread of being separated from his family.
"My brother and I went with the smuggler's wife," says Cornejo Casares, who was age 5 when he and his 2-year-old brother crossed the border from their home in Mexico to San Diego 20 years ago with a female driver who had fake paperwork. "You have two children left to the devices of human smugglers -- strangers. I was the one crying, but I told her it was my sibling. I was scared. I was afraid."
Now working on his doctoral degree at Northwestern University in Evanston after a distinguished undergraduate career at Dartmouth College, Cornejo Casares seems fearless. But growing up, he told only his closest friends he was undocumented and feared a wrong move could split apart his family.
Sitting next to a laundry rack jutting out from an old car wheel in the yard of the Park City mobile home where he lives with his parents and three siblings, he says there is power in breaking the silence and speaking out about the humanity of undocumented immigrants.
He helped produce an award-winning documentary, recently released on Vermont Public Television, titled, "Change the Subject," about the movement to rid libraries of the "Illegal Aliens" subject heading.
"I'm a privileged undocumented immigrant, but I want to help others," he says.
As a child in Mexico, Oscar Cornejo Casares lived in economic and political turmoil until his parents paid smugglers to bring the 5-year-old to the United States. - Courtesy of Oscar Cornejo Casares
The specter of being discovered and deported hung over his childhood as he started his academic career in Waukegan public schools. His father, a clinical lab technician in Mexico, worked as a cook in the suburbs, and still does. His mom, who trained to become a nurse in Mexico, stayed home with the four kids.
At the start of his fourth-grade year, his family moved to a different apartment in Park City that was in the more affluent Woodland Elementary District 50 and Warren Township High School in Gurnee.
"That's when I started to realize, 'Oh, I'm different,'" remembers Cornejo Casares, who balanced his duty as an unofficial "third parent" with his school work. "I speak Spanish with my parents. With my siblings, I speak English. I sort of had to figure out everything when the school called, when the bank called, when the landlord called. I was the translator for parent-teacher conferences. I could very much be lying."
But the family had a dream.
"Your job is to focus on academics. This is why we came here," said his father, who worked for a year picking vegetables and fruit in California to make enough money to hire the smugglers for his wife and kids.
Only 5 years old when he was smuggled into the United States, Mexican native Oscar Cornejo Casares discovered snow when he got to Waukegan. - Courtesy of Oscar Cornejo Casares
"They wanted me to go to college, but they didn't know how to get there," Cornejo Casares says of his parents.
That part of the family's dream was made possible by the Schuler Scholar Program, a charity founded in 2001 by Jack Schuler and his daughter, Tanya Schuler Sharman, to help motivated students in need reach their college goals. That program, which graduates 93% of its students from college and has 1,521 students in the program, accepted Cornejo Casares as one of their scholars at the start of his high school career.
"We're really proud of him," says Joanne Bertsch, managing director for the 15 partnership high schools in the Schuler Scholar program. "He's driven. He inspires others. He's articulate and someone who recognizes an opportunity to make a change."
In summer 2012, Cornejo Casares attended a camp at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
"I didn't know Dartmouth existed until junior year of high school," he says. While the Schuler group doesn't give students money, the organization helped Cornejo Casares earn a full ride just as the Obama administration's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals gave him protection against deportation. "I got my DACA the same week I got into Dartmouth and turned 18," he remembers.
Cornejo Casares learned from Schuler "how to buy an airplane ticket" and flew from Milwaukee to Boston, where he caught a bus for the 3-hour ride to Hanover. "My parents never went to Dartmouth -- to drop me off, or graduation," he says, explaining how they were too scared they'd be apprehended during the trip. "I started and ended by myself."
His parents were too scared of deportation to attend his graduation from Dartmouth College, but Oscar Cornejo Casares of Park City has become an activist for the rights of undocumented immigrants. - Courtesy of Oscar Cornejo Casares
He started his college career with a bang, by founding a new student group now called CoFIRED, the Coalition for Immigration Reform & Equality at Dartmouth, which works for the rights of immigrants and undocumented students.
"It wasn't until college I realized the empowerment of silence, and the necessity to break that silence," he says
To make sure their demands for recognition and more services were heard, the group occupied the college president's office for 2½ days. "That was the beginning of my political consciousness," Cornejo Casares says.
They not only made progress, they enlisted Dartmouth's help in a fight to change the college library's catalog subject heading of "Illegal Aliens" to "Undocumented Immigrants." Since all libraries use the subject headings set by the Library of Congress, Cornejo Casares and a handful of other activists petitioned the Library of Congress to change the subject heading they found pejorative and offensive. Students went to Washington, D.C., and met with Democratic U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida and Joaquin Castro of Texas.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer Earning his doctoral degree at Northwestern University, Oscar Cornejo Casares lives in his family's Park City mobile home, and continues to work on immigration issues.
