dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Suburban restaurants turn to virtual dinners, wine tastings during the pandemic

Does n't everyone want to know which candy and potato chips to best pair with wine ?
Or learn how to expertly grill salmon or steak ?
And who would n't enjoy an elaborate dinner from their favorite restaurant while getting the chance to ask questions of the chef ?
Those are all examples of virtual events sparked by the creativity of suburban restaurateurs and winemakers during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The key , they said , is to keep it fun .
`` It should be celebratory , '' said Sarah Stegner , chef of Prairie Grass Cafe in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend Carrie Nahabedian , chef of Brindille restaurant in Chicago , to offer a six-course virtual dinner last month .
The cost was $ 135 plus tax , tip and an optional wine pairing .
There were instructions about reheating and plating , and a 30-minute live Zoom call with both chefs .
The event was so enjoyable -- and the diners so full of questions about the menu and the chefs ' friendship -- that the Zoom call ended up being close to an hour , Stegner said .
`` It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zoom , some people ate their first course , some their whole meals , while others chose to wait and eat later .
Most were regular customers of the two restaurants .
The intimacy of the relationship between customers and chefs has been a crucial element during COVID , Stegner said .
`` That is the story , '' she said .
`` People are ordering from places where they feel they can trust them ( the chefs ) and do the right thing . ''
Customer Portia Belloc Lowndes said she frequents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virtual dinner attended by five friends at her home in Chicago .
`` We had n't gotten to see each other in a long time and we said , 'This just really looks like fun , ' '' she said .
During the Zoom call , they had cocktails and the first course of amuse bouches -- or bite-sized appetizers -- and ate the rest afterward .
The rolling out of the courses `` was like opening a giant Christmas present , '' Belloc Lowndes said .
`` For each dish there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you could put on top .
It was very interactive . ''
Stegner and Nahabedian plan to offer another collaborative virtual dinner on Dec. 29 .
Lynfred Winery , with locations in Roselle , Wheeling , Wheaton and Naperville , has been offering lots of virtual events during the pandemic .
`` We really decided to think outside 'the wine box , ' '' said Christina Anderson-Heller , marketing director .
Some examples : a Potato Chip & Wine Pairing Kit at $ 75 with six bottles of wine and 18 mini bags @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pairing at $ 60 with four bottles of wine and four full-sized candy bags .
The Wheeling winery even hosted a virtual toast with a Murder Mystery presented on Zoom by Lynfred Wheeling Players .
`` We are doing all these things to keep people excited and involved , '' she said .
The monthly mixers for members also have moved online .
While nothing can substitute for face-to-face interaction , online events allow attendance from people who might be otherwise tied up at work or have to drive too far , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people even tuned in from Arizona , he said .
`` It does n't replace the experience of standing at the bar and hobnobbing with friends , but it 's been a great way to stay in touch with people to learn about the wine of the month , '' he said .
The virtual experience also can be enjoyable for staff , Anderson-Heller said .
`` It 's really gotten a lot of fun because now we get to see people in their homes , '' she said .
Stephanie Madsen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Chicago , said online offerings can help expand a restaurant 's customer base .
Weber Grill started offering its Grill Academy virtually in June to customers as far away as the West Coast .
A successful area for the restaurant has been corporate events , with meat or fish shipped anywhere across the country and an online chef demonstration with video available for later viewing , Madsen said .
`` With everything changing , people I think are looking for a new way to bond with their team or show their appreciation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can do to entertaining and not being face-to-face . ''
Upcoming events at the Schaumburg location include the Beyond Land & Sea -- Innovative Surf & Turf Virtual Grilling Class on Jan. 16 and Raising the Steaks : Patio Steak House Virtual Grilling Class on Feb. 20 , each for $ 90 .
The pandemic has been rough on everyone , but taking advantage of virtual opportunities can make a difference , Stegner said .
`` This kind of thing can give enough of a revenue bump and enough of a success @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and maybe you can make payroll . ''
Customer Belloc Lowndes agreed .
`` Everyone is kind of doing meals ( to-go ) and it 's hard to differentiate , '' she said .
`` This was unique . ''

Suburban restaurants turn to virtual dinners, wine tastings during the pandemic
Doesn't everyone want to know which candy and potato chips to best pair with wine?
Or learn how to expertly grill salmon or steak?
And who wouldn't enjoy an elaborate dinner from their favorite restaurant while getting the chance to ask questions of the chef?
Those are all examples of virtual events sparked by the creativity of suburban restaurateurs and winemakers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key, they said, is to keep it fun.
"It should be celebratory," said Sarah Stegner, chef of Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook.
Stegner teamed up with her friend Carrie Nahabedian, chef of Brindille restaurant in Chicago, to offer a six-course virtual dinner last month. The cost was $135 plus tax, tip and an optional wine pairing. There were instructions about reheating and plating, and a 30-minute live Zoom call with both chefs.
The event was so enjoyable -- and the diners so full of questions about the menu and the chefs' friendship -- that the Zoom call ended up being close to an hour, Stegner said. "It was a great experience."
During the Zoom, some people ate their first course, some their whole meals, while others chose to wait and eat later. Most were regular customers of the two restaurants.
The intimacy of the relationship between customers and chefs has been a crucial element during COVID, Stegner said.
"That is the story," she said. "People are ordering from places where they feel they can trust them (the chefs) and do the right thing."
Portia Belloc Lowndes of Chicago set her table to enjoy a virtual wine dinner last month offered by Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook and Brindille restaurant in Chicago. - courtesy of Portia Belloc LOWNDES
Customer Portia Belloc Lowndes said she frequents both restaurants and was delighted to host a virtual dinner attended by five friends at her home in Chicago. "We hadn't gotten to see each other in a long time and we said, 'This just really looks like fun,'" she said.
During the Zoom call, they had cocktails and the first course of amuse bouches -- or bite-sized appetizers -- and ate the rest afterward. The rolling out of the courses "was like opening a giant Christmas present," Belloc Lowndes said.
"For each dish there were three or four more things that you could put on top. It was very interactive."
Stegner and Nahabedian plan to offer another collaborative virtual dinner on Dec. 29.
Lynfred Winery, with locations in Roselle, Wheeling, Wheaton and Naperville, has been offering lots of virtual events during the pandemic. "We really decided to think outside 'the wine box,'" said Christina Anderson-Heller, marketing director.
Lynfred Winery, which has locations in Roselle, Wheeling, Wheaton and Naperville, has been offering virtual wine tastings, mixers and more during the COVID-19 pandemic. - courtesy of Lynfred Winery
Some examples: a Potato Chip & Wine Pairing Kit at $75 with six bottles of wine and 18 mini bags of chips and a Halloween Candy Wine Pairing at $60 with four bottles of wine and four full-sized candy bags. The Wheeling winery even hosted a virtual toast with a Murder Mystery presented on Zoom by Lynfred Wheeling Players.
"We are doing all these things to keep people excited and involved," she said.
The monthly mixers for members also have moved online. While nothing can substitute for face-to-face interaction, online events allow attendance from people who might be otherwise tied up at work or have to drive too far, said customer Michael Brown of Deerfield. Some people even tuned in from Arizona, he said.
"It doesn't replace the experience of standing at the bar and hobnobbing with friends, but it's been a great way to stay in touch with people to learn about the wine of the month," he said.
The virtual experience also can be enjoyable for staff, Anderson-Heller said. "It's really gotten a lot of fun because now we get to see people in their homes," she said.
Weber Grill in Schaumburg has been offering virtual grilling classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Corporate Chef Matthew McCormick has been involved with some of the classes. - courtesy of Weber Grill Restaurant
Stephanie Madsen, sales manager for Weber Grill in Schaumburg and Chicago, said online offerings can help expand a restaurant's customer base. Weber Grill started offering its Grill Academy virtually in June to customers as far away as the West Coast.
A successful area for the restaurant has been corporate events, with meat or fish shipped anywhere across the country and an online chef demonstration with video available for later viewing, Madsen said.
"With everything changing, people I think are looking for a new way to bond with their team or show their appreciation, and it's the closest thing we can do to entertaining and not being face-to-face."
Upcoming events at the Schaumburg location include the Beyond Land & Sea -- Innovative Surf & Turf Virtual Grilling Class on Jan. 16 and Raising the Steaks: Patio Steak House Virtual Grilling Class on Feb. 20, each for $90.
The pandemic has been rough on everyone, but taking advantage of virtual opportunities can make a difference, Stegner said. "This kind of thing can give enough of a revenue bump and enough of a success that maybe you can pay for rent, and maybe you can make payroll."
Customer Belloc Lowndes agreed. "Everyone is kind of doing meals (to-go) and it's hard to differentiate," she said. "This was unique."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Don't expect high school sports before January, IHSA board says

The Illinois High School Association 's board of directors Wednesday said to expect all sports to be sidelined until at @ @ @ @ @ Given Gov .
( J.B. ) Pritzker 's current mitigations , the board has no @ @ @ @ @ sports prior to January , '' IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said in a statement @ @ @ @ @ IHSA staff will continue to monitor the Tier 3 Resurgence Mitigation .
When there is @ @ @ @ @ to emerge from these restrictions , the board is prepared to restart lower risk winter @ @ @ @ @ board hopes to re-establish contact days in January for any winter sports that can not @ @ @ @ @ spring and summer sports .
The introduction of the contact days will be based on @ @ @ @ @ the Illinois Department of Public Health at that time .
Further guidance on contact days @ @ @ @ @ future board meeting . ''
Anderson 's statement did not specifically address basketball , which @ @ @ @ @ postponed until spring .
The board is scheduled to meet again Dec. 14 .

