chicagosun-times--2020-08-09--Illinois records 1,382 new cases of coronavirus (LIVE UPDATES)

Pritzker defends proposed changes to mask rules as state sees 1,382 new COVID-19 cases , 8 more deaths Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Sunday defended his proposed new rules for “ modest ” changes to the way the current statewide mask mandate is enforced , saying politicians shouldn ’ t use a public health crisis for political gain .
The new emergency rules , which were filed Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health , offer local officials more leniency to give out warnings before fining businesses that don ’ t follow the state ’ s public masking and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ require businesses and schools to enforce the state ’ s mandatory mask mandate .
Pritzker , who was joined Sunday by a group of doctors and public health officials who shared support for his proposed new emergency rules , said he believes the rules are “ fair.
” “ Many , many businesses are doing the right thing , but it ’ s not fair to those businesses when their competitors are not doing the right thing , ” Pritzker said .
“ And so , we think it ’ s fair to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the same standard and we ’ re doing it in a way that should allow businesses to get it right.
” Pritzker said having rules requiring masks and proper social distancing makes “ common sense.
” But his new rule changes were met with some opposition .
5:09 p.m. State offering $ 5,000 grants for tenants struggling to pay rent amid pandemic .
Here ’ s how to apply Illinoisans struggling to make rent can apply Monday to qualify for a $ 5,000 grant in a $ 150 million program targeting residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The program , funded by the federal CARES Act , will offer rental assistance to about 30,000 renters across the state .
The application portal is expected to come online at 9 a.m. Monday and remain open until Aug. 21 , a day before the state ’ s eviction moratorium is set to expire .
Another state program offering $ 150 million in federally funded grants to homeowners will accept applications between Aug. 24 and Sept. 4 .
Kristin Faust , executive director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority , the agency administering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ really trying to prevent a huge eviction or foreclosure crisis ” as the economy continues to falter in the face of the pandemic .
3:15 p.m. Shootings , protests and COVID-19 : Why the CPD had to change its plans For Chicago Police Supt .
David Brown , the situation on the ground changed as soon as he arrived in town .
On April 2 , the day Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced she ’ d selected Brown to be the next leader of the department , the CPD reported the first coronavirus-related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ veteran undercover cop Marco DiFranco .
Two more officers have since died of of the virus , while more than 700 have tested positive .
A global pandemic , surging gun violence and widespread civil unrest quickly revealed that the ongoing structural reorganization of the department — put into motion by Brown ’ s predecessor , interim Supt .
Charlie Beck — would need changing .
1 p.m. City takes new steps to deter gatherings at Montrose Beach after Lightfoot slams ‘ reckless ’ lakefront party After Mayor Lori Lightfoot slammed revelers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and crashed their party Saturday at Montrose Beach , officials quickly installed new fencing and limited vehicle access to the area to prevent others from gathering on the closed-off lakefront .
On Sunday , Chicago Park District spokeswoman Michele Lemons said the fencing along the lakeshore was specifically put in place Saturday night “ to deter large gathering like those observed yesterday.
” The move came after Lightfoot tweeted a stark warning Saturday evening alongside a photo that showed dozens of people congregating on a grassy patch near the water .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Lightfoot wrote .
“ This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront .
Don ’ t make us take steps backwards.
” 12:27 p.m. ‘ Don ’ t they care about their health ?
’ - Europeans alarmed as U.S. surpasses 5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases ROME — With confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. hitting 5 million Sunday , by far the highest of any country , the failure of the most powerful nation in the world to contain the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarm in Europe .
Perhaps nowhere outside the U.S. is America ’ s bungled virus response viewed with more consternation than in Italy , which was ground zero of Europe ’ s epidemic .
Italians were unprepared when the outbreak exploded in February , and the country still has one of the world ’ s highest official death tolls at over 35,000 .
But after a strict nationwide , 10-week lockdown , vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing , Italy has become a model of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they care about their health ?
” a mask-clad Patrizia Antonini asked about people in the United States as she walked with friends along the banks of Lake Bracciano , north of Rome .
“ They need to take our precautions .
...
They need a real lockdown.
” Read the full story from the Associated Press here .
10:58 a.m .
Success of 2020 election hinges on U.S .
Postal Service WASHINGTON — Mail piling up .
Constant attacks from the president .
Cuts to overtime as record numbers of ballots are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall .
The success of the 2020 presidential election could hinge on a most unlikely government agency : the U.S .
Postal Service .
Current signs are not promising .
The Postal Service already was facing questions over how it would handle the expected spike of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic , but several operational changes imposed by its new leader have led to mail backlogs across the United States as rumors of additional cutbacks swirl , fueling worries about the November vote .
“ It seems like they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the post office , ” said Jim Sizemore , president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in the Cincinnati region .
He said his offices are behind on deliveries because of new rules specifying when mail can go out .
The pandemic has forced states to expand voting by mail as a safe alternative to in-person polling places .
Some states are opting to send ballots to voters or allowing people to use fear of the virus as a reason to cast an absentee ballot .
That ’ s led to predictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting in the presidential election .
Trailing in the polls , President Donald Trump has been sowing public distrust in the Postal Service ’ s ability to adequately deliver ballots and has , without evidence , said allowing more people to vote by mail will result in rampant corruption .
Read more from the Associated Press here .
7:40 a.m. 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 .
Read the full story from the Associated Press here .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lapse on Aug. 1 , and negotiations to extend them have been mired in partisan gridlock , with the White House and Democrats miles apart .
Read more from the Associated Press and the Sun-Times here .
7 a.m. Illinois announces 2,190 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new coronavirus cases for a second straight day Saturday and the virus has killed 18 more residents , raising Illinois ’ toll to 7,631 .
• Cubs plan workouts to stay sharp with weekend series postponed due to COVID-19 .
• Newly reopened schools in Mississippi , Indiana and Georgia have already reported infections just days into the academic year .
10:47 a.m. Hope alone is not a success strategy First , regarding Lebanese officials who ignored warnings about the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse in Beirut : Was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they right to just leave the explosives sitting there ?
Considering the bother of disposing of 5 million pounds of fertilizer .
The cost .
And when you ’ ve gone to all the trouble , what would you have to show for it ?
An unblown-up city .
The same thing they started with .
Inaction worked , for a while .
For six years , nothing blew up .
Given that , would doing something have been worth it ?
I ’ d say yes , but then I am a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with explosives before they blow up , that ’ s my motto .
To the second question : The Archdiocese of Chicago is sending 70,000 Catholic students back to school this fall , to in-person classes , in the face of the raging COVID-19 epidemic : Is that a good idea ?
Maybe it is .
New York City , the largest school district in the nation , seems to think so .
Like disposing of explosives , keeping kids at home is difficult , on both parents and children .
The former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or pay for them to be cared for , or leave them unsupervised .
Education suffers .
Read more from Neil Steinberg here .
7:45 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 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington here .

