chicagosun-times--2020-05-05--Horoscope for Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Horoscope for Wednesday, May 6, 2020

We have the all clear to shop and do business .
The moon is in Scorpio .
Double check banking details and anything to do with insurance issues , taxes and debt because something unexpected could affect these areas .
When it comes to financial matters , you want to know what ’ s happening .
Information is power .
Your partner or a close friend might throw you a curveball because something unexpected will occur .
Someone might suggest something that surprises you .
They might even want to change the relationship ?
They might want more freedom ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Your work routine will be interrupted .
However , for some of you , a surprise might occur that relates to your health or a pet .
This is because something unexpected will manifest , which means you have to stay off your heels .
Parents should be aware that this is an accident-prone day for your kids .
This means you have to be extra vigilant and make sure that they are not exposed to hazardous situations .
Likewise , romantic partners might have a spat .
Any kind of social situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents and authority figures are delicate , patience is your best ally .
Something else might create a disruption on the home front as well .
Small appliances might break down or minor breakages could occur .
If this happens , be patient with partners .
( Patience always pays off . )
Pay attention to everything you say and do because today is an accident-prone day for your sign .
This kind of accident could be verbal as well as physical .
Avoid controversial subjects like politics , religion and racial issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Something unexpected could affect your finances , your cash flow or your possessions .
For example , you might find money or you might lose money .
Something that you own might be stolen , lost or damaged .
Therefore , be alert !
Today the moon is in your sign opposing unpredictable Uranus .
This can make you obsessed with something .
( You ’ re like a dog with a bone — you won ’ t let go . )
This influence can also trigger feelings of independence in you — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rebellious !
Hey , take it easy .
Find your middle ground .
Today you might feel restless , even irritable .
This is because the moon is hiding in your chart and yet , it is opposed by wild , unpredictable Uranus .
The result can be that you are vaguely annoyed and yet , you might not even know why .
No worries .
This is a brief influence .
Today you might meet a real character or come up against an unusual situation with someone .
More likely , someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that surprises you .
In fact , something might happen that makes you question your goals .
Keep cool when talking to parents , bosses , the police or anyone in a position of authority .
Never underestimate the power of courtesy .
( “ Step away from the fridge.
” ) Avoid arguments with older family members because this accomplishes nothing .
Anger only serves to make people miserable .
It ’ s all too easy to be obsessed with an idea , which means you just can ’ t let it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everyone , so don ’ t let your thoughts take control of you , especially if they relate to your opinions about politics , religion or racial issues .
( There are none so deaf as those who are wearing headphones . )
If Your Birthday Is Today Actor George Clooney ( 1961 ) shares your birthday .
You seek love and happiness ; and relationships are important to you .
You appreciate beauty , particularly in your surroundings .
This year service to others is your theme , especially service to family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of yourself so that you are a strong resource for yourself and others .
Invest in the relationships that you value .
Tap into your personal creativity and hobbies .

Moon Alert
We have the all clear to shop and do business. The moon is in Scorpio.
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Double check banking details and anything to do with insurance issues, taxes and debt because something unexpected could affect these areas. When it comes to financial matters, you want to know what’s happening. Information is power.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Your partner or a close friend might throw you a curveball because something unexpected will occur. Someone might suggest something that surprises you. They might even want to change the relationship? They might want more freedom? (Something’s up.)
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Your work routine will be interrupted. However, for some of you, a surprise might occur that relates to your health or a pet. This is because something unexpected will manifest, which means you have to stay off your heels.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Parents should be aware that this is an accident-prone day for your kids. This means you have to be extra vigilant and make sure that they are not exposed to hazardous situations. Likewise, romantic partners might have a spat. Any kind of social situation might suddenly change.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Because relations with parents and authority figures are delicate, patience is your best ally. Something else might create a disruption on the home front as well. Small appliances might break down or minor breakages could occur. If this happens, be patient with partners. (Patience always pays off.)
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Pay attention to everything you say and do because today is an accident-prone day for your sign. This kind of accident could be verbal as well as physical. Avoid controversial subjects like politics, religion and racial issues because they are too touchy today!
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Something unexpected could affect your finances, your cash flow or your possessions. For example, you might find money or you might lose money. Something that you own might be stolen, lost or damaged. Therefore, be alert!
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Today the moon is in your sign opposing unpredictable Uranus. This can make you obsessed with something. (You’re like a dog with a bone — you won’t let go.) This influence can also trigger feelings of independence in you — to the point that you feel downright rebellious! Hey, take it easy. Find your middle ground.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Today you might feel restless, even irritable. This is because the moon is hiding in your chart and yet, it is opposed by wild, unpredictable Uranus. The result can be that you are vaguely annoyed and yet, you might not even know why. No worries. This is a brief influence.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Today you might meet a real character or come up against an unusual situation with someone. More likely, someone you know will say or do something that surprises you. In fact, something might happen that makes you question your goals.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Keep cool when talking to parents, bosses, the police or anyone in a position of authority. Never underestimate the power of courtesy. (“Step away from the fridge.”) Avoid arguments with older family members because this accomplishes nothing. Anger only serves to make people miserable.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
It’s all too easy to be obsessed with an idea, which means you just can’t let it go. These are trying times for everyone, so don’t let your thoughts take control of you, especially if they relate to your opinions about politics, religion or racial issues. (There are none so deaf as those who are wearing headphones.)
If Your Birthday Is Today
Actor George Clooney (1961) shares your birthday. You seek love and happiness; and relationships are important to you. You appreciate beauty, particularly in your surroundings. This year service to others is your theme, especially service to family. This means you must take care of yourself so that you are a strong resource for yourself and others. Invest in the relationships that you value. Tap into your personal creativity and hobbies.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-06--Attorneys for Cook County Jail detainees ask for records on COVID-19 testing  (LIVE UPDATES)

