dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Coaching great John Thompson of Georgetown dead at 78

WASHINGTON -- John Thompson , the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a `` Hoya Paranoia '' powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men 's basketball championship , has died .
He was 78 .
His death was announced in a family statement released by Georgetown on Monday .
No details were disclosed .
`` Our father was an inspiration to many and devoted his life to developing young people not simply on but , most importantly , off the basketball court .
He is revered as a historic shepherd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ welfare of his community above all else , '' the statement said .
`` However , for us , his greatest legacy remains as a father , grandfather , uncle , and friend .
More than a coach , he was our foundation .
More than a legend , he was the voice in our ear everyday . ''
One of the most celebrated and polarizing figures in his sport , Thompson took over a moribund Georgetown program in the 1970s and molded it in his unique style into a perennial contender , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by center Patrick Ewing in 1984 .
Georgetown reached two other title games with Thompson in charge and Ewing patrolling the paint , losing to Michael Jordan 's North Carolina team in 1982 and to Villanova in 1985 .
At 6-foot-10 , with an ever-present white towel slung over his shoulder , Thompson literally and figuratively towered over the Hoyas for decades , becoming a patriarch of sorts after he quit coaching in 1999 .
One of his sons , John Thompson III , was hired as Georgetown 's coach in 2004 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the elder Thompson -- known affectionately as `` Big John '' or `` Pops '' to many -- was at the news conference announcing Ewing as the successor .
Along the way , Thompson said what he thought , shielded his players from the media and took positions that were n't always popular .
He never shied away from sensitive topics -- particularly the role of race in both sports and society -- and he once famously walked off the court before a game to protest an NCAA rule because he felt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'll probably be remembered for all the things that kept me out of the Hall of Fame , ironically , more than for the things that got me into it , '' Thompson said on the day he was elected to the Hall in 1999 .
Thompson became coach of the Hoyas in 1972 and began remaking a team that was 3-23 the previous season .
Over the next 27 years , he led Georgetown to 14 straight NCAA tournaments ( 1979-92 ) , 24 consecutive postseason appearances ( 20 NCAA , 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1982 , 1984 , 1985 ) and won six Big East tournament championships .
Employing a physical , defense-focused approach that frequently relied on a dominant center -- Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo were among his other pupils -- Thompson compiled a 596-239 record ( .715 winning percentage ) .
He had 26 players drafted by the NBA .
One of his honors -- his selection as coach of the U.S. team for the 1988 Olympics -- had a sour ending when the Americans had to settle for the bronze medal .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put himself on a sort of self-imposed leave at Georgetown for a while , coaching practices and games but leaving many other duties to his assistants .
Off the court , Thompson was both a role model and a lightning rod .
A stickler for academics , he kept a deflated basketball on his desk , a reminder to his players that a degree was a necessity because a career in basketball relied on a tenuous `` nine pounds of air . ''
The school boasted that 76 of 78 players who played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was a Black coach who recruited mostly Black players to a predominantly white Jesuit university in Washington , and Thompson never hesitated to speak out on behalf of his players .
One of the most dramatic moments in Georgetown history came on Jan. 14 , 1989 , when he walked off the court to a standing ovation before the tipoff of a home game against Boston College , demonstrating in a most public way his displeasure against NCAA Proposition 42 .
The rule denied athletic scholarships to freshmen who did n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was biased against underprivileged students .
Opposition from Thompson , and others , led the NCAA to modify the rule .
Thompson 's most daring move came that same year , when he summoned notorious drug kingpin Rayful Edmond III for a meeting in the coach 's office .
Thompson warned Edmond to stop associating with Hoyas players and to leave them alone , using his respect in the Black community to become one of the few people to stare down Edmond and not face a reprisal .
Though aware of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in becoming the first Black coach to take a team to the Final Four , and he let a room full of reporters know it when asked his feelings on the subject at a news conference in 1982 .
`` I resent the hell out of that question if it implies I am the first Black coach competent enough to take a team to the Final Four , '' Thompson said .
`` Other Blacks have been denied the right in this country ; coaches who have the ability .
I do n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black coach in the Final Four .
I find the question extremely offensive . ''
Born Sept. 2 , 1941 , John R. Thompson Jr. grew up in Washington , D.C. His father was always working -- on a farm in Maryland and later as a laborer in the city -- and could neither read nor write .
`` I never in my life saw my father 's hands clean , '' Thompson told The Associated Press in 2007 .
`` Never .
He 'd come home and scrub his hands with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I thought that was the color of his hands .
When I was still coaching , kids would show up late for practice and I 'd ( say ) ... 'My father got up every morning of his life at 5 a.m. to go to work .
Without an alarm . '
'' Thompson 's parents emphasized education , but he struggled in part of because of poor eyesight and labored in Catholic grammar school .
He was moved to a segregated public school , had a growth spurt and became good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carroll , a Catholic high school , where he led the team to 55 consecutive victories and two city titles .
He went to Providence College as one of the most touted basketball prospects in the country and led the Friars to the first NCAA bid in school history .
He graduated in 1964 and played two seasons with Red Auerbach 's Boston Celtics , earning a pair of championship rings as a sparingly used backup to Bill Russell .
Thompson returned to Washington , got his master 's degree in guidance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Columbia and went 122-28 over six seasons at St. Anthony 's before accepting the job at Georgetown , an elite school that had relatively few Black students .
Faculty and students rallied around him after a bedsheet with racist words was hung inside the school 's gym before a game during the 1974-75 season .
Thompson sheltered his players with closed practices , tightly controlled media access and a prohibition on interviews with freshmen in their first semester -- a restriction that still stands for Georgetown 's basketball team .
Combined with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players ' rough-and-tumble style of play , it was n't long before the words `` Hoya Paranoia '' came to epitomize the new era of basketball on the Hilltop campus .
Georgetown lost the 1982 NCAA championship game when Fred Brown mistakenly passed the ball to North Carolina 's James Worthy in the game 's final seconds .
Two years later , Ewing led an 84-75 win over Houston in the title game .
The Hoyas were on the verge of a repeat the following year when they were stunned in the championship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team in one of the biggest upsets in tournament history .
Success allowed Thompson to rake in money through endorsements , but he ran afoul of his Georgetown bosses when he applied for a gambling license for a business venture in Nevada in 1995 .
Thompson , who liked playing the slot machines in Las Vegas , reluctantly dropped the application after the university president objected .
Centers Ewing , Mourning and Mutombo turned Georgetown into `` Big Man U '' under Thompson , although his last superstar was guard Allen Iverson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player under Thompson to leave school early for the NBA draft .
`` Thanks for Saving My Life Coach , '' Iverson wrote at the start of an Instagram post Monday with photos of the pair .
The Hoyas teams in the 1990s never came close to matching the achievements of the 1980s , and Thompson 's era came to a surprising and sudden end when he resigned in the middle of the 1998-99 season , citing distractions from a pending divorce .
Thompson did n't fade from the limelight .
He became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a TV and radio game analyst , joining the very profession he had frustrated so often as a coach .
He loosened up , allowing the public to see his lighter side , but he remained pointed and combative when a topic mattered to him .
A torch was passed in 2004 , when John Thompson III became Georgetown 's coach .
The younger Thompson , with `` Pops '' often watching from the stands or sitting in the back of the room for news conferences , returned the Hoyas to the Final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ronny Thompson , was head coach for one season at Ball State and is now a TV analyst .
Joseph White , a former AP sports writer in Washington who died in 2019 , prepared this obituary .
AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich contributed .