Don't expect high school sports before January, IHSA board says
The Illinois High School Association's board of directors Wednesday said to expect all sports to be sidelined until at least next month.
"Given Gov. (J.B.) Pritzker's current mitigations, the board has no expectation of starting low-risk winter sports prior to January," IHSA executive director Craig Anderson said in a statement.
"The board and IHSA staff will continue to monitor the Tier 3 Resurgence Mitigation. When there is a timeline for the state to emerge from these restrictions, the board is prepared to restart lower risk winter sports quickly.
"The board hopes to re-establish contact days in January for any winter sports that cannot begin, as well as spring and summer sports. The introduction of the contact days will be based on mitigations from the governor and the Illinois Department of Public Health at that time. Further guidance on contact days will be established at a future board meeting."
Anderson's statement did not specifically address basketball, which Pritzker has said should be postponed until spring.
The board is scheduled to meet again Dec. 14.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Illinois' first Amazon Fresh store to open Thursday in Naperville

Technology and convenience are at the center of the state 's first Amazon Fresh grocery store , slated to open Thursday in Naperville , company leaders said .
The roughly 35,000-square-foot facility at 3116 S. Route 59 will offer new Alexa features to help patrons manage shopping lists and navigate the aisles , said Jeff Helbling , vice president of Amazon Fresh Stores .
A contactless shopping experience , called Dash Cart , will enable customers to skip the checkout line if they choose , he said , and free pickup and delivery options are available for Amazon Prime members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ground up to be seamless , whether you 're shopping in-store or online , '' Helbling said .
`` We 've taken our decades of Amazon operations experience to ensure we can deliver consistently low prices for all customers . ''
Amazon rolled out its new grocery store concept this year at four Los Angeles-area locations , he said .
The Naperville store will be the company 's fifth to open overall and the first of four planned in the Chicago suburbs .
A timeline is not yet available for stores in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomingdale near Army Trail Road and Gary Avenue , or in Oak Lawn , Helbling said , though the employee recruitment and hiring process is ongoing .
The Naperville location has been operating as a `` dark store '' since July , offering online ordering and delivery of Amazon Fresh products , Helbling said .
That service will remain available when the store opens Thursday for curbside pickup and in-person shopping .
`` I 've been really proud and humbled by the work of that team serving the community during this ( COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We 're all excited about opening our doors next week . ''
Safety protocols throughout the store include capacity limits , one-way aisles , floor markings , plexiglass barriers and masks provided upon entry , Helbling said .
Its technological components `` add an additional dimension of contactless shopping , '' he said .
With new Dash Cart , for example , shoppers scan a QR code from their Amazon app before perusing the store .
The smart cart identifies and calculates the cost of groceries or other items as they 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bypass the checkout line and leave through a special Dash Cart lane , at which point their account will be charged for the items in the cart .
A traditional checkout experience also will be available , he said .
`` Whenever you ask somebody why they pick any individual grocer , it always comes down to the fundamental combination of , 'There 's a product I like and prices that are good , and it 's convenient for me , ' '' Helbling said .
`` Essentially , what we aspire to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three of those ( areas ) . ''
The Naperville store is expected to offer produce , seafood , meat and prepared food made fresh daily , as well as an assortment of national , local and Amazon-exclusive brands .
Featured Chicago-area companies include Oberweis Dairy , Turano Baking Company and Revolution Brewing .
The store is creating `` a couple hundred '' jobs with a $ 15-per-hour starting wage and benefits , Helbling said .
To help those in need , Amazon Fresh is donating surplus food to local food banks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of more than 135,000 meals since the Naperville store opened for online delivery , he said .
`` We look forward to doing more on this front as we grow in the Chicagoland area , '' Helbling said .
Amazon Fresh will be open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m .
The first hour will be limited to customers who are 60 and older , those with disabilities or those considered high risk .

Illinois' first Amazon Fresh store to open Thursday in Naperville
Technology and convenience are at the center of the state's first Amazon Fresh grocery store, slated to open Thursday in Naperville, company leaders said.
The roughly 35,000-square-foot facility at 3116 S. Route 59 will offer new Alexa features to help patrons manage shopping lists and navigate the aisles, said Jeff Helbling, vice president of Amazon Fresh Stores. A contactless shopping experience, called Dash Cart, will enable customers to skip the checkout line if they choose, he said, and free pickup and delivery options are available for Amazon Prime members.
"The store is designed from the ground up to be seamless, whether you're shopping in-store or online," Helbling said. "We've taken our decades of Amazon operations experience to ensure we can deliver consistently low prices for all customers."
- Paul Valade | Staff Photographer The new Amazon Fresh grocery store in Naperville will offer a contactless smart cart shopping experience, new Alexa features and free pickup and delivery for Amazon Prime members, company officials said. The facility along Route 59 is slated to open Thursday.
Amazon rolled out its new grocery store concept this year at four Los Angeles-area locations, he said. The Naperville store will be the company's fifth to open overall and the first of four planned in the Chicago suburbs.
A timeline is not yet available for stores in Schaumburg at Golf and Roselle roads, Bloomingdale near Army Trail Road and Gary Avenue, or in Oak Lawn, Helbling said, though the employee recruitment and hiring process is ongoing.
The Naperville location has been operating as a "dark store" since July, offering online ordering and delivery of Amazon Fresh products, Helbling said. That service will remain available when the store opens Thursday for curbside pickup and in-person shopping.
"I've been really proud and humbled by the work of that team serving the community during this (COVID-19) crisis," he said. "We're all excited about opening our doors next week."
Safety protocols throughout the store include capacity limits, one-way aisles, floor markings, plexiglass barriers and masks provided upon entry, Helbling said. Its technological components "add an additional dimension of contactless shopping," he said.
With new Dash Cart, for example, shoppers scan a QR code from their Amazon app before perusing the store. The smart cart identifies and calculates the cost of groceries or other items as they're selected, Helbling said.
Customers can bypass the checkout line and leave through a special Dash Cart lane, at which point their account will be charged for the items in the cart.
A traditional checkout experience also will be available, he said.
"Whenever you ask somebody why they pick any individual grocer, it always comes down to the fundamental combination of, 'There's a product I like and prices that are good, and it's convenient for me,'" Helbling said. "Essentially, what we aspire to do is compete and win in all three of those (areas)."
The Naperville store is expected to offer produce, seafood, meat and prepared food made fresh daily, as well as an assortment of national, local and Amazon-exclusive brands. Featured Chicago-area companies include Oberweis Dairy, Turano Baking Company and Revolution Brewing.
The store is creating "a couple hundred" jobs with a $15-per-hour starting wage and benefits, Helbling said. To help those in need, Amazon Fresh is donating surplus food to local food banks, which have so far received the equivalent of more than 135,000 meals since the Naperville store opened for online delivery, he said.
"We look forward to doing more on this front as we grow in the Chicagoland area," Helbling said.
Amazon Fresh will be open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. The first hour will be limited to customers who are 60 and older, those with disabilities or those considered high risk.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Beware of dog: Pet scams surge as demand for 'quarantine puppies' rises

Scam artists have no qualms about tugging on our heartstrings , and that includes when we 're getting a fluffy kitten or playful `` quarantine '' puppy to keep us company as we hunker down at home through the pandemic .
That has led to a huge increase this year in reports about fraudulent online pet sales , according to the Better Business Bureau of Chicago .
The agency said this week that it 's tracked 3,969 reports of pet scams through September this year , with more than $ 2.8 million in losses for the victims .
That compares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in losses in all of 2018 and 2019 combined .
`` It 's so sad that such rude and dishonest people are out there taking advantage of innocent , trusting people , '' a downstate Centralia woman told BBB after she lost $ 750 in April trying to buy a corgi puppy online .
Kristen Funk , executive director of the Naperville Area Humane Society , said she understands how the heightened desire for companionship and shortage of available pets leads some people to online sellers .
But she recommends would-be pet owners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Always ask to see the ( animal 's ) parents , '' she added .
In her experience , reputable breeders do n't use online advertisements -- including Craigslist or what she called `` fluffy websites '' -- nor do they ship pets , or arrange to meet you in a store parking lot for an exchange .
As for the surging demand for pets , it 's real .
Funk said her shelter has adopted out 50 more dogs already this year than in all of 2019 .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new pet under the tree on Christman morning , the BBB has some tips : • See the pet in person before paying .
If you ca n't meet it in person , at least ask to see it on a video call .
Scammers are n't likely to comply with this request , the BBB says .
• Do a reverse-image search online of the photo of the pet .
Also , copy a distinctive phrase from the description and then paste that into a search window , to see if it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on what is considered a fair price for the breed you want .
If a purebred animal is offered well below its usual cost , that 's another red flag .
• Check petscams.com or the BBB 's ScamTracker to see if the seller has been reported .
For those who 've been scammed , the average loss is $ 1,019 , and Yorkshire terriers and French bulldogs seem to be the most popular breeds involved , according to the BBB .
But it has also seen an uptick in fraudulent kitten and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mundelein police obtained a search warrant for the phone of their prime suspect in the abduction and sexual assault of a 3-year-old girl .
They hoped to find GPS data that showed his whereabouts that day .
What they found was far more incriminating : video of the assault .
Now a state appellate court has upheld the legality of that search , ruling unanimously that police had probable cause to take the phone and search its files .
Those files -- including the video -- helped persuade a Lake County judge to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 2016 of aggravated kidnapping , predatory criminal sexual assault and two counts of production of child pornography .
The judge later sentenced the Chicago man to 120 years in prison .
Prosecutors at trial said Reyes took the girl from outside her family 's Mundelein apartment , molested her in his car and then dropped her off in a nearby parking lot .
Police arrested him four days later at his Libertyville workplace after identifying his car through surveillance video taken where he left the girl .
In his appeal , Reyes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone should never have been issued because police at the time had no evidence linking it to a crime .
And once police got the phone , he argued , they should n't have been able to search its video files because the warrant sought only GPS information .
The appellate court shot down both claims , ruling that because the phone was found in Reyes ' car and he admitted to police he kept it with him most of the time , probable cause existed .
The court also ruled that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` in plain view '' on the phone while searching for GPS data .
Reyes is serving his sentence at the medium-security Western Illinois Correctional Center , about 95 miles southwest of Peoria .
He 's not eligible for parole until October 2115 .
State police labs are chipping away at a monthslong backlog of cases awaiting DNA testing , long-awaited progress that should speed the administration of justice across Illinois , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly announced Wednesday .
According to state police , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- from 9,289 pending assignments to 4,857 -- since March 1 , 2019 .
And the number of cases waiting more than a year for testing is down from 1,329 at the start of 2020 to 186 as of Monday .
`` For more than a decade , trends in forensic labs across the country , including in Illinois , have been headed the wrong direction , but because of the hard work and discipline of the Illinois State Police we are finally headed in the right direction in Illinois , '' Kelly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progress is real and significant , but no one in the Illinois State Police will be satisfied until all victims can trust that the cause of justice will be advanced and not delayed by forensics . ''
ISP officials say the progress is all the more remarkable since it was achieved while as many as six pf their forensic scientists were on loan for more than four months to help with COVID-19 testing .
• Got a question , comment or a tip ?
Email us at copsandcrime @ dailyherald.com .