Attorneys for Cook County Jail detainees ask for records on COVID-19 testing Advocates for Cook County Jail detainees are asking for the sheriff ’ s office to provide additional records to show that they are following a federal judge ’ s order to widely test inmates for coronavirus , including those who do not have symptoms .
Citing the most recent COVID-19-related detainee death — the seventh at the jail— advocates are questioning whether the sheriff ’ s office ’ s has the ability to meet U.S. Judge Matthew Kennelly ’ s previous order to enforce social distancing , test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a response to the court-ordered report Sheriff Tom Dart ’ s lawyers released to Kennelly , attorneys for the detainees Wednesday asked the judge to consider beginning the process of convening a three-judge panel , which would weigh-in on the possible widespread release of older detainees and those with underlying medical conditions .
The attorneys also requested records from the sheriff ’ s office they said would shed more light on testing for coronavirus at the jail and social distancing procedures , writing that “ the Report makes plain that the Sheriff ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly with respect to coronavirus testing and social distancing.
” The lawyers for the detainees filed a class-action suit against Dart in March that sought to have elderly detainees and those who would be most seriously affected by COVID-19 released immediately .
Read the full story by Matthew Hendrickson here .
7:20 p.m. Pritzker , Lightfoot respond to surge of COVID-19 cases among Hispanics Coronavirus cases are surging in Illinois ’ Hispanic population , state and local officials said Wednesday .
Four weeks ago , Latinos were 14 % of Chicago ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , it ’ s 37 % of the cases and 25 % of the deaths .
Both numbers continue to rise in a city where 29 percent of the population is Hispanic .
And statewide , despite making up less than a fifth of the state ’ s population , Latinos in Illinois last week surpassed all other racial and ethnic groups in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases .
Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared it a matter of “ life and death ” and has expanded the scope of her “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fran Spielman and Tina Sfondeles have the full story .
A suburban community college is answering the government ’ s call to help create an army of contact tracers needed to track and stop the spread of COVID-19 .
Oakton Community College is accepting applicants for its Public Health Contact Tracer Paraprofessional training program , an online course set to begin May 26 .
“ Navigating the online curriculum at their own pace , students can complete the course in as little as three weeks and begin protecting members of their own communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in its announcement of the new class .
In contact tracing , public health staff work with a diseased patient to help them recall everyone with whom they ’ ve had close contact while infected , according to the Centers for Disease Control .
Contact tracers then warn those contacts — as well as anyone who came into contact with them — of their potential exposure .
Read the full story by David Struett here .
4:52 p.m. Man awaiting trial in bar fight 7th Cook County Jail detainee to die from coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial on aggravated battery charges is the seventh Cook County Jail detainee to die from complications related to coronavirus .
William Sobczyk , who died Monday at Stroger Hospital from pneumonia tied to COVID-19 , had been held at the Cook County Jail without bail since he was arrested in January 2019 for his alleged involvement in a fight at a Northwest Side bar , according to Cook County officials .
The 53-year-old had been hospitalized since April 18 with a COVID-19 infection , the sheriff ’ s office said .
Read the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The largest food bank in Chicago is expanding its reach to African American and Latino communities devastated by COVID-19 .
The Greater Chicago Food Depository has teamed up with seven Chicago faith- and community-based groups from Roseland to Austin .
The food bank will deliver truckloads of food to pop-up pantries on Chicago ’ s South and West Sides .
“ Even before the coronavirus pandemic , black and brown households in Chicago were disproportionately affected by food insecurity , ” Nicole Robinson , vice president of community impact for the food bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Now the disparities are even more striking.
” Read the full story by Manny Ramos here .
An introduction : From the beginning of the new coronavirus pandemic , Illinois ’ response has been guided by data , science , and public health experts .
As community spread rapidly increased , Governor Pritzker moved quickly to issue a Disaster Proclamation on March 9 , restrict visitors to nursing homes on March 11 , close bars and restaurants for on-site consumption on March 16 , move schools to remote learning on March 17 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on March 21 .
This virus has caused painful , cascading consequences for everyone in Illinois , but the science has been clear : in the face of a new coronavirus with unknown characteristics and in the absence of widespread testing availability and contact tracing , mitigation and maintaining a 6-foot social distance have been the only options to reduce the spread and save as many lives as possible .
Read the full text of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s “ Restore Illinois ” plan here .
3:20 p.m .
Bitter pill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or immunity ‘ returning to normalcy doesn ’ t exist ’ With the state ’ s “ cabin fever ” escalating and warmer weather looming , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday unveiled a five-part reopening plan — with the stern warning that life won ’ t go back to normal any time soon .
Tempering that message even more , the governor released his “ Restore Illinois ” plan on the same day the state suffered its largest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day — 176 more Illinois residents lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we all have a passionate desire to return to the sense of normalcy that we felt before the world knew of COVID-19 .
Here ’ s the truth .
And I don ’ t like it any more than you do , ” Pritzker said at his daily briefing .
“ Until we have a vaccine , or an effective treatment , or enough widespread immunity that new cases fail to materialize , the option of returning to normalcy doesn ’ t exist.
” The Democratic governor said Illinoisans must figure out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can be vanquished.
” Read the full story by Tina Sfondeles , Sam Charles and Neal Earley here .
2:35 p.m. 136 more die in Illinois as COVID-19 toll nears 3,000 Another 136 people have died in Illinois from COVID-19 , as the state nears 3,000 total deaths .
Officials on Wednesday reported 2,270 new cases out of 14,974 test results .
That brings the state ’ s overall case tally to 68,232 , while the additional deaths raised the Illinois ’ toll to 2,974 since the coronavirus pandemic began .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which more than 100 people have died from COVID-19 .
Illinois has also seen 13 days with more than 2,000 people testing positive .
The state ’ s positivity rate on Wednesday was 15 % .
In revealing his five-part plan to reopen regions of the state , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday said a region must be “ at or under a 20 % test positivity rate and increasing by no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period ” in order for the region to enter the next phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no overall increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19 symptoms for 28 days , and have at least 14 % of intensive care unit beds , medical and surgery beds and ventilators available .
2:05 p.m. Two men accused of running suburban prostitution ring caught griping how coronavirus is hurting business : feds Federal agents investigating a prostitution ring known as the “ Norridge Girls ” nabbed Marcin Ciborowski at O ’ Hare Airport on Valentine ’ s Day — back before the coronavirus changed everything .
They put him in the McHenry County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been waiting to be shipped back to Poland .
While he was there , the feds allege he called an associate , Mariusz Daniluk , to discuss their prostitution business , including on March 12 .
That ’ s about when the world began to change in Chicago .
So Daniluk didn ’ t have good news , according to court records .
He told Ciborowski they were suddenly short on clients .
“ Today ’ s there ’ s nothing , ” Daniluk allegedly said on one recorded call , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that yesterday there was six , four and five [ clients ] right.
” “ Maybe it ’ s just that type of f -- -ing sh -- -y day , ” Ciborowski suggested .
“ Was the weather warm today or no ?
” Daniluk told him , “ It ’ s raining but a good day for work , you know ?
… But f -- - nothing man , zero f -- - , you know responses.
” Finally , Ciborowski said , “ F -- - , man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ -- - is this , since the morning they ’ re talking about this corona sh— , a—holes.
” 1:14 p.m. State rep wants to talk about race , face masks and why a cop stopped him outside a South Loop store State Rep. Kam Buckner wants to spark public conversation about why a Chicago Police officer stopped him outside a big-box store Sunday in the South Loop and asked for a receipt for the items in his cart as well as an ID .
Buckner , 34 , who was wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sweatpants , told the Chicago Sun-Times he remained calm and complied .
The officer , who was white and in uniform , walked back to his squad car for a couple of minutes and then returned the ID and receipt to Buckner .
“ He said , ‘ All right , thanks.
’ and that ’ s when I asked ‘ What was the impetus for you stopping me in the first place , ’ ” Buckner recalled .
“ He told me : ‘ People are using the coronavirus to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see your face .
You looked like you were up to something.
’ ” Read the full story by Mitch Dudek here .
12:35 p.m. ‘ Someone will get hurt ’ in fight over mask requirements , store manager says Employees of grocery stores , pharmacies and hardware stores aren ’ t just struggling to keep shelves stocked and Illinoisans supplied during the coronavirus pandemic .
They ’ ve also had to deal with “ a very large man ” carrying a hunting knife through a DeKalb store , an “ irate ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Romeoville store , and even a police officer making a “ political protest ” at a shop in Peoria — each of them bare-faced in rebellion against state requirements for shoppers to wear face coverings .
Those front-line workers deemed “ essential ” during the Illinois shutdown have been faced with dozens of such confrontations with customers refusing to follow Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s guidelines to wear masks in stores , according to Rob Karr , president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association .
And with many residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they knew it — and Pritzker laying out plans Tuesday for a phased reopening of the state ’ s economy on a regional basis — some retailers are concerned it could get worse .
“ My fear is that these instances will escalate into a situation where someone will get hurt , ” an anonymous Carbondale store manager wrote in a complaint submitted to the merchants association , saying they ’ ve had several issues enforcing the mask guidelines .
“ The public is on edge and even a passive approach has sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ point they are shouting at our teammates , ” that manager wrote .
Read the full story from Mitchell Armentrout here .
11:17 a.m. Amazon warehouse worker tests positive for COVID-19 after demonstrating for safer conditions When Amazon employee Shantrece Johnson demonstrated with coworkers outside the company ’ s Little Village warehouse in March , it was to protest unsafe working conditions as the coronavirus pandemic was climbing toward its peak .
About a month later , she ’ s home sick with COVID-19 and worried her teenage son may also have it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noticed symptoms April 25 when she started coughing at work and had to use her inhaler more often than usual .
Two days later , she left about 30 minutes before her shift ended and went to a drive-thru test site .
After three more days of coughing and shortness of breath , she received her positive test results .
The 47-year-old participated in three of four “ safety strikes ” that Amazon workers at DCH1 , the warehouse at 2801 S. Western Ave. , staged in response to what they considered lackluster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The workers ’ group , DCH1 Amazonians United , demanded a shutdown of the warehouse for a full cleaning , and coverage of medical bills for employees and their families should they contract COVID-19 , among other requests .
“ I felt they weren ’ t doing enough to make us feel safe and protect us from catching the coronavirus , because I didn ’ t want to bring this home to my son , ” Johnson , who ’ s been with the company since January 2017 , said between coughing fits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kelly here .
10:52 a.m. Pitchfork is the latest music festival canceled due to COVID-19 Pitchfork Music Festival 2020 has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic , officials announced Wednesday .
Officials said ticket holders will be contacted by email with refund options .
“ It can be pretty daunting to think about the future of live music right now , but know that we are fully committed to bringing Pitchfork Music Festival back in 2021 , if the public health situation allows for it , ” officials wrote in a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meantime , we urge everyone to follow local health department guidelines .
We are in this together , and , if we all do our part , we ’ ll celebrate next year in person.
” 10:14 a.m. Uber to lay off 3,700 workers and CEO to waive salary Uber is cutting 3,700 full-time workers and its CEO will give up his base salary with the nation largely still in lockdown .
The San Francisco company said Wednesday that the layoffs and related costs like severance will reach about $ 20 million .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiring freeze and has offered up to 14 days of financial assistance to drivers and delivery workers who were diagnosed with COVID-19 , or placed in quarantine .
Another employee at the Cook County Circuit Court clerk ’ s office has tested positive for COVID-19 , bringing the overall total to 22 .
The latest employee to test positive was assigned to District 3 , located at 2121 Euclid Ave. in Rolling Meadows , and last reported for work on March 20 , according to a statement from the Office of the Clerk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The person did not begin to show symptoms of coronavirus until over a month after their last day at work and is self-quarantining at home .
A deep cleaning at the offices was not requested , but the county Department of Facilities Management is conducting a routine cleaning of the area where the employee worked , the clerk ’ s office said .
7:10 a.m. ‘ Stay Home Save Lives ’ gear inspired by Lightfoot memes to aid coronavirus relief Mayor Lori Lightfoot ’ s election team is selling T-shirts and stickers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor keeping a watchful eye over Chicago amid the stay-at-home order .
The design for the “ stay home save lives ” merchandise was created by local artist Mike Noren , Dave Mellet of Lightfoot for Chicago wrote in an email to supporters .
The money raised from the sales will go toward “ local COVID relief charities ” after costs for printing and shipping , Mellet said .
T-shirts start at $ 30 , while a three-pack of stickers will cost $ 8 .
The artwork is inspired by the series of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at various locations around the city in an attempt to keep people home .
Lightfoot has previously said she has “ enjoyed ” the memes .
6:22 a.m. Young mom , a nurse at Bolingbrook nursing home with soaring COVID-19 toll , is the latest to die Ninety-three cases of COVID-19 and 10 deaths had been reported at Meadowbrook Manor nursing home in Bolingbrook as of the first of the month .
They ’ ll need to add Krist Angielen Castro Guzman to the list .
Guzman was a 35-year-old nurse at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children who cared passionately for her patients and feared greatly for her safety during this pandemic .
Guzman died Saturday at AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center in Bolingbrook , where , less than five months earlier , she had given birth to her youngest child .
Guzman died of cardiac arrest an hour after being intubated for respiratory problems caused by the coronavirus , just one day after being admitted to the hospital and barely a week after falling ill , according to her family .
Read the full story from Mark Brown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ among 85 workers at CPS schools who have tested positive for COVID-19 , officials say .
• Another employee at the Cook County Circuit Court clerk ’ s office has tested positive for COVID-19 , bringing the overall total to 22 .
• Fifty-six more people in Cook County have died of causes related to COVID-19 , the Cook County medical examiner confirmed Tuesday .
• 5 more Chicago Police Department employees test positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday .
• Chicago police announced Monday 22 more cases of COVID-19 , bringing the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Sheriff ’ s Deputy Richard O ’ Brien , a long-time veteran of the Cook County sheriff ’ s office died Sunday of complications due to the coronavirus .
3:05 p.m. We worry about what our very sick president will do next Every parent has warily confronted the hypothetical question : What would you do if you suspected your child was unwell ?
Not physically , but emotionally unwell , or mentally unstable ?
Imagine learning your teenager , for example , had been yelling demeaning slurs at the girls in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them names .
And that he ’ d been secretly using his social media accounts to go on late-night rants against perceived enemies , attacking their looks , and again , calling them names in unending , seething , rambling posts .
Read the full column by S.E .
Cupp here .
7:15 a.m. Thankfully , Pritzker ’ s ‘ Restore Illinois ’ plan relies on science , not politics Just yesterday , we wrote that America ’ s road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will be faster , smoother and fairer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reject the politics of division and find common ground .
We need leaders who seek to unite us , we wrote .
We need a plan to reopen the country that is objective , measurable and rooted in science , rather than politics .
And we need a plan that recognizes one size does not fit all — if we ’ re serious about appealing to the good sense of all kinds of folks .
On Tuesday , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker presented a framework for reopening Illinois that fits squarely with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s plan lays out five phases for returning life to some semblance of normalcy in Illinois , with the move to each happier phase dependent on measurable progress — hard metrics — in beating back the coronavirus .
Equally important , the plan divides the state into four regions for purposes of reopening : Northeast Illinois , North Central Illinois , Central Illinois and Southern Illinois .
Read the full editorial by the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board .
6:20 a.m. Will future generations understand what the Virus War of 2020 was really like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bottle to future generations who will never understand the fear , confusion and courage of the ordinary person during The Virus War of 2020 .
I am talking about the waitress trying to raise her children without a job .
You see , the restaurants were closed .
The government provided a tiny bit of money , but not enough to pay the rent , feed the kids and keep the phone and internet operating .
Such a woman had to explain to her children why they could not see their friends , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Maybe she had to tell them why they didn ’ t have the computer they needed to attend virtual classes , which were the only ones available .
Read the full column by Phil Kadner here .

