chicagosun-times--2020-11-10--Count on future mail voting — even if hundreds of thousands of ballots are still being counted

We ’ re a week past the election , and more than 200,000 votes remain to be counted in Cook County , mostly mail ballots from suburban voters .
Luckily , there are only a few close contests waiting on the outcome , none of the top ballot races being among them .
But even as the counting continues , it ’ s not too soon to ask : Was this election with its emphasis on expanded voting by mail a temporary pandemic year oddity or a peek into the future ?
The betting is that voting by mail is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Illinois voters chose that method to cast their ballots in 2020 , more than five times the number who did so four years ago .
Local election officials say voting from home has proven generally popular with the people who tried it , even if it has created new challenges for election administrators and caused delays in the reporting of results — not to mention really irritated the soon-to-be former President of the United States .
Most of those who voted by mail did so because they thought it would be the safest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat of possibly contracting COVID-19 at their polling place .
But many of them are expected to make it a habit in the future after having seen the virtue of leisurely filling out a ballot in the comfort of their own home .
We ’ ve had vote by mail in the state for a decade now , but in reaction to the coronavirus , lawmakers enacted temporary provisions for this year that made it easier : requiring election authorities to send ballot applications to everyone who had voted in the past two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collect the votes .
Those provisions sunset at the end of the year , meaning legislators will have to revisit the issue before the next election if they want them to be made permanent .
Among those who hope they will do so is Marisel Hernandez , chairwoman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners .
“ I think it was very successful , ” Hernandez said of the shift to voting by mail , which earned the board high marks for its timely communication with voters about the status of their ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chief architect of the temporary voting legislation , said she is waiting for election administrators to wrap up their work before inquiring more closely about their experiences but expects more mail voting to be the “ wave of the future.
” “ The sheer number of voters tells us this is something people liked , ” Morrison said .
I stuck with in-person early voting this year , but having been present when my wife filled out her mail ballot , I can definitely see the advantages .
Beyond the convenience , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as she voted .
It seemed a lot more fun .
But I do worry about the delay in counting the votes , which would be the cause of considerably more angst right now if we had a close statewide race .
As of Tuesday , the Cook County clerk ’ s office was reporting it had 165,554 mail ballots remaining to be counted from suburban voters , while Chicago election authorities were reporting 62,452 uncounted mail ballots from city voters .
In addition , the county reported 27,073 provisional ballots yet to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hernandez said the city should be “ fully caught up ” on counting mail ballots by the end of Wednesday , while county officials said they expect to clear their backlog by the weekend .
County Clerk Karen Yarbrough said she ’ s satisfied with the pace of the counting and is more concerned about making sure every vote is counted .
“ We ’ re just going to have to get used to another paradigm , ” Yarbrough said , referring to the expectation in recent years that most winners will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Although voters may not realize it , there ’ s always counting to be completed in the two weeks after an election , just usually not this many votes .
Mail-in ballots are more labor intensive and therefore take longer to process .
Under Illinois law , mail ballots can be counted until Nov. 17 as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3 .
Data provided by city election officials shows that nearly all mail ballots arrived back within the first three days after the election and since then have slowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ envious looks at those Houston voters who were allowed to try drive-up voting this year , don ’ t get your hopes up .
None of the officials with whom I spoke expect anything like that in the near future .

We’re a week past the election, and more than 200,000 votes remain to be counted in Cook County, mostly mail ballots from suburban voters.
Luckily, there are only a few close contests waiting on the outcome, none of the top ballot races being among them.
But even as the counting continues, it’s not too soon to ask:
Opinion bug Opinion
Was this election with its emphasis on expanded voting by mail a temporary pandemic year oddity or a peek into the future?
The betting is that voting by mail is here to stay after some 1.9 million Illinois voters chose that method to cast their ballots in 2020, more than five times the number who did so four years ago.
La Voz Sidebar 2023 Lea este artículo en español en La Voz Chicago.
Local election officials say voting from home has proven generally popular with the people who tried it, even if it has created new challenges for election administrators and caused delays in the reporting of results — not to mention really irritated the soon-to-be former President of the United States.
Most of those who voted by mail did so because they thought it would be the safest way to cast a ballot amid the threat of possibly contracting COVID-19 at their polling place.
A polling place at the Jonathan Burr Elementary School in the Bucktown neighborhood on Election Day. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times file
But many of them are expected to make it a habit in the future after having seen the virtue of leisurely filling out a ballot in the comfort of their own home.
We’ve had vote by mail in the state for a decade now, but in reaction to the coronavirus, lawmakers enacted temporary provisions for this year that made it easier: requiring election authorities to send ballot applications to everyone who had voted in the past two years and allowing for secure dropboxes to collect the votes.
Those provisions sunset at the end of the year, meaning legislators will have to revisit the issue before the next election if they want them to be made permanent.
Among those who hope they will do so is Marisel Hernandez, chairwoman of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners.
“I think it was very successful,” Hernandez said of the shift to voting by mail, which earned the board high marks for its timely communication with voters about the status of their ballots.
Marisel Hernandez, chair of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Fran Spielman/Sun-Times file
State Sen. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield, chief architect of the temporary voting legislation, said she is waiting for election administrators to wrap up their work before inquiring more closely about their experiences but expects more mail voting to be the “wave of the future.”
“The sheer number of voters tells us this is something people liked,” Morrison said.
I stuck with in-person early voting this year, but having been present when my wife filled out her mail ballot, I can definitely see the advantages. Beyond the convenience, she could trash talk the candidates aloud as she voted. It seemed a lot more fun.
But I do worry about the delay in counting the votes, which would be the cause of considerably more angst right now if we had a close statewide race.
As of Tuesday, the Cook County clerk’s office was reporting it had 165,554 mail ballots remaining to be counted from suburban voters, while Chicago election authorities by the day’s end were reporting 23,402 uncounted mail ballots from city voters.
In addition, the county reported 27,073 provisional ballots yet to be processed and the city 9,105.
Hernandez said the city should be “fully caught up” on counting mail ballots by the end of Wednesday, while county officials said they expect to clear their backlog by the weekend.
County Clerk Karen Yarbrough said she’s satisfied with the pace of the counting and is more concerned about making sure every vote is counted.
“We’re just going to have to get used to another paradigm,” Yarbrough said, referring to the expectation in recent years that most winners will be known within hours of the polls closing.
Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough speaks during a news conference at the Cook County Clerk Election Operation Centerin Cicero last month. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times file
Although voters may not realize it, there’s always counting to be completed in the two weeks after an election, just usually not this many votes.
Mail-in ballots are more labor intensive and therefore take longer to process. Under Illinois law, mail ballots can be counted until Nov. 17 as long as they are postmarked by Nov. 3.
Data provided by city election officials shows that nearly all mail ballots arrived back within the first three days after the election and since then have slowed to a trickle.
For anyone casting envious looks at those Houston voters who were allowed to try drive-up voting this year, don’t get your hopes up. None of the officials with whom I spoke expect anything like that in the near future.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--6 shot, 1 killed Tuesday in Chicago

6 shot, 1 killed Tuesday in Chicago

Six people were shot Tuesday in Chicago , including a 57-year-old man who was killed in West Garfield Park .
The man was found about 11 p.m. in the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue with gunshot wounds to his chest , Chicago police said .
He was taken to Stroger Hospital , where he was pronounced dead .
A teenage boy was wounded in a shooting earlier Tuesday evening in Bridgeport on the South Side .
About 8 p.m. , the 17-year-old was in the 1000 block of West 32nd Place when someone opened fire , striking him in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The teen was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition .
A 27-year-old man was handling a gun about 5:10 p.m. when he accidentally shot the 26-year-old in the 4600 block of South California Avenue , Chicago police said .
The man was struck in the foot and taken to St. Anthony Hospital in fair condition .
The two men were acquaintances , according to police .
Tuesday morning , a man was shot in Austin on the West Side .
About 9:40 a.m. , the man was standing in the first block @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the abdomen , Chicago police said .
The 26-year-old then ran to the 4800 block of West Adams Street where he was found by responding officers .
He was transported to Stroger Hospital in good condition .
Another 57-year-old man was shot earlier Tuesday morning in Back of the Yards on the South Side .
About 4:20 a.m. , the man was sitting on a front porch in the 5100 block of South Morgan Street when someone fired shots , striking him in the hand , Chicago police said .
The man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ good condition .
The day ’ s first reported gunshot victim walked into a hospital on the South Side after being shot at an unknown location .
About 12:45 a.m. , the 46-year-old man walked into Trinity Hospital , 2320 E. 93rd St. , with a gunshot wound to his knee , Chicago police said .
He was listed in fair condition .
The man refused to share any details about the shooting — including where it took place — with officers .
On Monday , 17 people were shot in Chicago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Six people were shot Tuesday in Chicago, including a 57-year-old man who was killed in West Garfield Park.
The man was found about 11 p.m. in the 3900 block of West Gladys Avenue with gunshot wounds to his chest, Chicago police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A teenage boy was wounded in a shooting earlier Tuesday evening in Bridgeport on the South Side.
About 8 p.m., the 17-year-old was in the 1000 block of West 32nd Place when someone opened fire, striking him in the back, Chicago police said. The teen was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious condition.
Hours earlier, a 26-year-old man was accidentally shot in Brighton Park.
A 27-year-old man was handling a gun about 5:10 p.m. when he accidentally shot the 26-year-old in the 4600 block of South California Avenue, Chicago police said. The man was struck in the foot and taken to St. Anthony Hospital in fair condition. The two men were acquaintances, according to police.
Tuesday morning, a man was shot in Austin on the West Side.
About 9:40 a.m., the man was standing in the first block of South Cicero Avenue when he shot in the abdomen, Chicago police said. The 26-year-old then ran to the 4800 block of West Adams Street where he was found by responding officers. He was transported to Stroger Hospital in good condition.
Another 57-year-old man was shot earlier Tuesday morning in Back of the Yards on the South Side.
About 4:20 a.m., the man was sitting on a front porch in the 5100 block of South Morgan Street when someone fired shots, striking him in the hand, Chicago police said. The man was taken to St. Bernard Hospital in good condition.
The day’s first reported gunshot victim walked into a hospital on the South Side after being shot at an unknown location.
About 12:45 a.m., the 46-year-old man walked into Trinity Hospital, 2320 E. 93rd St., with a gunshot wound to his knee, Chicago police said. He was listed in fair condition. The man refused to share any details about the shooting — including where it took place — with officers.
On Monday, 17 people were shot in Chicago, four of them fatally.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--‘Is this worth my life?’: Traveling health workers say COVID care conditions often poor