Coaching great John Thompson of Georgetown dead at 78
FILE -- In this April 2, 1984, file photo, Georgetown head coach John Thompson, left, gives a happy pat to the most valuable player Patrick Ewing, after Georgetown defeated Houston 84-75 in Seattle. John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a "Hoya Paranoia" powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men's basketball championship, has died. He was 78 His death was announced in a family statement Monday., Aug. 31, 2020. No details were disclosed.
FILE -- In this March 1, 1980, file photo, Georgetown University basketball coach John Thompson raises his hands in victory after fans placed the net around his neck in Providence, R.I., after Georgetown defeated Syracuse University 87-81 to win the Big East basketball championship. John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a "Hoya Paranoia" powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men's basketball championship, has died. He was 78 His death was announced in a family statement Monday., Aug. 31, 2020. No details were disclosed. (Anestis Diakopoulos/Providence Journal via AP, File)
FILE -- In this April 5, 2017, file photo, former Georgetown coach John Thompson listens during an NCAA college basketball news conference to formally announce Georgetown's new basketball head coach Patrick Ewing, in Washington. John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a "Hoya Paranoia" powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men's basketball championship, has died. He was 78 His death was announced in a family statement Monday., Aug. 31, 2020. No details were disclosed.
FILE -- In this March 9, 2013, file photo, former Georgetown coach John Thompson Jr., left, congratulates his son Georgetown head coach John Thompson III, right, after the Hoya's 61-39 win over Syracuse in an NCAA college basketball game in Washington. John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a "Hoya Paranoia" powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men's basketball championship, has died. He was 78 His death was announced in a family statement Monday., Aug. 31, 2020. No details were disclosed.
FILE -- In this March 30, 1985, file photo, Georgetown coach John Thompson shouts to the floor during the Hova's NCAA semifinal game against St. John's at Rudo Arena in Lexington, Ky. John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a "Hoya Paranoia" powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men's basketball championship, has died. He was 78 His death was announced in a family statement Monday., Aug. 31, 2020. No details were disclosed.
WASHINGTON -- John Thompson, the imposing Hall of Famer who turned Georgetown into a "Hoya Paranoia" powerhouse and became the first Black coach to lead a team to the NCAA men's basketball championship, has died. He was 78.
His death was announced in a family statement released by Georgetown on Monday. No details were disclosed.
"Our father was an inspiration to many and devoted his life to developing young people not simply on but, most importantly, off the basketball court. He is revered as a historic shepherd of the sport, dedicated to the welfare of his community above all else," the statement said. "However, for us, his greatest legacy remains as a father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. More than a coach, he was our foundation. More than a legend, he was the voice in our ear everyday."
One of the most celebrated and polarizing figures in his sport, Thompson took over a moribund Georgetown program in the 1970s and molded it in his unique style into a perennial contender, culminating with a national championship team anchored by center Patrick Ewing in 1984.
Georgetown reached two other title games with Thompson in charge and Ewing patrolling the paint, losing to Michael Jordan's North Carolina team in 1982 and to Villanova in 1985.
At 6-foot-10, with an ever-present white towel slung over his shoulder, Thompson literally and figuratively towered over the Hoyas for decades, becoming a patriarch of sorts after he quit coaching in 1999.
One of his sons, John Thompson III, was hired as Georgetown's coach in 2004. When the son was fired in 2017, the elder Thompson -- known affectionately as "Big John" or "Pops" to many -- was at the news conference announcing Ewing as the successor.
Along the way, Thompson said what he thought, shielded his players from the media and took positions that weren't always popular. He never shied away from sensitive topics -- particularly the role of race in both sports and society -- and he once famously walked off the court before a game to protest an NCAA rule because he felt it hurt minority athletes.
"I'll probably be remembered for all the things that kept me out of the Hall of Fame, ironically, more than for the things that got me into it," Thompson said on the day he was elected to the Hall in 1999.
Thompson became coach of the Hoyas in 1972 and began remaking a team that was 3-23 the previous season. Over the next 27 years, he led Georgetown to 14 straight NCAA tournaments (1979-92), 24 consecutive postseason appearances (20 NCAA, 4 NIT), three Final Fours (1982, 1984, 1985) and won six Big East tournament championships.
Employing a physical, defense-focused approach that frequently relied on a dominant center -- Alonzo Mourning and Dikembe Mutombo were among his other pupils -- Thompson compiled a 596-239 record (.715 winning percentage). He had 26 players drafted by the NBA.
One of his honors -- his selection as coach of the U.S. team for the 1988 Olympics -- had a sour ending when the Americans had to settle for the bronze medal. It was a result so disappointing that Thompson put himself on a sort of self-imposed leave at Georgetown for a while, coaching practices and games but leaving many other duties to his assistants.
Off the court, Thompson was both a role model and a lightning rod. A stickler for academics, he kept a deflated basketball on his desk, a reminder to his players that a degree was a necessity because a career in basketball relied on a tenuous "nine pounds of air."
The school boasted that 76 of 78 players who played four seasons under Thompson received their degrees.
He was a Black coach who recruited mostly Black players to a predominantly white Jesuit university in Washington, and Thompson never hesitated to speak out on behalf of his players.
One of the most dramatic moments in Georgetown history came on Jan. 14, 1989, when he walked off the court to a standing ovation before the tipoff of a home game against Boston College, demonstrating in a most public way his displeasure against NCAA Proposition 42.
The rule denied athletic scholarships to freshmen who didn't meet certain requirements, and Thompson said it was biased against underprivileged students. Opposition from Thompson, and others, led the NCAA to modify the rule.
Thompson's most daring move came that same year, when he summoned notorious drug kingpin Rayful Edmond III for a meeting in the coach's office. Thompson warned Edmond to stop associating with Hoyas players and to leave them alone, using his respect in the Black community to become one of the few people to stare down Edmond and not face a reprisal.
Though aware of his influence, Thompson did not take pride in becoming the first Black coach to take a team to the Final Four, and he let a room full of reporters know it when asked his feelings on the subject at a news conference in 1982.
"I resent the hell out of that question if it implies I am the first Black coach competent enough to take a team to the Final Four," Thompson said. "Other Blacks have been denied the right in this country; coaches who have the ability. I don't take any pride in being the first Black coach in the Final Four. I find the question extremely offensive."
Born Sept. 2, 1941, John R. Thompson Jr. grew up in Washington, D.C. His father was always working -- on a farm in Maryland and later as a laborer in the city -- and could neither read nor write.
"I never in my life saw my father's hands clean," Thompson told The Associated Press in 2007. "Never. He'd come home and scrub his hands with this ugly brown soap that looked like tar. I thought that was the color of his hands. When I was still coaching, kids would show up late for practice and I'd (say) ... 'My father got up every morning of his life at 5 a.m. to go to work. Without an alarm.'"
Thompson's parents emphasized education, but he struggled in part of because of poor eyesight and labored in Catholic grammar school. He was moved to a segregated public school, had a growth spurt and became good enough at basketball to get into John Carroll, a Catholic high school, where he led the team to 55 consecutive victories and two city titles.
He went to Providence College as one of the most touted basketball prospects in the country and led the Friars to the first NCAA bid in school history. He graduated in 1964 and played two seasons with Red Auerbach's Boston Celtics, earning a pair of championship rings as a sparingly used backup to Bill Russell.
Thompson returned to Washington, got his master's degree in guidance and counseling from the University of the District of Columbia and went 122-28 over six seasons at St. Anthony's before accepting the job at Georgetown, an elite school that had relatively few Black students. Faculty and students rallied around him after a bedsheet with racist words was hung inside the school's gym before a game during the 1974-75 season.
Thompson sheltered his players with closed practices, tightly controlled media access and a prohibition on interviews with freshmen in their first semester -- a restriction that still stands for Georgetown's basketball team. Combined with Thompson's flashes of emotion and his players' rough-and-tumble style of play, it wasn't long before the words "Hoya Paranoia" came to epitomize the new era of basketball on the Hilltop campus.
Georgetown lost the 1982 NCAA championship game when Fred Brown mistakenly passed the ball to North Carolina's James Worthy in the game's final seconds. Two years later, Ewing led an 84-75 win over Houston in the title game. The Hoyas were on the verge of a repeat the following year when they were stunned in the championship game by coach Rollie Massimino's Villanova team in one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
Success allowed Thompson to rake in money through endorsements, but he ran afoul of his Georgetown bosses when he applied for a gambling license for a business venture in Nevada in 1995. Thompson, who liked playing the slot machines in Las Vegas, reluctantly dropped the application after the university president objected.
Centers Ewing, Mourning and Mutombo turned Georgetown into "Big Man U" under Thompson, although his last superstar was guard Allen Iverson, who in 1996 also became the first player under Thompson to leave school early for the NBA draft.
"Thanks for Saving My Life Coach," Iverson wrote at the start of an Instagram post Monday with photos of the pair.
The Hoyas teams in the 1990s never came close to matching the achievements of the 1980s, and Thompson's era came to a surprising and sudden end when he resigned in the middle of the 1998-99 season, citing distractions from a pending divorce.
Thompson didn't fade from the limelight. He became a sports radio talk show host and a TV and radio game analyst, joining the very profession he had frustrated so often as a coach. He loosened up, allowing the public to see his lighter side, but he remained pointed and combative when a topic mattered to him.
A torch was passed in 2004, when John Thompson III became Georgetown's coach. The younger Thompson, with "Pops" often watching from the stands or sitting in the back of the room for news conferences, returned the Hoyas to the Final Four in 2007.
Another son, Ronny Thompson, was head coach for one season at Ball State and is now a TV analyst.
Joseph White, a former AP sports writer in Washington who died in 2019, prepared this obituary. AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich contributed.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Health insurance changes for foster children to take effect Tuesday

SPRINGFIELD -- The state is moving ahead with its plan to shift an estimated 18,000 children from the child welfare system into a health care coverage plan despite warnings from children 's advocates that the change will cut many of those children off from access to the critical care they need .
`` These are some of the most medically-complex and high-needs , special-needs children in the state , '' Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert said .
`` These are children who by definition have been taken away from their parents due to abuse or neglect or sex abuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were born drug-exposed , '' he added .
`` Some of the children have been very much abused and need therapy sessions and counseling . ''
For decades , children in the state 's foster care system have been covered under a traditional fee-for-service Medicaid plan .
Effective Sept. 1 , however , they are being shifted into a `` managed care '' insurance program called YouthCare , which is similar to the coverage most other Medicaid recipients currently have .
Under managed care , a private , for-profit insurance company -- in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paid a flat monthly per-person rate to manage each enrollee 's health care .
It is the job of the insurance company , known as a managed care organization , or MCO , to put together a network of providers and negotiate the rates they will be paid for their services .
Those providers include not just primary care physicians and specialists but also mental health providers , pharmacies , medical equipment suppliers and a host of other entities within the health care industry .
The plan to shift foster children into managed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bruce Rauner 's administration , but it has been delayed several times amid concerns from advocates and state lawmakers that YouthCare will not have an adequate statewide network that can meet the unique needs of the foster care population .
`` A lot of foster parents do n't even know this is happening , '' Golbert said .
`` Some foster parents do know this is happening and have been assured that their provider is in the network , or they 've looked up on this database and seen that their provider 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to take their kids to existing doctor 's appointments on Tuesday , Wednesday and Thursday , and their doctors are n't going to see their kids .
The doctors are going to say , 'We do n't take this new health care plan , ' and you 're going to have these families really frantic about scrambling to get care for their kids . ''
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services , the agency that oversees the state Medicaid plan , has said in the past that the YouthCare provider network @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is larger than the existing fee-for-service network .
`` With more than three times as many providers as the status quo system and a personal care coordinator to connect each family to providers , YouthCare vastly expands access to quality care for vulnerable children and families , '' the agency said in a statement Monday .
`` From behavioral health to dental care and more , by any measure , families have far more opportunities for support and access with YouthCare than the current system , which has left them on their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The statement went on to say that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services has `` worked closely with families and an array of stakeholders , including the ( Cook County ) Public Guardian , as we move forward with this transition and are confident this program will mean a significant enhancement in healthcare for vulnerable youth and their families . ''
But Golbert said his office conducted a spot-check of the YouthCare provider list and found that many of the providers listed as being in the network actually are n't .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the alleged providers in this database over the past few weeks , '' he said , noting several have said they were not in the provider network .
`` So that means when you call these doctors who DCFS boasts and brags are in their provider network to try to get an appointment , they tell you no . ''
Although Golbert works exclusively with children and foster families in Cook County , he said the lack of access to certain kinds of providers can be seen in many parts of Illinois .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the areas of the state , I think , to be most concerned about are ( places ) where you 're in provider deserts , where there are not a lot of doctors , especially specialists to begin with , '' he said .
And now you 're going to start limiting the number of providers for foster parents to those who are in the MCO . ''