Another 136 people have died in Illinois from COVID-19, as the state nears 3,000 total deaths.
Officials on Wednesday reported 2,270 new cases out of 14,974 test results. That brings the state’s overall case tally to 68,232, while the additional deaths raised the Illinois’ toll to 2,974 since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Here are the developments from today as the state of Illinois continued to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.
News
8:55 p.m. Federal stimulus checks: No forwarding address for some recipients
Provided.
I’m not sure how many people are familiar with the abbreviation “DECD,” although I’m pretty sure most could guess, especially when it appears after a name.
But for those who don’t know, it means “deceased.” As in dead.
So you can imagine Janet Williams’ surprise last week when she received a $1,200 federal stimulus check in the mail made out to her late stepfather, “Arthur Keyser DECD.”
Keyser died in November 2018, which the government apparently knew, Williams notes, BECAUSE IT SAYS SO RIGHT ON THE FACE OF THE $1,200 CHECK THEY SENT HIM.
It’s already been widely reported that the Treasury Department mistakenly sent out thousands of stimulus payments to dead people in its rush to get money out the door and revive the economy.
Read more from columnist Mark Brown here.
8:08 p.m. Attorneys for Cook County Jail detainees ask for records on COVID-19 testing
Cook County Jail, 26th and California, Chicago Sun-Times
Advocates for Cook County Jail detainees are asking for the sheriff’s office to provide additional records to show that they are following a federal judge’s order to widely test inmates for coronavirus, including those who do not have symptoms.
Citing the most recent COVID-19-related detainee death — the seventh at the jail— advocates are questioning whether the sheriff’s office’s has the ability to meet U.S. Judge Matthew Kennelly’s previous order to enforce social distancing, test and protect those in custody.
In a response to the court-ordered report Sheriff Tom Dart’s lawyers released to Kennelly, attorneys for the detainees Wednesday asked the judge to consider beginning the process of convening a three-judge panel, which would weigh-in on the possible widespread release of older detainees and those with underlying medical conditions .
The attorneys also requested records from the sheriff’s office they said would shed more light on testing for coronavirus at the jail and social distancing procedures, writing that “the Report makes plain that the Sheriff’s Office has not achieved compliance, particularly with respect to coronavirus testing and social distancing.”
The lawyers for the detainees filed a class-action suit against Dart in March that sought to have elderly detainees and those who would be most seriously affected by COVID-19 released immediately.
Read the full story by Matthew Hendrickson here.
7:54 p.m. Chicago Park District summer kids camps delay start until July 6
The Chicago Park District’s summer day camps for kids have a new official starting date: July 6.
The camps typically run from June 22 to July 31, and will still end July 31 this year. But the first two weeks have been eliminated, per the Park District’s website, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Online registration now begins at 9 a.m. on June 11 — for camps taking place in parks west of California Avenue — or June 12 for camps in parks east of California Avenue, including the lakeshore. In-person registration for all camps begins at noon on June 13.
More information about the specific programs offered this year will be available June 1.
Reporter Ben Pope has the full story.
7:20 p.m. Pritzker, Lightfoot respond to surge of COVID-19 cases among Hispanics
Coronavirus cases are surging in Illinois’ Hispanic population, state and local officials said Wednesday.
Four weeks ago, Latinos were 14% of Chicago’s coronavirus cases and 9% of deaths. Now, it’s 37% of the cases and 25% of the deaths. Both numbers continue to rise in a city where 29 percent of the population is Hispanic.
And statewide, despite making up less than a fifth of the state’s population, Latinos in Illinois last week surpassed all other racial and ethnic groups in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared it a matter of “life and death” and has expanded the scope of her “racial equity rapid response teams.”
Reporters Fran Spielman and Tina Sfondeles have the full story.
5:23 p.m. COVID-19 contact tracing training program now accepting applicants at Oakton Community College
A suburban community college is answering the government’s call to help create an army of contact tracers needed to track and stop the spread of COVID-19.
Oakton Community College is accepting applicants for its Public Health Contact Tracer Paraprofessional training program, an online course set to begin May 26.
“Navigating the online curriculum at their own pace, students can complete the course in as little as three weeks and begin protecting members of their own communities,” the north suburban school said in its announcement of the new class.
In contact tracing, public health staff work with a diseased patient to help them recall everyone with whom they’ve had close contact while infected, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Contact tracers then warn those contacts — as well as anyone who came into contact with them — of their potential exposure.
Read the full story by David Struett here.
4:52 p.m. Man awaiting trial in bar fight 7th Cook County Jail detainee to die from coronavirus complications
A cancer-stricken Arlington Heights man awaiting trial on aggravated battery charges is the seventh Cook County Jail detainee to die from complications related to coronavirus.
William Sobczyk, who died Monday at Stroger Hospital from pneumonia tied to COVID-19, had been held at the Cook County Jail without bail since he was arrested in January 2019 for his alleged involvement in a fight at a Northwest Side bar, according to Cook County officials.
The 53-year-old had been hospitalized since April 18 with a COVID-19 infection, the sheriff’s office said.
Read the full story by Matthew Hendrickson here.
4:14 p.m. Pop-up food pantries arrive in areas hardest-hit by COVID-19
The largest food bank in Chicago is expanding its reach to African American and Latino communities devastated by COVID-19.
The Greater Chicago Food Depository has teamed up with seven Chicago faith- and community-based groups from Roseland to Austin. The food bank will deliver truckloads of food to pop-up pantries on Chicago’s South and West Sides.
“Even before the coronavirus pandemic, black and brown households in Chicago were disproportionately affected by food insecurity,” Nicole Robinson, vice president of community impact for the food bank, said in a statement. “Now the disparities are even more striking.”
Read the full story by Manny Ramos here.
3:35 p.m. Pritzker’s ‘Restore Illinois’ plan: Full text
An introduction: From the beginning of the new coronavirus pandemic, Illinois’ response has been guided by data, science, and public health experts. As community spread rapidly increased, Governor Pritzker moved quickly to issue a Disaster Proclamation on March 9, restrict visitors to nursing homes on March 11, close bars and restaurants for on-site consumption on March 16, move schools to remote learning on March 17, and issue a Stay at Home order on March 21. This virus has caused painful, cascading consequences for everyone in Illinois, but the science has been clear: in the face of a new coronavirus with unknown characteristics and in the absence of widespread testing availability and contact tracing, mitigation and maintaining a 6-foot social distance have been the only options to reduce the spread and save as many lives as possible.
Read the full text of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” plan here.
3:20 p.m. Bitter pill: Pritzker says without vaccine, treatment or immunity ‘returning to normalcy doesn’t exist’
With the state’s “cabin fever” escalating and warmer weather looming, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday unveiled a five-part reopening plan — with the stern warning that life won’t go back to normal any time soon.
Tempering that message even more, the governor released his “Restore Illinois” plan on the same day the state suffered its largest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day — 176 more Illinois residents lost to the coronavirus.
“I know that we all have a passionate desire to return to the sense of normalcy that we felt before the world knew of COVID-19. Here’s the truth. And I don’t like it any more than you do,” Pritzker said at his daily briefing. “Until we have a vaccine, or an effective treatment, or enough widespread immunity that new cases fail to materialize, the option of returning to normalcy doesn’t exist.”
The Democratic governor said Illinoisans must figure out how to live with COVID-19 “until it can be vanquished.”
Read the full story by Tina Sfondeles, Sam Charles and Neal Earley here.
2:35 p.m. 136 more die in Illinois as COVID-19 toll nears 3,000
Another 136 people have died in Illinois from COVID-19, as the state nears 3,000 total deaths.
Officials on Wednesday reported 2,270 new cases out of 14,974 test results. That brings the state’s overall case tally to 68,232, while the additional deaths raised the Illinois’ toll to 2,974 since the coronavirus pandemic began.
The state has now seen 11 days in which more than 100 people have died from COVID-19. Illinois has also seen 13 days with more than 2,000 people testing positive.
The state’s positivity rate on Wednesday was 15%. In revealing his five-part plan to reopen regions of the state, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday said a region must be “at or under a 20% test positivity rate and increasing by no more than 10 percentage points over a 14-day period” in order for the region to enter the next phase of reopening.
It must also show no overall increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19 symptoms for 28 days, and have at least 14% of intensive care unit beds, medical and surgery beds and ventilators available.
Read the full story by Tina Sfondeles.
2:05 p.m. Two men accused of running suburban prostitution ring caught griping how coronavirus is hurting business: feds
Federal agents investigating a prostitution ring known as the “Norridge Girls” nabbed Marcin Ciborowski at O’Hare Airport on Valentine’s Day — back before the coronavirus changed everything.
They put him in the McHenry County Jail, where they say he’s been waiting to be shipped back to Poland. While he was there, the feds allege he called an associate, Mariusz Daniluk, to discuss their prostitution business, including on March 12.
That’s about when the world began to change in Chicago. So Daniluk didn’t have good news, according to court records. He told Ciborowski they were suddenly short on clients.
“Today’s there’s nothing,” Daniluk allegedly said on one recorded call, “but yesterday I’m telling you, that yesterday there was six, four and five [clients] right.”
“Maybe it’s just that type of f---ing sh---y day,” Ciborowski suggested. “Was the weather warm today or no?” Daniluk told him, “It’s raining but a good day for work, you know?… But f--- nothing man, zero f---, you know responses.”
Finally, Ciborowski said, “F---, man f---, what the f--- is this, since the morning they’re talking about this corona sh—, a—holes.”
Read the full story by Jon Seidel.
1:14 p.m. State rep wants to talk about race, face masks and why a cop stopped him outside a South Loop store
State Rep. Kam Buckner wants to spark public conversation about why a Chicago Police officer stopped him outside a big-box store Sunday in the South Loop and asked for a receipt for the items in his cart as well as an ID.
Buckner, 34, who was wearing a state mandated face mask, a hoodie and sweatpants, told the Chicago Sun-Times he remained calm and complied.
The officer, who was white and in uniform, walked back to his squad car for a couple of minutes and then returned the ID and receipt to Buckner.
“He said, ‘All right, thanks.’ and that’s when I asked ‘What was the impetus for you stopping me in the first place,’” Buckner recalled.
“He told me: ‘People are using the coronavirus to do bad things. I couldn’t see your face. You looked like you were up to something.’”
Read the full story by Mitch Dudek here.
12:35 p.m. ‘Someone will get hurt’ in fight over mask requirements, store manager says
Employees of grocery stores, pharmacies and hardware stores aren’t just struggling to keep shelves stocked and Illinoisans supplied during the coronavirus pandemic.
They’ve also had to deal with “a very large man” carrying a hunting knife through a DeKalb store, an “irate” man threatening to shoot a worker at a Romeoville store, and even a police officer making a “political protest” at a shop in Peoria — each of them bare-faced in rebellion against state requirements for shoppers to wear face coverings.
Those front-line workers deemed “essential” during the Illinois shutdown have been faced with dozens of such confrontations with customers refusing to follow Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s guidelines to wear masks in stores, according to Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
And with many residents itching to get back to life as they knew it — and Pritzker laying out plans Tuesday for a phased reopening of the state’s economy on a regional basis — some retailers are concerned it could get worse.
“My fear is that these instances will escalate into a situation where someone will get hurt,” an anonymous Carbondale store manager wrote in a complaint submitted to the merchants association, saying they’ve had several issues enforcing the mask guidelines.
“The public is on edge and even a passive approach has sent several customers over the edge to a point they are shouting at our teammates,” that manager wrote.
Read the full story from Mitchell Armentrout here.
11:17 a.m. Amazon warehouse worker tests positive for COVID-19 after demonstrating for safer conditions
When Amazon employee Shantrece Johnson demonstrated with coworkers outside the company’s Little Village warehouse in March, it was to protest unsafe working conditions as the coronavirus pandemic was climbing toward its peak. About a month later, she’s home sick with COVID-19 and worried her teenage son may also have it.
Johnson, an asthmatic, first noticed symptoms April 25 when she started coughing at work and had to use her inhaler more often than usual. Two days later, she left about 30 minutes before her shift ended and went to a drive-thru test site. After three more days of coughing and shortness of breath, she received her positive test results.
The 47-year-old participated in three of four “safety strikes” that Amazon workers at DCH1, the warehouse at 2801 S. Western Ave., staged in response to what they considered lackluster measures being taken to protect workers. The workers’ group, DCH1 Amazonians United, demanded a shutdown of the warehouse for a full cleaning, and coverage of medical bills for employees and their families should they contract COVID-19, among other requests.
“I felt they weren’t doing enough to make us feel safe and protect us from catching the coronavirus, because I didn’t want to bring this home to my son,” Johnson, who’s been with the company since January 2017, said between coughing fits.
Read the full story from Sam Kelly here.
10:52 a.m. Pitchfork is the latest music festival canceled due to COVID-19
Pitchfork Music Festival 2020 has been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials announced Wednesday.
Officials said ticket holders will be contacted by email with refund options.
“It can be pretty daunting to think about the future of live music right now, but know that we are fully committed to bringing Pitchfork Music Festival back in 2021, if the public health situation allows for it,” officials wrote in a statement announcing the cancelation.
“In the meantime, we urge everyone to follow local health department guidelines. We are in this together, and, if we all do our part, we’ll celebrate next year in person.”
Read the full story here.
10:14 a.m. Uber to lay off 3,700 workers and CEO to waive salary
Uber is cutting 3,700 full-time workers and its CEO will give up his base salary with the nation largely still in lockdown.
The San Francisco company said Wednesday that the layoffs and related costs like severance will reach about $20 million.
Uber Technologies Inc. had already imposed a hiring freeze and has offered up to 14 days of financial assistance to drivers and delivery workers who were diagnosed with COVID-19, or placed in quarantine.
Read the full story here.
9:30 a.m. 22nd employee contracts COVID-19 at Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s office
Another employee at the Cook County Circuit Court clerk’s office has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the overall total to 22.
The latest employee to test positive was assigned to District 3, located at 2121 Euclid Ave. in Rolling Meadows, and last reported for work on March 20, according to a statement from the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. The person did not begin to show symptoms of coronavirus until over a month after their last day at work and is self-quarantining at home.
A deep cleaning at the offices was not requested, but the county Department of Facilities Management is conducting a routine cleaning of the area where the employee worked, the clerk’s office said.
Read the full story here.
7:10 a.m. ‘Stay Home Save Lives’ gear inspired by Lightfoot memes to aid coronavirus relief
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s election team is selling T-shirts and stickers inspired by the now-famous memes of the mayor keeping a watchful eye over Chicago amid the stay-at-home order.
The design for the “stay home save lives” merchandise was created by local artist Mike Noren, Dave Mellet of Lightfoot for Chicago wrote in an email to supporters.
We've partnered with local artist @gummyarts to create a "Stay Home" design to raise money for COVID charities. Visit https://t.co/ylKNGfjHZ1 to order t-shirts and stickers. pic.twitter.com/PfFNMJsWWT — Lori Lightfoot (@LoriLightfoot) May 6, 2020
The money raised from the sales will go toward “local COVID relief charities” after costs for printing and shipping, Mellet said. T-shirts start at $30, while a three-pack of stickers will cost $8.
The artwork is inspired by the series of viral memes that depict Lightfoot standing guard at various locations around the city in an attempt to keep people home. Lightfoot has previously said she has “enjoyed” the memes.
Read the full story here.
6:22 a.m. Young mom, a nurse at Bolingbrook nursing home with soaring COVID-19 toll, is the latest to die
Ninety-three cases of COVID-19 and 10 deaths had been reported at Meadowbrook Manor nursing home in Bolingbrook as of the first of the month.
They’ll need to add Krist Angielen Castro Guzman to the list.
Guzman was a 35-year-old nurse at the facility and the mother of three young children who cared passionately for her patients and feared greatly for her safety during this pandemic.
Guzman died Saturday at AMITA Health Adventist Medical Center in Bolingbrook, where, less than five months earlier, she had given birth to her youngest child.
Guzman died of cardiac arrest an hour after being intubated for respiratory problems caused by the coronavirus, just one day after being admitted to the hospital and barely a week after falling ill, according to her family.
Read the full story from Mark Brown here.
New cases
Analysis & Commentary
3:05 p.m. We worry about what our very sick president will do next
Every parent has warily confronted the hypothetical question: What would you do if you suspected your child was unwell?
Not physically, but emotionally unwell, or mentally unstable? Imagine learning your teenager, for example, had been yelling demeaning slurs at the girls in his class, harassing them and calling them names.
And that he’d been secretly using his social media accounts to go on late-night rants against perceived enemies, attacking their looks, and again, calling them names in unending, seething, rambling posts.
Read the full column by S.E. Cupp here.
7:15 a.m. Thankfully, Pritzker’s ‘Restore Illinois’ plan relies on science, not politics
Just yesterday, we wrote that America’s road to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic will be faster, smoother and fairer if we can all, finally, reject the politics of division and find common ground.
We need leaders who seek to unite us, we wrote. We need a plan to reopen the country that is objective, measurable and rooted in science, rather than politics. And we need a plan that recognizes one size does not fit all — if we’re serious about appealing to the good sense of all kinds of folks.
On Tuesday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker presented a framework for reopening Illinois that fits squarely with this way of thinking. The governor’s plan lays out five phases for returning life to some semblance of normalcy in Illinois, with the move to each happier phase dependent on measurable progress — hard metrics — in beating back the coronavirus. Equally important, the plan divides the state into four regions for purposes of reopening: Northeast Illinois, North Central Illinois, Central Illinois and Southern Illinois.
Read the full editorial by the Chicago Sun-Times editorial board.
6:20 a.m. Will future generations understand what the Virus War of 2020 was really like?
This is a letter in a bottle to future generations who will never understand the fear, confusion and courage of the ordinary person during The Virus War of 2020.
I am talking about the waitress trying to raise her children without a job. You see, the restaurants were closed. The government provided a tiny bit of money, but not enough to pay the rent, feed the kids and keep the phone and internet operating.
Such a woman had to explain to her children why they could not see their friends, go to school, or visit Grandma. Maybe she had to tell them why they didn’t have the computer they needed to attend virtual classes, which were the only ones available.
Read the full column by Phil Kadner here.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-06--Give every hard-working Chicago student a chance to earn a better grade

