chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Despite record case counts, Pritzker says he’s not considering another statewide stay-at-home order,

Despite record case counts, Pritzker says he’s not considering another statewide stay-at-home order, at the moment

Despite record high daily COVID-19 case counts in recent days , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Monday said he ’ s not considering issuing another stay-at-home order — at the moment , anyway .
“ We ’ re not currently looking at a stay at home order , I mean , obviously that ’ s something that lurks in the background , ” Pritzker said at a Monday afternoon news conference .
“ If we believe these tiered mitigations ultimately are ineffective , if people choose not to wear masks and if the spread of the virus continues to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread , we would obviously have to consider , you know , more significant mitigations.
” He didn ’ t provide specific numbers on what might be the threshold that triggers such a drastic step .
“ The virus is spreading and every region of the state is suffering from it ’ s insidious , invisible , contagion , ” he said .
State public health officials announced Monday 6,222 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 20 people have died as the state grapples with a second surge of the deadly virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s total case count to 423,502 .
There have been 9,810 deaths in Illinois .
As of Sunday night , 3,371 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19 .
Of that number , 722 patients were in intensive care and 298 patients were on ventilators .
The new cases were confirmed through 68,118 tests .
“ Every region is going the wrong direction .
Rural areas are being most terribly affected right now , ” Pritzker said .
The state shattered previous daily records on Saturday , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus and there were an additional 46 deaths .
October ’ s case count surpassed all cases logged in April and May combined .
Pritzker announced Sunday the west-central area of the state , which includes Rock Island , Knox and Kendall counties , will be brought under virus mitigation measures starting Wednesday .
That will mean all 11 of the state ’ s regions will be operating under Pritzker ’ s COVID-19 restrictions , which includes bans on indoor services at bars and restaurants .
Also Monday , the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for having large , illegal commercial gatherings that were significantly over capacity and in violation of COVID-19 regulations .
No one wore masks or practiced social distancing at the gatherings .
At one gathering in McKinley Park at the Chicago Sports Complex , 2600 W. 35th St. , city investigators found more than 600 attendees .
Another party in the Belmont Central neighborhood at DDC Studios , 6107 W. Diversey Ave , city officials encountered about 200 attendees .
At a third party at 2147 S. Lumber St. , near Chinatown , hosted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city got wind of a party that was advertised online for Halloween night and expected 500 people 1900 N. Austin Ave .
It never happened .

Despite record high daily COVID-19 case counts in recent days, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday said he’s not considering issuing another stay-at-home order — at the moment, anyway.
“We’re not currently looking at a stay-at-home order, I mean, obviously that’s something that lurks in the background,” Pritzker said at a Monday afternoon news conference. “If we believe these tiered mitigations ultimately are ineffective, if people choose not to wear masks and if the spread of the virus continues to go unabated, in a kind of community spread, we would obviously have to consider, you know, more significant mitigations.”
He didn’t provide specific numbers on what might be the threshold that triggers such a drastic step.
“The virus is spreading, and every region of the state is suffering from its insidious, invisible contagion,” he said.
State public health officials announced Monday 6,222 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 20 people have died as the state grapples with a second surge of the deadly virus.
The new cases bring the state’s total case count to 423,502. There have been 9,810 deaths in Illinois.
The preliminary seven-day statewide case positivity rate is 8.1%.
As of Sunday night, 3,371 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of that number, 722 patients were in intensive care and 298 patients were on ventilators.
The new cases were confirmed through 68,118 tests.
“Every region is going the wrong direction. Rural areas are being most terribly affected right now,” Pritzker said.
The state shattered previous daily records on Saturday, when health officials reported 7,899 people tested positive for the virus and there were an additional 46 deaths.
October’s case count surpassed all cases logged in April and May combined.
Pritzker announced Sunday the west-central area of the state, which includes Rock Island, Knox and Kendall counties, will be brought under virus mitigation measures starting Wednesday.
That will mean all 11 of the state’s regions will be operating under Pritzker’s COVID-19 restrictions, which includes bans on indoor services at bars and restaurants.
Also Monday, the city shut down three establishments and issued citations for having large, illegal commercial gatherings that were significantly over capacity and in violation of COVID-19 regulations. No one wore masks or practiced social distancing at the gatherings.
At a gathering in McKinley Park at the Chicago Sports Complex, 2600 W. 35th St., city investigators found more than 600 attendees.
At a party in the Belmont Central neighborhood at DDC Studios, 6107 W. Diversey Ave., city officials encountered about 200 attendees.
A party at 2147 S. Lumber St., near Chinatown, hosted approximately 75 attendees.
Additionally, the city got wind of a party that was advertised online for Halloween night and expected 500 people at 1900 N. Austin Ave. It never happened.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Murder charges filed after man found dead in Aurora Township home

A man was charged with murder after another man was found dead over the weekend in west suburban Aurora Township @ @ @ @ @ , is facing two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery in @ @ @ @ @ Ying , the Kane County sheriff ’ s office said in a statement .
Sheriff @ @ @ @ @ , of Elgin , dead about 9:20 a.m. Oct. 31 inside a home being renovated @ @ @ @ @ Solfisburg Avenue , the sheriff ’ s office said .
Detectives were approached by a @ @ @ @ @ ” about a person who lived in the 1700 block of Indian Avenue , less @ @ @ @ @ where Ying was found , the sheriff ’ s office said .
Investigators visited the @ @ @ @ @ who agreed to go to the sheriff ’ s office for further questioning , the @ @ @ @ @ .
Fonseca-Gutierrez is expected to appear at a bond hearing Tuesday .

A man was charged with murder after another man was found dead over the weekend in west suburban Aurora Township.
Carlos Fonseca-Gutierrez, 40, is facing two counts of first-degree murder and one count of armed robbery in the death of 51-year-old Mario Ying, the Kane County sheriff’s office said in a statement.
On Oct. 31, Fonseca-Gutierrez allegedly walked to a home in the 1500 block of Solfisburg Avenue where Ying was doing renovation work and stabbed him multiple times, Kane County prosecutors said.
Sheriff’s deputies found Ying, of Elgin, dead about 9:20 a.m. inside the home, the sheriff’s office said.
Carlos Fonseca-Gutierrez Kane County sheriff’s office
Detectives were approached by a witness who had “suspicions” about a person who lived in the 1700 block of Indian Avenue, less than a half mile from where Ying was found, the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators visited the home and spoke with Fonseca-Gutierrez who agreed to go to the sheriff’s office for further questioning, the sheriff’s office said.
The home where Ying was found dead and Fonseca-Gutierrez’s home are owned by the same landlord, prosecutors said.
Fonseca-Gutierrez was ordered held on $3 million bail and is due back in court Nov. 5.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Tip lines allow voters to report intimidation, extremism at the polls

With tensions rising ahead of Tuesday ’ s election , civil rights groups have set up resources for voters to report intimidation at the polls and potential extremist activities .
David Goldenberg , executive director of the Anti-Defamation League ’ s Midwest region , said his organization is being careful not to “ give oxygen ” to fanatics while also getting across to elected officials , law enforcement and members of the public “ that the environment is ripe for these types of incidents of election-related , extremist-motivated violence to occur.
” Both the ADL and the American Civil Liberties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Election Protection Hotline — a nationwide resource to report voter intimidation — which you can access by calling 866-OUR-VOTE or by going to 866ourvote.org .
The ADL is also manning a text line ( text “ hatehelp ” to 51555 ) for voters to report allegations of election-related extremism and providing a “ toolkit ” to officials to prepare .
Goldenberg said his team is “ keeping an eye ” on Illinois and other surrounding states — though he made it clear there ’ s been no indication as of Monday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close .
He explained that researchers have merely seen reports of intimidation at polling places but no “ widespread amount of violence before the election.
” However , Goldenberg acknowledged that militia members and other extremists have joined recent demonstrations pushing back against coronavirus-related shutdowns and decrying police violence .
That includes Kyle Rittenhouse , an Illinois teenager accused of fatally shooting two protesters and wounding another in August after joining an ad hoc militia group amid the unrest that followed the police killing of Jacob Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of extremists turn into real life violence , ” said Goldenberg .
“ And that ’ s why all of us need to take this seriously.
” Brian Levin , director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University , San Bernardino , said researchers are seeing “ elevated chatter ” from extremists in the lead-up to the election .
Nevertheless , the “ calls to violence ” they expected haven ’ t materialized .
Still , Levin explained that America is entering a “ new era @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ an insurgency by far-right [ actors ] and white supremacists.
” Levin specifically pointed to Steven Carrillo , an adherent to the “ boogaloo ” movement , a loosely organized militia group allegedly pushing to spark a civil war .
Carrillo was charged with killing a federal security contractor and a sheriff ’ s deputy and wounding three others in a pair of ambush-style attacks this summer in northern California , including one that happened during a protest in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd .
Levin noted that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organized , “ hierarchical ” groups following the deadly “ Unite the Right ” rally in 2017 in Charlottesville , Virginia .
Instead , they ’ re unifying around specific causes and “ increasingly ensconcing themselves in wedge places of controversy , ” like battles over pandemic regulations or conflicted elections .
Meanwhile , members of a white nationalist group whose members marched in Charlottesville appear to have left flyers on cars in Logan Square over the weekend , including one that used iconography associated with the Ku Klux Klan to describe those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That group , the Proud Boys , has recently been emboldened by President Donald Trump , who specifically told the group to “ stand back and stand by ” when he was asked to disavow white supremacists and militia members during a September debate .
Elsewhere , fears that many Americans can bring guns to polling places have reverberated throughout the county .
And this weekend , one incident of alleged political intimidation has embroiled the presidential race — and earned the praise of Trump .
On Sunday , the FBI announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigating a video showing a caravan of Trump supporters following a campaign bus belonging to his Democratic foe , Joe Biden .
Trump has since tweeted that his backers “ did nothing wrong ” and instead urged the FBI to probe the “ terrorists , anarchists , and agitators of ANTIFA , who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people !
” But according to Goldenberg , it ’ s now “ incumbent on leaders to tone down the rhetoric ” and prepare voters for the possibility that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delayed as election officials deal with an influx of mail-in ballots .
He specifically credited leaders in Minnesota , where Gov .
Tim Walz and three of his predecessors released a public service announcement to get that very message across .
“ It ’ s going to take a time to count these ballots , ” Goldenberg said of the ad ’ s message .
“ And if there ’ s a delay in it , it ’ s not because somebody ’ s trying to fix the election .
But instead because @ @ @ @ @ @ @

