chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--Are your kids’ Christmas gifts safe? U.S. secretly halted safety inspections amid COVID-19

The federal safety inspectors who are supposed to protect kids from dangerous and deadly toys weren ’ t standing guard for nearly six months while this year ’ s holiday gifts entered the United States by the shipload , a USA Today investigation has found .
Princess palaces and playhouses , water guns and tricycles landed on store shelves and front doorsteps without the usual safety checks for lead , chemicals or choking hazards .
That ’ s because federal government leaders had secretly sent home the nation ’ s toy police .
The Consumer Product Safety Commission pulled its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-March because of the threat to them of COVID-19 .
The bosses of the federal agency made the decision in private , keeping it secret from consumers or without full disclosure to Congress , then continued the shutdown at the ports in Chicago and elsewhere as well as at a government testing laboratory until September , USA Today found .
That included spring and summer months that were their inspectors ’ busiest last year .
The watchdogs are supposed to intercept bad toys and other household products before they can be sold .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , my job is to stop it here , ” one compliance investigator says in a video posted on the agency ’ s website .
Instead , three years of internal agency enforcement records and communications obtained by USA Today reveal the extraordinary lapse in safety surveillance during the pandemic .
The CPSC didn ’ t flag a single toy at the ports between June and July for poisonous lead levels , one of the most frequent violations , internal records show .
In August , port inspectors reported their total monthly activity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — less than 2 % of a typical month before the pandemic hit .
As of this month , the records show inspectors still weren ’ t working in five of the 18 ports they normally patrol , including major commerce hubs in Chicago , New York and Savannah , Georgia .
As companies funneled more goods into the country ’ s busiest ports every week , the CPSC failed to disclose how few violations it was catching .
After January , it stopped posting that information online , a list that finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ USA Today .
Records and internal documents show that even after returning to the ports and reopening its testing laboratory , the CPSC still has identified fewer safety violations than usual for serious threats .
Violations that saw a dramatic dropoff this September compared to a year ago include toys with small parts that can choke toddlers and children ’ s products with hazardous levels of chemical phthalates .
Experts fear it could take years to discover the dangers allowed into American homes .
Big-name national retailers and distribution companies have imported tens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The retail industry says it doesn ’ t rely on the CPSC to keep consumers safe .
Importers and manufacturers are required to monitor their own products and inform the government when they find hazards .
In an interview , Robert Adler , the CPSC ’ s acting chairma , said broadcasting its port playbook would have invited companies to exploit the system .
The agency ’ s commissioners had a chance to weigh in on the decision that he said prioritized keeping employees healthy .
Adler said the health and safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and border patrol agents who remained at the ports but did not offer specifics .
“ We stopped a fair amount of stuff , ” he said .
“ We didn ’ t stop all of it.jj But we never stopped all of it.
” The CPSC informed Congress , Adler said , though some lawmakers say the agency didn ’ t reveal the extent to which it had abandoned its port duties .
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal , D-Connecticut , the ranking member of a subcommittee overseeing the consumer agency , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s dormant months until contacted by reporters .
He vowed to hold hearings to demand an explanation .
“ The total lack of inspections is absolutely inexcusable , ” he said , “ especially because of the concealment.
” Meghan DeLong has learned from tragedy how much parents depend on government safeguards .
In 2017 , her 2-year-old son Conner died after a dresser tipped over on top of him .
She blamed IKEA , the company that made it , which has recalled some faulty dressers but not the model that fell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears her 5-year-old and 7-month-old sons face a new risk from their toys .
“ It ’ s actually terrifying , ” DeLong said , “ to know that something being used with our most innocent and vulnerable populations has not been through screening.
” The CPSC promotes the work of its port investigators , who call themselves the toy police .
The agency normally has 32 port investigators working in a dozen states and Puerto Rico , where they crack open shipping containers and run electronic screeners to detect lead and phthalates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as thin as a toddler ’ s throat identifies toy parts small enough to kill .
The CPSC does more than screen toys .
Congress created the agency in 1972 to set and enforce safety standards for everything from cribs to lawn mowers .
Product safety advocates have long called its $ 133 million yearly budget too meager to get the job done .
Nearly four in five product recalls involve imported products , the agency said in its latest operating plan .
The CPSC uses spot checks to screen for hazards that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for themselves .
The agency tracks risky products , such as those from importers with a history of violations or made in parts of the world with known problems .
During coronavirus-related closings from April to September , the agency issued one-fourth of the violations it did during the same period a year earlier .
New lead violations at the ports plummeted from a monthly average of 50 to zero this past spring .
Lead poisoning is a hidden hazard that builds up slowly with repeat exposures .
“ You won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed , ” said Dr. Gary Smith , director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children ’ s Hospital in Ohio .
“ We really do depend on the Consumer Product Safety Commission to protect kids.
” The CPSC and industry groups say these safety measures aren ’ t optional even during a pandemic .
By law , companies are supposed to report hazardous products to the federal agency .
“ That never went away , ” Adler said in an interview .
“ We still expected companies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Large wholesale distributors , shipping companies and name brand retailers — including Target , Dollar Tree , Walgreens , Amazon and UPS — were among those that brought in products from overseas while the government watchdogs were away from their posts this year , according to shipping data maintained by the trade research firm Panjiva .
Items imported by each of those companies have been flagged for violations by the CPSC more than once in the past seven years , inspection records show .
USA Today tried reach 10 name-brand companies that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that responded said their products are safe because they kept screening for the kinds of hazards that CPSC checks .
“ Changes in port staffing have absolutely no impact on Target ’ s product safety standards , ” Target spokeswoman Jenna Reck said .
The Retail Industry Leaders Association , which represents many of the major stores regulated by the CPSC , told USA Today the agency did not inform its officials about the pullback .
In recent years , the federal safety agency has most frequently cited companies that aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry officials warn that online retailers use third-party distribution companies that could lack the kind of safety standards consumers expect from brick-and-mortar retailers .
From spring through early fall , even as the agency ’ s top officials dismissed warnings about sidelining its inspectors , more than 100,000 shipments with toys passed through American ports , rising steadily each month , according to the Panjiva data .
Internal emails and documents show Adler , a Democratic appointee leading the agency , and Mary Boyle , its executive director , knew from the start @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risky .
Oversight commissioners were asked to quickly email their feedback .
“ My only concern is moving port staff away — we will have no defense to incoming crap , ” Commissioner Dana Baiocco wrote on March 16 .
After conversations with agency staffers , Baiocco emailed a dozen CPSC officials again , saying she was comfortable with the plans to continue work remotely .
“ I think given the choice , ” she wrote , “ we should take care of our people.
” Commissioner Peter Feldman noted that other federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also said he was worried about “ CPSC being blind at the ports.
” In a call among agency leaders the same day , Feldman pressed CPSC officials for details .
“ I am sensitive to the fact that anything can come in , ” he told them , according to detailed minutes of the meeting .
DeWane Ray , the CSPC ’ s deputy executive director , said the agency “ essentially would go dark on targeting and holding shipments , ” adding that it would conduct “ in-depth investigations over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limitations to that , ” Ray acknowledged , the notes show .
Adler said on the call that nothing seen so far had been very worrisome .
Yet port inspectors had identified significantly more lead violations between January and March 2020 than during the same period the year before , according to the agency ’ s monthly violation logs obtained by USA Today .
Based on the pace of the first three months of the year , the CPSC was on track before the pandemic to find almost 200 more port violations for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hazards — than it had in 2019 .
Asked about lead hazards that the agency might have missed during the pullout , Alder told USA Today that children are more likely to be harmed from toxic paint peeling off walls in older homes or playing near former chemical dumping grounds .
“ Lead in toys is not the biggest lead hazard to kids by far , ” he said , adding that , since 2008 , a child product safety law enforced by his agency has set strict limits on lead content in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ask me if that is the biggest hazard of the products that we regulate , I would say : Not anymore.
” Lead violations found at US ports fell to nearly zero as the pandemic hit NOTE : Each month ’ s total is the difference between the year-to-date total in that month ’ s report and the year-to-date total in the previous month ’ s report .
The total for September , when the agency ’ s budget year ends , is the fiscal year total from the annual report subtracted from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March , on the private call with commissioners , the agency ’ s executive director also said she thought problems could be chased later by recalling products , meeting notes show .
“ Although not ideal , we can always do things after the fact with recalls even if we can ’ t stop things at the port , ” Boyle said , according to the notes .
Safety advocates say that ’ s a dangerous strategy .
It can take years for the CPSC to identify products harmful enough to recall , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consumers or get them to return products .
For the year ending in September , the agency recalled nine toys — almost all involving products reaching stores before the COVID-19 stoppages .
“ Recalls are not a good solution ; it ’ s like saying you find something in the autopsy , ” said Nancy Cowles , executive director of Kids in Danger , a national safety organization based in Chicago whose focus is children ’ s product safety .
“ It is a little too late to be helpful.
” Consumers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be expected to find problems the government has missed .
Lead paint on a child ’ s toy is not visible .
Parents aren ’ t equipped to run fire resistance testing on youth pajamas .
And they have no reason to think they shouln ’ t trust that products on store shelves marketed for children younger than 3 won ’ t choke them .
Should consumers notice any problems , experts say to immediately report them to a CPSC website where such complaints are posted : saferproducts.gov .
Rachel Weintraub , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America , urged the government to redouble efforts to get back to normal port inspection levels .
She said the CPSC also can send field investigators to check on products that already have reached store shelves .
Children ’ s toys and other items are especially worrisome to safety advocates because they often are passed down among siblings , then shared with other families with younger children or resold at thrift stores .
“ Once a product that has lead or phthalates gets into the stream of commerce , it is very difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ We need to figure out how do we get the numbers back up.
” Weintraub wants the agency to answer to Congress for what happened during its COVID-19 response .
Adler and his chief of staff Sarah Klein said they have kept Congress informed of the agency ’ s activities since the start of the pandemic .
The agency provided a copy of a letter sent to the ranking member of the Senate Commerce , Science and Transportation Committee on March 19 explaining that it had “ implemented policies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from home on a full-time basis.
” But that didn ’ t say port employees were pulled .
An internal email sent to staff three days earlier , titled “ Everyone , ” was more direct : “ CPSC employees working at the ports are instructed to perform all duties from their home worksite.
” Adler said the agency alerted the public with communications such as popup notices on its website that recall remedies might not be continuing as usual .
He said the agency also must weigh the harm that could come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and be able to take advantage of them .
“ Why would we tell consumers ?
” Adler asked .
It took months for U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran , R-Kansas , who is chairman of the Senate committee that oversees the consumer protection agency , to learn about the ports slowdown , according to his staff .
And until informed by USA Today , his staff did not know the extent of the withdrawal or its impact .
Moran recently co-wrote legislation that would force the agency to study any products that hurt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky , D-Illinois , the North Shore congresswoman who chairs the House consumer protection subcommittee , said her staff generally was aware that the CPSC had scaled back work .
But Schakowski said she hasn ’ t been satisfied with the agency ’ s explanation of why it kept port investigators away so long .
“ A completely inadequate response , ” Schakowsky said .
“ CPSC is not doing its job.
” ‘ If they see a loophole , they ’ ll drive a truck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ field workers home long after the nation ’ s retail stores reopened , filled again with shoppers buying products that might have lacked the usual safety checks .
Its commissioners had been told the agency planned to get work done by enlisting Customs and Border Protection agents still at the ports , according to meeting notes from internal conversations in April .
Agency bosses hoped for assistance at seven ports — less than half of those the agency normally services .
The two agencies have worked together for years .
What happened to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not respond to questions from USA Today about it , but it said border patrol agents helped by sending samples to port staffers at their homes .
Field staffers did virtual investigations , and the agency kept processing recalls of products flagged by companies , spokesman Joseph Martyak said .
The Border Patrol did not respond to interview requests about its work with CPSC .
Border Patrol operations did not fall off on other fronts during the pandemic .
That agency seized more imported goods overall for the year ending in September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The agents work with many federal agencies , including those regulating medications and car parts .
Corporate consultants told USA Today that the CPSC also called importers during the pandemic to ask them to self-report substandard items , a practice long used by the agency to augment its surveillance .
At the beginning of the year , its inspectors performed an average of 3,000 monthly screenings at the ports , according to agency data .
By May , that number had plummeted to about 100 .
In August , they performed 47 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the agency ’ s command chain and what it means for accountability .
The agency tied its return to the field to strict COVID-19 criteria under a plan that also placed Boyle , the executive director , in charge of decisions .
Internal records show that some thought an appointed officer like Adler should have that responsibility .
In a May email chain , Feldman warned Adler against delegating to staff .
“ Accountability should rest with a PAS , ” he wrote , referring to presidential appointees requiring Senate confirmation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these functions.
” The CPSC ’ s leadership responsibilities quietly had been shifted in late 2019 .
An order signed by Adler ’ s predecessor Ann Marie Buerkle consolidated agency operations under the executive director , who is not a political appointment , by delegating authority away from the chairman .
Buerkle had been criticized for the agency ’ s lethargic response to products that caused deaths and grave injuries , from jogging strollers to inclined infant sleepers .
Adler rejected the proposal for the chairman or full commission to decide on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he highlighted the 2019 order , internal emails show .
“ I ’ m sure they ’ re unaware and operating under the assumption that you ’ re running point on COVID response and reentry , ” he wrote in an email .
It wasn ’ t until September that Boyle began clearing staff to return to the ports and the lab .
In a written statement , Martyak said the agency sent inspectors back to the ports once scarce protective equipment was secured .
Yet care packages the agency mailed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks and mini-sanitizer bottles emblazoned with the CPSC logo .
Examples shared with USA Today show a note thanking employees “ for the dedication and skill you have shown to support the CPSC mission of protecting American consumers from dangerous consumer products.
” By October , the ports in Los Angeles , which receive almost 40 % of the country ’ s total container imports , were having their busiest months in history .
CPSC regulators were returning to work , yet they still found only 61 violations at the ports , documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children ’ s toys , such as missing paperwork and inadequate labels .
The agency did not issue any violations in September or October for pajamas that can easily catch fire , according to the Regulatory Enforcement Division ’ s monthly logs .
At the start of 2020 , that hazard was flagged repeatedly .
Records show that , as of this month , the agency remained inactive at five port locations : Chicago , New York City , Savannah , Buffalo , New York , and Norfolk , Virginia .
Rising coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the CPSC to pull back from the ports again , Adler said , noting that agency now has more masks and other protective gear .
Some experts say the agency , already thin on staffing , couldn ’ t afford to disappear from the ports .
“ The companies aren ’ t dumb .
They know what ’ s going on , ” said Lawrence Hershman , a former CPSC senior compliance officer , pointing to little-known companies that are repeat offenders .
“ If they see a loophole , ” Hershman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truck through it .
”