Health insurance changes for foster children to take effect Tuesday
SPRINGFIELD -- The state is moving ahead with its plan to shift an estimated 18,000 children from the child welfare system into a health care coverage plan despite warnings from children's advocates that the change will cut many of those children off from access to the critical care they need.
"These are some of the most medically-complex and high-needs, special-needs children in the state," Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert said. "These are children who by definition have been taken away from their parents due to abuse or neglect or sex abuse."
"Some of these children were born drug-exposed," he added. "Some of the children have been very much abused and need therapy sessions and counseling."
For decades, children in the state's foster care system have been covered under a traditional fee-for-service Medicaid plan. Effective Sept. 1, however, they are being shifted into a "managed care" insurance program called YouthCare, which is similar to the coverage most other Medicaid recipients currently have.
Under managed care, a private, for-profit insurance company -- in this case, Centene Corp. -- is paid a flat monthly per-person rate to manage each enrollee's health care. It is the job of the insurance company, known as a managed care organization, or MCO, to put together a network of providers and negotiate the rates they will be paid for their services.
Those providers include not just primary care physicians and specialists but also mental health providers, pharmacies, medical equipment suppliers and a host of other entities within the health care industry.
The plan to shift foster children into managed care began during former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration, but it has been delayed several times amid concerns from advocates and state lawmakers that YouthCare will not have an adequate statewide network that can meet the unique needs of the foster care population.
"A lot of foster parents don't even know this is happening," Golbert said. "Some foster parents do know this is happening and have been assured that their provider is in the network, or they've looked up on this database and seen that their provider's in the network, and they're going to take their kids to existing doctor's appointments on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and their doctors aren't going to see their kids. The doctors are going to say, 'We don't take this new health care plan,' and you're going to have these families really frantic about scrambling to get care for their kids."
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the agency that oversees the state Medicaid plan, has said in the past that the YouthCare provider network is sufficient and, in fact, is larger than the existing fee-for-service network.
"With more than three times as many providers as the status quo system and a personal care coordinator to connect each family to providers, YouthCare vastly expands access to quality care for vulnerable children and families," the agency said in a statement Monday. "From behavioral health to dental care and more, by any measure, families have far more opportunities for support and access with YouthCare than the current system, which has left them on their own to find and receive care."
The statement went on to say that the Department of Healthcare and Family Services has "worked closely with families and an array of stakeholders, including the (Cook County) Public Guardian, as we move forward with this transition and are confident this program will mean a significant enhancement in healthcare for vulnerable youth and their families."
But Golbert said his office conducted a spot-check of the YouthCare provider list and found that many of the providers listed as being in the network actually aren't.
"We've called more than 300 of the alleged providers in this database over the past few weeks," he said, noting several have said they were not in the provider network. "So that means when you call these doctors who DCFS boasts and brags are in their provider network to try to get an appointment, they tell you no."
Although Golbert works exclusively with children and foster families in Cook County, he said the lack of access to certain kinds of providers can be seen in many parts of Illinois.
"In fact, a lot of the areas of the state, I think, to be most concerned about are (places) where you're in provider deserts, where there are not a lot of doctors, especially specialists to begin with," he said.
And now you're going to start limiting the number of providers for foster parents to those who are in the MCO."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots requested by suburban voters

Hundreds of thousands of suburban voters have requested mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 presidential election , with more applications pouring in daily as local election authorities prepare for an anticipated surge .
An expansion of Illinois ' vote-by-mail program amid the coronavirus pandemic has prompted Cook and the collar counties to hire extra employees , install new equipment and increase the efficiency of printing , sorting and processing mail-in ballots .
But with the influx of ballots expected to roll in through the Postal Service , and uncertainty over when they 'll be received , officials warn it could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Election Day before winners can be definitively declared .
`` Election night is n't going to be the thing it was in the past , '' McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio said .
Already , the applications submitted in the suburbs have significantly surpassed any previous election -- and the numbers keep climbing .
Ballots will start being mailed out Sept. 24 , at which point election authorities have a crucial message for voters : return your ballots as early as possible .
`` We are working diligently to make sure we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant increase , '' said Adam Johnson , chief deputy county clerk for DuPage County , where more than 117,000 of 615,000 registered voters have requested mail-in ballots .
`` Avoiding a last-minute rush is key to making sure there 's sufficient capacity to handle the volume . ''
In suburban Cook County , nearly 240,000 of the roughly 1.6 million registered voters have applied to vote by mail so far , more than doubling the number of mail-in ballots cast in the 2018 gubernatorial election , said Edmund Michalowski , deputy clerk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 31,000 voters sent in ballots by mail .
In Kane County , the number of applications has exceeded 77,000 , officials reported , and Will County reached 82,000 by the end of the week .
McHenry County has received about 36,600 requests , while Lake County processed at least 60,350 , with piles of applications still unopened .
The influx does n't come as a surprise to election authorities , who say they fully expected to shift gears and beef up their resources once the pandemic hit .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and requiring agencies to send mail-in ballot applications to voters who participated in any of the last three elections , though some counties expanded that effort to all registered voters .
Emergency funding was distributed through the Coronavirus Aid , Relief , and Economic Security Act to ensure election officials could buy the machinery , hire the additional personnel and secure the extra space necessary to handle the expanded program .
Special sorting software and equipment purchased in DuPage County , for example , can process 18,000 envelopes per hour and allows for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek said .
For the Cook County Clerk 's office , developing a strategy started shortly after the March primary when the state 's stay-at-home order took effect , Michalowski said .
`` We anticipated from that very moment that we needed to increase our capacity -- and the ability for us to social distance -- both on managing applications and mail-in ballot processing , '' he said .
`` We 've done our best to make certain that the system is going to run fluidly . ''
As is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sorted and validated ahead of time , but results ca n't start being tabulated until the polls close on Election Day .
But Johnson says greater uncertainty lies in an anticipated onslaught of mail-in votes that likely wo n't be received until days or weeks later , potentially changing the results reported on election night .
`` There certainly could be the case that someone who is ahead on Election Day ends up behind once all the ballots come in over the next two weeks , '' he said .
State law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the election to request a mail-in ballot , though officials say that 's cutting it close .
Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than Nov. 3 and received within 14 days to be counted in final tallies , which then must be certified .
`` The key to making certain that you have sufficient time to receive a ballot and get it returned to the county clerk 's office is to request one now and fill it out early , '' said Charles Pelkie , chief of staff at the Will County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let it sit on your countertop . ''
Election authorities also are working to combat what they say is a false rhetoric at the national level .
Claims that increased mail-in voting will lead to corruption or security issues , paired with a mounting distrust in the U.S .
Postal Service to handle the surge of ballots , are unfounded and unjustified , Michalowski said .
Systems are in place to track the activity of voters and ensure nobody is able to cast more than one ballot , regardless of whether it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
If someone submits a vote-by-mail ballot , for example , that information is updated under their name , and the system will not allow another ballot from that person to be tallied .
County clerks ' offices have been working closely with their regional and local post offices , officials said , and dozens of secure drop boxes are being installed throughout the suburbs as an alternative to dropping ballots in the mail .
Most agencies also have developed a system allowing voters to track their mail-in ballots and applications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an uncomfortable silence that people feel when they drop the ballot in the post office , and it 's not helped when there 's all this national attention inappropriately ( asserting ) that there 's going to be fraud or manipulation , '' Michalowski said .
`` I simply do n't see those issues . ''

