chicagosun-times--2020-08-08--How safe is voting by mail? It’s a ‘leaky pipeline’ in many states

BOSTON — Brace yourself for what ’ s expected to be the first U.S. presidential election conducted mostly by mail .
It could be messy .
Amid the coronavirus pandemic , voting by mail in a contactless and socially distant way seems like a no-brainer .
States have made the option widely available — only 10 now require voters to provide an excuse beyond fear of COVID-19 when requesting a ballot by mail — and some three in four Americans are expected to embrace the option for the Nov. 3 presidential election , up from one in four in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election is surprisingly complicated , and there ’ s a lot of room for things to go wrong .
Validating and counting a deluge of posted ballots in an open and accountable way presents a major challenge , one that only about a half dozen states are fully prepared for .
It doesn ’ t help that President Donald Trump has waged a vigorous offensive against the idea via a barrage of baseless tweets alleging the imminence of massive voting fraud .
Turmoil in the U.S .
Postal Service has only heightened concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s myriad election systems to manage a presidential vote .
Oregon , Colorado and Washington have held successful all-mail elections for years and others including Florida and California expanded capacity long before the pandemic .
Nearly everywhere else , the technical and logistical challenges loom large for budget-squeezed election officials with limited experience .
Chaotic events during this year ’ s primaries did not instill confidence .
Untold thousands of absentee ballot requests went unfulfilled , and tens of thousands of mailed ballots were rejected for multiple reasons including arriving too late to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buckling under the weight of the dramatic surge and demand for absentee mail ballots , ” said Wendy Weiser , director of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice .
“ It hasn ’ t been built to withstand that high of a volume.
” — Although Congress has sent $ 400 million to help states deal with pandemic-related pressures on election systems , it ’ s well short of the estimated $ 2 billion experts say officials need to be ready for November .
— Not all states are equal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mistakes that lead to rejection of their ballots , such as failure to sign the mail-in envelope .
In a New Jersey special election in May , a whopping 10 % of mailed ballots were rejected .
— The rapid introduction of new technologies and processes in state voting systems heightens the risk of foreign interference and insider tampering .
That ’ s true even if simple human error or local maneuvering for political advantage are more likely threats .
— The slower count of mailed ballots could clash with voter expectations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials have already warned voters across the country that it could take days after the polls close to count all the votes .
— In general , voting by mail is much less forgiving than the in-person method , where a voter ’ s identity is verified on the spot and any difficulties can be handled by poll workers .
To ensure success , all the pieces of mail-in balloting systems have to be in place well before Election Day .
That ’ s because processing absentee ballots is a complex , multi-step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out application , mails it to local election office ; local election office verifies voter ’ s eligibility , sends back ballot ; voter completes ballot , signs envelope , returns it .
Election office verifies ballot ’ s authenticity , counts it .
“ The more complicated we make the ballot-casting process , the more stuff is going to go wrong , ” said Wisconsin activist Karen McKim .
Election management in Wisconsin is as decentralized as it gets , relying as it does on 72 county clerks , 1,850 municipal clerks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it ’ s “ unrealistic and unfair ” to expect those workers to be ready for a flood of absentee ballots in just a few months .
Ahead of multiple primaries this year , some election administrators were buried under an unprecedented flurry of absentee ballot requests .
Some blank ballots got misaddressed ; others were lost .
In Georgia ’ s Fulton County , which includes Atlanta and is the state ’ s most populous , thousands of absentee ballots didn ’ t reach voters until after the polls had closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington , D.C. , voters were similarly afflicted .
In Wisconsin , requested absentee ballots never got to thousands of voters who asked .
Jonas Zahn , a 46-year-old IBM executive , risked his health to vote in person on April 7 after twice requesting absentee ballots .
“ They still haven ’ t come so they must still be in the mail , ” the Beaver Dam resident said in late July .
In Milwaukee , nearly 2,700 absentee ballots were never mailed because election staff goofed and halted a batch printing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commission later reported .
It was just one of multiple snafus .
Will the U.S .
Postal Service be up to processing and delivering an election-eve flood of tens of millions of ballots ?
Under a major Trump donor named postmaster general in June , cost-cutting plans are already triggering delays in ordinary mail .
A surge of mailed ballots could put the system under extraordinary strain .
Zahn , the Wisconsin voter , said his local mail is now routed through Milwaukee 50 miles away , meaning mail that reached a neighbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago now takes about a week .
“ The pipeline that moves mail between voters and election officials is very leaky , ” Charles Stewart III , a political scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , wrote in a 2010 study .
In a July update , Stewart estimated that roughly 4 % of mail ballots were lost through this process in the 2016 general election .
States including Wisconsin are now scrambling to add USPS “ intelligent mail ” bar codes to their systems so ballots can be tracked through the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ohio , North Carolina and Georgia , counties are adding ballot-tracking software that gives voters more precise ballot status all the way to election authorities , said Steve Olsen , CEO of BallotTrax , the leading provider .
But such measures aren ’ t yet widespread .
In some states , voters who don ’ t trust the mail can use drop boxes instead .
But boxes have been vandalized and poorly secured .
Some Republicans say they invite fraud .
The Trump campaign is suing Pennsylvania over plans to use them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a local election office , the voter ’ s eligibility and identity must be verified .
Sometimes , missing signatures or unsealed or damaged envelopes can gum up the process .
In Jefferson County , Kentucky , the state ’ s largest , 3,848 absentee ballots were rejected in the June primary due to lack of a voter signature .
That was out of roughly 180,000 absentee ballots cast .
Not all states give voters a quick and easy way to fix these problems .
Veteran vote-by-mail states send out periodic mailers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signatures .
They also have built “ ballot-curing ” measures into existing systems in case voter signatures don ’ t match what ’ s on record or ballot envelopes arrive damaged or missing required information .
But such systems are far from universal and their absence has led to lawsuits in some states .
The complexity of signature matching is a major issue .
Many election offices register voter signatures from a variety of sources — for instance , those scribbled with styluses on cramped touchscreens at motor vehicle departments .
The result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ error .
“ It ’ s terrible , but it ’ s the best option we have , ” said Jennifer Morrell , a former elections official in Colorado and Utah .
Rigorous training and bipartisan teams reviewing signatures can help mitigate some of the concerns , but people ’ s signatures change over time and physical ledgers capturing these changes are an endangered species .
But the bigger risk is that first-time and minority voters — who more often vote Democratic — will have their signatures rejected , studies show .
University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Black and Latino voters and those under age 30 in the state were at least twice as likely as older and white voters to have ballots rejected over signature mismatches .
It took nearly two weeks for Philadelphia to count 140,000 mailed ballots after the June 2 primary .
In New York City , it took six weeks after the June 23 primary to tally absentee ballots in one congressional primary where a dispute over ballots lacking postmarks ended up in federal court .
Ensuring a trustworthy chain of ballot custody and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And sometimes insider fraud does happen .
A former Democratic Pennsylvania congressman was recently indicted for it .
Which is why election officials including Neal Kelley , the registrar in Orange County , California , urge transparency measures for ballot counting such as live video streaming and obligatory audits .
Eighty percent of the county ’ s residents voted absentee in this year ’ s primary , up from 60 % in 2018 .
Kelley said it took time to get all the pieces in place — he ’ s developed homegrown ballot-tracking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter confidence .
“ It took us four years , ” he said .

