dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--Teachers from Lombard, Vernon Hills competing on 'Jeopardy!'

The upcoming `` Jeopardy ! ''
Teachers Tournament has a definite local feel to it .
Teachers from Lombard and @ @ @ @ @ two-week tourney , which was recorded in February and will air Monday through June 5 @ @ @ @ @ math teacher Jong Ho Kim of Lombard hopes to follow in the footsteps of `` @ @ @ @ @ a Naperville North graduate who won more than $ 2 million on the television game @ @ @ @ @ Hills resident Mary Kate Trausch , a science teacher at St. Joseph High School in @ @ @ @ @ the 15 educators taking part in the competition .
The grand prize is $ 100,000 @ @ @ @ @ next edition of the `` Jeopardy ! ''
Tournament of Champions .
`` This tournament @ @ @ @ @ ' is committed to showing appreciation for our teachers , and this year 's edition @ @ @ @ @ educators everywhere face a whole new set of challenges , '' host Alex Trebek said @ @ @ @ @

Teachers from Lombard, Vernon Hills competing on 'Jeopardy!'
Mary Kate Trausch, a Vernon Hills resident and science teacher at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, is competing in the "Jeopardy!" Teachers Tournament. Courtesy of Jeopardy Productions Inc.
Naperville North High School math teacher Jong Ho Kim, a Lombard resident, is competing in the "Jeopardy!" Teachers Tournament. Courtesy of Jeopardy Productions Inc.
The upcoming "Jeopardy!" Teachers Tournament has a definite local feel to it.
Teachers from Lombard and Vernon Hills participated in the two-week tourney, which was recorded in February and will air Monday through June 5.
Naperville North High School math teacher Jong Ho Kim of Lombard hopes to follow in the footsteps of "Jeopardy" James Holzhauer, a Naperville North graduate who won more than $2 million on the television game show last year.
Vernon Hills resident Mary Kate Trausch, a science teacher at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, also is among the 15 educators taking part in the competition.
The grand prize is $100,000 and a berth in the next edition of the "Jeopardy!" Tournament of Champions.
"This tournament was created because 'Jeopardy!' is committed to showing appreciation for our teachers, and this year's edition carries even more significance as educators everywhere face a whole new set of challenges," host Alex Trebek said in a news release.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--Feder: WIND's Amy Jacobson barred from governor's media briefings

Amy Jacobson , the Chicago radio talk show host and former TV news reporter , has been barred from attending @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus media briefings after she spoke at a rally protesting the governor 's stay-at-home order @ @ @ @ @ Jacobson , who co-hosts mornings with Dan Proft on Salem Media news/talk WIND 560-AM , @ @ @ @ @ Reopen Illinois rally Saturday outside the Thompson Center in Chicago .
Sponsored by Freedom Movement @ @ @ @ @ based in Joliet , the rally also heard from Erich Mancow Muller , morning host @ @ @ @ @ 890-AM , and Illinois Republican Party chairman Tim Schneider .
A few signs at the @ @ @ @ @ is Jewish , to Adolf Hitler .
Jacobson 's participation prompted others in the media @ @ @ @ @ forfeited her standing as a journalist by becoming an advocate and activist .
Get the @ @ @ @ @ Chicago media news , at robertfeder.com .

Feder: WIND's Amy Jacobson barred from governor's media briefings
Amy Jacobson, who co-hosts mornings with Dan Proft on Salem Media news/talk WIND 560-AM, was among speakers at a Reopen Illinois rally Saturday outside the Thompson Center in Chicago.
Amy Jacobson, the Chicago radio talk show host and former TV news reporter, has been barred from attending Governor J.B. Pritzker's daily coronavirus media briefings after she spoke at a rally protesting the governor's stay-at-home order, Robert Feder writes.
Jacobson, who co-hosts mornings with Dan Proft on Salem Media news/talk WIND 560-AM, was among speakers at a Reopen Illinois rally Saturday outside the Thompson Center in Chicago.
Sponsored by Freedom Movement USA, a conservative PAC based in Joliet, the rally also heard from Erich Mancow Muller, morning host on Cumulus Media news/talk WLS 890-AM, and Illinois Republican Party chairman Tim Schneider. A few signs at the event compared Pritzker, who is Jewish, to Adolf Hitler.
Jacobson's participation prompted others in the media to question whether she had forfeited her standing as a journalist by becoming an advocate and activist.
Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--A song to make you smile: "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World

We 're trying to inject a little positivity in the paper ( and on dailyherald.com ) with a daily `` @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It 's designed to help lift you out of your coronavirus funk .
@ @ @ @ @ The Middle '' by Jimmy Eat World , released in 2001 .

A song to make you smile: "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World
Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World plays in the 2018 Forecastle Music Festival in Louisville, Ky.
We're trying to inject a little positivity in the paper (and on dailyherald.com) with a daily "Song to Make You Smile."
It's designed to help lift you out of your coronavirus funk.
Today's selection is "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World, released in 2001.
Send your ideas to suggestions@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--What others are writing about COVID-19

What others are writing about COVID-19

You Do n't Need Invasive Tech for Successful Contact Tracing .
Here 's How It Works .
As states begin to lift restrictions , experts say contact tracing is key to safely reopening the economy .
ProPublica health reporter Caroline Chen explains how contact tracing fits into the public health strategy .
And while we 're talking about contact tracing ... Do I Know Enough to Get a Job as a Contact Tracer ?
States will be hiring thousands of contact tracers in the coming months .
Think you could be one ?
Take this quiz from ProPublica .
Where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Most states are beginning to ease restrictions , though public health experts warn increased activity could cause a surge in new COVID-19 infections .
The Washington Post gives a state-by-state look at restrictions and cases .
She Spent Her Last Month of College Lifting Bodies in a Morgue '' This experience taught me more about empathy than anything else , '' said Mariel Sander , a graduating senior at Columbia University .
In words and video , The New York Times tells the story of two college students who worked in hospital morgues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York City .
Can You Be Evicted During Coronavirus ?
Here 's How to Find Out .
The CARES Act temporarily prevents millions of renters from eviction , but the moratorium does not apply to everyone .
Search your address at ProPublica 's interactive database to see if you qualify .

What others are writing about COVID-19
In this image made from Saturday, May 16, 2020, video provided by Revolution Event Design & Production, "bumper tables," created by the company and designed to allow people to practice social distancing while eating and talking, are debuted at Fish Tales, a restaurant in Ocean City, Md. (Katie Kirby/Revolution Event Design & Production via AP)
You Don't Need Invasive Tech for Successful Contact Tracing. Here's How It Works.
As states begin to lift restrictions, experts say contact tracing is key to safely reopening the economy. ProPublica health reporter Caroline Chen explains how contact tracing fits into the public health strategy. And while we're talking about contact tracing ...
Do I Know Enough to Get a Job as a Contact Tracer?
States will be hiring thousands of contact tracers in the coming months. Think you could be one? Take this quiz from ProPublica.
Where states are reopening after America's shutdown
Most states are beginning to ease restrictions, though public health experts warn increased activity could cause a surge in new COVID-19 infections. The Washington Post gives a state-by-state look at restrictions and cases.
She Spent Her Last Month of College Lifting Bodies in a Morgue
"This experience taught me more about empathy than anything else," said Mariel Sander, a graduating senior at Columbia University. In words and video, The New York Times tells the story of two college students who worked in hospital morgues at the height of the pandemic in New York City.
Can You Be Evicted During Coronavirus? Here's How to Find Out.
The CARES Act temporarily prevents millions of renters from eviction, but the moratorium does not apply to everyone. Search your address at ProPublica's interactive database to see if you qualify.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--Gregor: Was revenue sharing agreement reached between MLB players, owners? Depends who you ask

Given the crippling shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic , there is no doubt Major League Baseball 's return this summer -- even with a drastically altered look -- would be welcome with open arms by a nation increasingly desperate to virtually hug anything resembling normalcy .
Player safety and health concerns were accurately identified as the most daunting hurdles to clear when baseball hit the pause button on March 12 , and owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association were on the same page when the game shut down .
`` We know we 'll get through this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hahn said .
`` We know there 's another side of this at some point .
We know we 'll be playing baseball games again and we know it 's going to be an exciting era for White Sox baseball in the not so distant future .
`` It makes sense for the greater good of society as a whole to delay that for a period of time .
We understand that .
We know where we fit in and we look forward to , when the time is right , bringing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will certainly be missing this game and are in need of something to pick them up . ''
Ownership sent the MLBPA a 67-page draft outlining health and safety proposals last Friday .
It is still under review , and the 2020 Operations Manual will likely see multiple alterations before a second spring training can get started next month .
MLB hopes to open an abbreviated regular season and expanded playoffs in early July .
Reaching a financial settlement has seemingly become the greater issue between owners and players , which is mind-boggling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers caused by COVID-19 .
In the original agreement between the two sides reached in late March , players signed off on getting prorated pay for any games played this season .
Owners insist the deal was based on having fans in the stands when games resume .
Since that is not going to happen for an extended period -- if at all -- owners are now looking for a revenue split with players in the 50/50 range .
The Players Association and high-profile names like Blake Snell and Bryce Harper are saying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play , but the New York Post is reporting both sides agreed to alter the agreement if games had to be played in empty stadiums .
In a text to the Post , MLBPA senior director of collective bargaining Bruce Meyer disputed that notion .
`` The contract itself is very clear that in the event of a partial season , players will get paid pro rata salary , whether with fans or without , '' Meyer said .
`` And it does n't require any further concessions on pay from players who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars in salary in the event of a partial season in which they would be taking on unprecedented risks and burdens .
`` Having said that , both sides are free to make any additional proposals they want .
If they have a proposal on economics they should make it , as we 've repeatedly invited them to do .
We have the right to respond to it .
Despite all their posturing , they still have n't done so .
Rather than actually negotiating over these issues the league is focusing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media .
Public posturing is not going to help us have a season . ''
On CNN last week , commissioner Rob Manfred said collective losses for MLB owners `` could approach $ 4 billion '' if games are not played this season .

