dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-06--Sleep Out Saturday finds new way to raise awareness of homelessness

Bridge Communities had to reconfigure Saturday night 's 17th annual Sleep Out Saturday fundraiser due to the ongoing coronavirus .
The Glen Ellyn-based nonprofit is dedicated to assisting homeless families in DuPage County , and Sleep Out Saturday gives participants a brief exposure to the experiences of those who lack consistent shelter .
Previous Sleep Out Saturdays drew large community and church groups together to sleep rough outside in parks or in vehicles overnight .
But this year , Bridge Communities is asking individuals and families to stage their own Sleep Out Saturdays closer to home ( on Saturday night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
With the change , Bridge Communities is offering a participant tool kit and is streaming an online presentation at 8 p.m. '' We 've had to pivot , and that 's the key word , '' said Bridge Communities CEO Karen Wells about COVID-19 's effect on the organization .
In addition to Sleep Out Saturday , Bridge Communities had to safely reconfigure its intake process , mentoring and other services for homeless families .
Wells worries that homeless numbers will increase with coronavirus-caused unemployment and eviction moratoriums set to be lifted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year 's event will live up to its reputation as one of Bridge Communities ' biggest fundraisers ( $ 1.5 million was cumulatively raised by the past 16 Sleep Out Saturdays ) .
`` It 's really near and dear to me , '' said Wells , who herself experienced homelessness while being raised in a family of seven that moved from home to home .
`` About 10 % of our families here in DuPage County are what we would call homeless , '' Wells said .
`` And what we mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up living with another family , or they have significant challenges in finding a home . ''
Michelle Ambroz of Naperville is a beneficiary of Bridge Communities .
Ambroz and her three children faced homelessness as a result of what she describes as a `` horrific divorce . ''
`` Without Bridge Communities , I would not be where I am currently , '' said Ambroz , whose turnaround story is detailed on the Bridge Communities website .
`` Their programs are essential to single mothers or families who have been through hardships @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
Even though it might bring back memories of unhappier times , Ambroz 's family plans on be participating in this year 's Sleep Out Saturday .
`` It 's just to kind of put things back into perspective , Ambroz said .
`` Never to forget where you came from . ''
For more information , visit sleepoutsaturday.org or call Bridge Communities at ( 630 ) 403-5091 .

Sleep Out Saturday finds new way to raise awareness of homelessness
Bridge Communities' 17th annual Sleep Out Saturday fundraiser has been reconfigured in 2020 due to the coronavirus. Daily Herald File Photo
Michelle Ambroz, right, and her three children have benefitted from the nonprofit Bridge Communities, which assists homeless families. Ambroz's family plans to participate in Bridge Communities' 17th annual Sleep Out Saturday on Nov. 7. Courtesy of Bridge Communities
The children of Karen Wells, the new CEO of Bridges Communities, participated in a previous Sleep Out Saturday fundraiser to benefit homeless families. The 17th annual Sleep Out Saturday this year has been reconfigured due to the coronavirus. Courtesy Karen Wells/Bridge Communities
Bridge Communities had to reconfigure Saturday night's 17th annual Sleep Out Saturday fundraiser due to the ongoing coronavirus.
The Glen Ellyn-based nonprofit is dedicated to assisting homeless families in DuPage County, and Sleep Out Saturday gives participants a brief exposure to the experiences of those who lack consistent shelter.
Previous Sleep Out Saturdays drew large community and church groups together to sleep rough outside in parks or in vehicles overnight.
But this year, Bridge Communities is asking individuals and families to stage their own Sleep Out Saturdays closer to home (on Saturday night or another date through Dec. 5). With the change, Bridge Communities is offering a participant tool kit and is streaming an online presentation at 8 p.m.
"We've had to pivot, and that's the key word," said Bridge Communities CEO Karen Wells about COVID-19's effect on the organization.
In addition to Sleep Out Saturday, Bridge Communities had to safely reconfigure its intake process, mentoring and other services for homeless families.
Wells worries that homeless numbers will increase with coronavirus-caused unemployment and eviction moratoriums set to be lifted next year. So Wells hopes this year's event will live up to its reputation as one of Bridge Communities' biggest fundraisers ($1.5 million was cumulatively raised by the past 16 Sleep Out Saturdays).
"It's really near and dear to me," said Wells, who herself experienced homelessness while being raised in a family of seven that moved from home to home.
"About 10% of our families here in DuPage County are what we would call homeless," Wells said. "And what we mean by that is they're either doubled up living with another family, or they have significant challenges in finding a home."
Michelle Ambroz of Naperville is a beneficiary of Bridge Communities. Ambroz and her three children faced homelessness as a result of what she describes as a "horrific divorce."
"Without Bridge Communities, I would not be where I am currently," said Ambroz, whose turnaround story is detailed on the Bridge Communities website. "Their programs are essential to single mothers or families who have been through hardships. I am eternally grateful to them."
Even though it might bring back memories of unhappier times, Ambroz's family plans on be participating in this year's Sleep Out Saturday.
"It's just to kind of put things back into perspective, Ambroz said. "Never to forget where you came from."
For more information, visit sleepoutsaturday.org or call Bridge Communities at (630) 403-5091.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-06--Lawmakers eye limits on police immunity

Lawmakers eye limits on police immunity

SPRINGFIELD -- State legislators are considering eliminating or limiting aspects of qualified immunity for law enforcement .
Qualified immunity is n't an explicit federal statute or law but a legal doctrine established in its current form by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1982 case Harlow v. Fitzgerald , which grants government officials immunity from lawsuits in the course of their duties .
It is most often used in cases of alleged police misconduct or brutality .
At a joint hearing of the Senate Criminal Law and Public Safety committees on Thursday , lawmakers heard testimony from legal experts , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of qualified immunity and its potential removal .
The committee also discussed officer liability and amendments to the Uniform Peace Officers ' Disciplinary Act .
`` Qualified immunity is often used as justification for excessive force and other forms of police misconduct , '' Peters said in a release after the hearing .
`` If officers had to worry about facing consequences from their actions , maybe they would think twice before brutalizing our communities .
We can not and will not win real safety and justice until police officers are able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
To lose qualified immunity , officers must violate `` clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known . ''
Supreme Court scholar Carolyn Shapiro , who has argued cases in the state and federal supreme courts , testified to lawmakers that this standard has meant that unless a nearly identical case of police misconduct has previously appeared before a court , officers could not have reasonably known their misconduct was violating the rights of the plaintiffs .
`` Increasingly courts require more and more precise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are making and the preexisting cases , '' Shapiro said .
Shapiro offered two examples to the joint committee of when the lack of precedent has led to officers being shielded from civil liability for their misconduct .
The first was a case in the 9th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in which officers serving a search warrant in 2013 removed more than $ 200,000 of the homeowner 's possessions and underreported what was seized , allegedly keeping the difference for themselves .
In subsequent litigation , the officers were granted qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no previous case or lawsuit that indicated the action would violate the homeowner 's constitutional rights , Shapiro said .
The second example was a case in the 11th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals in which a Georgia sheriff 's deputy , while apprehending a suspect during a chase that spilled onto private property where children were playing , held children at gunpoint .
The deputy fired two errant shots at a dog belonging to one of the children , striking the 10-year-old owner of the dog once in the leg while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the deputy 's orders .
The appellate court granted the deputy qualified immunity from a lawsuit from the boy 's family on the grounds `` that it was not clearly established it would be a constitutional violation to fire into a group of children , '' Shapiro said .
According to Shapiro , there are exceptions to the rules on qualified immunity in cases where `` the facts are so egregious that they say any reasonable officer would recognize the constitutional violation . ''
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on one such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denying qualified immunity to corrections officers who left an inmate in a cell covered in feces for days before leaving him naked for several more days in a different cell kept at frigid temperatures .
The high court overturned a decision by the 5th U.S .
Circuit Court of Appeals , which originally had granted the correctional officers qualified immunity on the grounds they did n't have `` 'fair warning ' that their specific acts were unconstitutional . ''
Brad Cole , executive director of the Illinois Municipal League , testified before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not the answer to curtailing police brutality and enacting police reform .
`` We are aware of a growing movement to abolish or limit qualified immunity , in part a reaction to widely publicized instances of police misconduct , '' Cole said .
`` While we 're interested in exploring and possibly supporting aspects of policing reforms , the weakening or elimination of qualified immunity is something the Illinois Municipal League does not support . ''
According to Cole , ending qualified immunity would open up all government officials , not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are frivolous .
Cole told lawmakers that taxpayers would ultimately foot the bill for frivolous lawsuits filed against city workers , county employees and police officers , which could create financial stresses for municipalities .
In written testimony submitted to the joint committee , the Illinois Municipal League called on the General Assembly to consider other methods of police reform brought up in previous hearings , such as limiting use of force , providing more departments with body cameras , establishing civilian review boards and statewide certification for officers .
Police Benevolent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Counsel Sean Smoot told lawmakers that most police officers and prosecutors do n't even know they have qualified immunity , so ending it would n't prevent misconduct from bad actors .
`` The solution is better training , more inclusion and more diversity within policing , '' Smoot said .
`` My promise to this committee is , on behalf of my members , we will sit in a room and have difficult conversations like this one in an effort to improve and try to perfect the criminal justice system and the role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of those claims , Shapiro cited the work of Joanna Schwartz , a UCLA law professor whose research covers qualified immunity .
According to Shapiro , Schwartz 's research shows that municipalities already bear the costs of settling lawsuits and settlements for police misconduct , and ending qualified immunity would help transfer liability from municipalities and governments to individuals .
Schwartz 's work as cited by Shapiro also claims that ending qualified immunity would not negatively impact recruitment or retention of officers , or encourage officers to not fulfill their duties over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Chicago Democrat who also co-chaired the joint committee , addressed concerns and disputes between witnesses about the nature of the hearing and the reasons behind lawmakers ' decision to take a critical look at qualified immunity .
`` These are complicated issues , complicated questions .
This is never intended to be an adversarial process .
The process is one where we intend to find the best policy for the communities we all protect , represent and serve , '' he said .
In a news release sent Thursday , Sims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how it is necessary for lawmakers to consider all their options .
`` You can not quantify the loss of trust between communities and law enforcement , '' Sims said .
`` The ability to have a relationship between communities that is transparent , strong and built on trust is not a current reality , but it should be .
These discussions are crucial to discover and implement meaningful solutions to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people that they serve . ''
Thursday 's joint hearing was prompted by the Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end systemic racism in Illinois . ''
Sims , Peters and other members of caucus have been discussing criminal justice reform , the economy , health care and education with the goal of introducing legislation during the veto session tentatively scheduled for Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3 .