The federal safety inspectors who are supposed to protect kids from dangerous toys weren’t standing guard for nearly six months while this year’s holiday gifts entered the United States by the shipload, a USA Today investigation has found.
Princess palaces and playhouses, water guns and tricycles landed on store shelves and front doorsteps without the usual safety checks for lead, chemicals or choking hazards because federal government leaders had secretly sent home the nation’s toy police.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission pulled inspectors from ports in Chicago and elsewhere in mid-March because of the threat to them of COVID-19.
The federal agency made the decision in private, keeping it secret from consumers and without full disclosure to Congress, then continued the shutdown at the ports and at a government testing laboratory until September — months that were inspectors’ busiest last year.
The watchdogs are supposed to intercept bad toys and other household products before they can be sold.
Yet the CPSC didn’t flag a single toy at the ports between June and July for poisonous lead levels, one of the most frequent violations, records show. In August, port inspectors reported total monthly activity of 47 screenings for all hazards — less than 2% of a typical month prepandemic.
As of this month, records show inspectors still weren’t working in five of the 18 ports they normally patrol, including Chicago.
And the CPSC failed to disclose how few violations it was catching. After January, it stopped posting that information online, updating that list only recently, after requests from USA Today.
Records and internal documents show that even after returning to the ports and reopening its testing laboratory, the CPSC still has identified fewer violations than usual for serious threats. Violations that saw a dramatic drop-off in September vs. a year ago include toys with small parts that can choke toddlers and children’s products with hazardous levels of chemical phthalates.
CPSC safety screenings fell by half
Each month’s total is the difference between the year-to-date total in that month’s report compared to the year-to-date figure the previous month. The total for September, when the fiscal year ends, is the fiscal year total from the annual report subtracted from the August monthly report total. This is based on a USA Today analysis of internal U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data. Carlie Procell / USA Today
Experts fear it could take years to discover the dangers allowed into American homes.
National retailers and distribution companies have imported tens of thousands of shipments during the pandemic. The retail industry says it doesn’t rely on the CPSC to keep consumers safe. Importers and manufacturers are required to monitor their own products and inform the government of hazards.
Robert Adler, acting CPSC chairman, said broadcasting its port playbook would have invited companies to exploit the system and that the decision prioritized employees’ health.
Robert Adler, the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s acting chairman. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Adler said the agency sought help from customs and border patrol agents but didn’t give specifics.
“We stopped a fair amount of stuff,” he said. “We didn’t stop all of it. But we never stopped all of it.”
The CPSC informed Congress, Adler said, though some lawmakers say it didn’t reveal the extent to which it had abandoned its port duties.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, ranking member of a subcommittee overseeing the consumer agency, said he was unaware of the CPSC’s dormant months until contacted by reporters. He plans hearings to demand an explanation.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal: lapses “absolutely inexcusable.” Getty Images
“The total lack of inspections is absolutely inexcusable,” Blumenthal said, “especially because of the concealment.”
Meghan DeLong knows firsthand how much parents depend on government safeguards. In 2017, her 2-year-old son Conner died after an IKEA dresser tipped over on him. She blamed IKEA, which has recalled some faulty dressers though not the model that fell on Conner.
The Florida mother fears her 5-year-old and 7-month-old sons now face a risk from their toys., saying “it’s actually terrifying to know that something being used with our most innocent and vulnerable populations has not been through screening.”
The CSPC’s port investigators call themselves the toy police. Normally, 32 investigators work in a dozen states and Puerto Rico, opening shipping containers and running electronic screeners to detect lead and phthalates above legal limits. A tube as thin as a toddler’s throat identifies toy parts small enough to kill.
The CPSC does more than screen toys. Congress created the agency in 1972 to set and enforce safety standards for everything from cribs to lawn mowers.
Nearly four in five recalls involve imported products, according to the agency.
The CPSC spot checks to screen for hazards that wholesalers and retailers are supposed to test for themselves. It tracks risky products, such as those from importers with a history of violations.
During coronavirus-related closings from April to September, the agency issued one-fourth of the violations it did in that period a year earlier.
Lead violations at the ports plummeted from a monthly average of 50 to zero last spring. Lead poisoning is a hidden hazard.
“You won’t necessarily know that your child has been exposed,” said Dr. Gary Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio. “We really do depend on the Consumer Product Safety Commission to protect kids.”
The CPSC and industry groups say these safety measures aren’t optional even during a pandemic.
“We still expected companies to engage in recalls of their products,” Adler said.
Large wholesale distributors, shipping companies and name-brand retailers — including Target, Dollar Tree, Walgreens, Amazon and UPS — were among those that brought in products from overseas while the watchdogs were away, according to shipping data maintained by the trade research firm Panjiva.
Items imported by each of those companies have been flagged for violations by the CPSC more than once in the past seven years, records show.
Of 10 name-brand companies with past violations, those that responded to questions said their products are safe because they kept on screening.
“Changes in port staffing have absolutely no impact on Target’s product safety standards,” spokeswoman Jenna Reck said.
The Retail Industry Leaders Association, which represents many major stores the CPSC regulates, said the agency didn’t inform it of the pullback.
In recent years, the agency most often has cited companies that aren’t U.S. household names. Experts and retail industry representatives warn that online retailers use third-party distribution companies that could lack the kind of safety standards consumers expect from brick-and-mortar retailers.
From spring through early fall, more than 100,000 shipments with toys passed through American ports, according to the Panjiva data.
Internal emails and documents show Adler, a Democratic appointee, and Mary Boyle, CSPC’s executive director, knew their decision to implement remote working was risky.
CSPC commissioners were asked to email their feedback.
After initially expressing concern about the pullback, Consumer Product Safety Commissioner Dana Baiocco said she was comfortable with the plan. Getty Images
“My only concern is moving port staff away — we will have no defense to incoming crap,” Commissioner Dana Baiocco wrote on March 16.
After conversations with agency staffers, Baiocco emailed a dozen CPSC officials again, saying she was comfortable with plans to keep working remotely.
“I think given the choice,” she wrote, “we should take care of our people.”
Commissioner Peter Feldman noted other agencies planned to continue port operations but said he worried about “CPSC being blind at the ports.”
DeWane Ray, deputy executive director, said the agency “essentially would go dark on targeting and holding shipments” and conduct “in-depth investigations over the phone.”
“There will be limitations to that,” Ray acknowledged.
Adler said on a call that day that nothing so far had been very worrisome.
Yet port inspectors had identified significantly more lead violations between January and March 2020 than in the same period the year before, according to violation logs, and was on track to find nearly 200 more port violations for the year — from lead to choking hazards — than in 2019.
Asked about lead hazards that might have been missed during the pullout, Alder said kids are more likely to be harmed by toxic paint peeling off walls in older homes or playing near former chemical dumping grounds.
“Lead in toys is not the biggest lead hazard to kids by far,” he said.
In March, on the private call with commissioners, the agency’s executive director also said she thought problems could be chased later, meeting notes show: “Although not ideal, we can always do things after the fact with recalls even if we can’t stop things at the port.”
Safety advocates say that’s a dangerous strategy. It can take years for the CPSC to identify products harmful enough to recall, and it has struggled to inform consumers and get them to return products.
Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids in Danger. Rich Hein / Sun-Times file
“Recalls are not a good solution,” said Nancy Cowles, executive director of Kids in Danger, a safety organization based in Chicago whose focus is children’s product safety. “It’s like saying you find something in the autopsy. It is a little too late to be helpful.”
Rachel Weintraub. Consumer Federation of America
Rachel Weintraub, legislative director for the Consumer Federation of America, urged the government to get back to normal port inspection levels. She said the CPSC also can send investigators to check products already on store shelves.
Children’s toys and other items are especially worrisome to safety advocates because they often are passed along to siblings and other families or resold at thrift stores.
Adler and his chief of staff Sarah Klein said they’ve kept Congress informed, providing a letter sent March 19 to the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee explaining the agency had “implemented policies to direct all telework eligible employees to work from home on a full-time basis.” But it didn’t say port employees were pulled.
An email to staff three days earlier was more direct: “CPSC employees working at the ports are instructed to perform all duties from their home worksite.”
Adler said the agency alerted the public with communications such as notices on its website that recall remedies might not continue as usual.
He said he weighed the harm that could come were companies to know its blind spots and asked, “Why would we tell consumers?”
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, didn’t learn of the ports slowdown for months, according to his staff. Graeme Jennings / AP
It took months till U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, chairman of the Senate committee that oversees the consumer protection agency, learned of the ports slowdown, according to his staff, which wasn’t told the extent of the withdrawal or its impact.
Moran recently co-wrote legislation to make the agency study any products that hurt or killed kids, seniors and minorities during the pandemic.
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois, who chairs the House consumer protection subcommittee, said her staff was generally aware the CPSC scaled back but isn’t satisfied with the agency’s explanation of why it kept port investigators away so long.
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky, D-Illinois: “CPSC is not doing its job.” Anthony Vazquez / Sun-Times file
“A completely inadequate response,” Schakowsky said. “CPSC is not doing its job.”
The agency kept field workers home long after stores reopened, filled with shoppers buying products that might have lacked the usual safety checks.
Its commissioners had been told the agency planned to get work done by enlisting Customs and Border Protection agents still at the ports, according to notes from internal conversations in April. Agency bosses hoped for assistance at seven ports — fewer than half of those the agency normally covers.
What happened to that plan is unclear. The CPSC didn’t respond to questions about it but said border patrol agents sent samples to port staffers at their homes. Field staffers did virtual investigations, and the agency kept processing recalls of products flagged by companies, spokesman Joseph Martyak said.
Border Protection officials didn’t respond to questions.
Corporate consultants said the CPSC called importers during the pandemic to ask them to self-report substandard items, a practice long used to augment its surveillance.
At the beginning of the year, its inspectors performed an average of 3,000 monthly screenings at the ports. By May, that number had plummeted to about 100 and in August to just 47.
Even as Consumer Product Safety Commission inspectors started returning to ports, violations fell far short of previous years. Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP
The agency tied its return to the field to strict COVID-19 criteria under a plan that placed Boyle, the executive director, in charge of decisions. Records show that some thought an appointed officer like Adler should have that responsibility.
In a May email chain, Feldman warned Adler against delegating.
“Accountability should rest with a PAS,” he wrote, referring to presidential appointees requiring Senate confirmation. “It would be inappropriate to abdicate these functions.”
The CPSC’s leadership responsibilities quietly had been shifted in late 2019. An order signed by Adler’s predecessor Ann Marie Buerkle consolidated operations under the executive director, who isn’t a political appointee, delegating authority away from the chairman.
Buerkle had been criticized for the agency’s lethargic response to products that caused deaths and grave injuries, from jogging strollers to inclined infant sleepers.
The Sun-Times’ Aug. 7, 2019, report on dangerous inclined infant sleepers.
Adler rejected the proposal for the chairman or full commission to decide on the COVID-19 reentry timing.
Feldman urged him to inform Congress: “I’m sure they’re unaware and operating under the assumption that you’re running point on COVID response and reentry.”
It wasn’t until September that Boyle began clearing staff to return to ports and the lab, once scare protective equipment was secured, Martyak said.
Yet care packages the agency mailed out earlier in the summer included cloth face masks and mini-sanitizer bottles emblazoned with the CPSC logo.
By October, the ports in Los Angeles, which receive almost 40% of the country’s total container imports, were having their busiest months ever. CPSC regulators were returning to work — yet they still found only 61 violations at the ports. Most involved minor problems with toys, such as missing paperwork or poor labeling.
The agency didn’t issue any violations in September or October for pajamas that can easily catch fire. At the start of 2020, that hazard was flagged repeatedly.
Records show that, as of this month, the agency remained inactive at five port locations: Chicago, New York City, Savannah, Buffalo, New York, and Norfolk, Virginia.
Rising coronavirus rates around the country shouldn’t prompt the CPSC to pull back from the ports again, Adler said, noting that the agency now has more masks and other protective gear.
Read more at USA Today.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--‘Sister of the Groom’: There’s no one to like in this movie about love

