dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--State reports 61 more COVID-19 deaths, as Pritzker releases new reopening guidelines

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Sunday that 2,508 additional COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the state and 61 more people have died from the coronavirus .
Statewide , 110,304 people in 100 counties have now tested positive for the virus , and 4,856 have died .
The latest figures come as the state on Sunday reported 25,674 tests in the previous 24 hours .
The state 's seven-day rolling positivity rate is 12 % , according to the IDPH .
The large majority of the deaths reported Sunday occurred in the Chicago area , with 59 in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Also Sunday , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker released a new set of industry-specific guidelines for the reopening of businesses as Illinois moves into Phase 3 of the state 's reopening plan as soon as Friday .
Phase 3 is expected to bring about 700,000 state residents back to the workplace , according to the governor 's office .
The plan , available at www2.illinois.gov/dceo/pages/restoreILP3.aspx , includes guidance for retail shops , offices , manufacturing operations , barbershops and salons , summer programs , outdoor recreation activities and bars and restaurants for outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our pandemic response , and especially as we begin to safely reopen meaningful swaths of our economy , our number one priority must be the health and safety of our workers , our customers , and Illinoisans at large , '' Pritzker said in a news release about the guidelines .
`` The industry-specific baseline guidance for businesses the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity released today will help employers reopen their doors in Phase 3 in line with that priority . ''
According to the latest figures from the state Sunday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on target to enter Phase 3 on Friday , May 29 .
In Phase 3 , restaurants will be allowed to provide outdoor dining , churches can hold outdoor services , gatherings of up to 10 would be allowed , barbershops and hair stylists can open , and retail shops can open with capacity limits .
The governor 's office estimates that 20 % , or $ 150 billion in annual GDP , of the overall economy will return to operations in Phase 3 .
Among the standard set of practices for business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings , social distancing , and informational signage on site .
`` The move to Phase 3 marks a milestone achievement in our efforts to protect all Illinois communities and overcome the COVID-19 pandemic , '' said Dr. Ngozi Ezike , director of IDPH .
`` IDPH will continue working closely with local public health departments , businesses and communities across our state to refine our public health response based on the latest data , expand testing and contact tracing , and sustain our overall progress in overcoming COVID-19 . ''

State reports 61 more COVID-19 deaths, as Pritzker releases new reopening guidelines
Servers should wear masks while interacting with patrons, under a new set of guidelines state authorities issued Sunday for businesses that will be allowed expanded operations when Illinois moves into Phase 3 of its opening plan possibly as soon as the upcoming weekend. AP Photo/Charles Krupa
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced Sunday that 2,508 additional COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the state and 61 more people have died from the coronavirus.
Statewide, 110,304 people in 100 counties have now tested positive for the virus, and 4,856 have died.
The latest figures come as the state on Sunday reported 25,674 tests in the previous 24 hours. The state's seven-day rolling positivity rate is 12%, according to the IDPH.
The large majority of the deaths reported Sunday occurred in the Chicago area, with 59 in Cook County and one in DuPage County.
Also Sunday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker released a new set of industry-specific guidelines for the reopening of businesses as Illinois moves into Phase 3 of the state's reopening plan as soon as Friday. Phase 3 is expected to bring about 700,000 state residents back to the workplace, according to the governor's office.
The plan, available at www2.illinois.gov/dceo/pages/restoreILP3.aspx, includes guidance for retail shops, offices, manufacturing operations, barbershops and salons, summer programs, outdoor recreation activities and bars and restaurants for outdoor dining.
"In every aspect of our pandemic response, and especially as we begin to safely reopen meaningful swaths of our economy, our number one priority must be the health and safety of our workers, our customers, and Illinoisans at large," Pritzker said in a news release about the guidelines. "The industry-specific baseline guidance for businesses the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity released today will help employers reopen their doors in Phase 3 in line with that priority."
According to the latest figures from the state Sunday, all four of Illinois' regions remain on target to enter Phase 3 on Friday, May 29. In Phase 3, restaurants will be allowed to provide outdoor dining, churches can hold outdoor services, gatherings of up to 10 would be allowed, barbershops and hair stylists can open, and retail shops can open with capacity limits.
The governor's office estimates that 20%, or $150 billion in annual GDP, of the overall economy will return to operations in Phase 3.
Among the standard set of practices for business to follow are the required use of face coverings, social distancing, and informational signage on site.
"The move to Phase 3 marks a milestone achievement in our efforts to protect all Illinois communities and overcome the COVID-19 pandemic," said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of IDPH. "IDPH will continue working closely with local public health departments, businesses and communities across our state to refine our public health response based on the latest data, expand testing and contact tracing, and sustain our overall progress in overcoming COVID-19."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Suburban Muslims mark Eid with 'joy and happiness,' from a distance

Processions of vehicles made their way to various suburban mosques Sunday as Muslims observed Eid , marking the completion of a monthlong fasting period .
Instead of gathering for traditional congregational prayers , they participated in drive-through celebrations in the parking lots of mosques in Bolingbrook , Bridgeview , Naperville , Lombard , Orland Park , Wheaton and Willowbrook .
Across the suburbs mosques remain closed due to the state 's ban on mass gatherings to stem the spread of COVID-19 .
Many Muslims performed their morning Eid prayers at home and then joined the motorcades to pick up balloons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ goody bags without getting out of their cars .
Eid al-Fitr -- or `` Feast of the Fast-Breaking '' -- is the celebration at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan .
During the month , Muslims abstain from food , drink and other sensual pleasures from break of dawn to sunset .
The fast is performed to attain piety , learn self-discipline , self-restraint and compassion toward the less fortunate .
Charity also is emphasized .
`` The idea here is to give a sense of joy and happiness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religious director of The Mecca Center in Willowbrook .
`` Especially for our kids , this is the time when we show them that ( Eid ) is a thing that we need to celebrate , even in these times . ''
Typically , more than 3,000 people attend Eid prayers at the mosque .
Aly expected more than 500 cars with families to come through Sunday .
A similar scene unfolded at the Islamic Center of Naperville .
The program there was conceived and organized by the mosque 's youth leaders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collection of donations for refugee children .
`` It 's super exciting for the community to have a way to get together , of course with social distancing in mind , '' said Mesha Fakhruddin , 21 , one of two ICN youth directors .
`` I do n't think even ( the youth ) were expecting such an overwhelming community response for their first leadership project . ''
Fakhruddin expected to receive roughly 200 families who would each receive a box of sweets , and goody bags with cotton candy and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up being a communitywide effort , '' she said .

Suburban Muslims mark Eid with 'joy and happiness,' from a distance
Processions of vehicles made their way to various suburban mosques Sunday as Muslims observed Eid, marking the completion of a monthlong fasting period.
Instead of gathering for traditional congregational prayers, they participated in drive-through celebrations in the parking lots of mosques in Bolingbrook, Bridgeview, Naperville, Lombard, Orland Park, Wheaton and Willowbrook.
Across the suburbs mosques remain closed due to the state's ban on mass gatherings to stem the spread of COVID-19.
Many Muslims performed their morning Eid prayers at home and then joined the motorcades to pick up balloons, gifts, toys, sweets and goody bags without getting out of their cars.
Eid al-Fitr -- or "Feast of the Fast-Breaking" -- is the celebration at the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. During the month, Muslims abstain from food, drink and other sensual pleasures from break of dawn to sunset. The fast is performed to attain piety, learn self-discipline, self-restraint and compassion toward the less fortunate. Charity also is emphasized.
"The idea here is to give a sense of joy and happiness," said Hassan Aly, imam and religious director of The Mecca Center in Willowbrook. "Especially for our kids, this is the time when we show them that (Eid) is a thing that we need to celebrate, even in these times."
Typically, more than 3,000 people attend Eid prayers at the mosque. Aly expected more than 500 cars with families to come through Sunday.
A similar scene unfolded at the Islamic Center of Naperville. The program there was conceived and organized by the mosque's youth leaders. It included food, Islamic music and a collection of donations for refugee children.
"It's super exciting for the community to have a way to get together, of course with social distancing in mind," said Mesha Fakhruddin, 21, one of two ICN youth directors. "I don't think even (the youth) were expecting such an overwhelming community response for their first leadership project."
Fakhruddin expected to receive roughly 200 families who would each receive a box of sweets, and goody bags with cotton candy and balloons for children.
"It ended up being a communitywide effort," she said.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Illinois Senate approves $42.8 billion budget that relies heavily on borrowing