With tensions rising ahead of Tuesday’s election, civil rights groups have set up resources for voters to report intimidation at the polls and potential extremist activities.
David Goldenberg, executive director of the Anti-Defamation League’s Midwest region, said his organization is being careful not to “give oxygen” to fanatics while also getting across to elected officials, law enforcement and members of the public “that the environment is ripe for these types of incidents of election-related, extremist-motivated violence to occur.”
Both the ADL and the American Civil Liberties Union are part of a coalition overseeing the Election Protection Hotline — a nationwide resource to report voter intimidation — which you can access by calling 866-OUR-VOTE or by going to 866ourvote.org. The ADL is also manning a text line (text “hatehelp” to 51555) for voters to report allegations of election-related extremism and providing a “toolkit” to officials to prepare.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
Goldenberg said his team is “keeping an eye” on Illinois and other surrounding states — though he made it clear there’s been no indication as of Monday afternoon of any direct threat before the polls close. He explained that researchers have merely seen reports of intimidation at polling places but no “widespread amount of violence before the election.”
However, Goldenberg acknowledged that militia members and other extremists have joined recent demonstrations pushing back against coronavirus-related shutdowns and decrying police violence. That includes Kyle Rittenhouse, an Illinois teenager accused of fatally shooting two protesters and wounding another in August after joining an ad hoc militia group amid the unrest that followed the police killing of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
“We’ve seen online organizing activities of extremists turn into real life violence,” said Goldenberg. “And that’s why all of us need to take this seriously.”
Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, said researchers are seeing “elevated chatter” from extremists in the lead-up to the election. Nevertheless, the “calls to violence” they expected haven’t materialized.
Still, Levin explained that America is entering a “new era” of extremism that could ultimately include “an insurgency by far-right [actors] and white supremacists.”
Levin specifically pointed to Steven Carrillo, an adherent to the “boogaloo” movement, a loosely organized militia group allegedly pushing to spark a civil war. Carrillo was charged with killing a federal security contractor and a sheriff’s deputy and wounding three others in a pair of ambush-style attacks this summer in northern California, including one that happened during a protest in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd.
Levin noted that extremists have started moving away from joining organized, “hierarchical” groups following the deadly “Unite the Right” rally in 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Instead, they’re unifying around specific causes and “increasingly ensconcing themselves in wedge places of controversy,” like battles over pandemic regulations or conflicted elections.
Meanwhile, members of a white nationalist group whose members marched in Charlottesville appear to have left flyers on cars in Lincoln Square over the weekend, including one that used iconography associated with the Ku Klux Klan to describe those involved with the Black Lives Matter movement.
That group, the Proud Boys, has recently been emboldened by President Donald Trump, who specifically told the group to “stand back and stand by” when he was asked to disavow white supremacists and militia members during a September debate.
Elsewhere, fears that many Americans can bring guns to polling places have reverberated throughout the county. And this weekend, one incident of alleged political intimidation has embroiled the presidential race — and earned the praise of Trump.
The FBI is investigating an incident of alleged harassment by Trump supporters of a Biden campaign bus in Texas.
The vehicles with Trump signs veered close to the bus and yelled profanities. Trump called the supporters “patriots” who had done “nothing wrong.” pic.twitter.com/bQpWfJ6wn0 — Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) November 2, 2020
On Sunday, the FBI announced that its San Antonio field office is investigating a video showing a caravan of Trump supporters following a campaign bus belonging to his Democratic foe, Joe Biden. Trump has since tweeted that his backers “did nothing wrong” and instead urged the FBI to probe the “terrorists, anarchists, and agitators of ANTIFA, who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people!”
But according to Goldenberg, it’s now “incumbent on leaders to tone down the rhetoric” and prepare voters for the possibility that the results of the election could be delayed as election officials deal with an influx of mail-in ballots. He specifically credited leaders in Minnesota, where Gov. Tim Walz and three of his predecessors released a public service announcement to get that very message across.
“It’s going to take a time to count these ballots,” Goldenberg said of the ad’s message. “And if there’s a delay in it, it’s not because somebody’s trying to fix the election. But instead because this is how elections work.”


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Cubs’ Yu Darvish deserving of a satisfying Cy (Young)

The Cubs had their ups and downs in 2020 , but this was the year right-hander Yu Darvish was all they could have expected when they signed him before the 2018 season .
Were Darvish ’ s accomplishments enough for him to win the National League Cy Young Award ?
We ’ ll find out when the Baseball Writers ’ Association of America releases its balloting Nov. 11 .
Darvish went 8-3 in his age-33 season , leading the NL in victories and tying the Indians ’ Shane Bieber for the major-league lead .
His 2.01 ERA was second among @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bauer at 1.73 .
Darvish ’ s 93 strikeouts tied the Padres ’ Dinelson Lamet for fourth behind the Mets ’ Jacob deGrom ( 104 ) , Bauer ( 100 ) and the Phillies ’ Aaron Nola ( 96 ) .
The only ERA qualifier with fewer walks than Darvish ’ s 14 was Cubs teammate Kyle Hendricks with eight .
Hendricks and Darvish also were first and second in strikeouts per walk , with Hendricks at 8.00 and Darvish at 6.64 .
Combine the high strikeouts and low walks with a home-run @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second in the NL to the Phillies ’ Zack Wheeler at 0.38 — and Darvish was a fielding independent pitching master .
In a metric that focuses on pitcher-hitter outcomes not affected by defense , Darvish ’ s 2.23 FIP topped deGrom ’ s 2.26 for the NL lead .
FIP is at the base of Fangraphs.com ’ s WAR , and Darvish was the leader there , too .
Darvish ’ s fWAR of 3.0 topped those of deGrom ( 2.6 ) and Bauer ( 2.5 ) .
There ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best pitcher in the NL , but that doesn ’ t mean he ’ ll win the award .
Through most of Cy Young history , victories were a prime consideration .
Bauer , at 5-4 to Darvish ’ s 8-3 , once would have been an underdog despite his ERA edge .
But deGrom won the award the last two seasons with records of 10-9 and 11-8 as voters have come around to the idea that victories are team accomplishments affected by run support and defense .
Bill James devised a Cy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Rather than ask , ‘ ‘ Who deserves the Cy Young ?
’ ’ it asks , ‘ ‘ Whose numbers most closely resemble those usually rewarded by the voters ?
’ ’ The formula is ( ( 5*IP/9 ) - ER ) + ( SO/12 ) + ( SV*2.5 ) + shutouts + ( ( W*6 ) - ( L*2 ) ) + VB .
VB is a victory bonus , with 12 points awarded to pitchers on division-winning teams .
Darvish compiled the most NL Cy Young points with 87 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next at 75.3 , followed by the Dodgers ’ Clayton Kershaw ( 67.6 ) , Cubs reliever Jeremy Jeffress ( 64.4 ) , Hendricks ( 63.5 ) and Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen ( 62.8 ) .
Bauer was at 58.9 .
Bieber , the likely American League winner , tops his league at 85.1 , followed by the Athletics ’ Liam Hendriks at 75.2 .
Victories are worth big points in the predictor , but it might be that voter behavior has changed enough that a revised model is needed .
By numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , FIP and fWAR , Darvish would be a deserving winner .
But a Cy Young for ERA leader Bauer would be no shock .