By the time we get to the reception in the off-target comedy drama “ Sister of the Groom , ” I was hoping someone would clink a glass , take the microphone and say : “ As I look around this beautiful gathering tonight , it occurs to me most of you are terrible people , and not nearly as interesting as you think you are .
In fact , you probably deserve one another .
Cheers !
” This is a well-made and admittedly ambitious effort that feels like “ My Best Friend ’ s Big Fat Jewish Wedding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the star wattage and campy charm of “ My Best Friend ’ s Wedding , ” and the central family in this movie isn ’ t nearly as endearingly eccentric as the Portokalos clan in “ My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
” It ’ s certainly possible to make a likable film about unlikable people — especially if some of them grow along the way — but the more we get to know most of the main players in “ Sister of the Groom , ” the LESS we like them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ competent director and has a fine ear for dialogue ; it feels as if “ Sister of the Groom ” exists in the real world .
Alas , it ’ s not a world where you ’ d want to hang out , unless your thing is watching selfish narcissists do verbal and sometimes physical battle over decidedly First World Problems .
Alicia Silverstone is Audrey , an architect in the throes of a self-pitying funk on the eve of her 40th birthday , and Tom Everett Scott is her long-suffering and supportive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ Clueless ” meets “ That Thing You Do !
” ) Audrey won ’ t let Ethan touch her because she ’ s still self-conscious about her stomach a decade after she gave birth to twins , and she has a world of regrets about her stalled career as an architect .
So , she ’ s already in a foul mood as she and Ethan arrive at a gorgeous family home and compound on Long Island for the wedding weekend of Audrey ’ s brother Liam ( Jake Hoffman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heels for the much younger Clemence ( Mathilde Ollivier ) , an aspiring pop star/influencer from France who struts through the day as if she ’ s in a 24/7 music video and loves public displays of affection with the semi-nerdy Liam .
After a series of awkward exchanges between the two Jewish families — language barrier , don ’ t you know — everyone sits down for a dinner that quickly turns sour when Audrey sees Liam has given Clemence their late mother ’ s wedding ring and learns Liam and Clemence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family home and build their own place from the ground up , AND they ’ ve hired Audrey ’ s ex-boyfriend as their architect .
Buckle up , we ’ re in for a long weekend .
Most of the supporting players in “ Sister of the Groom ” have half-baked storylines .
We learn Clemence ’ s father Philibert ( Ronald Guttman ) was a major comedic TV star in France , but that information leads to ... nothing .
We meet Philibert ’ s ex-wife ( Abigail Marlowe ) , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as his second wife ( Julie Engelbrecht ) , neither of whom are given much to do in the way of story development .
There ’ s also an interlude involving Audrey ’ s ex Isaac ( Charlie Bewley ) , who is a guest at the wedding at Liam ’ s behest because Liam is a clueless idiot and somehow doesn ’ t realize how that would sit with his beloved sister .
Audrey is understandably upset she wasn ’ t consulted about any of this , but she reacts more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s sister — a creepy dynamic that hangs over the entire movie .
From that point on , the weekend turns into a battle between Audrey and Clemence , complete with wardrobe mishaps , drug-induced shenanigans , a waterskiing excursion that turns nasty and even a physical brawl between bride-to-be and the sister of the groom .
On two occasions , Audrey is so nasty to Clemence she could literally be charged with crimes ; in another instance , she cruelly reveals a secret about Clemence to her brother in the hopes he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oh , and she also insults Clemence ’ s mother and betrays Ethan before the weekend is over .
This isn ’ t someone going through a mid-life crisis in a manner that produces laughs and empathy ; it ’ s the downward spiral of a self-centered , stunningly immature , reckless individual .
Sister of the Groom ?
More like “ Siz-Zilla Wrecks the Wedding .
”