The Library of Congress, which initially denied the request, agreed to the change after other colleges and the American Library Association joined the students' efforts, noting the Library of Congress had abolished terms such as "Negro," "Oriental," "lunatic" and "retarded."
But a Republican letter in opposition sent by U.S. Sens. Jeff Sessions of Alabama and Ted Cruz of Texas and U.S. Reps. Lamar Smith and John A. Culberson of Texas to the Library of Congress in May 2016 kicked off a political firestorm and funding debate that resulted in the Library of Congress keeping "Illegal Aliens" as the subject heading, though the fight for change continues.
The documentary, "Change the Subject," created by Cornejo Casares, fellow student Melissa Padilla, filmmaker Sawyer Broadley, and librarian Jill Baron, can be viewed for free by visiting vermontpbs.org and searching for "Change the Subject."
Cornejo Casares is in his fourth year at Northwestern University, where he plans to finish his Ph.D. in the "sociology of law, race and migration" in 2023. He longs for the day when undocumented immigrants have a path to citizenship.
"I would not have had that fear and terror of possible family separation. I wouldn't have had the dread of the apocalypse coming," he says, adding that he wants to be a U.S. citizen. "It would affirm a lot of what I already believe. I am a member of this society. I've contributed. I belong here."
bconstable@dailyherald.com


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Naperville rally speakers keep pressure on for schools to reopen

Their family circumstances may all be different , and their remote learning experiences have varied .
But the hundreds of community members who congregated Monday night in downtown Naperville shared a common rallying cry : Get students back in the classrooms and on athletic fields .
A group of Naperville-area parents organized the demonstration to urge their local school systems -- Naperville Unit District 203 and the neighboring Indian Prairie Unit District 204 -- to transition from e-learning to an in-person instructional model as quickly as possible .
Word of their efforts spread , drawing like-minded parents , educators , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suburbs .
`` The people who we should be putting the focus on are our children , and they 're getting shoved to the side by people saying , 'We ca n't do it , ' rather than , 'How can we do it ? '
'' District 203 mom and rally organizer Ann Marie Tracy said .
`` We need to change this .
We need to get our schools back open . ''
E-learning started Sept. 1 for District 203 , with District 204 following suit Sept. 3 .
Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now turning their attention toward bringing students back into the buildings safely , starting as early as next month for some groups .
But they stressed the need to practice caution and follow public health protocols as they implement their back-to-school strategies .
Parents , students and other community members asked for more transparency and a greater sense of urgency among school leaders .
Many argued the classroom experience offers social , emotional , academic and mental health benefits that ca n't be replicated in a remote setting .
`` We need stimulation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , not dishonesty .
We need community instead of control , '' said District 203 parent Jacklyn Cook , who also helped to organize the demonstration .
The timing of Monday 's rally at Rotary Hill was intended to bleed into the start of a District 203 school board meeting across the street at Naperville Central High School , where several parents voiced frustrations with the e-learning model .
They asked district leaders to reinstate their original plan to give families a choice between some in-person learning and an online-only option for those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school .
Districts 203 and 204 were among the many school systems that scaled back their reopening plans this summer due to evolving coronavirus conditions and updated guidance from state health and education officials .
Students with special needs and families with single or working parents are among those that may be particularly vulnerable to the challenges of e-learning , rally participants said .
Kelly Gillenwater , the parent of a Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 senior with epilepsy , said the schools are not adequately serving students who have individualized education plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend of seizure disorders , '' she said .
`` The brain drain of staring and not being able to engage with teachers and classmates is exhausting and makes him very tired , some days so much so that he sleeps during lunch and misses classes and appointments . ''
Some speakers also advocated for allowing students to participate in athletic programs , saying it teaches discipline , time management and leadership skills .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker reiterated during a news conference Monday that high school football and other contact sports are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the advice of medical experts and a `` relatively high '' positivity rate of about 3.5 % .
`` We know our own sports , so leave it up to us to determine how risky they are , '' said Ella Woltman , a freshman at St. Laurence Catholic High School in Burbank .
Her school is using a hybrid schedule , where she alternates between learning from home and in the classroom , but her volleyball season has been moved to the spring .
`` It ( reopening school ) can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your administration should fight for it . ''
In DuPage County , the number of COVID-19 tests that come back positive has been trending higher than the state average , according to the state and county health departments .
From Sept. 6 to 12 , the county averaged a 5.7 % positivity rate and reported 75 infections per 100,000 people , though county health data shows the positivity rate has since been declining .
Some private schools , nearby districts and surrounding states have welcomed students back to their schools and athletic programs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to question why their kids ca n't do the same .
`` We really feel it 's in the best interest of our children to have them back in the classroom , '' she said .