The Cubs had their ups and downs in 2020, but this was the year right-hander Yu Darvish was all they could have expected when they signed him before the 2018 season.
Were Darvish’s accomplishments enough for him to win the National League Cy Young Award? We’ll find out when the Baseball Writers’ Association of America releases its balloting Nov. 11.
Darvish went 8-3 in his age-33 season, leading the NL in victories and tying the Indians’ Shane Bieber for the major-league lead. His 2.01 ERA was second among NL qualifiers to the Reds’ Trevor Bauer at 1.73.
Darvish’s 93 strikeouts tied the Padres’ Dinelson Lamet for fourth behind the Mets’ Jacob deGrom (104), Bauer (100) and the Phillies’ Aaron Nola (96). The only ERA qualifier with fewer walks than Darvish’s 14 was Cubs teammate Kyle Hendricks with eight. Hendricks and Darvish also were first and second in strikeouts per walk, with Hendricks at 8.00 and Darvish at 6.64.
Combine the high strikeouts and low walks with a home-run rate of 0.59 per nine innings — second in the NL to the Phillies’ Zack Wheeler at 0.38 — and Darvish was a fielding independent pitching master. In a metric that focuses on pitcher-hitter outcomes not affected by defense, Darvish’s 2.23 FIP topped deGrom’s 2.26 for the NL lead.
FIP is at the base of Fangraphs.com’s WAR, and Darvish was the leader there, too. Darvish’s fWAR of 3.0 topped those of deGrom (2.6) and Bauer (2.5).
There’s a strong by-the-numbers case that Darvish was the best pitcher in the NL, but that doesn’t mean he’ll win the award.
Through most of Cy Young history, victories were a prime consideration. Bauer, at 5-4 to Darvish’s 8-3, once would have been an underdog despite his ERA edge. But deGrom won the award the last two seasons with records of 10-9 and 11-8 as voters have come around to the idea that victories are team accomplishments affected by run support and defense.
Bill James devised a Cy Young predictor formula to model voter behavior. Rather than ask, ‘‘Who deserves the Cy Young?’’ it asks, ‘‘Whose numbers most closely resemble those usually rewarded by the voters?’’
The formula is ((5*IP/9) - ER) + (SO/12) + (SV*2.5) + shutouts + ((W*6) - (L*2)) + VB. VB is a victory bonus, with 12 points awarded to pitchers on division-winning teams.
Darvish compiled the most NL Cy Young points with 87. The Braves’ Max Fried was next at 75.3, followed by the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (67.6), Cubs reliever Jeremy Jeffress (64.4), Hendricks (63.5) and Dodgers reliever Kenley Jansen (62.8). Bauer was at 58.9.
Bieber, the likely American League winner, tops his league at 85.1, followed by the Athletics’ Liam Hendriks at 75.2.
Victories are worth big points in the predictor, but it might be that voter behavior has changed enough that a revised model is needed.
By numbers deep beyond victories, including strikeout-to-walk ratio, FIP and fWAR, Darvish would be a deserving winner. But a Cy Young for ERA leader Bauer would be no shock.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--University of Chicago to study another COVID-19 vaccine. Here’s how to volunteer

University of Chicago researchers will study an experimental COVID-19 vaccine with a goal of enrolling 2,000 people .
The U. of C. effort is part of a 60,000-patient nationwide study of Johnson & Johnson ’ s vaccine , one of a number being pushed through testing at an accelerated pace with the help of the federal government .
The local researchers hope to enroll a mix of people representing different ages and races .
They also want to include both healthy individuals and those with underlying health conditions who are at the greatest risk of complications from the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all walks of life to participate in this study , ” said Dr. Habibul Ahsan , who will lead the research .
Dr. Ahsan said he ’ d like to aim for as much as 60 percent minority representation in the study .
He also said obese individuals and people with high blood pressure or heart disease are examples of patients with other health issues that should be among those studied .
Volunteers must be 18 or older and from the Chicago area .
Researchers will give some participants a single dose of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solution with no treatment .
People interested in volunteering for the study , can register at covidvaccinestudies.uchicago.edu/ .
The trial is separate from a joint study the university is conducting with the University of Illinois at Chicago for another vaccine candidate made by the company Moderna .
Separately , UIC also is conducting human trials for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine .
State health officials on Monday said that total cases of the virus reached 423,502 and deaths totaled 9,810 .
Brett Chase ’ s reporting on the environment and public health is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago Community Trust .

University of Chicago researchers will study an experimental COVID-19 vaccine with a goal of enrolling 2,000 people.
The U. of C. effort is part of a 60,000-patient nationwide study of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, one of a number being pushed through testing at an accelerated pace with the help of the federal government.
The local researchers hope to enroll a mix of people representing different ages and races. They also want to include both healthy individuals and those with underlying health conditions who are at the greatest risk of complications from the coronavirus.
“We are looking for individuals from all walks of life to participate in this study,” said Dr. Habibul Ahsan, who will lead the research.
Dr. Ahsan said he’d like to aim for as much as 60 percent minority representation in the study. He also said obese individuals and people with high blood pressure or heart disease are examples of patients with other health issues that should be among those studied.
Volunteers must be 18 or older and from the Chicago area. Researchers will give some participants a single dose of vaccine while others will be given a solution with no treatment.
People interested in volunteering for the study, can register at covidvaccinestudies.uchicago.edu/.
The trial is separate from a joint study the university is conducting with the University of Illinois at Chicago for another vaccine candidate made by the company Moderna.
Separately, UIC also is conducting human trials for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
State health officials on Monday said that total cases of the virus reached 423,502 and deaths totaled 9,810.
Brett Chase’s reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Lightfoot preparing multibillion-dollar capital spending plan

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is putting the final touches on a multibillion-dollar capital plan that will help aldermen stretch their $ 1.32 million allotment of “ menu money ” and put their constituents to work .
Ald .
Gilbert Villegas ( 36th ) , the mayor ’ s City Council floor leader , said top mayoral aides will start briefing aldermen Tuesday on the mayor ’ s plan to confront a capital funding shortage that ’ s been building for years .
“ This is a job creator .
Any time there ’ s a tough time , there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to put people to work .
Government has always led the charge in investing and putting people to work , ” he said .
Over the years , capital plans have been more like political documents .
With no overall needs assessment , projects have landed on the city ’ s list because they were the mayor ’ s favorites .
That won ’ t be the case going forward , Villegas said .
“ This is gon na be more interaction , more collaboration with the departments .
Taking a look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have just been shelved because the department didn ’ t have funding for it , ” he said .
Kristen Cabanan , a spokesperson for the city ’ s Office of Budget and Management , refused to reveal specifics of the capital plan , nor would she identify a specific funding source .
In a statement , she said only that “ strong public infrastructure is critical to a safe and equitable Chicago ” and Lightfoot is “ committed to developing a comprehensive , needs-based capital plan that protects our infrastructure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The City of Chicago routinely issues bonds to support our annual capital program .
We are working closely with City Council members , community leaders and other key stakeholders to solicit feedback on our city ’ s capital needs and priorities.
” In August , top mayoral aides laid the political groundwork for a massive capital plan .
They told aldermen Chicago needs $ 4.4 billion over the next five years to put its streets , bridges , buildings and vehicles on a maintenance-and-replacement cycle , but has funding for only $ 1.7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city ’ s 375 “ core ” buildings need “ substantial renovation or equipment replacement immediately , ” officials said then .
The same goes for the city ’ s fleet of 6,500 vehicles , including 3,000 police vehicles , 668 fire engines , trucks , ambulances and SUV ’ s and 1,600 Streets and Sanitation vehicles .
The city needs to spend $ 95 million a year to get the fleet on a normal replacement cycle .
But it has spent only $ 35 million in each of the last five years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” aldermen were told .
But , bridges , viaducts and underpasses were described as the city ’ s “ greatest need ” and “ most under-funded ” category of infrastructure .
Chicago has more than 300 bridges .
At least 40 are “ bascule ” style drawbridges with an average age of 83 .
Earlier this year , the City Council authorized a bare-bones , $ 100 million capital plan bankrolled by an existing line of credit with the promise of a larger general obligation bond issue later this year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jennie Huang Bennett pledged to work with aldermen to devise a long-term capital plan to ensure “ equity of investments ” across the city after a “ needs-based ” infrastructure assessment .
“ The best capital plans out there by cities ... look at what the needs are , build a plan for how you fund them , and then , you follow that plan , ” Bennett said on that day .
“ We do have a limited set of resources .
But especially in this time post-COVID , the government has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support the economic recovery as well as investing in Chicago ’ s future .
S , it ’ s a conversation that is very important for us to have .
It ’ s not gon na be easy , but we look forward to having that conversation.
” Aldermen have long complained their menu money has been frozen at $ 1.32 million while rising costs and the city ’ s retreat from street resurfacing and pothole patching has reduced the value of that annual allotment .
With a multibillion-dollar capital bill , those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ You have a lot of things — sidewalks , for example — that we have to pay for .
Water Management will only pave half a street .
We have to pay for the other half of the street out of menu .
There ’ ll be projects related to ADA , green alleys , lighting , ” the alderman said .
“ These are all functions that have historically come out of the city ’ s budget .
But over the years , they started to shift more and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of menu .
Which in turn , didn ’ t allow for aldermen to do a better job repaving the inner streets .
If you did ten blocks of Grand Avenue , there goes your menu money for the whole year .
”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is putting the final touches on a multibillion-dollar capital plan that will help aldermen stretch their $1.32 million allotment of “menu money” and put their constituents to work.
Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), the mayor’s City Council floor leader, said top mayoral aides will start briefing aldermen Tuesday on the mayor’s plan to confront a capital funding shortage that’s been building for years.
“This is a job creator. Any time there’s a tough time, there’s a capital bill that gets proposed in order to put people to work. Government has always led the charge in investing and putting people to work,” he said.
Over the years, capital plans have been more like political documents. With no overall needs assessment, projects have landed on the city’s list because they were the mayor’s favorites. That won’t be the case going forward, Villegas said.
“This is gonna be more interaction, more collaboration with the departments. Taking a look at assessments, road conditions. Projects that have just been shelved because the department didn’t have funding for it,” he said.
Kristen Cabanan, a spokesperson for the city’s Office of Budget and Management, refused to reveal specifics of the capital plan, nor would she identify a specific funding source.
In a statement, she said only that “strong public infrastructure is critical to a safe and equitable Chicago” and Lightfoot is “committed to developing a comprehensive, needs-based capital plan that protects our infrastructure, revitalizes communities and creates jobs. ... The City of Chicago routinely issues bonds to support our annual capital program. We are working closely with City Council members, community leaders and other key stakeholders to solicit feedback on our city’s capital needs and priorities.”
In August, top mayoral aides laid the political groundwork for a massive capital plan.
They told aldermen Chicago needs $4.4 billion over the next five years to put its streets, bridges, buildings and vehicles on a maintenance-and-replacement cycle, but has funding for only $1.7 billion.
An estimated 265 of the city’s 375 “core” buildings need “substantial renovation or equipment replacement immediately,” officials said then.
The same goes for the city’s fleet of 6,500 vehicles, including 3,000 police vehicles, 668 fire engines, trucks, ambulances and SUV’s and 1,600 Streets and Sanitation vehicles.
The city needs to spend $95 million a year to get the fleet on a normal replacement cycle. But it has spent only $35 million in each of the last five years.
Residential street resurfacing needs “catch-up,” aldermen were told. But, bridges, viaducts and underpasses were described as the city’s “greatest need” and “most under-funded” category of infrastructure.
Chicago has more than 300 bridges. At least 40 are “bascule” style drawbridges with an average age of 83.
Earlier this year, the City Council authorized a bare-bones, $100 million capital plan bankrolled by an existing line of credit with the promise of a larger general obligation bond issue later this year.
At the time, Chief Financial Officer Jennie Huang Bennett pledged to work with aldermen to devise a long-term capital plan to ensure “equity of investments” across the city after a “needs-based” infrastructure assessment.
“The best capital plans out there by cities ... look at what the needs are, build a plan for how you fund them, and then, you follow that plan,” Bennett said on that day.
“We do have a limited set of resources. But especially in this time post-COVID, the government has a role to play in helping to support the economic recovery as well as investing in Chicago’s future. So, it’s a conversation that is very important for us to have. It’s not gonna be easy, but we look forward to having that conversation.”
Aldermen have long complained their menu money has been frozen at $1.32 million while rising costs and the city’s retreat from street resurfacing and pothole patching has reduced the value of that annual allotment.
With a multibillion-dollar capital bill, those complaints will finally be answered, Villegas said.
“You have a lot of things — sidewalks, for example — that we have to pay for. Water Management will only pave half a street. We have to pay for the other half of the street out of menu. There’ll be projects related to ADA, green alleys, lighting,” the alderman said.
“These are all functions that have historically come out of the city’s budget. But over the years, they started to shift more and more back to us being spent out of menu. Which in turn, didn’t allow for aldermen to do a better job repaving the inner streets. If you did ten blocks of Grand Avenue, there goes your menu money for the whole year.”


