dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--The year of the pandemic: COVID-19 pushed us to the limit. Illinois pushed back.

It was just one case .
Illinois ' sole COVID-19 infection was announced Jan. 24 and the public moved on .
One case became 19 on March 10 .
Nineteen infections morphed into 46 on March 13 , prompting Gov .
J.B. Pritzker to close schools and urge people to avoid unnecessary trips .
`` This virus is here to stay , '' Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said .
As the unthinkable spiraled , Illinoisans still at work began making grocery lists and wondering what to tell their kids .
March 17 brought a total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus death and an outbreak at a DuPage nursing home , which ultimately killed 14 people .
When he was notified , `` I said , 'Oh my God . '
My heart sank , '' county board Chairman Dan Cronin said .
On March 20 , with 585 infections and five people dead of the respiratory disease , Pritzker imposed a stay-at-home order .
`` You have a right to the truth because you can bear it , '' he said .
With 894,367 infections , 15,123 deaths , 425,900 unemployed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the COVID-19 crucible has transformed our lives , broken hearts and continues to test us every day .
This is our COVID-19 year .
Screenings of passengers from the Wuhan region of China , where COVID-19 originated , began Jan. 24 at O'Hare International Airport , too late to intercept a Chicago traveler who became Illinois ' first known virus case .
She recovered after treatment at Amita Alexian Brothers Hospital in Hoffman Estates .
`` We 're taking this very seriously as with any coronavirus , '' Chicago Public Health Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 news conference .
The IDPH began assessing hospital readiness and building testing capacity , but on Feb. 29 , just three COVID-19 cases were reported , including a Palatine man in his 70s admitted to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights .
School districts dusted off communicable disease protocols , but for many residents , it seemed unreal .
`` Not concerned about the illness itself at all .
Concerned about the panic mongering and over reaction of paranoid people , '' one commentator wrote on an unofficial Elgin Area School District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper and boxes of pasta flew off shelves at grocery stores March 12 as uneasy shoppers stocked up after a reality check .
That day , Pritzker banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people , including professional sports games , with COVID-19 diagnoses hitting 32 statewide .
`` I am not going to hesitate to take the most aggressive measures possible to protect the people of our state , '' the governor said .
The move swept dancing leprechauns and bagpipe bands off the streets as many organizations nixed St. Patrick 's Day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and another gut punch when the state closed school buildings for two weeks beginning March 17 .
Remote learning was later extended to the end of the school year .
Some districts had already sent students home `` out of an abundance of caution , '' Northwest Suburban High School District 214 Superintendent David Schuler said .
The presidential primary election went forward as scheduled March 17 , but no St. Patrick 's Day revelries ensued after bars and restaurants were shuttered , with exceptions for carryout , preemptively March 15 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 21 , emptying streets and closing malls .
Metra ridership plummeted by 95 % , and O'Hare International went quiet with flights decreasing by 67 % in April .
With no banquet hall to welcome guests , engaged couples like Lake Zurich resident Nina Pece and fiance Justin Greenhalgh postponed their weddings .
`` I respect why we have to do it , but it still hurts , '' Pece said .
By March 29 , the state recorded 4,596 virus cases and 65 deaths .
Hardest hit were those 80 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatalities .
Many families said goodbye forever by phone , with hospitals and nursing homes closed to visitors .
Among them was Robert Kanney , 91 , of Vernon Hills , a retired engineer and `` the glue '' that kept his family together .
His stark graveside service was limited to four people .
`` It 's really a lonely send-off , '' daughter Anne Gulotta said .
Should I douse groceries with antiseptic spray ?
How do I social distance ?
And what is Zoom ?
Unfamiliar questions surfaced as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pupils cheered when the school closure announcement came , but educators ' initial stabs at remote learning left many kids missing their actual teachers .
Students without adequate technology or family support floundered and meltdowns erupted everywhere as flailing parents appealed to Siri to explain the lowest common denominator .
As cabin fever grew , one novel excitement involved sticking a swab up your nose in front of Illinois National Guard troops at COVID-19 test sites popping up everywhere .
On April 15 , Americans got a three-month tax filing reprieve while Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 4,423 patients in hospitals .
Hospital workers coped with panicked patients and full wards , fighting a disease with a limited playbook .
`` It was chaos , '' said Bonnie Haddad , a registered nurse at Elmhurst Hospital .
`` Two patients died in a four-hour period .
It was awful .
I had to deal with the death of one patient , and then the death of the other . ''
Other essential workers from grocery store clerks to police to Metra conductor Demetrios Vatistas helped keep the state running .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 years , and I 've never seen anything like this , '' Vatistas said .
As the economy retracted with resulting layoffs and business closures , the Illinois Department of Employment Security was overwhelmed with over 755,000 initial unemployment claims from March 1 to April 18 -- 12 times what it handled in the same period in 2019 .
Ron Smaga of Bloomingdale waited four weeks for IDES to schedule a phone interview in late April .
`` Uncertainty is something I hate , '' the unemployed property manager said .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against large celebrations for Easter , Passover , Eid al-Fitr , and a request for `` virtual hugs '' on Mother 's Day from the IDPH 's Ezike .
In the suburbs , workarounds for COVID-19 malaise included car parades , `` Zeder '' or a Zoom Seder , and a Sunday drive renaissance .
On May 5 , when Illinois recorded 65,962 virus cases and 2,838 deaths , Jonathan Davila of Addison was released from Elmhurst Hospital after 44 days battling COVID-19 .
`` It came to a time where I did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home , '' said Davila 's wife , Ashley King .
Initially , Republicans had largely backed the stay-at-home order , but pushback started building in April .
Several GOP lawmakers filed lawsuits or proposed legislation to curb what they considered Pritzker 's abuse of executive power .
`` The idea that a governor can repeatedly and unilaterally continue to issue disaster declarations and exercise unparalleled power and authority over nearly every aspect of our lives ... is truly troubling , '' state Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods said .
After weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skepticism from President Donald Trump , Pritzker mandated masks in public effective May 1 , a day that brought the state 's COVID-19 tally to 56,055 cases and 2,457 deaths .
That rule created some drama at a historic Illinois General Assembly session May 20 when GOP Rep. Darren Bailey of Xenia was ousted for flouting the rules .
On the federal level , Pritzker frequently flayed the White House for bungling the pandemic response , provoking Twitter responses from President Donald Trump accusing the governor of `` always complaining . ''
Warm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' a relaxation of the stay-at-home order effective May 29 after 117,455 cases and 5,270 fatalities statewide .
`` We seem to have come off the peak , '' Pritzker said .
Masked up and 6 feet apart -- the new norms -- Illinoisans got hair cuts , worshipped at outdoor services , and dined alfresco at restaurants .
`` I think I shed tears of joy this morning , '' said Zuzanna Grabowska , a waitress at Armand 's Pizzeria in Arlington Heights .
But sports stadiums stayed empty as did most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school seniors graduated virtually or at arm 's length .
`` I know most people would say they really missed all the senior events -- prom and all the big things like graduation , for one -- but for me , what I really missed most was going to school , '' St. Charles North class President Rebekah Phaiboun said .
Reopening the state coincided with Black Lives Matter rallies and marches after George Floyd died when a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee down on his neck May 25 .
Glomming on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Aurora and other suburbs .
One constant through the pandemic has been the disproportionate impact on Black and Hispanic communities , particularly in low-income areas .
`` ( The pandemic ) has emphasized what we 've known all along , '' said Randy Hodges , a Baptist pastor and adjunct professor at Elgin Community College .
`` We are subjected to a lot of things that the other communities may not be subjected to . ''
As cases continued to level off , Illinoisans embraced `` Phase 4 '' of reopening on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as 50 people to gather , movie theaters and museums to open with capacity limits , and indoor dining to resume .
Going forward , `` we are going to coexist with COVID , '' Ezike said .
Illinois enjoyed a COVID-19 downtime over the summer with daily cases and hospitalizations subsiding compared to spring highs .
But during that lull , tensions escalated between those supporting restrictions and people who did n't -- like virus skeptics , jobless workers and frustrated student-athletes facing fall without football .
On Sept. 8 , COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8,186 , and some Community Unit District 300 residents rallied against remote learning plans , one of several similar protests .
`` The kids need an education , and Zoom is not an education , '' Algonquin resident Sharon Vandermeir said .
On Oct. 8 , new COVID-19 cases surpassed 3,000 recalling spring highs , and on Oct. 15 , the count went over 4,000 , as experts warned of a second surge .
Restaurant owners seeing cold weather ruin their outdoor setups hit the boiling point as indoor dining restrictions loomed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ death sentence , '' said Spiro Roumpas , owner of Ki 's Steak and Seafood restaurant in Glendale Heights .
Some authorities , like McHenry County State 's Attorney Patrick Kenneally , refused to enforce an indoor dining ban imposed by Pritzker .
On Nov. 15 , the state recorded 573,616 cases with 10,742 dead Illinoisans .
New COVID-19 cases that day reached 10,631 while patients in hospital came to 5,581 , far above April averages .
`` I probably cry at work every day , '' Northwest Community Hospital nurse Nicole Kinberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced a new round of restrictions intended to stem the tide of infections and hospitalizations .
After 10 months of COVID-19-induced grief , fear , anger and resilience , Illinois ' zeitgeist went beyond COVID-19 fatigue .
The arrival of vaccines in mid-December was life-changing , no matter how bumpy the rollout .
`` We 've been playing defense for the last 10 months .
Now we have a chance to play offense , '' Loyola University Medical Center physician Richard Freeman said .
In Addison , COVID-19 survivor Davila walks with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get feeling back in his hands .
He hopes to return to work in March 2021 and rejoices that he can once more play with his 5-year-old son and be with his family .
`` Just keep pushing yourself and do n't give up , '' he said .
`` There 's always hope . ''
• Daily Herald staff writers who contributed to this story include Burt Constable , Jake Griffin , Madhu Krishnamurthy , Lauren Rohr , Robert Sanchez and Katlyn Smith , as did Cassie Buchman with Shaw Media @ @