Lawmakers eye limits on police immunity
SPRINGFIELD -- State legislators are considering eliminating or limiting aspects of qualified immunity for law enforcement.
Qualified immunity isn't an explicit federal statute or law but a legal doctrine established in its current form by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1982 case Harlow v. Fitzgerald, which grants government officials immunity from lawsuits in the course of their duties. It is most often used in cases of alleged police misconduct or brutality.
At a joint hearing of the Senate Criminal Law and Public Safety committees on Thursday, lawmakers heard testimony from legal experts, law enforcement and municipal officials on the impact of qualified immunity and its potential removal. The committee also discussed officer liability and amendments to the Uniform Peace Officers' Disciplinary Act.
State Sen. Robert Peters, a Chicago Democrat, co-chaired the hearing.
"Qualified immunity is often used as justification for excessive force and other forms of police misconduct," Peters said in a release after the hearing. "If officers had to worry about facing consequences from their actions, maybe they would think twice before brutalizing our communities. We cannot and will not win real safety and justice until police officers are able to be held accountable for their actions."
To lose qualified immunity, officers must violate "clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known."
Supreme Court scholar Carolyn Shapiro, who has argued cases in the state and federal supreme courts, testified to lawmakers that this standard has meant that unless a nearly identical case of police misconduct has previously appeared before a court, officers could not have reasonably known their misconduct was violating the rights of the plaintiffs.
"Increasingly courts require more and more precise identity between the allegations that the plaintiffs are making and the preexisting cases," Shapiro said.
Shapiro offered two examples to the joint committee of when the lack of precedent has led to officers being shielded from civil liability for their misconduct.
The first was a case in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in which officers serving a search warrant in 2013 removed more than $200,000 of the homeowner's possessions and underreported what was seized, allegedly keeping the difference for themselves. In subsequent litigation, the officers were granted qualified immunity on the grounds that there was no previous case or lawsuit that indicated the action would violate the homeowner's constitutional rights, Shapiro said.
The second example was a case in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in which a Georgia sheriff's deputy, while apprehending a suspect during a chase that spilled onto private property where children were playing, held children at gunpoint. The deputy fired two errant shots at a dog belonging to one of the children, striking the 10-year-old owner of the dog once in the leg while he and the other kids lay facedown on the deputy's orders.
The appellate court granted the deputy qualified immunity from a lawsuit from the boy's family on the grounds "that it was not clearly established it would be a constitutional violation to fire into a group of children," Shapiro said.
According to Shapiro, there are exceptions to the rules on qualified immunity in cases where "the facts are so egregious that they say any reasonable officer would recognize the constitutional violation."
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on one such case Monday, Taylor vs. Riojas, denying qualified immunity to corrections officers who left an inmate in a cell covered in feces for days before leaving him naked for several more days in a different cell kept at frigid temperatures.
The high court overturned a decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which originally had granted the correctional officers qualified immunity on the grounds they didn't have "'fair warning' that their specific acts were unconstitutional."
Brad Cole, executive director of the Illinois Municipal League, testified before the joint committee Thursday that ending qualified immunity was not the answer to curtailing police brutality and enacting police reform.
"We are aware of a growing movement to abolish or limit qualified immunity, in part a reaction to widely publicized instances of police misconduct," Cole said. "While we're interested in exploring and possibly supporting aspects of policing reforms, the weakening or elimination of qualified immunity is something the Illinois Municipal League does not support."
According to Cole, ending qualified immunity would open up all government officials, not just police, to lawsuits, including those that are frivolous. Cole told lawmakers that taxpayers would ultimately foot the bill for frivolous lawsuits filed against city workers, county employees and police officers, which could create financial stresses for municipalities.
In written testimony submitted to the joint committee, the Illinois Municipal League called on the General Assembly to consider other methods of police reform brought up in previous hearings, such as limiting use of force, providing more departments with body cameras, establishing civilian review boards and statewide certification for officers.
Police Benevolent and Protective Association of Illinois Chief Legal Counsel Sean Smoot told lawmakers that most police officers and prosecutors don't even know they have qualified immunity, so ending it wouldn't prevent misconduct from bad actors.
"The solution is better training, more inclusion and more diversity within policing," Smoot said. "My promise to this committee is, on behalf of my members, we will sit in a room and have difficult conversations like this one in an effort to improve and try to perfect the criminal justice system and the role police play in it."
Addressing some of those claims, Shapiro cited the work of Joanna Schwartz, a UCLA law professor whose research covers qualified immunity.
According to Shapiro, Schwartz's research shows that municipalities already bear the costs of settling lawsuits and settlements for police misconduct, and ending qualified immunity would help transfer liability from municipalities and governments to individuals. Schwartz's work as cited by Shapiro also claims that ending qualified immunity would not negatively impact recruitment or retention of officers, or encourage officers to not fulfill their duties over fear of litigation.
Sen. Elgie Sims, a Chicago Democrat who also co-chaired the joint committee, addressed concerns and disputes between witnesses about the nature of the hearing and the reasons behind lawmakers' decision to take a critical look at qualified immunity.
"These are complicated issues, complicated questions. This is never intended to be an adversarial process. The process is one where we intend to find the best policy for the communities we all protect, represent and serve," he said.
In a news release sent Thursday, Sims emphasized the need for police reform and how it is necessary for lawmakers to consider all their options.
"You cannot quantify the loss of trust between communities and law enforcement," Sims said. "The ability to have a relationship between communities that is transparent, strong and built on trust is not a current reality, but it should be. These discussions are crucial to discover and implement meaningful solutions to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the people that they serve."
Thursday's joint hearing was prompted by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus agenda which seeks "to end systemic racism in Illinois." Sims, Peters and other members of caucus have been discussing criminal justice reform, the economy, health care and education with the goal of introducing legislation during the veto session tentatively scheduled for Nov. 17-19 and Dec. 1-3.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-06--Biden inching toward presidency: 'We're going to win this race'