By the time we get to the reception in the off-target comedy drama “Sister of the Groom,” I was hoping someone would clink a glass, take the microphone and say: “As I look around this beautiful gathering tonight, it occurs to me most of you are terrible people, and not nearly as interesting as you think you are. In fact, you probably deserve one another. Cheers!”
‘Sister of the Groom’
Untitled Saban Films presents a film written and directed by Amy Miller Gross. Rated R (for language, drug use, some sexual content and brief nudity). Running time: 92 minutes. Available Friday on demand.
This is a well-made and admittedly ambitious effort that feels like “My Best Friend’s Big Fat Jewish Wedding,” but it doesn’t have the star wattage and campy charm of “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” and the central family in this movie isn’t nearly as endearingly eccentric as the Portokalos clan in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It’s certainly possible to make a likable film about unlikable people — especially if some of them grow along the way — but the more we get to know most of the main players in “Sister of the Groom,” the LESS we like them. Writer-director Amy Miller Gross clearly is a competent director and has a fine ear for dialogue; it feels as if “Sister of the Groom” exists in the real world. Alas, it’s not a world where you’d want to hang out, unless your thing is watching selfish narcissists do verbal and sometimes physical battle over decidedly First World Problems.
Alicia Silverstone is Audrey, an architect in the throes of a self-pitying funk on the eve of her 40th birthday, and Tom Everett Scott is her long-suffering and supportive husband Ethan. (Hey, it’s “Clueless” meets “That Thing You Do!”) Audrey won’t let Ethan touch her because she’s still self-conscious about her stomach a decade after she gave birth to twins, and she has a world of regrets about her stalled career as an architect. So, she’s already in a foul mood as she and Ethan arrive at a gorgeous family home and compound on Long Island for the wedding weekend of Audrey’s brother Liam (Jake Hoffman), who has fallen head over heels for the much younger Clemence (Mathilde Ollivier), an aspiring pop star/influencer from France who struts through the day as if she’s in a 24/7 music video and loves public displays of affection with the semi-nerdy Liam.
After a series of awkward exchanges between the two Jewish families — language barrier, don’t you know — everyone sits down for a dinner that quickly turns sour when Audrey sees Liam has given Clemence their late mother’s wedding ring and learns Liam and Clemence are going to tear down the beloved family home and build their own place from the ground up, AND they’ve hired Audrey’s ex-boyfriend as their architect. Buckle up, we’re in for a long weekend.
Most of the supporting players in “Sister of the Groom” have half-baked storylines. We learn Clemence’s father Philibert (Ronald Guttman) was a major comedic TV star in France, but that information leads to ... nothing. We meet Philibert’s ex-wife (Abigail Marlowe), who is Clemence’s mother, as well as his second wife (Julie Engelbrecht), neither of whom are given much to do in the way of story development. There’s also an interlude involving Audrey’s ex Isaac (Charlie Bewley), who is a guest at the wedding at Liam’s behest because Liam is a clueless idiot and somehow doesn’t realize how that would sit with his beloved sister.
Audrey is understandably upset she wasn’t consulted about any of this, but she reacts more like a possessive ex than Liam’s sister — a creepy dynamic that hangs over the entire movie. From that point on, the weekend turns into a battle between Audrey and Clemence, complete with wardrobe mishaps, drug-induced shenanigans, a waterskiing excursion that turns nasty and even a physical brawl between bride-to-be and the sister of the groom. On two occasions, Audrey is so nasty to Clemence she could literally be charged with crimes; in another instance, she cruelly reveals a secret about Clemence to her brother in the hopes he’ll call off the ceremony. Oh, and she also insults Clemence’s mother and betrays Ethan before the weekend is over. This isn’t someone going through a mid-life crisis in a manner that produces laughs and empathy; it’s the downward spiral of a self-centered, stunningly immature, reckless individual.
Sister of the Groom? More like “Siz-Zilla Wrecks the Wedding.”


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--Woman shot during domestic dispute in Austin

A 20-year-old woman was shot during a domestic dispute Wednesday in Austin on the West Side .
About 11:30 p.m. @ @ @ @ @ home in the 4900 block of West Augusta Boulevard , when she got into an @ @ @ @ @ knew , and he shot her in the abdomen , Chicago police said .
She @ @ @ @ @ in fair condition , police said .
The man is not in custody , police @ @

A 20-year-old woman was shot during a domestic dispute Wednesday in Austin on the West Side.
About 11:30 p.m., she was inside a home in the 4900 block of West Augusta Boulevard, when she got into an argument with a man she knew, and he shot her in the abdomen, Chicago police said.
She was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition, police said.
The man is not in custody, police said.
Area Four detectives are investigating.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--7 shot, 1 fatally, Wednesday in Chicago

7 shot, 1 fatally, Wednesday in Chicago

Seven people were shot , one of them fatally , Wednesday in Chicago , including a man who was found fatally shot in Riverdale on the Far South Side .
Officers responded to a Shotspotter alert about 11:20 p.m. , and with help from a police helicopter found a man unresponsive near a parking lot in the 300 block of East 133rd Street , Chicago police said .
The man was shot in the face , back and leg .
He was pronounced dead at the scene .
The Cook County medical examiner ’ s office has not yet identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20-year-old woman was shot inside a home in Austin on the West Side .
She told officers about 11:30 p.m. , she was inside a home in the 4900 block of West Augusta Boulevard , when she got into an argument with a man she knew , and he shot her in the abdomen .
She was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition .
The man is not in custody .
Two people were shot in Roseland on the Far South Side .
The shooting happened about 7:45 p.m. in the 11300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
A 43-year-old man was struck in the chest and taken to Roseland Hospital in critical condition .
Another man , 23 , was in good condition at the same hospital with a gunshot wound to his hand .
Hours prior , a 40-year-old man was shot in Marquette Park on the South Side .
Someone shot him in the leg about 5:50 p.m. as he stood on a sidewalk in the 6300 block of South Artesian Avenue , police said .
He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in good condition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lawndale on the West Side .
About 2:10 p.m. , the woman was sitting in a vehicle in the 1100 block of South Kostner Avenue , when someone fired shots , striking her in the leg and wrist , according to police .
The woman was taken to Mt .
Sinai Hospital in good condition .
The day ’ s first reported shooting wounded a 16-year-old boy in Englewood on the South Side .
About 2:15 a.m. , he was walking in the 7100 block of South Union Avenue , when he heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
He was struck in the chest , torso , and was taken to University of Chicago University in serious condition .
Read more on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