Gregor: Was revenue sharing agreement reached between MLB players, owners? Depends who you ask
On CNN last week, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said collective losses for MLB owners "could approach $4 billion" if games are not played this season. Associated Press
Given the crippling shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, there is no doubt Major League Baseball's return this summer -- even with a drastically altered look -- would be welcome with open arms by a nation increasingly desperate to virtually hug anything resembling normalcy.
Player safety and health concerns were accurately identified as the most daunting hurdles to clear when baseball hit the pause button on March 12, and owners and the Major League Baseball Players Association were on the same page when the game shut down.
"We know we'll get through this," White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said. "We know there's another side of this at some point. We know we'll be playing baseball games again and we know it's going to be an exciting era for White Sox baseball in the not so distant future.
"It makes sense for the greater good of society as a whole to delay that for a period of time. We understand that. We know where we fit in and we look forward to, when the time is right, bringing a great deal of happiness to people who will certainly be missing this game and are in need of something to pick them up."
Ownership sent the MLBPA a 67-page draft outlining health and safety proposals last Friday.
It is still under review, and the 2020 Operations Manual will likely see multiple alterations before a second spring training can get started next month.
MLB hopes to open an abbreviated regular season and expanded playoffs in early July.
Reaching a financial settlement has seemingly become the greater issue between owners and players, which is mind-boggling in the face of the staggering unemployment numbers caused by COVID-19.
In the original agreement between the two sides reached in late March, players signed off on getting prorated pay for any games played this season.
Owners insist the deal was based on having fans in the stands when games resume.
Since that is not going to happen for an extended period -- if at all -- owners are now looking for a revenue split with players in the 50/50 range.
The Players Association and high-profile names like Blake Snell and Bryce Harper are saying it's either prorated pay or no play, but the New York Post is reporting both sides agreed to alter the agreement if games had to be played in empty stadiums.
In a text to the Post, MLBPA senior director of collective bargaining Bruce Meyer disputed that notion.
"The contract itself is very clear that in the event of a partial season, players will get paid pro rata salary, whether with fans or without," Meyer said. "And it doesn't require any further concessions on pay from players who have already agreed to give up billions of dollars in salary in the event of a partial season in which they would be taking on unprecedented risks and burdens.
"Having said that, both sides are free to make any additional proposals they want. If they have a proposal on economics they should make it, as we've repeatedly invited them to do. We have the right to respond to it. Despite all their posturing, they still haven't done so. Rather than actually negotiating over these issues the league is focusing on leaking self-serving internal memos to the media. Public posturing is not going to help us have a season."
On CNN last week, commissioner Rob Manfred said collective losses for MLB owners "could approach $4 billion" if games are not played this season.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--Running the numbers shows running it back was feasible for Bulls in '98-99

The final episode of `` The Last Dance '' had an unhappy ending , at least from Michael Jordan 's perspective .
Jordan talked about wanting a next dance .
He wished the championship Bulls had kept going and tried to win a seventh title in 1998-99 .
At the same time , we got Jerry Reinsdorf saying in the documentary it would have been `` suicidal '' to re-sign the team 's aging core to market-value contracts .
Jerry Krause , in his unpublished memoirs shared by NBC Sports Chicago , wrote , `` Did we break up a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of age , natural attrition of NBA players with little time to recuperate and the salary-cap rules that govern the game ?
Put yourself in our shoes .
... What would you do ? ''
Former Bulls assistant general manager Jim Stack told the Daily Herald 's Barry Rozner that it was Phil Jackson who walked away from the chance to run it back .
This is a complicated issue , but let 's at least check the numbers , the salaries , the rosters .
Would it have been possible to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First of all , we need to assume Jordan would have been more careful around cigar cutters during the offseason .
Secondly , the idea that the Bulls could n't have possibly given Scottie Pippen a long-term contract is complete garbage .
It 's an insult to every viewer 's intelligence .
What actually happened was the Bulls pulled off a sign-and-trade with Houston , giving Pippen a five-year , $ 77-million contract .
Pippen made $ 11 million in 1998-99 .
The NBA salary cap was $ 30 million that season .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is why '99 Pippen made only slightly more than Cristiano Felicio did this year .
But that 's beside the point .
Pippen clashed with Charles Barkley in Houston , so the Rockets threw up their hands , realized they were stuck with this large contract and had no possible recourse .
Not really .
Actually , the Rockets traded Pippen to Portland , which is exactly what the Bulls could have done if they did n't want to keep him when Jordan finally retired .
Another issue was center Luc Longley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ season .
Krause wrote that the Bulls recognized Longley had ankle issues and the team did n't think he would play much longer .
And they were right .
Longley retired three years later , with two years left on the five-year deal he signed with Phoenix .
In this case , the correct move would have been to do the same sign-and-trade with the Suns .
In return for Longley , the Bulls got Mark Bryant , Martin Muursepp , Bubba Wells and the first-round draft pick they used to select Ron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ center ?
Well , in the '99 season , Bryant averaged 9.0 points and 5.2 rebounds .
Dickey Simpkins averaged 9.1 points and 6.8 rebounds .
In comparison , Longley was at 8.7 points and 5.7 boards in Phoenix .
Could the Bulls have survived a playoff series against Miami 's Alonzo Mourning or San Antonio 's Tim Duncan and David Robinson with a center corps of Simpkins , Bryant , Bill Wennington and maybe Joe Kleine ?
Good question , but throughout the second championship run , Longley rarely played in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leaned on their perimeter advantage .
What about Dennis Rodman ?
He made $ 4.5 million in 1997-98 and almost certainly would have re-signed on a one-year deal .
Rodman ended up playing 23 games for the Lakers in '99 , 12 games for Dallas the following season and was done .
Would he have fared better by sticking with the Bulls ?
He played in 80 games and averaged a league-best 15.0 rebounds in 1997-98 , so you 'd think so , if he kept playing with Jordan and Pippen .
Steve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left as free agents , but none of them struck it rich by NBA standards .
Kerr made $ 1.8 million in San Antonio , Burrell $ 1.0 million in New Jersey and Buechler $ 850,000 in Detroit .
The Bulls could have easily matched those salaries .
The players still under contract for '99 were Ron Harper , Toni Kukoc , Randy Brown , Keith Booth , Rusty LaRue , Wennington and Simpkins .
History has shown Kukoc was capable of picking up more of the scoring load .
The Bulls could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for $ 38.04 million , plus whatever Jordan made .
He got $ 33.14 million in 1997-98 and was worth every penny .
The only long-term deal on the books was Pippen 's , which was very tradable .
So it 's ridiculous to say it was bad business for the Bulls to bring everyone back .
Of course , at the time Krause thought he could quickly turn the Bulls back into a title contender .
In hindsight , we can say it was bad business to rebuild .
The Bulls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the next three seasons and did n't return to the playoffs until 2005 .
They became an NBA punchline .
But the United Center stayed full for most of the time , so maybe it was good business .
What if Jackson refused to return under any circumstances ?
Well , the Bulls could have promoted Frank Hamblen or Jimmy Rodgers to the head job , or essentially whomever Jordan wanted .
Tim Floyd was obviously the wrong choice , and he joined the Bulls under rough circumstances .
Before outmaneuvering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smart move by hiring Chicago native Doc Rivers as head coach .
Imagine if Krause had followed a Proviso East path by drafting Michael Finley in '95 and hiring Rivers in '99 .
Really , though , the one person who could have kept it going was Jordan .
If he got behind the idea of running it back in 1998-99 , all of this could have happened .
He could have spoken to Reinsdorf , Jackson , his teammates , made his desire public .
Why did n't he ?
Probably because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '98 , but now 22 years later realizes how special it all was .
It happens to all of us .