Beware of dog: Pet scams surge as demand for 'quarantine puppies' rises
The demand for puppies and other pets has surged during the pandemic as people look for some at-home companionship, but that's also meant a rise in online pet scams, according to the Better Business Bureau. AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File
Scam artists have no qualms about tugging on our heartstrings, and that includes when we're getting a fluffy kitten or playful "quarantine" puppy to keep us company as we hunker down at home through the pandemic.
That has led to a huge increase this year in reports about fraudulent online pet sales, according to the Better Business Bureau of Chicago.
The agency said this week that it's tracked 3,969 reports of pet scams through September this year, with more than $2.8 million in losses for the victims. That compares to 3,448 reports and $1.7 million in losses in all of 2018 and 2019 combined.
"It's so sad that such rude and dishonest people are out there taking advantage of innocent, trusting people," a downstate Centralia woman told BBB after she lost $750 in April trying to buy a corgi puppy online.
Kristen Funk, executive director of the Naperville Area Humane Society, said she understands how the heightened desire for companionship and shortage of available pets leads some people to online sellers.
But she recommends would-be pet owners always see the animal before they buy.
"Always ask to see the (animal's) parents," she added.
In her experience, reputable breeders don't use online advertisements -- including Craigslist or what she called "fluffy websites" -- nor do they ship pets, or arrange to meet you in a store parking lot for an exchange.
As for the surging demand for pets, it's real. Funk said her shelter has adopted out 50 more dogs already this year than in all of 2019.
Tips for buying
If you've got you heart set on a new pet under the tree on Christman morning, the BBB has some tips:
• See the pet in person before paying. If you can't meet it in person, at least ask to see it on a video call. Scammers aren't likely to comply with this request, the BBB says.
• Do a reverse-image search online of the photo of the pet. Also, copy a distinctive phrase from the description and then paste that into a search window, to see if it pops up elsewhere.
• Do research on what is considered a fair price for the breed you want. If a purebred animal is offered well below its usual cost, that's another red flag.
• Check petscams.com or the BBB's ScamTracker to see if the seller has been reported.
For those who've been scammed, the average loss is $1,019, and Yorkshire terriers and French bulldogs seem to be the most popular breeds involved, according to the BBB. But it has also seen an uptick in fraudulent kitten and parrot sales.
Court upholds video evidence
In October 2013, Mundelein police obtained a search warrant for the phone of their prime suspect in the abduction and sexual assault of a 3-year-old girl. They hoped to find GPS data that showed his whereabouts that day. What they found was far more incriminating: video of the assault.
Now a state appellate court has upheld the legality of that search, ruling unanimously that police had probable cause to take the phone and search its files.
Jose Reyes, left, was sentenced in 2016 to 120 years in prison for the abduction and sexual assault of a 3-year-old girl in Mundelein. An appellate court upheld the conviction late last month, rejecting arguments that police unlawfully obtained key evidence. - Stacey Wescott/Pool/Chicago Tribune
Those files -- including the video -- helped persuade a Lake County judge to find Jose Reyes, 35, guilty in 2016 of aggravated kidnapping, predatory criminal sexual assault and two counts of production of child pornography. The judge later sentenced the Chicago man to 120 years in prison.
Prosecutors at trial said Reyes took the girl from outside her family's Mundelein apartment, molested her in his car and then dropped her off in a nearby parking lot. Police arrested him four days later at his Libertyville workplace after identifying his car through surveillance video taken where he left the girl.
In his appeal, Reyes argued that the search warrant for his phone should never have been issued because police at the time had no evidence linking it to a crime. And once police got the phone, he argued, they shouldn't have been able to search its video files because the warrant sought only GPS information.
The appellate court shot down both claims, ruling that because the phone was found in Reyes' car and he admitted to police he kept it with him most of the time, probable cause existed.
The court also ruled that the videos were admissible because police found them "in plain view" on the phone while searching for GPS data.
Reyes is serving his sentence at the medium-security Western Illinois Correctional Center, about 95 miles southwest of Peoria. He's not eligible for parole until October 2115.
Progress on DNA backlog
State police labs are chipping away at a monthslong backlog of cases awaiting DNA testing, long-awaited progress that should speed the administration of justice across Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly announced Wednesday.
- Brian Hill | Staff Photographer, 2019 Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said his agency's forensic labs have made significant progress reducing a monthslong backlog of evidence awaiting DNA testing.
According to state police, the backlog has been reduced by 48% -- from 9,289 pending assignments to 4,857 -- since March 1, 2019. And the number of cases waiting more than a year for testing is down from 1,329 at the start of 2020 to 186 as of Monday.
"For more than a decade, trends in forensic labs across the country, including in Illinois, have been headed the wrong direction, but because of the hard work and discipline of the Illinois State Police we are finally headed in the right direction in Illinois," Kelly said in the announcement. "Our progress is real and significant, but no one in the Illinois State Police will be satisfied until all victims can trust that the cause of justice will be advanced and not delayed by forensics."
ISP officials say the progress is all the more remarkable since it was achieved while as many as six pf their forensic scientists were on loan for more than four months to help with COVID-19 testing.
• Got a question, comment or a tip? Email us at copsandcrime@dailyherald.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Questions linger over ambulance use by Haymarket treatment center

In its renewed push to open an addiction treatment facility in Itasca , Haymarket Center hired a new expert with a long list of credentials to analyze whether it would place a burden on police and the village 's fire protection district .
His conclusion ?
Itasca 's fire district would have the capacity to cover the most critical emergency calls from the treatment center .
But the findings did little to quell skepticism from an opposition group and a fire district attorney , who questioned the methodology behind the projections .
Ambulance use has dominated much of the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Holiday Inn into a 240-bed center for people with substance-use disorders .
The issue consumed a three-hour public hearing Wednesday when former Wilmette Fire Chief James Dominik gave testimony on his report for Haymarket .
The Itasca Fire Protection District has one ambulance .
Haymarket leaders say they have a contract with the state 's second-largest private ambulance provider to handle most calls .
Elite Ambulance would absorb basic life support calls , while Dominik recommended Itasca 's ambulance should respond to the advanced life support , or more life-threatening , calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment center would require 18 to 26 fire and EMS calls to Itasca each year , according to his analysis .
The district on average responds to 1,636 calls per year -- the second-lowest volume out of a dozen area departments .
`` Really , there is no adverse impact based on my findings from this study , '' Dominik said .
`` I feel that Itasca , both the police and the fire protection district , can clearly handle this without any additional resources . ''
Dominik based his analysis on calls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes that `` provide similar licensed services to those proposed for Haymarket DuPage . ''
However , opponents said the comparable facilities in Dominik 's report have a total of 237 beds , or three less than the 240 proposed in Itasca , a community of 8,700 people .
`` That gives you a scope of what 's being presented in one of DuPage 's smallest villages , '' said James Diestel , a member of the Concerned Citizens of Itasca group .
Opponents also question why the study did n't use Haymarket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a basis for comparison .
`` When establishing an impact , the data is only as good as the ( comparables ) used , '' Diestel said .
`` Haymarket seemed to purposely stay away from an almost identical facility they have in the West Loop and concentrated on 11 facilities , seven of which do n't have treatment beds , to establish the impact on Itasca 's emergency services . ''
Dominik said he initially planned to use Haymarket Chicago as a comparable site .
But dispatch data acquired from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were flawed and unreliable , he said .
For instance , the data did n't eliminate duplicate calls for the same incident , Dominik wrote in his 120-page report .
Two different dispatchers may characterize the same call differently , resulting in `` many inconsistencies '' when analyzing the data , he wrote .
Village plan commissioners also asked if Haymarket Chicago keeps internal records of EMS calls .
`` The only record they have is contained inside each patient care report , '' Dominik said .
`` There 's no centralized database @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how many people went to the hospital or needed emergency transport or treatment . ''
Haymarket officials have said the larger Chicago center has a different patient population than the one planned in Itasca .
In many cases , the patients in the city are homeless , have not had access to health care for decades and tend to arrive with multiple medical conditions .
Haymarket leaders said they would supplement Elite Ambulance coverage by hiring more private ambulance companies if needed .
Dominik is expected to continue giving testimony when the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Would Haymarket overwhelm Itasca's 1 ambulance? Expert says no, group remains skeptical
In its renewed push to open an addiction treatment facility in Itasca, Haymarket Center hired a new expert with a long list of credentials to analyze whether it would place a burden on police and the village's fire protection district.
His conclusion? Itasca's fire district would have the capacity to cover the most critical emergency calls from the treatment center.
But the findings did little to quell skepticism from an opposition group and a fire district attorney, who questioned the methodology behind the projections.
Ambulance use has dominated much of the public debate around the proposal to turn a former Holiday Inn into a 240-bed center for people with substance-use disorders.
The issue consumed a three-hour public hearing Wednesday when former Wilmette Fire Chief James Dominik gave testimony on his report for Haymarket.
The Itasca Fire Protection District has one ambulance. Haymarket leaders say they have a contract with the state's second-largest private ambulance provider to handle most calls.
Elite Ambulance would absorb basic life support calls, while Dominik recommended Itasca's ambulance should respond to the advanced life support, or more life-threatening, calls.
As a result, the proposed treatment center would require 18 to 26 fire and EMS calls to Itasca each year, according to his analysis. The district on average responds to 1,636 calls per year -- the second-lowest volume out of a dozen area departments.
"Really, there is no adverse impact based on my findings from this study," Dominik said. "I feel that Itasca, both the police and the fire protection district, can clearly handle this without any additional resources."
Dominik based his analysis on calls generated by 11 treatment facilities and recovery homes that "provide similar licensed services to those proposed for Haymarket DuPage."
However, opponents said the comparable facilities in Dominik's report have a total of 237 beds, or three less than the 240 proposed in Itasca, a community of 8,700 people.
"That gives you a scope of what's being presented in one of DuPage's smallest villages," said James Diestel, a member of the Concerned Citizens of Itasca group.
Opponents also question why the study didn't use Haymarket's headquarters in Chicago's West Loop as a basis for comparison.
"When establishing an impact, the data is only as good as the (comparables) used," Diestel said. "Haymarket seemed to purposely stay away from an almost identical facility they have in the West Loop and concentrated on 11 facilities, seven of which don't have treatment beds, to establish the impact on Itasca's emergency services."
Dominik said he initially planned to use Haymarket Chicago as a comparable site. But dispatch data acquired from the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications were flawed and unreliable, he said.
For instance, the data didn't eliminate duplicate calls for the same incident, Dominik wrote in his 120-page report. Two different dispatchers may characterize the same call differently, resulting in "many inconsistencies" when analyzing the data, he wrote.
Village plan commissioners also asked if Haymarket Chicago keeps internal records of EMS calls.
"The only record they have is contained inside each patient care report," Dominik said. "There's no centralized database for how many people came in, how many people went to the hospital or needed emergency transport or treatment."
Haymarket officials have said the larger Chicago center has a different patient population than the one planned in Itasca. In many cases, the patients in the city are homeless, have not had access to health care for decades and tend to arrive with multiple medical conditions.
Haymarket leaders said they would supplement Elite Ambulance coverage by hiring more private ambulance companies if needed.
Dominik is expected to continue giving testimony when the public hearing on Haymarket's proposal resumes Wednesday.
Treatment: Public hearing resumes Wednesday