Seven people were shot, one of them fatally, Wednesday in Chicago, including a man who was found fatally shot in Riverdale on the Far South Side.
Officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert about 11:20 p.m. and, with help from a police helicopter, found a man unresponsive near a parking lot in the 300 block of East 133rd Street, Chicago police said. The man was shot in the face, back and leg. Dion Hartwell Jr., of West Pullman, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
In non-fatal shootings, a 20-year-old woman was shot inside a home in Austin on the West Side. She told officers she was inside a home about 11:30 p.m. in the 4900 block of West Augusta Boulevard when she got into an argument with a man she knew, police said. He then shot her in the abdomen. She was taken to Stroger Hospital in fair condition. The man was not in custody.
About 7:45 p.m., two people were shot in Roseland on the Far South Side. A 43-year-old man was struck in the chest in the 11300 block of South Normal Avenue and taken to Roseland Hospital in critical condition. Another man, 23, was in good condition at the same hospital with a gunshot wound to his hand.
Hours earlier, a 40-year-old man was shot in Marquette Park on the South Side. Someone shot him in the leg about 5:50 p.m. as he stood on a sidewalk in the 6300 block of South Artesian Avenue, police said. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital in good condition.
About 2:10 p.m., a 38-year-old woman was shot in Lawndale on the West Side. She was sitting in a vehicle in the 1100 block of South Kostner Avenue, when someone fired shots, striking her in the leg and wrist, according to police. The woman was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in good condition.
The day’s first reported shooting seriously wounded a 16-year-old boy in Englewood on the South Side. About 2:15 a.m., he was walking in the 7100 block of South Union Avenue, when he heard shots and felt a pain, police said. He was struck in the chest, torso, and was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Five people were shot Tuesday in citywide gun violence.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--Man found fatally shot in Riverdale: police

A 19-year-old man was found fatally shot Wednesday in Riverdale on the Far South Side .
Officers responded to a @ @ @ @ @ , and with help from a police helicopter found the man unresponsive near a parking @ @ @ @ @ of East 133rd Street , Chicago police said .
He was shot in the face @ @ @ @ @ police said .
He was pronounced dead at the scene .
The Cook County medical @ @ @ @ @ him as Dion Hartwell Jr. , of West Pullman .
Area Two detectives are investigating @ @ @ @ @ on crime , and track the city ’ s homicides .

A 19-year-old man was fatally shot Wednesday night in Riverdale on the Far South Side near an elementary school.
Officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert about 11:20 p.m. and, with help of a police helicopter, found the man unresponsive near a parking lot in the 300 block of East 133rd Street, Chicago police said.
Dubois Elementary School is located in that block.
The man was shot in the face, back and leg, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
He was identified as Dion Hartwell Jr. of West Pullman by the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Autopsy results found that Hartwell died of multiple gunshot wounds, and ruled his death a homicide.
Area Two detectives are conducting a homicide investigation.
Read more on crime, and track the city’s homicides.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-16--Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020

Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions .
The moon is in Aquarius .
All your dealings with friends and groups will be unpredictable .
No question .
That ’ s because people are excitable today , and this includes you .
In addition , you also feel rebellious and will not want to follow anyone else ’ s commands or suggestions .
( You give the orders ! )
Today a rebellious feeling within you could get you in trouble with bosses , parents , teachers and the police .
Don ’ t be a fool .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ regret .
We both know that once the words have left your mouth — they are out there — and you can never take them back .
Travel plans will suddenly change .
Alternatively , you might suddenly have to travel when you least expected to do so .
Arguments about touchy subjects might spring up out of the blue .
Easy does it .
You don ’ t have to prove anything to anyone .
( As a clever wordsmith you can skillfully dance around any topic . )
Do check your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unexpected might affect your assets .
Assume nothing .
Be aware that something could go wrong or an error might be made because whatever happens might cost you money .
Stay on top of things .
Things are dicey with partners and close friends .
You will be wise to zip thy lip .
It ’ s not worth getting into an argument with someone you care about .
( The truth is we fight with our loved ones because the emotional stakes are so high . )
Likewise , be prepared for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patience is your best ally .
Something unexpected or surprising might affect your health today .
Likewise , something unexpected might also happen to your pet or your dealings with a pet .
Your work routine will definitely be interrupted , hopefully , because of good news or something pleasant .
Fingers crossed !
Parents should be extra vigilant today because this is an accident-prone day for your kids .
Meanwhile , an unexpected invitation to a social event might fall in your lap .
Yay !
Conversely , social plans might suddenly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sports accidents .
Small appliances might break down today or minor breakages could occur because something will create an interruption within your family or where you live .
Hopefully , it ’ s minor .
Something high tech or related to modern art might be involved .
Pay attention to everything you say and do today because this is an accident-prone day for you .
Fortunately , it ’ s a mild influence ; nevertheless , who wants to stub their toe ?
( Not you . )
New faces , new places @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Keep an eye on your possessions and your assets today because something unexpected could affect them .
You might find money ; you might lose money .
Something you own might be damaged , lost or stolen .
Keep your eyes open for your own good .
Today the moon is in your sign at odds with your ruler , unpredictable Uranus .
This makes you impatient , impulsive , and excitable .
You will be hasty to jump to conclusions and you will crave excitement .
This will make you even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Oh my . )
Something going on behind the scenes makes you feel restless today .
You ’ re a bit edgy and distracted .
Some kind of emotional unrest might disturb your peace of mind .
Fear not , this is a temporary dark cloud on your horizon — nothing serious .
Gone by tomorrow , which is a more relaxing day .
If Your Birthday Is Today Actor , writer Eugene Levy ( 1946 ) shares your birthday .
You are insightful , which is why others seek your advice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader . )
Service to others will be an important theme for you this year , especially within your family .
Therefore , take care of yourself so that you can be a strong resource .
Meanwhile decide to invest in the relationships that you value .
Hang out with quality people .

Moon Alert
There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions. The moon is in Aquarius.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
All your dealings with friends and groups will be unpredictable. No question. That’s because people are excitable today, and this includes you. In addition, you also feel rebellious and will not want to follow anyone else’s commands or suggestions. (You give the orders!)
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Today a rebellious feeling within you could get you in trouble with bosses, parents, teachers and the police. Don’t be a fool. Do not say anything that you will regret. We both know that once the words have left your mouth — they are out there — and you can never take them back.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Travel plans will suddenly change. Alternatively, you might suddenly have to travel when you least expected to do so. Arguments about touchy subjects might spring up out of the blue. Easy does it. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. (As a clever wordsmith you can skillfully dance around any topic.)
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Do check your bank accounts and financial details because something unexpected might affect your assets. Assume nothing. Be aware that something could go wrong or an error might be made because whatever happens might cost you money. Stay on top of things.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Things are dicey with partners and close friends. You will be wise to zip thy lip. It’s not worth getting into an argument with someone you care about. (The truth is we fight with our loved ones because the emotional stakes are so high.) Likewise, be prepared for an unexpected zinger from someone else. Patience is your best ally.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Something unexpected or surprising might affect your health today. Likewise, something unexpected might also happen to your pet or your dealings with a pet. Your work routine will definitely be interrupted, hopefully, because of good news or something pleasant. Fingers crossed!
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Parents should be extra vigilant today because this is an accident-prone day for your kids. Meanwhile, an unexpected invitation to a social event might fall in your lap. Yay! Conversely, social plans might suddenly change or be canceled. Guard against sports accidents.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Small appliances might break down today or minor breakages could occur because something will create an interruption within your family or where you live. Hopefully, it’s minor. Something high tech or related to modern art might be involved.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Pay attention to everything you say and do today because this is an accident-prone day for you. Fortunately, it’s a mild influence; nevertheless, who wants to stub their toe? (Not you.) New faces, new places and new ideas might spring up today.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Keep an eye on your possessions and your assets today because something unexpected could affect them. You might find money; you might lose money. Something you own might be damaged, lost or stolen. Keep your eyes open for your own good.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Today the moon is in your sign at odds with your ruler, unpredictable Uranus. This makes you impatient, impulsive, and excitable. You will be hasty to jump to conclusions and you will crave excitement. This will make you even more rebellious than you already are. (Oh my.)
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Something going on behind the scenes makes you feel restless today. You’re a bit edgy and distracted. Some kind of emotional unrest might disturb your peace of mind. Fear not, this is a temporary dark cloud on your horizon — nothing serious. Gone by tomorrow, which is a more relaxing day.
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actor, writer Eugene Levy (1946) shares your birthday. You are insightful, which is why others seek your advice. (You’re a natural leader.) Service to others will be an important theme for you this year, especially within your family. Therefore, take care of yourself so that you can be a strong resource. Meanwhile decide to invest in the relationships that you value. Hang out with quality people.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-16--Police search for Jeep wanted in connection with fatal October shooting in Roseland

Police released photos Wednesday of a Jeep wanted in connection with the October slaying of a 32-year-old man in Roseland @ @ @ @ @ .
Deshawn McKinney was shot to death about 4:30 p.m. Oct. 24 in the 11400 @ @ @ @ @ .
Police said at the time that someone in a passing vehicle fired the shots @ @ @ @ @ police are asking the public for help identifying the owner of the black Jeep believed @ @ @ @ @ the shooting .
The Jeep has a missing front license plate , blacked out wheels @ @ @ @ @ , police said .
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Two detectives at @ @

Police released photos Wednesday of a Jeep wanted in connection with the October slaying of a 32-year-old man in Roseland on the Far South Side.
Deshawn McKinney was shot to death about 4:30 p.m. Oct. 24 in the 11400 block of South Calumet Avenue. Police said at the time that someone in a passing vehicle fired the shots that killed him.
Now police are asking the public for help identifying the owner of the black Jeep believed to have been used in the shooting. The Jeep has a missing front license plate, blacked out wheels and dark, tinted windows, police said.
Image of the Jeep wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a 32-year-old man Oct. 24, 2020, in Roseland. Chicago police
Image of the Jeep wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a 32-year-old man Oct. 24, 2020, in Roseland. Chicago police
Anyone with information is asked to call Area Two detectives at 312-747-8271.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--Man accused of killing father, burning Fernwood home held without bail: prosecutors