The year of the pandemic: COVID-19 pushed us to the limit. Illinois pushed back.
It was just one case. Illinois' sole COVID-19 infection was announced Jan. 24 and the public moved on.
One case became 19 on March 10. Nineteen infections morphed into 46 on March 13, prompting Gov. J.B. Pritzker to close schools and urge people to avoid unnecessary trips.
"This virus is here to stay," Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike said.
As the unthinkable spiraled, Illinoisans still at work began making grocery lists and wondering what to tell their kids.
March 17 brought a total of 160 cases, the state's first virus death and an outbreak at a DuPage nursing home, which ultimately killed 14 people. When he was notified, "I said, 'Oh my God.' My heart sank," county board Chairman Dan Cronin said.
On March 20, with 585 infections and five people dead of the respiratory disease, Pritzker imposed a stay-at-home order. "You have a right to the truth because you can bear it," he said.
With 894,367 infections, 15,123 deaths, 425,900 unemployed, and $2 billion of pandemic debt, the COVID-19 crucible has transformed our lives, broken hearts and continues to test us every day.
This is our COVID-19 year.
Early days
Screenings of passengers from the Wuhan region of China, where COVID-19 originated, began Jan. 24 at O'Hare International Airport, too late to intercept a Chicago traveler who became Illinois' first known virus case. She recovered after treatment at AMITA St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.
"We're taking this very seriously as with any coronavirus," Chicago Public Health Department Commissioner Allison Arwady said at a Jan. 24 news conference.
The IDPH began assessing hospital readiness and building testing capacity, but on Feb. 29, just three COVID-19 cases were reported, including a Palatine man in his 70s admitted to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights.
School districts dusted off communicable disease protocols, but for many residents, it seemed unreal.
"Not concerned about the illness itself at all. Concerned about the panic mongering and over reaction of paranoid people," one commentator wrote on an unofficial Elgin Area School District U-46 Facebook group.
A deadly spiral
Cases of toilet paper and boxes of pasta flew off shelves at grocery stores March 12 as uneasy shoppers stocked up after a reality check. That day, Pritzker banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people, including professional sports games, with COVID-19 diagnoses hitting 32 statewide.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker lowers his head as Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike announces seven deaths Sept. 21 during a daily news briefing. - Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP
"I am not going to hesitate to take the most aggressive measures possible to protect the people of our state," the governor said.
The move swept dancing leprechauns and bagpipe bands off the streets as many organizations nixed St. Patrick's Day parades.
March 13 brought 46 cases and another gut punch when the state closed school buildings for two weeks beginning March 17. Remote learning was later extended to the end of the school year. Some districts had already sent students home "out of an abundance of caution," Northwest Suburban High School District 214 Superintendent David Schuler said.
The presidential primary election went forward as scheduled March 17, but no St. Patrick's Day revelries ensued after bars and restaurants were shuttered, with exceptions for carryout, preemptively March 15.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer The stadium lights are turned on April 17 at Mundelein High School in a "Friday Night Lights" event to show support for Mundelein health care workers, students, and community members.
The stay-at-home order kicked in at 5 p.m. March 21, emptying streets and closing malls. Metra ridership plummeted by 95%, and O'Hare International went quiet with flights decreasing by 67% in April.
With no banquet hall to welcome guests, engaged couples like Lake Zurich resident Nina Pece and fiance Justin Greenhalgh postponed their weddings.
"I respect why we have to do it, but it still hurts," Pece said.
By March 29, the state recorded 4,596 virus cases and 65 deaths. Hardest hit were those 80 and older, currently constituting 48% of fatalities. Many families said goodbye forever by phone, with hospitals and nursing homes closed to visitors.
Among them was Robert Kanney, 91, of Vernon Hills, a retired engineer and "the glue" that kept his family together. His stark graveside service was limited to four people.
"It's really a lonely send-off," daughter Anne Gulotta said.
Cabin fever
Should I douse groceries with antiseptic spray? How do I social distance? And what is Zoom? Unfamiliar questions surfaced as the state hunkered down in April.
Some pupils cheered when the school closure announcement came, but educators' initial stabs at remote learning left many kids missing their actual teachers.
Students without adequate technology or family support floundered and meltdowns erupted everywhere as flailing parents appealed to Siri to explain the lowest common denominator.
- Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer Pete Schorr, physician assistant for Edward-Elmhurst Hospital, swabs the nose of a drive-up patient being tested for the COVID-19 virus March 23 in the parking lot at the Edward-Elmhurst Health Corporate Center in Warrenville.
As cabin fever grew, one novel excitement involved sticking a swab up your nose in front of Illinois National Guard troops at COVID-19 test sites popping up everywhere.
On April 15, Americans got a three-month tax filing reprieve while Illinois marked 24,593 infections and 948 deaths with 4,423 patients in hospitals.
Hospital workers coped with panicked patients and full wards, fighting a disease with a limited playbook.
"It was chaos," said Bonnie Haddad, a registered nurse at Elmhurst Hospital. "Two patients died in a four-hour period. It was awful. I had to deal with the death of one patient, and then the death of the other."
Other essential workers from grocery store clerks to police to Metra conductor Demetrios Vatistas helped keep the state running.
"I've been doing this for 24 years, and I've never seen anything like this," Vatistas said.
As the economy retracted with resulting layoffs and business closures, the Illinois Department of Employment Security was overwhelmed with over 755,000 initial unemployment claims from March 1 to April 18 -- 12 times what it handled in the same period in 2019.
Ron Smaga of Bloomingdale waited four weeks for IDES to schedule a phone interview in late April. "Uncertainty is something I hate," the unemployed property manager said.
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer Catherine Ori's family gathers to celebrate her 100th birthday Sept. 9 in Lindenhurst outside at The Village at Victory Lakes. The family sang all of her favorite songs to Ori through the patio door.
And a new holiday tradition began -- warnings against large celebrations for Easter, Passover, Eid al-Fitr, and a request for "virtual hugs" on Mother's Day from the IDPH's Ezike.
In the suburbs, workarounds for COVID-19 malaise included car parades, "Zeder" or a Zoom Seder, and a Sunday drive renaissance.
On May 5, when Illinois recorded 65,962 virus cases and 2,838 deaths, Jonathan Davila of Addison was released from Elmhurst Hospital after 44 days battling COVID-19. "It came to a time where I didn't believe he was going to come home," said Davila's wife, Ashley King.
Pandemic politics
Initially, Republicans had largely backed the stay-at-home order, but pushback started building in April.
Several GOP lawmakers filed lawsuits or proposed legislation to curb what they considered Pritzker's abuse of executive power.
"The idea that a governor can repeatedly and unilaterally continue to issue disaster declarations and exercise unparalleled power and authority over nearly every aspect of our lives ... is truly troubling," state Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods said.
After weeks of experts equivocating about face coverings and skepticism from President Donald Trump, Pritzker mandated masks in public effective May 1, a day that brought the state's COVID-19 tally to 56,055 cases and 2,457 deaths.
That rule created some drama at a historic Illinois General Assembly session May 20 when GOP Rep. Darren Bailey of Xenia was ousted for flouting the rules.
On the federal level, Pritzker frequently flayed the White House for bungling the pandemic response, provoking Twitter responses from President Donald Trump accusing the governor of "always complaining."
'Off the peak'
Warm weather ushered in "Phase 3," a relaxation of the stay-at-home order effective May 29 after 117,455 cases and 5,270 fatalities statewide.
"We seem to have come off the peak," Pritzker said.
Masked up and 6 feet apart -- the new norms -- Illinoisans got hair cuts, worshipped at outdoor services, and dined alfresco at restaurants.
"I think I shed tears of joy this morning," said Zuzanna Grabowska, a waitress at Armand's Pizzeria in Arlington Heights.
But sports stadiums stayed empty as did most public pools, and thousands of high school seniors graduated virtually or at arm's length.
"I know most people would say they really missed all the senior events -- prom and all the big things like graduation, for one -- but for me, what I really missed most was going to school," St. Charles North class President Rebekah Phaiboun said.
Reopening the state coincided with Black Lives Matter rallies and marches after George Floyd died when a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee down on his neck May 25. Glomming on to the protests were vandals looting Naperville, Aurora and other suburbs.
One constant through the pandemic has been the disproportionate impact on Black and Hispanic communities, particularly in low-income areas.
"(The pandemic) has emphasized what we've known all along," said Randy Hodges, a Baptist pastor and adjunct professor at Elgin Community College. "We are subjected to a lot of things that the other communities may not be subjected to."
- Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer COVID-19 survivor Chuck Drungelo is discharged from Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital July 1 in Wheaton after many weeks and is elbow-bumped by patient care technician Katie Reimer, one of the nurses who helped Chuck get back on his feet.
As cases continued to level off, Illinoisans embraced "Phase 4" of reopening on June 26, allowing groups as large as 50 people to gather, movie theaters and museums to open with capacity limits, and indoor dining to resume.
Going forward, "we are going to coexist with COVID," Ezike said.
Danger signs
Illinois enjoyed a COVID-19 downtime over the summer with daily cases and hospitalizations subsiding compared to spring highs.
But during that lull, tensions escalated between those supporting restrictions and people who didn't -- like virus skeptics, jobless workers and frustrated student-athletes facing fall without football.
On Sept. 8, COVID-19 cases stood at 252,353, deaths at 8,186, and some Community Unit District 300 residents rallied against remote learning plans, one of several similar protests.
"The kids need an education, and Zoom is not an education," Algonquin resident Sharon Vandermeir said.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer Several hundred people attended a demonstration for reopening schools Sept. 21 near Naperville Central High School.
On Oct. 8, new COVID-19 cases surpassed 3,000 recalling spring highs, and on Oct. 15, the count went over 4,000, as experts warned of a second surge.
Restaurant owners seeing cold weather ruin their outdoor setups hit the boiling point as indoor dining restrictions loomed.
"A shutdown now would be a death sentence," said Spiro Roumpas, owner of Ki's Steak and Seafood restaurant in Glendale Heights.
Some authorities, like McHenry County State's Attorney Patrick Kenneally, refused to enforce an indoor dining ban imposed by Pritzker.
On Nov. 15, the state recorded 573,616 cases with 10,742 dead Illinoisans. New COVID-19 cases that day reached 10,631 while patients in hospital came to 5,581, far above April averages.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer Respiratory therapist Aminderjit (Andy) Dhanoa, 37, gets the first COVID-19 vaccination Dec. 17 at Edward Hospital in Naperville from RN Nikki Carini-Wardecki.
"I probably cry at work every day," Northwest Community Hospital nurse Nicole Kinberg said.
On Nov. 17, Pritzker introduced a new round of restrictions intended to stem the tide of infections and hospitalizations.
After 10 months of COVID-19-induced grief, fear, anger and resilience, Illinois' zeitgeist went beyond COVID-19 fatigue. The arrival of vaccines in mid-December was life-changing, no matter how bumpy the rollout.
"We've been playing defense for the last 10 months. Now we have a chance to play offense," Loyola University Medical Center physician Richard Freeman said.
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer After being discharged from Elmhurst Hospital on April 5, after a 44-day stay for COVID-19, Jonathan Davila, 30, of Addison, gets a hug from his son Mason, 5, who is held by Davila's stepson Daniel Hernandez, 16.
In Addison, COVID-19 survivor Davila walks with a cane and goes to rehab twice weekly to get feeling back in his hands. He hopes to return to work in March 2021 and rejoices that he can once more play with his 5-year-old son and be with his family.
"Just keep pushing yourself and don't give up," he said. "There's always hope."
• Daily Herald staff writers who contributed to this story include Burt Constable, Jake Griffin, Madhu Krishnamurthy, Lauren Rohr, Robert Sanchez and Katlyn Smith, as did Cassie Buchman with Shaw Media Services.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--Illinois reports 7,562 more COVID-19 cases and 108 more deaths Saturday