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Senate early Sunday morning passed a budget package authorizing $ 42.8 billion in general revenue spending next year , although much of that remains tentative depending on the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and potential congressional action that could send more financial aid to states .
The budget deal was worked out largely out of public view over the past two and a half months as lawmakers worked remotely in various informal `` working groups . ''
It continued to undergo changes in recent days in advance of the House debate .
One key to making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borrow up to $ 5 billion from the Federal Reserve 's Municipal Liquidity Facility program .
That program allows the central bank to purchase certain short-term debt from states to help them make up for the loss of revenue they 've seen since the pandemic forced them to close large parts of their economy .
It also authorizes another $ 1.5 billion in borrowing between the general revenue fund and various other state funds in order to maintain cash flow throughout the year .
House Majority Leader Gregory Harris , a Democrat from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Fed , Illinois will be able to keep state spending for the fiscal year that begins July 1 largely at the same level as this year 's spending .
`` If we 're going to balance the budget , I would rather not do it on the backs of people who would lose their jobs if we were to cut money to our schools , cut money to our first responders , '' he said .
`` I do n't want thousands more people out of work . ''
Lawmakers expect to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds they expect Congress to approve in the next stimulus package for states .
But Congress has not yet authorized such a package and there is sharp disagreement between congressional Republicans and Democrats over what that plan should look like .
Both chambers of the Illinois Legislature passed a separate bill authorizing that borrowing Friday night .
`` What we 've heard today is a budget that is balanced only on a wing and a prayer , '' said Republican Rep. Tom Demmer , of Dixon , the House GOP 's chief budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began after midnight , Sen. Dale Righter , a Republican from Mattoon , said the legislature is `` gambling '' with its budget plan .
The spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year is spelled out in Senate Bill 264 .
According to an analysis of the package that was circulating among lawmakers Saturday , it essentially calls for flat funding for most state programs , including K-12 schools , which will see no increase in their evidence-based funding over their current levels , although they will not see any decrease either .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ flat at current-year levels , as is funding for the Monetary Aid Program , or MAP grants , and AIM HIGH grants .
A few state agencies are slated for increases in the new budget , including the Illinois Department of Public Health , the agency coordinating much of the state 's response to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Its total budget , including federal funds , is slated to grow 144 % to more than $ 1.6 billion .
Included in that figure is $ 416 million in federal funds for testing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Department on Aging , which would see an additional $ 58 million in order to raise wages for adult care providers , transportation and homemaker service providers to $ 14 per hour .
The Department of Children and Family Services is also slated for a 20 % increase in general revenue funding , or about $ 170 million , to provide rate increases for foster care providers , to hire 123 investigative staff and to address caseload growth .
During debate in both chambers , Republicans urged delaying any action on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate of how much revenue it will receive in the coming year , as well as how much federal aid will be available , but Democrats did not entertain that suggestion The 68-44 vote in the House to pass the budget bill appeared to fall largely along party lines , with Republicans arguing it relied too heavily on borrowing and not enough on fiscal restraint .
The budget package actually consists of two bills -- an appropriations bill , Senate Bill 264 , which authorizes spending by various state agencies ; and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` BIMP , '' in legislative lingo , House Bill 64 , that enables various agencies to carry out the budget .
The implementation bill sets up a number of new funds within state government that can receive and distribute money from the federal Coronavirus Aid , Relief and Economic Security Act , or CARES Act , a $ 2.2 trillion federal relief program that Congress approved earlier this year .
The state expects to receive about $ 3.3 billion through that program .
Harris said that money is being earmarked for direct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry to help hospitals , nursing homes , mental health centers and other care providers absorb the cost they 've incurred dealing with the pandemic .
He said another $ 1.8 billion is earmarked for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency , and it gives Gov .
J.B. Pritzker authority to decide how it is spent .
That part especially infuriated Republicans , who have complained about Pritzker governing by executive authority , and about the General Assembly not exercising its oversight role .
But Sen. Andy Manar , a Democrat from Bunker Hill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said in an interview Friday that the federal money comes with significant strings attached and that it can be spent only for specific purposes , and therefore Pritzker will be restrained by federal rules .
But the implementation bill also gives the governor additional discretionary authority over the spending of state funds throughout the budget .
Normally governors are allowed to shift up to 2 % of an appropriation from one purpose to another , but this year 's bill expands that to 8 % , something that angered many Republicans .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee to monitor all executive spending in the budget as well as how CARES Act money distributed to local governments is spent .
The implementation bill passed the Senate , 33-19 .
It later passed the House , 62-47 .

Illinois Senate approves $42.8 billion budget that relies heavily on borrowing
Illinois State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, and Illinois State Rep. Robert Rita, D-Blue Island, talk with Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, right, during an extended session at the Bank of Springfield Center on Saturday. The House and Senate passed a state budget plan late Saturday and early Sunday, respectively. Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP, Pool
SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois Senate early Sunday morning passed a budget package authorizing $42.8 billion in general revenue spending next year, although much of that remains tentative depending on the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and potential congressional action that could send more financial aid to states.
The House approved the budget bill late Saturday night.
The budget deal was worked out largely out of public view over the past two and a half months as lawmakers worked remotely in various informal "working groups." It continued to undergo changes in recent days in advance of the House debate.
One key to making the budget work is a plan to borrow up to $5 billion from the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility program. That program allows the central bank to purchase certain short-term debt from states to help them make up for the loss of revenue they've seen since the pandemic forced them to close large parts of their economy.
It also authorizes another $1.5 billion in borrowing between the general revenue fund and various other state funds in order to maintain cash flow throughout the year.
House Majority Leader Gregory Harris, a Democrat from Chicago, said that by borrowing from the Fed, Illinois will be able to keep state spending for the fiscal year that begins July 1 largely at the same level as this year's spending.
"If we're going to balance the budget, I would rather not do it on the backs of people who would lose their jobs if we were to cut money to our schools, cut money to our first responders," he said. "I don't want thousands more people out of work."
Lawmakers expect to pay back the Federal Reserve loan with funds they expect Congress to approve in the next stimulus package for states. But Congress has not yet authorized such a package and there is sharp disagreement between congressional Republicans and Democrats over what that plan should look like.
Both chambers of the Illinois Legislature passed a separate bill authorizing that borrowing Friday night.
"What we've heard today is a budget that is balanced only on a wing and a prayer," said Republican Rep. Tom Demmer, of Dixon, the House GOP's chief budget negotiator.
During the Senate debate that began after midnight, Sen. Dale Righter, a Republican from Mattoon, said the legislature is "gambling" with its budget plan.
The spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year is spelled out in Senate Bill 264. According to an analysis of the package that was circulating among lawmakers Saturday, it essentially calls for flat funding for most state programs, including K-12 schools, which will see no increase in their evidence-based funding over their current levels, although they will not see any decrease either.
Funding for state universities is also held flat at current-year levels, as is funding for the Monetary Aid Program, or MAP grants, and AIM HIGH grants.
A few state agencies are slated for increases in the new budget, including the Illinois Department of Public Health, the agency coordinating much of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its total budget, including federal funds, is slated to grow 144% to more than $1.6 billion.
Included in that figure is $416 million in federal funds for testing and services provided by local health departments.
The Department on Aging, which would see an additional $58 million in order to raise wages for adult care providers, transportation and homemaker service providers to $14 per hour.
The Department of Children and Family Services is also slated for a 20% increase in general revenue funding, or about $170 million, to provide rate increases for foster care providers, to hire 123 investigative staff and to address caseload growth.
During debate in both chambers, Republicans urged delaying any action on a budget until the state has a better estimate of how much revenue it will receive in the coming year, as well as how much federal aid will be available, but Democrats did not entertain that suggestion
The 68-44 vote in the House to pass the budget bill appeared to fall largely along party lines, with Republicans arguing it relied too heavily on borrowing and not enough on fiscal restraint.
It passed the Senate, 37-19.
CARES Act funding
The budget package actually consists of two bills -- an appropriations bill, Senate Bill 264, which authorizes spending by various state agencies; and a "budget implementation" bill, or "BIMP," in legislative lingo, House Bill 64, that enables various agencies to carry out the budget.
The implementation bill sets up a number of new funds within state government that can receive and distribute money from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, or CARES Act, a $2.2 trillion federal relief program that Congress approved earlier this year.
The state expects to receive about $3.3 billion through that program. Harris said that money is being earmarked for direct aid to the state's health care industry to help hospitals, nursing homes, mental health centers and other care providers absorb the cost they've incurred dealing with the pandemic.
He said another $1.8 billion is earmarked for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and it gives Gov. J.B. Pritzker authority to decide how it is spent.
That part especially infuriated Republicans, who have complained about Pritzker governing by executive authority, and about the General Assembly not exercising its oversight role.
But Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill and the Senate Democrats' lead negotiator, said in an interview Friday that the federal money comes with significant strings attached and that it can be spent only for specific purposes, and therefore Pritzker will be restrained by federal rules.
But the implementation bill also gives the governor additional discretionary authority over the spending of state funds throughout the budget. Normally governors are allowed to shift up to 2% of an appropriation from one purpose to another, but this year's bill expands that to 8%, something that angered many Republicans.
It also sets up a legislative oversight committee to monitor all executive spending in the budget as well as how CARES Act money distributed to local governments is spent.
The implementation bill passed the Senate, 33-19. It later passed the House, 62-47.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--'I was seeing things scurrying across the floor': Suburban COVID-19 survivors' stories

Drew Murrie could n't recognize his family in the pictures nurses put up in his hospital room .
The Vernon Hills father had no idea those people were his wife and their three sons .
But that was n't the most unsettling episode of his coronavirus ordeal .
`` I was seeing things scurrying across the floor that were n't there , and butterflies and beds appearing and disappearing , '' Murrie , 59 , said .
`` A hand came over my face one night . ''
Murrie had frightening , vivid hallucinations in the intensive care unit , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The sickest patients who have fought the virus on ventilators experience the disorienting state , loosening their grip on reality .
`` They end up with some absolutely wild stories of things they sincerely believe happened to them in the hospital that are not true , '' said Eric Larson , a neuropsychologist at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton .
`` And you then have to help them sort out what really happened and what did not . ''
Murrie and other COVID-19 patients who have developed cognitive issues warn that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After they left the ICU , they still faced a long path to physical and emotional recovery .
It is too early in the course of medical research to know if the virus itself is contributing to delirium in hospitalized patients .
But some risk factors include the use of sedative medications , mechanical ventilation and sleep deprivation .
`` They just have a memory of something really awful happening and something that was really painful and upsetting , '' Larson said .
`` And then what they end up doing is filling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they felt so scared and upset at the time , and once they start filling in the blanks , all sorts of really frightening and usually inaccurate details can start to creep in . ''
Sami Uctum , a Glen Ellyn COVID-19 survivor on a ventilator for 11 days , can recall upsetting hallucinations .
`` Every time I heard the slamming of a door or cabinet , one of my health care providers was shot and killed right in front of me , '' Uctum , 55 , said .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days . ''
Doctors recommend families and patients keep an ICU diary as a written record to fill in the gaps in their memories .
A 2010 study published in the Critical Care medical journal found a lower occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder in patients given ICU diaries after a severe illness .
A 2017 study of people who survived acute respiratory distress syndrome , or ARDS -- the lung condition that develops in the most critically ill coronavirus patients -- showed 23 % had PTSD symptoms and 32 % had depression .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD incidence rates between 11 % and 20 % .
PTSD , by definition , is n't diagnosed until 30 days or longer after the traumatic event .
Larson 's patients are still in the early stages of adjusting to their illness , so it 's too soon to say if they 'll have a PTSD response .
`` A lot of these folks that have been on a vent have some at least transient cognitive issues that need to be addressed , '' he said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those transient issues , there 's emotional fallout from having been in that place where they could n't understand things , and they were confused . ''
With families unable to visit their loved ones , Larson must establish himself as a trustworthy presence to put delusional memories into context , explain the rationale of treatment and remind patients recovery takes time .
`` The kinds of things that help people deal with the stressors of acute illness are compromised right now , so I am afraid there 's going to be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the road , '' he said .
`` Hopefully with the mental health supports in place , we 'll be able to make a difference in that . ''
Mental health experts also are worried about the coronavirus aftermath because of cases of inflammation in the brain and the disruptions to the patterns of normal life , said Dr. Susan Scherer , president of the Illinois Psychiatric Society .
To help them in their recovery , patients treated for COVID-19 at the two hospitals in the Edward-Elmhurst Health system can receive three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Linden Oaks Medical Group , said Jessica Butts , a clinical therapist .
Murrie 's hallucinations lasted a day or two after doctors removed the ventilator that kept him alive for nine of the 15 days he spent at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital .
But he still struggled to think clearly .
Instead of returning home , Murrie went to Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital for occupational , speech and physical therapy .
When he arrived in mid-April , Murrie looked at a clock and could n't tell time .
He could n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't solve a math problem when a therapist asked him to subtract 33 cents from $ 1 .
It all came as a shock for someone who programs computers and sells fiber optic networking equipment for a living .
But Murrie 's therapists reassured him : `` 'This is normal .
You 've been through great trauma , so do n't let it get to you . '
'' Murrie restored his memory at Marianjoy .
He regained his endurance and balance after losing about 40 pounds in weight and muscle atrophy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a sensation he 's never had in his life , but Murrie has returned to work and feels stronger every day .
`` I really feel the rehabilitation should n't be an option .
It should just be part of the journey with COVID , '' he said .
`` I would n't be where I am today if I did n't have those tools that the therapists gave me in rehabilitation . ''