Could the Bulls have won a seventh title? Here's what the numbers say.
The final episode of "The Last Dance" had an unhappy ending, at least from Michael Jordan's perspective.
Jordan talked about wanting a next dance. He wished the championship Bulls had kept going and tried to win a seventh title in 1998-99.
At the same time, we got Jerry Reinsdorf saying in the documentary it would have been "suicidal" to re-sign the team's aging core to market-value contracts.
Jerry Krause, in his unpublished memoirs shared by NBC Sports Chicago, wrote, "Did we break up a dynasty or was the dynasty breaking up of age, natural attrition of NBA players with little time to recuperate and the salary-cap rules that govern the game? Put yourself in our shoes. ... What would you do?"
Former Bulls assistant general manager Jim Stack told the Daily Herald's Barry Rozner that it was Phil Jackson who walked away from the chance to run it back.
This is a complicated issue, but let's at least check the numbers, the salaries, the rosters. Would it have been possible to bring back the championship Bulls in 1998-99?
First of all, we need to assume Jordan would have been more careful around cigar cutters during the offseason. Secondly, the idea that the Bulls couldn't have possibly given Scottie Pippen a long-term contract is complete garbage. It's an insult to every viewer's intelligence.
What actually happened was the Bulls pulled off a sign-and-trade with Houston, giving Pippen a five-year, $77-million contract. Pippen made $11 million in 1998-99.
The NBA salary cap was $30 million that season. It's currently $109 million, which is why '99 Pippen made only slightly more than Cristiano Felicio did this year. But that's beside the point.
Pippen clashed with Charles Barkley in Houston, so the Rockets threw up their hands, realized they were stuck with this large contract and had no possible recourse.
Not really. Actually, the Rockets traded Pippen to Portland, which is exactly what the Bulls could have done if they didn't want to keep him when Jordan finally retired.
Another issue was center Luc Longley, a free agent after the '98 season. Krause wrote that the Bulls recognized Longley had ankle issues and the team didn't think he would play much longer. And they were right. Longley retired three years later, with two years left on the five-year deal he signed with Phoenix.
In this case, the correct move would have been to do the same sign-and-trade with the Suns. In return for Longley, the Bulls got Mark Bryant, Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells and the first-round draft pick they used to select Ron Artest.
So who would have played center? Well, in the '99 season, Bryant averaged 9.0 points and 5.2 rebounds. Dickey Simpkins averaged 9.1 points and 6.8 rebounds. In comparison, Longley was at 8.7 points and 5.7 boards in Phoenix.
Could the Bulls have survived a playoff series against Miami's Alonzo Mourning or San Antonio's Tim Duncan and David Robinson with a center corps of Simpkins, Bryant, Bill Wennington and maybe Joe Kleine? Good question, but throughout the second championship run, Longley rarely played in the fourth quarter anyway. The Bulls always leaned on their perimeter advantage.
What about Dennis Rodman? He made $4.5 million in 1997-98 and almost certainly would have re-signed on a one-year deal. Rodman ended up playing 23 games for the Lakers in '99, 12 games for Dallas the following season and was done.
Would he have fared better by sticking with the Bulls? He played in 80 games and averaged a league-best 15.0 rebounds in 1997-98, so you'd think so, if he kept playing with Jordan and Pippen.
Steve Kerr, Jud Buechler and Scott Burrell left as free agents, but none of them struck it rich by NBA standards. Kerr made $1.8 million in San Antonio, Burrell $1.0 million in New Jersey and Buechler $850,000 in Detroit. The Bulls could have easily matched those salaries.
The players still under contract for '99 were Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, Randy Brown, Keith Booth, Rusty LaRue, Wennington and Simpkins. History has shown Kukoc was capable of picking up more of the scoring load.
The Bulls could have brought everyone back, minus Longley, for $38.04 million, plus whatever Jordan made. He got $33.14 million in 1997-98 and was worth every penny.
The only long-term deal on the books was Pippen's, which was very tradable. So it's ridiculous to say it was bad business for the Bulls to bring everyone back.
Of course, at the time Krause thought he could quickly turn the Bulls back into a title contender. In hindsight, we can say it was bad business to rebuild. The Bulls won 13, 17 and 15 games during the next three seasons and didn't return to the playoffs until 2005. They became an NBA punchline. But the United Center stayed full for most of the time, so maybe it was good business.
What if Jackson refused to return under any circumstances? Well, the Bulls could have promoted Frank Hamblen or Jimmy Rodgers to the head job, or essentially whomever Jordan wanted.
Tim Floyd was obviously the wrong choice, and he joined the Bulls under rough circumstances. Before outmaneuvering the Bulls in free-agency, Orlando made a smart move by hiring Chicago native Doc Rivers as head coach. Imagine if Krause had followed a Proviso East path by drafting Michael Finley in '95 and hiring Rivers in '99.
Really, though, the one person who could have kept it going was Jordan. If he got behind the idea of running it back in 1998-99, all of this could have happened. He could have spoken to Reinsdorf, Jackson, his teammates, made his desire public.
Why didn't he? Probably because he was ready to end it in '98, but now 22 years later realizes how special it all was.
It happens to all of us.
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--Untraditional graduation follows untraditional school year end

Growing Tree Preschool students and their families were invited back , albeit briefly , as the Gurnee Park District school hosted a drive-through graduation ceremony Tuesday at Hunt Club Park Community Center , 920 Hunt Club Road in Gurnee .
In an effort to follow social distancing measures , diplomas and certificates were handed to parents as they pulled up , one at a time , by their child 's teacher .
All school staff were wearing face masks and gloves , and no contact was made between families and staff .
`` Especially during these challenging times , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this tradition , '' said Growing Tree Preschool Manager Sue McDougle .
During the last two months of the school year , teachers continued the class curriculum through email , Zoom classes and live social media interaction .
About 200 students go to classes at the Hunt Club Road location and at Viking Park on the east side of town .
There will be another drive-through graduation at that location at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for students who go to classes there .
Memory books of the of the student 's time spent at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moving on to kindergarten .

Untraditional graduation follows untraditional school year end
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.comTeacher Ciara Jackson hands materials to a parent at a drive-through graduation for Growing Tree Preschool in Gurnee at Hunt Club Park Community Center Tuesday.
Growing Tree Preschool students and their families were invited back, albeit briefly, as the Gurnee Park District school hosted a drive-through graduation ceremony Tuesday at Hunt Club Park Community Center, 920 Hunt Club Road in Gurnee.
In an effort to follow social distancing measures, diplomas and certificates were handed to parents as they pulled up, one at a time, by their child's teacher. All school staff were wearing face masks and gloves, and no contact was made between families and staff.
"Especially during these challenging times, I feel that it is important to honor this tradition," said Growing Tree Preschool Manager Sue McDougle.
During the last two months of the school year, teachers continued the class curriculum through email, Zoom classes and live social media interaction. About 200 students go to classes at the Hunt Club Road location and at Viking Park on the east side of town. There will be another drive-through graduation at that location at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday for students who go to classes there.
Memory books of the of the student's time spent at the school were also presented to those moving on to kindergarten.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--Elgin woman remembered for volunteerism, many contributions

Laurel Bault is being remembered for her kindness , prolific volunteerism and commitment to political and social causes .
Bault , 62 , of Elgin , had suffered from respiratory issues and died suddenly at home Sunday , said her husband of 39 years , Kyle Bault .
The cause of death is undetermined pending an autopsy , he said .
`` She was very open to any person , from any walk of life .
She had no preconceived notions about anybody , '' Kyle Bault said .
`` Laurel fought for those in need with a blazing love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and downtrodden , '' said Tish Calhamer , community engagement manager at Gail Borden Public Library .
`` Laurel was kind , inquisitive , caring and passionate about doing the right things , '' said Danise Habun , a former member of the Elgin human rights commission .
`` She was a force for good in our community , '' said state Rep. Anna Moeller of Elgin .
Among her many endeavors , Laurel Bault organized the annual Elgin CROP Hunger Walk , served on the citizens ' advisory council for Elgin Area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the League of Women Voters of the Elgin Area .
She was a recipient of a volunteer/community service award from YWCA of Elgin in 2004 and was a regular at city council and school board meetings .
She served as a Girl Scouts leader and volunteer for the Elgin American Little League .
At various times , she volunteered for soup kitchens and organizations , such as Ecker Center for Mental Health , PADS of Elgin and the Salvation Army , her husband said .
She was most recently involved with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She was an active member of Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Elgin , where she helped raise money for `` Into Kenya , '' a ministry to build a well , an orphanage , and school in Kenya .
She was originally from Champaign and spent most of her life in Ottawa before moving to Elgin in 1984 .
She and her husband have two children , Jason , 33 , and Erin , 31 .
She had worked as parent coordinator at Garfield Elementary School and recently with the AVID program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Laurel Bault had a deep passion for politics and social justice , said Elgin Councilwoman Carol Rauschenberger .
`` Every waking moment was to support a cause for people with less than she had . ''
Bault worked on several election campaigns , including for Rauschenberger and Martin McManamon , Wayne Township highway commissioner , and ran as a Democrat for the 43rd House seat in 2006 .
She supported progressive causes but never failed to reach out to people on the other side of the political spectrum , Rauschenberger said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2012 that her father , a naturalized Canadian immigrant , instilled in her a fascination with civic engagement .
At the time , Bault worked on an initiative to re-engage young women in the electoral process .
`` I 've just been frustrated by low voter turnout , '' she said in the interview .
`` We 're giving our power away and we need to take responsibility for that . ''
The Bault family will plan a funeral and community remembrance at a later date , pending COVID-19 pandemic guidance , @ @ @ @

Elgin woman remembered for volunteerism, many contributions
Laurel Bault of Elgin died suddenly at age 62 on Sunday. She is being remembered for her kindness, prolific volunteerism and commitment to political and social causes. Photo courtesy of Kyle Bault
Laurel Bault is being remembered for her kindness, prolific volunteerism and commitment to political and social causes.
Bault, 62, of Elgin, had suffered from respiratory issues and died suddenly at home Sunday, said her husband of 39 years, Kyle Bault. The cause of death is undetermined pending an autopsy, he said.
"She was very open to any person, from any walk of life. She had no preconceived notions about anybody," Kyle Bault said.
Remembrances quickly poured in on Facebook.
"Laurel fought for those in need with a blazing love and ferocity; she championed the underserved and downtrodden," said Tish Calhamer, community engagement manager at Gail Borden Public Library.
"Laurel was kind, inquisitive, caring and passionate about doing the right things," said Danise Habun, a former member of the Elgin human rights commission.
"She was a force for good in our community," said state Rep. Anna Moeller of Elgin.
Among her many endeavors, Laurel Bault organized the annual Elgin CROP Hunger Walk, served on the citizens' advisory council for Elgin Area School District U-46 and was education chairman for the League of Women Voters of the Elgin Area.
She was a recipient of a volunteer/community service award from YWCA of Elgin in 2004 and was a regular at city council and school board meetings. She served as a Girl Scouts leader and volunteer for the Elgin American Little League. At various times, she volunteered for soup kitchens and organizations, such as Ecker Center for Mental Health, PADS of Elgin and the Salvation Army, her husband said.
She was most recently involved with the Fox Valley River Initiative and DuPage United. She was an active member of Cornerstone United Methodist Church in Elgin, where she helped raise money for "Into Kenya," a ministry to build a well, an orphanage, and school in Kenya.
She was originally from Champaign and spent most of her life in Ottawa before moving to Elgin in 1984. She and her husband have two children, Jason, 33, and Erin, 31.
She had worked as parent coordinator at Garfield Elementary School and recently with the AVID program at Tefft Middle School, Kyle Bault said.
Laurel Bault had a deep passion for politics and social justice, said Elgin Councilwoman Carol Rauschenberger. "Every waking moment was to support a cause for people with less than she had."
Bault worked on several election campaigns, including for Rauschenberger and Martin McManamon, Wayne Township highway commissioner, and ran as a Democrat for the 43rd House seat in 2006. She supported progressive causes but never failed to reach out to people on the other side of the political spectrum, Rauschenberger said.
Laurel Bault told the Daily Herald in 2012 that her father, a naturalized Canadian immigrant, instilled in her a fascination with civic engagement. At the time, Bault worked on an initiative to re-engage young women in the electoral process.
"I've just been frustrated by low voter turnout," she said in the interview. "We're giving our power away and we need to take responsibility for that."
The Bault family will plan a funeral and community remembrance at a later date, pending COVID-19 pandemic guidance, Kyle Bault said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--Dining in the streets? Arlington Heights' plan to help restaurants