The Illinois Department of Public Health Saturday reported 7,562 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease , including 108 @ @ @ @ @ included 25 people in Cook County , 8 people in DuPage County , 7 people @ @ @ @ @ people in Lake County , 1 person in McHenry County and 5 people in Will @ @ @ @ @ reporting a total of 894,367 cases , including 15,123 deaths .
Within the past 24 @ @ @ @ @ 96,851 specimens for a total 12,356,446 .
As of Friday night , 4,624 in Illinois @ @ @ @ @ the hospital with COVID-19 .
Of those , 1,000 patients were in the ICU and @ @ @ @ @ on ventilators .
Those numbers all continued a trend of reductions seen recently .
The @ @ @ @ @ cases as a percent of total tests from Dec. 12-18 is 8.2 % , up @ @ @ @ @ of 8.0 percent reported on Friday .

Illinois reports 7,562 more COVID-19 cases and 108 more deaths Saturday
The Illinois Department of Public Health Saturday reported 7,562 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease, including 108 additional deaths.
The deaths included 25 people in Cook County, 8 people in DuPage County, 7 people in Kane County, 5 people in Lake County, 1 person in McHenry County and 5 people in Will County.
The state is reporting a total of 894,367 cases, including 15,123 deaths.
Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 96,851 specimens for a total 12,356,446. As of Friday night, 4,624 in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 1,000 patients were in the ICU and 562 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. Those numbers all continued a trend of reductions seen recently.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests from Dec. 12-18 is 8.2%, up from the seven day average of 8.0 percent reported on Friday.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--12 suburban Democrats vow to oppose Madigan speakership, but others won't say

Twelve suburban legislators are among the Democrats in the Illinois House who 've pledged not to support Michael Madigan 's latest bid for speaker .
Madigan , who aside from a two-year gap in the 1990s has been House speaker since 1983 , has been implicated in a bribery scheme involving ComEd .
He 's also come under fire for his handling of sexual harassment allegations within his office .
Madigan has n't been charged with a crime .
But lawmakers including Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove say his reign needs to end Jan. 13 when a speaker is chosen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mike Madigan has been speaker of the house for all but two years of my life , '' Didech , 33 , said .
`` It 's time to move in a new direction . ''
`` Leadership requires taking responsibility , and the pervasive culture of mistrust and corruption in Illinois lies at Mike Madigan 's feet , '' Morgan said .
`` Mike Madigan has irreparably breached the trust of the people of Illinois and he can not lead us any longer . ''
State Rep. Terra Costa Howard of Glen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the honorable thing '' and step down before the vote .
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego is challenging Madigan for the speakership .
No other candidates have surfaced .
But there are many who have n't joined the quest to replace Madigan , who controls the fate of legislation in the House and dispenses party funds to lawmakers ' campaigns as leader of the Illinois Democrats .
Some remain publicly loyal -- like state Rep. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates , who said he seeks a speaker who can best unite the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two declared candidates , Madigan `` has the experience to do that . ''
Ten other suburban Democrats would n't say how they 'll vote on Madigan 's leadership .
The Daily Herald polled the Democratic lawmakers representing the North , Northwest and West suburbs about the speakership .
They were asked if they 'll vote for Madigan , if their support has been sought by any candidate or if they intend to run for the post .
Queries were not sent to Republicans because Democrats have majority control of the House .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaker , and 73 of the House 's 118 members will be Democrats when the new session begins .
State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray of Naperville , the sole Democrat who did n't vote for Madigan as speaker in 2019 , does not plan to support him in 2021 .
`` The pervasive environment of sexual harassment and assault that existed for many , many years under his leadership still exists , as does the reputation for corruption at the state level , '' Stava-Murray said .
Kifowit , Costa Howard , Didech , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats last week signed a letter proclaiming they 'll vote for a new speaker , which would leave Madigan below the needed threshold .
The others from the suburbs are : When asked , representatives for Madigan would not comment .
Instead , they provided a statement Madigan released in November .
`` The decision on the next speaker of the Illinois House will be made at a caucus , after a full discussion of the issues facing our state and the qualifications of the candidates , '' Madigan said at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate for speaker , and ...
I continue to have support from a significant number of House Democratic caucus members . ''
Among them are Hoffman Estates ' Crespo and Michael Zalewski of Riverside .
Zalewski was among six Democrats who reportedly sent a letter to Madigan 's critics within the party asking for unity .
`` I 've conveyed to the speaker I still support him , '' Zalewski said .
Other Democrats would not say where they stand on the speakership or gave unclear answers .
When asked if he 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Walker of Arlington Heights said , `` We 'll see . ''
While praising Madigan for being `` a superior operations manager , '' Walker also said public servants must be held to a higher standard .
`` I do n't believe he 'll be a viable candidate by January , '' Walker said of Madigan .
Through a spokesman , state Rep. Marty Moylan of Des Plaines refused to comment on the race for speaker when directly asked last week .
But last month , Moylan issued a statement in which he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long held by Republicans `` is absurd . ''
State Rep. Rita Mayfield of Waukegan , state Rep. Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg and Rep.-elect Maura Hirschauer of Batavia also refused to say if they 'll support Madigan .
`` Ask me on Jan. 12 , '' Mayfield said .
Five other suburban Democrats did n't respond to interview requests : Reps.-elect Suzanne Ness of Crystal Lake and Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville , and incumbents Barbara Hernandez of Aurora , Natalie Manley of Joliet and Joyce Mason of Gurnee .
Hernandez , Mason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoided giving direct answers when they were asked if they 'd support Madigan as speaker in Daily Herald candidate questionnaires this fall .
Manley ran unopposed in last month 's general election and was n't asked to fill out a candidate questionnaire .
• Daily Herald staff writers Elena Ferrarin , Jake Griffin , Madhu Krishnamurthy , Eric Peterson , Christopher Placek , Marni Pyke , Lauren Rohr , Susan Sarkauskas , Kevin Schmidt , Katlyn Smith , Barbara Vitello , Rick West and Mick Zawislak contributed to this report .