The latest
Pritzker defends proposed changes to mask rules as state sees 1,382 new COVID-19 cases, 8 more deaths
Gov. J.B. Pritzker unveils a new mask awareness campaign called “It Only Works If You Wear It” on August 3, 2020. Justin L. Fowler/The State Journal-Register via AP
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Sunday defended his proposed new rules for “modest” changes to the way the current statewide mask mandate is enforced, saying politicians shouldn’t use a public health crisis for political gain.
The new emergency rules, which were filed Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health, offer local officials more leniency to give out warnings before fining businesses that don’t follow the state’s public masking and social distancing guidelines. It also would require businesses and schools to enforce the state’s mandatory mask mandate.
Pritzker, who was joined Sunday by a group of doctors and public health officials who shared support for his proposed new emergency rules, said he believes the rules are “fair.”
“Many, many businesses are doing the right thing, but it’s not fair to those businesses when their competitors are not doing the right thing,” Pritzker said. “And so, we think it’s fair to hold everybody accountable, to hold everybody to the same standard and we’re doing it in a way that should allow businesses to get it right.”
Pritzker said having rules requiring masks and proper social distancing makes “common sense.” But his new rule changes were met with some opposition.
Read the full story here.
News
5:09 p.m. State offering $5,000 grants for tenants struggling to pay rent amid pandemic. Here’s how to apply
Illinoisans struggling to make rent can apply Monday to qualify for a $5,000 grant in a $150 million program targeting residents hurt financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program, funded by the federal CARES Act, will offer rental assistance to about 30,000 renters across the state.
The application portal is expected to come online at 9 a.m. Monday and remain open until Aug. 21, a day before the state’s eviction moratorium is set to expire. Another state program offering $150 million in federally funded grants to homeowners will accept applications between Aug. 24 and Sept. 4.
Kristin Faust, executive director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the agency administering the grants, said the state is “really trying to prevent a huge eviction or foreclosure crisis” as the economy continues to falter in the face of the pandemic.
Read the full story here.
3:15 p.m. Shootings, protests and COVID-19: Why the CPD had to change its plans
For Chicago Police Supt. David Brown, the situation on the ground changed as soon as he arrived in town.
On April 2, the day Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced she’d selected Brown to be the next leader of the department, the CPD reported the first coronavirus-related death of an officer — that of veteran undercover cop Marco DiFranco. Two more officers have since died of of the virus, while more than 700 have tested positive.
A global pandemic, surging gun violence and widespread civil unrest quickly revealed that the ongoing structural reorganization of the department — put into motion by Brown’s predecessor, interim Supt. Charlie Beck — would need changing.
Read the full story here.
1 p.m. City takes new steps to deter gatherings at Montrose Beach after Lightfoot slams ‘reckless’ lakefront party
After Mayor Lori Lightfoot slammed revelers for ignoring city rules and social distancing guidelines and crashed their party Saturday at Montrose Beach, officials quickly installed new fencing and limited vehicle access to the area to prevent others from gathering on the closed-off lakefront.
On Sunday, Chicago Park District spokeswoman Michele Lemons said the fencing along the lakeshore was specifically put in place Saturday night “to deter large gathering like those observed yesterday.”
The move came after Lightfoot tweeted a stark warning Saturday evening alongside a photo that showed dozens of people congregating on a grassy patch near the water.
“It’s called a pandemic, people,” Lightfoot wrote. “This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don’t make us take steps backwards.”
Read the full story here.
12:27 p.m. ‘Don’t they care about their health?’ - Europeans alarmed as U.S. surpasses 5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases
ROME — With confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. hitting 5 million Sunday, by far the highest of any country, the failure of the most powerful nation in the world to contain the scourge has been met with astonishment and alarm in Europe.
Perhaps nowhere outside the U.S. is America’s bungled virus response viewed with more consternation than in Italy, which was ground zero of Europe’s epidemic. Italians were unprepared when the outbreak exploded in February, and the country still has one of the world’s highest official death tolls at over 35,000.
But after a strict nationwide, 10-week lockdown, vigilant tracing of new clusters and general acceptance of mask mandates and social distancing, Italy has become a model of virus containment.
“Don’t they care about their health?” a mask-clad Patrizia Antonini asked about people in the United States as she walked with friends along the banks of Lake Bracciano, north of Rome. “They need to take our precautions. ... They need a real lockdown.”
Read the full story from the Associated Press here.
10:58 a.m. Success of 2020 election hinges on U.S. Postal Service
WASHINGTON — Mail piling up. Constant attacks from the president. Cuts to overtime as record numbers of ballots are expected to pass through post offices this fall.
The success of the 2020 presidential election could hinge on a most unlikely government agency: the U.S. Postal Service. Current signs are not promising.
The Postal Service already was facing questions over how it would handle the expected spike of mail-in ballots due to the coronavirus pandemic, but several operational changes imposed by its new leader have led to mail backlogs across the United States as rumors of additional cutbacks swirl, fueling worries about the November vote.
“It seems like they’re just trying to turn customers away from the post office,” said Jim Sizemore, president of the American Postal Workers Union chapter in the Cincinnati region. He said his offices are behind on deliveries because of new rules specifying when mail can go out.
The pandemic has forced states to expand voting by mail as a safe alternative to in-person polling places. Some states are opting to send ballots to voters or allowing people to use fear of the virus as a reason to cast an absentee ballot. That’s led to predictions of an an unprecedented amount of mail voting in the presidential election.
Trailing in the polls, President Donald Trump has been sowing public distrust in the Postal Service’s ability to adequately deliver ballots and has, without evidence, said allowing more people to vote by mail will result in rampant corruption.
Read more from the Associated Press here.
7:40 a.m. 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 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.
Read the full story from the Associated Press here.
7:36 a.m. 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 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.
Read more from the Associated Press and the Sun-Times here.
7 a.m. Illinois announces 2,190 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday
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.
New Cases
Illinois logged more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases for a second straight day Saturday and the virus has killed 18 more residents, raising Illinois’ toll to 7,631.
Cubs plan workouts to stay sharp with weekend series postponed due to COVID-19.
Newly reopened schools in Mississippi, Indiana and Georgia have already reported infections just days into the academic year.
Analysis & Commentary
10:47 a.m. Hope alone is not a success strategy
Two questions.
First, regarding Lebanese officials who ignored warnings about the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse in Beirut: Was it smart to do nothing?
Were they right to just leave the explosives sitting there? Considering the bother of disposing of 5 million pounds of fertilizer. The cost. And when you’ve gone to all the trouble, what would you have to show for it? An unblown-up city. The same thing they started with.
Inaction worked, for a while. For six years, nothing blew up.
Given that, would doing something have been worth it? I’d say yes, but then I am a cautious sort, by nature. Cope with explosives before they blow up, that’s my motto.
To the second question:
The Archdiocese of Chicago is sending 70,000 Catholic students back to school this fall, to in-person classes, in the face of the raging COVID-19 epidemic: Is that a good idea?
Maybe it is. New York City, the largest school district in the nation, seems to think so. Like disposing of explosives, keeping kids at home is difficult, on both parents and children. The former have to care for the latter, or pay for them to be cared for, or leave them unsupervised. Education suffers.
Read more from Neil Steinberg here.
7:45 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.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-09--Pritzker defends proposed changes to mask rules as state sees 1,382 new COVID-19 cases, 8 more death

Pritzker defends proposed changes to mask rules as state sees 1,382 new COVID-19 cases, 8 more deaths