David Joel Perea called from Maine , Vermont , Minnesota and ultimately Nevada , always with the same request : “ Mom , can you send tamales ?
” That ’ s how Dominga Perea knew where her 35-year-old son was .
And she would ship them overnight .
David Perea , a traveling nurse , had “ a tremendous work ethic , ” routinely putting in 80 hours a week , according to his brother Daniel .
But when Perea took a job at Lakeside Health & Wellness Suites — a Reno , Nevada , nursing home that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — his mother was “ scared silly.
” During his stint at Lakeside , nearly one-fifth of its residents were infected with COVID-19 , according to state health records .
Lakeside ’ s “ top priority is the safety of those who live and work in our facility , ” a spokesperson said .
When her son didn ’ t respond to her text on April 6 , Dominga Perea knew something was wrong .
Her son had COVID-19 .
He died days later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , health care systems continue to suffer critical shortages , especially among non-physician staff such as nurses , X-ray technicians and respiratory therapists .
To replenish their ranks , health facilities have relied on “ travelers ” like Perea .
Health staffing agencies have deployed tens of thousands nationally since March ’ s early outbreaks in the Northeast .
Now , the virus is tearing through rural areas — particularly in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states — and stressing the limited medical infrastructure .
Rural hospitals largely have relied on traveling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even before the pandemic , said Tim Blasl , president of the North Dakota Hospital Association .
“ They find staff for you , but it ’ s really expensive labor , ” Blasl said .
“ Our hospitals are willing to invest so the people of North Dakota get care.
” The arrangement presents risks for travelers and their patients .
Personnel ping-ponging between overwhelmed cities and under-served towns could introduce infections .
As contractors , travelers sometimes feel tensions their full-time colleagues do not .
Frequently employed by staffing agencies based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find themselves working in crisis without advocates or adequate safety equipment .
In 2020 , the upsides of their jobs — freedom and flexibility — have been dwarfed by treacherous conditions .
Now , the ranks of travelers are thinning : The work is exhausting , bruising and dangerous .
Thousands of front-line health workers have gotten the virus and hundreds have died , according to reporting by KHN and The Guardian .
On April 17 , Lois Twum , a 23-year-old traveling nurse from New Orleans , was one of four passengers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s John F. Kennedy Airport .
When the self-described “ adventure-seeking adrenaline junkie ” arrived for her first shift at Columbia University ’ s Irving Medical Center in New York , she said she was assigned four patients on a COVID-19 unit .
Intensive-care nurses typically care for two or three patients .
As these “ constantly crashing ” patients required resuscitations and intubations , “ There was practically no one to help , ” Twum said , because “ everyone ’ s patient was critical.
” The hospital did not respond to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment of travelers .
As hospital employees got sick , quit or were furloughed amid budget cuts , travelers picked up the slack .
They were redeployed , Twum said , assigned more patients as well as the sickest ones .
“ It was like we were airdropped into Iraq , ” Twum said .
“ Travelers , we got the worst of it.
” On social media and in email groups , recruiters for travelers circulate photos of sun-splashed skylines or coastlines emblazoned with dollar signs , boasting salaries two or three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promise signing bonuses , relocation bonuses and referral bonuses .
They make small talk , ask about travelers ’ families and suggest restaurants in new cities .
But when it comes to navigating workplace issues , “ These people can just disappear on you , ” said Anna Skinner , a respiratory therapist who has traveled for over a decade .
“ They are not your friends.
” Caught between the hospitals where they report for duty and remote staffing agencies , their worker protections are blurred .
For instance , under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing protective equipment is the staffing agency ’ s responsibility — but the travelers who spoke with KHN said agencies rarely distribute any .
Perea ’ s family members said they believe he did not have adequate PPE .
His employer said it was the nursing home ’ s responsibility to provide it .
“ It is up to each of our clients to provide PPE to our staff while they are working assignments through MAS , ” said Sara Moore , a spokesperson for Perea ’ s agency , MAS Medical Staffing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency rooms or intensive-care units despite having little experience in the areas in which they now must work .
Skinner , a pediatric specialist , said she landed in adult ICUs when deployed to the University of Miami Health System in April .
She received an hour of orientation , she said , but “ nothing could have prepared me for what I had to deal with.
” Over five weeks , she said she intubated one patient after another , suctioned the blood pouring into patients ’ lungs and out of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were aghast , angry and afraid .
Under that stress , Skinner said she couldn ’ t sleep and lost weight .
The Miami hospital did not respond to requests for comment .
Travelers often face “ incredibly onerous ” hurdles to the overtime , sick leave or worker ’ s compensation they are entitled to under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act , said Nathan Piller , a lawyer with Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky , an employment and business litigation firm .
Even the number of hours they can count on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skinner said .
Contracts reviewed by KHN authorize travelers to work a set number of hours , but only a fraction of those hours are guaranteed , and they must be approved by on-site managers .
The guaranteed hours might be compensated at rates hovering around minimum wage and require working holidays , which are not uniformly recognized .
The terms can be “ modified from time to time during employment , ” according to the contracts .
In 2018 , AMN Healthcare , one of the country ’ s largest travel nursing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million settlement for wage violations involving nearly 9,000 travelers .
Violations “ appear fairly commonplace across the industry , ” said Piller , who worked on the settlement .
Skinner said travelers are left to advocate for themselves to managers they might have just met — and “ complaining just isn ’ t an option.
” KHN reviewed travel nursing contracts issued by Aya Healthcare , a large staffing agency , and found that any disputes — wrongful-termination claims , claims of discrimination , harassment or retaliation , wage claims and claims for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws or regulations — must be settled out of court , through arbitration .
Representatives of the Service Employees International Union , the American Nurses Association and the National Nurses United said their members have been suspended or fired from traveling worker agencies for speaking to the news media , posting on social media or otherwise voicing concerns about unfair practices .
Matthew Wall , a longtime traveling nurse , knows this all too well .
In July , two days into his assignment at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge , Georgia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ undeniably unsafe ” conditions for himself and patients , including inadequate PPE , long hours and high patient-to-staff ratios .
Instead of addressing his concerns , Wall said the hospital — which is under investigation by the federal government for workplace safety issues after another traveling nurse died of COVID-19 in mid-March — canceled his contract .
“ Travelers are treated like dog chow , ” Wall said .
“ The second you become a liability , they dispose of you.
” “ We continue to closely follow Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practices in patient care and safety for all , ” said John Manasso , a hospital spokesperson , who declined to comment on Wall ’ s case .
Some see an impossible choice .
“ We all know , if not for us , these patients would have no one , ” Twum said .
“ But watching each other get sick left and right , it makes you wonder : Is this worth my life ?
” Skinner took a job as a staff nurse in Aspen , Colorado .
After his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wall is planning a break from nursing .
Dominga Perea finally received a text back the night of April 6 : “ Don ’ t panic , Mama , I have the COVID .
She saw David over FaceTime on Easter .
“ He struggled even eating mashed potatoes ” she said , “ because he couldn ’ t breathe.
” The next morning , he was put on a ventilator .
He never woke up .
“ Ideal candidate must be a caring individual dedicated to providing high quality care , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to react to emergency situations appropriately when required.
” KHN ( Kaiser Health News ) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues .
It is an editorially independent program of KFF ( Kaiser Family Foundation ) , which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente .

David Joel Perea called from Maine, Vermont, Minnesota and ultimately Nevada, always with the same request: “Mom, can you send tamales?”
That’s how Dominga Perea knew where her 35-year-old son was. And she would ship them overnight.
David Perea, a traveling nurse, had “a tremendous work ethic,” routinely putting in 80 hours a week, according to his brother Daniel.
But when Perea took a job at Lakeside Health & Wellness Suites — a Reno, Nevada, nursing home that has received dozens of safety citations since 2017 from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — his mother was “scared silly.”
During his stint at Lakeside, nearly one-fifth of its residents were infected with COVID-19, according to state health records.
Lakeside’s “top priority is the safety of those who live and work in our facility,” a spokesperson said.
When her son didn’t respond to her text on April 6, Dominga Perea knew something was wrong.
Her son had COVID-19. He died days later.
As coronavirus surges across the country, health care systems continue to suffer critical shortages, especially among non-physician staff such as nurses, X-ray technicians and respiratory therapists.
To replenish their ranks, health facilities have relied on “travelers” like Perea. Health staffing agencies have deployed tens of thousands nationally since March’s early outbreaks in the Northeast.
Now, the virus is tearing through rural areas — particularly in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain states — and stressing the limited medical infrastructure.
Rural hospitals largely have relied on traveling nurses to fill staffing shortages that existed even before the pandemic, said Tim Blasl, president of the North Dakota Hospital Association.
“They find staff for you, but it’s really expensive labor,” Blasl said. “Our hospitals are willing to invest so the people of North Dakota get care.”
The arrangement presents risks for travelers and their patients. Personnel ping-ponging between overwhelmed cities and under-served towns could introduce infections. As contractors, travelers sometimes feel tensions their full-time colleagues do not. Frequently employed by staffing agencies based thousands of miles away, they can find themselves working in crisis without advocates or adequate safety equipment.
In 2020, the upsides of their jobs — freedom and flexibility — have been dwarfed by treacherous conditions.
Now, the ranks of travelers are thinning: The work is exhausting, bruising and dangerous. Thousands of front-line health workers have gotten the virus and hundreds have died, according to reporting by KHN and The Guardian.
On April 17, Lois Twum, a 23-year-old traveling nurse from New Orleans, was one of four passengers on a flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport.
When the self-described “adventure-seeking adrenaline junkie” arrived for her first shift at Columbia University’s Irving Medical Center in New York, she said she was assigned four patients on a COVID-19 unit. Intensive-care nurses typically care for two or three patients.
As these “constantly crashing” patients required resuscitations and intubations, “There was practically no one to help,” Twum said, because “everyone’s patient was critical.”
The hospital did not respond to requests for comment on workplace conditions and treatment of travelers.
As hospital employees got sick, quit or were furloughed amid budget cuts, travelers picked up the slack. They were redeployed, Twum said, assigned more patients as well as the sickest ones.
“It was like we were airdropped into Iraq,” Twum said. “Travelers, we got the worst of it.”
On social media and in email groups, recruiters for travelers circulate photos of sun-splashed skylines or coastlines emblazoned with dollar signs, boasting salaries two or three times those of staff nurses. They promise signing bonuses, relocation bonuses and referral bonuses. They make small talk, ask about travelers’ families and suggest restaurants in new cities.
But when it comes to navigating workplace issues, “These people can just disappear on you,” said Anna Skinner, a respiratory therapist who has traveled for over a decade. “They are not your friends.”
Caught between the hospitals where they report for duty and remote staffing agencies, their worker protections are blurred.
For instance, under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, providing protective equipment is the staffing agency’s responsibility — but the travelers who spoke with KHN said agencies rarely distribute any.
Perea’s family members said they believe he did not have adequate PPE. His employer said it was the nursing home’s responsibility to provide it.
“It is up to each of our clients to provide PPE to our staff while they are working assignments through MAS,” said Sara Moore, a spokesperson for Perea’s agency, MAS Medical Staffing.
Sometimes, travelers are assigned to emergency rooms or intensive-care units despite having little experience in the areas in which they now must work. Skinner, a pediatric specialist, said she landed in adult ICUs when deployed to the University of Miami Health System in April. She received an hour of orientation, she said, but “nothing could have prepared me for what I had to deal with.”
Over five weeks, she said she intubated one patient after another, suctioned the blood pouring into patients’ lungs and out of their noses and mouths and dealt with families who were aghast, angry and afraid.
Under that stress, Skinner said she couldn’t sleep and lost weight.
The Miami hospital did not respond to requests for comment.
Travelers often face “incredibly onerous” hurdles to the overtime, sick leave or worker’s compensation they are entitled to under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, said Nathan Piller, a lawyer with Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky, an employment and business litigation firm.
Even the number of hours they can count on working is out of their control, Skinner said. Contracts reviewed by KHN authorize travelers to work a set number of hours, but only a fraction of those hours are guaranteed, and they must be approved by on-site managers. The guaranteed hours might be compensated at rates hovering around minimum wage and require working holidays, which are not uniformly recognized.
The terms can be “modified from time to time during employment,” according to the contracts.
In 2018, AMN Healthcare, one of the country’s largest travel nursing agencies, agreed to a $20 million settlement for wage violations involving nearly 9,000 travelers. Violations “appear fairly commonplace across the industry,” said Piller, who worked on the settlement.
Skinner said travelers are left to advocate for themselves to managers they might have just met — and “complaining just isn’t an option.”
KHN reviewed travel nursing contracts issued by Aya Healthcare, a large staffing agency, and found that any disputes — wrongful-termination claims, claims of discrimination, harassment or retaliation, wage claims and claims for violation of federal, state or other laws or regulations — must be settled out of court, through arbitration.
Representatives of the Service Employees International Union, the American Nurses Association and the National Nurses United said their members have been suspended or fired from traveling worker agencies for speaking to the news media, posting on social media or otherwise voicing concerns about unfair practices.
Matthew Wall, a longtime traveling nurse, knows this all too well. In July, two days into his assignment at Piedmont Henry Hospital in Stockbridge, Georgia, Wall said he reported to hospital administrators “undeniably unsafe” conditions for himself and patients, including inadequate PPE, long hours and high patient-to-staff ratios.
Instead of addressing his concerns, Wall said the hospital — which is under investigation by the federal government for workplace safety issues after another traveling nurse died of COVID-19 in mid-March — canceled his contract.
“Travelers are treated like dog chow,” Wall said. “The second you become a liability, they dispose of you.”
“We continue to closely follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines paired with our best practices in patient care and safety for all,” said John Manasso, a hospital spokesperson, who declined to comment on Wall’s case.
Some see an impossible choice.
“We all know, if not for us, these patients would have no one,” Twum said. “But watching each other get sick left and right, it makes you wonder: Is this worth my life?”
Skinner took a job as a staff nurse in Aspen, Colorado.
After his current contract in New Orleans ends, Wall is planning a break from nursing.
Traveling registered nurse David Perea on April 6 — the day he was hospitalized with COVID-19. He died on April 19. Daniel Perea via KHN
Dominga Perea finally received a text back the night of April 6: “Don’t panic, Mama, I have the COVID.
“Pray for me.”
She saw David over FaceTime on Easter.
“He struggled even eating mashed potatoes” she said, “because he couldn’t breathe.”
The next morning, he was put on a ventilator. He never woke up.
Months later, Lakeside hadn’t filled Perea’s position.
“Ideal candidate must be a caring individual dedicated to providing high quality care,” the job listing read, and “able to react to emergency situations appropriately when required.”
Contributing: Matt Volz
KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Dear Abby: Too many recipients of generous gifts fail to write a thank you

DEAR ABBY : Would you please address again the importance of expressing gratitude via a handwritten note when a generous gift has been given ?
We grandparents would love it to be acknowledged by our grandchildren .
Some of them are better than others at this .
My take is that their parents , although they were taught properly , didn ’ t take the time to emphasize the importance of expressing gratitude .
I don ’ t accept the notion that “ people just don ’ t do that anymore.
” When I give a generous gift to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money came out of my bank account .
I want to know my gift was received and appreciated .
I have almost reached the point where , in the future , I will respond “ not able to attend ” and send nothing when I know the odds of it being acknowledged are practically nil and the couple is , for instance , a distant relative .
Abby , is that letter-writing publication of yours still available ?
It ’ s obviously still needed .
— DISGUSTED IN ALBUQUERQUE DEAR DISGUSTED : Yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The issues you raise are ones I hear about often from readers .
However , you may be judging these folks a bit harshly .
Many people put off writing letters because they don ’ t know how to express their feelings via the written word and fear they will say the wrong thing .
They think a thank-you note must be long and flowery when , in fact , short and to the point is more effective .
That is the reason why “ How To Write Letters for All Occasions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thank-you letters for birthday gifts , shower gifts and wedding gifts , as well as the ones that arrive around holiday time .
It also includes letters of congratulations and ones regarding difficult subjects , such as the loss of a parent , a spouse or a child .
It can be ordered by sending your name and address , plus a check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby Letters Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ price .
With the holiday season fast approaching , this is the perfect time to reply with a handwritten letter , note or well-written email .
Because letter composition is not always effectively taught in the schools , my booklet can serve as a helpful tutorial — not only a valuable tool for parents to use in teaching their children to write using proper etiquette , but also a handy guide for anyone who puts off writing because they don ’ t know what to say .
DEAR ABBY : Is weekly intimacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — WONDERING IN TEXAS DEAR WONDERING : Not for someone who has a partner who is willing and able .
DEAR VETERANS : For your service to our nation , I salute you .
My thanks to each of you on this Veterans Day .
You are the personification of patriotism , self-sacrifice and dedication to our country .
Today I would also like to recognize your families for the sacrifices they , too , have made .
— Love , ABBY Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .

DEAR ABBY: Would you please address again the importance of expressing gratitude via a handwritten note when a generous gift has been given? We grandparents would love it to be acknowledged by our grandchildren. Some of them are better than others at this. My take is that their parents, although they were taught properly, didn’t take the time to emphasize the importance of expressing gratitude.
I don’t accept the notion that “people just don’t do that anymore.” When I give a generous gift to a newlywed couple or a grandchild, the money came out of my bank account. I want to know my gift was received and appreciated.
I have almost reached the point where, in the future, I will respond “not able to attend” and send nothing when I know the odds of it being acknowledged are practically nil and the couple is, for instance, a distant relative. Abby, is that letter-writing publication of yours still available? It’s obviously still needed. — DISGUSTED IN ALBUQUERQUE
DEAR DISGUSTED: Yes, my Letters booklet is still available. The issues you raise are ones I hear about often from readers. However, you may be judging these folks a bit harshly. Many people put off writing letters because they don’t know how to express their feelings via the written word and fear they will say the wrong thing. They think a thank-you note must be long and flowery when, in fact, short and to the point is more effective.
That is the reason why “How To Write Letters for All Occasions” was written. It contains samples of thank-you letters for birthday gifts, shower gifts and wedding gifts, as well as the ones that arrive around holiday time. It also includes letters of congratulations and ones regarding difficult subjects, such as the loss of a parent, a spouse or a child. It can be ordered by sending your name and address, plus a check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby Letters Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. Shipping and handling are included in the price. With the holiday season fast approaching, this is the perfect time to reply with a handwritten letter, note or well-written email.
Because letter composition is not always effectively taught in the schools, my booklet can serve as a helpful tutorial — not only a valuable tool for parents to use in teaching their children to write using proper etiquette, but also a handy guide for anyone who puts off writing because they don’t know what to say.
DEAR ABBY: Is weekly intimacy unusual at 72 years of age? — WONDERING IN TEXAS
DEAR WONDERING: Not for someone who has a partner who is willing and able.
DEAR VETERANS: For your service to our nation, I salute you. My thanks to each of you on this Veterans Day. You are the personification of patriotism, self-sacrifice and dedication to our country. Today I would also like to recognize your families for the sacrifices they, too, have made. — Love, ABBY
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.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Blue Line service suspended between Rosemont and Jefferson Park due to derailment at Harlem

The CTA has suspended Blue Line service between the Rosemont and Jefferson Park stations Wednesday morning due to a derailment @ @ @ @ @ The CTA announced that trains were standing at Harlem about 5:20 a.m. , and fully @ @ @ @ @ later .
Blue Line trains are still running between O ’ Hare and Rosemont , @ @ @ @ @ Forest Park , the CTA said .
Shuttle buses are available to connect riders from @ @ @ @ @

The CTA has suspended Blue Line service between the Rosemont and Jefferson Park stations Wednesday morning due to a derailment at the Harlem station.
The CTA announced that trains were standing at Harlem about 5:20 a.m., and fully suspended service about 15 minutes later.
[Service Disruption] Update: Blue Line service has been temporarily suspended between Rosemont and Jefferson Park due to a derailment at Harlem (O'Hare). More: https://t.co/cgXMtHJQxw — cta (@cta) November 11, 2020
Blue Line trains are still running between O’Hare and Rosemont, and between Jefferson Park and Forest Park, the CTA said. Shuttle buses are available to connect riders from Rosemont to Jefferson Park.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--COVID-19 vaccines testing timeline: What’s ahead after Pfizer’s surprising good news

Now that drugmaker Pfizer Inc. has announced its surprising good news that its COVID-19 vaccine might offer more protection than anticipated , what ’ s next ?
Pfizer and the maker of the other leading U.S. vaccine candidate , Moderna Inc. , have been cautioning that the earliest they could seek regulatory approval for wider use of their shots would be late November .
In Britain , AstraZeneca recently said it hoped to prove its vaccine is effective by year ’ s end .
Science moves at its own pace .
While COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for us to roll up our sleeves for a shot depends on a long list of research steps , including how many study volunteers wind up getting the coronavirus .
Here ’ s a look at the process to better understand what to expect : Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech enrolled nearly 44,000 people in final testing of their vaccine .
Participants , their doctors and Pfizer all are kept in the dark about who gets the real vaccine and who gets a dummy shot , or placebo .
They get a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first .
A week after the second dose , key tracking begins : counting anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms and tests positive for the virus as participants go about their daily routines .
Late-stage testing of other vaccine candidates is similar , varying slightly in the number of volunteers and timing .
HOW TO TELL IF SHOTS WORK Every vaccine study is overseen by an independent “ data and safety monitoring board , ” or DSMB .
These boards include scientists and statisticians with no ties to the vaccine makers .
Before a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can unlock the code that shows who got real vaccine and who got a placebo and recommend whether the shots are working well enough to stop testing early .
Those boards take sneak peeks at predetermined times agreed to by the manufacturer and the federal Food and Drug Administration .
The first interim analysis for Pfizer came Nov. 8 , when the company reported its data monitors had counted 94 infections so far — and that , among those initial cases , the vaccine appeared to have been a remarkable 90 % effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the study isn ’ t stopping .
To be sure about how much protection the vaccine might offer , the study is set to run until there are 164 infections .
The more COVID-19 cases that occur in the trial , the better an idea scientists will have of just how protective the shots really are .
COULD SNEAK PEEK HAVE COME EARLIER ?
Pfizer ’ s initial plans called for evaluating when just 32 infections had been counted .
But many scientists warned that was too small a sampling from which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine that ’ s needed by billions of people worldwide .
Pfizer said it reconsidered , going back to the FDA for permission to change the plan and do its first interim analysis when there were more cases .
By the time Pfizer made the change and caught up with a backlog of virus tests , the DSMB had 94 infections to analyze .
The higher number increases confidence in those still preliminary results , said Dr. Jesse Goodman , a former FDA vaccine scientist now at Georgetown University .
Moderna , AstraZeneca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite as far along in their final testing all have set slightly different timelines for when their data monitors will peek at how the shots are working .
Safety is the top priority .
Monitors watch for unexpected or serious side effects .
Earlier this fall , studies of vaccine candidates made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson were temporarily halted after some participants experienced health problems , delaying the research until safety investigations allowed both to resume .
Pfizer says no serious safety concerns have emerged so far with its vaccine .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ track at least half of study volunteers for two months to look for side effects before asking the agency to review their vaccine .
That ’ s about when side effects have cropped in studies of other vaccines .
Pfizer and Moderna both expect to reach that safety milestone later in November .
WHAT HAPPENS THEN ?
Companies are expected to seek permission for “ emergency use ” of their vaccines , rather than waiting to fully complete their studies and then seeking traditional approval .
The FDA ’ s scientific advisers then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ findings at a public meeting before the agency decides .
Manufacturers already have begun stockpiling vaccine doses in anticipation of eventual approval .
Still , the first shots will be in short supply and rationed .
And the first people vaccinated will need to undergo extra safety tracking , as the government watches for rare side effects that might crop up when the shots are given to many more people than were involved in the research studies .

Now that drugmaker Pfizer Inc. has announced its surprising good news that its COVID-19 vaccine might offer more protection than anticipated, what’s next?
Pfizer and the maker of the other leading U.S. vaccine candidate, Moderna Inc., have been cautioning that the earliest they could seek regulatory approval for wider use of their shots would be late November. In Britain, AstraZeneca recently said it hoped to prove its vaccine is effective by year’s end.
Science moves at its own pace. While COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds, when they’ll be ready for us to roll up our sleeves for a shot depends on a long list of research steps, including how many study volunteers wind up getting the coronavirus.
Here’s a look at the process to better understand what to expect:
HOW THE STUDIES WORK
Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech enrolled nearly 44,000 people in final testing of their vaccine. Participants, their doctors and Pfizer all are kept in the dark about who gets the real vaccine and who gets a dummy shot, or placebo. They get a second dose about three weeks after the first.
A week after the second dose, key tracking begins: counting anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms and tests positive for the virus as participants go about their daily routines.
Late-stage testing of other vaccine candidates is similar, varying slightly in the number of volunteers and timing.
HOW TO TELL IF SHOTS WORK
Every vaccine study is overseen by an independent “data and safety monitoring board,” or DSMB. These boards include scientists and statisticians with no ties to the vaccine makers.
Before a study is finished, only the DSMB can unlock the code that shows who got real vaccine and who got a placebo and recommend whether the shots are working well enough to stop testing early.
Those boards take sneak peeks at predetermined times agreed to by the manufacturer and the federal Food and Drug Administration. The first interim analysis for Pfizer came Nov. 8, when the company reported its data monitors had counted 94 infections so far — and that, among those initial cases, the vaccine appeared to have been a remarkable 90% effective, far better than experts expected.
But the study isn’t stopping. To be sure about how much protection the vaccine might offer, the study is set to run until there are 164 infections. The more COVID-19 cases that occur in the trial, the better an idea scientists will have of just how protective the shots really are.
COULD SNEAK PEEK HAVE COME EARLIER?
Pfizer’s initial plans called for evaluating when just 32 infections had been counted. But many scientists warned that was too small a sampling from which to draw any reliable conclusions about a vaccine that’s needed by billions of people worldwide.
Pfizer said it reconsidered, going back to the FDA for permission to change the plan and do its first interim analysis when there were more cases. By the time Pfizer made the change and caught up with a backlog of virus tests, the DSMB had 94 infections to analyze.
The higher number increases confidence in those still preliminary results, said Dr. Jesse Goodman, a former FDA vaccine scientist now at Georgetown University.
Moderna, AstraZeneca and other companies that aren’t quite as far along in their final testing all have set slightly different timelines for when their data monitors will peek at how the shots are working.
DON’T FORGET SAFETY
Safety is the top priority. Monitors watch for unexpected or serious side effects. Earlier this fall, studies of vaccine candidates made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson were temporarily halted after some participants experienced health problems, delaying the research until safety investigations allowed both to resume.
Pfizer says no serious safety concerns have emerged so far with its vaccine.
But the FDA is requiring that companies track at least half of study volunteers for two months to look for side effects before asking the agency to review their vaccine. That’s about when side effects have cropped in studies of other vaccines.
Pfizer and Moderna both expect to reach that safety milestone later in November.
WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
Companies are expected to seek permission for “emergency use” of their vaccines, rather than waiting to fully complete their studies and then seeking traditional approval.
The FDA’s scientific advisers then will debate each company’s study findings at a public meeting before the agency decides.
Manufacturers already have begun stockpiling vaccine doses in anticipation of eventual approval.
Still, the first shots will be in short supply and rationed.
And the first people vaccinated will need to undergo extra safety tracking, as the government watches for rare side effects that might crop up when the shots are given to many more people than were involved in the research studies.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--‘Jingle Jangle’: Oh what fun it is to revel in a rousing holiday musical