12 suburban Democrats vow to oppose Madigan speakership, but others won't say
It's uncertain how much support suburban Democratic House members will give Speaker Michael Madigan in the end as he tries to retain his position, even though a dozen so far have said they're against him. Capitol News Illinois, 2019
Twelve suburban legislators are among the Democrats in the Illinois House who've pledged not to support Michael Madigan's latest bid for speaker.
Madigan, who aside from a two-year gap in the 1990s has been House speaker since 1983, has been implicated in a bribery scheme involving ComEd. He's also come under fire for his handling of sexual harassment allegations within his office.
Madigan hasn't been charged with a crime. But lawmakers including Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove say his reign needs to end Jan. 13 when a speaker is chosen for the 102nd General Assembly.
"Mike Madigan has been speaker of the house for all but two years of my life," Didech, 33, said. "It's time to move in a new direction."
Fellow Democratic state Rep. Bob Morgan of Deerfield agreed.
"Leadership requires taking responsibility, and the pervasive culture of mistrust and corruption in Illinois lies at Mike Madigan's feet," Morgan said. "Mike Madigan has irreparably breached the trust of the people of Illinois and he cannot lead us any longer."
State Rep. Terra Costa Howard of Glen Ellyn called on Madigan to "do the honorable thing" and step down before the vote.
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit of Oswego is challenging Madigan for the speakership. No other candidates have surfaced.
But there are many who haven't joined the quest to replace Madigan, who controls the fate of legislation in the House and dispenses party funds to lawmakers' campaigns as leader of the Illinois Democrats.
Some remain publicly loyal -- like state Rep. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates, who said he seeks a speaker who can best unite the Democratic caucus and believes that of the two declared candidates, Madigan "has the experience to do that."
Ten other suburban Democrats wouldn't say how they'll vote on Madigan's leadership.
Democratic control
The Daily Herald polled the Democratic lawmakers representing the North, Northwest and West suburbs about the speakership. They were asked if they'll vote for Madigan, if their support has been sought by any candidate or if they intend to run for the post.
Queries were not sent to Republicans because Democrats have majority control of the House. Sixty votes are needed to pick a speaker, and 73 of the House's 118 members will be Democrats when the new session begins.
State Rep. Anne Stava-Murray of Naperville, the sole Democrat who didn't vote for Madigan as speaker in 2019, does not plan to support him in 2021.
"The pervasive environment of sexual harassment and assault that existed for many, many years under his leadership still exists, as does the reputation for corruption at the state level," Stava-Murray said.
Kifowit, Costa Howard, Didech, Morgan, Stava-Murray and 15 other House Democrats last week signed a letter proclaiming they'll vote for a new speaker, which would leave Madigan below the needed threshold. The others from the suburbs are:
• Jonathan Carroll of Northbrook.
• Deb Conroy of Elmhurst.
• Robyn Gabel of Evanston.
• Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz of Glenview.
• Anna Moeller of Elgin.
• Kathleen Willis of Addison.
• Sam Yingling of Grayslake.
When asked, representatives for Madigan would not comment. Instead, they provided a statement Madigan released in November.
"The decision on the next speaker of the Illinois House will be made at a caucus, after a full discussion of the issues facing our state and the qualifications of the candidates," Madigan said at the time. "I plan to be a candidate for speaker, and ... I continue to have support from a significant number of House Democratic caucus members."
Among them are Hoffman Estates' Crespo and Michael Zalewski of Riverside.
Zalewski was among six Democrats who reportedly sent a letter to Madigan's critics within the party asking for unity.
"I've conveyed to the speaker I still support him," Zalewski said.
Some won't say
Other Democrats would not say where they stand on the speakership or gave unclear answers.
When asked if he'll vote for Madigan, state Rep. Mark Walker of Arlington Heights said, "We'll see."
While praising Madigan for being "a superior operations manager," Walker also said public servants must be held to a higher standard.
"I don't believe he'll be a viable candidate by January," Walker said of Madigan.
Through a spokesman, state Rep. Marty Moylan of Des Plaines refused to comment on the race for speaker when directly asked last week. But last month, Moylan issued a statement in which he said criticizing Madigan while Democrats win seats long held by Republicans "is absurd."
State Rep. Rita Mayfield of Waukegan, state Rep. Michelle Mussman of Schaumburg and Rep.-elect Maura Hirschauer of Batavia also refused to say if they'll support Madigan.
"Ask me on Jan. 12," Mayfield said.
Five other suburban Democrats didn't respond to interview requests: Reps.-elect Suzanne Ness of Crystal Lake and Janet Yang Rohr of Naperville, and incumbents Barbara Hernandez of Aurora, Natalie Manley of Joliet and Joyce Mason of Gurnee.
Hernandez, Mason, Mussman, Ness and Yang Rohr avoided giving direct answers when they were asked if they'd support Madigan as speaker in Daily Herald candidate questionnaires this fall.
Manley ran unopposed in last month's general election and wasn't asked to fill out a candidate questionnaire.
• Daily Herald staff writers Elena Ferrarin, Jake Griffin, Madhu Krishnamurthy, Eric Peterson, Christopher Placek, Marni Pyke, Lauren Rohr, Susan Sarkauskas, Kevin Schmidt, Katlyn Smith, Barbara Vitello, Rick West and Mick Zawislak contributed to this report.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--Rittenhouse family selling "Free Kyle" merchandise for defense fund

The family of Kyle Rittenhouse , the Antioch teen charged with killing two people and wounding a third during an August protest in Kenosha , is selling `` Free Kyle '' merchandise to support his defense fund .
According to a report from the Kenosha News , a website operated by the Rittenhouse family -- FreeKyleUSA.com -- is selling sweatshirts , laptop sleeves , mugs , iPhone covers and many other items to aid what Rittenhouse 's mother estimates to be a multimillion dollar need for his defense .
`` We estimate Kyle 's defense costs for trial to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after turning over the 2 million dollar cash bail , we are essentially starting at zero , '' Wendy Rittenhouse wrote in a statement on the website .
Rittenhouse , 17 , is charged with first-degree intentional homicide , first-degree reckless homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide after fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz on Aug. 25 .
The shooting occurred during a third night of protests in Kenosha following the police shooting two days earlier of Jacob Blake , a 29-year-old Black man .
According to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banned from Etsy , an online vendor , but merchandise continues to be sold online by Gunloot , a private vendor .
Wisconsin law , according to the Kenosha News , does not address proceeds of merchandise sales regarding an alleged crime .
As of Saturday afternoon , the `` Free Kyle USA '' website notes that $ 24,000 of the $ 2 million goal has been raised so far .

Rittenhouse family selling "Free Kyle" merchandise for defense fund
The family of Kyle Rittenhouse is selling "Free Kyle" merchandise to support his defense fund. Photo courtesy of FreeKyleUSA.com
Kyle Rittenhouse listens during an extradition hearing in Lake County court Oct. 30 in Waukegan. Rittenhouse is accused of killing two protesters days after Jacob Blake was shot by police in Kenosha. Associated Press
The family of Kyle Rittenhouse, the Antioch teen charged with killing two people and wounding a third during an August protest in Kenosha, is selling "Free Kyle" merchandise to support his defense fund.
According to a report from the Kenosha News, a website operated by the Rittenhouse family -- FreeKyleUSA.com -- is selling sweatshirts, laptop sleeves, mugs, iPhone covers and many other items to aid what Rittenhouse's mother estimates to be a multimillion dollar need for his defense.
"We estimate Kyle's defense costs for trial to be approximately 2 to 2.5 million dollars and after turning over the 2 million dollar cash bail, we are essentially starting at zero," Wendy Rittenhouse wrote in a statement on the website.
Rittenhouse, 17, is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide and attempted first-degree intentional homicide after fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz on Aug. 25. The shooting occurred during a third night of protests in Kenosha following the police shooting two days earlier of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man.
According to the Kenosha News, T-shirts celebrating Rittenhouse were banned from Etsy, an online vendor, but merchandise continues to be sold online by Gunloot, a private vendor. Wisconsin law, according to the Kenosha News, does not address proceeds of merchandise sales regarding an alleged crime.
As of Saturday afternoon, the "Free Kyle USA" website notes that $24,000 of the $2 million goal has been raised so far.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--Suburban Hero: Amid pandemic, Maine South student ensures blood drive goes on