'I was seeing things scurrying across the floor': Suburban COVID-19 survivors' stories
Drew Murrie couldn't recognize his family in the pictures nurses put up in his hospital room.
The Vernon Hills father had no idea those people were his wife and their three sons. But that wasn't the most unsettling episode of his coronavirus ordeal.
"I was seeing things scurrying across the floor that weren't there, and butterflies and beds appearing and disappearing," Murrie, 59, said. "A hand came over my face one night."
Murrie had frightening, vivid hallucinations in the intensive care unit, a condition known as "ICU delirium." The sickest patients who have fought the virus on ventilators experience the disorienting state, loosening their grip on reality.
"They end up with some absolutely wild stories of things they sincerely believe happened to them in the hospital that are not true," said Eric Larson, a neuropsychologist at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton. "And you then have to help them sort out what really happened and what did not."
Murrie and other COVID-19 patients who have developed cognitive issues warn that surviving is only half the battle. After they left the ICU, they still faced a long path to physical and emotional recovery.
Virus fallout
It is too early in the course of medical research to know if the virus itself is contributing to delirium in hospitalized patients. But some risk factors include the use of sedative medications, mechanical ventilation and sleep deprivation.
"They just have a memory of something really awful happening and something that was really painful and upsetting," Larson said. "And then what they end up doing is filling in the blanks of why it is they felt so scared and upset at the time, and once they start filling in the blanks, all sorts of really frightening and usually inaccurate details can start to creep in."
Sami Uctum, a Glen Ellyn COVID-19 survivor on a ventilator for 11 days, can recall upsetting hallucinations.
"Every time I heard the slamming of a door or cabinet, one of my health care providers was shot and killed right in front of me," Uctum, 55, said. "I want to say I saw that for days."
Doctors recommend families and patients keep an ICU diary as a written record to fill in the gaps in their memories. A 2010 study published in the Critical Care medical journal found a lower occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder in patients given ICU diaries after a severe illness.
A 2017 study of people who survived acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS -- the lung condition that develops in the most critically ill coronavirus patients -- showed 23% had PTSD symptoms and 32% had depression. For comparison, veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have PTSD incidence rates between 11% and 20%.
PTSD, by definition, isn't diagnosed until 30 days or longer after the traumatic event. Larson's patients are still in the early stages of adjusting to their illness, so it's too soon to say if they'll have a PTSD response.
"A lot of these folks that have been on a vent have some at least transient cognitive issues that need to be addressed," he said. "And even after they've recovered from those transient issues, there's emotional fallout from having been in that place where they couldn't understand things, and they were confused."
With families unable to visit their loved ones, Larson must establish himself as a trustworthy presence to put delusional memories into context, explain the rationale of treatment and remind patients recovery takes time.
"The kinds of things that help people deal with the stressors of acute illness are compromised right now, so I am afraid there's going to be an increased prevalence of depression in this population down the road," he said. "Hopefully with the mental health supports in place, we'll be able to make a difference in that."
Mental health experts also are worried about the coronavirus aftermath because of cases of inflammation in the brain and the disruptions to the patterns of normal life, said Dr. Susan Scherer, president of the Illinois Psychiatric Society.
To help them in their recovery, patients treated for COVID-19 at the two hospitals in the Edward-Elmhurst Health system can receive three free telehealth sessions with mental health professionals from Linden Oaks Medical Group, said Jessica Butts, a clinical therapist.
'This is normal'
Murrie's hallucinations lasted a day or two after doctors removed the ventilator that kept him alive for nine of the 15 days he spent at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital.
But he still struggled to think clearly. Instead of returning home, Murrie went to Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital for occupational, speech and physical therapy.
When he arrived in mid-April, Murrie looked at a clock and couldn't tell time. He couldn't remember his phone password. He couldn't solve a math problem when a therapist asked him to subtract 33 cents from $1.
It all came as a shock for someone who programs computers and sells fiber optic networking equipment for a living. But Murrie's therapists reassured him: "'This is normal. You've been through great trauma, so don't let it get to you.'"
Murrie restored his memory at Marianjoy. He regained his endurance and balance after losing about 40 pounds in weight and muscle atrophy.
He's recently suffered bouts of vertigo, a sensation he's never had in his life, but Murrie has returned to work and feels stronger every day.
"I really feel the rehabilitation shouldn't be an option. It should just be part of the journey with COVID," he said. "I wouldn't be where I am today if I didn't have those tools that the therapists gave me in rehabilitation."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--May 24 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code

Since the outbreak began , there have been 56,474 cases in the suburbs , 51.2 % of the state 's total , according to the Illinois Department of Public Health .
There have been 2,430 deaths in the suburbs , about 50 % of all deaths in Illinois .
Here are cases per county and some towns .
Not every town with cases is included .
• As of Sunday , suburban Cook had 29,638 cases and 1,364 deaths , according to the state ( visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19 ) .
In Chicago : 42,372 cases and 1,940 fatalities .
Top suburb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Public Health and medical examiner 's office : 1,350 cases and 70 deaths in Des Plaines , 612 cases and 22 deaths in Wheeling , 514 cases and 6 deaths in Mount Prospect , 496 cases and 12 deaths in Streamwood , 457 cases and 7 deaths in Palatine , 440 cases and 31 deaths in Glenview , 399 cases and 9 deaths in Schaumburg , 355 cases and 6 deaths in Hoffman Estates , 360 cases and 20 deaths in Arlington Heights , 265 cases and 36 deaths in Park Ridge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meadows , 253 cases and 10 deaths in Elk Grove Village , 203 cases and 3 deaths in Prospect Heights , and 80 cases and 12 deaths in Buffalo Grove ( Cook County portion ) • The county reported a total of 7,063 cases and 338 deaths Sunday .
Top counts : 667 cases and 5 deaths in Addison , 652 cases and 7 deaths in West Chicago , 515 cases and 4 deaths in Glendale Heights , 435 cases and 8 deaths in Bensenville , 426 cases and 29 deaths in Naperville @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 24 deaths in Carol Stream , 298 cases and 11 deaths in Lombard , 273 cases and 7 deaths in Aurora ( DuPage County portion ) , 217 cases and 27 deaths in Elmhurst , 197 cases and 15 deaths in Downers Grove , 186 cases and 2 deaths in Villa Park , 181 cases and 17 deaths in Wheaton , 127 cases and 17 deaths in Willowbrook , and 126 cases and 2 deaths in Glen Ellyn , • The county listed 7,662 cases and 234 deaths as of Sunday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Top counts : 2,210 to 2,214 in Waukegan ; 420 to 424 in Round Lake Beach ; 310 to 314 in Mundelein ; 205 to 209 in Gurnee ; 170 to 174 in Round Lake ; 140 to 144 in Vernon Hills ; 115 to 199 in Buffalo Grove ( Lake County portion ) ; 105 to 109 in Wauconda ; 75 to 79 in Lake Zurich ; 70 to 74 in Libertyville ; 70 to 74 in Grayslake ; and 30 to 34 in Lake Villa .
• The county confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website Saturday at kanehealth.com .
Top counts : 2,522 cases in Aurora ( Kane County portion ) , 1,291 in Elgin ( Kane portion ) , 531 in Carpentersville , 219 in South Elgin , 208 in St. Charles , 121 in North Aurora , 116 in Geneva , 89 in Batavia , and 34 in Algonquin ( Kane County portion ) .
• There have been 1,375 cases and 69 deaths in McHenry County , according to the health department 's website Sunday .
• There have been 5,012 cases and 257 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the health department 's website Saturday .
• Cases per town include 282 in Naperville ( Will County portion ) and 54 in Aurora ( Will portion ) .