A man accused of beating his father to death and setting fire to their Fernwood home in April was ordered held without bail Thursday after being extradited back to Chicago from Georgia .
James Dyer , 33 , was charged with first-degree murder for the slaying of his 68-year-old father , also named James Dyer , who was found dead inside a burning home early April 23 in the 400 block of West 104th Street , according to the Cook County state ’ s attorney ’ s office .
The elder Dyer , however , had been killed before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ An autopsy by the Cook County medical examiner ’ s office found he died of blunt force trauma to the head and had several depressed skull fractures , and no traces of soot or carbon monoxide were found in his lungs or blood .
Prosecutors said that the younger Dyer had been staying at his father ’ s home for a few months when he brought a woman back home early in the morning of April 23 .
Dyer allegedly asked her to wait in his room while he went to his father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medicine , but the woman , who noticed that Dyer appeared “ jittery and out of sorts , ” followed him to the hallway , where she saw his father lying on the edge of the bed with his legs dangling over the side , prosecutors said .
Dyer saw the woman watching and ordered her to wait in the car , but she refused and stuck around the house while Dyer returned upstairs , prosecutors said .
She allegedly heard loud banging , “ as if a body was being thrown around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s shadow on the wall exiting the room , only to return with a hammer in hand , at which point the banging resumed .
Dyer then drove the woman back to her home in Gary , Indiana , using a GMC Yukon truck his father had been fixing for another person , prosecutors said .
Hours later , after ditching the truck at a gas station near 99th and Halsted streets , Dyer allegedly texted the woman that his house had burned down , despite never having called 9-1-1 .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that he ’ ll be returning to Atlanta , where he lived before moving to Chicago .
An arson investigation into the fire found that it was started by hand , the result of someone lighting a flame to a pile of clothing and other items by the bed , prosecutors said .
Dyer was arrested on July 17 in Marrieta , Georgia , and was extradited back to Illinois on Wednesday .
A Cook County judge ordered him held without bail , and he is due back in court Jan. 4 .

A man accused of beating his father to death and setting fire to their Fernwood home in April was ordered held without bail Thursday after being extradited back to Chicago from Georgia.
James Dyer, 33, was charged with first-degree murder for the slaying of his 68-year-old father, also named James Dyer, who was found dead inside a burning home early April 23 in the 400 block of West 104th Street, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
The elder Dyer, however, had been killed before the fire even started, prosecutors said. An autopsy by the Cook County medical examiner’s office found he died of blunt force trauma to the head and had several depressed skull fractures, and no traces of soot or carbon monoxide were found in his lungs or blood.
Prosecutors said that the younger Dyer had been staying at his father’s home for a few months when he brought a woman back home early in the morning of April 23. Dyer allegedly asked her to wait in his room while he went to his father’s room to give him his medicine, but the woman, who noticed that Dyer appeared “jittery and out of sorts,” followed him to the hallway, where she saw his father lying on the edge of the bed with his legs dangling over the side, prosecutors said.
Dyer saw the woman watching and ordered her to wait in the car, but she refused and stuck around the house while Dyer returned upstairs, prosecutors said. She allegedly heard loud banging, “as if a body was being thrown around,” and then saw Dyer’s shadow on the wall exiting the room, only to return with a hammer in hand, at which point the banging resumed.
Dyer then drove the woman back to her home in Gary, Indiana, using a GMC Yukon truck his father had been fixing for another person, prosecutors said. Hours later, after ditching the truck at a gas station near 99th and Halsted streets, Dyer allegedly texted the woman that his house had burned down, despite never having called 9-1-1. He also tells her his father is dead and that he’ll be returning to Atlanta, where he lived before moving to Chicago.
An arson investigation into the fire found that it was started by hand, the result of someone lighting a flame to a pile of clothing and other items by the bed, prosecutors said.
Dyer was arrested on July 17 in Marrieta, Georgia, and was extradited back to Illinois on Wednesday. A Cook County judge ordered him held without bail, and he is due back in court Jan. 4.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--CPS’ new sex ed policy doesn’t address important needs, advocates say

Sex education advocates are criticizing a newly approved Chicago Public Schools policy this week that they say doesn ’ t do enough to ensure qualified educators are teaching sexual health and doesn ’ t provide parents with enough resources to have conversations with their children at home .
Organizers with Healing to Action , an advocacy group that looks to address the root causes of gender-based violence , said they met with CPS officials and Board of Education members several times over the summer to share their views on how the district could improve its sexual health education .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public records request that 70 % of CPS schools weren ’ t properly implementing the existing sex ed requirements , with schools that serve majority Black and Brown students disproportionately falling short .
Karla Altmayer , the co-founder of Healing to Action , said the group was looking for clear mechanisms for accountability to implement sex ed , funding and resources for educator training and support for caregivers so they can understand the policy and reinforce lessons at home .
Instead , CPS ’ new policy , passed unanimously by the Board of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training and no new resources for parents or ways to hold schools accountable .
Altmayer said “ the district addressed none of our concerns , ” and that “ this policy is not what our community needs.
” The new policy says students should be learning age-appropriate curriculum that teaches them about consent , healthy relationships , anatomy and physiology , puberty , gender identity and expression , sexual orientation and interpersonal violence — but parents should be allowed to opt their children out of those lessons .
Sexual health resources and menstrual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools , the policy says .
CPS also kept in a line that says the “ comprehensive curriculum emphasizes abstinence as a component of healthy sexual decision-making and the only protection that is 100 % effective against unintended pregnancy , sexually transmitted infections and HIV when transmitted sexually.
” Teachers now will be required to undergo only a 90-minute training to earn a four-year certificate for sex ed .
They previously needed to participate in a six-to-eight hour training session .
A principal must identify at least two teachers in a school to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says in the policy that it ’ s trying to mitigate the effects of inequities and create a comprehensive approach that ’ s applied consistently throughout the district , but it also “ recognizes that this policy does not address the root cause of said inequities which may disproportionately impact our greatest needs groups.
” The policy could continue to evolve , officials said .
Tarrah DeClemente , a manager of health promotion at CPS , told the school board at its virtual meeting earlier this week that the reduction in training was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was too long .
The condensed version means the district is now training 70 more teachers per month , she said .
“ It just lends to the virtual environment , nobody wants to sit for six hours , ” she said .
“ People are more engaged and ready to take out of the training what they need.
” In response to the concerns that 70 % of schools hadn ’ t correctly implemented sex ed in 2018 , CPS health chief Kenneth Fox called that year “ ancient history.
” Board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CPS for apparently consulting the faith community in the creation of its policy .
“ That that ’ s something that ’ s really forward-thinking , and I just want to say thank you and acknowledge and appreciate that conversation , ” Truss said .
A CPS spokesman did not answer questions about what role faith leaders had to play in the creation of the new sexual education policy .
Sofia Penglase , a senior at Payton College Prep , said her only sexual health education in high school was a class freshman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inaccurate and potentially harmful ” information .
“ We want educators with a health or science background teaching this information , ” Penglase said .
“ We can ’ t expect educators to rely on information that is four years old , especially with the pace of the evolution and understanding of gender and sexuality.
” Aurelia Aguilar , a member of Healing to Action , said she was disappointed by the new policy because it didn ’ t offer new resources for parents .
She first got involved with the campaign at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t know the concepts of consent or gender-based violence .
“ As a survivor , it was important for my children to know about these important concepts , ” Aguilar said through a Spanish-language translator .
“ After talking to my children about these issues , I saw a huge change in them .
My daughter began to feel more confident and began to see her own power .
“ Parent education is key to the solution to ensure that sex education is implemented , especially in communities like mine where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone in their country or in their lives talking to them about these issues .
”