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Surging COVID-19 numbers spark Election Day concerns for polling places (LIVE UPDATES)

A surge in coronavirus cases across the country , including in key presidential battleground states , is creating mounting health and logistical concerns for voters , poll workers and political parties ahead of Election Day .
In Wisconsin , Gov .
Tony Evers sought to assure voters in the critical swing state that going to the polls would not be risky , even as officials announced more than 5,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday .
“ For those who are voting in person now , I believe it ’ s safe , ” Evers said , adding that polling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Across the country , Republicans worked to downplay any concerns that health risks will keep some of their voters home , after Democrats heavily promoted mail-in and early in-person balloting to their voters .
6:21 p.m .
Your holiday flight might be fuller than you ’ d expect , thanks in part to pandemic fatigue Planning to fly somewhere for Thanksgiving or Christmas ?
Your flights might be fuller than you ’ d expect during a pandemic .
Airline after airline has reported encouraging holiday booking signs the past few weeks — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devastating financial losses .
And airline executives appear confident ticket sales won ’ t dive like they did in early July amid an increase in cases of the coronavirus .
Budget carrier Allegiant Air told investors the blows from COVID-19 spikes have decreased throughout the year , a trend reported by other airlines , including giant Southwest .
“ Based both on what our customers are saying and what our customers are doing , we see a clear divergence in terms of their attitudes toward the pandemic and their intentions towards leisure air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Allegiant ’ s chief marketing officer .
“ Customers believe the situation may once again be getting worse , but their leisure travel activity or their travel booking intent remains largely unchanged.
’ ’ United CEO Scott Kirby said bookings have “ flatlined a little bit ’ ’ due to rising case counts and travel restrictions but that he still expected ” pretty strong ’ ’ holiday travel .
State public health officials announced Monday 6,222 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 20 people have died as the state grapples with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new cases bring the state ’ s total case count to 423,502 .
There have been 9,810 deaths in Illinois .
As of Sunday night , 3,371 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19 .
Of that number , 722 patients were in intensive care and 298 patients were on ventilators .
The new cases were confirmed through 68,118 tests .
Times have abruptly changed in the basketball recruiting world .
Here are a few Covid Recruiting 101 tips , reminders and reasoning .
1 .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have a scholarship than from just not being seen .
With fewer than 20 Division I and Division II commitments , there are fewer players who will be signing letters-of-intent in November than ever before .
There are parents griping that shutting things down “ has ruined my son ’ s scholarship chances.
” While many will single out the lack of opportunities to be seen by college coaches as the primary reason , it ’ s not wholeheartedly true .
There is way more to it than that .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all players in NCAA Division I basketball will be given an additional year of eligibility due to the pandemic .
Essentially any player , including current seniors , will have a chance to come back for an extra year .
This leaves college coaches in complete limbo in trying to structure their roster .
11:35 a.m .
Hospitals strain to find new nurses as COVID-19 rates rise FENTON , Michigan — As the coronavirus pandemic surges across the nation and infections and hospitalizations rise , medical administrators are scrambling to find enough nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at small hospitals .
Nurses are being trained to provide care in fields where they have limited experience .
Hospitals are scaling back services to ensure enough staff to handle critically ill patients .
And health systems are turning to short-term travel nurses to help fill the gaps .
Adding to the strain , experienced nurses are “ burned out with this whole ( pandemic ) ” and some are quitting , said Kevin Fitzpatrick , an emergency room nurse at Hurley Medical Center in Flint , Michigan , where several left just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospice or home care or at outpatient clinics .
“ And replacing them is not easy , ” Fitzpatrick said .
As a result , he said , the ER is operating at about five nurses short of its optimal level at any given time , and each one typically cares for four patients as COVID-19 hospitalizations surge anew .
Hospital officials did not respond to requests for comment .
10:46 a.m. 10 more chief judge ’ s employees test positive for the coronavirus , including 7 at juvenile detention building Ten more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Chief Judge have tested positive for the coronavirus .
Seven of those employees worked at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center on the Near West Side , according to a statement from the chief judge ’ s office .
There were no new cases reported among juvenile detainees .
So far , 60 staff and 45 detainees of the juvenile center have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began .
Ten more employees of Cook County ’ s Office of the Chief Judge have tested positive for the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Juvenile Temporary Detention Center on the Near West Side , according to a statement from the chief judge ’ s office .
There were no new cases reported among juvenile detainees .
So far , 60 staff and 45 detainees of the juvenile center have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began .
At the Office of the Chief Judge , 131 employees and six judges in the chief judge ’ s office have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic .
8:38 a.m. All 11 Illinois regions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Illinois at an unprecedented rate , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Sunday announced new restrictions for North-Central Illinois .
Pritzker will be imposing a ban on indoor service at bars and restaurants , among other restrictions , this week for Region 2 — which covers 20 North-Central counties , including Rock Island , Kendall and Knox counties — after the area saw an average positivity rate above the 8 % positivity threshold for three consecutive days .
That means , starting Wednesday , all 11 of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operating under the governor ’ s COVID-19 restrictions .
Pritzker , who hinted last week the peak of this outbreak is still nowhere in sight , said the mitigation measures are being put in place to help limit the spread of the virus .
“ As cases , hospitalizations and deaths are rising across our state , across the Midwest and across the nation , we have to act responsibly and collectively to protect the people we love , ” Pritzker said in a statement .
• Ten more employees of Cook County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have tested positive for the coronavirus .
The new cases include a court reporter assigned to the Bridgeview Courthouse ; an interpreter in the Cook County Juvenile Center and a court reporter assigned to 69 W. Washington St. who has not been in the workplace since August .
• Last week , the chief judge ’ s office said 11 more employees and three residents of the Juvenile center tested positive .
• COVID-19 protocols will prevent Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence from playing vs. No .
4 Notre Dame .
• Illinois ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest point in five months Friday as public health officials announced a second straight record-breaking day of 6,943 new infections statewide .
• The soaring tally came along with a record-high 95,111 tests submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health , raising the statewide average testing positivity rate over the last week to 7.3 % .
7:15 a.m. Why Chicago couldn ’ t avoid the state ’ s indoor dining restrictions For generations now , Chicago has had its own separate set of state laws for just about every topic under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is allowed to appoint the school board , Chicago has its own “ working cash fund ” law , the state ’ s mayoral veto law does not apply to the city and Chicago has a unique exemption allowing it to deduct money from worker paychecks .
From big to archaic , the list is almost endless .
So , when you ’ ve grown accustomed to doing it your own way for a century or so , you may start thinking you ’ re a special case in literally everything .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Read the full column by columnist Rich Miller here .