May 24 COVID-19 cases per county; search by ZIP code
Interactive map
Suburbs' portion
Since the outbreak began, there have been 56,474 cases in the suburbs, 51.2% of the state's total, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. There have been 2,430 deaths in the suburbs, about 50% of all deaths in Illinois.
Here are cases per county and some towns. Not every town with cases is included.
Cook County
• As of Sunday, suburban Cook had 29,638 cases and 1,364 deaths, according to the state (visit bit.ly/dhIDPHcovid19). In Chicago: 42,372 cases and 1,940 fatalities.
Top suburb counts from the Cook County Department of Public Health and medical examiner's office: 1,350 cases and 70 deaths in Des Plaines, 612 cases and 22 deaths in Wheeling, 514 cases and 6 deaths in Mount Prospect, 496 cases and 12 deaths in Streamwood, 457 cases and 7 deaths in Palatine, 440 cases and 31 deaths in Glenview, 399 cases and 9 deaths in Schaumburg, 355 cases and 6 deaths in Hoffman Estates, 360 cases and 20 deaths in Arlington Heights, 265 cases and 36 deaths in Park Ridge, 256 cases and 8 deaths in Rolling Meadows, 253 cases and 10 deaths in Elk Grove Village, 203 cases and 3 deaths in Prospect Heights, and 80 cases and 12 deaths in Buffalo Grove (Cook County portion)
DuPage County
• The county reported a total of 7,063 cases and 338 deaths Sunday. Top counts: 667 cases and 5 deaths in Addison, 652 cases and 7 deaths in West Chicago, 515 cases and 4 deaths in Glendale Heights, 435 cases and 8 deaths in Bensenville, 426 cases and 29 deaths in Naperville (DuPage portion), 420 cases and 24 deaths in Carol Stream, 298 cases and 11 deaths in Lombard, 273 cases and 7 deaths in Aurora (DuPage County portion), 217 cases and 27 deaths in Elmhurst, 197 cases and 15 deaths in Downers Grove, 186 cases and 2 deaths in Villa Park, 181 cases and 17 deaths in Wheaton, 127 cases and 17 deaths in Willowbrook, and 126 cases and 2 deaths in Glen Ellyn,
Lake County
• The county listed 7,662 cases and 234 deaths as of Sunday. Find town-by-town data at https://bit.ly/dhlakecovid19data. Top counts: 2,210 to 2,214 in Waukegan; 420 to 424 in Round Lake Beach; 310 to 314 in Mundelein; 205 to 209 in Gurnee; 170 to 174 in Round Lake; 140 to 144 in Vernon Hills; 115 to 199 in Buffalo Grove (Lake County portion); 105 to 109 in Wauconda; 75 to 79 in Lake Zurich; 70 to 74 in Libertyville; 70 to 74 in Grayslake; and 30 to 34 in Lake Villa.
Kane County
• The county confirmed 5,575 cases with 152 deaths on its website Saturday at kanehealth.com. Top counts: 2,522 cases in Aurora (Kane County portion), 1,291 in Elgin (Kane portion), 531 in Carpentersville, 219 in South Elgin, 208 in St. Charles, 121 in North Aurora, 116 in Geneva, 89 in Batavia, and 34 in Algonquin (Kane County portion).
McHenry County
• There have been 1,375 cases and 69 deaths in McHenry County, according to the health department's website Sunday.
Will County
• There have been 5,012 cases and 257 deaths in Will County, according to the health department's website Saturday.
• Cases per town include 282 in Naperville (Will County portion) and 54 in Aurora (Will portion).


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Good News Sunday: Parade a wedding day consolation gift for Arlington Heights couple

This is Good News Sunday , a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published by the Daily Herald during the previous week : On what was supposed to be her wedding day , Kelley Daehler slept in Saturday morning .
Then she and fiance Danny Jimenez got a surprise consolation gift -- a drive-by parade outside their Arlington Heights home by family and friends .
`` It was a lot of fun , '' Daehler said , noting aunts and uncles , friends and siblings .
`` We were really surprised .
It was really crazy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all different parts of our life there . ''
The parade was organized by Kelley 's mother , Anne Daehler , after the couple had to postpone the wedding twice , first to the Fourth of July weekend , then to next May .
`` It 's a bummer , but if a postponed wedding is the worst thing that happens to us and our families from this pandemic , we 're pretty lucky , '' Kelley Daehler said .
This was going to be a special year for the Daehler family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wedding in Arizona .
Daughter Betsy Daehler will miss her college commencement at Indiana University , and daughter Noelle will miss her graduation ceremony at Barrington High School .
`` This was supposed to be a big spring , '' Anne Daehler said .
`` I kind of thought the younger ones , it ( the parade ) might give them something fun to do . ''
For the full story , click here .
A one-song concert , organized by Libertyville High School Director of Bands Adam Gohr , was a success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's own lawn .
Gohr chose `` America The Beautiful '' to unite the community and honor front-line workers and encourage music students to play together , even distantly .
`` It was fun to play music with real people , '' Gohr joked after the three-minute concert .
`` Besides my family , I mean . ''
Through word-of-mouth and social media , musicians of all levels were asked to play at precisely 5 p.m. , outside on their porches , driveways and lawns .
Gohr arranged the sheet music for several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and record the performances .
At least a dozen people sang .
Gohr led the show on trumpet , with his wife , Kendra , and daughter Annabelle , 11 , on euphonium , and son Owen , 13 , playing the cello .
Gohr hopes those who played will submit videos of their performance to bit.ly/LvilleDayofMusic .
Vocals will be collected separately and dubbed over a video montage .
For the full story , click here .
He does n't consider himself a hero .
He 's the only one who does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Howie '' Chittenden , who chugged two gallons of water just to reach the weight limit to join the Marines in 1939 , spent nearly four years in POW camps during World War II .
Upon his return home , he graduated in three years from the University of Notre Dame , started a 32-year career at Sears , and raised two sons and a daughter with his wife of 59 years , Patricia .
Chittenden was among 203 Marines stationed in North China who were forced to surrender to Japanese forces on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack on Pearl Harbor .
He is the only one still living .
`` I do n't consider myself a hero .
In my opinion , the heroes are all buried in foreign soil , or at sea .
The real heroes did n't come home , '' he said from his home in the Wyndemere senior living center in Wheaton .
`` I want to share any honor that 's given to me with my buddies .
I want to share anything accorded to me with the other 202 comrades that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For the full story , click here .
Vernon Hills senior set to release her first app Vernon Hills High School senior Justina Chua is looking forward to the release of an app she helped develop as part of her Advanced Topics in Computer Science class .
Chua describes the app , named reflect , as a website blocker for the productive .
Chua and her team developed the idea for reflect when realizing that existing website blockers did n't help them spend less time on social media and other distracting websites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different approach : being more mindful by supporting users in accessing websites when they need to , not blocking them off entirely , '' she said .
For the full story , click here .
• Good News Sunday will run each weekend .
Visit dailyherald.com/newsletters to sign up for our Good News Sunday newsletter .

Good News Sunday: Socially distant song brings musicians out
Socially distant song brings musicians out
A one-song concert, organized by Libertyville High School Director of Bands Adam Gohr, was a success around town, as well as Gohr's own lawn.
Gohr chose "America The Beautiful" to unite the community and honor front-line workers and encourage music students to play together, even distantly.
"It was fun to play music with real people," Gohr joked after the three-minute concert. "Besides my family, I mean."
Through word-of-mouth and social media, musicians of all levels were asked to play at precisely 5 p.m., outside on their porches, driveways and lawns. Gohr arranged the sheet music for several instruments and hoped people also would sing and record the performances.
At least a dozen people sang. Gohr led the show on trumpet, with his wife, Kendra, and daughter Annabelle, 11, on euphonium, and son Owen, 13, playing the cello.
Gohr hopes those who played will submit videos of their performance to bit.ly/LvilleDayofMusic. Vocals will be collected separately and dubbed over a video montage. For the full story, click here.
Former POW celebrates 100th birthday
He doesn't consider himself a hero. He's the only one who doesn't.
Wheaton resident William Howard "Howie" Chittenden, who chugged two gallons of water just to reach the weight limit to join the Marines in 1939, spent nearly four years in POW camps during World War II.
Upon his return home, he graduated in three years from the University of Notre Dame, started a 32-year career at Sears, and raised two sons and a daughter with his wife of 59 years, Patricia.
On Saturday, he turned 100.
Chittenden was among 203 Marines stationed in North China who were forced to surrender to Japanese forces on Dec. 8, 1941, after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
He is the only one still living.
"I don't consider myself a hero. In my opinion, the heroes are all buried in foreign soil, or at sea. The real heroes didn't come home," he said from his home in the Wyndemere senior living center in Wheaton.
"I want to share any honor that's given to me with my buddies. I want to share anything accorded to me with the other 202 comrades that are no longer living," he said.
For the full story, click here.
Vernon Hills senior set to release her first app
Vernon Hills High School senior Justina Chua is looking forward to the release of an app she helped develop as part of her Advanced Topics in Computer Science class.
Chua describes the app, named reflect, as a website blocker for the productive.
Chua and her team developed the idea for reflect when realizing that existing website blockers didn't help them spend less time on social media and other distracting websites.
"We wanted to take a different approach: being more mindful by supporting users in accessing websites when they need to, not blocking them off entirely," she said. For the full story, click here.
• Good News Sunday will run each weekend. Visit dailyherald.com/newsletters to sign up for our Good News Sunday newsletter.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Addison couple weds on front steps of their home

The low hum of a leaf blower faded into the background as wedding music filled an Addison neighborhood Saturday .
@ @ @ @ @ Sal Scianna and Monika Strak held their wedding ceremony on their front steps .
About @ @ @ @ @ safely in the street , sidewalk , lawn and parkway as the Rev .
Scott @ @ @ @ @ .
Confetti and cheers rained down on the couple after they exchanged vows .
The @ @ @ @ @ honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta , Mexico , but the resort they had booked is closed @ @ @ @ @ Scianna said that he was able to get a refund for the airfare and the @ @ @ @ @ at a later date .
The couple also plan to hold a wedding reception some @ @ @ @

Addison couple weds on front steps of their home
The low hum of a leaf blower faded into the background as wedding music filled an Addison neighborhood Saturday.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Sal Scianna and Monika Strak held their wedding ceremony on their front steps.
About 50 family and friends gathered safely in the street, sidewalk, lawn and parkway as the Rev. Scott Howington performed the short service.
Confetti and cheers rained down on the couple after they exchanged vows.
The couple had originally planned to honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, but the resort they had booked is closed due to the pandemic.
Scianna said that he was able to get a refund for the airfare and the couple will plan a honeymoon at a later date. The couple also plan to hold a wedding reception some time next year.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Jim Arnold, Glenbard West coaching legend dies at 86