BOSTON — Brace yourself for what’s expected to be the first U.S. presidential election conducted mostly by mail. It could be messy.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, voting by mail in a contactless and socially distant way seems like a no-brainer. States have made the option widely available — only 10 now require voters to provide an excuse beyond fear of COVID-19 when requesting a ballot by mail — and some three in four Americans are expected to embrace the option for the Nov. 3 presidential election, up from one in four in the 2018 contest.
But running a vote-by-mail election is surprisingly complicated, and there’s a lot of room for things to go wrong. Validating and counting a deluge of posted ballots in an open and accountable way presents a major challenge, one that only about a half dozen states are fully prepared for.
It doesn’t help that President Donald Trump has waged a vigorous offensive against the idea via a barrage of baseless tweets alleging the imminence of massive voting fraud. Turmoil in the U.S. Postal Service has only heightened concerns surrounding the ability of the nation’s myriad election systems to manage a presidential vote.
Oregon, Colorado and Washington have held successful all-mail elections for years and others including Florida and California expanded capacity long before the pandemic. Nearly everywhere else, the technical and logistical challenges loom large for budget-squeezed election officials with limited experience.
Chaotic events during this year’s primaries did not instill confidence. Untold thousands of absentee ballot requests went unfulfilled, and tens of thousands of mailed ballots were rejected for multiple reasons including arriving too late to be counted.
“The system is buckling under the weight of the dramatic surge and demand for absentee mail ballots,” said Wendy Weiser, director of the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice. “It hasn’t been built to withstand that high of a volume.”
Among the major concerns:
— Although Congress has sent $400 million to help states deal with pandemic-related pressures on election systems, it’s well short of the estimated $2 billion experts say officials need to be ready for November.
— Not all states are equal when it comes to letting voters fix mistakes that lead to rejection of their ballots, such as failure to sign the mail-in envelope. In a New Jersey special election in May, a whopping 10% of mailed ballots were rejected.
— The rapid introduction of new technologies and processes in state voting systems heightens the risk of foreign interference and insider tampering. That’s true even if simple human error or local maneuvering for political advantage are more likely threats.
— The slower count of mailed ballots could clash with voter expectations of a clear Election Night winner. Election officials have already warned voters across the country that it could take days after the polls close to count all the votes.
— In general, voting by mail is much less forgiving than the in-person method, where a voter’s identity is verified on the spot and any difficulties can be handled by poll workers.
To ensure success, all the pieces of mail-in balloting systems have to be in place well before Election Day. That’s because processing absentee ballots is a complex, multi-step process in most states: Voter fills out application, mails it to local election office; local election office verifies voter’s eligibility, sends back ballot; voter completes ballot, signs envelope, returns it. Election office verifies ballot’s authenticity, counts it.
“The more complicated we make the ballot-casting process, the more stuff is going to go wrong,” said Wisconsin activist Karen McKim. Election management in Wisconsin is as decentralized as it gets, relying as it does on 72 county clerks, 1,850 municipal clerks and thousands of poll workers. McKim says it’s “unrealistic and unfair” to expect those workers to be ready for a flood of absentee ballots in just a few months.
BALLOT REQUESTS
Ahead of multiple primaries this year, some election administrators were buried under an unprecedented flurry of absentee ballot requests. Some blank ballots got misaddressed; others were lost.
In Georgia’s Fulton County, which includes Atlanta and is the state’s most populous, thousands of absentee ballots didn’t reach voters until after the polls had closed, according to local news reports. Washington, D.C., voters were similarly afflicted.
In Wisconsin, requested absentee ballots never got to thousands of voters who asked. Jonas Zahn, a 46-year-old IBM executive, risked his health to vote in person on April 7 after twice requesting absentee ballots. “They still haven’t come so they must still be in the mail,” the Beaver Dam resident said in late July.
In Milwaukee, nearly 2,700 absentee ballots were never mailed because election staff goofed and halted a batch printing of mailing labels, the state election commission later reported. It was just one of multiple snafus.
MAIL RELIABILITY
Will the U.S. Postal Service be up to processing and delivering an election-eve flood of tens of millions of ballots? Under a major Trump donor named postmaster general in June, cost-cutting plans are already triggering delays in ordinary mail. A surge of mailed ballots could put the system under extraordinary strain.
Zahn, the Wisconsin voter, said his local mail is now routed through Milwaukee 50 miles away, meaning mail that reached a neighbor in a day or two a decade ago now takes about a week.
“The pipeline that moves mail between voters and election officials is very leaky,” Charles Stewart III, a political scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wrote in a 2010 study. In a July update, Stewart estimated that roughly 4% of mail ballots were lost through this process in the 2016 general election.
States including Wisconsin are now scrambling to add USPS “intelligent mail” bar codes to their systems so ballots can be tracked through the mail. In states including Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Georgia, counties are adding ballot-tracking software that gives voters more precise ballot status all the way to election authorities, said Steve Olsen, CEO of BallotTrax, the leading provider.
But such measures aren’t yet widespread.
In some states, voters who don’t trust the mail can use drop boxes instead. But boxes have been vandalized and poorly secured. Some Republicans say they invite fraud. The Trump campaign is suing Pennsylvania over plans to use them in November.
BALLOTS REJECTED
Once a completed ballot arrives at a local election office, the voter’s eligibility and identity must be verified. Sometimes, missing signatures or unsealed or damaged envelopes can gum up the process.
In Jefferson County, Kentucky, the state’s largest, 3,848 absentee ballots were rejected in the June primary due to lack of a voter signature. That was out of roughly 180,000 absentee ballots cast. Not all states give voters a quick and easy way to fix these problems.
Veteran vote-by-mail states send out periodic mailers to verify voter addresses and get updated signatures. They also have built “ballot-curing” measures into existing systems in case voter signatures don’t match what’s on record or ballot envelopes arrive damaged or missing required information. But such systems are far from universal and their absence has led to lawsuits in some states.
The complexity of signature matching is a major issue. Many election offices register voter signatures from a variety of sources — for instance, those scribbled with styluses on cramped touchscreens at motor vehicle departments. The result: A matching process prone to human error.
“It’s terrible, but it’s the best option we have,” said Jennifer Morrell, a former elections official in Colorado and Utah. Rigorous training and bipartisan teams reviewing signatures can help mitigate some of the concerns, but people’s signatures change over time and physical ledgers capturing these changes are an endangered species.
But the bigger risk is that first-time and minority voters — who more often vote Democratic — will have their signatures rejected, studies show.
University of Florida political scientist Daniel Smith found that Black and Latino voters and those under age 30 in the state were at least twice as likely as older and white voters to have ballots rejected over signature mismatches.
COUNTING AND CUSTODY
It took nearly two weeks for Philadelphia to count 140,000 mailed ballots after the June 2 primary. In New York City, it took six weeks after the June 23 primary to tally absentee ballots in one congressional primary where a dispute over ballots lacking postmarks ended up in federal court.
Ensuring a trustworthy chain of ballot custody and bipartisan oversight contributes to those delays. And sometimes insider fraud does happen. A former Democratic Pennsylvania congressman was recently indicted for it.
Which is why election officials including Neal Kelley, the registrar in Orange County, California, urge transparency measures for ballot counting such as live video streaming and obligatory audits.
Eighty percent of the county’s residents voted absentee in this year’s primary, up from 60% in 2018. Kelley said it took time to get all the pieces in place — he’s developed homegrown ballot-tracking — to handle such capacity and instill voter confidence.
“It took us four years,” he said.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-08--Trump bypasses Congress, signs executive orders to extend unemployment benefits, defer payroll tax

Seizing the power of his podium and his pen , President Donald Trump on Saturday bypassed the nation ’ s lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and replace an expired unemployment benefit with a lower amount after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed .
At his private country club in Bedminster , New Jersey , Trump signed executive orders to act where Congress hasn ’ t .
Not only has the pandemic undermined the economy and upended American lives , it has imperiled the president ’ s November reelection .
Perhaps most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak .
However , his order called for up to $ 400 payments each week , one-third less than the $ 600 people had been receiving .
Congress allowed those higher payments to lapse on Aug. 1 , and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock , with the White House and Democrats miles apart .
The Democratic congressional leaders Trump criticized and insulted with nicknames in remarks ahead of signing the orders , House Speaker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schumer , dismissed Trump ’ s actions as “ meager ” in the face of economic and health crises facing Americans .
“ Unlike comprehensive legislation that could be passed by Congress , these executive orders will not meet the needs of the American people or help solve this public health or economic crisis , ” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin ( D-IL ) said .
“ This is the time to be making meaningful , bold investments in America—not piecemeal executive orders or inadequate legislative proposals.
” The executive orders could face legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to spend taxpayer dollars without the express approval of Congress .
Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration ’ s negotiations with congressional leaders , leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin .
Trump ’ s embrace of executive actions to sidestep Congress runs in sharp contrast to his criticism of former President Barack Obama ’ s use of executive orders on a more limited basis .
And the president ’ s step-back from talks with Congress breaks with his self-assured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has not spoken with Pelosi since last year , sought to play the role of election-year savior , with the $ 400 weekly assistance , as well as a deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments and the continuation of a freeze on some evictions during the crisis .
“ It ’ s $ 400 a week , and we ’ re doing it without the Democrats , ” Trump said , asking states to cover 25 % of the cost .
Trump is seeking to set aside $ 44 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help states maintain supplemental pandemic jobless benefits , but Trump said it would be up to states to determine how much , if any of it , to fund , so the benefits could be smaller still .
Many states have been facing budget shortfalls due to the coronavirus pandemic and would have difficulty assuming the new obligation .
The previous unemployment benefit was fully funded by Washington .
The president had said at his club on Friday night that “ if Democrats continue to hold this critical relief hostage I will act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans the relief they need.
” Democrats had said they would lower their spending demands from $ 3.4 trillion to $ 2 trillion but said the White House needed to increase their offer .
Republicans have proposed a $ 1 trillion plan .
White House aides have watched the talks break down with apprehension , fearful that failure to close a deal could further damage an economic recovery already showing signs of slowing down .
Friday ’ s jobs report , though it beat expectations , was smaller than the past two months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus has led to states rolling back their reopenings .
The president ’ s team believes the economy needs to stabilize and show signs of growth for him to have any chance at winning reelection .
Aides were hoping to frame the expected executive orders as a sign that Trump was taking action in a time of crisis .
But it also would reinforce the view that the president , who took office declaring he was a dealmaker , was unable to steer the process to an agreement .
Trump said Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretty much this entire situation , as we know it.
” But they are far smaller in scope than congressional legislation , and even aides acknowledged they didn ’ t meet all needs .
“ This is not a perfect answer — we ’ ll be the first ones to say that , ” Meadows said Friday as talks broke down .
“ But it is all that we can do and all the president can do within the confines of his executive power , and we ’ re going to encourage him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ employee portion of the payroll tax would be deferred from Aug. 1 through the end of the year .
The move would not directly aid unemployed workers , who do not pay the tax when they are jobless , and employees will need to repay the federal government eventually without an act of Congress , where there is bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill .
In essence , the deferral is an interest-free loan that would have to be repaid .
Trump said he ’ ll try to get lawmakers to extend it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a post-election lame-duck session in which Congress will try to pass government funding bills .
“ If I win , I may extend and terminate , ” Trump said , repeating a longtime goal but remaining silent on how he ’ d fund the Medicare and Social Security benefits that the 7 % tax on employee income covers .
Employers also pay 7.65 % of their payrolls into the funds .
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , R-Ky. , issued a statement saying he supported Trump “ exploring his options to get unemployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need them the most.
” Like Trump , McConnell accused Democrats of using the coronavirus package negotiations to pursue other goals .
Democrats said they were not favorably impressed by Trump ’ s orders .
In a joint statement , Pelosi and Schumer said that “ these policy announcements provide little real help to families.
” They added : “ Democrats repeat our call to Republicans to return to the table , meet us halfway and work together to deliver immediate relief to the American people .
Lives are being lost , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democratic chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee , Rep. Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts , accused Trump of “ brazenly circumventing Congress to institute tax policy that destabilizes Social Security.
” Also citing a threat to Medicare funding by Trump ’ s action , Neal said , “ This decree is a poorly disguised first step in an effort to fully dismantle these vital programs by executive fiat.
” Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon derided the president ’ s plan for putting off the payroll tax .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a big shock to workers who thought they were getting a tax cut when it was only a delay , ” Wyden said .
“ These workers would be hit with much bigger payments down the road.
” Both the House and Senate have left Washington , with members sent home on instructions to be ready to return for a vote on an agreement .
With no deal in sight , their absence raised the possibility of a prolonged stalemate that stretches well into August and even September .
Often an impasse in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public — but not so this time .
It would mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus .
Friday ’ s negotiations at the Capitol added up to only “ a disappointing meeting , ” said Schumer , D-N.Y .
He said the White House had rejected an offer by Pelosi , D-Calif. , to curb Democratic demands by about $ 1 trillion .
Schumer urged the White House to “ negotiate with Democrats and meet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t say it ’ s your way or no way.
” That Capitol Hill session followed a combative meeting Thursday evening that for the first time cast real doubt on the ability of the Trump administration and Democrats to come together on a fifth COVID-19 response bill .
Pelosi declared the talks all but dead until Meadows and Mnuchin give ground .
The breakdown in the negotiations is particularly distressing for schools , which have been counting on billions of dollars from Washington to help with the costs of reopening .
But other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fresh round of $ 1,200 direct payments to most people , a cash infusion for the struggling Postal Service and money to help states hold elections in November .
Mnuchin said renewal of a $ 600-per-week pandemic jobless boost and huge demands by Democrats for aid to state and local governments are the key areas where they are stuck .
Democrats have offered to reduce her almost $ 1 trillion demand for state and local governments considerably , but some of Pelosi ’ s proposed cost savings would accrue chiefly because she would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stamps .
Pelosi and Schumer continue to insist on a huge aid package to address a surge in cases and deaths , double-digit joblessness and the threat of poverty for millions of the newly unemployed .
Senate Republicans have been split , with roughly half of McConnell ’ s rank and file opposed to another rescue bill at all .
Four prior coronavirus response bills totaling almost $ 3 trillion have won approval on bipartisan votes despite intense wrangling , but conservatives have recoiled at the prospect of another Pelosi-brokered agreement with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his distance from the negotiations while coordinating with Mnuchin and Meadows .