`` We 're not going to just sit by the sidelines anymore .
We 're going to demand a better option . ''

Naperville rally speakers keep pressure on for schools to reopen
Their family circumstances may all be different, and their remote learning experiences have varied. But the hundreds of community members who congregated Monday night in downtown Naperville shared a common rallying cry: Get students back in the classrooms and on athletic fields.
A group of Naperville-area parents organized the demonstration to urge their local school systems -- Naperville Unit District 203 and the neighboring Indian Prairie Unit District 204 -- to transition from e-learning to an in-person instructional model as quickly as possible. Word of their efforts spread, drawing like-minded parents, educators, students and other participants from districts across the suburbs.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer A person dressed as the Grim Reaper carries a sign urging schools to reopen for in-person learning.
"The people who we should be putting the focus on are our children, and they're getting shoved to the side by people saying, 'We can't do it,' rather than, 'How can we do it?'" District 203 mom and rally organizer Ann Marie Tracy said. "We need to change this. We need to get our schools back open."
E-learning started Sept. 1 for District 203, with District 204 following suit Sept. 3. Both districts' superintendents have said they're now turning their attention toward bringing students back into the buildings safely, starting as early as next month for some groups. But they stressed the need to practice caution and follow public health protocols as they implement their back-to-school strategies.
Parents, students and other community members asked for more transparency and a greater sense of urgency among school leaders. Many argued the classroom experience offers social, emotional, academic and mental health benefits that can't be replicated in a remote setting.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer The hundreds of people who gathered Monday at Rotary Hill in downtown Naperville shared a rallying cry: Get students back in school.
"We need stimulation, not isolation. We need data, not dishonesty. We need community instead of control," said District 203 parent Jacklyn Cook, who also helped to organize the demonstration.
The timing of Monday's rally at Rotary Hill was intended to bleed into the start of a District 203 school board meeting across the street at Naperville Central High School, where several parents voiced frustrations with the e-learning model. They asked district leaders to reinstate their original plan to give families a choice between some in-person learning and an online-only option for those who don't feel comfortable returning to school.
Districts 203 and 204 were among the many school systems that scaled back their reopening plans this summer due to evolving coronavirus conditions and updated guidance from state health and education officials.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer Naperville Unit District 203 parent Jacklyn Cook was among the organizers of a rally for sending students back to the classroom for in-person learning. Hundreds of community members gathered Monday in downtown Naperville to show their support.
Students with special needs and families with single or working parents are among those that may be particularly vulnerable to the challenges of e-learning, rally participants said. Kelly Gillenwater, the parent of a Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 senior with epilepsy, said the schools are not adequately serving students who have individualized education plans.
"Screen time is not a friend of seizure disorders," she said. "The brain drain of staring and not being able to engage with teachers and classmates is exhausting and makes him very tired, some days so much so that he sleeps during lunch and misses classes and appointments."
Some speakers also advocated for allowing students to participate in athletic programs, saying it teaches discipline, time management and leadership skills. Gov. J.B. Pritzker reiterated during a news conference Monday that high school football and other contact sports are unlikely to begin this fall, citing the advice of medical experts and a "relatively high" positivity rate of about 3.5%.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer A person dressed as the Grim Reaper walks among the crowd at a rally to support in-person learning at Naperville-area schools Monday.
"We know our own sports, so leave it up to us to determine how risky they are," said Ella Woltman, a freshman at St. Laurence Catholic High School in Burbank. Her school is using a hybrid schedule, where she alternates between learning from home and in the classroom, but her volleyball season has been moved to the spring.
"It (reopening school) can be done," she shouted. "Your administration should fight for it."
In DuPage County, the number of COVID-19 tests that come back positive has been trending higher than the state average, according to the state and county health departments. From Sept. 6 to 12, the county averaged a 5.7% positivity rate and reported 75 infections per 100,000 people, though county health data shows the positivity rate has since been declining.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer A couple holds a "Don't tread on me" flag at a rally to support in-person learning Monday across the street from Naperville Central High School. The flag was originally designed during the American Revolution.
Some private schools, nearby districts and surrounding states have welcomed students back to their schools and athletic programs, Tracy said, causing Naperville-area parents to question why their kids can't do the same.
"We really feel it's in the best interest of our children to have them back in the classroom," she said. "We're not going to just sit by the sidelines anymore. We're going to demand a better option."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--U.S. death toll from coronavirus hits 200,000

The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 200,000 Tuesday , by far the highest in the world , hitting the once-unimaginable threshold six weeks before an election that is certain to be a referendum in part on President Donald Trump 's handling of the crisis .
`` It is completely unfathomable that we 've reached this point , '' said Jennifer Nuzzo , a Johns Hopkins University public health researcher , eight months after the scourge first reached the world 's richest nation , with its state-of-the-art laboratories , top-flight scientists and stockpiles of medical supplies .