Jim Arnold was more than a track coach , according to those that knew him .
Along with fast starts and strong finishes , he taught his athletes how to clear the hurdles of life .
The longtime Glenbard West High School coach and Glen Ellyn resident , whose legacy is honored each year at the school 's Jim Arnold Invitational , died Saturday at age 86 near St. Peters , Missouri , where he was visiting his three grandchildren .
His son , Marc Arnold , said his dad taught U.S. history at the Glen Ellyn school , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high school so that he could coach , '' said Marc , who also ran under his father 's tutelage .
`` He had the strongest passion to coach kids . ''
One of those kids was DuPage County Judge Ken Popejoy , who said Arnold in 1965 took a 4-foot-10-inch , 85-pound freshman and molded him into a state champion miler and cross-country runner .
In 1969 , he and Arnold traveled to Los Angeles for the national high school championships , where Popejoy finished second in the mile to the legendary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man was a second father to me , '' Popejoy said .
`` I spent four ( or ) five hours a day with Jim Arnold every day in my high school career .
That 's more quality time than I did spend with my mother or my father .
I would n't be the person I am today without the life lessons Jim Arnold taught me . ''
Those lessons stuck with him beyond the track .
`` He coached me in some of the hard realities of athletics , '' he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win .
You do n't always feel good .
You do n't always have a great day .
If you want to do better , you got to work better .
You got to work through adversity . ''
Bill Fritz , who ran for Arnold in the 1970s , said the coach cultivated humility .
After winning a state title his junior year over future Olympian Craig Virgin , Arnold told him `` They 're going to be chasing you next year , so we got some work to do , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Michigan , Arnold ran track at Battle Creek High School , where he was state cross-country and mile champion .
He also played saxophone in a band , which led to him meeting Shirley , his wife of 61 years .
They had two children , Marc and Eric .
Shirley died in 2014 at age 81 .
Arnold started college at Michigan State University , where as a freshman he finished 9th in the Big 10 championships and 22nd in the NCAA championships , before transferring to Western Michigan University .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Arnold hit his stride at Glenbard West in the early 1960s , where he remained until his retirement in 1993 .
His successor as cross-country coach , Hank Haake , remembered Arnold 's intense rivalry with York High School 's legendary coach Joe Newton , whose teams won 28 state titles .
`` Their competitions were just incredible , '' he said .
Arnold 's cross-country team was called `` Arnie 's Army , '' and his honors included cross country coach of the year in 1978 and track coach of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school 's girls track program and coached golf .

Jim Arnold, Glenbard West coaching legend dies at 86
Jim Arnold was more than a track coach, according to those that knew him. Along with fast starts and strong finishes, he taught his athletes how to clear the hurdles of life.
The longtime Glenbard West High School coach and Glen Ellyn resident, whose legacy is honored each year at the school's Jim Arnold Invitational, died Saturday at age 86 near St. Peters, Missouri, where he was visiting his three grandchildren.
His son, Marc Arnold, said his dad taught U.S. history at the Glen Ellyn school, but lived to coach.
"Dad taught high school so that he could coach," said Marc, who also ran under his father's tutelage. "He had the strongest passion to coach kids."
One of those kids was DuPage County Judge Ken Popejoy, who said Arnold in 1965 took a 4-foot-10-inch, 85-pound freshman and molded him into a state champion miler and cross-country runner. In 1969, he and Arnold traveled to Los Angeles for the national high school championships, where Popejoy finished second in the mile to the legendary distance runner Steve Prefontaine.
"This man was a second father to me," Popejoy said. "I spent four (or) five hours a day with Jim Arnold every day in my high school career. That's more quality time than I did spend with my mother or my father. I wouldn't be the person I am today without the life lessons Jim Arnold taught me."
Those lessons stuck with him beyond the track.
"He coached me in some of the hard realities of athletics," he said. "You don't always win. You don't always feel good. You don't always have a great day. If you want to do better, you got to work better. You got to work through adversity."
Bill Fritz, who ran for Arnold in the 1970s, said the coach cultivated humility. After winning a state title his junior year over future Olympian Craig Virgin, Arnold told him "They're going to be chasing you next year, so we got some work to do," Fritz recalled.
Born in Battle Creek, Michigan, Arnold ran track at Battle Creek High School, where he was state cross-country and mile champion.
He also played saxophone in a band, which led to him meeting Shirley, his wife of 61 years. They had two children, Marc and Eric. Shirley died in 2014 at age 81.
Arnold started college at Michigan State University, where as a freshman he finished 9th in the Big 10 championships and 22nd in the NCAA championships, before transferring to Western Michigan University.
After coaching at Morton West High School, Arnold hit his stride at Glenbard West in the early 1960s, where he remained until his retirement in 1993.
His successor as cross-country coach, Hank Haake, remembered Arnold's intense rivalry with York High School's legendary coach Joe Newton, whose teams won 28 state titles.
"Their competitions were just incredible," he said.
Arnold's cross-country team was called "Arnie's Army," and his honors included cross country coach of the year in 1978 and track coach of the year in 1985. He also launched the school's girls track program and coached golf.
A memorial gathering will be Wednesday, May 27, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Leonard Memorial Funeral Home & Cremations, 565 Duane St., Glen Ellyn. A maximum a 10 people will be allowed in at a time. Funeral home officials will rotate visitors through as space opens up. For information, visit https://www.leonardmemorialhome.com/obituary/James-Arnold


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Constable: Two young men died fighting in Vietnam, and their high school class has never forgotten

This story has been updated to reflect that Louis Conti was a star football player and later head coach at Cornell University .
The parade is canceled and the annual Memorial Day ceremony has moved online , but the Arlington High School Class of 1964 wo n't let the holiday pass without remembering the fun they had with classmates Bob Conti and Bill Dabbert , who died in 1969 fighting for our country in Vietnam .
`` I think of them both almost every day , '' says Jim Ewart , 74 , of Elk Grove Village .
Forced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many as 50 people and the presenting of a wreath in honor of their fallen classmates , Ewart and John Gleason , 73 , of Arlington Heights , are asking the Class of 1964 to post stories about Conti and Dabbert on the private `` Arlington High School Arlington Hts .
Il .
Alumni '' page on Facebook .
`` He had a lot of friends , '' Essie Dabbert , 93 , says of her son , Bill .
She still lives across the street from Memorial Park , usually the site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ house she and her late husband , Bernie , bought in 1958 and filled with children Bill , Bob , Jack , Nancy and Patricia and a pack of neighborhood friends .
`` When we moved in the landscaping was beautiful , '' she remembers .
`` We were there one week , and one tree was home plate and they had a baseball field in the yard .
In the winter , I had the puck in the freezer for when they played hockey . ''
That bustling family scene also played @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Dorothy Conti , where Bob , who was elected president of his high school class , wrestled in the basement with his older brother , Paul , and enjoyed family gatherings with siblings Bruce , Barbara , Suzanne , and Michael .
`` I 'm certain he would have been a good dad , '' Paul Conti , 75 , of Glen Ellyn , says of his brother , who was in the class behind him .
An all-conference wrestler in high school who went on to wrestle at Lafayette College in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ F. Conti , 23 , was the commanding officer on Nov. 24 , 1969 , when his Marine company came under heavy fire from the North Vietnamese Army hidden in nearby trees .
He maneuvered his men into effective fighting positions and ran back into the gunfire to rescue a wounded comrade .
During the ensuing battle , he was mortally wounded by fragments from a mine .
He was posthumously awarded a Silver Star for `` his heroic and determined efforts '' to save a life , and his `` courage , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ duty in the face of grave personal danger . ''
His body was flown to the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware , before a graveside service at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia .
`` The entire family was there , '' remembers Paul , who said his father 's relatives from Philadelphia and his mom 's family members from Utica , New York , also came .
`` Everybody was upset he was gone , but it was part of the duty .
It was one of the few times I saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ player and later head football coach at Cornell University , Louis Conti was a World War II pilot who later flew more than 100 sorties during the Korean War .
He rose to the rank of major general , commanded the first Marine Air Reserve Group at the Naval Air Station in Glenview , and is buried beside his son and wife at Arlington National Cemetery .
`` We were a Marine Corps family .
That 's just the way it was , '' Paul says .
`` How do I say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the way we were raised . ''
Certain to be drafted after his graduation from Western Illinois University , Bill Dabbert left school in his last semester to spend time with his family and friends .
`` Bill was everybody in the family 's favorite .
Even though my parents would never say that , we knew , '' Bob Dabbert says .
`` He was so close to our family .
If anybody had any problems , they 'd go to Bill to solve them , '' his mother remembers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody . ''
When friends suggested he flee to Canada or find another way to avoid fighting in Vietnam , he refused .
`` If I do n't go , somebody 's going to have to go in my place , '' Bob Dabbert remembers his brother saying .
His friends slept in the living room on the night before his family took him to O'Hare Airport for his return to duty and a trip to Vietnam .
`` He said , 'Do n't worry about me .
I 'll be back .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' his mom remembers .
At 23 years old , Bill Dabbert , who earned the nickname Duck for his impression of cartoon character Donald Duck , was an Army private with the 25th Infantry Division on June 28 , 1969 , when a booby trap with two 105 mm rounds exploded and killed him .
`` He was only over there for 23 days .
We were still getting letters from him after he was killed , '' Bob Dabbert says .
`` It changed all of us in different ways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today . ''
Bill Dabbert 's grave is in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Arlington Heights , where his dad , who died in 2008 , is also buried .
The wreath and annual dinner in honor of Dabbert and Conti is always emotional .
`` You always have a lump in your throat , '' Essie Dabbert says .
`` I get teary-eyed about it .
I just think it 's a tremendous honor to him and our family , '' Paul Conti says .
`` We never lose those we love , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arlington High School , which closed in 1984 .
`` They are always with us , even after death .
Those feelings we experienced when we were with them are always with us .
Death only changes the way we relate to them , the way we communicate . ''
The lives of Conti and Dabbert ended early , but not before they made lasting impacts .
`` These guys were nice , really nice , '' Gleason says , remembering how Conti helped end a hazing ritual for guys who earned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a day of volunteer work at the school .
`` For some reason , there were no stars in our class .
We were all kids , the first of the Baby Boomers .
We just liked each other . ''
The group , which also has donated $ 4,341 to seven veteran groups in recent years , hopes to share stories in person , with hugs and laughs and tears at next year 's Memorial Day observances .
`` This is a wonderful thing they do , '' Bob Dabbert says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were `` special , '' but notes that they have peers from a half-century ago who also should be remembered on Memorial Day .
`` A story like this has been described 58,000 times , '' Bob Dabbert says , referring to all the U.S. soldiers killed during the Vietnam War .
`` It changed so many lives . ''