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Hey, Griswold, it's time to enter the holiday lights contest

Santa and Frosty set up on the front lawn ?
Check Now all that remains on your holiday decorating to-do @ @ @ @ @ year 's Daily Herald holiday lights contest , presented by Treetime Christmas Creations of Lake @ @ @ @ @ photo at events.dailyherald.com by Dec. 9 to join the competition .
The submission that receives @ @ @ @ @ win the grand prize : a $ 750 Treetime Christmas Creations gift card and a @ @ @ @ @ Schaumburg-based Ala Carte Entertainment , which owns a number of restaurants throughout the area including @ @ @ @ @ 's Choice winners ( representing DuPage County , the Fox Valley , Lake County and @ @ @ @ @ receive a $ 25 Treetime Christmas Creations gift card and a $ 10 Ala Carte @ @ @ @ @ one random voter will receive a $ 100 Treetime Christmas Creations gift card and a @ @ @ @ @ gift certificate .
Voting will run Dec. 10-14 .
The winners will be featured in @ @ @ @ @ of the Daily Herald .

Hey, Griswold, it's time to enter the holiday lights contest
Villa Park resident Andrew Fillipp won the DuPage County Editor's Choice award in the Daily Herald's 2019 holiday lights contest. Fillipp is such a fan of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," he bought a Blackhawks jersey with "Griswold" on the back. Daily Herald file photo
Are those light strands working, Clark? Check.
Santa and Frosty set up on the front lawn? Check
Music accompaniment programmed? Check.
Now all that remains on your holiday decorating to-do list is to enter this year's Daily Herald holiday lights contest, presented by Treetime Christmas Creations of Lake Barrington. Simply upload a photo at events.dailyherald.com by Dec. 9 to join the competition.
The submission that receives the most online votes will win the grand prize: a $750 Treetime Christmas Creations gift card and a $20 gift certificate from Schaumburg-based Ala Carte Entertainment, which owns a number of restaurants throughout the area including Moretti's.
Four Editor's Choice winners (representing DuPage County, the Fox Valley, Lake County and the Northwest suburbs) will receive a $25 Treetime Christmas Creations gift card and a $10 Ala Carte Entertainment gift certificate.
And one random voter will receive a $100 Treetime Christmas Creations gift card and a $20 Ala Carte Entertainment gift certificate.
Voting will run Dec. 10-14. The winners will be featured in the Dec. 18 print edition of the Daily Herald.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Feder: Cubs TV announcer Len Kasper named radio voice of White Sox on ESPN 1000

Len Kasper , who 's been the TV play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs for 16 years , will become @ @ @ @ @ White Sox this spring , according to multiple sources , reports Robert Feder .
The @ @ @ @ @ the move of White Sox baseball broadcasts to WMVP 1000-AM , the Good Karma Brands @ @ @ @ @ a multiyear agreement finalized last month .

Feder: Cubs TV announcer Len Kasper named radio voice of White Sox on ESPN 1000
Len Kasper is the new radio voice of the White Sox. Courtesy of Len Kasper
Len Kasper, who's been the TV play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs for 16 years, is the new radio voice of the Chicago White Sox, the team announced Friday.
The announcement follows the move of White Sox broadcasts to WMVP 1000-AM, the Good Karma Brands ESPN sports/talk station, under a multiyear agreement finalized last month.
Kasper replaces Andy Masur in the radio booth alongside Darrin Jackson, who continues in the role of analyst he has held since 2000. The White Sox most recently aired on Nexstar Media Group news/talk WGN 720-AM.
Kasper spent his final season with the Cubs alongside analyst Jim DeShaies as an employee of Marquee Sports Network, the regional sports network operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group and the Cubs. Chris Myers is reported to be the leading candidate to replace Kasper at Marquee.
Kasper, 49, a native of Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and summa cum laude graduate of Marquette University, joined the Cubs in 2005 after three years as Florida Marlins announcer for Fox Sports Net. Earlier he called Milwaukee Brewers games and worked as morning sports anchor at WTMJ in Milwaukee.
Read more from Robert Feder here.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Believe Project: $100 to help woman struggling financially

Today 's winner of a $ 100 bill through the Believe Project is Linda Mueller of Elgin .
Mueller wants @ @ @ @ @ a woman she knows .
Here is an excerpt of her story : '' I @ @ @ @ @ years ago and she was the fortunate recipient of $ 100 .
However , she @ @ @ @ @ her move from Chicago to Rockford in order to protect herself and her children from @ @ @ @ @ `` She now has health issues that prevent her from working and is relying on @ @ @ @ @ I will be providing her with holiday gifts and food , and would love to @ @ @ @ @ from your generous donor . ''
• The Believe Project is awarding $ 100 each @ @ @ @ @ different person with a great idea for how to use the money to do a @ @ @ @ @ .
If you 'd like the chance to help someone , submit your idea for @ @ @ @ @ fewer at events.dailyherald.com/believe/ .

Believe Project: $100 to help woman struggling financially
Today's winner of a $100 bill through the Believe Project is Linda Mueller of Elgin.
Mueller wants to give the money to a woman she knows. Here is an excerpt of her story:
"I nominated this person about 3 years ago and she was the fortunate recipient of $100. However, she continues to struggle financially after her move from Chicago to Rockford in order to protect herself and her children from a very abusive relationship.
"She now has health issues that prevent her from working and is relying on state assistance and disability. I will be providing her with holiday gifts and food, and would love to include a $100 bill from your generous donor."
• The Believe Project is awarding $100 each day in December to a different person with a great idea for how to use the money to do a good deed for someone else. If you'd like the chance to help someone, submit your idea for consideration in 150 words or fewer at events.dailyherald.com/believe/.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-03--Oberweis files for discovery recount in DuPage County

State Sen. Jim Oberweis , who lost the 14th Congressional District race to U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood by 5,374 votes @ @ @ @ @ has filed for a discovery recount in DuPage County .
The sprawling 14th District includes @ @ @ @ @ DeKalb , DuPage , Kane , Kendall , Lake , McHenry and Will .
`` @ @ @ @ @ in the other counties in the coming days , '' said Oberweis , a Sugar @ @ @ @ @ discovery recount , a partial sample of votes are counted .
It does n't change @ @ @ @ @ used in a court challenge of the results .
A spokeswoman for Underwood 's campaign @ @ @ @ @ is in Washington focused on the job she has been elected to do . ''
@ @ @ @ @ race have been counted , and Mr. Oberweis lost , '' Andra Belknap said .
@ @ @ @ @ , a discovery recount can not change the outcome of this election . ''

Oberweis files for discovery recount in DuPage County
State Sen. Jim Oberweis, who lost the 14th Congressional District race to U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood by 5,374 votes, announced Thursday his campaign has filed for a discovery recount in DuPage County.
The sprawling 14th District includes portions of seven counties: DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will.
"We will be filing paperwork in the other counties in the coming days," said Oberweis, a Sugar Grove Republican.
In a discovery recount, a partial sample of votes are counted. It doesn't change the outcome but could be used in a court challenge of the results.
A spokeswoman for Underwood's campaign said the Naperville Democrat "is in Washington focused on the job she has been elected to do."
"The votes in this race have been counted, and Mr. Oberweis lost," Andra Belknap said. "As he has acknowledged, a discovery recount cannot change the outcome of this election."