Seizing the power of his podium and his pen, President Donald Trump on Saturday bypassed the nation’s lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and replace an expired unemployment benefit with a lower amount after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed.
At his private country club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump signed executive orders to act where Congress hasn’t. Not only has the pandemic undermined the economy and upended American lives, it has imperiled the president’s November reelection.
Perhaps most crucially, Trump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak. However, his order called for up to $400 payments each week, one-third less than the $600 people had been receiving. Congress allowed those higher payments to lapse on Aug. 1, and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock, with the White House and Democrats miles apart.
The Democratic congressional leaders Trump criticized and insulted with nicknames in remarks ahead of signing the orders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, dismissed Trump’s actions as “meager” in the face of economic and health crises facing Americans.
“Unlike comprehensive legislation that could be passed by Congress, these executive orders will not meet the needs of the American people or help solve this public health or economic crisis,” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said. “This is the time to be making meaningful, bold investments in America—not piecemeal executive orders or inadequate legislative proposals.”
The executive orders could face legal challenges questioning the president’s authority to spend taxpayer dollars without the express approval of Congress. Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration’s negotiations with congressional leaders, leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
Trump’s embrace of executive actions to sidestep Congress runs in sharp contrast to his criticism of former President Barack Obama’s use of executive orders on a more limited basis. And the president’s step-back from talks with Congress breaks with his self-assured negotiating skills.
Now, Trump, who has not spoken with Pelosi since last year, sought to play the role of election-year savior, with the $400 weekly assistance, as well as a deferral of payroll tax and federal student loan payments and the continuation of a freeze on some evictions during the crisis.
“It’s $400 a week, and we’re doing it without the Democrats,” Trump said, asking states to cover 25% of the cost. Trump is seeking to set aside $44 billion in previously approved disaster aid to help states maintain supplemental pandemic jobless benefits, but Trump said it would be up to states to determine how much, if any of it, to fund, so the benefits could be smaller still.
Many states have been facing budget shortfalls due to the coronavirus pandemic and would have difficulty assuming the new obligation. The previous unemployment benefit was fully funded by Washington.
The president had said at his club on Friday night that “if Democrats continue to hold this critical relief hostage I will act under my authority as president to get Americans the relief they need.”
Democrats had said they would lower their spending demands from $3.4 trillion to $2 trillion but said the White House needed to increase their offer. Republicans have proposed a $1 trillion plan.
White House aides have watched the talks break down with apprehension, fearful that failure to close a deal could further damage an economic recovery already showing signs of slowing down. Friday’s jobs report, though it beat expectations, was smaller than the past two months, in part because a resurgence of the virus has led to states rolling back their reopenings.
The president’s team believes the economy needs to stabilize and show signs of growth for him to have any chance at winning reelection. Aides were hoping to frame the expected executive orders as a sign that Trump was taking action in a time of crisis. But it also would reinforce the view that the president, who took office declaring he was a dealmaker, was unable to steer the process to an agreement.
Trump said Saturday the orders “will take care of pretty much this entire situation, as we know it.” But they are far smaller in scope than congressional legislation, and even aides acknowledged they didn’t meet all needs.
“This is not a perfect answer — we’ll be the first ones to say that,” Meadows said Friday as talks broke down. “But it is all that we can do and all the president can do within the confines of his executive power, and we’re going to encourage him to do it.”
Trump said the employee portion of the payroll tax would be deferred from Aug. 1 through the end of the year. The move would not directly aid unemployed workers, who do not pay the tax when they are jobless, and employees will need to repay the federal government eventually without an act of Congress, where there is bipartisan opposition on Capitol Hill.
In essence, the deferral is an interest-free loan that would have to be repaid. Trump said he’ll try to get lawmakers to extend it, and the timing would line up with a post-election lame-duck session in which Congress will try to pass government funding bills.
“If I win, I may extend and terminate,” Trump said, repeating a longtime goal but remaining silent on how he’d fund the Medicare and Social Security benefits that the 7% tax on employee income covers. Employers also pay 7.65% of their payrolls into the funds.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued a statement saying he supported Trump “exploring his options to get unemployment benefits and other relief to the people who need them the most.” Like Trump, McConnell accused Democrats of using the coronavirus package negotiations to pursue other goals.
Democrats said they were not favorably impressed by Trump’s orders. In a joint statement, Pelosi and Schumer said that “these policy announcements provide little real help to families.” They added: “Democrats repeat our call to Republicans to return to the table, meet us halfway and work together to deliver immediate relief to the American people. Lives are being lost, and time is of the essence.”
The Democratic chairman of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts, accused Trump of “brazenly circumventing Congress to institute tax policy that destabilizes Social Security.” Also citing a threat to Medicare funding by Trump’s action, Neal said, “This decree is a poorly disguised first step in an effort to fully dismantle these vital programs by executive fiat.”
Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon derided the president’s plan for putting off the payroll tax. “This fake tax cut would also be a big shock to workers who thought they were getting a tax cut when it was only a delay,” Wyden said. “These workers would be hit with much bigger payments down the road.”
Both the House and Senate have left Washington, with members sent home on instructions to be ready to return for a vote on an agreement. With no deal in sight, their absence raised the possibility of a prolonged stalemate that stretches well into August and even September.
Often an impasse in Washington is of little consequence for the public — but not so this time. It would mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.
Friday’s negotiations at the Capitol added up to only “a disappointing meeting,” said Schumer, D-N.Y. He said the White House had rejected an offer by Pelosi, D-Calif., to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. Schumer urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”
That Capitol Hill session followed a combative meeting Thursday evening that for the first time cast real doubt on the ability of the Trump administration and Democrats to come together on a fifth COVID-19 response bill.
Pelosi declared the talks all but dead until Meadows and Mnuchin give ground.
The breakdown in the negotiations is particularly distressing for schools, which have been counting on billions of dollars from Washington to help with the costs of reopening. But other priorities are also languishing, including a fresh round of $1,200 direct payments to most people, a cash infusion for the struggling Postal Service and money to help states hold elections in November.
Mnuchin said renewal of a $600-per-week pandemic jobless boost and huge demands by Democrats for aid to state and local governments are the key areas where they are stuck.
Democrats have offered to reduce her almost $1 trillion demand for state and local governments considerably, but some of Pelosi’s proposed cost savings would accrue chiefly because she would shorten the timeframe for benefits like food stamps.
Pelosi and Schumer continue to insist on a huge aid package to address a surge in cases and deaths, double-digit joblessness and the threat of poverty for millions of the newly unemployed.
Senate Republicans have been split, with roughly half of McConnell’s rank and file opposed to another rescue bill at all. Four prior coronavirus response bills totaling almost $3 trillion have won approval on bipartisan votes despite intense wrangling, but conservatives have recoiled at the prospect of another Pelosi-brokered agreement with a whopping deficit-financed cost.
McConnell has kept his distance from the negotiations while coordinating with Mnuchin and Meadows.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-08--White Sox Zack Burdi’s dream comes to fruition with scoreless inning