Downtown Arlington Heights normally thrives on a bustling outdoor summer restaurant scene , but in the era of social distancing , dining alfresco may soon take on an added meaning .
The Northwest suburb is among the first municipalities in the area to propose a coordinated outdoor dining plan that -- once the state allows restaurants to reopen -- could help restaurateurs ' bottom lines amid expected reduced capacity limits .
Called Arlington Alfresco , the plan calls for the closure of the main downtown thoroughfares Vail Avenue and Campbell Street to allow tables and chairs from more than a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right of way .
Village officials drew inspiration from big cities as far as Madrid and London to New York and Tampa , which are experimenting with street closures as their economies reopen and social distancing becomes the new normal .
Hinsdale recently announced it would close one of its downtown blocks to accommodate restaurants , while Algonquin on Tuesday introduced a villagewide plan to temporarily allow restaurants to offer outdoor dining along sidewalks , parking lots and other areas of the public right of way in coordination with Gov .
J.B. Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar to Arlington Heights ' villagewide approach , which couples its downtown initiative with a plan to allow dining within private parking lots of restaurants outside the downtown .
In developing Arlington Alfresco , officials say they 've been talking to local restaurant owners -- 27 of whom participated in a videoconference call last week -- who have suggested ways to expand dining outdoors in an effort to keep open their doors , despite the economic conditions .
`` The restaurants will not be able to survive with limited capacity , '' Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a letter to the village board .
`` The patrons will feel better by being outdoors .
On top of that , Arlington Heights will be festive .
We all need all the help we can get . ''
Anticipating greatly reduced indoor restaurant capacity under state rules , village officials plan to allow dining to expand past outdoor patios onto sidewalks and the streets , leaving room for 18-foot-wide pedestrian walkways that run down the middle of Vail and Campbell .
The walkways would be available to emergency vehicles but closed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signage and fencing to block off the streets to traffic and delineate the pedestrian zone from outdoor dining spaces , while restaurants would be responsible for setting up their own areas with tables , chairs and landscaping .
Tables would have to be spaced at least 6 feet apart .
The plan also designates seven curbside food pickup spots on the perimeter of the on-street dining zone , while non-restaurant retailers would have space in front of their shops for potential outdoor displays or a place for customers to wait if it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tuning is anticipated -- like how to handle deliveries and garbage collection -- village trustees endorsed the plan on Monday night so that businesses can hit the ground running when a reopening is authorized .
`` There 's a lot of people that have immune systems that may not be able to go out ... and there 's just still a lot of fear out there over this virus , '' Trustee John Scaletta said .
`` I think that us trying to find a way to expand the seating of the restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our retailers to be able to put their wares outside is a good thing .
This is forward thinking on staff 's part and the village board 's part . ''
For now , Naperville -- home to another popular suburban downtown district -- is n't making similar plans as Arlington Heights .
With some 90 stores and restaurants operating curbside , Downtown Naperville Alliance Executive Director Katie Wood said closing streets would hurt their chances of success .
`` When restaurants are able to reopen , this might be something we look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with spacing out of restaurant guests -- either in streets or parking lots , '' Wood said .
`` Right now , however , the 'curb is king ' and we rely on open roads and quick-turnover street parking spaces to enable curbside commerce to take place . ''
Officials in other towns like Mount Prospect and St. Charles said Tuesday they 're taking a wait-and-see approach about whether to expand outdoor dining in their downtowns .
Under Pritzker 's plan , restaurants and bars would n't be able to reopen until Phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ July .
The preliminary Arlington Heights Alfresco plan would be ready to go as soon as June , if allowed , and run through August or later with good weather , village officials said .
• Daily Herald staff writers Lauren Rohr , Marie Wilson and Steve Zalusky contributed to this report .

Dining in the streets? Arlington Heights' plan to help restaurants
Downtown Arlington Heights normally thrives on a bustling outdoor summer restaurant scene, but in the era of social distancing, dining alfresco may soon take on an added meaning.
The Northwest suburb is among the first municipalities in the area to propose a coordinated outdoor dining plan that -- once the state allows restaurants to reopen -- could help restaurateurs' bottom lines amid expected reduced capacity limits.
Called Arlington Alfresco, the plan calls for the closure of the main downtown thoroughfares Vail Avenue and Campbell Street to allow tables and chairs from more than a dozen eateries to encroach on the public right of way.
Village officials drew inspiration from big cities as far as Madrid and London to New York and Tampa, which are experimenting with street closures as their economies reopen and social distancing becomes the new normal.
Hinsdale recently announced it would close one of its downtown blocks to accommodate restaurants, while Algonquin on Tuesday introduced a villagewide plan to temporarily allow restaurants to offer outdoor dining along sidewalks, parking lots and other areas of the public right of way in coordination with Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Restore Illinois plan.
That's similar to Arlington Heights' villagewide approach, which couples its downtown initiative with a plan to allow dining within private parking lots of restaurants outside the downtown.
A rough sketch shows the concept for the Arlington Alfresco outdoor dining plan that would fence off the main downtown thoroughfares to allow restaurants to expand their seating arrangements. - Courtesy of Village of Arlington Heights
In developing Arlington Alfresco, officials say they've been talking to local restaurant owners -- 27 of whom participated in a videoconference call last week -- who have suggested ways to expand dining outdoors in an effort to keep open their doors, despite the economic conditions.
"The restaurants will not be able to survive with limited capacity," Peter Sarantopoulos of La Tasca Tapas wrote in a letter to the village board. "The patrons will feel better by being outdoors. On top of that, Arlington Heights will be festive. We all need all the help we can get."
Anticipating greatly reduced indoor restaurant capacity under state rules, village officials plan to allow dining to expand past outdoor patios onto sidewalks and the streets, leaving room for 18-foot-wide pedestrian walkways that run down the middle of Vail and Campbell. The walkways would be available to emergency vehicles but closed to through traffic.
The village would install signage and fencing to block off the streets to traffic and delineate the pedestrian zone from outdoor dining spaces, while restaurants would be responsible for setting up their own areas with tables, chairs and landscaping. Tables would have to be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
A map shows the proposed downtown Arlington Heights street closures, curbside pickup areas and pedestrian entryways that are part of an on-street dining plan proposed by the village. - Courtesy of Village of Arlington Heights
The plan also designates seven curbside food pickup spots on the perimeter of the on-street dining zone, while non-restaurant retailers would have space in front of their shops for potential outdoor displays or a place for customers to wait if it's too crowded inside.
Though more fine tuning is anticipated -- like how to handle deliveries and garbage collection -- village trustees endorsed the plan on Monday night so that businesses can hit the ground running when a reopening is authorized.
"There's a lot of people that have immune systems that may not be able to go out ... and there's just still a lot of fear out there over this virus," Trustee John Scaletta said. "I think that us trying to find a way to expand the seating of the restaurants and give additional room to some of our retailers to be able to put their wares outside is a good thing. This is forward thinking on staff's part and the village board's part."
For now, Naperville -- home to another popular suburban downtown district -- isn't making similar plans as Arlington Heights. With some 90 stores and restaurants operating curbside, Downtown Naperville Alliance Executive Director Katie Wood said closing streets would hurt their chances of success.
"When restaurants are able to reopen, this might be something we look at on a limited basis to help with spacing out of restaurant guests -- either in streets or parking lots," Wood said. "Right now, however, the 'curb is king' and we rely on open roads and quick-turnover street parking spaces to enable curbside commerce to take place."
Officials in other towns like Mount Prospect and St. Charles said Tuesday they're taking a wait-and-see approach about whether to expand outdoor dining in their downtowns.
Under Pritzker's plan, restaurants and bars wouldn't be able to reopen until Phase 4, which might not be until July. The preliminary Arlington Heights Alfresco plan would be ready to go as soon as June, if allowed, and run through August or later with good weather, village officials said.
• Daily Herald staff writers Lauren Rohr, Marie Wilson and Steve Zalusky contributed to this report.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--Historic legislative session amid COVID-19 crisis holds plenty of minefields

Pass a budget with an estimated 35 % revenue shortfall , dodge lawmakers scorning face masks , shake the Magic 8 ball for an estimate of federal aid , tweak the governor 's reopening authority and finalize an income tax referendum by midnight Friday .
How hard can that be ?
The General Assembly reconvenes today for a historic special session in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed 4,379 Illinoisans so far .
`` The goal is to get in and get out in three days , '' Democratic state Rep. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring a couple of extra shirts , '' Republican state Sen. Don DeWitte of St. Charles said .
The No .
1 priority is passing the 2021 budget , no easy task with tax revenues tanking as a result of Illinois ' stay-at-home order to reduce the spread of the respiratory disease .
`` The question remains , what gets cut and what is the federal government 's role ? ''
asked DeWitte , who participated in a budget working group .
Federal funding is anticipated , but Congress is weeks away from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down by about 35 % , said Crespo , an assistant majority leader .
And , `` because of the unknowns in regards to how much support will be coming from Congress ... we 're likely to be forced to borrow money in order to avoid massive cuts that would clearly decimate necessary services during the current pandemic , '' Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods said .
Borrowing would require a supermajority and that could mean House Democrats , with 74 members , could fall short of the necessary 71 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reps. Jonathon Carroll of Northbrook and Edgar Gonzalez Jr. of Chicago self-isolating for COVID-19 .
That could make for some interesting negotiations with Republicans , who are champing at the bit to rewrite Democratic Gov .
J.B. Pritzker 's Restore Illinois five-phase , four-region reopening plan .
`` Over 850,000 Illinois residents have recently lost their jobs and the unemployment rate is likely heading toward 15 % , '' Barrington Hills Republican state Rep. David McSweeney said in a statement .
With hundreds of businesses closed across the state until some restrictions are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to chafe at the lost revenue , although Pritzker said it 's essential to follow the rules to continue flattening the curve of the disease .
The governor 's also under fire for an emergency rule last week empowering police to charge scofflaw businesses with a Class A misdemeanor for disobeying the stay-at-home rule .
And local Democrats are hearing loud and clear from constituents .
Legislation is percolating to create a bipartisan committee to coordinate with the governor on the recovery plan ; what 's not clear is whether the group will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake said , `` We 're all talking about how much executive power there should be .
Are there areas where we have to codify things he has done ?
Most of us believe the governor is doing a really good job but we are always questioning . ''
A key Pritzker goal -- passing a referendum on a graduated income tax in November -- also must undergo legislative scrutiny regarding language for the ballot question .
Republican House Leader Jim Durkin and Senate Leader Bill Brady want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the votes likely are n't there , insiders said .
Along with policy questions , House members who convene at the Bank of Springfield Center Wednesday may need to pivot if downstate Republican state Reps. Darren Bailey and Brad Halbrook ignore rules about wearing face masks , as has been reported .
If so , House members will immediately hold a vote instituting rules for mask wearing with consequences like expulsion , said Crespo , who called the two `` selfish . ''
`` There are ( lawmakers ) with kids , people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members with preexisting conditions who could be susceptible to the virus , '' he said .
Also on the radar are the Nov. 3 elections and whether all Illinois voters should have a mail-in ballot option .
`` I think most voters believe during this crisis they should have an option , '' Bush said .