US-Pres-Sum,100

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

US-Pres-Sum,100
Trump 74,170,241 - 47 percent
Has won 25 states with 232 ev.
Leads in 0 states with 0 ev.
Others 2,701,302 - 2 percent
Has won 0 states with 0 ev.
Leads in 0 states with 0 ev.
Needed to win: 270 of the 538 electoral votes (ev) from
the 50 states and the District of Columbia.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Which suburban hospitals are getting COVID-19 vaccines first

Illinois health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities will be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines , assuming approvals are granted by federal regulators in the coming days , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said at a briefing Friday .
And the first doses will go to 10 hospitals to distribute in 50 counties with the highest death rates per capita , officials said .
Those hospitals include four in the suburbs : Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin , Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood , Northshore Highland Park Hospital , and Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Illinois , 23,000 are allocated to Chicago and 86,000 to the rest of the state .
`` There will be shipments of more and more vaccines each week following that first shipment 's arrival , '' Pritzker said .
Pritzker praised the skill and speed of scientists at Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. , the first pharmaceutical companies to seek emergency use permits for separate vaccines , but he noted that the general population will have to wait for inoculations .
`` With the two-dose timeline , no single person will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will likely be months before people with low-risk factors see their first dose , '' he said .
There are 654,598 front line health care workers and 109,227 long-term care seniors in Illinois who would receive the vaccine first .
Pfizer 's vaccine , if approved by the Federal Drug Administration Dec. 10 , could be dispersed starting Dec. 13 .
Moderna 's version is scheduled for a Dec. 17 FDA decision and could start flowing Dec. 20 , Pritzker said .
Next in line for vaccines after health care workers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people with high-risk medical conditions .
Another consideration are Black and Hispanic communities with high COVID-19 mortality rates , officials said .
The CDC is still determining priorities for those groups .
Chicago will receive its vaccines separately ; the supply for the rest of Illinois will be kept in a state facility .
The Illinois Department of Public Health bought 20 ultracold freezers for the Pfizer version , which must be stored at temperatures of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit .
Hospitals and local health department will coordinate `` to identify high-risk and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine administration , '' IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said .
Other Illinois hospitals that will receive initial shipments are Rockford Memorial Hospital , OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria , St. John 's Hospital in Springfield , Memorial Hospital in Belleville , SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale and Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana .
Ezike also noted `` there is a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens ' pharmacies to directly vaccinate residents of the long-term care facilities . ''
Of the 50 counties with high death rates , Greene County near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 people .
Suburban Cook was 29th with 122.8 deaths per 100,000 .
Lake was ranked 40th with 91.2 deaths per 100,000 , Kane was 42nd and DuPage was 44th -- both had 84.6 deaths per 100,000 .
Will was 45th with 81.6 deaths per 100,000 .
New cases of COVID-19 totaled 10,526 Friday with 148 additional deaths from the respiratory disease , as hospitalizations dipped by 5.5 % , officials reported .
The number of patients in Illinois hospitals as of Thursday night was 5,453 , lower than the seven-day average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seven days stand at 40,187 , a 5.5 % decrease from 42,546 people Nov. 20-26 , Illinois Department of Public Health data shows .
Meanwhile , suburban Cook and the collar counties remain above a state target that would indicate a lowered risk level for COVID-19 .
Two weeks ago , Pritzker imposed statewide restrictions intended to tamp down a surge in COVID-19 cases .
These include closing movie theaters temporarily , limits of 50 % capacity at grocery stores and 25 % at other stores , suspending indoor group sports , closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ events at banquet halls , party venues and clubs .
For those measures to be relaxed , a state public health region must have positive results on COVID-19 tests of less than 12 % for three days and show declining hospitalization metrics .
Pritzker also said Monday he was in no hurry to ease the rules at least for a couple of weeks because of an expected infection uptick related to Thanksgiving celebrations .
In suburban Cook County ( Region 10 ) the test positivity rate was 12.4 % as of Tuesday compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IDPH reported .
In Lake and McHenry counties ( Region 9 ) the test positivity rate was 12.8 % as of Tuesday versus 13.5 % on Nov. 22 .
In DuPage and Kane counties ( Region 8 ) the test rate was 13.2 % as of Tuesday contrasted with 14.4 % Nov. 22 .
Will and Kankakee counties ( Region 7 ) have the highest levels in the suburbs with a 16.8 % test positivity on Tuesday compared to 18.1 % on Nov. 22 .
All five regions underwent initial restrictions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October .
The state 's virus test positivity rate is 10.3 % based on a seven-day average .
Labs processed 112,634 virus tests in the last 24 hours .
Infections in Illinois since the pandemic began are at 770,088 and the total number of people who have died is 12,974 .

Which suburban hospitals are getting COVID-19 vaccines first
Illinois health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities will be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccines, assuming approvals are granted by federal regulators in the coming days, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said at a briefing Friday.
And the first doses will go to 10 hospitals to distribute in 50 counties with the highest death rates per capita, officials said. Those hospitals include four in the suburbs: Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Northshore Highland Park Hospital, and Advocate Christ Hospital and Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
Out of 109,000 initial doses coming to Illinois, 23,000 are allocated to Chicago and 86,000 to the rest of the state.
"There will be shipments of more and more vaccines each week following that first shipment's arrival," Pritzker said.
Pritzker praised the skill and speed of scientists at Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., the first pharmaceutical companies to seek emergency use permits for separate vaccines, but he noted that the general population will have to wait for inoculations.
"With the two-dose timeline, no single person will be fully vaccinated even by Christmas, and it will likely be months before people with low-risk factors see their first dose," he said.
There are 654,598 front line health care workers and 109,227 long-term care seniors in Illinois who would receive the vaccine first.
Pfizer's vaccine, if approved by the Federal Drug Administration Dec. 10, could be dispersed starting Dec. 13. Moderna's version is scheduled for a Dec. 17 FDA decision and could start flowing Dec. 20, Pritzker said.
Next in line for vaccines after health care workers and nursing homes will be essential workers and people with high-risk medical conditions. Another consideration are Black and Hispanic communities with high COVID-19 mortality rates, officials said. The CDC is still determining priorities for those groups.
Chicago will receive its vaccines separately; the supply for the rest of Illinois will be kept in a state facility. The Illinois Department of Public Health bought 20 ultracold freezers for the Pfizer version, which must be stored at temperatures of minus 94 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hospitals and local health department will coordinate "to identify high-risk and critical health care workers for the initial vaccine administration," IDPH Director Ngozi Ezike said.
Highland Park Hospital will receive 27,300 vaccines, Loyola 16,575, Christ Hospital 8,775, and Sherman Hospital 7,800.
Other Illinois hospitals that will receive initial shipments are Rockford Memorial Hospital, OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Memorial Hospital in Belleville, SIH Memorial Hospital of Carbondale and Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.
Ezike also noted "there is a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens' pharmacies to directly vaccinate residents of the long-term care facilities."
Of the 50 counties with high death rates, Greene County near St. Louis ranks first with 214.7 per 100,000 people. Suburban Cook was 29th with 122.8 deaths per 100,000.
Lake was ranked 40th with 91.2 deaths per 100,000, Kane was 42nd and DuPage was 44th -- both had 84.6 deaths per 100,000. Will was 45th with 81.6 deaths per 100,000.
New cases of COVID-19 totaled 10,526 Friday with 148 additional deaths from the respiratory disease, as hospitalizations dipped by 5.5%, officials reported. The number of patients in Illinois hospitals as of Thursday night was 5,453, lower than the seven-day average of 5,741. Total hospitalizations in the last seven days stand at 40,187, a 5.5% decrease from 42,546 people Nov. 20-26, Illinois Department of Public Health data shows.
Meanwhile, suburban Cook and the collar counties remain above a state target that would indicate a lowered risk level for COVID-19.
Two weeks ago, Pritzker imposed statewide restrictions intended to tamp down a surge in COVID-19 cases. These include closing movie theaters temporarily, limits of 50% capacity at grocery stores and 25% at other stores, suspending indoor group sports, closing casinos and gambling terminals, and banning events at banquet halls, party venues and clubs.
For those measures to be relaxed, a state public health region must have positive results on COVID-19 tests of less than 12% for three days and show declining hospitalization metrics. Pritzker also said Monday he was in no hurry to ease the rules at least for a couple of weeks because of an expected infection uptick related to Thanksgiving celebrations.
In suburban Cook County (Region 10) the test positivity rate was 12.4% as of Tuesday compared to 14.4% on Nov. 22, the IDPH reported. In Lake and McHenry counties (Region 9) the test positivity rate was 12.8% as of Tuesday versus 13.5% on Nov. 22.
In DuPage and Kane counties (Region 8) the test rate was 13.2% as of Tuesday contrasted with 14.4% Nov. 22. Will and Kankakee counties (Region 7) have the highest levels in the suburbs with a 16.8% test positivity on Tuesday compared to 18.1% on Nov. 22.
All five regions underwent initial restrictions, such as no indoor dining, in October.
The state's virus test positivity rate is 10.3% based on a seven-day average.
Labs processed 112,634 virus tests in the last 24 hours.
Infections in Illinois since the pandemic began are at 770,088 and the total number of people who have died is 12,974.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Arlington Heights middle school closed due to COVID-19

Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights has been closed until Dec. 14 due to COVID-19 , while parents in the district promote dueling petitions regarding in-person learning .
Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 Superintendent Lori Bein informed parents in an email Wednesday that 11 positive cases of the disease were `` recently reported '' in the school .
`` The Cook County Department of Public Health stated that it would be ideal for me to move the school into a full remote learning model at this time , '' Bein wrote .
Staff members were asked to work remotely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to the building as it is safe to do so . ''
The district is under a hybrid program , meaning students attend full-day , in-person classes twice a week , although families can choose all-remote learning .
Two petitions are circulating online regarding District 25 .
One petition calls for continuing in-person learning while the other advocates for an `` adaptive '' pause to in-person learning , which many other suburban school districts have implemented due to the current surge of COVID-19 cases across the region .
The school board is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today to discuss enacting a pause starting Monday through Jan. 15 .
Parent Melisa Whalen-Andrews said the pro-pause petition has garnered more than 500 signatures .
Her children have been doing all-remote learning , but she said she 's worried about the safety of teachers , staff members and students who are in classrooms .
`` We are the only district ... within a five- to 10-mile radius that is not in adaptive pause , '' she said .
Parent Renee Simkus Schlenhardt said more than 300 people signed the petition to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a choice between remote and in-person learning , and shutting down the latter especially hurts kids with special needs and English language learners , she said .
Simkul Schlenhardt said she enrolled her two children in a private school that has remained open since August , but her goal is to re-enroll them in District 25 .
The school board last month set Jan. 19 as the date to return to full in-person learning if the positivity rate in suburban Cook County drops below 8 % , or there are fewer than 70 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in the Arlington Heights area .
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health , both of those metrics are in the `` moderate '' category with `` warning signs '' of transmission .
The school board last month also changed how the district defines the 6-foot social distancing standard for classrooms , which is now measured from `` point to point , '' or head to head .
That allows as many as 20 students in some classrooms , rather than about a dozen students when the distance is measured from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edge of the next .