Getting that phone call Friday night was one thing for White Sox rookie right-hander Zack Burdi .
Running onto the field from the bullpen and making his major league debut was another .
But pitching a strong inning topped it all off .
“ Being from Chicago and making your debut for the White Sox is what 50 percent of Chicago dreams of , ” said Burdi , a Downers Grove South graduate .
“ The other 50 percent obviously dreams about the Cubs .
But for me , this was my dream and this was something I thought about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come back from Tommy John surgery and knee injuries , “ to see all that come to fruition , not only for me but for the people who have helped me along the way and the PTs ( therapists ) , the strength coaches , the pitching coaches , my parents , everyone who is involved .
This is a huge day for a lot of people.
” A 2016 first-round draft pick , Burdi featured three pitches including a fastball that touched 99 mph and faced four batters in a scoreless sixth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Indians Saturday , striking out two .
“ I was uber focused out there , ” he said .
Burdi said he got his mechanics where they needed to be looking at a video on the internet about six weeks ago .
“ I was just on Twitter one day , saw a guy explaining how he threw and it was very similar to how I threw and my mechanical problems and I took it and I used it and I brought it to coaches I was working with at the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and from there , it wasn ’ t a huge gap , ” Burdi said .
“ It ’ s definitely been nice to be back in that sync and that swing of things.
” Burdi was recalled from the Sox ’ training facility in Schaumburg .
It was a day game after a night game but an important one against one of the top teams in the division , but the Sox looked flat against Indians right-hander Zach Plesac , who pitched six scoreless , Renteria said .
“ These are types @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
To win you have to put together the focus , the concentration .
It ’ s not easy when you ’ re facing guys like this but you have to ... scratch away and claw and score a run or two here and there.
” Renteria and coaches made it a talking point after the game .
“ I think that maybe today ’ s game will be a great learning tool for us to understand , ” he said .
“ No one is going to give us anything .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turn off offenses.
” Jimenez at DH , Robert out of the lineup spot Eloy Jimenez , who has had a couple of perilous moments in left field , was the designated hitter with Adam Engel , who had two hits to raise his average to .323 , in left field .
The move was made to give Jimenez a bit of a breather , Renteria said .
“ These guys are a little fatigued , so I wanted to get him off his feet a little bit , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ but had one hit in his previous 10 at-bats , was dropped from leadoff to sixth .
“ I hope this breath today sparks something and he continues to move in the impressive way that he has leading off , ” Renteria said .
Yoan Moncada ( 1-for-4 ) led off and homered in his last at-bat .

Getting that phone call Friday night was one thing for White Sox rookie right-hander Zack Burdi.
Running onto the field from the bullpen and making his major-league debut was another.
But pitching a strong inning topped it all off.
“Being from Chicago and making your debut for the White Sox is what 50% of Chicago dreams of,” said Burdi, a Downers Grove South graduate. “The other 50% obviously dreams about the Cubs. But for me, this was my dream, and this was something I thought about when I was a kid.
‘‘[To come back from Tommy John and knee injuries], to see all that come to fruition, not only for me but for the people who have helped me along the way — the [physical therapists], the strength coaches, the pitching coaches, my parents, everyone who is involved — this is a huge day for a lot of people.”
A 2016 first-round pick, Burdi featured three pitches, including a fastball that touched 99 mph, and faced four batters in a scoreless sixth inning in the Sox’ 7-1 loss to the Indians on Saturday, striking out two.
“I was uber-focused out there,” he said.
Burdi said he got his mechanics where they needed to be after looking at a video on the internet about six weeks ago.
“I was just on Twitter one day,’’ Burdi said, ‘‘saw a guy explaining how he threw, and it was very similar to how I threw and my mechanical problems, and I took it and I used it and I brought it to coaches I was working with at the time. We figured out the correct sequencing, and from there, it wasn’t a huge gap.
“It’s definitely been nice to be back in that sync and that swing of things.”
Burdi was recalled from the Sox’ training facility in Schaumburg.
Sox were flat, Renteria says
It was a day game after a night game but an important one against one of the top teams in the division, but the Sox looked flat against Indians right-hander Zach Plesac, who pitched six scoreless innings, manager Rick Renteria said.
“These are types of guys we have to get after,’’ Renteria said. ‘‘To win, you have to put together the focus, the concentration. It’s not easy when you’re facing guys like this, but you have to . . . scratch away and claw and score a run or two here and there.”
Renteria and the coaches made it a talking point after the game.
“I think that maybe today’s game will be a great learning tool for us to understand,” he said.
“No one is going to give us anything. You don’t just turn on and turn off offenses.”
Jimenez at DH, Robert bats 6th
Eloy Jimenez, who has had a couple of perilous moments in left field, was the designated hitter with Adam Engel, who had two hits to raise his average to .323, in left field. The move was made to give Jimenez a bit of a breather, Renteria said.
“These guys are a little fatigued, so I wanted to get him off his feet a little bit,” he said.
Luis Robert, who is batting .322 but had one hit in his previous 10 at-bats, was dropped from leadoff to sixth.
“I hope this breath today sparks something, and he continues to move in the impressive way that he has leading off,” Renteria said.
Robert was 1-for-4 with a double.
Yoan Moncada (1-for-5) led off and homered in his last at-bat.


Trump bypasses Congress, signs executive orders to extend unemployment benefits, defer payroll tax  (LIVE UPDATES)