The number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack every day for 67 days .
It is roughly equal to the population of Salt Lake City or Huntsville , Alabama .
And it is still climbing .
Deaths are running at close to 770 a day on average , and a widely cited model from the University of Washington predicts the U.S. toll will double to 400,000 by the end of the year as schools and colleges reopen and cold weather sets in .
A vaccine is unlikely to become widely available until 2021 .
`` The idea of 200,000 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respects stunning , '' Dr. Anthony Fauci , the government 's top infectious-disease expert , said on CNN .
The bleak milestone was reported by Johns Hopkins , based on figures supplied by state health authorities .
But the real toll is thought to be much higher , in part because many COVID-19 deaths were probably ascribed to other causes , especially early on , before widespread testing .
In an interview Tuesday with a Detroit TV station , Trump boasted of doing an `` amazing '' and `` incredible '' job against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech at a virtual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly , he lashed out at Beijing over what he called `` the China virus '' and demanded that it be held accountable for having `` unleashed this plague onto the world . ''
China 's ambassador rejected the accusations as baseless .
For five months , America has led the world by far in sheer numbers of confirmed infections ( nearly 6.9 million as of Tuesday ) and deaths .
The U.S. has less than 5 % of the globe 's population but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths .
Brazil is No .
2 with about 137,000 deaths , followed by India with approximately 89,000 and Mexico with around 74,000 .
Only five countries -- Peru , Bolivia , Chile , Spain and Brazil -- rank higher in COVID-19 deaths per capita .
`` All the world 's leaders took the same test , and some have succeeded and some have failed , '' said Dr. Cedric Dark , an emergency physician at Baylor College of Medicine in hard-hit Houston .
`` In the case of our country , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and American Indians have accounted for a disproportionate share of the deaths , underscoring the economic and health care disparities in the U.S. Worldwide , the virus has infected more than 31 million people and is closing in fast on 1 million deaths , with over 965,000 lives lost , by Johns Hopkins ' count , though the real numbers are believed to be higher because of gaps in testing and reporting .
For the U.S. , it was n't supposed to go this way .
When the year began , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a pandemic .
Health officials seemed confident as they converged on Seattle in January to deal with the country 's first known case of the coronavirus , in a 35-year-old Washington state resident who had returned from visiting his family in Wuhan , China .
On Feb. 26 , Trump held up pages from the Global Health Security Index , a measure of readiness for health crises , and declared : `` The United States is rated No .
1 most prepared . ''
It was true .
The U.S. outranked the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Besides its labs , experts and strategic stockpiles , the U.S. could boast of its disease trackers and plans for rapidly communicating lifesaving information during a crisis .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was respected around the world for sending help to fight infectious diseases .
But monitoring at airports was loose .
Travel bans came too late .
Only later did health officials realize the virus could spread before symptoms show up , rendering screening imperfect .
The virus also swept into nursing homes and exploited poor infection controls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the same time , gaps in leadership led to shortages of testing supplies .
Internal warnings to ramp up production of masks were ignored , leaving states to compete for protective gear .
Trump downplayed the threat early on , advanced unfounded notions about the behavior of the virus , promoted unproven or dangerous treatments , complained that too much testing was making the U.S. look bad , and disdained masks , turning face coverings into a political issue .
On April 10 , the president predicted the U.S. would n't see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ May 27 .
Nowhere was the lack of leadership seen as more crucial than in testing , a key to breaking the chain of contagion .
`` We have from the very beginning lacked a national testing strategy , '' Nuzzo said .
`` For reasons I ca n't truly fathom we 've refused to develop one . ''
Roberto Tobias Jr. , a 17-year-old from Queens in New York City , lost his mother and father to COVID-19 a month apart in the spring .
He and his sister also contracted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applying to college , hoping to get into Columbia University and become a neurosurgeon .
`` Because it 's just me and my sister , we sort of have to rely on each other , '' he said .
`` We were the only blood left . ''
The real number of dead from the crisis could be significantly higher : As many as 215,000 more people than usual died in the U.S. from all causes during the first seven months of 2020 , according to CDC figures .
The death toll from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at about 150,000 by Johns Hopkins .
Researchers suspect some coronavirus deaths were overlooked , while other deaths may have been caused indirectly by the crisis , by creating such turmoil that people with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease were unable or unwilling to get treatment .
Dark , the emergency physician at Baylor , said that before the crisis , `` people used to look to the United States with a degree of reverence .
For democracy .
For our moral leadership in the world .