Constable: Two young men died fighting in Vietnam, and their high school class has never forgotten
Noting that if he didn't go to Vietnam, someone else would be sent in his place, Bill Dabbert of Arlington Heights had barely begun his Army service in Vietnam when the 23-year-old was killed after stepping on a land mine. Courtesy of Dabbert family
A standout wrestler and president of the Arlington High School Class of 1964, Bob Conti was awarded a Silver Star posthumously for his actions during the Vietnam War. The Marine braved enemy fire and saved a wounded Marine, but was killed by an explosive. Courtesy of Conti Family
Every year the Arlington High School Class of 1964 presents a wreath at Memorial Park in honor of classmates Bill Dabbert and Bob Conti, who were killed in Vietnam. Last year, Vietnam veteran and classmate Bill Baumgart presented the wreath. Courtesy of Bob Johnson
With other friends still on the porch of the Dabbert home in Arlington Heights, Bill Dabbert, right, poses for this photo with buddy Barry Tossi. Five years after his graduation from Arlington High School, Dabbert was killed in Vietnam. Courtesy of Dabbert family
Bob Conti, left, was awarded a Silver Star posthumously for his actions during the Vietnam War. At right, Bill Dabbert of Arlington Heights had barely begun his Army service in Vietnam when he was killed after stepping on a land mine. Courtesy of Conti family, left, and Dabbert family
This story has been updated to reflect that Louis Conti was a star football player and later head coach at Cornell University.
Burt Constable
The parade is canceled and the annual Memorial Day ceremony has moved online, but the Arlington High School Class of 1964 won't let the holiday pass without remembering the fun they had with classmates Bob Conti and Bill Dabbert, who died in 1969 fighting for our country in Vietnam.
"I think of them both almost every day," says Jim Ewart, 74, of Elk Grove Village. Forced to cancel their annual dinner that draws as many as 50 people and the presenting of a wreath in honor of their fallen classmates, Ewart and John Gleason, 73, of Arlington Heights, are asking the Class of 1964 to post stories about Conti and Dabbert on the private "Arlington High School Arlington Hts. Il. Alumni" page on Facebook.
"He had a lot of friends," Essie Dabbert, 93, says of her son, Bill. She still lives across the street from Memorial Park, usually the site of Memorial Day ceremonies, in the house she and her late husband, Bernie, bought in 1958 and filled with children Bill, Bob, Jack, Nancy and Patricia and a pack of neighborhood friends.
Having raised her family in a house across the street from Memorial Park in Arlington Heights, Essie Dabbert never misses the Memorial Day remembrance that honors fallen soldiers, including her son, Bill Dabbert. Nadine Flint, the sister of Barry Tossi, a classmate and dear friend of Bill, comforts her during last year's ceremony. - Courtesy of Bob Johnson
"When we moved in the landscaping was beautiful," she remembers. "We were there one week, and one tree was home plate and they had a baseball field in the yard. In the winter, I had the puck in the freezer for when they played hockey."
That bustling family scene also played out nearby at the home of Louis and Dorothy Conti, where Bob, who was elected president of his high school class, wrestled in the basement with his older brother, Paul, and enjoyed family gatherings with siblings Bruce, Barbara, Suzanne, and Michael.
"I'm certain he would have been a good dad," Paul Conti, 75, of Glen Ellyn, says of his brother, who was in the class behind him.
An all-conference wrestler and president of his class at Arlington High School, Bob Conti joined the Marines. Every Memorial Day, the Class of 1964 honors classmates Conti and Bill Dabbert, who were killed in Vietnam. - Courtesy of Conti Family
An all-conference wrestler in high school who went on to wrestle at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, First Lt. Robert F. Conti, 23, was the commanding officer on Nov. 24, 1969, when his Marine company came under heavy fire from the North Vietnamese Army hidden in nearby trees. He maneuvered his men into effective fighting positions and ran back into the gunfire to rescue a wounded comrade. During the ensuing battle, he was mortally wounded by fragments from a mine. He was posthumously awarded a Silver Star for "his heroic and determined efforts" to save a life, and his "courage, superb leadership, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger."
His body was flown to the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, before a graveside service at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.
"The entire family was there," remembers Paul, who said his father's relatives from Philadelphia and his mom's family members from Utica, New York, also came. "Everybody was upset he was gone, but it was part of the duty. It was one of the few times I saw my dad cry."
A tightknit Marine family in Arlington Heights, father and Major Gen. Louis Conti and his wife, Dotty, raised children Suzanne and Michael, sitting, and Barbara, Paul, Bruce and Bob, standing from left. - Courtesy of Conti Family
A star player and later head football coach at Cornell University, Louis Conti was a World War II pilot who later flew more than 100 sorties during the Korean War. He rose to the rank of major general, commanded the first Marine Air Reserve Group at the Naval Air Station in Glenview, and is buried beside his son and wife at Arlington National Cemetery.
"We were a Marine Corps family. That's just the way it was," Paul says. "How do I say it? Duty to our country. That was the way we were raised."
Certain to be drafted after his graduation from Western Illinois University, Bill Dabbert left school in his last semester to spend time with his family and friends.
"Bill was everybody in the family's favorite. Even though my parents would never say that, we knew," Bob Dabbert says.
"He was so close to our family. If anybody had any problems, they'd go to Bill to solve them," his mother remembers. "He was just so thoughtful with everybody."
Sister Nancy must have taken this photograph of the Dabbert family in their Arlington Heights home, since she is not shown with siblings, from left, Bob, Bill, Patricia and Jack, and parents Essie and Bernie Dabbert. Bill Dabbert, in uniform, was killed in Vietnam on June 28, 1969. - Courtesy of Dabbert family
When friends suggested he flee to Canada or find another way to avoid fighting in Vietnam, he refused. "If I don't go, somebody's going to have to go in my place," Bob Dabbert remembers his brother saying.
His friends slept in the living room on the night before his family took him to O'Hare Airport for his return to duty and a trip to Vietnam. "He said, 'Don't worry about me. I'll be back.' But he did not come back," his mom remembers.
At 23 years old, Bill Dabbert, who earned the nickname Duck for his impression of cartoon character Donald Duck, was an Army private with the 25th Infantry Division on June 28, 1969, when a booby trap with two 105 mm rounds exploded and killed him.
"He was only over there for 23 days. We were still getting letters from him after he was killed," Bob Dabbert says. "It changed all of us in different ways. It was tough. Still is today."
Bill Dabbert's grave is in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Arlington Heights, where his dad, who died in 2008, is also buried.
This haunting photograph taken during a 2015 trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., shows the reflections of Essie Dabbert and her sons Bob, left, and Jack Dabbert. Her son Bill's name is on that wall because the Arlington Heights native was killed in action in 1969. - Courtesy of Dabbert family
The wreath and annual dinner in honor of Dabbert and Conti is always emotional.
"You always have a lump in your throat," Essie Dabbert says.
"I get teary-eyed about it. I just think it's a tremendous honor to him and our family," Paul Conti says.
"We never lose those we love," Ewart says of his classmates from Arlington High School, which closed in 1984. "They are always with us, even after death. Those feelings we experienced when we were with them are always with us. Death only changes the way we relate to them, the way we communicate."
The lives of Conti and Dabbert ended early, but not before they made lasting impacts.
"These guys were nice, really nice," Gleason says, remembering how Conti helped end a hazing ritual for guys who earned a varsity letter playing sports and turned it into a day of volunteer work at the school. "For some reason, there were no stars in our class. We were all kids, the first of the Baby Boomers. We just liked each other."
Members of the Arlington High School Class of 1964 gather every Memorial Day weekend to honor classmates Bob Conti and Bill Dabbert, who were killed in Vietnam in 1969. This year the group is meeting on Facebook. - Courtesy of Bob Johnson
The group, which also has donated $4,341 to seven veteran groups in recent years, hopes to share stories in person, with hugs and laughs and tears at next year's Memorial Day observances.
"This is a wonderful thing they do," Bob Dabbert says. He says his brother and Conti were "special," but notes that they have peers from a half-century ago who also should be remembered on Memorial Day.
"A story like this has been described 58,000 times," Bob Dabbert says, referring to all the U.S. soldiers killed during the Vietnam War. "It changed so many lives."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Vernon Hills police seeking suspects in attempted robbery of convenience store

Vernon Hills police are investigating an attempted armed robbery early Sunday morning at a convenience store .
Police said officers @ @ @ @ @ a.m. to Bucky 's Convenience Store , 294 E. Townline Road , for a report @ @ @ @ @ Responding officers spoke with the clerk on duty , who reported that two males wearing @ @ @ @ @ one displayed a pistol and demanded cash from the register .
The clerk refused and @ @ @ @ @ scene , police said .
No arrests have been made and the attempted stickup remains @ @ @ @ @ .
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Cmdr .
Todd Williams of the Vernon @ @ @ @ @ at ( 847 ) 247-4884 .

Vernon Hills police seeking suspects in attempted robbery of convenience store
Vernon Hills police are investigating an attempted armed robbery early Sunday morning at a convenience store.
Police said officers were called at about 3:11 a.m. to Bucky's Convenience Store, 294 E. Townline Road, for a report of an armed robbery.
Responding officers spoke with the clerk on duty, who reported that two males wearing hoods entered the store and one displayed a pistol and demanded cash from the register. The clerk refused and the suspects fled from the scene, police said.
No arrests have been made and the attempted stickup remains under investigation, police said.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Cmdr. Todd Williams of the Vernon Hills Police Department Investigations Unit at (847) 247-4884.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-22--A song to make you smile: 'Absolute Beginners' by The Jam

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 .
@ @ @ @ @ Absolute Beginners '' by The Jam , released in 1983 .

A song to make you smile: 'Absolute Beginners' by The Jam
English musician Paul Weller, shown here in 2015, was the singer and main songwriter for punk/new wave band The Jam. He later went on to form The Style Council and have a successful solo career. Associated Press file photo, April 2015
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 "Absolute Beginners" by The Jam, released in 1983.
Send your ideas to suggestions@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Grammar Moses: Why do Americans cancel the second 'l' in 'canceled'?