Sex education advocates are criticizing a newly approved Chicago Public Schools policy this week that they say doesn’t do enough to ensure qualified educators are teaching sexual health and doesn’t provide parents with enough resources to have conversations with their children at home.
Organizers with Healing to Action, an advocacy group that looks to address the root causes of gender-based violence, said they met with CPS officials and Board of Education members several times over the summer to share their views on how the district could improve its sexual health education.
The group said it found through a 2018 public records request that 70% of CPS schools weren’t properly implementing the existing sex ed requirements, with schools that serve majority Black and Brown students disproportionately falling short.
Karla Altmayer, the co-founder of Healing to Action, said the group was looking for clear mechanisms for accountability to implement sex ed, funding and resources for educator training and support for caregivers so they can understand the policy and reinforce lessons at home.
Instead, CPS’ new policy, passed unanimously by the Board of Education, included a reduction in teacher training and no new resources for parents or ways to hold schools accountable.
Altmayer said “the district addressed none of our concerns,” and that “this policy is not what our community needs.”
The new policy says students should be learning age-appropriate curriculum that teaches them about consent, healthy relationships, anatomy and physiology, puberty, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation and interpersonal violence — but parents should be allowed to opt their children out of those lessons. Sexual health resources and menstrual hygiene products should be available at all schools, the policy says.
CPS also kept in a line that says the “comprehensive curriculum emphasizes abstinence as a component of healthy sexual decision-making and the only protection that is 100% effective against unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and HIV when transmitted sexually.”
Teachers now will be required to undergo only 90 minutes of training to earn a four-year certificate for sex ed. They previously needed to participate in a six-to-eight-hour training session. A principal must identify at least two teachers in a school to receive the training.
The district also says in the policy that it’s trying to mitigate the effects of inequities and create a comprehensive approach that’s applied consistently throughout the district, but it also “recognizes that this policy does not address the root cause of said inequities which may disproportionately impact our greatest needs groups.” The policy could continue to evolve, officials said.
Tarrah DeClemente, a manager of health promotion at CPS, told the school board at its virtual meeting earlier this week that the reduction in training was because of teachers’ complaints that it was too long. The condensed version means the district is now training 70 more teachers per month, she said.
“It just lends to the virtual environment, nobody wants to sit for six hours,” she said. “People are more engaged and ready to take out of the training what they need.”
In response to the concerns that 70% of schools hadn’t correctly implemented sex ed in 2018, CPS health chief Kenneth Fox called that year “ancient history.”
Board member Dwayne Truss, meanwhile, thanked CPS for apparently consulting the faith community in the creation of its policy. “That that’s something that’s really forward-thinking, and I just want to say thank you and acknowledge and appreciate that conversation,” Truss said.
A CPS spokesman did not answer questions about what role faith leaders had to play in the creation of the new sexual education policy.
Sofia Penglase, a senior at Payton College Prep, said her only sexual health education in high school was a class freshman year in which a teacher gave “inaccurate and potentially harmful” information.
“We want educators with a health or science background teaching this information,” Penglase said. “We can’t expect educators to rely on information that is four years old, especially with the pace of the evolution and understanding of gender and sexuality.”
Aurelia Aguilar, a member of Healing to Action, said she was disappointed by the new policy because it didn’t offer new resources for parents. She first got involved with the campaign at CPS because she realized her five kids didn’t know the concepts of consent or gender-based violence.
“As a survivor, it was important for my children to know about these important concepts,” Aguilar said through a Spanish-language translator. “After talking to my children about these issues, I saw a huge change in them. My daughter began to feel more confident and began to see her own power.
“Parent education is key to the solution to ensure that sex education is implemented, especially in communities like mine where there are many parents who never had anyone in their country or in their lives talking to them about these issues.”


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--Bob Newhart streams his classic bits as they were meant to be heard

In 1959 , an accountant named Bob Newhart was trying his hand at stand-up comedy in Chicago .
Soft-spoken , dressed in a leisure suit , the unknown comic was reinventing the genre and he didn ’ t really know it .
By 1960 , everyone in the country knew his name , thanks to “ The Button-Down Mind Of Bob Newhart , ” a groundbreaking comedy album that sat at the No .
1 spot on the charts for more than three months .
His days as an accountant were over ; he would go on to get his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next 60 years ( and counting ) .
Recorded at the Tidelands Club in Houston , Texas , the album of the year Grammy Award-winning disc was eventually filmed for a TV comedy special .
With iconic routines such as “ Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue , ” “ The Driving Instructor , ” and “ King Kong and the New Security Guard , ” Newhart made an art form out of having “ phone conversations ” with the characters in his routines , or portraying each of them at their respective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subtle , yet sidesplitting wit .
Newhart ’ s successful career includes multiple network TV shows in the 1970s and ’ 80s , including “ The Bob Newhart Show ” and “ Newhart.
” He ’ s a recipient of the Kennedy Center ’ s “ Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
” And 25 years ago , Showtime aired his first comedy special , “ Bob Newhart : Off the Record , ” recorded at the Raymond Theater in Pasadena , California , and featuring material from that groundbreaking album and followup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” That hourlong comedy concert is now being made available digitally for the first time , via stream on all major digital platforms beginning Thursday .
At 91 , Newhart was doing about 20 shows a year pre-pandemic , often returning to his hometown ( he ’ s a graduate of St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University ) .
He talked to the Sun-Times about comedy and the digital age .
Q .
The video looks good and sounds amazing .
And the routines held up well over the years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ comedy .
A .
Yes , I think so .
Some of [ the routines ] are 60 years old .
Like Abe Lincoln , for example .
That ’ s as relevant today or even more relevant today than it was in 1960 .
Q.
What ’ s it like for you to watch your comedy special , versus listening to an album ?
A .
Well , what happened was they put out the album and it went crazy far beyond anyone ’ s expectations .
Certainly mine .
[ Laughs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were music people and not comedy people , the would hear a pause [ in the delivery of the material ] and they would say we can ’ t have that two seconds of silence there .
So they took it out on the album .
I was not in a position to say “ call back the album that ’ s not the way I did it !
” But It still worked .
So years later Showtime gave me this opportunity to film the album and said do whatever you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re-record the original material the way I had heard it as opposed to the way it wound up on the album .
So this was it .
It also gave me the chance of reminding people that before the TV shows I did this .
Q. Stand-up is an artform and yet you make it look so easy and seamless .
As a comedian , isn ’ t that one of the hardest styles of comedy to do ?
A. I suppose it is .
I found out that it took me years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1970s and I ’ d be in the wings waiting for the opening act to finish , and the band would be playing my intro song and I ’ d say to myself why couldn ’ t I sing ?
[ Laughs ] It ’ s so much easier to sing than to stand-up and make people laugh for an hour and 15 minutes .
Then I realized that the danger of stand-up was why I was doing it .
I didn ’ t want to be a singer .
I wanted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s always that danger that it isn ’ t gon na work that makes it so [ exciting and challenging ] .
...
It ’ s work but you make it look like it isn ’ t .
Q.
You ’ ve never used a profanity in your comedy .
Was it a conscious decision not to go there ?
A. I was known as the “ clean comic.
” And my answer as to why I never “ worked blue , ” — that ’ s what it ’ s called — @ @ @ @ @ @ @

In 1959, an accountant named Bob Newhart was trying his hand at stand-up comedy in Chicago. Soft-spoken, dressed in a leisure suit, the unknown comic was reinventing the genre, and he didn’t even know it.
By 1960, everyone in the country knew his name, thanks to “The Button-Down Mind Of Bob Newhart,” a groundbreaking comedy album that sat at the No. 1 spot on the charts for more than three months. His days as an accountant were over; he would go on to get his paychecks by making people laugh — for the next 60 years (and counting).
Recorded at the Tidelands Club in Houston, Texas, the album of the year Grammy Award-winning disc was eventually filmed for a TV comedy special. With iconic routines such as “Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue,” “The Driving Instructor,” and “King Kong and the New Security Guard,” Newhart made an art form out of having “phone conversations” with the characters in his routines, or portraying each of them at their respective workplaces with mind-boggling attention to detail and subtle, yet sidesplitting wit.
Newhart’s successful career includes multiple network TV shows in the 1970s and ’80s, including “The Bob Newhart Show” and “Newhart.” He’s a recipient of the Kennedy Center’s “Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.”
And 25 years ago, Showtime aired his first comedy special, “Bob Newhart: Off the Record,” recorded at the Raymond Theater in Pasadena, California, and featuring material from that groundbreaking album and followup, “The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!” That hourlong comedy concert is now being made available digitally for the first time, via stream on all major digital platforms beginning Thursday.
Showtime
At 91, Newhart was doing about 20 shows a year pre-pandemic, often returning to his hometown (he’s a graduate of St. Ignatius High School and Loyola University). He talked to the Sun-Times about comedy and the digital age.
Q. The video looks good and sounds amazing. And the routines held up well over the years. That’s a testament to timeless comedy.
A. Yes, I think so. Some of [the routines] are 60 years old. Like Abe Lincoln, for example. That’s as relevant today or even more relevant today than it was in 1960.
Q. What’s it like for you to watch your comedy special, versus listening to an album?
A. Well, what happened was they put out the album, and it went crazy far beyond anyone’s expectations. Certainly mine. [Laughs] What they did, because they were music people and not comedy people, the would hear a pause [in the delivery of the material], and they would say we can’t have that two seconds of silence there. So they took it out on the album. I was not in a position to say “call back the album that’s not the way I did it!” But It still worked. So years later Showtime gave me this opportunity to film the album and said do whatever you want to do. I always wanted to re-record the original material the way I had heard it as opposed to the way it wound up on the album. So this was it.
It also gave me the chance of reminding people that before the TV shows I did this.
Q. Stand-up is an art form, and yet you make it look so easy and seamless. As a comedian, isn’t that one of the hardest styles of comedy to do?
A. I suppose it is. I found out that it took me years. I’d be in Vegas the 1970s and I’d be in the wings waiting for the opening act to finish, and the band would be playing my intro song and I’d say to myself why couldn’t I sing? [Laughs] It’s so much easier to sing than to stand-up and make people laugh for an hour and 15 minutes. Then I realized that the danger of stand-up was why I was doing it. I didn’t want to be a singer. I wanted to be stand-up comic. There’s always that danger that it isn’t gonna work that makes it so [exciting and challenging]. ... It’s work, but you make it look like it isn’t.
Q. You’ve never used a profanity in your comedy. Was it a conscious decision not to go there?
A. I was known as the “clean comic.” And my answer as to why I never “worked blue” — that’s what it’s called — is because it’s harder.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--181 more Illinois coronavirus deaths, but state ‘headed in right direction’