After 4-3 vote, District 25 will stick with hybrid learning this month, except Thomas
Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights is closed until Dec. 14 after 11 cases of COVID-19 were reported at the school. Daily Herald FILE PHOTO
In a vote that reflected a divided community, the Arlington Heights Elementary District 25 board chose Friday to continue with a hybrid learning model rather than go all-remote until Jan. 19.
The exception is Thomas Middle School, which will remain closed through Dec. 14 because of an outbreak of COVID-19 there.
Superintendent Lori Bein informed parents in an email Wednesday that 11 positive cases of the disease were "recently reported" in the school.
"The Cook County Department of Public Health stated that it would be ideal for me to move the school into a full remote learning model at this time," Bein wrote. Staff members were asked to work remotely, and "we will further assess their return to the building as it is safe to do so."
The school board's 4-3 vote Friday night against going all-remote in the remaining District 25 schools reflected dueling petitions that parents had been circulating and feedback school leaders had been receiving.
"We're a completely divided community," school board President Brian Cerniglia said. "For every email I have received from an angry parent demanding that District 25 put our kids back in school, I have received an equal number of emails from concerned parents who don't want to risk the further spread of this deadly virus."
District 25 officials said they received 220 public comments against what's called an adaptive pause, where in-person learning is suspended in whole or in part temporarily, with 254 encouraging the board to vote in favor of it.
Cerniglia said the district has received countless emails telling it to look at the science. But, he said, "if I get another email asking me to look at the science, my head is going to explode."
He said the science has not been consistent, saying the CDC rubric has supported taking an adaptive pause, while CDC officials in a news conference have suggested school is the safest place for children.
Voting against the pause were board members Scott Filipek, Chad Conley, Gina Faso and Rich Olejniczak. Those in favor were Cerniglia, Erin Johannesen, and Anisha Ismail Patel.
Faso and Olejniczak cited the district's improved overall metrics and its mitigation measures. Olejniczak called the measures "something that we all should be proud of."
"I personally am in awe of what the teachers do every day, and we continually need to ask those challenging questions of how can we help them," Olejniczak said.
Filipek said a visit to schools Friday confirmed for him the mitigation measures were working and students were complying.
"We are trusting our kids, and they are doing a phenomenal job," he said. "What's best for our kids is to keep them in those schools."
Cerniglia cited staffing constraints and teacher burnout in voting for the pause.
Under the hybrid program, students attend full-day, in-person classes twice a week, although families can choose all-remote learning.
Parent Melisa Whalen-Andrews said a pro-pause petition had garnered more than 500 signatures. Her children have been doing all-remote learning, but she said she's worried about the safety of teachers, staff members and students who are in classrooms.
"We are the only district ... within a five- to 10-mile radius that is not in adaptive pause," she said.
Parent Renee Simkus Schlenhardt said more than 300 people signed the petition to continue in-person learning. Families should continue having a choice and shutting down the in-person option especially hurts kids with special needs and English language learners, she said.
The school board last month set Jan. 19 as the date to return to full in-person learning if the positivity rate in suburban Cook County drops below 8%, or there are fewer than 70 new weekly cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in the Arlington Heights area. The 7-day positivity rate is at about 12% now.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Cook County cites Prospect Heights hotel that hosted crowded wedding

The Cook County Department of Public Health Friday cited a Prospect Heights hotel that was the site of a crowded wedding reception this week , in what officials labeled a potential COVID-19 superspreader event .
The Hilton Chicago/Northbrook hotel and on-site Allgauer 's on the Riverfront restaurant , which has a Northbrook address of 2855 Milwaukee Ave. but is within the city limits of Prospect Heights , was served with two notices of violation after hosting a wedding reception attended by at least 150 people Wednesday night .
The health department violations -- technically called a facility notice of noncompliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge disobeying the state 's current prohibition on indoor dining and hosting a large communal event in a public space .
The citations , considered civil violations , do n't have fines attached to them , but the hotel could face penalties of up to $ 1,000 per offense if there are repeated violations .
Health department attorneys are still reviewing evidence and case notes to determine next steps , officials said .
In a written announcement of the citations Friday afternoon , Dr. Rachel Rubin , colead and senior medical officer at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hotel , restaurant , bride , groom , caterer and guests , saying they were `` reckless and irresponsible '' for throwing the large wedding reception in violation of COVID-19 mitigation restrictions .
The hotel released a statement Thursday in which management apologized for allowing the gathering to take place , though the event was booked before the latest state mitigation measures .
Though it operates under the Hilton brand , the hotel is independently owned and operated .
Health department officials issued the citations Friday afternoon after viewing local TV news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsequent inspection of the facility on Thursday .
They added they would closely monitor the hotel and restaurant , and additional reports of noncompliance could result in further actions .
The health department 's violation notice came with guidance to all who were at the wedding to quarantine for at least 10 days and get tested in an effort to avoid spreading COVID-19 to the community at large .
County officials have requested the wedding guest list to assist with contact tracing efforts if someone tests positive .
`` People were n't wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The risk for transmission in making it a superspreader event is significant , '' Rubin said Thursday .
The county violations are in addition to a written warning issued Thursday by Prospect Heights city officials .
Mayor Nick Helmer said the wedding reception was booked with the understanding that face masks would be worn , among other directives .
But he said `` it was n't followed up properly '' by the on-site staff , and the hotel owners were just as surprised by what they saw .
Of the owners ' mea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Frankly , they put it in on a straight-up basis : They screwed up . ''
Helmer said the city has n't had any problems with the hotel in the past , calling it one of the best businesses in town .

Cook County cites Prospect Heights hotel that hosted crowded wedding
Hilton Chicago/Northbrook hotel and on-site Allgauer's on the Riverfront restaurant were cited by the Cook County Department of Public Health on Friday for hosting a wedding attended by at least 150 people Wednesday night. Daily Herald File Photo
The Cook County Department of Public Health Friday cited a Prospect Heights hotel that was the site of a crowded wedding reception this week, in what officials labeled a potential COVID-19 superspreader event.
The Hilton Chicago/Northbrook hotel and on-site Allgauer's on the Riverfront restaurant, which has a Northbrook address of 2855 Milwaukee Ave. but is within the city limits of Prospect Heights, was served with two notices of violation after hosting a wedding reception attended by at least 150 people Wednesday night.
The health department violations -- technically called a facility notice of noncompliance and a facility order to disperse -- charge disobeying the state's current prohibition on indoor dining and hosting a large communal event in a public space.
The citations, considered civil violations, don't have fines attached to them, but the hotel could face penalties of up to $1,000 per offense if there are repeated violations. Health department attorneys are still reviewing evidence and case notes to determine next steps, officials said.
In a written announcement of the citations Friday afternoon, Dr. Rachel Rubin, colead and senior medical officer at the county health department, called out the hotel, restaurant, bride, groom, caterer and guests, saying they were "reckless and irresponsible" for throwing the large wedding reception in violation of COVID-19 mitigation restrictions.
The hotel released a statement Thursday in which management apologized for allowing the gathering to take place, though the event was booked before the latest state mitigation measures. Though it operates under the Hilton brand, the hotel is independently owned and operated.
Health department officials issued the citations Friday afternoon after viewing local TV news video of the crowded gathering and a subsequent inspection of the facility on Thursday. They added they would closely monitor the hotel and restaurant, and additional reports of noncompliance could result in further actions.
The health department's violation notice came with guidance to all who were at the wedding to quarantine for at least 10 days and get tested in an effort to avoid spreading COVID-19 to the community at large. County officials have requested the wedding guest list to assist with contact tracing efforts if someone tests positive.
"People weren't wearing masks. They were crowded together. The risk for transmission in making it a superspreader event is significant," Rubin said Thursday.
The county violations are in addition to a written warning issued Thursday by Prospect Heights city officials.
Mayor Nick Helmer said the wedding reception was booked with the understanding that face masks would be worn, among other directives. But he said "it wasn't followed up properly" by the on-site staff, and the hotel owners were just as surprised by what they saw.
Of the owners' mea culpa written statement, Helmer said, "Frankly, they put it in on a straight-up basis: They screwed up."
Helmer said the city hasn't had any problems with the hotel in the past, calling it one of the best businesses in town.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Hey, Griswold, it's time to enter the holiday lights contest


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Broadcast news: Kasper follows dream, leaves Cubs for Sox radio booth