Hundreds of thousands of mail-in ballots requested by suburban voters
Hundreds of thousands of suburban voters have requested mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 presidential election, with more applications pouring in daily as local election authorities prepare for an anticipated surge.
An expansion of Illinois' vote-by-mail program amid the coronavirus pandemic has prompted Cook and the collar counties to hire extra employees, install new equipment and increase the efficiency of printing, sorting and processing mail-in ballots.
But with the influx of ballots expected to roll in through the Postal Service, and uncertainty over when they'll be received, officials warn it could be days -- or even weeks -- after Election Day before winners can be definitively declared.
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer DuPage County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek looks over a new machine that sorts mail-in ballots and authenticates signatures to increase the efficiency of processing ballots.
"Election night isn't going to be the thing it was in the past," McHenry County Clerk Joe Tirio said.
The influx
Already, the applications submitted in the suburbs have significantly surpassed any previous election -- and the numbers keep climbing. Ballots will start being mailed out Sept. 24, at which point election authorities have a crucial message for voters: return your ballots as early as possible.
"We are working diligently to make sure we're prepared to handle ... a very significant increase," said Adam Johnson, chief deputy county clerk for DuPage County, where more than 117,000 of 615,000 registered voters have requested mail-in ballots. "Avoiding a last-minute rush is key to making sure there's sufficient capacity to handle the volume."
In suburban Cook County, nearly 240,000 of the roughly 1.6 million registered voters have applied to vote by mail so far, more than doubling the number of mail-in ballots cast in the 2018 gubernatorial election, said Edmund Michalowski, deputy clerk of elections. In 2016, roughly 31,000 voters sent in ballots by mail.
- John Starks | Staff Photographer A mail-in ballot drop box has been installed in front of the McHenry County administration building in Woodstock as an alternative to sending ballots in the mail.
In Kane County, the number of applications has exceeded 77,000, officials reported, and Will County reached 82,000 by the end of the week. McHenry County has received about 36,600 requests, while Lake County processed at least 60,350, with piles of applications still unopened.
The influx doesn't come as a surprise to election authorities, who say they fully expected to shift gears and beef up their resources once the pandemic hit. Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation in June ramping up vote-by-mail options and requiring agencies to send mail-in ballot applications to voters who participated in any of the last three elections, though some counties expanded that effort to all registered voters.
Emergency funding was distributed through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to ensure election officials could buy the machinery, hire the additional personnel and secure the extra space necessary to handle the expanded program. Special sorting software and equipment purchased in DuPage County, for example, can process 18,000 envelopes per hour and allows for easier signature verification by election judges, County Clerk Jean Kaczmarek said.
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer A camera is used to help authenticate signatures on mail-in ballots. The new equipment was purchased by the DuPage County clerk's office in anticipation of a surge in mail-in voting for the Nov. 3 election.
For the Cook County Clerk's office, developing a strategy started shortly after the March primary when the state's stay-at-home order took effect, Michalowski said.
"We anticipated from that very moment that we needed to increase our capacity -- and the ability for us to social distance -- both on managing applications and mail-in ballot processing," he said. "We've done our best to make certain that the system is going to run fluidly."
Preparing for unknowns
Election authorities realize they're navigating uncharted waters.
As is always the case, mail-in ballots can be sorted and validated ahead of time, but results can't start being tabulated until the polls close on Election Day. But Johnson says greater uncertainty lies in an anticipated onslaught of mail-in votes that likely won't be received until days or weeks later, potentially changing the results reported on election night.
"There certainly could be the case that someone who is ahead on Election Day ends up behind once all the ballots come in over the next two weeks," he said.
- Rick West | Staff Photographer A new ballot sorter is among the equipment recently acquired by the Kane County clerk's office to quickly and accurately process mail-in ballots for the Nov. 3 election.
State law gives voters up to five days before the election to request a mail-in ballot, though officials say that's cutting it close. Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than Nov. 3 and received within 14 days to be counted in final tallies, which then must be certified.
"The key to making certain that you have sufficient time to receive a ballot and get it returned to the county clerk's office is to request one now and fill it out early," said Charles Pelkie, chief of staff at the Will County Clerk's office. "Don't let it sit on your countertop."
Election authorities also are working to combat what they say is a false rhetoric at the national level. Claims that increased mail-in voting will lead to corruption or security issues, paired with a mounting distrust in the U.S. Postal Service to handle the surge of ballots, are unfounded and unjustified, Michalowski said.
- Rick West | Staff Photographer Kane County mail-in ballots are now folded smaller, resulting in smaller envelopes and a lower mailing cost.
Systems are in place to track the activity of voters and ensure nobody is able to cast more than one ballot, regardless of whether it's done by mail or in person, he said. If someone submits a vote-by-mail ballot, for example, that information is updated under their name, and the system will not allow another ballot from that person to be tallied.
County clerks' offices have been working closely with their regional and local post offices, officials said, and dozens of secure drop boxes are being installed throughout the suburbs as an alternative to dropping ballots in the mail. Most agencies also have developed a system allowing voters to track their mail-in ballots and applications.
"I think there's just an uncomfortable silence that people feel when they drop the ballot in the post office, and it's not helped when there's all this national attention inappropriately (asserting) that there's going to be fraud or manipulation," Michalowski said. "I simply don't see those issues."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Giants' Baker sued over alleged May robbery in Florida

FORT LAUDERDALE , Fla. -- Three people filed a lawsuit Monday against New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker , claiming that he robbed them at gunpoint during a May cookout in Florida , court records show .
The civil lawsuit filed in Broward County court seeks $ 100,000 in damages .
Baker was formally charged Aug. 7 with four counts of robbery with a firearm stemming from the cookout .
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar , who also was arrested in May , wo n't be prosecuted because of insufficient evidence , prosecutors previously said .
Baker and Dunbar were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 when a fight broke out , and Baker pulled out a handgun , according to an arrest warrant .
Baker and other men began robbing people of thousands of dollars in cash , watches and other valuables , witnesses told investigators .
Baker 's lawyer has previously said witnesses will clear his client .
The attorney did n't immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the lawsuit .
Online court records did n't list an attorney for Baker 's civil case .
Dunbar could still face an NFL suspension .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's exempt list at the start of training camp .
Baker was one of three first-round draft picks the Giants had last year .
He started in 15 games and had 61 tackles .

Giants' Baker sued over alleged May robbery in Florida
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Three people filed a lawsuit Monday against New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker, claiming that he robbed them at gunpoint during a May cookout in Florida, court records show.
The civil lawsuit filed in Broward County court seeks $100,000 in damages.
Baker was formally charged Aug. 7 with four counts of robbery with a firearm stemming from the cookout. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quinton Dunbar, who also was arrested in May, won't be prosecuted because of insufficient evidence, prosecutors previously said.
Baker and Dunbar were attending the cookout in Miramar on May 13 when a fight broke out, and Baker pulled out a handgun, according to an arrest warrant. Baker and other men began robbing people of thousands of dollars in cash, watches and other valuables, witnesses told investigators.
Baker's lawyer has previously said witnesses will clear his client. The attorney didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment about the lawsuit. Online court records didn't list an attorney for Baker's civil case.
Dunbar could still face an NFL suspension. He and Baker were placed on the commissioner's exempt list at the start of training camp.
Baker was one of three first-round draft picks the Giants had last year. He started in 15 games and had 61 tackles.
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--In downtown Antioch, support and worry ahead of Trump's visit to Kenosha

Downtown Antioch started returning to normalcy Monday , and residents and business owners expressed different opinions on a local teenager accused of killing two people and President Donald Trump 's plans to visit nearby Kenosha , Wisconsin , in the wake of fiery protests sparked by a police shooting .
`` I think it 's great , '' Laura Foster , owner of Ms. Peddler 's Boutique on Main Street , said of Trump 's plans .
Nearby , public works employees reinstalled dozens of planters , benches and garbage cans that were removed as a precaution last week .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 26 after the arrest of Kyle Rittenhouse , 17 , accused of killing two people and wounding a third during protests Aug. 25 in Kenosha , about 20 miles northeast .
Rittenhouse 's attorney said he acted in self-defense .
Village officials feared social unrest after Rittenhouse 's arrest .
The curfew was lifted within 24 hours , and on Monday some business owners who had boarded up were removing the wood from windows .
Foster said too many people rushed to judgment in the face of unanswered questions , such as what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and why Kenosha police let him walk away afterward .
`` He did kill someone ... but I do n't think he was as angry as he was frightened , '' she said .
Resident Theresa Koenig , who lives near downtown Antioch , said Rittenhouse `` had no business carrying a gun . ''
She was so anxious about the curfew last week that she left town with her two children to spend the night at her parents ' house .
As for Trump visiting Kenosha , Koenig said , it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflame sentiments .
`` I feel like everything he ( Trump ) tries to do does n't go right , '' she said .
Lisa and Brian Bezak , who own The Mexican Paradise Cafe in downtown Antioch , endorse Trump 's visit to Kenosha .
`` He needs a lot of people to hear his voice , '' Lisa Bezak said .
`` We need to do something about this .
The protests are fine but not the rioting and looting .
People work hard for their business . ''
Brian Bezak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He blamed Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers for not accepting sooner Trump 's offer for federal help to quell protests in the wake of the Aug. 23 police shooting of resident Jacob Blake in Kenosha .
Evers asked Trump to reconsider his plans to visit Kenosha .
The White House said the visit would be `` unifying . ''
Police Chief Greg Guttschow said Monday that he did n't expect Trump 's visit to affect Antioch .

In downtown Antioch, support and worry ahead of Trump's visit to Kenosha
Downtown Antioch started returning to normalcy Monday, and residents and business owners expressed different opinions on a local teenager accused of killing two people and President Donald Trump's plans to visit nearby Kenosha, Wisconsin, in the wake of fiery protests sparked by a police shooting.
"I think it's great," Laura Foster, owner of Ms. Peddler's Boutique on Main Street, said of Trump's plans. Nearby, public works employees reinstalled dozens of planters, benches and garbage cans that were removed as a precaution last week.
- Elena Ferrarin | Staff Photographer Laura Foster, owner of Ms. Peddler's Boutique on Main Street in Antioch, said she endorses President Donald Trump's plans to visit nearby Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Antioch had declared an emergency curfew Aug. 26 after the arrest of Kyle Rittenhouse, 17, accused of killing two people and wounding a third during protests Aug. 25 in Kenosha, about 20 miles northeast. Rittenhouse's attorney said he acted in self-defense.
Village officials feared social unrest after Rittenhouse's arrest. The curfew was lifted within 24 hours, and on Monday some business owners who had boarded up were removing the wood from windows.
Foster said too many people rushed to judgment in the face of unanswered questions, such as what led up to Rittenhouse firing a weapon and why Kenosha police let him walk away afterward.
"He did kill someone ... but I don't think he was as angry as he was frightened," she said.
Resident Theresa Koenig, who lives in downtown Antioch, said Rittenhouse "had no business carrying a gun." She was so anxious about the curfew last week that she left town with her two children to spend the night at her parents' house.
As for Trump visiting Kenosha, Koenig said, it's not a good idea because it might inflame sentiments.
"I feel like everything he (Trump) tries to do doesn't go right," she said.
- Elena Ferrarin | Staff Photographer Lisa and Brian Bezak, owners of The Mexican Paradise Cafe in downtown Antioch, said they endorse President Donald Trump's plans to visit nearby Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Lisa and Brian Bezak, who own The Mexican Paradise Cafe in downtown Antioch, endorse Trump's visit to Kenosha.
"He needs a lot of people to hear his voice," Lisa Bezak said. "We need to do something about this. The protests are fine but not the rioting and looting. People work hard for their business."
Brian Bezak said he believes Rittenhouse acted in self-defense. He blamed Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers for not accepting sooner Trump's offer for federal help to quell protests in the wake of the Aug. 23 police shooting of resident Jacob Blake in Kenosha.
Evers asked Trump to reconsider his plans to visit Kenosha. The White House said the visit would be "unifying."
Police Chief Greg Guttschow said Monday that he didn't expect Trump's visit to affect Antioch.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-09-01--The Sears Centre Arena has a new name today: the Now Arena