“ Jingle Jangle : A Christmas Journey ” has the power to fill your spirit with joy and make you want to burst into applause — not once , not twice , but at least three times , thanks to rousing , infectious , exquisitely choreographed production numbers worthy of a hit Broadway musical .
And in fact , writer-director David E. Talbert originally conceived this work as a stage production , but it works beautifully as a colorful , creative , groundbreaking musical film with the principally Black cast turning in outstanding work in what will surely become perennial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staged steampunk fantasy with elements of “ The Princess Bride , ” “ The Wizard of Oz , ” “ A Christmas Carol ” and even “ Wall-E , ” but it has its own signature look and sound , with memorably catchy musical numbers composed by Phillip Lawrence , Davy Nathan and Michael Diskint , plus one number from John Legend .
Though it ’ s occasionally stuffed with too many trimmings and bells and whistles , like that one house in your neighborhood that goes over the top with the decorations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of film that will have your kids saying , “ Let ’ s watch it AGAIN ” as soon as the end credits commence .
And you ’ ll be OK with that , because you loved it too .
The framing device for “ Jingle Jangle ” has a kindly grandmother ( Phylicia Rashad ) reading a special Christmas story to her two young grandchildren .
Off we go to the postcard-perfect village of Cobbleton ( “ played ” by Norwich in the UK ) , where the brilliant and eccentric inventor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) has perfected an animatronic miniature named Don Juan ( voiced by Ricky Martin ) , a loquacious and vain bullfighter .
It ’ s a time for celebration — but things quickly take a turn for the worse , first when Jeronicus ’ apprentice steals his notebook of inventions and then , tragically , when Jeronicus ’ beloved wife passes away .
Cut to some 30 years later .
Jeronicus ( now played by Forest Whitaker , and who knew Forest Whitaker had such a fine singing voice ! )
has become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man who has turned his once-wondrous emporium into a pawn and repair shop .
He hasn ’ t talked to his estranged daughter Jessica ( Aniki Noni Rose ) in years , and he hardly knows his 10-year-old granddaughter Journey ( Madalen Mills ) when she shows up on his doorstep for a holiday visit .
Meanwhile , the hiss-worthy villain Gustafason ( Keegan-Michael Key in a scene-stealing performance ) has used the stolen book of inventions to become the most popular and successful toymaker in all the land .
What a bounder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be remiss if we didn ’ t mention the banker Mr. Delacroix ( Hugh Bonneville from “ Downton Abbey ” ) , who has a great fondness for Jeronicus but periodically comes calling to remind him of the impending Christmas Day deadline for Jeronicus to make good on his debts .
And there ’ s even time for a potential romance for the widowed Jeronicus , as the mail carrier Ms. Johnston ( Lisa Davina Phillip ) has an obvious crush on him .
So much movie packed into one story , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ musical numbers carry the day .
The color-coordinated , elaborately constructed costumes by Michael Wilkinson are Oscar caliber , as is the production design by Gavin Bocquet .
“ Jingle Jangle ” is the early Christmas gift that keeps on giving , a holiday film to be treasured .

Magical.
“Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey” has the power to fill your spirit with joy and make you want to burst into applause — not once, not twice, but at least three times, thanks to rousing, infectious, exquisitely choreographed production numbers worthy of a hit Broadway musical. And in fact, writer-director David E. Talbert originally conceived this work as a stage production, but it works beautifully as a colorful, creative, groundbreaking musical film with the principally Black cast turning in outstanding work in what will surely become perennial holiday viewing.
‘Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey’
Untitled Netflix presents a film written and directed by David E. Talbert. Rated PG (for some thematic elements and peril). Running time: 119 minutes. Available Friday on Netflix.
This is an impressively staged steampunk fantasy with elements of “The Princess Bride,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “A Christmas Carol” and even “Wall-E,” but it has its own signature look and sound, with memorably catchy musical numbers composed by Phillip Lawrence, Davy Nathan and Michael Diskint, plus one number from John Legend. Though it’s occasionally stuffed with too many trimmings and bells and whistles, like that one house in your neighborhood that goes over the top with the decorations every year, this is the kind of film that will have your kids saying, “Let’s watch it AGAIN” as soon as the end credits commence. And you’ll be OK with that, because you loved it too.
The framing device for “Jingle Jangle” has a kindly grandmother (Phylicia Rashad) reading a special Christmas story to her two young grandchildren. Off we go to the postcard-perfect village of Cobbleton (“played” by Norwich in the UK), where the brilliant and eccentric inventor and toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Justin Cornwell) has perfected an animatronic miniature named Don Juan (voiced by Ricky Martin), a loquacious and vain bullfighter. It’s a time for celebration — but things quickly take a turn for the worse, first when Jeronicus’ apprentice steals his notebook of inventions and then, tragically, when Jeronicus’ beloved wife passes away.
Cut to some 30 years later. Jeronicus (now played by Forest Whitaker, and who knew Forest Whitaker had such a fine singing voice!) has become a muttering, distracted, downtrodden old man who has turned his once-wondrous emporium into a pawn and repair shop. He hasn’t talked to his estranged daughter Jessica (Aniki Noni Rose) in years, and he hardly knows his 10-year-old granddaughter Journey (Madalen Mills) when she shows up on his doorstep for a holiday visit. Meanwhile, the hiss-worthy villain Gustafason (Keegan-Michael Key in a scene-stealing performance) has used the stolen book of inventions to become the most popular and successful toymaker in all the land. What a bounder!
Keegan-Michael Key steals scenes as the unscrupulous Gustafson, who dominates the toy business. Netflix
Oh, and we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the banker Mr. Delacroix (Hugh Bonneville from “Downton Abbey”), who has a great fondness for Jeronicus but periodically comes calling to remind him of the impending Christmas Day deadline for Jeronicus to make good on his debts. And there’s even time for a potential romance for the widowed Jeronicus, as the mail carrier Ms. Johnston (Lisa Davina Phillip) has an obvious crush on him.
So much movie packed into one story, but the universally appealing performances and the show-stopping musical numbers carry the day. The color-coordinated, elaborately constructed costumes by Michael Wilkinson are Oscar caliber, as is the production design by Gavin Bocquet. “Jingle Jangle” is the early Christmas gift that keeps on giving, a holiday film to be treasured.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Bears’ $70 million man Robert Quinn has 1 sack as pass rush underwhelms

There are varying levels of skepticism when it comes to the Bears , so stop when you get to the red flag on the signing of Robert Quinn that pushed you to the point of concern .
Was it the moment the Bears gave a $ 70 million deal , the second-largest in free agency this year , to a 30-year-old who last made the Pro Bowl more than five years earlier ?
Was it that they signed someone who strongly prefers playing defensive end in a 4-3 scheme to be an outside linebacker in a 3-4 ?
Maybe it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total seriousness , that he chose between the Bears and the Falcons by flipping a coin .
If you still felt fine about things at that point , how about when Quinn spent nearly all of the preseason doing conditioning on the side instead of practicing with the team — and the Bears gave no real explanation for it ?
All they really said was that Quinn was still getting in shape and learning the defense , with defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano noting last month that the latter effort was still a work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with an ankle injury .
Not a great start .
But after all that , on his first snap of the season in Week 2 , he obliterated all the worries by unleashing exactly what the Bears paid for .
He and Khalil Mack got one-on-one matchups and stormed Giants quarterback Daniel Jones .
Quinn sacked him and stripped the ball , and Mack recovered it .
And there has been nothing since .
In 270 snaps , mostly on hand-picked passing downs , the Bears ’ $ 70 million man has one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Had a lot of opportunities to make some plays , [ but ] he hasn ’ t been able to finish , ” outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino said .
“ That ’ s on me .
It ’ s my responsibility to get him enough opportunities that he can close out and finish some of those plays .
.
.
.
He will continue to work and hopefully get some opportunities where he can close some plays out.
” That ’ s a nice thing to say , but , no , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fault that Quinn has one sack in eight games .
Also , that sounds an awful lot like what the Bears used to say about Leonard Floyd .
Film review does show that Quinn is creating better matchups for Mack , but Mack ’ s 6½ sacks are good , not great .
It would be a different conversation if bringing in Quinn vaulted Mack to the top of the NFL .
But even that wouldn ’ t be the full return on investment that general manager Ryan Pace wanted .
He envisioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rush in the NFL .
Maybe Mack and Quinn would both be among the league leaders in sacks .
Instead , the Bears rank 12th in sacks with 20 , averaging a modest one per 17 drop-backs by opposing quarterbacks .
They ’ ve had four games with just one sack .
There ’ s nothing inherently wrong with Pace ’ s plan to go all-in on assembling the NFL ’ s most ferocious pass rush — as long as it works .
But if he cut costs at other positions and still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sought in the pass rush , that ’ s highly problematic .
Paying for Quinn theoretically kept the Bears from making more significant additions at quarterback and tight end , as well as on the offensive line .
And Quinn will be on their books beyond this season .
Free-agent contracts are rarely what they appear to be , so , no , the Bears aren ’ t committed through 2024 and don ’ t have to pay the full $ 70 million .
But he almost certainly will be here at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take a $ 9.3 million dead salary-cap hit to cut him after next season and a $ 6.2 million hit to let him go after 2022 .
Pace believed those conversations would be at least a year or two away , but if Quinn doesn ’ t start producing , the Bears can ’ t move on soon enough .