The White Sox have a new radio home in 2021 , ESPN 1000-AM .
Much bigger news was dropped on Friday , when the Sox announced Len Kasper is coming over from the Cubs to be the play-by-play voice .
The 49-year-old Kasper takes over for Andy Masur , who replaced the late Ed Farmer last season , and he joins longtime analyst Darrin Jackson in the radio booth .
Kasper was the Cubs ' popular TV play-by-play announcer the past 16 seasons and he will work 20-25 games with Jason Benetti and the White Sox when Steve Stone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the surprising move had nothing to do with being unhappy with the Cubs and/or Marquee Sports Network , which launched last season and has been a frequent target of criticism .
`` I want this to be crystal clear , '' Kasper said Friday .
`` If Cubs games were still on WGN ( TV ) or NBC Sports Chicago or Channel 7 , I would still be doing this .
I was treated like a king with the Cubs .
This is 100 % about a moment in time during which I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lifetime . ''
Kasper said he 's wanted to broadcast major-league baseball on the radio since growing up in Mt .
Pleasant , Mich. , and listening to the late Ernie Harwell call Detroit Tigers games .
`` This is emotional for a lot of reasons , '' said Kasper , who choked up on the Zoom call when talking about Harwell , a Hall of Famer .
`` When I was 12 , I wanted to be Ernie Harwell .
He was a hero who became a mentor and a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture of the great game of baseball on the radio like he did for me growing up .
`` I want to call postseason games , I want to be behind the microphone to call a World Series .
This is my decision .
The Cubs and Marquee did everything they could to keep me with the club .
I ca n't thank them enough for how they handled it .
At the end of the day , I 'm trying to live out my dream . ''
On Monday , White Sox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got a surprise call from Kasper .
`` I expected it to be a recommendation for someone else to be the radio play-by-play voice for our club , '' Boyer said .
`` I was stunned when he went on to tell me his dream was to call big-league games on radio . ''
Boyer contacted the Cubs , who reluctantly let Kasper exit his contract on Thursday .
`` Len is chasing a dream which he and I have discussed many times , '' said Marquee Sports Network general manager Mike McCarthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to retain Len but he was resolute that moving to the White Sox radio position was his desire . ''
FOX national broadcaster Chris Myers is reportedly the leading candidate to replace Kasper , but McCarthy said no decision has been made .
Kasper did say he was only interested in a radio job in Chicago .
`` As you get older and go through a lot of experiences , you make a decision that if there 's something you want you have to be active about it , '' said Kasper , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 2002-04 ) and Brewers ( 1999-2001 ) .
`` If you have something in the back of your mind that you 're thinking might be fun to do , nobody is just going to reach out and read your mind and hand it to you .
You have to be aggressive . ''
Reaching out to Boyer paid off for Kasper , who is looking forward to moving from the North Side to the South Side .
`` I 'm a White Sox , '' Kasper said .
`` When you 're @ @ @ @ @ @ @ team . ''

Why Len Kasper is leaving the Cubs for Sox radio booth
After spending the past 16 seasons in the Chicago Cubs' TV booth, Len Kasper is joining the Chicago White Sox as their radio play-by-play announcer. Courtesy of Len Kasper
The White Sox have a new radio home in 2021, ESPN 1000-AM.
Much bigger news was dropped on Friday, when the Sox announced Len Kasper is coming over from the Cubs to be the play-by-play voice.
The 49-year-old Kasper takes over for Andy Masur, who replaced the late Ed Farmer last season, and he joins longtime analyst Darrin Jackson in the radio booth.
Kasper was the Cubs' popular TV play-by-play announcer the past 16 seasons and he will work 20-25 games with Jason Benetti and the White Sox when Steve Stone is off.
But Kasper made it clear the surprising move had nothing to do with being unhappy with the Cubs and/or Marquee Sports Network, which launched last season and has been a frequent target of criticism.
"I want this to be crystal clear," Kasper said Friday. "If Cubs games were still on WGN (TV) or NBC Sports Chicago or Channel 7, I would still be doing this. I was treated like a king with the Cubs. This is 100% about a moment in time during which I could not pass up the opportunity of a lifetime."
Kasper said he's wanted to broadcast major-league baseball on the radio since growing up in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., and listening to the late Ernie Harwell call Detroit Tigers games.
"This is emotional for a lot of reasons," said Kasper, who choked up on the Zoom call when talking about Harwell, a Hall of Famer. "When I was 12, I wanted to be Ernie Harwell. He was a hero who became a mentor and a good friend. I wanted to paint the picture of the great game of baseball on the radio like he did for me growing up.
"I want to call postseason games, I want to be behind the microphone to call a World Series. This is my decision. The Cubs and Marquee did everything they could to keep me with the club. I can't thank them enough for how they handled it. At the end of the day, I'm trying to live out my dream."
On Monday, White Sox chief revenue and marketing director Brooks Boyer got a surprise call from Kasper.
"I expected it to be a recommendation for someone else to be the radio play-by-play voice for our club," Boyer said. "I was stunned when he went on to tell me his dream was to call big-league games on radio."
Boyer contacted the Cubs, who reluctantly let Kasper exit his contract on Thursday.
"Len is chasing a dream which he and I have discussed many times," said Marquee Sports Network general manager Mike McCarthy. "We made a significant effort to retain Len but he was resolute that moving to the White Sox radio position was his desire."
FOX national broadcaster Chris Myers is reportedly the leading candidate to replace Kasper, but McCarthy said no decision has been made.
Kasper did say he was only interested in a radio job in Chicago.
"As you get older and go through a lot of experiences, you make a decision that if there's something you want you have to be active about it," said Kasper, who has also worked for the Marlins (2002-04) and Brewers (1999-2001). "If you have something in the back of your mind that you're thinking might be fun to do, nobody is just going to reach out and read your mind and hand it to you. You have to be aggressive."
Reaching out to Boyer paid off for Kasper, who is looking forward to moving from the North Side to the South Side.
"I'm a White Sox," Kasper said. "When you're with a team, they're your team."


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Mount Prospect dispensary plans slow transition to recreational pot

A medical marijuana dispensary in Mount Prospect that was granted village permission this week to sell recreational pot plans a slow transition to its new line of products .
`` We will be thoughtful in how we roll out adult-use ( recreational marijuana ) , '' Victoria Mendicino , chief of staff to the CEO of Revolution Global , said in an email .
Revolution operates the New Age Care dispensary at 2015 E. Euclid Ave. For now , there will be no immediate change in operation at the business , and New Age has not decided when it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mendicino said , it will involve scheduled appointments , online ordering and other ways to control the flow of customers .
`` At this point , we have no immediate plans to move , '' Mendicino added .
`` As our business grows and requires more space , we may decide to move to a larger location .
We view our relationship with the village as a partnership , consider Mount Prospect our home , and remain committed to serving the community . ''
Medical cannabis patients will still receive priority , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Because it was an existing licensed operation , New Age was granted immediate permission to sell recreational cannabis when the village lifted its ban on sales Tuesday .
According to the village , New Age projects revenues from recreational pot sales at $ 18.45 million , which would generate $ 922,500 in local taxes .

Mount Prospect dispensary plans slow transition to recreational pot
A medical marijuana dispensary in Mount Prospect that was granted village permission this week to sell recreational pot plans a slow transition to its new line of products.
"We will be thoughtful in how we roll out adult-use (recreational marijuana)," Victoria Mendicino, chief of staff to the CEO of Revolution Global, said in an email. Revolution operates the New Age Care dispensary at 2015 E. Euclid Ave.
For now, there will be no immediate change in operation at the business, and New Age has not decided when it will begin recreational sales. When it does, Mendicino said, it will involve scheduled appointments, online ordering and other ways to control the flow of customers.
"At this point, we have no immediate plans to move," Mendicino added. "As our business grows and requires more space, we may decide to move to a larger location. We view our relationship with the village as a partnership, consider Mount Prospect our home, and remain committed to serving the community."
Medical cannabis patients will still receive priority, as mandated by Illinois law, she said.
Because it was an existing licensed operation, New Age was granted immediate permission to sell recreational cannabis when the village lifted its ban on sales Tuesday.
According to the village, New Age projects revenues from recreational pot sales at $18.45 million, which would generate $922,500 in local taxes.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Illinois schools are not COVID-19 superspreaders, data shows

Even as the region enters its worst period of the pandemic thus far , the vast majority of public and @ @ @ @ @ area that have reopened in some capacity this fall have had little confirmed exposure to @ @ @ @ @ month , according to a Chicago Sun-Times analysis of state data .
A small fraction @ @ @ @ @ where virus transmission has been traced to school buildings , while high schools have shown @ @ @ @ @ experience COVID-19 scares than elementary schools , records show .
Those findings match nationwide figures @ @ @ @ @ significant spread in educational settings , especially among younger students , and provide some insight @ @ @ @ @ and in Chicago have expressed strong confidence that schools are safer to reopen than first @ @ @ @ @ pandemic rages on .

Illinois schools are not COVID-19 superspreaders, data shows
There was an outbreak of COVID-19 at St. Mary Immaculate Parish School in suburban Plainfield this fall, state data shows. Courtesy of the Chicago Sun-Times
Even as the region enters its worst period of the pandemic thus far, the vast majority of public and private schools in the Chicago area that have reopened in some capacity this fall have had little confirmed exposure to the coronavirus in the past month, according to a Chicago Sun-Times analysis of state data.
A small fraction of schools have had outbreaks where virus transmission has been traced to school buildings, while high schools have shown to be more likely to experience COVID-19 scares than elementary schools, records show.
Those findings match nationwide figures showing relatively low instances of significant spread in educational settings, especially among younger students, and provide some insight into why health officials nationally and in Chicago have expressed strong confidence that schools are safer to reopen than first thought, even as the pandemic rages on.
For the complete story, visit chicago.suntimes.com.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Hawthorn Woods ordered to pay $5.3 million to developer

A five-year court action involving a 62-acre property in Hawthorn Woods has ended with a $ 5.3 million judgment against the village .
In a 21-page decision , Lake County Associate Judge Luis A. Berrones also said the village must pay legal fees incurred by PML Development LLC , which one of its attorneys said could be in the $ 2 million range .
Village officials said they were disappointed by the ruling and would appeal , but declined to discuss particulars as it is a pending legal matter .
The dispute involves property bordered by Fairfield Road to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kruger Road on the south and the Legend Knoll subdivision on the north .
Wheeling-based PML was formed to develop the property in Hawthorn Woods , and the company and village entered into a development agreement in 2012 .
Berrones in his ruling described the agreement as being at times `` vague or incomplete '' as to what each party was required to do and that it did not create a `` cooperative business relationship '' between the parties .
PML lawyers argued that the village delayed the project in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were n't negotiated in the initial agreement .
The company sued the village in 2015 for breach of contract .
Among other things , the company contended that the village refused to approve a grading permit on a timely basis because the municipal campus plan for the property had not been finalized and that it used stop work orders to force concessions and plan changes .
The village made a counterclaim of breach of contract saying , among other things , the company failed to grade and compact the property in accordance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Grading was completed in December 2018 .
All has been quiet at the site since , although the comings and goings of trucks , earth moving and other work and noise had riled some neighbors for years .
`` The village was overreaching , '' said Joseph Cohen , a partner with Chicago-based law firm Fox Rothschild LLP , which represented PML .
`` They were using their police powers to do things that were outside of the agreement . ''
The village `` continuously '' changed the concepts for a municipal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until PML revised grading plans to accommodate `` ever changing '' designs , the firm argued .
Berrones found that additional costs relating to site preparation , topsoil and clay work because of the expiration of the grading permit tallied nearly $ 4.9 million .
Additional costs attributable to multiple revisions to comply with village demands added $ 183,293 , he found , for total damages of nearly $ 5.35 million .
PML had sought about $ 7.3 million in damages plus attorney 's fees .
In a statement , Pam Newton , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will appeal the judgment and remains `` steadfast in its commitment to uphold mandated environmental standards . ''
She declined to elaborate .