Carter Collins had to scramble when he found out the usual location for his third annual Park Ridge community blood drive would n't be available this year , and that his plan B was going to cost more to rent than he could afford .
But through his network of volunteers and community supporters , the 17-year-old Maine South High School junior raised enough money to secure the new location .
And despite challenges related to the pandemic , this year 's blood drive was his most successful yet .
Carter , assisted by his 16-year-old brother Noah and six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event Oct. 4 at Prospect Park , where they took temperatures of blood donors upon entry , and directed them to ensure social distancing , hand sanitizing and mask wearing was followed .
The units of blood collected that day were from 46 donors -- an increase of more than 60 % from the pre-pandemic prior year .
One pint of blood , broken down into its main components , can save up to three lives .
At the same time , Carter collected 50 pounds of food for the Maine Township @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than he collected the year before .
`` I was surprised we had so many donors and we beat our goal , '' he said .
`` But I guess people wanted to help . ''
For his efforts , Carter received a Chicago Bears Community High School All-Star award , which recognizes prep football players who make a positive impact in their communities and school .
Carter is a linebacker on Maine South 's varsity team .
`` Carter and his brother do this for no other reason than helping those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football Coach David Inserra , who nominated him for the award .
`` It is an honor to coach these young men .
We are blessed to have them in our program .
Their work is an exact reflection of who they are : humble , self-directed , innovative , driven , persistent and extremely caring . ''
Carter decided to organize his first blood drive after seeing on TV the devastation left by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana in 2017 .
His first blood donation event was at Roosevelt Elementary School @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added the food drive component .
School officials normally let him use their gym for free , but they said the school would be off-limits this year because of COVID-19 restrictions .
So he searched for other locations , including hotel ballrooms , gymnasiums and church facilities , eventually finding availability at Prospect Park -- but for a price .
Thanks in large part to a donation from Park Ridge Community Church , Collins raised enough money to rent a room to make sure the blood and food drive could go on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's effort , Carter says he 's already working to secure a larger location for next year in hopes of welcoming even more donors .
He is among nine high school football players being honored by the Bears from November through January .
He received a personalized , hand-painted football , gift bag , and a $ 500 check directed to the charity of his choice , the American Red Cross .
• Do you know any Suburban Heroes ?
Share your story at heroes @ dailyherald.com .

Suburban Hero: Amid pandemic, Maine South student ensures blood drive goes on
Maine South High School junior Carter Collins received a Chicago Bears Community High School All-Star award in recognition of his efforts to organize a community blood and food drive. Courtesy of Carter Collins
Faced with logistical challenges brought on by the pandemic, brothers Carter and Noah Collins were determined to make sure their annual blood and food drive took place this October. They hosted it at Prospect Park in Park Ridge. Courtesy of Carter Collins
Carter Collins had to scramble when he found out the usual location for his third annual Park Ridge community blood drive wouldn't be available this year, and that his plan B was going to cost more to rent than he could afford.
But through his network of volunteers and community supporters, the 17-year-old Maine South High School junior raised enough money to secure the new location. And despite challenges related to the pandemic, this year's blood drive was his most successful yet.
Carter, assisted by his 16-year-old brother Noah and six other Maine South student volunteers, hosted the event Oct. 4 at Prospect Park, where they took temperatures of blood donors upon entry, and directed them to ensure social distancing, hand sanitizing and mask wearing was followed.
The units of blood collected that day were from 46 donors -- an increase of more than 60% from the pre-pandemic prior year. One pint of blood, broken down into its main components, can save up to three lives.
At the same time, Carter collected 50 pounds of food for the Maine Township Food Pantry, which is 20 pounds more than he collected the year before.
"I was surprised we had so many donors and we beat our goal," he said. "But I guess people wanted to help."
For his efforts, Carter received a Chicago Bears Community High School All-Star award, which recognizes prep football players who make a positive impact in their communities and school. Carter is a linebacker on Maine South's varsity team.
"Carter and his brother do this for no other reason than helping those in need," said Maine South football Coach David Inserra, who nominated him for the award. "It is an honor to coach these young men. We are blessed to have them in our program. Their work is an exact reflection of who they are: humble, self-directed, innovative, driven, persistent and extremely caring."
Carter decided to organize his first blood drive after seeing on TV the devastation left by Hurricane Harvey in Texas and Louisiana in 2017. His first blood donation event was at Roosevelt Elementary School in 2018, and the next year he added the food drive component.
School officials normally let him use their gym for free, but they said the school would be off-limits this year because of COVID-19 restrictions.
So he searched for other locations, including hotel ballrooms, gymnasiums and church facilities, eventually finding availability at Prospect Park -- but for a price. Thanks in large part to a donation from Park Ridge Community Church, Collins raised enough money to rent a room to make sure the blood and food drive could go on.
After the success of this year's effort, Carter says he's already working to secure a larger location for next year in hopes of welcoming even more donors.
He is among nine high school football players being honored by the Bears from November through January. He received a personalized, hand-painted football, gift bag, and a $500 check directed to the charity of his choice, the American Red Cross.
• Do you know any Suburban Heroes? Share your story at heroes@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--Constable: Roller coaster year ends on a high note for both kidney recipient and donor

College student Ally Hembd has spent most of 2020 sheltering in her Wheeling home , hooked up to a dialysis machine and hoping to find a donor who would give her a kidney and a new chance at life .
The upbeat 24-year-old got that life-altering kidney in August and returned to the hospital this week after showing symptoms of the coronavirus .
That devastating diagnosis can be deadly for anyone , especially someone whose immune system is coping with a strange kidney , but Hembd is expected to recover with the care she 's getting at Northwestern Memorial Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teams and doctors here immensely , '' Hembd says in a text from her hospital bed , insisting this temporary setback does n't change the message of her journey this year .
`` I think it 's a great idea to give people some hope by reading a wholesome story with a good ending before the holidays . ''
She has experience making that trip from the worst to the best .
`` Before my transplant was horrible .
And COVID in general has been horrible , '' says Hembd , who has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease since shortly after her 2014 graduation from Hersey High School .
`` But the transplant was incredible news . ''
Robin Paolino , 37 , of Aurora gave Hembd a new kidney , and both say they are thrilled with the result .
At the start of 2020 , Hembd barely had the energy to take a single computer science class at Harper Community College in Palatine , where most of the other students were 18-year-old men .
Then COVID-19 restrictions took away that brief brush with normalcy .
`` Once that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home 24/7 , '' she says .
Starting in November 2018 , four days a week , five hours a day , Hembd was tethered to tubes moving her blood through a pair of dialysis machines stacked next to her heated recliner in what used to be the family living room .
The machines did the work of her two damaged kidneys -- removing the waste , salt and extra water from her blood and keeping her blood pressure , potassium , sodium and bicarbonate at safe levels .
The only way people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new kidney or death .
The typical waiting time for a donated kidney in Illinois is more than seven years , and only half the people who rely on dialysis live past five years .
Hembd 's break came because of a car window sticker thought up by her parents , Ron and Lynne Hembd , that read , `` Daughter Needs Kidney .
Blood Type O , '' and included an email address .
Paolino , a 2001 Waubonsie Valley High School graduate and high-performance coach for Transformational Growth Partners , had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Atlanta when she saw the decal on the car of her neighbor , who happened to be a friend of one of Hembd 's sisters .
`` The car was in the parking garage , so I saw it every day , '' Paolino says .
`` I wondered , 'Is that something I 'd be open to ? '
'' She researched the topic of donating a kidney and came to the conclusion that she could handle it physically and mentally .
She sent Hembd an email , but a wary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paolino submitted her application on Feb. 6 .
`` That 's what happened numerous times with other potential donors , '' Hembd says .
A dozen potential donors were eliminated immediately and another 10 were rejected later because they were n't a good match or they had health issues .
Going through extensive testing at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago , Paolino found out she was a suitable donor on the night of July 2 .
`` I will never forget that day .
It was so powerful , '' says Paolino , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let me tell her . ''
As Hembd donned her latex gloves and was preparing for another dialysis treatment , her cellphone rang .
`` This is happening !
This is it !
I 'm the donor ! ''
Paolino said .
`` I immediately started crying , and then she started crying , and we were just sharing the joy and the love , '' Hembd remembers .
Hembd 's parents and sister , Theresa , were home and joined in the celebration .
`` They were cheering and stuff , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Hembd , who quickly developed a friendship with Paolino .
`` She does n't know me .
Or at least , she did n't know me .
It 's incredible .
She 's just that kind of person . ''
On Aug. 13 , the day after Hembd 's 24th birthday , Paolino went to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago for the pre-op to make sure everything was a go .
`` My way of protecting myself was thinking , 'Well , this is n't going to happen , ' '' Hembd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transplant for Aug. 28 , Hembd worried .
`` There 's a lot that can happen in two weeks .
It was kind of torture , '' Hembd says .
`` You 'd think after waiting years for a transplant , I 'd be totally fine waiting a couple of weeks . ''
Her parents took her to the hospital that morning .
Dr. Joseph Leventhal , director of kidney transplantation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital , performed the surgery to harvest Paolino 's kidney .
Then , Dr. Derrick A. Christopher implanted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago .
Hembd came home two days later .
`` That first week at home , I felt really content and happy , '' Hembd says .
Complications sent her back to Northwestern and later to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge .
Paolino also had some pain during recovery .
But both say they are feeling `` pretty great '' these days .
`` Getting off dialysis is a huge thing , '' says Leventhal .
A donated kidney `` normalizes life expectancy very significantly , '' the doctor adds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perform for 20 years .
He says doctors at Northwestern and elsewhere are making progress on efforts to reduce the risk of rejection and make donations easier and last longer .
`` There 's a misconception that you have to be a close relative ( to donate ) .
Nothing could be further from the truth , '' Leventhal says .
`` Do n't fixate on the incompatibility , because we have ways of getting around that . ''
Rejected donors often can change their status by losing weight or getting new treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are n't good matches for a loved one can donate a kidney to a stranger , then get a kidney back through the kidney paired donation that Leventhal calls `` our swap-ortunity . ''
For more information on donation , visit nmlivingdonor.org and organdonor.gov .
`` It was an amazing experience , '' Paolino says .
`` This is exactly what I 'm supposed to do .
It 's a spiritual thing to do , also .
I feel really good about it now .
Just hearing from her makes me feel great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Years ago , Paolino lost a 24-year-old friend to cancer .
And , like Hembd , Paolino comes from a family of sisters .
`` I hope to influence others , '' Paolino says , crediting the support she got from Laurie Lee , a former Hawthorn Woods resident who now lives in Cary .
Lee donated a kidney in 2016 and now is a board member of Transplant Village , which supports donors , recipients and their families .
With her new kidney and outlook , Hembd is applying to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she 'd love to get a master 's degree and become a biostatistician working in the medical field to determine the best ways to treat diseases and disorders .
`` It 's a little hard to remember how I felt all those years ago , '' Hembd says .
`` I feel incredibly hopeful for the future , more than I have for a long time .
It 's really great to be able to give people some good news during this crapshoot of a year . ''