WASHINGTON -- Democrat Joe Biden stood on the cusp of winning the presidency Friday night , three days after Election Day , as the long , exacting work of counting votes widened his lead over President Donald Trump in critical battleground states .
High turnout , a massive number of mail-in ballots and slim margins between the two candidates all contributed to the delay in naming a winner .
But Biden held leads in Pennsylvania , Nevada and Georgia , putting him in an ever-stronger position to capture the 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the White House .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ where Biden led Trump by more than 27,000 votes , and Nevada , where the Democrat led by about 22,000 .
The prolonged wait added to the anxiety of a nation facing historic challenges , including the surging pandemic and deep political polarization .
Trump stayed in the White House and out of sight , as more results trickled in and expanded Biden 's lead in must-win Pennsylvania .
In the West Wing during the day , televisions remained tuned to the news amid trappings of normalcy , as reporters lined up for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North Lawn on a mild , muggy fall day .
Biden , for his part , addressed the nation Friday night near his home in Wilmington , Delaware , and acknowledged the sluggish pace of the count `` can be numbing . ''
But he added , `` Never forget the tallies are n't just numbers : They represent votes and voters . ''
He expressed confidence that victory ultimately would be his , saying , `` The numbers tell us a clear and convincing story : We 're going to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running mate , Sen. Kamala Harris , and against a backdrop of flags , Biden was n't able to give the acceptance speech his aides had hoped .
But he hit notes of unity , seemingly aimed at cooling the temperature of a heated , divided nation .
`` We have to remember the purpose of our politics is n't total unrelenting , unending warfare , '' he said .
`` No , the purpose of our politics , the work of our nation , is n't to fan the flames of conflict @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guarantee justice , to give everybody a fair shot . ''
Trump 's campaign on Friday was mostly quiet -- a dramatic difference from the day before , when officials held a morning call projecting confidence and then a flurry of press conferences announcing litigation in key states .
But it was touched once again by the coronavirus pandemic .
Chief of staff Mark Meadows contracted the virus , according to two senior White House officials not authorized to publicly discuss private matters .
A campaign aide , Nick Trainer , also tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has been the defining issue of the campaign .
The president , first lady Melania Trump and several other members of the White House staff and Trump 's campaign team have fallen ill. A handful of states remained in play Friday evening -- Georgia , North Carolina too early to call along with Pennsylvania and Nevada .
In all four states the margins between Trump and Biden were too narrow and the number of ballots left to be counted too great for the AP to declare a victor .
In Pennsylvania , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law .
In Nevada , there were a number of provisional ballots cast by voters who registered on Election Day , and officials had to verify their eligibility .
And recounts could be triggered in both Pennsylvania and Georgia .
With his pathway to reelection appearing to greatly narrow , Trump was testing how far he could go in using the trappings of presidential power to undermine confidence in the vote .
On Thursday , he advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud to falsely argue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process .
`` This is a case when they are trying to steal an election , they are trying to rig an election , '' Trump said from the podium of the White House briefing room .
He took to Twitter late Friday to pledge further legal action , tweeting that `` Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President .
I could make that claim also .
Legal proceedings are just now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he won late on Election Night .
He also tweeted that he had `` such a big lead in all of these states late into election night , only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by , '' although it was well known that votes cast before Tuesday were still being legally counted .
Biden spent Thursday trying to ease tensions and project a more traditional image of presidential leadership .
After participating in a coronavirus briefing , he declared that `` each ballot must be counted . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The process is working , '' Biden said .
`` It is the will of the voters .
No one , not anyone else who chooses the president of the United States of America . ''
Trump 's erroneous claims about the integrity of the election challenged Republicans now faced with the choice of whether to break with a president who , though his grip on his office grew tenuous , commanded sky-high approval ratings from rank-and-file members of the GOP .
That was especially true for those who are eyeing presidential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maryland GOP Gov .
Larry Hogan , a potential presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump , said unequivocally : `` There is no defense for the President 's comments tonight undermining our Democratic process .
America is counting the votes , and we must respect the results as we always have before . ''
But others who are rumored to be considering a White House run of their own in four years aligned themselves with the incumbent , including Sen. Josh Hawley , R-Mo.
, who tweeted support for Trump 's claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours have made anything clear , it 's that we need new election integrity laws NOW . ''
Trump 's campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity , saying it would seek a recount in Wisconsin and had filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania , Michigan and Georgia .
On Friday evening , Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito approved a GOP request ordering county boards to comply with state guidance to keep the late ballots separate from those received before or on Election Day .
However , Alito did not direct election officials to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republicans had also sought .
But judges in three states quickly swatted down legal action .
A federal judge who was asked to stop vote counts in Philadelphia instead forced the two sides to reach an agreement without an order over the number of observers allowed .
`` Really , ca n't we be responsible adults here and reach an agreement ? ''
an exasperated U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond said during an emergency hearing Thursday evening .
`` The whole thing could ( soon ) be moot . ''
The Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would ultimately pull out a victory in Arizona , where votes were also still being counted , including in Maricopa County , the state 's most populous area .
The AP has declared Biden the winner in Arizona and said Thursday that it was monitoring the vote count as it proceeded .
`` The Associated Press continues to watch and analyze vote count results from Arizona as they come in , '' said Sally Buzbee , AP 's executive editor .
`` We will follow the facts in all cases . ''
Weissert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press writers Colleen Long and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report .

Biden inching toward presidency: 'We're going to win this race'
Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden joined by Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, a California Democrat, speaks Thursday at the The Queen theater in Wilmington, Delaware. Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Democrat Joe Biden stood on the cusp of winning the presidency Friday night, three days after Election Day, as the long, exacting work of counting votes widened his lead over President Donald Trump in critical battleground states.
High turnout, a massive number of mail-in ballots and slim margins between the two candidates all contributed to the delay in naming a winner. But Biden held leads in Pennsylvania, Nevada and Georgia, putting him in an ever-stronger position to capture the 270 Electoral College votes needed to take the White House.
There was intense focus on Pennsylvania, where Biden led Trump by more than 27,000 votes, and Nevada, where the Democrat led by about 22,000. The prolonged wait added to the anxiety of a nation facing historic challenges, including the surging pandemic and deep political polarization.
Trump stayed in the White House and out of sight, as more results trickled in and expanded Biden's lead in must-win Pennsylvania. In the West Wing during the day, televisions remained tuned to the news amid trappings of normalcy, as reporters lined up for coronavirus tests and outdoor crews worked on the North Lawn on a mild, muggy fall day.
Biden, for his part, addressed the nation Friday night near his home in Wilmington, Delaware, and acknowledged the sluggish pace of the count "can be numbing." But he added, "Never forget the tallies aren't just numbers: They represent votes and voters."
He expressed confidence that victory ultimately would be his, saying, "The numbers tell us a clear and convincing story: We're going to win this race."
Standing alongside his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, and against a backdrop of flags, Biden wasn't able to give the acceptance speech his aides had hoped. But he hit notes of unity, seemingly aimed at cooling the temperature of a heated, divided nation.
"We have to remember the purpose of our politics isn't total unrelenting, unending warfare," he said. "No, the purpose of our politics, the work of our nation, isn't to fan the flames of conflict, but to solve problems, to guarantee justice, to give everybody a fair shot."
Trump's campaign on Friday was mostly quiet -- a dramatic difference from the day before, when officials held a morning call projecting confidence and then a flurry of press conferences announcing litigation in key states. But it was touched once again by the coronavirus pandemic.
Chief of staff Mark Meadows contracted the virus, according to two senior White House officials not authorized to publicly discuss private matters. A campaign aide, Nick Trainer, also tested positive.
Trump's handling of the pandemic has been the defining issue of the campaign. The president, first lady Melania Trump and several other members of the White House staff and Trump's campaign team have fallen ill.
A handful of states remained in play Friday evening -- Georgia, North Carolina too early to call along with Pennsylvania and Nevada. In all four states the margins between Trump and Biden were too narrow and the number of ballots left to be counted too great for the AP to declare a victor.
In Pennsylvania, officials were not allowed to begin processing mail-in ballots until Election Day under state law. In Nevada, there were a number of provisional ballots cast by voters who registered on Election Day, and officials had to verify their eligibility. And recounts could be triggered in both Pennsylvania and Georgia.
With his pathway to reelection appearing to greatly narrow, Trump was testing how far he could go in using the trappings of presidential power to undermine confidence in the vote.
On Thursday, he advanced unsupported accusations of voter fraud to falsely argue that his rival was trying to seize power. It was an extraordinary effort by a sitting American president to sow doubt about the democratic process.
"This is a case when they are trying to steal an election, they are trying to rig an election," Trump said from the podium of the White House briefing room.
He took to Twitter late Friday to pledge further legal action, tweeting that "Joe Biden should not wrongfully claim the office of the President. I could make that claim also. Legal proceedings are just now beginning!"
Trump did claim that he won late on Election Night. He also tweeted that he had "such a big lead in all of these states late into election night, only to see the leads miraculously disappear as the days went by," although it was well known that votes cast before Tuesday were still being legally counted.
Biden spent Thursday trying to ease tensions and project a more traditional image of presidential leadership. After participating in a coronavirus briefing, he declared that "each ballot must be counted."
"I ask everyone to stay calm. The process is working," Biden said. "It is the will of the voters. No one, not anyone else who chooses the president of the United States of America."
Trump's erroneous claims about the integrity of the election challenged Republicans now faced with the choice of whether to break with a president who, though his grip on his office grew tenuous, commanded sky-high approval ratings from rank-and-file members of the GOP. That was especially true for those who are eyeing presidential runs of their own in 2024.
Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a potential presidential hopeful who has often criticized Trump, said unequivocally: "There is no defense for the President's comments tonight undermining our Democratic process. America is counting the votes, and we must respect the results as we always have before."
But others who are rumored to be considering a White House run of their own in four years aligned themselves with the incumbent, including Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., who tweeted support for Trump's claims, writing that "If last 24 hours have made anything clear, it's that we need new election integrity laws NOW."
Trump's campaign engaged in a flurry of legal activity, saying it would seek a recount in Wisconsin and had filed lawsuits in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Georgia.
On Friday evening, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito approved a GOP request ordering county boards to comply with state guidance to keep the late ballots separate from those received before or on Election Day. However, Alito did not direct election officials to stop counting the ballots, as the Republicans had also sought.
But judges in three states quickly swatted down legal action. A federal judge who was asked to stop vote counts in Philadelphia instead forced the two sides to reach an agreement without an order over the number of observers allowed.
"Really, can't we be responsible adults here and reach an agreement?" an exasperated U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond said during an emergency hearing Thursday evening. "The whole thing could (soon) be moot."
The Trump campaign said it was confident the president would ultimately pull out a victory in Arizona, where votes were also still being counted, including in Maricopa County, the state's most populous area. The AP has declared Biden the winner in Arizona and said Thursday that it was monitoring the vote count as it proceeded.
"The Associated Press continues to watch and analyze vote count results from Arizona as they come in," said Sally Buzbee, AP's executive editor. "We will follow the facts in all cases."
Weissert reported from Wilmington, Delaware. Associated Press writers Colleen Long and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington contributed to this report.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-06--Naperville mayor on COVID-19 restrictions: 'Restaurant owners know how to safely operate.'