Hawthorn Woods ordered to pay $5.3 million to developer
A five-year court action involving a 62-acre property in Hawthorn Woods has ended with a $5.3 million judgment against the village.
In a 21-page decision, Lake County Associate Judge Luis A. Berrones also said the village must pay legal fees incurred by PML Development LLC, which one of its attorneys said could be in the $2 million range.
Village officials said they were disappointed by the ruling and would appeal, but they declined to discuss particulars as it is a pending legal matter.
The dispute involves property bordered by Fairfield Road to the west, Midlothian Road on the east, Kruger Road on the south and the Legend Knoll subdivision on the north.
Wheeling-based PML was formed to develop the property in Hawthorn Woods, and the company and village entered into a development agreement in 2012.
Berrones in his ruling described the agreement as being at times "vague or incomplete" as to what each party was required to do and that it did not create a "cooperative business relationship" between the parties.
PML lawyers argued that the village delayed the project in order to incorporate details of a proposed municipal complex that weren't negotiated in the initial agreement.
The company sued the village in 2015 for breach of contract. Among other things, the company contended that the village refused to approve a grading permit on a timely basis because the municipal campus plan for the property had not been finalized and that it used stop-work orders to force concessions and plan changes.
The village made a counterclaim of breach of contract, saying, among other things, the company failed to grade and compact the property in accordance with design criteria for a municipal campus.
Grading was completed in December 2018. All has been quiet at the site since, although the comings and goings of trucks, earth moving, and other work and noise had riled some neighbors for years.
"The village was overreaching," said Joseph Cohen, a partner with Chicago-based law firm Fox Rothschild LLP, which represented PML. "They were using their police powers to do things that were outside of the agreement."
The village "continuously" changed the concepts for a municipal campus and refused to issue a permit until PML revised grading plans to accommodate "ever changing" designs, the firm argued.
Berrones found that additional costs relating to site preparation, topsoil and clay work because of the expiration of the grading permit tallied nearly $4.9 million.
Costs from multiple revisions to comply with village demands added $183,293, he found, and damages totaled nearly $5.35 million in the end. PML had sought about $7.3 million in damages plus attorney's fees.
In a statement, Pam Newton, chief operating officer, said the village will appeal the judgment and remains "steadfast in its commitment to uphold mandated environmental standards." She declined to elaborate.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Lombard keeps video gambling after voters send message of support

Lombard trustees have made a trial run with video gambling permanent , settling a long-running debate on the machines .
The board has repealed a sunset clause on a village ordinance that originally allowed video gambling on a temporary basis .
The village 's experiment with video gambling was set to automatically expire at the end of the month .
But trustees agreed to keep the terminals in town after a majority of Lombard voters approved of video gambling in an advisory question on the ballot last month .
Official election totals show 11,957 voters , or 52.4 % , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with 10,857 , or 47.5 % , against .
Five businesses had machines as of last month , Lombard officials say .
Village President Keith Giagnorio voiced support for video gambling , saying business owners could use the money from operating terminals as they try to weather the pandemic .
`` This does n't force anybody to go video gaming , '' Giagnorio said after the board 's vote during a virtual meeting Thursday night .
`` But it gives our businesses an opportunity , and at this time with COVID , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time . ''
Casinos and video gambling terminals have remained closed since Nov. 20 , when the entire state fell under stricter restrictions , known as Tier 3 mitigations , in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions .
`` Hopefully , we can get them back online , and they can start making some money , '' Giagnorio said .
Trustee Reid Foltyniewicz was the lone dissenting vote .
Trustee Andrew Honig said he 's personally opposed to video gambling , but that he would follow the will of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is my obligation and my job to represent Lombard and what the wishes are , '' he said .
Illinois legalized video gambling in 2009 , but municipalities were able to opt out .
Counties and towns that allow video gambling receive 5 % of the machines ' net revenues .
The state collects 25 % , while the establishment owners and terminal operators evenly split the remaining 70 % .
Lombard had 25 terminals spread across five licensed businesses in October , according to the most-recent report available from the Illinois Gaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Irish Pub , Enchanted Castle , Lombard Moose Lodge No .
2350 , Otto 's Tavern and Sal 's Pizza Pub .
The village made $ 4,668 from its share in October , while the state netted $ 27,077 , the latest figures show .
Lombard overturned a ban on video gambling and began the trial period last year .

Lombard keeps video gambling after voters send message of support
Lombard will continue to allow video gambling terminals in town. Daily Herald file photo
Lombard trustees have made a trial run with video gambling permanent, settling a long-running debate on the machines.
The board has repealed a sunset clause on a village ordinance that originally allowed video gambling on a temporary basis. The village's experiment with video gambling was set to automatically expire at the end of the month.
But trustees agreed to keep the terminals in town after a majority of Lombard voters approved of video gambling in an advisory question on the ballot last month.
Official election totals show 11,957 voters, or 52.4%, said "yes" to video gambling, with 10,857, or 47.5%, against.
Five businesses had machines as of last month, Lombard officials say. Village President Keith Giagnorio voiced support for video gambling, saying business owners could use the money from operating terminals as they try to weather the pandemic.
"This doesn't force anybody to go video gaming," Giagnorio said after the board's vote during a virtual meeting Thursday night. "But it gives our businesses an opportunity, and at this time with COVID, it couldn't come at a better time."
Casinos and video gambling terminals have remained closed since Nov. 20, when the entire state fell under stricter restrictions, known as Tier 3 mitigations, in response to a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospital admissions.
"Hopefully, we can get them back online, and they can start making some money," Giagnorio said.
Trustee Reid Foltyniewicz was the lone dissenting vote. Trustee Andrew Honig said he's personally opposed to video gambling but that he would follow the will of voters.
"I do think it is my obligation and my job to represent Lombard and what the wishes are," he said.
Illinois legalized video gambling in 2009, but municipalities were able to opt out.
Counties and towns that allow video gambling receive 5% of the machines' net revenues. The state collects 25%, while the establishment owners and terminal operators evenly split the remaining 70%.
Lombard had 25 terminals spread across five licensed businesses in October, according to the most recent report available from the Illinois Gaming Board. The five establishments are Punky's Irish Pub, Enchanted Castle, Lombard Moose Lodge No. 2350, Otto's Tavern and Sal's Pizza Pub.
The village made $4,668 from its share in October, while the state netted $27,077, the latest figures show.
Lombard overturned a ban on video gambling and began the trial period last year.


dailyheraldchicago--2020-12-04--Salvation Army kettle in Naperville strikes gold with Krugerrand donation

A Salvation Army red kettle in Naperville has the Midas touch .
In what 's become a holiday tradition , someone dropped a 1-ounce gold South African Krugerrand coin in the kettle outside the Casey 's Foods grocery store at Washington Street and Gartner Road .
Bell ringers for The Salvation Army Aurora Corps discovered the coin , valued at $ 1,790 , on Thursday .
Similar donations of South African Krugerrands also were found in kettles outside Casey 's in 2012 , 2013 and 2017 .
`` The gold coin shining in the kettle provides a glimmer of hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time of unprecedented need , '' Rangel said in a statement Friday .
Gold and silver coins donated in red kettles are a seasonal ritual throughout the Chicago area .
This year , The Salvation Army launched its `` Rescue Christmas '' campaign nearly two months early to meet a sharp increase in need during the pandemic .
Some Salvation Army locations in the region have seen as much as a fivefold increase in requests for food and emergency assistance since the start of the COVID-19 crisis .
The 2020 fundraising goal is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the campaign , visit salarmychristmas.org .

Salvation Army kettle in Naperville strikes gold with Krugerrand donation
Someone dropped a gold coin in The Salvation Army red kettle outside Casey's Foods in Naperville. Courtesy of the Salvation Army
A Salvation Army red kettle in Naperville has the Midas touch.
In what's become a holiday tradition, someone dropped a 1-ounce gold South African Krugerrand coin in the kettle outside the Casey's Foods grocery store at Washington Street and Gartner Road.
Bell ringers for The Salvation Army Aurora Corps discovered the coin, valued at $1,790, on Thursday.
Similar donations of South African Krugerrands also were found in kettles outside Casey's in 2012, 2013 and 2017.
Salvation Army Capt. Joaquin Rangel thanked whoever left the anonymous donation.
"The gold coin shining in the kettle provides a glimmer of hope for many in our community during this time of unprecedented need," Rangel said in a statement Friday.
Gold and silver coins donated in red kettles are a seasonal ritual throughout the Chicago area.
This year, The Salvation Army launched its "Rescue Christmas" campaign nearly two months early to meet a sharp increase in need during the pandemic. Some Salvation Army locations in the region have seen as much as a fivefold increase in requests for food and emergency assistance since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
The 2020 fundraising goal is $25 million. To contribute to the campaign, visit salarmychristmas.org.