For the most part , the Chicago Public Schools ’ proposed new grading policy strikes us as fair and sensible .
Like some other school districts across the country , CPS is adopting a “ pass/incomplete ” grading system that does not penalize students if their academic performance falls short during the COVID-19 pandemic .
Given the significant shortcomings of remote learning , no one can argue against that .
Fairness demands that the district give a break to the 355,000 Chicago students whose schooling has suffered a huge blow because of tough circumstances outside their control .
But there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the 13,000 students who still don ’ t have access to technology .
It ’ s up to the adults — in this case , CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union — to fix it .
Here ’ s how the new policy , still to be voted on by the Board of Education , is to work : Say you ’ re a student who has earned A ’ s up to this point in the year , but you ’ re facing a difficult family situation during this crisis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online assignments or hard-copy lesson packets .
Maybe your grade during this final quarter would have been a D and lowered your final grade for the year .
That won ’ t happen now .
Even a student who would normally receive a final F will get an “ incomplete ” and be able to make up work down the road .
The policy also eliminates retention for elementary students .
Students who would typically be held will get an “ incomplete ” and be first in line to attend summer school if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition , high school students will have some promotion and graduation requirements , like service learning , waived because of the pandemic .
CPS made a big mistake , though , in not ensuring that every kid who ’ s willing to do the work has the same chance to raise their final grade .
Only those students who complete work online will have that chance .
That ’ s simply not fair .
It hurts those students who were failing before school shut down or need to recover credits to graduate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a computer or WiFi to complete work online .
CPS has cited the difficulty of getting hard-copy lesson packets to teachers for grading in a timely manner .
If that ’ s a problem , it ’ s up to the Chicago Teachers Union to solve it by urging teachers to , say , pick up lesson packets once or twice a week at school .
The adults have to make it work — for kids ’ sake .