An indoor dining ban and other COVID-19 mitigation efforts have pushed Naperville-area bars and restaurants to their breaking point , local leaders say , leaving the community grappling over how to slow a surge in cases while also keeping businesses afloat .
Friday marked two weeks since the tighter restrictions took effect in DuPage , Will , Kane and Kankakee counties , requiring bars and restaurants to close at 11 p.m. and limiting social gatherings to 25 people or 25 % of a facility 's capacity .
But test positivity rates and hospital admissions have continued to rise exponentially in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's no doubt mitigation efforts are needed to curb the rapid increase in cases , Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico said during a liquor commission meeting Thursday .
But he questioned how much of the burden should fall on restaurateurs and small business owners who already have been struggling to keep their doors open .
`` I do n't think there is a simple answer , '' Chirico said .
`` Let 's do everything we can to keep our residents , ourselves and our families safe , but at the same time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to try to give these businesses a fighting chance to stay in business . ''
Chirico reiterated that message last week in a letter urging Gov .
J.B. Pritzker to reopen area establishments for indoor service .
The mitigation strategy has a devastating financial impact on business owners , whose ability to shift gears and implement new protocols has been `` nothing short of heroic , '' he said .
`` Restaurant owners know how to safely operate .
They have diligently been working at this effort for over seven months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truth is , however , that many of these small businesses did not survive the first ban on indoor dining and many more will not survive this one . ''
Studies have shown adults who test positive for COVID-19 are more likely to report dining at a restaurant or going to a bar or coffee shop before becoming sick than report participating in other activities where the virus spreads .
DuPage County Health Department officials said transmission can occur at higher levels inside establishments due to tighter spaces , a lack of physical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for eating and drinking .
But Chirico said contact tracing data does not indicate bars or restaurants have been a significant source of transmission in the region .
A more concerning environment is a social gathering inside someone 's home where mitigation rules are not imposed , he said .
City leaders communicate daily with Edward-Elmhurst Health officials about the system 's recent rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations , Chirico said .
Edward Hospital was treating 75 inpatients with confirmed cases as of Friday morning , with two deaths reported in the 24 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Naperville hospital had been treating 51 patients .
`` Everyone is trying to weigh the balance between long-term economic disaster and the short-term devastation of having these high numbers of COVID , '' said Pam Davis , a Naperville liquor commission member and former CEO of Edward-Elmhurst Health .
Business owners have been adapting on the fly , developing new delivery services and creating outdoor dining areas more conducive to the impending cold weather , said Christine Jeffries , president of the Naperville Development Partnership .
Naperville also has tried to ease the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implementing a six-month waiver of some liquor and tobacco license fees -- measures that `` have really gone a long way to help our restaurants , '' she said .
In a survey conducted by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce , about two-thirds of responding bars and restaurants said opening at 25 % capacity would not be a viable option , and 89 % reported a lack of a sustainable outdoor seating plan .
Half the participating businesses indicated they have five months or less of operating reserves should the restrictions continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but indicative of the industry as a whole , officials said .
`` This is heartbreaking for our businesses .
This is heartbreaking for so many families who have lost someone to this disease .
This is a lose-lose pandemic , '' chamber President and CEO Kaylin Risvold said in a statement .
`` We want to work together to save both lives and livelihoods . ''

Naperville mayor on COVID-19 restrictions: 'Restaurant owners know how to safely operate.'
A ban on indoor dining and other COVID-19 restrictions have had a severe financial impact on Naperville-area restaurants and bars, local leaders say. Daily Herald file photo
An indoor dining ban and other COVID-19 mitigation efforts have pushed Naperville-area bars and restaurants to their breaking point, local leaders say, leaving the community grappling over how to slow a surge in cases while also keeping businesses afloat.
Friday marked two weeks since the tighter restrictions took effect in DuPage, Will, Kane and Kankakee counties, requiring bars and restaurants to close at 11 p.m. and limiting social gatherings to 25 people or 25% of a facility's capacity. But test positivity rates and hospital admissions have continued to rise exponentially in those two public health regions.
There's no doubt mitigation efforts are needed to curb the rapid increase in cases, Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico said during a liquor commission meeting Thursday. But he questioned how much of the burden should fall on restaurateurs and small business owners who already have been struggling to keep their doors open.
"I don't think there is a simple answer," Chirico said. "Let's do everything we can to keep our residents, ourselves and our families safe, but at the same time, I think the general belief is we need to try to give these businesses a fighting chance to stay in business."
Chirico reiterated that message last week in a letter urging Gov. J.B. Pritzker to reopen area establishments for indoor service. The mitigation strategy has a devastating financial impact on business owners, whose ability to shift gears and implement new protocols has been "nothing short of heroic," he said.
"Restaurant owners know how to safely operate. They have diligently been working at this effort for over seven months," Chirico wrote. "The sad truth is, however, that many of these small businesses did not survive the first ban on indoor dining and many more will not survive this one."
Studies have shown adults who test positive for COVID-19 are more likely to report dining at a restaurant or going to a bar or coffee shop before becoming sick than report participating in other activities where the virus spreads. DuPage County Health Department officials said transmission can occur at higher levels inside establishments due to tighter spaces, a lack of physical distancing, and the removal of masks for eating and drinking.
But Chirico said contact tracing data does not indicate bars or restaurants have been a significant source of transmission in the region. A more concerning environment is a social gathering inside someone's home where mitigation rules are not imposed, he said.
City leaders communicate daily with Edward-Elmhurst Health officials about the system's recent rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations, Chirico said. Edward Hospital was treating 75 inpatients with confirmed cases as of Friday morning, with two deaths reported in the 24 hours prior. A week earlier, the Naperville hospital had been treating 51 patients.
"Everyone is trying to weigh the balance between long-term economic disaster and the short-term devastation of having these high numbers of COVID," said Pam Davis, a Naperville liquor commission member and former CEO of Edward-Elmhurst Health.
Business owners have been adapting on the fly, developing new delivery services and creating outdoor dining areas more conducive to the impending cold weather, said Christine Jeffries, president of the Naperville Development Partnership.
Naperville also has tried to ease the burden by enacting several executive orders and implementing a six-month waiver of some liquor and tobacco license fees -- measures that "have really gone a long way to help our restaurants," she said.
In a survey conducted by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, about two-thirds of responding bars and restaurants said opening at 25% capacity would not be a viable option, and 89% reported a lack of a sustainable outdoor seating plan. Half the participating businesses indicated they have five months or less of operating reserves should the restrictions continue.
The survey sample size was small but indicative of the industry as a whole, officials said.
"This is heartbreaking for our businesses. This is heartbreaking for so many families who have lost someone to this disease. This is a lose-lose pandemic," chamber President and CEO Kaylin Risvold said in a statement. "We want to work together to save both lives and livelihoods."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-06--Glenview woman reported missing

Glenview woman reported missing

The Illinois State Police activated a missing person alert Friday night for a 73-year-old woman at the request of Glenview @ @ @ @ @ last seen leaving 3245 Milwaukee Ave. at 7:45 p.m. Friday , according to the alert @ @ @ @ @ white with gray hair , standing 5-foot-1 and weighing 125 pounds .
She was last @ @ @ @ @ and a fanny pack .
Pinch has a condition that places her in danger , @ @ @ @ @ who has information about her whereabouts should call the Glenview Police Department at ( 847 @ @ @ @ @ .

Glenview woman reported missing
The Illinois State Police activated a missing person alert Friday night for a 73-year-old woman at the request of Glenview police.
Mary Pinch was last seen leaving 3245 Milwaukee Ave. at 7:45 p.m. Friday, according to the alert. Pinch is described as white with gray hair, standing 5-foot-1 and weighing 125 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black jacket and a fanny pack.
Pinch has a condition that places her in danger, the alert said. Anyone who has information about her whereabouts should call the Glenview Police Department at (847) 729-5000 or dial 911.


US-Pres-Sum,100

Needed to win : 270 of the 538 electoral votes ( ev ) from the 50 states and the District @ @ @

US-Pres-Sum,100
Trump 71,075,087 - 48 percent
Has won 23 states with 214 ev.
Leads in 2 states with 18 ev.
Others 2,489,909 - 2 percent
Has won 0 states with 0 ev.
Leads in 0 states with 0 ev.
Needed to win: 270 of the 538 electoral votes (ev) from
the 50 states and the District of Columbia.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-07--WATCH LIVE: President-elect Joe Biden pledges to unify country