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Sunday defended his proposed new rules for “ modest ” changes to the way the current statewide mask mandate is enforced , saying politicians shouldn ’ t use a public health crisis for political gain .
The new emergency rules , which were filed Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health , offer local officials more leeway to give out warnings before fining businesses that don ’ t follow the state ’ s public masking and social distancing guidelines .
Pritzker , who was joined Sunday by a group of doctors and public health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new emergency rules , said he believes the rules are “ fair.
” “ Many , many businesses are doing the right thing , but it ’ s not fair to those businesses when their competitors are not doing the right thing , ” Pritzker said .
“ And so , we think it ’ s fair to hold everybody accountable , to hold everybody to the same standard and we ’ re doing it in a way that should allow businesses to get it right.
” Pritzker said having rules requiring masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense.
” But his new rule changes were met with some opposition .
The Illinois Retail Association on Friday issued a statement , saying Pritzker should focus on the customers who refuse to wear a mask rather than “ demonize innocent businesses.
” In the political realm , Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin on Friday called on Pritzker to “ abandon his mask rule ” and work with legislature on the issue .
On Sunday , Pritzker said a public health crisis shouldn ’ t be politicized .
“ The worst possible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to turn this into political football , ” he said .
“ There ’ s an unfortunate tendency in our politics these days to dig in your heels in a debate — but our actions in a public health crisis should be inspired not by elected officials , but by the scientists and doctors and researchers who know this stuff firsthand.
” Pritzker issued a statewide masking mandate May 1 .
Some of Illinois ’ bordering states have been slow to follow with Indiana waiting until July and Wisconsin August .
Pritzker said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a regional decline in new infections with governors from neighboring states , and he blamed President Donald Trump ’ s response to the pandemic for putting states in this position .
“ If we had responsible leadership in the White House , if we had leadership that cared about having a national strategy , we would have dealt with this months ago , ” said Pritzker , who said last month Illinoisans could be wearing masks into 2021 .
“ We should have a national mask mandate .
Instead , we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the earliest states to put one , and we ’ re trying to enforce it with this rule.
” The bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules still needs to approve Pritzker ’ s new rules , which will be up for consideration Tuesday in Springfield .
Pritzker ’ s latest plea comes as Illinois is at a “ critical moment in our pandemic response.
” State health officials on Sunday announce 1,382 new COVID-19 infections and eight new coronavirus-related deaths .
The new cases were detected among the latest batch of 41,354 tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lowered the state ’ s seven-day positivity rate to 4.1 % — a hair lower from Saturday when it clocked in at 4.2 % .
In total , 7,636 people in Illinois have died among at least 194,080 who have tested positive for the virus since March .
More than 3 million tests have been processed .
As of Saturday night , 322 Illinois coronavirus patients were hospitalized , with 322 in intensive care units and 114 on ventilators .
With numbers continuing to rise , public health officials and doctors joined Pritzker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public wearing masks and following proper social distancing to limit community transmission of the coronavirus .
University of Chicago epidemiologist Dr. Emily Landon said she understands that most people have what she called “ COVID fatigue.
” “ We ’ re sick of this pandemic and we ’ re sick of things being different , ” she said .
“ Everyone of us is looking for any single , any little green light that we can go back to doing something the normal way.
” But Landon said that won ’ t be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strictly enforced .
“ Mask and [ proper social ] distance are so important to keeping us out of lockdown that we have got to enforce them everywhere , ” Landon said .
“ Being clear about our expectations and being clear about our expectations and holding people accountable to the rules is fair and it ’ ll protect both businesses and individuals .
”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Sunday defended his proposed new rules for “modest” changes to the way the current statewide mask mandate is enforced, saying politicians shouldn’t use a public health crisis for political gain.
The new emergency rules, which were filed Friday by the Illinois Department of Public Health, offer local officials more leeway to give out warnings before fining businesses that don’t follow the state’s public masking and social distancing guidelines.
Pritzker, who was joined Sunday by a group of doctors and public health officials who shared support for his proposed new emergency rules, said he believes the rules are “fair.”
“Many, many businesses are doing the right thing, but it’s not fair to those businesses when their competitors are not doing the right thing,” Pritzker said. “And so, we think it’s fair to hold everybody accountable, to hold everybody to the same standard and we’re doing it in a way that should allow businesses to get it right.”
Pritzker said having rules requiring masks and proper social distancing makes “common sense.” But his new rule changes were met with some opposition.
The Illinois Retail Association on Friday issued a statement, saying Pritzker should focus on the customers who refuse to wear a mask rather than “demonize innocent businesses.” In the political realm, Illinois House Republican leader Jim Durkin on Friday called on Pritzker to “abandon his mask rule” and work with legislature on the issue.
On Sunday, Pritzker said a public health crisis shouldn’t be politicized.
“The worst possible outcome for public health right now is to turn this into political football,” he said. “There’s an unfortunate tendency in our politics these days to dig in your heels in a debate — but our actions in a public health crisis should be inspired not by elected officials, but by the scientists and doctors and researchers who know this stuff firsthand.”
Pritzker issued a statewide masking mandate May 1. Some of Illinois’ bordering states have been slow to follow with Indiana waiting until July and Wisconsin August. Pritzker said he’s discussed the importance in having a regional decline in new infections with governors from neighboring states, and he blamed President Donald Trump’s response to the pandemic for putting states in this position.
“If we had responsible leadership in the White House, if we had leadership that cared about having a national strategy, we would have dealt with this months ago,” said Pritzker, who said last month Illinoisans could be wearing masks into 2021. “We should have a national mask mandate. Instead, we have state-by-state patchwork ... We were one of the earliest states to put one, and we’re trying to enforce it with this rule.”
The bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules still needs to approve Pritzker’s new rules, which will be up for consideration Tuesday in Springfield.
Pritzker’s latest plea comes as Illinois is at a “critical moment in our pandemic response.”
State health officials on Sunday announce 1,382 new COVID-19 infections and eight new coronavirus-related deaths.
The new cases were detected among the latest batch of 41,354 tests processed in the last day, which lowered the state’s seven-day positivity rate to 4.1% — a hair lower from Saturday when it clocked in at 4.2%.
In total, 7,636 people in Illinois have died among at least 194,080 who have tested positive for the virus since March. More than 3 million tests have been processed.
As of Saturday night, 322 Illinois coronavirus patients were hospitalized, with 322 in intensive care units and 114 on ventilators.
With numbers continuing to rise, public health officials and doctors joined Pritzker in stressing the importance of the general public wearing masks and following proper social distancing to limit community transmission of the coronavirus.
University of Chicago epidemiologist Dr. Emily Landon said she understands that most people have what she called “COVID fatigue.”
“We’re sick of this pandemic and we’re sick of things being different,” she said. “Everyone of us is looking for any single, any little green light that we can go back to doing something the normal way.”
But Landon said that won’t be possible unless the mask mandate is more strictly enforced.
“Mask and [proper social] distance are so important to keeping us out of lockdown that we have got to enforce them everywhere,” Landon said. “Being clear about our expectations and being clear about our expectations and holding people accountable to the rules is fair and it’ll protect both businesses and individuals.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-09--Man wounded in shootout with Chicago police in Englewood

A man was shot during an exchange of gunfire with Chicago police Sunday in Englewood on the South Side , authorities said .
About 2:30 p.m. , officers responded to a call of a person with a gun in an alley near the 5700 block of South Racine and saw a man matching the description take off on foot , Deputy Chief Yolanda Talley told reporters .
During an ensuing chase , the man , thought to be in his late teens or early 20s , allegedly turned to the officers and fired shots .
Officers then returned fire and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the University of Chicago Medical Center in an unknown condition , Talley said .
He remains in police custody .
A gun was recovered at the scene , according to Talley .
No officers were injured in the shooting , though Talley said three were being evaluated at a hospital .
The shooting wasn ’ t captured on police body cameras , she said .
About an hour after the shootout , neighbors engaged in a standoff with officers that Talley described as “ very hostile.
” “ Emotions were running high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Talley said .
Some members of the community had heard a “ young person ” had been shot , while others were responding to a report that a witness who videotaped the shooting had his phone taken by officers .
She said those reports were inaccurate .
During the incident , one officer was maced and another suffered a shoulder injury , Talley said .
The first officer was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and the other was treated at the scene .
A brick was also lobbed through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
Two people were arrested in the aftermath of the confrontation , Talley said .
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the shooting .

A man was shot during an exchange of gunfire with Chicago police Sunday in Englewood on the South Side, authorities said.
About 2:30 p.m., officers responded to a call of a person with a gun in an alley near the 5700 block of South Racine and saw a man matching the description take off on foot, Deputy Chief Yolanda Talley told reporters. During an ensuing chase, the man, thought to be in his late teens or early 20s, allegedly turned to the officers and fired shots.
Related Man shot by police in Englewood charged with attempted murder
Two officers then returned fire and struck the suspect, who was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized, authorities said. He remains in police custody.
A gun was recovered at the scene, according to Talley.
No officers were injured in the shooting, though Talley said three were being evaluated at a hospital. The shooting wasn’t captured on police body cameras, she said.
Offender’s firearm recovered by police after firing at Officers. Officers returned fire striking the offender. Offender transported to U of C Hospital. pic.twitter.com/UQPmfP3a35 — Tom Ahern (@TomAhernCPD) August 9, 2020
About an hour after the shootout, neighbors engaged in a standoff with officers that Talley described as “very hostile.”
“Emotions were running high. They were responding to misinformation,” Talley said.
Some members of the community had heard a “young person” had been shot, while others were responding to a report that a witness who videotaped the shooting had his phone taken by officers. She said those reports were inaccurate.
During the incident, one officer was maced and another suffered a shoulder injury, Talley said. The first officer was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and the other was treated at the scene. A brick was also lobbed through the window of a police vehicle, she said.
Two people were arrested in the aftermath of the confrontation, Talley said.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the use of force.
The shooting narrative put forth by Talley doesn’t align with the account offered by a 19-year-old man claiming to be the brother of the victim.
Earl Allen said he and his 20-year-old brother were hanging out at Moran Park, at the intersection of 57th Street and Racine, when they got into a “little altercation” and left. The Sun-Times is withholding the man’s name because he hasn’t been charged with a crime.
As the brothers walked off with a group of people, Allen said someone made a comment to officers in a police vehicle that prompted a pursuit. After the group dispersed, Allen said he returned to the 5600 block of South Aberdeen, where he and his brother live.
That’s when he heard roughly eight or nine gunshots ring out.
“I’m hearing it. I’m like, ‘Oh no, no, no, no. They’re shooting. I hope they ain’t just shoot my brother,’” said Allen, who did not see the shooting.
A short time later, Allen’s wounded brother emerged in a grassy clearing and ran into their home. Fire officials confirmed the victim of the shooting was picked up at the home.
Shown a photo of the gun officers reportedly recovered, Allen denied that it belonged to his brother.
“My brother ain’t fired at no police,” he said.
Records show the man has been arrested twice in just over a year. Last July, he was arrested at the same address and charged with domestic battery. On March 26, he was arrested in the nearby 5700 block of South May and charged with reckless conduct and child endangerment.
The battery charge was later dropped and the other case is ongoing, court records show.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-09--Cubs shifting focus to Cleveland with first workout in the books