Hoffman Estates ' 11,000-seat entertainment venue known as the Sears Centre Arena for 14 years officially becomes the Now Arena this morning .
That 's when the 15-year , $ 11.25 million naming-rights deal with Bloomingdale-based Now Health Group Inc. replaces the one for which Transformco -- the company that 's emerged from Sears Holding Corp. 's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing -- has been paying $ 600,000 per year .
The immediate change today is to the arena 's internet and social media presence , though any searches for the old website will automatically forward to nowarena.com for the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to start in a week or so will be changes to roadway and directional signs outside the building , arena Director of Partnerships Mike Czopek said .
Most of those signs are being made now , but they should entirely replace the Sears Centre branding within 8 to 10 weeks , he said .
One that wo n't have to wait as long will be the large Now Arena logo on top of the roof where the Sears Centre never had one , Czopek said .
It 's expected to begin being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , weather permitting , take only about a week .
Rebranding of the interior , the use of which is still restricted by COVID-19 protocols , remains at the planning stage but is expected to begin within 90 days , Czopek said .
With even the scheduling of the Windy City Bulls ' next season in flux , it 's not yet been possible to identify an event that would be known as the Now Arena 's first , he said .
But even amid the pandemic , officials from Now Health Group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's future when the new naming-rights agreement was announced this summer .
Now Health Group is a 52-year-old , family-owned company with a portfolio of more than 1,500 health and natural-based products , including supplements , sports nutrition , foods , beauty and essential oils .
It has more than 900 full-time employees and owns the 13 Fruitful Yield natural health food stores in the Chicago area .
As for withdrawing Sears and Transformco , village officials expressed gratitude for the companies ' long-term commitment to the arena 's branding .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've done at the arena , '' said Mark Koplin , the owner 's representative for the venue .
`` We hope to keep them involved somehow .
But we 're excited to open the next chapter with Now . ''
He added it 's not uncommon for naming rights to change and statistically , 14 years could be considered a good run .
Mayor Bill McLeod agreed , adding the company headquartered in the village for 30 years continues to be a part of the Hoffman Estates community .
`` Certainly we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said .
`` We have to respect their decision . ''
John Russick , senior vice president of the Chicago History Museum , said Sears ' naming-rights withdrawal seems like a significant move for the struggling company .
Though he acknowledged that other companies do walk away from such agreements , Russick said this seems like a turning point for a Chicago-area institution whose history has been one of building and maintaining a national presence .
`` It says something that they feel this is not an investment worth making anymore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added no historian can ignore the resilience Sears has demonstrated in the face of many challenges over more than 130 years .

The Sears Centre Arena has a new name today: the Now Arena
A digital rendering of how the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates will appear after the signs that branded the 11,000-seat venue as the Sears Centre Arena are removed and replaced during the coming weeks and months. There has never been a sign on the roof of the building in the past. Courtesy of NOW Arena
Hoffman Estates' 11,000-seat entertainment venue known as the Sears Centre Arena for 14 years officially becomes the Now Arena this morning.
That's when the 15-year, $11.25 million naming-rights deal with Bloomingdale-based Now Health Group Inc. replaces the one for which Transformco -- the company that's emerged from Sears Holding Corp.'s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing -- has been paying $600,000 per year.
The immediate change today is to the arena's internet and social media presence, though any searches for the old website will automatically forward to nowarena.com for the next year.
Not quite as quick but expected to start in a week or so will be changes to roadway and directional signs outside the building, arena Director of Partnerships Mike Czopek said. Most of those signs are being made now, but they should entirely replace the Sears Centre branding within 8 to 10 weeks, he said.
One that won't have to wait as long will be the large Now Arena logo on top of the roof where the Sears Centre never had one, Czopek said. It's expected to begin being painted soon after Labor Day weekend and, weather permitting, take only about a week.
Rebranding of the interior, the use of which is still restricted by COVID-19 protocols, remains at the planning stage but is expected to begin within 90 days, Czopek said.
With even the scheduling of the Windy City Bulls' next season in flux, it's not yet been possible to identify an event that would be known as the Now Arena's first, he said.
But even amid the pandemic, officials from Now Health Group Inc. expressed great enthusiasm for the arena's future when the new naming-rights agreement was announced this summer.
Now Health Group is a 52-year-old, family-owned company with a portfolio of more than 1,500 health and natural-based products, including supplements, sports nutrition, foods, beauty and essential oils. It has more than 900 full-time employees and owns the 13 Fruitful Yield natural health food stores in the Chicago area.
As for withdrawing Sears and Transformco, village officials expressed gratitude for the companies' long-term commitment to the arena's branding.
"We're appreciative to Sears for all they've done at the arena," said Mark Koplin, the owner's representative for the venue. "We hope to keep them involved somehow. But we're excited to open the next chapter with Now."
He added it's not uncommon for naming rights to change and statistically, 14 years could be considered a good run.
Mayor Bill McLeod agreed, adding the company headquartered in the village for 30 years continues to be a part of the Hoffman Estates community.
"Certainly we've valued our relationship with Sears," he said. "We have to respect their decision."
John Russick, senior vice president of the Chicago History Museum, said Sears' naming-rights withdrawal seems like a significant move for the struggling company.
Though he acknowledged that other companies do walk away from such agreements, Russick said this seems like a turning point for a Chicago-area institution whose history has been one of building and maintaining a national presence.
"It says something that they feel this is not an investment worth making anymore," Russick said.
But he added no historian can ignore the resilience Sears has demonstrated in the face of many challenges over more than 130 years.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--How border states' high COVID-19 positivity rates might affect Illinois

Only 18 states have a lower two-week average COVID-19 positivity rate than Illinois , but few appear to be at a greater risk of seeing that rate increase .
According to the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center website , Illinois ' two-week average positivity rate is 4.3 % .
All five states that border Illinois have higher average positivity rates -- in the case of Iowa , more than four times higher .
Kentucky has the lowest average rate of any of Illinois ' border states at 6.8 % .
Indiana 's two-week average rate is 8.4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois ' at 8.6 % .
Missouri 's average positivity rate over the past two weeks is reported at 14.4 % .
And Iowa 's is highest at 18.4 % .
Illinois Department of Public Health officials have warned against traveling to all of the bordering states .
Health officials have also blamed the higher risk of contracting the virus in bordering states as the reason for a recent uptick in cases in Illinois .
Michigan and Ohio , with two-week average positivity rates of 2.7 % and 3.5 % respectively , are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % , according to Johns Hopkins researchers .
Most of the East Coast states are reporting positivity rates well below 5 % over the past two weeks .
Meanwhile , Illinois health officials Monday announced seven more Illinois residents have died from COVID-19 and another 1,668 new cases of the disease have been diagnosed .
The brings the state 's death toll to 8,026 , while 235,023 have been infected since the outbreak began .
Illinois has conducted 4,064,161 tests for the disease .
The results of 47,379 of those tests were announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day over the past two weeks , according to state public health data .
Johns Hopkins researchers are reporting only Alaska , Connecticut Montana , New York and Rhode Island are testing more per capita than Illinois .
Currently , Illinois is conducting 3.5 new tests every day for every 1,000 residents , according to the Johns Hopkins testing tracker website .
Illinois ' five border states are all testing at 2.1 tests for every 1,000 residents or fewer .

How border states' high COVID-19 positivity rates might affect Illinois
Only 18 states have a lower two-week average COVID-19 positivity rate than Illinois, but few appear to be at a greater risk of seeing that rate increase.
According to the Johns Hopkins University and Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center website, Illinois' two-week average positivity rate is 4.3%. All five states that border Illinois have higher average positivity rates -- in the case of Iowa, more than four times higher.
Kentucky has the lowest average rate of any of Illinois' border states at 6.8%. Indiana's two-week average rate is 8.4%. Wisconsin's rate is double Illinois' at 8.6%. Missouri's average positivity rate over the past two weeks is reported at 14.4%. And Iowa's is highest at 18.4%.
Illinois Department of Public Health officials have warned against traveling to all of the bordering states. Health officials have also blamed the higher risk of contracting the virus in bordering states as the reason for a recent uptick in cases in Illinois.
Map outline: Creative Commons/Share Alike 3.0 Unported -
Michigan and Ohio, with two-week average positivity rates of 2.7% and 3.5% respectively, are the only other Midwestern states below 5%, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.
Most of the East Coast states are reporting positivity rates well below 5% over the past two weeks.
Meanwhile, Illinois health officials Monday announced seven more Illinois residents have died from COVID-19 and another 1,668 new cases of the disease have been diagnosed.
The brings the state's death toll to 8,026, while 235,023 have been infected since the outbreak began.
Illinois has conducted 4,064,161 tests for the disease. The results of 47,379 of those tests were announced Monday. Illinois is averaging 47,076 tests a day over the past two weeks, according to state public health data.
Johns Hopkins researchers are reporting only Alaska, Connecticut Montana, New York and Rhode Island are testing more per capita than Illinois.
Currently, Illinois is conducting 3.5 new tests every day for every 1,000 residents, according to the Johns Hopkins testing tracker website. Illinois' five border states are all testing at 2.1 tests for every 1,000 residents or fewer.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Lake Villa beekeeper could feel sting of loss if village takes hives away

Willie Pilipauskas set up his first bee box colony under a tree in his parents ' Lake Villa backyard when he was 12 .
Nearly 20 years later , he 's evolved from a bee beginner to a bee expert , and his colony has grown to a small apiary of 15 boxes .
But whether the Pilipauskas family will be able to keep the backyard bees has been in question since mid-July , when Lake Villa village officials served the family notice that the bees were not permitted .
Lake Villa Village Manager Karl Warwick said the village received @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bee population was so large that a portion of the neighbor 's backyard was unusable .
`` We 're just here to make sure people can use their property and enjoy their property , and if they ca n't , it 's a violation , '' Warwick said .
Pilipauskas , now 31 , lives in McHenry County with his own family but brings his kids to visit his parents in Lake Villa several times a week .
The hobby that started in their yard is now a career : Pilipauskas manages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lake and McHenry county areas and makes his living selling honey and helping people remove bees from places they are n't wanted .
He wants to leave his original colony intact -- and has hired a lawyer .
The first court hearing on the matter is scheduled for Sept. 15 .
Pilipauskas questions the village 's claim that neighbors reported a problem with the bees .
He said the areas where his backyard bees would leave the property are near tall trees and shrubs .
While the bees can fly over tall vegetation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back down on the other side and prefer instead to stay high in the air .
Pilipauskas said he has great relationships with his parents ' neighbors and often gives them free honey .
Joe Morrison , Pilipauskas ' Waukegan-based attorney , expressed hope that a solution could be found .
`` We 're hoping to work things out with the village , '' Morrison said .
Warwick also expressed a desire for the two sides to work together on a voluntary , mutual resolution .
`` I understand they 're frustrated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's how a lot of things happen in municipal government : You respond to a complaint and you work toward a solution . ''
The Lake Villa village code does not address beekeeping in residential zones .
Pilipauskas said he hopes that changes so other kids can get into backyard beekeeping and find their passion as he did nearly 20 years ago .
`` It seems like a weird time to be against it when there 's so much interest in it , '' Pilipauskas said of beekeeping .
`` If you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then what are we still doing here ? ''