It’s the day before Election Day, and the coronavirus is surging through the state of Illinois.
Here’s what to know about the pandemic before heading to the polls.
News
8:55 p.m. Surging COVID-19 numbers spark Election Day concerns for polling places
James Foster/Chicago Sun-Times file
A surge in coronavirus cases across the country, including in key presidential battleground states, is creating mounting health and logistical concerns for voters, poll workers and political parties ahead of Election Day.
In Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers sought to assure voters in the critical swing state that going to the polls would not be risky, even as officials announced more than 5,000 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday.
“For those who are voting in person now, I believe it’s safe,” Evers said, adding that polling places have adequate supplies to protect voters.
Across the country, Republicans worked to downplay any concerns that health risks will keep some of their voters home, after Democrats heavily promoted mail-in and early in-person balloting to their voters.
Read the full story here.
7:49 p.m. Despite record case counts, Pritzker says he’s not considering another statewide stay-at-home order, at the moment
Despite record high daily COVID-19 case counts in recent days, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday said he’s not considering issuing another stay-at-home order — at the moment, anyway.
“We’re not currently looking at a stay at home order, I mean, obviously that’s something that lurks in the background,” Pritzker said at a Monday afternoon news conference. “If we believe these tiered mitigations ultimately are ineffective, if people choose not to wear masks and if the spread of the virus continues to go unabated, in a kind of community spread, we would obviously have to consider, you know, more significant mitigations.”
He didn’t provide specific numbers on what might be the threshold that triggers such a drastic step.
“The virus is spreading and every region of the state is suffering from it’s insidious, invisible, contagion,” he said.
Reporters Rachel Hinton and Mitch Dudek have the full story.
6:21 p.m. Your holiday flight might be fuller than you’d expect, thanks in part to pandemic fatigue
Planning to fly somewhere for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Your flights might be fuller than you’d expect during a pandemic.
Airline after airline has reported encouraging holiday booking signs the past few weeks — a welcome boost during a year of devastating financial losses.
And airline executives appear confident ticket sales won’t dive like they did in early July amid an increase in cases of the coronavirus.
Budget carrier Allegiant Air told investors the blows from COVID-19 spikes have decreased throughout the year, a trend reported by other airlines, including giant Southwest.
“Based both on what our customers are saying and what our customers are doing, we see a clear divergence in terms of their attitudes toward the pandemic and their intentions towards leisure air travel,’’ said Scott DeAngelo, Allegiant’s chief marketing officer. “Customers believe the situation may once again be getting worse, but their leisure travel activity or their travel booking intent remains largely unchanged.’’
United CEO Scott Kirby said bookings have “flatlined a little bit’’ due to rising case counts and travel restrictions but that he still expected ”pretty strong’’ holiday travel.
Read the full report here.
4:18 p.m. State health officials report 6,222 new COVID-19 cases, 20 deaths
State public health officials announced Monday 6,222 people tested positive for COVID-19 and 20 people have died as the state grapples with a second surge of the deadly virus.
The new cases bring the state’s total case count to 423,502. There have been 9,810 deaths in Illinois.
The preliminary seven-day statewide case positivity rate is 8.1%.
As of Sunday night, 3,371 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of that number, 722 patients were in intensive care and 298 patients were on ventilators.
The new cases were confirmed through 68,118 tests.
Reporter Rachel Hinton has the full story.
12:54 p.m. COVID-19 recruiting tips for high school basketball players
Times have abruptly changed in the basketball recruiting world. Here are a few Covid Recruiting 101 tips, reminders and reasoning.
1. There are more significant reasons why you don’t have a scholarship than from just not being seen.
With fewer than 20 Division I and Division II commitments, there are fewer players who will be signing letters-of-intent in November than ever before.
There are parents griping that shutting things down “has ruined my son’s scholarship chances.”
While many will single out the lack of opportunities to be seen by college coaches as the primary reason, it’s not wholeheartedly true. There is way more to it than that.
A couple of weeks ago it was announced all players in NCAA Division I basketball will be given an additional year of eligibility due to the pandemic. Essentially any player, including current seniors, will have a chance to come back for an extra year. This leaves college coaches in complete limbo in trying to structure their roster.
11:35 a.m. Hospitals strain to find new nurses as COVID-19 rates rise
FENTON, Michigan — As the coronavirus pandemic surges across the nation and infections and hospitalizations rise, medical administrators are scrambling to find enough nursing help — especially in rural areas and at small hospitals.
Nurses are being trained to provide care in fields where they have limited experience. Hospitals are scaling back services to ensure enough staff to handle critically ill patients. And health systems are turning to short-term travel nurses to help fill the gaps.
Adding to the strain, experienced nurses are “burned out with this whole (pandemic)” and some are quitting, said Kevin Fitzpatrick, an emergency room nurse at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, where several left just in the past month to work in hospice or home care or at outpatient clinics.
“And replacing them is not easy,” Fitzpatrick said.
As a result, he said, the ER is operating at about five nurses short of its optimal level at any given time, and each one typically cares for four patients as COVID-19 hospitalizations surge anew. Hospital officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Read the full story here.
10:46 a.m. 10 more chief judge’s employees test positive for the coronavirus, including 7 at juvenile detention building
Ten more employees of Cook County’s Office of the Chief Judge have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Seven of those employees worked at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center on the Near West Side, according to a statement from the chief judge’s office.
There were no new cases reported among juvenile detainees.
So far, 60 staff and 45 detainees of the juvenile center have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.
Ten more employees of Cook County’s Office of the Chief Judge have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Seven of those employees worked at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center on the Near West Side, according to a statement from the chief judge’s office.
There were no new cases reported among juvenile detainees.
So far, 60 staff and 45 detainees of the juvenile center have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began.
At the Office of the Chief Judge, 131 employees and six judges in the chief judge’s office have tested positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
8:38 a.m. All 11 Illinois regions to be under COVID-19 restrictions starting Wednesday
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge in Illinois at an unprecedented rate, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Sunday announced new restrictions for North-Central Illinois.
Pritzker will be imposing a ban on indoor service at bars and restaurants, among other restrictions, this week for Region 2 — which covers 20 North-Central counties, including Rock Island, Kendall and Knox counties — after the area saw an average positivity rate above the 8% positivity threshold for three consecutive days.
That means, starting Wednesday, all 11 of the state’s regions will be operating under the governor’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Pritzker, who hinted last week the peak of this outbreak is still nowhere in sight, said the mitigation measures are being put in place to help limit the spread of the virus.
“As cases, hospitalizations and deaths are rising across our state, across the Midwest and across the nation, we have to act responsibly and collectively to protect the people we love,” Pritzker said in a statement.
Read the full story here.
New Cases
Ten more employees of Cook County’s Office of the Chief Judge have tested positive for the coronavirus. The new cases include a court reporter assigned to the Bridgeview Courthouse; an interpreter in the Cook County Juvenile Center and a court reporter assigned to 69 W. Washington St. who has not been in the workplace since August.
Last week, the chief judge’s office said 11 more employees and three residents of the Juvenile center tested positive.
COVID-19 protocols will prevent Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence from playing vs. No. 4 Notre Dame.
Illinois’ average coronavirus testing positivity rate reached its highest point in five months Friday as public health officials announced a second straight record-breaking day of 6,943 new infections statewide.
The soaring tally came along with a record-high 95,111 tests submitted to the Illinois Department of Public Health, raising the statewide average testing positivity rate over the last week to 7.3%.
Analysis & Commentary
7:15 a.m. Why Chicago couldn’t avoid the state’s indoor dining restrictions
For generations now, Chicago has had its own separate set of state laws for just about every topic under the sun. The city’s mayor is allowed to appoint the school board, Chicago has its own “working cash fund” law, the state’s mayoral veto law does not apply to the city and Chicago has a unique exemption allowing it to deduct money from worker paychecks.
From big to archaic, the list is almost endless.
So, when you’ve grown accustomed to doing it your own way for a century or so, you may start thinking you’re a special case in literally everything. And that seems to be what happened last week.
Read the full column by columnist Rich Miller here.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Eve leaving ‘The Talk’ to focus on family

LOS ANGELES — Eve , a host on daytime ’ s “ The Talk ” for four seasons , said she ’ s leaving in December to put her personal life first .
On Monday ’ s show , the actor and singer said she wants to focus on expanding her family .
She ’ s been appearing on CBS ’ “ The Talk ” from London , where her husband lives , since the current season began in September .
“ It ’ s been a crazy year , obviously for all of us , ” Eve said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a new U.K. coronavirus lockdown led to what she called “ one of the hardest decisions in the world.
” “ I have had the most beautiful experience .
I ’ ve grown as a woman , as a person , ” she said of her stint on the show .
The door is open to her returning as a guest co-host or guest , CBS said .
Program hosts Carrie Ann Inaba , Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood wished her well .
A replacement wasn ’ t announced .
Eve joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Aisha Tyler .
In more host musical chairs , Marie Osmond said in September she was exiting after a single season .

LOS ANGELES — Eve, a host on daytime’s “The Talk” for four seasons, said she’s leaving in December to put her personal life first.
On Monday’s show, the actor and singer said she wants to focus on expanding her family. She’s been appearing on CBS’ “The Talk” from London, where her husband lives, since the current season began in September.
“It’s been a crazy year, obviously for all of us,” Eve said, and the further uncertainty of travel because of a new U.K. coronavirus lockdown led to what she called “one of the hardest decisions in the world.”
“I have had the most beautiful experience. I’ve grown as a woman, as a person,” she said of her stint on the show. The door is open to her returning as a guest co-host or guest, CBS said.
Program hosts Carrie Ann Inaba, Sharon Osbourne and Sheryl Underwood wished her well. A replacement wasn’t announced.
Eve joined “The Talk” following the departure of Aisha Tyler. In more host musical chairs, Marie Osmond said in September she was exiting after a single season.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-03--Dear Abby: Little girls visit their mother, and she ignores them