Supporting science and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
`` Instead , '' he said , `` what 's really been exposed is how anti-science we 've become . ''
Associated Press writer Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this story .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute 's Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

U.S. death toll from coronavirus hits 200,000
Workers move bodies to a refrigerated truck from the Andrew T. Cleckley Funeral Home in the Brooklyn borough of New York. During the deadliest days of the coronavirus outbreak in New York City, the bodies piled up at the funeral home -- and the stench that came with it -- at an alarming rate. Cleckley says what happened next made him the scapegoat for an unforeseen crisis -- hundreds of COVID-19 deaths a day in New York that overwhelmed funeral homes across the city. Authorities swept in and suspended his license in an episode that made headlines in a city already reeling from other horrors of the pandemic. Associated Press/April 29, 2020
The U.S. death toll from the coronavirus topped 200,000 Tuesday, by far the highest in the world, hitting the once-unimaginable threshold six weeks before an election that is certain to be a referendum in part on President Donald Trump's handling of the crisis.
"It is completely unfathomable that we've reached this point," said Jennifer Nuzzo, a Johns Hopkins University public health researcher, eight months after the scourge first reached the world's richest nation, with its state-of-the-art laboratories, top-flight scientists and stockpiles of medical supplies.
The number of dead is equivalent to a 9/11 attack every day for 67 days. It is roughly equal to the population of Salt Lake City or Huntsville, Alabama.
And it is still climbing. Deaths are running at close to 770 a day on average, and a widely cited model from the University of Washington predicts the U.S. toll will double to 400,000 by the end of the year as schools and colleges reopen and cold weather sets in. A vaccine is unlikely to become widely available until 2021.
"The idea of 200,000 deaths is really very sobering, in some respects stunning," Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious-disease expert, said on CNN.
The bleak milestone was reported by Johns Hopkins, based on figures supplied by state health authorities. But the real toll is thought to be much higher, in part because many COVID-19 deaths were probably ascribed to other causes, especially early on, before widespread testing.
In an interview Tuesday with a Detroit TV station, Trump boasted of doing an "amazing" and "incredible" job against the scourge.
And in a pre-recorded speech at a virtual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, he lashed out at Beijing over what he called "the China virus" and demanded that it be held accountable for having "unleashed this plague onto the world." China's ambassador rejected the accusations as baseless.
For five months, America has led the world by far in sheer numbers of confirmed infections (nearly 6.9 million as of Tuesday) and deaths. The U.S. has less than 5% of the globe's population but more than 20% of the reported deaths.
Brazil is No. 2 with about 137,000 deaths, followed by India with approximately 89,000 and Mexico with around 74,000. Only five countries -- Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Spain and Brazil -- rank higher in COVID-19 deaths per capita.
"All the world's leaders took the same test, and some have succeeded and some have failed," said Dr. Cedric Dark, an emergency physician at Baylor College of Medicine in hard-hit Houston. "In the case of our country, we failed miserably."
Blacks, Hispanics and American Indians have accounted for a disproportionate share of the deaths, underscoring the economic and health care disparities in the U.S.
Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 31 million people and is closing in fast on 1 million deaths, with over 965,000 lives lost, by Johns Hopkins' count, though the real numbers are believed to be higher because of gaps in testing and reporting.
For the U.S., it wasn't supposed to go this way.
When the year began, the U.S. had recently garnered recognition for its readiness for a pandemic. Health officials seemed confident as they converged on Seattle in January to deal with the country's first known case of the coronavirus, in a 35-year-old Washington state resident who had returned from visiting his family in Wuhan, China.
On Feb. 26, Trump held up pages from the Global Health Security Index, a measure of readiness for health crises, and declared: "The United States is rated No. 1 most prepared."
It was true. The U.S. outranked the 194 other countries in the index. Besides its labs, experts and strategic stockpiles, the U.S. could boast of its disease trackers and plans for rapidly communicating lifesaving information during a crisis. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was respected around the world for sending help to fight infectious diseases.
But monitoring at airports was loose. Travel bans came too late. Only later did health officials realize the virus could spread before symptoms show up, rendering screening imperfect. The virus also swept into nursing homes and exploited poor infection controls, claiming more than 78,000 lives.
At the same time, gaps in leadership led to shortages of testing supplies. Internal warnings to ramp up production of masks were ignored, leaving states to compete for protective gear.
Trump downplayed the threat early on, advanced unfounded notions about the behavior of the virus, promoted unproven or dangerous treatments, complained that too much testing was making the U.S. look bad, and disdained masks, turning face coverings into a political issue.
On April 10, the president predicted the U.S. wouldn't see 100,000 deaths. That milestone was reached May 27.
Nowhere was the lack of leadership seen as more crucial than in testing, a key to breaking the chain of contagion.
"We have from the very beginning lacked a national testing strategy," Nuzzo said. "For reasons I can't truly fathom we've refused to develop one."