Willie Pilipauskas set up his first bee box colony under a tree in his parents' Lake Villa backyard when he was 12.
Nearly 20 years later, he's evolved from a bee beginner to a bee expert, and his colony has grown to a small apiary of 15 boxes.
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer Willie Pilipauskas keeps tall bushes between his bee boxes and his parents' neighbor's home in Lake Villa. The tall bushes encourage a high flight pattern for the bees, keeping them flying over nearby yards instead of through them, he says.
But whether the Pilipauskas family will be able to keep the backyard bees has been in question since mid-July, when Lake Villa village officials served the family notice that the bees were not permitted.
Lake Villa Village Manager Karl Warwick said the village received a complaint from a neighbor who said the bee population was so large that a portion of the neighbor's backyard was unusable.
"We're just here to make sure people can use their property and enjoy their property, and if they can't, it's a violation," Warwick said.
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer Willie Pilipauskas works on the bee colony he started at his family's Lake Villa home when he was 12.
Pilipauskas, now 31, lives in McHenry County with his own family but brings his kids to visit his parents in Lake Villa several times a week. The hobby that started in their yard is now a career: Pilipauskas manages 600 to 700 bee colonies in the Lake and McHenry county areas and makes his living selling honey and helping people remove bees from places they aren't wanted.
He wants to leave his original colony intact -- and has hired a lawyer. The first court hearing on the matter is scheduled for Sept. 15.
Pilipauskas questions the village's claim that neighbors reported a problem with the bees.
He said the areas where his backyard bees would leave the property are near tall trees and shrubs. While the bees can fly over tall vegetation, he said, they rarely fly back down on the other side and prefer instead to stay high in the air.
Pilipauskas said he has great relationships with his parents' neighbors and often gives them free honey.
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer Willie Pilipauskas, right, and his father, Dave, check on the bee crates behind the family's Lake Villa home Friday morning. Village officials say the backyard bees are not permitted.
Joe Morrison, Pilipauskas' Waukegan-based attorney, expressed hope that a solution could be found.
"We're hoping to work things out with the village," Morrison said.
Warwick also expressed a desire for the two sides to work together on a voluntary, mutual resolution.
"I understand they're frustrated," Warwick said. "But that's how a lot of things happen in municipal government: You respond to a complaint and you work toward a solution."
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer Willie Pilipauskas' hives create honey for his Willie's Honey Co.
The Lake Villa village code does not address beekeeping in residential zones. Pilipauskas said he hopes that changes so other kids can get into backyard beekeeping and find their passion as he did nearly 20 years ago.
"It seems like a weird time to be against it when there's so much interest in it," Pilipauskas said of beekeeping. "If you can have chickens and bees in Chicago, then what are we still doing here?"


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Constable: Therapist's good deed multiplied with a wedding giveaway

This pandemic has messed with everything , from wedding plans to the education of children with special needs .
But a grass-roots contest provides a happy story on both those fronts .
In June , a call went out on Instagram seeking `` heroes '' whose 2020 wedding plans were canceled because of COVID-19 as Laura Reitsma , owner of a wedding and event planning company called Fierce Productions , hatched a plan to give away a wedding package to a worthy couple .
The winning nomination came from Downers Grove 's Kristin Flood , owner of Rebellious Beauty in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lauren Steinkuehler and Eliora Jares , who run We Only Do Pretty , a hair and makeup service for weddings , photo shoots and other events .
They nominated Salena Schon , the therapist responsible for improvements in Steinkuehler 's 4-year-old son , Grayson , who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder .
`` Improvement is an understatement , '' says Steinkuehler , whose son had been attending a therapeutic day school .
`` With COVID in March , schools were closed . ''
Schon , 31 , a therapist at the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to the Steinkuehlers ' home in Chicago `` because I could n't stand seeing the little guy regress , '' she says .
`` The difference is he communicates better .
He had maybe 10 words at the beginning .
Now he has over 30 , '' Steinkuehler says .
`` He listens to you .
He 's able to say his colors .
He counts .
To watch it has been unbelievable . ''
Grayson 's rapid improvements have made life brighter for Steinkuehler , her husband , Rob , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For Schon , too .
`` Just yesterday , he spoke a five-word sentence , '' Schon says of Grayson .
`` As a mom , you worry that he 'll live with you all his life , you worry about all kinds of -- I 'm going to cry , '' says Steinkuehler , who takes time to wipe tears from her eyes .
`` And Salena has changed that . ''
But the pandemic also caused strife for Schon , whose Aug. 8 wedding to longtime fiancee Jess Bequette , 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We waited to send out invitations and we ended up not , '' Schon says , thanking everyone involved for this past weekend 's wedding celebration .
`` Coming from the community of LGBTQ , before 2015 , we did n't even think we could have this .
I 'm just so incredibly thankful . ''
Reitsma says she and the others who voted for the winner among 10 nominees were moved by Schon 's story .
`` Just learning about Lauren 's son , the disability and the power of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they had plans to have a wedding that did not happen , '' Reitsma says .
`` It all felt like the universe was telling me to vote for them . ''
On Saturday night , Schon and Bequette were treated to a `` mini wedding '' curated by Fierce Productions at the Wicker Park Inn , with flowers from Leelee 's Garden , photos from Golden Hours Photography , video from Matthew Robert Creative , livestreaming and DJ from Cage and Aquarium , hair and makeup by We Only Do Pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in bed the day after by Heartfelt Catering , and a wedding cake by ECBG Cake Studio .
The couple 's planned honeymoon in Greece is n't possible because of the pandemic .
But that 's OK with the happy couple , and Grayson , says Schon , who went back to work Monday .
`` I ca n't go a week without seeing him . ''

Constable: Therapist's good deed multiplied with a wedding giveaway
When the pandemic closed his therapeutic day school, 4-year-old Grayson Steinkuehler improved tremendously with in-home visits with therapist Salena Schon. To reward her "heroism," a group including Rebellious Beauty of Oak Brook gave Schon a free wedding. Courtesy of Lauren Steinkuehler
This pandemic has messed with everything, from wedding plans to the education of children with special needs. But a grass-roots contest provides a happy story on both those fronts.
In June, a call went out on Instagram seeking "heroes" whose 2020 wedding plans were canceled because of COVID-19 as Laura Reitsma, owner of a wedding and event planning company called Fierce Productions, hatched a plan to give away a wedding package to a worthy couple.
The winning nomination came from Downers Grove's Kristin Flood, owner of Rebellious Beauty in Oak Brook, and her partners, Lauren Steinkuehler and Eliora Jares, who run We Only Do Pretty, a hair and makeup service for weddings, photo shoots and other events. They nominated Salena Schon, the therapist responsible for improvements in Steinkuehler's 4-year-old son, Grayson, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
"Improvement is an understatement," says Steinkuehler, whose son had been attending a therapeutic day school. "With COVID in March, schools were closed."
Schon, 31, a therapist at the school trained in applied behavior analysis, volunteered to go to the Steinkuehlers' home in Chicago "because I couldn't stand seeing the little guy regress," she says.
"The difference is he communicates better. He had maybe 10 words at the beginning. Now he has over 30," Steinkuehler says. "He listens to you. He's able to say his colors. He counts. To watch it has been unbelievable."
Grayson's rapid improvements have made life brighter for Steinkuehler, her husband, Rob, and their 5-year-old daughter, Mattie. For Schon, too.
The pandemic postponed therapist Salena Schon's wedding and threatened regression for 4-year-old Grayson Steinkuehler, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. But a group including Rebellious Beauty of Oak Brook helped make things right. - Courtesy of Lauren Steinkuehler
"Just yesterday, he spoke a five-word sentence," Schon says of Grayson.
"As a mom, you worry that he'll live with you all his life, you worry about all kinds of -- I'm going to cry," says Steinkuehler, who takes time to wipe tears from her eyes. "And Salena has changed that."
But the pandemic also caused strife for Schon, whose Aug. 8 wedding to longtime fiancee Jess Bequette, 27, fell victim to the COVID-19 restrictions.
"We waited to send out invitations and we ended up not," Schon says, thanking everyone involved for this past weekend's wedding celebration. "Coming from the community of LGBTQ, before 2015, we didn't even think we could have this. I'm just so incredibly thankful."
Their original wedding date of Aug. 8 was postponed by the pandemic. But Salena Schon, left, and Jess Bequette were given a wedding as part of a contest by Fierce Productions and a host of vendors, who honored Schon's work as a therapist with a boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. - Courtesy of Golden Hours
Reitsma says she and the others who voted for the winner among 10 nominees were moved by Schon's story.
"Just learning about Lauren's son, the disability and the power of therapy. On top of it, that they had plans to have a wedding that did not happen," Reitsma says. "It all felt like the universe was telling me to vote for them."
On Saturday night, Schon and Bequette were treated to a "mini wedding" curated by Fierce Productions at the Wicker Park Inn, with flowers from Leelee's Garden, photos from Golden Hours Photography, video from Matthew Robert Creative, livestreaming and DJ from Cage and Aquarium, hair and makeup by We Only Do Pretty, catering by The Caterist, breakfast in bed the day after by Heartfelt Catering, and a wedding cake by ECBG Cake Studio.
The couple's planned honeymoon in Greece isn't possible because of the pandemic. But that's OK with the happy couple, and Grayson, says Schon, who went back to work Monday. "I can't go a week without seeing him."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Remodeling 20-year-old ladder truck worth the $647,000, Libertyville firefighters say