Historic legislative session amid COVID-19 crisis holds plenty of minefields
The General Assembly will convene today for a special session after a lengthy recess because of COVID-19. Associated Press
Pass a budget with an estimated 35% revenue shortfall, dodge lawmakers scorning face masks, shake the Magic 8 ball for an estimate of federal aid, tweak the governor's reopening authority and finalize an income tax referendum by midnight Friday.
How hard can that be?
The General Assembly reconvenes today for a historic special session in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed 4,379 Illinoisans so far.
"The goal is to get in and get out in three days," Democratic state Rep. Fred Crespo of Hoffman Estates said.
But "I was advised to bring a couple of extra shirts," Republican state Sen. Don DeWitte of St. Charles said.
The No. 1 priority is passing the 2021 budget, no easy task with tax revenues tanking as a result of Illinois' stay-at-home order to reduce the spread of the respiratory disease.
"The question remains, what gets cut and what is the federal government's role?" asked DeWitte, who participated in a budget working group.
Federal funding is anticipated, but Congress is weeks away from passing another stimulus package. Revenues are down by about 35%, said Crespo, an assistant majority leader.
And, "because of the unknowns in regards to how much support will be coming from Congress ... we're likely to be forced to borrow money in order to avoid massive cuts that would clearly decimate necessary services during the current pandemic," Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods said.
Borrowing would require a supermajority and that could mean House Democrats, with 74 members, could fall short of the necessary 71 votes if there are absences, as Reps. Jonathon Carroll of Northbrook and Edgar Gonzalez Jr. of Chicago self-isolating for COVID-19.
That could make for some interesting negotiations with Republicans, who are champing at the bit to rewrite Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Restore Illinois five-phase, four-region reopening plan.
"Over 850,000 Illinois residents have recently lost their jobs and the unemployment rate is likely heading toward 15%," Barrington Hills Republican state Rep. David McSweeney said in a statement.
With hundreds of businesses closed across the state until some restrictions are lifted May 29, suburbs are beginning to chafe at the lost revenue, although Pritzker said it's essential to follow the rules to continue flattening the curve of the disease.
The governor's also under fire for an emergency rule last week empowering police to charge scofflaw businesses with a Class A misdemeanor for disobeying the stay-at-home rule.
And local Democrats are hearing loud and clear from constituents.
Legislation is percolating to create a bipartisan committee to coordinate with the governor on the recovery plan; what's not clear is whether the group will have teeth or be advisory.
"It's a balancing act," Crespo said.
Democratic Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake said, "We're all talking about how much executive power there should be. Are there areas where we have to codify things he has done? Most of us believe the governor is doing a really good job but we are always questioning."
A key Pritzker goal -- passing a referendum on a graduated income tax in November -- also must undergo legislative scrutiny regarding language for the ballot question.
Republican House Leader Jim Durkin and Senate Leader Bill Brady want to yank the referendum from the ballot but the votes likely aren't there, insiders said.
Along with policy questions, House members who convene at the Bank of Springfield Center Wednesday may need to pivot if downstate Republican state Reps. Darren Bailey and Brad Halbrook ignore rules about wearing face masks, as has been reported.
If so, House members will immediately hold a vote instituting rules for mask wearing with consequences like expulsion, said Crespo, who called the two "selfish."
"There are (lawmakers) with kids, people that are senior citizens, and other members with preexisting conditions who could be susceptible to the virus," he said.
Also on the radar are the Nov. 3 elections and whether all Illinois voters should have a mail-in ballot option.
"I think most voters believe during this crisis they should have an option," Bush said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--Study: McHenry, Will counties have higher-risk COVID-19 populations

McHenry and Will counties have not been hit as hard by coronavirus as some other parts of the Chicago area but might see greater devastation if an outbreak occurs because they have a higher rate of chronic health conditions that are exacerbated by the disease , a new study shows .
The report created by The New York Times and PolicyMap analyzes local health data and identifies counties with high rates of obesity , high blood pressure , diabetes , lung disease and heart disease  -- conditions that increase people 's chances of becoming extremely ill if they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will counties are characterized as having `` medium-low '' rates of the underlying conditions .
That contrasts with Cook , DuPage , Lake and Kane counties , which have `` lower '' rates of underlying disease .
`` The report is pretty on target by saying these people are definitely at risk -- not more infective , but once they get it , it 's bad , '' said Dr. Daniel Sullivan , chief medical officer at Elmhurst Hospital .
`` The likelihood of mortality goes up substantially among these groups , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population here . ''
The two counties are lower than elsewhere in the Chicago suburbs in COVID-19 cases per 1,000 people .
McHenry County has 3.96 , Will has 6.73 , suburban Cook has 10.71 , DuPage has 6.73 , Kane has 9.09 and Lake has 9.54 .
But authorities say they could be vulnerable if the number of infections increases because of the higher rate of underlying health problems .
The new study shows most Illinois counties are in the `` medium-low '' range for underlying health risks , but about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' McHenry and Will counties both have populations whose obesity rate is at 32 % or higher , the diabetes rate is 10 % and the rate of high blood pressure is more than 29 % .
In McHenry County , 7 % of the population suffers from chronic lung disease and 4 % from heart disease .
In Will County , 6 % of the population has lung disease and 3 % has heart disease , according to the study .
People at higher risk should take steps to control chronic illnesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It is important for those who have a chronic disease to work with their personal physician to manage the disease and keep symptoms under control , '' said Meaghan Haak , McHenry County Health Department 's community health coordinator .
`` Everyone , but particularly the high-risk population , should follow preventive guidelines , such as washing your hands , practicing social distancing , wearing a mask and limiting your chance of exposure .
The study does not include age as a risk factor , but it notes that several of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` If you 're not suffering from these risks , the likelihood is less that you 'll get significantly ill , but it 's not zero , '' Sullivan said .
`` The other part is if you get it and carry it , are you giving it to others who are higher risk ?
It 's not just about you . ''
The study showed the highest-risk populations are often in poorer and more rural areas of the country , mainly in the South and Appalachia .
Sullivan said outbreaks in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toll on medical resources in those communities .
`` If you 're in an area with low medical resources and you 're high-risk , you 've got some real trouble , '' Sullivan said .
`` Those are the people who need to isolate themselves more than anyone else . ''
The report also noted that half of all Americans have at least one of the chronic conditions that places them at risk of becoming severely symptomatic if infected .

Study: McHenry, Will counties have higher-risk COVID-19 populations
A nurse pulls a ventilator into an exam room where a patient with COVID-19 went into cardiac arrest at St. Joseph's Hospital in Yonkers, N.Y. Associated Press
McHenry and Will counties have not been hit as hard by coronavirus as some other parts of the Chicago area but might see greater devastation if an outbreak occurs because they have a higher rate of chronic health conditions that are exacerbated by the disease, a new study shows.
The report created by The New York Times and PolicyMap analyzes local health data and identifies counties with high rates of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, lung disease and heart disease -- conditions that increase people's chances of becoming extremely ill if they are infected with the virus.
McHenry and Will counties are characterized as having "medium-low" rates of the underlying conditions. That contrasts with Cook, DuPage, Lake and Kane counties, which have "lower" rates of underlying disease.
"The report is pretty on target by saying these people are definitely at risk -- not more infective, but once they get it, it's bad," said Dr. Daniel Sullivan, chief medical officer at Elmhurst Hospital. "The likelihood of mortality goes up substantially among these groups, and we've seen that in our own population here."
The two counties are lower than elsewhere in the Chicago suburbs in COVID-19 cases per 1,000 people. McHenry County has 3.96, Will has 6.73, suburban Cook has 10.71, DuPage has 6.73, Kane has 9.09 and Lake has 9.54.
But authorities say they could be vulnerable if the number of infections increases because of the higher rate of underlying health problems.
The new study shows most Illinois counties are in the "medium-low" range for underlying health risks, but about a dozen are listed as "medium-high."
McHenry and Will counties both have populations whose obesity rate is at 32% or higher, the diabetes rate is 10% and the rate of high blood pressure is more than 29%.
In McHenry County, 7% of the population suffers from chronic lung disease and 4% from heart disease. In Will County, 6% of the population has lung disease and 3% has heart disease, according to the study.
People at higher risk should take steps to control chronic illnesses and stay disease-free, experts say.
"It is important for those who have a chronic disease to work with their personal physician to manage the disease and keep symptoms under control," said Meaghan Haak, McHenry County Health Department's community health coordinator. "Everyone, but particularly the high-risk population, should follow preventive guidelines, such as washing your hands, practicing social distancing, wearing a mask and limiting your chance of exposure.
The study does not include age as a risk factor, but it notes that several of these conditions are more common in older people.
"If you're not suffering from these risks, the likelihood is less that you'll get significantly ill, but it's not zero," Sullivan said. "The other part is if you get it and carry it, are you giving it to others who are higher risk? It's not just about you."
The study showed the highest-risk populations are often in poorer and more rural areas of the country, mainly in the South and Appalachia.
Sullivan said outbreaks in more rural areas could take a big toll on medical resources in those communities.
"If you're in an area with low medical resources and you're high-risk, you've got some real trouble," Sullivan said. "Those are the people who need to isolate themselves more than anyone else."
The report also noted that half of all Americans have at least one of the chronic conditions that places them at risk of becoming severely symptomatic if infected.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--Wheeling village attorney says airport PR deal legal, but 'doesn't smell good'