Roberto Tobias Jr., a 17-year-old from Queens in New York City, lost his mother and father to COVID-19 a month apart in the spring. He and his sister also contracted the virus but recovered. Tobias is now applying to college, hoping to get into Columbia University and become a neurosurgeon.
"Because it's just me and my sister, we sort of have to rely on each other," he said. "We were the only blood left."
The real number of dead from the crisis could be significantly higher: As many as 215,000 more people than usual died in the U.S. from all causes during the first seven months of 2020, according to CDC figures. The death toll from COVID-19 during the same period was put at about 150,000 by Johns Hopkins.
Researchers suspect some coronavirus deaths were overlooked, while other deaths may have been caused indirectly by the crisis, by creating such turmoil that people with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease were unable or unwilling to get treatment.
Dark, the emergency physician at Baylor, said that before the crisis, "people used to look to the United States with a degree of reverence. For democracy. For our moral leadership in the world. Supporting science and using technology to travel to the moon."
"Instead," he said, "what's really been exposed is how anti-science we've become."
Associated Press writer Kelli Kennedy in Miami contributed to this story.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Chicago sets up guidelines for winter outdoor dining

Chicago has issued new guidelines for businesses that want to get a jump on setting up their own pandemic-friendly spaces @ @ @ @ @ take-aways from the guidelines include : • Temporary outdoor structures that hold multiple parties must @ @ @ @ @ of the sides open to allow air flow .
• Enclosed structures , such as @ @ @ @ @ used for individual parties and must have adequate ventilation to allow for air circulation .
@ @ @ @ @ chicago.suntimes.com .

Chicago sets up guidelines for winter outdoor dining
Chicago has issued new guidelines for businesses that want to get a jump on setting up their own pandemic-friendly spaces.
Some of the key take-aways from the guidelines include:
• Temporary outdoor structures that hold multiple parties must have at least 50% of the sides open to allow air flow.
• Enclosed structures, such as plastic domes, may be used for individual parties and must have adequate ventilation to allow for air circulation.
Get the full report at chicago.suntimes.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Proposed DuPage County budget won't raise property taxes

Saying DuPage has worked to `` trim costs wherever possible , '' county board Chairman Dan Cronin is proposing a fiscal 2021 budget that does n't include a property tax increase for homeowners .
Cronin unveiled the proposed $ 479.7 million spending plan Tuesday .
It calls for DuPage 's property tax levy to be $ 69 million , which represents a slight increase to capture new construction in the county being added to the property tax rolls .
However , the property tax rate remains flat and the average DuPage homeowner will not see an increase in their property @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a pandemic is difficult , painstaking work , '' Cronin said .
`` Never have we been asked to squeeze as much value from our tax dollars as we have today .
This year , in particular , people 's lives depend on us making the right investments . ''
Cronin presented his budget proposal during a 24-minute speech to county board members .
The proposed spending plan sets aside $ 177.9 million for the DuPage 's general revenue fund , which includes the budgets of most county offices and departments .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the $ 183.8 million that was allotted for fiscal 2020 .
In their budget presentations to the county board , State 's Attorney Bob Berlin and Sheriff Jim Mendrick highlighted rising crime rates in the county .
County officials say Cronin 's spending plan focuses on public safety investments , including three specialized prosecution units for the state 's attorney 's office and a training initiative on policing in a diverse society for the sheriff 's office .
Reflecting this , the 2021 budget recommends a $ 1.2 million increase to raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 47.3 million .
Meanwhile an increase of $ 524,066 has been proposed for the state 's attorney 's office to bump its budget to about $ 10.2 million .
Cronin also highlighted the distribution of $ 161 million in federal Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act dollars to the community .
This includes $ 16.5 million to the DuPage County Health Department to continue the fight against COVID-19 .
The money will support COVID testing , contact tracing , purchases of personal protective equipment , and preparations for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and public safety are my most important priorities '' Cronin said .
`` This budget reflects my determination to do all we can to protect those living , working and raising families here . ''
Cronin offered praise for the team effort throughout county government to craft the proposed 2021 budget .
Cronin also thanked finance committee Chairman Robert Larsen of Wheaton who `` worked out the nitty-gritty details . ''
`` Nobody could have anticipated what we faced in 2020 , '' said Larsen about the county being confronted with issues ranging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hire a new chief financial officer in the middle of a financial crisis ( Jeff Martynowicz now has the job ) .
Larsen is set to lead a virtual meeting on the proposed 2021 budget with the 17 other board members on Tuesday , Sept. 29 .
County board members have until Nov. 30 to approve a budget for the 2021 fiscal year , which begins Dec. 1 .
Officials said a vote on the budget is expected to happen during the board 's Nov. 24 meeting .