The Cubs were back in action on Sunday as they held their first of two workouts at Wrigley Field , playing a five-inning sim game to get players some additional work .
The team had to switch gears after their weekend series in St. Louis was postponed due to the Cardinals ’ recent COVID-19 outbreak .
The unexpected off-days provides the Cubs with some additional rest , but they ’ re making sure they stay sharp ahead of their quick two-game series in Cleveland .
Manager David Ross is keeping things light while also making sure his team is ready @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I think the fun part is that we get to come to work together where we all feel super safe in this environment , ” manager David Ross said .
So that ’ s a nice positive for us .
Really good energy at our workout today .
It would be really easy to not focus on a day like today .
It was hot out there and I think you get over an intrasquad atmosphere really fast with no noise and we didn ’ t have the crowd noise and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was fun .
“ We ’ re all holding up fine .
I think the tricky part is off the field stuff .
I think these guys have been hanging out a lot together and doing things together and things that they can do in environments that they can control .
I think all that is a positive.
” Attempting to play against a team with a recent coronavirus outbreak might be an iffy proposition for players these days , and having the confidence that the health and safety protocols are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to ensure that .
While the Cubs series with the Cardinals never materialized , the Cubs were prepared for any scenario , including playing all three games despite the growing uncertainty .
“ We talked about it as a team and we trusted the process of the league , ” center fielder Ian Happ said .
“ We trusted that the testing they were doing , as shown , would pick up any positives and that they would do a good job making sure that we were safe .
And they did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We were ready to go and get those three games in , but obviously the testing protocols worked .
They did a great job of picking everything up and making sure that the process was taken care of when it pertains to the direct contacts , and making sure that they took the right amount of time.
” The postponed series allows the Cubs to realign their starting rotation prior to Tuesday ’ s series against the Indians .
Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks will start in Cleveland on Tuesday and Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alec Mills face the Brewers Thursday , Friday and Saturday .
Mills tossed five innings in Sunday ’ s sim game , throwing 58 pitches .
“ I think the factors just came down to how many days off , ” Ross said .
“ Being able to get [ Mills ] , just where he fell in from his last start , to get him that sim game today just lined up for giving each guy the least amount of days off as we possibly could .
”

The Cubs held their first of two workouts at Wrigley Field on Sunday, playing a five-inning simulated game to get players some additional work. The team had to switch gears after its weekend series in St. Louis was postponed because of the Cardinals’ recent COVID-19 outbreak.
The unexpected days off provide the Cubs with some additional rest, but they’re making sure they stay sharp ahead of their quick two-game series in Cleveland. Manager David Ross is keeping things light while also making sure his team is ready to go when it restarts Tuesday.
“I think the fun part is that we get to come to work together where we all feel super-safe in this environment,” Ross said. ‘‘So that’s a nice positive for us. Really good energy at our workout today. It would be really easy to not focus on a day like today. It was hot out there, and I think you get over an intrasquad atmosphere really fast with no noise, and we didn’t have the crowd noise and no fans. Guys gave great energy. It was fun.
“We’re all holding up fine. I think the tricky part is off-the-field stuff. I think these guys have been hanging out a lot together and doing things together and things that they can do in environments that they can control. I think all of that is a positive.”
Happ pleased with MLB response
Facing a team with a recent coronavirus outbreak might be an iffy proposition for players these days, and having the confidence that the health and safety protocols are followed to a T is the only way to ensure that.
While the series with the Cardinals never materialized, the Cubs were prepared for any scenario, including playing all three games despite the growing uncertainty.
“We talked about it as a team, and we trusted the process of the league,” center fielder Ian Happ said. “We trusted that the testing they were doing, as shown, would pick up any positives and that they would do a good job making sure that we were safe. And they did. We were completely prepared to play. We were ready to go and get those three games in, but obviously the testing protocols worked. They did a great job of picking everything up and making sure that the process was taken care of when it pertains to the direct contacts, and making sure that they took the right amount of time.”
Cubs adjust rotation
The postponed series allows the Cubs to realign their rotation before the series against the Indians.
Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks will start Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Yu Darvish, Tyler Chatwood and Alec Mills will face the Brewers on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Mills pitched five innings in Sunday’s sim game, throwing 58 pitches.
“I think the factors just came down to how many days off,” Ross said. “Being able to get [Mills], just where he fell in from his last start, to get him that sim game today just lined up for giving each guy the least amount of days off as we possibly could.”


chicagosun-times--2020-08-09--State offering $5,000 grants for tenants struggling to pay rent amid pandemic. Here’s how to apply

Illinoisans struggling to make rent can apply Monday to qualify for a $ 5,000 grant in a $ 150 million program targeting residents hurt financially during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The program , funded by the federal CARES Act , will offer rental assistance to about 30,000 renters across the state .
The application portal is expected to come online at 9 a.m. Monday and remain open until Aug. 21 , a day before the state ’ s eviction moratorium is set to expire .
Another state program offering $ 150 million in federally funded grants to homeowners will accept @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Kristin Faust , executive director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority , the agency administering the grants , said the state is “ really trying to prevent a huge eviction or foreclosure crisis ” as the economy continues to falter in the face of the pandemic .
In June , the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported that 14.6 % of Illinoisans were unemployed , up more than 10 % from the same time last year .
To apply for rent relief , tenants must first upload a photo of their identification @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their landlord .
The property owner will then be alerted and prompted to upload a series of documents .
The grants can be used to cover rent payments between March and December , Faust said .
IDHA expects to start wiring the first grant checks to landlords by Aug. 28 , according to Faust , who anticipates that all the payments will be doled out by the end of September .
She hopes the other grants for mortgage holders will all be issued by late October .
“ We ’ re trying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be , which is at home with shelter and not having to add another level of worry around their housing stability , ” she said .
Efforts to forestall a looming housing crisis have intensified since a federal eviction moratorium expired last month .
On Friday , Cook County officials announced a separate rental assistance program that will utilize $ 20 million in federal funding and begin accepting applications Monday .
Though President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders Saturday that included an eviction ban , advocates have raised concerns that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imperiled renters .
Meanwhile , Faust is pushing for more federal money to assist Illinois renters and homeowners .

Illinoisans struggling to make rent can apply Monday to qualify for a $5,000 grant in a $150 million program targeting residents hurt financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program, funded by the federal CARES Act, will offer rental assistance to about 30,000 renters across the state.
The application portal is expected to come online at 9 a.m. Monday and remain open until Aug. 21, a day before the state’s eviction moratorium is set to expire. Another state program offering $150 million in federally funded grants to homeowners will accept applications between Aug. 24 and Sept. 4.
Kristin Faust, executive director of the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the agency administering the grants, said the state is “really trying to prevent a huge eviction or foreclosure crisis” as the economy continues to falter in the face of the pandemic.
In June, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported that 14.6% of Illinoisans were unemployed, up more than 10% from the same time last year.
To apply for rent relief, tenants must first upload a photo of their identification and provide the name and email address of their landlord. The property owner will then be alerted and prompted to upload a series of documents. The grants can be used to cover rent payments between March and December, Faust said.
IDHA expects to start wiring the first grant checks to landlords by Aug. 28, according to Faust, who anticipates that all the payments will be doled out by the end of September. She hopes the other grants for mortgage holders will all be issued by late October.
“We’re trying to keep people where they need to be, which is at home with shelter and not having to add another level of worry around their housing stability,” she said.
Efforts to forestall a looming housing crisis have intensified since a federal eviction moratorium expired last month. On Friday, Cook County officials announced a separate rental assistance program that will utilize $20 million in federal funding and begin accepting applications Monday.
Though President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders Saturday that included an eviction ban, advocates have raised concerns that the measure doesn’t help most imperiled renters. Meanwhile, Faust is pushing for more federal money to assist Illinois renters and homeowners.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-09--Blackhawks notebook: Kirby Dach reflects on first NHL goal; nobody reflects on Robin Lehner