Seizing the power of his podium and his pen , President Donald Trump on Saturday moved to bypass the nation ’ s elected lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and extend an expired unemployment benefit after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed .
At his private country club in Bedminster , New Jersey , Trump signed four executive orders to act where Congress hasn ’ t , contending Washington ’ s gridlock had compelled him to act as the pandemic undermined the country ’ s economy and imperiled his November reelection hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak .
Congress allowed those payments to lapse on Aug. 1 , and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock , with the White House and Democrats miles apart .
Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration ’ s negotiations with congressional leaders , leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin .
5:45 p.m. Cubs plan workouts to stay sharp with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a quiet day for the Cubs after Friday ’ s whirlwind in St. Louis .
The Cubs three-game series against the Cardinals was postponed after three more members of the Cardinals tested positive for COVID-19 .
The positive tests increased the number of Cardinals players and staff infected during the latest outbreak to 16 .
The weekend postponement was the first time the Cubs have experienced a change in their schedule due to coronavirus .
“ I think overall , it ’ s just another one of those reminders of how quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now in this environment , ” manager David Ross said .
“ I think it ’ s a little bit of a reset for us , take a couple of days and we ’ ll get back to get some workouts in and then get back to focus on Cleveland when we play on Tuesday .
Read the full story by Russell Dorsey here .
Illinois logged more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases for a second straight day Saturday , once again ratcheting up concerns of a severe viral resurgence across the state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state has recorded six of its highest daily caseloads since Memorial Day weekend , with the latest 2,190 additional cases confirmed by the Illinois Department of Public Health setting yet another two-month high .
Illinois has averaged 1,733 new cases per day over the first eight days of August — almost a thousand more cases per day than the state averaged over the first eight days of July .
The newest cases were confirmed among more than 48,000 tests , raising the statewide positivity rate over the last week to 4.2 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been tested overall .
Read more from Mitchell Armentrout here .
Reopening schools is easy .
Keeping them open will be the hard part .
As educators prepare to welcome students back to class for the first time in months , schools ’ ability to quickly identify and contain coronavirus outbreaks before they get out of hand will be put to the test in thousands of districts around the country .
Newly reopened schools in Mississippi , Indiana and Georgia have already reported infections just days into the academic year , triggering virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , tracing their contacts and quarantining people they exposed .
12:33 p.m. Mid-American Conference becomes first FBS conference to cancel fall football season due to COVID-19 The Mid-American Conference on Saturday became the first league at college football ’ s highest level to cancel its fall season because of the pandemic .
“ I ’ m heartbroken we are in this place , ” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said .
With the MAC ’ s 12 schools facing a significant financial burden by trying to maintain costly coronavirus protocols , and the uncertainty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the conference ’ s university presidents made the decision to cancel all fall sports — including soccer and volleyball — and explore making them up in the spring season .
Though postponing could also prove costly without revenue generated by football media rights deals and ticket sales .
“ It would be naive to say that you don ’ t give thought and consideration to what the financial ramifications or any decision are , but this was a health and well-being decision first and foremost , ” Steinbrecher said .
“ As we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know what this will mean financially and how the rest of the fall plays out.
” Read more from the Associated Press here .
8:45 a.m. Robert Beric eager to play in front of Fire fans ... when that ’ s possible Striker Robert Beric is the type of figure who builds strong relationships with fans .
He ’ s just waiting for the chance to play in front of Fire supporters in Chicago and bond with them in person .
When the Fire announced his signing in January from French side Saint-Etienne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Beric downing a shot of Malort , which turned into one of the team ’ s best-received posts on social media .
Beric is also quick with a joke and speaks five languages .
On the field , Beric has scored twice in five games and has shown signs of being a dependable forward worthy of his designated player spot .
At 6-2 and 183 pounds , Beric ’ s ability to leap for crosses figures to be an advantage for the Fire , while his strength gives them reliable hold-up play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the field .
But because of circumstances beyond his control , Beric hasn ’ t played once in Chicago .
The Fire ’ s two games before the pandemic paused the season were on the road , their next three were in Florida during the MLS is Back tournament , and if the 2020 season resumes in home markets it ’ s hard to picture fans being allowed in to watch .
Read more from Brian Sandalow here .
8:26 a.m .
In praise of Bud Billiken , banished in 2020 by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This year , “ The Bud ” was banished .
Since 1929 , the annual Bud Billiken Parade has been the apex of Chicago ’ s sunny , sultry summers , an iconic South Side celebration of Black children as they head back to school .
This year , the largest African American parade in the United States was cancelled , for the first time in 91 years , called off by the merciless restrictions of COVID-19 .
In 1929 Robert S. Abbott , founder and publisher of the legendary Chicago Defender newspaper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the joys of summer .
It was sponsored by the Chicago Defender Charities .
According to the parade ’ s website , in the 1900 ’ s , a Billiken “ was a charm doll embodiment of good luck and fortune and was also regarded as the guardian of children.
” Read more from Laura Washington here .
7:45 a.m .
Last-ditch virus aid talks collapse ; no help for jobless now WASHINGTON — A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive collapsing Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money ended in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus .
“ It was a disappointing meeting , ” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer , saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to curb Democratic demands by about $ 1 trillion .
He urged the White House to “ negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle .
Don ’ t say it ’ s your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Steven Mnuchin said , “ Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.
” With the collapse of the talks , he said President Donald Trump was now likely to issue executive orders on home evictions and on student loan debt .
Read the full story from the Associated Press here .
• Public health officials announced the state ’ s largest new caseload in more than 10 weeks on Friday — 2,084 new cases — as well as 21 additional deaths attributed to COVID-19 .
• Cubs ’ weekend series in St. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for COVID-19 • 2nd federal prisoner at Marion dies this week of COVID-19 8:45 a.m. Go ahead and laugh , but maybe the Bears ’ approach to COVID-19 will help during the season These are strange times for everybody but perhaps strangest for NFL coaches , who normally would be screaming at players to their heart ’ s desire during training camp but instead are reduced to watching them do jumping jacks these days .
OK , maybe not jumping jacks .
But strength and conditioning work .
And walkthrough choreography .
Certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commonly associated with football .
COVID-19 has forced the NFL to ease into tough-guy activities this summer .
Hitting won ’ t commence until padded practices begin Aug. 17 .
This probably doesn ’ t need to be pointed out , but football is a contact sport and social distancing isn ’ t .
What are football coaches without large human beings smacking other large human beings ?
Coaches without nourishment , that ’ s what .
But coaches are coaches .
They can find meaning in anything .
An offensive lineman is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ position coach is amazed by the attention to detail .
A quarterback sits reading something other than the playbook , and his coach , while slightly concerned about communist tendencies , raves about the kid ’ s intelligence .
The Bears are very proud of their response to the pandemic , with players dutifully wearing masks and avoiding each other like the … coronavirus .
They also think their approach to COVID-19 might be a competitive advantage this season .
My initial response : That ’ s such a Bears thing to think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve railed against the franchise ’ s preoccupation with things that are secondary ( team history , practice facilities , etc . )
and its failure at things that should be primary ( winning games ) .
I ’ ve criticized coach Matt Nagy for praising quarterback Mitch Trubisky for his leadership skills , his devotion to football and his desire to be great .
What about , you know , his ability to play quarterback , we ’ ve asked and asked .
Any news on that front , coach ?
Read @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a.m. Preschool programs forge ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic but raise a warning flag It ’ s been seven weeks now since the Carole Robertson Center for Learning reopened its early childhood education programs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic , and it hasn ’ t been easy .
There were new safety procedures for staff , extra responsibilities for everyone plus added costs for protective equipment , cleaning and staffing requirements .
On three occasions , someone contracting the virus necessitated the closing of an entire classroom , requiring all students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home for two weeks .
When that happens , other families often choose to keep their children home for a while , too .
Government funding that ’ s tied to enrollment and attendance dwindles as a result .
But even as the Chicago Public Schools will be keeping classrooms closed this fall , the Carole Robertson Center and other nonprofit organizations that form the backbone of Chicago ’ s early childhood education network are forging ahead .
Read the full column from Mark Brown here .