There are varying levels of skepticism when it comes to the Bears, so stop when you get to the red flag on the signing of Robert Quinn that pushed you to the point of concern.
Was it the moment the Bears gave a $70 million deal, the second-largest in free agency this year, to a 30-year-old who last made the Pro Bowl more than five years earlier? Was it that they signed someone who strongly prefers playing defensive end in a 4-3 scheme to be an outside linebacker in a 3-4?
Maybe it was the moment Quinn said, in total seriousness, that he chose between the Bears and the Falcons by flipping a coin.
If you still felt fine about things at that point, how about when Quinn spent nearly all of the preseason doing conditioning on the side instead of practicing with the team — and the Bears gave no real explanation for it? All they really said was that Quinn was still getting in shape and learning the defense, with defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano noting last month that the latter effort was still a work in progress.
Quinn missed the opener with an ankle injury. Not a great start.
But after all that, on his first snap of the season in Week 2, he obliterated all the worries by unleashing exactly what the Bears paid for. He and Khalil Mack got one-on-one matchups and stormed Giants quarterback Daniel Jones. Quinn sacked him and stripped the ball, and Mack recovered it.
Beautiful.
And there has been nothing since.
In 270 snaps, mostly on hand-picked passing downs, the Bears’ $70 million man has one sack and five quarterback pressures.
“Had a lot of opportunities to make some plays, [but] he hasn’t been able to finish,” outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino said. “That’s on me. It’s my responsibility to get him enough opportunities that he can close out and finish some of those plays. . . . He will continue to work and hopefully get some opportunities where he can close some plays out.”
That’s a nice thing to say, but, no, it’s not Monachino’s fault that Quinn has one sack in eight games. Also, that sounds an awful lot like what the Bears used to say about Leonard Floyd.
Film review does show that Quinn is creating better matchups for Mack, but Mack’s 6½ sacks are good, not great. It would be a different conversation if bringing in Quinn vaulted Mack to the top of the NFL.
But even that wouldn’t be the full return on investment that general manager Ryan Pace wanted. He envisioned the Bears having the most dominant pass rush in the NFL. Maybe Mack and Quinn would both be among the league leaders in sacks. Instead, the Bears rank 12th in sacks with 20, averaging a modest one per 17 drop-backs by opposing quarterbacks. They’ve had four games with just one sack.
There’s nothing inherently wrong with Pace’s plan to go all-in on assembling the NFL’s most ferocious pass rush — as long as it works.
But if he cut costs at other positions and still hasn’t gotten the payoff he sought in the pass rush, that’s highly problematic. Paying for Quinn theoretically kept the Bears from making more significant additions at quarterback and tight end, as well as on the offensive line.
And Quinn will be on their books beyond this season. Free-agent contracts are rarely what they appear to be, so, no, the Bears aren’t committed through 2024 and don’t have to pay the full $70 million. But he almost certainly will be here at least two seasons. The Bears would have to take a $9.3 million dead salary-cap hit to cut him after next season and a $6.2 million hit to let him go after 2022.
Pace believed those conversations would be at least a year or two away, but if Quinn doesn’t start producing, the Bears can’t move on soon enough.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Man killed in Marquette Park shooting

Man killed in Marquette Park shooting

A 20-year-old man was shot dead Sunday in Marquette Park on the Southwest Side .
About 12:15 p.m. , Kevon @ @ @ @ @ in the 7200 block of South Kedzie Avenue when someone in a dark-colored sedan fired @ @ @ @ @ the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office said .
Mitchell was struck in the @ @ @ @ @ hour later at a local hospital , officials said .
Read more on crime , @ @ @ @ @ s homicides .

A 20-year-old man was shot dead Sunday in Marquette Park on the Southwest Side.
About 12:15 p.m., Kevon Mitchell was in a vehicle in the 7200 block of South Kedzie Avenue when someone in a dark-colored sedan fired shots, Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
Mitchell was struck in the body and died about an hour later at a local hospital, officials said.
An autopsy released Wednesday from the medical examiner’s office ruled Mitchell’s death a homicide.
Area One detectives are investigating.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Woman critically injured in Englewood fire

A woman was critically injured in a fire Wednesday in Englewood on the South Side .
The fire was reported @ @ @ @ @ apartment building in the 500 block of West 72nd Street , Chicago police said .
@ @ @ @ @ to the University of Chicago Medical Center for smoke inhalation , and was listed in @ @ @ @ @ .
No other injuries were reported , but a family of five was displaced from @ @ @ @ @ of the blaze .
The Chicago Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire @

A woman was critically injured in a fire Wednesday in Englewood on the South Side.
The fire was reported about 12:55 a.m. at an apartment building in the 500 block of West 72nd Street, Chicago police said.
A 32-year-old woman was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center for smoke inhalation, and was listed in critical condition, police said. No other injuries were reported, but a family of five was displaced from their home as a result of the blaze.
The Chicago Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Man critically injured in crash at Austin CTA bus turnaround

A man is in critical condition Wednesday after crashing at a CTA bus turnaround in Austin on the West Side @ @ @ @ @ west about 1:50 a.m. when he lost control of his Pontiac G6 and crashed into @ @ @ @ @ bus turnaround in the 5900 block of West Jackson Boulevard , Chicago police said .
@ @ @ @ @ drove into a light pole before coming to a stop , police said .
He @ @ @ @ @ in critical condition .
The Chicago Police Major Accidents Unit is investigating the crash .

A man is in critical condition Wednesday after crashing at a CTA bus turnaround in Austin on the West Side.
The man was driving west about 1:50 a.m. when he lost control of his Pontiac G6 and crashed into a structure at a CTA bus turnaround in the 5900 block of West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago police said.
From there, the man drove into a light pole before coming to a stop, police said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition.
The Chicago Police Major Accidents Unit is investigating the crash.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Former employees sue Manny’s Blue Room Lounge after 2018 shooting

Two people who were wounded in a 2018 shooting at a south suburban nightclub that later led to a Black security guard being fatally gunned down by a Midlothian police officer filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the now-closed Manny ’ s Blue Room Lounge , alleging the owners allowed “ unsavory characters ” into the club “ knowing there would be trouble.
” Owners Irvin Smith and his wife , Nakeeah Buchanan Smith , who also owns Luxury U.S. which managed Manny ’ s , are accused of allowing “ characters in the club they knew would confront and cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complaint said .
They also allegedly failed to listen to and ignored security personnel on the night of the shooting .
The complaint also claims that the property owner , Laverne Williams and Emmanual Williams Trust , was negligent and “ turned a blind eye to the goings on ” at the bar , formerly located at 2911 S. Claire Blvd .
in Robbins .
Monique Jordan and Dorian Myrickes were at Manny ’ s when a gunman opened fire and wounded four people in the early hours of Nov. 11 , 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gunman was among a group of people who were booted from Manny ’ s for flashing gang signs and allegedly using illegal substances , the complaint said .
But several of those individuals were allowed to reenter the club because “ it was Saturday night , and they wanted their money , knowing there would be trouble , ” the complaint said .
After a fight broke out , Jordan , who was working as a bartender , and Myrickes , who was a contracted security officer , were shot .
The complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , anxiety , permanent injury , and monetary loss and expenses since the incident .
“ Luxury U.S. had a duty to run an establishment which was a safe environment for its patrons , clientele , employees , and security staff , and with proper licenses , ” the complaint said .
The complaint also accused Williams Trust of failing “ to monitor its tenants ’ obligations under the lease or the requirements of the law , ” alleging Manny ’ s failed to maintain a proper business and state liquor licenses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure illegal activity was not being conducted and proper business was being operated at the property , ” the complaint said .
The suit is seeking more than $ 50,000 in damages .
Last month , Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx ’ s office said it wouldn ’ t bring charges in the fatal shooting of Jemel Roberson , an armed security officer working for Manny ’ s on the night of the shooting .
Midlothian police officer Ian Covey shot and killed Roberson , who had subdued a suspected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sun-Times previously reported .