Kirby Dach has fond memories of playing the Golden Knights this past season .
After all , it was against Vegas that he scored his first NHL goal on Oct. 22 , his second career NHL game .
Late in the first period , Olli Maatta circled behind the net and out to the right faceoff circle and Dach found wide-open space to the left of the crease .
Dach whiffed on Maatta ’ s pass with his stick , but managed to deflect it into the goal with his knee and erupted in an exuberant celebration .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHL , and two games in , you ’ ve got your first goal .
That ’ s pretty special , ” Dach said later that October night , his moment dampened by the Hawks ’ 2-1 shootout loss .
“ You take them however they come .
For me , I ’ m not really too worried about scoring the pretty goals as long as they go in.
” Dach ’ s success against the Golden Knights continued the next month , when he tallied his first career two-point game — a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hawks ’ 5-3 victory in Vegas on Nov. 13 .
That night was part of a seven-points-in-five-games outburst that represented Dach ’ s first substantial offensive step forward in professional hockey .
His goal came on an impressive 3-on-2 rush with Zack Smith and Ryan Carpenter ; his first attempt was turned away , but he smoothly gathered the rebound and ripped it in .
“ The first one just went off my shinpad and in , so that ’ s that , ” Dach said Sunday when asked about the two games @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I got a couple of good bounces and nice plays from linemates to help me out with those.
” It doesn ’ t seem like last autumn has been on his mind much since learning of the upcoming Hawks-Knights playoff matchup .
“ It ’ s not about individual success right now , ” he said .
“ It ’ s moreso about team success and winning those important games .
Whether it ’ s getting points from me or being good on the defensive side of the puck or doing what it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really the only thing that matters right now.
” The Hawks made it clear Sunday that they ’ re not interested in talking about Robin Lehner , as compelling as the storyline about the teammate-turned-opponent goaltender is .
“ He ’ s a part of their team and he ’ s a good player , but we ’ ve got a lot to worry about with [ the Knights ] , ” Dylan Strome said .
“ We ’ ll do our best to obviously score on him , but like I said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the team as a whole.
” Coach Jeremy Colliton was asked about Lehner twice in a row and expressed growing exasperation about the subject .
“ There ’ s turnover in the league , [ it ] changes every year , ” Colliton said the first time .
“ I don ’ t think it ’ s that out of the ordinary that you ’ ll face an old teammate in the playoffs .
Obviously when we prepare for Vegas , he ’ s part of it .
But we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Listen , he was a big part of our team when he was here , ” he said the second time .
“ But at the same time , it ’ s over .
Our total focus is on beating Vegas , and that ’ s what we ’ re going to talk about .
”

Rookie center Kirby Dach has fond memories of playing the Golden Knights this season.
After all, he scored his first NHL goal against them in his second career game Oct. 22.
Late in the first period, as defenseman Olli Maatta circled behind the net and out to the right faceoff circle, Dach found wide-open space to the left of the crease. Dach whiffed on Maatta’s pass with his stick, but he managed to deflect the puck into the net with his knee and erupted in an exuberant celebration.
‘‘I grew up dreaming of playing in the NHL, and two games in, you’ve got your first goal,’’ Dach said after the Hawks’ 2-1 shootout loss that night. ‘‘That’s pretty special. You take them however they come. For me, I’m not really too worried about scoring the pretty goals, as long as they go in.’’
Dach’s success against the Knights continued the next month, when he notched his first career two-point game — a goal and an assist — in the Hawks’ 5-3 victory Nov. 13.
That night was part of a seven-points-in-five-games outburst that represented Dach’s first substantial offensive step forward in the NHL. His goal came on an impressive three-on-two rush with Zack Smith and Ryan Carpenter. His first attempt was turned away, but he gathered the rebound and ripped it in.
‘‘The first one just went off my shin pad and in, so that’s that,’’ Dach said Sunday when asked about the two games. ‘‘The second time, I got a couple of good bounces and nice plays from linemates to help me out with those.’’
It doesn’t seem like last autumn has been on Dach’s mind much since learning of the Hawks-Knights playoff matchup.
‘‘It’s not about individual success right now,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s more about team success and winning those important games. Whether it’s getting points from me or being good on the defensive side of the puck or doing what it takes to win, that’s really the only thing that matters right now.’’
The Hawks aren’t going to publicly entertain discussion about their ex-goalie Robin Lehner. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
Lehner a taboo subject
The Hawks made it clear they’re not interested in talking about goalie Robin Lehner, as compelling as the storyline about the teammate-turned-opponent is.
‘‘He’s a part of their team and he’s a good player, but we’ve got a lot to worry about with [the Knights],’’ center Dylan Strome said. ‘‘We’ll do our best to score on him, but our main focus is on Vegas and the team as a whole.’’
Coach Jeremy Colliton was asked consecutive questions about Lehner and showed growing exasperation about the subject.
‘‘There’s turnover in the league; [it] changes every year,’’ Colliton said the first time. ‘‘I don’t think it’s that out of the ordinary that you’ll face an old teammate in the playoffs. Obviously, when we prepare for Vegas, he’s part of it. But we’re focused on their whole group.’’
The second time, he said: ‘‘Listen, he was a big part of our team when he was here. But at the same time, it’s over. Our total focus is on beating Vegas, and that’s what we’re going to talk about.’’


chicagosun-times--2020-08-09--Blackhawks expect depth to be tested by well-rounded Golden Knights

The Blackhawks ’ two 2020 playoff opponents , the now-dispatched Oilers and the soon-to-come Golden Knights , could not possibly be made up more differently .
The Oilers are arguably the NHL ’ s most top-heavy team .
The Knights , conversely , are arguably the NHL ’ s deepest team .
‘ ‘ They seem to use all four lines a little more than Edmonton did , ’ ’ defenseman Connor Murphy said Sunday .
‘ ‘ It ’ ll be definitely different defending against that team game and that simple pressure and speed that they have .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ ll be something that we look at these next couple of days and either adjust or roll with.
’ ’ While the Oilers ’ Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid led the league with 110 and 97 points , respectively , during the regular season , the Knights ’ top scorer had only 66 .
That guy , Max Pacioretty , has been out with an injury since the restart , but he ’ s expected to be ready for the series against the Hawks .
Pacioretty is only one part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They also have Mark Stone ( 63 points ) , Reilly Smith ( 54 ) , Jonathan Marchessault ( 47 ) , William Karlsson ( 46 ) and Paul Stastny ( 38 ) among the forward corps , plus one of the NHL ’ s top-scoring defensemen in Shea Theodore ( 46 ) .
Their top defensive pairing , Nate Schmidt and Brayden McNabb , contributes some offense ( Schmidt had 31 points ) but is particularly strong in its own zone .
And in the net , much-discussed former Hawks goalie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Famer in Marc-Andre Fleury .
During the regular season , the Knights led the league in scoring chances and shots on goal per game and ranked second in shot attempts .
On defense , they conceded the second-fewest shots on goal and third-fewest scoring chances and shot attempts .
‘ ‘ They ’ re an excellent team [ that ] played really well , especially as the year has gone on , ’ ’ coach Jeremy Colliton said .
‘ ‘ Stingy defensively , but they ’ ve created a lot going the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re going to have to raise our level.
’ ’ Even the Knights ’ lower lines are solid .
Their gritty fourth line of William Carrier centering Ryan Reaves and Nicolas Roy impressed in the round-robin games , and third-line wing Alex Tuch scored the overtime winner Saturday against the Avalanche to clinch the top seed .
‘ ‘ They ’ re a good team , they ’ re deep up front , they have good defense , great goaltending , ’ ’ center Kirby Dach said .
‘ ‘ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re smart , they ’ re a disciplined team .
We just know we ’ re going to have to keep elevating our game to compete.
’ ’ Nearly the entire Hawks team watched the Knights-Avalanche game from the stands at Rogers Place in Edmonton , getting a head start on their scouting and preparation .
The Hawks went 1-1-1 against the Knights in the season series — losing 2-1 in a shootout Oct. 22 , winning 5-3 on Nov. 13 and losing 5-1 on Dec. 10 — but it has been eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed coaches — from Gerard Gallant to Pete DeBoer — and Lehner , who started the game Oct. 22 for the Hawks , has flipped sides .
Colliton touted the Hawks ’ high attendance Saturday as an indication of their hunger to win , a trait they demonstrated while upsetting the Oilers .
But he realizes the Knights are a more battle-tested and comprehensive foe .
The Hawks will need an even bigger underdog effort to pull off another upset .
‘ ‘ It was the case last series , too , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a chance , ’ ’ Colliton said .
‘ ‘ It ’ s going to be more of the same .
They have a lot of depth , and we need the full group every night [ to be ] ready for puck drop .
If we do that , we have a chance to compete .
But we need everyone going .
’ ’