The Libertyville fire department 's `` newest '' piece of equipment actually is 20 years old , but the yearlong wait to get its refurbished ladder tower truck back has been worth the time and $ 647,000 cost , fire officials say .
What is known as a ladder tower truck , because of the basket in front , has been in Weyauwega , Wisconsin , at a Pierce Manufacturing Inc. facility that specializes in renovating fire apparatus .
`` A group of us went up and gave it a final inspection and drove it back , '' Fire Chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let the guys get used to driving it again .
The biggest thing is the ladder operation . ''
In February 2019 , Carani reported to the village board that the ladder truck was nearing 20 years old and was scheduled to be replaced .
A new one was $ 1.3 million , he said , but a report from Pierce showed the truck could be refurbished .
That was determined to be a good option , and Carani received village board approval to waive competitive bidding for what is known as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included new paint , hydraulics , tires , interior , radiator , hoses , cables , emergency lighting and lettering .
Also , the fire pump was rebuilt , the 100-foot ladder disassembled and repainted , electronics upgraded , and other parts repaired or replaced .
Originally , the work was to have taken about six or seven months , but it needed unanticipated replacement of the frame rails , and the coronavirus pandemic slowed the process , Carani said .
The rebuilt 69,500-pound truck is now ready for action and parked at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ave .
The original mileage was 35,119 , but the odometer was reset after the work and now stands at 210 miles .
The versatile truck that can pump 2,000 gallons per minute should last another 20 years , Carani said .
`` It 's specialized , '' he said .
`` It responds to quite a few calls .
When you need it , you need it . ''
The ladder truck is shared with the Mundelein fire department through an agreement struck in late 2017 .
Officials in both communities determined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efficiency and lower costs .
At the time , it was estimated Libertyville 's ladder truck and trained personnel would be needed in Mundelein about five times a year .
`` There 's not a lot of these around anymore because of the expense , '' Carani said .

Restoring 20-year-old ladder truck worth the $647,000, Libertyville firefighters say
The Libertyville fire department's "newest" piece of equipment actually is 20 years old, but the yearlong wait to get its refurbished ladder tower truck back has been worth the time and $647,000 cost, fire officials say.
What is known as a ladder tower truck, because of the basket in front, has been in Weyauwega, Wisconsin, at a Pierce Manufacturing Inc. facility that specializes in renovating fire apparatus.
"A group of us went up and gave it a final inspection and drove it back," Fire Chief Rich Carani said. "We'll let the guys get used to driving it again. The biggest thing is the ladder operation."
In February 2019, Carani reported to the village board that the ladder truck was nearing 20 years old and was scheduled to be replaced. A new one was $1.3 million, he said, but a report from Pierce showed the truck could be refurbished.
That was determined to be a good option, and Carani received village board approval to waive competitive bidding for what is known as a "frame off" restoration.
Work included new paint, hydraulics, tires, interior, radiator, hoses, cables, emergency lighting and lettering. Also, the fire pump was rebuilt, the 100-foot ladder disassembled and repainted, electronics upgraded, and other parts repaired or replaced.
Originally, the work was to have taken about six or seven months, but it needed unanticipated replacement of the frame rails, and the coronavirus pandemic slowed the process, Carani said.
The rebuilt 69,500-pound truck is now ready for action and parked at fire department headquarters, 1551 N. Milwaukee Ave. The original mileage was 35,119, but the odometer was reset after the work and now stands at 210 miles.
The versatile truck that can pump 2,000 gallons per minute should last another 20 years, Carani said.
"It's specialized," he said. "It responds to quite a few calls. When you need it, you need it."
The ladder truck is shared with the Mundelein fire department through an agreement struck in late 2017. Officials in both communities determined it was a common-sense way to improve efficiency and lower costs.
At the time, it was estimated Libertyville's ladder truck and trained personnel would be needed in Mundelein about five times a year.
"There's not a lot of these around anymore because of the expense," Carani said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--7-Eleven clerk shot in Prospect Heights

7-Eleven clerk shot in Prospect Heights

Police are searching for two armed robbers who shot a clerk Monday morning at a Prospect Heights 7-Eleven .
The @ @ @ @ @ life-threatening , Prospect Heights Police Chief Jim Zawlocki said .
Police from Prospect Heights and @ @ @ @ @ a.m. to the 7-Eleven , which is at the northeast corner of Wolf and Camp @ @ @ @ @ entered the convenience store wearing masks and hoodies , Zawlocki said .
A struggle ensued @ @ @ @ @ shot two times before the pair fled , Zawlocki said .
`` We have n't @ @ @ @ @ , '' Zawlocki said .
`` He was in the hospital ( for surgery ) @ @ @ @ @ until ( Tuesday ) . ''
Police are studying store surveillance cameras , and the @ @ @ @ @ We 're following up on some leads , and that 's about all we have @ @ @ @ @ said .

7-Eleven clerk shot in Prospect Heights
A clerk at a Prospect Heights 7-Eleven was shot early Monday, but his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Police are searching for two armed robbers who shot a clerk Monday morning at a Prospect Heights 7-Eleven.
The clerk's injuries were not life-threatening, Prospect Heights Police Chief Jim Zawlocki said.
Police from Prospect Heights and Mount Prospect responded about 2:30 a.m. to the 7-Eleven, which is at the northeast corner of Wolf and Camp McDonald roads. The robbers entered the convenience store wearing masks and hoodies, Zawlocki said. A struggle ensued, and the clerk was shot two times before the pair fled, Zawlocki said.
"We haven't really talked to the clerk," Zawlocki said. "He was in the hospital (for surgery), so we'll wait until (Tuesday)."
Police are studying store surveillance cameras, and the investigation is ongoing.
"We're following up on some leads, and that's about all we have right now," Zawlocki said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-08-31--Saddle up: Pandemic inspires beginners to take up horseback riding

June Pedersen usually sees two or three new riders a month seeking beginner lessons at Castle Ridge Keep Horse Facility for an activity whose popularity has faded in recent years -- horseback riding .
In the past five months , since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic , that trend is reversing .
A lot .
Pedersen is welcoming three or four new people each week now , making her one of the few business owners these days who can say their new clients have quadrupled .
`` People are tired of being inside , '' the Crystal Lake stable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being sequestered and socially distanced and they want to get out and do something . ''
It 's adults .
It 's children .
It 's adults and children together .
`` I ca n't even get an adult in a lesson right now , '' said Pat Doyle , who owns Fitzjoy Farm in Palos Park .
`` We 're adding more ( kids ) camps -- they keep coming back for more . ''
Suburban residents are rediscovering the surprisingly large number of stables throughout the area , many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most cases , instructors will have a minimum age for riders and the littlest ones can expect to be led around on the horse by an adult .
It is all about teaching them how to sit in the saddle , maintain balance and -- this is important -- learn how to steer and stop an animal that can weigh 1,000 pounds and has its own opinions .
Learning the basics of caring for a horse provides children , as well as adults , something other than the current stress of the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an hour .
But there are other benefits , as well .
`` The biggest thing I say to all riders : Riding is a total body sport , it stretches muscles , strengthens core , and there 's an emotional release after riding .
I do n't think there 's anything else that does all of those things , '' said Lauren Schlesselman of Journey Hill Farm in Barrington .
Her stable even offers a mommy-and-me-style class ; it 's a Pony Pal camp for toddlers and their moms .
Her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riding for a year -- with exceptional supervision and lots of helping hands , of course , she said .
Lesson barns have had to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions along with other businesses .
For the most part , though , they permit riders to go maskless if they want during riding time .
Horseback riders are almost always at least 6 feet apart -- if not more .
Masks generally need to go back on in an indoor arena -- and when in the barn aisles , owners said .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ table for now .
Riders can expect to receive private or semiprivate instruction to make sure social distancing levels are maintained .
Horseback riding is providing the stress relief and relaxation that many people are looking for right now .
`` I 'm finding a lot of angry people .
At the store they 're frustrated , angry , zero patience , '' Pedersen said .
`` Horses force you to be a better human : you have to have patience , you have to use your head .
If you are mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be your friend .
`` They allow us to ride and work with them , not because we force them .
If you have a horse that 's your friend it 's on a mutual term .
There 's a lot of healing involved with horses . ''
As all lesson barns have COVID-19 measures in place , call before you visit so you are prepared .
Some facilities only train experienced riders .
Others specialize in beginners .
Minimum ages differ .
It is best to visit websites , check Facebook pages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the right facility for you .
• Sunset Knoll Riding Academy , ( 630 ) 327-3290 , Beginner to advanced saddleseat , Hunter on the flat , Western Pleasure , Basic Dressage , Min .
age : 4. www.facebook.com/SunsetKnollRidingAcademy/ • Willow Creek Farm , ( 630 ) 688-2113 , Specializing in AQHA All-Around Events , English Hunter/Jumper and Flat , Western Showmanship , Horsemanship and Trail , Min .
age : 5. facebook.com/groups/1541685945993592/