WASHINGTON -- Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Saturday , positioning himself to lead a nation gripped by a historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social turmoil .
His victory came after more than three days of uncertainty as election officials sorted through a surge of mail-in votes that delayed processing .
Biden crossed the winning threshold of 270 Electoral College votes with a win in Pennsylvania .
Trump refused to concede , threatening further legal action on ballot counting .
Biden , 77 , staked his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than on galvanizing a broad coalition of voters around the notion that Trump posed an existential threat to American democracy .
The strategy proved effective , resulting in pivotal victories in Michigan and Wisconsin as well as Pennsylvania , onetime Democratic bastions that had flipped to Trump in 2016 .
Biden 's victory was a repudiation of Trump 's divisive leadership and the president-elect now inherits a deeply polarized nation grappling with foundational questions of racial justice and economic fairness while in the grips of a virus that has killed more than 236,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
Biden , in a statement , declared it was time for the battered nation `` to unite and to heal . ''
`` With the campaign over , it 's time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation , '' he said .
`` There 's nothing we ca n't do if we do it together . ''
Biden was on track to win the national popular vote by more than 4 million , a margin that could grow as ballots continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not giving up .
Departing from long-standing democratic tradition and signaling a potentially turbulent transfer of power , he issued a combative statement saying his campaign would take unspecified legal actions .
And he followed up with a bombastic , all-caps tweet in which he falsely declared , `` I WON THE ELECTION , GOT 71,000,000 LEGAL VOTES . ''
Twitter immediately flagged it as misleading .
Trump has pointed to delays in processing the vote in some states to allege with no evidence that there was fraud and to argue that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- an extraordinary charge by a sitting president trying to sow doubt about a bedrock democratic process .
Kamala Harris made history as the first Black woman to become vice president , an achievement that comes as the U.S. faces a reckoning on racial justice .
The California senator , who is also the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency , will become the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in government , four years after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton .
Trump is the first incumbent president to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1992 .
He was golfing at his Virginia country club when he lost the race .
He stayed out for hours , stopping to congratulate a bride as he left , and his motorcade returned to the White House to a cacophony of shouts , taunts and unfriendly hand gestures .
In Wilmington , Delaware , near a stage that has stood empty since it was erected to celebrate on election night , people cheered and pumped their fists as the news that the presidential race had been called for the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On the nearby water , two men in a kayak yelled to a couple paddling by in the opposite direction , `` Joe won !
They called it ! ''
as people on the shore whooped and hollered .
Harris , in workout gear , was shown on video speaking to Biden on the phone , exuberantly telling the president-elect `` We did it ! ''
Biden was expected to take the stage for a drive-in rally after dark .
Across the country , there were parties and prayer .
In New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out .
People ran out of their buildings , banging on pots .
They danced and high-fived with strangers amid honking horns .
Among the loudest cheers were those for passing U.S .
Postal Service trucks .
People streamed into Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House , near where Trump had ordered the clearing of protesters in June , waving signs and taking cellphone pictures .
In Lansing , Michigan , Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter demonstrators filled the Capitol steps .
The lyrics to `` Amazing Grace '' began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump supporters laid their hands on a counter protester , and prayed .
Americans showed deep interest in the presidential race .
A record 103 million voted early this year , opting to avoid waiting in long lines at polling locations during a pandemic .
With counting continuing in some states , Biden had already received more than 74 million votes , more than any presidential candidate before him .
Trump 's refusal to concede has no legal implications .
But it could add to the incoming administration 's challenge of bringing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Throughout the campaign , Trump repeatedly refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power , arguing without evidence that the election could be marred by fraud .
The nation has a long history of presidential candidates peacefully accepting the outcome of elections , dating back to 1800 , when John Adams conceded to his rival Thomas Jefferson .
It was Biden 's native Pennsylvania that put him over the top , the state he invoked throughout the campaign to connect with working class voters .
He also won Nevada on Saturday pushing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Biden received congratulations from dozens of world leaders , and his former boss , President Barack Obama , saluted him in a statement , declaring the nation was `` fortunate that Joe 's got what it takes to be President and already carries himself that way . ''
Republicans on Capitol Hill were giving Trump and his campaign space to consider all their legal options .
It was a precarious balance for Trump 's allies as they try to be supportive of the president -- and avoid risking further fallout -- but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Saturday , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had not yet made any public statements -- either congratulating Biden or joining Trump 's complaints .
But retiring GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee , who is close to McConnell , said , `` After counting every valid vote and allowing courts to resolve disputes , it is important to respect and promptly accept the result . ''
More than 236,000 Americans have died during the coronavirus pandemic , nearly 10 million have been infected and millions of jobs have been lost .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ out against a surge in confirmed cases in nearly every state , including battlegrounds such as Wisconsin that swung to Biden .
The pandemic will soon be Biden 's to tame , and he campaigned pledging a big government response , akin to what Franklin D. Roosevelt oversaw with the New Deal during the Depression of the 1930s .
But Senate Republicans fought back several Democratic challengers and looked to retain a fragile majority that could serve as a check on such Biden ambition .
The 2020 campaign was a referendum on Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has shuttered schools across the nation , disrupted businesses and raised questions about the feasibility of family gatherings heading into the holidays .
The fast spread of the coronavirus transformed political rallies from standard campaign fare to gatherings that were potential public health emergencies .
It also contributed to an unprecedented shift to voting early and by mail and prompted Biden to dramatically scale back his travel and events to comply with restrictions .
The president defied calls for caution and ultimately contracted the disease himself .
Trump was saddled throughout the year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his handling of the pandemic .
There was another COVID-19 outbreak in the White House this week , which sickened his chief of staff Mark Meadows .
Biden also drew a sharp contrast to Trump through a summer of unrest over the police killings of Black Americans including Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Their deaths sparked the largest racial protest movement since the civil rights era .
Biden responded by acknowledging the racism that pervades American life , while Trump emphasized his support of police and pivoted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that resonated with his largely white base .
The third president to be impeached , though acquitted in the Senate , Trump will leave office having left an indelible imprint in a tenure defined by the shattering of White House norms and a day-to-day whirlwind of turnover , partisan divide and Twitter blasts .
Trump 's team has filed a smattering of lawsuits in battleground states , some of which were immediately rebuffed by judges .
His personal lawyer , Rudy Giuliani , was holding a news conference in Philadelphia threatening more legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden , born in Scranton , Pennsylvania , and raised in Delaware , was one of the youngest candidates ever elected to the Senate .
Before he took office , his wife and daughter were killed , and his two sons badly injured in a 1972 car crash .
Commuting every night on a train from Washington back to Wilmington , Biden fashioned an everyman political persona to go along with powerful Senate positions , including chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees .
Some aspects of his record drew critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for the 1994 crime bill , his vote for the 2003 Iraq War and his management of the Clarence Thomas ' Supreme Court hearings .
Biden 's 1988 presidential campaign was done in by plagiarism allegations , and his next bid in 2008 ended quietly .
But later that year , he was tapped to be Barack Obama 's running mate and he became an influential vice president , steering the administration 's outreach to both Capitol Hill and Iraq .
While his reputation was burnished by his time in office and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stood aside for Clinton and opted not to run in 2016 after his adult son Beau died of brain cancer the year before .
Trump 's tenure pushed Biden to make one more run as he declared that `` the very soul of the nation is at stake . ''