DEAR ABBY : I am raising my two granddaughters and trying to allow their mother , my daughter , to visit with them .
My problem is , the entire time she is with us , she stays on her phone or Snapchat .
Last weekend , I drove to the place where she resides , and the whole time we were there she ignored the girls .
I have a ton of family and friends who say I ’ m wrong for allowing her to even see the girls , period .
I don ’ t want to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Help , Abby .
— FOR THEIR GOOD IN OHIO DEAR FOR THEIR GOOD : Either your daughter doesn ’ t know how to relate to her children , which is why she stays on her cellphone when you bring them to her , or she ’ s not interested in creating a bond since she has offloaded them to you .
Talk with your daughter .
Tell her that if she isn ’ t prepared to actually spend time with her children , you will stop bringing them , and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stupid .
They know when someone is interested in them and when they are being ignored .
In the end , you won ’ t be the “ bad guy ” in their eyes .
DEAR ABBY : I am writing because I ’ m sure other grandparents have faced the same issue as I have .
I enjoy sending my grandchildren cards with a small check for special occasions or as a reward for doing well in school , etc .
My son and daughter-in-law have a reward system set up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for doing his chores , but has money deducted if he doesn ’ t .
I sent my grandson a small check with his birthday card , but my son informed me that he will be able to keep only $ 2 of it , because he ’ s in the hole for not doing his chores .
I feel the check was a gift and should have been kept separate from the rewards program .
Who is right — my son or me ?
— GENEROUS GRAN IN WASHINGTON DEAR GRAN : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your son and daughter-in-law dictate what goes on under their roof , it doesn ’ t matter what you and I think .
The rules are the rules , and your grandson needs to get off his behind and catch up on those chores !
DEAR ABBY : My husband and I are snowbirds and head south for a few sunny months every winter .
We rent in an active adults community and enjoy all the clubs and sports .
Our problem is the number of relatives and friends who invite themselves down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically call and invite you , I am not interested in spending my vacation — which is costing me a pretty penny — making beds , washing towels , cooking much more elaborate meals than my husband and I usually eat and ferrying you around to see the sights .
Feel free to rent your own place or stay in a hotel wherever you wish , but please do not include us in your plans .
Thank you , Abby , for letting me get that off my chest !
— ANSWER IS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the wrong person .
This is something you should express to each of the friends and relatives who think they can continue to impose upon you .
Who can blame them ?
They thought your silence was consent .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
For everything you need to know about wedding planning , order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Wedding Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I am raising my two granddaughters and trying to allow their mother, my daughter, to visit with them. My problem is, the entire time she is with us, she stays on her phone or Snapchat. Last weekend, I drove to the place where she resides, and the whole time we were there she ignored the girls. I have a ton of family and friends who say I’m wrong for allowing her to even see the girls, period. I don’t want to be the bad guy when they grow up. Help, Abby. — FOR THEIR GOOD IN OHIO
DEAR FOR THEIR GOOD: Either your daughter doesn’t know how to relate to her children, which is why she stays on her cellphone when you bring them to her, or she’s not interested in creating a bond since she has offloaded them to you. Talk with your daughter. Tell her that if she isn’t prepared to actually spend time with her children, you will stop bringing them, and then follow through. Children aren’t stupid. They know when someone is interested in them and when they are being ignored. In the end, you won’t be the “bad guy” in their eyes.
DEAR ABBY: I am writing because I’m sure other grandparents have faced the same issue as I have. I enjoy sending my grandchildren cards with a small check for special occasions or as a reward for doing well in school, etc. My son and daughter-in-law have a reward system set up with my grandson where he receives an allowance for doing his chores, but has money deducted if he doesn’t.
I sent my grandson a small check with his birthday card, but my son informed me that he will be able to keep only $2 of it, because he’s in the hole for not doing his chores. I feel the check was a gift and should have been kept separate from the rewards program. Who is right — my son or me? — GENEROUS GRAN IN WASHINGTON
DEAR GRAN: I think you are. But since your son and daughter-in-law dictate what goes on under their roof, it doesn’t matter what you and I think. The rules are the rules, and your grandson needs to get off his behind and catch up on those chores!
DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are snowbirds and head south for a few sunny months every winter. We rent in an active adults community and enjoy all the clubs and sports. Our problem is the number of relatives and friends who invite themselves down for a free vacation.
Unless I specifically call and invite you, I am not interested in spending my vacation — which is costing me a pretty penny — making beds, washing towels, cooking much more elaborate meals than my husband and I usually eat and ferrying you around to see the sights. Feel free to rent your own place or stay in a hotel wherever you wish, but please do not include us in your plans. Thank you, Abby, for letting me get that off my chest! — ANSWER IS NO
DEAR ANSWER: You are venting to the wrong person. This is something you should express to each of the friends and relatives who think they can continue to impose upon you. Who can blame them? They thought your silence was consent.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-11-03--Bears’ Matt Nagy responds to Zach Miller: ‘I appreciate everyone’s suggestions’

As his team sits 28th in scoring and scuffling through back-to-back losses , Bears coach Matt Nagy isn ’ t about to set up a suggestion box outside Halas Hall .
He wasn ’ t particularly interested , of course , when former Bears tight end Zach Miller subtly recommended that he bench Nick Foles and go back to Mitch Trubisky by tweeting a photo of him wearing a shirt that said , “ Mitch please.
” Nagy said he loves everything about Miller , a close friend of Trubisky ’ s , but doesn ’ t need his advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tweet ; I don ’ t know anything about that , ” Nagy said Monday .
“ But I think we all understand that we as a team , we watch tape , we watch video and we do what ’ s best .
We make the best decision based off of how we do as a team , not just one position and so that ’ s what we do .
“ I appreciate everyone ’ s opinions and thoughts , suggestions .
But I think there ’ s a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” While the Bears do have multiple problems , quarterback is certainly one of them .
In 5 1⁄ games since replacing Trubisky , Foles has completed 65 % of his passes , averaged 235 yards per game and thrown eight touchdowns against seven interceptions for an 80.2 passer rating .
He is second-worst in the NFL at 6.1 yards per pass .
Trubisky , who lasted 2 1⁄ games , completed 59 % , averaged 140 yards and had six touchdowns and three interceptions for an 87.4 rating .
Nagy did go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only as a wildcat quarterback on one play .
He ran for three yards .
Miller played for the Bears from 2015 through ‘ 17 , overlapping with Trubisky for one season .
He suffered a career-ending injury in 2017 , but was with the Bears in 2018 for Nagy ’ s first season and has maintained a relationship with the organization .

Even though his team sits 28th in the NFL in scoring and has scuffled through back-to-back losses, Bears coach Matt Nagy isn’t about to set up a suggestion box outside Halas Hall.
He wasn’t particularly interested — predictably — when former Bears tight end Zach Miller subtly recommended that he bench quarterback Nick Foles and go back to Mitch Trubisky by tweeting a photo of himself wearing a shirt that said, ‘‘Mitch please,’’ as Foles struggled during the game Sunday against the Saints.
‘‘I didn’t see the tweet; I don’t know anything about that,’’ Nagy said Monday. ‘‘But I think we all understand that we watch tape, we watch video and we do what’s best. We make the best decision based off of how we do as a team, not just one position, so that’s what we do.
‘‘I appreciate everyone’s opinions and thoughts, suggestions. But I think there’s a lot more to it right now than that.’’
Sure, but quarterback is an issue.
In 5 1/2 games since replacing Trubisky, Foles has completed 65% of his passes, averaged 235 yards and thrown eight touchdowns against seven interceptions for an 80.2 passer rating. He is second-worst in the NFL at 6.1 yards per pass.
Trubisky, who lasted 2 1/2 games, completed 59%, averaged 140 yards and had six touchdowns and three interceptions for an 87.4 rating.
Nagy did go back to Trubisky on Sunday, but only as a wildcat quarterback on one play. He ran for three yards.
Miller played for the Bears in 2015-17, overlapping with Trubisky for one season. He suffered a career-ending injury in 2017 but was on injured reserve with the Bears in 2018 for Nagy’s first season and has maintained a relationship with the organization.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-03--4 shot, 1 fatally, Monday in Chicago

4 shot, 1 fatally, Monday in Chicago

Four people were shot , one of them fatally , Monday in Chicago .
A man was shot and killed in Austin on the West Side , according to police .
About 7:40 p.m. , the 31-year-old was in the 300 block of South Cicero Avenue when someone unleashed gunfire , striking him in the hip area , Chicago police said .
The man was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead , police said .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office hasn ’ t released details on the death .
In non-fatal shootings , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ South Side .
The 19-year-old was driving about 10:20 p.m. in the 8300 block of South Morgan Street when someone fired shots at him from another vehicle , police said .
The man was struck multiple times and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn , where he was in serious condition , police said .
Earlier in the afternoon q man was wounded in a shooting in Englewood on the South Side .
The 28-year-old was on the sidewalk about 4:45 p.m. in the 7100 block of South Ada Street when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opened fire , striking him in the leg and arm , police said .
The man was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn , where his condition was stabilized , police said .
A 23-year-old man was in good condition after being shot in his head in Austin on the West Side .
He was inside a vehicle at 12:45 p.m. in the 5400 block of West Kamerling Avenue when shots rang out , police said in a statement .
Paramedics took an adult man to Stroger Hospital for treatment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were shot , 4 of them fatally , Halloween weekend in Chicago .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Four people were shot, one of them fatally, Monday in Chicago.
A man was shot and killed in Austin on the West Side, according to police.
About 7:40 p.m., the 31-year-old was in the 300 block of South Cicero Avenue when someone unleashed gunfire, striking him in the hip area, Chicago police said.
The man was taken to Stroger Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office hasn’t released details on the death.
In non-fatal shootings, a man was shot in Gresham on the South Side.
The 19-year-old was driving about 10:20 p.m. in the 8300 block of South Morgan Street when someone fired shots at him from another vehicle, police said.
The man was struck multiple times and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was in serious condition, police said.
Earlier in the afternoon q man was wounded in a shooting in Englewood on the South Side.
The 28-year-old was on the sidewalk about 4:45 p.m. in the 7100 block of South Ada Street when someone pulled up in a vehicle and opened fire, striking him in the leg and arm, police said.
The man was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where his condition was stabilized, police said.
A 23-year-old man was in good condition after being shot in his head in Austin on the West Side.
He was inside a vehicle at 12:45 p.m. in the 5400 block of West Kamerling Avenue when shots rang out, police said in a statement.
Paramedics took an adult man to Stroger Hospital for treatment, police and fire officials said.
Twenty-nine people were shot, 4 of them fatally, Halloween weekend in Chicago.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-03--Will the Bears make a trade before Tuesday’s deadline?