Some Wheeling officials are questioning a public relations contract awarded in 2019 to a business partner of Chicago Executive Airport board Chairman D. Court Harris -- a move the village attorney says was legal but `` does n't smell good . ''
Chicago Executive board directors are to vote tonight on a contract extension for Insight PR owned by Cody Rogers .
The airport 's 2020-21 budget has set aside about $ 60,000 for the second consecutive year for Insight .
Harris , who said he 's been subjected to `` baseless attacks '' on his character from critics , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , South Gate Strategies , about five months before Insight PR was founded in March 2019 , records show .
Insight started working for the airport in May 2019 .
Trustee Mary Papantos raised questions about the PR contract after a Chicago Executive Pilots Association member brought up the issue during Monday night 's village board meeting .
The pilot , Rogers Faden , said he was following concerns raised by Wheeling resident and longtime airport critic Steve Neff .
Papantos contends there was a lack of transparency before the airport board approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relationship was not publicly revealed .
`` I feel that it was sneaky and I do feel that we have been bamboozled , '' she said .
In a statement , Harris said the past year has seen tough but necessary developments to prepare the airport for the future , which has angered a small number of longtime critics more than usual .
He said the airport board trusts the judgment and experience of the staff to handle vendor relationships .
`` Neither I nor any board members participated in the ( request @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' Harris said .
`` I did not provide any input on the staff recommendation and I did not vote on the contract . ''
Rogers said he `` earned this contract for my own company on my own merits and vigorously dispute any insinuation to the contrary . ''
Wheeling Village Attorney James Ferolo addressed the matter during Monday 's board session .
He said while the contract may not have been a good idea , he does n't find it broke any laws -- in part because he 's been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefits .
`` This came to me after the fact last year and I did talk to the attorney for the airport , '' Ferolo said .
`` And it does n't look good .
It does n't smell good .
It 's something that probably should have been avoided . ''
Chicago Executive is co-owned by Wheeling and Prospect Heights .
The Wheeling board and the Prospect Heights city council get the final say on the airport 's annual budget .
Rogers and Harris are former Army officers and West Point classmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rogers and Harris as managers of South Gate Strategies , a public relations firm formed as a limited liability company in October 2018 .
State records show Rogers registered Insight PR as a limited liability company in late March 2019 .
Insight received the Chicago Executive contract about two months later .
Veronica Vera , who was a spokeswoman from 2017 to 2019 for former U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam , also submitted a proposal seeking the airport 's public relations contract last year .
Vera said Tuesday it was an `` incredibly fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consultant for the job .
Wheeling Trustee Mary Krueger and Village President Pat Horcher also voiced concern about how the airport handled the PR deal .
In recent discussions with Horcher , Harris said he understood the importance of communication with the village even beyond strictly legal considerations and affirmed his commitment to do so in all future situations .

Wheeling village attorney says airport PR deal legal, but 'doesn't smell good'
Wheeling Trustee Mary Papantos at a meeting Monday questioned a one-year public relations contract awarded in 2019 to a business partner of Chicago Executive Airport board Chairman D. Court Harris -- a move the village attorney says is legal but "doesn't smell good."
Chicago Executive Airport board Chairman D. Court Harris says he's been subjected to "baseless attacks" from the facility's critics regarding a public relations contract.
Some Wheeling officials are questioning a public relations contract awarded in 2019 to a business partner of Chicago Executive Airport board Chairman D. Court Harris -- a move the village attorney says was legal but "doesn't smell good."
Chicago Executive board directors are to vote tonight on a contract extension for Insight PR owned by Cody Rogers. The airport's 2020-21 budget has set aside about $60,000 for the second consecutive year for Insight.
Harris, who said he's been subjected to "baseless attacks" on his character from critics, and Rogers launched another public relations firm, South Gate Strategies, about five months before Insight PR was founded in March 2019, records show. Insight started working for the airport in May 2019.
Trustee Mary Papantos raised questions about the PR contract after a Chicago Executive Pilots Association member brought up the issue during Monday night's village board meeting. The pilot, Rogers Faden, said he was following concerns raised by Wheeling resident and longtime airport critic Steve Neff.
Papantos contends there was a lack of transparency before the airport board approved the Insight PR deal because the Harris-Rogers relationship was not publicly revealed.
"I feel that it was sneaky and I do feel that we have been bamboozled," she said.
In a statement, Harris said the past year has seen tough but necessary developments to prepare the airport for the future, which has angered a small number of longtime critics more than usual. He said the airport board trusts the judgment and experience of the staff to handle vendor relationships.
"Neither I nor any board members participated in the (request for proposal) process for communications services," Harris said. "I did not provide any input on the staff recommendation and I did not vote on the contract."
Rogers said he "earned this contract for my own company on my own merits and vigorously dispute any insinuation to the contrary."
Wheeling Village Attorney James Ferolo addressed the matter during Monday's board session. He said while the contract may not have been a good idea, he doesn't find it broke any laws -- in part because he's been assured Harris hasn't received any financial benefits.
"This came to me after the fact last year and I did talk to the attorney for the airport," Ferolo said. "And it doesn't look good. It doesn't smell good. It's something that probably should have been avoided."
Chicago Executive is co-owned by Wheeling and Prospect Heights. The Wheeling board and the Prospect Heights city council get the final say on the airport's annual budget.
Rogers and Harris are former Army officers and West Point classmates. Illinois secretary of state documents list Rogers and Harris as managers of South Gate Strategies, a public relations firm formed as a limited liability company in October 2018.
State records show Rogers registered Insight PR as a limited liability company in late March 2019. Insight received the Chicago Executive contract about two months later.
Veronica Vera, who was a spokeswoman from 2017 to 2019 for former U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, also submitted a proposal seeking the airport's public relations contract last year. Vera said Tuesday it was an "incredibly fair" process and Insight is the better consultant for the job.
Wheeling Trustee Mary Krueger and Village President Pat Horcher also voiced concern about how the airport handled the PR deal. In recent discussions with Horcher, Harris said he understood the importance of communication with the village even beyond strictly legal considerations and affirmed his commitment to do so in all future situations.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--May 19 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code

Since the outbreak began , there have been 50,118 cases of COVID-19 in the suburbs , more than 51 % of the state 's total , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
There have been 2,215 deaths in the suburbs , nearly 51 % of all deaths in Illinois .
Here are cases per county and some towns .
Not every town with cases is included .
• As of Tuesday , suburban Cook County had 26,722 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,251 deaths , according to the IDPH 's coronavirus website ( visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19 ) .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• The Cook County Department of Public Health and medical examiner 's office listed 1,199 cases of COVID-19 and 64 deaths in Des Plaines , 523 cases and 16 deaths in Wheeling , 456 cases and 6 deaths in Mount Prospect , 427 cases and 10 deaths in Streamwood , 399 cases and 7 deaths in Palatine , 397 cases and 27 deaths in Glenview , 345 cases and 7 deaths in Schaumburg , 327 cases and 6 deaths in Hoffman Estates , 304 cases and 14 deaths in Arlington Heights , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ridge , 222 cases and 7 deaths in Rolling Meadows , 211 cases and 8 deaths in Elk Grove Village , 167 cases and 3 deaths in Prospect Heights , and 64 cases and 10 deaths in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) .
• The DuPage County Health Department reported 6,172 confirmed cases and 314 deaths on its coronavirus website Tuesday .
• Cases and deaths per suburb include 566 cases and 3 deaths in West Chicago , 563 cases and 6 deaths in Addison , 441 cases and 3 deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 8 deaths in Bensenville , 383 cases and 25 deaths in Carol Stream , 373 cases and 25 deaths in Naperville ( DuPage portion ) , 245 cases and 10 deaths in Lombard , 213 cases and 7 deaths in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 201 cases and 27 deaths in Elmhurst , 168 cases and 15 deaths in Downers Grove , 163 cases and 2 deaths in Villa Park , 159 cases and 16 deaths in Wheaton , 115 cases and 16 deaths in Willowbrook , and 111 cases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Lake County Health Department listed 6,831 confirmed cases and 216 deaths as of Tuesday .
Find town-by-town data at https : //bit.ly/dhlakecovid19data .
• The Kane County Health Department confirmed 4,730 cases with 124 deaths on its website Tuesday at kanehealth.com .
• Cases per town include 2,183 in Aurora ( Kane County portion ) , 1,061 in Elgin ( Kane portion ) , 426 in Carpentersville , 187 in South Elgin , 181 in St. Charles , 105 in Geneva , 99 in North Aurora , 80 in Batavia , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
• There have been 1,236 cases and 62 deaths in McHenry County , according to the health department 's website Tuesday .
• There have been 4,577 cases of COVID-19 and 244 deaths , according to the county health department 's website Tuesday .
• Cases per town include 262 in Naperville ( Will County portion ) , and 45 in Aurora ( Will County portion ) .