Biden defeats Trump for White House, says it's 'time to heal'
WASHINGTON -- Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Saturday, positioning himself to be a leader who "seeks not to divide, but to unify" a nation gripped by a historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social turmoil.
"I sought this office to restore the soul of America," said Biden in a prime-time victory speech not far from his Delaware home, "and to make America respected around the world again and to unite us here at home."
His victory came after more than three days of uncertainty as election officials sorted through a surge of mail-in votes that delayed processing. Biden crossed the winning threshold of 270 Electoral College votes with a win in Pennsylvania.
Trump refused to concede, threatening further legal action on ballot counting.
A person holds up a sign near the Trump Tower as hundreds gather in the Loop to celebrate President-elect Joe Biden's victory, Saturday afternoon, Nov. 7, 2020 in Chicago. - Chicago Sun-Times via AP
Biden, 77, staked his candidacy less on any distinctive political ideology than on galvanizing a broad coalition of voters around the notion that Trump posed an existential threat to American democracy. The strategy proved effective, resulting in pivotal victories in Michigan and Wisconsin as well as Pennsylvania, onetime Democratic bastions that had flipped to Trump in 2016.
Biden's victory was a repudiation of Trump's divisive leadership and the president-elect now inherits a deeply polarized nation grappling with foundational questions of racial justice and economic fairness while in the grips of a virus that has killed more than 236,000 Americans and reshaped the norms of everyday life.
Kamala Harris made history as the first Black woman to become vice president, an achievement that comes as the U.S. faces a reckoning on racial justice. The California senator, who is also the first person of South Asian descent elected to the vice presidency, will become the highest-ranking woman ever to serve in government, four years after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.
Vice President-elect Kamala Harris speaks Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. - Associated Press
Harris introduced Biden "as a president for all Americans" who would look to bridge a nation riven with partisanship and nodded to the historic nature of her ascension to the vice presidency.
"Dream with ambition, lead with conviction and see yourselves in a way that others may not simply because they've never seen it before," Harris said. "You chose hope and unity, decency, science and, yes, truth ... you ushered in a new day for America."
Biden was on track to win the national popular vote by more than 4 million, a margin that could grow as ballots continue to be counted.
Nonetheless, Trump was not giving up.
Departing from long-standing democratic tradition and signaling a potentially turbulent transfer of power, he issued a combative statement saying his campaign would take unspecified legal actions. And he followed up with a bombastic, all-caps tweet in which he falsely declared, "I WON THE ELECTION, GOT 71,000,000 LEGAL VOTES." Twitter immediately flagged it as misleading.
Trump has pointed to delays in processing the vote in some states to allege with no evidence that there was fraud and to argue that his rival was trying to seize power -- an extraordinary charge by a sitting president trying to sow doubt about a bedrock democratic process.
Trump is the first incumbent president to lose reelection since Republican George H.W. Bush in 1992.
President Donald Trump participates in a round of golf at the Trump National Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Sterling, Va. - Associated Press
He was golfing at his Virginia country club when he lost the race. He stayed out for hours, stopping to congratulate a bride as he left, and his motorcade returned to the White House to a cacophony of shouts, taunts and unfriendly hand gestures.
In Wilmington, Delaware, near the stage that, until Saturday night, had stood empty since it was erected to celebrate on election night, people cheered and pumped their fists as the news that the presidential race had been called for the state's former senator arrived on their cellphones.
On the nearby water, two men in a kayak yelled to a couple paddling by in the opposite direction, "Joe won! They called it!" as people on the shore whooped and hollered. Harris, in workout gear, was shown on video speaking to Biden on the phone, exuberantly telling the president-elect "We did it!" Biden was expected to take the stage for a drive-in rally after dark.
Across the country, there were parties and prayer. In New York City, spontaneous block parties broke out. People ran out of their buildings, banging on pots. They danced and high-fived with strangers amid honking horns. Among the loudest cheers were those for passing U.S. Postal Service trucks.
People streamed into Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House, near where Trump had ordered the clearing of protesters in June, waving signs and taking cellphone pictures. In Lansing, Michigan, Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter demonstrators filled the Capitol steps. The lyrics to "Amazing Grace" began to echo through the crowd, and Trump supporters laid their hands on a counter protester, and prayed.
Trump supporters, at left, demonstrating the election results are confronted by counter protesters at the State Capitol in Lansing, Mich., Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020. Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Saturday, positioning himself to lead a nation gripped by the historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social turmoil. - Associated Press
Americans showed deep interest in the presidential race. A record 103 million voted early this year, opting to avoid waiting in long lines at polling locations during a pandemic. With counting continuing in some states, Biden had already received more than 74 million votes, more than any presidential candidate before him.
Trump's refusal to concede has no legal implications. But it could add to the incoming administration's challenge of bringing the country together after a bitter election.
Throughout the campaign, Trump repeatedly refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, arguing without evidence that the election could be marred by fraud. The nation has a long history of presidential candidates peacefully accepting the outcome of elections, dating back to 1800, when John Adams conceded to his rival Thomas Jefferson.
It was Biden's native Pennsylvania that put him over the top, the state he invoked throughout the campaign to connect with working class voters. He also won Nevada on Saturday pushing his total to 290 Electoral College votes.
Biden received congratulations from dozens of world leaders, and his former boss, President Barack Obama, saluted him in a statement, declaring the nation was "fortunate that Joe's got what it takes to be President and already carries himself that way."
People celebrate outside the Pennsylvania Convention Center after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become 46th president of the United States, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Philadelphia. - Associated Press
Republicans on Capitol Hill were giving Trump and his campaign space to consider all their legal options. It was a precarious balance for Trump's allies as they try to be supportive of the president -- and avoid risking further fallout -- but face the reality of the vote count.
On Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had not yet made any public statements -- either congratulating Biden or joining Trump's complaints. But retiring GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, who is close to McConnell, said, "After counting every valid vote and allowing courts to resolve disputes, it is important to respect and promptly accept the result."
More than 236,000 Americans have died during the coronavirus pandemic, nearly 10 million have been infected and millions of jobs have been lost. The final days of the campaign played out against a surge in confirmed cases in nearly every state, including battlegrounds such as Wisconsin that swung to Biden.
The pandemic will soon be Biden's to tame, and he campaigned pledging a big government response, akin to what Franklin D. Roosevelt oversaw with the New Deal during the Depression of the 1930s. But Senate Republicans fought back several Democratic challengers and looked to retain a fragile majority that could serve as a check on such Biden ambition.
The 2020 campaign was a referendum on Trump's handling of the pandemic, which has shuttered schools across the nation, disrupted businesses and raised questions about the feasibility of family gatherings heading into the holidays.
The fast spread of the coronavirus transformed political rallies from standard campaign fare to gatherings that were potential public health emergencies. It also contributed to an unprecedented shift to voting early and by mail and prompted Biden to dramatically scale back his travel and events to comply with restrictions. The president defied calls for caution and ultimately contracted the disease himself.
Trump was saddled throughout the year by negative assessments from the public of his handling of the pandemic. There was another COVID-19 outbreak in the White House this week, which sickened his chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Biden also drew a sharp contrast to Trump through a summer of unrest over the police killings of Black Americans including Breonna Taylor in Kentucky and George Floyd in Minneapolis. Their deaths sparked the largest racial protest movement since the civil rights era. Biden responded by acknowledging the racism that pervades American life, while Trump emphasized his support of police and pivoted to a "law and order" message that resonated with his largely white base.
The third president to be impeached, though acquitted in the Senate, Trump will leave office having left an indelible imprint in a tenure defined by the shattering of White House norms and a day-to-day whirlwind of turnover, partisan divide and Twitter blasts.
Trump's team has filed a smattering of lawsuits in battleground states, some of which were immediately rebuffed by judges. His personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, was holding a news conference in Philadelphia threatening more legal action when the race was called.
People celebrate Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, in Philadelphia, after Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become 46th president of the United States. - Associated Press
Biden, born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and raised in Delaware, was one of the youngest candidates ever elected to the Senate. Before he took office, his wife and daughter were killed, and his two sons badly injured in a 1972 car crash.
Commuting every night on a train from Washington back to Wilmington, Biden fashioned an everyman political persona to go along with powerful Senate positions, including chairman of the Senate Judiciary and Foreign Relations Committees. Some aspects of his record drew critical scrutiny from fellow Democrats, including his support for the 1994 crime bill, his vote for the 2003 Iraq War and his management of the Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court hearings.
Biden's 1988 presidential campaign was done in by plagiarism allegations, and his next bid in 2008 ended quietly. But later that year, he was tapped to be Barack Obama's running mate and he became an influential vice president, steering the administration's outreach to both Capitol Hill and Iraq.
While his reputation was burnished by his time in office and his deep friendship with Obama, Biden stood aside for Clinton and opted not to run in 2016 after his adult son Beau died of brain cancer the year before.
Trump's tenure pushed Biden to make one more run as he declared that "the very soul of the nation is at stake."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-07--New Illinois COVID-19 cases jump 20% from Friday's record

The number of COVID-19 cases detected daily in Illinois continued to spiral upward Saturday .
It has now set records six of the last 10 days , climbing 20 % from Friday 's record and 95 % from the record set 10 days ago .
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 12,438 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease , up 2,062 from Friday 's level .
The department also reported 76 additional deaths , including 26 in Cook County , 4 in DuPage , 2 in Kane , 1 in McHenry and 2 in Will .
Separately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced Saturday that he and staff members who were exposed to COVID-19 have tested negative .
The governor was exposed at a meeting with representatives of the restaurant industry on Monday .
Pritzker learned of his exposure Friday and self-isolated .
Under Centers for Disease Control guidelines , the governor and staff are not considered close contacts because they met with the individual more than 48 hours before symptom onset , according to the news release .
Therefore , they will not be required to quarantine for 14 days .
As of Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be in the hospital with COVID-19 , an increase of 160 from the day before .
Of those , 813 patients were in the ICU , up 27 people , and 367 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators , up 28 people .
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6 is 10.3 % , up from 9.6 % for the same metric on Friday .
The department is reporting a total of 477,978 cases and 10,154 deaths .
Within the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specimens for a total 8,313,547 .

New Illinois COVID-19 cases jump 20% from Friday's record
Nurse practitioner Capri Reese talks to a patient while a doctor administers an IV at a hospital in Chicago earlier this year. Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)
The number of COVID-19 cases detected daily in Illinois continued to spiral upward Saturday. It has now set records six of the last 10 days, climbing 20% from Friday's record and 95% from the record set 10 days ago.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 12,438 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease, up 2,062 from Friday's level. The department also reported 76 additional deaths, including 26 in Cook County, 4 in DuPage, 2 in Kane, 1 in McHenry and 2 in Will.
Separately, Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office announced Saturday that he and staff members who were exposed to COVID-19 have tested negative. The governor was exposed at a meeting with representatives of the restaurant industry on Monday. Pritzker learned of his exposure Friday and self-isolated.
Under Centers for Disease Control guidelines, the governor and staff are not considered close contacts because they met with the individual more than 48 hours before symptom onset, according to the news release. Therefore, they will not be required to quarantine for 14 days.
As of Friday night, 4,250 people were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19, an increase of 160 from the day before. Of those, 813 patients were in the ICU, up 27 people, and 367 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators, up 28 people.
The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total tests from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6 is 10.3%, up from 9.6% for the same metric on Friday.
The department is reporting a total of 477,978 cases and 10,154 deaths. Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 98,418 specimens for a total 8,313,547.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-07--Underwood gains another 48 votes on Oberweis in 14th Congressional race Saturday

Republican challenger Jim Oberweis ' lead over incumbent Democrat Lauren Underwood in the 14th Congressional District race shrunk another 48 votes on Saturday .
After The Associated Press'updated totals in the race , Oberweis was ahead 189,846 to 189,288 , a difference of 558 votes , unofficial results showed .
Underwood had gained in every update since Election Day .
As of Saturday , Oberweis , a state senator from Sugar Grove , had 50.07 % of the vote .
Underwood , a first-term congresswoman from Naperville , had 49.93 % .
The Associated Press has not called the contest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the votes cast in the race .
Ballots postmarked by this past Tuesday that arrive at election offices by Nov. 17 will be counted , too , as will provisional ballots .
While DuPage and Kane counties have updated totals since Election Day , the Lake County clerk 's office is expected to update its public tallies Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 .
The McHenry County clerk is expected to release all its final totals Nov. 18 .
Kendall and Will counties are waiting until Nov. 17 .
DeKalb is waiting until @ @ @