Constable: Roller coaster year ends on a high note for both kidney recipient and donor
As difficult as 2020 has been, Ally Hembd, center, got a new kidney that allows her to join in with her sisters, Julie, left, and Theresa, right. Courtesy of Ally Hembd
Robin Paolino of Aurora says she couldn't be happier about her decision to donate a kidney to stranger Ally Hembd of Wheeling. courtesy of Robin Paolino
After Robin Paolino, left, donated a kidney to Ally Hembd, the pair share a moment. "We're both a little beat up and wearing gowns, but we're so happy," Paolino says. courtesy of Robin Paolino
College student Ally Hembd has spent most of 2020 sheltering in her Wheeling home, hooked up to a dialysis machine and hoping to find a donor who would give her a kidney and a new chance at life. The upbeat 24-year-old got that life-altering kidney in August and returned to the hospital this week after showing symptoms of the coronavirus.
She tested negative for COVID-19 as of Saturday night. While any illness can be dangerous for someone whose immune system is coping with a strange kidney, Hembd is expected to recover with the care she's getting at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
"I trust my teams and doctors here immensely," Hembd says in a text from her hospital bed, insisting this temporary setback doesn't change the message of her journey this year. "I think it's a great idea to give people some hope by reading a wholesome story with a good ending before the holidays."
She has experience making that trip from the worst to the best.
"Before my transplant was horrible. And COVID in general has been horrible," says Hembd, who has been struggling with Stage 4 chronic kidney disease since shortly after her 2014 graduation from Hersey High School. "But the transplant was incredible news."
Robin Paolino, 37, of Aurora gave Hembd a new kidney, and both say they are thrilled with the result.
At the start of 2020, Hembd barely had the energy to take a single computer science class at Harper Community College in Palatine, where most of the other students were 18-year-old men. Then COVID-19 restrictions took away that brief brush with normalcy. "Once that shut down, I was completely at home 24/7," she says.
Starting in November 2018, four days a week, five hours a day, Hembd was tethered to tubes moving her blood through a pair of dialysis machines stacked next to her heated recliner in what used to be the family living room. The machines did the work of her two damaged kidneys -- removing the waste, salt and extra water from her blood and keeping her blood pressure, potassium, sodium and bicarbonate at safe levels.
The only way people get off dialysis machines is through a new kidney or death. The typical waiting time for a donated kidney in Illinois is more than seven years, and only half the people who rely on dialysis live past five years. Hembd's break came because of a car window sticker thought up by her parents, Ron and Lynne Hembd, that read, "Daughter Needs Kidney. Blood Type O," and included an email address.
Paolino, a 2001 Waubonsie Valley High School graduate and high-performance coach for Transformational Growth Partners, had just moved back to Aurora after living in Atlanta when she saw the decal on the car of her neighbor, who happened to be a friend of one of Hembd's sisters.
"The car was in the parking garage, so I saw it every day," Paolino says. "I wondered, 'Is that something I'd be open to?'"
She researched the topic of donating a kidney and came to the conclusion that she could handle it physically and mentally. She sent Hembd an email, but a wary Hembd didn't get too excited after Paolino submitted her application on Feb. 6.
"That's what happened numerous times with other potential donors," Hembd says. A dozen potential donors were eliminated immediately and another 10 were rejected later because they weren't a good match or they had health issues.
Going through extensive testing at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Paolino found out she was a suitable donor on the night of July 2.
"I will never forget that day. It was so powerful," says Paolino, who begged the nurse, "Please let me tell her."
As Hembd donned her latex gloves and was preparing for another dialysis treatment, her cellphone rang.
"This is happening! This is it! I'm the donor!" Paolino said.
"I immediately started crying, and then she started crying, and we were just sharing the joy and the love," Hembd remembers. Hembd's parents and sister, Theresa, were home and joined in the celebration.
"They were cheering and stuff, and my dad started tearing up," says Hembd, who quickly developed a friendship with Paolino. "She doesn't know me. Or at least, she didn't know me. It's incredible. She's just that kind of person."
On Aug. 13, the day after Hembd's 24th birthday, Paolino went to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago for the pre-op to make sure everything was a go.
"My way of protecting myself was thinking, 'Well, this isn't going to happen,'" Hembd says. Even when doctors scheduled the transplant for Aug. 28, Hembd worried.
"There's a lot that can happen in two weeks. It was kind of torture," Hembd says. "You'd think after waiting years for a transplant, I'd be totally fine waiting a couple of weeks."
Her parents took her to the hospital that morning. Dr. Joseph Leventhal, director of kidney transplantation at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, performed the surgery to harvest Paolino's kidney. Then, Dr. Derrick A. Christopher implanted the healthy kidney on Hembd's right side in Chicago. Hembd came home two days later.
"That first week at home, I felt really content and happy," Hembd says. Complications sent her back to Northwestern and later to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. Paolino also had some pain during recovery. But both say they are feeling "pretty great" these days.
"Getting off dialysis is a huge thing," says Leventhal. A donated kidney "normalizes life expectancy very significantly," the doctor adds, noting most kidneys from living donors perform for 20 years. He says doctors at Northwestern and elsewhere are making progress on efforts to reduce the risk of rejection and make donations easier and last longer.
"There's a misconception that you have to be a close relative (to donate). Nothing could be further from the truth," Leventhal says. "Don't fixate on the incompatibility, because we have ways of getting around that."
Rejected donors often can change their status by losing weight or getting new treatment for an underlying condition. People who aren't good matches for a loved one can donate a kidney to a stranger, then get a kidney back through the kidney paired donation that Leventhal calls "our swap-ortunity." For more information on donation, visit nmlivingdonor.org and organdonor.gov.
"It was an amazing experience," Paolino says. "This is exactly what I'm supposed to do. It's a spiritual thing to do, also. I feel really good about it now. Just hearing from her makes me feel great. It really moves my heart."
Years ago, Paolino lost a 24-year-old friend to cancer. And, like Hembd, Paolino comes from a family of sisters.
"I hope to influence others," Paolino says, crediting the support she got from Laurie Lee, a former Hawthorn Woods resident who now lives in Cary. Lee donated a kidney in 2016 and now is a board member of Transplant Village, which supports donors, recipients and their families.
With her new kidney and outlook, Hembd is applying to a long list of colleges. She says she'd love to get a master's degree and become a biostatistician working in the medical field to determine the best ways to treat diseases and disorders.
"It's a little hard to remember how I felt all those years ago," Hembd says. "I feel incredibly hopeful for the future, more than I have for a long time. It's really great to be able to give people some good news during this crapshoot of a year."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--Zen Leaf Naperville opens recreational pot dispensary

Zen Leaf Naperville , the second of three recreational pot dispensaries coming to the city , opened Saturday at 1516 N. Naper Blvd.
, with a ceremony attended by Mayor Steve Chirico and the company 's executives .
The store , which took the place of a long-vacant restaurant , created 30 new jobs , according to a news release .
It sells a comprehensive menu of cannabis products and offers online ordering .
Customers must be 21 or older and a mandatory mask policy is in effect .
`` Despite the pandemic and economic uncertainty , Zen Leaf is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new retail destinations at this Ogden Avenue retail gateway , further elevating its prominence as a thriving , regional retail destination , '' Chirico said in the release .
The city council approval of recreational pot sales in August after more than a year of heated debates , public input and an advisory referendum in which 53 % of 28,968 voters supported the move .
The first to begin sales was Rise Naperville , which already had a medical marijuana store .
The store is Zen Leaf 's fourth in Illinois .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cannabis company .
George Archos , founder , chairman and CEO of both Verano and Zen Leaf , attended Saturday 's ceremony .
The store 's general manager , Nick Salamie , a licensed pharmacist , is a Naperville-native and graduate of Neuqua Valley High School .
More information is at zenleafdispensaries.com .