May 19 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code
Wayne Taylor hands over his testing kit to Illinois National Guard soldier Carlye Clehouse at a testing facility in Waukegan more than two weeks ago. A drive-through COVID-19 testing facility, the state's first community-based site in Lake County, opened for the public. Associated Press file photo/May 2, 2020
Interactive map
Since the outbreak began, there have been 50,118 cases of COVID-19 in the suburbs, more than 51% of the state's total, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. There have been 2,215 deaths in the suburbs, nearly 51% of all deaths in Illinois.
Here are cases per county and some towns. Not every town with cases is included.
Cook County
• As of Tuesday, suburban Cook County had 26,722 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,251 deaths, according to the IDPH's coronavirus website (visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19). In Chicago: 37,919 cases and 1,729 fatalities.
• The Cook County Department of Public Health and medical examiner's office listed 1,199 cases of COVID-19 and 64 deaths in Des Plaines, 523 cases and 16 deaths in Wheeling, 456 cases and 6 deaths in Mount Prospect, 427 cases and 10 deaths in Streamwood, 399 cases and 7 deaths in Palatine, 397 cases and 27 deaths in Glenview, 345 cases and 7 deaths in Schaumburg, 327 cases and 6 deaths in Hoffman Estates, 304 cases and 14 deaths in Arlington Heights, 248 cases and 28 deaths in Park Ridge, 222 cases and 7 deaths in Rolling Meadows, 211 cases and 8 deaths in Elk Grove Village, 167 cases and 3 deaths in Prospect Heights, and 64 cases and 10 deaths in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion).
DuPage County
• The DuPage County Health Department reported 6,172 confirmed cases and 314 deaths on its coronavirus website Tuesday.
• Cases and deaths per suburb include 566 cases and 3 deaths in West Chicago, 563 cases and 6 deaths in Addison, 441 cases and 3 deaths in Glendale Heights, 396 cases and 8 deaths in Bensenville, 383 cases and 25 deaths in Carol Stream, 373 cases and 25 deaths in Naperville (DuPage portion), 245 cases and 10 deaths in Lombard, 213 cases and 7 deaths in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 201 cases and 27 deaths in Elmhurst, 168 cases and 15 deaths in Downers Grove, 163 cases and 2 deaths in Villa Park, 159 cases and 16 deaths in Wheaton, 115 cases and 16 deaths in Willowbrook, and 111 cases and 2 deaths in Glen Ellyn.
Lake County
• The Lake County Health Department listed 6,831 confirmed cases and 216 deaths as of Tuesday. Find town-by-town data at https://bit.ly/dhlakecovid19data.
Kane County
• The Kane County Health Department confirmed 4,730 cases with 124 deaths on its website Tuesday at kanehealth.com.
• Cases per town include 2,183 in Aurora (Kane County portion), 1,061 in Elgin (Kane portion), 426 in Carpentersville, 187 in South Elgin, 181 in St. Charles, 105 in Geneva, 99 in North Aurora, 80 in Batavia, and 33 in Algonquin (Kane County portion).
McHenry County
• There have been 1,236 cases and 62 deaths in McHenry County, according to the health department's website Tuesday.
Will County
• There have been 4,577 cases of COVID-19 and 244 deaths, according to the county health department's website Tuesday.
• Cases per town include 262 in Naperville (Will County portion), and 45 in Aurora (Will County portion).


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--Feder: Flooding at Willis Tower knocks TV, radio signals off the air

A power outage caused by flooding at Willis Tower wreaked havoc on the broadcast signals of several Chicago television and radio stations this week , Robert Feder writes .
The South Loop skyscraper , known until 2009 as Sears Tower , was closed for a second day Tuesday after the weekend rainfall caused the Chicago River to overflow into the lower level of the building and submerge a Com Ed substation .
The resulting loss of power shut down the broadcast antennas atop the 110-story tower .
WBBM-Channel 2 's signal was disrupted by the flooding , according to Derek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CBS-owned station .
While the outage did not affect cable subscribers , those with DirecTV were patched into the programming of New York sister station WCBS for a time .
WTTW-Channel 11 , the Window to the World Communications public TV station , remained off the air ( and off some cable systems , including AT & T U-verse ) .
The station directed viewers to watch WTTW live via Comcast and YouTube TV or to stream on-demand at wttw.com/watch and the PBS/WTTW video app .
Weigel Broadcast lost broadcast transmission for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WCIU-Channel 26 , The U , MeTV , Heroes & Icons , Decades and Bounce .
Radio outages included WLS 94.7-FM .
The Cumulus Media classic hits station was off the air from 3 to 11:30 a.m. Monday before transmission resumed from a secondary site at the former John Hancock Center .
Get the full report , and more Chicago media news , at robertfeder.com .

Feder: Flooding at Willis Tower knocks TV, radio signals off the air
A power outage caused by flooding at Willis Tower wreaked havoc on the broadcast signals of several Chicago television and radio stations this week.
A power outage caused by flooding at Willis Tower wreaked havoc on the broadcast signals of several Chicago television and radio stations this week, Robert Feder writes.
The South Loop skyscraper, known until 2009 as Sears Tower, was closed for a second day Tuesday after the weekend rainfall caused the Chicago River to overflow into the lower level of the building and submerge a Com Ed substation.
The resulting loss of power shut down the broadcast antennas atop the 110-story tower.
WBBM-Channel 2's signal was disrupted by the flooding, according to Derek Dalton, president and general manager of the CBS-owned station. While the outage did not affect cable subscribers, those with DirecTV were patched into the programming of New York sister station WCBS for a time.
WTTW-Channel 11, the Window to the World Communications public TV station, remained off the air (and off some cable systems, including AT&T U-verse). The station directed viewers to watch WTTW live via Comcast and YouTube TV or to stream on-demand at wttw.com/watch and the PBS/WTTW video app.
Weigel Broadcast lost broadcast transmission for its Chicago stations, including CW affiliate WCIU-Channel 26, The U, MeTV, Heroes & Icons, Decades and Bounce.
Radio outages included WLS 94.7-FM. The Cumulus Media classic hits station was off the air from 3 to 11:30 a.m. Monday before transmission resumed from a secondary site at the former John Hancock Center.
Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-19--A song to make you smile: 'Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive'

We 're trying to inject a little positivity in the paper ( and on dailyherald.com ) with a daily `` @ @ @ @ @ . ''
It 's designed to help lift you out of your coronavirus funk .
@ @ @ @ @ Ac-Cent_Tchu-Ate the Positive , '' recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1944 @

A song to make you smile: 'Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive'
Bing Crosby poses on Aug. 31, 1944, in London before going off to entertain American troops. Associated Press
We're trying to inject a little positivity in the paper (and on dailyherald.com) with a daily "Song to Make You Smile."
It's designed to help lift you out of your coronavirus funk.
Today's selection is "Ac-Cent_Tchu-Ate the Positive," recorded by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1944.
Send your ideas to suggestions@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--Area business chambers publish 'back to business tool kit'

Several chambers of commerce -- including groups for the Lake Zurich , Wauconda , Fox Lake and Barrington areas -- have joined together to publish a 16-page `` back to business tool kit '' online .
Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Corr said chambers have always been clearinghouses of information for business people and never before has it been so important that the correct information is available .
`` Our businesses are going to need us more than ever , not only to advocate for them but to arm them with knowledge they need , '' Corr said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were designed , to provide tools for businesses to be successful . ''
The online tool kit includes information on the state 's reopening guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic and planning a safe reopening .
It also features safety checklists , printable posters and helpful links to other sources of information .
The soonest the state is likely to move to `` phase 3 '' of recovery is at the end of the month .
That phase would allow the reopening of businesses such as manufacturers , offices , retail , barbershops and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that businesses come up with their plans before they are allowed to reopen .
`` It is very important right now to help local business people get ready , to use the time right now to develop plans and define what the new normal is going to look like , '' Corr said .
The 16-page tool kit is available to download from the websites for the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce ( barringtonchamber.com ) ; the Fox Lake , Richmond , Spring Grove Area Chamber of Commerce ( flrsgac.com ) ; the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lzacc.com ) ; and the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce ( waucondachamber.org ) .
The kit also includes a sample COVID-19 liability waiver that personal service businesses could ask customers to sign and a form business owners can use to track employee temperatures .
In addition , there are tips for using email lists , social media and promotions to bring customers back .
Leaders of the four chambers have been working together on the plan for several weeks , Corr said .
`` Just as our chamber encourages businesses to collaborate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to come together in this effort , '' said Maria Weisbruch , the executive director of the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce .
`` Partnership and collaboration are essential right now . ''
Corr said the tool kit will be an evolving document which will change as more information about best practices becomes available , including lessons learned from states which have already reopened .
`` Every day we 're learning more and are able to see what works and what does n't work , '' Corr said .

Area business chambers publish 'back to business tool kit'
Employees and customers walk in to Three-13 Salon, Spa & Boutique shortly after it reopened on April 24 in Marietta, Ga. To help similar businesses reopen, four local chambers of commerce have prepared a back-to-business tool kit based in part on lessons learned from states like Georgia. Associated Press
Several chambers of commerce -- including groups for the Lake Zurich, Wauconda, Fox Lake and Barrington areas -- have joined together to publish a 16-page "back to business tool kit" online.
Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce President Suzanne Corr said chambers have always been clearinghouses of information for business people and never before has it been so important that the correct information is available.
"Our businesses are going to need us more than ever, not only to advocate for them but to arm them with knowledge they need," Corr said Tuesday. "That's why chambers were designed, to provide tools for businesses to be successful."
The online tool kit includes information on the state's reopening guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic and planning a safe reopening. It also features safety checklists, printable posters and helpful links to other sources of information.
The soonest the state is likely to move to "phase 3" of recovery is at the end of the month. That phase would allow the reopening of businesses such as manufacturers, offices, retail, barbershops and salons. Corr said it is critical that businesses come up with their plans before they are allowed to reopen.
"It is very important right now to help local business people get ready, to use the time right now to develop plans and define what the new normal is going to look like," Corr said.
The 16-page tool kit is available to download from the websites for the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (barringtonchamber.com); the Fox Lake, Richmond, Spring Grove Area Chamber of Commerce (flrsgac.com); the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce (lzacc.com); and the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce (waucondachamber.org).
The kit also includes a sample COVID-19 liability waiver that personal service businesses could ask customers to sign and a form business owners can use to track employee temperatures.
In addition, there are tips for using email lists, social media and promotions to bring customers back.
Leaders of the four chambers have been working together on the plan for several weeks, Corr said.
"Just as our chamber encourages businesses to collaborate, it was great for our area chambers to come together in this effort," said Maria Weisbruch, the executive director of the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce. "Partnership and collaboration are essential right now."
Corr said the tool kit will be an evolving document which will change as more information about best practices becomes available, including lessons learned from states which have already reopened.
"Every day we're learning more and are able to see what works and what doesn't work," Corr said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--Bars and restaurants can offer outdoor service May 29; other restrictions set to ease