After weeks of not being able to come to an agreement, President Donald Trump unilaterally acted and signed an executive order that exentened unemployment benefits to those effected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Democrats were unhappy with the cut in the weekly payment. The benefits were reduced from $600 to $400, with the states picking up $100 of that tab. It was unclear where the money was coming from.
Here’s what happened today in the fight against the coronavirus in Chicago, the state and the nation.
News
9 p.m. Trump bypasses Congress, signs executive orders to extend unemployment benefits, defer payroll tax
US President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 8, 2020. Jim Watson/Getty Images
Seizing the power of his podium and his pen, President Donald Trump on Saturday moved to bypass the nation’s elected lawmakers as he claimed the authority to defer payroll taxes and extend an expired unemployment benefit after negotiations with Congress on a new coronavirus rescue package collapsed.
At his private country club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump signed four executive orders to act where Congress hasn’t, contending Washington’s gridlock had compelled him to act as the pandemic undermined the country’s economy and imperiled his November reelection hopes.
Perhaps most crucially, Trump moved to continue paying a supplemental federal unemployment benefit for millions of Americans out of work during the outbreak. Congress allowed those payments to lapse on Aug. 1, and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock, with the White House and Democrats miles apart. Trump largely stayed on the sidelines during the administration’s negotiations with congressional leaders, leaving the talks on his side to chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
7 p.m. How safe is voting by mail? It’s a ‘leaky pipeline’ in many states
Brace yourself for what’s expected to be the first U.S. presidential election conducted mostly by mail. It could be messy.
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, voting by mail in a contactless and socially distant way seems like a no-brainer. States have made the option widely available — only 10 now require voters to provide an excuse beyond fear of COVID-19 when requesting a ballot by mail — and some three in four Americans are expected to embrace the option for the Nov. 3 presidential election, up from one in four in the 2018 contest.
But running a vote-by-mail election is surprisingly complicated, and there’s a lot of room for things to go wrong. Validating and counting a deluge of posted ballots in an open and accountable way presents a major challenge, one that only about a half dozen states are fully prepared for.
5:45 p.m. Cubs plan workouts to stay sharp with weekend series postponed due to COVID-19
Saturday was a quiet day for the Cubs after Friday’s whirlwind in St. Louis. The Cubs three-game series against the Cardinals was postponed after three more members of the Cardinals tested positive for COVID-19.
The positive tests increased the number of Cardinals players and staff infected during the latest outbreak to 16. The weekend postponement was the first time the Cubs have experienced a change in their schedule due to coronavirus.
“I think overall, it’s just another one of those reminders of how quick things can get out of control right now in this environment,” manager David Ross said. “I think it’s a little bit of a reset for us, take a couple of days and we’ll get back to get some workouts in and then get back to focus on Cleveland when we play on Tuesday.
Read the full story by Russell Dorsey here.
3:30 p.m. Illinois’ COVID-19 rise continues with second straight 2,000-case day
Illinois logged more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases for a second straight day Saturday, once again ratcheting up concerns of a severe viral resurgence across the state.
Over the last 10 days, the state has recorded six of its highest daily caseloads since Memorial Day weekend, with the latest 2,190 additional cases confirmed by the Illinois Department of Public Health setting yet another two-month high.
Illinois has averaged 1,733 new cases per day over the first eight days of August — almost a thousand more cases per day than the state averaged over the first eight days of July.
The newest cases were confirmed among more than 48,000 tests, raising the statewide positivity rate over the last week to 4.2%. More than 3 million people have been tested overall.
Read more from Mitchell Armentrout here.
2 p.m. Schools face big coronavirus test as students return to classroom
Reopening schools is easy. Keeping them open will be the hard part.
As educators prepare to welcome students back to class for the first time in months, schools’ ability to quickly identify and contain coronavirus outbreaks before they get out of hand will be put to the test in thousands of districts around the country.
Newly reopened schools in Mississippi, Indiana and Georgia have already reported infections just days into the academic year, triggering virus protocols that include swiftly isolating infected students, tracing their contacts and quarantining people they exposed.
Read the full story here.
12:33 p.m. Mid-American Conference becomes first FBS conference to cancel fall football season due to COVID-19
The Mid-American Conference on Saturday became the first league at college football’s highest level to cancel its fall season because of the pandemic.
“I’m heartbroken we are in this place,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said.
With the MAC’s 12 schools facing a significant financial burden by trying to maintain costly coronavirus protocols, and the uncertainty that campuses can be opened safely, the conference’s university presidents made the decision to cancel all fall sports — including soccer and volleyball — and explore making them up in the spring season.
Though postponing could also prove costly without revenue generated by football media rights deals and ticket sales.
“It would be naive to say that you don’t give thought and consideration to what the financial ramifications or any decision are, but this was a health and well-being decision first and foremost,” Steinbrecher said. “As we sit here today we don’t know what this will mean financially and how the rest of the fall plays out.”
Read more from the Associated Press here.
8:45 a.m. Robert Beric eager to play in front of Fire fans... when that’s possible
Striker Robert Beric is the type of figure who builds strong relationships with fans. He’s just waiting for the chance to play in front of Fire supporters in Chicago and bond with them in person.
When the Fire announced his signing in January from French side Saint-Etienne, they did so with a video of Beric downing a shot of Malort, which turned into one of the team’s best-received posts on social media. Beric is also quick with a joke and speaks five languages.
On the field, Beric has scored twice in five games and has shown signs of being a dependable forward worthy of his designated player spot. At 6-2 and 183 pounds, Beric’s ability to leap for crosses figures to be an advantage for the Fire, while his strength gives them reliable hold-up play as teammates arrive into the attacking third of the field.
But because of circumstances beyond his control, Beric hasn’t played once in Chicago. The Fire’s two games before the pandemic paused the season were on the road, their next three were in Florida during the MLS is Back tournament, and if the 2020 season resumes in home markets it’s hard to picture fans being allowed in to watch.
Read more from Brian Sandalow here.
8:26 a.m. In praise of Bud Billiken, banished in 2020 by COVID-19
Saturday was Bud Billiken Day. This year, “The Bud” was banished.
Since 1929, the annual Bud Billiken Parade has been the apex of Chicago’s sunny, sultry summers, an iconic South Side celebration of Black children as they head back to school.
This year, the largest African American parade in the United States was cancelled, for the first time in 91 years, called off by the merciless restrictions of COVID-19.
In 1929 Robert S. Abbott, founder and publisher of the legendary Chicago Defender newspaper, launched the parade to celebrate childhood and the joys of summer. It was sponsored by the Chicago Defender Charities.
According to the parade’s website, in the 1900’s, a Billiken “was a charm doll embodiment of good luck and fortune and was also regarded as the guardian of children.”
Read more from Laura Washington here.
7:45 a.m. Last-ditch virus aid talks collapse; no help for jobless now
WASHINGTON — A last-ditch effort by Democrats to revive collapsing Capitol Hill talks on vital COVID-19 rescue money ended in disappointment on Friday, making it increasingly likely that Washington gridlock will mean more hardship for millions of people who are losing enhanced jobless benefits and further damage for an economy pummeled by the still-raging coronavirus.
“It was a disappointing meeting,” declared top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, saying the White House had rejected an offer by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to curb Democratic demands by about $1 trillion. He urged the White House to “negotiate with Democrats and meet us in the middle. Don’t say it’s your way or no way.”
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said, “Unfortunately we did not make any progress today.”
With the collapse of the talks, he said President Donald Trump was now likely to issue executive orders on home evictions and on student loan debt.
Read the full story from the Associated Press here.
New Cases
Public health officials announced the state’s largest new caseload in more than 10 weeks on Friday — 2,084 new cases — as well as 21 additional deaths attributed to COVID-19.
Cubs’ weekend series in St. Louis postponed after Cardinals player tests positive for COVID-19
2nd federal prisoner at Marion dies this week of COVID-19
Analysis & Commentary
8:45 a.m. Go ahead and laugh, but maybe the Bears’ approach to COVID-19 will help during the season
These are strange times for everybody but perhaps strangest for NFL coaches, who normally would be screaming at players to their heart’s desire during training camp but instead are reduced to watching them do jumping jacks these days.
OK, maybe not jumping jacks. But strength and conditioning work. And walkthrough choreography. Certainly not hitting or blocking, those activities commonly associated with football. COVID-19 has forced the NFL to ease into tough-guy activities this summer. Hitting won’t commence until padded practices begin Aug. 17.
This probably doesn’t need to be pointed out, but football is a contact sport and social distancing isn’t. What are football coaches without large human beings smacking other large human beings? Coaches without nourishment, that’s what.
But coaches are coaches. They can find meaning in anything. An offensive lineman is busy clipping his toenails, and his position coach is amazed by the attention to detail. A quarterback sits reading something other than the playbook, and his coach, while slightly concerned about communist tendencies, raves about the kid’s intelligence.
The Bears are very proud of their response to the pandemic, with players dutifully wearing masks and avoiding each other like the … coronavirus. They also think their approach to COVID-19 might be a competitive advantage this season. My initial response: That’s such a Bears thing to think. Over the years, I’ve railed against the franchise’s preoccupation with things that are secondary (team history, practice facilities, etc.) and its failure at things that should be primary (winning games). I’ve criticized coach Matt Nagy for praising quarterback Mitch Trubisky for his leadership skills, his devotion to football and his desire to be great. What about, you know, his ability to play quarterback, we’ve asked and asked. Any news on that front, coach?
Read more from Rick Morrissey here.
7:50 a.m. Preschool programs forge ahead during the COVID-19 pandemic but raise a warning flag
It’s been seven weeks now since the Carole Robertson Center for Learning reopened its early childhood education programs in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it hasn’t been easy.
There were new safety procedures for staff, extra responsibilities for everyone plus added costs for protective equipment, cleaning and staffing requirements.
On three occasions, someone contracting the virus necessitated the closing of an entire classroom, requiring all students and teachers in the class to stay home for two weeks.
When that happens, other families often choose to keep their children home for a while, too. Government funding that’s tied to enrollment and attendance dwindles as a result.
But even as the Chicago Public Schools will be keeping classrooms closed this fall, the Carole Robertson Center and other nonprofit organizations that form the backbone of Chicago’s early childhood education network are forging ahead.
Read the full column from Mark Brown here.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-08--Blackhawks to face Golden Knights, Robin Lehner in Stanley Cup playoffs

Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford battled throughout much of the regular season for the Blackhawks ’ No .
1 goalie job .
A thousand twists in the road later , the two elite goalies — or at least their two teams — now will battle each other in the Stanley Cup playoffs .
The Golden Knights , Lehner ’ s team since being dealt by the Hawks at the trade deadline in February , beat the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime Saturday to clinch the top seed in the Western Conference .
That sets up a best-of-seven series starting next week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced , against the 12th-seeded Hawks , who advanced to the round of 16 by upsetting the Oilers in the qualifying round .
‘ ‘ It ’ s going to be fun playing them , ’ ’ Lehner said .
‘ ‘ They ’ re a very good hockey team , and I have a lot of respect for them , their whole organization .
But I really like it here .
We ’ re a great hockey team , and we ’ ll do well against them.
’ ’ When Hawks general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pending free agent in line for a big contract — for goalie Malcolm Subban , prospect Slava Demin and a second-round draft pick , it seemed there was no way the Hawks could run into him again this season .
The Hawks and Knights already had completed their three-game season series — with the Knights winning twice — and the Hawks ’ playoff hopes were virtually nonexistent .
But a global pandemic , an unprecedented change in the postseason format and the right combination of outcomes in the last week have set up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ narrative .
Now Knights coach Peter DeBoer must decide whether he fully will embrace it .
He can start Lehner , who is 5-0-0 with a .924 save percentage in his first five starts for the Knights , or Marc-Andre Fleury , who has been to five Stanley Cup Finals but posted his worst save percentage ( .905 ) since 2006 this season .
‘ ‘ We haven ’ t even thought about Game 1 yet ; we ’ re just going to enjoy tonight , ’ ’ DeBoer said Saturday .
‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ in the round-robin games ] was [ that ] I believe we ’ re going to need both guys and both guys are going to play .
We ’ ll see how that rolls out.
’ ’ If Lehner does play , there almost certainly will be some passionate emotions involved .
After his news conference Saturday , Lehner tweeted a GIF captioned , ‘ ‘ Awkward Alert.
’ ’ And his kind words about the Hawks somewhat contradicted his scathing quotes from his introductory interview Feb. 27 in Las Vegas .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ help them out and got promises of getting a fair chance to play , ’ ’ Lehner told reporters .
‘ ‘ I didn ’ t play much in the beginning or the middle-beginning of the season , even if I played really well and had a good camp .
Eventually I took over , and I won , like , nine out of 10 [ games ] .
.
.
and we walked up one point behind a playoff spot .
Then all of a sudden , I found myself on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough .
Plus , negotiations [ on a contract extension ] had totally died out.
’ ’ Lehner and Crawford always appeared to have a good relationship in the locker room , but Lehner visibly soured about his situation and was far less outspoken in the weeks leading up to the trade .
If anything can reopen those wounds , it ’ s a playoff series against the Hawks with livelihoods on the line .
‘ ‘ We ’ ve got a pretty good task against Chicago here , ’ ’ Knights forward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve definitely earned some respect in the league .
They ’ re one of the best teams for the past 10 years , so definitely we ’ re going to focus on that .
’ ’

Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford battled throughout much of the regular season for the Blackhawks’ No. 1 goalie job.
A thousand twists in the road later, the two elite goalies — or at least their two teams — now will battle each other in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Golden Knights, Lehner’s team since being dealt by the Hawks at the trade deadline in February, beat the Avalanche 4-3 in overtime Saturday to clinch the top seed in the Western Conference.
That sets up a best-of-seven series starting next week, with the schedule yet to be announced, against the 12th-seeded Hawks, who advanced to the round of 16 by upsetting the Oilers in the qualifying round.
‘‘It’s going to be fun playing them,’’ Lehner said. ‘‘They’re a very good hockey team, and I have a lot of respect for them, their whole organization. But I really like it here. We’re a great hockey team, and we’ll do well against them.’’
When Hawks general manager Stan Bowman traded Lehner — a pending free agent in line for a big contract — for goalie Malcolm Subban, prospect Slava Demin and a second-round draft pick, it seemed there was no way the Hawks could run into him again this season.
The Hawks and Knights already had completed their three-game season series — with the Knights winning twice — and the Hawks’ playoff hopes were virtually nonexistent.
The Knights and Blackhawks played three times in the regular season, including this Dec. 10 meeting in Vegas. AP Photos
But a global pandemic, an unprecedented change in the postseason format and the right combination of outcomes in the last week have set up a golden — no pun intended — narrative.
Now Knights coach Peter DeBoer must decide whether he fully will embrace it. He can start Lehner, who is 5-0-0 with a .924 save percentage in his first five starts for the Knights, or Marc-Andre Fleury, who has been to five Stanley Cup Finals but posted his worst save percentage (.905) since 2006 this season.
‘‘We haven’t even thought about Game 1 yet; we’re just going to enjoy tonight,’’ DeBoer said Saturday. ‘‘The idea of playing both guys [in the round-robin games] was [that] I believe we’re going to need both guys and both guys are going to play. We’ll see how that rolls out.’’
If Lehner does play, there almost certainly will be some passionate emotions involved. After his news conference Saturday, Lehner tweeted a GIF captioned, ‘‘Awkward Alert.’’
And his kind words about the Hawks somewhat contradicted his scathing quotes from his introductory interview Feb. 27 in Las Vegas.
‘‘I went to Chicago to help them out and got promises of getting a fair chance to play,’’ Lehner told reporters. ‘‘I didn’t play much in the beginning or the middle-beginning of the season, even if I played really well and had a good camp. Eventually I took over, and I won, like, nine out of 10 [games] . . . and we walked up one point behind a playoff spot. Then all of a sudden, I found myself on the bench for no reason. That was tough. Plus, negotiations [on a contract extension] had totally died out.’’
Lehner and Crawford always appeared to have a good relationship in the locker room, but Lehner visibly soured about his situation and was far less outspoken in the weeks leading up to the trade.
If anything can reopen those wounds, it’s a playoff series against the Hawks with livelihoods on the line.
‘‘We’ve got a pretty good task against Chicago here,’’ Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault said. ‘‘They’ve definitely earned some respect in the league. They’re one of the best teams for the past 10 years, so definitely we’re going to focus on that.’’


chicagosun-times--2020-08-08--Person seriously injured in boat fire at Burnham Harbor

A boat caught fire Saturday at Burnham Harbor , sending one person to the hospital with serious burns .
The @ @ @ @ @ p.m. at Burnham Harbor , 1559 S. Lake Shore Dr. , according to Chicago fire @ @ @ @ @ badly burned and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious-to-critical condition , fire officials said @ @ @ @ @ 4 p.m. that the blaze had been put out .
The cause of the fire @ @ @ @

A boat caught fire Saturday at Burnham Harbor, sending one person to the hospital with serious burns.
The fire started just before 3:20 p.m. at Burnham Harbor, 1559 S. Lake Shore Dr., according to Chicago fire officials.
One person was badly burned and taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in serious-to-critical condition, fire officials said.
Fire officials announced about 4 p.m. that the blaze had been put out.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-08--Schools face big coronavirus test as students return to classroom

Reopening schools is easy .
Keeping them open will be the hard part .
As educators prepare to welcome students back to class for the first time in months , schools ’ ability to quickly identify and contain coronavirus outbreaks before they get out of hand will be put to the test in thousands of districts around the country .
Newly reopened schools in Mississippi , Indiana and Georgia have already reported infections just days into the academic year , triggering virus protocols that include swiftly isolating infected students , tracing their contacts and quarantining people they exposed .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open schools in July , like we did , or if you open in August , September or October .
All schools are going to have to deal with the issue of positive COVID-19 test results , ” said Lee Childress , superintendent of Corinth School District in Mississippi , where more than 100 students are quarantined at home after being exposed to a handful of infected classmates .
Schools are trying to mitigate the risk of transmission by spreading desks apart , serving meals in the classroom and keeping groups of students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — but not all — will require students and staff to wear masks , which health experts say is critical to cutting down on spread .
Administrators say it might be difficult to control the mixing and mingling that happens at every school .
Asymptomatic carriers could silently spread the virus to many others .
A student might not remember every contact , or be reluctant to tell the truth because that would mean forcing friends into quarantine .
Contact tracing might prove difficult “ when you have that many students and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Dallas schools chief Michael Hinojosa .
Schools are reopening as new infections run at about 55,000 a day in the U.S .
While that ’ s down from a peak of well over 70,000 in the second half of July , cases are rising in about half of the states , and deaths are climbing in many of them .
In Indiana , where case numbers and the positivity rate have been rising , a student showed up to class outside Indianapolis before getting the results of a virus test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was positive .
It was the first day of school .
“ We felt like we were at a good place to start school and then , through no fault of our own , a kid comes to school who shouldn ’ t have been there , ” Superintendent Harold Olin said , acknowledging “ uncomfortable ” conversations with parents whose children then had to be quarantined .
Because it was the school system ’ s first case , Olin himself grabbed a tape measure and headed to the infected student ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearby so they could be notified of their potential exposure .
Jason Martin ’ s son , Houston , who attends seventh grade at Greenfield-Central , was among those forced to learn remotely for 14 days .
“ Clearly , he ’ s disappointed , ” Martin said .
But the school “ responded pretty well from a bonehead parent making a decision to send their kid to school knowing they have a pending COVID test result.
” The question of whether an infected student or staffer should trigger an automatic shutdown has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s public school system , the largest in the U.S. , says it will automatically shutter classrooms or buildings for 14 days at a time , depending on the severity and circumstances of an outbreak .
In hard-hit Texas , school systems in Houston and Dallas say they will close a building for up to five days if a student or staffer tests positive , to allow for cleaning and to give contact tracers time to do their work .
It ’ s too risky to try to keep a school open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been exposed , Hinojosa said .
“ Until there ’ s a vaccine , just be prepared to have these rolling shutdowns , ” he said .
Others administrators say they will try to keep schools open during an outbreak , counting on quick action to keep a lid on it .
In Pennsylvania , the Bethlehem Area School District intends to keep classrooms open if there ’ s a confirmed case .
“ One closure decision can lead to a potentially crippling and precedent-setting domino effect of closures throughout the school district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ website .
Dr. Ibukun Akinboyo , a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Duke University , said even the best plans for reopening and responding to sick students and staff are going to run into trouble if there ’ s a high level of community spread .
“ Whatever is happening in the community will likely play out in the schools as well , ” she said .
In Mississippi , where more than 20 % of virus tests have been coming back positive , at least eight students and one staff member in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week .
District officials used classroom seating charts to determine who needed to be quarantined .
Nurses , administrators and teachers have worked together to identify the infected students ’ close contacts — anyone who was within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes .
But at some point , contact tracing ceases to be practical , and a school might have to close , Childress said .
“ I think if you have a large number , the process could quickly become unmanageable , and that would be something that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .
Joel Barnes and his wife are rethinking their decision to send their four kids back to Corinth schools after their son was exposed at the high school .
They are awaiting the results of his virus test .
“ We expected there to be some cases of COVID , but we ’ re honestly surprised that it happened so quickly and has spread to so many so rapidly , ” said Barnes , who has lung and nerve damage from a car accident and worries about contracting the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off.
” The couple have pulled two of their children from school in favor of remote lessons .
“ In hindsight , we wish we ’ d gone virtual from the start , ” he said .
Joseph Allen , who directs a program at the Harvard University School of Public Health focused on healthy buildings , said masking , contact tracing and quarantining are all important — but so is proper ventilation and air filtration , which Allen said too many districts are ignoring .
Small , inexpensive steps like opening windows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ portable air purifiers , and holding classes outside can make a big difference in keeping the virus at bay , even if an infected student or teacher shows up , Allen said .
“ We need to get a bit more creative with schools , ” he said .
“ If we don ’ t do those upfront things , we ’ re going to have cases .
”