The Blackhawks’ two 2020 playoff opponents, the now-dispatched Oilers and the soon-to-come Golden Knights, could not possibly be made up more differently.
The Oilers are arguably the NHL’s most top-heavy team. The Knights, conversely, are arguably the NHL’s deepest team.
‘‘They seem to use all four lines a little more than Edmonton did,’’ defenseman Connor Murphy said Sunday. ‘‘It’ll be definitely different defending against that team game and that simple pressure and speed that they have. They play that playoff-style game, as well. That’ll be something that we look at these next couple of days and either adjust or roll with.’’
While the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid led the league with 110 and 97 points, respectively, during the regular season, the Knights’ top scorer had only 66. That guy, Max Pacioretty, has been out with an injury since the restart, but he’s expected to be ready for the series against the Hawks.
Pacioretty is only one part of the Knights’ army, though. They also have Mark Stone (63 points), Reilly Smith (54), Jonathan Marchessault (47), William Karlsson (46) and Paul Stastny (38) among the forward corps, plus one of the NHL’s top-scoring defensemen in Shea Theodore (46).
Their top defensive pairing, Nate Schmidt and Brayden McNabb, contributes some offense (Schmidt had 31 points) but is particularly strong in its own zone.
And in the net, much-discussed former Hawks goalie Robin Lehner complements a future Hall of Famer in Marc-Andre Fleury.
During the regular season, the Knights led the league in scoring chances and shots on goal per game and ranked second in shot attempts. On defense, they conceded the second-fewest shots on goal and third-fewest scoring chances and shot attempts.
‘‘They’re an excellent team [that] played really well, especially as the year has gone on,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said. ‘‘Stingy defensively, but they’ve created a lot going the other way, too. We know we’re going to have to raise our level.’’
Even the Knights’ lower lines are solid. Their gritty fourth line of William Carrier centering Ryan Reaves and Nicolas Roy impressed in the round-robin games, and third-line wing Alex Tuch scored the overtime winner Saturday against the Avalanche to clinch the top seed.
‘‘They’re a good team, they’re deep up front, they have good defense, great goaltending,’’ center Kirby Dach said. ‘‘They play the game fast, they’re smart, they’re a disciplined team. We just know we’re going to have to keep elevating our game to compete.’’
Nearly the entire Hawks team watched the Knights-Avalanche game from the stands at Rogers Place in Edmonton, getting a head start on their scouting and preparation.
The Hawks went 1-1-1 against the Knights in the season series — losing 2-1 in a shootout Oct. 22, winning 5-3 on Nov. 13 and losing 5-1 on Dec. 10 — but it has been eight months since then.
The Knights have changed coaches — from Gerard Gallant to Pete DeBoer — and Lehner, who started the game Oct. 22 for the Hawks, has flipped sides.
Colliton touted the Hawks’ high attendance Saturday as an indication of their hunger to win, a trait they demonstrated while upsetting the Oilers. But he realizes the Knights are a more battle-tested and comprehensive foe. The Hawks will need an even bigger underdog effort to pull off another upset.
‘‘It was the case last series, too, that we needed everyone going to give ourselves a chance,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘It’s going to be more of the same. They have a lot of depth, and we need the full group every night [to be] ready for puck drop. If we do that, we have a chance to compete. But we need everyone going.’’


chicagosun-times--2020-08-10--EB I-80 closed after double-fatal crash in Lansing

Two people were killed in a crash that shut down all eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 Monday in south suburban @ @ @ @ @ at 4:18 a.m. on eastbound I-80 near Burnham Avenue , according to Illinois State Police @ @ @ @ @ in the same vehicle were killed .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ the fatalities .
All eastbound lanes remain closed as authorities investigate .
Traffic is being @ @ @ @ @ Torrence Avenue .

Two people were killed in a crash that shut down all eastbound lanes of I-80 for nearly eight hours Monday near the Illinois border with Indiana
A 47-year-old woman was driving a black 2015 Nissan Rouge about 4:15 a.m. in the left eastbound lane of I-80 near Burnham Avenue near Lansing when she lost control of the vehicle and struck a concrete barrier, Illinois State police said. She drove back into traffic and struck a black 2014 Chevrolet Equinox.
The Nissan continued and crashed into a semi-truck, state police said. A black 2012 Chevrolet Silverado then hit the Equinox.
The 47-year-old woman in the Nissan and her passenger were ejected from the vehicle and were pronounced dead on the scene, state police said.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office has not released details about the fatalities.
All eastbound lanes were closed for an investigation until 12:15 p.m. Traffic was diverted off the expressway at Torrence Avenue.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-10--38 shot, 4 fatally, in Chicago this weekend

Four people were killed and at least 34 others were wounded in shootings across Chicago over the weekend .
The latest fatal attack happened early Monday in Grand Crossing on the South Side .
A 22-year-old man was shot in the chest about 3 a.m. in the 7700 block of South Ingleside Avenue , according to Chicago police .
He went to Jackson Park Hospital on his own and was pronounced dead .
Another man was killed Sunday in Marquette Park on the Southwest Side .
Officers responding to reports of gunfire at 2:59 a.m. found the 31-year-old man unresponsive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of South Maplewood Avenue , police said .
He was shot multiple times and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn , where he was pronounced dead .
A man was killed and two others were wounded in a shooting Saturday morning in Englewood on the South Side .
Someone shot them after an argument at 3:53 a.m. in the 1300 block of West 64th Street , police said .
A 29-year-old man was shot multiple times and taken to Saint Bernard Hospital , where he died .
The Cook County medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Keith Richmond , of Austin .
A 20-year-old man was hit in the shoulder and went to the University of Chicago Medical Center on his own in good condition , police said .
A 21-year-old man was shot in the groin and leg and went to the same hospital in critical condition .
About an hour earlier , a 20-year-old man was shot dead in Belmont Cragin on the Northwest Side .
Hugo Tecomateco was found unresponsive on the sidewalk about 2:18 a.m. in the 2100 block of North Parkside Avenue , authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University Medical Center with gunshot wounds to the head and lower back .
He was later pronounced dead .
Three teenagers were among those injured by gunfire over the weekend .
A 15-year-old girl was grazed in a shooting early Sunday in Greater Grand Crossing on the South Side .
She was at a park about 12:44 a.m. in the 100 block of West 66th Street when a fight broke out among a group of males , according to police .
Someone fired shots , grazing the girl on her face .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in fair condition .
Police said she may not have been the intended target .
Just over an hour before that , a 17-year-old boy was shot in Lawndale on the West Side .
He was outside with a group of friends about 11:26 p.m. Saturday in the 1300 block of South Christiana Avenue when he heard gunfire and felt pain , police said .
He didn ’ t see who shot him or where shots came from .
A friend drove him to Mount Sinai Hospital , where he was in fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14-year-old boy was wounded in West Pullman on the Far South Side .
The 14-year-old walked into Roseland Community Hospital at 4:28 a.m. with a gunshot wound to his shoulder , according to police .
He was transferred to Comer Children ’ s Hospital in fair condition .
He told investigators the shooting may have happened in the 11500 block of South Yale Avenue , but was uncooperative regarding details , police said .
At least 29 other people have been injured by gun violence in Chicago between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people were shot to death across the city and 25 others were hurt .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Four people were killed and at least 36 others were wounded in shootings across Chicago over the weekend.
The latest fatal attack happened early Monday in Grand Crossing on the South Side.
A 22-year-old man was shot in the chest about 3 a.m. in the 7700 block of South Ingleside Avenue, according to Chicago police. He went to Jackson Park Hospital on his own and was pronounced dead.
Another man was killed Sunday in Marquette Park on the Southwest Side.
Officers responding to reports of gunfire at 2:59 a.m. found the 31-year-old man unresponsive on a porch in the 6700 block of South Maplewood Avenue, police said. He was shot multiple times and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where he was pronounced dead.
A man was killed and two others were wounded in a shooting Saturday morning in Englewood on the South Side.
Someone shot them after an argument at 3:53 a.m. in the 1300 block of West 64th Street, police said. A 29-year-old man was shot multiple times and taken to Saint Bernard Hospital, where he died. The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified him as Keith Richmond, of Austin.
A 20-year-old man was hit in the shoulder and went to the University of Chicago Medical Center on his own in good condition, police said. A 21-year-old man was shot in the groin and leg and went to the same hospital in critical condition.
About an hour earlier, a 20-year-old man was shot dead in Belmont Cragin on the Northwest Side.
Hugo Tecomateco was found unresponsive on the sidewalk about 2:18 a.m. in the 2100 block of North Parkside Avenue, authorities said. He was taken to Loyola University Medical Center with gunshot wounds to the head and lower back. He was later pronounced dead.
Two men were critically wounded early Monday amid widespread looting and property damage downtown.
A security guard was wounded in a shooting shortly before 4 a.m. in the 400 block of North Clark Street, according to Chicago Fire Department officials. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
A second man was shot about 2 a.m. near Madison and Wabash, fire officials said. He was also taken to Northwestern in critical condition.
Three teenagers were among those injured by gunfire over the weekend.
A 15-year-old girl was grazed in a shooting early Sunday in Greater Grand Crossing on the South Side.
She was at a park about 12:44 a.m. in the 100 block of West 66th Street when a fight broke out among a group of males, according to police. Someone fired shots, grazing the girl on her face. A relative drove her to St. Bernard Hospital in fair condition.
Police said she may not have been the intended target.
Just over an hour before that, a 17-year-old boy was shot in Lawndale on the West Side.
He was outside with a group of friends about 11:26 p.m. Saturday in the 1300 block of South Christiana Avenue when he heard gunfire and felt pain, police said. He didn’t see who shot him or where shots came from. A friend drove him to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was in fair condition.
Early Saturday morning, a 14-year-old boy was wounded in West Pullman on the Far South Side.
The 14-year-old walked into Roseland Community Hospital at 4:28 a.m. with a gunshot wound to his shoulder, according to police. He was transferred to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition.
He told investigators the shooting may have happened in the 11500 block of South Yale Avenue, but was uncooperative regarding details, police said.
At least 29 other people have been injured by gun violence in Chicago between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Monday.
Last weekend, nine people were shot to death across the city and 25 others were hurt.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-10--Dear Abby: Wife says affair is over, but phone shows her texting Other Guy