For the most part, the Chicago Public Schools’ proposed new grading policy strikes us as fair and sensible.
Like some other school districts across the country, CPS is adopting a “pass/incomplete” grading system that does not penalize students if their academic performance falls short during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given the significant shortcomings of remote learning, no one can argue against that. Fairness demands that the district give a break to the 355,000 Chicago students whose schooling has suffered a huge blow because of tough circumstances outside their control.
But there’s a big flaw that works against the 13,000 students who still don’t have access to technology. It’s up to the adults — in this case, CPS and the Chicago Teachers Union — to fix it.
Editorials bug Editorials
Here’s how the changes, still to be voted on by the Board of Education, will work:
Say you’re a student who has earned A’s up to this point in the year, but you’re facing a difficult family situation during this crisis and haven’t completed most of your online assignments or hard-copy lesson packets. Maybe your grade during this final quarter would have been a D and lowered your final grade for the year.
That won’t happen now. Even a student who would normally receive a final F will get an “incomplete” and be able to make up work down the road.
The policy also eliminates retention for elementary students. Students who would typically be held will get an “incomplete” and be first in line to attend summer school if the district offers it this year.
In addition, high school students will have some promotion and graduation requirements, like service learning, waived because of the pandemic.
Raising grades
CPS made a big mistake, though, in not ensuring that every kid who’s willing to do the work has the same chance to raise their final grade. Only those students who complete work online will have that chance.
That’s simply not fair. It hurts those students who were failing before school shut down or need to recover credits to graduate, but who don’t have a computer or WiFi to complete work online.
CPS has cited the difficulty of getting hard-copy lesson packets to teachers for grading in a timely manner. If that’s a problem, it’s up to the Chicago Teachers Union to solve it by urging teachers to, say, pick up lesson packets once or twice a week at school.
The adults have to make it work — for kids’ sake.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-06--Lightfoot demands that internet providers help bridge digital divide in remote learning at CPS

Mayor Lori Lightfoot demanded Wednesday that Chicago internet providers stop “ putting profits over people ” and bridge the digital divide standing in the way of remote learning and Chicago Public Schools .
Lightfoot said CPS has “ passed out literally tens of thousands of devices ” — laptop computers and tablets — “ from their own stockpile ” and devices donated by individuals and corporations to make certain that students “ are , in fact , connected.
” “ Has this process been perfect ?
No .
But are they continuing to work at this issue ?
Absolutely , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said remote learning that may well extend into the fall and the next school year raises larger questions about the digital divide that still exists in Chicago ’ s most impoverished neighborhoods .
“ I ’ m gon na be pressing the carriers to solve this problem .
It ’ s a simple matter of dollars and cents .
And the question is are they gon na put their profits over the needs of people in low-income neighborhoods who have every right to be connected — not just for school … but businesses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We are living in a digital age .
We are providing critical health information to people digitally .
And we need to make sure that every neighborhood is connected .
The power to do that rests with these carriers , and they ’ ve got to step up .
I know that some of them have programs .
But there are flaws in those programs .
We need them to work cooperatively with us … to solve the problem.
” On another matter , Lightfoot said she was unaware of any specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribute 5 million masks at the United Center on Wednesday .
But she did talk to Wilson earlier this week about “ something that he planned in the future.
” She asked whether he had a permit and what his plan was to maintain security .
“ God bless Willie Wilson for his generous heart .
He ’ s been very generous with his own resources , really going back decades , ” she said .
“ I would say the same thing to him as I would say to anyone else .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistent with the state law and guidance .
Five million masks sounds like a great thing .
Let ’ s see what your plan is to make sure that we ’ re doing it in a way that doesn ’ t have masses of people gathering .
That we can do it safely .
That people who are out there are protected.
” Lightfoot was also asked about the “ harsh ” tone she used in admonishing a group of teenagers playing basketball on the West Side last weekend to break it up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video now circulating on social media .
Instead of coldly instructing the crowd to , “ Go Home , ” why not use it as a teaching moment and pass out face masks young people oblivious to the need for social distancing during a pandemic ?
“ Well , those were a lot of young teens and pre-teens who were gathering on a playground that was closed .
And I said to them — as I ’ d say to my own child — ` Hey folks , you got ta go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
And many of them actually had masks , which was a good thing , ” Lightfoot said .
“ I talk to those young people the same way that I would talk to my own child , which is , ` Think about the risk .
Don ’ t put yourself in a difficult position .
Because we know that clustering — particularly contact sports — are very , very risky .
There ’ s a reason why the NBA shut down its season .
We know that that kind of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you spread the virus .
”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot demanded Wednesday that Chicago internet providers stop “putting profits over people” and bridge the digital divide standing in the way of remote learning at Chicago Public Schools.
Lightfoot said CPS has “passed out literally tens of thousands of devices” — laptop computers and tablets — “from their own stockpile” and devices donated by individuals and corporations to make certain that students “are, in fact, connected.”
“Has this process been perfect? No. But are they continuing to work at this issue? Absolutely,” the mayor said.
But Lightfoot said remote learning that may well extend into the fall and the next school year raises larger questions about the digital divide that still exists in Chicago’s most impoverished neighborhoods.
“I’m gonna be pressing the carriers to solve this problem. It’s a simple matter of dollars and cents. And the question is are they gonna put their profits over the needs of people in low-income neighborhoods who have every right to be connected — not just for school … but businesses, individuals,” she said.
“We are living in a digital age. We are providing critical health information to people digitally. And we need to make sure that every neighborhood is connected. The power to do that rests with these carriers, and they’ve got to step up. I know that some of them have programs. But there are flaws in those programs. We need them to work cooperatively with us … to solve the problem.”
Willie Wilson’s ‘generous heart’
On another matter, Lightfoot said she was unaware of any specific offer by millionaire businessman Willie Wilson to distribute 5 million masks at the United Center on Wednesday.
But she did talk to Wilson earlier this week about “something that he planned in the future.”
She asked whether he had a permit and what his plan was to maintain security.
“God bless Willie Wilson for his generous heart. He’s been very generous with his own resources, really going back decades,” she said.
“I would say the same thing to him as I would say to anyone else. We have to do what we do consistent with the state law and guidance. Five million masks sounds like a great thing. Let’s see what your plan is to make sure that we’re doing it in a way that doesn’t have masses of people gathering. That we can do it safely. That people who are out there are protected.”
Lightfoot was also asked about the “harsh” tone she used in admonishing a group of teenagers playing basketball on the West Side last weekend to break it up. The mayoral rebuke was captured on a video now circulating on social media.
Instead of coldly instructing the crowd to, “Go Home,” why not use it as a teaching moment and pass out face masks young people oblivious to the need for social distancing during a pandemic?
“Well, those were a lot of young teens and pre-teens who were gathering on a playground that was closed. And I said to them — as I’d say to my own child — `Hey folks, you gotta go home.’ That’s what I said. And many of them actually had masks, which was a good thing,” Lightfoot said.
“I talk to those young people the same way that I would talk to my own child, which is, `Think about the risk. Don’t put yourself in a difficult position. Because we know that clustering — particularly contact sports — are very, very risky. There’s a reason why the NBA shut down its season. We know that that kind of physical contact is exactly the way that you spread the virus.”


chicagosun-times--2020-05-06--Chicago Park District summer kids camps delay start until July 6

The Chicago Park District ’ s summer day camps for kids have a new official starting date : July 6 .
The camps typically run from June 22 to July 31 , and will still end July 31 this year .
But the first two weeks have been eliminated , per the Park District ’ s website , due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Online registration now begins at 9 a.m. on June 11 — for camps taking place in parks west of California Avenue — or June 12 for camps in parks east of California Avenue , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camps begins at noon on June 13 .
More information about the specific programs offered this year will be available June 1 .
The pandemic has caused great uncertainty and delays in the summer programming schedule citywide .
Registration , for example , was initially supposed to took place April 20 .
And the new dates are still “ subject to change based on guidance from public health officials , ” the website reads .
In early April , Park District spokesperson Michele Lemons said the parks ’ coronavirus response was “ fluid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for summer programming , including camps , were being considered .
Lemons could not be reached for comment Wednesday .