Underwood gains another 48 votes on Oberweis in 14th Congressional race
Congressional candidate Jim Oberweis released a statement Wednesday in which he declared victory in the 14th District despite the race not yet being called. Facebook Video Screenshot
U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood discusses the status of her 14th Congressional race against Jim Oberweis during a news conference Thursday held over Zoom. Zoom video
Republican challenger Jim Oberweis' lead over incumbent Democrat Lauren Underwood in the 14th Congressional District race shrunk another 48 votes on Saturday.
After The Associated Press'updated totals in the race, Oberweis was ahead 189,846 to 189,288, a difference of 558 votes, unofficial results showed. Underwood had gained in every update since Election Day.
As of Saturday, Oberweis, a state senator from Sugar Grove, had 50.07% of the vote. Underwood, a first-term congresswoman from Naperville, had 49.93%. The Associated Press has not called the contest.
The updated tally doesn't include all the votes cast in the race. Ballots postmarked by this past Tuesday that arrive at election offices by Nov. 17 will be counted, too, as will provisional ballots.
While DuPage and Kane counties have updated totals since Election Day, the Lake County clerk's office is expected to update its public tallies Nov. 10 and Nov. 17. The McHenry County clerk is expected to release all its final totals Nov. 18. Kendall and Will counties are waiting until Nov. 17. DeKalb is waiting until Nov. 18.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-07--Veteran promotes horse therapy to help save lives

Vietnam War veteran Bill Mercurio joked that before he first encountered the BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center in Harvard in 2015 , the only riding he had done previously was on Chicago 's elevated trains .
Unlike his wife , Nancy , Mercurio had no previous experience around horses .
But the Machesney Park resident was intrigued by the nonprofit BraveHearts and its mission since 2007 to offer `` equine services to provide emotional , cognitive , social and physical benefits for veterans '' at no cost to them .
`` When you spend time with horses , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Mercurio , who started volunteering and riding regularly with BraveHearts in 2016 .
`` Horses are in the moment , and you can lose a lot of anxiety around them . ''
`` Some people you always remember meeting for the first time , and Bill is one of those people , '' said BraveHearts president and chief operating officer Meggan Hill-McQueeney .
`` He has so much kindness and wisdom and he just has a real heart to serve and he really folded in perfectly with our organization .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was critical to their grieving process in 2017 when their 28-year-old son , Andrew , died from a fentanyl overdose .
They credit their faith and spending time with the horses to help them through .
That same year , Mercurio was chosen to be one of five veteran riders for BraveHearts inaugural Trail to Zero horse riding event to raise awareness for the estimated 20 U.S. veterans who are lost to suicide each day .
The ride was in New York and gained national media attention on shows like `` Live with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ & Friends . ''
Mercurio has participated in each subsequent Trail to Zero ride , the most recent being last month closer to home in Bull Valley , Illinois .
Mercurio recently became a certified instructor with the Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship International .
Now 77 , Mercurio has joined the BraveHearts staff as its veteran relations coordinator , a position created just for him just a few months ago .
`` Bill can transcend working with veterans who are dealing with PTSD , he can work with veterans who are dealing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work with veterans who are dealing with substance abuse , '' Hill-McQueeney said .
`` He really is quite exceptional in his depth of knowledge -- not only with the horses , but also in life in general . ''
Mercurio hopes his volunteering and work with BraveHearts will have helped others .
`` Even if it 's only one life , that 's all that matters , '' Mercurio said .
Mercurio will be riding as part of a drill team for a drive-through Veterans Day event from 11 a.m. to 1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road , Harvard .
For more information , visit braveheartsriding.org .

Veteran promotes horse therapy to help save lives
Vietnam veteran Bill Mercurio of Machesney Park had no experience with horses when he started volunteering for BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center in Harvard in 2016. Mercurio has since become a certified trainer and joined the BraveHearts staff a few months ago as its veteran relations coordinator. Courtesy of BraveHearts
Vietnam veteran Bill Mercurio of Machesney Park found solace volunteering for BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center in Harvard following the death of his 28-year-old son, Andrew, in 2017. Mercurio has since become a trainer and part of BraveHearts staff as its veterans relations coordinator. Courtesy of BraveHearts
Vietnam veteran Bill Mercurio of Machesney Park has participated in every one of BraveHearts' Trail to Zero 20-mile rides since 2017. It promote awareness about veteran suicides and how horse riding can be therapeutic. Courtesy of Anne M. Eberhardt/BraveHearts, 2020
Vietnam War veteran Bill Mercurio joked that before he first encountered the BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center in Harvard in 2015, the only riding he had done previously was on Chicago's elevated trains.
Unlike his wife, Nancy, Mercurio had no previous experience around horses. But the Machesney Park resident was intrigued by the nonprofit BraveHearts and its mission since 2007 to offer "equine services to provide emotional, cognitive, social and physical benefits for veterans" at no cost to them.
"When you spend time with horses, you discover that they're calming and relaxing," said Mercurio, who started volunteering and riding regularly with BraveHearts in 2016. "Horses are in the moment, and you can lose a lot of anxiety around them."
"Some people you always remember meeting for the first time, and Bill is one of those people," said BraveHearts president and chief operating officer Meggan Hill-McQueeney. "He has so much kindness and wisdom and he just has a real heart to serve and he really folded in perfectly with our organization."
The Mercurios' time with BraveHearts was critical to their grieving process in 2017 when their 28-year-old son, Andrew, died from a fentanyl overdose. They credit their faith and spending time with the horses to help them through.
That same year, Mercurio was chosen to be one of five veteran riders for BraveHearts inaugural Trail to Zero horse riding event to raise awareness for the estimated 20 U.S. veterans who are lost to suicide each day. The ride was in New York and gained national media attention on shows like "Live with Kelly and Ryan" and "Fox & Friends."
Mercurio has participated in each subsequent Trail to Zero ride, the most recent being last month closer to home in Bull Valley, Illinois.
Mercurio recently became a certified instructor with the Professional Association for Therapeutic Horsemanship International. Now 77, Mercurio has joined the BraveHearts staff as its veteran relations coordinator, a position created just for him just a few months ago.
"Bill can transcend working with veterans who are dealing with PTSD, he can work with veterans who are dealing with spinal cord injuries, he can work with veterans who are dealing with substance abuse," Hill-McQueeney said. "He really is quite exceptional in his depth of knowledge -- not only with the horses, but also in life in general."
Mercurio hopes his volunteering and work with BraveHearts will have helped others.
"Even if it's only one life, that's all that matters," Mercurio said.
Mercurio will be riding as part of a drill team for a drive-through Veterans Day event from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at BraveHearts, 7319 Maxon Road, Harvard. For more information, visit braveheartsriding.org.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-07--COVID-19 case counts per county, ZIP code as of Nov. 6

203,896 COVID-19 cases in the suburbs as of Friday .
That 's 43.8 % of the state 's total , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
4,565 deaths in the suburbs , which is 45.3 % of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois .
Cook County • As of Friday , suburban Cook County had 96,931 cases and 2,465 deaths , according to the state .
In Chicago : 113,335 cases and 3,121 fatalities .
• Top suburb case counts as of Friday from Cook County 's health department and the medical examiner 's office : 3,378 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2,169 cases and 21 deaths in Palatine , 1,840 cases and 24 deaths in Schaumburg , 1,792 cases and 47 deaths in Arlington Heights , 1,642 cases and 29 deaths in Streamwood , 1,537 cases and 12 deaths in Mount Prospect , 1,518 cases and 80 deaths in Wheeling , 1,443 cases and 53 deaths in Glenview , 1,330 cases and 31 deaths in Hoffman Estates , 1,073 cases and 16 deaths in Hanover Park ( Cook County portion ) , 946 cases and 43 deaths in Elk Grove Village , 932 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and 22 deaths in Rolling Meadows , 560 cases and 10 deaths in Prospect Heights , 359 cases and 23 deaths in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) .
DuPage County • The county reported 26,262 cases and 622 deaths as of Tuesday .
The county health department has slowed its daily reporting , blaming a data processing issue on the state .
• Top counts : 2,049 cases and 46 deaths in Naperville ( DuPage County portion ) , 1,863 cases and 15 deaths in Addison , 1,620 cases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases and 15 deaths in Glendale Heights , 1,404 cases and 31 deaths in Carol Stream , 1,341 cases and 47 deaths in Elmhurst , 1,309 cases and 32 deaths in Lombard , 1,207 cases and 28 deaths in Wheaton , 1,145 cases and 14 deaths in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 1,002 cases and 18 deaths in Bensenville , 956 cases and 6 deaths in Glen Ellyn , 795 cases and 7 deaths in Villa Park , and 623 cases and 6 deaths in Hanover Park ( DuPage County portion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported 23,765 cases and 529 deaths as of Wednesday .
The county health department has slowed its daily reporting , blaming a data processing issue on the state .
• Most recent top counts : 5,205 to 5,209 in Waukegan , 1,445 to 1,449 in Round Lake Beach , 905 to 909 in Mundelein , 855 to 859 in Gurnee , 625 to 629 in Round Lake , 510 to 514 in Vernon Hills , 450 to 454 in Lake Zurich , 425 to 429 in Buffalo Grove ( Lake County portion ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 410 to 414 in Libertyville , 335 to 339 in Wauconda .
Kane County • 21,195 cases with 360 deaths as of Friday on the IDPH website .
The Kane County Health Department has ceased updating its website as of Oct. 28 , blaming a data processing issue on the state .
McHenry County • 8,532 cases and 120 deaths as of Friday , according to the IDPH website .
Will County • 23,279 cases and 454 deaths reported , according to the IDPH website Friday .