If the Bears are going to improve their team — and their offensive line needs an influx of health and skill — they need to do it by 3 p.m. Tuesday .
That ’ s when the clock strikes on the NFL ’ s trade deadline .
If general manager Ryan Pace elects to make a move , it would likely be to shore up a shaky offensive line .
The Bears played most of Sunday ’ s game without three starters : right tackle Bobby Massie , who hurt his knee against the Saints ; center Cody Whitehair , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and left guard James Daniels , who is out for the season with a pec injury .
Pace ’ s history , though , says the Bears will be quiet .
Since the Bears hired him before the 2015 season , he ’ s made only three trades during the regular season He ’ s made one deal at the deadline — in 2017 , he sent a conditional pick to the Chargers for receiver Dontrelle Inman .
In 2015 , Pace dealt both outside linebacker Jared Allen to the Panthers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in late September .
He got back draft picks .
The Bears have reason to be aggressive this season .
They ’ re 5-3 and stand to benefit from the extra playoff spot afforded each conference starting this season .
If the Bears swing a trade , that player won ’ t be allowed inside Halas Hall until Monday at the earliest ; league intake testing requires five-straight days of negative coronavirus tests followed by a point-of-care negative on Day 6 .

If the Bears are going to improve their team — and their offensive line needs an influx of health and skill — they need to do it by 3 p.m. Tuesday. That’s when the clock strikes on the NFL’s trade deadline.
If general manager Ryan Pace elects to make a move, it would likely be to shore up a shaky offensive line. The Bears played most of Sunday’s game without three starters: right tackle Bobby Massie, who hurt his knee against the Saints; center Cody Whitehair, who hurt his calf against the Rams; and left guard James Daniels, who is out for the season with a pec injury.
Pace’s history, though, says the Bears will be quiet. Since the Bears hired him before the 2015 season, he’s made only three trades during the regular season
He’s made one deal at the deadline — in 2017, he sent a conditional pick to the Chargers for receiver Dontrelle Inman.
In 2015, Pace dealt both outside linebacker Jared Allen to the Panthers and inside linebacker Jon Bostic to the Patriots in late September. He got back draft picks.
The Bears have reason to be aggressive this season. They’re 5-3 and stand to benefit from the extra playoff spot afforded each conference starting this season.
If the Bears swing a trade, that player won’t be allowed inside Halas Hall until Monday at the earliest; league intake testing requires five-straight days of negative coronavirus tests followed by a point-of-care negative on Day 6.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-03--Fill up with a hearty helping of Autumn beef and cider stew

In a stockpot on medium , cook bacon until crisp ; remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate .
Brown 1/2 stew meat in bacon drippings on medium heat ; remove from stockpot .
Repeat with remaining beef ; season with salt and pepper .
Return beef and bacon to stockpot .
Add soup and cider ; bring to a boil .
Reduce heat ; cover tightly and simmer 1 1/2 hours .
Add sweet potatoes and cranberries to stockpot ; bring to a boil .
Reduce heat ; continue simmering , covered , 20 to 30 minutes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Heat oven to 350 degrees .
Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray .
Microwave onion 3 1/2 minutes on high ( 100 % power ) ; drain .
In a large bowl , combine cooked onion , broth , chilies , sour cream , salt , cumin , pepper , soup and garlic ; mix well .
Spread 1 cup soup mixture in dish .
Arrange 6 tortillas over soup mixture ( tearing to fit dish ) and top with 1/3 of chicken and 1/2 cup cheese .
Repeat layers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese .
Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until bubbly .
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar ( according to sweetness of peaches ) Heat oven to 425 degrees .
Place room-temperature piecrust on a lightly floured surface ; roll into a 12-inch circle and place on a 12-inch pizza pan .
Combine sugar and nutmeg .
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over dough .
Arrange peaches in a single layer on top of dough starting 1 inch from edge , working from outside edge to center .
Sprinkle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ edges of dough over peaches and crimp to fit ; coat dough with cooking spray .
Bake 30 minutes .
Combine honey with rum extract and microwave on high 20 to 40 seconds .
Brush mixture over warm tart .
Heat oven to 375 degrees .
In a large nonstick skillet , melt 2 teaspoons butter on medium and cook 1 cup chopped onion and green bell pepper mix ( frozen or refrigerated ) for 5 minutes or until softened ; drain .
Divide vegetable mixture and 12 ounces deli sliced turkey breast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sandwich rolls ; top each with 1 slice mozzarella cheese and the other halves of rolls .
Place on baking sheet and bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts .
Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray .
Spread 3/4 cup ( from 26- to 28-ounce jar ) tomato pasta sauce in cooker .
In a large bowl , mix 2 chopped medium red bell peppers , 1 chopped small onion and 2 ( 9-ounce ) boxes frozen chopped spinach ( thawed and squeezed dry ) ; stir in remaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can no-salt-added tomato sauce .
Layer 3 ( of 9 total ) ( broken to fit ) uncooked lasagna noodles in slow cooker .
Top with 1/3 ( of 16-ounce ) jar Alfredo sauce over noodles , spreading to cover .
Top with 5 ( of 15 total ) provolone cheese slices , overlapping if necessary .
Top with 1/3 of vegetable mixture ( about 2 cups ) , spreading evenly .
Repeat layers twice .
Sprinkle 1/4 cup parmesan cheese on top .
Cover ; cook on low 5 to 6 hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill and 1 tablespoon capers .
Serve with fettuccine tossed with pesto , steamed fresh broccoli and a baguette .

Autumn beef and cider stew
Makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 2 hours
INGREDIENTS
2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can condensed French onion soup
1 cup apple cider
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1/3 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
In a stockpot on medium, cook bacon until crisp; remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate. Brown 1/2 stew meat in bacon drippings on medium heat; remove from stockpot. Repeat with remaining beef; season with salt and pepper. Return beef and bacon to stockpot. Add soup and cider; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Add sweet potatoes and cranberries to stockpot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; continue simmering, covered, 20 to 30 minutes or until beef and potatoes are fork-tender.
Per serving: 367 calories, 32 grams protein, 15 grams fat (37% calories from fat), 5.6 grams saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 102 milligrams cholesterol, 745 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Carb choices: 1.5.
New Mexico-style chili-chicken casserole
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 to 60 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped onion
1 (14-ounce) can unsalted chicken broth
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chilies, drained
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed reduced-sodium, reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 clove garlic, minced
18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 pound cooked chicken breast, shredded
2 cups finely shredded 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Microwave onion 3 1/2 minutes on high (100% power); drain. In a large bowl, combine cooked onion, broth, chilies, sour cream, salt, cumin, pepper, soup and garlic; mix well. Spread 1 cup soup mixture in dish. Arrange 6 tortillas over soup mixture (tearing to fit dish) and top with 1/3 of chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice, ending with the cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until bubbly.
Per serving: 376 calories, 34 grams protein, 14 grams fat (33% calories from fat), 7 grams saturated fat, 28 grams carbohydrate, 93 milligrams cholesterol, 851 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Carb choices: 2.
Honey-rum peach galette
Makes 10 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 refrigerated piecrust (from 15-ounce package)
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar (according to sweetness of peaches)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sliced peaches
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon rum extract
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place room-temperature piecrust on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-inch circle and place on a 12-inch pizza pan. Combine sugar and nutmeg. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar mixture over dough. Arrange peaches in a single layer on top of dough starting 1 inch from edge, working from outside edge to center. Sprinkle peaches with remaining sugar mixture. Fold edges of dough over peaches and crimp to fit; coat dough with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes. Combine honey with rum extract and microwave on high 20 to 40 seconds. Brush mixture over warm tart.
Per serving: 119 calories, 1 gram protein, 6 grams fat (40% calories from fat), 2.4 grams saturated fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, 2 milligrams cholesterol, 110 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Carb choices: 1.
Turkey Philly sandwiches
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 2 teaspoons butter on medium and cook 1 cup chopped onion and green bell pepper mix (frozen or refrigerated) for 5 minutes or until softened; drain. Divide vegetable mixture and 12 ounces deli sliced turkey breast evenly among bottom halves of 4 split sandwich rolls; top each with 1 slice mozzarella cheese and the other halves of rolls. Place on baking sheet and bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
Red-pepper spinach lasagna
Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray. Spread 3/4 cup (from 26- to 28-ounce jar) tomato pasta sauce in cooker. In a large bowl, mix 2 chopped medium red bell peppers, 1 chopped small onion and 2 (9-ounce) boxes frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry); stir in remaining pasta sauce and 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce. Layer 3 (of 9 total) (broken to fit) uncooked lasagna noodles in slow cooker. Top with 1/3 (of 16-ounce) jar Alfredo sauce over noodles, spreading to cover. Top with 5 (of 15 total) provolone cheese slices, overlapping if necessary. Top with 1/3 of vegetable mixture (about 2 cups), spreading evenly. Repeat layers twice. Sprinkle 1/4 cup parmesan cheese on top. Cover; cook on low 5 to 6 hours.
Grilled salmon with dill sauce
Mix 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill and 1 tablespoon capers. Serve with fettuccine tossed with pesto, steamed fresh broccoli and a baguette.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-03--Home for Election Day, Bears encourage themselves, and others, to vote