Two people who were wounded in a 2018 shooting at a south suburban nightclub that later led to a Black security guard being fatally gunned down by a white Midlothian police officer filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the now-closed Manny’s Blue Room Lounge, alleging the owners allowed “unsavory characters” into the club “knowing there would be trouble.”
Owners Irvin Smith and his wife, Nakeeah Buchanan Smith, who also owns Luxury U.S. which managed Manny’s, are accused of allowing “characters in the club they knew would confront and cause problems with other patrons,” the complaint said. They also allegedly failed to listen to and ignored security personnel on the night of the shooting.
The complaint also claims that the property owner, Laverne Williams and Emmanual Williams Trust, was negligent and “turned a blind eye to the goings on” at the bar, formerly located at 2911 S. Claire Blvd. in Robbins.
Monique Jordan and Dorian Myrickes were at Manny’s when a gunman opened fire and wounded four people in the early hours of Nov. 11, 2018. Earlier in the night, the gunman was among a group of people who were booted from Manny’s for flashing gang signs and allegedly using illegal substances, the complaint said.
But several of those individuals were allowed to reenter the club because “it was Saturday night, and they wanted their money, knowing there would be trouble,” the complaint said.
After a fight broke out, Jordan, who was working as a bartender, and Myrickes, who was a contracted security officer, were shot.
The complaint alleges that Jordan and Myrickes suffered pain, anxiety, permanent injury, and monetary loss and expenses since the incident.
“Luxury U.S. had a duty to run an establishment which was a safe environment for its patrons, clientele, employees, and security staff, and with proper licenses,” the complaint said.
The complaint also accused Williams Trust of failing “to monitor its tenants’ obligations under the lease or the requirements of the law,” alleging Manny’s failed to maintain a proper business and state liquor licenses.
“Trust had a duty of care to make sure illegal activity was not being conducted and proper business was being operated at the property,” the complaint said.
The suit is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.
Last month, Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx’s office said it wouldn’t bring charges in the fatal shooting of Jemel Roberson, an armed security officer working for Manny’s on the night of the shooting.
Midlothian police officer Ian Covey shot and killed Roberson, who had subdued a suspected gunman after the barroom shooting, the Sun-Times previously reported.
Read the full complaint here:
Complaint at Law.pdf


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Man charged with reckless homicide in University Village hit-and-run

A man was charged with reckless homicide in a hit-and-run crash that left a man dead and another man injured last week in University Village .
Kenneth Clay , 32 , is also facing felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon , leaving the scene of an accident , possession of marijuana with intent to deliver , aggravated fleeing and aggravated battery , Chicago police said .
Clay allegedly blew past a stop sign about 10:25 a.m. Nov. 5 in the 1100 block of South Morgan Street , striking two men before hitting a tree , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital while the other man , 27 , was taken to the same hospital with a shoulder injury , police and the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office said .
After the crash , Clay allegedly ran out from the car and across an expressway but was later arrested on public transportation , police said .
He was ordered held without bail and is due back in court Nov. 30. , according to the Cook County sheriff ’ s office .
Read more on crime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

A man was charged with reckless homicide in a hit-and-run crash that left a man dead and another man injured last week in University Village.
Kenneth Clay, 32, is also facing felony counts of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, leaving the scene of an accident, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, aggravated fleeing and aggravated battery, Chicago police said.
Clay allegedly blew past a stop sign about 10:25 a.m. Nov. 5 in the 1100 block of South Morgan Street, striking two men before hitting a tree, police said.
Tushar Sharma, 26, was pronounced dead at Stroger Hospital while the other man, 27, was taken to the same hospital with a shoulder injury, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
After the crash, Clay allegedly ran out from the car and across an expressway but was later arrested on public transportation, police said.
He was ordered held without bail and is due back in court Nov. 30., according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-11-11--Public health officials announced 12,657 new COVID-19 cases and 145 deaths attributed to it statewid

Public health officials announced 12,657 new COVID-19 cases and 145 deaths attributed to it statewide (LIVE UPDATES)

Illinois suffers most COVID-19 deaths since May as state adds another record-breaking 12,657 new cases Illinois ’ breathtaking COVID-19 resurgence soared to new heights for a second straight day Wednesday as public health officials announced 12,657 new cases of the deadly respiratory disease and the latest 145 deaths attributed to it — the state ’ s worst daily death toll in almost six months .
Two Cook County men in their 20s and 30s were among 78 Chicago-area residents included in the latest fatality count , which is the state ’ s highest since 159 deaths were reported May 27 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first coronavirus wave .
Average daily case counts have more than tripled since then , with the state logging 10,000 or more new cases for six straight days .
Wednesday ’ s total set a new record for the fifth time in a week .
3:04 p.m. Lightfoot needs to compromise to get pandemic budget passed , powerful ally says Mayor Lori Lightfoot is following through on her promise to improve her strained relationship with the City Council , but she still needs to compromise to get her “ pandemic ” budget passed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ald .
Pat Dowell ( 3rd ) , chairman of the Council ’ s Budget Committee , said it ’ s too soon to say what changes the mayor must make to round up the 26 votes needed to pass a budget that nobody likes , given the tough choices it requires .
But one day after gaveling two weeks of virtual budget hearings to a close by telling her colleagues , “ Let ’ s go make sausage , ” Dowell essentially said : “ Let the negotiations begin.
” “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggestions about how the budget should be changed .
… Working with the Office of Budget and Management is like making sausage .
We have to figure out a way to get 26 votes to pass a budget that reflects not just the vision of the mayor , but the vision of the aldermen as well , ” Dowell told the Sun-Times .
As the coronavirus pandemic pushes people to get more takeout and delivery food , it ’ s also having another effect : putting at least a temporary halt to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plastics and entirely ban polystyrene foam — Styrofoam — at Chicago restaurants .
To get an idea of the impact of that and of how much plastic waste is created even by just one meal , the Chicago Sun-Times and ABC7 ordered a bunch of takeout and delivery food and had an outdoor , socially distanced picnic .
On our picnic blanket : pizza , chicken wings , salads , a cheeseburger and fries , Chinese food and burritos .
Some of it arrived in in compostable cardboard containers or easily recycled aluminum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of plastic .
And worse , in terms of the environment , some of the orders came nestled in polystyrene foam , commonly known by the trademarked name Styrofoam , which restaurants often use for takeout packaging and which isn ’ t recyclable .
Those single-use items will “ probably last at least a century , maybe longer than a century , ” according to Jennifer Dunn , director of research for the Northwestern-Argonne Institute of Science and Engineering , who assessed the pile of waste .
1:17 p.m. ‘ Awful ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hospitalizations , positivity up — and ‘ it ’ s not over yet ’ Illinois reported another record-breaking total of 12,623 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday , hospitals in some parts of the state are packed with triple the number of coronavirus patients they saw during the first wave of the pandemic and the peak of the skyrocketing autumn surge is still nowhere in sight .
“ These numbers are awful , ” Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said .
“ Even where things are not as awful , things are still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ourselves for winter because it ’ s not over yet ... We have potentially months of the fight ahead of us , ” he said .
For now , the state ’ s main weapon in that fight is local enforcement of masking and social distancing guidelines , according to the Democratic governor — but he hasn ’ t ruled out more serious action such as the stay-at-home order that helped bend Illinois ’ springtime curve .
The entire state is now under enhanced “ mitigation ” efforts including a ban on indoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regions have been saddled further with 10-person gathering limits .
“ We ’ re monitoring the numbers closely , and additional statewide action is possible , ” Pritzker said .
Now that drugmaker Pfizer Inc. has announced its surprising good news that its COVID-19 vaccine might offer more protection than anticipated , what ’ s next ?
Pfizer and the maker of the other leading U.S. vaccine candidate , Moderna Inc. , have been cautioning that the earliest they could seek regulatory approval for wider use of their shots would be late November @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it hoped to prove its vaccine is effective by year ’ s end .
Science moves at its own pace .
While COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds , when they ’ ll be ready for us to roll up our sleeves for a shot depends on a long list of research steps , including how many study volunteers wind up getting the coronavirus .
Here ’ s a look at the process to better understand what to expect .
Peter Giannikopoulos , one of the suitors vying for Tayshia Adams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The Bachelorette , ” announced Tuesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 , then was involved in a serious car accident upon hearing the news .
The strapping real estate adviser from Everett , Massachusetts , was one of four suitors who entered the Palm Springs “ Bachelorette ” bubble on the episode that aired Tuesday night .
Giannikopoulos , 32 , wrote in an Instagram post the same night that he had begun a two-week quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus Monday .
“ The past 24 hours have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my life .
Yesterday I tested positive for Covid , ” he wrote alongside a shirtless selfie photo taken from a propped position in his bed .
“ Although my symptoms are evident , I am going to fight this and win.
” Filming for the current season wrapped in September .
Giannikopoulos , a fitness buff who has posted frequent Instagram photographs wearing a face mask , said he was emotionally running his mind over how he could have contracted the virus .
“ I felt lousy for a few days , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract the virus when I have been wearing a mask in public , washing and sanitizing hands regularly , and following social distancing protocol during work , ” he stated .
9:16 a.m. ‘ Is this worth my life ?
’ : Traveling health workers say COVID care conditions often poor David Joel Perea called from Maine , Vermont , Minnesota and ultimately Nevada , always with the same request : “ Mom , can you send tamales ?
” That ’ s how Dominga Perea knew where her 35-year-old son was .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Perea , a traveling nurse , had “ a tremendous work ethic , ” routinely putting in 80 hours a week , according to his brother Daniel .
But when Perea took a job at Lakeside Health & Wellness Suites — a Reno , Nevada , nursing home that has received dozens of safety citations since 2017 from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — his mother was “ scared silly.
” During his stint at Lakeside , nearly one-fifth of its residents were infected with COVID-19 , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ top priority is the safety of those who live and work in our facility , ” a spokesperson said .
When her son didn ’ t respond to her text on April 6 , Dominga Perea knew something was wrong .
Her son had COVID-19 .
He died days later .
• Peter Giannikopoulos , one of the suitors vying for Tayshia Adams ’ hand on the current season of ” The Bachelorette , ” announced Tuesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 .
• Illinois reported another record-breaking total of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with hospitals in some parts of the state packed with triple the number of coronavirus patients they saw during the first wave of the pandemic .
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced Monday that he has tested positive for coronavirus .
• A staff member in the office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has tested positive for the coronavirus , her office announced Sunday .
7:04 p.m. Should I or should I not get tested for COVID-19 ?
I have not taken .
I have not taken a COVID-19 test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that feels like a shameful confession .
Maybe it ’ s because so , so many people have died worldwide from this pandemic — 1.28 million according to the “ Our World in Data ” website .
Or maybe what I ’ m really feeling is survivor ’ s guilt .
I am , after all , in a group considered high-risk for catching the virus .
9:18 a.m. As COVID-19 surges , McConnell and Trump must set foolishness aside and push through financial relief As COVID-19 tightens its grip on the nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s all the more important that lawmakers “ go big ” and pass a federal stimulus package that includes substantial aid to city and state governments , working Americans and small businesses .
But the hitch is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky , and President Donald Trump , who seem to be locked in a race to determine who can be the most useless in America ’ s hour of need .
Citing improving unemployment figures , McConnell wants a smaller relief bill .
He has yet to detail what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no doubt the long-and-short of it would mean less aid doled out to fewer people and entities .
As for Trump , he has yet to commit to signing any new federal stimulus legislation .
He appears to be bent on spending the last 70 days of his tenure firing cabinet members and waging a Quixotic attempt to invalidate the presidential election he lost .