Pandemic inspires suburbanites to discover benefits of horseback riding
June Pedersen usually sees two or three new riders a month seeking beginner lessons at Castle Ridge Keep Horse Facility for an activity whose popularity has faded in recent years -- horseback riding.
In the past five months, since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, that trend is reversing. A lot.
Pedersen is welcoming three or four new people each week now, making her one of the few business owners these days who can say their new clients have quadrupled.
Casual, relaxing trail rides are one of the best ways to enter the world of horseback riding and gauge whether it's an activity you'd like to continue. - Courtesy of Forest View Farms
"People are tired of being inside," the Crystal Lake stable owner said. "They're tired of being sequestered and socially distanced and they want to get out and do something."
It's adults. It's children. It's adults and children together.
"I can't even get an adult in a lesson right now," said Pat Doyle, who owns Fitzjoy Farm in Palos Park. "We're adding more (kids) camps -- they keep coming back for more."
Suburban residents are rediscovering the surprisingly large number of stables throughout the area, many of which offer lessons for beginners.
Where to start?
In most cases, instructors will have a minimum age for riders and the littlest ones can expect to be led around on the horse by an adult. It is all about teaching them how to sit in the saddle, maintain balance and -- this is important -- learn how to steer and stop an animal that can weigh 1,000 pounds and has its own opinions.
Learning the basics of caring for a horse provides children, as well as adults, something other than the current stress of the world to focus on -- even if just for an hour. But there are other benefits, as well.
James Schlesselman, only 2½, is a riding veteran of one year already atop his trusty steed, Tye Dye, at Journey Hill Farm in Barrington. - Courtesy of Lauren Schlesselman
"The biggest thing I say to all riders: Riding is a total body sport, it stretches muscles, strengthens core, and there's an emotional release after riding. I don't think there's anything else that does all of those things," said Lauren Schlesselman of Journey Hill Farm in Barrington.
Her stable even offers a mommy-and-me-style class; it's a Pony Pal camp for toddlers and their moms. Her 2½-year-old son, James, has been riding for a year -- with exceptional supervision and lots of helping hands, of course, she said.
Lesson barns have had to adapt to COVID-19 restrictions along with other businesses. For the most part, though, they permit riders to go maskless if they want during riding time. Horseback riders are almost always at least 6 feet apart -- if not more. Masks generally need to go back on in an indoor arena -- and when in the barn aisles, owners said.
In addition, large group lessons are off the table for now. Riders can expect to receive private or semiprivate instruction to make sure social distancing levels are maintained.
- Catherine Edman | Staff Photographer Hector Morataya, 14, of Chicago, takes one of his first riding lessons at Jaynesway Farms in Bartlett. Those new to riding, especially children, can expect to spend a few lessons with close assistance from instructors such as Abby Spike, of Streamwood, who is helping show him steering skills.
Horseback riding is providing the stress relief and relaxation that many people are looking for right now.
"I'm finding a lot of angry people. At the store they're frustrated, angry, zero patience," Pedersen said. "Horses force you to be a better human: you have to have patience, you have to use your head. If you are mean to a horse, they won't be your friend.
"They allow us to ride and work with them, not because we force them. If you have a horse that's your friend it's on a mutual term. There's a lot of healing involved with horses."
Suburban horse stables
As all lesson barns have COVID-19 measures in place, call before you visit so you are prepared. Some facilities only train experienced riders. Others specialize in beginners. Minimum ages differ. It is best to visit websites, check Facebook pages and then call to make sure it is the right facility for you.
Batavia
• Beau Cheval Stable, (630) 292-0135, English, Hunter/Jumper, Minimum age: 6. www.facebook.com/beaucheval.farm
Barrington
• Journey Hill Farm, (773) 799-7021, English, Hunter/Jumper, Mother/Child Camp. Min. age: 2. www.facebook.com/JourneyHillFarm/
Bartlett
• Sunset Hill Farm, (630) 649-2198, Western, English, Min. age 5. sunsethillfarm.wixsite.com/sunset-hill-farm
• Jaynesway Farms, (630) 483-1827, English, Hunter/Jumper, English on the Flat, Western, Min. age: 5. www.jayneswayfarms.com
Beecher
• Wild Ran Riding, (708) 280-0486, Western, Barrel Racing, Min. age: 5. www.facebook.com/pg/Wild-Ran-Riding-102538311091521/about/?ref=page_internal
Big Rock
• Sunset Knoll Riding Academy, (630) 327-3290, Beginner to advanced saddleseat, Hunter on the flat, Western Pleasure, Basic Dressage, Min. age: 4. www.facebook.com/SunsetKnollRidingAcademy/
Bolingbrook
• Windridge Farm, (630) 842-5545 English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 7. www.windridgefarmllc.com/lessons
Countryside
• Double J Riding Club, (708) 528-4674, English, Dressage, Jumping, Western, Homeschool Classes, Camps, Min. age: 4. doublejridingclub.com/riding-lessons/
Crete
• Hannaberry Farms, (773) 875-1118, English, Dressage, Eventing, Min. age: 6. www.hannaberryfarm.com/lessons
Crystal Lake
• Castle Ridge Keep Horse Facility, (815) 405-9424, English, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Western Pleasure, Driving, Eventing, Min. age: 3. castleridgekeep.com
• Dream Riders, (815) 788-1020, English, Western, Bareback, Therapeutic Riding. Min. age: 5. www.dreamriderstlc.com
Elburn
• Bull Run Equestrian Center, (630) 365-1376, English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 7. www.facebook.com/BullRunEquestrianCenter/
Elgin
• Campton Hills Equestrian Center, (630) 417-9667, English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 5. www.camptonhillsequestrian.com
• Dunham Woods, (847) 628-6339, English Hunter/Jumper, Equitation, Min. age: 8. www.dunhamwoodsfarm.com/
Grayslake
• Shorewood Acres, (847) 344-8373, Western, English, Min. age: 8. shorewoodacres.com
Hampshire
• Top Line Equestrian, (847) 464-4095, English, Hunter/Jumper, Horsemanship, Min. age: 5. topline-equestrian.com
• Tower Hill Stables, (847) 464-1616, English, Hunter/Jumper, Western, Dressage, Equitation, Gaited, Min. age: N/A. www.towerhillstables.net
Harvard
• Cripple Creek Ranch, (815) 943-4513, Western, Barrel Racing, Poles, Competitive Trail, Western Dressage, Roping, Working Equitation, Cow and Cowgirl Challenges, Min. age: N/A. www.ccrequinecenter.com
Hawthorn Woods
Creekside Farm (located at Indian Creek Farm), (847) 331-4765, Hunter/Jumper, lessons. rideatcreeksidefarm.com
Island Lake
• Timmermann's Ranch, (847) 526-8066, Western, English flat work, Drill Teams, Barrel Racing. Min. age: 6. timmermannsranch.com
Lake Forest
• Millennium Farm, (847) 833-4953, English Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 5. www.millenniumfarmltd.com
Lemont
• Kopping Farms, (630) 257-7271, AQHA/APHA All Around, Hunter/Jumper, Trail Rides, Equestrian Therapy, Min. age: N/A. facebook.com/KoppingFarms
Lockport
• The Legacy Ranch, (630) 601-8920, Traditional English/Western riding lessons, Corporate Team Building, Min. age: 6. www.thelegacyranch.org
Maple Park
• Over the Top Equine, (630) 853-4280, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Min. age: 5. www.overthetopequine.com
• Yakle Acres, (815) 739-4643, Western, English, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Min. age: 3. www.yakleacres.com
• Equestrian Events Stable, (630) 639-1093, Dressage, English, Hunter/Jumper, Working Equitation, Min. age: 3. equestrianeventstables.com
Marengo
• County Line Farm, (815) 354-3488, Western, English, Min. age: 3. www.facebook.com/CountyLineFarmLLC/
• Edgewater Equestrian, (815) 508-3650, English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 4. www.facebook.com/edgewatereq/
• Glory Bound Rescue Ranch, (815) 388-2594, Horse/Animal Lover Classes, English, Western, Min. age: 8. www.gloryboundrr.org/
• Rockin Horse Farm, (815) 345-7302, English, Western, Horse care, Tacking, Min. age: 4. www.facebook.com/rockinhorsefarm1/
• Easy Ridin' (815) 901-4086, Western, Ranch, Min. age. 3. easyridin.com
Minooka
• Ever After Equestrian, (815) 693-8617, English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 5. www.everafterequestrian.com
Morton Grove
• Glen Grove Equestrian Center, (847) 966-8032, English, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Pony Lessons, Min. age: N/A. www.glengroveequine.com/
Naperville
• Trillion Equestrian, (630) 800-8422, Western, English, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Equitation, Min. age: N/A. www.trillionequestrian.com
Oswego
• Camelot Farm, (630) 551-0145, English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 6. www.camelotfarm.org
Palatine
• Palatine Stables, (847) 359-0009, English, Hunter/Jumper, Horsemanship, Min. age: 4. www.palatinestables.org/contact
Palos Park
• Fitzjoy Farm, (708) 361-7977, English and Western, Min. age. 7. www.fitzjoyfarm.com
Plainfield
• Soaring Eagle Stables, (630) 392-1395, Western, English, Min. age: 8. www.soaringeaglestables.com
Richmond
• Running Junction Stables, (815) 575-4945, Western Performance: Rodeo, Drill Team, Barrel Racing, Min. age: 5. www.facebook.com/groups/939569846516587/
• Heavenly Horses, (847) 867-6656, English, Hunter/Jumper, Western Pleasure. Min. age: 5. heavenlyhorses.biz
Spring Grove
• Meadowsweet Ranch, (815) 675-1177, English, Western, Horsemanship, Min. age: 4. meadowsweetranch.com
• Rip O Wind Farm, (847) 629-7507, English, Western, Min. age: 5. ripowindfarm.com
Sugar Grove
• Baythorne Farm, (630) 466-1599, English, Dressage, Eventing Min. age: N/A. facebook.com/BaythorneFarm
• Northstar Farm, (630) 448-2619, Western, English, Hunter/Jumper/Dressage, Min. age: N/A. northstarhorsefarm.com
Sycamore
• Willow Creek Farm, (630) 688-2113, Specializing in AQHA All-Around Events, English Hunter/Jumper and Flat, Western Showmanship, Horsemanship and Trail, Min. age: 5. facebook.com/groups/1541685945993592/
Tinley Park
• Forest View Farms, (708) 560-0306, English, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Western, Working Equitation, Driving, Trail Rides, Pony Lessons, Min. age: 5. www.fvfarms.com
Wauconda
• Foxcreek Stables, (312) 203-7241, English, Western, Jumping, Camps, Min. age: 6. dlehnig.wixsite.com/foxcreekstables
• Poets Hill Farm, (847) 715-8439, English, Hunter/Jumper, Dressage, Min. age: 5. poetshillfarm.weebly.com
• Wedgewood Riding Center, (847) 526-8610, English, Western, Jumping, Team Roping, Trail Rides, Min. age: N/A.
Wayne
• Wayne Equestrian Center, (630) 797-5910, English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 5. www.wayneequestriancenter.com
Woodstock
• Victorious Farms, (815) 245-0242, English, Hunter/Jumper, Min. age: 5. www.victoriousfarm.net