Many of you are probably a little on edge these days , what with festivals , concerts , sports , card games , competitive puzzle-making and blowing kisses to anyone outside your household on hold while this pandemic exists .
Good thing you have me for entertainment .
There is one word that probably gores your ox more than any other these days : cancel .
It 's certainly on reader Paula Van Singel 's mind .
`` The use of 'cancelled ' vs. 'canceled ' has always been a concern of mine , '' she wrote .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding a suffix .
I find that with COVID-19 cancellations I often see both spellings used but have noted that the trend seems to be not to double the ' L . '
Is this spelling accepted in today 's world or are we just saving printer ink ? ''
`` It seems that if the word ends in a single consonant one should double it and if the word ends in a double consonant one does not double it . ''
Wash Your Hands and Carry On .
Here was my response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ English form ; `` cancelled '' is for Britain and the rest of the English-speaking world .
British English always uses a double consonant when making the past tense of verbs ending with `` L. '' Why the disparity ?
I do n't know .
The Associated Press Stylebook also uses `` canceled . ''
But the noun `` cancellation '' works for everybody .
You 're right , though .
Generally , the past tenses of verbs ending in `` L '' have a double consonant .
For whatever reason , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as in `` patrol , '' then you double the consonant for the past tense : `` patrolled . ''
But when the emphasis is not on the last syllable , as in `` travel '' or `` benefit , '' you do n't double the consonant .
It 's `` traveled '' and `` benefited . ''
I do n't have the space today to get into the issue of why it 's `` swimming '' and not `` swiming . ''
But consider this : In some cases , doubling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a verb could end up changing the word entirely .
Take the verb `` to pine . ''
`` Billy had done two tours in Japan and was pining for his best girl . ''
You would n't change that to `` pinning , '' would you ?
Of course not .
Because then you would be stepping on the toes of `` to pin . ''
`` Upon completion of nursing school , Susan and George were honored at the traditional pinning ceremony . ''
I could write volumes on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have neither the energy nor the space today .
Come to think of it , given the valediction in your email , I imagine you 're either British or an Anglophile .
Paula got back to me as I was cutting and pasting our conversation into this column .
While she is an American , her parents were both Canadian .
And she 's an avowed Anglophile to boot .
You 'd think if I could pick up on obscure clues like this I could also find a suitable birthday gift for my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ song titles with grammar issues .
One of them was `` Me & Julio Down By the Schoolyard , '' by Paul Simon .
Wellllll , eagly eye reader Bruce Steinberg and film critic emeritus extraordinaire Dann Gire pointed out that the line in the song is `` See me & Julio down by the schoolyard . ''
In that instance , the `` me '' is correct , because `` me '' is the object rather than the subject on the sentence .
I stand corrected , gentlemen ( and that includes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald .
Write him at jbaumann @ dailyherald.com .
Put Grammar Moses in the subject line .
You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim .

Grammar Moses: Why do Americans cancel the second 'l' in 'canceled'?
Many of you are probably a little on edge these days, what with festivals, concerts, sports, card games, competitive puzzle-making and blowing kisses to anyone outside your household on hold while this pandemic exists.
Good thing you have me for entertainment.
There is one word that probably gores your ox more than any other these days: cancel. It's certainly on reader Paula Van Singel's mind.
"The use of 'cancelled' vs. 'canceled' has always been a concern of mine," she wrote. "I typically double the 'L' when adding a suffix. I find that with COVID-19 cancellations I often see both spellings used but have noted that the trend seems to be not to double the 'L.' Is this spelling accepted in today's world or are we just saving printer ink?"
"It seems that if the word ends in a single consonant one should double it and if the word ends in a double consonant one does not double it."
She ended her email:
Warmest regards,
Paula Van Singel
Wash Your Hands and Carry On.
Here was my response:
Dear Paula,
"Canceled" is the American English form; "cancelled" is for Britain and the rest of the English-speaking world. British English always uses a double consonant when making the past tense of verbs ending with "L."
Why the disparity? I don't know.
The Associated Press Stylebook also uses "canceled."
But the noun "cancellation" works for everybody.
You're right, though. Generally, the past tenses of verbs ending in "L" have a double consonant.
For whatever reason, if the emphasis is on the last syllable, as in "patrol," then you double the consonant for the past tense: "patrolled."
But when the emphasis is not on the last syllable, as in "travel" or "benefit," you don't double the consonant. It's "traveled" and "benefited."
I don't have the space today to get into the issue of why it's "swimming" and not "swiming." But consider this: In some cases, doubling the consonant before adding "-ing" to a verb could end up changing the word entirely. Take the verb "to pine."
"Billy had done two tours in Japan and was pining for his best girl."
You wouldn't change that to "pinning," would you? Of course not. Because then you would be stepping on the toes of "to pin."
"Upon completion of nursing school, Susan and George were honored at the traditional pinning ceremony."
I could write volumes on what to do with verbs, but I have neither the energy nor the space today.
Come to think of it, given the valediction in your email, I imagine you're either British or an Anglophile.
Paula got back to me as I was cutting and pasting our conversation into this column.
While she is an American, her parents were both Canadian. And she's an avowed Anglophile to boot.
You'd think if I could pick up on obscure clues like this I could also find a suitable birthday gift for my wife.
Correction
Last weekend I wrote about song titles with grammar issues. One of them was "Me & Julio Down By the Schoolyard," by Paul Simon.
Wellllll, eagly eye reader Bruce Steinberg and film critic emeritus extraordinaire Dann Gire pointed out that the line in the song is "See me & Julio down by the schoolyard."
In that instance, the "me" is correct, because "me" is the object rather than the subject on the sentence.
I stand corrected, gentlemen (and that includes you, Paul)!
Stay well and write carefully!
• Jim Baumann is vice president/managing editor of the Daily Herald. Write him at jbaumann@dailyherald.com. Put Grammar Moses in the subject line. You also can friend or follow Jim at facebook.com/baumannjim.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Grading the NFC North squads at secondary

Welcome to our 10-part series in which we rank the four NFC North clubs at every position .
Our rankings are based on performance to date , scouting reports and a consensus of evaluations from general managers , coaches and scouts around the NFL .
1 .
Chicago Bears B+ : With the departures of Darius Slay , Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes , Kyle Fuller is now an easy choice as the best cornerback in the NFC North , Eddie Jackson is the best safety and Buster Skrine is arguably the best slot/nickel .
The addition of Tashaun Gipson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tremendous competition and depth at safety along with Deon Bush , Jordan Lucas and DeAndre Houston-Carson .
The only question mark is the `` other '' starting corner and the presumptive starter , Kevin Toliver whom Matt Nagy and Chuck Pagano were comfortable enough with to make the cap move of releasing Prince Amukamara , second round pick Jaylon Johnson , former first round pick Artie Burns and CFL import Tre Roberson should offer plenty of talent , competition and depth .
Add in the potential for one of the league 's best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mack and Robert Quinn are all healthy and this will be a very difficult group to beat .
2 .
Minnesota Vikings B- : Harrison Smith is a perennial Pro Bowl safety and better than the Bears Jackson against the run but a notch behind in coverage and ball-hawking skills , and if Anthony Harris ' outstanding 2019 campaign that earned him a franchise tag after a very pedestrian first four seasons in the league saw him start just 17 games , they 'll be the best pair of safeties in the division @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like at all levels of the Vikings defense due to this offseason 's salary cap purge , is how good they will be at cornerback after the subtraction of Rhodes , Waynes and Mackenzie Alexander .
Holdover 2018 first round pick Mike Hughes who was just better than average last season after an injury scuttled rookie campaign will start on one side , and the competition for the other starting spot will focus on this year 's first rounder Jeff Gladney , third round rookie Cameron Dantzler and holdovers Chris Boyd and Holton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other than Smith , Harris , Hughes , Hill and sophomore Boyd , there is n't a DB on the roster with NFL experience .
3 .
Green Bay Packers C+ : Jaire Alexander is probably the second best corner in the division behind Fuller and entering just his third season he has shown some traits and made some plays that suggest he may be special .
On the other corner Kevin King and Josh Jackson have played well at times but neither has lived up their status as the 33rd pick in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 45th choice in 2018 , Jackson , and in fact Jackson took a noticeable step backward last season after a strong rookie campaign .
In fact after making the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2018 and then being claimed off waivers by the Packers last year , Chandon Sullivan may have passed Jackson on the depth chart .
Second year corner Ka'dar Hollman will compete for time as well .
At safety former Bear Adrian Amos is solid but average , maybe slightly above on his good days and last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had a solid rookie season and has some special traits .
Will Redmond and Raven Greene are the backups but not NFL starter material .
4 .
Detroit Lions C : With Darius Slay traded off to Buffalo the Lions signed veteran free agent Desmond Trufant from the Falcons and used the number three overall pick in the Draft on Jeff Okudah , one of the top rated corner prospects in several seasons .
But Trufant will turn 30 week one if the season starts on time and while he played well last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with injury for the second time in four seasons and Okudah is just a prospect until he plays at the NFL Level .
Justin Coleman , Jamal Agnew and Mike Ford are likely to make up the depth and they are solid if unspectacular .
Tracy Walker had a breakout season at safety last year but is still not in the same league as the games top safeties and Matt Patricia went to New England for veteran Duron Harmon who will compete with Will Harris and Miles Killebrew for playing time .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be and Trufant can stay healthy this group could be solid , but there are a ton of ifs here .