The Chicago Park District’s summer day camps for kids have a new official starting date: July 6.
The camps typically run from June 22 to July 31, and will still end July 31 this year. But the first two weeks have been eliminated, per the Park District’s website, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Online registration now begins at 9 a.m. on June 11 — for camps taking place in parks west of California Avenue — or June 12 for camps in parks east of California Avenue, including the lakeshore. In-person registration for all camps begins at noon on June 13.
More information about the specific programs offered this year will be available June 1.
The pandemic has caused great uncertainty and delays in the summer programming schedule citywide. Registration, for example, was initially supposed to took place April 20.
And the new dates are still “subject to change based on guidance from public health officials,” the website reads.
In early April, Park District spokesperson Michele Lemons said the parks’ coronavirus response was “fluid” and that “all options” for summer programming, including camps, were being considered. Lemons could not be reached for comment Wednesday.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-06--Federal stimulus checks: No forwarding address for some recipients

I ’ m not sure how many people are familiar with the abbreviation “ DECD , ” although I ’ m pretty sure most could guess , especially when it appears after a name .
But for those who don ’ t know , it means “ deceased.
” As in dead .
So you can imagine Janet Williams ’ surprise last week when she received a $ 1,200 federal stimulus check in the mail made out to her late stepfather , “ Arthur Keyser DECD.
” Keyser died in November 2018 , which the government apparently knew , Williams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ON THE FACE OF THE $ 1,200 CHECK THEY SENT HIM .
It ’ s already been widely reported that the Treasury Department mistakenly sent out thousands of stimulus payments to dead people in its rush to get money out the door and revive the economy .
The explanation is there wasn ’ t time to cross reference the list of check recipients with the Social Security Administration ’ s death index , which is understandable to a point .
But couldn ’ t some computer whiz have fashioned a fairly simple program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DECD ” behind their names ?
Keyser was hardly the only “ DECD ” person to get such a check with that fairly obvious clue printed right on the face .
There have been similar anecdotal reports from other news outlets around the country , as well as from the mother-in-law of one of my bosses at the paper , which cinches it .
The question is what to do with such a check once it has been received .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told the Wall Street Journal that dead people aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,200 and that their relatives and estates should repay the money to the government .
Presumably , if they didn ’ t receive the money by direct deposit , they should just send back the check .
But others are questioning Mnuchin ’ s authority to make that determination , arguing the law passed by Congress makes no provision for the federal government to claw back stimulus funds sent in error .
The IRS has been promising to issue its official guidance on the matter soon , as there is no clear procedure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Williams , who lives in Roscoe Village and works for a medical trade association , said she does not plan to return the check , but neither does she intend to cash it .
“ It ’ s more trouble for me than it ’ s worth to send it back , ” she said , noting there ’ s no harm to the U.S. Treasury as long as the check isn ’ t cashed .
Plus , she said , “ It ’ s a nice souvenir.
” Williams said the check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has power of attorney for Keyser ’ s estate and filed a tax return on its behalf for 2018 , which is what triggered the stimulus payment .
Williams sees the check as emblematic of the incompetence of the Trump Administration on full display during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ They don ’ t understand public health .
They don ’ t understand managing a public health crisis .
They don ’ t understand national security and working with others around the world on solutions , ” she said .
“ This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Although I share her dim view of the president , it must be pointed out in all fairness that there were similar problems when the Obama Administration rushed out stimulus payments during the Great Recession in 2009 .
The Social Security Administration inspector general reported a year later that the government had sent $ 18 million in stimulus checks to 72,000 dead people .
So maybe this just falls under the general heading of nonpartisan bureaucratic incompetence in Washington .
It would seem likely that with so many people hurting financially right now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash their dead relatives ’ checks and worry about the consequences later .
Count Williams among those who are doubtful the government will ever see that money in its coffers again , despite President Donald Trump ’ s assurance during a briefing last week that : “ We ’ ll get that back.
” “ If they didn ’ t cross reference those names to begin with , how do we believe they ’ re going to eventually catch up with the people who cash them , ” she said .
As for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinks about all the other people who could benefit from that money right now .

I’m not sure how many people are familiar with the abbreviation “DECD,” although I’m pretty sure most could guess, especially when it appears after a name.
But for those who don’t know, it means “deceased.” As in dead.
So you can imagine Janet Williams’ surprise last week when she received a $1,200 federal stimulus check in the mail made out to her late stepfather, “Arthur Keyser DECD.”
Opinion bug Opinion
Keyser died in November 2018, which the government apparently knew, Williams notes, BECAUSE IT SAYS SO RIGHT ON THE FACE OF THE $1,200 CHECK THEY SENT HIM.
It’s already been widely reported that the Treasury Department mistakenly sent out thousands of stimulus payments to dead people in its rush to get money out the door and revive the economy.
The explanation is there wasn’t time to cross reference the list of check recipients with the Social Security Administration’s death index, which is understandable to a point.
But couldn’t some computer whiz have fashioned a fairly simple program to weed out the people with “DECD” behind their names?
Keyser was hardly the only “DECD” person to get such a check with that fairly obvious clue printed right on the face. There have been similar anecdotal reports from other news outlets around the country, as well as from the mother-in-law of one of my bosses at the paper, which cinches it.
The question is what to do with such a check once it has been received.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told the Wall Street Journal that dead people aren’t eligible to collect the $1,200 and that their relatives and estates should repay the money to the government. Presumably, if they didn’t receive the money by direct deposit, they should just send back the check.
But others are questioning Mnuchin’s authority to make that determination, arguing the law passed by Congress makes no provision for the federal government to claw back stimulus funds sent in error.
The IRS issued detailed instructions Wednesday on how to return stimulus checks by mail or pay them back if they’ve already been deposited.
Williams, who lives in Roscoe Village and works for a medical trade association, said she does not plan to return the check, but neither does she intend to cash it.
“It’s more trouble for me than it’s worth to send it back,” she said, noting there’s no harm to the U.S. Treasury as long as the check isn’t cashed.
Plus, she said, “It’s a nice souvenir.”
Williams said the check came to her home address because she has power of attorney for Keyser’s estate and filed a tax return on its behalf for 2018, which is what triggered the stimulus payment.
Williams sees the check as emblematic of the incompetence of the Trump Administration on full display during the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Donald Trump, along with Jovita Carranza, administrator of the Small Business Administration, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in the East Room of the White House, April 28. Evan Vucci/AP
“They don’t understand public health. They don’t understand managing a public health crisis. They don’t understand national security and working with others around the world on solutions,” she said. “This is just another example of their ineptitude.”
Although I share her dim view of the president, it must be pointed out in all fairness that there were similar problems when the Obama Administration rushed out stimulus payments during the Great Recession in 2009.
The Social Security Administration inspector general reported a year later that the government had sent $18 million in stimulus checks to 72,000 dead people.
So maybe this just falls under the general heading of nonpartisan bureaucratic incompetence in Washington.
It would seem likely that with so many people hurting financially right now that many of them are going to cash their dead relatives’ checks and worry about the consequences later.
Count Williams among those who are doubtful the government will ever see that money in its coffers again, despite President Donald Trump’s assurance during a briefing last week that: “We’ll get that back.”
“If they didn’t cross reference those names to begin with, how do we believe they’re going to eventually catch up with the people who cash them,” she said.
As for the check to her stepfather, she thinks about all the other people who could benefit from that money right now.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-06--State rep wants to talk about race, face masks and why a cop stopped him outside a South Loop store