Restaurants and bars , dealt a huge economic hit by COVID-19 , can offer outdoor dining as of May 29 , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday as state lawmakers convened to address the budget crisis caused by the respiratory disease .
The news came at a briefing where officials announced cases of COVID-19 in Illinois surpassed 100,000 , but epidemiologists believe `` summer offers opportunities if proper precautions are taken , '' Pritzker said .
`` It was important to me to open them , but only if we could keep employees and customers safe , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart and away from the sidewalk , and face masks being used by servers and customers when not eating or drinking .
`` It provides a glimmer of light at the end of a very dark tunnel , '' a relieved Illinois Restaurant Association CEO Sam Toia said .
Sales are down by 70 % to 80 % with 321,000 restaurant workers laid off due to COVID-19 , he said .
Restaurants and bars previously were restricted to pickup and delivery service until the state reached Phase 4 of a five-phase , four-region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track to reach Phase 3 , with an easing of stay-at-home restrictions , on May 29 .
Illinois Department of Public Health Executive Director Ngozi Ezike reported 3,914 Illinoisans hospitalized with the virus -- `` the lowest number since we 've been capturing these numbers . ''
In the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday 's news conference , 147 additional Illinoisans died from the virus compared to the two-week average of 112 .
There were 2,388 new cases , slightly higher than the 14-day average of 2,264 .
The total deaths are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritzker also announced more easing of Phase 3 requirements .
All state parks will open May 29 as well as concessions , with social distancing rules applying .
Boating and camping with up to 10 people in a group will be permitted .
In Phase 3 , golf courses can allow foursomes out on the same tee times .
Carts will also be permitted with one person per cart , or one immediate household per cart .
And guidelines are being developed for driving ranges , outdoor shooting ranges and outdoor paintball courses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marked the first time the General Assembly has met since early March , with some Republican lawmakers spoiling for a fight over Pritzker 's reopening plan and a controversial executive rule enacted last week .
It enables police to charge businesses that flout the stay-at-home order with a Class A misdemeanor , which could mean a fine of up to $ 2,500 and jail time .
But earlier Wednesday , Pritzker withdrew the rule and punted it to the General Assembly , which will take up legislation this week that allows police to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no jail for scofflaws .
`` We look to do it with a soft touch , '' said Democratic Sen. Bill Cunningham of Chicago , who will spearhead the policy .
Republican Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods said : `` This is an important win in the fight for people 's rights during this pandemic .
This is clear proof that when we call out governmental overreach , we can win . ''
Illinois State Police Brendon Kelly Director said state and local police are coping with `` probably the most difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced , certainly in our lifetimes -- balancing the need for public health and public safety as well as need for personal rights and personal concerns and the ability for people to live their lives . ''
He noted that `` it has been the governor 's intent and direction that from Day 1 no one be arrested , no one be taken to jail . ''
Some drama occurred as the Illinois House met in the Bank of Springfield Center when Rep. Darren Bailey of downstate Xenia refused to wear a mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
The gesture `` shows a callous disregard for life , '' said Pritzker , who has ordered Illinoisans wear masks in public settings .

Bars and restaurants can serve outdoors as soon as May 29; golf, other restrictions to ease
As protesters chant "Open Illinois," Dan Haifley of Mattoon, center, prays in front of the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield as the Illinois House of Representatives prepared to conduct their spring session there Wednesday. Ted Schurter/The State Journal-Register via Associated Press
Restaurants and bars, dealt a huge economic hit by COVID-19, can offer outdoor dining as soon as May 29, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Wednesday as state lawmakers convened to address the budget crisis caused by the respiratory disease.
The news came at a briefing where officials announced cases of COVID-19 in Illinois surpassed 100,000, but epidemiologists believe "summer offers opportunities if proper precautions are taken," Pritzker said.
"It was important to me to open them, but only if we could keep employees and customers safe," he said.
Precautions involve placing tables 6 feet apart and away from the sidewalk, and face masks being used by servers and customers when not eating or drinking.
"It provides a glimmer of light at the end of a very dark tunnel," a relieved Illinois Restaurant Association CEO Sam Toia said. Sales are down by 70% to 80% with 321,000 restaurant workers laid off due to COVID-19, he said.
Restaurants and bars previously were restricted to pickup and delivery service until the state reached Phase 4 of a five-phase, four-region reopening plan.
The state is on track to reach Phase 3, with an easing of stay-at-home restrictions, on May 29. Illinois Department of Public Health Executive Director Ngozi Ezike reported 3,914 Illinoisans hospitalized with the virus -- "the lowest number since we've been capturing these numbers."
In the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday's news conference, 147 additional Illinoisans died from the virus compared to the two-week average of 112. There were 2,388 new cases, slightly higher than the 14-day average of 2,264. The total deaths are 4,525, with 100,418 cases statewide.
Pritzker also announced more easing of Phase 3 requirements. All state parks will open as soon as May 29 as well as concessions, with social distancing rules applying. Boating and camping with up to 10 people in a group will be permitted.
Also now in Phase 3, golf courses can allow foursomes out on the same tee times. Carts will also be permitted with one person per cart, or one immediate household per cart. And guidelines are being developed for driving ranges, outdoor shooting ranges and outdoor paintball courses to open, he said.
Wednesday marked the first time the General Assembly has met since early March, with some Republican lawmakers spoiling for a fight over Pritzker's reopening plan and a controversial executive rule enacted last week. It enables police to charge businesses that flout the stay-at-home order with a Class A misdemeanor, which could mean a fine of up to $2,500 and jail time.
But earlier Wednesday, Pritzker withdrew the rule and punted it to the General Assembly, which will take up legislation this week that allows police to issue citations with a financial penalty and no jail for scofflaws.
"We look to do it with a soft touch," said Democratic Sen. Bill Cunningham of Chicago, who will spearhead the policy.
Republican Sen. Dan McConchie of Hawthorn Woods said: "This is an important win in the fight for people's rights during this pandemic. This is clear proof that when we call out governmental overreach, we can win."
Illinois State Police Brendon Kelly Director said state and local police are coping with "probably the most difficult public policy problem that law enforcement has faced, certainly in our lifetimes -- balancing the need for public health and public safety as well as need for personal rights and personal concerns and the ability for people to live their lives."
He noted that "it has been the governor's intent and direction that from Day 1 no one be arrested, no one be taken to jail."
Some drama occurred as the Illinois House met in the Bank of Springfield Center when Rep. Darren Bailey of downstate Xenia refused to wear a mask as required and was removed after a vote.
The gesture "shows a callous disregard for life," said Pritzker, who has ordered Illinoisans wear masks in public settings.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--Pedestrian killed, driver flees after SUV slams into Wheeling home

One person is dead and another is on the run after an SUV struck a pedestrian , then slammed into @ @ @ @ @ Wheeling .
Police called to the house on the 700 block of Equestrian Lane at @ @ @ @ @ the SUV partially lodged in the front entryway of the home .
No one was @ @ @ @ @ arrived , authorities said , but witnesses reported seeing the driver run from the scene @ @ @ @ @ a man dead on the scene , apparently from injuries suffered when hit by the @ @ @ @ @ The man 's identity was not immediately disclosed by police .
One resident was home @ @ @ @ @ crash but was not injured , according to police .
A search for the driver @ @ @ @ @ as police deployed a drone overhead to find the person 's location .
The region @ @ @ @ @ were assisting Wheeling police in the investigation .

Pedestrian killed, driver flees after SUV slams into Wheeling home
An aerial image shows the SUV that crashed into a Wheeling home Wednesday morning. A man was found dead at the scene and a manhunt was underway for the vehicle's driver. Courtesy of ABC 7 Chicago
One person is dead and another is on the run after an SUV struck a pedestrian, then slammed into a home Wednesday morning in Wheeling.
Police called to the house on the 700 block of Equestrian Lane at 7:37 a.m. arrived to find the SUV partially lodged in the front entryway of the home.
No one was inside the vehicle when officers arrived, authorities said, but witnesses reported seeing the driver run from the scene.
First responders also discovered a man dead on the scene, apparently from injuries suffered when hit by the vehicle, police said. The man's identity was not immediately disclosed by police.
One resident was home at the time of the crash but was not injured, according to police.
A search for the driver continued into the afternoon, as police deployed a drone overhead to find the person's location.
The region's Major Case Assistance Team were assisting Wheeling police in the investigation.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-20--'A great tribute' to the Schaumburg High School Class of 2020

Members of Schaumburg High School 's Class of 2020 did n't get the graduation they expected when senior year began back in August , but they still got a send-off Wednesday that they 'll never forget .
Nearly all of Schaumburg High 's 528 graduates made the trip to Boomers Stadium for a celebration hastily organized by school leaders and students trying to make the best of a challenging situation during the COVID-19 pandemic .
`` This is truly the best community event we could offer the kids .
We had three weeks to put together , so it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assistant principal and activities director .
Napier worked with 25 students behind the scenes to organize the event , held on the day graduates were scheduled to take part in a traditional commencement ceremony at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates .
`` They were really wanting to be able to celebrate somehow , and this is a great tribute to them , '' Napier said .
Cars carrying graduates and their families wound through the stadium parking lot aisles before entering the ballpark in right field .
Names of the graduates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plate .
Many of the students wore their caps and gowns .
`` Under the circumstances , this is something we wanted to offer our students , '' Napier said .

Members of Schaumburg High School's Class of 2020 didn't get the graduation they expected when senior year began back in August, but they still got a send-off Wednesday that they'll never forget.
Nearly all of Schaumburg High's 528 graduates made the trip to Boomers Stadium for a celebration hastily organized by school leaders and students trying to make the best of a challenging situation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This is truly the best community event we could offer the kids. We had three weeks to put together, so it was tight," said Michele Napier, assistant principal and activities director.
Napier worked with 25 students behind the scenes to organize the event, held on the day graduates were scheduled to take part in a traditional commencement ceremony at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. "They were really wanting to be able to celebrate somehow, and this is a great tribute to them," Napier said.
Cars carrying graduates and their families wound through the stadium parking lot aisles before entering the ballpark in right field. Names of the graduates were read from a stage near home plate. Many of the students wore their caps and gowns.
"Under the circumstances, this is something we wanted to offer our students," Napier said.