Grading the NFC North squads at secondary
Bears cornerback Kyle Fuller (23) during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2019. Associated Press
Eighth in a series
Welcome to our 10-part series in which we rank the four NFC North clubs at every position. Our rankings are based on performance to date, scouting reports and a consensus of evaluations from general managers, coaches and scouts around the NFL.
Part 8 -- Secondary
1. Chicago Bears B+: With the departures of Darius Slay, Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes, Kyle Fuller is now an easy choice as the best cornerback in the NFC North, Eddie Jackson is the best safety and Buster Skrine is arguably the best slot/nickel.
The addition of Tashaun Gipson, another former Pro Bowler gives then tremendous competition and depth at safety along with Deon Bush, Jordan Lucas and DeAndre Houston-Carson.
The only question mark is the "other" starting corner and the presumptive starter, Kevin Toliver whom Matt Nagy and Chuck Pagano were comfortable enough with to make the cap move of releasing Prince Amukamara, second round pick Jaylon Johnson, former first round pick Artie Burns and CFL import Tre Roberson should offer plenty of talent, competition and depth.
Add in the potential for one of the league's best pass rushes if Akiem Hicks, Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn are all healthy and this will be a very difficult group to beat.
2. Minnesota Vikings B-: Harrison Smith is a perennial Pro Bowl safety and better than the Bears Jackson against the run but a notch behind in coverage and ball-hawking skills, and if Anthony Harris' outstanding 2019 campaign that earned him a franchise tag after a very pedestrian first four seasons in the league saw him start just 17 games, they'll be the best pair of safeties in the division.
The big questions here, much like at all levels of the Vikings defense due to this offseason's salary cap purge, is how good they will be at cornerback after the subtraction of Rhodes, Waynes and Mackenzie Alexander.
Holdover 2018 first round pick Mike Hughes who was just better than average last season after an injury scuttled rookie campaign will start on one side, and the competition for the other starting spot will focus on this year's first rounder Jeff Gladney, third round rookie Cameron Dantzler and holdovers Chris Boyd and Holton Hill.
Depth is a concern as other than Smith, Harris, Hughes, Hill and sophomore Boyd, there isn't a DB on the roster with NFL experience.
3. Green Bay Packers C+: Jaire Alexander is probably the second best corner in the division behind Fuller and entering just his third season he has shown some traits and made some plays that suggest he may be special.
On the other corner Kevin King and Josh Jackson have played well at times but neither has lived up their status as the 33rd pick in the 2017 Draft, King and the 45th choice in 2018, Jackson, and in fact Jackson took a noticeable step backward last season after a strong rookie campaign.
In fact after making the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2018 and then being claimed off waivers by the Packers last year, Chandon Sullivan may have passed Jackson on the depth chart. Second year corner Ka'dar Hollman will compete for time as well.
At safety former Bear Adrian Amos is solid but average, maybe slightly above on his good days and last year's first round pick Darnell Savage had a solid rookie season and has some special traits.
Will Redmond and Raven Greene are the backups but not NFL starter material.
4. Detroit Lions C: With Darius Slay traded off to Buffalo the Lions signed veteran free agent Desmond Trufant from the Falcons and used the number three overall pick in the Draft on Jeff Okudah, one of the top rated corner prospects in several seasons.
But Trufant will turn 30 week one if the season starts on time and while he played well last year he also missed half the season with injury for the second time in four seasons and Okudah is just a prospect until he plays at the NFL Level.
Justin Coleman, Jamal Agnew and Mike Ford are likely to make up the depth and they are solid if unspectacular.
Tracy Walker had a breakout season at safety last year but is still not in the same league as the games top safeties and Matt Patricia went to New England for veteran Duron Harmon who will compete with Will Harris and Miles Killebrew for playing time.
If Okudah is who the Lions hope he will be and Trufant can stay healthy this group could be solid, but there are a ton of ifs here.
• @Hub_Arkush


dailyheraldchicago--2020-05-24--Blackstone Golf Club a hidden gem you'll want to attack again and again

Most longtime Chicagoans know about the best public golf courses in the area .
Cantigny , Arrowhead , Mistwood , Stonewall Orachard , Harborside International and Cog Hill 's Dubsdread all set the bar awfully high .
Giving them a run for their money is Blackstone Golf Club , a relatively unknown track in Marengo .
Featuring a stunning layout , immaculate conditions and greens that can make the best putters second-guess themselves , Blackstone is a track you 'll be raving about for quite some time .
The course came to life in 2006 , is owned by Huntley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members .
There are two big keys to scoring out here : • Keep the course in front of you because trouble abounds around every corner .
• Spend at least 20 minutes on the practice green .
It 's absolutely critical to gauge the speed from a variety of slopes and distances .
Blackstone eases you in with a par 4 ( drivable for big hitters ) and a 132-yard par 3 .
After that , it 's time to up your game because holes 3-6 can be flat-out monsters .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I 've walked off the sixth green 5 over par , 6 over twice , 7 over and 11 over .
Unless you are striping your driver , it 's not a bad idea to tee off with a 3-wood or a hybrid on the 526-yard fourth hole and the 480-yard sixth .
Both are par 5s .
It may be tough to par No .
4 that way , but it also helps remove the possibility of a 7 , 8 or even 9 .
The sixth hole really forces you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides of the fairway .
Last week , I went 3-hybrid , 3-hybrid , 6-iron and got on in regulation .
`` That left side sneaks up on you pretty fast , '' said Chris Ettner , the Director of Golf .
`` So position yourself maybe 230 , 240 off the tee .
If you get too greedy , there 's definitely trouble on the left . ''
It 's also vitally important to stay below the hole on your approach shot because any downhill putt over 20 feet is a true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can score .
As an example , in the round I was 11 over , I then rattled off 5 straight pars , bogeyed 12 and 13 , parred 14 and finished with a 90 .
On the back nine , the key is to get past 14 and 15 unscathed .
From the gold tees , No .
14 plays 389 yards and requires one of the toughest second shots in the state .
Not only must you fly a wetlands , but you are also hitting to an elevated green @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the right .
Then there 's No .
15 , which has always caused me fits .
It 's a 377-yard par 4 with trees on both sides of a narrow fairway .
My scores here ?
Triple , triple , triple , double and bogey .
`` It 's hard to fit your drive in there , '' Ettner said .
`` You 've got the bunker on the left and a bunker on the right that scoots out into the fairway .
So trying to fit into that little spot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then you have a longer shot into the green . ''
Now go get a par on 16 because the finishing holes are a bear .
No .
17 is a 183-yard par 3 ( or 234 from the blacks ! )
that probably plays 10-15 yards longer .
Then the finishing hole is a grueling par 4 that is difficult to reach in two for 12 handicappers and above .
The only on-course thing I would change is to shorten the fifth hole from 206 yards to 181 from the gold tees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silvers .
Mid-handicappers should have a legit chance on par 3s , but this hole is basically a par 4 .
My other suggestion would be to lower the junior rate to $ 8- $ 10 at certain times .
Maybe after 3 p.m. every day , or on Mondays .
Or join the Youth On Course program in which kids play for $ 5 .
This will help bring along another generation of golfers -- something everyone in the industry should focus on .
With our Hidden Gems , we are trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and under to walk ( which Blackstone is after 2 p.m. on weekdays ) , so I 'm bending the rules a bit here .
But this course could easily be $ 75 or more .
Check it out and I guarantee you 'll make it a staple every season .
Five stars for value ; 5 for course condition ; 3 for accessibility ; 2.5 for walkability ( due to some long walks between holes ) .
Practice tips from 100 yards and in

Blackstone Golf Club a hidden gem you'll want to attack again and again
Most longtime Chicagoans know about the best public golf courses in the area.
Cantigny, Arrowhead, Mistwood, Stonewall Orachard, Harborside International and Cog Hill's Dubsdread all set the bar awfully high.
Giving them a run for their money is Blackstone Golf Club, a relatively unknown track in Marengo. Featuring a stunning layout, immaculate conditions and greens that can make the best putters second-guess themselves, Blackstone is a track you'll be raving about for quite some time.
The course came to life in 2006, is owned by Huntley resident Dan Weck and has almost 180 members.
There are two big keys to scoring out here:
• Keep the course in front of you because trouble abounds around every corner.
• Spend at least 20 minutes on the practice green. It's absolutely critical to gauge the speed from a variety of slopes and distances.
Course tour:
Blackstone eases you in with a par 4 (drivable for big hitters) and a 132-yard par 3.
After that, it's time to up your game because holes 3-6 can be flat-out monsters. In the five times I played the course, I've walked off the sixth green 5 over par, 6 over twice, 7 over and 11 over.
Unless you are striping your driver, it's not a bad idea to tee off with a 3-wood or a hybrid on the 526-yard fourth hole and the 480-yard sixth. Both are par 5s.
It may be tough to par No. 4 that way, but it also helps remove the possibility of a 7, 8 or even 9.
The sixth hole really forces you to really think because trees guard both sides of the fairway. Last week, I went 3-hybrid, 3-hybrid, 6-iron and got on in regulation.
"That left side sneaks up on you pretty fast," said Chris Ettner, the Director of Golf. "So position yourself maybe 230, 240 off the tee. If you get too greedy, there's definitely trouble on the left."
It's also vitally important to stay below the hole on your approach shot because any downhill putt over 20 feet is a true test.
Get through these holes and you can score. As an example, in the round I was 11 over, I then rattled off 5 straight pars, bogeyed 12 and 13, parred 14 and finished with a 90.
On the back nine, the key is to get past 14 and 15 unscathed.
From the gold tees, No. 14 plays 389 yards and requires one of the toughest second shots in the state. Not only must you fly a wetlands, but you are also hitting to an elevated green that is protected by a massive bunker on the right.
Then there's No. 15, which has always caused me fits. It's a 377-yard par 4 with trees on both sides of a narrow fairway. My scores here? Triple, triple, triple, double and bogey.
"It's hard to fit your drive in there," Ettner said. "You've got the bunker on the left and a bunker on the right that scoots out into the fairway. So trying to fit into that little spot is almost a 3-wood play, and then you have a longer shot into the green."
Now go get a par on 16 because the finishing holes are a bear.
No. 17 is a 183-yard par 3 (or 234 from the blacks!) that probably plays 10-15 yards longer. Then the finishing hole is a grueling par 4 that is difficult to reach in two for 12 handicappers and above.
Suggestions to improve:
The only on-course thing I would change is to shorten the fifth hole from 206 yards to 181 from the gold tees, and make it 170 from the silvers. Mid-handicappers should have a legit chance on par 3s, but this hole is basically a par 4.
My other suggestion would be to lower the junior rate to $8-$10 at certain times. Maybe after 3 p.m. every day, or on Mondays. Or join the Youth On Course program in which kids play for $5. This will help bring along another generation of golfers -- something everyone in the industry should focus on.
Bottom line:
With our Hidden Gems, we are trying to feature courses that are $40 and under to walk (which Blackstone is after 2 p.m. on weekdays), so I'm bending the rules a bit here. But this course could easily be $75 or more. Check it out and I guarantee you'll make it a staple every season.
Five stars for value; 5 for course condition; 3 for accessibility; 2.5 for walkability (due to some long walks between holes).
• • •
Next up:
Practice tips from 100 yards and in