COVID-19 case counts per county, ZIP code as of Nov. 6
In this Monday, July 6, 2020 file photo, a health care worker administers a COVID-19 test at a site sponsored by Community Heath of South Florida at the Martin Luther King Jr. Clinica Campesina Health Center in Homestead, Fla. Associated Press
Interactive mapSuburbs' portion
203,896 COVID-19 cases in the suburbs as of Friday. That's 43.8% of the state's total, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. 4,565 deaths in the suburbs, which is 45.3% of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois.
Cook County• As of Friday, suburban Cook County had 96,931 cases and 2,465 deaths, according to the state. In Chicago: 113,335 cases and 3,121 fatalities.
• Top suburb case counts as of Friday from Cook County's health department and the medical examiner's office: 3,378 cases and 115 deaths in Des Plaines, 2,169 cases and 21 deaths in Palatine, 1,840 cases and 24 deaths in Schaumburg, 1,792 cases and 47 deaths in Arlington Heights, 1,642 cases and 29 deaths in Streamwood, 1,537 cases and 12 deaths in Mount Prospect, 1,518 cases and 80 deaths in Wheeling, 1,443 cases and 53 deaths in Glenview, 1,330 cases and 31 deaths in Hoffman Estates, 1,073 cases and 16 deaths in Hanover Park (Cook County portion), 946 cases and 43 deaths in Elk Grove Village, 932 cases and 43 deaths in Northbrook, 894 cases and 22 deaths in Rolling Meadows, 560 cases and 10 deaths in Prospect Heights, 359 cases and 23 deaths in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion).
DuPage County• The county reported 26,262 cases and 622 deaths as of Tuesday. The county health department has slowed its daily reporting, blaming a data processing issue on the state.
• Top counts: 2,049 cases and 46 deaths in Naperville (DuPage County portion), 1,863 cases and 15 deaths in Addison, 1,620 cases and 15 deaths in West Chicago, 1,426 cases and 15 deaths in Glendale Heights, 1,404 cases and 31 deaths in Carol Stream, 1,341 cases and 47 deaths in Elmhurst, 1,309 cases and 32 deaths in Lombard, 1,207 cases and 28 deaths in Wheaton, 1,145 cases and 14 deaths in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 1,002 cases and 18 deaths in Bensenville, 956 cases and 6 deaths in Glen Ellyn, 795 cases and 7 deaths in Villa Park, and 623 cases and 6 deaths in Hanover Park (DuPage County portion).
Lake County• Lake County reported 23,765 cases and 529 deaths as of Wednesday. The county health department has slowed its daily reporting, blaming a data processing issue on the state.
• Most recent top counts: 5,205 to 5,209 in Waukegan, 1,445 to 1,449 in Round Lake Beach, 905 to 909 in Mundelein, 855 to 859 in Gurnee, 625 to 629 in Round Lake, 510 to 514 in Vernon Hills, 450 to 454 in Lake Zurich, 425 to 429 in Buffalo Grove (Lake County portion), 410 to 414 in Grayslake, 410 to 414 in Libertyville, 335 to 339 in Wauconda.
Kane County• 21,195 cases with 360 deaths as of Friday on the IDPH website. The Kane County Health Department has ceased updating its website as of Oct. 28, blaming a data processing issue on the state.
McHenry County• 8,532 cases and 120 deaths as of Friday, according to the IDPH website.
Will County• 23,279 cases and 454 deaths reported, according to the IDPH website Friday.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-11-07--Americans have waited on contested presidential elections before

The most notable example is the 1876 campaign , which remains one of the most disputed presidential outcomes .
Republican Rutherford B. Hayes , who lost the popular vote by more than 250,000 , was finally declared the winner by a special commission in February 1877 .
In that era , neither candidate actively campaigned and the Democratic candidate , New York Gov .
Samuel Tilden , was favored in the final days before the election .
As the votes came in , that prediction seemed accurate , and both candidates went to bed on the night of the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total was good for 184 electoral votes -- one short of what he needed ( at the time , there were 38 states ) .
Hayes had 165 .
But those totals did not reflect the returns of three Southern states -- South Carolina , Louisiana , and Florida -- that were extremely tight and appeared to be in disarray .
Each of those states was occupied by federal troops as part of Reconstruction , which had begun in 1865 .
In addition , an elector from Oregon was accused of ineligibility .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , plus the Oregon elector , totaled 20 -- the number Hayes needed to win .
Republicans challenged the returns , claiming Democratic wins in the South were due to intimidation of Black voters .
The three southern states proceeded to submit conflicting certificates of election , further clouding the issue .
The 1800 and 1824 presidential races had been controversial because no candidate won a majority of electoral votes .
Both of those races were decided in the U.S. House .
But there was no precedent to deal with the charges swirling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Jan. 18 , 1877 , a joint congressional committee called for a special electoral commission to decide which votes were valid .
Five members each were selected from the House , Senate and Supreme Court .
One of the justices , David Davis of Illinois , was an independent who was expected to vote with the Democrats .
However , Davis was appointed by the state legislature to the U.S. Senate ( direct election of senators was not permitted until the 17th Amendment in 1913 ) , and resigned from the high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican justice , Joseph Bradley of New Jersey , which gave the GOP an 8-7 edge on the commission .
In February , the commission voted along party lines , awarding all four states , and the 20 electoral votes , to Hayes for a 185-184 advantage .
Reconstruction ended later in 1877 .
Many historians have speculated a backroom compromise was cut , promising to lift Reconstruction from the South in return for Hayes ' election .
More recently , the 2000 presidential race was disputed for several weeks after the November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gore and George W. Bush broke down into a maze of court fights , hand recounts and `` hanging chads . ''
The dispute centered on Florida and its 25 electoral votes .
The legal battle advanced to the U.S. Supreme Court , which ruled in Bush 's favor on Dec. 12 , handing him the victory by a single electoral vote .
The loser in the 2020 presidential race will collect more than 200 electoral votes , the fifth time that has occurred in the last six elections .
Before that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 200 electoral votes only three times -- in 1916 , 1960 and 1976 .
• Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville , Illinois .
He may be reached at ( 217 ) 710-8392 or ilcivilwar @ yahoo.com

Americans have waited on contested presidential elections before
The grand stand is seen during the inauguration of President Rutherford B. Hayes on March 5, 1877, in Washington. Hayes, who lost the popular vote, wasn't declared the winner until February 1877. Associated Press
The wait for a winner in the 2020 presidential race is not unprecedented in American history.
The most notable example is the 1876 campaign, which remains one of the most disputed presidential outcomes. Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, who lost the popular vote by more than 250,000, was finally declared the winner by a special commission in February 1877.
In that era, neither candidate actively campaigned and the Democratic candidate, New York Gov. Samuel Tilden, was favored in the final days before the election. As the votes came in, that prediction seemed accurate, and both candidates went to bed on the night of the election thinking Tilden had won.
Tilden's total was good for 184 electoral votes -- one short of what he needed (at the time, there were 38 states). Hayes had 165.
But those totals did not reflect the returns of three Southern states -- South Carolina, Louisiana, and Florida -- that were extremely tight and appeared to be in disarray. Each of those states was occupied by federal troops as part of Reconstruction, which had begun in 1865. In addition, an elector from Oregon was accused of ineligibility.
The electoral votes of the three states, plus the Oregon elector, totaled 20 -- the number Hayes needed to win.
Republicans challenged the returns, claiming Democratic wins in the South were due to intimidation of Black voters. The three southern states proceeded to submit conflicting certificates of election, further clouding the issue.
The 1800 and 1824 presidential races had been controversial because no candidate won a majority of electoral votes. Both of those races were decided in the U.S. House. But there was no precedent to deal with the charges swirling around the 1876 election.
Eventually, on Jan. 18, 1877, a joint congressional committee called for a special electoral commission to decide which votes were valid.
Five members each were selected from the House, Senate and Supreme Court. One of the justices, David Davis of Illinois, was an independent who was expected to vote with the Democrats. However, Davis was appointed by the state legislature to the U.S. Senate (direct election of senators was not permitted until the 17th Amendment in 1913), and resigned from the high court.
Davis was replaced by a Republican justice, Joseph Bradley of New Jersey, which gave the GOP an 8-7 edge on the commission. In February, the commission voted along party lines, awarding all four states, and the 20 electoral votes, to Hayes for a 185-184 advantage.
Reconstruction ended later in 1877. Many historians have speculated a backroom compromise was cut, promising to lift Reconstruction from the South in return for Hayes' election.
More recently, the 2000 presidential race was disputed for several weeks after the November election, as the contest between Al Gore and George W. Bush broke down into a maze of court fights, hand recounts and "hanging chads."
The dispute centered on Florida and its 25 electoral votes. The legal battle advanced to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in Bush's favor on Dec. 12, handing him the victory by a single electoral vote.
The loser in the 2020 presidential race will collect more than 200 electoral votes, the fifth time that has occurred in the last six elections. Before that, the defeated presidential candidate finished with more than 200 electoral votes only three times -- in 1916, 1960 and 1976.
• Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Illinois. He may be reached at (217) 710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com