Proposed DuPage County budget won't raise property taxes
Saying DuPage has worked to "trim costs wherever possible," county board Chairman Dan Cronin is proposing a fiscal 2021 budget that doesn't include a property tax increase for homeowners.
Cronin unveiled the proposed $479.7 million spending plan Tuesday. It calls for DuPage's property tax levy to be $69 million, which represents a slight increase to capture new construction in the county being added to the property tax rolls.
However, the property tax rate remains flat and the average DuPage homeowner will not see an increase in their property tax bill.
"Balancing a budget during a pandemic is difficult, painstaking work," Cronin said. "Never have we been asked to squeeze as much value from our tax dollars as we have today. This year, in particular, people's lives depend on us making the right investments."
Cronin presented his budget proposal during a 24-minute speech to county board members.
The proposed spending plan sets aside $177.9 million for the DuPage's general revenue fund, which includes the budgets of most county offices and departments. It's about a 3 percent reduction from the $183.8 million that was allotted for fiscal 2020.
In their budget presentations to the county board, State's Attorney Bob Berlin and Sheriff Jim Mendrick highlighted rising crime rates in the county.
County officials say Cronin's spending plan focuses on public safety investments, including three specialized prosecution units for the state's attorney's office and a training initiative on policing in a diverse society for the sheriff's office.
Reflecting this, the 2021 budget recommends a $1.2 million increase to raise the sheriff's office's budget to $47.3 million. Meanwhile an increase of $524,066 has been proposed for the state's attorney's office to bump its budget to about $10.2 million.
Cronin also highlighted the distribution of $161 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act dollars to the community. This includes $16.5 million to the DuPage County Health Department to continue the fight against COVID-19. The money will support COVID testing, contact tracing, purchases of personal protective equipment, and preparations for a mass vaccination program.
"Public health and public safety are my most important priorities" Cronin said. "This budget reflects my determination to do all we can to protect those living, working and raising families here."
Cronin offered praise for the team effort throughout county government to craft the proposed 2021 budget. Cronin also thanked finance committee Chairman Robert Larsen of Wheaton who "worked out the nitty-gritty details."
"Nobody could have anticipated what we faced in 2020," said Larsen about the county being confronted with issues ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to the need to hire a new chief financial officer in the middle of a financial crisis (Jeff Martynowicz now has the job).
Larsen is set to lead a virtual meeting on the proposed 2021 budget with the 17 other board members on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
County board members have until Nov. 30 to approve a budget for the 2021 fiscal year, which begins Dec. 1.
Officials said a vote on the budget is expected to happen during the board's Nov. 24 meeting.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-22--Nine suburban districts started school in person. How are they faring against COVID-19?

It took all summer for Butler Elementary District 53 in Oak Brook to get ready for students to return to the classroom this fall .
Some students opted for remote learning , but about 60 % of them returned to the schools .
They started with half days , and more than a week ago began all-day in-person learning .
The district has been able to avoid any cases of COVID-19 among students , faculty and staff , something Superintendent Paul O'Malley chalks up to the summerlong preparations .
`` Overall , to date , it 's been pretty successful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of nine suburban public school districts that started the school year with in-person learning .
Administrators in several of the nine , which tend to have smaller student populations than many in the suburbs , report their districts remain free of COVID-19 .
One , Itasca Elementary District 10 , is reporting four staff members and as many as five students have contracted the disease since school started Aug. 20 .
All the cases were contracted out of school , administrators said .
Northbrook Elementary District 28 officials notified parents Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested positive .
When that happens , state guidelines require that anyone who is within six feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes must quarantine for 14 days or until medically cleared .
Rooms have to be deep-cleaned and health departments are also notified .
`` Yes , we have received reports of COVID-19 cases associated with schools -- several individual cases and some clusters .
Although this is unfortunate , it is not a surprise due to the high levels of community transmission , '' said Karen Ayala , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is not making that data public .
`` We are not releasing individual school information at this time , since schools are communicating directly with their students , staff , and families , '' she said .
Experiences of the nine districts come into focus as more schools that initially started classes remotely transition to in-person learning .
Elmhurst Unit District 205 , for instance , returned some students to classrooms this week .
Even the schools that have opened their doors offer remote learning for families concerned about health risks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ households , or for those who might be quarantining .
School officials say they are firm in removing symptomatic individuals from campus .
`` You ca n't let your guard down , '' said John Butts , superintendent at Medinah Elementary District 11 .
`` You have to have a really good relationship with the health department and follow all the guidance . ''
Administrators say it 's taken vigilance and extra effort at every level to keep students in classrooms .
`` Our teachers have been working extraordinarily hard and had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are educating students , '' said Jenny Wojcik , Superintendent of Rondout Elementary District 72 in Lake Forest .