Zen Leaf Naperville opens recreational pot dispensary
Zen Leaf Naperville is now open at 1516 N. Naper Blvd. It is one of three recreational pot dispensaries coming to the city following the removal of a municipal ban on such sales in August. Courtesy of Zen Leaf Naperville
Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico speaks Saturday at the opening celebration for Zen Leaf Naperville, the city's second of three recreational pot businesses allowed under an August city council decision to lift the municipal ban on such sales. Courtesy of Zen Leaf Naperville
Zen Leaf Naperville, the second of three recreational pot dispensaries coming to the city, opened Saturday at 1516 N. Naper Blvd., with a ceremony attended by Mayor Steve Chirico and the company's executives.
The store, which took the place of a long-vacant restaurant, created 30 new jobs, according to a news release. It sells a comprehensive menu of cannabis products and offers online ordering. Customers must be 21 or older and a mandatory mask policy is in effect.
"Despite the pandemic and economic uncertainty, Zen Leaf is just one of several prominent businesses opening new retail destinations at this Ogden Avenue retail gateway, further elevating its prominence as a thriving, regional retail destination," Chirico said in the release.
The city council approval of recreational pot sales in August after more than a year of heated debates, public input and an advisory referendum in which 53% of 28,968 voters supported the move. The first to begin sales was Rise Naperville, which already had a medical marijuana store.
The store is Zen Leaf's fourth in Illinois. It is operated by Verano, a multistate cannabis company. George Archos, founder, chairman and CEO of both Verano and Zen Leaf, attended Saturday's ceremony. The store's general manager, Nick Salamie, a licensed pharmacist, is a Naperville-native and graduate of Neuqua Valley High School.
More information is at zenleafdispensaries.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-18--Believe Project: $100 to help friend with medical issues

Today 's recipient of a $ 100 bill through the Believe Project is Eileen Smith of Des Plaines .
She wants to give the money to a friend .
Here is an excerpt of her story : '' In June , she was diagnosed with cancer .
She 's had ( multiple ) operations and radiation .
She 's just recently been told they 're letting her go from her job .
The company sold and ( is ) downsizing .
She 's had to go on disability and is struggling to make ends meet right now .
`` She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not successful and is just overwhelmed with all the negative things that have happened to her in the past year .
The $ 100 would help her and also lift her spirits to 'Believe ' that good things can still happen to good people . ''
• The Believe Project is awarding $ 100 each day in December to a different person with a great idea for how to use the money to do a good deed for someone else .
Submit your idea for consideration in 150 words or fewer at events.dailyherald.com/believe/ @

Believe Project: $100 to help friend with medical issues
Today's recipient of a $100 bill through the Believe Project is Eileen Smith of Des Plaines.
She wants to give the money to a friend. Here is an excerpt of her story:
"In June, she was diagnosed with cancer. She's had (multiple) operations and radiation. She's just recently been told they're letting her go from her job. The company sold and (is) downsizing. She's had to go on disability and is struggling to make ends meet right now.
"She also had an eye surgery that was not successful and is just overwhelmed with all the negative things that have happened to her in the past year. The $100 would help her and also lift her spirits to 'Believe' that good things can still happen to good people."
• The Believe Project is awarding $100 each day in December to a different person with a great idea for how to use the money to do a good deed for someone else. Submit your idea for consideration in 150 words or fewer at events.dailyherald.com/believe/.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--Service, scholarship fund to honor two Naperville sisters killed in Ohio driving home

A memorial service is being held Saturday for two sisters from Naperville who were killed in a car crash while driving home to visit their parents .
The service for Angel Yang , 29 , and Cassidy Yang , 26 , will be conducted online , via Zoom .
It may also be telecast on YouTube , according to a post on a GoFundMe page raising money for the Angel and Cassidy Yang Foundation .
The sisters , their family 's only children , were killed Dec. 5 on the Ohio Turnpike , according to Ohio State Police .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the car and hit a car parked on the shoulder .
There was freezing rain or drizzle at the time , according to the report .
Cassidy Yang was a graduate student at Princeton University in New Jersey , studying quantitative and computational biology at the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics , according to the university .
She anticipated earning her doctorate in May .
She graduated from Caltech in 2016 with a double major in physics and business economics and management , according to a web page about the two sisters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zhongjin Yang and Jie Yao .
Recently , she volunteered as a tutor for remote schooling for Black , Latino and other minority students in kindergarten through 12h grade in Princeton , New Jersey .
`` Cassidy was a fantastic student , '' said adviser Joshua Shaevitz , a physics professor and director of the QCB graduate program , in the university news release .
`` She was tenacious at attacking problems and did n't back down when things in the lab got difficult .
`` She was also an amazing friend and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In every research group there is usually one person who seems to selflessly look out for everyone else , and for us that was Cassidy .
She was also active in mentoring and outreach projects both on campus and nationally .
The world has lost a star at too young an age . ''
Angel had a bachelor 's degree in physics and management science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master 's degree in industrial engineering and operations research from the University of California at Berkeley .
She was working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to her LinkedIn profile .
`` It 's been years since I was in the same Chinese school class with Angel , but her mischievous sense of humor left quite an impression and made boring classes seem more fun , '' wrote one GoFundMe donor , Tianning Xu .
Angel was born in Oslo , Norway , while Cassidy was born in Halifax , Canada , before the family moved to Naperville in 1994 , according to the parents ' biographies .
`` Her life was brilliantly radiant even if cut @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Angel .
And , Cassidy 's `` life was short but brilliant , '' they wrote .
Friends established the GoFundMe page with a goal of raising $ 100,000 to give to the Yangs ' parents .
The fund stood at more than $ 263,000 Friday evening .
The parents have indicated they intend to use it to establish a scholarship for women studying science , technology , engineering or mathematics , according to the organizer .
`` With the outpouring of support and love from everyone near and far , Angel and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process of recovery from their loss of loved ones , '' the GoFundMe organizer wrote on the page Wednesday .
`` In memory of Angel and Cassidy , and to carry on their dreams and legacies , we will keep working to grow the foundation to support more girls and young women in their future endeavors in science , '' the organizer wrote .

Service, scholarship fund to honor two Naperville sisters killed in Ohio driving home
A GoFundMe page has been created in honor of Angel and Cassidy Yang, formerly of Naperville, who were killed in a car crash Dec. 5 in Ohio.
Cassidy, left, and Angel Yang, formerly of Naperville, were killed in a car crash Dec. 5 in Ohio on their way to visit their parents back home. Courtesy of the Yang family
A memorial service is being held Saturday for two sisters from Naperville who were killed in a car crash while driving home to visit their parents.
The service for Angel Yang, 29, and Cassidy Yang, 26, will be conducted online, via Zoom. It may also be telecast on YouTube, according to a post on a GoFundMe page raising money for the Angel and Cassidy Yang Foundation.
The sisters, their family's only children, were killed Dec. 5 on the Ohio Turnpike, according to Ohio State Police. A preliminary crash report indicates Cassidy lost control of the car and hit a car parked on the shoulder. There was freezing rain or drizzle at the time, according to the report.
Cassidy Yang was a graduate student at Princeton University in New Jersey, studying quantitative and computational biology at the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, according to the university. She anticipated earning her doctorate in May. She graduated from Caltech in 2016 with a double major in physics and business economics and management, according to a web page about the two sisters with biographies written by their parents, Zhongjin Yang and Jie Yao.
Recently, she volunteered as a tutor for remote schooling for Black, Latino and other minority students in kindergarten through 12h grade in Princeton, New Jersey.
"Cassidy was a fantastic student," said adviser Joshua Shaevitz, a physics professor and director of the QCB graduate program, in the university news release. "She was tenacious at attacking problems and didn't back down when things in the lab got difficult.
"She was also an amazing friend and mentor to many in our group. In every research group there is usually one person who seems to selflessly look out for everyone else, and for us that was Cassidy. She was also active in mentoring and outreach projects both on campus and nationally. The world has lost a star at too young an age."
Angel had a bachelor's degree in physics and management science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master's degree in industrial engineering and operations research from the University of California at Berkeley. She was working as a business consultant in New York, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Both graduated from Naperville North High School.
"It's been years since I was in the same Chinese school class with Angel, but her mischievous sense of humor left quite an impression and made boring classes seem more fun," wrote one GoFundMe donor, Tianning Xu.
Angel was born in Oslo, Norway, while Cassidy was born in Halifax, Canada, before the family moved to Naperville in 1994, according to the parents' biographies.
"Her life was brilliantly radiant even if cut short," the parents wrote about Angel. And, Cassidy's "life was short but brilliant," they wrote.
Friends established the GoFundMe page with a goal of raising $100,000 to give to the Yangs' parents. The fund stood at more than $263,000 Friday evening.
The parents have indicated they intend to use it to establish a scholarship for women studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics, according to the organizer.
"With the outpouring of support and love from everyone near and far, Angel and Cassidy's parents are in the slow process of recovery from their loss of loved ones," the GoFundMe organizer wrote on the page Wednesday.
"In memory of Angel and Cassidy, and to carry on their dreams and legacies, we will keep working to grow the foundation to support more girls and young women in their future endeavors in science," the organizer wrote.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--We're extending the Believe Project through the end of February. Now, who should get $100?