State Rep. Kam Buckner wants to spark public conversation about why a Chicago police officer stopped him outside a big-box store Sunday in the South Loop and asked for a receipt for the items in his cart , as well as an ID .
Buckner , 34 , who was wearing a state-mandated face mask , a hoodie and sweatpants , told the Chicago Sun-Times he remained calm and complied .
The officer , who was white and in uniform , walked back to his squad car for a couple of minutes and then returned the ID and receipt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All right , thanks.
’ And that ’ s when I asked , ‘ What was the impetus for you stopping me in the first place , ’ ” Buckner recalled .
“ He told me : ‘ People are using the coronavirus to do bad things .
I couldn ’ t see your face .
You looked like you were up to something.
’ ” Buckner declined to name the store where this happened so it wouldn ’ t reflect poorly on the business .
Without that information , police were unable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incident , Chicago police spokesman Rocco Alioto said .
“ All investigatory stops must be predicated on reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred , is occurring or is about to occur , ” Alioto said .
Buckner , who lives in Bronzeville , said he was one of the few black people in the well-trafficked area outside the store but can ’ t say with certainty why the cop singled him out .
“ What I am sure of is there ’ s a deeper underlying history of racial biases with certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the black community , ” he said .
“ I ’ m an attorney and an elected official , and I know how to deal with that in the situation .
But it gave me pause because I was worried about folks who may not have as effective a resolution .
“ I think about young boys who may not understand how to interact with law enforcement , who may assume that they ’ re grown men , and then how they would act in that situation .
Something like that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the son of a retired Cook County sheriff ’ s deputy .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday called wearing a face covering or mask “ a collective act of patriotism ” and one of the best things one can do for public health .
But the governor also addressed reports of “ misplaced assumptions about masks , leading to incidents of racial profiling ” against Latino and black Americans , especially men , as well as xenophobic attacks against Asian Americans .
“ I want to call on the public to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out and standing up for others in your community , ” Pritzker said .
“ If you witness or experience mask-related discrimination or any form of discrimination , please report the incident to the Illinois Department of Human Rights at idhr.webmail @ illinois.gov.
” “ There ’ s twin issues here , ” Buckner said , “ the issue of protecting yourself from the virus while also protecting yourself from being perceived as a threat , or criminally , when you are not .
“ I know this is not an isolated event @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thread about the encounter on Twitter .
Amanda Lewis , director of the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago , was not surprised to hear about the incident .
“ There ’ s a long history in Chicago of racial disparities and how people experience the police , ” she said .
“ And the class dimensions of being a politician and lawyer , those aren ’ t protective .
What matters the most as the kind of signifier in that moment is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be really dangerous.
” Buckner , who never mentioned his job as a legislator to the officer , is considering filing a complaint about the officer ’ s conduct .
But he ’ s more interested in offering the story up as a teachable moment .
“ If this is a spark to create better community police relations and kind of bridge some gaps and start some connectivity , I ’ m all for that .
It would have definitely been worth it , ” he said .

State Rep. Kam Buckner wants to spark public conversation about why a Chicago police officer stopped him outside a big-box store Sunday in the South Loop and asked for a receipt for the items in his cart, as well as an ID.
Buckner, 34, who was wearing a state-mandated face mask, a hoodie and sweatpants, told the Chicago Sun-Times he remained calm and complied.
The officer, who was white and in uniform, walked back to his squad car for a couple of minutes and then returned the ID and receipt to Buckner.
“He said, ‘All right, thanks.’ And that’s when I asked, ‘What was the impetus for you stopping me in the first place,’ ” Buckner recalled.
“He told me: ‘People are using the coronavirus to do bad things. I couldn’t see your face. You looked like you were up to something.’ ”
Buckner declined to name the store where this happened so it wouldn’t reflect poorly on the business. Without that information, police were unable to track down any record of the incident, Chicago police spokesman Rocco Alioto said.
“All investigatory stops must be predicated on reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred, is occurring or is about to occur,” Alioto said.
Buckner, who lives in Bronzeville, said he was one of the few black people in the well-trafficked area outside the store but can’t say with certainty why the cop singled him out.
“What I am sure of is there’s a deeper underlying history of racial biases with certain members of law enforcement when it comes to the black community,” he said.
“I’m an attorney and an elected official, and I know how to deal with that in the situation. But it gave me pause because I was worried about folks who may not have as effective a resolution.
“I think about young boys who may not understand how to interact with law enforcement, who may assume that they’re grown men, and then how they would act in that situation. Something like that could escalate quickly,” said Buckner, the son of a retired Cook County sheriff’s deputy.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday called wearing a face covering or mask “a collective act of patriotism” and one of the best things one can do for public health.
But the governor also addressed reports of “misplaced assumptions about masks, leading to incidents of racial profiling” against Latino and black Americans, especially men, as well as xenophobic attacks against Asian Americans.
“I want to call on the public to help us stop these hateful incidents by speaking out and standing up for others in your community,” Pritzker said. “If you witness or experience mask-related discrimination or any form of discrimination, please report the incident to the Illinois Department of Human Rights at idhr.webmail@illinois.gov.”
“There’s twin issues here,” Buckner said, “the issue of protecting yourself from the virus while also protecting yourself from being perceived as a threat, or criminally, when you are not.
“I know this is not an isolated event,” said Buckner, who posted a thread about the encounter on Twitter.
Amanda Lewis, director of the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, was not surprised to hear about the incident.
“There’s a long history in Chicago of racial disparities and how people experience the police,” she said.
“And the class dimensions of being a politician and lawyer, those aren’t protective. What matters the most as the kind of signifier in that moment is your race, and the consequences can be really dangerous.”
Buckner, who never mentioned his job as a legislator to the officer, is considering filing a complaint about the officer’s conduct.
But he’s more interested in offering the story up as a teachable moment.
“If this is a spark to create better community police relations and kind of bridge some gaps and start some connectivity, I’m all for that. It would have definitely been worth it,” he said.
Contributing: Tina Sfondeles


chicagosun-times--2020-05-06--Erykah Badu and Jill Scott to ‘battle’ in Verzuz series

A music curation website continues to bring music legends together so the masses can practice their favorite two-step in the living room while enjoying a libation ?
Or work up the courage needed to deep clean their homes since the COVID-19 pandemic has all but crushed the excuses to take on such a daunting task sooner than later ?
The series of battles , which are curated by music producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland , provides entertainment amid the pandemic .
The next one is slated for 6 p.m. May .
9 and will feature Neo Soul artists Erykah Badu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superstars in the series .
Tennille Allen , chairwoman of the department of Sociology and director of African American Studies at Louis University , compares the Verzuz battles to “ Collective Effervescence , ” a term coined by 19th century French sociologist Émile Durkheim , where people interact through religious experiences to “ affirm ” their connection to their communities .
“ Coming into that virtual world together , there ’ s this electricity that goes through that virtual crowd that makes its way into Twitter bouncing into people ’ s living rooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re gathering , ” said Allen , who has seen both Badu and Scott perform live .
“ I think that in the pandemic in particular , it ’ s important because so many black people are in these communal celebrations especially when times get hard .
“ We see our loved ones , our friends , our families dying .
We can ’ t come together to mourn , or to celebrate their lives .
This provides us with that kind of communal space , even if we aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other.
” Previous Verzuz battles have included RZA vs. DJ Premier , Swizz Beatz vs. Timbaland , T-Pain vs. Lil Jon , Mannie Fresh vs. Scott Storch , and Kenneth “ Babyface ” Edmonds vs. Teddy Riley ( to date the most popular of the battles across multiple social media platforms ) .
Edmonds and Riley ’ s battle brought together music aficionados who were unaware of the number of hit records the two collectively produced/performed and long-time fans .
According to Leroy Johnson , Warner Records ’ national director of promotions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ creating IG accounts to follow the hoopla .
And the artists involved are seeing a spike in streaming and audience engagement numbers .
Babyface , who had 420,000 Instagram followers before his April 20 battle with Riley , now has about 1.1 million followers — a 162 % increase , according to Verzuz .
“ This is timeless music ; that ’ s why the streaming numbers are going crazy , ” said Miriah Mark , Capitol Records ’ Midwest regional promotional director .
“ These are free concerts that the people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of their homes that they would have never been able to see any other time.
” Mark said her employer is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group along with Motown Records ( Badu ’ s record label ) .
She believes the current crop of artists who don ’ t have the catalog that previous battle performers have , are pushed to step up their game amid the pandemic .
“ Right now because they can ’ t tour , visit the markets , they can ’ t have shows , they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so they ’ re trying to keep up with everyone wanting to hear what they heard in the past era , ” said Mark .
“ So they ’ re doing TikTok music videos ; anything to get their streaming numbers , but it can never take the place of what music was versus what it has become.
” Johnson echoes Mark ’ s sentiments regarding the excitement surrounding the battles .
“ People are really passionate about these artists and , you know , it ’ s kind of like Beyoncé @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ You really go to bat for the artists you are passionate about … You want to see what else people have to say about the artists that you ’ re passionate about [ and ] that engages and invokes conversation.
” Last week , Scott ’ s scheduled June performance at The 2020 Ravinia Festival in Highland Park was canceled due to the pandemic .
In March , Badu held a “ Quarantine Concert Series : Apocalypse One , ” where she charged her fans $ 1 for her bedroom performance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beneficiaries of the proceeds .