Public health officials on Thursday announced the coronavirus has killed another 181 residents and spread to 8,828 more , the highest daily figures reported by the state in a week .
Most of the state ’ s key COVID-19 metrics still kept trending in the right direction , though , with the new cases confirmed among 92,015 tests to lower the average statewide positivity rate to 8.4 % .
That number , which experts use to gauge how rapidly the virus is spreading , has slowly declined from 13.2 % on Nov. 13 , when the state hit a peak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admissions have gradually fallen from all-time highs in late November , too .
As of Wednesday night , 4,751 hospital beds across the state were occupied by COVID-19 patients , with 1,056 receiving intensive care and 575 using ventilators .
On the busiest night of the pandemic for hospitals , COVID-19 patients were taking up 6,175 beds Nov. 20 .
“ I am guarded that we are headed in the right direction in terms of the numbers trending slightly downward , ” Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should throw caution to the wind and make large holiday and New Year ’ s Eve plans.
” Three of the state ’ s 11 regions are already meeting the criteria initially set by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker last month to shed the Tier 3 mitigations — like bans on indoor dining at bars and restaurants .
But in anticipation of a potential surge due to holiday gatherings , the Democratic governor said he won ’ t be lifting any restrictions until at least a few weeks into the new year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ here , but suffice to say that I want as much as anybody else to open up as many things as we possibly can , safely , ” Pritzker said .
Hospitals are still stretched thin in the downstate Metro East region , where only 14 ICU beds were available as of Wednesday night , and in the southern Illinois region , where 17 beds were open .
And the state ’ s death rate has shown no signs of slowing down .
The virus has claimed nearly 4,000 lives over the last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average of 133 deaths per day .
During the worst 30-day stretch of the first wave of the pandemic in the spring , about 100 deaths were reported each day .
The latest victims included 94 Chicago-area residents , including a Cook County man in his 20s .
The state has reported triple-digit death counts for 10 straight days , and the disturbing numbers aren ’ t expected to go down anytime soon .
“ When you ’ re still talking about 8,000-plus cases in a day , that means ... quite a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a percentage of that , ” Pritzker said .
Officials have said the state has reached “ the beginning of the end ” of the pandemic thanks to the arrival of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine — though the state will receive about half the doses it originally was promised next week by the federal government .
“ They haven ’ t given us any explanation of why those numbers are smaller than they were before , ” Pritzker said .
About 3,500 health care workers had been vaccinated by Thursday morning , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s first allotment of 109,000 doses are expected to be administered by the end of the weekend , Pritzker said .
About 655,000 health care workers are first in line for the vaccine statewide , meaning it ’ ll be months before shots are available to the general public .
Since March , a total of 879,428 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Illinois and 14,835 of them have died .
The recovery rate is 97 % .

Public health officials on Thursday announced the coronavirus has killed another 181 residents and spread to 8,828 more, the highest daily figures reported by the state in a week.
Most of the state’s key COVID-19 metrics still kept trending in the right direction, though, with the new cases confirmed among 92,015 tests to lower the average statewide positivity rate to 8.4%.
That number, which experts use to gauge how rapidly the virus is spreading, has slowly declined from 13.2% on Nov. 13, when the state hit a peak in its record-setting autumn resurgence.
Hospital admissions have gradually fallen from all-time highs in late November, too. As of Wednesday night, 4,751 hospital beds across the state were occupied by COVID-19 patients, with 1,056 receiving intensive care and 575 using ventilators. On the busiest night of the pandemic for hospitals, COVID-19 patients were taking up 6,175 beds Nov. 20.
“I am guarded that we are headed in the right direction in terms of the numbers trending slightly downward,” Illinois Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. “But that’s not an indication that we should throw caution to the wind and make large holiday and New Year’s Eve plans.”
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
Three of the state’s 11 regions are already meeting the criteria initially set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last month to shed the Tier 3 mitigations — like bans on indoor dining at bars and restaurants. But in anticipation of a potential surge due to holiday gatherings, the Democratic governor said he won’t be lifting any restrictions until at least a few weeks into the new year.
“There’s no date set here, but suffice to say that I want as much as anybody else to open up as many things as we possibly can, safely,” Pritzker said.
Hospitals are still stretched thin in the downstate Metro East region, where only 14 ICU beds were available as of Wednesday night, and in the southern Illinois region, where 17 beds were open.
And the state’s death rate has shown no signs of slowing down. The virus has claimed nearly 4,000 lives over the last month alone, making for a brutal average of 133 deaths per day. During the worst 30-day stretch of the first wave of the pandemic in the spring, about 100 deaths were reported each day.
The latest victims included 94 Chicago-area residents, including a Cook County man in his 20s. The state has reported triple-digit death counts for 10 straight days, and the disturbing numbers aren’t expected to go down anytime soon.
“When you’re still talking about 8,000-plus cases in a day, that means ... quite a number of people will still pass away as a percentage of that,” Pritzker said.
Graph not displaying properly? Click here.
Officials have said the state has reached “the beginning of the end” of the pandemic thanks to the arrival of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine — though the state will receive about half the doses it originally was promised next week by the federal government.
“They haven’t given us any explanation of why those numbers are smaller than they were before,” Pritzker said.
About 3,500 health care workers had been vaccinated by Thursday morning, and the rest of the state’s first allotment of 109,000 doses are expected to be administered by the end of the weekend, Pritzker said.
About 655,000 health care workers are first in line for the vaccine statewide, meaning it’ll be months before shots are available to the general public.
Since March, a total of 879,428 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Illinois and 14,835 of them have died. The recovery rate is 97%.


chicagosun-times--2020-12-17--Norwegian American Hospital gives health care workers first batch of COVID-19 vaccine

Norwegian American Hospital administered its first series of COVID-19 vaccines to five of its health care workers Thursday afternoon .
“ We need this little thing , a syringe full of just a few drops of life and hope , so we can all start to get some normalcy , ” said Dr. Abha Agrawal , chief medical officer at the Humboldt Park hospital , 1044 N. Francisco Ave.. “ I ’ m excited , I am honored to be part of this day and I am just full of hope and relief as we are looking to the days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long and dark time.
” The vaccines administered at Norwegian American came from the 150 doses it received Thursday morning .
By late afternoon , 35 people had been vaccinated ; the hospital anticipates using up all 150 doses by Monday morning .
Jose Sanchez , the hospital ’ s president and CEO , said it was vital that his hospital was among the sites receiving a portion of the early vaccine shipments , since the Latino and African American community it serves in Humboldt Park has been hit especially hard with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minorities are more affected than anyone else in our city , in our state , in our country , ” Sanchez said .
“ The city ’ s , as you know , positivity rate is approximately 10 % .
Here in the Humboldt Park community , in our community , the positivity rate is 36 % , which is more than 3 times the rest of the population in our state.
” Sanchez said those dying of COVID-19 also are disproportionately Black and Latino .
This is why , he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their vaccines so they can continue to have full staffing to treat patients .
Sanchez said he expects to start receiving weekly shipments of vaccines but urged people to make sure they get the two doses they need for the vaccination to work .
Those getting the first dose are given a card reminding them to return for their second dose in 21 days .
Agrawal also said the hospital would be diligent in calling patients when it ’ s time for the second dose .
Dr. Emanuel Favela , a physician at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experienced what COVID-19 has done to patients in his entire career .
“ These past nine months in Chicago , there ’ s been as much suffering from a respiratory illness as I ’ ve ever seen in my career , ” Favela said before receiving his first vaccine shot .
“ I ’ m excited to take the first step to ending this pandemic and setting a good example for my colleagues and my patients.
” For registered nurse Denise Flores , it was important she did her part by getting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I have a 3-year-old son who I need to protect , so it ’ s the responsible thing to do , ” Flores said .

Norwegian American Hospital administered its first series of COVID-19 vaccines to five of its health care workers Thursday afternoon.
“We need this little thing, a syringe full of just a few drops of life and hope, so we can all start to get some normalcy,” said Dr. Abha Agrawal, chief medical officer at the Humboldt Park hospital, 1044 N. Francisco Ave..
“I’m excited, I am honored to be part of this day and I am just full of hope and relief as we are looking to the days ahead to the end of this very long and dark time.”
The vaccines administered at Norwegian American came from the 150 doses it received Thursday morning. By late afternoon, 35 people had been vaccinated; the hospital anticipates using up all 150 doses by Monday morning.
Jose Sanchez, the hospital’s president and CEO, said it was vital that his hospital was among the sites receiving a portion of the early vaccine shipments, since the Latino and African American community it serves in Humboldt Park has been hit especially hard with the coronavirus.
“Latino and African American minorities are more affected than anyone else in our city, in our state, in our country,” Sanchez said. “The city’s, as you know, positivity rate is approximately 10%. Here in the Humboldt Park community, in our community, the positivity rate is 36%, which is more than 3 times the rest of the population in our state.”
Jose R. Sanchez, president and CEO of Norwegian American Hospital, speaks at a press conference to administer the first COVID-19 vaccinations to Latino healthcare workers at the hospital in Humboldt Park. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times
Sanchez said those dying of COVID-19 also are disproportionately Black and Latino. This is why, he said, it is important health care workers receive their vaccines so they can continue to have full staffing to treat patients.
Sanchez said he expects to start receiving weekly shipments of vaccines but urged people to make sure they get the two doses they need for the vaccination to work.
Those getting the first dose are given a card reminding them to return for their second dose in 21 days. Agrawal also said the hospital would be diligent in calling patients when it’s time for the second dose.
Dr. Emanuel Favela, a physician at Norwegian, said he’s never experienced what COVID-19 has done to patients in his entire career.
“These past nine months in Chicago, there’s been as much suffering from a respiratory illness as I’ve ever seen in my career,” Favela said before receiving his first vaccine shot. “I’m excited to take the first step to ending this pandemic and setting a good example for my colleagues and my patients.”
For registered nurse Denise Flores, it was important she did her part by getting the vaccine.
“I have a family and I have a 3-year-old son who I need to protect, so it’s the responsible thing to do,” Flores said.