Last month , we invited you to participate in our annual Believe Project by telling us how you would use $ 100 to help another person .
Suggestions poured in and -- thanks to donor and former suburban businesswoman Carolyn Gable -- we 've been able to send $ 100 bills to folks with the most compelling stories of how to use the money to help make another 's life a little better .
Since the start of December , 20 suburban residents have been chosen to receive an envelope through this year 's Believe Project .
Normally , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of the month .
But then , something inspiring happened .
Two separate anonymous donors reached out to the newspaper .
They offered to contribute a total of $ 5,900 so we could continue sending envelopes to readers through January and February .
Now we 're back to ask you to log on to events.dailyherald.com/believe/ and fill out the entry form .
We ask for your name , email address , phone number and home address .
Then -- in 150 words or fewer -- tell us how you would use $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better .
Let 's keep this going .
Let 's continue to believe .

We're extending the Believe Project through the end of February. Now, who should get $100?
Last month, we invited you to participate in our annual Believe Project by telling us how you would use $100 to help another person.
The response was overwhelming.
Suggestions poured in and -- thanks to donor and former suburban businesswoman Carolyn Gable -- we've been able to send $100 bills to folks with the most compelling stories of how to use the money to help make another's life a little better.
Since the start of December, 20 suburban residents have been chosen to receive an envelope through this year's Believe Project. Normally, the project would be limited to the 31 days of the month.
But then, something inspiring happened.
Two separate anonymous donors reached out to the newspaper. They offered to contribute a total of $5,900 so we could continue sending envelopes to readers through January and February.
Now we're back to ask you to log on to events.dailyherald.com/believe/ and fill out the entry form.
We ask for your name, email address, phone number and home address. Then -- in 150 words or fewer -- tell us how you would use $100 to make someone else's life better.
Let's keep this going. Let's continue to believe.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-19--Facts Matter: Pope didn't say vaccine needed to get into heaven

A satirical website last month published a story claiming the pope said taking the COVID-19 vaccine is a requirement to enter the pearly gates .
According to the fake story on The Babylon Bee website , Pope Francis said , `` We must be wary of the greatest earthly sin of all : not getting the COVID-19 vaccine .
God has informed me that He will not let you into Heaven unless you have received BOTH DOSES of this very safe vaccine . ''
But some social media users did n't get the joke and shared the story without labeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Babylon Bee bills itself as `` the world 's best satire site '' that writes about `` Christian stuff , political stuff , and everyday life . ''
According to Reuters , Pope Francis did talk about the vaccine in September , saying , `` If anyone should be given preference , let it be the poorest , the most vulnerable , those who so often experience discrimination because they have neither power nor economic resources . ''
A school bus transporting office equipment was stopped at a gas station Dec. 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ received a call about an abandoned bus full of large machinery , according to The Associated Press .
Officers determined the vehicle was not abandoned , the driver was with the vehicle , and the machinery in the bus was printers bought at an office equipment surplus sale .
`` The guy was legitimate .
It was just printers and blank paper , '' a gas station employee < URL destination= '' https : //apnews.com/article/ap-fact-check-united-kingdom-health-media-social-media-39efdb570c6e58bd99fbc5ae7f27dc05 `` > told the AP .
< /URL > However , a person at the scene when police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media , claiming the bus was hiding voting machines .
`` The place was crawling with police and investigators ! ''
the post read .
`` They opened the back doors and the bus is completely packed with voter machines ! ''
One photo showed a close-up of a sticker on equipment that read , `` Election Systems & Software , '' according to USA Today .
But a spokeswoman from the company that made the equipment said it was a printer .
`` The item seen in the photo is not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Katina Granger , public relations manager for Election Systems & Software of Omaha , Nebraska , told USA Today .
The next day , the Buckeye Police Department issued a statement regarding `` misinformation circulating on social media . ''
`` It was determined the bus was full of office equipment purchased at a surplus sale , complete with invoices and receipts , '' the statement read .
`` The information in the original post is inaccurate . ''
Radio host Rush Limbaugh recently told his listeners the American Medical Association has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the drug President Donald Trump recommended as a treatment for COVID-19 .
`` Now all of a sudden the AMA ( said ) -- although very quietly -- that hydroxychloroquine is OK , '' Limbaugh said during his Tuesday broadcast .
`` It 's perfectly fine .
Go ahead and use it if you want .
It can be helpful . ''
But the AMA never rescinded a March 25 statement opposed to prescribing hydroxychloroquine , and the Florida-based website Published Reporter that Limbaugh cited has since corrected its report , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claim , the AMA responded on Twitter : `` In March , AMA urged caution about prescribing hydroxychloroquine off-label to treat # COVID19 .
Our position remains unchanged .
Evidence-based # science & practice must guide these determinations . ''
An item circulating on social media this month claims Trump will be `` tactically '' implementing parts of an executive order on election security and `` patriots '' should have weapons `` at the ready . ''
The meme , referencing a 2018 executive order , claims the implementation will freeze money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` be prepared to assist the National Guard and the military commands in defense of our nation . ''
In reality , the executive order does n't have anything to do with freezing assets or calling out the National Guard , according to Snopes.com .
The executive order , signed just before the midterm elections , was about combating election interference by foreign countries .
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News .
Contact him at boboswald33 @ gmail.com .

Facts Matter: Pope didn't say vaccine needed to get into heaven
Pope Francis puts on his face mask as he attends an interreligious ceremony for peace in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, in Rome Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020 Associated Press
A satirical website last month published a story claiming the pope said taking the COVID-19 vaccine is a requirement to enter the pearly gates.
According to the fake story on The Babylon Bee website, Pope Francis said, "We must be wary of the greatest earthly sin of all: not getting the COVID-19 vaccine. God has informed me that He will not let you into Heaven unless you have received BOTH DOSES of this very safe vaccine."
But some social media users didn't get the joke and shared the story without labeling it satire, according to PolitiFact.com.
The Babylon Bee bills itself as "the world's best satire site" that writes about "Christian stuff, political stuff, and everyday life."
According to Reuters, Pope Francis did talk about the vaccine in September, saying, "If anyone should be given preference, let it be the poorest, the most vulnerable, those who so often experience discrimination because they have neither power nor economic resources."
Bus carried office equipment
A school bus transporting office equipment was stopped at a gas station Dec. 3 in Buckeye, Arizona, after police received a call about an abandoned bus full of large machinery, according to The Associated Press.
Officers determined the vehicle was not abandoned, the driver was with the vehicle, and the machinery in the bus was printers bought at an office equipment surplus sale.
"The guy was legitimate. It was just printers and blank paper," a gas station employee told the AP.
However, a person at the scene when police were investigating later posted photos on social media, claiming the bus was hiding voting machines.
"The place was crawling with police and investigators!" the post read. "They opened the back doors and the bus is completely packed with voter machines!"
One photo showed a close-up of a sticker on equipment that read, "Election Systems & Software," according to USA Today. But a spokeswoman from the company that made the equipment said it was a printer.
"The item seen in the photo is not a voting machine or a tabulation machine," Katina Granger, public relations manager for Election Systems & Software of Omaha, Nebraska, told USA Today.
The next day, the Buckeye Police Department issued a statement regarding "misinformation circulating on social media."
"It was determined the bus was full of office equipment purchased at a surplus sale, complete with invoices and receipts," the statement read. "The information in the original post is inaccurate."
Hydroxychloroquine not OK'd
Radio host Rush Limbaugh recently told his listeners the American Medical Association has reversed a previous statement on hydroxychloroquine, the drug President Donald Trump recommended as a treatment for COVID-19.
"Now all of a sudden the AMA (said) -- although very quietly -- that hydroxychloroquine is OK," Limbaugh said during his Tuesday broadcast. "It's perfectly fine. Go ahead and use it if you want. It can be helpful."
But the AMA never rescinded a March 25 statement opposed to prescribing hydroxychloroquine, and the Florida-based website Published Reporter that Limbaugh cited has since corrected its report, according to PolitiFact.com.
The day after Limbaugh made the claim, the AMA responded on Twitter: "In March, AMA urged caution about prescribing hydroxychloroquine off-label to treat #COVID19. Our position remains unchanged. Evidence-based #science & practice must guide these determinations."
Order doesn't call out military
An item circulating on social media this month claims Trump will be "tactically" implementing parts of an executive order on election security and "patriots" should have weapons "at the ready."
The meme, referencing a 2018 executive order, claims the implementation will freeze money and assets of citizens, who should "be prepared to assist the National Guard and the military commands in defense of our nation."
In reality, the executive order doesn't have anything to do with freezing assets or calling out the National Guard, according to Snopes.com.
The executive order, signed just before the midterm elections, was about combating election interference by foreign countries.
• Bob Oswald is a veteran Chicago-area journalist and former news editor of the Elgin Courier-News. Contact him at boboswald33@gmail.com.