Coronavirus cases continue to skyrocket as Illinois faces a budget problems and other issues.
Here’s what happened today in coronavirus-related news.
News
8:55 p.m. Illinois suffers most COVID-19 deaths since May as state adds another record-breaking 12,657 new cases
A technician processes nasopharyngeal swab samples Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-Times file
Illinois’ breathtaking COVID-19 resurgence soared to new heights for a second straight day Wednesday as public health officials announced 12,657 new cases of the deadly respiratory disease and the latest 145 deaths attributed to it — the state’s worst daily death toll in almost six months.
Two Cook County men in their 20s and 30s were among 78 Chicago-area residents included in the latest fatality count, which is the state’s highest since 159 deaths were reported May 27, toward the end of Illinois’ first coronavirus wave.
Average daily case counts have more than tripled since then, with the state logging 10,000 or more new cases for six straight days. Wednesday’s total set a new record for the fifth time in a week.
Read the full story here.
3:04 p.m. Lightfoot needs to compromise to get pandemic budget passed, powerful ally says
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is following through on her promise to improve her strained relationship with the City Council, but she still needs to compromise to get her “pandemic” budget passed, a powerful ally said Wednesday.
Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), chairman of the Council’s Budget Committee, said it’s too soon to say what changes the mayor must make to round up the 26 votes needed to pass a budget that nobody likes, given the tough choices it requires.
But one day after gaveling two weeks of virtual budget hearings to a close by telling her colleagues, “Let’s go make sausage,” Dowell essentially said: “Let the negotiations begin.”
“We have various aldermen coming up with … suggestions about how the budget should be changed. … Working with the Office of Budget and Management is like making sausage. We have to figure out a way to get 26 votes to pass a budget that reflects not just the vision of the mayor, but the vision of the aldermen as well,” Dowell told the Sun-Times.
1:20 p.m. Plastic waste problem ‘amplified’ by the pandemic: a Sun-Times/ABC 7 special report
As the coronavirus pandemic pushes people to get more takeout and delivery food, it’s also having another effect: putting at least a temporary halt to the progress of a proposal to reduce single-use plastics and entirely ban polystyrene foam — Styrofoam — at Chicago restaurants.
To get an idea of the impact of that and of how much plastic waste is created even by just one meal, the Chicago Sun-Times and ABC7 ordered a bunch of takeout and delivery food and had an outdoor, socially distanced picnic.
On our picnic blanket: pizza, chicken wings, salads, a cheeseburger and fries, Chinese food and burritos.
Some of it arrived in in compostable cardboard containers or easily recycled aluminum trays.
But there also was a lot of plastic.
And worse, in terms of the environment, some of the orders came nestled in polystyrene foam, commonly known by the trademarked name Styrofoam, which restaurants often use for takeout packaging and which isn’t recyclable.
Those single-use items will “probably last at least a century, maybe longer than a century,” according to Jennifer Dunn, director of research for the Northwestern-Argonne Institute of Science and Engineering, who assessed the pile of waste.
Read the full story here.
1:17 p.m. ‘Awful’ autumn: Yet another record COVID-19 caseload, hospitalizations, positivity up — and ‘it’s not over yet’
Residents wait in line to get tested at the COVID-19 testing site at Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy at 2850 W 24th Blvd in Little Village, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Illinois reported another record-breaking total of 12,623 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, hospitals in some parts of the state are packed with triple the number of coronavirus patients they saw during the first wave of the pandemic and the peak of the skyrocketing autumn surge is still nowhere in sight.
“These numbers are awful,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. “Even where things are not as awful, things are still bad.”
“We need to gird ourselves for winter because it’s not over yet ... We have potentially months of the fight ahead of us,” he said.
For now, the state’s main weapon in that fight is local enforcement of masking and social distancing guidelines, according to the Democratic governor — but he hasn’t ruled out more serious action such as the stay-at-home order that helped bend Illinois’ springtime curve. The entire state is now under enhanced “mitigation” efforts including a ban on indoor bar and restaurant service, while some regions have been saddled further with 10-person gathering limits.
“We’re monitoring the numbers closely, and additional statewide action is possible,” Pritzker said.
Read the full story here.
11:54 a.m. COVID-19 vaccines testing timeline: What’s ahead after Pfizer’s surprising good news
Now that drugmaker Pfizer Inc. has announced its surprising good news that its COVID-19 vaccine might offer more protection than anticipated, what’s next?
Pfizer and the maker of the other leading U.S. vaccine candidate, Moderna Inc., have been cautioning that the earliest they could seek regulatory approval for wider use of their shots would be late November. In Britain, AstraZeneca recently said it hoped to prove its vaccine is effective by year’s end.
Science moves at its own pace. While COVID-19 vaccines are being developed at record speeds, when they’ll be ready for us to roll up our sleeves for a shot depends on a long list of research steps, including how many study volunteers wind up getting the coronavirus.
Here’s a look at the process to better understand what to expect.
10:41 a.m. ‘Bachelorette’ suitor Peter tests positive for COVID-19, crashes car
Peter Giannikopoulos, one of the suitors vying for Tayshia Adams’ hand on the current season of ”The Bachelorette,” announced Tuesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19, then was involved in a serious car accident upon hearing the news.
The strapping real estate adviser from Everett, Massachusetts, was one of four suitors who entered the Palm Springs “Bachelorette” bubble on the episode that aired Tuesday night. Giannikopoulos, 32, wrote in an Instagram post the same night that he had begun a two-week quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus Monday.
“The past 24 hours have truly been some of the hardest in my life. Yesterday I tested positive for Covid,” he wrote alongside a shirtless selfie photo taken from a propped position in his bed. “Although my symptoms are evident, I am going to fight this and win.”
Filming for the current season wrapped in September. Giannikopoulos, a fitness buff who has posted frequent Instagram photographs wearing a face mask, said he was emotionally running his mind over how he could have contracted the virus.
“I felt lousy for a few days, but didn’t believe I would contract the virus when I have been wearing a mask in public, washing and sanitizing hands regularly, and following social distancing protocol during work,” he stated.
Read the full story here.
9:16 a.m. ‘Is this worth my life?’: Traveling health workers say COVID care conditions often poor
David Joel Perea called from Maine, Vermont, Minnesota and ultimately Nevada, always with the same request: “Mom, can you send tamales?”
That’s how Dominga Perea knew where her 35-year-old son was. And she would ship them overnight.
David Perea, a traveling nurse, had “a tremendous work ethic,” routinely putting in 80 hours a week, according to his brother Daniel.
But when Perea took a job at Lakeside Health & Wellness Suites — a Reno, Nevada, nursing home that has received dozens of safety citations since 2017 from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — his mother was “scared silly.”
During his stint at Lakeside, nearly one-fifth of its residents were infected with COVID-19, according to state health records.
Lakeside’s “top priority is the safety of those who live and work in our facility,” a spokesperson said.
When her son didn’t respond to her text on April 6, Dominga Perea knew something was wrong.
Her son had COVID-19. He died days later.
Read the full story here.
New Cases
Peter Giannikopoulos, one of the suitors vying for Tayshia Adams’ hand on the current season of ”The Bachelorette,” announced Tuesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Illinois reported another record-breaking total of 12,623 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, with hospitals in some parts of the state packed with triple the number of coronavirus patients they saw during the first wave of the pandemic.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced Monday that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
A staff member in the office of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has tested positive for the coronavirus, her office announced Sunday.
Analysis & Commentary
7:04 p.m. Should I or should I not get tested for COVID-19?
I have not.
I have not taken.
I have not taken a COVID-19 test.
I don’t know why that feels like a shameful confession.
Maybe it’s because so, so many people have died worldwide from this pandemic — 1.28 million according to the “Our World in Data” website.
Or maybe what I’m really feeling is survivor’s guilt.
I am, after all, in a group considered high-risk for catching the virus.
I’m Black. I’m a senior citizen. I have a compromised immune system.
Read Mary Mitchell’s full column here.
9:18 a.m. As COVID-19 surges, McConnell and Trump must set foolishness aside and push through financial relief
As COVID-19 tightens its grip on the nation’s health and economy, it’s all the more important that lawmakers “go big” and pass a federal stimulus package that includes substantial aid to city and state governments, working Americans and small businesses.
But the hitch is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, and President Donald Trump, who seem to be locked in a race to determine who can be the most useless in America’s hour of need.
Citing improving unemployment figures, McConnell wants a smaller relief bill. He has yet to detail what that package might look like, but no doubt the long-and-short of it would mean less aid doled out to fewer people and entities.
As for Trump, he has yet to commit to signing any new federal stimulus legislation. He appears to be bent on spending the last 70 days of his tenure firing cabinet members and waging a Quixotic attempt to invalidate the presidential election he lost.
Read the full editorial here.