Reopening schools is easy. Keeping them open will be the hard part.
As educators prepare to welcome students back to class for the first time in months, schools’ ability to quickly identify and contain coronavirus outbreaks before they get out of hand will be put to the test in thousands of districts around the country.
Newly reopened schools in Mississippi, Indiana and Georgia have already reported infections just days into the academic year, triggering virus protocols that include swiftly isolating infected students, tracing their contacts and quarantining people they exposed.
“It doesn’t matter if you open schools in July, like we did, or if you open in August, September or October. All schools are going to have to deal with the issue of positive COVID-19 test results,” said Lee Childress, superintendent of Corinth School District in Mississippi, where more than 100 students are quarantined at home after being exposed to a handful of infected classmates.
Schools are trying to mitigate the risk of transmission by spreading desks apart, serving meals in the classroom and keeping groups of students together throughout the day. Many schools — but not all — will require students and staff to wear masks, which health experts say is critical to cutting down on spread.
Administrators say it might be difficult to control the mixing and mingling that happens at every school. Asymptomatic carriers could silently spread the virus to many others. A student might not remember every contact, or be reluctant to tell the truth because that would mean forcing friends into quarantine.
Contact tracing might prove difficult “when you have that many students and they have multiple contacts inside of a building,” said Dallas schools chief Michael Hinojosa.
Schools are reopening as new infections run at about 55,000 a day in the U.S. While that’s down from a peak of well over 70,000 in the second half of July, cases are rising in about half of the states, and deaths are climbing in many of them.
In Indiana, where case numbers and the positivity rate have been rising, a student showed up to class outside Indianapolis before getting the results of a virus test. Greenfield-Central Junior High soon learned he was positive.
It was the first day of school.
“We felt like we were at a good place to start school and then, through no fault of our own, a kid comes to school who shouldn’t have been there,” Superintendent Harold Olin said, acknowledging “uncomfortable” conversations with parents whose children then had to be quarantined.
Because it was the school system’s first case, Olin himself grabbed a tape measure and headed to the infected student’s classroom to figure out who was seated nearby so they could be notified of their potential exposure.
Jason Martin’s son, Houston, who attends seventh grade at Greenfield-Central, was among those forced to learn remotely for 14 days.
“Clearly, he’s disappointed,” Martin said. But the school “responded pretty well from a bonehead parent making a decision to send their kid to school knowing they have a pending COVID test result.”
The question of whether an infected student or staffer should trigger an automatic shutdown has divided school officials.
New York City’s public school system, the largest in the U.S., says it will automatically shutter classrooms or buildings for 14 days at a time, depending on the severity and circumstances of an outbreak. In hard-hit Texas, school systems in Houston and Dallas say they will close a building for up to five days if a student or staffer tests positive, to allow for cleaning and to give contact tracers time to do their work.
It’s too risky to try to keep a school open while officials figure out who might have been exposed, Hinojosa said.
“Until there’s a vaccine, just be prepared to have these rolling shutdowns,” he said.
Others administrators say they will try to keep schools open during an outbreak, counting on quick action to keep a lid on it.
In Pennsylvania, the Bethlehem Area School District intends to keep classrooms open if there’s a confirmed case. “One closure decision can lead to a potentially crippling and precedent-setting domino effect of closures throughout the school district,” the district says on its website.
Dr. Ibukun Akinboyo, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Duke University, said even the best plans for reopening and responding to sick students and staff are going to run into trouble if there’s a high level of community spread.
“Whatever is happening in the community will likely play out in the schools as well,” she said.
In Mississippi, where more than 20% of virus tests have been coming back positive, at least eight students and one staff member in Corinth have tested positive since school resumed last week. District officials used classroom seating charts to determine who needed to be quarantined.
The tally through Friday: 122 people.
Nurses, administrators and teachers have worked together to identify the infected students’ close contacts — anyone who was within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes. But at some point, contact tracing ceases to be practical, and a school might have to close, Childress said.
“I think if you have a large number, the process could quickly become unmanageable, and that would be something that we would know when we see it,” he said.
Joel Barnes and his wife are rethinking their decision to send their four kids back to Corinth schools after their son was exposed at the high school. They are awaiting the results of his virus test.
“We expected there to be some cases of COVID, but we’re honestly surprised that it happened so quickly and has spread to so many so rapidly,” said Barnes, who has lung and nerve damage from a car accident and worries about contracting the virus. “Now it’s taken off.”
The couple have pulled two of their children from school in favor of remote lessons.
“In hindsight, we wish we’d gone virtual from the start,” he said.
Joseph Allen, who directs a program at the Harvard University School of Public Health focused on healthy buildings, said masking, contact tracing and quarantining are all important — but so is proper ventilation and air filtration, which Allen said too many districts are ignoring.
Small, inexpensive steps like opening windows, equipping classrooms with box fans and portable air purifiers, and holding classes outside can make a big difference in keeping the virus at bay, even if an infected student or teacher shows up, Allen said.
“We need to get a bit more creative with schools,” he said. “If we don’t do those upfront things, we’re going to have cases.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-08--Cubs plan workouts to stay sharp with weekend series postponed due to COVID-19

Saturday was a quiet day for the Cubs after Friday ’ s whirlwind in St. Louis .
The Cubs three-game series against the Cardinals was postponed after three more members of the Cardinals tested positive for COVID-19 .
The positive tests increased the number of Cardinals players and staff infected during the latest outbreak to 16 .
The weekend postponement was the first time the Cubs have experienced a change in their schedule due to coronavirus .
“ I think overall , it ’ s just another one of those reminders of how quick things can get out of control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manager David Ross said .
“ I think it ’ s a little bit of a reset for us , take a couple of days and we ’ ll get back to get some workouts in and then get back to focus on Cleveland when we play on Tuesday .
“ We feel like it ’ s just a little bit of a small little break and got to continue to try to stay sharp as we possibly can get back to him to maybe work on a few things we might want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and use it to our advantage as best we can.
” The Cubs had a light day of work on Saturday with some pitchers doing some playing catch while others continued their regularly scheduled bullpen sessions .
The team will have full workouts on Sunday and Monday before traveling on Tuesday morning to head to Cleveland .
Ross and the coaching staff will also add what he describes as “ something fun ” for his team as part of Monday ’ s workout .
While Friday ’ s delay and subsequent postponement could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get through , the Cubs got through the day smoothly as MLB sorted through the Cardinals situation .
The team flew into St. Louis late Thursday night following Thursday ’ s game in Kansas City .
Ross received word on Friday morning of the Cardinals situation and the possibility of a postponement before official word came down from the league hours later .
Director of team travel and clubhouse operations and newly appointed COVID compliance officer , Vijay Tekchandani , helped ensure the team didn ’ t have to be stuck in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time the sun went down , the Cubs were back in Chicago .
“ Vijay , again , was on top of things and had the plane ready , ” Ross said .
“ United did a really good job of getting us a plane really fast .
… There ’ s a lot of logistics there , sitting around a hotel and you can ’ t go anywhere with food .
Jordan , our nutritionist , was on top of things getting food in there that she wasn ’ t expecting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fed .
Vijay set up an outdoor area for the guys to hang out .
Just a lot of adjustments on their part and making sure everybody was comfortable and had some downtime .
“ All in all , Major League Baseball was phenomenal .
I mean we got back here at a decent hour and had the night to ourselves .
[ Everything ] was handled really well.
” It ’ s going to be a quiet weekend for Ross with no baseball game to manage this weekend .
The Cubs skipper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Indians , who play the White Sox this weekend while hanging out with his dog , Maya .
That ’ s kind of my nights , just sitting on the couch with my dog and watching baseball and highlights and catching a game , ” he said .
“ We ’ ll definitely have baseball on , try to get a nice meal delivered and just hang out with myself .
I ’ m pretty awesome by myself .
”

Saturday was a quiet day for the Cubs after Friday’s whirlwind in St. Louis. The Cubs’ three-game series against the Cardinals was postponed after three more members of the Cardinals’ organization tested positive for COVID-19.
The positive tests increased the number of Cards players and staff infected during the latest outbreak to 16. The weekend postponement was the first time the Cubs have experienced a change in their schedule attributable to the coronavirus.
“Overall, it’s just another one of those reminders of how quickly things can get out of control right now in this environment,” manager David Ross said. “It’s a little bit of a reset for us. Take a couple of days, and we’ll get back to get some workouts in, then get back to focusing on Cleveland when we play on Tuesday.
“We feel like it’s just a little bit of a break, and we have to continue to try to stay as sharp as we possibly can, maybe work on a few things we might want to clean up in this downtime and use it to our advantage as best we can.”
The Cubs had a light day of work with some pitchers playing catch, while others continued their regularly scheduled bullpen sessions. The team will have full workouts on Sunday and Monday before traveling Tuesday morning to Cleveland.
Ross and the coaching staff will add what he describes as “something fun” for his team as part of the workout on Monday.
Friday’s delay and subsequent postponement could have been tough for a team to endure, but the Cubs got through it smoothly as MLB sorted through the Cardinals’ situation.
The team flew into St. Louis late Thursday night after the game in Kansas City.
Ross received word on Friday morning of the situation and the possibility of a postponement before official word came down from MLB hours later.
Vijay Tekchandani, the Cubs’ director of travel and clubhouse operations and newly appointed COVID compliance officer, helped ensure the team didn’t have to be stuck in St. Louis all day.
By the time the sun went down, the Cubs were back in Chicago.
“Vijay, again, was on top of things and had the plane ready,” Ross said. “United did a really good job of getting us a plane really fast. . . . There’s a lot of logistics there, sitting around a hotel, and you can’t go anywhere with food. Our nutritionist was on top of things, getting food in there that she wasn’t expecting to have. Made sure the guys were fed.
‘‘Vijay set up an outdoor area for the guys to hang out. Just a lot of adjustments on their part and making sure everybody was comfortable and had some downtime.
“All in all, Major League Baseball was phenomenal. I mean, we got back here at a decent hour and had the night to ourselves. [Everything] was handled really well.”
It’s going to be a quiet weekend for Ross with no games to manage. He likely will do some advanced scouting of the Indians, who are playing the White Sox this weekend, while hanging out with his dog, Maya.
‘‘That’s kind of my nights, just sitting on the couch with my dog and watching baseball and highlights and catching a game,” he said.
“We’ll definitely have baseball on, try to get a nice meal delivered and just hang out with myself. I’m pretty awesome by myself.”