DEAR ABBY : I found out a year ago that my wife of eight years had an affair for three years with my best friend .
Two months ago I realized she is still contacting him .
I found out because I went through her cell records .
She said she was just texting him about how he ruined our life .
Now I have no access to them , and I suspect she ’ s using a text app so I won ’ t know .
She keeps her phone with her all the time .
I can ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know what to do .
I always let her do what she wanted and never had a concern before this .
I was always laid-back , but now I can ’ t stop thinking she is up to no good .
How do I approach this with her ?
We have been to counseling .
Every time I bring up her affair , she says our marriage will never work because of trust issues , and I agree .
Please help .
— OUT OF CHANCES IN FLORIDA DEAR OUT @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you , so your trust issues are well-founded .
If she would like to stay married to you , she should not be hiding her cellphone and texts from you .
If she ’ s unwilling to cooperate , then what she said is 100 % correct — your marriage WILL never work , and your next step should be to talk to an attorney .
DEAR ABBY : I had a baby a year ago .
I ’ m 46 , and my son ’ s father just turned 50 .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but I am conflicted .
We are not married , and it will be my money that we use for the down payment .
I have expressed that I would like to be married before we buy the house , but nothing has happened .
I have brought the subject up several times , but I now feel really nervous about his not following through .
How should I proceed from here ?
— DOWN PAYMENT DILEMMA IN NEW YORK DEAR D.P.D .
: That the father of your baby keeps “ forgetting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to be married is a red flag .
It appears he is unwilling to make that commitment .
Before moving forward with buying property with someone who is reluctant to make a commitment , it is extremely important that you discuss this with a lawyer .
An attorney can help to ensure your financial interests will be protected .
Until you have done that , keep your checkbook firmly CLOSED .
DEAR ABBY : I am about to be married to a wonderful man who has three teenagers from a previous marriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and his daughter is also 16 .
They have TERRIBLE table manners , which seem to be encouraged by their grandfather .
My fiance has spoken to his dad regarding the unacceptable behavior , yet it continues .
When my fiance tries to enforce common table etiquette , the children ask why the change .
Table manners were not part of their upbringing , and they don ’ t see the importance .
How do I — or should I — attempt to undo 18 years of poor habits ?
— EMBARRASSED @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manners ARE important .
They reveal a lot about someone ’ s upbringing or lack of it .
Not knowing the basics can negatively affect not only a person ’ s social life , but also his or her career .
You would be doing those young people a huge favor if you speak up and support your fiance in this .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , CA 90069 .
For everything you need to know about wedding planning , order “ How to Have a Lovely Wedding.
” Send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 8 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Wedding Booklet , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I found out a year ago that my wife of eight years had an affair for three years with my best friend. Two months ago I realized she is still contacting him. I found out because I went through her cell records. She said she was just texting him about how he ruined our life. Now I have no access to them, and I suspect she’s using a text app so I won’t know. She keeps her phone with her all the time.
I can’t live like this, and I don’t know what to do. I always let her do what she wanted and never had a concern before this. I was always laid-back, but now I can’t stop thinking she is up to no good. How do I approach this with her? We have been to counseling. Every time I bring up her affair, she says our marriage will never work because of trust issues, and I agree. Please help. — OUT OF CHANCES IN FLORIDA
DEAR OUT: Your wife and best friend betrayed you, so your trust issues are well-founded. If she would like to stay married to you, she should not be hiding her cellphone and texts from you. If she’s unwilling to cooperate, then what she said is 100% correct — your marriage WILL never work, and your next step should be to talk to an attorney.
DEAR ABBY: I had a baby a year ago. I’m 46, and my son’s father just turned 50. We are looking to buy a house, but I am conflicted. We are not married, and it will be my money that we use for the down payment. I have expressed that I would like to be married before we buy the house, but nothing has happened. I have brought the subject up several times, but I now feel really nervous about his not following through. How should I proceed from here? — DOWN PAYMENT DILEMMA IN NEW YORK
DEAR D.P.D.: That the father of your baby keeps “forgetting” to address the fact that you want to be married is a red flag. It appears he is unwilling to make that commitment. Before moving forward with buying property with someone who is reluctant to make a commitment, it is extremely important that you discuss this with a lawyer. An attorney can help to ensure your financial interests will be protected. Until you have done that, keep your checkbook firmly CLOSED.
DEAR ABBY: I am about to be married to a wonderful man who has three teenagers from a previous marriage. His boys are 18 and 16, and his daughter is also 16. They have TERRIBLE table manners, which seem to be encouraged by their grandfather. My fiance has spoken to his dad regarding the unacceptable behavior, yet it continues.
When my fiance tries to enforce common table etiquette, the children ask why the change. Table manners were not part of their upbringing, and they don’t see the importance. How do I — or should I — attempt to undo 18 years of poor habits? — EMBARRASSED AT THE TABLE
DEAR EMBARRASSED: Table manners ARE important. They reveal a lot about someone’s upbringing or lack of it. Not knowing the basics can negatively affect not only a person’s social life, but also his or her career. You would be doing those young people a huge favor if you speak up and support your fiance in this.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)


chicagosun-times--2020-08-10--‘Mapleworth Murders’: Hilarious actors criminally misused on sophomoric detective spoof