Under an agreement between all NFL teams and the players ’ union , the Bears are closing their practice facility Tuesday for Election Day .
Players reported to Halas Hall on Monday to do their typical Tuesday work , but will have Tuesday off .
“ I think it ’ s a good thing , ” Bears coach Matt Nagy said .
“ And I know our guys are going to be excited to be able to partake in all that and understand where we ’ re at.
” In the wake of the George Floyd killing in May , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could affect change .
They decided to allow players to register to vote in Cook County the day they reported to summer camp at Halas Hall .
“ My family ’ s big on using your rights , ” inside linebacker Danny Trevathan said .
“ Back in the day , [ Black citizens ] didn ’ t have those rights , as you know .
So , people worked hard for us to have that right to vote .
I think it ’ s very , very important that I , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there and vote , to use that right .
“ We never had that before back in the day .
It ’ s very important we use our platform to speak our voice on it and try to influence people to go out there and do the same.
” The NFL says that 90 % of its players are registered to vote , and that multiple teams have 100 % participation .
“ We definitely did a good job as a team talking about it , ” safety DeAndre Houston-Carson said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s something that we ’ ve been talking about just with everything going on , the importance of voting .
“ So I think this year in particular — maybe more so than other years — it ’ s just getting me excited , man .
”

Under an agreement between all NFL teams and the players’ union, the Bears are closing their practice facility Tuesday for Election Day.
Players reported to Halas Hall on Monday to do their typical Tuesday work, but will have Tuesday off.
“I think it’s a good thing,” Bears coach Matt Nagy said. “And I know our guys are going to be excited to be able to partake in all that and understand where we’re at.”
In the wake of the George Floyd killing in May, the Bears made a list of how they could affect change. They decided to allow players to register to vote in Cook County the day they reported to summer camp at Halas Hall.
“My family’s big on using your rights,” inside linebacker Danny Trevathan said. “Back in the day, [Black citizens] didn’t have those rights, as you know. So, people worked hard for us to have that right to vote. I think it’s very, very important that I, myself and many others like myself go out there and vote, to use that right.
“We never had that before back in the day. It’s very important we use our platform to speak our voice on it and try to influence people to go out there and do the same.”
The NFL says that 90% of its players are registered to vote, and that multiple teams have 100% participation.
“We definitely did a good job as a team talking about it,” safety DeAndre Houston-Carson said. “I know as defensive backs it’s something that we’ve been talking about just with everything going on, the importance of voting.
“So I think this year in particular — maybe more so than other years — it’s just getting me excited, man.”


chicagosun-times--2020-11-03--2 teens wounded in accidental shooting in Little Village, 1 teen in custody

Two teens were wounded and one teen was taken into custody Tuesday after an accidental shooting in Little Village on @ @ @ @ @ three teens were in the back porch area of a 2nd floor building in the @ @ @ @ @ Avenue with other males about 12:40 a.m. , when a 15-year-old boy was passing a @ @ @ @ @ weapon , Chicago police said .
A 17-year-old boy was struck in the right leg @ @ @ @ @ struck in his left foot , police said .
They were both taken to Stroger @ @ @ @ @ The 15-year-old boy who fired the shot was taken into custody , police said .
@ @ @ @ @ the scene .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides @

Two teens were wounded and one teen was taken into custody Tuesday after an accidental shooting in Little Village on the Southwest Side.
The three teens were in the back porch area of a 2nd floor building in the 2600 block of South Drake Avenue with other males about 12:40 a.m., when a 15-year-old boy was passing a gun and accidentally fired the weapon, Chicago police said.
A 17-year-old boy was struck in the right leg and a 15-year-old boy was struck in his left foot, police said. They were both taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition.
The 15-year-old boy who fired the shot was taken into custody, police said. The gun was recovered from the scene.
Area Four detectives are investigating.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-02--Horoscope for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020

Horoscope for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions .
The moon is in Gemini .
Don ’ t be hard on yourself because you ’ re spending a lot of time lost in day dreams or in your private fantasy world .
It ’ s easy to do this today .
On the upside , your imagination is heightened and you might dream up some clever , creative ideas .
You are the financial wizard of the zodiac and today , it ’ s important to know that you can not really trust your financial judgment .
Your thinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also inclined to go with what you hope will work or wish would work instead of what might actually work .
Today the moon is in your sign ; however , it is at odds with fuzzy Neptune which can induce a dreamy state of mind for you .
Obviously , this is a poor day to make important decisions or do anything that requires precise and clear thinking or attention to detail .
Forewarned is forearmed .
You might be attracted to mystical or supernatural phenomena or things that go bump in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the moon is hiding in your chart and it is at odds with fuzzy Neptune .
This can trick your thinking and create confusion and delusion — very mildly .
( You ’ re not losing it . )
You might be confused in a conversation with a friend today , probably a female .
Do not assume anything , and , vice versa , do your best to make sure they understand what you are trying to say .
Conversations can be a bit like two ships passing in the night .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a boss , parent or someone in authority , do your best to make sure you understand what they want .
Vice versa , make sure that they understand what you want because confusion , especially based on assumptions , is very easy today .
Feelings of escapism are strong within you today , which is why you ’ ll find it hard to knuckle down and do whatever it is you ’ re supposed to do .
You would rather do something else .
In fact , you would rather goof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with it .
Yeah , it ’ s that kinda day .
This is a poor day to make important decisions about shared property , inheritances and insurance issues because , frankly , your thinking is fuzzy .
It ’ s easy to fall into a wishful-thinking mode instead of out what-is-really-happening mode .
Make an extra effort to be clear in your conversations with partners and close friends .
Assume nothing .
Be aware that they may misunderstand your wants and needs in the same way that you might misunderstand their wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tricky day .
Be clear in all your communications at work today .
Likewise , be clear in all your communications relating to health issues .
Even issues related to a pet may cause confusion .
That ’ s because people will jump to the wrong conclusions today .
Although this is a confusing day for many people , because your imagination is heightened , you might be full of wonderful , creative ideas today .
This is also a lovely day to entertain children , tell them stories or , in fact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not an ideal day for an important family discussion or a discussion with a relative .
People will jump to the wrong conclusions or misunderstand what the other one wants .
Make sure you are clear about issues .
Assume nothing .
Double check everything .
If Your Birthday Is Today Football player , activist Colin Kaepernick ( 1987 ) shares your birthday .
You have a biting sense of humor because you are quick to grasp what is going on around you .
This is the year to let go of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and move on to something new and different .
This is not a time of loss .
Au contraire !
You are lightening your load to make room for new beginnings !

Moon Alert
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Gemini.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Don’t be hard on yourself because you’re spending a lot of time lost in day dreams or in your private fantasy world. It’s easy to do this today. On the upside, your imagination is heightened and you might dream up some clever, creative ideas.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
You are the financial wizard of the zodiac and today, it’s important to know that you cannot really trust your financial judgment. Your thinking is a bit fuzzy. You are also inclined to go with what you hope will work or wish would work instead of what might actually work.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Today the moon is in your sign; however, it is at odds with fuzzy Neptune which can induce a dreamy state of mind for you. Obviously, this is a poor day to make important decisions or do anything that requires precise and clear thinking or attention to detail. Forewarned is forearmed.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
You might be attracted to mystical or supernatural phenomena or things that go bump in the night. That’s because the moon is hiding in your chart and it is at odds with fuzzy Neptune. This can trick your thinking and create confusion and delusion — very mildly. (You’re not losing it.)
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
You might be confused in a conversation with a friend today, probably a female. Do not assume anything, and, vice versa, do your best to make sure they understand what you are trying to say. Conversations can be a bit like two ships passing in the night.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
If you are having an important conversation with a boss, parent or someone in authority, do your best to make sure you understand what they want. Vice versa, make sure that they understand what you want because confusion, especially based on assumptions, is very easy today.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Feelings of escapism are strong within you today, which is why you’ll find it hard to knuckle down and do whatever it is you’re supposed to do. You would rather do something else. In fact, you would rather goof off, if you can get away with it. Yeah, it’s that kinda day.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
This is a poor day to make important decisions about shared property, inheritances and insurance issues because, frankly, your thinking is fuzzy. It’s easy to fall into a wishful-thinking mode instead of out what-is-really-happening mode.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Make an extra effort to be clear in your conversations with partners and close friends. Assume nothing. Be aware that they may misunderstand your wants and needs in the same way that you might misunderstand their wants and needs. It’s a tricky day.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Be clear in all your communications at work today. Likewise, be clear in all your communications relating to health issues. Even issues related to a pet may cause confusion. That’s because people will jump to the wrong conclusions today.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Although this is a confusing day for many people, because your imagination is heightened, you might be full of wonderful, creative ideas today. This is also a lovely day to entertain children, tell them stories or, in fact, write fantasy or fiction.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
This is not an ideal day for an important family discussion or a discussion with a relative. People will jump to the wrong conclusions or misunderstand what the other one wants. Make sure you are clear about issues. Assume nothing. Double check everything.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Football player, activist Colin Kaepernick (1987) shares your birthday. You have a biting sense of humor because you are quick to grasp what is going on around you. This is the year to let go of what is no longer relevant or useful and move on to something new and different. This is not a time of loss. Au contraire! You are lightening your load to make room for new beginnings!