`` It 's been one of the most complex working environments I 've dealt with in all my years . ''
O'Malley said some at District 53 have stayed home or been sent home because of possible exposure to the disease .
`` But none have resulted in positive cases of COVID , '' he said .
Other suburban districts that began the year offering full-time , in-person learning were Grass Lake Elementary District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 12 , Rosemont Elementary District 78 and West Northfield Elementary District 31 .
There were no plans for those districts to halt in-person learning , administrators said .
`` It 's going well , '' Rosemont Elementary Principal Laurie Kovalcik said .
`` It 's a year like no other , but the kids are so happy to be back , and Aug. 18 was one of the most rewarding openings of school I 've had , I 'll tell you that . ''
More school districts are announcing plans to bring students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks , either through a combination of in-person and remote learning or full-time , in-class sessions .
Administrators at the districts that have been operating in-person programs all along say communication is key , especially with parents .
`` It 's all about building that partnership with the parents , '' Wojcik said .
`` They 're front line .
They 've got to know the plan and how to monitor . ''

Nine suburban districts started school in person. How are they faring against COVID-19?
It took all summer for Butler Elementary District 53 in Oak Brook to get ready for students to return to the classroom this fall.
Some students opted for remote learning, but about 60% of them returned to the schools. They started with half days, and more than a week ago began all-day in-person learning. The district has been able to avoid any cases of COVID-19 among students, faculty and staff, something Superintendent Paul O'Malley chalks up to the summerlong preparations.
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer Katie Myers teaches English on Thursday at Butler Junior High School in Oak Brook.
"Overall, to date, it's been pretty successful," he said.
District 53 is one of nine suburban public school districts that started the school year with in-person learning. Administrators in several of the nine, which tend to have smaller student populations than many in the suburbs, report their districts remain free of COVID-19. One, Itasca Elementary District 10, is reporting four staff members and as many as five students have contracted the disease since school started Aug. 20. All the cases were contracted out of school, administrators said.
Northbrook Elementary District 28 officials notified parents Tuesday that one person at Greenbriar Elementary has tested positive.
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer Students learn in person and online at Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook.
When that happens, state guidelines require that anyone who is within six feet of an infected person for more than 15 minutes must quarantine for 14 days or until medically cleared. Rooms have to be deep-cleaned and health departments are also notified.
"Yes, we have received reports of COVID-19 cases associated with schools -- several individual cases and some clusters. Although this is unfortunate, it is not a surprise due to the high levels of community transmission," said Karen Ayala, director of the DuPage County Health Department, which is not making that data public.
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer Third-grade Brook Forest Elementary School student Nathan Matthews, 8, wipes down his space as he prepares for lunch at his desk in Oak Brook.
"We are not releasing individual school information at this time, since schools are communicating directly with their students, staff, and families," she said.
Experiences of the nine districts come into focus as more schools that initially started classes remotely transition to in-person learning. Elmhurst Unit District 205, for instance, returned some students to classrooms this week.
Even the schools that have opened their doors offer remote learning for families concerned about health risks to students or to others in their households, or for those who might be quarantining.
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer A third-grade Brook Forest Elementary School student prepares for lunch at his desk in Oak Brook.
School officials say they are firm in removing symptomatic individuals from campus.
"You can't let your guard down," said John Butts, superintendent at Medinah Elementary District 11. "You have to have a really good relationship with the health department and follow all the guidance."
Administrators say it's taken vigilance and extra effort at every level to keep students in classrooms.
"Our teachers have been working extraordinarily hard and had to shift in every aspect with how they are educating students," said Jenny Wojcik, Superintendent of Rondout Elementary District 72 in Lake Forest. "It's been one of the most complex working environments I've dealt with in all my years."
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer Water fountains are covered and marked out of order at Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook. It's intended to help prevent spread of COVID-19.
O'Malley said some at District 53 have stayed home or been sent home because of possible exposure to the disease.
"But none have resulted in positive cases of COVID," he said.
Other suburban districts that began the year offering full-time, in-person learning were Grass Lake Elementary District 36 in Antioch, Roselle Elementary District 12, Rosemont Elementary District 78 and West Northfield Elementary District 31. There were no plans for those districts to halt in-person learning, administrators said.
"It's going well," Rosemont Elementary Principal Laurie Kovalcik said. "It's a year like no other, but the kids are so happy to be back, and Aug. 18 was one of the most rewarding openings of school I've had, I'll tell you that."
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer Katie Myers teaches English at Butler Junior High School in Oak Brook.
More school districts are announcing plans to bring students back to the classroom in the coming weeks, either through a combination of in-person and remote learning or full-time, in-class sessions. Administrators at the districts that have been operating in-person programs all along say communication is key, especially with parents.
"It's all about building that partnership with the parents," Wojcik said. "They're front line. They've got to know the plan and how to monitor."