A music curation website continues to bring music legends together so the masses can practice their favorite two-step in the living room while enjoying a libation?
Or work up the courage needed to deep clean their homes since the COVID-19 pandemic has all but crushed the excuses to take on such a daunting task sooner than later?
The series of battles, which are curated by music producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland, provides entertainment amid the pandemic. The next one is slated for 6 p.m. May. 9 and will feature Neo Soul artists Erykah Badu and Jill Scott — the first female superstars in the series.
Tennille Allen, chairwoman of the department of Sociology and director of African American Studies at Lewis University, compares the Verzuz battles to “Collective Effervescence,” a term coined by 19th century French sociologist Émile Durkheim, where people interact through religious experiences to “affirm” their connection to their communities.
“Coming into that virtual world together, there’s this electricity that goes through that virtual crowd that makes its way into Twitter bouncing into people’s living rooms and people’s kitchens when they’re gathering,” said Allen, who has seen both Badu and Scott perform live. “I think that in the pandemic in particular, it’s important because so many black people are in these communal celebrations especially when times get hard.
“We see our loved ones, our friends, our families dying. We can’t come together to mourn, or to celebrate their lives. This provides us with that kind of communal space, even if we aren’t in the same physical proximity with each other.”
Previous Verzuz battles have included RZA vs. DJ Premier, Swizz Beatz vs. Timbaland, T-Pain vs. Lil Jon, Mannie Fresh vs. Scott Storch, and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds vs. Teddy Riley (to date the most popular of the battles across multiple social media platforms).
Edmonds and Riley’s battle brought together music aficionados who were unaware of the number of hit records the two collectively produced/performed and long-time fans. According to Leroy Johnson, Warner Records’ national director of promotions, many of those longtime fans wound up creating IG accounts to follow the hoopla.
And the artists involved are seeing a spike in streaming and audience engagement numbers.
Babyface, who had 420,000 Instagram followers before his April 20 battle with Riley, now has about 1.1 million followers — a 162% increase, according to Verzuz.
“This is timeless music; that’s why the streaming numbers are going crazy,” said Miriah Mark, Capitol Records’ Midwest regional promotional director. “These are free concerts that the people are being able to see from the comfort of their homes that they would have never been able to see any other time.”
Mark said her employer is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group along with Motown Records (Badu’s record label). She believes the current crop of artists who don’t have the catalog that previous battle performers have, are pushed to step up their game amid the pandemic.
“Right now because they can’t tour, visit the markets, they can’t have shows, they can’t visit radio [stations], so they’re trying to keep up with everyone wanting to hear what they heard in the past era,” said Mark. “So they’re doing TikTok music videos; anything to get their streaming numbers, but it can never take the place of what music was versus what it has become.”
Johnson echoes Mark’s sentiments regarding the excitement surrounding the battles.
“People are really passionate about these artists and, you know, it’s kind of like Beyoncé and the Beyhive,” said Johnson. “You really go to bat for the artists you are passionate about … You want to see what else people have to say about the artists that you’re passionate about [and] that engages and invokes conversation.”
Last week, Scott’s scheduled June performance at The 2020 Ravinia Festival in Highland Park was canceled due to the pandemic. In March, Badu held a “Quarantine Concert Series: Apocalypse One,” where she charged her fans $1 for her bedroom performance. Her out-of-work band members were the beneficiaries of the proceeds.


chicagosun-times--2020-05-07--Fish on Fish:  A “can-die-happy-now” Fish of the Week

The way Rose Dore tells it , her husband Brian Dore and his brother Bobby were fishing a pond in Yorkville .
She had me when she emailed , “ It was just a pond by some houses—no name.
” But it got better .
Brian caught the largemouth bass on a No .
6 hook with a night crawler on “ his trusty Zebco ” with what looks like a bluegill in its mouth .
“ He must have just ate him and then took the bait , ” she emailed .
“ He released both fish .
Needless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can die happy now.
” Without a measuring tape , he measured the fish on a ribbon , which came to 22 inches at home .
“ Hope you enjoyed this story , ‘ cause he hasn ’ t stopped talking about it , ’ ’ she concluded .
Come now , that is exactly the kind of story I love .
FOTW , the celebration of big fish and their stories ( the stories matter ) around Chicago fishing , runs Wednesdays in the Sun-Times .
Submit nominations by message on Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( @ BowmanOutside ) and Instagram ( @ BowmanOutside ) or email ( BowmanOutside @ gmail.com ) .

The way Rose Dore tells it, her husband Brian Dore and his brother Bobby were fishing a pond in Yorkville.
She had me when she emailed, “It was just a pond by some houses—no name.”
But it got better. Brian caught the largemouth bass on a No. 6 hook with a night crawler on “his trusty Zebco” with what looks like a bluegill in its mouth.
“He must have just ate him and then took the bait,” she emailed. “He released both fish. Needless to say, my husband said he can die happy now.”
Without a measuring tape, he measured the fish on a ribbon, which came to 22 inches at home.
“Hope you enjoyed this story, ‘cause he hasn’t stopped talking about it,’’ she concluded.
Come now, that is exactly the kind of story I love.
Brian Dore with a big largemouth bass that also caught a panfish. Provided
FOTW, the celebration of big fish and their stories (the stories matter) around Chicago fishing, runs Wednesdays in the Sun-Times. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).


chicagosun-times--2020-05-07--Dear Abby: Gay, liberal teen eager to flee her strict, conservative dad

DEAR ABBY : I am a teenage girl in an average family .
I started getting interested in LGBTQ+ and other social justice topics when I was in fifth grade .
Since then , I have realized that , among other things , I ’ m a lesbian , a liberal and an atheist .
This wouldn ’ t be a problem , but my father hates many of the things I am or stand for .
He ’ s an extremely conservative , Christian , gun-rights person , and he wants me and my brothers to join the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the best that I can be , and I try , but his idea of “ best ” is very different from mine .
I have several mental problems , which resulted in me getting special privileges in school .
I use them whenever I can , but it is never enough for him .
He keeps searching through my grade book until he finds something new for me to do , regardless of the date it was assigned or whether it can be graded anymore .
I have various restrictions on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barely contact my friends .
It has gotten to the point that I am worried about when I come out and looking forward to college just so I can get away .
Please tell me what to do in the meantime because college is five years away .
— WAITING IN VIRGINIA DEAR WAITING : You and your dad have very different outlooks on life , and that ’ s OK. That said , you must live under his roof for the next five years , so be diplomatic and keep some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible .
You may think your father is heavy-handed in parenting you , but has it occurred to you that when he goes through your grade book , he ’ s trying to make sure you know how to work all the problems in it ?
Placing restrictions on a minor ’ s use of technology is intelligent parenting , at least for someone just entering her teens .
Please try to cut him some slack .
Recognize there is a bright future ahead of you if you concentrate on your studies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down now .
DEAR ABBY : My 32-year-old son , “ Jerry , ” wanted to propose to his girlfriend , but didn ’ t have money for a ring .
My husband offered him my original engagement ring , assuming for some reason ( or maybe just not thinking ) that my old ring didn ’ t hold sentimental value to me , although I wore that 1/3-carat diamond every day for 32 years before getting a new , larger one .
After the ring was offered , I felt forced to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it wouldn ’ t fit his girlfriend , and I also didn ’ t think she would settle for such a small diamond , but I figured he would have the diamond put into a setting that fit her .
I got over my feeling of loss knowing he would use the ring .
Well , he didn ’ t .
He gave her MY ring , and then they went out and charged a nice-sized engagement ring that she selected .
My original ring now hangs on a chain in her jewelry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ring back ?
— MEANS A LOT IN TEXAS DEAR MEANS A LOT : Because your first engagement ring is not being used as intended and was only a place holder until your son ’ s fiancee got what she really wanted , I see no reason why you shouldn ’ t ask , and I also see no reason why she shouldn ’ t graciously comply .
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren , also known as Jeanne Phillips , and was founded by her mother , Pauline Phillips .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Box 69440 , Los Angeles , CA 90069 .
Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets : “ Abby ’ s Favorite Recipes ” and “ More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby.
” Send your name and mailing address , plus check or money order for $ 16 ( U.S. funds ) , to : Dear Abby , Cookbooklet Set , P.O .
Box 447 , Mount Morris , IL 61054-0447 .
( Shipping and handling are included in the price . )

DEAR ABBY: I am a teenage girl in an average family. I started getting interested in LGBTQ+ and other social justice topics when I was in fifth grade.
Since then, I have realized that, among other things, I’m a lesbian, a liberal and an atheist. This wouldn’t be a problem, but my father hates many of the things I am or stand for. He’s an extremely conservative, Christian, gun-rights person, and he wants me and my brothers to join the military. He constantly pushes me to be the best that I can be, and I try, but his idea of “best” is very different from mine.
I have several mental problems, which resulted in me getting special privileges in school. I use them whenever I can, but it is never enough for him. He keeps searching through my grade book until he finds something new for me to do, regardless of the date it was assigned or whether it can be graded anymore.
I have various restrictions on my use of technology, so I can barely contact my friends. It has gotten to the point that I am worried about when I come out and looking forward to college just so I can get away. Please tell me what to do in the meantime because college is five years away. — WAITING IN VIRGINIA
DEAR WAITING: You and your dad have very different outlooks on life, and that’s OK. That said, you must live under his roof for the next five years, so be diplomatic and keep some of your opinions to yourself as long as possible.
You may think your father is heavy-handed in parenting you, but has it occurred to you that when he goes through your grade book, he’s trying to make sure you know how to work all the problems in it? Placing restrictions on a minor’s use of technology is intelligent parenting, at least for someone just entering her teens. Please try to cut him some slack. Recognize there is a bright future ahead of you if you concentrate on your studies to the best of your ability and buckle down now.
DEAR ABBY: My 32-year-old son, “Jerry,” wanted to propose to his girlfriend, but didn’t have money for a ring. My husband offered him my original engagement ring, assuming for some reason (or maybe just not thinking) that my old ring didn’t hold sentimental value to me, although I wore that 1/3-carat diamond every day for 32 years before getting a new, larger one.
After the ring was offered, I felt forced to let him have it. I knew it wouldn’t fit his girlfriend, and I also didn’t think she would settle for such a small diamond, but I figured he would have the diamond put into a setting that fit her. I got over my feeling of loss knowing he would use the ring.
Well, he didn’t. He gave her MY ring, and then they went out and charged a nice-sized engagement ring that she selected. My original ring now hangs on a chain in her jewelry box. Should I ask for my ring back? — MEANS A LOT IN TEXAS
DEAR MEANS A LOT: Because your first engagement ring is not being used as intended and was only a place holder until your son’s fiancee got what she really wanted, I see no reason why you shouldn’t ask, and I also see no reason why she shouldn’t graciously comply.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Abby shares more than 100 of her favorite recipes in two booklets: “Abby’s Favorite Recipes” and “More Favorite Recipes by Dear Abby.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $16 (U.S. funds), to: Dear Abby, Cookbooklet Set, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Shipping and handling are included in the price.)