Can you believe it ?
There ’ s been yet another murder in the quaint and seemingly idyllic town of New Woodstream , and once again it ’ ll fall to the legendary author/amateur sleuth Abigail Mapleworth to solve the case .
After all , even as Abigail struggles with writer ’ s block in an attempt to write her first full-length work of fiction after publishing dozens of popular crime novellas , she has found the time to solve some 116 murders .
Paula Pell ’ s new Quibi series “ Mapleworth Murders ” is an affectionate albeit raunchy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” with at least one new corpse surfacing in nearly every episodic chapter — with each episode lasting fewer than 10 minutes , in not-so-classic Quibi tradition .
The immensely talented and likable Pell created such characters as the Spartan Cheerleaders , the Culps and Debbie Downer during her legendary run as a writer on “ Saturday Night Live , ” and while “ The Mapleworth Murders ” has its laugh-out-loud moments of inspired lunacy , the broad tone and highly exaggerated characters seem better suited for an “ SNL ” sketch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did get a kick out of ol ’ Abigail , a goodhearted , no-filter busybody who lives with untold numbers of cats and dogs in her cozy country home , is prone to utterances dripping with sexual innuendo , and delights in saying , “ There ’ s been a MAAAHRDER !
” every time she walks in on yet another fresh crime scene .
And oh , does Abigail have keen deductive powers .
When she walks into a butcher shop and sees the proprietor ( Chris Parnell ) under glass , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of product protruding from his mouth , she proclaims : “ Murder by ham !
” She ’ s not wrong .
Hayley Magnus is a bright presence as Abigail ’ s Australian niece , Heidi , a gangly charmer in orange Converse gym shoes who eagerly accompanies her aunt around town and loves to post selfies with the latest dead body before the cops even arrive .
( Heidi is quick with the deadpan humor .
When a butcher played by Tim Meadows is suspected of murder and a longtime town resident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wouldn ’ t hurt a fly , Heidi cracks , “ Well , he ’ s a butcher.
” ) Not that the police force is any help .
J.B. Smoove ’ s Chief of Police Bills ( that ’ s his name , Bills ) is dumber than a slab of ham , while John Lutz ( who co-created the show with Pell ) plays Gilbert , an officer who might be even thicker , if that ’ s possible , and is in love with Abigail .
( Spoiler alert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of traveling with various female companions , the deputy might not stand a chance . )
Chief : I ’ m going to question every single person here .
Gilbert : So none of the married people ?
So many of the jokes in “ Mapleworth Murders , ” including many too racy to repeat here , sound like they ’ re in need of a rimshot from a nearby drummer .
Some of my favorite comedic humans in the world , including Patton Oswalt , Tina Fey , Andy Samberg , Ike @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Fred Armisen , make cameo appearances , but their respective shticks range from the mildly amusing to borderline terrible .
( A storyline involving a sibling singing group with incestuous leanings and deep-seated jealousies is profoundly unfunny . )
With an intriguing enough premise and some fantastically gifted comedic minds driving the vehicle , “ Mapleworth Murders ” could have been so much better than all the double-entendre jokes , flatulence humor and high-decibel yelling .
Alas , the town of New Woodstream might just have another lifeless body on its hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : although it was originally a mobile-device-only service , you can now watch its offerings on your TV monitor via Apple TV or Chromecast — but only if you first install the app on your phone or tablet .
Content-wise , I ’ ve yet to see the value in doling out material in short segments .
It just feels like the storytelling momentum has to stop for a mini-cliffhanger every eight minutes or so , to accommodate the system .
There ’ s no sense in slicing the pie if it detracts @ @ @ @

Can you believe it? There’s been yet another murder in the quaint and seemingly idyllic town of New Woodstream, and once again it’ll fall to the legendary author/amateur sleuth Abigail Mapleworth to solve the case. After all, even as Abigail struggles with writer’s block in an attempt to write her first full-length work of fiction after publishing dozens of popular crime novellas, she has found the time to solve some 116 murders.
Take that, Jessica Fletcher.
Paula Pell’s new Quibi series “Mapleworth Murders” is an affectionate albeit raunchy send-up of “Murder, She Wrote,” with at least one new corpse surfacing in nearly every episodic chapter — with each episode lasting fewer than 10 minutes, in not-so-classic Quibi tradition. The immensely talented and likable Pell created such characters as the Spartan Cheerleaders, the Culps and Debbie Downer during her legendary run as a writer on “Saturday Night Live,” and while “The Mapleworth Murders” has its laugh-out-loud moments of inspired lunacy, the broad tone and highly exaggerated characters seem better suited for an “SNL” sketch than a continuing series.
‘Mapleworth Murders’
Untitled A series premiering Monday on Quibi.
But I did get a kick out of ol’ Abigail, a goodhearted, no-filter busybody who lives with untold numbers of cats and dogs in her cozy country home, is prone to utterances dripping with sexual innuendo, and delights in saying, “There’s been a MAAAHRDER!” every time she walks in on yet another fresh crime scene. And oh, does Abigail have keen deductive powers. When she walks into a butcher shop and sees the proprietor (Chris Parnell) under glass, deader than dead with a giant hunk of product protruding from his mouth, she proclaims: “Murder by ham!” She’s not wrong.
Hayley Magnus is a bright presence as Abigail’s Australian niece, Heidi, a gangly charmer in orange Converse gym shoes who eagerly accompanies her aunt around town and loves to post selfies with the latest dead body before the cops even arrive. (Heidi is quick with the deadpan humor. When a butcher played by Tim Meadows is suspected of murder and a longtime town resident says that’s impossible, as he wouldn’t hurt a fly, Heidi cracks, “Well, he’s a butcher.”) Not that the police force is any help. J.B. Smoove’s Chief of Police Bills (that’s his name, Bills) is dumber than a slab of ham, while John Lutz (who co-created the show with Pell) plays Gilbert, an officer who might be even thicker, if that’s possible, and is in love with Abigail. (Spoiler alert: Given Abigail’s innuendo-laced stories of traveling with various female companions, the deputy might not stand a chance.)
Chief: I’m going to question every single person here.
Gilbert: So none of the married people?
So many of the jokes in “Mapleworth Murders,” including many too racy to repeat here, sound like they’re in need of a rimshot from a nearby drummer. Some of my favorite comedic humans in the world, including Patton Oswalt, Tina Fey, Andy Samberg, Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes, Maya Rudolph and Fred Armisen, make cameo appearances, but their respective shticks range from the mildly amusing to borderline terrible. (A storyline involving a sibling singing group with incestuous leanings and deep-seated jealousies is profoundly unfunny.) With an intriguing enough premise and some fantastically gifted comedic minds driving the vehicle, “Mapleworth Murders” could have been so much better than all the double-entendre jokes, flatulence humor and high-decibel yelling. Alas, the town of New Woodstream might just have another lifeless body on its hands.
As for that Quibi delivery system: although it was originally a mobile-device-only service, you can now watch its offerings on your TV monitor via Apple TV or Chromecast — but only if you first install the app on your phone or tablet. Content-wise, I’ve yet to see the value in doling out material in short segments. It just feels like the storytelling momentum has to stop for a mini-cliffhanger every eight minutes or so, to accommodate the system. There’s no sense in slicing the pie if it detracts from the flavor.


chicagosun-times--2020-08-10--Chicago cops return fire after person shoots at officers in Loop: police

Chicago police officers exchanged gunfire with someone Monday morning in the Loop .
Someone fired at police and officers returned @ @ @ @ @ Lake Street , according to a tweet from Chicago police spokesman Tom Ahern .
No @ @ @ @ @ was not immediately clear whether anyone else was hit , Ahern said .
The Civilian @ @ @ @ @ investigating the shooting .
The incident happened as police responded to widespread looting and property @ @ @ @ @ earlier , a person was shot by police and taken into custody after allegedly firing @ @ @ @ @ Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Chicago police officers exchanged gunfire with someone Monday morning in the Loop.
Someone fired at police and officers returned fire near Michigan Avenue and Lake Street, according to a tweet from Chicago police spokesman Tom Ahern. No officers were injured.
The incident happened shortly before 4 a.m. and no one was hit by gunfire, according to Civilian Office of Police Accountability spokesman Ephraim Eaddy. COPA will investigate the shooting.
Police involved shooting Michigan and Lake. Shots fired at police who returned fire. No officers injured. Unknown at this time if offenders were shot. #ChicagoPolice pic.twitter.com/scVQVmT7YG — Tom Ahern (@TomAhernCPD) August 10, 2020
The incident happened as police responded to widespread looting and property damage downtown.
A day earlier, a person was shot by police and taken into custody after allegedly firing at officers in Englewood.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.